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The Bookwatch

Volume 8, Number 3 March 2013 Home | BW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Health/Medicine Shelf Education Shelf
Business Shelf Mystery/Suspense Shelf Fiction Shelf
Audiobook Shelf Self-Help Shelf Needlecraft Shelf
Christian Studies Shelf Religion/Spirituality Shelf Islamic Studies Shelf
Photography Shelf Judaic Studies Shelf International Studies Shelf
Military Shelf Social Issues Shelf Fantasy/SciFi Shelf
Metaphysical Studies Shelf Cookbook Shelf Computer Shelf
Gardening Shelf Political Science Shelf Women's Studies Shelf
Pets/Wildlife Shelf Music Shelf Technology Shelf
Language Studies Shelf Science Shelf Crafts Shelf
Sports Shelf Art Shelf Travel Shelf
Agriculture Shelf Relationship Shelf  


Reviewer's Choice

The Sketchnote Handbook, third edition
Mike Rohde
Peachpit Press
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300
Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
9780321885111, $39.99, www.peachpit.com

The Sketchnote Handbook: The Illustrated Guide to Visual Note Taking appears in its third updated edition and pairs a book with a video step-by-step guide to drawing people, fades and objects as a means of taking notes. The mix of words, drawings and type to produce vivid accounts are demonstrated in a series of 'sketchnotes' that show how to create and work with different sketchnoting patterns. From two different approaches to capturing sketchnotes to working within a presentation, this is a 'must' for business and arts holdings alike!

The Tinkerers
Alex Foege
Basic Books
c/o Perseus Books Group
11 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142
9780465009237, $26.99, www.basicbooks.com

THE TINKERERS: THE AMATEURS, DIYERS, AND INVENTORS WHO MAKE AMERICA GREAT explores the American history of tinkering, from how American innovation was fostered by the Founding Fathers to modern innovators who are changing our lives today, and provides a fine and lively discourse on the art and finer science of 'tinkering'. From creations by Franklin and other Founding Fathers to rivalries between tinkerers, tales of technological advancements that moved tinkering to new levels, and how inventions that began with a tinkering idea created world-changing businesses, this is packed with fun insights in a survey recommended for any general-interest and history holding.


The Health/Medicine Shelf

Handbook of Clinical Psychopharmacology for Therapists, seventh edition
John D. Preston, PsyD, ABPP, et.al.
New Harbinger Press
5674 Shattuck Avenue, Oakland, CA 94609
9781608826643, $59.95, www.newharbinger.com

The seventh updated edition of Handbook of Clinical Psychopharmacology for Therapists has been newly revised to provide details on the latest new medications and treatment options and adds in the latest research on side effects, contraindications, and applications of all major medications prescribed for mental health disorders. A new chapter on the effects of withdrawing from these medications has been added for this version, complimenting insights such as how medications affect different age groups and how different cultures view medical treatment options. Any clinician needs this in-depth guide!


The Education Shelf

Corwin Press, Inc.
2455 Teller Road
Thousand Oaks, CA 91320-2218
www.corwin.com

The third updated edition of Randy L. Joyner, William A. Rouse, and Allan A. Glatthorn's WRITING THE WINNING THESIS OR DISSERTATION: A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE (9781452258782, $38.95) has been newly revised and updated for master's and doctoral students and provides key examples that break down the entire process into digestible components. From outlining the basic thesis and organizing work to collaborating, using technology, and typical problems that arise during all parts of the process, students receive a key to research, evaluation and writing that will carry them through the entire process. A 'must' for any college-level writer heading for the last round in their graduate studies. Gayle H. Gregory and Carolyn Chapman's DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES: ONE SIZE DOESN'T FIT ALL (9781452260983, $32.95) provides teachers with a fine resource for putting differentiated instruction into practice. Now appearing in its third updated edition, this book offers new strategies, new updates, a Common Core lesson-planning template, and a larger format to accompany the same emphasis on instructional strategies that are fluid, not fixed. The result is a positive emphasis on creating a differentiated classroom structure, based on field studies and data. Any educator's library needs this update! William N. Bender and Laura B. Waller's COOL TECH TOOLS FOR LOWER TECH TEACHERS (9781452235530, $34.95) provides a fine resource using clear language and descriptions teachers can readily understand. Teachers perplexed by the latest technology that changes nearly monthly who want to incorporate the best new developments into their teaching strategies receive chapters that cover all the basics, from step-by-step implementation to using wikis, social networking apps, and podcasts. Sample lesson plans blend with keys to understanding how the same tools may be used in personal development, making this a clear winner. Rich Allen and Jenn Currie's U-TURN TEACHING: STRATEGIES TO ACCELERATE LEARNING AND TRANSFORM MIDDLE SCHOOL ACHIEVEMENT (9781412996464, $34.95) offers strategies to help middle schoolers participate in the classroom, and is based on Rich Allen's "Green Light" education strategies which link activities to learning. It's all based on research on how the adolescent brain learns and applies this research to classroom approaches for increased success. Chapters offer new approaches for blending brain-based learning into classrooms and curriculum and provide educators with all the tools needed to create a more effective, engaged classroom. The Teacher's Guide to Restorative Classroom Discipline by Luanna H. Meyer and Ian M. Evans (9781412998611, $36.95) tells how to build a positive classroom environment through the technique of restorative discipline, offering teachers a guide to creating a warm classroom community through a more effective approach to discipline. Step-by-step examples from real-world experiences accompany discussions of peer support, group problem solving, and collaborating with administrators on schoolwide behavior expectations, with chapters discussing how to manage individual interventions with students. The resulting proven, tested approach to classroom discipline is a top pick for any teacher considering an alternative approach. Thomas R. Guskey and Lee Ann Jung's ANSWERS TO ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS ABOUT STANDARDS, ASSESSMENTS, GRADING, & REPORTING (9781452235240, $24.00) provides a definitive guide to standards for new teachers struggling with Common Core State Standards initiatives, and provides a frame of reference to share with other educators. It shows how to understand the entire process of assessing, grading and reporting, links ideas to classroom applications proven in the field, and is arranged in a usable Q&A format for best advantage. Teachers can use this for at-a-glance referencing or can read through the entire book for a structured and clear course: either way, it's a winner! Lorna M. Earl's second updated edition of ASSESSMENT AS LEARNING; USING CLASSROOM ASSESSMENT TO MAXIMIZE STUDENT LEARNING (9781452242972, $31.95) uses clear explanations and cases to show how formative assessment processes can be used in the course of classroom instruction. From rubrics and lesson plans to chapter ideas for implementation, this offers a fully revised coverage that blends in the latest assessment techniques and case histories supporting them. Classroom teachers will find the specifics and real-world examples to be key to success. Douglas Llewellyn's second updated edition of TEACHING HIGH SCHOOL SCIENCE THROUGH INQUIRY AND ARGUMENTATION (9781452244457, $41.95) is for grades 9-12 and provides a new edition discussing the four key basics of science education and how to teach them. This second edition revises nearly all content and includes discussion of new science standards, more chapters on assessment, the questioning techniques that hold the most learning potential, new ideas for traditional labs, and much more. All the content is standards-based and all provides depth and fine insights into the process of teaching high school science, making for a solid reference for any educator's collection.

Redleaf Press
10 Yorkton Court
St. Paul, MN 55117-1065
www.redleafpress.org

Sharon Bergen, PhD and Rachel Robertson, MA's HEALTHY CHILDREN, HEALTHY LIVES: THE WELLNESS GUIDE FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAMS (9781605540818, $29.95) offers a title packed with checklists to identify and rate six areas of wellness in children, and packs in research-based information to help evaluate and improve wellness in an early childhood program. From physical and emotional well-being to nutrition and safety, this covers everything from administering and understanding the effects of medications to transporting children safely and guiding their behaviors. Educators will find this a fine, all-encompassing guide. Deb Curtis and Margie Carter's ART OF AWARENESS, SECOND EDITION (9781605540863, $44.95) provides nine observation study sessions to help early childhood teachers assess their teaching effectiveness, and is a fine recommendation for teachers who want to refine their observational and assessment skills. Its techniques meld observation strategies with discussions of technology and assessment methods, and provides a booster course in early childhood management skills that will prove perfect for any early educator. Gaye Gronlund's PLANNING FOR PLAY, OBSERVATION, AND LEARNING IN PRESCHOOL AND KINDERGARTEN (9781605541136, $29.95) is a pick for early childhood collections focusing on teaching methods and offers step-by-step keys to blending learning groups into group activities and play. Teachers learn how to write lesson plans that are child-focused, how to assess children in new ways, and how to communicating learning during the course of a child's play session. With pages of illustration added to the minx, this is a fine compendium of keys to associating play with learning skills at the early childhood level, and will intrigue teachers looking to tailor their own programs.


The Business Shelf

Take Charge of Your Talent
Don Maruska and Jay Perry
Berrett-Koehler Publishers Inc.
235 Montgomery Street, Suite 650
San Francisco, CA 94104-2916
9781609947231, $19.95, www.bkconnection.com

Take Charge of Your Talent: Three Keys to Thriving in Your Career, Organization, and Life teaches different ways to identify opportunities and obstacles to success, shows how to create a personal brand backed with career-enriching pathways, and how to link personal development to career goals. Even high-performers report that much of their talent is untapped: imagine the possibilities if there were a clear path to unlocking the potential for greatness! Try this book and you might just find it!

Conscious Capitalism
John Mackey and Raj Sisodia
Harvard Business School Press
60 Harvard Way, Boston, MA 02163
9781422142206, $27.00, www.hbr.org/books

CONSCIOUS CAPITALISM: LIBERATING THE HEROIC SPIRIT OF BUSINESS comes from the Co-CEO of the successful Whole Foods Market who works with the co-founder of Conscious Capitalism to discuss the ethics of business pursuits. Business and capitalism can work together to create value for everyone, from investors to consumers: this is a collection of examples of such businesses that consider 'conscious capitalism' companies and why they are exceptional. The focus on higher purpose, stakeholder integration, conscious leadership and conscious culture makes for a powerful argument that business leaders can build on this model for better business success AND ethical pursuits. Businesses seeking a new model for achievement would do well to consider this approach, clearly outlined in CONSCIOUS CAPITALISM.

Amacom Books
1601 Broadway
New York, NY 10019
www.amacombooks.org

Edward T. Reilly's AMA BUSINESS BOOT CAMP: MANAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP FUNDAMENTALS THAT WILL SEE YOU SUCCESSFULLY THROUGH YOUR CAREER (9780814420010, $25.95) gathers key management skills insights under one cover and provides a lit of the tasks and responsibilities involved in the daily course of managing people. It's been arranged to follow a manager's typical career course and offers a range of insights, from basic management skillsets and applications to handling staff changes and projects, thinking strategically, and forming a solid leadership image. Proven techniques and tactics accompany interactive exercises and opportunities for assessment, making this a solid guide for any aspiring leader who would do better, and a pick for business reference libraries catering to them. Mark Coulston and John Ullmen's REAL INFLUENCE: PERSUADE WITHOUT PUSHING AND GAIN WITHOUT GIVING IN (9780814420157, $24.95) is a pick for team leaders, project managers and all who would understand how to influence another in the best possible way - without bullying, wheedling or manipulation tactics. It comes from two executive coaches who have met people from diverse backgrounds and in many fields, and who here reveal the keys to better influential pathways. Chapters show how to keep values at the forefront of influencing others, and provide real-world accounts from their own coaching successes. Highly recommended for any business collection catering to managers.

The Zen of Social Media Marketing
Shama Kabani
BenBella Books
10300 N. Central Expressway, Ste 400
Dallas, TX 75204
9781937856151, $16.95, www.benbellabooks.com

The Zen of Social Media Marketing covers ways in which the social media environment differs from traditional marketing approaches, and comes from a social media expert and president of the web marketing firm The Marketing Zen Group. Chapters outline the popular social media tools and offer a step-by-step to how to use them - and what not to do. Proven strategies for business success come from the many businesses she works with, offering shortcuts to make the most from social media marketing efforts. The result is a solid guide to getting up and running in the medium, recommended for any business collection.


The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

Poisoned Pen Press
6962 E. First Ave., #103
Scottsdale, AZ 85251
www.poisonedpenpress.com

Kerry Greenwood's UNNATURAL HABITS (9781464201233, $24.95) provides a fine Phryne Fisher mystery and is set in 1929 Australia, where little girls are going missing and people are nervous. A pushy girl reporter, Polly, decides to investigate, and vanishes herself. It's up to Phryne and her sidekick Dot to find Polly and learn what has happened to all the missing girls - a journey which involves convents, murder and more in a satisfying and gripping saga perfect for any murder mystery library. Vicki Delany's MORE THAN SORROW (9781590589854, $24.95) tells of one Hannah, who is recuperating from a traumatic brain injury and is haunted by her memories. Her recovery is taking place on her sister's small farm in Canada, where she finds friendships and is drawn into a mystery from the past when she experiences visions of a woman in the dark root cellar. When her friend vanishes, Hannah must gain the courage and ability to solve the mystery in this different and grippingly unpredictable story, perfect for any mystery holding.

Berkeley Prime Crime
c/o Penguin Group (USA)
375 Hudson Street
New York, NY 10014
www.penguin.com

Earlene Fowler's THE ROAD TO CARDINAL VALLEY (9780425252840, $25.95) provides a sequel to The Saddlemaker's Wife but stands alone as a fine read for newcomers also, telling of Ruby's return to Cardinal, California to help her alcoholic brother Nash. When Nash is in a terrible accident, Ruby must consult her estranged mother, who has been harboring a terrible secret. The exposure of this secret will change - and challenge - all their lives in this riveting novel, perfect for any general lending library. Margaret Coel's THE EAGLE CATCHER: A WIND RIVER RESERVATION MYSTERY (9780425262740, $15.00) is the first book in the Wind River Reservation mystery series and is presented in trade paperback for the first time. The murder of an Arapaho tribal chairman involves his nephew and Father John O'Malley, a Jesuit priest who doesn't believe the nephew is a murderer. O'Malley's investigations will reveal a side of Arapaho life that is largely unknown to outsiders - and will also reveal a dangerous game packed with unexpected twists and turns and intrigue. Newcomers to the series who enjoy Native American fiction will find this a winning mystery.


The Fiction Shelf

Sandalwood Death
Mo Yan
University of Oklahoma Press
2800 Venture Drive, Norman, OK 73069
9780806143392, $24.95, www.oupress.com

SANDALWOOD DEATH is translated by Howard Goldblatt and provides a powerful novel by one of China's most famous writers that's at once a love story and a survey of political corruption during the final years of China's Qing Dynasty during its last imperial era. Set during the Boxer Rebellion in 1898-1901, this tells of cultural struggle, Western influences, and centers on a female protagonist and the three male figures in her life who affect its course. SANDALWOOD DEATH is an outstanding account, especially recommended for any Chinese literature or general literary collection.

W. W. Norton & Company
500 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10110
www.wwnorton.com

Fans of Pam Houston will want to read two very different books by her to get a feel for the extent of her voice and works. A LITTLE MORE ABOUT ME (9780393343465, $14.95) offers essays written over a five-year period over five continents and introduces readers to traveler Houston, who is searching for her place in the world - literally. Her travels and the journey revolving around self make for vivid reading in a semi-autobiography that moves between outside and inside worlds, revealing sources of discovery, motivation, and wonder. WALTZING THE CAT (9780393343572, $14.95) represents her second work of fiction and uses the character of photographer Lucy as a foundation in eleven linked narratives of discovery. Lucy's surprise encounter with Carlos Castenada sends her back to her lovely Rocky Mountains where she immerses herself in landscape and women friends. A fine, revealing true-life fiction account makes for a compelling story.

Y: A Novel
Marjorie Celona
The Free Press
c/o Simon & Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020
9781451674385, $24.99, www.simonandschuster.com

Y: A Novel tells of Shannon and her mother Yula, and weaves a gentle story of family interactions and a girl's search for identity as she researches the days leading up to her abandonment, witnessed by a YMCA regular who changes the story when reporting it to authorities. Yula and Shannon finally meet and come to understand the changed nature of their bond while readers receive a gripping saga of self-investigation and insight which embraces what 'family' and 'home' really mean. Y: A Novel is a fine story recommended for any general lending library, and immerses readers in a puzzle packed with twists and turns throughout.


The Audiobook Shelf

Threat Vector
Tom Clancy with Mark Greaney
Brilliance Audio
PO Box 887, Grand Haven, MI 49417
9781469273754, $39.99, www.brillianceaudio.com

THREAT VECTOR receives a sterling performance by Lou Diamond Phillips, who provides a power and clear rendition of best-selling work of fiction revolving around politics, espionage, and one Jack Ryan Jr. and his formerly-secret organization The Campus - which has just been discovered. President Jack Ryan faces disaster in China and a power grab at Taiwan that might result in a final deadly war of the world - and The Campus may be his only wild card. A gripping thriller evolves.

Hachette Audio
237 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017
www.hachetteaudio.com

Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl's Beautiful Creatures (9781619698437, $19.98) includes a conversation with the authors and a pdf file of the Ravenwood family tree as it brings to life, in audio, the gripping saga of Lena, a small-town California girl struggling to control the power that is her family legacy. Her secret is about to explode - and involves one Ethan, who is haunted by dreams of a lovely girl he's never met. When Lena moves into the town's oldest plantation Ethan is drawn to her - and the town is slated to explode from the romance and long-time, closely-held danger within its borders. BEAUTIFUL CREATURES is a very fine supernatural saga that comes to life in audio under the fine actor's voice of Kevin T. Collins, widely experienced in theater productions and anime. Chris Colfer's STRUCK BY LIGHTNING (9781619698369, $22.98) tells of Carson Phillips, stuck in a high school with people he hates, stuck living with his depressed single mother, and looking to escape to college and a journalist career. His ambitions and frustrations will create a scenario where blackmail enters into the picture in this engrossing story, narrated by the author and also a motion picture. Any audio holding will find this an engrossing saga. James Patterson and Mark Pearson's PRIVATE LONDON (9781611130232, $24.98) receives a fine narration by Rupert Degas, a stage and screen star with extensive radio dramas and animated voice work to his name, and tells of an exclusive detective agency, a young student beholden to its owner, and a trail of terror which follows Hannah to London where a police sergeant may be the only man who can help her escape her past and the dangers of a serial killer. This fast-paced novel is a riveting listen that will prove compelling to its unexpected conclusion - perfect for audio libraries strong in novels of suspense. Dr. James Dobson and Kurt Bruner's FATHERLESS (9781619692732, $29.98) is narrated by Bernard Setaro Clark and provides a gripping drama set in 2042, when the tipping point has been reached and the old outnumber the young, prompting a battle between two completely different worlds. A reporter investigating the growing conflict is caught in the middle even as she faces nightmares about her absent father in this gripping saga, which comes to life in audio. Stephenie Meyer's THE HOST (9781619694026, $19.98) comes from the author of The Twilight Saga and is narrated by Kate Reading, who provides a vivid reading enhancing the story of Melanie, who faces attack by an invading soul who wants to take over her body. The world is filled with enemies that take over the minds of human hosts - but in this case Melanie refuses to leave, and instead affects Wanderer's thoughts and psyche. A gripping saga of a different kind of invasion process evolves, perfect for listeners who like good fantasy and horror. James Patterson and Mark Sullivan's PRIVATE BERLIN (9781611130485, $34.98) tells of German headquarters of the world's top investigation firm, where Chris is their best agent and keeps his methods secret. Mattie is another top agent - and Chris's ex. When they are thrown together when Chris vanishes, Mattie learns truths about Private Berlin that she would never dream - a truth that could destroy Europe. Fast-paced action comes to life under the voice of Ari Flaikos, a theater performer, and January LaVoy, a New York voice and TV actress, to make for a gripping narrative. John Eldredge's THE UTTER RELIEF OF HOLINESS: HOW GOD'S GOODNESS FREES US FROM EVERYTHING THAT PLAGUES US (9781609414320, $26.98) is narrated by the author and maintains that we are 'made for goodness', which is a strength. This Christian inspirational audio explores that goodness and focuses on the process whereby faith in a supreme being brings with it love. The result is a Christian inspirational piece highly recommended for any spirituality collection. Brad Meltzer's THE FIFTH ASSASSIN (9781600247064, $34.98) receives a fine narration by Scott Brick, who has read many others for Hachette Audio and who here lends a powerful voice to this equally powerful story of one Beecher White, hero of the #1 New York Times bestseller The Inner Circle, discovers a killer in Washington, D.C. who's recreating the major crimes of four assassins who have been successful in American history. Historians have branded these historic assassins as lone wolves - but Beecher is about to uncover proof that in actually all were working secretly together, on a bigger plan. It's a powerful story of a fifth assassin and the terrifying agenda he represents in a powerful political thriller highly recommended for any audio library strong in political intrigue or mystery.


The Self-Help Shelf

One Word That Will Change Your Life
Dan Britton, Jimmy Page and Jon Gordon
Wiley
c/o Wiley Professional Trade Group
111 River Street
Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
9781118642415, $16.95, www.wiley.com

One Word That Will Change Your Life comes from authors who over ten years ago discovered a better way to begin the New Year and address unrealized goals - by selecting and focusing on just one word for the entire year. It negates the entire 'possible goals' scenario and provides keys to simple clarify, power and life-change in readers. Personal anecdotes accompany examples and advice which encourage readers to find their own inspirational 'one word' for living better in the next year. Any general-interest holding strong in inspirational writings will find this powerful.


The Needlecraft Shelf

Martingale
19021 Avenue NE
Bothell, WA 98011
www.shopmartingale.com

Cheryl Brown's QUILT BATIK (9781604681598, $24.99) features twelve inspiring projects using batiks and making the most of their patterns, and teaches new methods for using these fabrics in quilts. From a history of batik and dyeing techniques to general quilt assembly, seams, working with block sets, and using templates and patterns to achieve lovely results, this is a top recommendation for any beginning quilter looking to work with batik fabrics. Nancie M. Wiseman's THE KNITTER'S BOOK OF FINISHING TECHNIQUES (9781604682151, $19.99) offers a close focus on finishing techniques that differentiate professional-looking knitting results from amateur endeavors, and packs in some fifty techniques involving seams, blocking, decorative embellishments, and more. Step-by-step color illustrations and clear outlines of potential problems and their finishing solutions make this a top recommendation for any knitter who would move above the 'amateur' level. Quiltmaker Magazine's EYE-CATCHING QUILTS (9781604682397, $26.99) provides a fine collection of sixteen lovely quilts from Dresden plates to triangles and more, displays results using a wide range of fabrics, ad teaches special tips for finishing. Each project includes a quilting design pattern, alternate color options, provides templates and cutting tips, and imparts everything needed to create an exceptional quilt. Martha Thompson's revised edition of SQUARE DANCE: FANCY QUILTS FROM PLAIN SQUARES (9781564775863, $24.99) blends geometry and quilt-making and revises a classic key to using a twister quilt ruler and design techniques in the book to create different geometric quilt patterns. Over ten projects illustrated in color provide guidelines to working with grids, stitching pieces, and using chain piecing to make quick quilts - including miniatures made with leftovers. Quilters will find this a powerful collection. These are perfect additions to any quilter's collection!


The Christian Studies Shelf

Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company
2140 Oak Industrial Drive, NE
Grand Rapids, MI 49505
www.eerdmans.com

John Swinton's DEMENTIA: LIVING IN THE MEMORIES OF GOD (9780802867162, $25.00) provides an unusual pairing of theology and health issues and considers what it means to personal identity and belief when dementia tackles the brain. From how to be loved by God when a dementia sufferer has forgotten their connection with God to handling forgetfulness in congregations and caregiving, DEMENTIA: LIVING IN THE MEMORIES OF GOD is a caring and thoughtful response to the challenges of dementia, and belongs in any spirituality holding. Peter Goodwin Heltzel's RESURRECTION CITY: A THEOLOGY OF IMPROVISATION (9780802867599, $25.00) presents an analysis of evangelical Christianity that fights against inequality and racism just as Jesus did, and blends social analysis with spiritual living ideals in a call for collective Christian activism based on God's love. From how religious communities join together to provide social influence to the church's inspirations, this provides a vision of justice and spirituality bonding to create strong social movement, and is a pick for any Christian holding strong in faith and activism. Karen Kilby's BALTHASAR: A (VERY) CRITICAL INTRODUCTION (9780802827388, $23.00) argues that neither the low regard for the Swiss Roman Catholic theologian demonstrated in the 1950s and 1960s nor the acclaim he currently receives is ideal for understanding his life and importance, and advocates a more balanced approach that considers his scholarly viewpoints and their pros and cons. Chapters consider his opus and his various forms of analysis and speculation, considering the works of the theological novelist and his perception of the divine. Any considering Balthasar's works in general and his important to modern Catholicism will find this study a key acquisition.


The Religion/Spirituality Shelf

Feeding the Hungry Ghost
Ellen Kanner
New World Library
14 Pamaron Way, Novato, CA 94949
9781608681648, $15.95, www.newworldlibrary.com

Feeding the Hungry Ghost: Life, Faith, and What to Eat for Dinner blends humor with spirituality, cultural food insights, and the latest science on diet and health, blending in seasonal recipes for an added attraction in what amounts to a multifaceted guide blending spirituality with food. The "hungry ghost" of the title is a Tao concept of restless souls still hungry and seeking. Food alone doesn't satisfy the spirit - and spirituality alone doesn't satisfy the human body, either. Feeding the Hungry Ghost offers keys to eating mindfully, developing harmonious relationships in family and community, and more. Stories centered around seasons offer warm insights and address both spiritual and food-oriented habits. Recommended for culinary and spirituality holdings alike!


The Islamic Studies Shelf

Crescent Moon Rising
Paul L. Williams
Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2197
9781616146375, $20.00, www.prometheusbooks.com

Crescent Moon Rising: The Islamic Transformation of American belongs in spirituality and social issues shelves alike with its powerful examination of the fast rise of Islam in the U.S. and its impact and implications. The first part of Crescent Moon examines the history of Islam in the nation, considering the impact of immigration acts, quotas, and the effects of Muslim immigrants who entered the country from different parts of the world. The second half blends statistical studies of American Muslims with concerns about Muslim influences in America, including connections between American mosques and Saudi benefactors and connections between Muslim spirituality and anti-Western politics. The result is a fine analysis recommended for any library interested in Muslim history and issues.


The Photography Shelf

Rocky Nook
802 East Cota Street, 3rd Floor
Santa Barbara, CA 93103
www.rockynook.com

Dennis Savini's MASTERCLASS: PROFESSIONAL STUDIO PHOTOGRAPHY (9781937538071, $59.95) offers a detailed workshop on studio photography for would-be professionals, and packs in photo examples covering all kinds of studio works from still lifes and models to working with industry, technology and food. The first part focuses on studio planning, lighting, and basic camera equipment and setup. Workshops include some fifty full-page photo masterpieces, each with detailed coverage of how the image was created. There's nothing left to the imagination: all information includes everything needed, from example images and diagrams of studio setups and lighting to the secrets the author's learned in his many years as a professional teacher. The result is a basic 'how to' primer, highly recommended for any aspiring professional and for collections catering to them. Robert Fisher's THE DIGITAL ZONE SYSTEM (9781937538132, $3995) reviews a method of editing digital images that mimics Ansel Adams' Zone System for print work, offering a practical guide for detailed digital editing for photographers already familiar with Photoshop and Lightroom. These two programs are used in new ways, from using luminance masks to separate an image to isolating effects. Techniques build upon one another for a progressive learning approach and include color photo examples at every step, making this a top recommendation. PANOBOOK 2012 (9781937538170, $39.95) packs in award-winning panoramic shots - over a hundred and fifty of them - and comes from the results of Kolar's 2012 Panoramic Photography Competition. Images were selected by a jury of specialists from over 1,600 submissions and represent the top results of amateur and pro photographers around the world. The oblong book format allows for clear capture of these images.

Amherst Media
175 Rano Street, Suite 200
Buffalo, NY 14207-2176
www.amherstmedia.com

Rob and Robin Deutschmann's THE FLASH STICK: CREATIVE OFF-CAMERA LIGHTING SOLUTIONS FOR THE SOLO PHOTOGRAPHER (9781608955329, $24.95) teaches the basics of how the flash stick can help create better images, showing photographers of all levels how to build a flash stick with inexpensive materials, attach it via wire or wireless communications, and how to use it for better effects. From improving results with color or filters to creating close-up images this is a powerful survey for any photography collection; particularly those appealing to DIYers! Rod and Robin Deutschmann's JUST AVAILABLE LIGHT: TECHNIQUES FOR DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHERS (9781608955565, $24.95) provides a fine survey teaching how to shoot in manual mode so you can control all aspects of an image capture, offering an in-depth survey of how to master techniques for a wide variety of lighting settings. From combining available light with flash to using polarizers and handling light balance challenges to making the most of available lighting, this comes packed with color photo examples throughout and does an excellent job of contrasting different results from different equipment settings and choices.

Nikon D600 for Dummies
Julie Adair King
For Dummies
c/o Wiley Professional Trade Group
111 River Street
Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
9781118530795, $29.9, www.wiley.com

Owners of the Nikon D600 receive specific directions on how to shoot great photos, control exposure and focus, and make fine prints with the aid of an all-color, step-by-step guide to using the D600 more effectively. From shooting movies and sharing photos to exploring LiveView mode for shooting movies and stills, this covers all the settings, their basic functions, and how to tweak them for maximum results. The color photo examples include screen shots as well as polished results and accompany text that leaves little to imagination and assumes no prior knowledge, either with the D600 or other digital cameras. A 'must' for any new owner who would receive clear directions on how to get up and running move to advanced levels.


The Judaic Studies Shelf

Early Judaism
John J. Collins & Daniel C. Harlow
Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company
2140 Oak Industrial Drive, NE
Grand Rapids, MI 49505
9780802869227, $35.00, www.eerdmans.com

EARLY JUDAISM: A COMPREHENSIVE OVERVIEW offers passages culled from the broader Eerdmans Dictionary of Early Judaism published in late 2010, and selects fifteen essays from a group of internationally-renowned scholars who focus on the evolution and tenants of Judaism in the Hellenistic and early Roman periods. The author is a Holmes Professor at Yale and provides a college-level scholarly collection providing a detailed, authoritative overview perfect for an introduction to the topic of early Judaism.

Saturday People, Sunday People
Lela Gilbert
Encounter Books
900 Broadway, Suite 601, New York, NY 10003
9781594036392, $25.99, www.encounterbooks.com

Saturday People, Sunday People: Israel Through the Eyes of a Christian Sojourner comes from a Christian who journeyed to Israel for a visit and stayed for over six years. Lela Gilbert arrived in Israel in 2006 in the midst of a war - there to find a vibrant country with remarkable people. Her encounters are reflected in her memoir which weaves accounts of her experiences with Israel's peoples and culture with a history and events that continue to affect the country. Any who would understand the culture, religion and psyche of Israel will find this a vivid, personal account perfect for any general lending library.


The International Studies Shelf

Russia and the Soviet Union, seventh edition
John M. Thompson
Westview Press
2465 Central Avenue, Boulder, CO 80301
9780813346960, $48.00, www.westviewpress.com

The seventh updated edition of Russia and the Soviet Union surveys major trends and events in the nation's history and considers everything from changing purposes of leaders and the Soviet Union's direction to the election of Putin to a second term as president in 2012. New social and political analysis makes for a detailed volume providing a basic text on Russian history and culture, providing students with a clear survey of key issues affecting the country and its peoples. Any college-level introductory course in Soviet Union history will find this an excellent text.


The Military Shelf

The Complexity of Modern Asymmetric Warfare
Max G. Manwaring
University of Oklahoma Press
2800 Venture Drive, Norman, OK 73069
9780806142654, $45.00, www.oupress.com

The Complexity of Modern Asymmetric Warfare comes from a leading expert on national security and provides a detailed assessment of new tools for battling global uprisings. Today's battlefield features over a hundred small, asymmetric wars around the world: this volume is third in a trilogy which explores such changing battle scenarios, delving into enemy perspectives, the changing pattern of insurgencies, and how these small wars differ from traditional wars. Military and civilian leaders receive keys to understanding the changed processes of strategic victories in such an arena in a guide recommended for any college-level collection strong in military analysis and global struggles.

Dog Company
Patrick K. O'Donnell
Da Capo Press
c/o Perseus Books Group
11 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142
9780306820298, $26.00, www.dacapopress.com

DOG COMPANY: THE BOYS OF POINTE DU HOC discusses the Rangers who accomplished D-Day's key operation and landed in Normandy to undertake a mission so deadly that the company's death certificates were pre-written (literally). This team climbed some ninety feet of sheer cliff face, dodging bullets and firing, to take out German guns - and lost half their company during the process. The survivors continued the trek across Europe. Military historian Patrick O'Donnell details how this group made headway during the war. First-hand accounts from the survivors of the company recreate their experiences and accompany historical details on their battles. The result is a powerful account of World War II and a 'must' for any military history holding.

Thirty Days With My Father
Christal Presley
Health Communications Inc.
3201 S.W. 15th Street
Deerfield Beach, FL 33442-8190
9760757316463, $14.95, www.hcibooks.com

Thirty Days With My Father: Finding Peace from Wartime PTSD will find its way into general-interest, health and autobiography holdings alike, but it's recommended here for military readers interested in personal accounts of the lasting effects of war trauma on the entire family. Christal's father was eighteen when he was drafted to Vietnam, and returned home entirely changed, suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder that led him to spend much of her childhood locked in his room depressed or raging. At a young age she learned to always be cautious, acted out at school, and left home at the age of eighteen. She barely spoke to her father for the next thirteen years. In 2009 she began a healing process that's recounted here, telling of a father and daughter's reconnection from a traumatic time. Any interested in post-traumatic stress and military families will find this an absorbing, revealing account.

Osprey Publishing
4402 - 23rd Street, Suite 219
Long Island City, NY 11101-5058
www.osprey.com

Hakan Gustavsson & Ludovico Slongo's GLADIATOR VS. CR.42 FALCO 1940-41 (97817849087087, $18.95) covers two biplane fighters that represented the peak of their development line - and which were obsolete by the time they entered service in the 1930s. Military and aviation collections receive an in-depth coverage on their service, their action in the field, and the dogfights between these two craft as the Allies battled over Africa and Greece. Color maps accompany vintage black and white photos in an outstanding history military collections, in particular, will relish! L. Douglas Keeney's THE POINTBLANK DIRECTIVE: THREE GENERALS AND THE UNTOLD STORY OF THE DARING PLAN THAT SAVED D-DAY (9781849089333, $27.95) comes from a historian who considers the politics and personalities of The Pointblank Directive and how it become one of the most amazing military come-backs in history. By raid's end some forty percent of the Allied planes had been shot down. The story of how forces recovered from these heavy losses and flew to victory against impossible odds makes this a powerful account of strategic air command decision-making processes, battles, and close encounters, offering a fresh analysis of how The Pointblank Directive changed the world. Peter Lieb's VERCORS 1944: RESISTANCE IN THE FRENCH ALPS (9781849086981, $21.95) follows the fighting between Germans and French Resistance forces during World War II, and provides close inspection of the military events that took place during this nearly-forgotten engagement. It was a powerful struggle set against the backdrop of France's southern mountains, and is here documented through source materials, vintage photos, and discussions of encounters, strategies, and military choices. Any collection strong in World War II specifics will find this a winner! Paolo Varriale's AUSTRO-HUNGARIAN ALBATROS ACES OF WORLD WAR I (9781849087476, $22.95) is a recommendation for military and aviation history collections alike and provides a fine survey of the Austro-Hungarian industry as a whole and the pilots who flew the Albatros fighters during World War I. Vintage black and white photos accompany color illustrations throughout during the course of a discussion that pinpoints the achievements and challenges of these fighter pilots and their planes. A fine in-depth pick for World War 1 collections. Rick Morgan's A-6 Intruder Units of the Vietnam War (9781849087551, $22.95) chronicles and history and deployments of the A-6 'Electric Intruder', one of the most capable electronic warfare aircraft of the Vietnam War, and is a recommendation for aviation and military holdings strong in the era's science and achievements. Chapters pair vintage photos with color illustration and photos throughout, considering the aircraft's combat capabilities and actions in a fine, specific and in-depth guide. F. Cappellano and P.O. Battistelli's ITALIAN MEDIUM TANKS 1939-45 (9781849087759, $17.95) offers a fine survey that considers the evolution of Italian armoured units during World War II, and is a pick for any specialty collection concerned about the armaments of the war. From how these Italian units experienced disaster on the battlefield to how they returned with innovations that led to victories, this provides a well-detailed survey recommended for any military collection. Steven J. Zaloga's SICILY 1943: THE DEBUT OF ALLIED JOINT OPERATIONS (9781780961262, $21.95) follows the nature and strategies of the Anglo-American amphibious landings on Sicily which set the stage for future landings, and discusses a mission designed to knock Italy out of the war - one that ultimately proved successful. The strategy represented a change in tactical development and was a test for future Allied joint operations - so having this in-depth history covering the extent of operations and planning is central to any serious World War II collection.


The Social Issues Shelf

Medicaid Politics
Frank J. Thompson
Georgetown University Press
3240 Prospect Street, NW, Washington, DC 20007
9781589019348, $34.95, www.press.georgetown.edu

MEDICAID POLITICS: FEDERALISM, POLICY DURABILITY, AND HEALTH REFORM provides a fine survey of the Medicaid system, exploring how the program works, the history of its evolution, and the social and political forces that have shaped health care policy in this country. It's packed with details on the program's changes in modern times, describing the forces that have led to Medicaid's growth and many strengths. Any collection strong in Medicaid and health care reform processes will find this invaluable.

Earth At Risk
Derrick Jensen and Lierre Keith, editors
PM Press
PO Box 23912, Oakland, CA 94623
9781604866742, $20.00, www.pmpress.org

EARTH AT RISK: BUILDING A RESISTANCE MOVEMENT TO SAVE THE PLANET reflects an annual conference featuring a blend of environmental thinkers and activists who are willing to ask questions about the world and its situation. The conference's creator maintains that we need a resistance movement against civilization itself: this volume gathers writings reflecting that movement, condemning the industrial civilization devouring the planet and considering strategies that can prevent global ecological disaster. Any concerned with environmental impact and human progress, as well as the effects of capitalism on the world, will find this a powerful set of controversial, moving arguments.

PM Press
PO Box 23912
Oakland, CA 94623
www.pmpress.org

Elizabeth Martinez, et.al., Editors' WE HAVE NOT BEEN MOVED: RESISTING RACISM AND MILITARISM IN 21ST CENTURY AMERICA (9781604864809, $29.95) offers a collection addressing two major American issues; racism and militarism, acknowledging that the traditional peace movement in this country has not moved beyond the call for examining its own prejudices. Connections between military might and white supremacy are provided in a series of historic and modern articles from scholars and activists considering the forces at work for enacting social change. This isn't a collection of the usual writings, but a gathering of unpublished, rare-seen writings and interviews from noted thinkers from Joel Kovel and Barbara Deming to Clare Bayard and Ruth Reynolds. The result is a solid survey highly recommended for any college-level social issues collection. Victoria Law's RESISTANCE BEHIND BARS: THE STRUGGLES OF INCARCERATED WOMEN (9781604865837, $20.00) is a 'must' for any collection strong in accounts about women's issues and crime. This second revised edition of the 2009 award-winning title includes new chapter about transgender, transsexual and gender-variant people in prison, with other chapters examining prison injustices, collective resistance among women prisoners, and more. A 'must' for any considering social activism in prison settings.


The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf

Blood Oranges
Kathleen Tierney
Roc
c/o Penguin Group (USA)
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
9780451465016, $16.00, www.penguin.com

Blood Oranges comes from Caitlin R. Kiernan who writes as Kathleen Tierney, and offers a new series launching with Blood Oranges, a recommendation for any urban fantasy collection interested in a dash of humor. Quinn is an ex-junkie who finds herself an enemy in New England's supernatural community when she's bitten by a werewolf and turned into a vampire - in the same night. She's become a demon hunter - but really it's all a misunderstanding. A series of crimes against the supernaturals isn't her fault, and results in a deadly race to uncover the true perp before the community locates and kills her. Swift action lends to a charged, moving story line.


The Metaphysical Studies Shelf

The Wizard of Us
Jean Houston
Beyond Words/Atria Books
c/o Simon & Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10020
9781582703794, $24.00, www.simonandschuster.com

THE WIZARD OF US: TRANSFORMATIONAL LESSONS FROM OZ uses lessons from the Wizard of Oz archetype to consider how to bring out the innate courage, mindfulness and emotional wellbeing sets that lie in all of us, and provides a philosophical and new age guide to connecting with a path that leads to a personal journey of transformation. The Wizard not only calls to us, but it creates the journey itself: this book offers case history examples paired with insights from the process to motivate and inspire any new age reader!

So Far From Home
Margaret J. Wheatley
Berrett-Koehler Publishers Inc.
235 Montgomery Street, Suite 650
San Francisco, CA 94104-2916
9781609945367, $17.95, www.bk-life.com

So Far From Home: Lost and Found in Our Brave New World provides a spirited survey for those who would define 'good work' as being separate from the kinds of pursuits that lead to overwhelm and exhaustion, and is a pick for business and new age collections alike. It shows how we can transform negative experiences into skills of insight, it advocates that emotional values be linked to meaningful, spirited work pursuits, and it shows how to cultivate paths that extend from the workplace throughout personal life. The result is a wide-ranging discussion that blends observations of Wall Street and business practices with social and spiritual insights key to success.


The Cookbook Shelf

The Best Things You Can Eat
David Grotto, RD, LDN
Da Capo Press
c/o Perseus Books Group
11 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142
9780738215969, $15.99, www.dacapopress.com

The Best Things You Can Eat provides an in-depth guide to nutrition and foods that energize and heal, consider such elements as which foods help control blood pressure, what is the best variety of nut to eat, and more. From vital nutrients and foods for combating various ailments to food groups highest in nutritional content, this draws important connections between food properties and health, exposing the underlying benefits of various foods and even providing some unusual information - such as the fact that French fries are as high in potassium as lentils. Any collection strong in nutrition and health needs this solid connection between food choices and optimum health.

Fire in My Belly
Kevin Gillespie with David Joachim
Andrews McMeel Publishing
1130 Walnut Street, Kansas City, MO 64106-2109
9781449411435, $40.00, www.andrewsmcmeel.com

FIRE IN MY BELLY: REAL COOKING provides a wonderful cookbook featuring Top Chef fan favorite Kevin Gillespie, who uses some 120 original recipes and techniques to blend ingredients of the South with methods of grilling and braising to bring out the best flavors in foods. Over 350 color photos pack a Southern cookbook filled with terminology, techniques and ideas. Ingredient-inspired recipes and essays accompany dishes such as Glazed Root Vegetables, Coca-Cola Braised Pot Roast, and Tomato Salad with Smoky Melon and Spicy Salami. The result is a powerful collection of original creations and refinements on Southern cooking, highly recommended for any cookbook collection.


The Computer Shelf

Killer UX Design
Jodie Moule
Sitepoint
PO Box 1115
Collingwood VIC 3066, Australia
9780987153098, $39.95, www.sitepoint.com

KILLER UX DESIGN provides keys to creating strong user-centered designs with UX, and is a pick for any learner using the program. It's filled with real-world examples and applications that show how to build useful and powerful interfaces using UX, it teaches proven techniques and shortcuts, and discusses online tools that enhance the creation of user-centered designs. Black and white examples throughout cover everything from sketching to creating a common project space and testing, and make for a powerful collection of design options, processes and standards perfect for any designer's collection.

Web Design All-in-One For Dummies, second edition
Sue Jenkins
For Dummies
c/o Wiley Professional Trade Group
111 River Street
Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
9781118404102, $44.99, www.wiley.com

Web Design All-in-One For Dummies comes from a web designer who is both a trainer and a working designer with her own web design firm, and provides keys to success for all levels of computer web designer. From how to attract visitors to your site to designing for tablets, optimizing web graphics, and linking social media accounts to a website, this covers all the basics of both business and web design applications using a full-color format and keys to building a site with HTML and CSS. Basic concepts accompany keys to success in a survey that covers basic concepts, website maintenance, enhancements, and more. This second updated edition offers the latest assessments of the latest programs and best practices in a pick highly recommended for any who would receive visual and text explanations of superior web design practices.

Addison Wesley
801 East 96th Street, #300
Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
www.informit.com/aw

Gary Gruver, et.al.'s A PRACTICAL APPROACH TO LARGE-SCALE AGILE DEVELOPMENT (9780321821720, $29.99) is a pick for any software engineering collection strong in Agile process and provides a fine survey from three agile developers who provide an insider's guide on how they succeeded with agile in the course of developing firmware for HP LaserJet printers. It's unusual to find something this specific covering the agile process: most agile guides focus on best practices with a few scattered case history examples. This delves into the entire journey of incorporating agile principles into a structure and considers whether agile can enable timely delivery, if it can be applied to over 400 developers scattered across four states and three continents, and how it can help developers meet productivity standards. The entire process of how this was all achieved is packed with lessons for similar businesses, making this a top recommendation for any software developer's collection. Alexis Goldstein's LEARNING CSS3 ANIMATIONS AND TRANSITIONS: A HANDS-ON GUIDE TO ANIMATING IN CSS3 WITH TRANSFORMS, TRANSITIONS, KEYFRAME ANIMATIONS, AND JAVASCRIPT (9780321839602, $39.99) is a pick for web design collections catering to web programmers who want to get up and running with professional-quality CSS3 animation styles. It's the only tutorial focused entirely on creating quality animations and transitions and comes from a leading web developer and trainer who offers plenty of examples on building skills. The focus is on real-world projects that demonstrate usage: chapters teach all the basics, best practices, and how to streamline operations to make the most of JavaScript and jQuery animation processes. Any programmer ready to move from Flash to CSS3 will find this a solid text for making the change.


The Gardening Shelf

Paradise Lot
Eric Toensmeier with Jonathan Bates
Chelsea Green Publishing Company
85 North Main Street, Suite 120
White River Junction, VT 05001
9781603583992, $19.95, www.chelseagreen.com

PARADISE LOT: TWO PLANT GEEKS AND ONE-TENTH OF AN ACRE AND THE MAKING OF AN EDIBLE GARDEN OASIS IN THE CITY provides the funny and lovely story of two single guys who are gardening fanatics holding a shared plan: to realize the urban permaculture garden of their dreams and meet women to share it with. PARADISE LOT is their winning account of this journey, which began on purchase of a duplex in Holyoke in Massachusetts, which came with a barren half-acre lot of bad soil, broken concrete, and few possibilities. In several years the two friends created a garden paradise. This tells how they did it - and offers a blend of gardening and life wisdom and savvy perfect for any interested in autobiographies of urban garden experiences.


The Political Science Shelf

Africa in World Politics, fifth edition
John W. Harbeson and Donald Rothchild, editors
Westview Press
2465 Central Avenue, Boulder, CO 80301
9780813348452, www.westviewpress.com

The fifth updated edition of Africa in World Politics: Engaging a Changing Global Order provides essays from top scholars in the genre who consider the effects African issues and world politics have had upon each other. From international influences on the nature and progress of African wars to democratic progress on the continent, peacebuilding efforts, and political interactions, this is a solid survey designed for college-level readers of African history and culture who would understand Africa's interactions on a global scale. Very highly recommended!


The Women's Studies Shelf

Getting In Is Not Enough
Colette Morrow and Terri Ann Frederick
Johns Hopkins University Press
2715 North Charles Street
Baltimore, MD 21218-4363
9781421406350, $35.00, www.press.jhu.edu

Getting In Is Not Enough: Women and the Global Workplace is for any college-level holding strong in gender studies or women's issues and business, and comes from nearly two decades of the Feminist Foundations journal. Essays consider how women affect and are affected by work, considers the social and political impact of such work, and considers how access-based feminism has failed and succeeded in achieving equality for women. Contributors consider all aspects of this disparity, from Latina politics and secretarial work to feminist activism in Cuban hip hop. The international focus makes for a powerful collection of experiences.


The Pets/Wildlife Shelf

When Cats Reigned Like Kings
Georgie Anne Geyer
Transaction Publishers
35 Berrue Circle
Piscataway, NJ 08854-8042
9781412847346, www.transactionpub.com

When Cats Reigned Like Kings: On the Trail of the Sacred Cats provides a lively blend of travel, autobiography and insights into cats and comes from an author who explores connections between the royal felines of ancient civilizations and domestic cats of today. Her in-depth research into how cats came to be human pets is detailed and sparked by her curiosity about her own cats. The history is detailed in impeccable as well as lively, while photos of the author's travels and historical cat images accompany travel details, historical facts and descriptions of over forty recognized modern cat breeds. The result is a delightful and fun book for cat lovers and history and travel buffs alike!

Wiley-Blackwell
350 Main Street
Malden, MA 02148
www.wiley.com/wiley-blackwell

Linda Merrill LVT, VTS's SMALL ANIMAL INTERNAL MEDICINE FOR VETERINARY TECHNICIANS AND NURSES (9780813821641, $79.99) provides the first comprehensive resource on internal medicine written for the veterinary technician and is arranged by body system to discuss everything form diseases and testing to treatment options and nursing. It's a complete reference tied to a companion website holding videos, quizzes and images and provides a logical system arrangement for at-a-glance reference. Veterinary technician students will find this a solid course covering the basics, while students studying for certification will find it a powerful reference. No veterinary reference holding should be without this detailed guide! Very specific but very important is Lila Miller and Stephen Zawistowski's SHELTER MEDICINE FOR VETERINARIANS AND STAFF (9780813819938, $84.99), which appears in its second updated edition to pack in keys to shelter management, from shelter programs and spaying services to animal husbandry. The entire book has been redesigned with more user-friendly approaches to include better at-a-glance information, a full-color format packed with illustration, and many new and expanded, revamped chapters of the latest information. The result is a fine guide to animal management, the latest laws, and the newest veterinary practices in a shelter environment: a 'must' for any veterinary reference collection. Dolores Gavier-Widen, J. Paul Duff & Anna Meredith edit INFECTIOUS DISEASES OF WILD MAMMALS AND BIRDS IN EUROPE (9781405199056, $169.99), a key title covering the diagnosis and treatment of diseases in European wildlife, and is a recommended pick for any specialty collection strong in veterinary experiences around the world. From risks to human health and livestock and pets to how diseases spread in the wild, wildlife vaccination and disease surveillance techniques, and classification, this is written by clinicians and pathologists from across Europe and assembles a powerful technical compendium of details for vets, conservation biologists, and wildlife researchers alike.


The Music Shelf

Nashville Steeler
Don Davis
Schiffer Publishing Ltd.
4880 Lower Valley Road, Atglen, PA 19310
9780764342790, $19.99, www.schifferbooks.com

NASHVILLE STEELER: MY LIFE IN COUNTRY MUSIC offers a true story of the rise of country music and comes from a 1940s band musician and author, who became a music business executive and worked with Johnny Cash, the Carter Family, and many others. From colorful personalities on and off stage to recording studios and fans, this pairs over 100 photos documenting country music experiences with the author's personal stories and associations, and is a pick for any collection seeing popularity with country music history and experiences.


The Technology Shelf

Artech House
685 Canton Street
Norwood, MA 02062
www.artechhouse.com

The second updated edition of Hiroyuki Arai's MOBILE ANTENNA SYSTEMS (9781608075416, $129.00) offers a completely revised and updated edition of a popular classic and is a strong recommendation for engineering collections that have seen popularity with the first title. It offers important new material in keys areas that engineers working with mobile antenna systems just can't miss, including mobile phone usage position and MIMO antennas. It also considers theories, measurement procedures, and covers various characteristics and simulator systems, packing in over a hundred illustrations and accompanying equations. A 'must' for any electronics engineering reference library! Such collections will also come to consider Christophe Basso's DESIGNING CONTROL LOOPS FOR LINEAR AND SWITCHING POWER SUPPLIES: A TUTORIAL GUIDE (9781608075577, $139.00) a key acquisition, discussing loop control for modern electronics engineers. Where other books would focus on theory, this one considers the basics engineers need to know for stabilizing a control system. It comes packed with illustrations and design specs, includes formulas to help engineers with projects, and covers the basics of control loop applications in a guide that tells how to analyze systems, verify prototypes, and develop tested safety margins that work. Packed with examples and applications, this is an electronic developer's ideal reference. Milorad Cvijetic and Ivan B. Djordjevic's ADVANCED OPTICAL COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS AND NETWORKS (9781608075553, $149.00) provides optical communications professionals with a fine survey of 5th generation photonic systems. Chapters cover tested, time-saving approaches for network modeling, offer details on transmission systems and networks, and consider coding schemes and more, pairing concepts with basic applications for high-speed digital signal processing. The result is a solid survey that provides all the illustrations, basic concepts, and field applications needed to develop and fine-tune advanced optical communications systems. Alenka Zajic's MOBILE-T0-MOBILE WIRELESS CHANNELS (9781608074952, $139.00) considers modern mobile community systems and increased consumer demand for better coverage, and discusses emerging technologies and their applications. Professionals and engineers receive guidance for implementing these modern wireless systems, discussing signal propagation, channel models, and applications for underwater communications, air-to-ground needs, and more. A DVD offers time-saving MATLAB code for these models that engineers can use in the field, making this an invaluable survey for any engineering collection. Eric E. Johnson, et.al.'s THIRD-GENERATION AND WIDEBAND HF RADIO COMMUNICATIONS (9781608075034, $139.00) is written by the developers of the new 21st century high frequency radio technology and offers a powerful resource to the new potentials and technical details of 3G and WBHF waveforms. Engineering professionals receive a guide which packs in nearly two hundred illustrations and teaches the basics of using the new technology for voice and data, showing how to move beyond infrastructure needs to communicate beyond line of sight from moving platforms and over long distances. From new US and NATO standards for HF radio communications to the future of this technology's direction, this is a fine guide for any engineering collection strong in radio communications theory and applications.


The Language Studies Shelf

An Introduction to Language, tenth edition
Victoria Fromkin, et.al.
Wadsworth
c/o Cengage Learning, Inc.
200 First Stamford Place
Stamford, CT 06902
9781133310686, $172.95, www.cengage.com

The tenth updated edition of An Introduction to Language requires no previous knowledge of linguistics from its college-level readers, and is a general reference recommended for students of languages, psychology, anthropology, or English as a second language. The latest information offers discussion of the major components of language from phonetics to semantics and pragmatics, discusses the latest developments in the field, and offers exercises to enhance and reinforce text lessons. College-level assignment at the classroom level will assure its ready comprehension by students in different courses, who will find humorous cartoons throughout that reinforce concepts.


The Science Shelf

The Theoretical Minimum
Leonard Susskind
Basic Books
c/o Perseus Books Group
11 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142
9780465028115, $26.99, www.basicbooks.com

THE THEORETICAL MINIMUM: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TO START DOING PHYSICS is a fine recommendation for any collection appealing to the general-interest lay science reader, and comes form a renowned theoretical physicist who offers basic teachings on motion, energy and other laws that will help newcomers master physics. From how the Internet has made learning physics accessible to his own development of string theory and his inspirations, this offers discussions of the definition of classical physics and its application in the real world, links science to everyday life, and is a fine pick for any who would understand basic theory.


The Crafts Shelf

Polymer Clay Master Class
Judy Belcher & Tamara Honaman
Potter Craft
c/o The Random House Publishing Group
1745 Broadway, 17th floor
New York, NY 10019
9780823026678, $22.99, www.pottercraft.com

Polymer Clay Master Class: Exploring Process, Technique, and Collaboration with 11 Master Artists provides in-depth surveys of the techniques of eleven polymer clay artists who share their expertise for the first time. From creating with sculpture and changing surfaces to blending in mixed media and designing using kinetics and jewelry-finishing basics, this packs in keys to successful polymer clay production and goes beyond the usual approach to expand upon advanced ideas and non-clay materials. The title's loaded with color step-by-step photos throughout, making this a top pick for any crafts collection.

Crystal Jewelry Inspiration
Karin Van Voorhees, Compiler
Kalmbach Publishing Company
21027 Crossroads Circle, Waukesha, WI 53186
9780871167019, $24.95, www.kalmbachbooks.com

Crystal Jewelry Inspiration from the Create Your Style Ambassadors explores some 230 designs featuring crystal elements and offers a slightly oversized title that features the works of Swarovski Elements jewelry makers, who represent some of the leaders and innovators in the jewelry-making industry. From step-by-step directions of necklaces, bracelets and pins to a range of techniques from stitching to wirework and metal clay, this packs in a gallery of designs from some of the most creative Swarovski jewelers in the world. Highly recommended for any aspiring jeweler who wants more insights on techniques and applications, this is a pick for any jewelry crafts collection!


The Sports Shelf

Human Kinetics
PO Box 5076
Champaign, IL 61820-5076
www.humankinetics.com

USA Archery's ARCHERY: THE ULTIMATE RESOURCE FOR RECURVE AND COMPOUND ARCHERS (9781450420204, $23.95) is a pick for those already serious about and immersed in the sport, and pairs detailed instruction from the world's top archery experts and coaches with keys to choosing equipment, developing strong shots, using practice time to maximum benefit, and training for competition. It's not the choice for the casual newcomer: it's the perfect pick for those with basic archery skills who want to move on to the next level of tournament competition. Unparalleled in its offerings, ARCHERY is packed with black and white photos throughout and discussions of drills, holding patterns, position, and even nutrition. Any semi-professional collection strong in archery development will find this a key acquisition. Derek Johnson's THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO PITCHING includes a special DVD and teaches all the basics of producing pitches, from what to throw and when to the body mechanics of pitching and conditioning exercises, strengthening workouts for the arm and shoulder, analyzing an opponent's game and developing a pitch that halts it, and more. Pitchers receive keys to working successfully with catchers and developing a unique, winning pitching style in this guide, which is a pick for any serious pitcher who would improve their success.


The Art Shelf

Philosophy of Art
David Boersema
Westview Press
2465 Central Avenue, Boulder, CO 80301
9780813347196, $42.00, www.westviewpress.com

Philosophy of Art: Aesthetic Theory and Practice blends short excerpts from primary sources on art and philosophy with a review accessible to college-level readers new to philosophy and provides an intriguing survey examining artwork, artistry, and the social aspects of creating and display art forms. Chapters are scholarly yet easily accessible to newcomers to art and philosophy, offering candid assessments that consider the social aspects of art and its display. Philosophy and arts holdings alike will find it a fine crafted account.


The Travel Shelf

Here, There, Elsewhere
William Least Heat-Moon
Little, Brown & Company
c/o Hachette Book Group
237 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017
9780316110242, $29.99, www.littlebrown.com

HERE, THERE, ELSEWHERE: STORIES FROM THE ROAD provides a new collection of his classic travel adventures and is a special pick for those already enthused with his best-selling BLUE HIGHWAYS account. Thirty years ago, after separating from his wife and losing his job, he embarked on a journey seeking to put home behind him, following an intense desire to explore little towns of the United States. His book was a best-selling masterpiece. HERE, THERE, ELSEWHERE expands his journeys to the rest of the world and shares adventures that serve as inspirations and magical experiences alike. Very highly recommended for any who are interested in travel observations and armchair experiences.

Ethiopia, sixth edition
Philip Briggs
Bradt Guides
1st Floor IDC House, The Vale
Chalfont St Peter, Bucks, England, SL9 9RZ
9781841624143, $26.99, www.bradtguides.com

The sixth updated edition of ETHIOPIA is a 'must' for any destination-oriented travel planner who wants to take an active trip to the country, and covers everything from the nation's traditions and culture to how to hike, ride horses and journey throughout the entire region. It's been fully revised and updated for the latest development in transport and getting around, and offers keys to enjoying both well-known attractions and those off the beaten track. Packed with sidebars of information and small regional and city maps, ETHIOPIA remains one of the few to focus entirely on this country and its many travel opportunities, and is a highly recommended pick!


The Agriculture Shelf

Building Beehives for Dummies
Howland Blackiston
For Dummies
c/o Wiley Professional Trade Group
111 River Street
Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
9781118312940, $19.99, www.wiley.com

Building Beehives for Dummies is for any amateur beekeeper who wants to try their hand at building beekeeping equipment, and provides all basics for planning and building beehives and accessories. From different types of hives and when and how to construct them to maintaining equipment and hives, locating them, and more, this provides a fine key to assembling one's own. Basic carpentry skills, legal concerns, and more round out the practical guide to building and maintaining a hive.


The Relationship Shelf

How to Create Chemistry with Anyone
Leil Lowndes
Da Capo Press
c/o Perseus Books Group
11 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142
9780738214849, $16.00, www.dacapopress.com

How to Create Chemistry with Anyone: 75 Ways to Spark It Fast... and Make it Last will be a winner for any general lending library and comes from a communications expert who explores the basics of human attraction and how to create and sustain that attraction with almost anyone. Chemistry is part of any relationship and can lead to love and commitment. It's affected by genetics and past experiences and always changes: that said, there's much that can be done to influence this chemistry, and How to Create Chemistry with Anyone discusses this facet. Over seventy simple communication strategies and techniques come form some twenty years in the field of human behavior and teaches how to understand and influence love.


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