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Volume 15, Number 8 August 2005 Home | IBW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Homeowner's Shelf Travel Shelf
American History Shelf Audiobook Shelf Computer Shelf
Jobs/Careers Shelf Biography Shelf Musicbook Shelf
Gardening Shelf Needlecraft Shelf Health/Medicine Shelf
Library CD Music Shelf Business Shelf Language Studies Shelf
Military Shelf Humor Shelf Parenting Shelf
Literary Shelf Library Video/DVD Shelf Fiction Shelf
Art Shelf Science Shelf Pets/Wildlife Shelf
Nature Shelf Theatre/Cinema/TV Shelf Photography Shelf
Fantasy/SciFi Shelf Antiques/Collectibles Shelf World History Shelf
Writing/Publishing Shelf Social Issues Shelf Cookbook Shelf
Railroading Shelf Poetry Shelf Martial Arts Shelf
Buddhist Studies Shelf Judaic Studies Shelf International Studies Shelf
Sports Shelf Nautical Shelf Education Shelf
Political Science Shelf Graphic Novel Shelf Religion/Spirituality Shelf
Religion/Spirituality Shelf Hunting/Fishing Shelf Mythology Shelf
Metaphysical Studies Shelf Architecture Shelf Philosophy Shelf
Money/Finance Shelf    


Reviewer's Choice

Milwaukee Fire Department
Wayne Mutza
Arcadia
420 Wando Park Boulevard, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464
www.arcadiapublishing.com
073853434X $19.99 1-888-313-2665

The newest addition to Arcadia's outstanding "Images of America" series, Milwaukee Fire Department by Wayne Mutza (who served for almost twenty years with the Milwaukee Fire Department before the hazards of firefighting ended his career) tells the story of the Milwaukee Fire Department from its origins as a volunteer group in 1837 down to the present day. Milwaukee Fire Department is not a strictly text history, but rather a photographic one, consisting almost entirely of black-and-white photographs from the past century and a half, each photograph sporting a brief caption detailing its origin. A treasury of visual history, steeped in pride, gratitude, and respect for the selfless and often heroic labor of Milwaukee's protectors against the ravages of fire.

Books In A Box
Stuart Stotts
Big Valley Press
S 2104 Big Valley Road, La Farge, WI 54639
0976537206 $17.95 bigvalleypress.com

A work of imagination, originality, and superb storytelling appropriate for readers from 8 to 80, Books In A Box: Lutie Stearns And The Traveling Libraries Of Wisconsin is the "biography" of a passionate pioneer librarian, who brought books to hundreds of communities in Wisconsin from 1895 to 1914. She traveled alone, defying winter weather and wilderness hazards to bring her libraries to loggers, students, farmers, and families. Her belief in the power of books to change the world was nothing less than inspirational, and she continued to work with the American Library association and write articles advocating social change and education long after retiring as a traveler bringing books. Her life, legacy, and personal triumphs make for a singularly uplifting read. A superbly written novel, Books In A Box: Lutie Stearns And The Traveling Libraries Of Wisconsin is a unique and very highly recommended read, as well as a "must" addition all Wisconsin community library collections!

Xtreme Fashion
Cortenay Smith & Sean Topham
Prestel
900 Broadway, #603, NY, NY 10003
www.prestel.com
3791331752 $39.95 1-888-463-6110

The latest fashion trends tout street styles and technical designs which are extreme in taste and presentation, and the hottest new designers of new trends are profiled in Xtreme Fashion, with powerful visual takes on 'Hoodlum Welding Gear', 'House of Harlot' designs and more. Here are cutting edge fashions paired with profiles of their creators which cover ideas and startling, often spontaneous, concepts in fashion design. A 'must' for any college-level collection on fashion design - and many a public library holding.

Open Court
315 - 5th Street, Peru, IL 61354-0300
www.opencourtbooks.com

By 2004 the International Baccalaureate programs had reached 116 countries around the world, fueled by U.S. promotion rapid growth, and a lasting influence on American educational standards and assessment policies. Jay Mathews & Ian Hill's Supertest: How The International Baccalaureate Can Strengthen Our Schools (0812695771 $29.95) deftly assesses the statistics about the Baccalaureate, including its impact on student chances for success in college and life. Chapters provide a history of the IB, its increasing introduction in American school systems, and how it makes a difference in the transition to college. Sounds like dry reading: but the concurrent story of one American high school that adopted the IB adds a personal flavor and human interest touch to the statistics and discussions. Timothy Shanahan edits Philosophy 9/11: Thinking About The War On Terrorism (0812695828, $29.95), a philosophical examination of the issues involved in classifying and combating terrorism as opposed to other kinds of violence. Philosophical scholars specializing in terrorist-related topics provide essays examining some of the founding ideas of the ethics of a 'just war' and its applications to how terrorism is handled.

Johns Hopkins University Press
2715 N. Charles St., Baltimore MD 21218
www.press.jhu.edu 1-800-537-5487

College-level collections strong in astronomy yet seeking acquisitions general interest readers would also enjoy would do well to consider professor/astronomer Kimberly Weaver's The Violent Universe: Joyrides Through The X-Ray Cosmos (0801881153 $35.00). The history and changing technology of x-ray astronomy is revealed, from its beginnings in the 1950s when the first artificial satellites began transmitting to modern-day x-ray telescopes. Beautiful color images of quasars, black holes and more captured by x-ray satellite Chandra are presented along with a fine explanation of the new worlds and environments discovered through x-ray astronomy. With its emphasis on color photos and science mixed with an easy reading style, The Violent Universe is sure to captivate beyond a readership of astronomy students alone. Mammals Of The National Parks: Conserving America's Wildlife And Parklands by John H. Burde & George A. Feldhamer provides a gorgeous survey of American wildlife and parks alike, using the history of each park to provide links to related conservation issues in its establishment, and tips on sighting the animals to be found in the park. John Burde is a forestry professor, Geldhamer is chair of environmental studies and a zoology professor at the same Southern Illinois University Press: their joined expertise lends a fine authority and diversity to a book packed with color photos.

The Book Of Ceremonies
Gabriel Horn
New World Library
14 Pamaron Way, Novato, CA 94949
www.newworldlibrary.com
1577315049 $14.95 1-800-972-6657

In The Book Of Ceremonies, Native American writer Gabriel Horn offers a spiritual blend of traditional stories, songs and payers which reflect the Native lifestyle and rituals for everything from healing to dreams and seasonal celebrations. Carises Horn provides original art for the ceremonies, nicely supplementing the stories and instructions with simple, appealing Native art.

Poisons
Peter Macinnis
Arcade Publishing
141 Fifth Avenue, 8th Fl, NY, NY 10010
www.arcadepub.com
1559707615 $25.00 1-800-759-0190

Poisons are a part of our world, from workplace to home: they can cure as well as kill. Science writer Peter Macinnis examines many different kinds of poisons and their history in Poisons: From Hemlock To Botox And The Killer Bean Of Calabar. From cosmetic and domestic poisons in history and literature to the use of poisons in war, Poisons provides a blend of vignette, history, and lively case histories.

Dover Publications, Inc.
31 East 2nd Street, Mineola, NY 11501
www.doverpublications.com

Charles Scribner's Sons originally published Noah Brooks' classic history Story Of The Lewis & Clark Expedition (0486437566, $14.95) in 1901: well, here it is again, in an unabridged republication which bases itself on original expedition records, providing a narrative following the expedition through Missouri, the Yellowstone and Columbia areas, and into the pacific region. A fitting introductory history with many dramatic embellishments. Richard Sanders Allen's Covered Bridges Of The Northeast (0486436624, $9.95) republishes the second revised edition of a 1983 classic survey of foot bridges, latticework and drawbridges alike. Black and white photos accompany history and fine accounts of both the bridges and the pioneers who built them.

Johns Hopkins University Press
2715 N. Charles St, Baltimore, MD 21218
www.press.jhu.edu

Highly recommended picks for science library holdings, Stephen G. Alter's William Dwight Whitney And The Science Of Language (0801880203, $49.95) follows the emergence of the science of linguistics, from its emergence as an independent field of study in the Victorian era to America's pioneer of linguistics, William Dwight Whitney. Blending a biography with an examination of the science of language, Alter provides a full-length study of both Whitney and his achievements and discoveries in language study. A 'must' for linguistics collections. Norman C. Ellstrand's Dangerous Liaisons? When Cultivated Plants Mate With Their Wild Relatives (0801881900, $29.95) provides a paperback reprint of an excellent survey of the hybridization process, both natural and man-made. From what's know about hybridization between world crops and wild relatives to issues of rare species preservation and gene pool vitality, Dangerous Liaisons provides some intriguing insights into what happens when cultivated plants mingle with wild ones. Birds Of Two Worlds: The Ecology And Evolution Of Migration (0801881-072, $110.00), edited by Russell Greenebrg and Peter P. Marra, completes the trilogy of discussion of technical bird migration begun in Keast and Morton's classic Migrant Birds In The Neotropics and continued in 1992 by Hagan and Johnston's Ecology And Conservation Of Neotraoppical Migrant Landbirds. Again, the world's avian experts join forces to discuss the ecology and evolution of avian migration, from its global indicators and patterns to how avian migration systems differ between species. Collections strong in natural history, ecology, and bird behavior and lore will find Birds Of Two Worlds an indispensable ornithological reference.

Digital Video For Beginners
Colin Barrett
Lark Books
67 Broadway, Asheville, NC 28801
1579906680 $19.95 larkbooks.com

Whether it's your first camcorder or whether you're moving into digital video from analog, you need Digital Video For Beginners, a guide which goes beyond the owner's manual: one that covers all the basics from choosing the right camera to using it efficiently and getting great shots from vacations, events and more. The examples are quick and easy to follow whether you're reading cover-to-cover or looking for quick answers. A handy little guide which should've been packed with every digital video.

Puzzle Power
Terry H. Stickels
Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228
www.prometheusbooks.com
1591022037 $15.00 1-800-421-0351

There's a host of puzzle books already on the market: so what makes Terry Stickels' Puzzle Power: How To Jump-start Your Mind stand out from the crowd? For one thing, it's the author's on collection of challenging brainteasers designed to help readers train different areas of thinking, from special-vision to logic and convergent thinking, word power and math. Unlike competitors, there's no singular approach here. For another, the puzzles are designed to challenge, not thwart. Answers are provided later and discussions reveal underlying logic to each puzzle - so you'll learn how to think better, attacking these puzzlers.

Over The Edge
Leo Bogart
Ivan R. Dee
1332 N. Halsted St, Chicago, IL 60622
www.ivanrdee.com
1566635337 $27.50 1-800-462-6420

Both the media and marketing companies have been guilty of pursuing the image, allure and fantasy of youth and the youth market - and the result is a set of hard-hitting consequences which have changed American culture itself, maintains Leo Bogart in Over The Edge: How The Pursuit Of Youth By Marketers And The Media Has Changed American Culture. For decades the 18-34 age group has been the focus of advertisers and marketers who seek their dollars and attention, resulting in an increased diet of sex and violence in the media and a loosening of general media restrictions on content. Chapters follow this trend and reveal a concurrent shift in social acceptance and moral values as a result.


The Homeowner's Shelf

The Home Buyer's Question And Answer Book
Bridget McCrea
Amacom
1601 Broadway, New York NY 10019
www.amacombooks.org
0814472362 $16.95 1-800-250-5308

First-time home buyers have hundreds of questions about the entire process from start to finish, and there's no better place to look for answers than Bridget McCrea's Home Buyer's Question And Answer Book, which covers over a hundred questions, provides sample loan paperwork, and more. McCrea is a former Century 21 real estate agent: this background enables her to pick out the most common questions asked, and to answer them in clear, simple detail.

Scotts Sprinklers & Watering Systems
Meredith Books
1716 Locust St., Des Moines, IA 50336
www.meredithbooks.com
0696221497 $19.95 1-800-678-8091

Scotts Sprinklers & Watering Systems is a complete and thoroughly "user friendly" guide to planning and installing landscape irrigation for the home. Profusely illustrated, this "how to manual covers every aspect of planning out a sprinkling system to be as cost efficient to install as it would be to operate. Included in the planning process are detailed materials and equipment comparisons as this superbly organized "how to" manual takes the homeowner and do-it-yourselfer through the planning and design process from beginning to end. Then the reader is taken step-by-step through the installing process with clear instructions and illustrative photography which will eliminate any operational problems later one. Also included is the maintenance, care and upkeep of the installed watering system including occasional repairs and replacement of parts. Finally there is an invaluable section on using the installed water system, getting the right amount of water in the right place at the right time. If you are wanting to include a sprinkler or other kind of watering system as part of your landscaping, then give a close and careful reading to Scotts Sprinklers & Watering Systems -- it will save you not only time and money, but help you to avoid aggravation and error!

Creative Homeowner Press
24 Park Way, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
www.creativehomeowner.com

Transform your house and living space with some creative home remodel ideas offering fresh new plans. Kerry Skinner's The Painted Home: Transform Your Living Space With Color, Pattern, And Texture (1580112404, $19.95) features over 300 ideas for twenty projects which use color to enhance room decor and appearance. So what's new about painting a room? Plenty: for one thing, today's room colors can be as bold as plum or bright green, and can be combined with trim colors for added impact. For another, faux tiles, textures, and color variations can transform even the dullest wall to a work of art. The Painted Home is packed with ideas on how to make it happen. Or, choose 1001 Ideas For Windows: The Ultimate Sourcebook For Curtains, Blinds, Fabrics, And Hardware by Anne Justin (1580112242, $24.95): illustrations and photos pack in the ideas for window dressings which range from interior shutters to swags. Home atmosphere will help determine appropriate choices: chapters tell how to pair home with window treatment, how to work within a limited budget, and where to locate fabrics and accessories. Finally, use the essential templates to 'try out' the feel of a window covering before you go further.

Sunset Publishing Corporation
80 Willow Road, Menlo Park, CA 94025
1-800-643-8030 www.sunsetbooks.com

Two fine new looks at home improvement options and projects offer homeowners a range of options and how-to advice on how to do the projects. For landscaping ideas to blend swimming pools or spas into a landscape, choose Swimming Pools And Spas (0376016108, $19.95), which covers building, maintaining and landscaping a pool or spa. From how to choose among different pool or spa options to understanding its mechanical systems and using landscaping to integrate it into a backyard, by including both under one cover, Swimming Pools And Spas provides a much wider-ranging set of discussions than competing titles with narrower focuses - and enable homeowners to contrast and choose between a pool or spa. Trellises And Arbors (0376017961, $14.95) packs in color photos and details on how to choose or build a trellis or decide on an appropriate arbor design. Over forty projects range from easy arbors to detailed neo-professional productions, blend in advice on plant needs, and provide a range of arbors for different looks and purposes.


The Travel Shelf

Florida Keys & Everglades National Park
Bruce Morris
Hunter Publishing
130 Campus Dr., Edison NJ 08818
1588434036 $18.99 hunterpublishing.com

The newly updated 4th edition of Bruce Morris' Adventure Guide Florida Keys & Everglades National Park is out, and any destination-bound Everglades traveler would do well to obtain a copy. From places to stay and snorkeling experiences to eco tours and cultural adventures, the latest updated information is imparted in a spirited set of outdoor adventure tips. A 'must' for any serious about Florida.

Lonely Planet
150 Linden St., Oakland, CA 94607
www.lonelyplanet.com

Jeff Campbell, John Vlahides and David Lukas' Zion & Bryce Canyon National Parks (1740599365, $19.95) is a take-along tote for activity-oriented outdoors explorers who want to make the most of a trip of Utah's famous two parks. You'd think there'd be a host of guides on the parks available; but surprisingly few go into such detail: the parks typically receive feature as a chapter or so in overall Utah guides. With Zion & Bryce Canyon National Parks in hand you can explore further, take advantage of mountain biking and rock climbing or river rafting, and see much more of these amazing parks. Andrew Bender's Cape Cod, Nantucket & Martha's Vineyard (1740597575, $17.99) is also a sound exploration of areas rarely given their own guidebooks. Expanded listings and new sections on cycling and walking tours provide plenty of tips on each area - right down to health food stores and areas where internet access may be obtained. Want to go overseas on a small budget? Don't miss Australia & New Zealand On A Shoestring: Big Trips On Small Budgets (1740596463, $24.99): over 800 pages come packed with adventure travel tips for budget-minded travelers, whether they be students or travelers seeking less expensive options. Want to write about your journeys? Don George and Charlotte Hindle's Travel Writing: Expert Advice On Travel Writing From The Best Writers And Editors In The Business (0864427425, $18.99) comes from established travel writers and packs in advice on how to discovery, research, write, and promote a great travel story. Truly these are the voices of experience, supplemented by tips on writing for different media from newspapers to the web, and holding an extensive selection of writers' resources. Highly recommended indeed.

Angry Wind
Jeffrey Taylor
Houghton Mifflin
215 Park Avenue South, NY, NY 10003
www.houghtonmifflinbooks.com
061833467X $25.00 1-800-225-3362

Jeffrey Taylor's Angry Wind: Tyhrough Muslim Black Africa By Truck, Bus, Boat And Camel is an engrossing travelogue of Taylor's journey which also conveys important cultural insights which are not to be missed by any who would understand Muslim black African sentiments and environment. His overland journey in 2002 was enhanced by his ability to speak the region's three languages - French, Arabic and English - and thus Angry Wind provides a deeper perspective than from others who may just pass by with interpreter in tow. A fine blend of adventure, travelogue and insight.

John F. Blair, Publisher
1406 Plaza Dr., Winston-Salem NC 27103
www.blairpub.com

Two intriguing titles will provide both armchair and destination travelers with something different. Folklore fans in particular with a special affection for lighthouses will relish Sheryl Monks' Ghostly Lighthouses From Maine To Florida (0895873109, $12.95), a gathering of fifteen folktales about lighthouses from the East coast. While the stories read like fiction, they are derived from reports and followed by directions for the would-be lighthouse visitor not scared off by spooks. Mia Dery's Adventure Guide To The Triangle (0895873125, $19.95) refers to North Carolina's Triangle area, who enjoy a range of outdoor activities from mountain and road biking to hiking and sea kayaking. Visitors and residents alike will find plenty of sports and outdoors-oriented suggestions, including clear directions and line maps for locating the area, difficulty ratings, and reviews of back roads and byways.

Travelling Historian's Guide To France
Robin Neillands
Robson Books/Parkwest Publications
Box 20261, New York , NY 10025-1512
http://www.parkwestpubs.com/
1861056206 $25.00 1-646-215-9003

Travelling Historian's Guide To France is more than just another route map of 'must sees', though this is one of its foundations: Robin Neillands supplements maps and tour information with a bibliography of books to read before you go, and plenty of cultural and historical background information on unique French features. Small villages, towns which discourage cars, and byways make for a pleasing emphasis on France's lesser-discovered routes, and memorable tours based on historical events.


The American History Shelf

Columbia Guide To Asian American History
Gary Y. Okihiro
Columbia University Press
61 West 62nd St., NY, NY 10023-7015
www.columbiaedu/cu/cup
0231115113 $24.00 1-800-944-8648

A choice, concise guide to Asian American experiences is offered by Gary Okihiro, the recipient of the American Studies Association Lifetime Achievement Award and past president of the Association for Asian American Studies. The experiences of Chinese, Japanese, Filipino, Hmong, Indians and more are contrasted in chapters exploring migration patterns, racism issues, gender issues and much more. Columbia Guide To Asian American History is a recommended pick for any high school or college collection focusing on Asian-American immigrant, multicultural, or ethnic group experiences.

When the Mississippi Ran Backwards
Jay Feldman
The Free Press
1230 Ave. of the Americas, NY NY 10020
www.simonandschuster.com
0743242785 $27.00 1-800-223-2336

In 1811 two of Thomas Jefferson's nephews murdered a slave and burned the evidence, even as the Mississippi River's first steamboat made its maiden voyage to a series of earthquakes which would shake the valley with 8.0+ mega-quakes felt as far away as Canada and New York. So, what connected these events? The quakes uncovered the Jefferson nephews' crime, made the steamboat Tecumseh a part of history and war, and led to a tribal alliance which was to secure the U.S. against Britain and Europe. Jay Feldman's writings have appeared in the Smithsonian, Newsweek and others: his lively style translates well to a unique historical coverage which links many seemingly disparate events to provide a uniform history ala Burke.

American Freemasons
Mark A. Tabbert
New York University Press
838 Broadway, 3rd floor, NY, NY 10003
www.nyupress.org
0814782922 $29.95 1-800-996-6987

Written by an elected Masonic lodge master and the curator of Masonic and fraternal collections at the National Heritage Museum in Lexington, Massachusetts, American Freemasons: Three Centuries Of Building Communities is a survey of Freemasonry throughout three centuries of American history. Tracing Freemasonry from its origins in 17th-century Scotland and England to its role in American history, fluctuations in its membership, and seeking to explain why it has attracted so many men to join it over the course of centuries, American Freemasons draws from an extensive body of research to portray numerous anecdotes of Freemasons helping fellows and others, and explore reasons why some have praised while others have questioned or reviled this organization. Black-and-white and color photographs illustrate this engaging survey, that captures the Freemasoner's point of view in a thoroughly positive light.


The Audiobook Shelf

The Triumph Of The Sun
Wilber Smith
Books On Tape, Inc.
Box 25122, Santa Ana, CA 92799-5122
www.librarybooksontape.com
1415919615 $120.00 1-800-541-5525

John Lee's masterful and complex narration of Wilbur Smith's thrilling historical action/adventure novel The Triumph Of The Sun truly brings to life memorable personalities and dramatic events set against the background of the Islamic holy war of 1884 that resulted the death of General "Chinese" Gordon, the catastrophic fall of the city of Khartoum, and in the expulsion of the British from the Sudan. The British trader and businessman Ryder Courtney, the dashing Captain Ballantyne and his faithful one-eyed Arabic companion Yacoub, the British Consul David Benbrook along with his three lovely young daughters and their devoted servant Nadire, are caught up along with the other inhabitants of Khartoum in a deadly siege by the fanatical forces of the Mahdi and his Muslim warlords. The Triumph Of The Sun follows their adventures and adversities through out what will prove to be a sometimes shocking, sometimes unexpected, but always gripping novel that pays close attention to historical detail. Of special note unique to this outstanding novel are the last pages which go on to provide the reader with capsule summaries of the rest of the surviving main character's lives in this complete and unabridged audiobook edition (23 hours, 15 cassettes) which is enthusiastically recommended for community library audiobook collections, Wilbur Smith's storytelling flair is superbly matched by that of John Lee -- the combination being a perfect "theater of the mind" experience for spellbound listeners.

Articles Of War
Nick Arvin
Highbridge Audio Books
33 South Sith Street, CC-2205, Minneapolis, MN 55402
www.highbridgeaudio.com
1565119487 $26.95 1-800-847-5515

Artfully and dramatically read by J. D. Cullum, this complete and unabridged audiobook edition (5 hourse, 30 minutes on 5 compact discs) of Nick Arvin's Articles Of War is the story of GeorgeTilson, an eighteen-year-old Iowa farm boy who joins the army during World War II and is deployed in Normandy shortly after D-Day. Nicknamed "Heck" due to his aversion to cursing, the brutal reality of combat forces to light an unpleasant truth about George - he is a coward through and through. The mounting fear of death drives him to make choices with terrible consequences; but would the consequence be any less terrible if he were to cease to exist in the middle of battle? A taunt, gripping war novel about cold options and the grim spectre of nonexistence.

Die A Little
Megan Abbott
Tantor Media, Inc.
114 Mill Rock Road East, Old Saybrook, CT 06475
www.tantor.com
1400101514 $29.99 1-877-782-6867

A riveting tale of femme fatales, obsessive love, and unexpected double-crosses, Megan Abbott's novel set in the glamorous but duplicitous world of 1950s Hollywood is superbly narrated by Ellen Archer in this complete and unabridged audiobook edition (6.5 hours, 6 CDs). A noir story about a brother, a sister, and the brother's wife with a shady past, Die A Little focuses upon the hostile bond of two women made sisters through marriage. The blood sister takes on the role of amateur detective, in order to dig into the past of her sister-in-law, but the deeper she delves the more potential jeopardy she unleashes. A darkly thrilling and suspenseful story throughout, impressionably revealing the seedier side of show business glamour.

36 Yalta Boulevard
Olensteinhauer
Blackstone Audiobooks
PO Box 969, Ashland, OR 97520
www.BlackstoneAudio.com
0786179414 $81.00 1-800-729-2665

36 Yalta Boulevard by Olen Steinhauer is brought vividly to life with the expert and nuanced narration of Yuri Rascovsky is this complete and unabridged Blackstone Audibook CD edition (11 hours, 30 minutes on 9 discs). The story of a purely loyal man who serves the Ministry for State Security, who always does whatever the authorities ask. When he receives orders to travel to the village of a potential defector, he obeys; and when a murdered corpse turns up and he is framed for the crime, he assumes this is all part of what is expected. Yet when he is sentenced to exile in Vienna, at long last he begins to question what he is doing and why, and the surprising answers may yet reveal that unthinking loyalty is as harmful a crime as open rebellion. An enthralling parable of ambiguous moral choices and difficult decisions.

The Autumn Castle
Kim Wilkins
Bolinda Publishing, Inc.
2 Trap Falls Rd, #113, Shelton, CT 06484
www.bolinda.com
1740936531 $136.00 1-888-235-2019

Enhanced with a talented narration by Audie Award nominee Richard Aspel, The Autumn Castle by Kim Wilkins is the complete and unabridged audiobook production (19 hours, 30 minutes on 17 compact discs) of Wilkins' unique blend of fantasy, murder, and conflicting love affairs. Set in an artist's colony in autumn Berlin, it focuses upon the relationship of Christine Starlight, her lover Jude, and the crimson-haired Mayfridh, ruler of a fantastic land, who loses her heart to Jude even as Christine becomes infatuated with Mayfridh's exotic kingdom. Yet a cunning, cruel, wealthy and powerful billionaire threatens them all with his mad and murderous wish to create a grand sculpture of faery bones. A taut, emotionally evocative and absorbing story that transports the reader into a believable yet breathtaking world.

Clipper Audio/Recorded Books
270 Skipjack Road, Prince Frederick, MD 20678
www.recordedbooks.com

Recorded Books' Clipper imprint specializes in unabridged, library-quality productions of British authors and novels: most are narrated by British voices, and all hold the virtues of being high interest action novels. Chris Ryan's The Increment (084505217X, $109.75) is narrated by Gordon Griffin, whose smooth voice brings to life a tense spy thriller about an assassination unit of the SAS and one who has left it, only to find his ex-colleagues still need his special brand of talents. JoJo Moyes' The Peacock Emporium (18450-52552, $109.75) receives Judith Boyd's practiced and pleasing audio voice as it tells of one Suzanna, whose small business is a haven for the town's misfits even as she searches for her own happiness; The Fifth Season by David Docherty (18419-78116, $89.75) receives Graham Padden's warm style and tells of a brilliant scientist's involvement in a promising genetically modified food crop. Her success will bring threats to her life which only childhood friend Sam can cope with. Elizabeth Noble's The Reading Group (1845051-572, $109.75) receives the calm and lovely narrative style of Gerri Halligan which brings to life the trials of a group of women who meet regularly to read and discuss books. Not only do their book enjoyments become intertwined - so do their lives. Priscilla Masters' Night Visit (1841979-880, $69.75) receives Juanita McMahon's warm and moving narrative style, pairing well with the story of Dr. Harriet Lamont, who faces the end of her marriage and a decades-old mystery involving a vanished child. Alex Gray's Never Somewhere Else (1841977015, $59.75) receives Andrew Napier's moving vocal style as it tells of a series of young women who are discovered strangled in Glasgow, leading DCI Lorimer to embark on one of the most frustrating investigations of his career. David Hewson's The Villa Of Mysteries (1841978752, $109.75) enjoys Christopher Kay's clear and vivid narrative approach as it tells of a murdered young woman and a maverick pathologist who believes she's the victim of a paga ritual. Finally, Bernard Knight's The Witch Hunter (1845051734, $89.75) receives Paul Matthews' solid narrative style as it tells of the death of a prominent burgess while riding his horse, and the discovery of a voodoo doll which may indicate murder. Excellent, solid library lending audios, all.

Full Cast Audio
618 Westcott Street, 1st floor, Syracuse, NY 13210
www.fullcastaudio.com

While Full Cast's latest productions are intended for a young adult audience, they're featured here so adults won't miss their splendor: recommended for all ages with splendid blends of music, narration and dramatic acting by a full cast is Kathleen Karr's classic Gilbert & Sullivan Set Me Free (1932076743, $34.00), narrated by Carmen Viviano-Crafts and backed by the Full Cast dramatists and telling of a frightened girl in prison who discovers new talents and a new life; and David Levithan's Boy Meets Boy (1933322330, $45.00), a first novel exploring the gay experience in a high school setting. Nicholas Robideau provides an excellent narration on Boy Meets Boy - again, backed by full cast acting. Both are exceptional listens - for all ages.

The Expert's Guide To 100 Things Everyone Should Know How To Do
Samantha Ettus
HighBridge Audiobooks
33 S. 6th St., Minneapolis, MN 55402
1565119932 $24.95 highbridgeaudio.com

The simplest things can be hardest to master, from telling a story to understanding etiquette: no more, with The Expert's Guide To 100 Things Everyone Should Know How To Do, a "listener friendly" collection of easy pointers on everything from painting a room to maintaining health. Various experts contribute essays to the cause of efficiency, which receive fine narration by Paula Parker and others, and which make it easy to simplify tasks.

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

There's a host of new audio cds on the market perfect for vacation take-along totes and summer listening, and Brilliance Corporation offers some of the best. Among the most highly recommended of their latest releases for leisure listeners: Larry Bond's Dangerous Ground (15960-03022, $26.95), with veteran narrator Dick Hill as usual lending a swift, clear and drama-laden voice to the story of an old submarine's last mission sneaking into Russian waters to recon leaking nuclear fuel containers, P.J. Tracy's Dead Run (1596-001305, $26.95), with Buck Schirner adding impact to the story of the Monkeewrench gang, who here returns to investigate a double murder and face danger; Sandra Brown's Shadows Of Yesterday (1593559100, $26.95), with veteran Joyce Bean lending a quietly dramatic reading to the story of a mysterious stranger who befriends a pregnant woman on a lone highway; Nancy Taylor Rosenberg's Sullivan's Justice (1596008423, $26.95), with Sandra Burr fueling the hot story of a probation officer's latest challenge investigating a deadly murder; Karen Roberts' Superstition (1596008601, $26.95), also fueled by veteran Joyce Bean's smooth voice as it tells of a police chief and a reporter facing conflict when a dangerous killers comes out of hiding; D.J. MacHale's Pendragon Book 2: The Lost City Of Faar (1597372455, $29.95), with William Dufris providing a spirited and involving embellishment to the story of an unusual teen whose uncle solves interdimensional conflicts for a living, and Eric Jerome Dickey's Genevieve (1596000015, $32.95), with Richard Allen's narrative style powering a moving tale of romance and betrayal in true Dickey style. Amanda Quick's Lie By Moonlight (1596008465, $26.95) pairs Anne Flosnick's warm and calm rendition with the smooth story of two independent people at a remote castle who discover conspiracy - and romance. The pairing of mystery and love works well, lending a depth to the story. Nora Roberts' novel Black Rose (1593556160, $26.95) aptly receives Susie Breck's warm voice, perfec for accenting the romantic story of an old Memphis mansion, a middle-aged widow, and a thriving business which is the symbol of hope in the face of ghosts. Gigi Levangie Grazer's The Starter Wife (159737623X, $26.95) pairs veteran Susan Ericksen's dramatic rendition with the fast-paced story of a 'starter wife' dumped before her 10th anniversary. Her refuge at a friend's mansion for divorce therapy results in some strange encounters. Fern Michaels' Texas Rich (15973-74903, $26.95) receives veteran expert Laural Merlington's exciting voice to tell of a heroine who begins a dynasty out of romance. Jeanne Ray's Julie And Romeo Get Lucky (1597374482, $29.95) is lucky enough to receive the author's own voice, which happens to be a warm and passionate pairing for the story of a modern Julie and Romeo who have overcome family strife to live happily together until an injury changes their busy lives. Karen Kingsbury's Fame (159600194X, $21.95) receives veteran Sandra Burr's outstanding experienced quiet drama as it begins a new series to pick up where her popular Redemption series left off - on new members of the Baxter family. Prior familiarity with the series is not required to enjoy this story of one Dayne Matthews, who returns to Hollywood to face dangerous fame. Fantasy fans - especially those who've followed D.J. MacHale's prior 'Pendragon' books - will delight in the audio cd addition of books 3 and 4 to the fast-paced series. The Never War (1597372536, $29.95) is Book 3, with William Dufris providing the lively voice to tell of a teen who once again finds himself in an alternate dimension: that of First Earth in 1937, where evil must be uncovered. Book 4, The Reality Bug (1597372617, $29.95) keeps the listening experience uniform by also having Dufris continue dramatizing the further pursuit of the evil Saint Dane by Bobby - to a peaceful planet where residents have discovered how to enter their own dream worlds, using their minds to escape their bodies. In case you wonder, Brilliance does produce some outstandng nonfiction regularly: Laurence Leamer's Fantastic: The Life Of Arnold Schwarzenegger (1597373176, $29.95) pairs dramatic Mel Foster's voice with the story of the colorful life of Governor Schwarzenegger, from his Austria childhood to his rise in film and politics. The incorporation of interviews with many close associates rounds out and adds depth to the biography. All are outstanding picks promising hours of listening pleasure.

Random House Audio
1745 Broadway, New York NY 10019
www.randomhouse.com/audio

Random's excellent selection of fiction and nonfiction audios geared to general listening audiences provides a wide variety of topics and approaches, assuring powerful readers and authors who translate well to audio format. Jane Fonda's My Life So Far (0739319841, $34.95) offers a reading by Fonda herself as it probes her life from childhood to her current work inspiring others from her experiences. Whether it's details about her acting career or life philosophy you seek, My Life So Far is a winner. Susan Casey's Devil's Teeth (0739320440, $26.95) is also read by the author and tells of her exploration of sharks and the scientists who study them. Her encounters with two such biologists brings her face to face with the sharks themselves in this thrilling account. There's many to choose from in the leisure fiction/thriller genre. Among the best of recent releases: Jonathan Kellerman's Rage (0739309722, $26.95), narrated by Broadway actor John Rubinstein and providing another wonderful Alex Delaware mystery. Rubinstein brings to life the story of young adults facing a sordid killing of their teen years when murder catches up to them. Dean Koontz's Velocity (0739315-560, $44.95) receives actor Michael Hayden's fine vocal abilities - you might recognize his voice from either TV or the movies - as it captures the drama and ironies in Koontz's latest story of a quiet, hardworking guy faced with murder and the police. What seems a prank turns all too serious - and deadly - in this gripping story with its fast-paced acceleration of plot and tension. Iris Johansen's Countdown (0739308890, $25.00) tells of a kidnapping and orphan Jane's involvement in one of the greatest archaeological finds in history. Someone is trying to destroy her new life and great discovery - something from the past, which is driven to kill. Outstanding tension is captured by narrator Kate Burton, whose Broadway skills bring Countdown to life. A full cast gives a Broadway feel to Chuck Palahniuk's Haunted (0739302868, $39.95): an unusual story consiting of twenty-three connected tales offering a satire on reality TV. Ad answerers find themselves isolated in a deadly theater with diminishing supplies and their writing skills the only key to survival. Steve Berry's The Third Secret (0739320084, $29.95) is enhanced by veteran narrator L.J. Ganser's recording skills and is set in 1917 Portugal as it tells of a miracle appearance and three secrets revealed; one of which is sealed in the Vatican. A modern-day Pope's distress over the sealed document in modern times leads to the search for a priest and murder in this tense thriller.

The Psalms
Alex Jennings, narrator
Naxos AudioBooks
416 Mary Lindsay Polk Drive, Suite 509, Franklin, TN 37067
www.naxosaudiobooks.com
9626343524 $28.98 1-877-629-6723

The complete and unabridged text of the biblical "Book of Psalms" is superbly read by Alex Jennings, whose resume includes lead performances for Royal Shakespeare Company productions, and enhanced with English choral music from the 16th and 17th centuries. The 150 Psalms are narrated in the language of the King James Bible; among the Psamls are well-known, inspirational verses; darker lines about punishment and revenge; and some oddly indulgent writings that appear to be focused upon David. A singularly valuable resource for anyone striving to intimately acquaint themselves with the Psalms and understand their emotional expression. 4 CDs, approx. 5 hours 17 min.

Brilliance Corporation
PO Box 887, Grand Haven, MI 49417
1-800-854-7859 brillianceaudio.com

The latest audio cd picks from Brilliance are out, and they're a choice group indeed. Veteran Dick Hill narrates Ridley Pearson's latest Out And Run (1596008350, $26.95): you may remember Ridley's prior novels of action: this creates an atmosphere of intrigue as it tells of a U.S. marshal who fights the mob's best killer to save the woman he loves. Multiple encounters with a deadly professional killers keep tension high. Janet Evanovich and Charlotte Hughes' Full Bloom (1695008-377, $24.95) receives Lorelei King's smooth and passionate rendition as it tells of one Annie Fortenberry, who has inherited not only a b&b business, but a ghost. King's voice highlights the drama and ironies in a romance involving murder, an ex-husband, and a mystery. Laurell K. Hamilton's A Stroke Of Midnight (1695-008121, $26.95) benefits from veteran Laural Merlington's passionate rendition which brings to life the underlying intrigue of a seductive novel of a female P.I. based in Los Angeles who doubles as a faerie princess in another world. Human politics vie with faerie needs and place Meredith at odds with her heritage on both sides in this engrossing fantasy. Elizabeth Berg's The Year Of Pleasures (1593557-736, $29.95) comes to life under veteran narrator Sandra Burr's compelling style, telling of one Berta, who tries to begin a new life in a small town after her husband dies, only to find isolation isn't possible: there are a host of people who stand ready to help her; some from unexpected places. David Ellis's In The Company Of Liars (1597370002, $26.95) benefits from a dual narration by Dick Hill and Susie Breck which adds intrigue and high drama to their story of a woman accused of murder who contemplates suicide. An unusual reverse chronological arrangement is heightened by the dual narration which brings the story line to life. Excellent leisure listens, all!


The Computer Shelf

Java: A Beginner's Guide
Herbert Schildt
McGraw-Hill/Osborne
Two Penn Plaza, 12th fl., NY, NY 10121
0072231890 $34.99 www.osborne.com

Now in an updated third edition expanded for J2SE 5, Java: A Beginner's Guide is a basic introductory handbook meant to efficiently teach beginners and serve as a quick-reference resource. Chapters address Java Fundamentals, Data Types and Operators, Classes, Objects, and Methods, Inheritance, Exception Handling, Using I/O, Applets and Events, and much more. Sample code with annotated syntax, "Mastery Check" quizzes at the end of each chapter, "ask the experts" Q&A sections, projects to test one's skills, and other learning-friendly tips, tricks, and techniques enhance this excellent training guide. Highly recommended, especially for novices who have never written a single line of Java code before.

Cisco Network Design Solutions For SmallMedium Businesses
Peter Rybaczyk
Cisco Press
201 West 103rd Street, Indianapolis, IN 46290-1097
1587051435 $50.00 www.ciscopress.com

Cisco Network Design Solutions For SmallMedium Businesses zeros in on critical solutions for networking professionals who are deploying computer networks within a small or mediumsized business. It addresses core networking issues, including security, customer relations management (CRM), wireless LANs, unified communications, IP telephony, and more. For networking professionals, Cisco Network Design Solutions for SmallMedium Businesses is a onestop reference and design guide for the effective implementation of networking solutions that enhance the bottom line. Cisco Network Design Solutions For SmallMedium Businesses is separated into two parts the first part explores the network design process, surveys the SMB landscape, and identifies the network requirements from the edge to the core for an effective solution implementation. The second part identifies multiple security solutions, Cisco's integration with popular CRM solutions, design models for ICS 7750 deployment in the context of an IP Telephony solution, Wireless LAN solutions, and Cisco's Unity and IP/TV solutions.

Charles River Media
20 Downer Ave., Hingham, MA 02043
www.charlesriver.com

Many modern computer games are being released simultaneously on all platforms, so it's no longer enough to hone programming skills for one alone. For a definitive game development guide for advanced game programmers, don't miss Steven Goodwin's Cross-Platform Game Programming (1584503793 $49.95), which promotes code which can behave identically on all machines and platforms. A handy CD-Rom includes the book code, audio and graphics tools, and more utilities to accomplish this goal, while veteran game industry programmer Goodwin uses his cross-platform skills to explore the methods for creating solid results. Mike Wellins' Storytelling Through Animation (1584503947, $49.95) provides animators with a detailed guide to the process of conceiving and producing an animated or live action media production. From using Flash effectively to creating a workable story line which makes the most of lighting, art direction, and film tools, Storytelling Through Animation focuses on the story itself, and what can be done to enhance it. Included with the handy CD-ROM are film clips to evaluate and study along with the techniques recommended. Adam Watkins and Anson Call's Cinema 4D 9/9.1 Handbook (1584504021, $49.95) is a recommended pick for newcomers to the Cinema 4D program: it teaches beginners how to harness C4D's tools and many functions, covers the new facets of this major program update, and uses tutorials to link images and documentation. From reviews of the new interface enhancements to new features, the tutorial files combined with the demo are invaluable.

Que Publishing
801 East 96h Street, #300, Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
1-800-428-5331 www.mcp.com

Que publishes some of the most "user friendly" exam guides currently available in the field of applied computer science. Two especially outstanding examples include MCSA/MCSE 70-270 Exam Prep 2: Windows XP Professional (0789733-633, $59.99. 768 pages) by the team of Melissa Craft and Don Poulton is the most comprehensive, accurate study guide for this popular MCSE exam. Updated with Service Pack 2 information, this in-depth approach to the exam objectives also explains the core concepts of the technology to help you pass the exam. Organized by exam objective, you will be able to quickly and easily assess your understanding of key exam topics. The real-world examples, extensive hands-on exercises and end-of-chapter exercises support exam objectives and reinforce learning. Praxis I and II Exam Cram (0789732629, $19.95, 416 pages) by Diana Huggins is an easy to use, concise study guide for the teacher licensing exams which focuses upon only what you need to know to pass the exams and doesn't force you to spend your time reading about things you already know. The guide is packed with test taking strategies, tips, tricks and practical knowledge to help you learn and remember the information. A CD is also included that features an innovative test engine that provides multiple test modes.

O'Reilly
1005 Gravenstein Hwy N., Sebastapol, CA 95472
1-800-998-9938 www.oreilly.com

O'Reilly's 'hacks' guides provide the depth and detail necessary to customizing programs and understand pitfalls and ways around them. Nigel McFarlane's Firefox Hacks: Tips & Tools For Next-Generat-ion Web Browsing (0596009283, $24.95) provides keys to understanding the open source web browser Firefox, from customizing its actions and appearance to using skins, themes, integration techniques and toolbars to increasing security and using preferences. An excellent guide to all of Firefox's capabilities, both obvious and those lesser known. James Avery's Visual Studio Hacks: Tips & Tools For Turbocharging The IDE (0596008473, $24.95) provides a hundred tips from Visual Studio experts, from debugging scripts and locating new sources of information to be integrated with Visual Studio to testing code. Advanced Visual Studio users will find plenty of tips which lend to streamlining operations and code. The second edition of Steve Bass' PC Annoyances: How To Fix The Most Annoying Things About Your Personal Computer, Windows And More (0596008821, $19.95) is out, and it's a 'must' for any who wrestle with PC and Windows oddities and inconsistencies. From making Windows compatible with the iPod to handling the weighty service pack updates and handling Word annoyances in pasting from the Internet, PC ANNOYANCES updates and adds important tips and insights to make your PC more user-friendly. IPHOTO 5 comes packed not just with explanations, but with powerful all-color visual examples and screenshots to reinforce the learning. Nicholas Petreley & Jono Bacon's Linux Desktop Hacks: Tips & Tools For Customizing And Optimizing Your OS (0596009119, $24.95) teaches semi-experienced Linux system users how to tweak and customize the system to boost performance and make the most of the console. From running applications at near local speed to viewing PDF documents in a console or automating your system with cron, Linux Desktop Hacks has all the special tools difficult to unearth from the usual support material.

Sams Publishing
801 East 96h Street, #300, Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
1-800-428-5331 www.mcp.com

Chris Newman's Sams Teach Yourself PHP In 10 Minutes (0672327627, $14.99, 264 pages) is Enthusiastically recommended as a thoroughly "user friendly", no-fluff, just-the-answers, step-by-step working guide to building dynamic websites using PHP. Broken down into 10-minute lessons, the novice will gain a rapid working knowledge of PHP 5 and be able to immediately put that knowledge to use in practical applications. Now in a significantly expanded and updated second edition, Inside Network Perimeter Security (06723-27376, $49.99, 768 pages) by the team of Stephen Northcutt, Lenny Zeltser, Scott Winters, Karen Kent, and Ronald W. Ritchey. deftly consolidates the perimeter security experience of leading SANS experts into a practical, easy to digest compendium of the best practices for prevention of intrusions and defense against those intrusions that do succeed. Starting from the essentials of perimeter security, readers will methodically and effectively work their way through fortifying the security perimeter, designing a secure network, and maintaining and monitoring the security of the network.


The Jobs/Careers Shelf

Post Office Jobs
Dennis V. Damp
Bookhaven Press
249 Field Club Circle, Mckees Rocks, PA 15136
0943641241 $19.95 www.federaljobs.net

Eight simple steps are presented in Post Office Jobs, an employment guide which ranges from identifying all job vacancies within the postal system and matching your skills to them, to locating exam test dates, studying for the test, and applying for jobs. If you wish to become a postal worker, this is the definitive guide, with its fourth edition expanding and updating facts and representing the author's thirty-plus years of experience working for the government.

How To Get From Cubicle To Corner Office
Joel Weiss
Gibbs Smith
PO Box 667, Layton, UT 84041
www.gibbs-smith.com
1586855247 $18.95 1-800-748-5439

Found yourself dreaming of how to get ahead in the workplace? You aren't alone: Joel Weiss gathers not just the similar dreams of others, but the stories of those who have achieved their goals in How To Get From Cubicle To Corner Office. Every job shares some common skills and practices which speed up the entire process of getting ahead: Weiss' title is packed with professional and personal practices alike, all couched in real-life experiences which demonstrate just how to translate goals into achievements.

Careers With Animals
Ellen Shenk
Stackpole Books
5067 Ritter Road, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055-6921
www.stackpolebooks.com
0811729621 $16.95 1-800-732-3669

Readers who are animal lovers and who dream of working with animals often stop at the idea of being a vet: in actuality, there's so much more available, as Careers With Animals: Exploring Occupations Involving Dogs, Horses, Cats, Birds, Wildlife And Exotics demonstrates. Career options range from breeding and treating animals to being a show judge or working for a zoo or aquarium. An organization by animal type - marine, horses, birds, wild animals - makes it easy to hone in more specifically to careers with particular types of animals. Very highly recommended.


The Biography Shelf

Recollections Of An Occasional Attorney
Francis N. Iglehart
American Literary Press
8019 Belair Road, Suite 10, Baltimore, MD 21236
1561678627 $17.95 1-800-873-2003

Recollections Of An Occasional Attorney is the wry and candid memoir of attorney Francis N. Iglehart, presenting his firsthand experience with the American legal system from the mid-1950's to the present day. Offering the reader an opportunity to see the courtroom and trial cases from the inside, Recollections Of An Occasional Attorney devotes one to a handful of pages to each individual remembered case, ranging from disputes about divorce or a slip and fall to the death of a child and school desegregation. A revealing and sometimes personal, often professional but always compelling glimpse behind the scenes of human attempts at justice.

Sacagawea's Child
Susan M. Colby
The Arthur H. Clark Company
PO Box 14707, Spokane, WA 99214
www.ahclark.com
0870623397 $28.50 1-800-842-9286

Sacagawea's Child: The Life And Times Of Jean-Baptiste (Pomp) Charbonneau is a carefully researched biography of the son of the legendary Native American guide and heroine of the Lewis and Clark expedition, Sacagawea, and her French-Canadian husband. Paying attention to both what can be reconstructed from historical record and what scholars remain in dispute over to this day, Sacagawea's Child offers as full a picture as possible of events from before Jean-Baptiste's birth to the circumstances of his demise. Though Jean-Baptiste was flesh-and-blood with flaws like all human beings, he was also a "citizen Indian" who sought to remain mindful of his heritage while living peacefully among people of various cultures, and his story is ultimately one of exploration, wonder, and tolerance. A highly recommended addition to school, public, and reference library shelves, as well as personal biography and American history shelves.

The Du Mauriers
Daphne Du Maurier
Virago/Trafalgar Square
PO Box 257, Howe Hill Road, North Pomfret, VT 05053-0257
www.trafalgarsquarebooks.com
1844080641 $14.00 1-800-423-4525

Popular novelist Daphne Du Maurier's superbly written and memorably personal autobiography of her own family provides a spirited saga of family history, and will prove a 'must' for any student seeking a full coverage of Du Maurier's influences and life. From the histories of relatives she never personally knew to her own life, The Du Mauriers makes for a lively and engaging "first-person" read.


The Musicbook Shelf

Britten And Barber
Daniel Felsenfeld
Amadeus Press
512 Newark Pompton Turnpike, Pompton Plains, NJ 07444
1574571081 $22.95 amadeuspress.com

A full-length budget Naxos music CD makes the perfect pairing accompaniment to New York composer/music writer Daniel Felsenfeld's dual biographical sketch Britten And Barber: Their Lvies And Their Music. Benjamin Britten and Samuel Barber are two giants of 20th century classical music, both men are celebrities who came of age during war times. Felsenfeld's fascinating contrast of their lives and genius allows for a probe of their differing techniques, analyzing specific works and how each composer created new experiences for listeners.

Moneymaking Music
Jeffrey P. Fisher
ProMusic Press
236 Georgia St. #100, Vallejo, CA 94590
193114012X $24.95 www.artistpro.com

Author Jeffrey Fisher created many hit music books on how to make money in the industry: his latest tells not just how to make it, but how to keep and protect music rights and expand music success. Here's a complete proven method for starting your own music business, from promoting music and developing a specialty niche and image to advertising, promoting, and more. A 'must' for any who would still be in the music industry - and a success.

Guitar Chords Deluxe
Hal Leonard
151 West 46th St, 8th fl., NY, NY 10036
www.halleonard.com
0634073893 $7.95 1-800-637-2852

Guitar Chords Deluxe from the Hal Lenoard Corporation showcases more than 1,600 guitar chords, each of which is clearly and completely illustrated with full-color photos and diagrams. Included in this highly portable instruction manual are easy-to-red chord grids, readily perceived color photo illustrations, basic chord theory, basic fingering principles, open chords and barre chords, partial chords and broken-set forms. Each chord is perfectly framed for the guitar student with five consecutive photos in a vertically arranged column on the left side the page, with an accompanying five vertically arranged diagrams matching the photos on the right side of the page. Guitar Chords Deluxe is a welcome addition to personal, music department, private instructor, and community library music instruction resource materials, substantially making earning to play the guitar has been made easy and faster than ever.

The Beatles Solo On Apple Records
Bruce Spizer, compiler
498 Productions
P.O. Box 70194, New Orleans, LA 70172
0966264959 $50.00 midpointtrade.com

Avid Beatles collectors who already have all the collector's guides to Apple Records may imagine they already have all they need - until they confront The Beatles Solo On Apple Records: The Stories Behind The Entire Beatles Solo Catalog On Apple Records Including Imagine, Band On The Run, All Things Must Pass And Ringo. Packed with black and white and color photos of records, vintage posters, ad illustrations and more, The Beatles Solo On Apple Records supplements extensive illustrations with meticulous background details for each recording's origins. In using the recordings to ground background history, The Beatles Solo produces a depth unequalled by competing, lighter Beatles coverages - and insights simply unavailable in price guides alone. Not for the casual readers who seeks a light history, but perfect for the avid Beatles fan who needs to know everything about the group, it's individual members, and their recordings.


The Gardening Shelf

Dryland Gardening
Jennifer Bennett
Firefly Books Ltd.
155 E. 34th St. #5B, NY, NY 10016
www.fireflybooks.com
1554070317 $24.95 1-800-387-5085

As the planteary weather patterns and overall environment warms, so garden plants which typically did well in prior decades are now suffering from hotter summers, requiring even the most experienced gardener to try new plants which have a greater range of tolerance to warmer conditions. Gardening writer Jennifer Bennett has already produced several award-winning titles, but Dryland Gardening: Plants That Survive And Thrive In Tough Conditions is broader-based than most, and provides alternative plant choices for all kinds of dry conditions. Organized by type of plant: bulbs, grasses, groundcovers and vines, and even herbs, Dryland Gardening is a real problem-solver for any seeking to produce a beautiful garden under today's drier conditions.

The John Tradescants: Gardeners To The Rose And Lily Queen
Prudence Leith-Ross
Dufour Editions
Box 7, Chester Springs, PA 19425-0007
www.dufoureditions.com
0720610737 $34.95 1-800-869-5677

Few may have heard of the John Tradescants, father and son of the late 1500s-1600s who worked for a series of patrons supervising some of the most notable gardens of the 17th century: Prudence Leith-Ross remedies this omission with The John Tradescants: Gardeners To The Rose And Lily Queen. Of particular interest to gardeners, besides the fascinating history and biographies of the two, are discussions of the plants introduced by them, with their original plant lists paired with modern botanical names.

Modern Garden Design
Janet Waymark
Thames & Hudson
500 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10110
www.thames.wwnorton.com
0500284210 $24.95 1-800-233-4830

The elements of modern garden design technique actually begins in the Victorian era and continues to modern times around the world: Janet Waymark's collection reflects world trends and changes as it follows innovations post-1900, juxtaposing different approaches to landscape design. Changing theories, practices, and even urban design values are contrasted in chapters packed with color photo examples and history. College-level students with more than a casual interest in landscaping will find Modern Garden Design: Innovation Since 1900 an essential key to unlocking trends and influences on garden paths.

Shields Publications
Box 669, Eagle River, WI 54521
www.happydranch.com

Three fine earthworm guides will prove handy for gardeners and natural history students alike, providing excellent pro-worm instructions, tips, and insights. Shelley C. Grossman & Toby Weitzel's Recycle With Earthworms: The Red Wiggler Connection (0914116320, $10.00) comes from a certified Master Composter who has developed this book and its accompanying video for use in classrooms and recycling programs. From figuring out volume of organic garbage to setting up a worm bin and understanding worm reproduction and development, Recycle With Earthworms covers all the basics. Want to go further with the idea? Turn to Earl B. Shields' Raising Earthworms For Profit: A Multi-Million Dollar Market (0914116-215). Readers will be surprised to learn earthworms are used not only for recycling but for bait, breeding stock and soil amendments. Learn how to grow 'em, feed 'em, pack 'em and ship them to customers through this handy guide to a profitable venture. Speaking of which, just where to buy them? Turn to the handy pamphlet Earthworm Buyer's Guide 2004-05: A Directory Of Earthworm Hatcheries In The U.S.A. And Canada (0914116371): A state-by-state arrangement of such sources includes name, address, phones, emails, descriptions of worm types and systems sold, as well as a wealth of display ads: everything you need to locate sources or get set up.

Gardens To Go
Sydney Eddison
Bullfinch Press
c/o Little, Brown & Company
1271 Ave. of the Americas, NY NY 10020
www.bullfinchpress.com
0821257153 $35.00 1-800-759-0190

It's not just urban gardeners who wish to garden by container: it's anyone who seeks portability, defenses against gophers and underground varmints, and the possibility of having a garden in manmade environments. Gardens To Go: Creating And Designing A Container Garden holds gorgeous photos by Steve Silk as it reviews a range of container garden ideas, from choosing decorative planting containers which are functional to using rooftops, patios, and more as spaces to hold them. A gorgeous set of guidelines for producing show-stopping displays.

The Garden View
Tara Dillard
Sterling Publishing Company
387 Park Avenue South, NY, NY 10016
140271405X $24.95 1-800-805-5489

The Garden View: Designs For Beautiful Landscapes is an in-depth guide to creating aesthetically pleasing garden. It is not an instructional manual for choosing the right plant species for one's climate, or keeping plants lush and healthy; The Garden View leaves that part of the task largely to other gardening books, and specifically focuses upon logistical matters of garden layout and architectural landscaping. From building the garden design around "viewing axes" (those vantage points from which a garden will most often be seen) to tips, tricks and techniques for camouflaging eyesores to the maxim "if a garden looks good in the winter it will look good the rest of the year" and much more, The Garden View is an absolute must-have for anyone interested in creating a work of living beauty, as it is presents the wisdom of experts and professionals in plain and simple terms. Read this to refine and balance a garden design before the first seed is sown.

The Gaia Book Of Organic Gardening
Charlie Ryrie & Cindy Engel
Gaia Books
c/o Sterling Publishing Company
387 Park Avenue South, NY, NY 10016
1856752186 $17.95 1-800-805-5489

The Gaia Book Of Organic Gardening by Charlie Ryrie (with the assistance of Cindy Engel) focuses upon composts, pests, weeds, and soil as it offers a comprehensive and accessible guide to organize gardening. Complete with a profusion of checklists and planners, The Gaia Book Of Organic Gardening covers everything from crop rotation to making "green manure", from enhancing biodiversity to using botanical pesticides. Do-it-yourself gardeners and commercially minded farming operations will learn how to build a healthy garden through identifying soil types and properly nurturing them, which weeds are useful and controlling unwanted varieties, encouraging "good" predators such as ladybirds and overflies, while repelling destructive pests in the garden. Offering the most up-to-date concepts and practices for time management, seasonal planting, harvesting, and more, The Gaia Book Of Organic Gardening is ideal for the non-specialist general reader wanting to establish an organic garden, and has a great deal to offer even the more experienced and practicing organic gardener.

Gardening With Hardy Geraniums
Birgitte Husted Bendtsen
Timber Press
133 S.W. Second Avenue, #450, Portland, OR 97204-3527
www.timberpress.com
0881927163 $29.95 1-800-327-5680

Plenty of gardeners associate geraniums with potted plants which have a long flowering period: Gardening With Hardy Geraniums shows there's many more varieties available - over 400 in all - which are good garden cultivars. Over 400 photos cover the characteristics which distinguish them, from color to flower shape, while accompany summaries cover height, propagation, season, and background history. Avid gardeners with a passion for geraniums will relish Gardening With Hardy Geraniums as in-depth survey of geranium varieties. Timber Press is a premier publisher of books for gardening and landscaping. Send for their free catalog for a complete listing of their superb titles.


The Needlecraft Shelf

Knitticisms
Kari Cornell
Voyageur Press
PO Box 338, Stillwater, MN 55082
www.voyageurpress.com
089658707X $12.95 1-800-888-9653

What to give that avid knitter besides yarn and craft ideas? Why, Knitticisms And Other Perls Of Wisdom: a nifty little guide which packs in knit wit with historical photos and images, art, vintage pattern booklets and ads. A nifty little pocket tote gift which has a little something for every knitter.

Illustrated Knitting & Crocheting
Maran Graphics
Thomson Course Technology
25 Thomson Place, Boston, MA 02210
1592008623 $24.99 courseptr.com

The Maran family's fine guide to knitting and crocheting uses high-quality color graphics and photos to explain the process to beginners, from beginning to intermediate stitches, fringes, lace and more. There are plenty of projects to reinforce the close-up instructions, from sweaters and purses to complete baby outfits - and chapters on how to read a pattern, so learners can move to the next levels. An essential instructional, Maran Illustrated Knitting & Crocheting is highly recommended indeed.

Japanese Anime Linens
Anita Yasuda
Schiffer Publishing Ltd.
4880 Lower Valley Rd, Atglen, PA 19310
0764321552 $34.95 schifferbooks.com

Japanese Anime Linens: 1970s To Present showcases more than 325 photographs of vintage and contemporary Japanese textiles, including fabrics, handkerchiefs, yukatas, and appliques, that come alive with art celebrating characters from anime, Japanese animated film and television. Most of the figures and shows chosen are from older anime of the decades leading up to the early 90's, including such classic heroes as Goku of Dragonball Z and Astro Boy, and many others corresponding to television shows never officially translated and released in English; a few offer designs celebrating more modern shows such as Digimon. Notes on fabric designs, color trends, examples of common textile labels, and recommendations for crafts round out this impressive and beautiful collection, revealing its smorgasboard selection with all the grandeur and respect of a museum collection artbook. Recommended for fabric collectors, sewing enthusiasts, fabric historians, and Japanese pop culture fans.

Krause Publications
700 E. State St., Iola, WI 54990-0001
www.fwpubs.com

Quilters will delight in two highly recommended guides to expand skills. Cindy Walter and Stevii Graves' Contemporary Quilting: Exciting Techniques And Quilts From Award-Winning Quilters (087349749X, $24.99) teaches new techniques thorough a blend of color photos and 12 projects. Thanks to rotary machine cutting there's a whole generation who have never used scissors: the authors interviewed many pros in the quilting industry to gather these challenging new projects. Joanie Zier Poole's Elegant Machine Quilting: Innovative Heirloom Quilting Using Any Sewing Machine (0873498-984, $24.99) teaches the basics of heirloom machine quilting, from choosing appropriate fabrics to customizing designs. Color photos accompany tips on pattern alternation, sizing choices, and finishes. Both are especially recommended for advanced quilters wanting to branch out.

Martingale & Company
2025 - 144th Ave. NE, Woodinvale, 98072-8478
www.martingale-pub.com

These excellent new crafts guides are perfect for sewers and knitters seeking something different. Melissa Matthay and Sheryl Thies' Little Box Of Scarves II (1564-776220, $19.95) packages a variety of scarf project patterns in a box set of appealing project cards rather than the usual book form. The advantage of this format: cards can be individually slipped into a knitting bag for projects in progress. Each card includes a color photo, schematics, materials, and step-by-step directions for easy reproduction. Amy Barickman's Bag Boutique: Making Fabulous Purses And Totes (1564776115, $21.95) tells how to create an appealing bag or purse. There's more to such projects than style and color: handles and closures and a range of personalization options such as photo transfers and free downloadable images offer all kinds of options: all of which are covered in and easy project-oriented guide. Applique artists will relish a nature-oriented guide in Jane Townswick's Applique Takes Wing: Exquisite Designs For Birds, Butterflies, And More (1564-775844, $29.95). Simply gorgeous block patterns and samples for birds and butterflies provide step-by-step color photos on their creation: they may be used in quilts, for towels, and for a range of art projects. The color photos and easy directions make this an exceptional pick. Sarah Dallas' Knitting (1564776379, $29.95) provides a catalog of Sarah Dallas's modern designs for clothes, afghans and accessories alike. There are over 30 such projects here, with sizes, yarn advice, needles, and even more important, explanations of knitting abbreviations within the instructions, making it easy for novices to produce polished, professional results. All are wonderful, different picks crafters will appreciate.

Creative Publishing International
18705 Lake Drive East, Chanhassen, MN 55317
www.creativepub.com

Whether you wish to accessorize home or personal style, all that's needed is a love of sewing and crafting to appreciate the latest two top Creative Publishing International guides. Stitch & Sizzle Accessories: Hot Handbags, Scarves, Wraps & Accents (1589232070, $19.95) pairs bold hot colors with easy sewing instructions and show-off bags, boas, and scarves in a sassy, stylish presentation packed with color photos. Simple instructions show how to use a sewing machine to best advantage, how to preshrink wools for optimum results, and how to use templates and patterns for added impact. Linda Neubauer and Joanne Wawra's Handcrafted Pillows: Sew And Embellish Pillows In The Decorator Looks You Love (1589231511, $21.95) provides a set of some thirty projects achieved using five basic sewing styles. These are bold patterns that can be used to touch up a room, cozy pillows to soothe, and eye-catching new renditions of classic pillow styles. One look at either bag or pillow book and you'll be hooked.

Stewart, Tabori & Chang
115 West 18th St., New York NY 10011
www.stcbooks.com

Two fine knitter's guides are a cut above the ordinary, offering something different for knitters. Christina Stork and Leslie Barbazette's Viva Poncho (1584794216, $16.95) offers patterns for beginners to advanced knitters for ponchos and caplets, featuring twenty different designs suitable for both summer and winter. From one-piece ponchos to two-piece designs, each project features a review of skills needed, building upon prior skills to offer a continuous series of lessons. Teva Durham's Loop-D-Loop (1584794143, $29.95) ably presents forty modern projects for adults, kids and home use. Knitters of all levels receive a host of knitting ideas and projects, which are as varied as a cardigan with a 'dreamcatcher' web in the back to a eye-catching slipcover or a corrugated V-neck sweater and hat. High color, high fashion, and lots of variety mark a project book packed with color photos throughout.

America Knits
Melanie Falick
Artisan
708 Broadway, New York, NY 10003
www.workman.com
1579652875 $19.95 1-800-722-7202

Author and knitter Melanie Falick spent years searching through knitting books, finding the most beautiful ones came from England with the idea Britain held more talented knitters than America. America Knits: 30 Projects For The Whole Fmaily To Knit And Wear From The Country's Leading Artisans seeks to correct this idea, packing in patterns and artisan profiles with gorgeous color photos by Chris Hartlove of notable creations. This isn't another pattern book: it's a celebration of American knitting traditions and styles, packed with biographies, artist accounts of knitting, and regional color.

Watson-Guptill Publications
770 Broadway, New York NY 10003
www.watsonguptill.com

Sherri Haab's Designer Style Handbags: Techniques And Projects For Niue Fun, And Elegant Designs From Classic To Retro (0823012883, $19.95) makes it easy to create colorful, unique purses and especially tote bags using 10 'master plans' as templates. And you don't even have to be a sewer: included herein are makeovers of plain bags with crafting techniques ranging from collage and clay to photo transfers! Beginners to accomplished sewers at all levels will relish the variety, which goes above and beyond competitors. Melissa Leapman's Cool Crochet: 30 Hot, Fun Designs To Crochet And Wear (0823011240, $19.95) also goes beyond the norm in focusing on style and sexy clothing as much as crochet techniques themselves. Gone are the boxy sweaters usually associated with the art of crochet: in their place are slinky small-strap dresses, soft wrap-tops, and honeycomb/popcorn-stitched sweaters which don't reflect tired crochet looks. An eye-opening project guide for any seeking something different in crochet projects. Easy Beading: Fast, Fashionable, Fun (0871162-172, $29.95) comes from the archives of BeadStyle Magazine and compiles the best easy beading projects from the magazine's first year. Many different kinds of necklaces are presented in the form of articles by different crafts, which include exceptionally clear step-by-step instructions, plenty of color photos, supply lists and more.

Creative Cloth Doll Faces
Patti Medaris Culea
Quarry/Rockport Publishers
33 Commercial St, Gloucester, MA 01930
159253144X $24.99 www.rockpub.com

The doll's face is its most compelling feature and the key to a doll's personality - it's also the most difficult to render: thus deserving of an exclusive crafter's coverage in artist Patti Culea's Creative Cloth Doll Faces Using Paints, Pastels, Fibers, Beading, Collage And Sculpting Techniques. Dollmakers receive a variety of step-by-step approaches to creating doll faces, from developing simple grids which divide the face into quadrants to using different mediums from watercolors and dyes to collages and fabric sculpting. While there are instructions for dress and other doll parts, it's the face which is the focus.

Creative Homeowner
24 Park Way, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
www.creativehomeowner.com

Two excellent "So Simple" sewing guides by Gail Abbot and Cate Burren link needlecraft projects to home embellishment, providing all levels of sewers with plenty of applications for their skills. So Simple Slipcovers (1580112250, $19.95) displays thirty easy projects, using step-by-step photos and no-sew idea combinations to provide ideas for slipcovers, pillows, and table linen alike. Color photos of finished projects pack each page and offer numerous ideas for different approaches to color and look. So Simple Window Style (1580112447, $19.95) uses a similar format and approach in addressing window covering options, pairing thirty projects and variations with tips on how to choose the right window treatments to compliment colors and room feel. Both are excellent practical home project guides.

C&T Publishing
PO Box 1456, Lafayette, CA 94549
www.ctpub.com

Two wonderful new guides are recommended picks for knitters and crocheters at all levels. Sally Harding's Quick Crochet Huge Hooks (1571203125, $25.95) blends great designs and unusual yarns with patterns for over 20 projects which can be done quickly using giant hooks. Beginners will be thrilled by the focus on different ideas to be done quickly - and by the wealth of color photos throughout. Cyndy Lyle Rymer's Fast Fun & Easy Fabric Knitting: Fabulous Projects-Great New Looks (1571203036, $14.95) is also a winner, with an unusual focus on quick, portable projects which can be quickly done in a day. Ten projects are featured, with tips ranging on using specialty yarns with unusual textures to unusual color combinations and plenty of step-by-step stitch basics. The perfect item of choice for a knitting newcomer!


The Health/Medicine Shelf

Edgework
Ronald L. Peters, MD, MPH
Blue Dolphin Publishing
PO Box 8, Nevada City, CA 95959-0008
1577331168 $17.95 1-800-643-0765

Edgework: Exploring The Psychology Of Disease by family medicine and holistic medicine practitioner Ronald L. Peters provides the reader with an exceptionally accessible and concise overview of the research on the mind/body interconnection, summarizing the essence of healing at the level of the conscious mind, and guiding the reader through the process with detailed exercises that will make the abstract concepts a tangible and personal reality. Dr. Peters utilizes an approach that will provide his readers with a framework for inner healing while encouraging the use of suggested techniques day to day, either to assist in the treatment of an existing illness, or to prevent a disease from every taking hold. Informed and informative reading, Edgework is especially recommended to the attention of those with an interest in alternative medicine and the psychological impact of the mind upon the body as part of the process for insuring and/or restoring physical health.

Polio And Its Aftermath
Marc Shell
Harvard University Press
79 Garden St., Cambridge, MA 02138
www.hup.harvard.edu
0674013158 $35.00 1-800-448-2242

There was a time when fear of polio held America in its grip, much as the public fears terrorism today: though in recent decades polio has been all but eliminated, readers may be surprised to learn it's not only resurfaced but spread in various African nations, and is still with us even while the society-wide fear is gone. Professor Marc Shell is concerned about this collective amnesia: his Polio And Its Aftermath: The Paralysis Of Culture focuses not on the climax but the aftermath of the polio trauma. Polio And Its Aftermath comes from personal experience as well: Shell himself contracted polio in 1953 at the age of six, making this part memoir as well as a cultural history and survey of the meaning of polio in society.

Omnigraphics
615 Griswold St., Detroit, MI 48226
1-800-234-1340 www.amazon.com

Three fine updated and new additions to Omnigraphic's signature red-sided 'Health Reference Series' titles are highly recommended picks for basic consumer health reference holdings at all levels. Joyce Brennfleck Shannon edits Thyroid Disorders Sourcebook (0780897456, $78.00), a primer on preventative lifestyles and recognizing malfunctions of the thyroid gland, central to regulating body metabolism and organs. There's a range of disorders related to thyroid imbalances, from sleep disturbance and weight changes to intolerance to cold or heat: learn the symptoms and treatments of and for thyroid disease. The second edition of Brain Disorder Sourcebook (0780807448, $78.00) is edited by Sandra J. Judd and covers all kinds of brain disorders, from injury to neurological disorders and injuries. From Parkinson and multiple sclerosis to brain tumors, all kinds of injuries and conditions are described along with the latest treatment options and research. The latest research is also included in Amy L. Sutton's updated and expanded second edition of Blood And Circulatory Disorders Sourcebook (0780807464, $78.00), covering disorders ranging from blood cancers and clots to circulatory disorders. The latest new treatments and medications are many - and all are covered in this extensive updated reference.

How To Be Idle
Tom Hodgkinson
HarperCollins
10 E. 53rd St., New York NY 10022-5299
www.harpercollins.com
0060779683 $18.95 1-800-242-7737

Oscar Wilde devotee Tom Hodgkinson launched a quarterly magazine in 1993 which was devoted to doing nothing. How can you write about nothing? Surprisingly there's a fine art to daydreaming, laziness, and the lack of work - and How To Be Idle combines anecdotes and literary criticism with history and a how-to commentary which defies easy categorization.

Optimal Digestive Health
Trent Nichols, MD & Nancy Faass
Healing Arts Press
One Park Street, Rochester, VT 065767
www.innertraditions.com
1594770360 $19.95 1-800-246-8648

Over twenty top physicians and practitioners in Integrative Medicine discusses digestive health and how to create an optimal customized health plan blending exercise, rest, medications and diet. Dr. Nichols is an internist and nutritionist, Nancy Faas is a writer and editor: the two provide an important survey of herbal therapies, homeopathy, and other alternative methods to mainstream medicine - including complimentary therapies.

The Ultimate New York Body Plan
David Kirsch
McGraw-Hill
2 Penn Plaza, New York NY 10121
www.books.mcgraw-hill.com
0071446494 $21.95 1-877-833-5524

Is it possible to transform your body in just two weeks through diet and fitness? The Ultimate New York Body Plan is the program as seen on ABC-TV's 'Extreme Makeover': it offers a diet and fitness combo to reshape the body and promotes quick weight loss. Black and white photos throughout, spaces for journal entries, and clear chapters divided by area of body to be sculpted make for an easy guide to use in the course of developing a personal fitness program.

Dare To Dream
Douglas Cairns
Albyne Press Ltd.
1221 Pearl St., Boulder, CO 80302
0954992903 $16.95 www.amazon.com

Douglas Cairns was enjoying racing and jets in the RAF when he was diagnosed with diabetes, a diagnosis which seemed to put an end to his top speed life. His career as a fighter plane pilot was over - but his determination to both fly again and raise awareness of diabetes resulted in his Diabetes World flight, chronicled in Dare To Dream: Flying Solo With Diabetes Around The World In 159 Days. Both an adventure story and a health memoir, Day To Dream is passionate about flight and living life to its fullest.

Brain Imaging Handbook
J. Douglas Bremner, MD
W.W. Norton
500 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10110
www.wwnorton.com
0393704149 $42.50 1-800-233-4830

If it's a primer on brain imaging for a college-level course or basic understanding which is needed, there's no better place to start than with Dr. Bremner's Brain Imaging Handbook. From the basics of film imaging and different kinds of brain imaging devices to the use of imaging in both psychiatry and physical health, Brain Imaging Handbook provides an in-depth review of the techniques and application of the science to diagnostic processes of psychiatric and neurological disorders. Mental health care providers and students alike will benefit from Dr. Bremner's background in radiology and psychiatry, and from a clear discussion packed with color brain imaging results.

Diabesity
Francine R. Kaufman, MD
Bantam
1745 Broadway, New York, NY 10019
www.randomhouse.com
0553803840 $27.00 1-800-726-0600

There's a firm connection between obesity and diabetes resulting in the current epidemic levels of diabetes in America, and Dr. Kaufman, as past president of the American Diabetes Association, is in the perfect position to identify and comment upon this connection in Diabesity: The Obesity-Diabetes Epidemic That Threatens America--And What We Must Do To Stop It. Dr. Kaufman sees vastly overweight children and dangerous new connections between obesity and Type 2 diabetes: chapters outline the condition and use patient stories to explain consequences.

How To Live With An Idiot
John Hoover
Career Press
PO Box 687, Franklin Lakes, NJ 07417
www.careerpress.com
1564147703 $14.99 1-800-227-3371

Yes, you can live with an idiot - whether it be a spouse, child, or roommate - all depending on willingness to recognize your own 'inner idiot'. Author Hoover is a Ph.D. and the author of the popular How To Work For An Idiot: Clueless Creatures And The People Who Love Them - and he's an organizational behavior consultant who here uses the family structure as his 'organization'. Chapters survey issues of blame, compatibility, criticism and more.

Dr. Peter Scardino's Prostate Book
Peter Scardino, MD & Judith Kelman
Avery
375 Hudson Street, NY, NY 10014-3657
1583332200 $27.95 1-800-847-5515

Dr. Scardino has been billed as the 'finest prostate surgeon in the country', and here provides an updated guide to the prostate gland which covers everything from enlargement to diseases. Dr. Peter Scardino's Prostate Book The Complete Guide To Overcoming Prostate Cancer, Prostatis And BPH covers all the basics; from understanding the results of PSA and other screening tests to finding the best doctors and treatment centers. Co-author Judith Kelman's background writing nonfiction articles and novels lends a smoothness and accessibility to Dr. Scardino's technical advice, making Dr. Peter Scardino's Prostate Book most accessible to lay readers.

Microbe
Alan P. Zelicoff, MD & Michael Bellomo
Amacom
1601 Broadway, New York NY 10019
www.amacombooks.org
0814408656 $23.00 1-800-250-5308

Are we ready for the next plague? It could come through variants of West Nile, SARS, or other modern diseases - or it could come from nowhere; and the U.S. public health system is vastly under-equipped to respond to a major plague. That's the message of Microbe: Are We Ready For The Next Plague? A physician/physicist and lawyer combine talents to expose conditions conducive to major biological crises, from gaps in communication and information chains to lack of containment plans. Promising models for networks and vaccines are also analyzed. A gripping assessment of the world's ability to withstand a major plague.

Extreme Emergencies
Anthea Sanyasi
Intermediate Technology Development Group Publishing
c/o Stylus Publishing, Inc. (dist.)
22883 Quicksilver Dr, Sterling, VA 20166
www.styluspub.com
1853396028 $49.95 1-800-232-0223

Drawing upon research from the UK medical relief agency Merlin, Extreme Emergencies is a practical survival manual for chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, or explosive disasters, intended especially for humanitarian organizations serving middle and low-income nations, who are most likely to face such deadly man-made threats. From basic tactical management procedures to identification and containment of hazards, appropriate decontamination procedures, quick-reference cards for fast consultation, and an extensive directory of organizations, conventions, websites, and references, Extreme Emergencies is a "must-have" for its target audience and highly recommended for anyone who needs to know how to best prepare and react in such crises. A straightforward reference and resouce that spares no details or small talk but focuses expressly on survival, triage, and what most needs to be done.


The Library CD Music Shelf

Land Of The Sky
Al Petteway & Amy White
Maggie's Music
PO Box 940, Shady Side, MD 20764
www.maggiesmusic.com
MM233 $15.98 1-877-624-4436

When the Scots, Irish, Welch, and English settlers populated the mountain valleys, hills, and mountains of Southern Appalachia, they brought their music with them as an integral part of their culture. In Land Of The Sky, Al Petteway and Amy White deftly collaborate to memorably perform within that Southern Appalachian music tradition and heritage for the benefit and delight of a new generation of listeners with recorded performances that include both original and traditional compositions of mountain melodies played on acoustic guitars, the mandolin, the Celtic harp, the banjo, fiddles, the Irish Bouzouki, Fretless Bass, percussion, and vocals. Entertaining listening with a total running time of 53:06, the fourteen pieces comprising this outstanding and recommended CD for personal, music department, and community library New Age & Contemporary Folk Music collections include Black Bear's Picnic (4:16); Shady Grove (4:39); Across the Blue Mountains (4:11); Bobcat in the Brambles (3:03); Sunny Day (3:08); Pretty Polly (4:00); A Walk in the Woods (4:20); Western Highlands (3:30); Wayfaring Stranger (4:33); The Cuckoo (2:42); Swannanoa (4:44); Ryan's Rambles (4:05); Trillium Waltz (2:33); and the title piece, Land of the Sky (2:58).


The Business Shelf

Office Stress Emergency Kit
Darrin Zeer
Chronicle Books
65 - 2nd St., San Francisco CA 94105
www.chroniclebooks.com
0811847020 $9.95 1-800-722-6657

Stressed out at work, or looking for an inspirational gift for a stressed co-worker? Darrin Zeer's cute card-box-size Office Stresws Emergency Kit: The World's Easiest Stress-management Program is the item of choice. Where other books would pose weighty questions and tome-like pages, this little box holds a set of 30 yoga and relaxation cards and a stress-alleviating squeeze ball. Just a pick a card and perform the simple exercise to feel a newfound calm.

Business For Beginners
Frances McGuckin
Sourcebooks
PO Box 4410, Naperville, IL 60567-4410
www.sourcebooks.com
1402203926 $14.95 1-800-432-7444

If you're a bare-bones newcomer to the business world and seek a basic introduction to all the concepts, from business plans and marketing to the law, then Frances McGuckin's Business For Beginenrs: From Research And Business Plans To Money, Marketing And The Law is for you. McGuickin is a small business expert and consultant, and shares her strategies for developing a small business using seven basic skills and seven reasons businesses fail. Checklists and boxed information sets abound.

Made In China
Donald N. Sull with Yong Wang
Harvard Business School Press
60 Harvard Way, Boston, MA 02163
www.hbspress.org
1591397154 $35.00 1-800-668-6780

Western managers can learn a lot from the new Chinese entrepreneurs, and the perfect place to receive these lessons - aside from a trip to China, is with Donald N. Sull and Yong Wang's Made In China: What Western Managers Can Learn From Trailblazing Chiense Entrepreneurs. From the rise of elite new firms who do business successfully where hundreds of rivals have failed to their ability to predict trends and respond consistently in inconsistent markets, Made In China profiles eight Chinese ventures to probe the secrets behind their success.

How To Do Business In China
Michael Shen, Ph.D., MBA
Dorrance Publishing Company
701 Smithfield Street, 3rd floor, Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3906
www.dorrancepublishing.com
0805964436 $20.00 1-800-788-7654

The China market offers much promise to multinational companies, but it's also a tough one to break into - that's why the experience of one who has been there and achieved such breakthroughs is so invaluable. How To Do Business In China shares Shen's own experiences, covering such basics as how to set up China operations, reach into and grow the Chinese market, and how to travel and live in the country. From initial visits and possible side-tracking when the red carpet's rolled out to later growth and development, there's plenty of practical cultural insights alongside business savvy.

Getting It Right The First Time
John Katsaros & Peter Christy
Praeger
88 Post Road West, Westport, CT 06881
www.greenwood.com
0275984796 $34.95 1-800-225-5800

Business changes and influences are happening faster and faster, requiring the successful company to be more responsive and anticipatory than ever. For a guide which teaches managers and owners how to predict demand and handle it correctly, Getting It Right The First Time: How Innovative Companies Anticipate Demand is essential. Examples of real-life lucrative successes and missed opportunities alike offer lessons for all, and John Katsaros and Peter Christy have gathered a representative sampling of these case histories to work into a general company plan for marketing and advancement. Recommended for any entrepreneur interested in innovation.

The Outsourcing Revolution
Michael F. Corbett
Dearborn Trade
30 South Wacker Drive, Suite 2500, Chicago, IL 60606
0793192145 $25.00 1-800-245-2665

Outsourcing is a $6 trillion global industry and is a hot topic not only in business but in the daily papers, where workers displaced complain and employers saving money face the pros and cons of outsourcing. Several books have appeared on the topic, but The Outsourcing Revolution: Why It Makes Sense And How To Do It Right differs in several ways. It's written by an expert and pioneer on the topic who's been coaching executives on outsourcing practices for over a decade, it explains the values - when conducted properly - of outsourcing, and it tells how to identify the right partners and fine-tune outsourcing relationships. A 'must' for serious companies considering outsourcing.

Transferring Learning To Behavior
Donald & James Kirkpatrick
Berrett Koehler
235 Montgomery St. #650, San Francisco CA 94104-2916
www.bkconnection.com
978-1-57675-325-5 $39.95

Donald Kirkpatrick's four level model has become the model of choice for evaluating the effectiveness of training programs, and his Transferring Learning To Behavior: Using The Four Levels To Improve Performance expands further on how to use these levels to improve performance, exploring the gap between learning and behavior, the rudiments of what happens in the transference of learning to behavior, and how employers can ensure organizational support of such processes. Twelve best-case studies from major companies highlight the principles in real-life action in corporate settings, making Transferring Learning To Behavior much more than just a theory.


The Language Studies Shelf

Federal Street Press
PO Box 281, Springfield, MA 01102
www.federalstreetpress.com

Why the need for print dictionaries and thesaurus with the advent of online? Because there will be times the computer is inaccessible, inconvenient, or not as quick as the browsing eye: for these times, three new Merriam-Websterr's editions of standard references are highly recommended picks: all the more so because of their very affordable price tags for extensive references promising lots of repeat use. Webster's New Explorer Thesaurus: More Word Choices In An Easy-To-Use Format (1892859777, $10.98) is a bargain in hardcover, packing in an outstanding selection of word choices. Its companion, Webster's New Explorerer Dictionary: More Than 75,000 Clear, Concise Definitions (1892859769, $19.99) is equally easy to use, even including small illustrations where appropriate. And if just one volume is required, make it Webster's New Explorer Dictionary And Thesaurus: A Total Language Resource, Completely Revised And Updated (1892859-785, $10.98), packing in 75,000 definitions to include 2,000 new additions to the language. Solid reference winners, all, with the authoritative stamp of Merriam Webster paired with bargain price tags.

Talking With Your Hands, Listening With Your Eyes
Gabriel Grayson
Square One Publishers
115 Herricks Rd., Garden City, NY 11040
www.squareonepublishers.com
075700007X $26.95 www.amazon.com

Sign language is the third most common language in North America and there are numerous books on the topic - but none quite so visual and easy to comprehend as Talking With Your Hands, Listening With Your Eyes: A Complete Photographic Guide To American Sign Language. Well over a thousand photos are used in this primer to the techniques, words and phrases of signing: photos which show not just hand motions, but body motions and facial expressions. Tips on visualization and memorizing signs complete the offering and make for a far easier coverage than competitors offer making this a core addition to any sign language studies reference collection.


The Military Shelf

Mimi And Toutou's Big Adventure
Giles Foden
Alfred A. Knopf
1745 Broadway, 17th fl, NY, NY 10019
www.aaknopf.com
1400041570 $24.00 1-800-726-0600

Fans of either the African Queen or African history will have to have Giles Foden's Mimi And Toutou's Big Adventure: The Bizarre Battle Of Lake Tanganyika: it provides a unique coverage of the first World War in Africa, an improbable mission on a remote African lake in the face of German steamers, and an impossible assignment to trek overland through the African bush hauling two fort-foot gunboats, the Mimi and Toutou. A fun true account of history, adventure, and odd heroes and battles.

Bayonets: An Illustrated History
Martin J. Brayley
KP Books/F&W Publications
700 East State St., Iola, WI 54990-0001
0873498704 $29.99 1-888-457-2873

Written by a military photographer of 24 years' experience, Bayonets: An Illustrated History offers an in-depth examination of the role of the bayonet in military conflicts worldwide from 1650 to present. More than 500 photographs enhance Bayonets: An Illustrated History. 300 different types of bayonets are closely scrutinized; almost every photograph features a capsule of notes specific to its topic. The text, while intended more for serious military historian than the lay reader, is highly accessible as it traces the design evolutions and purposes of bayonets as history passed. A welcome contribution to military and weapon history shelves.

U.S. Army Map Reading And Land Navigation Handbook
Dept. of the Army
The Lyons Press
PO Box 480, Guilford, CT 06437
www.lyonspress.com
1592283829 $18.95 1-800-836-0510

Soldiers need to know how to read maps accurately, how to navigate, and how to understand all manner of maps, compasses, celestial navigation and more. So does the outdoorsman. For the military and the outdoors wilderness trekker, U.S. Army Map Reading And Land Navigation Handbook provides basic instruction on grids, scale and distance, reading overlays and using navigation equipment. A 'must' for any who might need basic survival skills.

Black Submariners
Glenn A. Knoblock
McFarland & Company
PO Box 611, Jefferson NC 28640
www.mcfarlandpub.com
0786419938 $45.00 1-800-253-2187

Black Submariners In The United States Navy 1940-1975 by author, lecturer, and military historian Glenn A. Knoblock is an exploration of the role of African American submariners who served in the U.S. Submarine Serice from World War II through the Cold War era. Black-and-white photographs, biographical portraits of 82 men (many of whom provide oral histories), and appendices listing such things as the names and data profiles of black stewards during WW II round out this impressive and impeccably researched resource. Written in plain terms, Black Submariners is sure to engage the casual reader and avid military historian alike.


The Humor Shelf

A Guy Walks Into A Bar
Michael Lewis
Black Dog & Leventhal
151 W. 19th Street, New York NY 10011
www.bdlev.com
1579124526 $9.95 1-800-722-7202

If it's a definitive guide to bar jokes you seek, look no further than the tips, triva and terms defined by Michael Lewis in A Guy Walks Into A Bar 501 Bar Jokes, Stories, Anecdotes, Quips, Quotes, Riddles And Wisecracks. All the best bar jokes are packed under one cover, making this the perfect item of choice for the friend who imbibes a little too much.


The Parenting Shelf

Your Child Abroad
Jane Wilson-Howarth & Matthew Ellis
Brandt/Globe Pequot Press
PO Box 480, Guilford, CT 06437
www.bradtguides.com
184162120X $14.95 1-800-243-0495

The updated and expanded second edition of the classic traveling parents' guide Your Child Abroad: A Travel Health Guide covers everything from tropical jungles to a visit to Europe, offering tips on how to handle both minor problems and emergencies and including the latest medical updates for countries and problems. From handling a child's allergy problems overseas to new antimalarials and a regional risk analysis. Your Child Abroad provides plenty of precautions and risk assessments to make for informed parents.

Last Child In The Woods
Richard Louv
Algonquin Books
708 Broadway, New York NY 10003
www.algonquin.com
1565123913 $24.95 1-800-722-7202

Our kids are the first to be raised without meaningful contact with nature: that's the message and warning of Last Child In The Woods: Saving Out Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder. Kids are so 'plugged in' that they're becoming 'unplugged' from nature and the outdoors. So why is this of concern? Because columnist Louv links such deficit to the rise of childhood problems ranging from obesity to depression and ADD. Chapters describe the costs of alienating kids from nature - and also provide solutions which are as close as one's back yard.

Why The Wild Things Are
Gail F. Nelson
Harvard University Press
79 Garden St., Cambridge, MA 02138
www.hup.harvard.edu
0674017528 $16.95 1-800-448-2242

Kids live in a world filled with animals both real and fictional, from Black Beauty and Barney to Pooh and more. Kids seem to relate better to their pets than to adults - and may understand them better. Why The Wild Things Are is a fascinating survey of the history, psychology and effects of children's media and how it reflects kids' attraction to animals and its influence on their growth. Chapters tackle such varied subjects as how kids relate to and learn from animals, how they perceive object and animal differences, and how they form close associations with animals. A fascinating and informative survey.

For Goodness' Sake
Michael Nitai Deranja
Crystal Clarity Publishers
14618 Tyler Foote Road, Nevada City, CA 95959
www.crystalclarity.com
1565891937 $12.95 1-800-424-1055

How can parents help support kids and teens as they explore life's values and their own direction? Food Goodness' Sake: Supporting Children & Teens In Discovering Life's Highest Values helps guide the way: it presents activities adults can use to help kids learn from their own experiences. Ages 4-17 alike will explore seventeen selected values, from integrity to willingness, with parents at the helm. An inspirational guide.

Preventing Childhood Obesity
Institute of Medicine of the National Academies
National Academies Press
500 - 5th Strett, NW, Box 285, Washington, DC 20055
0309091969 $44.95 www.nap.edu

Preventing Childhood Obesity: Health In The Balance examines the modern crisis in children's health issues: childhood obesity. Not only are the environmental, social, medical and historic factors influencing children's weight considered over the long term, but a prevention program identifies the best of short- and long-term interventions and how adults can guide kids away from common pitfalls. Recommendations range from mobilizing parents to making national health a priority overall.


The Literary Shelf

The Poetic Works Of Helius Eobanus Hessus, Volume 1
Harry Vredeveld, editor and translator
Arizona Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies
PO Box 872508, Tempe, AZ 85287-2508
0866982574 $75.00 1-480-727-6503

Most of the poetic texts in The Poetic Works Of Helius Eobanus Hessus, Volume 1: Student Years At Erfurt 1504-1509 are rare and previously unedited. They come from Eobanus Hessus' student years attending the University of Erfurt. The works are presented chronologically, in Latin and English, with extensive supplementary notes that assist in explaining the derivation of translations. Indexes, a list of abbreviations, and an index of medieval and neo-Latin words assist in the full comprehension of these classic texts and poetry. Little attempt is given to perfectly match the rhythm of the original Latin; that is left to speak for itself, while the translations focus upon accuracy and meaning. The Poetic Works Of Helius Eobanus Hessus, Volume 1 is especially recommended for scholars of ancient and Latin poetry."A Bucolic Poem": If the rustic Muse of the Sicilian poet delights you, if you, my fellow countrymen, take pleasure in the bucolics of the two Vergils, or if any of you German bards are hankering for something else, put up with me as I too take my place in the Latin countryside. I am the first to pasture a Latin flock on German soil, whether that counts for something or not.

More Book Lust
Nancy Pearl
Sasquatch Books
119 S. Main St. #400, Seattle WA 98104
www.sasquatchbooks.com
1570614350 $16.95 1-800-775-0817

If it's reading lists of extraordinary books you seek, you could do no better than with ex-librarian Nancy Pearl's Book Lust and here, her sequel, More Book Lust, which adds further names - some 120 - to her list of intelligent, thematic books; from 'Cozies' and Dewey decimal areas to books set in geographic regions and fantasies for kids and adults alike. Delicious descriptions of what makes each recommendation special assures readers gain tips ranging from holiday shopping choices to just plain good mysteries.

The Secret Of The Hardy Boys
Marilyn S. Greenwald
Ohio University Press
Scott Quadrangle, Athens, OH 45701
www.ohio.edu/oupress
0821415476 $32.95 1-800-621-2736

Reporter Marilyn Greenwald's The Secret Of The Hardy Boys: Leslie McFarlane And The Stratemeyer Syndicate appeared some time ago and took some time to come to our attention, but deserves ongoing recommendation as a 'must' for any Hardy Boys series fan. Greenwald's reporter background served her well as she synthesized extensive archival records to reveal the relationship between ghostwriter Leslie McFarlane and syndicate chief Edward Stratemeyer. Oh, you thought Franklin W. Dixon wrote the series? NO: he was the creation of Stratemeyer, who founded the same book empire that produced Tom Swift and the Nancy Drew series. Read all about his extensive legacy - and gain a better understanding of and affection for young adult series production.

Fantasy Literature For Children And Young Adults
Ruth Nadelman Lynn
Libraries Unlimited
88 Post Road West, Westport, CT 06881
1591580501 $65.00 www.lu.com

Well over a thousand pages of Fantasy Literature For Children And Young Adults: A Comprehensive Guide, a bibliographic reference pack in nearly 7,500 titles - almost three thousand of them new to this updated fifth edition - for readers of fantasy in grades 3-12: but it's the book's organization which is so unique and makes it such an important tool. For such fantasy synopses are organized under 'Anima', 'Sorcery', 'Time Travel' and the other types of fantasy kids typically ask for, making it easy to cross-reference fantasy novels and story collections published between 1900 and 2004 for kids of all ages. Librarians in particular and any adult regularly working with kids will find Fantasy Literature For Children And Young Adults: A Comprehensive Guide includes grade levels and review citations as well as notes on recommended titles.

Greenwood Press
88 Post Road West, Westport, CT 06881
1-800-225-5800 www.greenwood.com

Elizabeth Chesney Zegura edits The Rabelais Encyclopedia (0313310343, $95.00), about a French humanist who was one of the finest French writers of Renaissance times. Specialty college-level holdings on French literature or Renaissance history will find The Rabelais Encyclopedia a specialized yet important addition, providing in-depth coverage of five books written between 1532 and 1553 which rivaled the works of Shakespeare in their time. Rabelais is read in numerous courses on French literature and Renaissance history, so this will prove indispensable for such a collection. Mary Steible's Coriolanus: A Guide To The Play (0313329621, $55.00) joins others in Greenwood's 'Guides to Shakespeare' series, analyzing a play which holds thematic consistency in presenting a class conflict between Roman patricians and plebeians. Use this as a reader's guide to the play: it discusses the history of Coriolanus, its metaphors, provides a plot summary, and discusses its historical, cultural and literary significance as an influencer of Shakespeare. Greenwood's literary biographies are recommended picks for any studying a significant author's works, and Connie Ann Kirk's Sylvia Plath (0313332142, $29.95) is a vivid, complex coverage presenting the facts of her life as they are currently known. Research reflects the latest updated scholarship, including new information from her unabridged journals published in 2000, and the recently accessible Ted Hughes archives, making Kirk's SYLVIA PLATH much more detailed than its biographical predecessors. James H. Meredith's Understanding The Literature Of World War I (0313312001, $45.00) joins others in the 'Literature in Context' series to present high school to college level students with a 'casebook' to issues, sources and historical documents. Students may use this to understand both World War II history and the fiction works which resulted in such classics as All Quiet On The Western Front, making it of dual importance to both American history and literature classes. Also contributin to the 'Literature in Context' series is Lynn Domina's Understanding Ceremony (03-13328595, $45.00), providing a student casebook of examples blending Native American history and insights with a survey of Native and Western literature reflecting on ceremony. Close relationships between social and political issues and Native American literature's rise are revealed in an exciting, different study.


The Library Video/DVD Shelf

Making The Speech
Vat19.com
11783 Borman Dr., St. Louis, MO 63146
$29.95 www.vat19.com

Making the Speech: From Last Year's Loser To This Year's Winner is a how-to DVD for reluctant or nervous speechmakers. Intended especially for students, Making The Speech follows a young man who, with the help of speech guru Doug Masters, learns the tips, tricks and techniques of public speaking and applies them to improve his performance from clumsy to smooth and suave. As entertaining as it is a practical teaching tool, Making The Speech enhances its educational program with on-screen and printable quizzes, printable notes, a teacher's guide, printable versions of famous speeches, and a selection of short drills and lessons. A superb resource for helping young people and teenagers conquer their fear of public speaking. 63 minutes, color.

10 Minute Solution: Carb Burner
Anchor Bay Entertainment
1699 Stutz Drive, Troy, MI 48084
$14.98 www.collagevideo.com

10 Minute Solution: Carb Burner is an exercise workout DVD especially for people with little time. 10 Minute Solution: Carb Burner offers five different intensity workouts that can be applied individually to blast carbs or combined into a larger workout. The five workouts, each ten minutes long, are "Slow & Steady Burn" for keeping one's heart rate and exertion level at a comfortable pace; "Carb Killer" which applies simple, easy-to-learn kickboxing moves; "Power Blast" for a high-energy, high-power workout; "Interval Burn" which applies boot camp-inspired exercises to build muscular strength; and "Metabolism Booster" which incorporates light hand weights to build lean muscle, increase one's metabolism, and burn more carbs faster. A bonus carb conversion chart is included, along with a collection of 5 useful tips to resist carb cravings. 59 minutes, color.

Degrassi Junior High, Seasons 1 & 2
WGBH Boston Video
c/o SSA Public Relations
16027 Ventura Blvd., Suite 206, Encino, CA 91436
1593752415 $39.95 (season 1)
1593753047 $39.95 (season 2)

As seen on public television, Degrassi Junior High, Seasons 1 & 2 presents the complete seasons of the late 80's-early 90's television series that dared to be different from its peers and portray young people as they really are, through friendship, puberty, athletics, grade pressures and more. Each set consists of the thirteen episodes of the season on three DVDs; season 1's episodes are "Kiss Me, Steph", "The Big Dance", "The Experiment", "The Cover-Up", "The Great Race", "Rumor Has It", "The Best Laid Plans", "Nothing To Fear", "What A Night", "Smokescreen", "It's Late!", "Parents' Night", and "Revolution". Season 2's episodes are "Eggbert", "A Helping Hand", "Great Expectations", "Dinner and a Show", "Stagefright", "Fight!", "Bottled Up", "Sealed with a Kiss", "Dog Days", "Censored", "Trust Me", "...He's Back", and "Pass Tense". The performances, atmosphere, and dialogue all ring true, direct from the heart of personal memories and experiences during tough times, goofing off, and inner challenges of growing up. Special features include bonus videos, trivia quizzes, printable materials for educators, Degrassi Junior High wallpaper, and more. Highly recommended. Approximately 338 minutes each, color, closed captioned.


The Fiction Shelf

Of Their Own Accord
Gary Dolan
The Writer's Collective
c/o Gulotta Communications
341 Lexington St., Newton, MA 02466
1594110263 $24.95 www.booktours.com

Newly married and fresh out of school, Joe Dunn finds that instead of a year of familial intimacy and family comfort, he will be enduring three hundred and sixty-five days of jungle warfare in the Central Highlands of South Vietnam where one wrong move will get you impaled on bamboo spikes, covered with leeches, and hunted by strangers trying very hard to kill you. Joe Dunn is one of the elite long range fighters known as "Charlie Rangers of the American 75th Infantry. Of Their Own Accord gives the reader as close to a real feel for what went on in the jungles of Vietnam as can be had by anyone who wasn't actually there themselves. This is because back then, author Gary Dolan was Lieutenant Gary Dolan, Platoon Leader, 2nd Platoon Company C (Airborne), 75th Infantry (Rangers) and draws upon his first hand experiences and personal memories to breath life (and death) into his characters and the events that were an intimate part of a year in the life of an Airborne Ranger during the height of America's longest and least popular war of the 20th Century. A truly riveting read from beginning to end, Of Their Own Accord is an impressive literary creation and a superbly crafted work of novelized military history.

Boy A
Jonathan Trigell
Serpent's Tail
255 West 108th Street, Suite 9D1, New York, NY 10025
www.serpentstail.com
1852428597 $14.00 1-800-283-3572

Based on a true murder case, Boy A is a singularly powerful novel about a young man, who committed a terrible crime in childhood and has spent most of his brief life in juvenile prison institutions. Now he has to struggle to adapt to the world as an adult, haunted by flashes of violence and fear, trusted by few, understood by virutally none. A disturbing get gripping story that explores both moral and practical questions, as well as the horrific negative repercussions of media hysteria.

Maddalena
Eva Jana Siroka
Semele Books
c/o Gulotta Communications
341 Lexington St., Newton, MA 02466
0976493705 $26.95 semelebooks.com

The debut novel of author and artist Eva Jana Siroka, Maddalena is the first volume of "The Golden Tripolis" trilogy and based on an historical character as the center piece of this love story set in 16th century Rome. Bartholomaeus Spranger (Berti to his friends) is young, handsome, a 20-something Flemish painter, and determined to live his life to the fullest by drinking, feasting, and whoring amidst the brothels and palaces of the Eternal City. Maddalena is a converted Jewish who is the subject of Cardinal Alessandro Farnese's lust in an ages of staggering corruption within the Catholic Church. These are the characters around which the novel evolves and revolves. An engaging and thoroughly entertaining read, Maddalena is enhanced with two dozen full color artworks by the author. With meticulous attention to historical detail that rises to the level of true scholarship, and with her undeniably talent for originality and storytelling, Eva Jana Siroka's Maddalena will leave her readers looking eagerly toward her next foray into fiction which will be titled Bartholomaeus, the second book of a trilogy and which will focus on the man who became the favorite erotic painter for Emperor Rudolf in the heyday of imperial Prague.

Painkiller
Will Staeger
William Morrow & Company
Gulotta Communications (publicity)
10 East 53rd St, NY, NY 10022
www.harpercollins.com
0060765860 $24.95 1-800-242-7737

Painkiller is a riveting 352 page spy novel that expertly interweaves contemporary politics with Caribbean magic and myth. There is a rogue faction within the Chinese military that is threatening to use nuclear terror within American borders with the intent of replacing the United States as the dominant world superpower by the juggernaut totalitarian nation that is China in a growing era of globalization. It will take Julie Laramie, a junior analyst for the CIA at Langley, Virginia to uncover this horrific plot against her country. But it will take the help of quasi-retired, Virgin Islands-based CIA operative known as W. Cooper to buck the CIA brass, deal with a litany of enemies that range from an Haitian witch doctor, to a slave-trading albino serial killer, to a bodybuilding fanatic, to stop a terrifying conspiracy. Painkiller is a roller coaster ride of a read -- and begs to be the stuff of a big-screen movie. Hollywood take note!

The Genizah At The House Of Shepherd
Tamar Yellin
The Toby Press
Box 8531, New Milford, CT 06776-8531
1592640850 $19.95 www.tobypress.com

The Genizah At The House Of Shepherd is a sweeping novel that follows the return of an English biblical scholar to her grandparents' home in Jerusalem. Immersed in a simmering family feud concerning the so-called "Shepher Codex", she discovers the history of her family, from the great-grandfather who traveled to Babylon in search of the ten lost tribes, to her grandfather's Zionist ideals that caused conflict with his religion, to the tragic love affair of her parents and her own sad past. As much a parable of the transformations in Jerusalem over a hundred and thirty years as it is the story of one woman's struggle for identity and search for answers, The Genizah At The House Of Shepherd is a deeply enthralling narrative of epic spiritual proportions.

Undead And Unappreciated
Mary Janice Davidson
Berkley Sensation
375 Hudson Street, New York NY 10014
0425204332 $21.95 penguin.com

Looking for a good mystery which blends in a healthy dose of humor? Look no further than the story of Betsy, a vampire queen with a taste for the good things in life and a penchant for the darkness - even if it does hide strawberry smoothies and some of her other loves in life. At a shower for a wicked stepmother Betsy learns about a long-lost half sister - the devil's daughter - and faces down a world threat.

Allison & Busby
22841 Quicksilver Dr., Dulles, VA 20166
www.internationalpubmarket.com

Fans of crime fiction have three fine new novels which are highly recommended picks. Gerald Hammond's Dead Letters (0749083271, $25.99) presents dog lover Honoria, heiress to a fortune who became involved in crime investigations in school. Her passion for her profession leads her to investigate the underworld of a small rural village and the body found in a rowboat, obviously the result of murder. Two new stories under one cover here offer plenty of thrill and intrigue. M.J. Trow's Maxwell's Grave: School Can Be Murder (0749083662, $25.99) presents a new Peter Maxwell mystery, telling of a school archaeological dig which goes awry and spills into murder. A body and a dead policeman who may have known too much involve Maxwell in intrigue and academic backbiting. Madge Swindells' Ripples On A Pond (0749083670, $27.99) takes place in the village of beautiful Temple Mannis, where a man frustrated by family directs his fury to possible gypsies on his land - until he meets the exotic Bela, who will change his life. Meanwhile, the villagers are hiding a secret that a dying novelist decides to write about. An intriguing set of interwoven mystery evolves.

The Point In The Market
Michael Peace
Poisoned Pen Press
6962 East First Avenue, #103, Scottsdale, AZ 85251
www.poisonedpenpress.com
1590581377 $24.95 1-800-421-3976

Another Mamur Zapt mystery will appeal both to prior fans and newcomers; for you needn't be a Mamur Zapt expert to pick up The Point In The Market as an introduction to the mystery setting. The changing Mamur Zapt is head of the Secret Police in Egypt, currently fielded by Welshman Gareth Owen, who has married his longtime lover Zeinab but finds both social and political dangers abound in his actions. Blend cultural conflict, romance, and intrigue and you have a novel packed with intriguing sub-plots and action.


The Art Shelf

An American Impressionist
Deborah Epstein Solon
Hudson Hills Press
PO Box 205, Manchester, VT 05254
www.hudsonhills.com
1555952445 $50.00 1-800-462-6420

Intended as the companion artbook to a traveling exhibition, An American Impressionist: The Art And Life Of Alson Skinner Clark is the first in-depth scrutiny of the American Impressionist painter Alson Skinner Clark (1876-1949). Featuring 77 color plates and 10 halftones of Clark's work, ranging from nude figures to bustling urban centers to panoramic scenes from all over the world, An American Impressionist pairs the raw beauty and gentle imagery of the oil on canvas works with a brief discussion of Clark's life, his marriage, travels abroad, the toll World War I took upon him, his obscure retirement and the recent rediscovery of his contributions, particularly to the Impressionist tradition in California, where Clark made a name and lasting memory for himself among the local art community. Especially recommended for collectors, students, and connoiseurs of the Impressionist style.

The Thrilling Comic Book Cover Art Of Alex Schomburg
David Spurlock, Compiler
Vanguard
c/o Watson Guptill Publications
770 Broadway, New York, NY 10003
www.creativecomix.com/vanguard
1887591648 $24.95 1-800-451-1741

If you were ever a comic book fan you'll readily recognize the cover art of comic artist Alex Schomburg: he produced eye-catching, scantily-clad females for covers of Starling Comics, Thrilling Comics, Wonder Comics and many more, and has won ever major award for comic and science fiction art alike. It'' about time his works were gathered under one cover, and his Golden Age comics selling for record prices may now be viewed by budget-minded enthusiasts in The Thrilling Comic Book Cover Art Of Lex Schomburg. Full-page color spreads capture all his best comic covers.

Wild Exuberance
Rebecca Foster & Caroline M. Welsh
Syracuse University Press
1600 Jamesville Ave, Syracuse, NY 13210
SyracuseUniversityPress.syr.edu
0815608098 $60.00 1-800-365-8929

Collaboratively compiled and with commentary by Rebecca Foster (Harold Weston's biographer and president of the "Society for the Preservation of American Modernists") and Caroline M. Welsh (Chief Curator and Curator of Art at the Adirondack Museum in Blue Mountain Lake) as a joint publishing project of the Adirondack Museum and the Syracuse University Press, Wild Exuberance: Harold Weston's Adirondack Art. showcasing the work of Harold Weston (1894- 1972) who became one of 20th century America's most respected and distinctive modernist painters. Reproductions of Weston's art. are complemented by four essays, a chronology, an exhibition history, a critical bibliography, and a checklist compiled by art. historian Kathleen V. Jameson and Nina Weston Foster. A fully illustrated exhibition catalogue, Wild Exuberance would make a welcome addition to any personal or academic American Art History reference collection.


The Science Shelf

Controversies In Science & Technology
Daniel Lee Kleinman, et.al., Eds
University of Wisconsin Press
1930 Monroe Street, Madison, WI 53711
www.wisc.edu/wisconsinpress/
0299203948 $24.95 1-800-621-2736

Biologist Jo Handelsman and sociologists Daniel Kleinman and Abby Kinchy gather scholars together in Controversies In Science & Technology From Maize To Menopause, considering such diverse topics as hormone replacement therapy, overuse of antibiotics, genetic modifications of crops, and agricultural issues. The result is an extensive set of scholarly discussions of scientific, health and technological issues not to be missed.

Empire Of The Stars
Arthur L. Miller
Houghton Mifflin
215 Park Avenue South, NY, NY 10003
www.houghtonmifflinbooks.com
061834151X $26.00 1-800-225-3362

A bitter rivalry developed in 1935 between astrophysicist Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar and Sir Arthur Edduington, fellow astrophysicist, which led to the discovery of black holes but hindered the entire science for nearly forty years. Empire Of The Stars: Obsession, Friendship, And Betrayal In The Quest For Black Holes charts this rivalry and its lasting impact, considering both the quest for black hole proof and the underlying reasons for the struggles. A fascinating survey of the rise of two great, major theories reads like fiction with tension and thrills.

Encyclopedia Of Chromatography
Jack Cazes, Editor
Taylor & Francis
270 Madison Avenue, NY, NY 10016
www.toylorandfrancisgroup.com
0824727851 $506.00 1-800-272-7737

College-level students of chromatography will find the 2-volume reference Encyclopedia Of Chromatography an invaluable reference offering more than just definitions of physics processes and chemistry systems. Topics range widely from the identification of additives in biopolymers and capillary electrophoresis to displacement equilibrium, known in chromatography for its usefulness in analytical scale separations. It's the depth and detail of these articles, arranged as an A-Z encyclopedic reference and authored by major contributors from around the world, which makes the set both authoritative and exhaustive. Add charts, graphs, tables of results and rates, and formulas and you have a far-reaching reference. Specialty collections with solid science holdings will consider this newly updated and expanded second edition of the Encyclopedia Of Chromatography to be a 'must'.


The Pets/Wildlife Shelf

Miracle Dog
Randy Grim
Alpine Publications, Inc.
225 S. Madison Ave, Loveland, CO 80537
www.alpinepub.com
1577790715 $19.95 1-800-777-7257

Written by the founder and president of Stray Rescue in St. Louis, Missouri, who won the first Guardian Award for his work to save homeless and maltreated animals, Miracle Dog is the true story of a dog who survived a shelter gas chamber to become the author's beloved companion, personal inspiration, and the "poster child" for a no-kill animal shelter movement. Narrated candidly, offering a glimpse behind the scenes to the cruelties mankind inflicts on his so-called "best friend", Miracle Dog is a profoundly heart-touching story with a resonating moral not only for animal lovers, but also humans who understand that how we treat animals influences how we treat each other. Black-and-white photographs, a list of resources and no-kill shelter locations, and a foreward by renowned wildlife scientist and conservationist Jane Goodall round out this ultimately positive testimony.

Aliens Of The Deep
Dr. Joseph MacInnis
National Geographic Books
1145 - 17th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20036-4688
www.nationalgeographic.com
0792293436 $30.00 1-800-223-2336

James Cameron provides the introduction to his companion volume to the 3-D giant-screen film Aliens Of The Deep, which probes miles below the sea to volcanic hot spring vents serving as the homes for unexpected life. These vents were unknown until 1977 and today remain largely unexplored: the high-resolution photography brings what's known of this world to vivid visual life, and the companion book packs in pages of text to supplement the full-page color photos. Both public and school libraries will consider it a fine acquisition for any collection strong in science.

Algonquin Books
Box 2225, Chapel Hill, NC 27515-2225
www.algonquin.com

Two wonderful, fun titles are highly recommended picks, offering lively reads paired with concrete natural history to both delight and educate. Bob Tarte's Enslaved By Ducks (1565124502, $12.95) tells of the author's new rural Michigan home, which was to be beset upon by demanding animal family when his new wife wanted a rabbit. Bob went from petless to finding his home overrun - and finding pets had become a part of his life, each with distinct personalities. Amy Stewart's The Earth Moved: On The Remarkable Achievements Of Earthworms (1565124-685, $12.95) is also a winner, adding humor and lively dialogue to the story of the benefits of worms. Chapters blend humor with science in a chronicle gardeners also will want to enjoy. Both are outstanding picks for both entertainment and educational value.


The Nature Shelf

Pinhook
Janisse Ray
Chelsea Green Publishing Company
Box 428, White River Junction, VT 05001
www.chelseagreen.com
1931498741 $12.00 1-800-639-4099

Wilderness is a necessary part of life if humans are to heal - and so are the animals which form it. Pinhook Swamp is a watershed and wildlife corridor linking different wildlife refuges in the South: Janisse Ray's Pinhook: Finding Wholeness In A Fragmented Land follows the swamp's need for restoration and the human concurrent need for wilderness, providing a blend of natural history and philosophy which is winning and thought-provoking.

Big Dead Place
Nicholas Johnson
Feral House
PO Box 39910, Los Angeles, CA 90059
0922915997 $16.95 feralhouse.com

Antarctica has assumed an aura of mystique and romance given all the focus on Antarctic explorers and adventure; so it's refreshing to see quite a different - even funny - view of the place which demolishes the mystique and entertains a more realistic, modern view in Big Dead Place: Inside The Strange & Menacing World Of Antarctica. Envision sterile buildings housing nuts - such as a manager who fills his boots with antifreeze - and you have an idea of the odd personalities and non-heroic moments permeating the wonderful read which is Big Dead Place.

Mountain Press
PO Box 2399, Missoula, MT 59806
www.mountain-press.com

You don't have to be a scientist to appreciate Marina Curtis Tidwell 's Beyond The Beach Blanket: A Field Guide To Southern California Coastal Wildlife (0878425063 $18.00): all that's needed is proximity to a Southern California beach and a general appreciation for sea life. From thirty-year-old clams to strange jellyfish, color photos supplement science-filled but lively descriptions of the habits and habitats of Southern California's beach wildlife. A lovely, recommended pick. Ditto for Donald Anthony Schiemann's Wildflowers Of Montana (0878425047, $22.00): visitors to Montana who wonder at the seasonal displays now have a handy, take-along tote which offers both descriptions and color photos of over 350 plant species. Notes on habitats and range enhance the identification details.


The Theatre/Cinema/TV Shelf

Theater Festivals
Lisa Mulcahy
Allworth Press
10 E. 23rd Street, New York NY 10010
www.allworth.com
158115402X $19.95 1-800-491-2808

Playwrights may think there are few venues open to accepting a new play: think again. Lisa Mulcahy is a theater teacher, director, performer and writer: her articles on theatre have been published extensively and she's in the perfect position to provide Theater Festivals: Best Worldwide Venues For New Works, a guide to how to use such festivals as launches for a new play. Learn how to showcase original work all over the world with a reference which describes festival missions, application processes, and technical requirements. From fees to physical theater and production specs, here's everything you need to propose a successful project to the right venue.

Bad Girls
Tony Tortu
Collectors Press
PO Box 230986, Portland OR 97281
www.collectorspress.com
1933112034 $39.95 1-800-423-1848

The 'bad girls' of film classics come to all aspects of the movie world, from Westerns and romances to comedies and dramas. Major and minor actresses alike produced performances to charm they way to fame, and were cast for both beauty and the ability to charm and be bad. Bad Girls: Film Fatales Sirens And Models celebrates these femme fatales of film, packing in color photos and ads with stills from selected movies and plot reviews. The result is a spicy and colorful documentary of classic films which will intrigue and delight any avid movie-goer seeking a fun recollection of the bad girl images of the past.

Limelight Editions
512 Newark Pompton Turnpike, Pompton Plains, NY 07444
www.limelighteditions.com

Two excellent actor and stage guides are recommended as basics for any personal or public film library. Ginger Howard Friedman's Casting Directors' Secrets: Inside Tips For Successful Auditions (0879103094, $16.95) appears in an updated, expanded new edition to provide the author's casting director experience to actors preparing for auditions. From proper etiquette and on/off camera techniques to working with sides and handling callbacks, Casting Directors' Secrets offers insights into common problems and their resolution. Tom Logan's Acting In The Million Dollar Minute: The Art Of Acting In Television Commercials (0879103-078, $14.95) presents the screen writer/director's experiences with commercial acting. Thousands of comments from hundreds of casting directors, directors and producers are synthesized under one cover, with advice ranging from how to handle accents, dialogue and product names to common complaints about commercial actors. An excellent insider's guide.

Michael Wiese Productions
11288 Ventura Blvd. #612, Studio City, CA 91604
www.mwp.com

Screenwriters who regularly write for the screen as well as any who would break into the movie writing business take note: Blake Snyder has sold dozens of scripts and his Save The Cat! The Last Book On Screenwriting You'll Never Need (1932907009 $19.95) offers solid industry advice based on his experiences. From the basic elements of writing winning log lines and understanding screenplay foundations to repairing damaged scripts and identifying problems, show biz veteran Snyder offers up a proven recipe for success. Gael Chandler's Cut By Cut: Editing Your Film Or Video (094118899X, $35.95) is simply a 'must' for any film or video editor: it's a reference non-specific to any brand of gear and offers all levels a solid course on turning raw footage to polished productions. From editing action and montage to editing comedy, commercials and other genres, Cut By Cut is packed with forms, tables, illustrations, examples, streamlining tips, options, and common practices. So invaluable that it's recommended as a basic text.

Harold Prince And The American Musical Theatre
Foster Hirsch
Applause
19 W. 21st Street, New York NY 10010
www.applausepub.com
1557836175 $17.95 1-800-637-2852

Fans of producer/director Harold Price, who was a giant in musical theatre circles, will relish an expanded edition of the classic coverage which even includes an updated foreword by Prince himself. Prince's works are wide-ranging, from his direction of Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Evita" to his productions of "Fiddler on the Roof" and "West Side Story". Various chapters cover Prince's more recent work as well, adding insights and numerous rare photos which make Harold Pricne And The American Musical Theatre a 'must' for discriminating audiences.


The Photography Shelf

Agony & Alchemy
M. Young
Hohm Press
PO Box 2501, Prescott, Arizona 86302
1890772496 $29.95 www.amazon.com

Agony & Alchemy: Sacred Art And Tattoos explores the connection between tattoos and spirituality. A practice that goes back at least 5,000 years and is evidences among tribal cultures around the world, religious tattoos have entered the mainstream of American and European popular culture. Whether Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, or secularist, the common denominator among those getting sacred tattoos appears to be an urge for a closer relationship to the sacred element of their lives. As author M. Young notes, this is an urge that is an ancient one and represents a felt need for a closer relationship with the archetypes that extend beyond any single religious or cultural tradition. Along with an informed and informative commentary, Agony & Alchemy features an extensive collection of black-and-white photos of sacred tattoos, and is enhanced with tattoo artist interviews and an extensive bibliography. This is a unique 206-page coffee table book that is particularly recommended for academic and community library collections, as well as anyone with an interest in the interconnection with human body art and spirituality.


The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf

The Crown Rose
Fiona Avery
PYR
59 John Glenn Dr., Amherst, NY 14228
1591023122 $25.00 1-800-421-0351

Take French medieval history, blend in a healthy dose of fantasy, and then trace the life of one Isabelle of France, born heir to the throne in 1240 and facing an unusual, changed destiny from a man who may be more than an ordinary mortal and you have The Crown Rose, a rich fantasy with a plot woven around actual events, blending elements of the real and fantasy. Over a year was spent researching the period - and it shows in a rich, detailed setting.

Ace Books
375 Hudson, New York NY 10014
www.penguin.com

Fans of fantasy well know the name of award-winning Patricia A. McKillip and will welcome Od Magic (0441012485, $22.95), telling of the land of Numis where unbound magic is dangerous and power is limited to the king. The wizard Od has accepted these rules all her long life - but is about to ignore them as she contacts the plant healer Brenden Vetch with an invite to be a gardener at her great school. Can plant power be dangerous? Drama and action unfold rapidly. John Varley's Mammoth (0441012817, $23.95) tells of a rich, eccentric man who wants to clone a mammoth. Given new scientific discoveries he may get his wish - and endanger the world - in this fast-paced thriller. Alastair Reynolds' Century Rain (044-1012906, $24.95) is set some 300 years in Earth's feature, when the planet is uninhabitable due to the Nanocaust. Humanity isn't dead: an archaeologist who specializes in exploring the surviving landscape discovers an alternate Earth preserved in a wormhole - which holds a dangerous device. Can Verity thwart one who would use the device to destroy the remaining world? A fine adventure evolves.

Smoke And Mirrors
Tanya Huff
DAW Books
375 Hudson, New York N 10014
www.dawbooks.com
075640262X $24.95 1-800-847-5515

Fans of Tanya Huff's previous Henry Fitzroy series will finally have a new vampire detective novel to relish in Smoke And Mirrors. Familiarity with the first fantasy Smoke And Shadows will lend quick familiarity to this sequel, which tells of a relocation to Vancouver, a new job, and new threats from shadows which follow. A deserted mansion which serves as the backdrop for a haunted house movie contains an all too real threat in Smoke And Mirrors.

Chaosium Inc.
895 B Street, #423, Hayward, CA 94541
www.chaosium.com

These excellent Lovecraft take-offs and expansions further Chaosium's line and focus on Lovecraft environments, each providing contemporary gaming and settings based on Lovecraft's sinister worlds. Secrets Of Japan: Surviving The Mythos In Present-Day Japan by Michael Dziesinski, et.al. (1568821565, $34.95) is a guide to roleplaying in modern Japan: a survey of the underworld of Japan which serves as a battle-ground for primordial entities. Japanese cities and suburbs receive histories, roleplaying insights, and extensive links to Cthulhu in this guide for Cthulhu roleplayers in modern Japan. Packed with black and white artwork and complexity: a 'must' for serious Cthulhu roleplayers. Sandy Petersen, et.al.'s Shadows Of Yog-Sothoth: A Global Campaign To Save Mankind (1568821743, $23.95) also adds to the 'Call of Cthulhu' roleplaying game, presenting a seven-part campaign revealing the Silver Twlight organization. Chapter connections, biographical sketches of characters, numerous line drawings and complex plot details will be welcomed by avid roleplayers - as will Keith Herber's Spawn Of Azathoth: Herald Of The End Of Time (1568821786, $23.95), a companion supplement to the game which begins with the story of an investigator awakened by a ghost and led into a dangerous cross-country quest. All are highly recommended, unique picks for avid Lovecraft game roleplayers who welcome the regular story ideas from Chaosium Inc.

Baen Books
PO Box 1403, Riverdale, NY 10471
www.baen.com

Baen offers a fine selection monthly, with a heavy emphasis on political settings and strong fantasies, and these latest offerings won't disappoint. Harry Turtledove's The Enchanter Completed (0743499042, $6.99) provides a powerful tribute anthology to L. Sprague de Camp, who for decades was a major writer in both fantasy and science fiction. Turtledove profiles top modern writers who produced works for this collection in the same humorous vein as de Camp: fun stories of dinosaurs, queens, and parents evolve. Mercedes Lackey and Rosemary Edghill's Mad Maudlin (0743499050, $7.99) returns the Bard to new adventure and is a pick for prior fans of Eric Banyon, the 'Bedlam Bard' graduate from Julliard who alternates between the real world and fantasy. Homeless children in New York shelters are speaking of a demon who preys on them - and they may be right Keith Laumer's A Plague Of Demons And Other Stories (0743499069, $7.99) is compiled and edited by Eric Flint, who provides a lovely full-length novel, five short novels, and high adventure. A secret mission during war reveals a plague of demons only one man can fight in the header novel. Flint also edits Keith Laumer's Imperium (0743499034, $25.00), the vivid story of an American diplomat kidnapped into an alternate world. Discovering there are millions of parallel Earths is only the beginning of Brion Bayard's problems: the Earth of the Imperium is at war with another and only he can stop it - by killing the ruler of the aggressive Earth and replacing him. John Ringo's Into The Looking Glass (0743498801, $24.00) begins a new series in telling of a nuclear explosion in Florida which leaves doorways into another series of worlds. It's up to Dr. Weaver to return from a life of leisure to face the aliens suddenly streaming through these portals in a vivid, fast-paced adventure Into The Looking Glass. James P. Hogan's Mission To Minerva (0743499-026, $26.00) tells of a growing alliance between Earth and advanced alien visitors thwarted by rogue humans who have discoverd how to cross space and time. It's up to Victor and colleagues to investigate, with their alien friends, the strange connectedness between alternate universes - and the dangers they bring. David Drake's The Way To Glory (0743498828, $25.00) is military science fiction at its best: politics have placed Lt. Leary under control of a paranoid officer with a penchant for executing his men, while a loyal Signals Officer resists being drawn into a conspiracy which might lead to massacre. From an anarchy society to spies in ranks, Leary and Mundy have their hands full fighting on many levels.


The Antiques/Collectibles Shelf

Collector Books
PO Box 3009, Paducah, KY 42002-3009
www.collectorbooks.com

Professional and neo-professional collectors recognize the quality and reliability of Collector Books, whose specialty guides benefit from clear photos and regular updates. Among the best of new arrivals: Bill Edwards and Mike Carwile's Standard Encyclopedia Of Pressed Glass, 4th Edition 1960-1930 (1574324527, $29.95) which packs in the color photos, company backgrounds, and descriptions of holdings for hundreds of pieces, Jack Clark & Robert P. Wicker's Hot Wheels: The Ultimate Redline Guide 2nd Edition Identification And Values 1968-77 (1574324411, $29.95), offering a year- by-year overview of all Hot Wheels offerings, packing in color photos, and including model history and background; Gene & Cathy Florence's Glassware Pattern Identification Guide Volume IV (1574324519, $19.95), providing a simple identification strategy for pieces produced from 1900 through the 1960s and including notes on colors, number of items produced per company, and Michael and Susan Ivankovich's Early 20th Century Hand-Painted Photography Identification And Values (2574324357, $24.95), presenting excellent color reproductions of hand-painted photos along with tips on identifying makers, photography backgrounds and history, and representative values. Fenton Glass Made For Other Companies 1907-1980 by Carrie and Gerald Domitz (1574324365, $29.95) provides a comprehensive reference to Weil ceramics, Rubel, and other designs in Fenton glass production, from lambs and perfume bottles to vases and covered dishes. Exceptionally clear, fine color photos pack pages which include value ranges and discussions of pattern histories. Big Book Of Toy Airplanes Identification And Value Guide by W. Tom Miller, Ph.D. (1574324578, $24.95) identifies diecast toy plains from different companies, with clear good-sized color photos of each plane accompanying written description, year of production, and current price range. A 'must' for any avid toy plane collector. Excellent references, all.

Hobby House Press
1 Corporate Dr., Grantsville, MD 21536
www.hobbyhouse.com

These new specialty identification guides are fine references for collectors seeking item-specific guides complete with color photos and the latest prices, and the subjects are those not usually covered in competing guides. Where will you find a collectible guide such asDr. Albert Eschen's Collectible Mice (087588654X, $24.95), for example? The author's on varied gathering of ivory, brass, glass, jeweled and wood objects is quite extensive and is the foundation of an excellent survey on both newer and older items ranging from $20 to over $3000 in price. Belinda Euans's PY/Miyao Fun Kitchen Collectibles Reference & Value Guide (0875886582, $24.95) is another highly recommended specialty pick: PR collectibles were made in Japan from the late 1940s until 1961, appearing in a range of different styles. Holdings of the Miyao Company are surveyed in pages of bright color photos and values, with spirited descriptions including insights on company history. Mary Gorham Krombholz's superbly organized Identifying German Chinas 1940s-1930s (087588671X, $39.95), offers a definitive guide to German china dolls which identifies the makers of 100 years of previously unknown German glazed porcelain dolls. Each doll and half-doll featured is related to a specific porcelain factory through comparison to sample books and examples of similar dolls. An essential guide. Turn trash to treasure with Sherry White's Flea Market Furniture: 16 Projects To Turn Trash To Treasure (08758-86647, $22.95). Ideas aren't just for small items: coffee tables, kitchen islands, bathroom vanities and rocking chairs alike are just a few of the items White tackles to turn junk into 'shabby chic' remakes. Packed with imaginative ideas for sprucing up furniture.


The World History Shelf

Running the World
David Rothkopf
Public Affairs
250 W. 57th St., #1321, NY, NY 10107
www.publicaffairsbooks.com
1586482483 $29.95 1-877-782-1234

Relatively few guides to the National Security Council have been produced, making Running The World: The Inside Story Of The National Security Council And The Architects Of American Power an essential guide. The Council is nothing new: it began after World War II and underwent many transformations under different Presidencies. Chapters survey the nature of these changes and the work of the most powerful committee in world history. Over 130 interviews with many significant figures from Colin Powell to William Perry add authority and detail to scholar David Rothkopf's history.

Beat Culture
William T. Lawlor, Editor
ABC-CLIO
130 Cremona, Box 1911, Santa Barbara, CA 93116-1911
1851094008 $90.00 www.abc-clio.com

The literary works of the Beat Generation captured a wide audience and helped foster the subsequent Hippie movement; but few titles have provided a comprehensive overview of the entire Beat experience - until Beat Culture: Lifestyles, Icons And Impact. This encyclopedic reference gathers scholarly contributions from around the world and features over 250 A-Z entries on Beat writers, artists, culture and history, including an easy chronological reference to highlight events in sequence with cultural and political events. Add vintage black and white photos throughout and you have a handy reference for high school grades on up.

Historical Atlas Of The Crusades
Angus Konstam
Mercury Books, London
c/o Independent Publishers Marketing
22841 Quicksilver Dr., Dulles, VA 20166
www.internationalpubmarket.com
1904668003 $25.00 1-800-758-3756

Illustrated with full-color medieval era artworks and maps on every page, Historical Atlas Of The Crusades is an eye- opening exploration of the 11th through 13th century religious wars marked by fanaticism, bravery, sacrifice, diplomacy, murderous cruelty, and above all, territorial greed. The text offers a plain-terms overview of the various complex aspets of historical battles from the assaults on Jerusalem itself to the fall of Constantinople to the deadly threat Genghis Khan's empire building posed to the Muslim world. Especial emphasis is given to maps, as befits an atlas, but the Historical Atlas Of The Crusades is as much a history primer as it is a geographic display. Thoroughly accessible and absorbing to lay readers and historians alike, Historical Atlas Of The Crusades is highly recommended, especially for academic and community library collections.

The Pirates Laffite
William C. Davis
Harcourt
15 E. 26th St., New York NY 10010
www.harcourtbooks.com
015100403X $28.00 1-800-543-1918

Several new pirate coverages are on the market this season; but none so extensive a coverage as William C. Davis' The Pirates Laffite: The Treacherous World Of The Corsairs Of The Gulf. Jean and Pierre Laffite's lives coincided with New Orleans' most colorful period in history, just after the War of 1812: they ran a privateering cooperative that provided banned goods to the market and their methods bordered on piracy. Author Davis' extensive history background lends to his scholarly yet lively survey of the Lafite brothers' practices and controversial methods.


The Writing/Publishing Shelf

How To Write Kids' Mysteries
Jeanne Lazo
Stargazer Publishing Company
PO Box 77002, Corona, CA 92877-0100
1933277009 $24.95 stargazerpub.com

How To Write Kids' Mysteries: A Guide For Teen And Adult Writers by author Jeanne Lazo is a practical how-to guide for writers specializing in the genre. Chapters address story preparation, secrets specific to mystery writing, a practical toolkit for writers (such as alternatives to the word "said"), further resources, sample exercises, excerpts from the author's book "If Looks Could Kill" to illustrate sample points, and more. Easy-to-grasp, How To Write Kids' Mysteries is especially intended for those who need to learn the mystery writing craft effectively in a minimum amount of time.

The Selling Of An Author
Bruce E. Mowday
White Mane Publishing Company
Box 708, Shippensburg, PA 17257-0708
1572493631 $19.95 1-888-948-6263

The Selling Of An Author is a marketing guide written especially for writers seeking to increase their book sales. Written by an award-winning journalist of more than 25 years' experience, The Selling Of An Author covers the basics of the publishing business, how to prepare to meet one's public at book signings and other events, how to keep book sales alive, and more. The Selling Of An Author is focused particularly upon the craft of marketing; other aspects of publishing or self-publishing are not as explored in-depth. Written in straightforward, no-nonsense vernacular, The Selling Of An Author is ideal for anyone aspiring to make a living from the craft of writing, regardless of personal experience in the marketing realm. Highly recommended.

Comma Sutra
Laurie Rozakis, Ph.D.
Adams Media
57 Littlefield Street, Avon, MA 02322
www.adamsmedia.com
1593372795 $14.95 1-800-872-5627

Sentence building, modifiers, and common grammar are usually covered in grammar school and long forgotten in adulthood, so it's refreshing to find a fun review by grammarian Dr. Laurie Rozakis who links sexual innuendoes with basic grammar for maximum effect. Modern examples and fun social and historical references add spice to the topic, with plenty of examples and exercises throughout encouraging all ages to identify and repair common grammatical errors. A lively, whimsical yet solid references, highly recommended for audiences from young adults through adults.


The Social Issues Shelf

Resurrecting Empire
Rashid Khalidi
Beacon Press
25 Beacon St., Boston, MA 02108-2892
0807002356 $14.00 www.beacon.org

Rashid Khalidi is the Edward Said Chair in Arab Studies at Columbia University: his Resurrecting Empire: Western Footprints And America's Perilous Path In The Middle East blends history, current events and social issues in a penetrating examination of America's growing involvement in Middle East affairs. Chapters document the history of such involvements and the likely outcome of the latest, drawing on the author's vast political knowledge to paint a more damning picture than most. A 'must' for any serious about Middle East affairs.

Mediated
Thomas de Zengotita
Bloomsbury
175 - 5th Ave. #300, NY, NY 10010
1582343578 $22.95 bloomsbury.com

It would seem there's nothing new to say about media - but editor and author Thomas de Zengotita finds much more to talk about in his Mediated: How The Media Shapes Your World And The Way You Live In It. Chapters examine media representations of options, people's lives, events, and social issues with an eye to considering how media changes self-consciousness itself, inviting viewers to transform their lives into performance pieces. An intriguing survey adds much new material to the already extensive publications on media and society.

Point Of Purchase
Sharon Zukin
Routledge
270 Madison Ave., New York NY 10016
www.routledge-ny.com
0415950430 $18.95 1-800-634-7064

Modern shopping has changed American culture itself, moving consumer patterns from small public shops and mail-order to big online sites - but social critic Sharon Zukin doesn't condemn modern Americans for their new choices. Rather, Point Of Purchase: How Shopping Changed American Culture focuses on the evolution of these patterns and why shopping has become central to the American lifestyle - and representative of the American dream. An intriguing history.

No Place To Hide
Robert O'Harrow Jr.
The Free Press
1230 Ave. of Americas, NY, NY 10020
www.simonsays.com
0743254805 $26.00 1-800-223-2336

Our daily lives are being watched, and not just by Big Brother: they're being observed and tracked by government agencies, data collection companies, and big business alike. No Place To Hide explores just how new relationships between private data services and government anti-terror initiatives is creating a new intelligence superstructure, with new implications on privacy and public safety issues. Intriguing discussions link the data revolution to new challenges to personal privacy in No Place To Hide.

The Coming Democracy
Ann Florini
Brookings Institution Press
1775 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20036
www.brookings.edu
0815728654 $18.95 1-800-275-1447

The world is changing - and with it, the nature of democracy itself: that's the message of Ann Florini's The Coming Democracy: New Rules For Running A New World, which considers the nature of these changes and presents a new framework for transnational governance. From an assessment of key systems and institutions to be involved in such a global management system to technological advances which led to further democratization around the world, The Coming Democracy offers a blueprint master plan for expanding democracy on a global level.

Surviving Twice
Trin Yarborough
Potomac Books
22841 Quicksilver Dr., Dulles, VA 20166
www.potomacbooksinc.com
1574888641 $25.95 1-800-775-2518

There are over one hundred thousand Amerasians born during the Vietnam War to American soldiers and Vietnamese mothers: five selected survivors receive focus here as an example of the issues surrounding this group. They are almost always the poorest, grew up under a repressive government, and are victims of racial and class politics. While some thirty thousand entered the U.S., many found no haven: they were illiterate and suffered from physical and mental problems, finding survival a very different kind of struggle in the U.S. Surviving Twice not only profiles their problems - it examines the overall issues surrounding war survivors.

Rights And Liberties In The Biotech Age
Sheldom Krimsky & Peter Shorett
Rowman & Littlefield
4501 Forbes #200, Lanham, MD 20706
www.rowmanlittlefield.com
0742543412 $26.95 1-800-462-6420

The basic premise of Rights And Liberties In The Biotech Age is that we need a 'Genetic Bill of Rights' to assure genetic developments are kept under close control - and that the public be protected from these developments. To this end, professor Krimsky's background in environmental policy and urban planning blends with freelance writer/Responsible Genetics program director Peter Shorett to bring together contributors from a range of fields who discuss such rights and liberties, from rights to genetic-free foods to life patents and scientific exchanges. An intriguing discussion emerges in essays filled with scholarship and backed by research.


The Cookbook Shelf

Cupcakes! From The Cake Mix Doctor
Anne Byrn
Workman Publishing
708 Broadway, New York NY 10003
www.workman.com
0761135480 $13.95 1-800-722-7202

Whether you recognize her from her wonderful "Cake Mix Doctor" books or not, any who want to produce 'gourmet' cupcakes will welcome Anne Byrn's unique method of blending made-from-scratch tastes with cake mixes. From producing cupcakes which travel well and making unique decorations for kids parties to rich cupcakes for adults, Cupcakes! From The Cake Mix Doctor is a 'must' for any busy baker.

Simply In Season
Mary Beth Lind
Cathleen Hockman-Wert
Herald Press
616 Walnut Ave, Scottdale, PA 15683
www.heraldpress.com
0836192966 $13.99 1-800-759-4447

The newest title in the "World Community Cookbook" series from Herald Press, Simply In Season: Recipes That Celebrate Fresh, Local Foods In the Spirit Of More-with-Less is the collaborative effort of culinary experts and experienced kitchen cooks Mary Beth Lind and Cathleen Hockman-Wert. Each recipe was selected with a six-point standard as reflected by the use of fruits and vegetables in their season: Freshness (foods harvested the same day as they are purchased); Taste (the fresher the food is, the more the flavor); Nutrition (fresh, fully ripe produce contains the most nutrients); Variety (local farms can offer a greater diversity of produce strains); Environment (locally produced, foods aren't exposed the hazards of being grown abroad); Local Health (buying from local farms and farmer's markets supports the local economy and increasing the fiscal and social well-being of the whole community). From Strawberry Bread; Spinach Squares; Green Bean Sides; and Broccoli Gratin; to Apple Lentil Salad; Savory Tempeh and Vegetables; Hearty Oatmeal Pancakes; and Middle Eastern Meat Loaf, the kitchen friendly recipes are organized by season (including a section for "All Seasons") and are guaranteed to please any palate and satisfy any appetite.

Irish Oyster Cuisine
Mairin Ui Chomain
A & A Farmer
c/o Irish Books and Media (dist.)
1433 Franklin Avenue East, Minneapolis, MN 55404-2101
1899047859 $24.95 www.irishbook.com

Black-and-white and color photographis illustrate Irish Oyster Cuisine, a compendium of versatile oyster recipes presented by the mastermind behind the acclaimed "Cuisine le Mairin" and "Encore Cuisine le Mairin" television programs for RTE. Although the recipes in Irish Oyster Cuisine are in English only, accompanying brief anecdotes, notes, miniature biographies and city descriptions are in both English and Galic. Mouth-watering dishes include Oyster and Mushroom Soup, Steamed Beer Oysters, Colcannon Cake with Oyster and Sausage Bouchees, and so many more. A painstakingly flavorful and easy-to-follow cookbook brimming with passionate zest for Irish cookery and culture. Highly recommended for personal cookbook collections.

The Everyday Vegan
Dreena Burton
Arsenal Pulp Press
341 Water Street, Suite 200, Vancouver, BC, Canada, V6B 1B9
1551521067 $18.95 arsenalpulp.com

The Everyday Vegan is a practical guide and cookbook for ordinary people who follow the path of the vegan - a vegetarian who eliminates all animal products from his or her diet. In addition to recipes for dishes that meet the body's nutritional needs, especially protein, and are pleasing to the palate, The Everyday Vegan includes basics every vegan should know - common cooking tips, "how-tos", sample menu plans, quick meal ideas, anecdotes from fellow vegans, and more. Savory dishes such as Super Stuffed Mushrooms, Mediterranean Tortilla Pizzas, Cinnamon Cornmeal Muffins, Cool Cucumber Tomato Toss and so many more aptly demonstrate combinations of a wide variety of vegan ingredients for maximum nutritional value, forming a balanced diet that will reduce the risk of heart disease. Enthusiastically recommended for vegans, vegetarians, and even meat eaters with an interest in giving their cholestoral levels a break now and then.

Cajun Low-Carb
Jude M. Theriot
Pelican Publishing Company
1000 Burmaster Street, Gretna, LA 70053
www.pelicanpub.com
1589802640 $24.95 1-800-843-1724

Whether you're looking to tone down Cajun fats and calories or expand Cajun concepts into traditional dishes from pizza to meatloaf, Cajun Low-Carb comes from a chef and certified culinary professional and is guaranteed to pack in flavor and inspiration from breakfast dishes to dinners. Many of the author's own innovations - such as an Eggplant Casserole - are included in a collection of wonderful inspiring new dishes which are easily reproduced at home.

Smoking Salmon & Steelhead
Scott & Tiffany Haugen
Frank Amato Publications
PO Box 82112, Portland, OR 97282
1571882901 $19.95 amatobooks.com

A "must" for any angler's cookbook collection, Smoking Salmon & Steelhead is the collaborative effort of Scott and Tiffany Haugen. With its high levels of omega-3 fatty acids, protein, vitamins, and minerals, Salmon is one of the best foods anyone could lay out upon the family dining table. All around the world, smoked salmon is considered an especially tasty (as well as expensive!) dish suitable for even the most celebratory of occasions. Now by following the recipes and instructions comprising Smoking Salmon & Steelhead, anyone can competently and easily smoke their own salmon at home for a fraction of the cost that a grocery story or restaurant would charge. After an informative introduction, Smoking Salmon & Steelhead is arranged with chapters on Wet Brines; Dry Brines; Types of Smoking Woods; Preparation Prior to Smoking; Canning Smoked Salmon & Steelhead; Favorite Recipes; and Troubleshooting. Enhanced with a recipe index as well as a general index, Smoking Salmon & Steelhead is superbly organized, presented, and enthusiastically recommended!

Southwest Lite
Bob Wiseman
Northland Publishing
PO Box 1389, Flagstaff, AZ 86002
www.northlandpub.com
0873588789 $16.95 1-800-346-3257

Southwest Lite; Full-flavored, Healthy Cooking by American Southwest culinary expert Bob Wiseman showcases fabulous dishes that are heart healthy, weight issues friendly, and absolutely palate pleasing. Supebly illustrated with full-color photography, the dishes range from Cisco's Bagel Bites; Curried Tuna Salad; Buttermilk Meatloaf; and Sweet Southwest-Style Pork Chops; to Cajun Shrimp Scampi; Fried Green Tomatoes; Fiesta Jalapeno Cornbread Muffinettes; and Baja-Style Baked Rice Pudding. Withe each individual recipe laid out in a completely "kitchen cook friendly" and easy to follow format, Southwest Lite is a welcome and enthusiastically recommended addition to any household cookbook collection.

A Year In The Kitchen With Kate Lament
Leon Bird, photographer
Fremantle Arts Centre Press
c/o ISBS, dist.
920 Northeast 58th Avenue, Suite 300, Portland, OR 97213
www.isbscatalog.com
1920731342 $26.95 1-800-944-6190

A Year In The Kitchen With Kate Lament is a cookbook illustrated with beautiful full-color photographs featuring the seasonal cooking of Kate Lament, which applies the freshest produce around Australia and a vivacious enthusiasm for life as well as only the very best in ingredients. Flavors and inspirations for the four seasons preface delicious individual recipes for tasty treats such as Barbecued Lamb Cutlets with Garlic Croutons (Spring), Crab Salad with Parmesan Wafers (Summer), Bitter Chocolate Cake with Mandarin Syrup (Fall) and Buttermilk Pancakes and Rhubarb (Winter). A Year In The Kitchen With Kate Lament is a valued and valuable source of inspiration particularly for holiday cooking and preparing sumptuous sensory feasts for guests or simply for family enjoyment.

The South African Illustrated Cookbook
Lehla Eldridge
Struik Publishers
c/o International Publishers Marketing
22841 Quicksilver Dr., Dulles, VA 20166
www.internationalpubmarket.com
1868727181 $10.95 1-800-758-3756

Expertly compiled and wonderfully illustrated with watercolor drawings by Lehla Eldridge, The South African Illustrated Cookbook is a wonderfully imaginative compendium of recipes drawn from the culinary cultures of the Xhosa, Cape Malay, Zulu, English, Indian, Afrikaans, Portuguese, and new integrated South Africa. From Nontobeko's Steam Bread; Butternut Soup; Karen's Grilled Line Fish with Gourmet Smoortie; and Darling Evita's Dried Fruit Bobotie of Reconciliation; to Coconut Chicken; Jose's Pan-fried Fillets of Ostrich with Port and Cranberry Sauce; Langebaan Cinnamon Pumpkin; and Baked Pears in Red Wine; The South African Illustrated Cookbook offers mouth- watering, appetite satisfying dishes for every course of the family meal. This is a unique and highly recommended cookbook, ideal for multicultural dining clubs and ethnic cookbook collections.

The Peppers Cookbook
Jean Andrews
University of North Texas Press
PO Box 311336, Denton, TX 76203-1336
1574411934 $21.95 unt.edu/untpress

The Peppers Cookbook: 200 Recipes From The Pepper Lady's Kitchen by Jean Andrews is a truly mouth-watering compendium of delicious "I've just got to try this!" recipes showcases the culinary delights and possibilities of the pepper ranging from jalapenos to serranos to bells. Beginning with "What is a pepper?" and moving on to descriptions of eighteen different peppers, and an invaluable section on selecting, storing, and using peppers, the kitchen cook is introduced to recipes featuring various peppers in everything from appetizers to entrees, from sauces to desserts, from baked goods to condiments. With recipes ranging from Roasted Portabella Mushrooms with Basil-Red Pepper Cream; Green Chile Pasta; and Rocoto Relleno (Peruvian Stuffed Peppers); to Chipotle Hominy Casserole; Ethiopian Afrin or Spiced Ground Pepper Seed; The Pepper Lady's Version of Laura Bush's Texas Cowboy Cookies; and Pickled Jalapenos or Hungarian Wax Peppers, The Peppers Cookbook is the ultimate culinary compendium for pepper enthusiasts!

The Everything Easy Gourmet Cookbook
Nicole Alper
Adams Media Corporation
57 Littlefield Street, 2nd floor, Avon, MA 02322
www.everything.com
1593373171 $14.95 1-800-872-5627

The Everything Easy Gourmet Cookbook: Distinctive Recipes From Around The World To Please Your Family And Friends by Nicole Alper lives up to its title with superbly "user friendly" recipes whose step-by-step instructions will enable even the most novice kitchen cook to turn out savory dishes with a multicultural culinary flair for any and all occasions. From Glazed Turnips with Cinnamon (Belgium); Hazelnut Torte (Germany); Braised Veal Shanks with Porcini Mushrooms (Italy); and Rabbit in Wine (Spain); to Lamb Curry with Banana Raita (India); Green Mango and Shrimp Salad (Thailand); Snail in Black Bean and Orange Peel Sauce (China); and Duck Confit in Phyllo with Caramelized Apples (Canada), The Everything Easy Gourmet Cookbook offers a wealth of culinary delights drawn from countries around the world that would please the palate of even the most discerning gourmet.

The Cardiac Recovery Cookbook
M. Laurel Cutlip & Sari Budgazad
Hatherleigh Press
500 Fifth Avenue, NY, NY 10110
www.wwnorton.com
1578261899 $15.95 1-800-233-4830

The Cardiac Recovery Cookbook: Heart-Healthy Recipes For Life After Heart Attack Or Heart Surgery by registered dietician and licensed nutritionist M. Laurel Cutlip and nutrition consultant Sari Budgazad offers a 216-page compendium of easy to make, good tasting and good for you recipes that are characterized by reduced saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium. Each recipe is provided with detailed nutritional information and range from Breakfast Quesadilla; Flax French Toast; Mexican Pozle; and Baked Pork Chops; to Crispy Oven-Fried Chicken; Baked Trout; New Orleans Red Beans; and Summer Breeze Smoothies. There is something here for any and all dining occasions from appetizers and soups, to entrees and side dishes, to mouth-watering palate-pleasing desserts. While The Cardiac Recovery Cookbook is especially recommended for anyone recuperating from cardiac problems, these 100 quick and easy recipes will be equally appreciated by their families and friends wanting to join in the recovering cardiac patient at meal times.

I-Can't-Chew Cookbook
J. Randy Wilson
Hunter House Publishers
PO Box 2914, Alameda, CA 94501-2914
www.hunterhouse.com
0897934008 $16.95 1-800-266-5592

I-Can't-Chew Cookbook: Delicious Soft-Diet Recipes For People With Chewing, Swallowing And Dry-Mouth Disorder by J. Randy Wilson is a unique, one-of-a-kind cookbook that is an invaluable addition to the kitchen cookbook collection of any family chef who must prepare meals for anyone suffering from problems arising from a chewing disorder such as temporomandibular joint (TMJ) problems, stroke, ALS, Alzheimer's, AIDS, lupus, recovering from head or neck surgery, or mouth/throat cancer surgery. Randy Wilson drew upon his love of cooking and his array of culinary skills when his wife was diagnosed with TMJ and needed surgery. Her doctor indicated that she would have to subsist on soft foods for six months. Randy took on the challenge of developing soft, nutritious, and appealing recipes for his wife and their family. The result is his I-Can't-Chew Cookbook which is neither a liquid diet book nor a blender cookbook, but instead showcases 200 soft and tasty recipes for casseroles, soups, entrees, side dishes, beverages, and deserts. Of special interest are the opening chapters on nutrition and tips for getting the most out of meals, including enhancing the dining experience and adapting foods for a soft-food diet when dealing with problems of wallowing and/or chewing. Enhanced with an informative Foreword by oral surgeon Mark A. Piper, I-Can't-Chew Cookbook should be considered as a "must" for anyone wanting nutritious, delicious, consumable dishes for the chewing and/or swallowing impaired.

The Asian Diet
Diana My Tran & Idamarie Laquarta, RD
Capital Books
International Publishers Marketing, dist.
PO Box 605, Herndon, VA 20172-0605
www.capital-books.com
1931868530 $15.95 1-800-758-3756

How do Asian stay slim? Any aspiring to the Asian idea of slimness won't want to miss The Asian Diet: Get Slim And Stay Slim The Asian Way. From the use of more tofu and decreased focus on meat to 18 days of suggested menus for the Asian diet plan which may be used as a guide, simple recipes make it easy for non-Asians to understand the follow the concepts of the diet.

Brownie Mix Bliss
Camilla Saulsbury
Cumberland House
431 Harding Industrial Drive, Nashville, TN 37211
www.cumberlandhouse.com
1581824440 $16.95 1-888-439-2665

From brownies and cookies to brownie-based desserts and specialty frostings to finish them off, Brownie Mix Bliss comes packed with ideas for enhancing the plain brownie to new levels so that even the most novice of kitchen cooks can serve and enjoy cheesecake-based brownie bars, dark chocolate gingerbread creations, and more.


The Railroading Shelf

The Train Stops Here
Marci L. Riskin
University of New Mexico Press
1 University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001
www.unmpress.com
0826333079 $24.95 1-800-249-7737

More than a singular train history, The Train Stops Here: New Mexico's Railway Legacy comes from a Santa Fe architect fascinated by train construction and loads as well as rain history itself. Train traffic changed how buildings themselves appeared and functioned in the railroad towns it made: Riskin's is a fascinating coverage not just because of its train history, but because of its unique approach to examining the architectural heritage fostered by the train in New Mexico.

Follow The Flag
H. Roger Grant
Northern Illinois University Press
310 North Fifth St, DeKalb, IL 60115
0875803288 $49.95 1-815-753-1826

Finally: the first authoritative history of the Wabash Railroad Company: a saga of politics, engineering miracles, business history, and more. Wabash emerged from many small firms and developed a system which would serve as the midwest's gateway system to major cities from Chicago to St. Louis, expanding to New York in the 1890s. A lively survey covers the Wabash company's innovations, evolution and achievements, with vintage black and white photos throughout.


The Poetry Shelf

OuiSconsin
Bryan Tomasovich
Emergency Press
531 West 25th Street, NY, NY 10001
www.emergencypress.org
0975362305 $15.00 1-212-229-1088

Bryan Tomasovich grew up in Wisconsin and now lives on Bainbridge Island, Washington, where he teaches at Antioch University in Seattle. Ouisconsin: The Dead In Our Clouds is a poetic investigation by Tomasovich into the public history of his home state as revealed in the private lives of his people. His verse is fused with lyrical memories of his family's struggles to become American as they lived and worked in the upper Midwest. It's not often that you see a volume of poetry enhanced with a Bibliography of recommended readings by other writers. This is a collection of poems that grace the mind, stir the soul, and reveal small windows of insight into the human condition that is universal to us all. Skunk Frank Episodes: Skunk Frank's fishing hole on the Flambeau River is marked/by an alert pine draft/when standing in the ruins of the old Indian feller's shack./Go make yourselves at home/our Grandpa Frank'd say...log frame/tin billboard walls, tar paper/tumbled down and mossy/as the river but colder/home-canned jars, melted fork/bottles plenty, granite chimney shards/but not a feather.//Friends like this...our grandpa Frank is a real puzzle.

Sonnets To Orpheus
Rainer Maria Rilke, author
Edward Snow, translator
North Point Press
c/o Farrar, Straus & Giroux
19 Union Square West, NY, NY 10003
0865477213 $13.00 1-888-330-8477

Edward Snow, who has earned multiple awards for his translations, applies his gift to the original German poems written almost a century ago by master poet Rainer Maria Rilke in Sonnets To Orpheus. A bilingual German/English edition each poem in both languages on every two-page spread, Sonnets To Orpheus resonates with introspective contemplation on the finality of time, transition, change, and death; Rilke wrote it only four years before his own passing. A classic work that remains vividly relevant today. Does it really exist, Time the Destroyer? / When, on the peaceful mountain, does it crush the fortress? / And this heart, always the gods' possession, / when does the Demiurge pillage it?

Green Rice
Lam Thi My Da, author
Martha Collins & Thuy Dinh, translators
Curbstone Press
321 Jackson St., Willimantic, CT 06226
www.curbstone.org
1931896135 $13.95 1-860-423-5110

Green Rice is an impressive, bi-lingual compendium of Vietnamese poetry by Lam Thi My Da which has been ably translated into English by the team of Martha Collins and Thuy Dinh. Lam Thi My Da spent the years of the Viet Nam conflict in Quang Binh province and was near the scene of considerable heavy fighting. Her poetry reflects the costs of that war and are grounded in her intimate involvement with the Vietnamese landscape, flora, fauna, people, and events. Some of her lyrics deal with such timeless issues as love and motherhood, other verses reflect the difficult movement into middle age. All of her work showcases her undeniable talent and provide the reader with unique insights in the life of this gifted Vietnamese woman. Green Rice: Green lotus leaves wrap grilled green rice/Your heart is generous, kind/Though far away, you're in these grains/Life always has bits of sweetness//Though grown now, you're still like a child/I think of you as grains of rice/Rice so green it makes me cry/Oh innocence, gone in a moment//The rice is sweet with the scent of fields/I remember drops of my mother's milk/A grain of green rice is a mirror/Where childhood scenes rush by//Like a dragonfly drifting out of reach/Green rice, green dewdrops dissolve/Oh green rice on my tongue, I wish/You could turn me back into a child.

Fallen From A Chariot
Kevin Prufer
Carnegie Mellon University Press
5032 Forbes Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15289
0887484190 $13.95 www.amazon.com

Fallen From A Chariot is a collection of original free-verse poems by Laughlin Award finalist Kevin Prufer. A dark- themed collection, most of its poems deal with death that comes tragic, sudden, or murderous ways, from ancient to modern times; mourning those who have passed, reflecting on the brief and transitory nature of life, the sepulchural words of ghosts, and more. Narcissist Elegy: The little black gun where my heart should be / fired and fired until, / like yours, it stopped. And such a pause in my chest, / my ribs grown steel and the cave all dark, grown barred - / The hammer / clicked and the gun just sparked.

Skin Tax
Tim Z. Hernandez
Heyday Books
PO Box 9145, Berkeley, CA 94709
www.heydaybooks.com
1890771937 $12.95 1-510-549-3564

Award-winning writer Tim Z. Hernandez presents Skin Tax, a collection of poetry not for delicate sensibilities, as it deals with themes of love, desire, male sexuality, violence, bodily functions such as urination, and machismo. Free-verse lyrics unafraid to incorporate vulgar terms to explicitly quote gritty dialogue mark Skin Tax as contemporary poetry that dares to stand out and speak of subjects and situations commonly eschewed by other poets. Far from transcending flesh, Skin Tax is poetry concerning flesh, and all its failings, sinful pleasures, delights, and sufferings. I Rub My Hands: with your cream / cocoa butter & aloe / on my skin reminds me of the times / I've denied your love // In the supermarket / when your hand slips into the curve of my back pocket / and you whisper kisses / against the meat of my neck // I pull away - / A man afraid of what message / affection might bring / What foolishness...


The Martial Arts Shelf

Kodokan Judo: Throwing Techniques
Thoshiro Daigo
Kodansha America, Inc.
575 Lexington Avenue, NY, NY 10022
www.kodansha-intl.com
4770023308 $40.00 1-800-451-7556

Ably translated into English by Francoise White, Kodokan Judo: Throwing Techniques by Toshiro Daigo provides the martial arts student with a comprehensive and correct classification of "nage-waza" terminology as used in both competition and practice. All sixty-seven official Kodokan throwing techniques and their various forms are explained and illustrated thoroughly and concisely with more than 1,800 photographs enhancing the step-by-step text. A very strongly recommended addition to personal, professional, and dojo martial arts reference collections, Kodokan Judo: Throwing Techniques is a complete book of instruction and the single most comprehensive guide to judo's throwing forms available to American martial arts students to date.


The Buddhist Studies Shelf

Lighting The Way
The Dalai Lama
Snow Lion Publications
PO Box 6483, Ithaca, NY 14851
www.SnowLionPub.com
1559392282 $14.95 1-800-950-0313

Lighting The Way presents three fundamental Buddhist teachings offered by the Dalai Lama to Western students. "Principles of Buddhism" offers basic insight to understanding the Four Noble Truths of the Buddha Shakyamuni, upon which all other teachings are based. "Teachings on the Eight Verses on Training the Mind" gives commentary on a classic text of Tibetan spiritual writing known as "lojong", or mind training. And the Dalai Lama's words concerning Atisha's "Lamp for the Path to Englightenment" discusses one of the most crucial texts to a serious practitioner of Buddhism. This fundamental anthology is vital for practicing and aspiring Buddhists, as well as scholars of Buddhism striving to better understand a centuries-old faith in a modern-day context. Highly recommended, especially for library Buddhist Studies collections.


The Judaic Studies Shelf

Joseph's Bones
Ozzie Nogg
Oznas Books
PO Box 3353, Omaha, NE 68103-0353
oznasbooks@cox.net
0975398806 $15.00 1-402-342-7870

A first place winner in the 2005 Writer's Digest Press "International Self-Published Book Awards", Joseph's Bones: A Collection Of Stories is deftly written by Ozzie Nogg, whose personal stories and feature columns exploring Jewish tradition, identity and values have appeared in weekly newspapers around the country. Comprised of twelve original short stories drawn from and inspired by her life as a rabbi's daughter and reflecting a rich Jewish oral storytelling tradition, these are tales that appeal to readers from all backgrounds because of Ozzie's abilities as a writer. Each individual story begins with an original illustration by the author and leads to a wonderfully engaging and deftly written reminiscence that evokes life in a small Jewish community. The stories comprising this award winning and enthusiastically recommended little read include Joseph's Bones: An Explanation, A Dedication; Bubble's House; One Little Kid; Aaron's Aggie; The Cap Poppa Got from the Czar; My Brother's Keeper; A Lesson in the Watermelon; Teshuvah on the Interstate; Still Standing; Poppa's Bar Mitzvah; In the End; Treasure in the Lake; and Yizkor. Enhanced with the inclusion of a Glossary, these stories about magical marbles, gifts from the Czar, snow angels, and more, are replete with humor, insight, and an uncommon wisdom when speaking of the human condition as reflected within all of our families and communities regardless of our ethnic, cultural, or religious backgrounds. It is so well written and engaging, that Joseph's Bones would make a welcome addition to any personal, academic, or community library "Judaic Studies" collection.

The Best Of Israeli Folksongs
Velvel Pasternak
Tara Publications
4001 Fallstaff Rd., Baltimore, MD 21215
www.tara.com & www.jewishmusic.com
192891800X $29.95 1-800-827-2400

Compiled, annotated and arranged by Velvel Pasternak, The Best Of Israeli Folksongs: An Anthology is a compendium of more than 165 songs that have become a valued contribution to Israel's music heritage and popular culture. From Al Kol Ele; Hana'ava Babanot; Kachol Yam Hamayim; and Ose Shalom; to Shalom Al Yisrael; Tsena Tsena; Vayiven Uziyahu; and Zamar Noded, this outstanding collection (which includes a Bibliography and a Discography) is a core addition to any personal, professional, academic, or community library Music Studies, Ethnic Studies, Multi-Cultural Studies, Folk Music, or Judaic Studies reference collection. Two other Velvel Pasternak anthologies are also enthusiastically recommended: The Best Of Jewish Love Songs: Hebrew, Yiddish, Ladino, "Song of Songs", and Wedding (192891828X, $29.95) and (co-edited with Eli Lipsker) Chabad Melodies: Songs Of The Lubavitcher Chassidim (0933676-794, $29.95).

Jewish Values In A Changing World
Rabbi Yehuda Amital
KTAV Publishing House
930 Newark Avenue, Jersey City, NJ 07306-6316
0881258814 $18.95 www.ktav.com

Born in Hungary in 1924, a Holocaust survivor, an Israel immigrant in 1945, and receiving rabbinical ordination from Rabbi Isser Zalman Meltzer, Rabbi Yehuda Amital helped to found the "hesder yeshivot" which enables religious students to study the Torah while serving in Israel's military. An educational pioneer and head of Isrel's largest hesder yeshiva, Rabbi Amital draws upon his undeniable expertise and erudition, as well as the wealth of personal experience, to present contemprory readers with an inspired and inspiring extended treatise: Jewish Values In A Changing World. Emphasizing that the Torah offers a message relevant to every generation, the need to respect all people created in God's image, and the importance of the flowing coexistence of religious life, humanity, and individuality, Jewish Values In A Changing World offers a stable, astutely reasoned, and well-thought-out discussion of moral principles in plain terms. As accessible to lay readers as to religious scholars, Jewish Values In A Changing World neither shies away from new transformations nor neglects the insights of past generations, and is a highly recommended treatise on the role of religion and morality in turbulent times.


The International Studies Shelf

America And The Four Japans
Frederik L. Schodt
Stone Bridge Press
PO Box 8208, Berkeley, CA 94707
www.stonebridge.com
1880656108 $10.95 1-800-947-7271

Originally published in 1994, America And The Four Japans is an analysis of the constantly changing relationship between Japan and the United States that remains timely and revelant as it was a decade ago. Incorporating history, cultural commentary, and opinions from both sides of the Pacific Ocean, it portrays Japan in four different roles as related to the U.S.: friend, rival, role model, and mirror. Chapters briefly survey modern Japanese history, address the trade deficit, warn against wishful thinking on both sides, and reveal the common threads that tie together two strikingly different cultures. A "must-read" introduction especially for international businesspeople and anyone whose career or personal interest lies in coming fully to grips with the dynamics of U.S.-Japanese economic, political and cultural interaction.


The Sports Shelf

Softball Fundamentals
Rick Noren
Human Kinetics Publishers, Inc.
Box 5076, Champaign, IL 61820-5076
www.HumanKinetics.com
0736055843 $14.95 1-800-747-4457

Softball Fundamentals: A Better Way To Learn The Basics truly lives up to its title as softball expert Rick Noren takes the reader all facets of this popular team sport. The twelve "reader friendly" chapters comprising Softball Fundamentals include: Throwing; Catching; Fielding Fly Balls; Fielding Ground Balls; Playing Catcher; Pitching; Hitting; Bunting and Slap Hitting; Baserunning; Sliding; Offensive Tactics; and Defensive Tactics. Enhanced with more than 48 gameline drills specifically designed to speed up skill learning and improve performance, Softball Fundamentals should be on the instructional reference shelves of every school and community library Sports collection -- and read by novice softball players of all ages and both genders .

High, Wide, And Handsome
Roy Webb, editor
Utah State University Press
78 Old Marin Hill, Logan UT 84322-7800
0874216036 $21.95 1-800-239-9974

High, Wide, And Handsome: The River Journals Of Norman D. Nevills presents the personal journal writings of whitewater thrill-seeker Norman D. Nevills, who discovered the joy of whitewater journeying on his honeymoon, designed a craft for more serious journeys, and explored wild rivers especially in the late 1930's and 1940's, never flipping a boat nor losing a passenger until the tragic 1949 plane crash that claimed him and his beloved wife. Editor Roy Webb presents Nevills not through the eyes of those who praised or smeared him for his passion, but through Nevills' own writings, which give a candid day-by-day account of the thrills, challenges, and exhilaration of whitewater rafting. Black-and-white photographs and extensive notes help fill in the reader on details not elaborated in the journal, in this exciting collection especially recommended for armchair travelers and whitewater sports enthusiasts interested in the personal perspective of a pioneer.


The Nautical Shelf

Cruising French Waterways
Hugh McKnight
Sheridan House Inc.
145 Palisade St, Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522
www.sheridanhouse.com
1574092103 $39.95 1-888-743-7425

Now in this updated and expanded fourth edition, Hugh McKnight continues to draw upon his nearly four decades of experience and undeniable expertise in making Cruising French Waterways an essential reference and guidebook for anyone wanting to sail or motorboat along one of France's 5000 miles of waterways. Extensive descriptions of scenery and historic locales make Cruising French Waterways as ideal for armchair travelers as it is for vacationers whetting their anticipation for what to expect. Black-and-white and color photographs offer a glimpse of the ancient wonders waiting to be discovered. Packed with detail cover to cover, Cruising French Waterways spares no effort to explore the depth and beauty of the scenic French countryside.

Shipwrecks Of Lake Superior
James R. Marshall, editor
Lake Superior Port Cities, Inc.
PO Box 16417, Duluth, MN 55816-0417
www.lakesuperior.com
0942235673 $19.95 1-888-244-5253

Now in an updated and expanded second edition, Shipwrecks Of Lake Superior, as compiled and edited by experienced diver James R. Marshall, includes the stories of the Edmund Fitzgerald and the Mesquite. Enhanced with a profusion of illustrative color photographs Shipwrecks Of Lake Superior tantalizes the imagination with true stories of lost shipwrecks, and rediscoveries of treasures swallowed up by the waves. Written in a contemporary style sure to appeal to lay readers as well as expert shipwreck divers, Shipwrecks Of Lake Superior is by far the next best thing to buying a wetsuit and plumbing the depths of Lake Superior oneself.


The Education Shelf

Integrating Instruction
Judy McKee & Donna Ogle
Guilford Publications, Inc.
72 Spring Street, New York, NY 10012
www.guilford.com
1593851561 $25.00 1-800-365-7006

Also available in a hardcover edition (159385157X, $45.00), Integrating Instruction: Literacy And Science is the collaborative effort of Judy McKee (Science consultant, Wilmette Public Schools, Wilmette, Illinois) and Donna Ogle (Professor of Reading and Language, National-Louis University). A part of the Guilford "Tools for Teaching Literacy" series, Integrating Instructions covers such topics as integrating science and language in science units, writing to learn in science, effective uses of technology, the connection that can bridge science-fiction to a passion for learning, and much more. Written especially to promote motivated learning in science and literacy alike, and offering tools to help assess student learning in agreement with national and state standards, Integrating Instruction is a valuable resource particularly in the twenty-first century when communication skills and practical scientific and technological awareness are more important than ever.


The Political Science Shelf

The Communist Manifesto
Karl Marx & Friedrich Engels
L. M. Findlay, editor
Broadview Press
Box 1015, Orchard Park, NY 14127-8015
www.broadviewpress.com
1551113333 $6.95 1-705-743-8990

This influential cornerstone document of 19th and 20th century communist movements worldwide was originally published in 1848, this new edition of the works of Karl Marx and Friedreich Engels is professionally edited by L.M. Findlay and will provide academic libraries, scholars, and students with basic source materials for their studies of a movement that was the chief opposition to the capitalism of the west, and which still lingers on in North Korea, Cuba, and in an increasingly evolving form within mainland China. This new translation is a gifted contribution in the field of textual and historical scholarship and should be a part of every college and university Political Science reference collection.


The Graphic Novel Shelf

Street Angel TPB
Jim Rugg & Brian Maruca
SLG Publishing
577 South Market St, San Jose, CA 95113
1593620128 $14.95 sigpublishing.com

Street Angel TPB is a compendium of the previously published "Street Angel" black-and-white, mature-themed comic book series from SLG Publishing and features the collaborative work of Jim Rugg and Brian Maruca. The principle character is Jessee Sanchez, the greatest homeless skateboarder, martial artist, and 12-year-old crime fighter ever to beat down hoods and beat up ninjas. She goes to school three days a week, when she feels like it, and her closest friend is a triple amputee. She fights for her friends, she fights for justice - and whenever possible, she fights for food. Edgy to the extreme, and highly tongue-in-cheek in its depiction of battles, time travel, megalomaniacal geologists and the infamous conflict between pirates and ninjas, Street Angel combines a satire of comic book cliches and the gut-wrenching all-too-real problems of life on the street.

Decoy: Menagerie
Courtney Huddleston
Penny Farthing Press
10370 Richmond Avenue, Suite 980, Houston, TX 77042
0971901236 $19.95 www.pfpress.com

Part 1 of a series of anthologies in a graphic novel format, Decoy: Menagerie is a collection of sequential art stories worked up by some of the best writers and illustrators working today, including Eisner award winners and famed top names in the industry, such as Sean Galloway, Ty Templeton, Mike Garcia, Courtney Huddleston and many more. The pieces comprising this outstanding hardcover, full-color, debut volume all revolve around Lucky the cop and his little green alien friend, and range in tone from a hard-boiled detective spoof to a futuristic dystopia imagination to gritty tales of a street cop on duty, to a wistful look at how the alien's race was unfortunately instrumental to the destruction of a far-off planet's civilization. Each story is fluidly presented with its own unique style faithful not only to the artist, but to a most unlikely pair of heroes. A uniquely original comic, and a breath of fresh air amid the oversaturated "superhero" genre.

Adventure Classics: Volume 12
Sax Rohmer, et al.
Eureka Productions
8778 Oak Grove Rd, Mt Horeb, WI 53572
www.graphicclassics.com
978-0974664847 $11.95

The twelfth volume in the "Adventure Classics" series of graphic novels and short story collections, the reader is treated to some of the finest adventure writing by some of the most talented authors, and adapted to the graphic novel format by illustrators and artists of matching caliber. The stories comprising this issue include: "In the Valley of the Sorceress" by Sax Rohmer, ill. by J. B. Bonivert; "The Masked Ball" by Alexandre Dumas, ill. by Michael Manning; "Two Men Named Collins" by Damon Runyon, ill. by Noel Tuazon; "Tigre" by Zane Grey, ill. by Don Marquez; "Blood Money" by Rafael Sabatini, ill. by Kevin Atkinson; "The Stolen Story" by Johnston McCulley, ill. by Chris Pelletiere; "Gunga Din", by Rudyard Kipling, ill. by Mary Fleener, and more. Thrilling tales of the past century brought to life in a wide variety of bold, black-and-white styles make Adventure Classics Volume 12 as exciting, wild, and spooky to read as its predecessors.


The Religion/Spirituality Shelf

Five Voices Five Faiths
Amanda Millay Hughes, editor
Cowley Publications
4 Brattle Street, Cambridge, MA 02138
www.cowley.org
1561012726 $14.95 1-800-225-1534

Five Voices Five Faiths: An Interfaith Primer is an introduction to five major religious traditions of the world for lay readers, as presented by five practitioners of each religion. A different faithful individual speaks for Hinduism, Judaism, Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam, providing a plain-terms summary of the basic tenets of each followed an intriguing interview that tests how the ideals of each faith co-exist (or conflict) with one another. Ultimately a tribute to both the differences and the common bonds between faiths, Five Voices Five Faiths is deeply reverent, respectful, and spiritual, and an excellent beginners guide to analysis, comparison, and contrast between religious ideals.

Moshkel Gosha
Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee
The Golden Sufi Center Publishing
PO Box 428, Inverness, CA 94937-0428
1890350109 $14.00 www.goldensufi.org

Moshkel Gosha: A Story Of Transformation is a Sufi story that can be read and enjoyed on several levels. Ably presented with commentary by Sufi instructor and Jungian psychology expert Llewellyn Vaughn-Lee, Moshkel Gosha is an ancient Persian story of spiritual transformation of a prickly-bush digger, his daughter, and how his discovery of some magical stones first made them wealthy and then drew them into disaster, but ultimately there is a "happy ending" as Moshkel Gosh (which is Persian for "the remover of obstacles" learns how to work with the magical dimension within life. Moshkel is a timeless tale of myth and metaphor showing the reader how they too can remove obstacles from their life path by drawing upon the "magical" qualities within in us all. Moshkel Gosha will prove of especially interest to students of Sufism, eastern spirituality, metapsychology, and Persian folklore.

Suns Of God
Acharya S
Adventures Unlimited Press
PO Box 74, Kempton, IL 60946
www.adventuresunlimitedpress.com
1931882312 $18.95 1-815-253-6390

Suns Of God: Krishna Buddha And Christ Unveiled is the sequel to the archaeologist, historian, mythologist and linguist Acharya S.'s controversial expose "The Christ Conspiracy", which walks the reader through a revealing and sobering exploration of the origin and meaning of the world's religions and most popular deities. Contesting that the remarkably similar stories of Christ, Krishna and Buddha - each portrayed as a redeemer who surpasses challenges, teaches morality and performs miracles - has its roots in a global phenomenon that has permeated cultures since ages before the Christian era. Explaining the god-like humans not as "historical" personages but as anthropomorphizations of the focus of "mysteries" steeped in an ancient tradition predating civilization, Suns Of God dares to hypothesize concerning the forces that shape entire cultures, and therefore history itself. A compelling alternative and iconoclastic perspective that breaks away from traditional theology to contemplate an alternative view of humankind's religious and spiritual development.

Life-Changing Affirmations
Vicky Thompson
Red Wheel/Weiser
368 Congress St, 4th fl. Boston MA 02210
www.redwheelweiser.com
1590030850 $9.95 1-800-423-7087

Workshop leader and spiritual expo speaker Vicky Thompson presents Life-Changing Affirmations: A 30-Day Plan For Spiritual Transformation, a simple self-help guide that harnesses the power of prayer to realign one's attitude toward life. An affirmation and a meditational prayer for each day of the month guide and focus the reader toward a strengthened faith in the Spirit and upholding one's own power and wisdom. Each set of five affirmations and meditations is given a different category: "Using Love As the Power for Change", "Developing an Intuitive Spiritual Practice", "Accessing Inner Wisdom and Strength", "Using the Tools of Forgiveness", and "Serving the Self and Others". An uplifting and motivational guide to bolstering one's spiritual life. Day 26 Service: My brothers and sisters, I know you through God. / As God shines through my heart, I shine the light for you. / As God teaches me about love, I share my lesson with you. / As God holds me lovingly, I embrace you. / As God whispers in my ear, I laugh with you. / As God uses my able hands, I reach out to you. / Let God work through me. / Let God touch the world through me. / Let God live through me.


The Hunting/Fishing Shelf

Australian Fly Patterns
Peter Coulson
AFN/Cardinal Publishers Group
2222 Hillside Avenue, Suite 100, Indianapolis, IN 46218
www.cardinalpub.com
186513063X $39.95 1-800-296-8481

Peter Coulson begin fly fishing in 1972 and has been keenly interested in files and fly tying ever since. Having become a professional fly fishing instructor, flying instructing, and fly fishing guide, he draws upon his more than twenty years of experience and expertise (and five years of intensive research to find the best flies used by anglers around Australia) in Australian Fly Patterns to help the reader deftly select specific flies for particular jobs. More than half of the fly tie patterns have never been available to the general public before. Enhanced with full-color photography, Australian Fly Patterns presents more than 800 pattens, and the input of more than 300 successful Australian fly fishers, making it a "must" for dedicated fly fishing enthusiasts anywhere in the world.


The Mythology Shelf

Oedipus Borealis
Lois Bragg
Associated University Presses
440 Forsgate Drive, Cranbury, NJ 08512
0838640281 $45.00 1-609-655-4770

Written by a Professor of English at Gallaudet University and an expert on Germanic languages, literatures, and mythologies, Oedipus Borealis: The Aberrant Body In Old Icelandic Myth And Saga poses the argument that many well known figures in the Icelandic saga are based on mythic prototypes. Drawing commonalities between saga heroes and mythic figures such as a physical deformity linked with sexual deviance and supernatural powers, and noting that modern narratives sharply contrast with the myth and saga by establishing aberrance as the sign of a villain or victim, Oedipus Borealis offers a scholarly and studious study of the symbolism within myths including that Oedipus, tales of gods and giants, Egil Bald-Grim's son, and other characters as well as the saga skalds themselves. A heavily researched and evenly weighed study that succinctly retells myths as needed to espy core similiarties within the ancient tales, recommended for academic library mythology study and reference shelves.


The Metaphysical Studies Shelf

Unnatural Phenomena
Jerome Clark
ABC-CLIO
Box 1911, Santa Barbara, CA 93116-1911
www.abc-clio.com
1576074307 $85.00 1-800-368-6868

Unnatural Phenomena: A Guide To The Bizarre Wonders Of North America by Jerome Clark is a 369-page survey of recorded and reported "anomalous occurrences" that range from the humorous to the fantastic to the frightening. Each incident is drawn from the past two hundred year history of America are drawn from every section of the country and range from confirmed reports of a phantom farmer plowing his field at night, to a bronze-green monster covered in heart-shaped scales, to sky quakes, to a clash of two enormous red-clad armies in the sky above Green Vale, Illinois in 1870, to a 150-foot-long sea monster that was seen in Black Fish Bay, Washington in 1893. These are hundreds of other peculiar happenings make Unnatural Phenomena a veritable treasure trove for those interested in the occult, the metaphysical, the inexplicable, the strange, and the bizarre in American history.

New Pages
PO Box 687, Franklin Lakes, NJ 07417
www.newpagebooks.com

Five new titles from Career Press' spiritually-oriented offshoot publisher New Pages will find a receptive audience among New Age readers of spirituality who want well-written spiritual insights on a range of topics. To understand Celtic roots of folklore, choose Dr. Bob Curran's Celtic Lore & Legend: Meet The Gods, Heroes, Kings, Fairies, Monsters And Ghosts Of Yore (156414786X, $15.99): his compilation embraces a wider range of tales than most competing Celtic collections, examining the roots of Celtic legends and using stories to record traditions from many parts of the Celtic world, across the centuries. Or explore Northern rites and legends with Galina Krasskova's Exploring The Northern Tradition: A Guide To The Gods, Lore, Rites, And Celebrations From The Norse, German, And Anglo-saxon Traditions (1564147916, $14.99). It provides newcomers to the topic with a clear overview of the ancient religion and legends of the Germanic and Scandinavian peoples, presenting the basic stories of these traditions and blending them with spiritual examples for personal use. Or use Shelly Wu's Chinese Astrology: Exploring The Eastern Zodiac (1564147967, $14.99) to examine connections between personality and the Eastern zodiac. This basic primer covers the 12 signs and what they mean, from how birth elements affect destiny to Chinese romance secrets and the presence of the 'other self'. New Pages doesn't just focus on spiritual history and legend, either: Jeff Belanger's Communicating With The Dead: Reach Beyond The Grave (1564147932, $15.99) examines not only how people throughout history have tried to communicate with the dead, but tells how such communication might really work, from using talking boards and tarot to spirit photography and more. In linking a history with modern communication efforts, Jeff Belanger draws upon interviews with dozens of experts to gain authoritative research findings and insights. Dr. Bruce Goldberg's Spirit Contact Through Hypnosis (15641-47975, $16.99) covers an old topic: contacting spiritguides. Popular media would have it that such contact is dangerous: in fact, much spiritual enlightenment is to be gained from such contact, and chapters tell how to develop intuition, access wisdom, and see into the future through the use of out-of-body experiences and many more methods.


The Architecture Shelf

The New Modern House
Will Jones
Princeton Architectural Press
37 East 7th Street, New York NY 10003
www.papress.com
156898524X $35.00 1-800-722-6657

Contemporary and very different modern designs by top designers and firms are the profile of Will Jones' The New Modern House, which packs in color photos of all kinds of structures, from seaside homes to complex, multifaceted layouts for flat landscapes. Accompanying discussions survey architectural intentions and design options, but it's the photos which capture attention.

Bay Area Style
David Weingarten & Alan Weintraub
Rizzoli
300 Park Avenue South, NY, NY 10010
www.rizzoliusa.com
0847826406 $50.00 1-888-330-8477

In Bay Area Style, designated houses of the San Francisco Bay area are profiled in a stunning photo display and collection which could just as easily been featured in our Art column, but deserves profile here as an excellent inspirational guide for homeowner/builders as well. San Francisco enjoys a host of exceptional architects drawn to the region's diversity, and their works are represented in a selection of homes emerging from California's Craftsman Style. Works by Frank Lloyd Wright, Julia Morgan and more are captured by architectural photographer Alan Weintraub while accompanying comments provide identification and background briefs. Interiors and exteriors alike are profiled, making for a gorgeous coverage.

Log Construction Manual
Robert W. Chambers
Chelsea Green Publishing Company
PO Box 428, White River Junction, VT 05001
www.chelseagreen.com
0971573603 $37.95 1-800-639-4099

In Log Construction Manual: The Ultimate Guide To Building Handcrafted Log Homes, Robert W. Chambers draws upon his many years of experience and expertise to provide the reader with an exceptionally "user friendly" instruction manual that will enable them to successfully design and build their own log home. Black-and-white photographs and diagrams add a visual touch to the methodical and detailed instructions for all points of the building process, including how to scribe-fit naturally shaped, tapered, round logs so tightly that they look as if they grew together in the forest. A comprehensive resource packed with everything a log home owner or builder needs to know, whether amateur or professional, as skillfully scribed by an expert on the subject.

Terrace Design
Alejandro Bahamon, et al.
Te Neues Publishing Company
16 West 22nd St., New York, NY 10010
www.teneues.com
3832790411 $24.95 1-800-352-0305

A true mark of elegant luxury in today's upscale homes that afford a view is the creation of a terrace that opens the living space out into the exterior of the dwelling and thereby creating a direct contact with nature and/or the urban community. Enhanced with more than 140 spectacular photographs of diverse terrace designs ranging from those with or without a roofed enclosure, some with gardens, others with a solarium, Terrace Design offers a visually impressive selection of terraces for homes set in rural, seaside, and urban locations. Wither for simple browsing or for providing concrete ideas for emulation, Terrace Design is a welcome and highly recommended addition to any professional, academic, or community library Architectural Studies reference collection.

More Straw Bale Building
Chris Magwood, et al.
New Society Publishers
37 Cherry Street, Easthampton, MA 01027
www.newsociety.com
0865715181 $32.95 1-800-283-3572

Years ago straw bale building was considered a radical innovation: today it's developed into a major construction choice widely practiced in North America. Such homes are easy to build, very energy efficient, affordable and attractive - and over the years the specs and methods for building them have changed. That's why any considering straw bale home construction would do well to update their facts with More Straw Bale Building: A Complete Guide To Designing And Building With Straw by the expert team of Chris Magwood, Peter Mack and Tina Therrien. This rewrites the prior Straw Bale Building handbook, covering the entire process of building a bale structure from choosing bales and developing building plans to roofing, plumbing and code compliance.


The Philosophy Shelf

Reading Plotinus
Kevin Corrigan
Purdue University Press
1207 South Campus Courts, Bldg. E, West Lafayette, IN 47907
www.thepress.purdue.edu
1557532346 $28.95 1-800-933-9637

Also available in a hardcover edition (1557532338, $58.95), Reading Plotinus: A Practical Introduction To Neoplatonism by KevinCorrigan (Visiting Professor, Humanities Department, Emory University, Atlanta, Corrigan and Professor of Classics and Philosophy, St. Thomas More College, University of Saskatchewan, Canada). Plotinus (204/205-270) was a philosopher whose kindly views on the soul, time and eternity, free will, and other topics earned him the respect and admiration of those close to him, and derisive insults such as "big driveller" and "plagiarist" by those who did not. His advanced views are presented in a fluid translation of their original text, followed by an extensive and exhaustive commentary. A thorough and far-reaching academic sourcebook, intended especially for college students of philosophy, but also containing deeply spiritual contemplations that will resonate with the seeker of mystical matters about the soul, the afterlife, and oneness with the universe. Additional chapters offer a broad-reaching summary and insight into Plotinus' views as a whole, as well as bit-by-bit analysis. An excellent resource and reference for college libraries or any student of Plotinus and Neoplatonism.

Human Existence As Radical Reality
Pedro Blas Gonzalez
Paragon House
1925 Oakcrest Avenue, Suite 7, St. Paul, MN 55113-2619
www.paragonhouse.com
1557788405 $19.95 1-800-447-3709

Human Existence As Radical Reality: Ortega y Gasset's Philosophy Of Subjectivity by Pedro Blas Gonzalez (who teaches Spanish-American philosophy at Barry University, Miami, Florida) focuses upon the Spanish writer, philosopher, and humanist Jose Ortega y Gassett (1883-1955), remembered for his humanistic criticism of the failings of modern civilization. Chapters examine Gasset's writings including his philosophy of history, his suspicion of change when fueled purely by ideology, viewing this specific type of change as little more than a bulldozer bent on destroying whatever the ideology opposes, his contemplation of life as "radical reality", and much more. An advanced discourse suitable for college level students of philosophy, and useful as a companion, interpretative and instructional guide to, and an informative exploration of Gassett's original writings. Especially recommended for university library philosophy shelves.


The Money/Finance Shelf

Your Roadmap To Retirement Riches
Steven Yamshon, CFS, CFMC
Literary Press
c/o Seven Locks Press (dist.)
PO Box 25689, Santa Ana, CA 92799
097169589X $14.95 1-800-354-5348

Written by a practicing security analyst and portfolio manager for over 20 years, Your Roadmap To Retirement Riches (So You Don't Have To Work In Your Old Age) is a no-nonsense investment guide to preparing for the future. Chapters address such basic fundamentals as the virtue of saving and the hidden tax of inflation, then go on to give a brief look at insurance and estate planning, warnings of unpredictable markets, samples of five model portfolios, interest-bearing securities, information about exchange-traded funds and mutual funds, and much more. As the baby boomer generation ages and social security is increasingly threatened, Your Roadmap To Retirement Riches is a "must-read" for anyone expecting to enjoy leisure during their golden years.

In a world become a battleground by the politics of violence, and the forces of superstition, the public library is a welcome oasis of peace and of reason.


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


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