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California Bookwatch

Volume 7, Number 4 April 2012 Home | CALBW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Fantasy/SciFi Shelf Gardening Shelf
Architecture Shelf Cookbook Shelf Psychology Shelf
Health/Medicine Shelf Needlecraft Shelf Computer Shelf
Education Shelf Art Shelf Theatre/Cinema/TV Shelf
Science Shelf Philosophy Shelf Photography Shelf
Metaphysical Studies Shelf Audiobook Shelf Travel Shelf
Military Shelf Religion/Spirituality Shelf Christian Studies Shelf
Biography Shelf Law/Justice Shelf Economic Studies Shelf
Literary Studies Shelf Crafts Shelf Antiques/Collectibles Shelf
Sports Shelf Business Shelf Fiction Shelf
Mystery/Suspense Shelf Social Issues Shelf Political Science Shelf
American History Shelf World History Shelf Music Shelf
Comix/Graphic Novel Shelf Library DVD Shelf California Shelf


Reviewer's Choice

Urban Watersheds
Martin M. Kaufman, et.al.
CRC Press
711 Third Avenue, New York NY 10017
9781439852743, $139.95, www.crcpress.com

Urban Watersheds: Geology, Contamination, and Sustainable Development is a pick for geosciences and urban policy collections alike. It provides college-level audiences with a fine technical survey that considers urban watersheds, considering the science, politics, and urban policies that surround their management and maintenance. Chapters consider sustainable development within the realm of water resource management, offering a text packed with charts, diagrams, and considerations of everything from common contaminants in urban watersheds to risk factors and research topics. A 'must' for any in-depth consideration of urban watershed issues and management.

Virtual Geographic Environments
Hui Lin & Michael Batty, Editors
ESRI
380 New York Street, Redlands, CA 92373-8100
9781589483187, $49.95, www.esri.com/esripress

Virtual Geographic Environments explores the impact of GIS on virtual reality and is a fine collection of key papers written by leading members of the geospatial community. Two professors edit an exploration that opens with a primer on VGEs and explores virtual cities and landscapes, mobile and networked VGEs, and how GIS technologies operate in cloud and web-based applications. The creation of a virtual geographic environment is key to the GeoDesign process, and Virtual Geographic Environments is an outstanding, detailed and scholarly reference for any collection strong in GIS technology development.

What's a Homeowner to Do?
Stephen Fanuka
Artisan Books
225 Varick Street, New York NY 10014-4381
9781579654337, $17.95, www.artisanbooks.com

WHAT'S A HOMEOWNER TO DO? 442 THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW comes from a second-generation contractor whose DIY Network show tips and tricks he used in building Manhattan's most awe-inspiring luxury homes. From tools needed around the house to repair anything from plumbing to walls to understanding which jobs can be easily done on your own and which involve a professional's help, WHAT'S A HOMEOWNER TO DO is packed with keys to understanding common home repairs. Those homeowers not inclined to DIY will find this a top pick for hiring handymen and contractors to do the right kind of work.

Diamonds, third edition
Antoinette Matlins, P.G.
Gemstone Press
Box 237, Woodstock VT 05091
9780943763736, $18.99, www.gemstonepress.com

DIAMONDS: THE ANTOINETTE MATLINS BUYING GUIDE appears in an updated third expanded edition to survey the basics of selecting and caring for diamonds. It's been updated with all the basic information on new ways to buy - such as on the Internet - and covers everything from understanding grading and comparing prices to spotting misrepresentation and inconsistencies in diamonds. From what to ask to what to get in writing, this is a top recommendation for any consumer or gemstone reference collection.


The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf

Phobos: Mayan Fear
Steve Alten
TOR Books
c/o Tor/Forge Books
175 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10010
9780765330338, $24.99, www.tor-forge.com

Phobos: Mayan Fear provides the fine book in the Mayan Prophecy series, arrives just in time for 2012, and will be enthusiastically greeted by any who enjoyed his prior DOMINION and GOLIATH. Here Immanuel Gabriel is not done yet: he's journeying with his deceased grandfather Julius, who has revealed everything the Mayans knew and feared. The end of the world is near - and perhaps nothing can stop it. Action is swift and powerful and the continuing saga adds new elements of surprise to this captivating science fiction story, recommended for any science fiction or horror collection.

World Divided
Mercedes Lackey with Cody Martin, et.al.
Baen Books
Box 1403, Riverdale, NY 10471
9781451638011, $25.00, www.baen.com

WORLD DIVIDED is Book 2 of the 'Secret World Chronicle' and is based on characters first created in MMORPG, City of Heroes. It pits superhumans against alien science and is set after an apocalyptic battle where the new humans have driven back the first invading forces and now must form an offensive. The goal is to hunt down those behind the Nazi robot invasion but the rise of a new super villain who wants to defeat both sides adds new struggles into the mix. A fine military science fiction scenario evolves.

Frank Reade
Paul Guinan and Anina Bennett
Abrams Image
c/o Abrams Books
115 West 18th St., New York NY 10011
9780810996618, $24.95, www.abramsbooks.com

Before Jules Verne's fantastic machines there was Frank Reade, a world traveler and inventor whose magazines actually served as the world's first science fiction periodicals. "Frank Reade: Adventures in the Age of Invention" by the team of Paul Guinan and Anina Bennett reprints many of the images from these vintage dime novels for the first time in over a century, adding excerpts from the stories and a biography of the "real" Reade family, who were explorers and inventors who traveled the world with fantastic machines. The result is an outstanding survey packed with black and white and color illustration throughout capturing the genius of Frank Reade. Any science fiction or arts collection will find this a captivating acquisition.

City of Dragons
Robin Hobb
Harper Voyager
10 East 53rd St., New York NY 10022
9780061561634, $27.99, www.harpercollins.com

CITY OF DRAGONS is a recommended pick for fantasy readers and is the third volume in the best-selling Rain Wild series. Here the dragons and their keepers have reached Kelsingra, the mythic city of Elderling lore, and face poisoned waters and evil forces that would butcher the beasts for reward. Danger and intrigue follow the dragons and their keepers in an epic quest that presents different cities, challenges, and a series of plans that grow ever more complex and dangerous. Any interested in dragon fantasies will find this a powerful account.


The Gardening Shelf

The Year-Round Vegetable Gardener
Niki Jabbour
Storey Publishing
210 Mass MoCA Way
North Adams, MA 01247
9781603425681, $19.95, www.storey.com

The Year-Round Vegetable Gardener: How to Grow Your Own Food 365 Days a Year No Matter Where You Live provides a seasonal guide to using a combination of weather savvy and adaptations to keep vegetables growing even in snowy conditions, and is a 'must' for any who would grow fresh produce. Start by planting vegetables in their preferred season but then adapt climates so they continue year-round. The author's own intensive gardening methods offer easy, affordable ideas any avid vegetable gardener can readily duplicate, no matter what their climate.


The Architecture Shelf

Nature Framed
Eva Hagberg
Monacelli Press
236 West 27th Street, 4th floor
New York, NY 10001
9781580933193, $50.00, www.monacellipress.com

NATURE FRAMED: AT HOME IN THE LANDSCAPE gathers examples of over twenty residential projects across the U.S. that serve as living examples of green architectural concepts in practice, and is a 'must' for any home or architectural design collection. It pairs full-color photos of interiors and exteriors with a survey of different designs called for by different environments: the purpose of which is to showcase the outdoors for the homeowner. Nature influences architecture and makes requirements specific to each setting, and the 'green' approaches and designs in NATURE FRAMED has taken each unique setting into account. A top pick for any designer who wants examples of living architecture at work!

The Complete Guide to Building Classic Barns
Tim Bodamer
Atlantic Publishing Group
1405 SW 6th Avenue
Ocala, FL 34471-0640
9781601383723, $29.95, www.atlantic-pub.com

The Complete Guide to Building Classic Barns, Fences, Storage Sheds, Animal Pens, Outbuildings, Greenhouses, Farm Equipment & Tools: A Step-by-Step Guide to Building Everything You Might Need on a Small Farm is a pick for any interested in building, and offers a complete coverage from the design to final construction. The focus is on animal and farming building construction and provides a complete list of building design plans and options for building. An accompanying CD-ROM offers the plans in PDF format for a wide range of structures, making this a top pick especially recommended for rural libraries appealing to owner-builders.


The Cookbook Shelf

Girl in the Kitchen
Stephanie Izard with Heather Shouse
Chronicle Books
680 Second Street, San Francisco, CA 94107
9780811874472, $29.95, www.chroniclebooks.com

GIRL IN THE KITCHEN: HOW A TOP CHEF COOKS, THINKS, SHOPS, EATS AND DRINKS provides a fine survey by the first and only female to win the title of Top Chef. After winning she took a tour of the world, collecting new flavors and textures to blend into her cooking: GIRL IN THE KITCHEN represents her discoveries and shares not just recipes, but insights and reflections on the entire cooking process. A hundred recipes cover main courses and sides, offering inspiration with new flavor combinations such as a Mango and Marcona Almond Gazpacho. Highly recommended for any culinary collection!

Amish-Country Cookbook V. 2
Bob & Sue Miller, Editors
Evangel Publishing House
Box 189, Nappanee, IN 46550-9315
9781928915218, $16.99, www.evangelpublishing.com

Amish-Country Cookbook V. 2 provides more meals to be made from scratch and teaches basic Amish cooking secrets. Amish cooks cook simply, making good meals on a budget using ingredients readily available in any American kitchen. From basic Lasagna and Gingersnaps to Cheeseburger Pie, Chow Mein Noodle Casserole and more, this teaches how to cook from both scratch and convenience canned goods and is a top recommendation for any basic cook's collection. Lay-flat spiral binding adds to the book's easy kitchen use (no spine lettering, making for more difficult shelf location for collections with multiple cookbooks).

Hugh Johnson's Wine Journal
Hugh Johnson
Mitchell Beazley
c/o Octopus Publishing Group Limited
Endeavour House
189 Shaftesbury Avenue, London, WC2H 8JY
publicity@octopus-publishing.co.uk
9781845336035, $14.99, www.octopusbooks.co.uk

Hugh Johnson's Wine Journal is an ideal discussion for any wine lover and features the first wine journal from Hugh Johnson. From charts ad boxes for tasting notes to Hugh's guidelines on choosing wine for particular occasions and understanding quantities for events, varieties, and more, this offers insights on the basics of choosing, buying and judging wine and is a basic primer for any who would learn about all kinds of wines. The journal allows for reader input and tasting notes and creates a framework for exploration perfect for relative newcomers to the world of wines.

Raw & Beyond
Victoria Outenko, Elaina Love and Chad Sarno
North Atlantic Books
2526 Martin Luther King Jr. Way
Berkeley, CA 94704-2607
9781583943571, $16.95, www.northatlanticbooks.com

RAW & BEYOND: HOW OMEGA-3 NUTRITION IS TRANSFORMING THE RAW FOOD PARADIGM packs in over 100 recipes for a high-raw diet, and comes from three long-time pioneers in the raw food movement who consider the benefits and perils of an all-raw diet. Their personal stories of going 'beyond raw' to eat some cooked foods for a more balanced diet makes for a fine survey of the pros and cons of a high-raw diet, which most Americans lack. The recipes range from raw to steamed and lightly cooked dishes and easy for any considering a raw-based diet. No photos, but the easy dishes don't need them.

The Wineslinger Chronicles
Russell D. Kane
Texas Tech University Press
PO Box 41037, Lubbock, TX 79409-1037
9780896727380, $29.95 http://ttupress.org

Author Russell Kane has traveled cross Texas tasting wines and interviewing major players in Texas wine culture, so he's the perfect author to write about Texas vines in THE WINESLINGER CHRONICLES. It considers Texas's wine frontier, exploring Texas history and wines from early days to modern times. There's only a handful of books on the market discussing Texas wines, so THE WINESLINGER CHRONICLES is a welcome addition to the mix. Any collection strong in regional American wineries in general and Texas history and culture in particular will find this a welcome addition.

150 Best Indian, Thai, Vietnamese & More Slow Cooker Recipes
Sunil Vijayakar
Robert Rose
120 Eglinton Avenue East Suite 800
Toronto ON M4P 1E2 Canada
9780778804048, $24.95, www.robertrose.ca

150 Best Indian, Thai, Vietnamese & More Slow Cooker Recipes packs in a recipe collection that holds variety and ingredients that lend to the slow cooker, and are a pick for any slow cooker enthusiast. Heat ratings accompanying each dish tell whether to dish will be mild, medium or hot while serving tips accompany dishes ranging from a Fruity Egg and Chicken Curry to Filipino Green Papaya Curry, Balinese Yellow Fish Curry with Potatoes, Massaman Lamb Curry, and more. A centerfold of color photos accompanies a wide variety of delicious dishes perfect for any ethnic or slow cooker collection.

The Intolerant Gourmet
Barbara Kafka
Artisan Books
225 Varick St., New York NY 10014-4381
9781579653941, $29.95, www.artisanbooks.com

THE INTOLERANT GOURMET: GLORIOUS FOOD WITHOUT GLUTEN & LACTOSE is a refreshing change from the gluten-free cookbooks that focus on baking, and suggests new ingredients and preparations that enhance flavor and texture without diary or flour. Over 250 original recipes for every meal provides many satisfying choices for all kinds of meals, covering lactose intolerance, gluten-free choices, and more. The mark of a good 'intolerance' cookbook is recipes that are every bit as good as 'regular', and this cookbook fits the bill. Any looking for an overall 'intolerant' cookbook will find this an indispensable survey recommended for any general lending library.

Wedding Cupcakes
Joanna Farrow
Spruce
c/o Octopus Publishing Group Limited
Endeavour House
189 Shaftesbury Avenue, London, WC2H 8JY
publicity@octopus-publishing.co.uk
9781846013935, $12.99, www.octopusbooks.com

WEDDING CUPCAKES provides an outstanding survey showing how to make 28 wedding-themed cupcakes, with decorations and icings suitable to all types of weddings. Many can be made days, if not weeks, in advance, and basic foundation recipes accompany embellishments and confections for both bride and groom. Color photos accompany recipes for cupcakes designed to make wedding celebrations special, offering icings that can be customized to suit any wedding color scheme. The step-by-step instructions are foolproof and recipes are versatile and easy for even non-bakers to reproduce, making this a 'must' for any general collection catering to wedding planners.

Sugarlicious
Meaghan Mountford
Harlequin Books
225 Duncan Mill Road
Don Mills, Ontario, Canada, M3B 3K9
9780373892549, $17.95, www.harlequin.ca

SUGARLICIOUS: 50 CUTE AND CLEVER TREATS FOR EVERY OCCASION comes from a writer who took on an apprentice job as a cake baker and became one of Washington D.C.'s most celebrated cookie decorators as a result. Her creative cookies have been featured in NY Times and numerous publications, on the TODAY show, and more. SUGARLICIOUS provides 50 easy recipes for any party or occasion, teaching the basic of using a piping bag and changing cookies, marshmallows and cake pops into works of art. 50 color photos accompany step-by-step instructions for producing the treats with minimum fuss, making this a fine choice for any baker who would adopt more decorating skills.


The Psychology Shelf

Younger Brain, Sharper Mind
Eric R. Braverman
Rodale Press, Inc.
400 South Tenth Street
Emmaus, PA 18098-0099
9781605294223, $25.99, www.rodale.com

YOUNGER BRAIN, SHARPER MIND: A SIX STEP PLAN FOR PREVENTING AND IMPROVING MEMORY AND ATTENTION is packed on details on improving and exercising memory, from choosing foods that help you stay focused to building brain cells to take over damaged or lost cells and finding foods and medicines that treat cognitive decline. 35 years of research and experience lends to a title that helps delay or reverse the symptoms of mental decline by up to 15 years. Chapters are packed with medical and dietary insights in a survey recommended for those who would use a combined array of techniques to combat cognitive decline at any age.

Safety Skills for Asperger Women
Liane Holliday Willey, EdD
Jessica Kingsley Publishers
400 Market St., Suite 400, Philadelphia, PA 19106
9781849058360, $18.95, www.jkp.com

Safety Skills for Asperger Women: How to Save a Perfectly Good Female Life discusses the underlying problems and daily challenges women with AS may face, using extensive accounts from the author's own experiences to highlight issues of safety under various situations. From travel to social situations or managing daily life, this offers everything from exercises for mood enhancing change to the special needs of an AS body. Any collection strong in real-world Asperger solutions must add this in as a winning collection of life skills.


The Health/Medicine Shelf

Stronger Legs & Lower Body
Tim Bishop
Human Kinetics Publishers, Inc.
PO Box 5076, Champaign, IL 61820-5076
0736092951, $19.95, www.humankinetics.com

Stronger Legs & Lower Body provides over ninety exercises and 19 programs for strengthening the legs and lower body, offering a workout from one of the world's leading conditioning experts and offering exercises and programs for increasing strength and power. It focuses on all lower-body muscle groups and includes detailed directions for perfecting technique and variations to break plateaus. A 'must' for any health and fitness library!

Physician's Cancer Chemotherapy Drug Manual 2012
Edward Chu, MD and Vincent T. DeVita, Jr., MD
Jones & Bartlett
5 Wall Street, Burlington, MA 01803
9781449646837, $93.95, www.jblearning.com

Physician's Cancer Chemotherapy Drug Manual 2012 includes a free CD and has been completely revised and updated with the latest information on standard therapy and recent advances. It's written by experts in clinical cancer therapeutics and provides spiral binding for lay-flat reference and a complete revision reflecting the latest advancements in the field. From an added chapter on profiling antiemetic drug and treatment regiments to diagrams of drug structures, toxicity and interactions, a section on chemotherapy for all major cancers, and a review of basic cancer drug therapy, this is a key physician's reference written by world-class experts in clinical cancer treatments and applications, and is a 'must' for any physician or nurse working in this environment.

Dosage Calculations, 9th edition
Gloria D. Pickar & Amy Pickar Abernethy
Cengage Learning, Inc.
200 First Stamford Place, Stamford, CT 06902
9781133692898, $164.95, www.cengage.com

The 9th updated edition of the Instructor's Manual for Dosage Calculations features a three-step approach to basic and advanced Formula Method calculations and provides instructors with keys to using various approaches to help students build confidence. Color images of drug labels, clinical discussions and examples, and an online tutorial opportunity packs a text designed to help teachers master dosage calculations in any clinical application. Highly recommended for any college-level medical studies instructor!

How We Do Harm
Otis Webb Brawley, MD with Paul Goldberg
St. Martin's Press
175 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10010
0312672973, $25.99, www.stmartins.com

HOW WE DO HARM: A DOCTOR BREAKS RANKS ABOUT BEING SICK IN AMERICA comes from the chief medical and science officer of the American Cancer Society and covers the darker side of American healthcare, considering how the poor get too little medical care while the rich are at risk of getting too much or too many expensive procedures that cause more harm than benefit. Healthcare policies from the financial conflicts of interests faced by physicians to how insurance and pharmacological companies work are analyzed in a powerful inspection of flaws in the modern healthcare system as a whole. Any who want to know how behind-the-scenes healthcare works will find this a key title, recommended for health and general lending libraries alike.

Health Care Comes Home
Committee on the Role of Human Factors in Home Health Care
National Academies Press
500 Fifth Street, NW, Washington, DC 20001
0309212367, $35.00, www.national-academies.org

Health Care Comes Home: The Human Factors reviews the current knowledge about home health care issues, technology, and approaches and is a key acquisition for any college-level collection strong in home health trends. Problems between technological advancements and offerings and their translation to home health care provision are identified with recommendations covering everything from adjustments to regulations to steps to improving home health care as a whole. New health care devices and technologies are moving into the home: but are they being applied correctly? This survey describes ways in which federal regulations can improve the home health care scenario and is a 'must' for health shelves strong in law, regulation, and applied health technologies.

Seeing Ezra
Kerry Cohen
Seal Press
1700 - 4th St., Berkeley, CA 94710
9781580053693, $25.00, www.sealpress.com

SEEING EZRA: A MOTHER'S STORY OF AUTISM, UNCONDITIONAL LOVE, AND THE MEANING OF NORMAL tells of a child's diagnosis with autism and provides a memoir of the author's love for her autistic son. It follows the path the family took from initial diagnosis to tests, evaluations, and programs for autistic children, and it charts a suffering marriage and the strain of following different therapy recommendations - some to no avail. It wasn't until they abandoned notions about love, individuality and marriage that they were able to join together to truly come to grips with their child's diagnosis. Any health collection - particularly those dealing with autism and its diagnosis - needs this moving family memoir.

Bright Side Up
Amy Spencer
Perigee
375 Hudson St, New York NY 10014-3658
9780399537271, $15.00, www.penguin.com

BRIGHT SIDE UP: 100 WAYS TO BE HAPPIER RIGHT NOW provides general-interest audiences with a hundred short chapters on finding the silver lining in any situation. From being more positive at work and home to relationship issues, this offers concrete tips that can be put to use immediately and which offer new approaches to making lemonade from lemons. From handling several bad things happening simultaneously to conserving energy and making the most of the place you're in this tells how to handle pressures and convert negative energy to positive energy. Often a change of perspective is all that's involved, and this book tells how to make that change. A perfect gift for stressful times as well as a fine lending library choice.


The Needlecraft Shelf

Custom Crocheted Sweaters
Dora Ohrenstein
Lark Crafts
c/o Lark Books
387 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10016
9781600597985, $22.95, www.larkcrafts.com

Custom Crocheted Sweaters: Make Garments That Really Fit is a pick for any crochet collection and demystifies what goes into adapting patterns to fit a body. From techniques to adjust designs for differing neckline preferences or more relaxed or tighter fits to using body measurements to alter patterns, this teaches the basics of how to select and work with sizing for better shaping and results. Packed with projects, color photos, and step-by-step instructions, this is a 'must' for any crochet collection!

Vogue Knitting Stitchionary 6: Edgings
Vogue Knitting
Sixth & Spring Books
161 Avenue of Americas, New York NY 10013
9781936096220, $29.95, www.sixthandspringbooks.com

Vogue Knitting Stitchionary 6: Edgings focuses on edgings and provides a fine addition to the 'Stitchionary' series for knitters. Over 200 edgings are arranged thematically and provide patterns for knitters and crocheters of all skills levels, providing easily-followed instructions, charts, color photos of sample swatches for each pattern, and all the basics needed to easily duplicate the edging piece. It's a top pick for any knitter or crocheter who wants an in-depth coverage of the subject and all its many options, and is a top reference pick for any needlework collection seeing popularity with the other titles in the Stitchionary series.

Create Your Own Dream Feathers
Peggy Holt
American Quilter's Society
Box 3290, Paduch, KY 42002-3290
9781604600209, $26.95, www.AmericanQuilter.com

Create Your Own Dream Feathers offers a fine survey on how to create feathers for a range of projects, presenting some eight base shapes for quilters and showing how to use easy paper-folding methods to develop patterns and new designs. Over 26 full-size patterns are included in a survey for hand and machine quilters alike at all experience levels, with many color photos and illustrations accompanying an in-depth key to continuous line quilting designs. A top pick for any quilter's library, this offers everything needed to create different feathering effects in the quilting environment.

Martingale & Company
19021 - 120th Ave NE #102, Bothell, WA 98011-9511
www.martingale-pub.com

Cassie Barden and Adrienne Smitke's EVERYDAY HANDMADE: 22 PRACTICAL PROJECTS FOR THE MODERN SEWIST (9781604680522, $24.99) comes from a sewer and a designer who together provide over twenty ideas for bags and accessories and home decor: items that can be used daily in the process of life. Step-by-step instructions and projects designed to be as useful as they are pretty lends to a fine title packed with color photos, diagrams, and fun new ideas for making everyday embellishments for the home! Any sewing collection will appreciate this approach! Barbara Sander's KNITTING BRIOCHE-STITCH SOCKS: 14 EASY PATTERNS FOR TUBE SOCKS (9781604680843, $12.99) offers a new technique for sock knitting that avoids complicated heels and produces very quick results. Knitters receive color photos of completed socks and quick reviews of pattern stitches and materials lists that lend to polished, fine results! SewNews offers 25 fine projects for bags with step-by-step instructions and good color photos in SEW THE PERFECT BAG (9781604680248, $22.99). This collection offers a diverse range of bag options, from beach totes and carry-alls to classy small clutches. It pairs color photos with patterns and step-by-step instructions so easy that even beginners will find it easy to create an attractive bag. Side bars covering supplies and directions specific to cutting and measuring make this a fine guide for any who would begin to produce a range of purses, bags and totes. Karen Sievert's PRAIRIE-POINT PIZZAZZ: QUILTS WITH NEW DIMENSION (9781604660638, $24.99) offers 10 unique projects and teaches how to make large prairie points that conceal a novelty print or appliqued motif. It used to be prairie points were for borders and bindings: this teaches how to include them in traditional quilter's blocks, and pairs large color photos with details on how to blend a prairie point block into the overall layout. Quilters will find this a winning guide. Susan Taylor Propst's NATURE'S BEAUTY IN APPLIQUE: PRETTY AND PRACTICAL PROJECTS (9781604680799, $27.99) provides a fine new collection of nature-inspired applique designs in nine lovely small projects from wall hangings to tote bags, a neck-roll pillow, and more. Hand or fusible applique as well as preprinted panels are provided with keys to piecing and finishing. The result is a lovely survey that tells how to capture nature in needlework projects suitable for the home.

Principles of Knitting, revised edition
June Hemmons Hiatt
Touchstone
c/o Simon & Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York NY 10020
981416535171, $45.00, www.simonandschuster.com

THE PRINCIPLES OF KNITTING is a reference for a generation of knitters and has been completely revised and updated in a new edition that offers indispensable information for every knitter, from beginning to experienced. It includes instructions for all facets of knitting, from basic to advanced skills, and offers suggestions for best practices and innovations. The author has personally tested the different techniques and provides easily-followed directions and explains what each technique can contribute to knitting. The revised, updated new edition offers new instructions, new illustrations, and new information. Every knitter will appreciate the step-by-step directions.


The Computer Shelf

Location Aware Applications
Richard Ferraro and Murat Aktihanoglu
Manning Publications
PO Box 261
Shelter Island, NY 11964
1935182331, $44.99, www.manning.com

Location Aware Applications offers a key to mobile technology and covers mobile applications that can be created using location-based services. It considers everything from choosing the right mobile platform to making money with an app and managing content and covers all the basics, from consumer applications to user-generated content. From submitting an application to the Apple store to getting permission to access location services using Android, this is an outstanding developer's guide recommended for any serious computer holding.

iOS5 Programming: Pushing the Limits
Rob Napier and Mugunth Kumar
John Wiley
c/o Wiley Professional Trade Group
111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
9781119961321, $44.99, www.wiley.com

iOS5 Programming: Pushing the Limits provides advanced application development for Apple iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch and offers keys to creating apps for these devices. It comes from two veteran mobile developers who cover advanced topics, from understanding the Core Foundation API to maximizing speed with Grand Central Dispatch and mastering blocks for functional programming. A top pick for any advanced programmer working with mobile devices, this goes a step beyond most programmer's guides.

Developer's Guide to Collections in Microsoft.NET
Calvin Janes
Microsoft Press
c/o O'Reilly & Associates, Inc.
1005 Gravenstein, Hwy N.
Sebastopol, CA 95472-2811
9780735659278, $34.99, www.microsoft.com/mspress

Developer's Guide to Collections in Microsoft.NET tells how to put .NET collections to work and comes from a data collection expert who teaches exercises, provides code examples, and provides a one-stop reference for experienced Microsoft Visual Basic and C# developers. From using .NET collection interfaces to query collections and synchronizing data, this offers a fine survey perfect for any developer looking to understand Microsoft.NET collections applications.

The Digital Condition
Rob Wilkie
Fordham University Press
University Box L, 2546 Belmont Ave, Bronx NY 10458
9780823234233, $25.00, www.fordham.edu

The Digital Condition: Class and Culture in the Information Network advances a groundbreaking analysis of digital culture and argues that the digital environment has obscured the implications of class difference, changing digital reality and perception. Underlying digital culture are social and historical relations that require class analysis to explain why new realities are determined by global class inequalities. The result is a powerful guide perfect for any college-level computer issues or cultural history holding.

Pragmatic Guide to Sass
Hampton Catlin and Michael Lintorn Catlin
Pragmatic Programmers
P.O. Box 293325
Lewisville, TX 75029-3325
9781934356845, $25.00, www.pragprog.com

Pragmatic Guide to Sass is edited by Kay Keppler and offers a fine guide to Sass, a language similar to CSS but with more extra power and enhancements. With Sass you can modify colors, calculate layouts and much more. The program offers a fine method of writing maintainable CSS and covers all of Sass's features, from variables and mixins to using Blueprint. Packed with plenty of code examples, this is a primer that shouldn't be missed.

Ubuntu Unleashed, 2012 edition
Matthew Helmke
Sams
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300
Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
0672335788, $49.99, www.informit.com/unleashed

Ubuntu Unleashed appears in a newly updated 2012 edition covering 11.10 and 12.04, offers 11.10 on DVD and a free upgrade to 12.4, and provides a comprehensive and in-depth coverage of the latest Ubuntu platforms. Any working with the Ubuntu Linux operating system will find this new edition has been completely revised and updated and provides a powerful introduction to the program's basic Web development tools, languages, utilities, and mobile development options. All the latest innovations are completely covered in a title that uses plenty of examples and illustrations throughout, making this the Ubuntu reference of choice for both newcomers and those with some prior Ubuntu experience.

Experiences of Test Automation
Dorothy Graham and Mark Fewster
Addison Wesley
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300
Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
0321754069, $49.99, www.informit.com/aw

Experiences of Test Automation: Case Studies of Software Test Automation is a pick for any software developer's reference collection and provides a wide-ranging text analyzing test automation procedures at work. From its applications in agile development and measurement to handling management issues and using various test automation models, chapters survey the basics of automating support activities, handling business expectations and routines, and pinpointing the right objectives for the automation process. A 'must' for any software developer's library.

Facebook for Dummies, fourth edition
Carolyn Abram
For Dummies
c/o Wiley Professional Trade Group
111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
9781118095621, $21.99, www.wiley.com

FACEBOOK FOR DUMMIES teaches the basics of how to create a Facebook profile, update a timeline, handle security, upload photos and more, and appears in its fourth updated edition to reflect the many changes Facebook is making on its site. The format is designed to streamline and simplify the entire Facebook process, teaching how to customize and use Facebook and how to keep it a safe and fun place to post and connect with friends. From checklists of set-up details to screen shots and management basics, FACEBOOK FOR DUMMIES is a 'must' for any computer collection appealing to general audiences.

Security Metrics: A Beginner's Guide
Caroline Wong, CISSP
McGraw-Hill
c/o The McGraw Hill Companies
Two Penn Plaza, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10121-2298
9780071744003, $40.00, www.mhprofessional.com

Security Metrics: A Beginner's Guide is for any collection strong in networking and security and provides a recourse covering everything from project management to analytics tools and metrics automation. Chapters teach the basics of building and presenting the value of an information security program, explaining how to develop and implement a successful security metrics program in any company. From creating a plan that addresses budgeting concerns to applying new techniques at work, this is a good starting point for any beginner.

iPad for Seniors
Visual Steps
info@visualsteps.com
9789059051089, $22.95, www.visualsteps.com

iPad for Seniors: Get Started Quickly with the User Friendly iPad uses larger print, color screen shots throughout, and shorter step-by-step teaching to help seniors more easily absorb the basics of navigating screens, connecting to WiFi, and surfing the Internet using the iPad. From downloading apps to handling photos, videos, and more, the color-coded and easy directions assume NO prior computer or iPad knowledge and are so easy that many a non-senior new to the iPad environment will want to use this manual as the best possible user-friendly choice for learning basic iPad functions. Very highly recommended!


The Education Shelf

Cracking the Nursing School Entrance Exams
Kirsten Marie Haight, RN, MS, CPNP-PC
Princeton Review
c/o Random House Inc.
1745 Broadway, New York NY 10019
9780375427428, $19.99, www.princetonreview.com

Cracking the Nursing School Entrance Exams offers proven techniques for a higher score on the nursing school entrance exams and pairs numerous practice questions with detailed step-by-step explanations. Coverage of math, science and verbal skills provides essential discussions for comprehension, complimenting the access to three full-length practice tests online. Black and white graphs, charts, basic reviews of trig and accompanying concepts, and coverage of the foundation ideas make for a powerful survey recommended for any nursing student, and a 'must' for education and health collections alike.

New GMAT Premier 2012-13
Kaplan Publishing
385 Hudson St., New York NY 10014
9781609782177, $39.99, www.kaplanpublishing.com

New GMAT Premier 2012-13 provides strategies from expert instructors who have scored in the top percentile and provides new information on the new GMAT section coming in June 2012. A practice test, some three hundred questions with detailed answers, and an online companion provide proven score-raising strategies and everything needed to succeed on the GMAT, guaranteeing a higher score for any test-taker. A 'must' for any education holding offering test-taking strategies for success.

ACT 36, second edition
Alexander Spare, MA, et.al.
Barron's
250 Wireless Boulevard
Hauppauge, NY 11788
9780764147050, $16.99, www.barronseduc.com

The second updated edition of ACT 36 offers a fine test preparation guide that offers a review of the challenging questions in all ACT test areas, updating test examples to reflect the latest changes in its structure and including keys to achieving a perfect 36 score. From writing high-scoring essays to reading constructively, this offers plenty of keys to the less obvious test challenges that often catch students unaware. Any studying for the latest ACT will find this packed with examples, tips, and approaches keyed to getting the highest scores.

The Early Literacy Kit
Betsy Diamant-Cohen & Saroj Nadkarni Choting
American Library Association
50 East Huron St., Chicago IL 60611
9780838909997, $50.00, www.alastore.ala.org

The Early Literacy Kit: A Handbook and Tip Cards provides an excellent kit for any who work in the field of early literacy and comes from two specialist who put together a package of a booklet paired with over 100 reusable tip cards with accompanying activities. The entire kit provides keys to parents, caregivers and teachers alike, incorporating the latest early literacy research and providing a fine teaching tool recommended for a wide range of audiences!

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

Dolores Burton and John Kappenberg's THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO RTI: AN IMPLEMENTATION TOOLKIT (9781412997096, $36.95) offers innovative ways to use RTI to inform instruction and guide curriculum development in inclusive classrooms. Here are strategies and checklists honed from real-world applications and development, pairing a description of RTI's standards and evolution with a leadership guide for its administration and applications. Chapters address the special needs of RTI efforts and are supported by online links to video, audio and print media. Any teacher interested in literacy instruction support will find this packed with considerations of RTI implementation methods. Nancy Fichtman Dana, Carol Thomas and Sylvia Boynton's INQUIRY: A DISTRICTWIDE APPROACH TO STAFF AND STUDENT LEARNING (9781412992473, $31.95) provides a guide to help districts define, develop and implement an inquiry-based process of both adult and student learning. Educators and students receive a guide to collecting and analyzing data, sharing learning, and collaborating to build on results. The process is outlined in a fine survey of all the people involved in the learning process, following the development of a professional learning community and how an inquiry-oriented PLC is applied. Jane E. Pollock's FEEDBACK: THE HINGE THAT JOINS TEACHING & LEARNING (9781412997430, $19.95) expands on the best-selling CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION THAT WORKS to discuss feedback strategy and how to apply it to set goals and help kids learn. Chapters offer analysis of a no-cost technique that only involves a little adjustment in teaching strategy, offering an approach that works like an app and produces results. Classroom examples and success stories offer applied examples of feedback at work. Leslie Laud edits DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION IN LITERACY, MATH, & SCIENCE (9781452217338, $27.95), a fine addition to the 'Best of Corwin' series that showcases key chapters from acclaimed Corwin publications and gathers them under one cover by theme. This guide offers contributions by a range of authors as it discusses challenges of differentiated instruction in three areas, with chapters discussing response to intervention in math, practices for supporting students who are low achievers, implementing multi-tiered writing instructions, and much more. A fine pick for any discriminating teacher. Nancy E. Willard's CYBER SAVVY: EMBRACING DIGITAL SAFETY AND CIVILITY (9781412996211, $30.95) provides guidelines and strategies for teaching teens about Internet safety and culture and is a top pick for any seeking a better methodology for teaching the basics of cyber security and etiquette to young users. It reviews basic user decisions in the online environment and provides a fine basic key to teaching online safety, and is a pick for any teacher training collection. Robert T. Hess and Pam Robbins' THE DATA TOOLKIT: TEN TOOLS FOR SUPPORTING SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT (9781412992978, $28.95) offers details on using data for school improvement and provides strong correlations between data and application using ten easy tools that don't require statistical expertise. These are proven, field-tested methods to help educators engage in productive reflection and create a data-driven plan, and is written in a manner friendly to all educators. Basic instructions on using each tool are paired with sample applications and case studies to make this a fine recommendation for any educator's collection. Marc Prensky's FROM DIGITAL NATIVES TO DIGITAL WISDOM: HOPEFUL ESSAYS FOR 21ST CENTURY LEARNING (9781452230092, $36.95) provides new strategies for helping young learners acquire digital wisdom and allows educators to rethink the entire education and technology connection. New perspectives blend with field-tested ideas that examine how school experiences engage kids, and how to understand their online lives and connections. The author's first-person experiences as an educator directing these young 'digital natives' with the wisdom of an experienced educator makes this rich with examples pulled from classroom interactions.


The Art Shelf

Rising: Young Artists to Keep an Eye On
Olaf Salie, Editor
Daab
c/o DAAB MEDIA GMBH
Scheidtweilerstr 69, 50933 Cologne, Germany
mail@edaab.com
9783942597036, $90.00, www.edaab.com

Rising: Young Artists to Keep an Eye On profiles about 100 young new artists whose works offer promise for future fame. These young artists are at the very beginning of their careers: they have been selected by an international board of experts and their works here are profiled in a 'watchlist' collection recommended for curators, collectors, and gallery owners alike. RISING is an inspiration pre-look at promise before realization, and will prove a 'must' for any serious arts collection.

Oak
Stephen Taylor
Princeton Architectural Press
37 E. 7th St., New York NY 10003
9781616890322, $29.95, www.papress.com

OAK: ONE TREE, THREE YEARS, FIFTY PAINTINGS provides a fine survey of the author's three-year endeavor to paint the same oak tree under a range of lights, conditions, and changing seasons. Color paintings of the tree accompany the artist's notes on his series of studies, special challenges, and insights on painting the same subject at night and in daylight. OAK provides a fine set of fifty detailed paintings perfect for any arts collection.


The Theatre/Cinema/TV Shelf

The Art of Theatre Then and Now, third edition
William Missouri Downs, et.al.
Wadsworth
c/o Cengage Learning, Inc.
200 First Stamford Place, Stamford, CT 06902
9781111836627, $135.95, www.cengage.com/wadsworth

The Art of Theatre Then and Now appears in its third updated edition to explore issues of cultural diversity and provides a day in the life of theatre in a textbook designed for instructor use with students. Various resources are presented to enrich course materials, including sites for locating specific dramas, while text teaches the basics for showing students how the living theatre relates to modern screen entertainment. Tables explore and illustrate the process of stage direction and teaching with sidebars of information providing quotes from working directors while chapters cover the basics of different approaches to theatre arts. Teachers at the high school, college and independent theatre production levels will find this a key text.

War Horse: The Making of the Motion Picture
Forewords by Stephen Spielberg, et.al.
IT Books
c/o Newmarket Press
18 East 48th Street, New York, NY 10017
9780062192615, $34.99, www.newmarketpress.com

War Horse: The Making of the Motion Picture packs in over 140 images from the movie and provides an outstanding visual volume set in rural England and Europe and telling of a young man and his horse in the battlefields of World War I. Military as well as film collections will find this a powerful saga of friendship and battle, with the illustrated book capturing the film's story, production and real-life history. It surveys the role of horses in battle and provides vivid drawings, paintings and photos in a volume that will stand alone as a fine account of the movie's production.

The Marx Brothers Encyclopedia, revised edition
Glenn Mitchell
Titan Books
144 Southwark Street, London, SE1 OUP, UK
9780857687784, $19.95, www.titan.books.com

The Marx Brothers Encyclopedia provides a revised, updated edition of Glenn Mitchell's classic A-Z guide and covers the Marx Brothers' entire career in detail, including all their movies, guest appearances, stage shows and TV shows. The inclusion of assessments of their stage works makes for a fine survey documenting all of their works, from co-stars and props to scenes, approaches to comedy, and more. Any film reference collection seeking an authoritative Marx Brothers survey will find this a winner!


The Science Shelf

The Happiness of Pursuit
Shimon Edelman
Basic Books
c/o Perseus Books Group
11 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142
9780465022243, $25.99, www.basicbooks.com

The Happiness of Pursuit: What Neuroscience Can Teach Us About the Good Life comes from a cognition expert who offers a survey of how well-being and joy work in the brain. He considers the concept of the mind as a computing device, exploring how the human brain works in pattern-seeking and how it learns from experience. The idea is that a better understanding of how the brain and mind interconnect ultimately result in easier happiness: chapters consider emotions, memory, social cognition, learning and language and provides a scientific examination of how minds learn, think, perceive, and ultimately, how they become happy minds. A fine pick for any basic lending library with science titles catering to lay readers.

The Guide to Oklahoma Wildflowers
Patricia Folley
University of Iowa Press
100 Kuhl House, Iowa City, IA 52242
1609380460, $39.95, www.uiowapress.org

The Guide to Oklahoma Wildflowers is a 'must' for any who would use a field guide to Oklahoma wildflowers. Oklahoma holds hundreds of species of wildflowers, yet no guide to them has been available in recent years - until now. This offers photos paired with descriptions of the two hundred wildflower species most commonly observed along the roadsides, and offers a survey of plants keyed to geographical locations and families. An index to colors offers more identification opportunities. With its in-depth coverage and full color photos, this is a lovely reference and indispensable for Oklahoma collections and for any planning a botanical tour of the state.

The Science of Yoga
William J. Broad
Simon and Schuster
1230 Avenue of Americas, New York NY 10020
9781451641424, $26.00, www.simonandschuster.com

THE SCIENCE OF YOGA: THE RISKS AND THE REWARDS comes from a yoga practitioner of over four decades who considers the results of five years of research and more than a century of scientific inquiry into the yoga trend. Yoga's claims range from overall health to claims of healing and cure, and even weight loss, optimum fitness, and slowing and reversing aging. THE SCIENCE OF YOGA uses demonstrable facts over sacred texts to evaluate yoga's claims, documenting not only its benefits but its potential to cripple and even kill. Further analysis of the growth of the yoga industry as a whole compliments analysis of what science tells us about yoga, and the author's personal visits to ashrams and medical centers alike, making for a well-rounded survey highly recommended for a range of collections from health to new age and general lending libraries.

Space Chronicles
Neil deGrasse Tyson
W.W. Norton
500 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10110
9780393082104, $26.95, www.wwnorton.com

SPACE CHRONICLES: FACING THE ULTIMATE FRONTIER comes from an astrophysicist who documents a new space race happening without knowledge of many Americans, and it provides humorous and hard-hitting essays, interviews and speeches to consider advances that space exploration has brought about. If NASA doesn't regain its lost ground and reputation for innovation and achievement, America will find itself left behind in this newest space race. Chapters consider the space program, budget and scientific concerns, and considers how NASA has shaped our national identity, economy, and the advancement of new technologies. Any interested in space studies will find SPACE CHRONICLES a fascinating blend of history, science, and social commentary recommended for science and general lending libraries alike!

Pricing the Future
George Szpiro
Basic Books
c/o Perseus Books Group
44 Farnsworth St, 3rd Floor, Boston MA 02210
9780465022489, $28.00, www.basicbooks.com

PRICING THE FUTURE: FINANCE, PHYSICS, AND THE 300-YEAR JOURNEY TO THE BLACK-SCHOLES EQUATION comes from a financial economist who provides a history of the options pricing formula, one of the world's most significant intellectual achievements. Before the formula, investment decisions were not much different than betting: this details much of the work leading to the equation's discovery, from early science and business pursuits of accountants, chemists and mathematicians working across Europe to thinkers who developed a theory of financial markets and applied probability theory to their operations. PRICING THE FUTURE is a pick for science, business and economics history holdings alike and is a rich survey of financial and scientific theory.

How I Killed Pluto and Why It Had It Coming
Mike Brown
Spiegel & Grau
c/o Random House Publishing Group
1745 Broadway, New York NY 10019
9780385531108, $15.00, www.spiegelandgrau.com

HOW I KILLED PLUTO AND WHY IT HAD IT COMING comes from astronomer Mike Brown who in 2005 made the discovery of a lifetime: a 10th planet, Eris, which was more massive than Pluto. His discovery sparked a major controversy in astronomy, and resulted in a major debate over some basic astronomy concepts - including what makes a planet. Rather than Eris becoming our tenth planet, scientists voted to demote Pluto from planet status. Mike Brown's title recounts events that led to this, blending science with humor and the author's firsthand, personal account of the shifts in astronomy. A top pick for both astronomy and general collections.

The Hockey Stick and the Climate Wars
Michael E. Mann
Columbia University Press
61 West 62nd St., New York NY 10023
9780231152549, $28.95, www.cup.columbia.edu

THE HOCKEY STICK AND THE CLIMATE WARS: DISPATCHES FROM THE FRONT LINES discusses the "Hockey Stick", a chart showing global temperature data over the past thousand years, which demonstrated that temps had risen with the increase in industrialization and use of fossil fuels. The conclusion was that human activity had raised CO levels, and The Hockey Stick became the central premise in the "climate wars", sparking debates between scientists, government, and more. Michael E. Mann was lead author of the original paper in which the Hockey Stick first appeared, and shares the real story of the evolution of controversy behind his theory. From key influences in big business to media front groups, this provides a powerful testimony of how scientific investigation is skewed. Very highly recommended for any collection strong in climate issues.


The Philosophy Shelf

Conversations with Opa
J.Q. Kansil
Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2119
9781616144975, $18.00, www.prometheusbooks.com

CONVERSATIONS WITH OPA: SHARING WISDOM ABOUT THE UNIVERSE AND LESSER THINGS presents a cross-generational dialogue between a curious young girl and her godfather, whom she considers to be her best friend. In an engaging dialogue the two discuss the nature of the universe, how life began on Earth, and issues of science, religion, and even morality. Readers will find this a highly accessible survey with a user-friendly chatty tone to address scientific, moral, and intellectual issues affecting modern mankind. It's a recommendation for a wide audience of general-interest readers.


The Photography Shelf

Plateaus and Canyons
Bruce Barnbaum
Rocky Nook
802 East Cota Street, 3rd Floor
Santa Barbara, CA 93103
9781933952918, $44.95, www.rockynook.com

Plateaus and Canyons: Impressions of the American Southwest covers four states across the borders of the Colorado Plateau and comes from a master photographer who has visited this region repeated over a forty year span. He's widely known for his black and white images but here provides stunning color images in his first book of color photos capturing the landscapes of the Colorado Plateau. A 'must' for any landscape photography holding!

Hollywood Portraits
Lou Szoke
Amherst Media
Box 586, Buffalo, NY 14226
9781608953059, $34.95, www.amherstmedia.com

HOLLYWOOD PORTRAITS: HOT-LIGHT TECHNIQUES FOR PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHERS provides a fine survey of lighting techniques needed to produce professional-style Hollywood portraiture, and is a 'must' for any photography library catering to neo-professional artists. It covers the basics of strobe lighting, hot lighting, how to use hot-light modifiers, setup, props and more, and provides keys to injecting personal perspective into the black and white photography approach. A 'must' for any serious photography 'hot to' collection, this comes packed with examples and approaches that leave nothing to puzzle.

The Art of Black and White Photography, second edition
Torsten Andreas Hoffmann
Rocky Nook
802 East Cota Street, 3rd Floor
Santa Barbara, CA 93103
9781933952963, $44.95, www.rockynook.com

The Art of Black and White Photography: Techniques for Creating Superb Images in a Digital Workflow offers a fine focus on usage and applications of black and white techniques and is a 'must' for any photographer who would work in the black and white medium. The basics of composition lead to their applications in a title which features the author's own black and white images that cover different photographic genres. This second edition has been updated to include Photoshop CS5 techniques and is a top recommendation for libraries catering to neo-professionals who want concrete applications over theory.

This is Strobist Info
Dustin Diaz
Peachpit Press
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300
Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
032180354X, $24.99, www.peachpit.com

This is Strobist Info: Your Setup Guide to Flash Photography recreates and expands upon a 2009 project by author Dustin Diaz to shoot and share one picture per day for a year. His completed his project and shared both the image and the setup shot for the image which allowed viewers to see how it was arranged. Details on flash, exposure, distance and light modifiers made his project of special interest to photographers learning the mechanics of setting up a shot. This is Strobist Info covers a wide range of basics and advanced shots and includes two chapters that discuss the essentials of starting a lighting kit. Any would-be professional must have this key to photo setup.


The Metaphysical Studies Shelf

Journey to Joyful
Dashama
North Atlantic Books
2526 Martin Luther King Jr. Way
Berkeley, CA 94704-2607
9781583943229, $18.95, www.northatlanticbooks.com

JOURNEY TO JOYFUL: TRANSFORM YOUR LIFE WITH PRANSHAMA YOGA provides a fine survey that shares the author's secrets of Pranshama Yoga and how it blends positive thinking and fun with yoga and approaches to overall nutrition and exercise. Students of yoga receive a title assessing life purpose, freedom, and more, sharing stories from the author's background as a yoga developer and creating an overall inspiration for any who would move beyond basic yoga practices.

Simple Chi Kung
Mantak Chia and Lee Holden
Destiny
c/o Inner Traditions
Box 388, Rochester, VT 05767
9781594773334, $16.95, www.destinybooks.com

SIMPLE CHI KUNG: EXERCISES FOR AWAKENING THE LIFE-FORCE ENERGY comes form a Taoist master and senior instructor who blend knowledge on thousands of Chi Kung practices into one easy daily routine perfect for beginners. It's designed to relax muscles, loosen joints and improve circulation and teaches the basics of connecting to the inner flow of chi in the process of working through each exercise. Movement work, internal energy work and controlled breathing follow the basics.

The Mind's Own Physician
Jon Kabat-Zinn, PhD
Richard J. Davidson, PhD
Zara Houshmand
New Harbinger
5674 Shattuck Avenue, Oakland CA 94609
9781572249684, $24.95, www.newharbinger.com

The Mind's Own Physician: A Scientific Dialogue with the Dalai Lama on the Healing Power of Meditation provides an outstanding survey discussing ancient meditative practices and modern medicine and psychology, and provides a fine conversation centered around the mind's capacity to heal. Science and spirituality join in a guide that provides invaluable insights and contrasts between traditional medicine and mind/body relationships, surveying mental states and evidences of unusual healing connections stemming from mind/body interactions. Highly recommended for any interested in the latest mind/body research combined with ancient Eastern spiritual insights.

Meditation for Multitaskers
David Dillard-Wright, PhD
Adams Media
c/o Adams Media Corporation
57 Littlefield Street, 2nd floor, Avon, MA 02322
9781440524905, $19.95, www.adamsmedia.com

Meditation for Multitaskers: Your Guide to Finding Peace Between the Pings comes with a CD of guided meditations and provides lessons in mindfulness on the go. Designed for tight schedules, this book helps readers recover focus, increase productivity, and connect with inner self outside of busy lifestyles. Chapters offer one-minute refreshers, five-minute breathers, and keys to beginning a self-help program that cuts distraction and hectic schedules. Highly recommended for any new age or business self-help library!

The Connection
Anthony Silard
Atria
c/o Beyond Words Publishing
20827 NW Cornell Road, Suite 500
Hillsboro, OR 97124
9781582703060, $24.00, www.beyondwords.com

THE CONNECTION: LINK YOUR DEEPEST PASSION, PURPOSE, AND ACTIONS TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD provides a fine discussion of why personal lives have begun to lose purpose and joy. Connections with others and self have been compromised by smart devices, unsatisfying employment, and more, so it's refreshing to see dozens of strategies, personal stories, and inspirational quotes designed to offset the depersonalization effects of modern times. Chapters offer keys to tapping inner passion and then forming connections that support it, providing self-help and new age readers with clear paths to better living. General interest collections as well as many a business holding will also find it a popular lend.


The Audiobook Shelf

Be the Miracle
Regina Brett
Hachette Audio
237 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017-0010
9781611139952, $24.98, www.hachetteaudio.com

BE THE MIRACLE: 50 LESSONS FOR MAKING THE IMPOSSIBLE POSSIBLE is read by the author, includes a conversation with her, and offers stories about the decisions we make and how our choices can make the impossible possible. Inspirational essays share lessons that will help listeners make positive changes in their own lives and in lives around them, and come from Regina Brett's own life experience and from those she's encountered in her years as a journalist.

Quiet
Susan Cain
Random House Audio Books
c/o The Random House Publishing Group
1745 Broadway, 8th floor, New York, NY 10019
9780739341247, $40.00, www.randomhouseaudio.com

Many people are introverts, labeled "quiet" but capable of great things. QUIET offers stories of real people to show how we undervalue introverts and their many achievements, and is a fine pick for any collection strong in psychology. Biographies accompany the latest research in psychology and neuroscience to explore differences between extroverts and introverts, and the personalities and achievements of introverts who have been successes.

Brilliance Audio
PO Box 887, Grand Haven, MI 49417
www.brillianceaudio.com

John Lescroart's THE HUNTER (9781611064063, $36.99) receives a fine performance by Eric Dawe whose voice spices the story of a San Francisco private investigator who has an interest in finding his birth family - until he gets a cryptic message that indicates his birth mother was murdered. His investigation uncovers a dark past linked to his present world, and a series of dark encounters that will change and challenge his life. Any interested in mysteries and thrillers will find this engrossing listening! Robert Crais' TAKEN (9781423375647, $32.99) receives a fine performance by Luke Daniels, whose voice lends high drama and tension to a powerful crime novel revolving around one Nita, who hires Elvis Cole to find her missing adult daughter. She suspects a phone call asking for ransom is fake; but it's not, and it's up to Cole and Pike to locate the missing couple in a search which involves them going undercover to find the couple and buy them back when Cole himself vanishes, leaving Joe Pike alone in the search effort. Fine drama and tension make this a winner! SURVIVORS by James Wesley, Rawles (9781455847020, $29.99) receives veteran narrator Dick Hill's smooth and evocative voice which perfectly captures the drama and tension of a futuristic novel set in an America which has collapsed. Andrew, a resourceful young U.S. Army officer stationed overseas when the collapse happens, struggles to return home while three orphans undertake a journey and the ruthless leader of a gang amasses forces to pillage the countryside. A powerful story of survival on many levels evolves in a gripping thriller that comes alive in audio. Dale Brown and Jim DeFelice's END GAME (9781455861996, $14.99) is performed by Christopher Lane and provides a thrilling audio which is #8 in Dale Brown's Dreamland series of thrillers. A volatile U.S. ally has fallen prey to terrorism, India is the target of radical Islamic jihadists, and the world is watching as tensions escalate between India and Pakistan. It's nuclear showdown time, unless the masterminds at Dreamland can get to the source of the terror and end it. An outstanding drama, this will appeal particularly to prior fans of Dale Brown's international thrillers.

Poor Economics
Abhijit V. Banerjee & Esther Duflo
Highbridge Audio Books
201 Sixth Street SE, Suite 220
Minneapolis, MN 55414
9781611747515, $34.95, www.highbridgeaudio.com

POOR ECONOMICS: A RADICAL RETHINKING OF THE WAY TO FIGHT GLOBAL POVERTY tells of the authors, who spent over fifteen years working with the poor in dozens of countries trying to understand and solve the specific problems that come with poverty. Their experiences and studies show why the poor end up with entirely different lives even when they appear to have many of the same capacities as others - and they argue that much anti-poverty ideas have failed because poverty itself isn't really understood. This title shows how poor people can effect real changes and it provides an inspirational audio recommended for any economics or nonfiction audio library.

11/22/63
Stephen King
Recorded Books
270 Skipjack Rd, Prince Frederick, MD 20678
9781461805830, $123.75, www.recordedbooks.com

11/22/63 offers a fine alternate history that begins with a world that would be different had President Kennedy not been assassinated. It follows an English teacher in Maine who makes extra money teaching GED classes, where he receives an unexpectedly gruesome answer to a student assignment to write about events that changed their lives. When he then learns a storeroom is actually a portal to the past, to a day in 1958, he becomes involved in a mission to prevent the Kennedy assassination - a mission that will change his world. An engrossing, highly recommended read for any fan of King, science fiction, alternate history and time travel alike, 11/22/63 comes to life especially well in audio, narrated to Craig Wasson's compelling voice. Any library holding will welcome the unabridged presentation's durable library-friendly lending package.


The Travel Shelf

Iceland, second edition
Andrew Evans
Bradt Guides
1st Floor IDC House, The Vale, Chalfont
St Peter, Bucks, England, SL9 9RZ, United Kingdom
info@bradtguides.com
9781841623610, $25.99, www.bradtguides.com

The second updated edition of ICELAND is for independent travelers who want to explore the country's many gorgeous settings, and provides a rare in-depth travel guide geared to independent travelers. Practical advice for accommodation, nature, and the outdoors are contained in a satisfying synthesis of history, cultural insights, and practical travel applications. There are relatively few travel guides devoted to Iceland alone, making this a top recommendation for independent travelers to Iceland who want a thorough guide to just that country, not the regional guides which are more commonly offered.

Florence & Tuscany
Virginia Maxwell & Nicola Williams
Lonely Planet Publications
150 Linden Street, Oakland CA 94607
9781741798531, $22.99, www.lonelyplanet.com

Florence & Tuscany comes from two expert authors who provide nearly thirty driving tours and over 40 Renaissance masterpieces reflecting some 4000 years of art and architecture, making this a powerful survey and take-along tote for travelers to Italy. Detailed listings cover both the country and culture of the region and practical traveler's advice, from eating and biking regions to driving tours and offbeat tourist destinations. The entire look has been updated and will appeal to any interested in destination travel guides that can serve as take-along totes.


The Military Shelf

Italian Army Elite Units & Special Forces 1940-43
P. Crociani & P.O. Battistelli
Osprey Publishing
4402 - 23rd Street, Suite 219
Long Island City, NY 11101-5058
9781849085953, $18.95, www.ospreypublishing.com

Italian Army Elite Units & Special Forces 1940-43 is illustrated by J. Shumate and provides a fine history of military forces and warfare in Italy from 1940-43. It describes the formations and units of the region, discusses lesser-known special units and their operations, and surveys equipment, uniforms and more, offering rare wartime photos to compliment color illustrations of the equipment. Highly recommended for any specialty military or Italian history collection.

Deep Venture
Gary Penley
Pelican Publishing
1000 Burmaster St., Gretna, LA 70053
9781589808706, $24.95, www.pelicanpub.com

Deep Venture: A Sailor's Story of Cold War Submarines provides a memoir that follows a young sailor on his voyage around the world, serving on a submarine as a power plant operator. His seven years with the navy resulted in several frightening situations - including a near-sinking - and makes for a gripping account of exciting expeditions around the world, and the coping skills needed to live in a confined space for extended patrols.


The Religion/Spirituality Shelf

One Perfect Word
Debbie Macomber
Howard Books
c/o Simon and Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas, 14th fl.
New York, NY 10020
9781439190593, $22.99, www.simonandschuster.com

One Perfect Word comes from a novelist who offers inspirational stories showing how one perfect word can become profound. She took the time to focus on a single word - such as trust or surrender - for an entire year, and her focus resulted in surprising changes for herself and for those around her. God takes part in the choosing of the word and direction, Macomber maintains: that's why it's always the perfect choice and direction. An intriguing approach to gaining more spiritual insights from life!


The Christian Studies Shelf

The Cross is Not Enough
Ross Clifford & Philip Johnson
Baker Book House
Box 6287, Grand Rapids, MI 49516-6287
9780801014611, $21.99, www.bakerbooks.com

The Cross is Not Enough: Living as Witnesses to the Resurrection explores how the resurrection of Christ has been understood in the past, how it shapes our worldview and daily lives, and how Christianity's understanding of the resurrection compares to other world religions. Themes of resurrection in movies, books, music and more supplement social insights and spiritual commentary, making The Cross is Not Enough an outstanding pick for any Christian spirituality collection.

Excellence in Preaching
Simon Vibert
IVP Books
c/o InterVarsity Press
Box 1400, Downers Grove, IL 605151426
9780830838158, $16.00, www.ivpress.com

EXCELLENCE IN PREACHING; STUDYING THE CRAFT OF LEADING PREACHERS comes from a director at the School of Preaching in Oxford who has studied the work of modern leading preachers, and who synthesizes techniques in his fine book packed with examples from different sermons. The goal is faith - but it's the preacher who can lead the flock to water - or not - through preaching techniques. This offers keys linking Bible teachings to preacher interpretations, and offers a fine pick for any spirituality collection accessed by pastors, preachers, and Bible leaders.

An Introduction to Jesus and the Gospels
Frederick J. Murphy
Abingdon Press
Box 801, Nashville TN 37202-0801
9781426749155, www.abingdonpress.com

An Introduction to Jesus and the Gospels is recommended for any Christian collection strong in Biblical studies, and offers the latest scholarship on the Gospels, especially their Jewish roots. It analyzes the historical Jesus and offers a fine college-level critical study of the Gospels, offering chapters of close analysis of the Gospels of Mark, Matthew, Luke and others and offering passage-by-passage recaps and insights concluding with summaries. This detailed analysis is perfect for Biblical scholars who want to gain the most from the gospels.

A Baptist Democracy
Lee Canipe
Mercer University Press
1400 Coleman Avenue, Macon GA 31207-0001
970881462395, $27.00, www.mupress.org

A Baptist Democracy: Separating God from Caesar in the Land of the Free provides a history of the first decades of the 20th century in the U.S., a period marked by a moral overlap between Baptist theology and American democracy that continues to influence Baptist faith and choices in this country. It explains then traces the history of the Baptist democracy as reflected in the works of three prominent Baptist leaders, and celebrates the connections between the Baptist church and its direction and leadership. Baptist spirituality collections in particular will find this a winner!

The Christian Art of Dying
Allen Verhey
Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing
2140 Oak Industrial Drive NE, Grand Rapids MI 49505
9780802866721, $30.00, www.eerdmans.com

THE CHRISTIAN ART OF DYING: LEARNING FROM JESUS comes from an ethicist who himself faced death during a recent life-threatening illness, and who here seeks to counter the 'medicalization' of the death experience, returning to its spiritual roots. He uses biblical accounts of Jesus' death as a paradigm for dying well and with faith, and provides chapters that point out the spiritual significance of the death experience. Christian collections will find this a fine account that puts religious faith and perspective back into the experiences of the dying.

Mothers, Sisters, Daughters
Edwina Gateley and Sandra Mattucci
Orbis Books
Box 308, Maryknoll, NY 10545-0308
9781570759505, $20.00, www.orbisbooks.com

Mothers, Sisters, Daughters: Standing on Their Shoulders provides biographies and writings about all kinds of women, from saints to mystics, reformers and writers. All the women have pursued their religion and dreams against all odds, and each receives several pages of coverage concluding with a tribute poem reviewing their lives and spirituality. General-interest spirituality holdings will relish this.


The Biography Shelf

The Obamas
Jodi Kantor
Little, Brown
c/o Hachette Book Group
237 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
9780316098755, $29.99, www.hachettebookgroup.com

THE OBAMAS provides an intimate survey of the Obamas in the White House and reveals their personal lives behind the scenes. It points out that the Obamas had never lived together full-time as a family until they moved into the White House, where their political and personal lives blended. Jodi Kantor interviewed the Obamas together and has had much access to the couple's lives and thoughts: this thus is packed with detail on their personalities and time in the White House, and focuses on the questions that link their personal and political personas. A fine pick for any interested in the Obama family's behind-the-scenes world!

Ali in Wonderland
Ali Wentworth
Harper
c/o HarperCollins
10 East 53rd St., New York NY 10022-5299
9780061998577, $25.99, www.harpercollins.com

Ali Wentworth's humor is as entertaining as her acting, and Oprah and Jay Leno viewers know her for the funny set pieces she often performed on the shows. ALI IN WONDERLAND AND OTHER TALL TALES is as lively as the screen displays, recounting how Ali grew up in a family of political journalists and married George Stephanopoulos. Her memoir offers a series of fun vignettes and hilarious insights into Hollywood, politics, soured relationships and more in an autobiography recommended for any general lending library and for collections strong in Hollywood and political exposes.

Fairy Tale Interrupted
Rosemarie Terenzio
Gallery Books
c/o Simon and Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas, 14th fl.
New York, NY 10020
9781439187678, $25.00, www.simonandschuster.com

Fairy Tale Interrupted: A Memoir of Life, Love, and Loss comes from the personal assistant of John F. Kennedy Jr. and provides many insights in her first memoir, which describes their strong and long-standing friendship. RoseMarie was with him through his politics, dating, his marriage to Carolyn Bessette, and beyond. When John and Carolyn died suddenly in 1999, RoseMarie's hopes for the future died with them. FAIRY TALE INTERRUPTED is an intimate and unequaled set of insights into John F. Kennedy Jr.'s psyche and life - and how RoseMarie remained at his side until his untimely death, helping in decisions and guiding and supporting his politics. It's also about her recovery from a crushing blow. Any general collection will find this a compelling lend.

I Wish I Were Engulfed in Flames
Jeni Decker
Skyhorse Publishing
307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor
New York, NY 10018
1616084855, $24.95, www.skyhorsepublishing.com

I WISH I WERE ENGULFED IN FLAMES: MY INSANE LIFE RAISING TWO BOYS WITH AUTISM could also have been featured in our 'health section but is reviewed here for its wider interest to any library strong in memoirs and autobiography. The author has two sons with autism on opposite sides of the spectrum and this is her story of raising them. From challenging incidents to 'helpful' advice about parenting, she provides candid insights about her life and pairs these with mini-chapters written by her older son. Humor and irony abound in a title that is compelling on many levels.

The Rules of Inheritance: A Memoir
Claire Bidwell Smith
Hudson Street Press
c/o Penguin Group (USA)
375 Hudson Street, 4th floor
New York, NY 10014
9781594630880, $25.95, www.penguin.com

THE RULES OF INHERITANCE provides a moving autobiography telling of her parents' dual diagnosis of cancer within months of each other. Her account of her stages of grief in acknowledging her parents' terminal illness and her other life experiences before and after make for a moving memoir about a twenty-something who tries to find grounding in a world without an anchor. The author is a licensed psychotherapist and grief counselor who speaks of grief from both personal experience and professional expertise and makes for a moving, deep account perfect for any collection strong in either psychology and personal recollection.

Stephen Hawking: An Unfettered Mind
Kitty Ferguson
Palgrave Macmillan
c/o Macmillan
175 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10010-7848
9780230340602, $27.00, www.palgrave-usa.com

STEPHEN HAWKING: AN UNFETTERED MIND uses interviews with Hawking and his colleagues, friends and family to provide a well-rounded picture of Hawking's life and times. From Hawking's theories and opinions about the human race to his various statements about the universe, his campaign to improve the lives of the disabled, and his family life, this presents a well-rounded survey that considers the man and his science as well as the moral and ethical challenges of disability. Any general lending library or science collection will find this a winning survey!

Wilfred Thesiger: The Life of the Great Explorer
Alexander Maitland
Overlook Press
141 Wooster St., New York NY 10012
9781590201633, $37.95, www.overlookpress.com

Wilfred Thesiger: The Life of the Great Explorer is written with cooperation from Thesiger and access to his archives, and probes the adventurer's family life, friendships, wartime experiences and homosexuality. He spent 60 years traveling and exploring in Asia and the Middle East, and spent over a decade hunting big game in Africa. The author's forty years of friendship allows him to analyze contradictory parts of his friend's personality, pros and con. The name of Wilfred Thesiger will be familiar to any who read about explorations and adventure, with the biographical review providing further insights into Thesiger's personality, perspectives and life.


The Law/Justice Shelf

Copyright Law for Librarians and Educators, third edition
Kenneth D. Crews
American Library Association
50 E. Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611
9780838910924, $57.00, www.alastore.ala.org

The third updated edition of Copyright Law for Librarians and Educators: Creative Strategies & Practical Solutions packs in the latest legal details on copyright laws, considering their applications in the library environment and incorporating different lending library scenarios to clarify the law's applications. From cutting and pasting information for an educational Wiki to the use of copy machines in the library, copyright protections on music and video lending, understanding the fair use guidelines, and considering how copyright applies to unpublished or unprotected materials, this is a key reference for any librarian or educator seeking a better understanding of the latest copyright applications in a lending or educational setting.

Legal Analysis and Writing, fourth edition
William H. Putnam
Delmar Cengage Learning
5 Maxwell Drive, Clifton Park, NJ 12065-2919
1133016545, $112.95, www.cengage.com/delmar

The fourth updated edition of Legal Analysis and Writing provides a fine collection of cases and statues to help readers analyze legal memoranda and understand the basics of good legal writing, from briefs to legal references. Readers learn how to identify key facts and legal issues and how to apply case law to legal matters in a guide that analyzes legal citations and the entire analytical and writing process key to the paralegal environment. New to this edition is a web sites appendix with an extensive list of useful sites, materials on case law and statutory analysis, more memoranda exercises, and a new chapter in Case Briefing and Issue Identification - among others. Legal reference collections will consider this a top pick!


The Economic Studies Shelf

Handbook on the Economic Complexity of Technological Change
Cristiano Antonelli, Editor
Edward Elgar
9 Dewey Court, Northampton, MA 01060
9781848442566, $260.00, www.e-elgar.com

Handbook on the Economic Complexity of Technological Change is for college-level reference holdings strong in economics, technology issues, and business alike and offers essays discussing the idea of innovation as an emerging property of an economic system. A series of in-depth critical insights on the nature and role of organizational thinking and the dynamics of structural change are discussed in a new methodological approach that provides academics with a scholarly discussion of evolutionary economics. The editor is a Professor of Economics at the University of Turin and provides an international symposium of collected research and knowledge key to any college-level discussion of technology and economics.


The Literary Studies Shelf

Mockingbird Passing
Holly Blackford
University of Tennessee Press
293 Communications Building
Knoxville, TN 37996-0325
1572337494, $56.00, www.utpress.org

MOCKINGBIRD PASSING: CLOSETED TRADITIONS AND SEXUAL CURIOSITIES IN HARPER LEE'S NOVEL is a 'must' for high school to college-level collections seeing courses centered on To Kill a Mockingbird. It provides a critical analysis that considers the basis of the book's broad appeal in its ability to incorporate mainstream culture and underlying subtexts of sexuality and social order. From Scout's tomboy inclinations to her father's masculinity and efforts to find justice in an unjust Southern milieu, MOCKINGBIRD PASSING provides an outstanding survey recommended for supplemental classroom assignment and discussion, and is a pick for literary and Southern history and culture holdings alike.

Steampunk Poe
Edgar Allan Poe
Running Press
2300 Chestnut St., Philadelphia PA 19103
9780962441921, $18.95, www.runningpress.com

STEAMPUNK POE receives fine illustrations by Zdenko Basic and Manual Sumberac and packs in 13 classic stories and poems from a number of Poe classics. Images capture Poe with Steampunk illustrations to add an intriguing twist to the tales of horror, offering a lovely illustrated presentation that will prove a year-round attraction. The result isn't just another republication of Poe classics, but a steampunk interpretation of Poe that adds a completely different perspective to his classics. A 'must' for any collection strong in Poe or steampunk art and culture.


The Crafts Shelf

Complete Guide to Chair Caning
Jim Widess
Lark Crafts
c/o Lark Books
387 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10016
9781450703846, $19.95, www.larkcrafts.com

Complete Guide to Chair Caning offers crafts collections a fine guide to chair caning and comes from a master who works with wicker and cane furniture. From different types of seat weaving to reclaiming a piece of classic furniture by matching its antique caning style, this covers all the basics and provides many tips and techniques developed over the author's three decades of chair caning. Step-by-step photos and illustrations make this a winning presentation.

The Ceramics Bible
Louisa Taylor
Chronicle Books
680 Second Street, San Francisco, CA 94107
9781452101620, $40.00, www.chroniclebooks.com

THE CERAMICS BIBLE: THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO MATERIALS AND TECHNIQUES offers an extensive new resource on ceramics tools and processes and pairs step-by-step color photos with instructions on everything from molding and firing to glazing. Over 700 color photos accompany both how-to details and examples of modern ceramic works, including historical information, artist profiles, and many resources. While intended for the crafter working with ceramics, it's also a solid resource for collectors and students who want to learn more about the process of creating a range of ceramics, working with various materials. Highly recommended for any arts and crafts collection and many a general reference library!

The Beaded Bracelet
Carole Rodgers
North Light Books
c/o F+W Media
4700 East Galbraith Road
Cincinnati, OH 45236
144031277X, $24.99, www.shopmixedmedia.com

THE BEADED BRACELET: BEADWEAVING TECHNIQUES & PATTERNS FOR 20 EYE-CATCHING PROJECTS provides a fine guide to making lovely beaded bracelets and is a pick for any jewelry-making collection. The author has decades of teaching experience and here provides a coursebook on basic beading practices for bracelets, from 9 different stitches and easy step-by-step instructions to 20 bracelet patterns combining these stitches and nearly 30 variations. Color photos throughout accompany large-size, color step-by-step examples of the stitches for easy duplication.


The Antiques/Collectibles Shelf

Guide Book of Canadian Coins and Tokens
James A. Haxby
Whitman Books
http://whitman.com/CustomerService/Contact
0794822517, $19.95, www.whitmanbooks.com

Guide Book of Canadian Coins and Tokens provides a new work on Canadian numismatics, and is a 'must' reference for any avid coin collector and libraries catering to them. It provides an illustrated price guide, history and reference on provincial and colonial Canadian issues and coinage, offering a history of early Canadian money and its evolution and providing collectors with photos, detailed grading instructions, a history of each coin type, and many technical and valuation discussions. It covers all Canadian colonies and provinces and early to modern coinage in all die varieties including mint errors, coin sets, and test tokens. A 'must' for any avid collector!


The Sports Shelf

Mastering Skateboarding
Per Welinder and Peter Whitley
Human Kinetics
Box 5076, Champaign, IL 61825-5076
0736095993, $24.95, www.humankinetics.com

Skateboarding is a fast-growing popular activity in this country and this how-to manual comes from a two-time world champion freestyle skateboarder who has performed all the skateboarding stunt scenes for Michel J. Fox in the 'Back to the Future' movie. Here Per and co-author Peter Whitley details how riders at all levels can improve their skateboarding skills, with over 400 color photos illustrating routines and keys to mastering the board. From handling ramps and bowls to flat work and rails, MASTERING SKATEBOARDING is a top pick for any young skateboarding enthusiast.


The Business Shelf

Results Without Authority, second edition
Tom Kendrick
Amacom
1601 Broadway, New York NY 10019-7420
0814417817, $19.95, www.amacombooks.org

RESULTS WITHOUT AUTHORITY: CONTROLLING A PROJECT WHEN THE TEAM DOESN'T REPORT TO YOU appears in its second updated edition to provide project managers with a fine guide to establishing and maintaining control in a project environment. Chapters focus on keys to successful project results from challenging teams that range from outsourced workers and virtual environments to volunteer groups and diverse settings. It comes from the author's decades of accomplishment as a corporate project manager and synthesizes the latest management best practices in a guide whose update includes new examples and new information on strategies for handling social media, virtual teams, agile projects and more. The real-world experience presented as supporting examples is priceless.

The Pathfinder
Nicholas Lore
Touchstone
c/o Simon & Schuster
1230 Avenue of Americas, New York NY 10020
1451608328, $16.99, www.simonandschuster.com

THE PATHFINDER: HOW TO CHOOSE OR CHANGE YOUR CAREER FOR A LIFETIME OF SATISFACTION AND SUCCESS provides a fine revision to a best-selling guide that fully revises and updates all details. It's based on breakthrough techniques developed by the author's winning career coaching organization the Rockport Institute and provides in this new edition over 50 self-tests, diagnostic tools, and a new method that helps readers assess and choose an entirely new career or business pursuit. Highly recommended!

What Matters Now
Gary Hamel
Jossey-Bass
c/o Wiley Professional Trade Group
111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
9781118120828, $26.95, www.josseybass.com

What Matters Now: How to Win in a World of Relentless Change, Ferocious Competition, and Unstoppable Innovation offers a plea to rethink the basic assumptions we have about management, work and organizations and seeks to identify the basic issues that will determine whether an organization excels or fails in coming years. From the need to rebuild the ethics of capitalism to fostering innovation at all levels and building a company that can quickly adapt to change, this identifies essential organizational strengths, weaknesses, and concerns that will lead to either long-term success or failure. Any business collection will find this a key acquisition.

Corporations are Not People
Jeffrey D. Clements
Berrett-Koehler Publishers
235 Montgomery Street, Suite 650
San Francisco, CA 94104-2916
9781609941055, $17.95, www.bkconnection.com

Corporations are Not People: Why They Have More Rights Than You Do and What You Can Do About It provides a definitive explaining why companies have more rights than American citizens and what citizens can do. It urges Americans to reclaim their democracy from corporations, calling upon citizens to recognize and act on this inequity and mobilize a grassroots movement to fight back. He speaks of his efforts to overturn Citizens United through a nonpartisan organization and he provides a fine survey of how corporate takeover and this decision have directly affected American well-being and business. Any business or civil liberties collection needs this!

The Ultimate Child Care Marketing Guide
Kris Murray
Redleaf Press
10 Yorkton Court, St. Paul, MN 55117-1065
9781605540832, $29.95, www.redleafpress.org

The Ultimate Child Care Marketing Guide: Tactics, Tools, and Strategies for Success offers a fine resource for growing a child care business as either a small program or for a large center, and covers everything from developing a marketing plan for a child care business to using metrics and media to influence its growth. All the basics of creating and applying a marketing plan are tailored for the child care business, with chapters offering exercises, charts, tips and keys to success. Any new or potential child care business operator will find this a specific, invaluable resource.

Change Anything
Kerry Patterson, et.al.
Business Plus
c/o Hachette Publishing Group
237 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017-0010
9780446573917, $26.99, www.hachettebookgroup.com

CHANGE ANYTHING: THE NEW SCIENCE OF PERSONAL SUCCESS is a recommendation for general and business libraries alike and provides a fine survey covering six sources of influence that affect our daily decisions. It explains what they are and how to use these influences to achieve goals, using the latest social science research and findings from thousands of Changers who have eliminated stubborn habits to change their lives. A top recommendation for any interested in changing their lives or business pursuits.


The Fiction Shelf

If You Were Here
Jen Lancaster
New American Library
c/o Penguin Group (USA)
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
9780451236685, $15.00, www.penguin.com

IF YOU WERE HERE offers a fun debut novel by an author best known for her witty memoirs, and tells of one Mia and hubby Mac, employed college-educated urbanites who are in a war of spray-painted words with a young tagger. Their decision to move to the suburbs to a fixer-upper that will test their marriage makes for a fun and fast-paced account designed to keep readers involved and laughing. Fans of Jen Lancaster and newcomers to her style will find this a lively, fun novel.

The Rebel Wife
Taylor M. Polites
Simon & Schuster
1230 Avenue of Americas, New York NY 100020
9781451629514, $25.00, www.simonandschuster.com

The Rebel Wife represents a debut novel for Taylor M. Polites, offering a historical narrative of the post-Civil War South blended with Southern Gothic mystery. Gus is daughter of a once-wealthy family left destitute by the Civil War, forced into a marriage of convenience and left destitute when her husband suddenly dies and leaves her penniless. Her realization that scandals and possibilities are shading her family name leads Gus to investigate in a search for the truth that will bring new relationships into her life, challenging her beliefs about racial lines in her family heritage. In order to survive she'll have to forge a different relationship between herself and those who used to call her husband master. THE REBEL WIFE is especially recommended for collections strong in traditional Southern novels.

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

Sarah Zettel's A TASTE OF THE NIGHTLIFE (9780451234070, $7.99) provides a satisfying 'Vampire Chef' mystery centered around Charlotte who runs a new restaurant facing the arrival of a top food critic that could ensure their success. When a drunk customer is later found dead, not only the rating but the restaurant is in jeopardy as a paranormal detective and a powerful warlock join with Chef Charlotte to uncover the perp involved. Magic also enters into the mystery in Juliet Blackwell's new witchcraft mystery HEXES AND HEMLINES (9780451233783, $7.99), a fun read that tells of one Lily, a witch who is called into to solve a strange case. The murder reeks of spells and witchcraft - and the suspect is somebody Lily knows. But when more problems begin to plague the coven's members, Lily finds herself drawn to a dangerous circle of murder in this fast-paced supernatural drama. Tod Goldberg's BURN NOTICE: THE BAD BEAT (9780451234094, $7.99) tells of Michael, in Miami trying to survive as a spy. His association with Brent, a teen who launched a company Web site on shady promises and who struggles with his father's kidnapping, makes for a complex series of escapades replete with espionage, high drama, and solid tension in a pick for thriller and mystery holdings alike. Varied plots, tensions, and twists and turns of mystery lend to solid additions to mystery libraries.


The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

Berkeley Prime Crime
c/o Penguin Group (USA)
375 Hudson Street, 4th floor, New York, NY 10014
www.penguin.com

Julie Hyzy's GRACE INTERRUPTED (9780425241905, $7.99) provides an excellent 'Manor House' mystery centered around the efforts of Civil War re-enactors who face a squabble within the ranks that turns deadly. Grace's manor house is implicated in the murder that follows, the groundskeeper falls under suspicion, and it's up to Grace to find the real murderer even as she finds herself in danger. Lorna Barrett's SENTENCED TO DEATH (9780425241868, $7.99) provides a mystery centered around Tricia Miles, owner of a mystery bookstore. It's Founder's Day and her whole village is celebrating, when a small aircraft crashes into the village grounds killing the pilot and Tricia's friend Deborah. Is it an accident - or is it murder? E.J. Copperman's OLD HAUNTS (9780425246207, $7.99) tells of a guesthouse ready for ghosts - and a gloomy pair is haunting Alison's Jersey Shore guesthouse. Ghost Maxie is haunting for her husband's murder while her spooky cohort Paul is pining for his still-living fiancee. Meanwhile Alison's own living swine is back in her life and trying to win back their daughter. A series of mysteries and confrontations make this a winner. Lucy Arlington's BURIED IN A BOOK (9780425246191, $7.99) tells of former newspaper journalist Lila, who is out of work and who accepts an internship at a thriving literary agency that faces havoc when a penniless author drops dead in its waiting room. Is it murder? Lila decides to find out. Lorraine Bartlett's THE WALLED FLOWER (9780425246160, $7.99) provides a fine Victoria Square mystery as it tells of Katie, who has spent years dreaming of renovating an old mansion but who is tied down paying for a craft fair Artisans Alley her late husband invested in. When a skeleton is uncovered in the walls of the mansion, the cold case prompts an murder investigation in which Katie has a vested interest in the outcome in this fast-paced mystery. Miranda James' FILE M FOR MURDER (9780425246184, $7.99) is set in Mississippi and tells of Charlie, a librarian with a rescued Maine coon cat who finds himself drawn into trouble when he returns to his hometown. The librarian becomes involved in his daughter's life when her former flame is murdered and she becomes a suspect in this involving thriller. Avery Aames' CLOBBERD BY CAMEMBERT (9780425245873, $7.99) revolves around Charlotte, a cheese shop owner who is busy setting up for a celebration when her encounter with her mother's old friend leads to the friend's murder and her involvement in the investigation. As her assistant falls under suspicion, Charlotte finds herself ever closer to both the festival and the real identity of the murderer. All are top picks for any mystery collection!

Titan Books
144 Southwark Street, London, SE1 OUP, UK
www.titanbooks.com

Two new Harry Houdini mystery collections by Daniel Stashower are picks for any interested in adaptations of Conan Doyle's style, offering a focus on Houdini and adding mysterious murders to the mix. THE DIME MUSEUM MURDER (9780857682840, $9.95) and THE FLOATING LADY MURDERS (9780857682925, $9.95) are set in the 1800s and bring drama to life. In New York City in 1897 young escape artist Harry Houdini is struggling for recognition from the entertainment industry. When a toy tycoon is found murdered, it's up to Houdini to solve the crime. In the second installment the escape artist and magician has turned detective. When his master's illusion turns wrong, with a levitating assistant plunged to her death, Houdini is called upon to solve the death in a gripping story of intrigue. Any interested in noir mystery styles will find this An involving series.


The Social Issues Shelf

Uprising
John Nichols
Nation Books
387 Park Avenue South, New York NY 10016
9781568587035, $15.99, www.nationbooks.com

UPRISING: HOW WISCONSIN RENEWED THE POLITICS OF PROTEST, FROM MADISON TO WALL STREET comes from a journalist and Wisconsin native who outlines the protest movement that began in Madison and quickly moved across the nation to become the biggest mass protest in modern American times. Begun on February 11, 2011, this protest became a large-scale sustained mass protest and attacked democracy and social justice, and John Nichols reports on key moments of the movement and how the Wisconsin protests mirrored the sentiments of the nation as a whole. His discussion of a national workers' movement makes for a fine survey of business and individual civil rights issues, and is a recommendation for any serious social issues collection.

Behind the Beautiful Forevers
Katherine Boo
Random House
c/o The Random House Publishing Group
1745 Broadway, 17th floor, New York, NY 10019
978140067558, $27.00, www.randomhouse.com

BEHIND THE BEAUTIFUL FOREVERS: LIFE, DEATH AND HOPE IN A MUMBAI UNDERCITY is based on three years of reporting and tells of Annawadi, a makeshift settlement near luxury hotels near the Mumbai airport. India is starting to prosper and the settlement is filled with hope, its residents picturing a fortune in various enterprises that may lead them out of poverty at last. But when global recession and terror affect the city and tensions erupt over power and caste struggles, Annawadi is changed not for the better in this nonfiction narrative that tells of families struggling for a better life. Any collection strong in African culture and underlying social issues will find this a compelling read that captures real-world events with the drama and excitement of fiction.

The Civil Rights Movement
Steven Kasher
Abbeville Press
137 Varick Street, New York, NY 10013
9780789201232, $29.95, www.abbeville.com

THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT: A PHOTOGRAPHIC HISTORY, 1954-68 is the first book to tell the story of the civil right movement through photographs that recorded, promoted and protected it, and pairs striking images with a lively text capturing the drama and experience of the civil rights movement at its height. Photos capture the entire movement from the Montgomery bus boycott through student, local and national movements and the big marches in Washington and Selma. Each chapter opens with a narrative of a crucial event in the movement, with the striking photos adding visual emphasis. No library should be without this compelling work!

The New Hate
Arthur Goldwag
Pantheon Books
c/o The Random House Publishing Group
1745 Broadway, 17th floor, New York, NY 10019
9780307379696, $27.95, www.pantheonbooks.com

THE NEW HATE: A HISTORY OF FEAR AND LOATHING ON THE POPULIST RIGHT considers racism and paranoid speculations about money that have long thrived on the American fringe. It draws parallels between the hysteria the hysteria about the Illuminati of the new American Republic of the 1790s and the McCarthyism of the 1950s, and considers the similarities between the anti-New Deal sentiments of the 1930s and the Tea Party movement of modern times. His assessment of the nature of the New Hate makes for a solid survey of a trend that reappears time and time again, just in new forms. Any social issues analysis needs this historical review that focuses on patterns of fear-mongering that run through America.

Revolution 2.0
Wael Ghonim
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
215 Park Avenue S., New York NY 10003
9780547773988, $26.00, www.hmhpub.com

REVOLUTION 2.0: A MEMOIR tells of the author's journey from passive opposition to the front of a revolutionary movement when he anonymously launched a Facebook page to protest the death of an Egyptian man at the hands of security forces. The page would spark followers to move from an online wave of protests to social activism in a movement which eventually mounted into a full-scale revolution. Ghonim was captured and tortured and upon his release protests grew even more intense and ultimately resulted in the overthrow of President Honsi Mubarak. A powerful account of social activism at its best, this should be on the shelf of any Middle East history holding and any collection strong in computer social issues and influence.

The Accidental Feminist
M.G. Lord
Bloomsbury
175 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10010
9780802716699, $23.00, www.bloomsbury.com

THE ACCIDENTAL FEMINIST: HOW ELIZABETH TAYLOR RAISED OUR CONSCIOUSNESS AND WE WERE TOO DISTRACTED BY HER BEAUTY TO NOTICE considers the feminist content in actress Elizabeth Taylor's roles, considering her early critique of gender discrimination in sports with National Velvet in 1944 to feminist themes in Giant, a story of the American West, and Suddenly, Last Summer, which explores male medical views of female patients. Film, women's issues and social issues holdings alike will consider this a powerful pick.


The Political Science Shelf

The Leaderless Revolution
Carne Ross
Blue Rider Press
375 Hudson St., New York NY 10014-3658
9780399158728, $22.95, www.blueriderpress.com

THE LEADERLESS REVOLUTION: HOW ORDINARY PEOPLE WILL TAKE POWER AND CHANGE POLITICS IN THE 21ST CENTURY explores how government institutions are inadequate to solving major problems - and tells how the everyday person can participate in a process of taking charge of these steps ourselves. Workable solutions to social and political challenges are provided by a former British diplomat who worked on issues ranging from terrorism to climate change. His insider's viewpoint analyzes why the system has broken down, his growing disillusionment with the ability of governments to effect change, and his solutions for creating other wellsprings of social and political transformation. Any political issues self will relish this!

It Takes a Family
Rick Santorum
ISI Books
Box 4431, Wilmington DE 19807-0431
193223683X, $15.00, www.isibooks.org

Any library strong in current affairs and politics will find this an intriguing discussion of Senator Rick Santorum's conservative viewpoint of the directions public policy needs to take if it is to prove effective. He argues that the real conservative's interests lie in a sense of stewardship for an inheritance, and he focuses on the role of the family in considering political decisions and their impact on the 'common good'. IT TAKES A FAMILY offers a focus on issues that are key to political debates, and is a top pick for any political issues collection.

Nixon's Darkest Secrets
Don Fulsom
Thomas Dunne Books
c/o St. Martin's Press
175 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10010-7848
9780312662967, $25.99, www.thomasdunnebooks.com

NIXON'S DARKEST SECRETS: THE INSIDE STORY OF AMERICA'S MOST TROUBLED PRESIDENT considers the full extent of Nixon's paranoia, prejudices and personality and comes from a longtime White House reporter and UPI DC bureau chief who reveals previously unknown activities by Nixon and his henchmen. Interviews with numerous presidential aides, secret service agents, and members of Congress accompany newly declassified documents and recordings that all lend to a unique consideration of Nixon as a failed president, considering when and how his 'dirty tricks' began and how they evolved during the course of his entire political career. Highly recommended for any political history holding strong in Presidential politics.


The American History Shelf

Death Rides the Sky
Angela Mason
Black Oak Media
PO Box 122, Cherry Valley, IL 61016
9781618760012, $19.95, www.blackoakmedia.org

DEATH RIDES THE SKY: THE STORY OF THE 1925 TRI-STATE TORNADO provides a vivid history of a natural disaster that hit mid-day and changed the lives of many in the Midwest. The Tri-State Tornado destroyed cities and set the record for the most deaths, injuries and monetary damage. This story is told by nearly four dozen survivors and eyewitness and forms what is easily the most comprehensive account of the Tri-State Tornado ever compiled. Many of the survivors who contributed to this were only children when the storm changed their lives. DEATH RIDES THE SKY captures memories in a series of first-person observations and is a powerful tribute to any interested in natural disasters, recovery, and long-lasting changes brought to communities in the Tri-States area. Any collection strong in the region's history or in American natural disaster recovery in general will find this a winner!


The World History Shelf

The Sugar Barons
Matthew Parker
Walker & Company
175 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10010
9780802717443, $30.00, www.walkerbooks.com

THE SUGAR BARONS: FAMILY, CORRUPTION, EMPIRE, AND WAR IN THE WEST INDIES offers a dramatic story of the rise and fall of the Caribbean sugar dynasties and their impact on world history, detailing the central position held by the West Indies for nearly two hundred years after 1650. Chapters offer a world history that documents European battles to control the riches of the Caribbean, showing how sugar interests came to dictate imperial policy and how the British West Indian empire evolved. From visitors and buccaneers to overseers, soldiers, and settlers, all the various influences on the British West Indies are documented in a vivid, sweeping history recommended for any world history holding.


The Music Shelf

Guitar Licks Encyclopedia
Tomas Cataldo, et.al.
Alfred Music Publishing
PO Box 10003
Van Nuys, CA 91410
0739084461, $24.99, www.alfred.com

GUITAR LICKS ENCYCLOPEDIA provides an outstanding collection of over 900 licks in the styles of great guitarists in blues, rock and jazz and covers everyone from Chuck Berry to Steve Vai. Sections cover blues, jazz, and rock licks, arranging them by different styles and offering four voicings for each chord, noted in easy diagrams and tables of scales. Visual information pairs with technical instruction and all are supported by a MP3 CD that includes demos of all licks in the book, making GUITAR LICKS ENCYCLOPEDIA a fine choice for any musician.

Reason 6 Ignite!
G.W. Childs IV
Course Technology
c/o Cengage Learning, Inc.
200 First Stamford Place
Stamford, CT 06902
9781133703174, $29.99, www.courseptr.com

Reason 6 Ignite offers a method for getting up to speed using Reason quickly, presenting everything needed to learn about the music-production studio and accompanying written step-by-step instruction with screenshots to streamline the process. It foregoes technical explanation for practical, real-world applications and packs in examples of samplers, editing loops, making beats, recording and editing samples, and more. Very highly recommended for my musician using Reason and wanting to get up to speed post haste.

The Wrecking Crew
Kent Hartman
Thomas Dunne Books
c/o St. Martin's Press
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010
9780312619749, $25.99, www.stmartins.com

THE WRECKING CREW: THE INSIDE STORY OF ROCK AND ROLL'S BEST-KEPT SECRET tells of the unknown studio musicians who recorded the music of the 1960s and 70s on hit records by everyone from the Monkees to the 5th Dimension and Simon & Garfunkle. This collection of West Coast studio musicians from different backgrounds became the driving sound of pop music, and Kurt Hartman provides an insider's story of the musicians who helped influence the industry's top recording stars. Interviews and research follow the careers of session masters who played in thousands of recording sessions, making for a definitive study highly recommended for any interested in rock and pop music history.


The Comix/Graphic Novel Shelf

Lee & Kirby: The Wonder Years
Mark Alexander
TwoMorrows Publishing
10407 Bedfordtown Drive, Raleigh, NC 27614
9781605490380, $19.95, www.twomorrows.com

Lee & Kirby: The Wonder Years provides a fine special issue documenting the creation and popularity of a new magazine created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, called fantastic Four. Its impact would change the face of the comic book world, and this celebration of the two creators offers a fine survey of their works and achievements. Loaded with black and white comics and illustration, it documents the rise and fall of the Lee and Kirby partnership and its lasting effects on the graphic novel and comic world, and is a 'must' for any collection strong in comic and graphic novel history and culture.

How's That Underling Thing Working Out For You?
Scott Adams
Andrews McMeel
1130 Walnut Street, Kansas City, MO 64106-2109
9781449408190, $12.99, www.andrewsmcmeel.com

How's That Underling Thing Working Out For You? provides another Dilbert collection to delight and amaze any fan of Dilbert and cubicle culture. Full-color panels throughout provide a fine gathering of Dilbert encounters and provide a hilarious commentary on big business and the ironies and inconsistencies of upper management. A 'must' for any collection seeing interest in the many other Dilbert comic collections.


The Library DVD Shelf

The Fades: Season One
BBC
2/Entertain
0780684850, $34.98, www.bbcamerica.com

THE FADES: SEASON ONE provides a fine supernatural horror story telling of a young man haunted by apocalyptic dreams and ghosts. A vengeful spirit has found a way to break the barrier between the living and dead and teen Paul and his friends find themselves in danger and challenged in this powerful first season DVD, which includes featurettes, deleted scenes, and outtakes. Any collection strong in supernatural horror shows will find this a winning series filled with action, tension and unpredictable twists and turns of plot.


The California Shelf

The Long Drunk
Erik Coyote
Amazon Digital Services
ASIN: B006B99HXK, $2.99 Kindle www.amazon.com

THE LONG DRUNK is presented in much in the manner of a noir detective novel: its detective protagonist is a homeless drunk who must solve a cold case murder to protect his friend's life and his long journey to save his canine companion offers a healthy dose of Los Angeles culture spiced with the gritty texture of Southern California's seedy side. The alleys of Southern California provide a gritty, realistic setting to the story of a murder involving the Hollywood elite and the homeless underworld of alike. The main character Murphy is anything but your usual suave detective: homeless, alcoholic, suffering from memory issues and armed with only a cheap paperback to serve as a blueprint for detective work, he initially seems in no position to solve a long-cold murder. He does get a little help from friends in unexpected places and when clues begin to literally drop into his lap, Murphy finds his abilities rising to the occasion. From gourmet meals to be located in Dumpsters to a reward for problem-solving that could change his life, to the help of unusual friends, THE LONG DRUNK provides a satisfying romp packed with humor, unexpected twists of plot, and anything but your usual P.I. protagonist. If clues in thrift stores, avid investigation of a long-cold murder scene, a hard-boozing gumshoe with a penchant for trouble, and a dual quest for justice and money are the goal, you'll find THE LONG DRUNK a quick, absorbing mystery hard to put down. The Southern California setting is vivid and based on reality, which will delight any familiar with the region. Additionally, descriptions of characters are not only involved and deliciously realistic, but capture the atmosphere of the Southern California milieu. Hard-hitting, spiced with salty language and vivid descriptions and a gumshoe who is anything but mainstream, THE LONG DRUNK is a special pick for readers who enjoyed Raymond Chandler and others in the 'detective noir' vein.

The New Sunset Western Garden Book, ninth edition
Sunset
P.O. Box 62375
Tampa, FL 33662
0376039205, $34.95, www.sunset.com

The New Sunset Western Garden Book is a virtual 'Bible' of local gardening specifics for any who reside in the West. Now in its latest ninth edition, it's an easy reference for all levels of gardener, packing in over fifteen maps documenting the West's 32 climate zones, providing a new 79-page "Plant Finder' listing the perfect plants for 27 garden settings, offering an A-Z plant encyclopedia of plant groups and color photos, and providing a new visual guide to all steps of gardening and growing herbs, flowers, grasses, natives, and more. Completely revised and updated, this is a 'must' for any Western gardening collection.

The H. D. Book
Robert Duncan, poet
Michael Bough & Victor Coleman, editors
University of California Press
2120 Berkeley Way, Berkeley, CA 94720
www.ucpress.edu
9780520272620, $34.95, www.amazon.com

The late Robert Duncan (1919-1988) was California poet of national renown and a major figure in the San Francisco Renaissance of the 1960s. Ably prepared for publication by the editorial team of poet and scholar Michael Bough together with established poet Victor Coleman (who is also the founding editor of Coach House Press), "The H. D. Book" is a massive 696-page compendium showcasing the collected writings of Robert Duncan, including not only his poetry but his personal biography as well. From his first published poem in 1959 until the day of his death at the age of 69, Robert Duncan was a remarkable man who lived in remarkable times and left behind a remarkable legacy of the written word. "The H. D. Book" is a welcome and seminal work that is especially recommended for community and academic library American Literature reference collections and supplemental studies reading lists.


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

Diane C. Donovan, Editor & Senior Reviewer
12424 Mill Street, Petaluma, CA 94952
phone: 1-707-795-4629
e-mail: donovan@sonic.net


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