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Wisconsin Bookwatch

Volume 8, Number 9 September 2013 Home | WBW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Computer Shelf Sports Shelf
Christian Studies Shelf Travel Shelf Poetry Shelf
Religion/Spirituality Shelf American History Shelf World History Shelf
Cookbook Shelf Metaphysical Studies Shelf Audiobook Shelf
Business Shelf Photography Shelf Fashion Shelf
Martial Arts Shelf Theatre/Cinema Shelf Self-Help Shelf
Biography Shelf Humor Shelf Graphic Novel Shelf
Music CD Shelf DVD Shelf Pets/Wildlife Shelf
Wisconsin Shelf    


Reviewer's Choice

Reveal Your Detroit
Bradford Frost
Wayne State University Press
4809 Woodward Avenue
Detroit, MI 48201-1309
http://wsupress.wayne.edu
9780814339633, $24.95, www.amazon.com

The news out of Detroit this past year has been unrelentingly grim. A city in bankruptcy, white flight, crumbling infrastructure, epidemic unemployment, and a host of other exacerbated urban ills. Yet there are rays of light coming out of all that doom and gloom. One such is "Reveal Your Detroit: An Intimate Look at a Great American City" by Bradford Frost (Detroit Revitalization Fellow and special Assistant for Community and Economic Development at the Detroit Institute of Arts). This 184 page compendium showcasing full color photographs focusing on Detroit's assets and praiseworthy features are coupled with informative explanatory and informational captions and commentary texts documenting the urban transformation of a still great American city. A genuine and informative pleasure to simple browse through the pages, "Reveal Your Detroit" is not only highly recommended reading, but would serve as an excellent template and example for similar works for other American cities undergoing their own renaissance and resurrection into the 21st Century.


The Computer Shelf

Classic Game Design
Franz Lanzinger
Mercury Learning
www.merclearning.com
c/o International Publishers Marketing
22841 Quicksilver Drive
Dulles, VA 20166
9781937585976 $49.95 www.internationalpubmarket.com

Suitable for classroom use or self-teaching, Classic Game Design: From Pong to Pac-Man with Unity is an instructional guide to using the Unity software tool to create games in a similar style to the classic arcade titles "Pong", "Breakout", "Space Invaders", "Scramble", and "Pac-Man". A companion DVD (and website) have all of the source code, art, and sound sources. Meticulous text illustrated with full color computer screenshots teach the user how to learn from the elegance of these old school games, and start creating one's own work. Dozens of exercises, recommendation, and the occasional historical anecdote from Atari coin-op programmers round out this treasury for anyone who wants to sharpen their game-making skills!


The Sports Shelf

Marathons of the World
Hugh Jones and Alexander James
Barron's
250 Wireless Boulevard
Hauppauge, NY 11788
9780764166099 $24.99 www.barronseduc.com

Featuring full-color photography throughout, Marathons of the World is a gorgeous world tour of marathon courses, including China's The Great Wall Marathon and 26-mile runs in Barcelona, Rio de Janeiro, Reykjavik, Loch Ness, Pares, the North Pole, Istanbul and much more. Each marathon course has expert analysis, and useful tips especially for training or practicing marathon runners. Armchair travelers who might not be up to the immense rigors of participating in a marathon will also find Marathons of the World the next best thing to being there! Highly recommended.

The ACC Basketball Book of Fame
Dan Collins
John F. Blair, Publisher
1406 Plaza Drive
Winston-Salem, NC 27103
9780895876065 $26.95 www.blairpub.com

Veteran sports columnist Dan Collins presents The ACC Basketball Book of Fame, the first ever effort to compile a Hall of Fame for ACC basketball tournaments. Collins uses a meticulous methodology, assigning numerical values to All-ACC voting as well as other awards. The ACC Basketball Book of Fame is also filled with brief but enlightening player profiles, amusing anecdotes, fascinating trivia, a solid history of the ACC conference, and a black-and-white photograph of virtually every profiled player on the court. Basketball fans are sure to enjoy The ACC Basketball Book of Fame from cover to cover - especially if their devotion to the sport extends to creating fantasy basketball leagues!

Tales From First Base
Brad Engel & Wayne Stewart
Potomac Books, Inc.
c/o University of Nebraska Press
22841 Quicksilver Drive
Dulles, VA 20166-2012
www.potomacbooksinc.com
9781597978453, $22.95, www.amazon.com

Baseball is a thoroughly American sport played everywhere from backlots, to school athletic fields, to major league stadiums. "Tales from First Base: The Best, Funniest, and Slickest First Basemen Ever" by baseball enthusiasts and sports journalists Brad Engel and Wayne Stewart is 152 page compendium comprised of famous (and occasionally infamous) but always humorous incidents and personalities associated with events focused upon playing first base. The stories related are true, the incidents reported really happened, and the result is what must be considered mandatory for anyone who has ever stood and cheered a first base play. Drawing upon numerous interviews with journalists, players, and fans, "Tales From First Base" is a tremendous read that is very highly recommended and would make an enduringly popular addition for school and community collections. It should also be noted that "Tales From First Base" is available in a Kindle edition ($13.77).


The Christian Studies Shelf

Proverbs
Katherine M. Hayes
The Liturgical Press
St. John's Abbey, PO Box 7500
Collegeville, MN 56321-7500
www.litpress.org
9780814628522, $14.95, www.amazon.com

The 18th volume in the outstanding Liturgical Press 'New Collegeville Bible Commentary' series, "Proverbs" by Katherine M. Hayes is a 120 page compendium of instructive commentary explaining the writings found in the Old Testament 'Book of Proverbs'. After an informed and informative Prologue and Introduction, "Proverbs" goes on to present chapters on The Proverbs of Solomon; Sayings of the Wise; Other Sayings of the Wise; Other Proverbs of Solomon; The Words of Agur; and The Words of Lemuel. An ideal study text, "Proverbs" also features Review Aids and Discussion Topics. Of special note is the concluding Index of Citations from the 'Catechism of the Catholic Church'. An impressive work of significant scholarship, "Proverbs" is very highly recommended and informative reading and a valued addition to personal Biblical Studies reading lists and academic library reference collections.

Reflections from Rome
Monsignor Richard R. Soseman
Roman Catholic Books
PO Box 2286, Fort Collins, CO 80522-2286
www.booksforcatholics.com
9781934888599, $17.95, www.amazon.com

Faith is more than just a theological abstraction. It is a living force applicable to our ordinary daily life as well as extraordinary events in our lives. "Reflections from Rome: Practical Thoughts on Faith and Family" by Monsignor Richard R. Soseman is a 254 page compendium comprised of brief meditations, informative essays, and thoughtful reflections on the processes of applying personal faith to whatever life situations or dilemmas may present themselves. Inspired and inspiring, "Reflections from Rome: Practical Thoughts on Faith and Family" is especially recommended for Christians seeking to explore and enhance the possibilities and values of faith in daily life.


The Travel Shelf

Discover Great Britain
David Else
Lonely Planet Publications
150 Linden Street, Oakland CA 94607
www.lonelyplanet.com
9781742201139, $24.99, www.amazon.com

Great Britain with all of its history, cultural and economic resources has long been a premier destination for vacationers and business travelers alike. Lonely Planet Publications is a premier publisher of travel guides for those same vacationers and business travelers and their latest is "Lonely Planet Discover Great Britain", a compact 432 page instructive tour guide showcasing highlights, an invaluable resource in crafting itineraries, draws upon local experts for their 'insider knowledge', and features a pull-out map. Profusely illustrated in full color throughout, "Lonely Planet Discover Great Britain" is informed, informative, "user friendly", and very highly recommended for anyone traveling to Great Britain for either business or pleasure. It should be noted that "Lonely Planet Discover Great Britain" is also available in a Kindle edition ($13.99).


The Poetry Shelf

Starship Tahiti
Brandon Dean Lamson
University of Massachusetts Press
PO Box 429, Amherst, MA 01004
www.umass.edu/umpress
9781625340092, $15.95, www.amazon.com

An academician by trade, Brandon Dean Lamson (Assistant Professor of English, Bethany College) is also an established poet with several of his poems being published to an appreciative reception. Winner of the Juniper Prize for poetry, the 72 page compendium "Starship Tahiti" is Lamson's debut poetry collection. Lamson's poetry is free verse and elegant. Deftly crafted works of prose poetry that evoke feelings and images that are universal in their appeal and unique in their substance. "Starship Tahiti" is enthusiastically recommended reading for anyone and everyone that appreciates the impact and influence that poetry can have upon the mind, the imagination, and the human condition.


The Religion/Spirituality Shelf

Pilgrimage--The Sacred Art
Sheryl A. Kujawa-Holbrook
Skylight Paths Publishing
PO Box 237, Woodstock, VT 05091
www.skylightpaths.com
9781594734724, $16.99, www.amazon.com

A physical pilgrimage is defined as a journey to a shrine or other sacred place undertaken to gain divine aid, or as an act of thanksgiving or penance, or to demonstrate devotion. A spiritual pilgrimage is a kind of journey within the mind and spirit towards a metaphysical goal or aspiration. It is the combining of these two concepts of pilgrimage that is embodied in Dr. Sheryl A. Kujawa-Holbrook's "Pilgrimage--The Sacred Art: Journey to the Center of the Heart", a 176 page deftly written compendium that provides the reader with an insightful perspective that integrates spirituality, practice, spiritual formation, psychology, world religions and historical resources with respect to the evolution of religious pilgrimages and the formation of holy site destinations. Informed, informative, inspired, inspiring, thoughtful and thought-provoking, "Pilgrimage--The Sacred Art" is a highly rewarding read and strongly recommended for personal and community library Religion/Spirituality reference collections and supplemental reading lists. It should also be noted that "Pilgrimage--The Sacred Art" is available in a Kindle edition ($9.99).


The American History Shelf

Bright Light City
Larry Gragg
University Press of Kansas
2501 West 15th Street, Lawrence, KS 66049
www.kansaspress.ku.edu
9780700619030, $34.95, www.amazon.com

"Bright Light City: Las Vegas in Popular Culture" by Larry Gragg (Curator's Teaching Professor of history and Chair of the Department of History and Political Science, Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla, Missouri) is a 368 page compendium showcasing Las Vegas, Nevada, a unique American city that has been an icon in American popular culture. Professor Gragg draws upon hundreds of films, tv shows, novels, and journal articles to present a seminal work of truly impressive scholarship in related the story of the famous and the infamous that developed and populated the city and occupied the imagination of the country from the 1940s down to the present day. Of special note is Professor Gragg's concluding commentary 'The Ultimate Attraction of Las Vegas' and his afterword ''The Intellectuals' Images of Las Vegas'. Enhanced with the inclusion of extensive notes, a bibliographical essay, and a comprehensive index, "Bright Light City: Las Vegas in Popular Culture" is a unique and valued contribution that is most especially recommended for academic library American History and American Pop Culture reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

The Supper Club
Dave Hoekstra
Chicago Review Press
814 North Franklin Street, Chicago, IL 60610
www.chicagoreviewpress.com
9781613743683, $29.95, www.amazon.com

A supper club, traditionally, refers to a dining establishment that also functions as a social club. The term may describe different establishments depending on the region, but in general, supper clubs tend to present themselves as having a high-class image, even if the price is affordable to all. In the U.S., a supper club is a dining establishment generally found in the Upper Midwestern states of Wisconsin, Minnesota, Ohio, Michigan, Illinois and Iowa. These establishments typically are located on the edge of town in rural areas. They were traditionally thought of as a "destination" where patrons would go to spend the whole evening, from cocktail hour to enjoying night club style entertainment after dinner. They typically feature a casual and relaxed atmosphere. "The Supper Club Book: A Celebration of a Midwest Tradition" by Dave Hoekstra is a 304 page compendium showcasing twenty-four outstanding examples of Midwestern supper clubs ranging from Turk's Inn and Sultan Room (Hayward, Wisconsin), to The Lighthouse Inn Supper club (Cedar Rapids, Iowa), to The Peak Supper Club (Clitherall, Minnesota). Profusely illustrated throughout, the supper clubs are organized into five major categories: The Roots; Supper Clubs with Shtick; Wacky-Named Supper Clubs; Traditionals; and The Future. Enhanced with an informative postscript (Tribute to Supper Clubs Gone By) and the inclusion of a listing of supper clubs by state, "The Supper Club Book: A Celebration of a Midwest Tradition" is informed, informative, a "must" for supper club enthusiasts, and would make an enduringly popular addition to community library collections.


The World History Shelf

Glacier's Historic Hotels & Chalets: View with a Room
Ray Djuff and Chris Morrison, authors
Farcountry Press
P.O. Box 5630, Helena, MT 59604
9781560375562, $$19.95, www.farcountrypress.com

"View With a Room" is an illustrated history of the many beautiful hotels and chalets of Glacier Park and Waterton International Peace Park (in Canada). Included are illustrated chapters on the early history and building of Glacier Park Lodge, Two Medicine Chalets, Cut Bank Chalets, St. Mary Chalets, Goint-to -the-Sun Chalets, Many Glacier Hotel, Granite Park Chalets, Prince of Wales Hotel, Sperry Chalets, Lake McDonald Lodge, and Belton Chalets. Opened to an eager American tourist public by the Great Northern Railways, the many beautiful chalets and hotels of Glacier display a dazzling panorama of views and tourist experiences over the years. Historic photos of building efforts and past versions of the rustic lodge experience make "View With a Room" both a memorable and stunning contribution to the history of Glacier National Park. Maps, advertisements, illustrations, and ephemera tinted in authentic aging colors add authentic touches to the collection. A selected bibliography completes this comprehensive history and overview of the beautiful historic hotels and chalets of Glacier.


The Cookbook Shelf

Mennonite Girls Can Cook
Julie Klassen, et al.
Herald Press
c/o MennoMedia
1251 Virginia Avenue
Harrisonburg, VA 22802
www.heraldpress.com
9780836195538, $24.99, www.amazon.com

Wonderfully illustrated throughout in full color, "Mennonite Girls Can Cook" is a 208 page compendium of superbly presented recipes compiled by a team of ten Mennonite women to showcase and celebrate Mennonite culinary traditions and accomplishments. From Ham and Egg Cups; Berry-Filled Scones; Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes; and Savory Pot Roast with Roasted Vegetables; to Coconut Prawns; Gooey Walnut Rolls; and Summer Fruit Pies, "Mennonite Girls Can Cook" recipes come complete with 'kitchen cook friendly', step-by-step instructions along with little commentaries and cooking tips. Of special note are the 'Who's Cooking' pages providing an interesting introduction to the Mennonite women whose recipes are featured. As delightful to simply browse through as it is to prepare from, "Mennonite Girls Can Cook" is enthusiastically recommended for both personal and community library Cookbook collections.

Mennonite Girls Can Cook: Celebrations
Anneliese Friesen and Judy Wiebe
Herald Press
1251 Virginia Avenue
Harrisonburg, VA 22802
www.MennoMedia.org
9780836196757 $29.99 www.heraldpress.com

Lavishly illustrated with full-color photographs throughout, Mennonite Girls Can Cook: Celebrations features a wealth of recipes meant especially to commemorate joyous occasions, from marriage or the birth of a child to campfire adventures to holiday gatherings and much more. Vignettes drawn from Mennonite culture interlace with the step-by-step recipes, and a set of hosting tips, suggestions for gluten-free cooking, and an index round out this superb treasury. Recipes include Walnut Meringue Crescents, Cream Puff Swans, Stuffed Sweet Mini-Peppers, Roasted Butternut Squash Soup, Vegetarian Lasagna Roll-Ups, German Country-Fried Steak Dinner, and much more. A treasury of time- and taste-tested goodness! Also highly recommended for cooks of all skill and experience levels is the previous cookbook by the same authors, "Mennonite Girls Can Cook" (9780836195538, $24.99).

Harbor Fish Market
Nick Alfiero, Rian Alfiero, & Kathleen Alfiero
Down East Books
PO Box 679
Camden, ME 04843
9781608932450 $29.99 www.downeastbooks.com

Harbor Fish Market: Seafood Recipes from Maine lives up to its title with a smorgasbord of delicious recipes from the Alfiero family, who have run the Harbor Fish Market at Portland's Custom House Wharf for four decades. Color photographs illustrate such culinary delights as "Lobster Stew", "Fried Soft-Shell Crabs", "Baked Haddock with Maine Shrimp Sauce", "Linguine with Calamari in Red Sauce", "Swordfish Steaks with Ginger and Soy", "Truffle Scallops with Greens" and much more. An introduction packed with tips, tricks and techniques for cooking lobster, preparing clams, filleting fish step-by-step, and more make Harbor Fish Market extremely user-friendly even for novice seafood cooks. Highly recommended!

Nutella: The 30 Best Recipes
Ferrero U.S.A.
Jacquie Small LLP
c/o Dalyn Miller Public Relations
9781909342163 $10.95 www.amazon.com

Also available as an ebook, Nutella: The 30 Best Recipes is a specialized cookbook featuring thirty snacks and desserts involving Nutella (R), the versatile, delicious, and trademarked brand of chocolate-hazelnut spread. Delightful offerings include "Mini Coconut and Nutella Palmiers", "Banana and Nutella Tartlets", "Nutella Meringues", "Nutella Macaroons", and much more, each illustrated with a full-color photograph. A novelty binding makes this inexpensive and savory cookbook resemble a Nutella jar! Nutella: The 30 Best Recipes is an excellent gift for dessert gourmet cooks of all skill and experience levels, and is especially divine source of ideas for memorable appetizers to serve at social gatherings or holiday parties.

The Big Book of Pies & Tarts
Betty Crocker
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
215 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10003
www.hmhpub.com
9781118432167, $19.99, www.amazon.com

Of course 'Betty Crocker' is not a specific person but an American corporate house brand. Still, it's one associated for decades with excellence when it comes to cookbooks and the latest to arrive, "The Big Book of Pies & Tarts" is no exception to this long and distinguished record of culinary publications. Enhanced with more than one hundred full color photographs of completed dishes, "The Big Book of Pies & Tarts" is a 336 page compendium showcasing more than 200 'kitchen cook friendly' recipes for pies and tarts that would grace any meal, please any palate, and satisfy any hunger. Of special note is the practical instruction in the basics of making pie pastries in the beginning and the metric conversion guide at the end. The recipes themselves are organized into five major sections: Fruit Pies; Creamy & Chilled Pies; Tarts & Mini Pies; Holiday Pies; and Savory Pies. Enthusiastically recommended for personal, family, and community library cookbook collections, it should be noted that "The Big Book of Pies & Tarts" is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99).

100 Grilling Recipes You Can't Live Without
Cheryl Jamison & Bill Jamison
Harvard Common Press
535 Albany Street, Boston, MA 02118
www.harvardcommonpress.com
9781558328013, $16.95, www.amazon.com

"100 Grilling Recipes You Can't Live Without" is a 272 page compendium packed cover to cover with one hundred truly outstanding instructional recipes for grilling outdoors. Beginning with practical tips and commentary on the grilling process including time and temperature, gas vs. charcoal, grates, tools, and controlling flare-ups, "100 Grilling Recipes You Can't Live Without: A Lifelong Companion" fully lives to the promise of its title with a profusion of recipes ranging from Fire-Roasted Oysters with Tabasco Vinaigrette; Fried Onion Flatbread; All-American Backyard Burgers; Flame-Kissed Chile Rellenos; and Stephan Pyles' Texas Rib-Eye; to Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Country Ham; Herb-Roasted Rotisserie Chicken; Dry-Rubbed Tuna Steaks; Louisiana Barbecued Shrimp; and Grilled French Fries. Of special note is an entire chapter devoted to grilled deserts. Thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly', "100 Grilling Recipes You Can't Live Without: A Lifelong Companion" will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to personal, family, and community library cookbook collections. It should be noted that "100 Grilling Recipes You Can't Live Without: A Lifelong Companion" is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99).

The Honey Connoisseur
C. Marina Marchese & Kim Flottum
Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers
151 West 19th Street, New York, NY 10011
www.workman.com
9781579129293, $26.95, www.amazon.com

Honey is as versatile and varied as wine, cheese, coffee, or chocolate. Now homemakers once restricted to corporately bottled and massed produced supermarket brand honey can acquire and appreciate artisan honeys readily found in such places as farmer's markets and specialty food stores. The collaborative effort of Marina Marchese and Kim Flottum, "The Honey Connoisseur: Selecting, Tasting, and Pairing Honey, With a Guide to More Than 30 Varietals" is a 208 page instructional guide for identifying and utilizing more than thirty different kinds of honey. Of special note is the background information on how honey differences and distinctions are the result of bee pollination of differing plants, as well as variations in soil, weather conditions, and other natural influences. A complete course of instruction under one cover, "The Honey Connoisseur" is very highly recommended for personal, family, and community library cookbook collections. It should also be noted that "The Honey Connoisseur" is available in a Kindle edition ($12.99).


The Metaphysical Studies Shelf

When the Dragon Wore the Crown
Don Cerow
Ibis Press
c/o Nicolas-Hays, Inc.
PO Box 540206, Lake Worth, FL 33454-0206
Red Wheel/Weiser (distribution)
665 Third Street, San Francisco, CA 94107
www.redwheelweiser.com
9780892542055 $26.95 www.ibispress.net

Astrologer Don Cerow presents When the Dragon Wore the Crown - Center and Circle (also available as an ebook, 9780892545940), a survey of astrology over a period of over six thousand years (7000 BC to 200 AD), with particular emphasis on the role of the constellation Draco, and its role in mythology amid various human cultures as well as in the zodiac, celestial navigation, and farming. Full color photography on virtually every page illustrates this gorgeous tour of archaeology, astronomy, cultural evolution, and human history. "The Pleiades are among the oldest stars to be mentioned in astronomical literature, possibly first appearing in Chinese annals of 2357 BC. They were once described as clusters of golden bees or flying pigeons. Later in China they became the Seven Sisters of Industry, and were worshipped by girls and young women to whom they were believed to relate." Supplementing the historical world tour are original theories about the transcendent meaning of Draco as part of a greater whole, including an empirical concept of a Center in the Circle, where the Serpent is located. Astrology buffs will especially enjoy browsing When the Dragon Wore the Crown from cover to cover.

The Shaman's Toolkit
Sandra Ingerman
Weiser Publishers
c/o Red Wheel/Weiser/Conari
65 Parker Avenue, Suite 7
Newburyport, MA 01950
9781578635443, $16.95, www.amazon.com

Shamanism is a practice that involves a practitioner reaching altered states of consciousness in order to encounter and interact with the spirit world. A shaman is a person regarded as having access to, and influence in, the world of benevolent and malevolent spirits, who typically enters into a trance state during a ritual, and practices divination and healing. "The Shaman's Toolkit: Ancient Tools for Shaping the Life and World You Want to Live In" by shaman expert Sandra Ingerman is a 176 page compendium focused on informing her readers about how they may heal past and present injuries to their inner lives, break thorough imposed limitations on their potential, and help shape their personal worlds through ancient and time-tested shamanic principles. "The Shaman's Toolkit: Ancient Tools for Shaping the Life and World You Want to Live In" shows how to release creative blocks, support core beliefs, transform grief and disappointments, make changes in themselves and the world around them. As informed and informative as it is thoughtful and thought-provoking, "The Shaman's Toolkit: Ancient Tools for Shaping the Life and World You Want to Live In" is thoroughly 'reader friendly' in style, content and tone, making it highly recommended for personal and community library self-help and metaphysical studies collections. It should also be noted that "The Shaman's Toolkit: Ancient Tools for Shaping the Life and World You Want to Live In" is available in a Kindle edition ($9.32).


The Audiobook Shelf

The Kill List
Frederick Forsyth, author
George Guidall, narrator
Penguin Audio
c/o The Penguin Publishing Group
375 Hudson Street
New York, NY 10014
9781611762136 $39.95 http://us.penguingroup.com

The Kill List is the unabridged audiobook edition of a high-stakes thriller novel about the War on Terror. The Technical Operations Support Activity, or TOSA, is the unassumingly-named U.S. governmental department whose job is to hunt down and kill terrorists named on a document called The Kill List. One of TOSA's finest is an Arabic-speaking Marine known as the Tracker. But one target consistently eludes him: a ruthless terrorist known as the Preacher, whose signature MO is to radicalize young Muslims living abroad and goad them into becoming assassinations. When the Preacher's schemes take the life of the Tracker's father, a retired Marine general, the Trackers duty turns intensely personal, leading him on a worldwide manhunt. end, The Kill List is intense to the very end, highly recommended for fans of action and suspense. 7 CDs, 8.5 hours.

Night Film
Marisha Pessl, author
Jake Weber, narrator
Random House Audio Books
c/o The Random House Publishing Group
1745 Broadway, 5th floor
New York, NY 10019
9780307932655 $50.00 www.randomhouse.com

Night Film is the unabridged audiobook adaptation of prize-winning author Marisha Pessl's thriller novel of murder and treachery. When a beautiful young woman is discovered dead in an abandoned Manhattan warehouse, her death is at first ruled a suicide - but expert investigative journalist Scott McGrath knows too much about the victim's father to just let the matter go. Her father is Stanislas Cordova, a reclusive figure known for his cult horror films, and the last time McGrath tried to learn about Cordova's twisted world, the fallout cost McGrath his marriage and nearly extinguished his career. Justice hangs by a trembling thread in this grim search for truth amid the trappings of commercialized silver screen violence, suspenseful to the very end. Bonus content includes an interactive .pdf file (requires Adobe Reader on one's PC), and additional content especially for smartphone or tablet devices. 19 CDs, 23 hours.

Safe in His Arms
Vicki Lewis Thompson, author
Arika Rapson, narrator
Tantor Media, Inc.
2 Business Park Road, Unit 2
Old Saybrook, CT 06475
9781452613482 $19.99 www.tantor.com

Part of the popular "Perfect Man" series by award-winning author Vicki Lewis Thompson, Safe in His Arms is the unabridged audiobook performance of a passionate romance novella with mature themes. Valerie Wolitzky suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder, stemming from a deadly incident at a concert hall when fire sparked a human stampede that nearly killed her. When she crosses paths with Adam Templeton, a billionaire rancher recovering from the fallout of his failed marriage, at first he seems like a dream come true... but both Valerie and Adam carry deep emotional scars. Can she learn to trust a man again, and can he move past the emotional heartbreak of his divorce? A warm and sensuous story, Safe in His Arms is sure to please connoisseurs of erotic romance. 2 CDs, 2.5 hours.

Justice for Sara
Erica Spindler, author
Tavia Gilbert, narrator
Macmillan Audio
175 Fifth Avenue, Suite 315
New York, NY 10010
9781427230751 $39.99 www.macmillanaudio.com

Justice for Sara is the unabridged audiobook rendition of Erica Spindler's suspenseful novel about a woman wrongfully accused of the brutal murder of her sister. Katherine McCall was a defiant seventeen-year-old when her sister was murdered; she was tried and found innocent of the crime. But not everyone believed the verdict, forcing Kat to go into hiding. Ten years later, an anonymous letter asks her, "What about justice for Sara?", a question she cannot ignore. She returns to her Louisiana home town in search of the truth... but her sister's murderer is determined to keep the past buried at any cost! Is justice worth fighting for, if the cost is Kat's life? Justice for Sara is gripping to the very end, and sure to prove a popular pick for public library audiobook mystery collections. 8 CDs, 10 hours.

Galaxy Press
7051 Hollywood Boulevard, Suite 200
Hollywood, CA 90028
www.galaxypress.com

The late L. Ron Hubbard was a master of pretty much every literary genre that the golden age of pulp magazines had to offer their avid readers. Now Galaxy Press is taking those Hubbard tales and turning them into full fledged 'theatre of the mind' experiences with their sound and music effect enhanced, multicast performances, flawlessly produced audio books. Originally published in the September 1935 issue of 'Top-Notch', Hubbard's "The Sky Devil" (audio: 9781592123292, $12.95; paperback 9781592124015, $9.95; 2 hours; 2 CDs) is an aviation action/adventure yarn and includes two short action/adventure stories: "Buckley Plays A Hunch" and "Medals For Mahoney". First published in the July 1938 issue of 'Western Yarns', Hubbard's "King of the Gunmen" (audio: 9781592123483, $12.95; paperback: 9781592124022, $9.95; 2 hours, 2 CDs) is a terrific western yarn of feuding cattlemen and sheepherders and includes the western short story "The No-Gun Gunhawk". Appearing in the October 1938 issue of 'Five-Novels Monthly', Hubbard's "The Lieutenant Takes the Sky" (audio: 9781592123018, $12.95; paperback: 9781592123018, $9.95; 2 hours, 2 CDs) is action/adventure at its very best -- perhaps one of Hubbard's finest novels. All three of these outstanding recordings are enthusiastically recommended for both personal and community library audio book collections.


The Business Shelf

The 30 Day MBA, third edition
Colin Barrow
Kogan Page USA
1518 Walnut Street, Suite 1100
Philadelphia, PA 19102
www.koganpageusa.com
0749469900, $24.95, www.amazon.com

Now in a newly updated and expanded third edition, "The 30 Day MBA: Your Fast Track Guide to Business Success" by academician and business expert Colin Barrow is a 336 page compendium composed of sound, practical, 'user friendly' information drawn from twelve core disciplines of business ranging from economics and finance to business law and marketing. "The 30 Day MBA" will enable even the most novice of entrepreneurs and business managers to create their own Management information Resource Centre; deal with operating overseas; understand and navigate the global financial market; become familiar with the advances in operational management tools, techniques, behavior, finance and accounting. Of special note is the chapter devoted to 'Ethics and Social Responsibility'. Highly recommended for personal, professional, academic, corporate, and community library business instructional reference collections, it should also be noted that "The 30 Day MBA" is available in a Kindle edition ($14.74).

Business Strategies and Management for Sustainability
Robert Constanza, et al.
Berkshire Publishing Group
120-122 Castle Street
Great Barrington, MA 01230-1506
www.berkshirepublishing.com
9781614729648, $29.95, www.amazon.com

Climate change and other environmental issues create financial opportunities for businesses able to identify and implement adaptive strategies for both short term and long term goals. "Business Strategies and Management for Sustainability" is a 140 page compendium comprised of information distilled from the second volume of the 'Berkshire Encyclopedia of Sustainablity' and provides an informed and informative perspective on how a green economy can be created and sustained. Highly recommended for anyone involved with business management planning and decision making, "Business Strategies and Management for Sustainability" is also ideal for the non-specialist general reader with an interest in how businesses can accommodate, adapt to, and promote sound environmental tactics ranging from risk management, to renewable energy, to giving preference to local resources, and a great deal more. "Business Strategies and Management for Sustainability" is especially appropriate as a classroom curriculum text and would make an excellent addition to school and community library instructional reference collections.


The Photography Shelf

The Digital Print
Jeff Schewe
Peachpit Press
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300
Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
9780321908452 $49.99 www.peachpit.com

The Digital Print: Preparing Images in Lightroom and Photoshop for Printing is a user-friendly, step-by-step manual for digital and film photographers of all skill and experience levels. Award-winning professional advertising photographer Jeff Schewe walks the reader through using Lightroom or Photoshop to optimize images, printer basics, color management, tips for proofing, and much more. Computer screenshots and full-color images throughout illustrate the no-nonsense techniques and recommendations, in this "must-have" for professional and aspiring photographers.

Adobe Photoshop CC for Photographers
Martin Evening
Focal Press
c/o Elsevier/Butterworth Heinemann
3251 Riverport Lane
Maryland Heights, MO 63043
www.focalpress.com www.elsevier.com
9780415711753, $54.95, www.amazon.com

Adobe Photoshop is a graphics editing program developed and published by Adobe Systems. "Adobe Photoshop CC for Photographers: A professional image editor's guide to the creative use of Photoshop for the Macintosh and PC" by professional photographer and Adobe Photoshop expert Martin Evening is an 816 page instructional compendium that will enable even the most novice of Adobe Photoshop users to produce work on a sophisticated professional level. A complete and detailed course of instruction under one cover, "Adobe Photoshop CC for Photographers" offers a wealth of expert tips, tricks and techniques for enhancing work flow. Profusely illustrated with examples and 750 full color images, "Adobe Photoshop CC for Photographers" is thoroughly 'user friendly' and a strongly recommended instructional for beginners and holds a great deal of enduring value as a professional reference for even the more experienced Adobe Photoshop user. Of special note is the accompanying website featuring sample images, tutorial videos, and additional 'bonus' chapters. It should also be noted that "Adobe Photoshop CC for Photographers" is available in a Kindle edition ($33.69).


The Fashion Shelf

The King of Style
Michael Bush
Insight Editions
PO Box 3088, San Rafael, CA 94912
www.insighteditions.com
9781608871513, $45.00, www.amazon.com

Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 - June 25, 2009) was an American singer-songwriter, dancer, businessman and philanthropist. Despite controversial aspects of his personal life Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of the twentieth century. His contributions to music, dance, and fashion, along with his publicized personal life, made him a global figure in popular culture for over four decades. "The King of Style: Dressing Michael Jackson" by Michael Bush is a 216 page, profusely illustrated compendium showcasing the costumes and clothing of Michael Jackson. Of special note are the full color photographs of Jackson's performance in some of his most unique and flamboyant performances. With Michael Bush's informed and informative commentary supporting this superbly produced photographic collection of amazing costumes, "The King of Style" is enthusiastically recommended to the legions of Michael Jackson fans and would be an enduringly popular addition to academic and community library Fashion History reference collections.


The Martial Arts Shelf

Taekwondo Black Belt Poomsae
Richard Chun & Doug Cook
YMAA Publications
PO Box 480, Wolfeboro, NH 03894-0480
www.ymaa.com
9781594392641, $18.95, www.amazon.com

Taekwondo is a martial art originating in Korea. It combines combat and self-defense techniques with sport and exercise. In 1989, taekwondo was the world's most popular martial art. The collaborative work of Richard Chun (9th Dan and one of the highest ranked masters of taekwondo in the world) and Doug Cook (6th Dan and a 2006 inductee into the Budo International Martial Arts Hall of Fame), "Taekwondo Black Belt Poomsae: Original Koryo and Koryo" is a profusely illustrated, 192 page instruction manual that provides the reader with an historical overview as well as a philosophy framework, technical elements for learning the basics, detailed instruction for becoming proficient in Koryo, as well as learning Original Koryo. Of special note are the motion charts and stepping patterns, making "Taekwondo Black Belt Poomsae" thoroughly 'user friendly' and highly recommended for personal, dojo, and community libraries Martial Arts instructional reference collections as a complete course of study under one cover.


The Theatre/Cinema Shelf

Alfred Hitchcock's Moviemaking Master Class
Tony Lee Moral
Michael Wiese Productions
12400 Ventura Blvd., #1111
Studio City, CA 91604
www.mwp.com
9781615931378, $26.95, www.amazon.com

Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock, KBE (13 August 1899 - 29 April 1980) was an English film director and producer who pioneered many movie making techniques in the suspense and psychological thriller genres. Over a career spanning more than half a century, Hitchcock fashioned for himself a distinctive and recognizable directorial style pioneering the use of a camera made to move in a way that mimics a person's gaze, forcing viewers to engage in a form of voyeurism. He framed shots to maximize anxiety, fear, or empathy, and used innovative film editing. Hitchcock is a legendary film director whose techniques are succinctly explained in "Alfred Hitchcock's Moviemaking Master Class", a 240 page instruction compendium created by award winning documentary film maker Tony Lee Moral. This superbly 'user friendly' instructional guide begins with the basics of creating and pitching a film idea. This is followed by chapters on writing the screenplay, pre-production activities, working with actors, the use of cameras, post-production film cutting, and the utilization of sound and music to enhance the cinema. Of special note is the concluding chapter Don't Worry - It's Only A Movie which is packed with practical advice for neophyte directs on how to conduct themselves on and off the set. Enhanced with the inclusion of an Alfred Hitchock Filmography, a List of Directors Influenced by Hitchcock, a Bibliography & References section, "Alfred Hitchcock's Moviemaking Master Class" is strongly recommended for academic library Cinematic Studies reference collections, and is essential reading for anyone aspiring to direct a feature film either as an independent or for a studio.


The Self-Help Shelf

Mindfulness for Borderline Personality Disorder
Blaise Aguirre, MD and Gillian Galen, PsyD
New Harbinger Press
5674 Shattuck Avenue
Oakland, CA 94609
9781608825653 $16.95 www.newharbinger.com

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is a personality disorder marked by impulsivity and instability; stable interpersonal relationships and self-imagery are particularly difficult for sufferers to cultivate. Mindfulness for Borderline Personality Disorder: Relieve Your Suffering Using the Core Skill of Dialectical Behavior Therapy lives up to its title with invaluable advice for controlling the symptoms of one's own Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), or coping with BPD in friends and loved ones. The key to improvement is the practice of mindfulness - learning to pay attention to the nature of one's own thinking. Mindfulness has been a technique practiced by followers of Buddhism for millennia, but Mindfulness for Borderline Personality Disorder is primarily a secular and practical self-help guide. "In Buddhist philosophy the act and skill of realizing that you are not isolated, but instead are intimately connected to everything, is fundamental. Building your capacity to observe your connectedness will help liberate you from the trap of believing what your mind has created, including the trap of emptiness." Highly recommended; even those who do not suffer from BPD but are often beset by the intrusion of unwanted types of thoughts will find Mindfulness for Borderline Personality Disorder invaluable.

The Five Seasons
Joseph Cardillo
New Page Books
c/o Career Press Inc.
220 West Parkway, Unit 12, Pompton Plains, NJ 07444
Warick & Associates (publicity)
18340 Sonoma Highway, Sonoma, CA 95476
www.newpagebooks.com
9781601632586, $14.99, www.amazon.com

We live in a world of environmental, technological, cultural, emotional and familial stress. All we have to do is watch the evening news and stress is certain to impose itself upon us. "The Five Seasons: Tap Into Nature's Secrets for Health, Happiness, and Harmony" by holistic psychologist Joseph Cardillo is a 224 page instructional guide to making changing the way we live that are as natural as they are practical in dealing with the inevitable stresses of our lives. Readers will learn how to boost alertness, relieve boredom, increase relaxation, identify beneficial conflict, deal with other people, manage mood swings and depression, enhance decision-making abilities, maintain health and increase physical strength. But perhaps most importantly, nurture the spirit and live lives of creativity. Deftly written and presented, "The Five Seasons" is very highly recommended and would make an enduringly popular addition to community library Self-Help/Self-Improvement collections. It should be noted that "The Five Seasons" is also available in a Kindle edition ($10.09).


The Biography Shelf

Delta Fragments
John O. Hodges
The University of Tennessee Press
293 Communications Building
Knoxville, TN 37996-0325
9781572335707 $34.95 www.utpress.org

Delta Fragments: The Recollections of a Sharecropper's Son is the autobiographical writings of John Oliver, the son of black sharecroppers who attended segregated schools in Mississippi during the 1950's and 60's, and eventually left the area to earn multiple degrees and become a tenured professor. Arrayed in brief yet illuminating segments, Delta Fragments portrays the town of Greenwood half a century ago, memories of his friends and family, how he first met his biological father at age 19, and his perspective of the civil rights movement. Delta Fragments tells of racism, systemic wrongs, and the human anger sparked from such ills, but also calls for togetherness - to push for justice through open dialogue, inclusion, and the promotion of tolerance. At once both reflective and visionary, Delta Fragments is both a personal memoir an invaluable perspective of America's evolution through tumultuous times, and offers insight into how society can become more just and fair in the future.


The Humor Shelf

Simon's Cat vs. the World
Simon Tofield
Akashic Books
PO Box 1456
New York, NY 10009
9781617751882 $15.95 www.akashicbooks.com

Featuring the lovable, mischievous, fluffy white feline star of the extraordinarily popular YouTube cartoon series, Simon's Cat vs. the World is a full-color compendium of cartoons. Each gag fills an entire page with a whimsical illustration, and each shows Simon's Cat defying something different - for example, "Simon's Cat vs. the ant's nest" shows Simon's Cat holding a magnifying glass over an anthill - but flying, swarming ants surround him in a frenzy (to the delight of some nearby ant-snacking birds)! A delightfully funny collection, Simon's Cat vs. the World makes an excellent giftbook for cat lovers everywhere. Also highly recommended are the previous Simon's Cat cartoon books, including "Simon's Cat", "Simon's Cat in Kitten Chaos", "Simon's Cat: Beyond the Fence", and "Simon's Cat: Feed Me!".


The Graphic Novel Shelf

Battling Boy
Paul Pope
First Second
175 5th Avenue
New York, NY 10010
9781596431454 $15.99 www.firstsecondbooks.com

Battling Boy is a full-color graphic novel by Paul Pope, the acclaimed author and illustrator of "Batman: Year 100", "Heavy Liquid", and "100%". Dark, gritty, and full of both action and trauma, Battling Boy takes place in Arcopolis, a city besieged by nightmarish monsters. No one knows where they come from, but they revel in dragging away and devouring children. They thwart ordinary mortals at every turn, disappearing into the shadows in the blink of an eye; only the genius vigilante Haggard West has had any success in standing up to them. But when the monsters lay a lethal trap for West, who will be Arcopolis' salvation? West's only daughter trains hard, yet has few leads to identify the monsters. Then a twelve-year-old demigod arrives from another world, sent to protect the people as a test of character. But Battling Boy's animal-totem powers are strictly limited! He doesn't have all the answers; he's not even sure what the right questions are, and he can't protect the victims by himself. Grim and moderately violent, Battling Boy is a serious-minded deconstruction of what it might really be like to walk a mile in the shoes of a preteen superhero. Highly recommended, and hopefully the first in a graphic novel series!


The Music CD Shelf

Brasslands: A Motion Picutre Soundtrack
www.brasslands.com
Evergreene Music
450 West 31st Street, 7th Floor
New York, NY 10001-4608
$12.00 CD / $10.00 digital www.evergreenemusic.com

Available both as a digital album with an iTunes booklet and as a Digipak CD with a 16-page booklet, Brasslands: A Motion Picutre Soundtrack collects the music from the acclaimed film Brasslands, showcasing the best of Balkan brass music. The lively, energetic songs have a binding quality that transcend the horrendous ethnic strife that has plagued the region, offering a call to unity, joy, and solidarity. Among the many contributors are some of Serbia's most famous trumpet performers: Roma musician Dejan Avdic, three-time Guca champion Demiran Cerimovic, and "trumpet master" Dejan Petrovic. Anyone who has ever enjoyed a rousing brass band performance will find Brasslands a "must-have" for their personal music collections! The tracks are "Brasslands", "Demiranov Cocek", "Boki", "Gradinom Cvece Cvetalo", "Riffcloud", "Sheherzada", "Mouser", "Dom Fantom", "Reger Cocek", "Squirrels, Squirrels, Squirrels", "Alo Mange Liloro", and "Sukrjin".

Travel in the Shadows
Marla Fibish & Bruce Victor
Noctambule Music
www.noctambulemusic.com
c/o Zach Hudson PR
$16.50 CD / $9.99 MP3 www.marlafibish.com

Travel in the Shadows is a soul-stirring blend of original music and classic poetry by Service (author of "Ballads of a Bohemian"), Theodore Roethke, Pablo Neruda, Alfred Lord Tennyson, and Edna St. Vincent Millay. Performed by San Francisco talents Marla Fibish and Bruce Victor, who go by the team name "Noctambule", Travel in Shadows brings time-tested lyrics to fresh new life through the stirrings of guitars, mandolin, mandola, bouzouki, button accordion, and much more. An extraordinary new way to relive transcendent moments of time, poetry, and human history, Travel in the Shadows is highly recommended especially for connoisseurs of musical storytelling. A beautiful lyric booklet is included. The tracks are "Insomnia" (5:46), "Noctambule" (4:54), "Madam I'm a Darlin'" (6:12), "Travel in the Shadows" (6:35), "Waltz for Danae" (5:26), "The Bohemian Dreams" (5:02), "A Suddenness of Trees" (4:46), "Lost" (6:54), "Captain Chalupa" (2:35), "The Sisters" (6:20), "The Bohemian Dreams (Les Reves Continuent)" (4:36), and "Recuerdo" (3:36).

Transformation
Sherry Finzer & Darin Mahoney
www.sherryfinzer.com
www.darinmahoney.com
Heart Dance Records
c/o The Creative Service Company
4360 Emerald Drive
Colorado Springs, CO 80918
www.thecreativeservicecompany.com
$13.99 CD / $9.99 MP3 www.amazon.com

Flute and acoustic guitar duo Sherry Finzer and Darin Mahoney present Transformation, a vibrant music album with an uplifting message of personal growth and change for the better. A smattering of synthesizer embellishes the songs, which highlight the haunting beauty of the flute in tandem with the rolling flow of the guitar. A treasury that brings comfort even as it inspires the listener to reach for greater personal heights, Transformation is an exceptional pick for new age connoisseurs. The tracks are "Alger St." (5:08), "Confused" (7:16), "Reflection" (5:20), "Early Spring" (6:54), "Joplin" (5:20), "White Sky In November" (4:40), "Jane's Song" (7:00), and "The Door" (5:54). 47 min., 32 sec.

Skycatcher
10 Ft. Ganja Plant
Reachout International Records, Inc.
540 President St. Ste 2H
Brooklyn, NY 11215
c/o Press Junkie PR
9901 Brodie Lane, Suite 160, PMB 221
Austin, TX 78748
www.roir-usa.com
$TBA CD / $8.99 MP3 www.amazon.com

Reggae sensation band 10 Ft. Ganja Plant presents Skycatcher, their latest album of old school rhythm infusion, rooted in the late 70's Jamaican musical tradition. Evocative and pure in its celebration of reggae's joyous essence, Skycatcher is a "must-have" for fans of the genre, highly recommended. The tracks are "In the Garden", "It's True", "Collect the Trophy", "Sounding Zone", "State of Man", "Skycatcher", "Where Do You Want To Be", "Hypocrites in Town", "Sometimes We Play", and "Sing and Dance".

Sonic Mandala
Go: Organic Orchestra
Composed & conducted by Adam Rudolph
Meta Records
metarecords.com
c/o Rock Paper Scissors
511 West 4th Street, Suite 2
Bloomington, IN 47404
www.rockpaperscissors.biz
$TBA CD / $8.99 MP3 www.amazon.com

Composer and percussionist Adam Rudolph presents Sonic Mandala, a master sculpture of sound and harmony, performed by thirty-three musicians of Go: Organic Orchestra. An instrumental symphony that flows naturally through each of its twelve parts, Sonic Mandala evokes the spiritual and universal properties of its title. An extraordinary soundscape, incorporating traditions from East Indian music to jazz to the Japanese noh-kan flute to Mali hunter's harp and bamboo trumpet and much more, Sonic Mandala is a transcendental listening experience, highly recommended.

Nashaz
Composed by Brian Prunka
Ziryab Records
c/o Rock Paper Scissors
511 West 4th Street, Suite 2
Bloomington, IN 47404
$TBA www.rockpaperscissors.biz

Nashaz is the eponymous debut CD of songs performed by the New York group Nashaz, and composed by Brian Prunka. A vibrant fusion of Arabic music and jazz, Nashaz is at times mysterious, at times racing, always fresh and adventurous. Fans of jazz and Arabic music alike will appreciate the ever-changing depths of Nashaz. Highly recommended, especially for international and multicultural music collections. The tracks are "Hijaz Nashaz" (9:33), "Khartoum" (7;44), "Andalus" (8:54), "Qassabiji's Nightmare" (7:13), "City of Sand" (6:36), "Jurjinah" (9:32), "Al-Ghayb" (8:17), and "'Ajam" (5:45).

Deep Theta 2.0
Steven Halpern
www.StevenHalpern.com
Inner Peace Music
c/o The Creative Service Company
4360 Emerald Drive
Colorado Springs, CO 80918
www.thecreativeservicecompany.com
$14.98 CD / $8.99 MP3 www.amazon.com

Part of the "Brainwave Entertainment" series by Grammy-nominated composer and recording artist Steven Halpern, Deep Theta 2.0 is an instrumental album combining Rhodes electric piano, synthesizers, Japanese shakuhachi and Indian bansuri bamboo flutes into a smoothly enriching experience conducive to meditation. Composed and created to at the optimal frequency (4 Hertz) of the brain state connected to deeper meditation, improved healing, and creativity, Deep Theta 2.0 is an excellent choice to accompany the practices of yoga, Zen, or simple relaxation. Also highly recommended for mindful listening are Halpern's other holistic albums, "Deep Alpha 2.0" and "Chakra Suite".

Canyon Records Productions
3131 West Clarendon Avenue
Phoenix, AZ 85017
www.canyonrecords.com

Canyon Records continues its laudable tradition of bringing authentic Native American music to the public with three new albums on CD. "Save Me a Lead" (65 min. 20 sec.) by Young Spirit gathers Cree Round Dance songs directly from the 2013 gathering of Alberta Cree peoples, featuring the very best Northern Drum and Hand Drum singers. "Charity" (58 min. 5 sec.) by Kevin Yazzie is the final gathering of recordings created to honor the guiding principles of the Native American Church: Faith, Hope, Love, and Charity. "Loyalty to the Drum" (47 min. 44 sec.) by Grammy-nominees Northern Cree is an anthology of songs recorded live in the annual Rocky Boy Pow-Wow. All are choice picks for multicultural music collections, and highly recommended for anyone interested in listening Native American music traditions cherished through the centuries, right up to the modern day.


The DVD Shelf

The Rose of Versailles Part 1
Based on the manga by Riyoko Ikeda
Right Stuf, Inc.
PO Box 680
Grimes, IA 50111
1570327483 $49.99 www.rightstuf.com

The Rose of Versailles Part 1 is a four-DVD collection of the first twenty episodes of the anime (Japanese animation) television series based on the shojo manga (Japanese comics) by Riyoko Ikeda. Set during the twilight of the French monarchy, The Rose of Versailles follows Oscar, the daughter of General Jarjayes, given a man's name and raised as a boy to protect her family's noble standing. Oscar grows up to become a skilled duelist and marksman at a tender age, and earns an appointment to Commander of the French Royal Guards. Her duty: to protect Marie Antoinette, bride-to-be of French prince and future king Louis-Auguste. Yet the naive Marie has enemies at every turn, some seeking to chip away at her reputation, others to take her life! An enthralling drama, The Rose of Versailles is an absolute "must-have" for fans of shojo anime, highly recommended. 4 DVDs, 480 min., Japanese language with English subtitles.

Arthritis Rx
Created by Vijay Vad, MD
Acacia
8515 Georgia Avenue, Suite 650
Silver Spring, MD 20910
9781621721055 $19.99 www.acacialifestyle.com

Sports Medicine expert Vijay Vad, MD has created Arthritis Rx, a DVD workout program created especially for people of all fitness levels and walks of life who suffer from arthritis. The workouts draw from yoga and pilates, and are designed to improve mobility, reduce pain, and lessen personal dependence on medication. Veteran yoga instructor Stephanie Culen guides the viewer through the workouts, which are offered at three levels of intensity as suited to the viewer's personal needs. Every exercise has an accompanying step-by-step tutorial, in this excellent reference and resource. Arthritis Rx cannot substitute for the care of a trained medical professional, but makes an excellent fitness and flexibility routine, and is highly recommended as both a preventative and a treatment especially for anyone with problematic arthritis or chronic joint pain.

Walk it Off in 30 Days
Leslie Sansone
Anchor Bay Entertainment
2401 West Big Beaver Road, Suite 200
Troy, MI 48084-3304
c/o Fit PR
www.walkathome.com
$14.98 www.anchorbayentertainment.com

Walk it Off in 30 Days is a fitness DVD created especially for busy people in today's fast-paced world. Fitness expert Leslie Sansone offers the viewer their choice of two 30-minute workouts on one DVD: a "Burn 30 Workout" consisting of calorie-burn cardio, and a "Firm 30 Workout" consisting of steady strength training. Neither workout requires equipment, though inexpensive weights (light hand weights for the cardio, moderate weight dumbbells for the strength training) can enhance the experience. Leslie recommends the Burn 30 program on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and the Firm 30 program on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, but the viewer is free to set their own personal schedule. Walk it Off in 30 Days is user-friendly, accessible to viewers of all skill, experience, and fitness levels; its cardio program resembles a "power walk" event that gradually builds up to a solid exercise experience. Walk it Off in 30 Days is highly recommended especially as an excellent way for sedentary people to get started with a regular fitness regimen. 64 min.

Baby on Board: Pre-Natal Yoga
Peggy Hall & Melinda Ferreira
www.PeggyHall.com
Yoga for Surfers
www.babyonboardyoga.com
c/o 411 Video Information (publicity)
PO Box 1223
Pebble Beach, CA 93953
$29.95 www.411videoinfo.com

Certified yoga instructor and mind/body wellness guru Peggy Hall presents Baby on Board: Pre-Natal Yoga, a DVD workout designed especially for expecting mothers. Divided into a 25-minute "energizing sequence" of yoga poses to promote muscular strength, a 25-minute "soothing sequence" to calm the mind and spirit, and a medley of bonus features (including "Why Do Yoga During Pregnancy", "Yoga Breathing To Ease Discomfort", and more), Baby on Board: Pre-Natal Yoga is easy to use and makes an excellent baby shower gift! Also highly recommended is "Baby on Board: Post-Natal Yoga" for new mothers looking to improve and maintain their strength, suppleness, and figure. 70 min., no regional coding.

John Wesley: The Man and His Mission
Presented by Keith Garner
A Wesley Mission Production
c/o Vision Video
P.O. Box 540
Worcester, PA 19490
$19.99 www.visionvideo.com

John Wesley: The Man and His Mission is a DVD documentary about John Wesley (1703-1791), known for his pivotal role in founding the Methodist movement, along with his brother Charles Wesley. His work and message, which he spread by open-air preaching, also influenced the development of the Holiness movement and Pentecostalism. He opposed Calvinism and the doctrine of predestination, and championed the idea that the Christian faithful could become sanctified and transformed by God, and come to know Jesus Christ personally. He worked for social justice, reforms in poverty relief, prison reform, and the furtherance of education. Hosted by Keith Garner, an expert on Wesley's life and legacy, John Wesley: The Man and His Mission is an inspiration to Christians and principled humanitarians of all faiths, highly recommended especially for public library and church DVD collections. Bonus features include an interactive timeline and sample Wesley sermons delivered by Keith Garner. 55 min., coded for all regions.

Annika Bengtzon, Crime Reporter
Based on the novels by Liza Marklund
MHz Networks
8101A Lee Highway
Falls Church, VA. 22042
www.mhznetworks.org

Annika Bengtzon, Crime Reporter is a darkly thrilling television series on DVD, based on the popular crime novels by Liza Marklund. Annika is a journalist beset by pressures from her demanding job, her shaky marriage, and her responsibilities to her two children. She won't shy away from learning the truth behind gruesome crimes, and she won't back down from colleagues or criminals, but at times the greatest sacrifice seems to be her personal life. Annika Bengtzon, Crime Reporter Episodes 1-3 (SKU-16744, $39.95) has the shows "Nobel's Last Will", in which Annika witnesses a brazen murder at the Nobel Prize Banquet; "Prime Time", in which Annika's best friend is among the suspects of the murder of a prominent TV host; and "Studio Sex", when the murder of a stripper and a political scandal bring Annika ill memories and inner turmoil. Annika Bengtzon, Crime Reporter Episodes 4-6 (SKU-16745, $39.95) has the shows "The Red Wolf", Annika uncovers the terrorist and government connections to the murder of a journalist; "Lifetime", in which Annika searches for the truth behind a case in which a police officer is accused of murdering her husband; and "A Place in the Sun", in which Annika investigates the killing of a Swedish family, a crime that ties into the brutal drug trade. An intense, realistic and gripping series, Annika Bengtzon, Crime Reporter is a choice pick for connoisseurs of criminal drama.

Detective Inspector Irene Huss series
Based on the novels by Helene Tursten
MHz Networks
8101A Lee Highway
Falls Church, VA. 22042
$39.95 each www.mhznetworks.org

MHz Networks continues to release the finest international mysteries on DVD in North America with the Detective Inspector Irene Huss series, movie-length Swedish shows based on the crime fiction of popular author Helen Tursten. Irene Huss is a tough woman - a former European ju-jitsu champion, wife to a supportive husband, mother of two teenage daughters, and a Detective Inspector attached to the Violent Crimes Unit in Gothenburg. Her job is harrowing and regularly pits her against monsters in human guise, from serial killers to criminal masterminds to sociopathic young women. "Detective Inspector Irene Huss: Episodes 7-9" ($39.95, 3 DVDs, 581 min.) features "The Hidden Watcher", in which Irene must track down a serial killer from the bodies he has buried in a forgotten field; "The Treacherous Net", in which a brutal murderer uses internet chat rooms to lure young women into his sadistic clutches; and "The Man with the Small Face", in which the injury of an unidentified girl and the vehicular hit-and-run on a retired policeman just might be linked. "Detective Inspector Irene Huss: Episodes 10-12" ($39.95, 3 DVDs, 581 min.) has the episodes "Ring of Silence", in which the raped and murdered body of a young man points to a local trendy nightclub visited by Irene's daughter; "Protected by Shadows", in which a motorcycle gang with connections attempts to bomb the restaurant owned by Irene's husband; and "The Hunted Witness", in which no one can identify the body of a young woman, foud dead wearing someone else's wedding ring. The Detective Inspector Irene Huss series is a choice pick for connoisseurs of gritty, serious crime drama. (All episodes are in Swedish with English subtitles).

Foyle's War Set 7
Starring Michael Kitchen
Acorn Media Group
8515 Georgia Avenue, Suite 620
Silver Spring, MD 20910-3403
9781598289923 $49.99 www.acornonline.com

Foyle's War Set 7 collects on DVD three featuring-length mysteries centered upon London DCS Christopher Foyle (played by Michael Kitchen), retired from police work, and all but forced to serve Britain's secret intelligence. The year is 1946, and though World War II is over, the Cold War has just begun. The three mysteries, which will also be showcased on PBS, are "The Eternity Ring", in which Foyle investigates a Russin spy ring; "The Cage", in which the deaths of multiple Russian defectors lead Foyle to a hidden military facility; and "Sunflower", in which Foyle must unravel the perpetrator of assassination attempts against an ex-Nazi defector that the MI5 has been charged to protect. Almost two hours of bonus features round out this engrossing period piece, including a recap of sets 1-6, four behind-the-scenes featurettes, introductions by Foyle's writer and creator Anthony Horowitz, and a photo gallery. Highly recommended, especially for fans of British mysteries! 3 DVDs, 274 min. plus bonus, widescreen, SDH subtitles.


The Pets/Wildlife Shelf

The Maine Coon Cat
Liza Gardner Walsh
Down East Books
PO Box 679
Camden, ME 04843
9781608932504 $16.95 www.downeastbooks.com

Featuring striking, full color photography on almost every page, The Maine Coon Cat is a delightful introduction to the second most popular breed of cat (after Persians). Chapters reconstruct the little-known history of this heavyset feline, stories of rescuing or living with Maine Coons, Maine Coons in literature, tips for caring for a Maine Coon, and perhaps most importantly, how to ensure that one's prospective pet comes from a responsible, registered breeder who cares about the animals, and not a "backyard breeder" who eschews animal welfare for a quick profit. "Noting where the kittens are being raised is important. If they are housed in a part of the house with only the mother cat, this would sound an alarm for proper socialization. Also, if there are more than two or three litters at one time, it might be more of a kitten mill than a quality breeder who is going to devote a lot of time to their cats." Highly recommended, especially for casual cat fanciers!


The Wisconsin Shelf

Wisconsin Supper Clubs
Ron Faiola
Midway
c/o Agate Publishing, Inc.
1328 Greenleaf St.
Evanston, IL 60202
9781572841420 $35.00 agatepublishing.com

Filled with dazzling color photography on virtually every page, Wisconsin Supper Clubs: An Old-Fashioned Experience is a coffee table book spotlighting the traditional supper clubs that have become part of Wisconsin's culture over the course of decades. Many of these supper clubs were designed expressly as places to socialized as well as share quality food. The text is filled with vignettes of quirk and history, and the professional-quality photographs are the next best thing to visiting the showcased supper clubs in person. Wisconsin Supper Clubs is a joy to browse, and makes an excellent Wisconsin vacation souvenir or giftbook!


James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Diane C. Donovan, Editor
Midwest Book Review
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Oregon, WI 53575-1129
phone: 1-608-835-7937
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