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Wisconsin Bookwatch

Volume 3, Number 9 September 2008 Home | WBW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Business Shelf Health/Medicine Shelf
Fiction Shelf American History Shelf Self-Help Shelf
Pets/Wildlife Shelf Biography Shelf Christian Studies Shelf
Buddhist Studies Shelf Poetry Shelf Education Shelf
International Studies Shelf Social Issues Shelf Music Shelf
Parenting Shelf Literary Shelf Religion/Spirituality Shelf
World History Shelf Military Shelf Psychology Shelf
Travel Shelf Sports Shelf Philosophy Shelf
Mythology/FolkloreShelf Native American Shelf Fantasy/SciFi Shelf
Art Shelf Cookbook Shelf Money/Finance Shelf
Environmental Studies Shelf Antiques/Collectibles Shelf Photography Shelf
Martial Arts Shelf    


Reviewer's Choice

Explore Wisconsin Rivers
Doris Green & Michael H. Knight
Trails Books
c/o Big Earth Publishing
145 North Commercial Street, Suite 100, Neenah, WI 54956
9781934553121, $18.95, www.bigearthpublishing.com, 1-800-258-5830

Wisconsin's river systems have been critical to the state's developmental history and continue to provide irreplaceable economic and recreational resources fundamentally necessary to insure the prosperity of the Badger State. Ranging from minor tributaries to major thoroughfares, Wisconsin's reviewers were the produce of glaciation and geologic conditions that helped to shape the landscape as we know it today. They served as transport Native American systems that were readily adopted and exploited by European settlers. They served as energy, food, commerce, and recreational sources and today offer memorable recreation experiences and essential ecological supports. In "Wisconsin Underground" Wisconsin author and academician Doris Green explored Wisconsin's caves and cave systems. Now in "Explore Wisconsin Rivers" she turns her expert attention to the beauty and history of Wisconsin's rivers and rivers systems in terms of both their history and their beauty. Personally traveling hundreds of miles of Badger State rivers, exploring their natural and cultural aspects, Doris Green (with the assistance of Michael H. Knight) has produced an informed and informative travel guide perfect for planning a recreational itinerary for enjoying what Wisconsin rivers have to offer. The format is the grouping of rivers according to which body of water they ultimately pour into. Section one offers four rivers emptying into Lake Superior; Section two showcases six rivers emptying into Lake Michigan; Section tree describes nine rivers running to the Mississippi and the Gulf of Mexico. Enhanced with occasional black-and-white photography, "Explore Wisconsin Rivers" is enthusiastically recommended as an essential guide for anyone interested in Wisconsin's river systems and is a core addition to both academic and community library Wisconsin Studies & History reference collections.

Cheng & Tsui Company
25 West Street, Boston, MA 02111-1213
www.cheng-tsui.com 1-617-988-2400

China is a major trading partner of the United States. It is currently the focus of millions of people world wide as the host of the 2008 Olympics. It is a thriving economy and an ancient country that has a great deal to offer by way of literature and culture, business opportunities and recreational resources. The Cheng & Tsui Company is a premier publisher of books on and about China, its languages, people, and culture. Four such recent and very highly recommended examples are the Cheng & Tsui edition of the "Chinese Measure Word Dictionary: A Chinese-English English-Chinese Usage Guide" (9780887276323) painstakingly compiled by Jiquing Fang and Michael Connelly; "Tales And Traditions: Readings In Chinese Literature" (9780887275340) collaboratively compiled by Yun Xiao, Hui Xiao, and Ying Wang; "The Moon Is Always Beautiful And Other Essays" (9780887276378) published in simplified and traditional characters including Pinyin by Weijia Huang and Qun Ao. Also very highly recommended is "Generation Gap And Other Essays" (9780887275364) which presents readings in the Cheng & Tsui Company 'Readings in Korean Culture' series. Immensely beneficial for Chinese language students, as well as recommended reading for those already proficient in Chinese traditional characters, these are volumes that would enhance any personal or academic library Chinese Cultural Studies and Linguistic Studies reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

Web of Conspiracy
James F. Broderick & Darren W. Miller
CyberAge Books
143 Old Marlton Pike, Medford, NJ 08055
9780910965811, $19.95, www.infotoday.com

The internet has become a platform for millions around the world to say their piece on world events. "Web of Conspiracy: A Guide to Conspiracy Theory Sites on the Internet" is a guide to finding proper conspiracy discussion websites throughout the internet. The guide tries to siphon out the completely insane theories throughout and promotes websites that give solid knowledge and evidence for their claims, including sites that seek to debunk the conspiracies. "Web of Conspiracy" is a must for anyone who fervently seeks truth in many of the world's mysteries.

The Lure of Antiquity and the Cult of the Machine
Horst Bredekamp, author
Allison Brown, translator
Markus Wiener Publishers
231 Nassau Street, Princeton, NJ 08542
1558760946, $18.95 www.markuswiener.com

The history of art encompasses all aspects of human creativity throughout the annals of recorded human history. Horst Bredekamp (Professor of Art History at Humbolt University, Berlin) presents The Lure of Antiquity and the Cult of the Machine: The Kunstkammer and the Evolution of Nature, Art, and Technology, a close examination of the baroque Kunstkammer - a display of art and unusual discoveries assembled by wealthy Europeans in the sixteenth to eighteenth centuries. These proto-museums, meant to illuminate the mechanistic order of all things, featured exhibits from minerals to exotic plants, animals, statues, and machines. The baroque Kunstkammer was not only a celebration of the human potential for creativity, argues Bredekamp, but was also the nascent progenitor of the modern-day exchange of ideas and thought within cyberspace. A handful of black-and-white photographs illustrate this thoughtful treatise, fluidly translated from the original German by Allison Brown.

What the Bleep is Going on Here?
Rafe Mair
Harbour Publishing
PO Box 219, Madeira Park, BC V0N 2H0 Canada
9781550174588, $24.95, www.harbourpublishing.com

It's never too late to fight for progress, and at seventy-six, Rafe Mair won't stop. "What the Bleep is Going on Here?" is a collection of essays and ramblings about his opinions about the world and life in general, giving his ideas and thoughts about how the world is and how the world should be. He invites readers to read and make up their own minds whether he's right or not, citing that complete agreement is not as the world should be. "What the Bleep is Going on Here?" is highly recommended to community library collections dedicated to current events.


The Business Shelf

The Business Start-Up Toolkit
Daniel Sitarz
Nova
1193 W. College St., Carbondale, IL 62901
National Book Network (distribution)
4501 Forbes Blvd., Lanham, MD 20706
9781892949431, $39.95, www.novapublishing.com

Getting started is always the toughest part of starting one's own business. "The Business Start-Up Toolkit" is a guide for those who want to get started but aren't entirely sure how. Giving advice on legal problems in a business start-up, to gathering the money necessary to taxes and more, author Daniel Sitarz offers a complete, comprehensive, and 'user friendly' manual offering step-by-step guidance to successfully launching any business regardless of the products or services it will offer in the marketplace. Sitarz also discusses various forms of businesses, such as limited liability companies, corporations, partnerships, and more. "The Business Start-Up Toolkit" comes with a CD ROM with all the legal forms you need, making it a must for any novice entrepreneur.

Getting the Best From People
Martha I. Finney
FT Press
1 Lake Street, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458
Pearson Education
200 Old Tappan Rd, Old Tappan, NJ 07675
9780132354912, $18.99, www.ftpress.com

How do you get the best out of your workers, their A-Game? "The Truth About Getting the Best From People" is a guide for managers and leaders on just that. With advice on keeping their workplace positive and dedicated to the company's goals, motivation facts and myths, and general leadership advice to bring the best out of oneself above all else, "The Truth About Getting the Best From People" is a finely written leadership guide, highly recommended to community library business collections.

Dictionary of International Business Law
Lucas Otto
Global Professional Publishing
c/o Stylus Publishing LLC
PO box 605, Herndon, VA 20172-0605
9780852976586, $40.00, www.styluspub.com

Legalese is a common term applied to the crazy language of lawyers but what of the language of business? "Dictionary of International Business Law" is a complete and comprehensive glossary of business terms, organized into sections. Each entry explains the topic thoroughly with the intent of helping managers across the board understand the language of businesses, a language that can be incredibly confusing at times. A top pick for any in the harsh world of business, "Dictionary of International Business Law" is highly recommended to community library business collections.

Subject to Change
Peter Merholz & Collaborators
O'Reilly
1005 Gravenstein HWY N., Sebastopol, CA 95472
9780596516833, $24.99, www.oreilly.com

The world is ever changing, and the world of business changes even faster. "Subject to Change: Creating Great Products and Services for an Uncertain World" is a guide written to help businesses stay on top of this rapidly changing world. Focusing on developing products and brands that can evolve as needed, "Subject to Change" offers advanced strategies for understanding the world of selling, and products that can keep up with chaotic times. "Subject to Change" is a must for anyone who wants a solid and agile business under their command.

The Offshoring Of Engineering
Committee on the Offshoring of Engineering
National Academies Press
500 Fifth Street, NW, Washington, DC 20001
9780309114837, $54.00, www.nap.edu, 1-888-624-7654

America's corporate integration into a global economy has both its winners and its losers. The phenomena of 'downsizing' and 'offshoring' has had severe and widespread implications for American workers -- including its engineers. "The Offshoring Of Engineering: Facts, unknowns, And Potential Implications" is a comprehensive study of this subject and after an informative introduction laying out its goals and processes, covers the issues relevant to identifying trends and prospects of offshore outsourcing engineering as a high-skill service job; identifies the effects of offshore outsourcing engineering jobs with respect to the specific industries of software development, automobiles, pharmaceuticals, personal computer manufacturing, construction engineering, and semiconductors. This is followed by reports on workshop findings with respect to trends and impacts, implications for engineering education, and effects upon public policy. Enhanced with six specially commissioned papers and seven specific workshop presentations, "The Offshoring Of Engineering" also includes three appendices: Workshop Agenda; Workshop Participants; and Biographical Information. An invaluable contribution, "The Offshoring Of Engineering" should be considered a core addition to professional and academic library collections, and essential reading for governmental policy makers, corporate advisors, engineering students, and non-specialist general readers with an interest on the impact current American economic policies are having with respect to contemporary globalization efforts and practices in the corporate world.

The Art Of Clairtone
Nina Munk & Rachel Gotlieb
McClelland & Stewart
75 Sherbourne Street, 5th floor, Toronto, ON, Canada, M5A 2P9
9780771065071, $45.00, www.mcclelland.com, 1-800-788-1074

During the 1960s, the Clairtone Sound Corporation had a meteoric success in design and was known for its ability to reflect the spirit of those turbulent, sophisticated, cosmopolitan, experimental times. Founded in 1958 by two young Canadians, Peter Munk and David Gilmour, Clairtone was especially acclaimed for its iconic designs and masterful designs for everything from stereo cabinetry to television panels. Their advertising successes made Clairtone designs an integral part of the popular culture. Their rise to prominence was as dramatic as their sudden collapse and is provided with an insightful commentary by co-authors Nina Munk and Rachel Gotlieb. Enhanced with 250 illustrations (including previously unpublished drawings, rare film stills, confidential memorandums and original photography), this informed and informative corporate history is enhanced further with interviews with its founders, designers, engineers and salesman and is a fitting memorial to one of the most iconoclastic companies that Canada has ever produced. A fascinating read, "The Art Of Clairtone: The Making Of A Design Icon, 1958-1971" is highly recommended reading as a model corporate history.

Performance Consulting
Dana Gaines Robinson & James C. Robinson
Berrett-Koehler Publishers
235 Montgomery Street, Suite 650, San Francisco, CA 94104-2916
9781576754351, $29.95, www.bkconnection.com

To do something without understanding it is a sure recipe for failure. Now in an updated and expanded second addition, "Performance Consulting: A Practical Guide for HR and Learning Professionals" is an informed and informative guide for avoiding commonly encountered Human Resources failures. Drawing upon their years of experience and expertise, co-authors Dana Gaines Robinson and James C. Robinson offer a more complete understanding designed to assist Human Resource personnel to better use their skills in evaluating employees and performances within the context of corporate needs. "Performance Consulting" is a must for HR people and anyone who must look to Performance Consultants on a regular basis.

Loud & Clear
Karen Berg
Career Press
3 Tice Road, PO Box 687, Franklin Lakes, NJ 07417
9781564149879, $14.99, www.careerpress.com

All of the most successful people have a solid filter between their brain and their mouth. "Loud & Clear: 5 Steps to Say What You Mean and Get What You Want" is a practical and 'real world' guide to getting what one wants without making a complete fool of oneself. Good speaking is a skill that must be learned and mastered. Body language, speech mannerisms, and being able to connect with listeners are all part of effective speech. "Loud & Clear" is an invaluable instructional for anyone who wants to get their message across properly.

Business Cases for Info Pros
Ulla De Stricker
Information Today, Inc.
143 Old Marlton Pike, Medford, NJ 08055-8750
9781573873352, $39.50, www.infotoday.com

Case by Case basis is a common saying, but for Info professionals, it's all the more true. "Business Cases for Info Pros: Here's Why, Here's How" is a business manual for information professionals who want to offer their client the specialized treatment they deserve. With extra advice on dealing without of the ordinary problems and financing, "Business Cases for Info Pros" comes enhanced with sample presentations, an index, making it highly recommended for information people who want to be the best at what they do.

China Business Culture
Yuan Wang, Xin Sheng Zhang, & Rob Goodfellow
Thorogood
c/o Stylus Publishing (distribution)
PO Box 605, Herndon, VA 20172-0605
9789810487041, $29.95

Culture is more than just how the common man lives; there is also the culture of business. "China Business Culture: Strategies for Success" is a complete and comprehensive guide to the business culture of the Chinese. Describing the customs and traditions of the business men in this far eastern country, the book makes itself a must for understanding their complex rules and how it may be different from traditional western practices. "China Business Culture" is a must for any who seek to due business with the nation.


The Health/Medicine Shelf

The Handy Anatomy Answer Book
Naomi E. Balaban & James E. Bobick
Visible Ink Press
43311 Joy Road #414, Canton, MI 48187-2075
9781578591909, $21.95, www.visibleink.com

The human body is one of the great marvels that is so often overlooked as the marvel it is. "The Handy Anatomy Answer Book: Your Smart Reference" is a deep look into the complex creature that is humanity. With well more than a thousand questions asked and answered about the human body, it will educate and inform. "The Handy Anatomy Answer Book" is a must for anyone who is studying the human body or just has a curiosity that must be satisfied.

Journeys of Heartache and Grace
Melody Chatelle
Langmarc Publishing
PO Box 90488, Austin, TX 78709-0488
9781880292358, $18.95

To be faced with death at such a young age, truly a horrible experience. "Journeys of Heartache and Grace: Conversations and Life Lessons From Young People With Serious Illnesses" is a collection of compelling stories from these children who have to push every bit of their bravery to keep their spirits up in such a terrible time. Their insights on the short life they have experienced is uplifting, making "Journeys of Heartache and Grace" a must read for those who want their hearts to beat with renewed vigor in their appreciation of life and what life has to offer, despite serious illnesses.

Women, Work, and Autoimmune Disease
Rosalind Joffe & Joan Friedlander
Demos Health
386 Park Ave, Suite 301, New York, NY 10016
9781932603682, $18.95, www.demoshealth.com

Chronic Illness can be a problem with the quality of our lives, but it doesn't mean one has to stop living it. This is the premise of co-authors Rosalind Joffe and Joan Friedlander in "Women, Work, and Autoimmune Disease: Keep Working, Girlfriend!", a book of encouragement and practical wisdom for those women who are faced with some form of chronic illness on top of dealing with a career. Focusing on how to overcome it for your career and how to excel at it, it's an optimistic although realistic look, also containing chapters on dealing with job loss from illness. Any woman with a chronic illness needs to read and can substantially benefit from "Women, Work, and Autoimmune Disease".


The Fiction Shelf

Vanish
Tom Pawlik
Tyndale Fiction
351 Executive Drive, Carol Stream, IL 60188
9781414318936, $12.99, www.tyndalefiction.com

Storms are violent things, and often frighten to those caught out in them. "Vanish" is a story of where that fear is rightful, as Connor, Helen, and Mitch, all strangers to one another, find themselves alone after a violent storm leaves them the only pieces of humanity left around. Or are they? Their hunt to find other people leads them to a conclusion that may just make them hope they were alone once more. "Vanish" is an intriguing story of suspense, sure to keep readers reading all the way through.

A Violet Butterfly
Mae Turner
Infinity Publishing
1094 New DeHaven Street, Suite 100, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2713
0741441020, $16.95, www.infinitypublishing.com

Friendship is something all too often lost to the sands of time. "A Violet Butterfly" is the tale of six friends, each of whom considers one another the best friends they could possibly have. But time has a way of separating people; eventually the six are brought back together a decade or so after they last met. One of their own is dead, and their friendship is strained. Can they recover what they once had, or is it even worth the effort? "A Violet Butterfly" is a story of friendship undergoing a severe test, and how much human bonds can endure. Highly recommended.

Terminal Vibrato
Stanford Pritchard
Beaufort Books
27 West 20th, Street, Suite 1102, New York, NY 10011
9780825305139, $23.00, www.beaufortbooks.com

A life is barren without the inclusion of other people. "Terminal Vibrato: And Other Stories" is an anthology of short stories by Stanford Pritchard, an award winning novelist, poet, and playwright. His stories focus on the relationships between people and how they form the very people involved in them. The stories speak to the soul, and will entertain alongside enlighten. "Terminal Vibrato" is a unique set of writing which is highly recommended for personal, community, and academic Literary Studies and Short Story collections.

Leslie
Richard Matturro
Livingston Press
University of West Alabama, Station 22, Livingston, Alabama, 35470
9781604890037, $15.95, www.livingston.uwa.edu

Nostalgia can be a cruel mistress. "Leslie" follows the titular character as she reminisces about an old boyfriend from decades ago back when she was only a bright eyed youth. As she pursues him, she begins to find information that effects her idealized picture of him. She questions her desire to meet him once more, for it may very destroy her memories that she cherishes so. "Leslie" is a story of cherished memories and the present that threatens to taint them. An entertaining tale all the way through, "Leslie" is a highly recommended addition to personal reading lists and community library Fiction collections.

The Cult of Quick Repair
Dede Crane
Coteau Books
2517 Victoria Avenue, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, S4P OT2
9781550503920, $18.95, www.coteaubooks.com

Quick fixes never seem to last. "The Cult of Quick Repair" by Dede Crane is a deftly compilation anthology of steamy stories following the lives and adventures of some truly unique and gripping characters. Focusing on contemporary life and everything that goes with it, these are stories filled with dark comedy that fills everyone's everyday life. "The Cult of Quick Repair" is a great set of deftly told tales that anyone living the modern life will relate to with great ease and enjoy with equally great satisfaction.

Anatevka
Joseph Krasniansky
Anatevka Publishing
Suite 3, Butlers Wharf, New Road, Hebden Bridge
West Yorkshire, HX7 8AF, United Kingdom
9780955904509, 9.50 British Pounds, www.anatevka-publishing.com

In a kind of stream-of-consciousness style of storytelling, "Anatevka" is novel that presents the mental ramblings of a 59-year-old man of Russian-Jewish origin who is being treated in a hospital in the North of England for cancer. He once wrote a screenplay based on the story of his mother and grandmother who were separated by the Cold War for 44 years. It was a screenplay for a movie that was never produced. As he lays in his hospital bed under the influence of morphine, he reminisces about his life and the screenplay, as well as experiencing vividly erotic dreams about the various women he has known in his life. As the doses of morphine are increased, the boundary between fact and fiction in his mind becomes increasingly blurred until at the end, he can no longer distinguish between the film he has created in his head and what had actually happened in his life. "Anatevka" is a novel offering fascinating perspectives on the lives of three generations within a single family who endured the events, challenges, and changes in some 70+ years of Russian and European history from Stalin's purges of 1937 to the collapse of Soviet Communism, to the catastrophic events of September 11, 2001. Author Joseph Krasniansky is a deftly skilled novelist with a unique flair for memorable storytelling populated with equally memorable characters. The result is a highly recommended read that is as entertaining as it is thoughtful and thought-provoking.


The American History Shelf

Brides of the Multitude
Jeremy Agnew
Western Reflections Publishing Company
PO Box 1149, 951 N. Highway 149, Lake City 81235
9781932738490, $16.95

The Old west brothel shares as much of a historical image as does the cowboy or undertaker. "Brides of the Multitude: Prostitution in the Old West" is a look at where the income of many of the old western cowboy dollars went the houses of ill repute. Looking at the women themselves, why they came to the oldest profession in history, and how they dealt with the daily hazards of the profession such as contraception and venereal diseases. The information found within is intriguing and of interest to any history fan who wants a look at what is never taught in school. "Brides of the Multitude" is enthusiastically recommended to history collections everywhere.

Lincoln at Peoria: The Turning Point
Lewis E. Lehrman
Stackpole Books
5067 Ritter Road, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055-6921
9780811703611, $29.95 www.stackpolebooks.com 1-800-732-3669

Lincoln at Peoria: The Turning Point is an in-depth, historical and critical analysis of Abraham Lincoln's three-hour speech delivered at Peoria on October 16, 1854. The speech would come to mark a crucial turning point in Lincoln's political career, and therefore the history of America. Chapters give extensive historical context and frame of reference to Lincoln's speech, which firmly established his opposition to the further extension of slavery in the American republic and embodying Lincoln's anti-slavery campaign. A seminal and scholarly reference, Lincoln at Peoria is especially recommended for college library and American history shelves.

Lincoln's Lost Legacy
Simon Topping
University Press of Florida
University of Florida, 15 Northwest 15th Street, Gainesville, FL 32611-2079
9780813032283, $65.00 www.upf.com 1-800-226-3822

Lincoln's Lost Legacy: The Republican Party and the African American Vote, 1928-1952 is a scholarly study of an astounding shift in American politics - how the Republican party, once the party of President Lincoln, the Great Emancipator, lost the support and the votes of the descendants of the black slaves it once freed. Why did so many African-Americans leave the Grand Old Party and join the ranks of the Democratic Party in the 1930s and 40s? Author Simon Topping (lecturer of American Studies at the University of Plymouth, England) reveals how, during 1928-1952, the Republican party shifted toward an institution favoring big business and small government - and how it utterly neglected the concerns of African-Americans, in particularly dragging its feet on such issues as anti-lynching laws and the abolishment of the poll tax. "To make matters worse, the GOP repeatedly fashioned ad hoc alliances with the Dixiecrats, the worst elements of American politics, throughout the period. The Dixiecrats were antidemocratic and unashamedly racist, lacked any real mandate, were utterly contemptuous of northern (and, indeed, world) public opinion, and were answerable only to themselves... these racist reactionaries, due to their entrenched positions within Congress, were much more important politically to both the Democrats and the Republicans than African Americans, regardless of the strategic importance of the black vote in the north. African Americans were extremely badly let down by both parties." An absolute must-have for any library or private collection strong in American political history.

Island Folk: The People of Isle Royale
Peter Oikarinen
University of Minnesota Press
111 Third Avenue South, Suite 290, Minneapolis, MN 55401-2520
9780816653362, $16.95 www.upress.umn.edu

Freelance writer and photographer (and Lake Superior resident) Peter Oikarinen presents Island Folk: The People of Isle Royale, an eminently readable history of the working fishing community that is the people who call Isle Royale home. Illustrated with a scattering black-and-white photography revealing the natural beauty of the land and the hardy spirit of the people who live there, Island Folk: The People of Isle Royale lives up to its title with its chronicle of memories that tell how the island transformed from a simple fishing village to a popular destination for tourists who come by boat or seaplane. Especially recommended reading for anyone preparing to see Isle Royale for themselves - or for armchair travelers ready to savor the next best thing to visiting Isle Royale's residents in person.

The Texas Republic
William Ransom Hogan
Texas State Historical Association
The University of Texas at Austin
1 University Station, D0901, Austin, TX 78712-0332
Texas A&M University Press (distribution)
Drawer C, College Station, TX 77843-4354
www.tamu.edu/upress 1-800-826-8911
9780876112205, $24.95, www.tsha.utexas.edu, 1-800-687-8132

Texas historian and academician first published his ground breaking revisionist history "The Texas Republic: A Social & Economic History" in 1946. His major innovation was to present the lives of ordinary people as well as the major military and political icons that had dominated the field with prior histories of the Lone Star State. Professor Hogan produced a history that was immensely popular with both academia and the general reading public. Long out of print, the Texas State historical Association has brought this landmark Texas history back into print for the edification of a new generation of students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in Texas history. Clearly a work of a pre-Civil Rights era, the role of African Americans and Tejanos is largely ignored. Nonetheless, "The Texas Republic: A Social & Economic History" is highly recommended reading as an example of how the portrayal of Texas history was beginning to turn away from an exclusive focus upon the great men of the Republic period, toward a more comprehensive perspective that would include the lives, contributions and accomplishments of common citizens. Of special note is the new and informative introduction to this classic work by Gregg Cantrell who holds the Emma and Ralph Lowe Chair in Texas history at Texas Christian University.

In Defense Of Our Neighbors
Mary Woodward
Fenwick Publishing Group Inc.
3147 Point White Drive, Suite 100, Bainbridge Island, WA 98110
Graphic Arts Center Publishing Co.
PO Box 10306, Portland, OR 97296-0306
978097451072, $24.95, www.fenwickpublishng.com

One of the tragic consequences of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 was the panicked reaction of the American government resulting in the forcible relocation of the Japanese Americans into internment camps for the duration of the war years. "In Defense Of Our Neighbors: The Walt And Milly Woodward Story" is the true and personal account of a husband and wife who used the pages of their Bainbridge Island, Washington newspaper 'Banbridge Review' to plead for compassion and restraint with respect to the government's relocating the 227 men, women and children of Japanese descent who lived on Bainbridge Island (a half-hour ferry ride from Seattle across the waters of the Puget Sound) on March 30, 1942 in accordance with orders originating with President Roosevelt. This was the first relocation effort the government engaged in and became the model for all the other community evacuations up and down the western coasts of California, Oregon, and Washington. During the years of internments, Walt and Milly continued to publish news of their neighbors' weddings, births, deaths, and other milestones -- including details of the conditions of those internment camps to which their neighbors had been exiled. This obscure episode of 20th century American history is told in great and documented detail by Mary Woodward, the daughter of Walt and Milly and includes previously unpublished photos from local historical societies, poignant reflections from internment survivors and Bainbridge locals, and is a unique, informative, and highly recommended addition to academic and community library 20th Century American History reference collections and supplemental reading lists.


The Self-Help Shelf

You're Amazing
Claire Mysko
Adams Media
57 Littlefield Street, Avon, MA 02322
9781598697131, $8.95, www.adamsmedia.com

Society asks so much of its teenagers, so what is a teenager to do? "You're Amazing: A No-Pressure Guide to Being Your Best Self" is a guide aimed at teenage girls to better deal with the stress that is being a teenage girl. It tackles the problems with sound advice, touching on topics such as high school, balancing family, friends, and yourself, young romances, and so much more. "You're Amazing" is the perfect gift to any stressed out teenager.

Prayers for Hope and Comfort
Maggie Oman Shannon
Red Wheel, Weiser, Conari Book Publishers
65 Parker Street, Suite 7, Newburyport, MA 01950
9781573243193, $15.95, www.redweheelweiser.com

Prayer is a universal phenomena and practice which is exclusive to no single religion. "Prayers for Hope and Comfort: Reflections, Meditations, and Inspirations" is a collection of prayers and sage wisdom from a great span of sources. From Martin Luther King Jr. to Confucius, "Prayers for Hope and Comfort" is an impressive and memorable compendium of great religious wisdom in the form of prayers ranging from Christianity to Buddhism. As thoughtful and thought-provoking as it is inspired and inspiring, "Prayers for Hope and Comfort" is very highly recommended addition to personal, community Religious Studies reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

Heal & Forgive II
Nancy Richards
Blue Dolphin Publishing
PO Box 8, Nevada City, 95959
9781577332206, $16.00, www.bluedolphinpublishing.com

Inner family arguments can truly be devastating and heart wrenching. "Heal & Forgive II: The Journey from Abuse and Estrangement to Reconciliation" is a guide for families to better deal with their conflicts. Richards draws on her own experiences and estrangement from her family for nearly a decade and a half. Saying that restoring family harmony requires efforts from all involved, "Heal & Forgive II" is a must for any at ends with a member of their immediate family.


The Pets/Wildlife Shelf

Animal Subjects
Jodey Castricano, editor
Wilfrid Laurier University Press
75 University Avenue West, Waterloo, ON, Canada, N2L 3C5
9780889205123, $38.95, www.wlupress.wlu.ca

Animals are an invaluable part of today's society. But is the cruelty necessary? "Animal Subjects: An Ethical Reader in a Posthuman World" is a look at how modern humanity treats its relatives in the animal kingdom. With countless essays on the subject from writers all over the world and close to the fields at hand, the thoughts and ideas presented are complete and scholarly, sure to inform and enlighten readers to new ideas they never would have thought of. "Animal Subjects" is of high recommendation to any ethical studies course and college library collection on ethics.

Veterinary Technician's Daily Reference Guide: Canine and Feline
Candyce M. Jack, LVT and Patricia M. Watson, LVT
Mark S. Donovan, DVM, consulting editor
Blackwell Publishing
2121 State Avenue, Ames, IA 50014-8300
9780813812045 www.blackwellpublishing.com 1-800-216-2522

Now in a fully revised and updated second edition, Veterinary Technician's Daily Reference Guide: Canine and Feline is an in-depth reference for veterinary technicians in practice or training. Spiral-bound to lay flat for easy reference, Veterinary Technician's Daily Reference Guide: Cats and Dogs covers all aspects of a technician's responsibility when looking after dogs and cats, from simple physical examination to specific nursing and technical procedures. Information is cross-referenced with chapter tabs for ease of quickly looking up critical matters. Almost 200 images (more than 100 of them new) illustrate this solid resource, assembled by two experts each with an associate degree in veterinary technology. A "must-have" for anyone seriously pursuing or engaged in the field of veterinary medicine for dogs and cats.

Frogs & Toads of Big Bend National Park
Gage H. Dayton, Raymond Skiles & Linnea Dayton
Texas A&M University Press
Drawer C, College Station, TX 77843-4354
9781585445769, $12.95 www.tamu.edu/upress 1-800-826-8911

Amphibian life is as diverse as it is global, as fascinating as it is essential in the ecosystem it is an integral part of. Printed on high-quality paper with a moisture-resistant cover, and illustrated with full-color photographs of frog and toad species on virtually every page, Frogs & Toads of Big Bend National Park is a nature guide accessible to amateur naturalists and professional herpetologists alike. Consisting of an overview followed by a species-by-species listing that includes how to identify a given frog or toad and its natural history, Frogs & Toads of Big Bend National Park is the definitive guide to its subject matter. An absolute "must-have" for anyone interested in casually or professionally studying Big Bend National Park's fascinating amphibians and reptiles.

Dogtown
Bob Somerville
Sellers Publishing
161 John Roberts Road, S. Portland, Maine 04106
9781416205265, $16.95, www.rsvp.com

For a species dubbed Man's best friend, canines are sadly horribly abused by their so-called friends. "Dogtown: A Sanctuary for Rescued Dogs" is the story of the country's biggest no kill animal sanctuary. The sanctuary focuses on keeping animals in loving homes and off the streets and away from cruel masters. An uplifting tale that dog lovers will relish, "Dogtown" is enhanced with more than eighty full color photos, earning it an enthusiastic recommendation.

The Ethical Dog Trainer
Jim Barry
Dogwise
PO Box 2778/701 B Poplar St. Wenatchee, WA 98807-2778
9781929242566, $19.95, www.dogwise.com

Ethics are involved in every sort of business, regardless of what the goods or services being offered to the public maybe. Because it involves working with canines, author Jim Barry justifiably asserts that something as simple (and as complex) as dog training especially requires a firm foundation of ethics. "The Ethical Dog Trainer: A Practical Guide for Canine Professionals" is an informed and informative guide to ethics regarding this specialized profession. "The Ethical Dog Trainer" is a must for anyone considering this profession or is in it and needs a discussion of what is right and wrong in this field, especially when it is inevitable that a dog trainer must cope with such ethical decisions as dealing with an abusive client who will not treat their dog right. "The Ethical Dog Trainer" should be a part of every professional and community library Pets/Wildlife reference collection in general -- and Canine Care and Training supplemental reading list in particular.


The Biography Shelf

Rebel
John Singleton Mosby
Bison Books
c/o University of Nebraska Press
1111 Lincoln Mall, Lincoln, NE 68588-0630
9780803216099, $19.95, www.bisonbooks.com

The Lawyer is never seen as a figure who could become a fierce and zealous warrior. "Rebel: The Life and Times of John Singleton Mosby" is the life story of an unsung hero. When the civil war kicked off, Mosby was a simple attorney in Virginia, but soon rose through the ranks of the army as the war raged on. When the Confederacy fell apart, his loyalty was devout, and he is often promoted as the last confederate officer to surrender. The legend that his life doesn't end there, as the following half century is filled with interest, even serving for President Theodore Roosevelt. "Rebel" is a must read of a man whose life, despite not having the renown it deserves, is fine and excellent reading indeed.

Only as Good as Your Word
Susan Shapiro
Seal Press
1400 65th Street, Suite 250, Emeryville, CA 94608
9781580052207, $15.95, www.sealpress.com

The adventures of making it as a professional writer it's more than an endless stack of rejection slips. "Only As Good As Your Word: Writing Lessons from My Favorite Literary Gurus" is author Susan Shapiro's memoir of her life trying to make it with her pastime of writing. Focusing on the wisdom imparted on her from her countless mentors over the years, it serves as an excellent source in itself for writers and aspiring writers. "Only As Good As Your Word: Writing Lessons from My Favorite Literary Gurus" is highly recommended to community library memoir collections.

No Such Thing as a Free Ride
Simon & Tom Sykes
Goose Lane
330-500 Beaverbrook Court, Fredericton, NB, Canada E3B 5X4
9780864925053, $19.95, www.gooselane.com

At its best, soliciting rides from the side of the road can be a truly memorable adventure in traveling across the country, "No Such Thing as a Free Ride?: A Collection of Hitchhiking Tales" is what it says it is, an array of stories from those who have traveled long distances on the kindness of others to give them a ride. The stories are wide and varied, representing the experiences of people of many different creeds, class, and type mingle out on the road. "No Such Thing as a Free Ride?" is an entertaining collection, and especially recommended reading for anyone who has ever hitchhiked across the country -- or contemplates doing so.

Traveling Home
Charlotte Hill & Don White
Kregel Publications
PO Box 2607, Grand Rapids, MI 49501
9780825428999, $11.99

Cancer isn't something that happens to twenty year olds. "Traveling Home: A Young Man's Story of Courage and Faith" is a mother and uncle's recollection of a man taken from the world far too soon. Peter Hill was diagnosed with a cancer at age twenty, passing away a year later. His acceptance of his fate at such a young age is the center of the story as they tell of his last months on this Earth and his embrace of God. "Traveling Home" is a must for any parent who is faced with a similar tragic situation.

Going Over All The Hurdles
John A. Beineke
Indiana Historical Society Press
Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana History Center, 450 W. Ohio Street, Indianapolis, IN 46202
9780871952608, $17.95, www.indianahistory.org

Equality of all races was not a widely embraced idea in the United States until the past few decades. "Going Over All The Hurdles: A Life of Oatess Archey" is a story of a remarkable man. Marion, Indiana, known by many for notorious lynchings, was not open to a black intellectual and law man. Oatess Archey overcame that anyway, working up from a lowly janitor to teacher to coach to FBI agent to sheriff. His overcoming of the odds makes for a good read, making "Going Over All the Hurles" highly recommended to those who want to read of a man beating racism, and an invaluable contribution to community and academic library Black Studies and 20th Century American History reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

Pearl of Great Price
Sergei Hackel
St. Vladimir's Seminary Press
575 Scarsdale Road, Crestwood, NY 10707-1699
9780913836859, $15.00, www.svspress.com

The Jews were not the only victims of Hitler's genocidal and homicidal policies. "Pearl of Great Price: The Life of Mother Maria Skobtsova 1891-1945" is her story of why this remarkable woman is canonized by the Orthodox church. An unconventional nun having two failed marriages, given birth to children, she answered the call to faith as World War II swept Europe. Supporting both the refugees of a battered and beaten France and the Jews, she soon found herself in the concentration camps with them. Even forced there, she continued her efforts to help people, eventually earning a tragic death for her efforts. A welcome and highly recommended addition to personal, community, and academic library Holocaust Studies reference collections and supplemental reading lists, "Pearl of Great Price" is the true story of a truly remarkable woman, and an enduring testament to the human spirit.

Victor Herbert: A Theatrical Life
Neil Gould
Fordham University Press
2546 Belmont Avenue, University Box L, Bronx, NY 10458-5172
9780823228713, $44.95 www.fordhampress.com 1-800-247-6553

Written by Neil Gould, Artistic Director of the Victor Herbert Festival held annually at Saratoga Springs, New York, Victor Herbert: A Theatrical Life is the in-depth biography of one of late nineteenth and early twentieth century America's cultural leaders: Victor Herbert, author of scores of songs, marches, concerts, and more. Victor Herbert is best known as one of the grandfathers of modern musical theater; his talented compositions amalgamated theatrical, classical, and popular elements. Gould's biography explores not only the life of the man, but the fine nuances of his musical work, and the turnings of America popular culture during Herbert's era. A studious account that is nonetheless accessible to readers of all backgrounds, Victor Herbert: A Theatrical Life is enthusiastically recommended for American music history collections.

Kenneth Milton Chapman: A Life Dedicated to Indian Arts and Artists
Janet Chapman and Karen Barrie
University of New Mexico Press
MSC04 2820, 1 University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001
9780826344243, $34.95 www.unmpress.com 1-800-249-7737

Kenneth Milton Chapman: A Life Dedicated to Indian Arts and Artists is the true-life biography of scholar, author, and artist Kenneth Milton Chapman, whose study of Pueblo pottery was unparalleled among Anglo-Americans during the first half of the twentieth century. More than an expert in Native American arts, Chapman became a respected and beloved figure whose influence helped foster a virtual renaissance of Southwest pottery craft during the 1920s. Illustrated with a handful of black-and-white photographs, Kenneth Milton Chapman: A Life Dedicated to Indian Arts and Artists spares no detail in recounting Chapman's life, studies, and legacy. A welcome addition to biography and Native American studies collections alike.

The First Vice Lord
Arthur J. Bilek
Cumberland House Publishing
431 Harding Industrial Park Drive, Nashville, TN 37211
9781581826395, $24.95 www.cumberlandhouse.com 1-888-439-2665

The First Vice Lord: Big Jim Colosimo and the Ladies of the Levee is the thoroughly researched biography of mobster Big Jim Colosimo, and how he ruled Chicago's notorious segregated red-light district. Jim Colosimo was an Italian immigrant who grew up in Chicago's tenements; he rose from sweeping streets to operating a brothel to earning the title of vice lord. The First Vice Lord is a true crime story not for the faint of heart, as it tells of the most brutal excesses of the prostitution trade - luring women from across the nation with false promises of good jobs or other perks and effectively enslaving them into years of sexual violence for profit. Corruption within Chicago was endemic; the efforts of reformers to end white slavery and close down the red-light brothels was only gradually successful. Big Jim Colosimo would see the virtual end of the Levee's days as a red-light district, and scale back his operations significantly, yet his ultimate downfall came not from the law, but from his rivals - he was gunned down in middle age, most likely through the machinations of a rival mobster. A fascinating account that lay readers and Chicago history scholars alike will surely appreciate.

Still Growing
Kirk Cameron
Regal Books
1957 Eastman Ave., Ventura, CA 93003
9780830744510, $22.95, www.regalbooks.com

The curse of the child star and the teen heart throb, to be corrupted by Hollywood at such a young age. "Still Growing" is Kirk Cameron, former star of the hit sitcom 'Growing Pains', story of his life. He discusses his time on a show becoming someone he now despises and hates, someone who would do something as cold as firing his mother. When the stardom started to fade, only then did he learn what he did. "Still Growing" is Cameron's tale of correcting past mistakes and becoming a better person through finding God, sure to inspire readers everywhere.

The Seven Lives of Colonel Patterson
Denis Brian
Syracuse University Press
1600 Jamesville Avenue, Syracuse, NY 13244-5160
0815609272, $26.95, www.syracuseuniversitypress.syr.edu

A man of many different talents, the life of Colonel John Henry Patterson seems like the work of fiction. "The Seven Lives of Colonel Patterson: How an Irish Lion Hunter Led the Jewish Legion to Victory" is a biography well earned, following the life of this revolutionary man. Following his life through his time starting out as a hunter and his adventures in East Africa, from his ardent fighting for the state of Israel later in life, it's a complex look at a complex individual. "The Seven Lives of Colonel Patterson" is a must for biography fans looking for a truly remarkable story.


The Christian Studies Shelf

Praying with Icons
Jim Forest
Orbis Books
Walsh Bldg, Box 308, Maryknoll, NY 10545
9781570757587, $22.00, www.orbisbooks.com

While some religions condemn graven images of holy people and objects, both Orthodox and Roman Catholic forms of Christianity embrace them as part of their worship and ritual. "Praying with Icons" is an exploration of this phenomena. Examining icons and considering how Christians utilize and incorporate them to strengthen their spiritual links to the divine, author Jim Forest offers a fresh look at the icon-employing Christianity and why it does what it does. Very highly recommended and informative reading for anyone studying Christian ritual, dogma, and practices as a whole, "Praying with Icons" is a scholarly look at divine art and objects, and an invaluable addition to seminary and academic library reference collections.

His Angels Are in Charge
Frances Cotton Woodard
Person Publishing Company
555 S. Shoreline Blvd., Suite 104, Corpus Christi, TX 78401
0976808331, $24.95, www.pearsonpub.us

Every generation has its challenges through its life. "His Angels Are in Charge" is the true and deftly told history of Frances Woodard and her family through seven generations, from her own grandmother to her own great grandchildren. With a strong Christian message, Frances reflects on her life and how times have so drastically changed in what seems to be a simple less than a century span. Highly recommended reading, "His Angels Are in Charge" is a compelling generational story of family that many will find themselves able to identify with relate to.

On the Way with Jesus
Richard Showalter
Herald Press
616 Walnut Avenue, Scottdale, PA 15683
9780836194159, $16.99, www.heraldpress.com

What drives people to spread the word of Christ? "On the Way with Jesus: A Passion for Mission" is Richard Showalter's push to spread the word of God throughout the world. He reflects on his time traveling the world and preaching Christianity from Africa to Asia. Also discussing missionary work as a whole with the moral and political implications that come with it, "On the Way with Jesus" is a deftly compiled body of writing, certain to inform and inspire anyone interested in the work of Christian missionaries here at home or abroad in the world.

New Birth or Rebirth?
Ravi Zacharias
Multnomah
12265 Oracle Boulevard, Suite 200, Colorodo Springs, CO 80921
B&B Media Group (publicity)
109 South Main Street Corsicana, TX 75110
9781590527252, $11.99, www.mpbooks.com

As the leading religion of the west is Christianity, so one of the leading religions of the East is Hinduism. "New Birth or Rebirth: Jesus Talks with Krishna" is a unique and scholarly examination by Ravi Zacharias of the two religions and how they relate. Written as a fictional conversation from the perspective of Subramaniam, a Hindu, it asks many questions of both religions, pointing out several intriguing facts, and asking interesting questions. "New Birth or Rebirth" is a fascinating book on religion, offers a fresh perspective, and is a welcome addition to personal and community library Religion/Spirituality reference collections.

Becoming the Woman God Wants Me to Be
Donna Partow
Revell
PO Box 6287, Grand Rapids, MI 49516-6287
9780800730727, $13.99, www.revellbooks.com

God wants what you want, God wants you to be happy. That is the thesis of Donna Partow in "Becoming the Woman God Wants Me to Be: A 90 Day Guide to Living Proverbs 31 Life", a Christian work aimed at women who want to live their life more involved with their faith. "Becoming the Woman God Wants me to Be" is highly recommended reading that in adherence to a Christian perspective, will improve women's relationships, health, finances, and more. "Becoming the Woman God Wants me to Be" is invaluable reading for Christian women wanting to embrace the divine.

Intimate Friendship with God
Joy Dawson
Chosen Books
11400 Hampshire Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55438
9780800794415, $12.99, www.chosenbooks.com

A special relationship with God is what most Christians cherish. Now available in a newly revised edition, "Intimate Friendship with God: Through Understanding the Fear of the Lord" is a guide for those seeking to have that same cherished relationship with the lord. With advice on embracing God in life in every aspect, Dawson gives a guide for those who have departed slightly from their faith and want to fully embrace them. "Intimate Friendship with God" is something those readers will enjoy and put use to its advice.

Psallite
The Collegeville Composers Group
Liturgical Press
PO Box 7500, Collegeville, MN 56321-7500
9780814630884, $24.95, www.litpress.org

Music has been a part of Christianity and Christian worship from the very beginning of the Christian movement. "Psallite: Sacred Song for Liturgy and Life" is an impressive anthology of sheet music and lyrics that will sure to give any church a new array of songs that will touch souls and reinforce faith in God. With the lyrics for hundreds of gospel songs and sheet music to accompany it, "Psallite" is an ideal acquisition for any church library or gospel music enthusiast's collection.

Twentieth-Century Global Christianity
Mary Farrell Bednarowski, editor
Augsburg Fortress Publishers
100 Fifth Street, Suite 600, Minneapolis, MN 55402-1210
9780800634179, $35.00, www.augsburgbooks.com 1-800-328-4648

Christianity is a contemporary and worldwide religion that influences individuals, communities and nations around the world, helping to shape human cultures and societies throughout the decades of the 20th century. As the seventh volume of the outstanding 'A People's History of Christianity' series from Augsburg Fortress Press (under the general editorship of Denis R. Janz), "Twentieth-Century Global Christianity has been compiled, organized and edited by Mary Farrell Bednarowski (Professor Emeritus of Religious Studies at United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities, Minnesota) and showcases the diversity and creativity of Christian contributions to the major developments that shaped 20th century history. Eighteen informed and informative contributors present the enormous range of Christian influences and contributions from the sugar cane fields of Central America, to the jails of Eastern Europe, to the urban life of European countries, to the cities of America. From local changes to world-wide influences, "Twentieth-Century Global Christianity" is an impressive, profusely illustrated, and highly recommended compendium of meticulous scholarship deserving of inclusion into ecclesiastical, academic, and community library Christian Studies reference collections.

1 & 2 Peter and Jude
David R. Helm
Crossway
1300 Crescent Street, Wheaton, IL 60187
9781581349603, $29.99, ww.crossway.org

A part of the series entitled 'Preaching the Word', "1 & 2 Peter and Jude: Sharing Christ's Sufferings "is about being straight about one's faith and how to face the challenges towards God and the gospel on the subjects of contradiction, false teachings, and staying faithful in the face of it all. With tips on how to interpret the Bible to help one's life in the modern era, defending one's faith quickly and sharply, and finding strength in faith. A seminal piece, "1 & 2 Peter and Jude: Sharing Christ's Sufferings" is a top pick for community library Christian studies collections.

The Forgiveness Book
Alice Camille & Paul Boudreau
ACTA Publications
5559 W. Howard Street, Skokie, IL 60077
9780879463564, $14.95, www.actapublications.com

To let bygones be bygones is a simple concept, yet difficult for many to do. "The Forgiveness Book" lives up to its title, as it offers a wealth of solid advice on how to forgive. In addition to helping readers understand and embody forgiveness, "The Forgiveness Book" also evaluates instances when something simply shouldn't be forgiven. Sure to be of interest to Christian readers. "The Forgiveness Book" is especially recommended for church library collections.

The Eastern Path to Heaven
Geshe Michael Roach & Lama Christie McNally
Seabury Books
445 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10016
9781596270978, $16.00, www.seaburybooks.org

Christianity is a western religion but the teachings were sent east. "The Eastern Path to Heaven: A Guide to Happiness from the Teachings of Jesus in Tibet" is the story of Thomas, one of Jesus's apostles who went along the trade roads to spread the gospel to the east. A study of this little known expedition and how it affected the development of Eastern cultures, "The Eastern Path to Heaven" is an intriguing piece of religious history. A highly recommended and scholarly addition to academic library Metaphysical Studies and Christian Studies reference collections, "The Eastern Path to Heaven" is something to be considered by both historians and theologians.


The Buddhist Studies Shelf

The Bodhi Tree Grows in L.A.
Bhante Walpola Piyananda
Shambhala
Horticultural Hall, 300 Massuchusetts Avenue, Boston, MA 02115
9781590305683, $14.95, www.shambhala.com

The most unexpected of places can be the setting of a profound religious experience. "The Bodhi Tree Grows in L.A. Tales of A Buddhist Monk in America" is the author's personal and introspective reflections on his time in Los Angeles. He spreads his wisdom with enlightening tales about assisting those who need help when they need it most, and how to apply Buddha's teachings in even the most un-Zen of settings. "The Bodhi Tree Grows in L.A." is highly recommended to American Buddhists everywhere who want to maintain their faith in their chaotic world.

Aryadeva's Four Hundred Stanzas on the Middle Way
Aryadeva and Gyel-tsap
Ruth Sonam, translator
Geshe Sonam Rinchen, additional commentary
Snow Lion Publications
PO Box 6483, Ithaca, NY 14851
9781559393027, $29.95 www.SnowLionPub.com 1-800-950-0313

Aryadeva's Four Hundred Stanzas on the Middle Way is a classic Buddhist text originally written to explain how, according to Nagarjuna, the practice of yoga enabled those following the Mahayana path to earn Buddhahood. As such, The Four Hundred Stanzas is one of the foundational classics of Mahayana Buddhist philosophy. Gyel-tsap's commentary on Aryadeva's text is written in the form of a dialogue that uses the worlds of Aryadeva as a direct response to hypothetical and practical assertions, questions, and objections. Further enhanced with additional commentary by teacher of Buddhist philosophy and practice Geshe Sonam Rinchen, and translated into English by Rinchen's expert interpreter Ruth Sonam, Aryadeva's Four Hundred Stanzas on the Middle Way is a core text, and an absolute must-have for Mahayana Buddhist studies shelves.


The Poetry Shelf

Moon on the Meadow
Pia Taavila
Gallaudet University Press
800 Florida Avenue, NE / Washington, DC 20002
9781563683640, $24.95, www.gupress.gallaudet.edu

The deaf, lacking the ability to hear the spoken word, put a special emphasis on the written. "Moon on the Meadow" is a collection from Pia Taavila, a professor of English at Gallaudet University, one of the foremost universities for the deaf in America. The poetry speaks on visual description, evoking emotion from a world without sound showing that it isn't required to enjoy the beauty of the world. "Moon on the Meadow" is a unique offering, a top pick for poetry lovers everywhere. "Slant Cinquain": Slim, bare/treetops laced the/hidden moon, our sky a/fog no sun could break/we talked till birds called.

Spanish Ballads
W.S. Merwin
Copper Canyon Classic
PO Box 271, Port Townsend, WA 98368
9781556592782, $14.00, www.coppercanyonpress.org

Classics are poems that transcend the time of their creation and continue down through the generations to impact those that hear or read them. Newly released by Copper Canyon in its classics collection, "Spanish Ballads" is a compilation of just such poetic fare. This impressive anthology of poetry truly lives up lives up the claim of 'classic' with W.S. Merwin's magnificent verse and deftly skilled writing. Containing a great many subjects and forms ranging from episodic narrative to song-styled poetry, "Spanish Ballads" is an original representation showcasing the last few centuries of the Spain's poetic literature and legacy.

The Freedom Business
Marilyn Nelson, author
Deborah Dancy, artist
WordSong
c/o Boyds Mills Press
815 Church Street, Honesdale, PA 18431
9781932425574, $18.95 www.boydsmillspress.com 1-877-512-8366

The Freedom Business is a unique poetry collection, in which each poem is created in response to the true-life memoir of Broteer Furro (1729-1805), later dubbed "Venture Smith", the first African known to document his capture and life as an American slave. As the decades passed he eventually earned his freedom, and that of his wife and children. Poet Marilyn Nelson places pages from Furro's eighteenth-century prose memoir side-by-side along with original poetic works, illustrated by the dark, earthy watercolor collages of artist Deborah Dancy. The whole is a work of art that reveals emotion, determination, and survival; the daily life of a practical man for whom everything had a price - even his life, and the lives of his family. Highly recommended.

With Mouths Open Wide
John Caddy
Milkweed Editions
1011 Washington Avenue South, Suite 300, Minneapolis, MN 55415
9781571314277, $18.00, www.milkweed.org

The very best of a long and storied career, "With Mouths Open Wide" is an anthology of John Caddy's poetry ranging from over three decades of his writing. With a sharp wit that will entertain readers as well as inspire them as Caddy tells his tales of overcoming his disabilities. "With Mouths Open Wide" is a collection of poetry from a master, sure to please those who love poetry. "Solstice Sky": This long night solstice sky is filled with fires/that burn through air so cold/on this small northern place/of tilted Earth, air so cold/it carries echoes of the void,/the heatless absolute of space,//yet these ancient stars/are the memories of fires/that burned long before eyes/ever tilted up to them/and thought of light.


The Education Shelf

152 Ways to Keep Students in School
Franklin P. Schargel
Eye on Education
6 Depot Way West, Larchmont, NY 10538
9781596670877, $29.95, www.eyeoneducation.com

Highschool drop out rates are still high, despite educators' best efforts. "152 Ways to Keep Students in School: Effective Easy-To-Implement Tips for Teachers" is a complete and comprehensive anthology of ideas for teachers. All of them are meant to be simple and quick solutions that educators can use to encourage their students to get the spirit to keep going in school and make something of their life. "152 Ways to Keep Students in School" is a must for any educator who measures their own worth in their pupils' success.

Peak Performance for Smart Kids
Maureen Neihart
Prufrock Press
5926 Balcones Drive, Suite 220, Austin, Texas 78731
9781593633103, $16.95, www.prufrock.com

Talent is only worth anything if it has any ability to be utilized. "Peak Performance for Smart Kids: Strategies and Tips for Ensuring School Success" is a scholarly handbook for educators in charge of teaching gifted and talented students how to maximize their education. Observing seven common traits and habits of children who enjoy success in school, and how to take advantage of these habits for the best experience possible, "Peak Performance for Smart Kids: Strategies and Tips for Ensuring School Success" is highly recommended for community library education collections.

User's Guide to Early Language & Literacy Classroom Observation
Miriam W. Smith, Joanne P. Brady, & Nancy Clark-Chiarelli
Paul H. Brookes
PO Box 10624, Baltimore, MD 21285-0624
9781557669483, $30.00, www.brookespublishing.com

The first four years of schooling are vital to one's development in learning language and literacy skills. "User's Guide to Early Language & Literacy Classroom Observation" is an informed and informative guide to the educational system known as 'Early Language & Literacy Classroom Observation K-3' or simply shortened to ELLCO K-3. Explaining why this system is effective, how it should be implemented, and how to use it effectively, co-authors Miriam W. Smith, Joanne P. Brady, and Nancy Clark-Chiarelli offer classroom teachers a fresh approach to the developing and promoting the literacy skills of young children. "User's Guide to Early Language & Literacy Classroom Observation" is an instructional that should be considered by all educational professionals working with language and literacy programs for elementary school children.

How to Succeed in College Mathematics
Richard M. Dahlke
Bergway Publishing
PO Box 701785, Plymouth, MI 48170-0970
9780615168036, $27.95, www.bergwaypublishing.com

Many liberal arts students fear the dreaded subject known as mathematics. "How to Succeed in College Mathematics: A Guide for the College Mathematics Student" is a thoroughly 'user friendly', practical, and effective guide for those students wanting to master this harrowing and difficult subject with academic success. With advice about absorbing all the knowledge one can in these classes, fighting off anxiety, and just plain dealing better with math classes, it's a complete and comprehensive guide that is ideal for the non-specialist general reader wanting to improve their ability and understanding of mathematics. But most of all, "How to Succeed in College Mathematics" is especially recommended to anyone engaged in or planning on enrolling in a college level math course.

Purposeful Writing Assessment
Susan Koehler
Maupin House Publishing
PO Box 90148, Gainesville, FL 32607
9781934338186, $23.95 www.maupinhouse.com 1-800-524-0634

Created for instructors of students in grades 3-8, Purposeful Writing Assessment: Using Multiple-Choice Practice to Inform Writing Instruction is a guide to conducting writing assessment tests based on multiple-choice practice, covering the three major aspects of writing: focus/organization, style/composition, and conventions/mechanics. A hands-on, easy-to use reference and resource complete with 15 skill sets including one assessment for pre-testing and one for evaluating student mastery of a given skill, answer keys, re-teaching tips, a bibliography of additional resources, and more. Enthusiastically recommended for writing instructors, especially given how literacy and composition skills have become more important than ever in today's world.

Ready for Preschool
Nancy B. Hertzog
Prufrock Press Inc.
5926 Balcones Drive, Suite 220, Austin, TX 78731
9781593633110, $16.95, www.prufrock.com

The first five years of human life are by far the most important for development. "Ready for Preschool: Prepare Your Child for Happiness and Success at School" is a guide for parents who want to equip their children for the future using a preschool. With advice on finding the right educator and preparing one's child mentally for the new and somewhat strenuous academic experiences likely to be laid ahead of them, it's a complete and comprehensive guide to preschool. "Ready for Preschool" is a must for any parent considering preschool for their child.

Speech & Language Development & Intervention In Down Syndrome & Fragile X Syndrome
Joanne E. Roberts, Robin S. Chapman, Steven F. Warren
Paul H. Brookes Publishing Company
PO Box 10624, Baltimore, MD 21285-0624
9781557668745, $39.95, www.brookespublishing.com

Every child, regardless of the degree of their developmental disabilities, is entitled by federal law to the best education they can benefit from. This holds especially true with respect to their ability to communicate with others. The impressively collaborative work of Joanne E. Roberts, Robin S. Chapman, and Steven F. Warren in compiling contributions from twenty leading experts and specialists in this field, "Speech & Language Development & Intervention In Down Syndrome & Fragile X Syndrome" is the newest addition to the 'Communication and Language Intervention' series from the Paul H. Brookes Publishing Company. Presenting an advanced body of work for aspiring and practicing professionals, "Speech & Language Development & Intervention In Down Syndrome & Fragile X Syndrome" presents cutting edge research and clinical insights into the behaviors, characteristics and genetics associated with these two genetically-based conditions; explains how speech and language develop across the life span of human beings; identifies for application the principles of effective assessment with members of every age group; demonstrate specific interventions that support speech and language development; show how to tailor assessment and intervention to individual needs and abilities; illustrate the application of assessment and intervention techniques that can be utilized with other disabilities such as autism; and underscores the necessity and value of family involvement in education and treatment approaches. "Speech & Language Development & Intervention In Down Syndrome & Fragile X Syndrome" is an essential and invaluable contribution to professional and academic library Speech-Language Pathology and Developmental Disabilities reference collections and supplemental reading lists.


The International Studies Shelf

My Kashmir
Wajahat Habibullah
United States Institute of Peace Press
1200 17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20036
1601270313, $14.95, www.usip.org

Two nuclear powers and an ancient hatreds seem like a surefire recipe for an international disaster. "My Kashmir: Conflict and the Prospects of Enduring Peace" is an educated look at the growing Pakistan and Indian conflict. With a focus on Kashmir, the land that the two nations have disputed over the past decades, being the breaking point that could potentially spiral the world into nuclear war, it discusses all sides of the debate and offers advice and options for peace. "My Kashmir" is a must for anyone who wants a more thorough understanding of the India/Pakistan conflict.


The Social Issues Shelf

New Rights Advocacy
Paul J. Nelson & Ellen Dorsey
Georgetown University Press
3240 Prospect Street, NW, Washington, DC 20007
1589012046, $26.95, www.press.georgetown.edu

Human rights around the world have been a major goal of many companies doing business around the world in the past few years. "New Rights Advocacy: Changing Strategies of Development and Human Rights NGOs" is a scholarly and well-researched treatise on these human rights movements, and how they work to improve universal human rights. Covering the many non-governmental organizations around the world, "New Rights Advocacy" looks at each in turn, analyzing what they're doing right or wrong in pursuit of their goals. "New Rights Advocacy" is a must for any discussion on human rights groups around the world.

Sustainable Automobile Transport
Lisa Ryan & Hal Turton
Edward Elgar Publishing
William Pratt House, 9 Dewey Court, Northampton, MA 01060
9781847204516, $125.00, www.e-elgar.com

World oil supplies are dwindling by the day, making the American automobile dependence tougher to maintain by the day. "Sustainable Automobile Transport: Shaping Climate Change Policy" is a scholarly written look at the other problems outside oil consumption being a problem for America's automobile based future. Offering suggestions for a better future alongside a thorough examination of the problems, "Sustainable Automobile Transport: Shaping Climate Change Policy" is a top pick for college social issues collections as a informed and informative text on the subject.

Dying to Live
Joseph Nevins
City Lights Books
261 Columbus Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94133
9780872864863, $16.95, www.citylights.com

Illegal immigration has become one of the intensely controversial social issues of our day. What are the side effects of the United States' stern position on Mexican immigration? "Dying to Live: A Story of U.S. Immigration In an Age of Global Apartheid" is a definitive criticism by author Joseph Nevins of the U.S.'s practices on immigration today. Following the story of Julio Cesar Gallegos, a man who died crossing the border to try to reach his wife and son, it's an eye opening account of immigration that is judicially defined as illegal -- and the cruelty that sometimes lies within. Discussing human rights and homeland security as well, "Dying to Live" is a deftly written treatise on immigration, a must to those who want to further understand the subject.


The Music Shelf

Beatles for Sale
John Blaney
Jawbone
1400 Fourth Street, Berkeley, CA 94708
9781906002091, $19.95, www.jawbonepress.com

In the twentieth century, few groups had the impact of the Beatles. "Beatles for Sale: How Everything They Touched Turned to Gold" is a look back on the fab four and their phenomenal success. The stories how they sometimes winged it and came up with hit songs, the stories of how their life resembled that of the archetypal rock group, they are never dull and boring. With focuses on their influence outside music as well, "Beatles for Sale" is highly recommended reading for Beatles fans everywhere.


The Parenting Shelf

Overcoming Your Parents' Divorce
Elisabeth Joy LaMotte
New Horizon Press
PO Box 669, Far Hills, NJ 07931
9780882823294, $14.95

Just because your parents divorce does not mean that in your own marital relationship that you are destined to as well. "Overcoming Your Parents' Divorce: 5 Steps To a Happy Relationship" is a divorce coping book aimed at an audience so often forgotten in this area adults. With practical 'real-world' advice on dealing with the shadow of one's parents failure and how to overcome it within our own lives for a healthier future, the advice offered by Elisabeth Joy LaMotte is specifically designed to put relationship worries behind us. "Overcoming Your Parents Divorce" is recommended to the non-specialist general reader with the comforting message that marital success is not circumscribed by genetics or parental example.

Too Safe for Their Own Good
Michael Ungar
McClelland & Stewart
75 Sherbourne Street, 5th Floor, Toronto, ON M5A 2P9 Canada
9780771087080, $18.95, www.mcclelland.com

Is there such a thing as too safe? "Too Safe for Their Own Good: How Risk and Responsibility Help Teens Thrive" is written by Michael Ungar for Canadian students, but some of the concepts set forth within clearly apply to America teens as well. With the increasing sheltering that comes with their age, trying to shield teens from community ills and unwise behaviors becomes too much and they aren't able to learn and internalize the limits and realities of life. Proposing a method that is unique between giving teens a dose of real life while still keeping them in relative safety, "Too Safe for Their Own Good" is a unique contribution to public discourse, as well as a good and recommended read for parents and for educational professionals both in Canada and the U.S.


The Literary Shelf

All Quiet on the Western Front
Bloom's Guides
Bloom's Literary Criticism
132 West 31st Street, 17th Floor, New York, NY 10001
9780791098301, $30.00, www.chelseahouse.com

"All Quiet on the Western Front" is a well-known work throughout the western world. "Bloom's Guides: All Quiet on the Western Front" is a complete and comprehensive book on the book. Exploring Remarque's work, looking at the roots and meanings scattered throughout that may not be obvious to a simple reader, it is also enhanced with a collection of critical essays discussing the work's impact on the world of literature and the world in general. This Bloom's Guide to a literary classic is a must for any student or non-specialist general reader wanting better understand the nuances, historical references, character insights, and writing style that created "All Quiet on the Western Front."

Maxwell: Later Novels and Stories
William Maxwell, author
Christopher Carduff, editor
The Library of America
14 East 60th Street, New York, NY 10022
9781598530261, $35.00 www.loa.org

Maxwell: Later Novels and Stories is the second volume of The Library of America's quality presentation of author William Maxwell's classic stories and novels. The writings presented were selected by editor Christopher Carduff, who also wrote the extensive notes on text, which are eminently useful for placing references to historical figures or events in context. The stories and improvisations largely come from Maxwell's writing career later in his life, dating from 1957 to 1999; selections include the novels "The Chateau" and "So Long, See You Tomorrow" and stories "The Value of Money", "Billie Dyer", "The Room Outside", and many more. A thoroughly accessible and beautifully bound edition of tales by an author exquisitely skilled at rendering tragedy with a distinctively American cultural style. Also highly recommended for public library and private literature collections is the companion volume, "William Maxwell: Early Novels and Stories" (9781598530162, $35.00).


The Religion/Spirituality Shelf

The Baker Pocket Guide to World Religions
Gerald R. McDermott
Baker Books
6030 E. Fulton, Ada, MI 49301
9780801071607, $9.99, www.bakerbooks.com

In dealing with other cultures, Christians sometimes forget that their religion isn't the only one. "The Baker Pocket Guide to World Religions: What Every Christian Needs to Know" is a crash course in the faiths of the world so that Christians may better understand the world around them. With an essay from a speaker from each of the many faiths of the world, today's spiritual leaders, customs and traditions of each, and more, it's highly educational in its content. "The Baker Pocket Guide to World Religions" is a must for anyone who wants to avoid a faux pas when traveling abroad.


The World History Shelf

Masculinity in the Reformation Era
Scott H. Hendrix & Susan C. Karant-Nunn
Truman State University Press
100 E. Normal St., Kirksville, MO 63501-4221
9781931112765, $48.00, www.tsup.truman.edu

What is seen as manly by a culture is a good window of that culture in general. "Masculinity in the Reformation Era" is a look back at the era as Western Christianity was split in two between the Protestants and Catholics. This split's impact on the family and gender roles at the time is explained through some well written and intriguing essays that dissect the mind set of the male at that time, the status of chivalry, among other topics. "Masculinity in the Reformation Era" is highly recommended to any library focusing on gender issues or history in general.

The Summer the Archduke Died
Louis D. Rubin, Jr.
University of Missouri Press
2910 LeMone Boulevard, Columbia, MO 65201
9780826218100, $24.95 www.umsystem.edu/upress 1-800-828-1894

In 1914, European social order and society was a house of cards needing only the slightest pressure to collapse into chaos. Literary scholar Louis D. Rubin, Jr. (University Distinguished Professor of English, Emeritus, at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill) presents The Summer the Archduke Died: On Wars and Warriors, an anthology of essays discussing the outbreak of World War I in Europe in 1914 and the events of subsequent years. Topics covered include German militarism, America's role in the war, British-American politics, the decline of the British caste system, and an intriguing comparison between the political impact of the Mitford sisters and Violet Bonham Carter, who used her social position to improve the status of women. A thoughtful, erudite, and analytical collection, especially recommended for college library shelves.


The Military Shelf

Battle Exhortation
Keith Yellin
The University of South Carolina Press
1600 Hampton Street, 5th Floor, Columbia, SC 29208
9781570037351, $39.95, www.sc.edu/scpress

Morale plays a huge roll in how well a soldier fights. "Battle Exhortation: The Rhetoric of Combat Leadership" is a look at the encouragement battle leaders so often offer to their men. With a glance at its long history of orators rallying their troops, it also looks forward about how today's leaders are honoring tradition while giving their men the inspiration they need to be the best fighters they can. "Battle Exhortation" is a scholarly look at how one's mind set and the mind set of his allies can mean the difference between life and death in the field of battle.

Utmost Savagery: The Three Days of Tarawa
Col. Joseph H. Alexander, USMC (Ret.)
Naval Institute Press
291 Wood Road, Annapolis, MD 21402
9781591140030, $19.95 www.navalinstitute.org 1-800-233-8764

An award-winning historical account written by marine combat veteran and award-winning military historian Joseph H. Alexander, Utmost Savagery: The Three Days of Tarawa is a close look at one of the deadliest battles of the Pacific Theater during World War II. First published in 1995, and now available in a new paperback edition, Utmost Savagery: The Three Days of Tarawa tells of America's struggling amphibious assault on a seemingly invulnerable Japanese island fortress of scarcely three hundred acres. Six thousand men died, yet lessons were learned from their sacrifice; Alexander puts forth a persuasive argument that without the hard-won strategic wisdom garnered at Tarawa, the larger amphibious victories that followed at Saipan, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa might never have happened. Utmost Savagery remains an indispensable addition to World War II military history shelves.

World War I The African Front
Edward Paice
Pegasus Books
45 Wall Street, Suite 1021, New York, NY 10005
9781933648903, $35.00 www.pegasusbooks.com 1-800-272-0945

It was called a 'World War' because it seemed that for the first time in recorded human history, the battlefield extended to every corner of the globe. Written by former Cambridge history scholar Edward Paice, World War I The African Front: An Imperial War on the African Continent is an in-depth historical chronicle of the East African front of World War I. Though British troops quickly overwhelmed the threat of German naval bases in Africa, the land war would prove to be much more deadly to troops and civilians alike. The in-depth discussion of the horrors of war provides not only an meticulously objective description of the battlefront, but also a visceral understanding of why veterans of the war in France claimed to prefer life in the trenches to serving in East Africa. A handful of black-and-white photographs enhance this worthy addition to World War I history shelves. Especially recommended for public and college library collections.


The Psychology Shelf

Introduction to Neuropsychology
J. Graham Beaumont
The Guilford Press
72 Spring Street, New York, NY 10012
9781593850685, $45.00, guilford.com

The only thing harder than brain surgery is mastering it without cutting the head open. "Introduction to Neurospsychology" is what it says it is a scholarly introduction to science of neuropsychology. With a scientific dissection of the human brain and why it affects humanity the way it does, it's an explanation that will move those learning about the field far in their knowledge. Now in a newly expanded and updated second edition covering well more than two decades of brain science, "Introduction to Neuropsychology" is a must for any college library reference or psychology collection.

Psychotherapy and the Everyday Life
Emily Budick & Rami Aronzon
Karnac Books
118 Finchley Road, London, NW3 5HT, United Kingdom
Stylus Publishing
22883 Quicksilver Drive, Sterling, VA 20166-2012
9781855754294, $43.95, www.karnacbooks.com

There is still a small stigma remaining about seeing a psychologist in the modern day, but "Psychotherapy and The Everyday Life: A Guide for the Puzzled Consumer" is here to comfort them and encourage them to seek the help they need, and how to make sure the help they are seeking is the right one cautious of those psychologists who care for little more than their patients' money, and cautious of programs that just aren't right for some people. A deftly compiled and highly recommended guide, "Psychotherapy and the Everyday Life: A Guide for the Puzzled Consumer" is a must for community library collections catering to psychology and for anyone who is thinking of or has just started a psychiatry program.

Your Brain
Matthew MacDonald
Pogue Press
c/o O'Reilly
1005 Gravenstein Hwy N., Sebastol, CA 95472
9780596517786, $24.99, www.missingmanuals.com

It's what enables you to read this review. It's what enables mankind to do anything. It's what makes human beings -- human. "Your Brain: The Missing Manual: How to get the Most From Your Mind" is a blend of health and psychology in how to make use of the one computer that we all use every day. With an analysis simple enough to let non-specialized general readers understand how the brain works, the informed and informative text focuses on many subjects, each of which is a part of understanding how the mind works and how we can get our minds to work even better. With care instructions on how much one sleeps and what you feed it, how to maximize one's mental power, the effects of aging and the bombardment of daily emotions, "Your Brain" is a unique guide that should be sought after by any who want to maximize what they can accomplish with their mental abilities and resources.


The Travel Shelf

Belly Up to the Bar
J.S. Mitchell
Cumberland House
431 Harding Industrial Drive, Nashville, TN 37211
9781581826364, $14.95, www.cumberlandhouse.com

Usually to dine in one of New York's finest restaurants, one must send in a reservation months in advance. "Belly Up to the Bar: Dining with New York City's Celebrity Chefs Without Reservation(s)" is what it says it is a guide to fine dining in the Big Apple without needing months of preparation time. Stating that the experiences in these excellent bars and restaurants are more to it than just the food, it is a complete and comprehensive guide to getting in the door. "Belly Up to the Bar" is highly recommended to anyone visiting New York and sports refined palate.

Sidewalks
Rick Kogan & Charles Osgood
Northwestern University Press
629 Noyes Street, Evanston, IL 60208-4210
9780810151932, $21.95, http://nupress.northwestern.edu/

There are hundreds of books written about the people and places that comprise Chicago. Fortunately, there's always room for one more -- if it's good enough! "Sidewalks: Portraits of Chicago" combines the narrative text of Chicago native son Rick Kogan with the color photography of Charles Osgood. The result is a fascinating, informative, unique introduction to memorable characters, fascinating histories, and cultural diversities that are what make Chicago a true urban gem of the American Midwest. Readers will be engagingly introduced to Chicago's many and diverse neighborhoods illuminated and illustrated with evocative images of the people encountered and places traversed along the sidewalks and walkways of the Windy City. "Sidewalks: Portraits Of Chicago" is an engaging read and highly recommended for Chicago libraries, Chicago citizenry, and anyone planning a visit to Chicago for either business or pleasure.

Colorado Lake Hikes
Dave Muller
The Mountaineers Books
1001 SW Klickitat Way, Suite 201, Seattle, WA 98134-1161
9780979966316, $24.95, www.mountaineersbooks.org, 1-800-553-4453

The high country of Colorado offers a wealth of outdoor recreational experiences for hikers. Part of 'The Colorado Mountain Club Guidebook' series, and now in an newly updated and expanded second edition, "Colorado Lake Hikes" by hiking and cross-country skiing enthusiast and 'The Denver Post' columnist Dave Muller offers a fully illustrated collection of one hundred hikes to 145 different high-country Colorado lakes. Aspiring hikers and outdoors enthusiasts are provided with four levels of hikes ranging from easy to difficult. Each particular hike is accurately described in practical detail including round-trip distances, estimated hiking times, starting elevation, highest elevation, elevation gain, difficulty rating, and a list of relevant maps. Of special note is the 'user friendly' locator map in the front of "Colorado Lake Hikes". Enhanced with color photographs and maps throughout, "Colorado Lake Hikes" is a superb on-site guide and highly recommended for anyone planning a walking trip through Colorado's beautiful lake country. Also very highly recommended and a part of 'The Colorado Mountain Club Guidebook' series is "The Colorado Trail: 7th Edition" (9780976052524, $24.95) which is the official guidebook of The Colorado Trail Foundation and includes integrated GPS waypoints, expert planning advice, full color maps for each of the 28 trail segments, elevation profiles, descriptions of the trail segments, and even information for resupply at nearby towns.


The Sports Shelf

En Garde!
Carlos Velez III
Wish Publishing
PO Box 10337, Terre Haute, IN 47801, USA
Cardinal Publishers Group (distribution)
2222 Hillside Avenue, Suite 100, Indianapolis, IN 46218
9781930546899, $16.95, www.wishpublishing.com

Fencing is very different than other sports, and that may be its appeal. "En Garde! A Girl's Introduction to the World of Fencing" is a guide for young girls that wish to get involved in this unique sport. Explaining the sport well from its rules, regulations, to its history and how it came about in a world where the sword has long since been retired as a weapon of protection. "En Garde!" is a great gift to any girl who shows interest in the sport of fencing.

Blacks at the Net: Volume Two
Sundiata Djata
Syracuse University Press
1600 Jamesville Avenue, Syracuse, NY 13210
9780815608981, $29.95 www.SyracuseUniversityPress.syr.edu 1-800-365-8929

The final volume of the series, Blacks at the Net: Black Achievement in the History of Tennis, volume two complements and completes the work begun by volume one. Author and Northern Illinois University history teacher Sundiata Djata gives black achievement in the sport of tennis extensive scrutiny on par with previous studies of black achievement in the other sports. Chapters examine both the contributions of individual athletes such as Evonne Goolagong and Ronald Agenor, and aspects of black involvement the sport as a whole, from "Image and Style" to "Advertising and the Black Tennis Professional." "Despite Black Professional players' successes, the issues of race and gender have remained constant. Even with the Williams sisters and James Blake serving as role models, there are fewer black professionals on the tour at the start of the new millennium than in the 1970s." A welcome contribution to sports history shelves.


The Philosophy Shelf

Sartre Explained
David Detmer
Open Court Publishing Company
70 East Lake Street, Suite 300, Chicago, IL 60601
9780812696318, $19.95 www.opencourtbooks.com 1-800-815-2280

Philosophy is a foundational key to establishing our understanding of the world and man's place in it. David Detmer (Professor of Philosophy at Purdue University Calumet, and Executive Editor of "Sartre Studies International") presents Sartre Explained: From Bad Faith to Authenticity, a solid introduction to the ideas of twentieth-century French philosopher and author Jean-Paul Sartre. Written in terms readily accessible to novice philosophy students or even lay readers, Sartre Explained covers the philosophical movement called phenomenology, and the key ideas portrayed in Sartre's writings, including not only his philosophical works such as "Being and Nothingness" and "Critique of Dialectical Reason", but also his plays "No Exit" and "The Devil and the Good Lord", the novel "Nausea", and biography "Saint Genet". A superb primer, especially recommended for college libraries and as a textbook for introductory philosophy courses.

Seeds
Georges Kassabgi
Llumina Press
PO Box 772246, Coral Springs, FL 33077-2246
9781595268433, $15.00, www.llumina.com

Georges Kassabgi was an engineer engulfed in the complex and materialistic culture of our time. "Seeds: For a Conversation on the Reality of Human Nature and Behaviors" is an impressively diverse compilation of Kassabgi's creative work when he stepped away from the narrowed confines of science and embraced the histories of all of the world's religions -- including Atheism and the world's various philosophies. His productions are unique, making "Seeds" an unusual, distinctive, and recommended body of work that will prove to be both thoughtful and thought-provoking for those seeking to establish philosophically consistent values throughout their own lives.


The Mythology/Folklore Shelf

The Dragon Prince
Thich Nhat Hanh
Parallax Press
PO Box 7355, Berkeley, CA 94707
9781888375749, $16.95 www.parallaxpress.com 1-800-863-5290

Buddhist monk, Zen master, human rights activist, and Nobel Peace Prize nominee Thich Nhat Hanh takes the reader to Vietnam's age of myths and folklore in The Dragon Prince: Stories and Legends from Vietnam. The fifteen stories within include traditional and historical legends as well as brand new folktales inspires by Vietnam's recent past. Key themes within the tales extol the virtues of cooperation, reconciliation, mindfulness, and the importance of understanding that all beings are truly interconnected. A handful of simple, stylized black-and-white illustrations enhance this wonderful collection, highly recommended especially for community library collections and non-specialist general readers with an interest in mythology and folklore from around the world.


The Native American Shelf

Canyon Records Productions
3131 West Clarendon Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85017
www.canyonrecords.com 1-800-268-1141

Canyon Records is the premiere producer of authentic Native American music, both traditional and contemporary. Four of their latest titles include two albums of northern style Pow-Wow performances and two Native American Church (Peyote) albums. "Spo'Mo'Kin'Nan" (CR-6435, $15.98) by the renowned group Black Lodge showcases Pow-Wow songs recorded live at their White Swan performance. Marked by precision drumming and harmonic singing, the fifteen pieces comprising this outstanding album have a combined total running time of 72 minutes, 33 seconds. "Red Rock" (CR-6434, $15.98) by the legendary drum group Northern Cree is a series of 14 songs performed live in Muckleshoot and demonstrates the energy of the Pow-Wow circle. With a total running time of 62 minutes, 14 seconds, the pieces comprising this outstanding recording range from Roads of Red, to Sky High, to Me-Kwan. "Into The Future" (CR-6441, $15.98), performed by Gerald Primeaux, Sr. features nine harmonized peyote songs of the Native American Church and showcasing a singing legacy of Native American sacred music with gourd, water drum, and gently layered harmonies. Total running time: 59 minutes, 6 seconds. "Blessings: Peyote Songs" (CR-6399, $15.98) by Jeff McClellen, Kyle Robedeaux and Brian Stoner features ten deftly performed pieces from the Southern Plains of Oklahoma and are firmly rooted in the spiritual traditions and rhythmic prayer guides of the Native American Church. No personal, academic, or community library Native American collection can be considered either comprehensive or complete without the inclusion of this flawlessly recorded albums from Canyon Records, the oldest and largest recording company specializing in Native American music. Enthusiasts and librarians are encouraged to visit their website at www.canyonrecords.com for a complete listing of their titles.


The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf

No Free Lunch
Simon Haynes
Fremantle Press
c/o International Specialized Book Services
920 Northeast 58th Avenue, Suite 300, Portland, OR 97213
9781921361081, $19.95, www.isbs.com, 1-800-944-6190

With his gift for satire, science fiction author Simon Haynes is the Australian Terry Pratchett. In evidence I submit "No Free Lunch", a rollicking SciFi showcasing the adventures of that square-jawed, square-shooter spaceman Hal Spacejock. A cunning rival is determined to ruin Hal's space freighter business. A trainee peace officer facing a dangerous investigation and a planet with more bugs than a new computer system are all elements of a riotously funny tale that finds Hall trying to decide whether to take on a rival in order to save his own business, help the attractive trainee with her hazardous first mission. Hal Spacejock, cargo pilot for hire whose moto is 'At Spacejack Frieghtlines, the customer comes first!', must deal with the Peace Force, the Forzen Council, and a host of unexpected plot twists. Of special note for his growing legions of fans is the Hal Spacejock website at www.spacejock.com.au "No Free Lunch" will leave science fiction enthusiasts eagerly looking forward to the next thrilling, quirky, and humorous adventure of Hal Spacejock, interplanetary entrepreneur!


The Art Shelf

In Contemporary Rhythm
Peter H. Hassrick and Elizabeth J. Cunningham
University of Oklahoma Press
2800 Venture Drive, Norman, OK 73069
9780806139487, $34.95 www.oupress.com 1-800-627-7377

Illustrated with vintage black-and-white photographs as well as copious full-color artwork, In Contemporary Rhythm: The Art of Ernest L. Blumenschein collects the work of one of the founders of the Taos Society of Artists, Ernest L. Blumenschein (1874-1960). In Contemporary Rhythm not only showcases Blumenschein's critically acclaimed work, but also contemplates the history and inspiration behind his creations in the exhaustively in-depth text. A welcome addition to public library as well as private artbook collections.


The Cookbook Shelf

French Toast
Donna Kelly
Gibbs Smith, Publisher
PO Box 667, Layton UT 84041
9781423602484, $16.95 www.gibbs-smith.com 1-800-748-5439

Illustrated with sumptuous color photography sure to make the reader's mouth water, French Toast: Sweet & Savory Dishes for Every Meal is a cookbook filled cover to cover with unique variations on the widely beloved delicacy of french toast. From "Surprise Inside" breakfast sandwiches filled with sweetened cream cheese to "Tropical Paradise" french toast flavored with coconut, pineapple and rum to "Tomato Basil Monte Cristos", French Toast: Sweet & Savory Dishes for Every Meal lives up to its title. An index for quick reference rounds out this "must-have" recipe book for gourmets who love french toast!

Recipe Of The Week: Ice Cream
Sally Sampson
Wiley
c/o John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5773
9780470169452, $16.95, www.wiley.com, 1-800-225-5945

Ice cream is the all-American treat -- and not just to be enjoyed in the summer time! Cookbook author and ice cream afficionado Sally Sampson has compiled a year-long compendium of delicious ice cream dishes in "Recipe Of The Week: Ice Cream - 52 Easy Recipes For Year-Round Frozen Treats". Here are thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly' instructions for wonderful dishes showcasing recipes for ice cream, sorbets, and gelatos. The beautifully illustrated recipes range from Cocoa Sorbet; French Vanilla Ice Cream with Caramel Sauce; and Coffee Granita; to Dark Chocolate Gelato with Cranberries and Nuts; Nutmeg Ice Cream; and Orange Pineapple Coconut Sorbet. A 'must' for all ice cream devotees, "Recipe of The Week: Ice Cream" will make an enduringly popular addition to personal, family, and community library kitchen cookbook collections!

Savor Wild Game Cookbook
Chuck Johnson & Blanche Johnson
Wilderness Adventures Press, Inc.
45 Buckskin Road, Belgrade, MT 59714
1932098178, $24.95, www.wildadvpress.com, 1-800-925-3339

The truly successful and ethical hunting expedition will result in a harvest of game for the family dining table. Now kitchen cooks everywhere can have access to a compendium of 'user friendly' recipes for the preparation of all manner of game animals that would satisfy any appetite and please any palate in Chuck and Blanche Johnson's "Savor Wild Game Cookbook". There are easy to follow recipes that will satisfy any appetite and please any palate based on duck, pheasant, goose, dove, quail, prairie and forest grouse, woodcock, turkey, deer, elk, buffalo, squirrel, rabbit, and more. Of special note is are the listed recommendations of wines for wild game, a variety of sauce, stocks, and marinade recipes. The "Savor Wild Game Cookbook" is a welcome and enthusiastically recommended addition to personal and community library specialty cookbook collections.

Galley Guru
Lisa Hayden-Miller
Paradise Cay Publications
PO Box 29, Arcata, CA 95518-0029
9780939837793, $19.95 www.paracay.com 1-800736-4509

Galley Guru: Effortless Gourmet Cooking Afloat is a gourmet cookbook especially for anyone faced with the challenging task of cooking on the seas - with strictly limited space that won't necessarily stay stable! Yet gourmet cooking (rather than just subsisting on canned stews) is entirely possible with proper preparation and organization. Recipes ranging from "Jiffy Hot and Sour Soup" to "Pouch Potatoes", "Tequilla Shrimp", "Chocolate Ginger Pie" and much more feature not only step-by-step instructions, but also symbols denoting whether a given dish can easily be prepared at a remote anchorage, while the boat is moving, at heavy seas, etc. "The secret to cooking in a small space, especially one that won't stay still, is to be very organized. Use a plastic shoebox for the spices you need for the meal. You can put spice bottles in it and put it in the sink so it doesn't slide around as you are cooking." An absolute "must-have" for anyone who lives or works aboard boats for an extended period of time, yet is determined to prepare the best possible meals for themselves and others. Galley Guru is also highly recommended for anyone who has to cook in other tight and possibly moving spaces, such as on an RV or a train, or even a cramped college dorm.

The Happy Camper's Cookbook
Marilyn Abraham & Sandy MacGregor
Clear Light Publishing
823 Don Diego, Santa Fe, NM 87505
1574160249, $14.95 www.clearlightbooks.com 1-800-253-2747

Spiral-bound to wrap its front cover around and lay flat for easy reference, The Happy Camper's Cookbook: Eating Well Is Portable is a collection of recipes and cooking tips ideal for anyone on the go, whether camping, living in an RV, or just trying to scrounge up dinner when there's "nothing" in the house. Recipes range from a versatile "Country Pork Rub" ideal for use on meat to be cooked in the smoker, to "Cajun Stir Fried Rice Dinner", side dishes like "Maggie's Green Beans", "Chili Torta" (the perfect way to use up leftover chili), "Pink Salad", and much more. The tips and tricks range from how to effectively reheat food to how to turn cabbage soup into a hearty supper. An easy-to-use recipe guide especially recommended for anyone short on kitchen or refrigerator space who tends to run aground of too many leftovers!

The Ultimate Beer Lover's Cookbook
John Schlimm
Cumberland House Publishing
431 Harding Industrial Park Drive, Nashville, TN 37211
9781581826517, $24.95, www.cumberlandhouse.com, 1-888-439-2665

Beer is more than just America's favorite alcoholic beverage, it is also a key ingredient in a wide variety of culinary delights and great meal time dishes. Now beer beverage expert and knowledgeable gourmet John Schlimm has compiled more than 400 beer-based recipes in "The Ultimate Beer Lover's Cookbook". Included are beer-based recipes for appetizers, breads, soups and chilis, salads, fruits and vegetables, sandwiches, sauces, marinades, as well as beef, pork, poultry, wild game, fish, and more. Of special note are the beer-based recipes for desserts! There are even 150 beer-based recipes for mixed drinks, chuggers, shots, chasers, party punches, milkshakes, and flaming drinks. Sprinkled liberally through out the collection are little quotes and maxims in tribute to beer and beer drinking. A comprehensive Index makes this massive recipe collection quite easy to use when planning menus. "The Ultimate Beer Lover's Cookbook" truly lives up to its title and is an enthusiastically recommended addition to personal, professional, and community library specialty cookbook collections.


The Money/Finance Shelf

Financial Intelligence
Karen Berman & Joe Knight
Harvard Business Press
60 Harvard Way, Boston, MA 02163
9781422119143, $24.95, www.financialintellegencebook.com

You get what you pay for is a commonly repeated proverb because it is so commonly true. Co-authored by Karen Berman and Joe Knight, "Financial Intelligence for IT Professionals: What You Really Need to Mow About the Numbers" is an informed and informative guide to understanding that Information Technology (IT) requires an infusion of capital to get the best use out of it. With basic information on understanding IT-related statements and balances, estimates and their effects, challenging data, investments, and so much more. Highly recommended reading and a welcome addition to personal, professional, community, and academic library Business reference collections, "Financial Intelligence for IT Professionals" is essential reading for anyone wanting to get the most out of their IT dollar investment.

How You Can Profit From Credit Cards
Curtis E. Arnold
FT Press
1 Lake Street, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458
9780132353779, $19.99, www.ftpress.com

Credit card debt is something many Americans fear -- and justifiably so. "How You Can Profit From Credit Cards: Using Credit to Improve Your Financial Life and Bottom Line" is a practical, effective, informative, and 'user friendly' guide to using the creator of debt to become the obliteration of debt and a boon for personal and professional financial success. A guide to credit management and the responsible use of credit cards to increase credit rating and even to make money, "How You Can Profit From Credit Cards" should be considered essential reading for anyone first starting with one or more credit cards and wanting to avoid the pitfalls of excessive and unnecessary debt.


The Environmental Studies Shelf

Revolution on the Range
Courtney White
Island Press
1718 Connecticut Ave, NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20009
9781597261746, $25.95, www.islandpress.org

The cattle ranch has always been a staple of the Texan stereotype. "Revolution on the Range: The Rise of a New Ranch in the American West" is telling of how that stereotype is being challenged by these ranchers working with environmentalists. Originally a source of conflict and friction between ranchers and environmentalists, but groups now work together to bring a common alliance to make the most of the land without destroying it. An inspiring portrait of how a conflict went from death threats to compromise, "Revolution on the Range" is an upbeat look at politics for a change, as well as a highly recommended addition to personal, community, academic library Environmental Studies and Environmental Activist reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

Born Under a Bad Sky
Jeffrey St. Clair
AK Press
674-A 23rd Street, Oakland, CA 94612-1163
CounterPunch
PO Box 228, Petrolia, CA 95558
9781904859703, $19.95, www.akpress.org

Nature is all around us, and depending on where you are, its ecological health can vary greatly. "Born Under a Bad Sky" is an anthology of essays looking at the ailing side of nature, where it has been neglected and exploited. From the White Death of Iraq, to the creatures of Arkansas, "Born under a Bad Sky" offers the reader a compelling portrait of the world as a whole. It also touches on the role of politicians, and optimistically, those who are turning governmental environmental policies around. A very strongly recommended addition to personal, professional, academic, and community library Environmental Studies reference collections, "Born Under a Bad Sky" is a must for non-specialist general readers wanting to know the environmental state of the world today.


The Antiques/Collectibles Shelf

The History Of Watches
David Thompson
Abbeville Press
137 Varick Street, Suite 504, New York, NY 10019-1105
9780789209184, $45.00, www.abbeville.com, 1-800-343-4499

In "The History Of Watches", author David Thompson (Curator of the Horological collections in the Department of Prehistory & Europe at the British Museum) collaborates with Saul Peckham (a photographer for the British Museum for twenty years) to produce a visually stunning, highly informative, authoritative overview of timepieces ranging over the past five hundred years. Every variety of watch is represented from 16th century early stackfeed watchers, to the precision chronometers of the 18th and 19th centuries, to the mass-produced watchers of the 20th century. More than 80 watches are discussed in detail with a text that is wonderfully enhanced with more than 250 finely detailed photographs featuring all aspects of watches from their outer casings to their inner workings. "The History Of Watches" is a welcome addition to any personal, academic, or community library reference collection. Also highly recommended from Abbeville Press for watch collectors, dealers, and enthusiasts are to previously published works: Stefan Muser and Michael Horlbeck's "Classic Wristwatches 2008-2009: The Price Guide for Vintage Watch Collectors" (9780789209351, $35.00), and Peter Braun's "Wristwatch Annual 2008: The Catalog of Producers, Prices, Models and Specifications" (9780789209313, $35.00).


The Photography Shelf

Central Oregon Impressions
David M. Morris, Fred Pflughoft, Bob Woodward
Farcountry Press
PO Box 5630, Helena, MT 59604
1560374365, $9.95, www.farcountrypress.com, 1-800-821-3874

The American landscape, both natural and human, offers a wealth of beautiful imagery that expert photographers with an artist's eye have captured in full color within the pages of "Central Oregon Impressions". Part of the visually outstanding 'Impressions' series published by Farcountry Press, "Central Oregon Impressions" is a compilation of captioned photographs that evoke the emotions and conceptual inspirations that the region offers its local residents and vacationing visitors alike. Also very highly recommended are other visually celebratory photographic compendiums from Farcountry Press including "Boston Impressions" (1560374373, $9.95); "Missoula Impressions" (156037442X, $9.95); and "Omaha Impressions" (1560374330, $9.95). Students of photography and armchair travelers are encouraged to visit the Farcountry Press website at www.farcountrypress.com for a complete listing of their invaluable locally-oriented photographic tributes to American cities and landscapes.

Road to Freedom
Julian Cox
University of Washington Press
PO Box 50096, Seattle, WA 98145-5096
9781932543230, $40.00, www.washington.edu/uwpress

One of the most tumultuous and chaotic times in American history was the era of the Civil Rights Movement. "Road to Freedom: Photographs of the Civil Rights Movement 1956-1968" is a photographic history of this time when people were willing to go into the streets to protest a then racist government and society. The story of the movement is told through poignant black and white photographs, making "Road to Freedom" a good coffee table book for those who feel strongly about the movement, and for community library collections focusing on books of photography.


The Martial Arts Shelf

Combat Knife Throwing
Ralph Thorn
Paladin Press
7077 Winchester Circle, Boulder, CO 80301
#CKT2, $20.00, www.paladin-press.com, 1-800-392-2400

The use of the knife as a weapon of both defense and offense in military and martial arts personal combat is an essential survival skill. Now in a fully updated and expanded edition, knife fighting expert Ralph Thorn draws upon his many years of experience and expertise in "Combat Knife Throwing" from Paladin Press to provide the reader with a comprehensive and illustrated instruction manual for using the knife as a throwing weapon with an emphasis on safety as well as accuracy. All aspects of knife throwing training are covered including making a throwing knife, building targets, practicing a variety of knife throwing techniques that include both underhand, overhand, and sidearm throws. Of special note are the chapters on psychological and physical condition, hunting and recreational skills, and the newest 'cutting edge' developments in the art and science of weapons throwing. "Combat Knife Throwing" is an invaluable and core addition to any personal or professional Martial Arts and Military Combat reference collection.


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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