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Reviewer's Choice
Showreel.01
Bjoern Bartholdy
Daab
7 E. 14 St. Suite 17-Z, New York NY 10003
3937718958 $59.95 www.daab-online.com
College-level holdings strong in either art or audiovisual media representations shouldn't miss SHOWREEL.01: 53 PROJECTS ON AUDIOVISUAL DESIGN. It covers everything from commercials and TV to music videos and short artistic film productions, showcasing unique audiovisual works from the last several years and pairing pages of full-color stills from these works with interviews with their makers. Showreel hosts about 50 projects yearly, and covers projects on a world-wide scale: industry pros, in particular, will want to use it to see the latest talents and trends.
The Shooter's Guide to Classic Firearms
Guns & Ammo
Stoeger Publishing Company
17503 Indian Head Hwy Suite 200, Accokeet, MD 20607-2501
0883173271 $24.95 www.stoegerpublishing.com
From the editors of Guns & Ammo Magazine comes an authoritative guide to historic and modern firearms in THE SHOOTER'S GUIDE TO CLASSIC FIREARMS, which offers a 'classic test' series to consider the history, technology and operation of selected world firearms. From performance specs and capabilities to history and design, color photos pair with excellent articles and history.
Animate Earth
Stephan Harding
Chelsea Green
Box 428, White River Junction, VT 05001
1933392290 $25.00 www.chelseagreen.com
Author Stephen Harding's doctorate in ecology from Oxford and his interest in holistic science creates a satisfying blend of modern science and new age ideas, so add in a dose of history of how older ideas of an 'animate earth' can be explained through a blend of modern science and spirituality and you have a powerful set if ideas indeed. GAIA theory, scientific insights and a focus on a living earth make for wonderful, revealing reading in his new book. "Animate Earth" is very strongly recommended for the non-specialist general reader with an interest in science and metaphysics.
Cross Country
Robert Sullivan
Bloomsbury USA
175 5th Avenue Suite 300, New York, NY 10010
1582345279 $24.95 www.bloomsburyusa.com
CROSS COUNTRY: 15 YEARS AND 90,000 MILES ON THE ROADS AND INTERSTATES OF AMERICA is a travelogue like none other, providing a jolly story of a family car trip across America from Oregon to New York – and reflecting on history and culture along the way. From a similar venture by beat author Kerouac to the expeditions of Lewis and Clark, this memoir melds past and present and provides a vivid blend of the author's experiences and his reflections on others who've made the trip. A spicy, involving and highly recommended story evolves.
Living an Uncommon Life
John St. Augustine
Hampton Roads Publishing
1125 Stoney Ridge Road, Charlottesville, VA 22902
1571745262 $19.95 www.hrpub.com
At the lowest point in his life the John St. Augustine began a walk across the country, embark on some thousand miles from northern Michigan to Chicago and back, which allowed him to reinvent himself and embark on a new career in radio. Best known for his 'power thoughts' vignettes, "Living an Uncommon Life" covers more than his experiences and awakening: it includes patterns form other exceptional personalities he's met along the way, and reveals how these personalities uncovered strength from adversity. "Living an Uncommon Life" is an inherently engaging, unusually candid, and occasionally inspiring, and highly recommended read!
Andean Textile Traditions
Margaret Young-Sanchez & Fronia Simpton, Eds
University of Texas Press
Box 7819, Austin, TX 78713-7819
0914738526 $29.95 www.utexaspress.com
The Frederick and Jan Mayer Center for Pre-Columbian and Spanish Colonial Art at the Denver Art Museum sponsors an annual symposia – and if you can't actually attend it, "Andean Textile Traditions" is the second best option. College-level students will here find essays on Andean textiles, culled from the 2001 symposium, paired with color reproduction examples form the exhibition, and including cultural and art analysis which shouldn't be missed by any student of Latin culture and art studies.
Real-World Nuclear Deterrence
David G. Coleman & Joseph M. Siracusa
Praeger
88 Post Road West, Westport, CT 06881
0275980987 $49.95 www.praeger.com
Real-World Nuclear Deterrence: The Making of International Strategy follows the post-Cold War threat of nuclear weapons, surveying the major powers which maintain about 27,000 nuclear weapons to date, and using new sources from international archives and scholarship to consider the latest issues revolving around deterrence strategies. One might anticipate such a book would be geared towards military specialists, but an attention to clear language and historical references lends to lay reader understanding.
Paladin Press
7077 Winchester Circle, Boulder, CO 80301
www.paladin-press.com
Gordon Hughes, Barry Jenkins and Robert Buerlein's KNIVES OF WAR: AN INTERNATIONAL GUIDE TO MILITARY KNIVES FROM WORLD WAR I TO PRESENT (9781581605167, $22.00) provides an excellent and in-depth survey of the military knife's changing role and appearance. Black and white drawings and specs represent one of the widest arrays of international fighting knives assembled, with three key names in historical military knives joining forces to blend historical facts and anecdotes with details on weaponry and fighting techniques. From knuckle knives and folding gravity and military productions to trench clubs, a wide range is featured. Major Townsend Whelen's THE AMERICAN RIFLE: A TREATISE, A TEXT BOOK, AND A BOOK OF PRACTICAL INSTRUCTION IN THE USE OF THE RIFLE (9781581505136, $30.00) is a weighty treatise gun collectors will relish indeed. It's written by a rifleman for riflemen and provides specific insights into marksmanship, elevation, shooting basics, and technological changes. Right down to cartridges and telescope sights, THE AMERICAN RIFE is as detailed as you can get. Captain Charles Benne, Ret.'s RIOT PREVENTION AND CONTROL: A POLICE OFFICER'S GUIDE TO MANAGING VIOLENT AND NONVIOLENT CROWDS (9781581605181, $20.00) comes from an officer who's handled hundreds of riots, protects, parades and large celebrations. His tenure with the San Francisco Police Department has earned him an expertise in crowd control techniques, which are imparted here for any police officer who would learn special tactics, equipment, and understanding crowd dynamics. All are top picks.
Badger Sports
Jerry Minnich
Trails Books
923 Williamson Street, Madison, WI 53703
1931599742 $16.95 www.trailsbooks.com
Written by Wisconsin Almanac author and sports buff Jerry Minnich, Badger Sports: Trivia Teasers presents more than six hundred trivia questions about the athletics tradition at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Covering hockey, football, men's and women's basketball, and almost every sport from rowing to wrestling, Badger Sports offers its golden nuggets in straight question-and-answer format. Black-and-white photographs illustrate this great collection of the highs, lows, scores, and star players of UW-Madison sports, ideal for hardcore trivia contests and enthusiasts.
The Lake Geneva Chronicles
Beverly Horvath DiMare
Blue Dolphin Publishing
PO Box 8, Nevada City, CA 95959-0008
1577331206 $27.95 www.bluedolphinpublishing.com 1-800-643-0765
Based on the life story of author Beverly DiMare's paternal grandparents who immigrated to America from Central Europe during the early part of the 20th century, "The Lake Geneva Chronicles" tells the story of their settling down in the small Wisconsin farming community of Lake Geneva. DiMare weaves into her superbly crafted narrative universal concepts that include the sacredness of family, the value of friendship, the utter baseness of child abuse, as well as the importance of music, art and literature in daily life. "The Lake Geneva Chronicles" engagingly underscores the family as the foundation of a strong and healthy community, including the necessity of parents teaching their children this critically important truth – so that those children will grow up and teach their own families the values they themselves were schooled in. Entertaining, deftly written, and highly recommended reading, "The Lake Geneva Chronicles" wonderfully illustrates the creative power and enduring influence of simple kindness to make the world we live in a better place – generation by generation.
Log Cabin Pioneers
Wayne Erbsen
Native Ground Books & Music
109 Bell Road, Asheville, NC 28805-1521
1883206367, $14.95, www.nativeground.com 1-800-752-2656
Compiled by Wayne Erbsen, "Log Cabin Pioneers" is an impressively entertaining compilation of stories, songs, sayings, advice, recipes, and folklore commonly held by folk who, quite literally, lived in log cabins on the every expanding American frontier. These yesteryear entertainments and activities offer a kind of "window in time" for contemporary readers that is as informative as it is entertaining. Illustrated throughout with period photography, readers will learn how log cabins were sited and built; the kinds of music that entertained, inspired, celebrated and consoled; the art and craft of making moonshine whiskey; how log cabin kids entertained themselves; cooking; the beauty secrets and practices of log cabin women; even accounts of log cabin hauntings and legends. "Log Cabin Pioneers" belongs in the public library collections of every village, town and city that had their beginnings as communities of log cabin pioneers!
A Place Called Bla-Bla Cafe
Sandy Ross
SLR Productions
18375 Ventura Boulevard, #217, Tarzana, CA 91356
0977722708 $16.00 www.bla-bla-cafe.com
Former Bla-Bla Cafe talent co-booker Sandy Ross presents A Place Called Bla-Bla Cafe, the true story of an out-of-the-way club that showcased performers of budding talent as they struggled for their first big break. Guest chapters by such noteworthy talents as Jelsa Palao, Julio Martinez, Maxine Sellers and more bring these true stories of cafe comedians and performers engaged in the quest for success to vibrant life. A witty, vivacious, and exciting behind-the-scenes glimpse of stars on the rise in Hollywood entertainment. An extensive addendum of tables chronicles and credits Bla-Bla Cafe performers from 1971 to 1980.
B Is For Baby
Suzonne Stirling
The Taunton Press
63 South Main Street, Newtown, CT 06470
1561588547 $16.95 www.taunton.com 1-800-477-8727
In a rather engaging A to Z format, Suzonne Stirling presents twenty-six crafts oriented projects that mixes vintage traditional with modern-style contemporary activities suitable for even the most novice crafter. These 'budget friendly' crafts projects range from 'A is for Announcement'; to 'D is for Decoupage'; to 'K is for Keepsake Box'; to 'Q is for Quilt'; to 'Z is for Zoo Animal Storybook'. Each individual project comes with a 'Tools & Materials' list; step-by-step project instructions; and a color photograph of the finished project. Whether it's 'J is for Journal' or 'W is for Wall Frieze', this superbly presented and enthusiastically recommended project book is particularly suited for the novice crafter and will hold immense interest for the experienced crafter as well.
The Martial Arts Shelf
Advancing In Tae Kwon Do
Richard Chun
YMAA Publications
4354 Washington Street, Roslindale, MA 02131
159439072X $29.95 www.ymaa.com 1-800-669-8892
Richard Chun is a 9th Dan, making him one of the highest ranked masters of Taekwondo anywhere in the world. With "Advancing In Tae Kwon Do", Chun draws upon his more than fifty years of experience and expertise to introduce martial arts students to the history, philosophy, and meditation underpinnings of Taw Kwon Do, then goes on to provide profusely illustrated instructions on Tae Kwon Do hand and foot techniques, sparring techniques, self-defense techniques, breaking techniques, the nine Black Belt forms required for promotion by the World Taekwondo Federation and internationally sanctioned Taekwondo competitions, as well as the rules and regulations of the World Taekwondo Federation – including sparring and Poomsae (form) competitions. Authoritative, comprehensive, superbly organized, and thoroughly 'user friendly', "Advancing In Tae Kwon Do" is a core addition to any and all personal or professional martial arts instructional reference collections.
Secrets Of Pankraton
Jim Arvanitis
Paladin Press
Gunbarrel Tech Center, 7077 Winchester Circle, Boulder, CO 80301
SKU# PANKDVD $89.95 www.paladin-press.com 1-800-392-2400
Pankraton is a stand-up fighting style that involves punishing locks and ground skills combined into a brutal (and potentially lethal) martial art. "Secrets Of Pankration" features Jim Arvanitis demonstrating a series of 'ano' (or standing) arsenal of punches, kicks, elbow strikes, shoots, takedowns, clinching techniques, throws, and sweeps. Considered by many to be the 'father' of Modern Pankraton, Arvantis goes on to demonstrate 'kato' or ground fighting skills that include pins, holds, chokes, submission locks, and defenses against a mounted striker. "Secrets Of Pankraton concludes with Arvantis putting 'ano' and 'kato' together and provides step-by-step instruction on performing counter throws and holds, gaining top position from the bottom, maintaining top control, and executing compound attacks compelling a rapid submission on the part of an opponent. With a 350 minute running time, "Secrets of Pankraton" is a strongly recommended and full color DVD that should be a part of the instructional reference collection of all dedicated martial arts students.
The Education Shelf
School-Community Relations
Douglas J. Fiore
Eye On Education
6 Depot Way West, Larchmont, NY 10538
1596670223 $74.95 www.eyeoneducation.com
Written by former teacher, principal, and college professor Douglas J. Fiore, School-Community Relations is now in an updated second edition. School-Community Relations offers the basic building blocks of a successful school-community relations plan, from how to read the pulse of the community to improving media relations, taking advantage of the electronic era of communication, making plans to cope with crisis situations, and much more. A practical-minded guide based heavily on experience, School-Community Relations is one text no high-ranking school administrator should be without.
Staying On Track
Dale L. Baker & Larry D. Coble
Corwin Press
2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320
1412939364 $27.95 www.corwinpress.com
Now in an updated second edition with two new chapters addressing the political realities of the No Child Left Behind Act, Staying On Track: An Educational Leader's Guide to Preventing Derailment and Ensuring Personal and Organizational Success is a guide written especially for educational administrators. Focusing especially upon the most likely threats to derail an educational leader, the potential accountability for high-stakes testing, and the most important skills for improving data-driven decision making, Staying On Track offers advice in plain terms, checklists of key points to remember and implement, and a season-by-season overview of what to expect in the career of educational administrator. A helpful and practical-minded guide to being the best administrator one can be.
Quick and Lively Classroom Activities
Linda Nason McElherne M.A.
Free Spirit Publishing
217 Fifth Avenue North, Suite 200, Minneapolis, MN 55401-1299
157542214X $29.95 www.freespirit.com 612-338-2068
Written by Linda Nason McElherne M.A., Quick and Lively Classroom Activities: Meaningful Ways to Keep Kids Engaged During Transition Time, Downtime, or Anytime is a compilation of 260 curriculum-based thematic activities suitable for 15 to 20 minute blocks of time during a school day. Intended for children in grades 3-6, the activities range from learning how to assert oneself and develop basic time management to building teamwork skills to teaming up to make a coloring book for younger kids or writing poetry. Discussion questions and a CD-ROM of the reproducible handouts round out this superb educational tool for kick-starting the day, or transforming homeroom into a positive learning experience.
Teaching Mathematics to Middle School Students with Learning Difficulties
Edited by Marjorie Montague & Asha K. Jitendra
The Guilford Press
72 Spring Street, New York, NY 10012
1593853068 $25.00 www.guilford.com
Edited by Marjorie Montague ( Professor of Special Education at the University of Miami) and Asha K. Jitendra (a Professor and Coordinator of Special Education at Lehigh University), Teaching Mathematics to Middle School Students with Learning Difficulties is an anthology writings by experienced educators. Methodologies for helping middle school students with learning difficulties internalize basic mathematic skills are discussed at length, along with lesson plans, guidelines for teaching self-directed problem-solving strategies, recommendations for building foundational concepts, and much more. Examples and diagrams help clarify methodologies in this timely and enthusiastically recommended resource for public and private schoolteachers.
Supervision for Learning
James M. Aseltine, Judith O. Faryniarz, & Anthony J. Rigazio-DiGilio
Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development
1703 North Beauregard Street, Alexandria, VA 22311-1714
1416603271 $27.95 www.ascd.org/books
Written by the expert team of James M. Aseltine, Judith O. Faryniarz, and Anthony J. Rigazio-DiGilio, Supervision for Learning: A Performance-Based Approach to Teacher Development and School Improvement is a resource especially for school leaders striving to improve upon traditional methods of teacher supervision and evaluation. Rather than focus upon the usual recourse of limiting examination to teacher lesson plans, instruction, and classroom management practices, Supervision for Learning presents methods for Performance-Based Supervision and Evaluation (PBSE), a data-driven, teacher-directed approach to uncovering just how effective teachers address the learning needs of their students. Chapters walk the reader through applying the PBSE model step-by-step, while honoring the judgment of teachers, empowering teachers to use the performance data as a basis for their instructional decisions, developing meaningful collaborative relationships with teachers, and much more. Enthusiastically recommended, especially with the changing and increasing educational demands of the twenty-first century.
Vocalis Ltd.
100 Avalon Circle, Waterbury, CT 06710
www.vocalis.com
Vocalist Ltd is a publishing company which specializes in the development and production of 'English as a Second Language' (ESL) multi-media products for the classroom. Vocalis Ltd. titles are routinely adopted as supplemental materials for public and private school bi-lingual curriculums, as well as for advanced academic library ESL development collections. Two of their newest titles have just been released and are especially recommended. "Conversation Pieces For Improving ESL Communication" (1932653678, $39.95) is a DVD designed to materially assist viewers in developing verbal language skills by focusing upon conversational flow; vocabulary development; informal expressions, idioms and contractions; and standard, regional, and foreign accent pronunciation. Nine topical scenes (greetings, food, health, work, shopping, weather, house, interview, and directions) are presented with everyday words related to common situations. Each is then repeated with a scrolling text/audio tract for listening comprehension. "Conversation Pieces" combines audio-visual elements with the written word for maximum accessibility for the student. The "ESL Toolkit: An English As A Second Language Collection" (1932653333, $84.95) is a two disc CD-Rom teaching English grammar, pronunciation, vocabulary, idioms and verb conjugation. The English-instructional material includes 'The Grammar Cracker'; 'IPA Phonics'; 'Varsity Vocabulary'; 'A Boatload of Idioms'; and 'The Verb Conjugator'. Designed for intermediate level and advanced level ESL students, the "ESL Toolkit" is a complete and comprehensive resource with which to develop and hone the ESL student's linguistic sophistication and performance. For these and the other highly respected and strongly recommended learning aids, academic librarians, language instructors and student learners are encouraged to visit the Vocalis Ltd. Website at www.vocalis.com
Writing Put To The Test
Amy Benjamin
Eye On Education
6 Depot Way West, Suite 106, Larchmont, NY 10538
1596670266 29.95 www.eyeoneducation.com 888-299-5350
Award-winning English teacher Amy Benjamin presents Writing Put To The Test: Teaching for the High Stakes Essay, a guide for especially educators teaching students in grades 4 to 12 how to succeed at on-demand essay writing. Writing Put to the Test is not a step-by-step lesson plan per se; instead, it focuses upon the core principles and techniques students need to master - from various rhetorical models such as narration, description, and cause and effect to testing one's own grammar for complete sentences and other standard formal English semantical necessities. Above all, Writing Put To The Test delineates and offers recommendations for meticulously instructing students in the standard formal English - the "prestige dialect" - used in academics and commerce that is vital to career success, without denigrating the informal dialects of English that have their own place in daily home life. Enthusiastically recommended for English teachers of all settings and experience levels, from professional classroom instructors to home schoolers and volunteers for literacy programs.
Corwin Press
2455 Teller Rd., Thousand Oaks, CA 91320
www.corwinpress.com
Instructors will find these two guides important keys to successful teaching. Pearl Gold Solomon's THE MATH WE NEED TO KNOW AND DO IN GRADES PRE-K-5 (1412917204, $32.95) appears in its second updated edition to cover the ideas, skills, and requirements of math for these grades. From charts on embedded concepts paired with grade levels to adequately developing concepts critical for understanding and analysis, teachers learn much about how math is taught, perceived, and directed. Eleanor Renee Rodriguez and James Bellanca's WHAT IS IT ABOUT ME YOU CAN'T TEACH? AN INSTRUCTIONAL GUIDE FOR THE URBAN EDUCATOR (1412937647) blends classroom expectations and standards with research-based practices to show teachers how to delivery high-quality education in any environment. The focus here is on urban students, developing strategies that help students take responsibility and control of the learning process. Chapters present four basic comprehension strategies and pair these ideas with tactics for success.
The Mystery/Suspense Shelf
Poisoned Pen Press
6962 E. First Ave. #103, Scottsdale, AZ 85252
www.poisonedpenpress.com
Frederick Ramsay's IMPULSE (1590582837, $24.95) presents murder mystery writer Frank Smith as a protagonist, whose goal is to attend his 50th class reunion even under the shadow of the mysterious disappearance of his wife and the pursuit of an officer convinced he's a murderer. As if this wasn't enough, Frank faces another, older mystery at his reunion – and the reunion of classmates leads to some dangerous encounters and newfound truths. The blended streams of mystery plots make for complex – and exciting – twists and turns. Vicki Delany's BURDEN OF MEMORY (1590582667, $24.95) presents Elaine, a successful novelist who has failed in the uncertain world of a screenwriter's career and is now interviewing for a job in a remote rural area with an elderly rich woman who needs a writer to help her with her memoirs. It's not until she's hired that Elaine discovers the writer before her died a mysterious death: a death she too may be facing because of her position. It's refreshing to see a sleuth story based around a character who doesn't professionally sleuth. Michael Bowen's PUTTING LIPSTICK ON A PIG (159058287X, $24.95) tells of a cold-hearted lawyer whose sudden accidental death doesn't disturb anyone – even his fellow attorney – until facts about it seem to coincide with the perils facing a court reporter tied to Wisconsin's Hmong community. Could it be local politics which killed him – and would those ongoing issues present trouble for Sue and her people? Add in deer season and a host of sharpshooters and you have a splendid mystery replete with twists, turns and new ideas.
The Judaic Studies Shelf
Rosh Hashanah Readings
Rabbi Dov Peretz Elkins, editor
Jewish Lights Publishing
PO Box 237, Sunset Farm Offices, Route 4, Woodstock, VT 05091
1580232396 $24.99 www.jewishlights.com
Edited by Rabbi Dov Peretz Elkins, Rosh Hashanah Readings: Inspiration Information Contemplation is an anthology of writings by esteemed Jewish religious leaders and scholars, meant to be experienced and shared during the High Holy Days that mark the Jewish New Year, and the accompanying challenge of faith to undertake spiritual and moral self-examination. Most individual passages are brief, only a few paragraphs long, and therefore suitable to be read aloud at gatherings and celebrations, or with family and friends. Enthusiastically recommended reading to enrich the mind and spirit, and a superb companion volume to Elkins' previous title, "Yom Kippur Readings".
Israel and Settler Society
Lorenzo Veracini
Pluto Press
c/o University of Minnesota Press
111 Third Avenue South, Suite 290, Minneapolis, MN 55401-2520
0745325009 $25.95 www.upress.umn.edu www.plutobooks.com
The struggle between Israel and Palestinians isn't unique, and here Lorenzo Veracini argues that an understanding of the foundations of colonialist thought is necessary to understand the methods, concerns and results of Israel, a settler society like so many others. Other colonial regimes are examined in the course of Veracini's analysis of the dynamics of colonist thought, which refutes popular myths of the origins of Israeli-Palestinian disputes.
KTAV
930 Newark Avenue, Jersey City, NJ 07306
www.ktav.com
Mordecai Paldiel's CHURCHES AND THE HOLOCAUST: UNHOLY TEACHING, GOOD SAMARITANS AND RECONCILIATION (088125908X, $39.50) focuses on the traditional Christian 'teaching of contempt' that held Jews deserved to be punished because they rejected Jesus and his new religion. Chapters examine the origins of the idea, how it led to Christian discrimination processes against Jews, and how it evolved over the ages. Mordecai Paldiel is director of the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial Institute in Israel and here documents the stories of some three hundred Christian clerics who worked against this basic teaching. Dan Vogel's MARK TWAIN'S JEWS (0881259160, $22.95) charts Twain's anti-Semitic tendencies, gathering his writings, autobiographical works, and major statement about anti-Semitism in 1899 to analyze the controversies underlying the truth about Twain's attitudes. Analysis of his writings and of the scholars who produced critical insights of them make for a new, invaluable survey seeking to consider nearly every mention of 'Jew' in Mark Twain's literature. An important study for any interested in Twain's Jewish sentiments.
The Travel Shelf
A Travel Guide to Basque America
Nancy Zubiri
University of Nevada Press
MS 166, Reno, NV 89557-0076
0874176328 $24.95 www.unpress.nevada.edu $24.95
Written by journalist Nancy Zubiri, the newly updated second edition of A Travel Guide to Basque America: Families, Feasts, and Festivals is an amazing guide to Basque-American communities, particularly the ones found in California, Nevada, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, Wyoming, and Montana. From a brief history of Basque immigration and culture, to traditional Basque recipes, customs and polite rules of etiquette to abide by in Basque communities, and more, A Travel Guide to Basque America is the "must-have" reference for anyone interested in experiencing this unique and proud culture. A conversational narrative style spells out the locations of restaurants and popular festivals, while black-and-white maps and photographs serve as visual aids.
Hammond International France Road Atlas
Langenscheidt Publishing Group
c/o Lande Communications
PO Box 979, Spring House, PA 19477
0843709367, $19.95, www.langenscheidt.com 1-888-773-7979
Hammond has long been an established name for the publication of maps, atlases, and travel guides. The "Hammond International France Road Atlas" is specifically designed for drivers needing to traverse the streets, roads and highways of France. Travelers are provided with easy to read and clearly detailed road maps for autoroute driving; precise road maps of all major metropolitan areas for getting off the highways and into the cities; vicinity maps of Paris which also show significant points of interest outside the city and how to get to them; city street maps drawn large scale; and a comprehensive index for easy access to desired map page information. If you are planning road trips anywhere in France, then secure yourself a copy of the "Hammond International France Road Atlas" – it will prove to be an invaluable and indispensable resource whether you are driving across France for pleasure or business.
Naples, Sorrento & the Amalfi Coast
Marina Carter
Hunter Publishing
130 Campus Dr., Edison, NJ 08818
1588435784 $19.99 www.hunterpublishing.com
Naples and nearby coastal areas offer much in the way of different travel experiences, from fine resorts to street theatre and fishing villages – and Naples, Sorrento & the Amalfi Coast makes the most of the entire region, offering plenty of unforgettable adventures and covering not only walks and places to stay, but night life and historic sights. An excellent travel planner, it can't be beat.
Afoot & Afield Reno-Tahoe
Mike White
Wilderness Press
1200 - 5th Street, Berkley, CA 94710-1306
0899973337 $19.95 www.wildernesspress.com 1-800-443-7227
Informatively written by Reno local Mike White, Afoot & Afield Reno-Tahoe: A Comprehensive Hiking Guide is a satisfyingly in-depth outdoor hiking guide to the Reno-Tahoe region on the Nevada-California border. Intended for both visitors and residents, Afoot & Afield Reno-Tahoe covers general safety and practical guidelines for hikers plus in-depth examinations of more than 175 mountain hiking and mountain biking trips in the region. Routes vary in length from less than a mile to an 18-mile point-to-point challenge. Black-and-white photographs illustrate this top-quality guide for hikers of all skill and experience levels looking forward to enjoying the Reno-Tahoe wilderness.
Walt Disney World Trivia Book: Volume 2
Louis A. Mongello
The Intrepid Traveler
PO Box 531, Bransford, CT 06405
1887140638 $14.95 www.intrepidtraveler.com 203-488-5341
Written by Louis M. Mongello, The Walt Disney World Trivia Book: More Secrets, History & Fun Facts Behind The Magic is an all-new, unofficial multiple choice trivia book. Half the book is devoted to hundreds of multiple choice questions; the other half answers each question at length with fascinating tidbits about the history and operation of Walt Disney World. Enumerated questions and answers are in separate sections for easy self-quizzing. "You'll find what on top of the hot air balloon at the center of 'Dumbo the Flying Elephant'? - Perched atop the balloon is none other than Dumbo's friend, Timothy J. Mouse, who helped Dumbo discover the ability to fly using his oversized ears." Black-and-white photographs, "Did You Know?" bars, and an index round out this amusing means to while away time in the car while driving to Disney World.
The Science Shelf
Science, Society and the Search for Life in the Universe
Bruce Jakosky
The University of Arizona Press
355 South Eulcid Avenue, Suite 103 Tucson, AZ 85719
0816526133 $17.95 www.uapress.arizona.edu
Written by Professor Bruce Jakosky, who has been involved in several space missions including the upcoming Mars Science Laboratory rover, Science, Society and the Search for Life in the Universe introduces readers to the field of astrobiology - the fairly new but rapidly growing discipline of striving to understand the origin, evolution, and distribution of life in the universe. Chapters address the questions of "Is there life elsewhere?" "What is life?" and "Why do we do science?" as well as the intersection between issues of astrobiology, science, and religion. Accessible to lay readers and scholars alike, Science, Society and the Search for Life in the Universe stresses the importance of adherence to the highest-level quality scientific principles above all, in the quest for greater understanding. Highly recommended for anyone genuinely interested in a serious, scholarly, non-metaphysical discussion of life in outer space.
Snake Venoms and Envenomations
Jean-Philippe Chippaux
Krieger Publishing Company
PO Box 9542, Melbourne, FL 32902-9542
1575242729 $58.50 www.krieger-publishing.com 321-724-9542
Written by scientist and snake venom expert Jean-Philippe Chippaux, Snake Venoms and Envenomations is an advanced scientific reference and resource concerning snake venoms, written especially for students, medical experts and field professionals. Chapters cover the zoology of snakes, venom toxicology, antidotes and immunotherapy for treating venoms, and the treatment and prevention of envenomations from first aid to advanced medical therapies. Snakebite is a very real public health problem, especially in specific tropical countries, yet snake venom is also a valuable biomedical substance. Snake Venoms and Envenomations provides an explicit reference of biochemistry, toxicology, and serpentine behavior and is a stand-out compilation of expertise in its field.
The Intelligibility of Nature
Peter Dear
University of Chicago Press
1427 East 60th Street, Chicago, IL 60637-2954
0226139484 $27.50 www.press.uchicago.edu
The Intelligibility of Nature: How Science Makes Sense of the World focuses on science's role as applied knowledge, which moves from theory to applications in daily life, and provides a history of the ongoing conflicts between theory development and applications. Historical references are used to examine how the differing processes of knowing and doing come together – or not – and document key episodes from Darwin to Einstein. The Intelligibility of Nature is especially recommended for the non-specialist general reader with an interest in nature and science.
Ether
Joe Milutis
University of Minnesota Press
111 Third Avenue South, #290, Minneapolis, MN 55401-2520
0816646449 $29.95 www.upress.umn.edu
ETHER: THE NOTHING THAT CONNECTS EVERYTHING explores the early history and ideas of ether, moving from Newton and early scientists whose ideas bordered on and sometimes influenced the occult to modern scientists and non-scientists. Here the ideas of electricity are woven with alchemical lore in a presentation that surveys the ether to ideas of space travel, film, and even computers. Ether, surprisingly, has some three hundred years of influence: chapters here consider religious influence, paradigms of belief, and scientific borders alike.
The Living Energy Universe
Gary Schwartz, Ph.D. & Linda G. Russek, Ph.D.
Hampton Roads Publishing
1125 Stony Ridge Road, Charlottesville, VA 22902
157174455X $16.95 www.hrpub.com
Are science and spirituality always to be at odds with each other, offering up very different paradigms of belief? Not if you consider the premise of The Living Energy Universe: A Fundamental Discovery That Transforms Science and Medicine. From how electrons carry information which affects perception to the implications of memory, the idea of a 'universal memory' bank of data, and its influence on the universe, here's a coverage which ties up all loose ends. Informative, superbly presented, and thoroughly reader friendly, "The Living Energy Universe" is an ideal addition to academic and community library Science Studies collections and supplemental reading lists.
Not Even Wrong
Peter Woit
Basic Books
387 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10016
0465092756 $26.95 www.basicbooks.com
Peter Woit is a noted lecturer in mathematics, and his Not Even Wrong: The Failure of String Theory and the Search for Unity in Physical Law thus offers up a physics discourse with a math foundation backing it. String theory, argues Woit, is not even good science: chapters provide a history of the theory and its development, Its high profile and many controversies within the scientific community, and wider-reaching conflicts in theoretical science fostered by the presence of the theory itself. Fascinating reading and a recommended acquisition for academic and community library Science & Mathematics collections.
The Pets/Wildlife Shelf
The Blood Horse Authoritative Guide to Breeding Thoroughbreds
The Staff and Correspondents of Blood-Horse Publications
Eclipse Press
3101 Beaumont Centre Circle, PO Box 919003, Lexington, KY 40591-9003
1581501382 $16.95 www.eclipsepress.com
Written by The Staff and Correspondents of Blood-Horse Publications, The Blood Horse Authoritative Guide to Breeding Thoroughbreds is a solid guide for novice and experienced thoroughbred racehorse breeders alike. Chapters explain how to choose a broodmare and stallion, how to maintain optimum breeding health, the steps to take for pedigree and confirmation analysis, market trends to watch out for, what to look for in a breeding contract, case studies and examples, expected stud fees, and much more. Written in plain terms, The Blood Horse Authoritative Guide to Breeding Thoroughbreds demystifies the process of breeding champions with sound advise borne of professional experience. A "must-have" resource and quick reference for thoroughbred readers; also highly recommended is "The Blood-Horse Authoritative Guide to Auctions".
The Dog Owners Handbook
Annette Conn
Trafalgar Square Publishing
PO Box 257, Howe Hill Road, North Pomfret, VT 05053
1844422089 $16.95 www.trafalgarsquarebooks.com
Written by Annette Conn, a professional dog behavior consultant and training instructor of 29 years' experience, The Dog Owners Handbook is a serious-minded guide about training and caring for one's beloved canine pet. Full-color photographs on almost every page illustrate tips, tricks, and techniques for housebreaking, training techniques, the best toys and treats, grooming, healthcare issues, and much more. A thorough, practical and highly accessible guide, enthusiastically recommended to current and would-be dog owners alike.
The Toy Fox Terrier
John F. Davidson
Alpine Publications
Box 7027, Loveland, CO 80537
1577790774 $19.95 www.alpinepub.com
THE TOY FOX TERRIER: WIRED FOR ACTION provides a revised edition of the original TOY FOX TERRIER by different authors, and combines the shared experience of all authors into some eighty years of information for both novice owners and veteran breeders. From photos of faults and virtues to discussions of standards, THE TOY FOX TERRIER holds both history and breed-specific insights owners can't miss.
Rattlesnake Adventures
John W. Kemnitzer, Jr., editor
Krieger Publishing Company
PO Box 9542, Melbourne, FL 32902-9542
1575242788 $32.50 www.krieger-publishing.com
Edited by herpetologist John W. Kemnitzer, Jr., Rattlesnake Adventures: Hunting with the Oldtimers is an anthology of classic true stories about scientists in pursuit of Eastern rattlesnakes: timbers, E. diamondbacks, canebreaks, and massasaugas. Many of the tales have been excerpted from books out of print as long as 75 years. A handful of black-and-white photographs and a few color plates illustrate stories varying from survivors of snakebite to expeditions set up to discover what influences rattlesnakes in selecting a favorite den. Most writings are in plain terms, accessible to lay readers as well as herpetologists; Rattlesnake Adventures truly lives up to its title, and is just plain exciting to read as surely as it is an enlightening compendium of classic discoveries in rattlesnake natural history.
Shadow of the Bear
Brian Payton
Bloomsbury
175 5th Avenue Suite 300, New York, NY 10010
1596911980 $25.95 www.bloomsburyusa.com
Bears have had many, many books written about them and have been long celebrated: so why the need for yet another? Brian Payton here travels the world in search of the eight remaining bear species, from Asia and Canada to South America. His blend of natural history and travelogue examines human interactions with and beliefs about bears at all levels of society, offering up a warm interaction of bear and human encounters. "Shadow of the Bear" is especially recommended for school and community library Pets & Wildlife collections.
The Wolves of Minnesota
Edited by L. David Mech
Voyageur Press
123 North Second Street, PO Box 338, Stillwater, MN 55082
0896585093 $16.95 www.voyageurpress.com
Edited by renowned wolf expert L. David Mech, The Wolves of Minnesota: Howl in the Heartland collects the expertise of individuals who have devoted themselves to studying Minnesota wolves, and presents the amazing true story of the wild Minnesota wolf's remarkable comeback. Gorgeous full-color photography on almost every page enhances this collection of essays that range from a summary of the wolf's life cycle and predator/prey habits to an in-depth discussion of managing the conflict between livestock owners who suffer from wolf depredations, wildlife supporters who have strong beliefs against allowing the killing of wolves, and government wolf control and compensation programs meant to chart an equitable middle ground. Enthusiastically recommended for wolf lovers everywhere.
The Self-Help Shelf
31 Words To Create A Guilt Free Life
Editor Karen Bouris
Inner Ocean Publishing
PO Box 1239, Makawao, Maui, HI 96768
1930722591 $9.95 www.innerocean.com 1-808-573-8000
31 Words To Create A Guilt Free Life: Finding The Freedom To Be Your Most Powerful Self is a self-help guide to coping with and overcominig all harmful forms of guilt, from learning honesty to acknowledge and release one's guilt to forming connections in opposition to shame in silence. Each passage describes the helpful meaning within a single word, from "Forgiveness" and "Integrity" to "Responsibility", "Poise", and "Freedom". An uplifting, gentle, and helpful collection especially recommended for sufferers of self-inflicted mental misery.
Sharing
Patricia Barber
Langmarc Publishing
PO Box 90488, Austin, TX 78709-0488
1880292890 $17.95 www.langmarc.com
"Sharing: A Practice For Family Connection"by Patricia Barber is written specifically to benefit ordinary families who have settled into superficial modes and habits of communication. Often these routine communicative habits result in familial disconnection and mis-communication. Barber shows the non-specialist general reader how to get started with effective family communication including the creation of a 'sacred space', 'guided meditation', 'family spiritual conversations', and so much more. Drawing upon personal experience and example to illustrate her concepts, "Sharing" is informative, practical, reader friendly, accessible, and invaluable reading which is especially recommended to the attention of men and women who are seeking to strengthen their familial bonds and enhance their family's cohesion and spiritual sensitivity.
Take Your Time
Eknath Easwaran
Nilgiri Press
PO Box 256, 3600 Tomales Road, Tomales, CA 94971
1586380184 $15.00 www.nilgiripress.org 1-800-475-2369
Take Your Time: How To Find Patience, Peace & Meaning is the second edition of a classic self-help text by spiritual teacher Eknath Easwaran (1910-1999), originally published in 1994. Written for readers of all religious and spiritual traditions, as well as those of no religious affiliation, Take Your Time is not about any form of dogma, but rather a blend of insights drawn from Eastern and Western spirituality, to apply to the problems of modern life. Chapters mull the importance of focusing on one thing at a time, balancing work, play, relationships, duties, and spirituality, setting aside time for meaningful relationships, and discovering our own real nature within - "We are not imperfect physical creatures. Our essence is spiritual, and our greatest need is simply to discover our real nature." Easwaran's eight fold path of Meditation, Mantram, Slowing Down, One-Pointed Attention, Training the Senses, Putting Others First, Spiritual Companionship, and Reading the Mystics (the writings of great spiritual figures and the scriptures of all religions) is an uplifting and enlightening guide to higher spiritual awareness and the pursuit of contentment in daily life.
All You Need is Hart
Helene Rothchild, MS, MS, MFT
Robert D. Reed Publishers
PO Box 1992, Bandon Oregon 97411
1931741727 $14.95 www.rdrpublishers.com 541-347-9882
Written by Helene Rothchild, MS, MS, MFT, All You Need is Hart: Create Love, Joy, and Abundance - Now! is an empowering self-help book that guides the reader through a process of Holistic And Rapid Transformation. Grounded in basic principles such as "our minds are like magnets and therefore we attract what we are thinking" and "what people say or do is about them and not you. You are okay no matter what people say or do!", the HART process is a compassionate, self-esteem building, consciousness-raising philosophy to improving one's mental, physical, and spiritual life. Sample exercises for the reader to perform or write answers to help reinforce the positive lessons and transformational tools presented in this upbeat and insightful resource.
The American History Shelf
Benedict Arnold's Navy
James L. Nelson
The McGraw Hill Companies
Two Penn Plaza, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10121-2298
0071468064 $24.95 www.books.mcgraw-hill.com 1-877-833-5524
Written by award-winning historian and rig ship sailor James L. Nelson, Benedict Arnold's Navy: The Ragtag Fleet that Lost the Battle of Lake Champlain but Won the American Revolution is the true story of the Battle of Valcour Island, in which a hastily comprised American fleet led by Benedict Arnold stood against the superior numbers and power of the British navy during the War for Independence. Though the fleet was overwhelmed, the delay it engendered proved vital in enabling the first American triumph in the subsequent Battle of Saratoga, which in turn convinced France to ally with America and shifted the tide of war. Though Benedict Arnold is remembered today as a traitor, in the Battle of Valcour Island his charismatic and strategic leadership played and indispensable role in preventing America's defeat. Benedict Arnold's Navy spares no detail in its reconstruction of pivotal events in America's struggle to become its own nation, and is enthusiastically recommended for library and history shelves.
A Second Home
Sue Thomas
University of Missouri Press
2910 LeMone Boulevard, Columbia, Mo 65201
0826216692 $14.95 www.umsystem.edu/upress
Written by former elementary school teacher Sue Thomas, A Second Home: Missouri's Early Schools is a fascinating history of Missouri's early schools and their role in taming the frontier, from the first one-room schoolhouses to charity schools for poor and Indian children, "dame schools", denominational schools, subscription schools, and more up until the 1850s and the rise of state-sponsored public education. Chapters address not only the basic facts about the construction and organization of Missouri's first schools, but also daily life for the educators and the students, including the difficulties of balancing schooling with the seasonal pioneer necessities of clearing fields, harvesting crops and providing shelter. A handful of black-and-white photographs and illustrations embellish this well-researched and thoroughly engaging tour of yesteryear.
American Speeches
The Library of America
14 East 60th Street, New York, NY 10022
1931082979 $35.00 (Volume 1); 1931082987 $35.00 (Volume 2); www.loa.org
The Library of America presents a two-volume set collecting 128 of the greatest and most pivotal speeches in American history, complete and unabridged. "American Speeches: Political Oratory from the Revolution to the Civil War" (1931082979, $35.00) includes Patrick Henry's "liberty or death" speech, George Washington's appeal to mutinous officers, presidential inaugural addresses, Sojourner Truth's speech to Women's Rights Convention, Abraham Lincoln's address at Gettysburg, and much more. "American Speeches: Political Oratory from Abraham Lincoln to Bill Clinton" (1931082987, $35.00) includes Abraham Lincoln's Speech on Reconstruction, presidential addresses, Woodrow Wilson's address to the Senate on the League of Nations, Franklin Roosevelt's address to Congress on war with Japan, Martin Luther King's nobel prize address, Ronald Regan's address to the nation on the Challenger disaster, and much more. Extensive biographical notes, notes on the texts, and an index round out each volume, and both come bound with an inset ribbon bookmark for easy page marking. The complete two-volume set deftly preserves the voices of key Americans throughout history, and is a "must-have" for both school and public library reference collections.
Urbanizing America
Ivan D. Steen
Krieger Publishing
Box 9542, Melbourne, FL 32902-9542
157524165X $19.50 www.krieger-publishing.com
URBANIZING AMERICA: THE DEVELOPMENT OF CITIES IN THE UNITED STATES FROM THE FIRST EUROPEAN SETTLEMENTS T0 1920 is a recommended pick for college-level students of urban studies. It provides a chronological and easy approach fo the founding and growth of U.S. cities, surveying economic, social and political influences and using primary source materials to back a survey of the growth of the urban nation. Keys on understanding changes in political climate and their effect on changing urban structure are particularly revealing.
Remembrances of Times Past
Marta Hiatt
Northern Star Press
PO Box 399, 375 Redondo, Long Beach, CA 90814-1620
0962092932 $15.95 www.remember20thcentury.com 562-434-8776
Written by Marta Hiatt and illustrated with a wealth of vintage black-and-white photographs, Remembrances of The Past: Stories and Photos Recalling Life in the 20th Century is a journey of nostalgia touching upon the highlights of modern American History. Vignettes of what American life used to be like and the events that forever transformed it - from the civil rights boycott that began with Rosa Parks' refusal to be discriminated against, to breakthrough advances in germ warfare, to the revelation that women's orgasms came from clitoral rather than vaginal stimulation, to the inception of the Internet. Organized by theme rather than chronologically, the snippets of revelation about how daily American life used to be are often driven home with firsthand testimonies of ordinary people who lived in those times. A virtual American History museum in book form.
A Handbook To Appalachia
Edited by Grace Toney Edwards, Joann Aust Asbury, & Ricky L. Cox
The University of Tennessee Press
293 Communications Building, Knoxville, TN 37996-0325
1572334592 $19.95 www.utpress.org 1-800-621-2736
Edited by the team of Grace Toney Edwards (directs the Appalachian Regional Studies Center at Radford University), Joann Aust Asbury (teaches in the English department and assists with the Highland Summer Conference for the Appalachian Regional Studies Center at Radford University), and Ricky L. Cox (teaches Appalachian folklore in the English department at Radford University), A Handbook To Appalachia: An Introduction to the Region is an anthology of essays by learned academics offering overviews of the history and majesty of the Appalachian region. Directed toward a general audience, the essays discuss "Peoples of Appalachia: Cultural Diversity within the Mountain Region", "The Economy of Appalachia", "Health Care in Appalachia", "Education in Appalachia", "The Politics of Change in Appalachia", and much more. Extensively researched, illustrated with a handful of black-and-white photographs, and enhanced with numerous suggestions for further reading A Handbook To Appalachia is enthusiastically recommended for any scholar or lay person seeking a relatively brief yet comprehensive survey of the region, whether for collegiate interdisciplinary studies or simple curiosity.
The Rosenwald Schools of the American South
Mary S. Hoffschwelle
University Press of Florida
15 NW 15th Street, Gainsville, FL 32611-2079
0813029570 $39.95 www.upf.com 352-392-1351
Written by Mary S. Hoffschwelle (professor of history at Middle Tennessee State University), The Rosenwald Schools of the American South is the true story of a partnership to build model schools for black children during the Jim Crow era in the South, with positive repercussions lasting to the present day. The Rosenwald Project, which began with Booker T. Washington and received the backing of the Tuskegee Institute and Sears, Roebuck & Co. president Julius Rosenwald, created more than 5,300 schools and auxiliary buildings from 1912 to 1932 in 15 Southern states. Scores of these schools remain today, as they were designed for maximum efficiency, space for learning, and serving as a cultural and social center of African American communities; ironically, their existence helped set high standards for white schools. The Rosenwald Schools of the American South meticulously examines all aspects of the Rosenwald Schools, including their contributions to architecture, community, education, and their role in formalizing a state education program that would one day include black children. A detailed and scholarly study, especially recommended for American History reference shelves as well as public and college libraries.
The Christian Studies Shelf
Sacred Unions
Thomas E. Breidenthal
Cowley Publications
4 Brattle Street, Suite 309, Cambridge, MA 02138
1561012491 $18.95 www.cowley.org
University Chapel pastor and Dean of Religious Life at Princeton University Thomas E. Breidenthal presents Sacred Unions: A New Guide to Lifelong Commitment, a reflection of faith addressed to all lovers engaged in lifelong commitment, be they straight or gay. Breidenthal asserts that lifelong unions have great value and are a viable option for all individuals, regardless of their background and nature. Chapters address the qualities innate to any enduring relationship of love, including the act of self-giving, the discipline of fidelity, and the ability to adapt and cooperate when confronted with the demands of being parents. Of especial note are the insights into how to cope when love turns painful, and couples hurt one another, intentionally or unintentionally. A sentimental, devoted, and ultimately uplifting celebration of the joys, virtues, and sacrifices of true love.
How To Pray For Your Wife
Mark A. Weathers
Crossway Books
1300 Crescent Street, Wheaton, IL 60187
1581347863 $9.99 www.crossway.com 1-800-323-3890
Written by married Presbyterian co-pastor and missionary Mark A. Weathers, How To Pray For Your Wife: A 31-Day Guide is an interactive prayer journal, designed to be consumable if the user wishes to write in it, offering daily entries specifically to pray for one's wife, or wife-to-be if one is single. Each day extols a different virtue to respect and encourage in one's better half through faith in God, from Trust and Creativity to Multitasking, Hospitality, and Grace. A simple yet highly effective focus tool for personal devotion.
Leading the Small Church
Glenn C. Daman
Kregel Publications
PO Box 2607, Grand Rapids, MI 49501
082542447X $15.99 www.kregelpublications.com 1-800-733-2607
Written by Pastor Glenn C. Daman, Leading the Small Church: How to Develop A Transformational Ministry is both a helpful guide and an outspoken call for modern pastors to serve God's word by setting a positive example. Daman stresses that the pastor's role is not to be a visionary or organizational leader, but rather to tend to the spiritual activities of preaching and discipleship, and helping people connect with God. Leading the Small Church covers the biblical, theological, relevant and relational aspects, among others of effective preaching in a small church; the importance of demonstrating Godly character in one's relationships; the qualities embraced by a leader who successfully implements a "family model"; and much more. A solid inspirational guide filled cover to cover with the author's experience-based wisdom. Also highly recommended is Daman's previous guidebook, "Shepherding the Small Church."
Too Much Stuff
Kathryn Porter
Beacon Hill Press
2923 Troost Ave., Kansas City, MO 64109
0834122561 $13.99
Kathryn Porter (member of the National Association of Professional Organizers) presents Too Much Stuff is a "faith-based message on keeping a clean house", as told from the personal experience of a mother who learned to preserve hygiene and order for the sake of health, well-being, and as a means to increase her connection to God rather than to distracting material items and disorganization. Chapters include questions and guidelines for assessing the extent of one's clutter, prayer points to help focus on God while de-cluttering, and practical advice for ending the clutter cycle - not only cleaning up, but taking measures to prevent clutter accumulation. A solidly helpful book for improving one's quality of life, highly recommended.
Getting the Gospel Right
Cornelis P. Venema
The Banner of Truth
PO Box 621, Carlisle, PA 17013
085151927X $6.00 www.banneroftruth.co.uk
Written by Cornelis P. Venema (President of Mid-America Reformed Seminary, Dyer, Indiana), Getting the Gospel Right: Assessing the Reformation and New Perspectives on Paul addresses the challenge of spreading the Gospel with integrity and in accordance with Scriptural teachings. Getting the Gospel Right explores what precisely the Scriptures teach with regard to the central message of the Gospel, and the difference of perspectives between the Reformers who insist that God's acceptance of sinners based on Christ's sacrifice lies at the core of the Gospel, and "new perspectives" on Paul's teaching advocated by those who have recently examined historical sources in a fresh light. Is redemption achieved through justification, through grace alone, or through faith alone? Getting the Gospel Right critically weighs the differences between views, though author Venema ultimately concludes that while the new perspective has shed some insight, the old doctrine of salvation through justification that reinforces the transformative power of Christ's sacrifice is the true heart of the Gospel and the Christian faith. A persuasive and thoughtfully argued religious text, written to be accessible to lay Christians as surely as to religious scholars.
United States Catholic Catechism for Adults
United States Conference of Bishops
USCCB Publishing
PO Box 73099, Baltimore, MD 21273-0099
1574554506 $24.95 www.usccbpublishing.com
Approved and authorized for publication by the full body of The United States Conference of Bishops, United States Catholic Catechism for Adults is an in-depth reference text written especially to aid in the instruction of Catholic doctrine in general, and the preparation of catechisms in particular. From a straightforward profession of the faith's core tenets, to the sacraments that celebrate the faith, to the Christian morality principles that embody the practice of the faith lived and prayer as taught by Jesus Christ, United States Catholic Catechism for Adults thoroughly describes and explains the Catholic creed in terms accessible to readers of all backgrounds, including and lay followers and students. A solidly written, straightforward, and definitive reference.
Evolution and Christian Faith
Joan Roughgarden
Island Press
1718 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20009
Dechant Hughes Associates (publicity)
1440 North Kingsbury, Chicago, IL 60622
1597260983 $14.95 www.dechnthughes.com
Written by evolutionary biologist and passionate Christian Joan Roughgarden, Evolution and Christian Faith: Reflections of an Evolutionary Biologist offers a bridge between the rigors of science and the spiritual commitment of faith. Chapters discuss evolution from a rationalist perspective in both religion and science, from what it really means to take the Bible literally to the Roman Catholic position to issues of intelligent design, gender and sexuality, species change and how change happens, and much more. A thoughtful, well-written, and highly accessible middle ground between disciplines.
First Corinthians
Raymond F. Collins, edited by Daniel J. Harrington S.J.
Liturgical Press
PO Box 7500, Collegeville, MN 56321-7500
0814659705 $39.95 www.litpress.org 320-363-2227
Written by biblical scholar Raymond F. Collins and edited by Daniel J. Harrington S.J., First Corinthians is seventh in the Sacra Pagina series of fresh translations and modern expositions of the books of the New Testament. In addition to the translated text itself, First Corinthians is packed cover to cover with methodological perspectives, background information, interpretations, sources for reference and further study, and much more. Written for intermediate to advanced bible studies students, and a singularly valuable tool for professionals, clergy, and religious educators, First Corinthians is as highly recommended for its depth and exacting scrutiny of source material as the rest of the Sacra Pagina series.
Like a Drop in the Ocean
Edited by W. Bader
New City Press
202 Cardinal Road, Hyde Park, NY 12538
1565482425 14.95 www.newcitypress.com
Edited by W. Bader, Like a Drop in the Ocean: 99 Sayings by Mother Teresa is an anthology of spiritual insights and quotations by Gonxha Agnes Bojaxhiu, commonly known as Mother Teresa of Calcutta. Her sense of humor, humility, balance, serenity, and love for Jesus Christ, a love she seeks to share with all, flow through the pages of this inspirational collection. A sample of Mother Teresa's soulful quotes: "Prayer gives us a pure heart, and a pure heart is able to look at God", "When you laugh, I am able to hear the music of your smile" and "For me, Jesus is my God, my spouse, my life, my only love, my all-in-all, my One-and-all. I love him with all my heart, with my entire being."
The New Jerusalem
G. K. Chesterton
Roman Catholic Books
PO Box 2286, Fort Collins, CO 80522
1929291426 $29.95 www.booksforcatholics.com
The New Jerusalem reprints G. K. Chesterton's classic travelogue in which he sought to better understand the Middle East in the years following World War I. Nearly three decades before the creation of the State of Israel, Chesterton observed the Christians, Jews, and Muslims of Palestine; his unvarnished conclusions are presented at face value, without any allowances for political correctness or other modern contrivances. In addition to his blunt assessments and judgments are also a wonder of firsthand description and depiction of ordinary people surviving day-to-day life, and evidence of seekers searching the holy land for revelation, and extended philosophical speculation concerning the ancient histories destinies of races and faiths of people. Though limited by Chesterton's individual perspective and opinions, The New Jerusalem is an invaluable addition to collective understanding concerning Palestine and how it was viewed by individuals and religious organizations nearly a century ago.
The Photography Shelf
Like Sand From Orchid's Lips
A. K. Crump, editor
TCB Cafe Publishing & Media
PO Box 471706, San Francisco, CA 94147
0976768275, $39.95, www.cafeandre.com
Compiled and organized by A. K. Crump, "Like Sand From Orchid's Lips" is a 96-page compilation of 105 amazing photographs in both b/w and color. A compendium of images from more than thirty international photographs commissioned to capture the charismatic essence of orchids, the sensuality of sand, and the grace of the human form, "Like Sand From Orchid's Lips" presents photographic images as a fine art characterized by passion, reflection, and design. "Like Sand From Orchid's Lips" is a unique body of work and a strongly recommended contribution to personal, professional, academic, and community library Photographic Studies collections.
Life
Editors of Life Magazine
Time Inc. Home Entertainment
c/o Goldberg McDuffie Communications
444 Madison Avenue, Suite 3300, New York, NY 10022
1933405171, $29.95, www.life.com
Featuring an informative introduction by Robert Sullivan, "Life: 70 Years Of Extaordinary Photography - Platinum Anniversary Collection" showcases a comprehensive and representative series of photo essays and prized historical images, including a section presented every Life magazine cover published over seven decades. This 304-page, full-illustrated history is enhanced for contemporary readers with more than 300 amazing photographs and provides us with a kind of guided tour through seventy years of history ranging from domestic issues to foreign affairs. Here are our cultural and political leaders, along with ordinary men and women caught up in extraordinary events. Imaged features of personalities drawn from sports, movies, and everyday life, this extraordinary book is a true memorial celebration and tribute to one of America's most popular and influential magazines of its day. Simply stated, "Life: 70 Years Of Extaordinary Photography - Platinum Anniversary Collection" should be a part of the Photography and History collections of every academic and community library in the country.
A Camera on the Banks
M. Brook Taylor
Goose Lane
330 - 500 Beaverbrook court, Fredericton, NB Canada E3B 5X4
0864924410 $19.95 www.gooselane.com
Written by history professor M. Brook Taylor, A Camera on the Banks: Frederick William Wallace and the Fisherman of Nova Scotia presents the rare black-and-white photographs of Nova Scotia's fishing schooners, as taken by photojournalist Frederick William Wallace between 1911 and 1916, during the close of the age of unassisted sail. Taylor chronicles the true story of fishery, the individuals who dedicated themselves to it, and the photojournalist who exquisitely captures it just as it was on the cusp of a radical transformation. A Camera on the Banks is recommended as a smoothly narrated, superbly preserved fragment of Nova Scotia nautical history captured through the medium of photography..
River of Colour
Raghubir Singh
Phaidon Press
180 Varick St., 14th Flr, New York NY 10014
0714846023 $49.95 www.phaidon.com
Raghubir Singh was born in India and began his photography career in 1965 – but until this collection, very few of his works reached audiences outside the country. RIVER OF COLOUR: THE INDIA OF RAGHUBIR SINGH uses a wide-angle panoramic layout which will prove a shelving challenge to most art library collections – but a delight to any who seek fine display materials. It's the only retrospective of Singh's works and by choosing an elongated, oversized display format, the color photos of Indian topics come to life and nearly spring off the page. RIVER OF COLOUR is recommended not just for art photography libraries, but for any collection strong on India history or culture.
Aperture Foundation
547 West 27th St., 4th Flr, New York NY 10001
www.aperture.org
LOLA ALVAREZ BRAVO by Elizabeth Ferrer (1931788944, $50.00) has been published to coincide with an exhibition on view at the Aperture Gallery from September to November, but stands well on its own as an outstanding selection of images from Mexico's first woman photographer. It's the first major review of her work in over a decade, and provides a gathering of images essential to any modern art photo library – or to any holding with an emphasis on Mexican culture. Louise Downie edits DON'T KISS ME: THE ART OF CLAUDE CAHUN AND MARCEL MOORE (1597110256, $45.00), pairing essays with a survey of a photographer whose self-portraits seemed unique at the time. Cahun and Moore were a couple who lived and worked together for over forty years: DON'T KISS ME holds the examination of seven international authors who examine their lives, art, and performance activities in light of the Surrealist movement of their times.
Conversations With Contemporary Photographers
Joan Fontcuberto, et al.
Umbrage Editions
515 Canal Street, #4, New York, NY 10013
1884167489 $29.00 www.umbragebooks.com
"Conversations With Contemporary Photographers" is a compilation of nine simply fascinating conversations on and about photography in terms of its effect on aesthetics, culture, history, theory, and so much more. "Conversations With Contemporary Photographers" features conversations between American photographers Alex Webb and Max Kozloff; and between Phillip Lorca di Corcia and Nan Richardson; Spanish photographers Javier Vallhonrat and Santiago Olma; Brazil's Miguel Rio Branco and Portugal's Tereza Siza; America's Duane Michals and Italy's Enrica Vigano; Australia's Max Pam and Mexico's Pablo Ortiz Monasterio; French photographers Bernard Plassu and Juan Manual Bonet; Spain's John Foncuberta and Austria's Cristina Zeklich. A core addition for personal, professional, and academic library Photography reference collections and supplemental reading lists, "Conversations With Contemporary Photographers" is a unique anthology of expert and insightful commentary – as well as deeply engaging and recommended reading for all photography enthusiasts, amateur or professional.
The Civil War Shelf
Ghosts and Shadows of Andersonville
Robert S. Davis
Mercer University Press
1400 Coleman Avenue, Macon, GA 31207-0001
0881460125 $35.00 www.mupress.org 1-800-634-2378
Historian Robert S. Davis presents Ghosts and Shadows of Andersonville: Essays on the Secret Social Histories of America's Deadliest Prison, an in-depth scrutiny that openly dispels commonly held misperceptions about the so-called "American Death Camp" of the Confederate prison of Andersonville, and the trial of its most famous figure, Captain Henry Wirz. Focusing keenly on the lives of Americans connected to Andersonville prison before and during the Civil War, Ghosts and Shadows of Andersonville does not minimize or excuse the starvation, mistreatment, and fatalities of the prison but simultaneously counters accusations of deliberate extermination with evidence that the prison also served as a hospital, and that the guards suffered from malnutrition and starvation as surely as the prisoners. A balanced scrutiny of a dark place in America's past, that draws heavily and directly from letters, journals, articles and other primary sources to present its case.
The Untold Story of Shiloh
Timothy B. Smith
The University of Tennessee Press
293 Communications Building, Knoxville, TN 37996-0325
1572334665 $34.00 www.utpress.org 1-800-621-2736
Written by Timothy B. Smith, a staff member at the Shiloh National Military Park, The Untold Story of Shiloh: The Battle and the Battlefield is a meticulous appraisal of history's understanding of the battle of Shiloh during the American Civil War. Seeking to fill in the gaps in chronicles of what actually took place, The Untold Story of Shiloh goes beyond the two days of battle, presenting a collection of essays - some previously published, some not - evaluating topics ranging from Shiloh's historiography, the myths created about the battle, and the mindsets established after the battle, to the stories behind memorializations of the battle after it had taken place, including Shiloh's cemetery, monument, and military park. A scholarly and serious-minded close evaluation written by and for serious Civil War historians and scholars.
The Metaphysical Studies Shelf
Horses and the Mystical Path
Adele von Rust McCormick, Ph.D., et.al.
New World Library
14 Pamaron Way, Novato, CA 94949
1577315561 $14.95 www.newworldlibrary.com
On a trip to Scotland the family psychotherapist team of Adele, Deborah and Thomas McCormick investigated early Celtic mysticism and discovered elements of this mysticism that aided in their work using horses as therapeutic aids. Spirituality blends with practical applications in HORSES AND THE MYSTICAL PATH: THE CELTIC WAY OF EXPANDING THE HUMAN SOUL, drawing important connections between horse psyche and mystic elements.
New Page Books
P.O. Box 687, Franklin Lakes, NJ 07417
www.newpagebooks.com
Jeff Belanger's OUR HAUNTED LIVES: TRUE LIFE GHOST ENCOUNTERS (1564148564 $14.99) results from interviews with dozens of witnesses to supernatural phenomena, providing a fine collection of testimonies of experience from those who have seen and sometimes communicated with ghosts. From famous ghosts to ghosts on the job, OUR HAUNTED LIVES will intrigue and interest any interested in the supernatural experience: reality, not tales. Joshua P. Warren's PET GHOSTS: ANIMAL ENCOUNTERS FROM BEYOND THE GRAVE (1564148882, $14.99) includes not only the author's own experiences with his dog, but interviews animal experts and provides tools and techniques for finding and recording a pet's spirit. If humans can have ghosts – why not pets? PET GHOSTS survey theory and provide insights on encounters. Jason Miller's PROTECTION & PERSONAL MAGICK (1564148793, $14.99) covers a different kind of topic: how to understand magical attacks and how to use reversal magic to prevent and defend against them. From appeasing angry spirits to performing daily banishings and using amulets effectively, practicing witches need this guide to ongoing protection from negative forces.
Bear/Healing Arts/Inner Traditions
One Park St., Rochester, VT 05767
www.InnerTraditions.com
Tobias Churton's THE MAGUS OF FREEMASONRY: THE MYSTERIOUS LIFE OF ELIAS ASHMOLE (1594771227, $16.95) tells of the first person to record a personal account of initiation into Freemasonry. His writings examine the symbolism, history and origins of Freemasonry within the Masonic trades and are essential for any who would understand the discipline. Martin Lings' SHAKESPEARE'S WINDOW INTO THE SOUL: THE MYSTICAL WISDOM IN SHAKESPEARE'S CHARACTERS (1594771200, $14.95) uses the plays of Shakespeare to display their underlying visionary works and concepts. His later, more mature plays form Hamlet to The Tempest are analyzed with attention to uncovering passages which reveal aspects of the divine. Philippe Walter's CHRISTIANITY: THE ORIGINS OF A PAGAN RELIGION (1594770964, $16.95) studies the Christian mythology which became so accepted in medieval Europe, drawing unusual connections between this and pagan beliefs. The conclusion: very little of this mythology comes from the Bible, and more of it holds roots in pagan rituals and beliefs. Colin Wilson's ATLANTIS AND THE KINGDOM OF THE NEANDERTHALS (1591430593, $20.00) presents evidence of a widespread Neanderthal civilization as the origin of ancient knowledge. New archaeological discoveries suggest a far older civilization on the planet and not only proves the existence of Atlantis, but Neanderthal involvement. Biff Mithoeffer teaches Yin Toga in Costa Rica and across the U.S.: his YIN TOGA KIT: PRACTICE OF QUIET POWER ($24.95) packs a cd with 14 color cards and a book, essentially presenting his entire course in a fine package. The cd demonstrates the fourteen postures used in Yin Yoga and explains the benefits of each, with posture cards illustrating poses for different degrees of flexibility and the book providing reinforcement. The cd also provides a guided routine narrated by Mithoeffer, with each pose on a different track for easy access. Mike Booth works with Carol McKnight in THE AURA-SOMA SOURCEBOOK: COLOR THERAPY FOR THE SOUL (1594770778, $19.95), which uses bottles of dual-covered liquids that blend oils with plant extracts and stones to interact with individual auras for optimum balance of body and spirit. The history, physical and spiritual effects of such therapy is provided in a complete survey of when and how to use it. Kam Thye Chow and Emily Mood's THAI YOGA THERAPY FOR YOUR BODY TYPE: AN AYURVEDIC TRADITION (0892811846, $19.95) provides a bodywork therapy which guides readers through a series of yoga postures, accompanied by palming and thumbing along the body's energy lines and pressure points. This combined therapy helps balance the body and boost the immune system and is a discipline receiving increased attention in the Western world. Kam Thye Chow is the founder and director of the Lotus Palm School in Montreal and joins with an Ayurvedic educator to fully cover not just the technique, but the accompanying diet and lifestyle tips that should be included.
Andean Awakening
Jorge Luis Delgado & MaryAnn Male
Council Oak Books Ltd.
2105 East 15th Street, Suite B, Tulsa, OK 74104
1571781935 $17.95 www.counciloakbooks.com 1-800-247-8850
"Andean Awakening: An Inca Guide To Mystical Peru" by Jorge Luis Delgado a modern descendent of the ancient Incas) presents (with the assistance of MaryAnn Male) an illustrated guidebook to Peru's mystical and spiritual Incan heritage. This 'spiritual tour guide' takes the reader to the most powerfully spiritual places in Peru including Machu Picchu, the Sacred Valley, Lake Titicaca, and most especially, the legendary Inca doorway of Aramu Muru. A welcome, illustrated, and highly recommended addition to Metaphysical Studies reference collections in general, and Peruvian Studies reading lists in particular, "Andean Awakening" is enhanced with the history, culture, mythos and magic of the old Incan empire, inspiring places and enduring legacies left by the 'Children of the Sun' that are still accessible to visitors today.
The Witch in the Waiting Room
Robert S. Bobrow, MD
Thunder's Mouth Press
245 W. 17th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10011
1560258144 $15.95 www.thundersmouthpress.com
The author, Robert S. Bobrow, has practiced general medicine for over thirty years and has also published many articles, so The Witch in the Waiting Room: A Physician Investigates Paranormal Phenomena in Medicine comes not from a new age outsider but from a respected physician who uses case studies and analysis from respected medical journals to investigate evidence of the paranormal in medical diagnosis. A fine blend of traditional and alternative analysis results, The Witch in the Waiting Room is fascinating and highly recommended reading.
The Astrology of Great Sex
Myrna Lamb
Hampton Roads Publishing
1125 Stony Ridge Road, Charlottesville, VA 22902
1571745092 $16.95 www.hrpub.com
Sexual treatises usually focus on physiology and physical aspects, so it's quite unusual to find a survey which focuses on the astrological elements of attraction and sex, but "The Astrology of Great Sex" fills the information gap in providing astrologer's sun-by-sun analysis of which partnerships are really complementary. A welcome and recommended contribution to Metaphysical Studies collections, readers will learn the basics of sexual turnoffs and turn-ons with an astrological focus in chapters that cover dating, attraction, and sun signs.
Parapolitics
Kenn Thomas
Adventures Unlimited Press
PO Box 74, Kempton, IL 60946
193188255X $20.00 www.adventuresunlimitedpress.com 1-815-253-6390
Conspiracy expert Kenn Thomas presents Parapolitics: Conspiracy In Contemporary America, an anthology of his writings originally published outside his usual magazine "Steamshovel Press", plus assorted gatherings from his web site and lectures. Chapters probe possible hidden machinations behind key events from the Kennedy assassination to election 2000 to conspiracy questions about the September 11th attacks, to valuable advice for using the Freedom of Information Act to glean vital data from national archives. A hard-hitting anthology that stresses the importance of keeping a skeptical mind and holding trust in abeyance unless thoroughly earned. Above all, Parapolitics indicts the "parapolitical" underground of the secret elites who engineer war and worse for the sake of their own personal gain. Though some of Thomas' theories may appear extraordinarily far-reaching at best, his sense of citizen's distrust and determination is more valuable than ever in today's increasingly chaotic and lie-filled world.
This Is All
Aidan Chambers
Harry N. Abrams Inc.
115 West 18th Street, New York, NY 10011
0810970600 $19.95 www.hnaboooks.com
Award-winning author Aiden Chambers presents This Is All: The Pillow Book of Cordelia Kenn, a unique work of fiction in that it is not told in the traditional narrative style of a novel; instead, its story is rendered as a "pillow book" or collection of notes recording poems, emotions, daily impressions, letters, stories, ideas, and descriptions, compiling the life of a pregnant nineteen-year-old girl who wishes to preserve and pass on her memories to her unborn child. This Is All ranges the gamut of experience, from early friendships and thoughts on classical literature to simple amusements, teenage love, and the heady pleasures of sex. A verbose, descriptive, and often intimate portrait of all the good and bad in a soon-to-be mother's life.
Physical Abusers And Sex Offenders
Scott Allen Johnson
CRC Press
c/o Taylor & Francis Group
6000 NW Broken Sound Parkway NW, Suite 300, Boca Raton, FL 33487
0849372593 $89.95 www.crcpress.com 1-800-272-7737
"Physical Abusers And Sex Offenders: Forensic And Clinical Strategies" by licensed psychologist, counselor and forensic expert Scott Allen Johnson is a comprehensive treatise on the pathology of physical abuse and sexual predators. Drawing from his professional experience with more than 850 state cases and an extensive private practice, Johnson reveals the pervasive nature of coercion and abuse in terms of its psychological impact, emotional stresses, and sexual manifestations ranging from name-calling to rape and homicide. Enhanced for students, academicians, and professionals, "Physical Abusers And Sex Offenders" is enhanced with previously unpublished case studies; addresses specific interview and interrogation issues with respect to assessment and treatment; detailed descriptions of the cycle of abuse, types of abuse, types of offenders and potential offenders; and demonstrates how to most appropriately and effectively collect criminal histories, victim statements, and police reports prior to interviewing the abuser. Detailed, knowledgeable, informed and informative, "Physical Abusers And Sex Offenders" is an essential, core addition to professional and university level forensics, sexual abuse, criminal justice, and psychological deviance reference collections and reading lists.
Life On Other Planets
Emanuel Swedenborg
Swedenborg Foundation Publishers
320 North Church Street, West Chester, PA 19380
0877853207 $10.95 www.swedenborg.com
Written by visionary Emanuel Swedenborg and Translated by Cambridge scholar John Chadwick, Life On Other Planets is a metaphysical text originally published in 1758, recounting the author's otherworldly travels and conversations with spirits from Jupiter, Mars, Mercury, Saturn, Venus, and the moon. Of particular interest is Swedenborg's assessment of "The Reasons Why the Lord Chose to Be Born in Our World and Not in Another". Written in point-by-point paragraph style, Life On Other Planets weighs Swedenborg's transcendental experiences and his deep and abiding Christian faith in equal measure, and is as deeply spiritual as it is far reaching.
The Theatre/Cinema Shelf
The Landscapes of Hollywood Westerns
Edited by Deborah A. Carmichael
The University of Utah Press
1795 East South Campus Drive, #101, Salt Lake City, UT 84112-9402
0874808669 $21.95 www.uofupress.com
Edited by film exhibition history expert Deborah A. Carmichael, The Landscapes of Hollywood Westerns: Ecocriticism in an American Film Genre is an anthology of essays by learned authors concerning the role of nature and landscape in American Western movies, including silent, documentary, and feature-length films. From "Hydraulic Mining Then and Now: The Case of Pale Rider" to "Cinematic Conquest: Breaking the Mexican American Connection to the Land in the Movies" to "Landscapes of Failure in John Ford's Grapes of Wrath" and much more, each essay explores a different connection between land and American cultural mythmaking on the silver screen. Especially recommended for college library and cinematic studies reference shelves.
The Alchemy Of Theatre
Robert Viagas, editor
Applause Theatre Books
c/o Hal Leonard Corporation
19 West 21st Street, Suite 201, New York, NY 10010
1557836981 $29.95 www.halleonard.com 1-800-637-2852
Productions of theatrical plays are collaborative efforts involving large numbers of people the include not only the actors and their director, but the expertise of playwrights, producers, stage hands, craftspeople, choreographers, musicians, publicists, make-up artists, costumers, and so many others. In "The alchemy Of Theatre: The Divine Science", New York theatre journalist and author Robert Viagas has compiled and edited a number of informed and informative essays on the phenomena of the theatre. The essayists range from the late playwright Wendy Wasserstein and the late composer Cy Coleman, to director/producer Harold Prince and director/choreographer Susan Stroman, to playwrights Edward Albee and Terrence McNally, to lyricists and composers Lynn Ahrens and Stepyhen Flaherty, to theatre owner Gerald Schoenfeld, to producer Rocco Landesman, and others representing every aspect of those professionals who must work together to create the theatrical experience for appreciative audiences. A welcome and highly engaging read, "The Alchemy of Theatre" is a core addition to professional, academic, and community library Theatre Arts reference collections and supplemental reading lists.
Cast Out
Robin Bernstein, editor
University of Michigan Press
839 Greene Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48104-3209
0472069330, $22.95 www.press.umich.edu 1-734-764-4388
Compiled and edited by academician Robin Bernstein (who teaches in the Program of Studies of Women, Gender, and Sexuality at Harvard University), "Cast Out" is a collection drawn from memoirs and interviews by twenty-two leading performers, playwrights, technicians, producers, critics, educators, and influential spectators of theatre over the past half-century. The focus is on the experience and perception of homosexuality in life theatre with the expert and personal contributions of Edward Albee, Kate Bornstein, Richard Bracho, Bree Coven, Terry Galloway, Cherry Jones, Lisa Kron, Craig Lucas, Tim Miller, Cherrie Moraga, Jim Provenzano, Peggy Shaw, George C. Wolfe and so many others. The result is an impressive and seminal contribution to the art, creativity, and social changes of American theatre over the past five decades with respect to the gay community. "Cast Out" is a welcome and impressive contribution to Gay Studies, Theatre History, and America Popular Culture Studies reference collections and supplemental reading lists.
Conversations with God: The Making of the Movie
Monty Joynes & Neale Donald Walsch
Hampton Roads Publishing
1125 Stony Ridge Road, Charlottesville, VA 22902
1571744991 $26.95 www.hrpub.com
At age 48 author Neale Donald Walsch was depressed, destitute, and frustrated with his life: he wrote an angry letter to God – and received a channeled answer. Thus began a series of 'conversations'; with God – and eventually a movie – which follow Walsch's move from being poor and homeless to becoming a spiritual messenger. This follows not the book but the movie, providing details on its evolution from pre-production and location sets to filmmaker interviews and interactions. A fascinating spiritual and film review results with plenty of insights in both fields, "Conversations with God" is highly recommended reading and a welcome contribution to film school reference collections.
"Evil" Arabs in American Popular Film
Tim Jon Semmerling
University of Texas Press
Box 7819, Austin, TX 78713-7819
0292713428 $22.95 www.utexaspress.com
The 'evil' Arab figure has long been a popular Hollywood icon: how long is documented in 'EVIL ARABS IN AMERICAN POPULAR FILM: ORIENTALIST FEAR, which surveys how the stereotype evolved and how it reflects real conflicts between U.S. and Middle Eastern cultures and perceptions. Chapters use analysis of six selected films, from The Exorcist to South Park, to consider their topics, Arab myths, and how underlying tensions encourage Americans to project the idea of evil on Arab personas. An intriguing survey not just for movie-goers, but also recommended for film students interested in the cinema and cultural representation; particularly at the college level of discussion and analysis.
The Women's Studies Shelf
Women and Deafness
Edited by Brenda Jo Brueggemann & Susan Burch
Gallaudet University Press
800 Florida Avenue NE, Washington DC 20002-3695
1563682931 $38.00 gupress.gallaudet.edu
Edited by professors Brenda Jo Brueggemann and Susan Burch, Women and Deafness: Double Visions is an anthology of essays by learned authors discussing deafness and deaf identity in the context of women's studies, and vice versa. Pieces contemplate why Hellen Keller, perhaps the most famous deaf woman of all, is remembered primarily as a champion specifically of the blind; the issue of mothers raising their children according to oralist dictates "like ordinary hearing children"; the significance and impact of the Deaf American Beauty Pageant, and much more. A welcome and much-needed contribution addressing serious gaps in both women's studies and deaf studies reference shelves.
Cut Loose
Nan Bauer-Maglin, editor
Rutgers University Press
100 Joyce Kilmer Avenue, Piscataway, NJ 08854-8099
0813538475 $21.95 http://rutgerspress.rutgers.edu 1-800-446-9323
Deftly edited by Nan Bauer-Maglin, Cut Loose: (Mostly) Older Women Talk About the End of (Mostly) Long-Term Relationships is an anthology of testimonies from women who experienced the end of a long-lasting relationship. Some felt abandoned, others confused, and yet all came to realize they were set free; sometimes the end of a long-term relationship spelled sexual, mental, or emotional liberation. Women in both heterosexual and same-sex relationships speak out, and the essays themselves are categorized into personal narratives, practical perspectives on the psychological, sociological, economic, sexual, and medical aspect of being left; and the shared experience of subgroups of women such as single women, widows, or abandoned daughters. A true-life glimpse into personal experience and the lasting lessons that can be drawn from it.
Food is Love
Katherine J. Parkin
University of Pennsylvania Press
3905 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104-4011
0812239296 $47.50 www.upenn.edu/pennpress
Written by Katherine J. Parkin, Food is Love: Advertising and Gender Roles in Modern America is a scholarly examination of the American cultural precept that women should express love by serving food to their families (regardless of the actual amount of work involved in its preparation). In particular, the concept that women could use food preparation to give themselves sexual allure, make their marriage happy, and improve their family's social standings and prospects became the favored revolving theme of advertisers. Food advertisements at once both celebrated women's homemaking talents, and threatened women's insecurities to coerce the female demographic to buy the right products - their products. Heavily researched, with extensive notes and an index, Food is Love is a singularly revealing insight into this consumptive and surprisingly constant dimension of the American female and cultural psyche.
The Terrorism Studies Shelf
Terrorism 101
Leon Newton, Ph. D.
Outskirts Press
10940 S. Parker Rd. - 515, Parker, Colorado 80134
1598006118 $85.00 www.outskirtspress.com 1-888-OP-BOOKS
Written by Leon Newton Ph. D. (Professor of Political Science at Jackson State University), Terrorism 110: A Library Reference & Selected Annotated Bibliography is a solid reference, written for scholars, field professionals, and lay readers alike. Drawing upon history, research, and a wealth of documentation, chapters illuminate the true nature of the terrorist group Al Qaeda, why the root causes of terrorism cannot be explained simply, the relationship between terrorism and the media, the ramifications of terrorism in today's modern age, and much more. A massive, 150-page bibliography is as valuable as the main text, which draws succinct and well-reasoned conclusions where it can and states plainly when there is too little evidence to be certain. Enthusiastically recommended as an informed and informative study text to dispel common myths about terrorism such as the belief that poverty causes it, or that all terrorists are insane.
The Money/Finance Shelf
Securing a Retirement Income for Life
Bill Griffith, Jr., CFP
W. E. Griffith Publications
1150 Washington Road, Suite 200, Washington, PA 15301
0978550609 $29.95 www.wegriffith.com
Written by Bill Griffith Jr. (principal of W.E. Griffith & Associates, a fee-based wealth management firm), Securing a Retirement Income for Life is a no-nonsense guide to what, in today's era of long life spans, is becoming an increasingly lengthy stage of adult life. Securing a Retirement Income for Life addresses how much to accumulate to provide a stable retirement income and fully address one's quality of life needs, how to prepare for uncertainties most effectively when confronted with unknown future variables, addressing healthcare risks, choosing the right financial advisor for one's needs, and much more. Written in plain terms for the lay reader, Securing a Retirement Income for Life features a wealth of easy-to-use tables for quickly estimating relevant figures, as well as an index for cross-reference, and is especially recommended for anyone confused by myriad options for retirement planning.
Estate Planning Simplified
Daniel Sitarz
Nova Publishing Company
1103 West College Street, Carbondale, IL 622901
1892949105 $34.95 www.novapublishing.com
Written by attorney-at-law Daniel Sitarz, Estate Planning Simplified is a no-nonsense guide for lay readers to preparing a complete and comprehensive estate plan, with details of estate planning laws in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Chapters address why an estate plan is necessary, how to select, prepare for and sign a will, preparing and changing a living trust, preparing a designation of primary physician, organ donation form, or quitclaim deed, and much more. The easy-to-follow language and fill-in-the-blank forms simplify the process as much as possible, and the accompanying CD with adobe acrobat reader allows the user to quickly print out any of the forms. A singularly useful tool whether one undertakes an estate plan alone or simply needs help getting the basic details prepared before talking to a lawyer who bills by the hour.
The Environmental Studies Shelf
Seeking The Sacred Raven
Mark Jerome Walters
Island Press
1718 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 200009
1559630906 $24.95 www.islandpress.org 202-232-7933 ext. 24
Written by Mark Jerome Walters (Professor of Journalism and Media Studies at the University of South Florida), Seeking The Sacred Raven: Politics and Extinction on a Hawaiian Island is the true story of the ill-fated effort to preserve the wild alala, a type of raven indigenous to Hawaii and venerated as sacred by the native populace - the alala is thought to be a guide that aids the souls of the dead in their journey to the hereafter. Yet as environmental pressures, diseases, and non-native predators decimated the alala population, the most valiant efforts of captive breeding and release programs were insufficient to halt its slow extinction. The problem was not simply population and genetic diversity of the alala, but that there was no safe habitat to release them into - cats, mongoose and hawks would eat them, among other mortal perils. With the deaths and protective recapturing of the last wild alala, the species forever lost the survival knowledge that parent birds had been passing to their chicks, and though approximately fifty captive alala remain, their breeding to survive in captivity rather than survive in the wild is sure to forever change the ecological signature of the species. A disturbing look at shortsighted species conservation efforts, the dire need to protect species by preserving their habitat, and human hubris as it trifles with the sacred. Highly recommended.
Fresh Water
Alison Swan
Michigan State Press
1405 South Harrison Road, Manly Miles Building, Suite 25, East Lansing, MI 48823-5202
0870137891 $26.95 www.msupress.msu.edu
Edited by award-winning environmentalist Alison Swan, Fresh Water: Women Writing on the Great Lakes is an anthology of brief yet contemplative reflections upon the Great Lakes, all written by women. The essays are contemplative rather than scholarly in nature, dwelling upon emotion, history, the beauty of the Lakes and the need to preserve them. A deeply moving compilation filled with passion and respect for the spiritual bounty of nature.
The Parenting Shelf
My Child Won't Eat!
Carols Gonzalez
La Leche League International
1400 North Meacham Road, Schaumburg, IL 60173-4808
0912500999 $12.95 www.illi.org
"My Child Won't Eat!: How To Prevent & Solve The Problem" by pediatrician Carols Gonzalez is a thoroughly 'parent friendly' introduction to the common problem of getting children to eat what they are served. Blending real-life stories of maternal anguish over a child's stubborn refusal to eat with up-to-date nutritional and child-development research, Dr. Gonzalez illustrates and explains why eating problems start and how they can be avoided and treated. Forcing children to eat more than what they require can lead to tears, tantrums and even obesity. But knowing what constitutes healthful choices and meal-time strategies will result in peaceful dining and well-nourished kids. "My Child Won't Eat!" is a "must read" for any parent having to deal with a food-reluctant or 'picky' kid – and a welcome much needed addition to community library 'how-to' Parenting reference book collections for non-specialist general readers.
The Encyclopedia of Infant and Toddler Activities
Kathy Charner, Maureen Murphy, and Charlie Clark, editors
Gryphon House
10726 Tucker Street, Beltsville, MD 20705
087659013X $19.95 www.ghbooks.com
Edited by Kathy Charner, Maureen Murphy, and Charlie Clark, The Encyclopedia of Infant and Toddler Activities: For Children Birth to 3 is a compilation of activities written by teachers, for teachers, yet also useful as a tool for parents looking to spend quality educational time with their young children. Activities range from fine and gross motor practice, to fingerplays and rhymes, to fun with science, language and literacy enhancement, social-emotional training, and much more. Some activities require inexpensive materials; each lists the age group (Infants, younger toddlers, infants and toddlers, or older toddlers) appropriate for the activity, followed by straightforward step-by-step instructions. A superb resource especially for teachers, daycare providers, and babysitters. A sample activity is Eye Follow-Ups for infants; the materials are any bright-colored objects, and the steps are "1. Place a brightly colored object, such as a yellow block, in front of an infant's eyes. 2. Slowly move it to the left, then to the right, to let the infant's eyes follow it. Do it for only a few seconds."
The Writing/Publishing Shelf
Turning Life into Fiction
Robin Hemley
Graywolf Press
2402 University Avenue, Suite 203, St. Paul, MN 55114
1555974449 $16.00 www.graywolfpress.com 651-641-0077
Updated and expanded by Robin Hemley (Director of the Nonfiction Writing Program as Iowa University), Turning Life into Fiction is a newly updated and expanded how-to manual for skillfully converting real life experiences into exciting storytelling. Packed with writing exercises, techniques for recording and generating ideas from day-to-day experience, and advice for dealing with the potentially thorny ethical issue of borrowing experiences from the lives of strangers and loved ones, Turning Life into Fiction is a "must-read" for practicing and aspiring fiction writers everywhere. Highly recommended.
The Complete Idiot's Guide To Getting Published
Sheree Bykofsky & Jennifer Basye Sander
Alpha Books
c/o New American Library
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
1592575188 $19.95 1-800-847-5515 www.penguin.com
Now in a completely updated and significantly expanded fourth edition, "The Complete Idiot's Guide To Getting Published" provides the aspiring author and the novice publisher with step-by-step instructions on turning a manuscript into a published book. Enhanced with an accompanying CD-Rom enriched with dozens of document templates, lists of agents, lists of writers' conference, and publisher resources of all kinds and categories, "The Complete Idiot's Guide To Getting Published" is one of the most "user friendly" how-to books on the subject of publishing available to the general public today. Along with a methodical explanatory presentation of the book publishing process, readers will learn just how to best get their particular manuscript ready for publication; how to keep track of publishing industry trends as part of determining the suitability and viability of their publishing project; effective, innovative, and tested marketing strategies, and so much more. "The Complete Idiot's Guide To Getting Published" will also enable novice writers to avoid common mistakes, understand publisher contracts, and consider the pros and cons with respect to literary agents. If you have aspirations to having your manuscript published, then do yourself the tremendous favor of giving "The Complete Idiot's Guide To Getting Published" a careful reading.
The Ten Commandments of Typography
Paul Felton
Merrell Publishers
49 W. 24th Street, New York, NY 10010
1858943558 $22.95 www.merrellpublishers.com
Following the Biblical commandments (which could possibly offend the very religious) is a text outlining the basic foundation rules of typographic usage, starting with 'In the Beginning God created type' and juxtaposing examples of different type throughout. The religious and type theme blends throughout in a series of lively examples of rules and options, making "The Ten commandments of Typography" a unique, unusual, and enthusiastically recommended contribution to personal, professional, and academic library reference collections.
F&W Publications
4700 East Galbriath Road, Cincinnati, OH 45236
www.fwpublications.com
The second edition of Linda N. Edelstein, Ph.D.'s WRITER'S GUIDE TO CHARACTER TRAITS (1582973903, $16.99) provides over 400 reference lists of character traits from a range of behaviors, paired with tips on how to incorporate these traits into a plot and build upon it. This is a psychology primer paired with a writer's guide: a unique approach which takes common psychology, explains it for a lay writer's community, then melds it into plot development basics. The 2nd updated edition of Alijandra Mogilner and Tayopa Mogilner's CHILDREN'S WRITER'S WORD BOOK (1582974136, $16.99) is all about choosing the right words and approach for the right age range. Lists of specific words introduced into seven key reading levels provide a thesaurus with synonyms, guidelines for sentence length and themes, and a reading level-geared reference on popular topics. If you're a children's writer, you can't be without this guide to choosing the right words and subjects for the right age range.
The Military Shelf
82nd Airborne Division 1917-2005
Dominique Francois
Heimdal
c/o Casemate
2114 Darby Road, 2nd Floor, Havertown, PA 19083
2840482150, $65.00, www.casematepublishing.com 1-610-853-9131
Profusely illustrated throughout with b/w and color photography, "82nd Airborne Division 1917-2005" is a 400-page history of one of the most prestigious and battle experienced military units in the American Army. This is the history of thousands of American soldiers trained and ready to parachute into extreme battlefield situations and to achieve their military objectives on the ground no matter the conditions. "82nd Airborne Division 1917-2005" ranges from the trenches of the World War I battlefield of the Somme to the desert engagements of our war with Iraqi, and from the snow-covered forests of the Belgian Ardness to the jungles of Vietnam. Here revealed are almost 90 years of specialized military history drawn from private archives and division military files. "82nd Airborne Division 1917-2005 " is a seminal and enthusiastically recommended addition to personal, academic, and community library "Military History" reference collections and supplemental reading lists.
Complete Guide To United States Marine Corps Medals, Badges And Insignia World War II To Present
James G. Thompson
Medals of America Press
114 Southchase Boulevard, Fountain Inn, SC 29644
www.usmedals.com 1-800-308-0849
1884452426 $29.95 plus $4.00 shipping/handling
With "Complete Guide To United States Marine Corps Medals, Badges And Insignia World War II To Present", military medal expert James Thompson has created a comprehensive and methodically presented encyclopedic reference to all of the Marine Corps decorations, medals, ribbons, badges, and military insignia commissioned and awarded during the Second World War. This unique and outstanding military reference features color plates of all Marine Corps medals and ribbons; their history and award criteria; foreign awards and UN meals given to American Marines; a complete set of Marine ribbons in their correct order with all attachments and devices; all Marine insignia (including officer and enlisted rank insignia 1944 to the present day); World War II shoulder patches; descriptions of service ID badges, aiguillettes, should cords, etc.; detailed information on marksmanship and trophy badges; a guide to the correct wearing of medals, ribbons, insignia and badges by active duty Marines and veterans; displaying awards and insignia, even instructions on how to claim a medal by a qualified serving Marine or veteran. Also available in a hardcover edition (1-884452434, $29.95), "Complete Guide To United States Marine Corps Medals, Badges And Insignia World War II To Present" is a strongly recommended, thoroughly 'user friendly', informative and core addition to personal, professional, military, and academic library Military History reference collections.
Osprey Publishing
443 Park Avenue South #806, New York NY 10016
www.ospreypublishing.com
Konstantin S. Nossov's INDIAN CASTLES 1206-1526: THE RISE AND FALL OF THE DELHI SULTANATE (184603065x, $16.95) joins others in Osprey's specific 'Fortress' reference series, narrowing the focus to the design and history of Indian castles which began to fall to a number of Muslim-Turkic rulers at the start of the 13th century. The period defines the Indian castle and its many influences and here is captured in a review of all major sites of the period. Angus Konstam's THE FORTS OF CELTIC BRITAIN (1846030541, $16.95) is also a spectacular addition to the reference series, packing photos, color maps and color artwork into a historical survey of the Iron Age Celtic fortresses whose remains still pepper the landscape of Britain. From types of fortifications to how they evolved and differed between regions, THE FORTS OF CELTIC BRITAIN will reach beyond military readers to earn a place in general early history collections. Carl Molesworth's VERY LONG RANGE P-51 MUSTANG UNITS OF THE PACIFIC WAR (1846030420, $22.95) provides a riveting combat history joining others in the 'Aviation Elite Units' series; this focusing on the pilots who called themselves the 'Tokyo Club', and who flew through monsoons and more to attack a heavily defended target at the heart of Japan's capitol. Black and white and some color photos liberally embellish the battle and technical descriptions.
Military's Strangest Campaigns and Characters
Tom Quinn
Robson/Trafalgar Square
PO Box 257, Howe Hill Road, North Pomfret, VT 05053-0257
1861059337 $13.00 www.trafalgarsquarebooks.com 1-800-423-4525
Military's Strangest Campaigns and Characters: Extraordinary But True Tales from Military History covers quite a long period of time – some two thousand years – and presents odd stories, from the Tsar who made his soldiers wear iron wigs to an officer who attended the funeral of his own leg. Tales come from around the world and are entertaining and bizarre.
Osprey Publishing
443 Park Avenue South #806, New York, NY 10016
www.ospreypublishing.com
New additions to Osprey's military history titles are specific, detailed, and perfect additions for collections which go beyond the general interest level. Stuart Reid's THE SCOTTISH JACOBITE ARMY 1945-46 (1846030730, $17.95) tells of an uprising which has been colored and embellished throughout history – but this treatment foregoes some of the color in favor of concrete facts, using the work of historians and modern source references to change the myths and reveal the underlying truths about the event. Pier Paolo Battistelli's ROMMEL'S AFRIKA KORPS: TOBRUK TO EL ALAMEIN (1841769010, $23.95) covers the changing organizational and approaches of German troops in North Africa from their first deployment on the continent to the end of the battle of El Amamein, which affected the outcome of the Western Desert. Charts and maps outline positions, forces, and engagements with close attention to details which changed outcomes. Gordon L. Rottman's US AIRBORNE UNITS IN THE MEDITERRANEAN THEATER 1942-44 (1841769207, $23.95) presents the first of three titles to examine the US airborne divisions of the second world war. The history, makeup and engagements of these early forces would change the outcome of the war. Steven J. Zaloga's REMAGEN 1945: ENDGAME AGAINST THE THIRD REICH (1846030188, $18.95) tells of the aftermath of the Battle of the Bulge, surveying the final battle, its outcome and strategies, and how it influenced the overall defeat of Germans in the West. All are outstanding coverages in-depth military holdings will welcome.
The Music Shelf
The Complete Guitar Course
Tom Fleming
Reader's Digest Press
260 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016
076210662X $30.00 www.rd.com
"The Complete Guitar Course" is a single, comprehensive, step-by-step instruction book that will teach the reader all of the basics required for playing the guitar. Comprised of twenty 'user friendly" lessons that are profusely illustrated, easy-to-follow, and progressively skill-building, "The Complete Guitar Course" will help even the most novice aspiring guitarist to select the guitar that is the right kind for them; build chords and master simple melodies on the guitar; choose among rock, blues, folk, and classical guitar music styles; tune, change strings, and otherwise keep a guitar in top shape; achieve special effects on the guitar ranging from 'finger picking' to 'arpeggios'; practice playing the guitar using real songs (with scores of well-known and popular hit tunes); be introduced to inspiring and legendary players in all the guitar music genres from Andres Sergovia's classical acoustic guitar stylings to Clapton's electric guitar masterpieces. Offering the perfect approach to learning to play the guitar and a core addition to personal, music school, and community library Music Instruction reference collections, "The Complete Guitar Course" will enable any guitar student to perform beautiful music, have fun with their chosen instrument, and even embark upon a professional music career.
Django Reinhardt and the Illustrated History of Gypsy Jazz
Michael Dregni with Alain Antonietto and Anne Legrand
Speck Press
PO Box 102004, Denver, CO 102004
193310810X $25.00 www.speckpress.com 1-800-996-9783
Gorgeously illustrated with black-and-white and color photographs and poster representations on almost every page, Django Reinhardt and the Illustrated History of Gypsy Jazz is the true story of a legendary figure in Gypsy Jazz, a music style that arose in the Jazz Age of the 1920's by blending the Romany violin and flamenco guitar with the trumpet and other jazz instruments. Django Reinhardt and the Illustrated History of Gypsy Jazz traces the style's evolution and the career of the man who embodied it through the horrors of World War II, when the Nazis severely persecuted the Gypsies in Europe, and onward to Gypsy Jazz's rhythm-and-blues legacy for the modern day. The lively text entertains as thoroughly as it enlightens, in this enthusiastically recommended volume for casual readers and music history buffs.
Adventures of a Cello
Carlos Prieto
University of Texas Press
Box 7819, Austin, TX 78713-7819
0292713223 $24.95 www.utexaspress.com
In 1720 the elderly violin maker Stradivari made a masterpiece: it was known as the 'Red Stradivari', but it wasn't a violin – it was a cello. Under its new name, the Piatti, it left Italy on a tour, to eventually become the author's key to success. Here is the history of Piatti, from its creation through its different owners. Cello players and classical music enthusiasts will relish this affectionate survey.
Pretty Good Years
Jay S. Jacobs
Hal Leonard
Box 13819, Milwaukee, WI 53213
1423400224 $19.95 www.halleonard.com
PRETTY GOOD YEARS: A BIOGRAPHY OF TORI AMOS provides a satisfying biography of a rock n roll gal who has a wide audience of fans and relatively few other biographical coverages to her name. From her achievement as the youngest child ever to be admitted to a world-renowned music school to her feminist roots, ability to question even counter-culture norms, and her varied musical compositions and directions, PRETTY GOOD YEARS is more than just a survey of Amos' life: it's a detailed look at her times and her trend-setting ways.
Santorella Publications, Ltd.
13 Pleasant Avenue, Danvers, MA 01923
www.santorellapublication.com 1-877-600-0049
Santorella Publications is one of the premier publishers of music instruction books and manuals. Their latest titles range from violins and fiddles, to the electric guitar, jazz guitar, the piano, and even the mandolin. Of special note is their new instruction manual for children, "The Big Books of Children's Songs for Little Guitar Pickers" (TS104, $17.95) offering 177 pages of traditional songs from Hot Cross Buns to Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, each number being specifically designed for absolute beginners in thoroughly 'kid friendly' arrangements. For a more sophisticated student of the bass guitar there is the four part series by Rod Goelz that includes "Basses Loaded: Primer - Quickstart Bass" (TS370, $14.95); "Basses Loaded: Volume 1 - Essential Tools" (TS371, $14.95); "Bases Loaded: Volume 2 - Rock Edition" (TS372, $14.95); and "Basses Loaded: Volume 3 - Blues Edition" (TS373, $14.95). Each of the "Basses Loaded" instruction books is accompanied by a CD that includes standard notation and TAB. For the Jazz Guitar enthusiast there is "Jazz: Learn To Improvement" (TS296, $14.95) and "Jazz: 101 Licks, Riffs & Turnarounds" (TS297, $16.95). CDs are included with these two manuals as well. A series of instructionals for the violin includes "The Magic of Appalachian Fiddling: Violin" (TS364, $9.95); "The Magic of Appalachian Fiddling: Piano Accompaniment" (TS365, $12.95); "The Magic of Irish Fiddling: Violin" (TS62, $9.95); "The Magic of Irish Fiddling: Piano Accompaniment" (TS363, $12.95); "The Magic of Light Classical Fiddling: Violin" (TS360, $9.95); and "The Magic of Light Classical Fiddling: Piano Accompaniment" (TS361, $12.95). For the piano student/performer there is J. Latulippe and Sonny Doss' "Lets Play Jazz...and More" (TS288, $14.95) which is deliberately and successfully designed to be appropriate for beginners of all ages. For children wanting to play the mandolin there is "Easy Tunes for Little Mandolin Pickers" (TS357, $9.95). Santorella music books are ideal for self-taught musicians, tutoring students in particular instruments, and serving as sheet music resources for both solo and group performances. Anyone engaged in learning or seeking to improve their performance with a musical instrument should visit the Santorella website at www.santorellapublication.com for a complete listing of their hundreds of highly recommended instructional titles.
The Fiction Shelf
The Bracelet
Maureen Kahl
Tate Publishing
127 East Trade Center Terrace, Mustang, OK 73064-4421
1598863487 $14.95 www.tatepublishing.com 405-376-4900
The debut novel of Maureen Kahl, The Bracelet is a spiritual novel about the power of music to awaken hearts and souls. A female journalist avoids the song "Unchained Melody" because of its connection to the most painful part of her life - until she hears it beautifully sung by a pop-music reality show superstar. Her faith in God rekindled, she sets out to thank the singer with a handmade charm bracelet, unknowing of how her journey will forever transform lives around them. A tender tale of awakening faith and wonder.
The Bedroom Secrets of The Master Chefs
Irvine Welsh
W.W. Norton
500 – 5th Avenue, New York, NY 10110
0393064530 $24.95 www.wwnorton.com
Danny Skinner is a womanizing drinker and restaurant inspector in the UK who becomes convinced his lost father was a chief – possibly one of the master chefs – and embarks on a survey of likely chef prospects to locate his father. His journey will take him across the UK into America, surveying chefs' history, habits, and work. This is a work of superbly written fiction, "The Bedroom Secrets of The Master Chefs" and especially recommended for readers with an interest in high drama against the background of the food world who will find it of truly exceptional interest.
The Political Science Shelf
Naked Imperialism
John Bellamy Foster
Monthly Review Press
122 West 27th Street New York, NY 10001
1583671315 $15.95 www.monthlyreview.org
Written by John Bellamy Foster (Professor of Sociology at the University of Oregon), Naked Imperialism: The U.S. Pursuit Of Global Domination is a scathing criticism of American foreign policy since the cold war years. In particular, it frames American wars in the latter half of the twentieth century, and especially the Iraq War of the twenty-first century, as instruments of imperialism - in particular, suggesting that the current administrations insistence in committing to a conflict in Iraq with no clear end can only be explained as an expression from the ruling class' desire for imperialism, as it defies other logical justification. A sharply left-wing manifesto, nevertheless thought-provoking in its meticulous analysis.
The Marketplace Democracy
Edited by Michael P. McDonald & John Samples
The Brookings Institution
1775 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington DC 20036-2103
0815755791 $22.95 www.cato.org
Edited by Michael P. McDonald (an assistant Professor as George Mason University and a visiting fellow in Governance Studies at the Brookings institution) and John Samples (Director of the Center for Representative Government at the Cato Institute), The Marketplace Democracy: Electoral Competition and American Politics is an anthology of essays by political experts concerning the stagnancy of modern American democracy. Since 1998, US House incumbents have won 98% of the reelection races, and electoral competition is on the decline in most state and primary elections. The resources of two respected organizations, the Brookings Institution and the Cato Institute, pool their talents to investigate the historical background, legal development, and political nuances of a system that is supposed to be responsible and adaptable, yet is effectively self-perpetuating and anti-dynamic. Presenting a wealth of policy options to help revitalize American democratic politics, The Marketplace Democracy is a desperately needed and strongly recommended contribution to modern political debate.
Chasing the Sun
Morton Abramowitz & Stephen Bosworth
The Century Foundation
41 East 70th Street New York, NY 10021
0870785001 $15.95 www.tcf.org
Written by two of America's expert diplomats, Morton Abramowitz and Stephen Bosworth, Chasing the Sun: Rethinking East Asian Policy is a highly realistic assessment of America's recent, current, and future foreign policy in East Asia. From serious-minded concerns and recommendations concerning North Korea's nuclear threat - Chasing the Sun was published shortly before North Korea declared itself a nuclear power, yet its warnings about how best to deal with North Korea remain entirely relevant - to exhorting that the sleeping giant of China cannot be managed, controlled, or "contained" but can and should be influenced, to observing the poor attitude today's younger East Asian generation has toward America as a nation perceived to arrogantly ignore the ideas, preferences, and plans of others, Chasing the Sun gives an accurate and no-nonsense look at what exactly the current political situation is, and what America should do about it. Enthusiastically recommended for library politics and international studies shelves.
The Republican War on Science
Chris Mooney
Basic Books
387 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10016
0465046762 $14.95 www.basicbooks.com
If the title of The Republican War on Science sounds familiar, it's because this was a New York Times best-selling expose – and appears here in a newly revised, updated edition. Chapters document the right wing attack on science, governmental lack of interest in the process of scientific inquiry and investigation, and the evolution and rise of 'pseudoscience'. This new and expanded edition is updated with the latest news on the topic and is especially recommended as an invaluable contribution to the contemporary national dialogue for the general public, as well as for inclusion into both academic and community library Political Science collections.
Corporate Crooks
Greg Farrell
Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Dr., Amherst, NY 14228-2197
1591024552 $25.00 www.prometheusbooks.com
CORPORATE CROOKS: HOW ROGUE EXECUTIVES RIPPED OFF AMERICANS … AND CONGRESS HELPED THEM DO IT isn't just another book about Enron: it considers the rise of corporate scandals as a whole, pinpointing an atmosphere of greed condoned by Congress itself. This doesn't come from a common citizen, either: author Greg Farrell is an investigative journalist for USA today and explains the links between Congressional actions and laws and the current conditions which condone and reward corporate wrong-doing. Eye-opening and timely reading given today's political climate and newspaper headlines.
The People's Machine
Joe Mathews
Public Affairs
250 W 57th St. #1321, New York NY 10107
1586482726 $26.95 www.publicaffairsbooks.com
THE PEOPLE'S MACHINE: ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER AND THE RISE OF BLOCKBUSTER DEMOCRACY could have been featured in our Politics section but is reviewed here for its far-reaching interest to general biography readers as well. Author Joe Mathews is the reporter who covered Schwarzenegger for the Los Angeles Times, so he's well steeped in the background of a famous actor who became the governor of the nation's largest state. But this covers more than his rise to power: it surveys his political struggles within the system and the new type of system he made from his celebrity image and contacts. An excellent blend of in-depth analysis and biographical information results.
Artistic Citizenship
Mary Schmidt Campbell & Randy Martin, Eds.
Routledge
270 Madison, New York, NY 10016
0415978661 $24.95 www.routledge-ny.com
ARTISTIC CITIZENSHIP: A PUBLIC VOICE FOR THE ARTS is for arts educators and professionals who want to know how to participate in civic life. Essays come from the Tisch School of Arts, from artists and scholars who explore how art and the everyday world interact, and the meaning of art in public places and everyday lives. From the unique, relatively modern idea of the individual artist apart from community to the uses of satire, this embraces all kinds of concepts and ideas. ARTISTIC CITIZENSHIP is particularly recommended for art school faculty, students, and community artists wanting to influence local, state and even national governmental agencies to support the arts.
ABC-CLIO
Box 1911,Santa Barbara, CA 93116-1911
www.abc-clio.com
The two-volume set 'About State Government' edited by Margaret R. Ferguson for ABC-Clio provides excellent analysis and reference to the evolution and branches of state government offices, making it the perfect item of choice for a high school or college-level collection. THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH OF STATE GOVERNMENT (1851097716) and THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH OF STATE GOVERNMENT (1851097619, $95.00) each provide plenty of background history relating to the legislative, election, appropriations and budgeting, and interactions of different offices, surveying interactions with the federal government, other agencies, and providing assessments of special challenges faced by different states. Strongly recommended for academic and community library Political Science collections, both volumes are essential references with articles thoroughly covering political issues and organization.
The World History Shelf
The Great Stink of Paris and The 19th Century Struggle Against Filth and Germs
David S. Barnes
Johns Hopkins University Press
2715 N. Charles St., Baltimore, MD 21218-4363
0801883490 $35.00 www.press.jhu.edu
In late summer of 1880 odors began drenching Paris from its sewers, and residents feared an epidemic would follow. Fifteen years later another Great Stink occurred – this time with little fear of resulting disease. Historian Barnes considers the evolving science of public health in Paris between the 1880s and 1890s, blending history, culture, science and medicine with a review of how public health policies changed during the era. A work of impeccable scholarship, The Great Stink of Paris and The 19th Century Struggle Against Filth and Germs is highly recommended and informative reading for students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the history of modern medicine, as well as 19th century French history.
Moscow Stories
Loren R. Graham
Indiana University Press
601 N. Morton St., Bloomington IN 47404-3797
0253347165 $29.95 www.iupress.indiana.edu
Historian Loren R. Graham was present during many important landmark events in the Soviet Union and post-Soviet Russia between 1960 and 2005: his reflections on these events doesn't come from the usual reporter's viewpoint, but from that of an ordinary American living amongst the Russians. Individual chapters recalling the episodes and social turmoil also comment on the human aspects, on personalities and events in America, and on friendships amongst some of the leading scientists and politicians in Russia. Erudite and exceptionally well written, Moscow Stories is very highly recommended as an informed and informative addition to academic and community library Russian Studies and European History collections.
A History of the World in 6 Glasses
Tom Standage
Walker & Company
104 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10011
0802714471 $25.00 www.amazon.com
Written by science and technology journalist Tom Standage, A History of the World in 6 Glasses offers a unique retelling of world history from ancient Mesopotamian civilizations to the modern-day - through the focuses of beverages. A gourmet-centric discussion contemplating the proliferation of beers, teas, coffees, wines, spirits, and the relatively recent invention of carbonated beverages, and their involvement in everything from wars to the slave trade, colonization, and the rise and fall of empires, A History of the World in especially engaging for lay readers but also deserves the attention of scholars for its esoteric and unique perspective. Highly recommended.
Galileo Observed
William R. Shea and Mariano Artigas
Science History Publishing International
PO Box 1240, Sagamore Beach, MA 02562-1240
0881353566 $30.00 www.shpusa.com
William R. Shea (professor of History of Science, University of Padua) and Mariano Artigas (Dean of the Ecclesiastical Faculty, University of Navarra, Spain) present Galileo Observed: Science and the Politics of Belief, a history written to set the record straight about what really happened at Galileo's famous trial, unmuddled by propaganda or novelizations. Skeptically examining all available historical sources, from claims that Galileo was port in chains and subjected to torture or that a forged document was brought forth at his trial, to numerous comparisons between Galileo and the friar Giordano Bruno, Galileo Observed strives to uncover the truth or its most likely estimation. A scholarly work illustrated with a handful of black-and-white photographs, Galileo Observed is nevertheless thoroughly accessible to lay readers and is therefore recommended for public library collections as well as those of college libraries.
The Classical World
Robin Lane Fox
Basic Books
387 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10016
0465024963 $35.00 www.basicbooks.com
THE CLASSICAL WORLD: AN EPIC HISTORY FROM HOMER TO HADRIAN comes from a classical historian specialist who traces history from Homer to the reign of Hadrian, revealing wars, peace, the rise and fall of empires, and the heros and tyrants who reigned during the times. His survey of two of these great regimes focuses well on war, women and children, and lasting effects of great civilizations. THE CLASSICAL WORLD is an informative and thoroughly recommended and "reader friendly" addition to both school and community libraries.
Ireland: A Reference Guide
John P. McCarthy
Facts on File
132 W. 31st St., New York NY 10001
0816053782 $85.00 www.factsonfile.com
IRELAND: A REFERENCE GUIDE FROM THE RENAISSANCE TO THE PRESENT joins others in the 'European Nations' series to provide a historical survey of the political and social changes of a nation and its key players. Both high school and college-level audiences will appreciate the A-Z dictionary reference which details battles, politics, peoples and evens essential to understanding Irish history.
The Homeowner Shelf
Solar Water Heating
Bob Ramlow
New Society Publishers
PO Box 189, Gabriola Island, BC V0R 1X0
0865715610 $24.95 www.newsociety.com
Written by solar thermal consultant Bob Ramlow, Solar Water Heating: A Comprehensive Guide To Solar Water and Space Heating Systems is a straightforward guide to heating water with the sun in one's home for the sake of energy conservation and energy economics. Chapters discuss the costs of fossil fuels and the history of solar heating, types of solar collectors, how to choose and install the right system for one's needs, and much more. Black-and-white diagrams illustrate this handy, easy-to-follow guide to a facet of eco-friendly living, which can save significant money in the long run.
Making Mantels
David Getts
Linden Publishing
2006 S. Mary St., Fresno, CA 93721
0941936724 $25.95 www.lindenpub.com
Many, if not most, homes enjoy fireplaces and having a home with one is a selling point. MAKING MANTELS shows average homeowner/handymen they can build a fireplace mantel, providing all the details of so doing from design and mouldings to wood finishing and installation. One can even build in secret panels: MAKING MANTELS uses plenty of design tips and building specs to show how to build a wide range of working mantels.
Passive Solar House
James Kachadorian
Chelsea Green
Box 428, White River Junction, VT 05001
1933392037 $40.00 www.chelseagreen.com
If this book's title sounds familiar, it's because it's a revised, expanded edition of a popular survey of the author's patented Solar Slab heat exchanger, which offers a technique for builders to produce houses that virtually heat themselves. THE PASSIVE SOLAR HOUSE: COMPLETE GUIDE TO HEATING AND COOLING YOUR HOME expands upon the prior edition, adding more knowledge gathered from some thirty years of data gathering from existing, successful solar houses. THE PASSIVE SOLAR HOUSE is a welcome and "user friendly" guide recommended to homeowners who are seeking to reduce the expenses of heating and cooling regardless of the age or condition of their houses.
The Media Studies Shelf
Drawn to Television
M. Keith Booker
Praeger
88 Post Road West, Westport, CT 06881
0275990192 $44.95 www.praeger.com
Drawn to Television: Prime-Time Animation from The Flintstones to Family Guy joins others in Praeger's 'Television Collection' series, suitable for college-level media studies collections. The history of prime-time animation from Flintstones to modern times examines not only individual shows and their evolution and influences, but the changing nature of childhood and the social and political influences of children's programming as a whole. From the technical specifications of how animated children's programming differs from others to how it's used to impart social commentary, this guide is key for university level Media Studies programs.
The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf
To Save The World
Heather Hayashi
Synergy Books
2100 Kramer Lane, Suite 300, Austin, TX 78758
193353835X $21.95 512-478-2028 www.bookpros.com www.dragonwriter.com
Volume One of The Arhka Chronicles, To Save The World is the story of three people from present-day Earth suddenly cast into the magical world of Arhka, where both humanoids and dragons wield a mysterious energy as raw power. A brewing war with an alien race from a distant world threatens total destruction; the ordinary people from Earth are catapulted amid catastrophic events and must decide their loyalties quickly. A sweeping saga of life-or-death struggle on global scale, written with a flair for high drama and highly recommended.
Catalyst
Bob Harvey
Synergy Books
2100 Kramer Lane, Suite 300, Austin, TX 78758
1933538384 $21.95 www.meandyoutoo.com
Homeopathic care-giver and devoted pet lover Bob Harvey presents Catalyst, the first book of the adventure tetrology "Me and You Too" in which "no people are allowed without pets!" In the wake of a terrible fire, a seemingly ordinary man "adopted" by an independent stray cat must combine his strengths with others on the brink of world-spanning transformations. Catalyst is an exceptional hardcover novel in that its story is told not simply with printed words, but also unique background colors on every two-page spread, and interjections of words in stand-out colors and fonts every few paragraphs. The lively attention-getting presentation complements an exciting adventure that practically leaps off the page.
September Snow
Robert Balmanno
Regent Press
6020-A Adeline Street, Oakland, CA 94608
1587900939 $15.95 www.regentpress.com www.blessingsofgaia.com
Written by Robert Balmanno, September Snow is a science fiction novel set in a dystopian future in which the Earth's climate is manipulated by nuclear-powered machines to disastrous effect. The ozone layer is all but gone, and a sun-poisoned population must seek shelter within protective Gaia Domes. The religion of Gaia, once dedicated to protecting the Earth, has been corrupted into an evil regime. One woman gifted in body and mind, September, spearheads the rebellion against the malevolent alliance's implacable rule, driven in part by the callous execution of her husband. Part cautionary tale, part sharply written adventure, September Snow is highly recommended.
Sex in the System
Cecilia Tan, Editor
Thunder's Mouth Press
245 W. 17th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10011
1560258519 $15.95 www.thundersmouth.com
SEX IN THE SYSTEM: STORIES OF EROTIC FUTURES, TECHNOLOGICAL STIMULATION AND THE SENSUAL LIFE OF MACHINES provides short fiction revolving around technology and sex, offering erotic science works by Elspeth Potter, Paul DiFilippo, Gavan Grant and others. The stories are futuristic and of great interest to science fiction enthusiasts – but they also hold appeal beyond the usual genre representations and general-interest fiction readers will find them equally engaging and thought-provoking.
The Health/Medicine Shelf
Body Foods For Busy People
Jane Clarke
McBooks Press, Inc.
520 North Meadow Street, Ithaca, NY 14850
1590131347 $24.95 www.mcbooks.com 1-888-266-5711
Nutritionist and Cordon Bleu trained chef Jane Clarke uses a particularly 'reader friendly' approach to providing information for the time stressed as to what they can eat to best fuel their bodies to life a hectic lifestyle. Included are savory recommendations for 10-minute emergency suppers and energy-boosting snacks; instructions on the healthiest ways to eat out in upscale, family, and fast-food restaurants; effective travel snacks; ideal lunches; and even 'late-night soothers'. "Best Foods For Busy People" also addresses such issues as using food to treat ailments ranging from head aches, hangovers, fatigue, bad complexions, and weight problems. Enhanced with "kitchen cook friendly" recipes, color photography, and such specialized advice as 'Bodyfoods Solutions for Preventing Cancer', 'Combating the Symptoms of Stress', and 'Bodyfoods Solutions for Mothers-To-Be', "Body Foods For Busy People' is highly informative and strongly recommended for non-specialist general readers with an interest in creating and maintaining good health for themselves and their loved ones.
Yellow Fever
James I. Dickerson
Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2197
1591023998 $25.00 www.prometheusbooks.com
Yellow fever is an unlikely health threat to a modern American – so why a new history on it? James Dickerson makes a case for the fact that yellow fever could indeed emerge anew as a health threat – and his history, culling facts from historical archives, describes its ravages, its eradication, and the threat of its return as a biological warfare agent and a possible side effect of global warming. "Yellow Fever" is a powerful call to action as well as an informed and informative health history of a nearly forgotten plague.
Pharmaceutical Products Press
c/o Haworth Press
10 Alice St., Binghamton, NY 13904
www.HaworthPress.com
Jack E. Fincham, Ph.D., RPH's TAKING YOUR MEDICINE: A GUIDE TO MEDICATION REGIMENS AND COMPLIANCE FOR PATIENTS AND CAREGIVERS (078902859X, $17.95) focuses on taking medicines, offering tips and ideas for patients and family members alike. One would think this wouldn't warrant an entire book – but there's a lot to consider on the topic; from how to choose a pharmacist and what they need to know about your health to dangerous drug interactions. An excellent consumer resource. John S. Haller Jr.'s THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN HOMEOPATHY: THE ACADEMIC YEARS, 1820-1935 (0789026600, $39.95) considers the state of medicine in the early 19th century, its evolution, and its growing acceptance of Hahnemann's theories of homeopathy. Changing relationships between traditional medicine and homeopathy and tensions between academic and domestic circles are revealed in chapters that survey all kinds of influences.
The Literary Shelf
The Force Of Vocation
Ruth Panofsky
University Of Manitoba Press
310 St. John's College, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2M5
0887556892 $22.95 www.umanitoba.ca/uofmpress 204-474-9495
Written by Ruth Panofsky (teaches English at Ryerson University), The Force Of Vocation: The Literary Career of Adele Wiseman is the first literary study of the written works of Canadian author Adele Wiseman, whose career began with her internationally acclaimed first novel "The Sacrifice", and included drama and nonfiction as well as years of service mentoring other writers. Extensively researched, and drawing upon previously unpublished archival material and personal interviews with publishers, editors, and writers, The Force of Vocation is a revealing life story about a literary professional who absolutely refused to compromise her work for marketability in the slightest.
Carlos Fuentes' The Death of Artemio Cruz
Harold Bloom, editor
Chelsea House
132 West 31st Street 17th floor New York, NY 10001
0791085872 $45.00 www.chelseahouse.com
The latest in the extensive Bloom's Modern Critical Interpretations series, Carlos Fuentes' The Death of Artemio Cruz is an anthology of essays by learned scholars discussing the finer points of the novel "The Death of Artemio Cruz" (1962) by contemporary Mexican author Carlos Fuentes. This novel about the legacy of the Mexican Revolution, as told from the perspective of Artemio Cruz on his deathbed, expresses a core search for Mexican identity in the wake of promises, failures, and hopes following the Revolution. Essays address issues of fathers and sons, comparisons between The Death of Artemio Cruz and Citizen Kane, the expression of memory and time, and much more. A scholarly and diverse analysis of a Mexican literary classic, recommended for college library and international literary studies shelves.
Asinaria
Plautus, author
John Henderson, translation and commentary
University of Wisconsin Press
1930 Monroe Street, 3rd floor, Madison Wisconsin 53711-2059
0299219941 $19.95 www.wisc.edu/wisconsinpress
Written by Plautus and translated with commentary by John Henderson (Professor of Classics at the University of Cambridge, Kings College), Asinaria: The One about the Asses provides the Latin text of Plautus' ancient and humorous Roman play, an English translation that superbly captures the raunchy and droll wit of the original, and an in-depth explanatory commentary that entertains with aplomb as surely as it enlightens in a scholarly context. Asinaria reveals Roman social relations of thousands of years ago a s revolving around many types of slavery: to sex, money, family structure, social standing, masculinity, partying, lies and idiocy. The razor wit of Plautus himself shines through in this enthusiastically recommended text for classical Latin and historical Roman studies and college library shelves.
The Golden Way
Dvora Bregman
ACMRS
PO Box 874402, Tempe, AZ 85287-4402
0866983481 $45.00 1-480-727-6503
Written by Professor Dvora Bregman, The Golden Way: The Hebrew Sonnet During the Renaissance and the Baroque examines the history of the Hebrew sonnet from its inception circa the year 1300 in Italy, almost parallel to the first Italian sonnets, to its spread and metamorphosis throughout Europe and the Turkish Empire. Chapters scrutinize the Hebrew sonnet's syntax, rhetoric, meter, rhyme, structure, approach toward different subjects and much more. A highly scholarly dissection of a classical poetry format for advanced literary historians, written with a keen eye toward linguistics, nuances of composition, and the Hebrew sonnet's role in facilitating human expression. Recommended for graduate school libraries and professional literary scholars.
Howl on Trial
Bill Morgan and Nancy J. Peters, editors
City Lights Publishers
261 Columbus Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94133
0872864790 $14.95 www.citylights.com
Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the publication of Allen Ginsberg's "Howl and Other Poems", Howl on Trial: The Battle for Free Expression presents the inside story of editing, publishing, and defending the poem Howl in the context of censorship of literary works, and the 1957 obscenity trial in San Francisco that supposedly represented "the people" versus City Lights, the bookshop that published and sold "Howl and Other Poems." Howl on Trial includes correspondence between Allen Ginsberg and numerous others concerning the poem and efforts to censor it; a selection of newspaper reportage, magazine essays, cartoons, photographs, and letters to the editor that reveal the cultural climate of the mid-1950s; excerpts from the trial transcript; ACLU defense counsel Albert Bendich's reflections on the Howl case; and much more. A fascinating examination of the battle for free speech in microcosm, offering insights into the ongoing struggle for the right to express ideas without fear or harassment.
George Elliot U.S.
Monika Mueller
Fairleigh Dickinson University Press
2010 Eastpark Boulevard, Cranbury, NJ 08512
0838640559 $52.50 www.fdu.edu/newspubs/fdupress.html
Written by Monika Mueller (teaches American and English literature at the University of Cologne, Germany), George Elliot U.S.: Transatlantic Literary and Cultural Perspectives is an extensive work of literary criticism and analysis that explores the complicated and reciprocal relationship between George Elliot's fiction and the writings of her American contemporaries, including Nathaniel Hawthorne, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Margaret Fuller, and Ralph Waldo Emerson. George Elliot U.S. also scrutinizes Elliot's lasting influence on American fiction to the modern day, and particularly contemplates modern American adaptions of her work. The evolution of a postdoctoral thesis, George Elliot U.S. is a highly scholarly and seminal contribution to literary criticism shelves, and particularly recommended for college libraries and students of Elliot's works.
Poets and Poems
Harold Bloom
Chelsea House 132 West 31st Street, 17th floor, New York, NY 10001
0791082253 $45.00 www.chelseahouse.com
Part of the Bloom's Literary Criticism 20th Anniversary Collection series, Poets and Poems gathers the twenty years' of literary criticism expertise of Harold Bloom (Sterling Professor of the Humanities at Yale University) into a single omnibus dedicates to scrutinizing some of the greatest known poets, including Emily Dickinson, Walt Whitman, Hart Crane, William Shakespeare, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, William Butler Yeats, and many others. The spotlight on each covered author tends to span a dozen or fewer pages, yet concisely covers his or her strengths, weaknesses, backgrounds, passions, and favored modes of expression. Sample poems from each author illustrate the crystal clear points Bloom draws from the writing, in this quality literary survey and analysis. A genre-specific bibliography and an index complement this superb introduction to close readings of immortal poetry masters.
How To Read A Shakespeare Play
David Bevington
Blackwell Publishing
350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148-5020
1405113952 $54.95 www.blackwellpublishing.com
Written by professional Shakespearean play editor David Bevington (professor emeritus, University of Chicago), How To Read A Shakespeare Play is a guide to experiencing Shakespeare's classic works with an open, inquisitive, and receptive mind. Chapters especially focus upon the nuances of six of Shakespeare's most famous plays: A Midsummer Night's Dream, Romeo and Juliet, Henry IV Part I, Hamlet, King Lear, and The Tempest. A scholarly introduction to fresh perspectives on Shakespeare's genius in playing to his strengths in different genres, observing that Shakespeare practiced upon romantic comedies first before transitioning to the more emotionally demanding tragedies. Highly recommended especially for literature students and professors.
The Hunting/Fishing Shelf
Steelhead Float Fishing
Jim Butler
Frank Amato Publications
PO Box 82112, Portland, OR 97282
1571883223 $19.95 www.amatobooks.com
Float fishing is the preferred method for steelhead on the feeder streams and tributaries of the Great Lakes during the fall and spring steelhead fishing seasons. Steelhead expert Jim Butler provides a complete 'how to' introduction for novice anglers in "Steelhead Float Fishing" that includes the history of float fishing, the aquatic behaviors of steelhead, 'reading' water, the various float fishing techniques and strategies, natural and artificial baits, float reels and how to cast them, building balsa floats, and a great deal more. A complete instruction manual, "Steelhead Float Fishing" is 'must' reading for anyone setting out in either the spring or the fall to fish for steelhead in Great Lakes country!
The Biography Shelf
The Yogurt Man Cometh
Kevin Revolinski
Citlembik Publications
17 Sherman Terrace, #4, Madison, WI 53704 (author)
9944424013 $15.95 www.nettleberry.com www.amazon.com
"The Yogurt Man Cometh: Tales Of An American Teacher In Turkey" is Kevin Revolinski's memoir of what he saw and did as a faculty member of a private school In Ankara, Turkey, where he taught English to classroom students from 1997 to 1998. Kevin combines and chronicles his many adventures traveling as well as his memorable teaching experiences. Writing with an impressive candor about encountering Turkish culture, having cope with a new language, explorations of seeming timeless and surreal landscapes, making lasting friendships, even his attempts at cross-cultural flirtation and acquiring a taste for 'raki', "The Yogurt Man Cometh" is an entertaining as it is informative – as well as being especially recommended reading for anyone considering embarking upon their own business or recreational trip to Turkey.
Clandestines
Ramor Ryan
AK Press
647-A 23rd Street, Oakland, CA 94612
1904859550 $15.95 www.akpress.org
Written by diehard anti-capitalist Ramor Ryan, Clandestines: The Pirate Journals Of An Irish Exile gathers memories of an anarchist's travels and exploits across the world during the 1980's and 1990's. From the hovels of Berlin during the fall of the wall, to a mystery in the Zapatista Autonomous Zone, to a Croatian Rainbow Gathering following G8 protests in Genoa, to a Kurdish guerilla camp, Clandestines tracks the struggles of a world in flux, on the cusp of transforming into a post-Cold War society. A sharp-eyed perspective from an author who despises all forms of imperialism and is utterly unafraid to declare it.
This Is Our Place, This Is Our Home
Joan Edward
Breakwater Books Ltd.
100 Water Street, PO Box 2188, St. John's, NL A1C6E6
1550812107 $29.95 www.breakwaterbooks.com
Part memoir, part travelogue, This Is Our Place, This Is Our Home is the story of author Joan Edward's experience traveling through and living in Newfoundland, and perfectly captures the rhythm of daily life along the coast, in harmony with the gifts of the sea. Illustrated with black-and-white sketches, This Is Our Place, This Is Our Home celebrates the simple things in life, and the joy of being connected to land, water, and good neighbors. Expressly dedicated to all Newfoundlanders and Newfoundland itself, This Is Our Place, This Is Our Home uplifts the spirit and reminds the reader the importance of the most basic treasures of living day to day.
The Autobiography of G.K. Chesterton
G.K. Chesterton
Ignatius Press
PO Box 1339, Fort Collins, CO 80522
1586170716 $16.95 www.ignatius.com
Completed only a few weeks prior to the close of the author's long, successful and happy life, The Autobiography of G.K. Chesterton is the life story of one the modern era's most prolific authors, credited with approximately one hundred books on topics ranging from philosophy, theology, poetry, literature, fiction, and history. Written in an amiable, accessible first-person voice, and illustrated with some forty rare black-and-white photographs, The Autobiography of G.K. Chesterton is a "must-have" for researchers and students of Chesterton's literary work, and highly recommended for college and public library collections. A witty, insightful chronicle brimming with wisdom, experience, and more than a few life lessons learned the hard way.
Garden Of Hope
Maryanne Raphael & Lennox Raphael
Hopewell Publications
PO Box 11, Titusville, NJ 08560-0011
1933435089 $15.95 www.hopepubs.com
"Garden Of Hope: Autobiography Of A Marriage" is the true life story of a romantic, international, interracial marriage that lasted for ten years during the turbulent 1960s and ultimately ended in an harmonious divorce. Maryanne Raphael (who is white) and her husband Lennox (who is black) traveled over four continents, produced a son whom they named , and continued after their amicable divorce to remain friends linked together down the years by their mutual respect, a shared love for their child, and a respect for the positive aspects of their lives. Written with candor, this unusual and unique joint memoir is inspiring, engaging, and confidently recommended reading.
God Of The Hinge
Elizabeth Pool & Eleanor West
Harbor House Books
111 - 10th Street, August, GA 30901
1891799320 $16.95 1-706-738-0354 www.harbourhousebooks.com
"God Of The Hinge: Sojourns In Cloud Cuckoo Land" is the autobiography and memoir of Eleanor West, a woman who has participated in a host of preservation efforts, foundations, special projects and creative endeavors that ranged from organizing the address for preserving wilderness on barrier islands to appearing as a key speaker at the Marshlands Conference in 1968. Eleanor West wrote, narrated and co-produced the film 'Search for Ecological Balance' and conveyed Ossabaw island to the State of Georgia, thereby making Ossabaw Island the first Heritage Preserve property under Georgia's Heritage Trust Program. She also has served on numbers boards of directors for such philanthropic enterprises as the Frank Settlement, the Boys Republic, the Roeper School for Gifted Children, and Michigan's Brookside School Cranbrook. She has served as Chair for the American Red Cross Nurses Aides and the Detroit Chapter of Planned Parenthood. Her many awards for distinguished service include the Michigan Academy of Arts and Sciences' Gold Medal for her contribution to the arts. Very highly recommended reading and a welcome addition to school and community library American Biography collections, "God Of The Hinge" is a remarkable and inspiring memoir of a remarkable and inspiring life of service.
The Humor Shelf
Another Stereotype Bites the Dust
Darrin Bell
Andrews McMeel Publishing, LLC
4520 Main Street, Kansas City, Missouri 64111
0740760416 $10.95 www.andrewsmcmeel.com www.candorville.com
Another Stereotype Bites the Dust is the second collection of Candorville comic strips by award-winning cartoonist Darrin Bell. Set in the inner city, Another Stereotype Bites the Dust follows the educated yet underachieving African-American writer Lemont Brown and his friends, an assertive Mexican-American woman and a mooching, rapper who still lives with his mother. The Candorville strip does not shy from edgy dialogue or equal jabs at modern social problems, governmental failings, and excessive political correctness. In one strip, Lemont Brown tries to vote and is told "Well that explains why you haven't received your absentee ballot, Mr. Brawn. You're on the felon list. Felons aren't allowed to vote in Candorville." "Brown! Not Brawn! Brown!" "Thank you for turning yourself in, Mr. Brawn." A wickedly funny, "must-read" humor book showcasing the talent, insight, and biting criticisms of a rising star among cartoonists.
Four More Wars!!!
Mike Luckovich
ECW Press
2120 Queen Street East, Suite 200, Toronto, Canada, M4E 1E2
Independent Publishers Group (distributor)
814 North Franklin Street, Chicago, IL 60610
1550227378 $16.95 1-416-694-3348 www.ecwpress.com
Four More Wars!!! is a collection of political cartoons by two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial cartoonist Mike Luckovich. These simple black-and-white sketches, most of them single-panel, exquisitely capture governmental foibles and follies with unforgettable twisted wit. Collecting cartoons that appeared in newspapers from 2001 to 2006, Four More Wars!!! is especially critical of governmental mistakes in handling the Iraq War - one attributes the words "The Almighty's guiding me" to President George W. Bush while an onlooker comments, "God's lousy at postwar planning" - but also touch upon ethics violations at home, nominations of questionable candidates, and there are even a few private sketches Luckovich drew of White House personnel. A vivacious albeit bitingly critical collection of the most mock-worthy moments in new millennium American politics.
The Religion/Spirituality Shelf
Having Men for Dinner
Nicole Wilkinson Duran
The Pilgrim Press
700 Prospect Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44115
0829817107 $18.00 www.thepilgimspress.com
Written by Nicole Wilkinson Duran (part-time pastor at Trinity United Presbyterian Church), Having Men for Dinner: Biblical Women's Deadly Banquets is a scholarly examination of biblical stories of women who kill - in particular, women who kill through the use of serving food and drink, or providing hospitality and comfort to lower the guard of their enemies. Having Men for Dinner covers topics as dark and gritty as the Old Testament stories themselves, such as ruthless revenge for rape victims, the threat of war and genocide, and cold-blooded slaying. A feminist scrutiny of the metaphors present in the biblical tales, and how they speak both to the generations of history and to the modern era, distinguishes the meticulous tone of Having Men for Dinner; study questions to stimulate further discussion round out this excellent supplement for private, group or instructional biblical studies.
The Hidden Power of Electronic Culture
Shane Hipps
Zondervan Publishing House
5300 Patterson Avenue, S.E., Grand Rapids, MI 49530
0310262747 $18.99 www.zondervan.com
THE HIDDEN POWER OF ELECTRONIC CULTURE: HOW MEDIA SHAPES FAITH, THE GOSPEL AND CHURCH is essential reading for any believer who wants to understand how gospel is presented through media filters. From questions of the neutrality issue in media analysis to cultural opportunities the church has missed and how the church can take advantage of cultural trends, THE HIDDEN POWER OF ELECTRONIC CULTURE addresses the needs, concerns and future of a dynamic church structure.
The International Studies Shelf
Love and War in Afghanistan
Alex Klaits & Gulchin Gulmamadova-Klaits
Seven Stories Press
140 Watts Street, New York, NY 10013
158322727X $17.95 www.sevenstories.com 212-226-8760
Collected by newly wed couple Alex Klaits and Gulchin Gulmamadova-Klaits, Love and War in Afghanistan is an anthology of true stories about fourteen ordinary women and men living in northeastern Afghanistan. The tales range from narratives of feuding wives to a Ukrainian defector from the Soviet army struggling to survive, eloped lovers, and much more. An inset selection of black-and-white photographic plates illustrates this highly recommended collection of glimpses into modern-day life in Afghanistan. A portion of the proceeds from Love and War in Afghanistan will be donated to support educational programs in the nation.
China and the Taiwan Issue
Gabe T. Wang
University Press of America
4501 Forbes Boulevard, Suite 200, Lanham, MD 20706
0761834354 $34.95 www.univpress.com www.amazon.com 301-459-3366
Written by Gabe T. Wang (Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Sociology at William Paterson University), China and the Taiwan Issue: Impending War at Taiwan Strait is a critical examination of the modern political realities confronted by China, Taiwan, and the United States. The tensions between China and the independent Taiwan remain a persistent threat of instability in the region; China and the Taiwan Issue examines historical, cultural, and practical factors surrounding the issue and offers recommendations for peaceful solutions to potential conflict. Especially recommended reading for students of political science and foreign relations with China and Taiwan.
Culture, Conflict, and Mediation in the Asian Pacific
Bruce E. Barnes
University Press of America
4501 Forbes Boulevard, Suite 200, Lanham, MD 20706
0761834451 $29.00 www.univpress.com 1-800-462-6420
Written by Bruce E. Barnes (Associate Professor of Conflict Resolution at the Matsunaga Institute for Peace), Culture, Conflict, and Mediation in the Asian Pacific is an advanced study in the art, skill, and invaluable practice of negotiating solutions to problematic situations between people, businesses, and governments. Culture, Conflict, and Mediation in the Asian Pacific specifically examines what can be learned from conflict resolution scenarios seen in the nations of China, Taiwan, Singapore, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia, and Thailand, from ancient processes to newly evolving "ADR" techniques. Chapters focus upon the practices of each nation in turn, and over thirty case studies robustly illuminate the points and suggestions that can be learned for global application. An advanced reference and resource especially recommended for study and reference by aspiring and professional mediators, whether in law, social work, or other fields.
The Native American Shelf
Taos Pueblo Painted Stories
Jonathan Warm Day
Clear Light Publishing
823 Don Diego, Santa Fe, NM 87505
157416080X $16.95 1-800-253-2747 www.clearlightbooks.com
In "Taos Pueblo Painted Stories", Native American artist and Taos Pueblo resident Jonathan Warm Day draws from his childhood memories of Pueblo life in a visual presentation that follows the Taos Pueblo community through the fours seasons. The result is an impressive combination of imagery and story blended together to describe a culture of traditions and customs. "Taos Pueblo Painted Stories" is highly recommended for readers of all ages and would make a welcome, timeless, and enduringly popular addition to family, school and community library Native American collections.
Cut Nose
Loren Dean Boutin
North Star Press of St. Cloud Inc.
PO Box 451 St. Cloud, MN 56302
087839236X $14.95 www,cloudnet.com 320-558-9062
Written by Loren Dean Boutin, Cut Nose: Who Stands on a Cloud is the true story Cut Nose, a Dakotah Native American who was a primary instigator and leader in a merciless uprising against white settlers that massacred hundreds of men, women, children, and the elderly. This uprising was eventually crushed with brutal retaliation, and in retribution the native population as a whole was forcibly relocated, with numerous casualties. Cut Nose and thirty-seven others were hanged, and buried at an unknown grave site that was subsequently desecrated and robbed. Thoroughly documented, Cut Nose: Who Stands on a Cloud recounts the desperate times and broken treaty promises that helped spark the rebellion; Cut Nose's youth, marked by promiscuity and a burning desire to become a great hunter; and his adult attitude that only complete extermination of white settlers was acceptable; and the terrible uprising as well as its outcome, including the decree to hang thirty-eight alleged prisoners signed by President Abraham Lincoln. A fascinating close study of history and a recommended addition to Native American biography shelves.
Blue Stone
The Blue Stone Project
Canyon Records
3131 West Clarendon Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85017
CR-7076 $15.98 www.canyonrecords.com 1-800-268-1141
The Blue Stone Project is a Native American musical group consisting of guitarist and flutist Aaron White, guitarist/bassist Gary Rasmussen, and drummer Ed Michaels who combine their talent to create a blues-tinged, rock-oriented sound reflecting contemporary Native American life in America. Their music in this superbly crafted recording is enhanced with the inclusion on one track (Heart Beat) by the poetry and voice of John Densmore (the drummer and founding member of the Doors). Very highly recommended and entertaining listening, "Blue Stone" has a total running time of 55:51 and features the original compositions Sacred Road (3:27); What I See (4:46); Heart Beat (4:08); Worth of Man (3:46); John Doe (4:41); Edge of the Rez Part 2 (4:09); Wild Horse Stomp (3:52); Hold on to Hope and Love (3:49); Moonlight Shadows (4:31); On the Back Roads of Life (3:34); Little East (3:14); Songs of Freedom (4:30); Cross Winds (3:40); concluding with Heart Beat (4:08)
American Indian Rhetorics of Survivance
Edited by Ernest Stromberg
University of Pittsburgh Press
Eureka Building, fifth floor, 3400 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburg, PA 15260
0822959259 $24.95 www.upress.pitt.edu 412-383-2493
Edited by Ernest Stromberg (associate professor in the Department of English, Communication and Journalism at California State University), American Indian Rhetorics Survivance: Word Medicine, Word Magic is an anthology of scholarly essays by learned authors discussing the rhetorical techniques and strategies of Native Americans in general terms. From ways in which Native Americans revised and transformed Western rhetorical concepts, to critical study of groundbreaking discourse between Native Americans and European colonists, to linguistic issues affecting Native American oratory, American Indian Rhetorics of Survivance explores the nuances of multicultural speechmaking in depth. Specific communication discussed include Red Jacket's rhetoric, Leonard Peltier's prison writings, the cultural translation of the Battle of the Little Bighorn and Custer's death, and much more. A welcome addition to college library and Native American studies shelves.
The Judicial Studies Shelf
Everybody's Guide to Small Claims Court, 11th edition
Attorney Ralph Warner
Nolo Press
950 Parker Street, Berkeley, CA 94710
1413304907 $29.99 www.nolo.com
Written by Attorney Ralph Warner, Everybody's Guide to Small Claims Court is the updated eleventh edition of an absolutely indispensable guide for anyone involved as a plaintiff or defendant in a small claims court case. Chapters walk the reader through how to write a demand letter, file and serve papers, prepare evidence, secure appropriate witnesses, figure out damages, mediate a settlement, collect money after winning a case, and much more. Written expressly for lay readers, Everybody's Guide to Small Claims Court is as straightforward and easy-to-understand as a legal guide can be, and the eleventh edition now includes the most current procedures in the small claims courts in all states and Washington D.C., as well as practical advice from judges who have seen everything. An absolute "must-have" legal reference, particularly for home and business owners.
The Psychology Shelf
Imitation and the Social Mind
Edited by Sally J. Rogers & Justin H.G. Williams
Guilford Publications
72 Spring Street, New York, NY 10012
1593853114 $65.00 www.guilford.com
Edited by psychiatry experts Sally J. Rogers and Justin H.G. Williams, Imitation and the Social Mind: Autism and Typical Development is an anthology of essays by learned authors concerning the process of imitation as a building block of social development, and the interference that autism brings to the process of imitation. Essays ponder such topics as "Does Imitation Matter to Children with Autism?", "A Cognitive Neuroscience View of Imitation", "Longitudinal Research on Motor Imitation in Autism", and much more. A highly scholarly and technological collection of the latest up-to-date research, especially recommended for field scientists and professionals.
Contemporary Play Therapy
Charles E. Schaefer & Heidi Gerard Kaduson, editors
The Guilford Press
72 Spring Street, New York, NY 10012
1593853041 $38.00 www.guilford.com
Edited by Charles E. Schaefer (Professor of Psychology at Farleigh Dickinson University) and Heidi Gerard Kaduson (specialist in evaluation and intervention services for children with behavioral, emotional, and learning problems), Contemporary Play Therapy: Theory, Research, and Practice is an anthology of essays written by professionals, for professionals. Essays discuss current ideas and techniques concerning the helpful tool of play therapy, research evaluating the effectiveness of play therapy, and creative approaches for applying play therapy in situations ranging from parental divorce, maltreatment, and abuse, to surviving natural disasters and much more. A special section concerning cultural competence when treating Mexican-American children rounds out this invaluable compilation of the latest findings in the field.
Emotion Regulation in Couples and Families
Edited by Douglas K. Snyder, Jeffry A. Simpson, & Jan N. Hughes
American Psychological Association
750 First Street, NE Washington DC 20002
1591473942 $59.95 www.apa.org/books 1-800-374-2721
Edited by the team of Douglas K. Snyder (a professor and the director of clinical psychology training at Texas A&M University), Jeffry A. Simpson (a professor of psychology at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities Campus), and Jan N. Hughes (a Professor of educational psychology at Texas A&M University), Emotion Regulation in Couples and Families: Pathways to Dysfunction and Health is a collection of essays by experts in social, developmental, and clinical disciplines of psychology. Essay topics range from theoretical perspectives, such as "Emotional Intelligence and the Self-Regulation of Affect", to links between emotional regulation and dysfunction or well being, such as "Marital Discord and Children's Emotional Self-Regulation", to clinical interventions in the emotional regulation process, such as "Promoting Emotional Expression and Emotional Regulation in Couples". Each essay draws upon cutting-edge research and theory with the common goal of broadening human understanding of not only how emotional regulation works, but how to effectively use that knowledge to aid patients most in need of help. Highly recommended.
Longing For Paradise
Mario Jacoby
Inner City Books
PO Box 1271, Station Q, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M4T 2P4
1894574176 $30.00 www.amazon.com
Written by Mario Jacoby, a senior Jungian analyst based in Zurich, Longing For Paradise: Psychological Perspectives on an Archetype is a psychological treatise concerning the concept of Paradise. From the role that the idea of Paradise plays in the psychological qualities of the mother-infant bond and child development, to a close analysis of the Biblical tale of Paradise and the Fall, to links between the Jungian individuation process and the legends and myths of Paradise espoused by various cultures, Longing for Paradise deeply scrutinizes the complex interplay of human belief and thought processes. Numerous case studies offer concrete examples of the abstract mental concepts and complexes discussed in this scholarly text for any engaged in intermediate to advanced psychology studies.
The Business Shelf
The Rental Property Manager's Toolbox
Jamaine Burrell
Atlantic Publishing
1405 Sw 6th Avenue, Ocala, Fl 34474
0910627711 $29.95 www.atlantic-pub.com
The Rental Property Manager's Toolbox is a straightforward guide to avoiding problems or lawsuits and minimizing risks while smoothly running rental property. Chapters walk the reader through landlord and tenant legal rights, how to screen and manage tenants, dealing with drugs, gangs and security issues, liability concerns, security deposits, maintenance, recordkeeping, taxes and much more. An accompanying CD-ROM contains dozens of useful forms, sample contracts, letters, notices, rental applications, agreements, and checklists. A highly readable, easy-to-use, absolute "must-have" for any rental property owners, especially those who are new to the business.
Juicing The Orange
Pat Fallon & Fred Senn
Harvard Business Press
300 North Beacon Street, Watertown, MA 02472
1591399270 $26.95 www.harvardbusinessonline.com
Written by Pat Fallon (co-founder and chairman of Fallon Worldwide, a subsidiary of one of the world's largest advertising and media conglomerates) and Fred Senn (co-founder and partner with Fallon Worldwide), Juicing The Orange: How To Turn Creativity Into A Powerful Business Advantage is a no-nonsense guide to applying creativity to move the business market in one's favor. Chapters discuss tips, tricks and techniques for outpacing the commoditization of one's brand, fighting for the voice of one's brand, establishing a category advantage, overcoming branding problems, reviving a mature consumer brand that may have receded from public consciousness, marketing a network of businesses under one brand, and much more. A handful of black-and-white photographs illustrate this solid and viable selection of experienced advice, enthusiastically recommended especially for marketing students and professionals.
Risk Intelligence
David Apgar
Harvard Business Press
60 Harvard Way, Boston, MA 02163
1591399548 $29.95 www.hbspress.org
Written by David Apgar, a managing director of the Corporate Executive Board best-practices research organization which serves senior executives at over 2,500 institutions worldwide, Risk Intelligence: Learning To Manage What We Don't Know openly challenges the common presumption that risk management and related business judgments is a matter solely for technical specialists. Risk Intelligence teaches the reader how to distinguish learnable risks from random risks in business decisions, how to score one's own risk intelligence, how to conduct a solid risk strategy audit, how to build networks that can adapt dynamically to risk, and much more. Written in plain terms with clear examples, Risk Intelligence is enthusiastically recommended for business leaders seeking to sharpen their flexibility and adaptability when confronting unknown threats.
Getting to Scale
Jill Bamburg
Berrett-Koehler Publishers
235 Montgomery St. Suite 650, San Francisco CA 94104-2916
1576754162 $14.95 www.bkconnection.com
Do socially conscious, values-driven businesses have to stay small or sell out? Jill Bamburg says no: she's interviewed over thirty growth-oriented entrepreneurs to examine how issues such as ownership and control and access to capital have fostered socially responsible business practices which also foster growth. Chapters provide lessons and insights on how businesses can both have positive impacts and become bigger and more effective.
The Gaming Shelf
Cardoza Publishing
Box 1500 Cooper Station, New York NY 10276
www.cardozapub.com
Most poker guides focus on how to play – but Arnold Snyder's THE POKER TOURNAMENT FORMULA (1580422039 $19.95) is geared to the poker tournament in particular, and imparts winning new strategies based on the gambling legend author's own secrets for winning and beating tournament odds. From anticipating 'crunch time' and playing position to making rebuys and recognizing dangers, THE POKER TOURNAMENT FORMULA is a winning pick for any serious player. Lyle Berman and Marvin Karlin's I'M ALL IN: HIGH STAKES, BIG BUSINESS AND THE BIRTH OF THE WORLD POKER TOUR (1580421768, $24.95) comes from a high-stakes poker maverick and businessman and tells how he revolutionized and changed the game. His memoir covers the World Poker Tour, provides many insider's observations and tips, and pairs the story of his life in the gambling world with secrets of successful business plays. Gamblers will relish it.
The Computer Shelf
Charles River/Thomson
25 Thomson Place, Boston, MA 02210
www.charlesriver.com
Arron Ferguson's CREATING CONTENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS IN JAVA (1584504668, $49.95) offers a fast yet detailed introduction to CMS, which offers an open source for customizing a data system. Web developers and software developers – Java in particular – will find this an excellent book which moves beyond the basics into the more advanced Web programmer's world, though an understanding of XML or CSS isn't necessary to use it. Topics are geared to real-world situations and needs and thus programmers will find plenty of solid application examples here. Jamil Azher's GLOBAL OUTSOURCING WITH MICROSOFT VISUAL STUDIO 2005 TEAM SYSTEM (1584504455, $49.95) tells how to manage outsourced projects using Visual Studio 2005, which engages developers, project managers and team leads alike. GLOBAL OUTSOURCING takes it examples from the real world also: it examines typical outsource management issues, applications, and problem-solving in a fine technical overview programmers will relish. Paul Schuytema's GAME DESIGN: A PRACTICAL APPROACH (1584504714, $44.95) is for new game designers as well as serious gamers who want to create their own. From beginning concepts that build a foundation of routines and knowledge to more advanced documentation on delivery systems, application, and using enhanced shareware (included), designers will find everything needed at all levels of the process, under one cover.
O'Reilly
1005 Gravenstein Hwy N., Sebastopol, CA 95472
www.oreilly.com
Eddie Tapp's PHOTOSHOP WORKFLOW SETUPS (0596101686, $29.99) offers all the basics on how to customize Photoshop for digital photography, using its powerful features to not only manipulate photo quality, but to customize the program itself. From creating keyboard shortcuts and menus to work smarter to managing workflow with Adobe Bridge and understanding Photoshop's palettes, the emphasis on streamlining Photoshop's many options will please photographers who have seen multitudes of books on using the program, but little on how to use it more efficiently. Alex Martelli's PYTHON IN A NUTSHELL: A DESKTOP QUICK REFERENCE (0596100469, $39.99) offers Python programmers one-stop reference shopping for any quick consultation. Project details blend a quick tutorial on syntax and explanations of Python programming basics with coverage of exceptions, modules, strings and more for all Python's built-ins and key functions. A fine quick reference which should be on every Python programmer's desk. Lucas Carlson & Leonard Richardson's RUBY COOKBOOK: RECIPES FOR OBJECT-ORIENTED SCRIPTING (0596523696, $49.99) provides Ruby users with a weighty, powerful web programming guide covering both basic and advanced functions. Beginners to intermediate Ruby users receive a reference which covers everything from Rails web applications to tips on Excel spreadsheets, bulk file renames, using Bayesian filters, PDF files and much more. It comes from a professional Ruby programmer who specializes in Rails web development and a user who has created and maintained libraries in many languages, and is packed with reference insights. Steven Pritchard, et.al.'s LPI LINUX CERTIFICATION IN A NUTSHELL: A DESKTOP QUICK REFERENCE (0596005288, $59.99) appears in its second updated edition to provide Linux students with everything needed to pass the Linux Professional institute exams. From installation, management and customization to networking and troubleshooting, LPI LINUX CERTIFICATION serves two purposes: as a student's guide to key points required for certification, and as a quick desktop reference for working Linux professionals.
The Architecture Shelf
Liquid Stone
Jean-Louis Cohen & G. Martin Moeller, Jr., Eds
Princeton Architectural Press
37 East 7th Street, New York NY 10003
1568985703 $65.00 www.papress.com
LIQUID STONE: NEW ARCHITECTURE IN CONCRETE doesn't just come from architects or artists: it includes engineers and scholars alongside those working in the medium to explore the changing nature of concrete from both aesthetic and technical perspectives. Chapters use over thirty buildings by leading concrete architects as foundations for descriptions, photos and discussion. From the characteristics of space to structural links, LIQUID STONE offers plenty of insights on concrete production, design, and art.
W.W. Norton & Company, Inc.
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110
www.wwnorton.com 1-800-233-4830
Ely Jacques Kahn was a 20th century architect of commercial buildings: you'll most readily recognize his works and signature style in the city of New York – or in Jewel Stern & John A. Stuart's Ely Jacques Kahn, Architect (0393731146 $60.00), which provides a study of his work – the first to see print. Kahn's buildings are keys to understanding New York's skyline: his body of work is featured here in a pairing of black and white images with in-depth architectural and biographical notes, making this a definitive guide. Ursula L. and Martin Benad's TROMPE L'OEIL GRISAILLE, ARCHITECTURE AND DRAPERY (0393731944 $24.95) provides artists with a hands-on manual of techniques for rendering tromp l'oeil painting in grisaille and monochrome palettes, using classic works to display both black and white and color results. From architecture on facades to interiors and figurative sculpture and drapery, this handbook is a 'must' for any artist seeking inspiration.
The Art Shelf
The Indiana Dunes Revealed
James R. Dabbert, et al.
University of Illinois Press
1325 South Oak Street, Champaign, IL 61820-6975
0252073789 $29.95 www.press.uillinois.edu 1-800-545-4703
The Indian Dunes Revealed: The Art Of Frank V. Dudley is written and edited by James R. Dabbert (Senior Lecturer in English, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago) with the assistance of J. Ronald Engle (Professor of Social Ethics, Meadville Theological School of Lombard College), Joan Gibb Engel (an activist and writer on Dunes ecology), i9ndependent art historian Wendy Grennhouse , and William H. Gerdts (Professor Emeritus of Art History at the Graduate School of the City University of New York). Frank V. Dudley (1868-1957) was a native of Wisconsin who studied at the Art Institute of Chicago and eventually established a long exhibition record while dedicated more than forty years of his professional life as a landscape painter to the promotion and preservation of the Indiana Dunes – a unique geographical region enjoying state and federal protection while providing ecologists with a unique and truly 'living laboratory' for their studies. "The Indiana Dunes" is a team project that superbly showcases Dudley's life and work including 150 color reproductions of his paintings and another 70 black-and-white images. Because of the continual conflict between development and preservation over the decades, some of Dudley's paintings are the only record we have left of lost dunescapes. Also available in a hardcover edition (0252031393, $60.00), "The Indiana Dunes Revealed" is a splendid addition to academic library American Art History collections, and particularly recommended for supplemental reading lists in the areas of environmental studies and American Midwestern history.
Roman Singer
Gerhard Mack, Paula van den Bosch, Jeremy Millar
Phaidon Press
180 Varick Street, 14th floor, New York, NY 10014
0714844454, $39.95, www.phaidon.com
The collaborative work of architecture critic Gerhard Mack, Paula van den Bosch (Curator of Contemporary Art at Bonnefantunmuseum, Maastrict), and the artist, critic and curator Jeremy Millar, "Roman Singer" offers the reader an extended monograph covering the life and work of the Swiss artist and sculptor Roman Signer who is bet known for creating events in ;which simple materials such as rockets, balloons, and rushing water react with natural forces to create surprising lyrical and artistic results. The informed and informative text featuring an interview by Paula van den Bosch with Roman Signer, Gerhard Mack's discussion of the recurrent motifs and major themes in Signer's works, and a 1984 interview revealing Signer's attitude towards the danger inherit in his approach to (and involvement with) some of his projects is superbly enhanced with ninety color and 40 b/w illustrations. "Roman Singer" offers insightful reading into the man and his work, making it a welcome and important addition to personal, professional, and academic library collections of Art History, Contemporary Art & Artists, and Art Criticism.
Godard: Don't Drink & Draw
Enfantino Publishing
c/o Publisher Design Group, Inc.
PO Box 27, Roseville, Ca 95678
192917022X, PB, $34.95; 1929170238, HC, $79.95
Michael Godard is a contemporary American artist who arose from a troubled childhood to be enjoy celebrity, patronage and friendship with fans and collectors that include Chris Angel, Gloria Estafan, Cristina Applegate, Ozzy Osbourne, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jay Leno, Vince Neil, and so many others. "Godard: Don't Drink & Draw" is a biographical showcase of more than 250 original paintings and drawings, as well as numerous special projects for celebrities and rock stars. Now fans can learn how Godard was able to achieve 'rock-star-of-the-art-world' status while dealing with censorship, rejection, insult and poverty. "Godard: Don't Drink & Draw" is a 'must' for all Godard fans, as well as a welcome and highly recommended addition to academic and community library American Art History reference collections and supplemental reading lists.
Toppers and Flappers: The Art of Russell Patterson
Shane Glines and Alex Chun, editors
Fantagraphics Books
7563 Lake City Way NE, Seattle, WA 98115
156097737X $19.95 www.fantagraphics.com
Toppers and Flappers: The Art of Russell Patterson is a snazzy coffee-table artbook featuring the 1920's and 30's magazine cartoons of Russell Patterson. Most illustrations are in black-and-white; some are color reproduction of magazine covers; nearly all feature the stylish "flapper" women of the era engaged in a wide variety of poses and activities, from reading tabloids on a bus to engaging in archery for the sake of showing off medieval costumes. The text introduces the reader to the mood of the era and Patterson's life and career, but most of Toppers and Flappers is dedicated to the vivacious, cutting, sometimes slightly lewd, and always eye-catching images themselves. Highly recommended for period piece artbook collections.
Great Women Of The Bible In Art And Literature
Dorothee Soelle & Joe H. Kirchberger
Fortress Press
c/o Augsburg Fortress, Publishers
PO Box 1209, Minneapolis, MN 55440-1209
0800635574, $29.00, www.fortresspress.com
Benefitting from the professional art direction of Anne-Marie Schniper and an informative Foreword by herbert Haag, "Great Women Of The Bible In Art And Literature" by Dorothee Soelle (Professor of Theology, Union Theological Seminary, New York City) and historian Joe H. Kirchberger, offers and showcases biographical synopsis of the stories of the eleven women named in the bible, and one referred to only as the 'Woman with the Ointment', as represented in literature and art over the centuries. The women include Eve and Lilith (Adam's first wife referred to in Judaic commentaries on the Torah), Sara and Hagar, Tamar, Ruth the Moabit, Abigail, Judith, Esther, Mary and Martha, and Mary of Magdala. Enhanced with a bibliography, and a listing of literary sources, "Great Women Of The Bible In Art And Literature" offers an informed and informative text based upon biblical and non-biblical sources, along with superb paintings and visual images – perhaps the most unusual of which is a depiction of Lilith taken from a Persian amulet. A simply beautiful book from beginning to end, "Great Women Of The Bible In Art And Literature" is especially recommended for personal, church, seminary, and academic library collections – and would make an especially appropriate selection as a community library "Memorial Fund" acquisition.
Basquiat
Marc Mayer, Editor
Merrell
49 W. 24th St., 8th Flr, New York NY 10010
1858943612 $29.95 www.merrellpublishers.com
Jean-Michel Basquiat was born in 1960 in New York and never reached age 30, but his short and controversial career created a distinct and influential style in modern art and here is celebrated in BASQUIAT, a full-color display of his graffiti-inspired street art. From religious symbolism to inner city influences, BASQUIAT gathers and examines all the works of his eight-year career under one cover in a retrospective important for any modern art library collection.
The Mathematics Shelf
Math Dictionary
Eula Ewing Monroe
Boyds Mills Press
815 Church Street, Honesdale, PE 18431
1590784138 $19.95 www.boydsmillpress.com
Math Dictionary: The Easy, Simple, Fun Guide To Help Math Phobics Become Math Lovers by Eula Ewing Monroe (teaches mathematics education at Brigham Young University) is a straightforward reference to basic mathematical terms for readers of all ages and backgrounds, from junior high and high school students to adults in need of a quick refresher. From "average" (including mean, median and mode) to "partial products algorithm" to "zero-dimensional" and much more, the terms cover general arithmetic, geometry, algebra, graphing, probability, statistics, and much more. Advanced mathematical terms such as those used in calculus are not covered. Each definition is spelled out in plain terms, often with simple diagrams to illustrate, eliminating any confusion. Amusing "Did You Know?" quips spice up Math Dictionary with amusing anecdotes such as how the number "googol" (ten to the hundredth power) got its name. Enthusiastically recommended for junior high and high school libraries.
The Library Science Shelf
Outstanding Library Service to Children
Rosanne Cerny, Penny Markey, &Amanda Williams
American Library Association
50 East Huron Street, Chicago, IL 60611
0838909221 $25.00 www.alastore.ala.org 866-746-7252
Written by the team of Rosanne Cerny, Penny Markey, and Amanda Williams, all experts in children's library services, Outstanding Library Service to Children: Putting the Core Competencies to Work is a guide for librarians that delineates seven vital core competencies for successful service. The competencies discussed at length are Knowledge of Client Group, Administrative and Management Skills, Communication Skills, Materials and Collection Development, Programming Skills, Public Relations and Networking Skills, and Professionalism and Professional Development. Written for children's librarians of all experience levels from novice to seasoned, Outstanding Library Service to Children delivers distilled expertise in straightforward, no-nonsense terms with examples, suggested reading lists, and an index for quick and easy reference. An extraordinarily useful tool.
Small Change Big Problems
Herbert Snyder
American Library Association
PO Box 932501, Atlanta, GA 31193-7252
0838909213 $40.00 www.alastore.ala.org
Written by associate professor of accounting and Certified Fraud Examiner Herbert Snyder, Small Change Big Problems: Detecting and Preventing Financial Misconduct in Your Library is a no-nonsense guide is a no-nonsense discussion and practical guide to the unique fiscal vulnerability of libraries, and how to safeguard them from thieves - especially thieves who are in a position of trust. Chapters address what internal control is and why libraries need it, how to prevent fraud when making any type of change or improvement, specific types of fraud and how to uncover them, solid fraud preventative measures, and much more. An absolute "must-have" for library administrators everywhere.
The DVD Shelf
Mission: Possible
Christi Taylor
Bay View Entertainment
c/o 411 Video Information
PO Box 1223, Pebble Beach, CA 93953
TF8051 $19.99 www.bayviewent.com
"Mission: Possible" is a fifty minute, full-color, high-energy exercise DVD with professional exercise teacher Christi Taylor that begins with a twenty-minute warm-up, followed by twenty minutes of specialized and energetic routines, and concludes with a ten-minute 'cool down'. "Misson: Possible" is characterized by an innovative choreography with lively musical accompaniment that offers a thoroughly 'user friendly' multi-impact workout. The routines are easy to master and using Christi's 'MoveMaster' technique can adapt to any personal comfort level. Also very highly recommended as an addition to personal, health club, and community library exercise DVD collections is Christi Taylor's Cardio Collectibles (TF8051, $19.99), a sixty minute innovative workout which addresses specific exercise-based benefits for the cardio-vascular system.
Dance Off The Inches: Fat Burning Jam
Michelle Dozois
Anchor Bay Entertainment
1699 Stutz Drive, Troy, MI 48084
DV14640 $14.98 www.anchorbayentertainment.com 1-800-546-1949
"Dance Off The Inches: Fat Burning Jam" features dance leader Michelle Dozois and her friends moving the viewer through three different dance sequences that provide an outstanding aerobic workout exercise resulting in a leaner, slimmer shape. What's especially nice about this approach is that it allows the viewer to infuse their own style and flair into the dance-oriented exercises and get in shape while having a terrific time. With a total running time of 36 minutes, "Dance Off The Inches: Fat Burning Jam" employs a ten minute, ten-step, dance step tutorial that will enable even the most novice viewer to successfully follow along and get the most out of their 'dance along' experience. A welcome and practical addition to personal and community library physical fitness and exercise DVD collection, "Dance Off The Inches: Fat Burning Jam" demonstrates and documents that firming up and slimming down has never been so easy – or so much fun!
Get Ripped! To The Core
Jari Love
Razor Digital Entertainment
12031 Ventura Blvd., Suite #3, Studio City, CA 91406
411 Video Information
PO Box 1223, Pebble Beach, CA 93953
RD 0364 $14.99 www.razorfitness.com
"Get Ripped! To The Core" is a 66 minute full-body workout presented by certified personal fitness trainer Jari Love and offers step-by-step exercises specifically designed to burn two to three times more calories (and is a whole lot more fun!) than traditional weight training programs. Utilizing dumbbells and/or their body weight, viewers will complete nine double-duty exercises that work multiple muscles simultaneously. The result is certain to be truly transformational as fitness goals are meet and even exceeded! The DVD format allows the addition of an interview with an exercise physiologist, the demonstration of a 57 year old 'Ripped' student being tested for caloric expenditure, a metabolic chart which tests how many calories and carbs are burned in each exercise segment, and even 'bloopers' for a hearty laugh. Fun and easy-to-follow, "Get Ripped! To The Core" is a welcome and practical addition to personal and community library fitness DVD collections. Also very highly recommended to dedicated fitness aspirants is the companion DVD by Jari Love, "Get Ripped! Slim & Lean (65 minutes, $14.99).
Gospel Of Liberty
Vision Video
PO Box 540, Worcester, PA 19490-0540
#500839D $19.99 www.visionvideo.com 1-800-523-0226
Produced by Colonial Williamsburg, "Gospel Of Liberty" is a 37 minute, full color, DVD documentary about the American religious revivals of the mid-eighteenth century and appropriate for viewers ages 14 through adult. These 'Great Awakenings' roused Britain's North American colonies during the 1730s, 40s, and 50s as they took place in meeting houses and open fields, drawing in the rich and the poor, black and white, men and women with powerful messages of a personal God and Christian salvation. Eventually it was in part these religious revivals that helped to set the political stage for the overthrow of hierarchal authority and state official religions, the American Revolution, and the collapse of British Rule over the colonies. The insights of Thomas Jefferson infuse a dramatic portrayal of colonial Virginia (against the backdrop of Colonial Williamsburg) as a lesson of 'faith in freedom'. An enthusiastically recommended addition to both school and community library DVD editions, this format enhances "Gospel Of Liberty" with the inclusion of closed captioning and optional English subtitles, chapter titles for easy scene access, a PDF study guide, and two bonus features: 'Colonial Clothing 1760-1770' and 'Tour Our Town'.
Emily Dickson: A Certain Slant Of Light
Julie Harris
Monterey Media Inc.
566 St. Charles Drive, Thousand Oaks, CA 91360-3901
#313322 $24.95 www.montereymedia.com 1-800-424-2593
Emily Dickinson was a gifted poet whose work has been appreciated from the time of her contemporaries down to the present day. Her poetry is filled with passion and descriptions of places and emotions which she (seldom leaving her home in Amherst, Massachusetts) could not have experienced first hand – but which resonate with experience none the less. The answer is that Emily Dickinson was one of those rare poets who traveled through an inner world of words, dreams and ideas which she was able to convey to others through the medium of words. Starring the award-winning actress Julie Harris as the fabled poetess and directed by Jean Mudge, "Emily Dickson: A Certain Slant Of Light" faithfully recreates Emily's personality and literary genius by reciting poetry in various settings that include Amherst College, Mount Holyoke Seminary, the town cemetery next door to Emily's childhood home, and on beautiful grounds providing a commanding views from the shores of the Connecticut River. Also very highly recommended from Monterey Media for personal, academic, and community library DVD collections are other newly released productions showcasing literary classics and their authors including Estelle Parsons, Sylvia Sidney, and Paul Newman in "Come Along With Me" (#308462, $24.95); Sean Young in "Under The Biltmore Clock" (#347132, $24.95); Susan Sarandon and Christopher Walken in "#300612, $24.95); and Fred Gwynne in "Any Friend Of Nicholas Nickleby Is A Friend Of Mine" (#300602, $24.95).
Ambient Space
Vat19.com
11783 Borman Drive, St.Louis, MO 63146
Vat19 JBS $14.95 www.vat19.com 1-800-476-1991
"Ambient Space: The Best of NASA Photos, Volume 1" offers an armchair journey into the vastness of space with spectacular images of galaxies, nebulae, the Solar System, Planet Earth, early scenes of NASA, space flight, the shuttle, and the Hubble Space Telescope, as well as other exotic sights and conceptual art. With a total running time of over two hours, "Ambient Space" is an upscale, technically flawless, video slideshow in a DVD format that incorporates Vat19's 'playlist' technology allowing the viewer to control the order of scenes and even the music for each individual scene selected – or viewers can just hit 'Play All' and enjoy the show. There's even the bonus of 'Desktop Wallpapers'. As engagingly entertaining as it is educationally informative, "Ambient Space" is the first of a planted series taken from NASA archives and a welcome addition to any personal, academic, or community library DVD collection.
Family Disaster Preparedness & Terrorism Awareness
TotalSource, Inc.
c/o 411 Video Information
PO Box 1223, Pebble Beach, CA 93953
0974432512 $19.95 www.etotalsource.com
"Family Disaster Preparedness & Terrorism Awareness" is a 35 minute, full color, 2 disc DVD with a CD-Rom Disaster Preparation Kit which provides the viewer with a complete, comprehensive, accessible, methodical, step-by-step instructional guide to preparing themselves, their families, and even their pets for all manner of natural and man-made disasters. The basic message throughout is 'be aware and prepare'. Viewers will learn how to create a 'Family Disaster Supplies Kit'; devise a family communication plan; prepare and practice evacuation routes; learn when and how to 'Shelter-In-Place'; how to save pets in the even of an emergency; and become more aware of potential terrorist threats. Special features include more than one thousand pages of printable guides, checklists, and information packets. A very strongly recommended addition to family and community library DVD collections, "Family Disaster Preparedness & Terrorism Awareness" provides the non-specialist general viewer with superbly organized, presented, and in-depth information of the kind that was previously only available to police, fire, and other emergency responders.
Travel With Kids Hawai'i: The Island Of Maui & Moloka'i
The Roberts Family
Pro Active Entertainment
c/o 411 Video Information
PO Box 1223, Pebble Beach, CA 93953
DVD $14.95 www.islandtots.com
"Travel With Kids Hawai'i: The Island Of Maui & Moloka'i" is a full color, 50 minute, beautifully produced travel guide specifically designed for families with young children and staring the Roberts family as they explore the Hawaiian islands of Maui and Molok'i. Young viewers (and older viewers too, for that matter!) will learn about ancient Polynesia and how the islands were formed in the Pacific Ocean; Maui's history of whaling; the natural surrounds on the road to 'Hana and on Ka'anapali Beach. Viewers will be introduced to Hawaiian foods and sunsets, trains rides through old sugar cane plantations, the undersea life at Maui Ocean Center, a snorkel tour of Lanai, and so much more. The DVD format allows for the addition of expanded videos of family-friendly accommodations and transportation; tips and resources when traveling with kids; a trip planner with itineraries; language, crafts and recipes; even a blooper reel! Also very highly recommended are two other Pro Active Entertainment DVDs for vacationing parents: "Travel With Kids: Caribbean" and "Travel With Kids Hawaii: The Island Of Oahu".
Incredible Creatures That Defy Evolution
Exploration Films
PO Box 1069, Monument, CO 80132
EFW6045 $49.95 www.ExplorationFilms.com
"Incredible Creatures That Defy Evolution" is a three volume DVD boxed set that showcases animals featuring sophisticated and complex designs that are not explained by traditional evolutionary theory. These are animals who provide examples of what creationists have termed the 'irreducible complexity' of life challenging the concept of classic evolutionary development. "Incredible Creatures That Defy Evolution" is the result of Dr. Jobe Martin's twenty years of research and study. Dr. Martin was a traditional evolutionist whose medical and scientific training compelled him to challenge the commonly held assumptions underlying evolutionary development theory based upon his independent researches. "Incredible Creatures That Defy Evolution" is a welcome contribution to the on-going scientific debate concerning the issues of creationism, intelligent design, and the theory of evolution.
Rosemary & Thyme
Acorn Media Group
801 Roeder Road, Suite 700, Silver Spring, MD 20910
Volume 1: AMP-7672 $49.99; Volume 2: AMP-8504 $49.95 www.acornmedia.com
"Rosemary & Thyme" is a superbly crafted, richly produced, brilliantly acted, cleverly scripted series of mysteries featuring two intrepid (if unlikely) amateur female sleuths who are in the gardening and landscaping business but can't seem to avoid getting involved in murder mysteries. Laura Thyme (Pam Ferris) is a former policewoman who has been abandoned by her philandering husband for a younger woman, and Rosemary Boxer (Felicity Kendal) is a plant biologist who lost her university teaching post. Together they are Rosemary & Thyme, and their adventures are played out against gorgeous English gardens, manorial landscapes, and the often stunning floral beauty of rural Britain. Volume 1 features six episodes, while Volume 2 has eight episodes. These are classic British-style 'whodunnits' with the viewer deeply engaged with every remarkable character, plot twist, and surprise ending. The DVD format allows for the inclusion of production notes, a photo gallery, cast filmographies, – and even a trivia quiz. If a community library budget can only allow for the addition of one new DVD series – make it the enduringly popular, flawless produced, enthusiastically recommended "Rosemary & Thyme"!
The Audiobook Shelf
The Apprenticeship Of Duddy Kravitz
Mordecai Richler
BTC Audio Books
c/o Goose Lane Editions
469 King Street, Fredericton, NB, Canada, E3B 1E5
0864923635, $35.00, www.gooselane.com 1-888-926-8377
Very highly entertaining listening and a strongly recommended addition to personal and community library audiobook collections, "The Apprenticeship Of Duddy Kravitz" is the story of a clever and rather roguish young Jewish man who manages to leave Montreal's Jewish ghetto and in his pursuit of money and reputation doesn't hesitate to lie, cheat, and hurt everyone who loves him. A charismatic anti-hero, Duddly must learn the hard way that what he thought he wanted and the way he went about getting what he wanted aren't the best way to make his personal dreams come true. A work of humor and insight, this audiobook edition of "The Apprenticeship Of Duddy Kravitz" features original music and sound effects, is abridged by the author Mordecai Richler, superbly narrated by Paul Hecht, and is the impressive reproduction of an archival recording which first aired on CBC Radio in 1980.
Moon Over Morocco
ZBS Foundation
174 North River Road, Fort Edward, NJ 12828
1881137864 $55.00 www.zbs.org 1-800-662-3345
"Moon Over Morocco" sees the return of that intrepid and suave adventurer Jack Flanders as he encounters a parallel in modern day Morocco when he steps through the 'Gate of Peacocks'. As with all the 'theatre of the mind' radio adventures of Jack Flanders, listeners will enjoy a full cast of talented performers, state-of-the-art sound effects, plus music recorded on location in Morocco – all contributing to ten hours of high adventure, imaginative storytelling, and perilous mystery. For dedicated fans of these flawlessly recorded ZBS productions, "Moon Over Morocco" is a must. For those new to Jack Flanders, these extraordinary audio adventure will leave them seeking out his earlier adventures – which can be obtained from the ZBS website.
Top Girls
Caryl Churchill
L.A. Theatre Works
681 Venice Boulevard, Venice, CA 90291
1580813518 $24.95 www.latw.org 1-800-708-8863
Marlene (Amy Brenneman) has just been made Managing Director of the 'Top Girls Employment Agency' in Maggie Thatcher's anything-goes England of the high-flying 1980s. But in pursuing her professional success, Maggie doesn't really have any friends – but she is in possession of a personal past she'd just as soon forget. At a party where famous women from history collects, Maggie discovers that life above the 'glass ceiling' of the business world isn't really all that satisfying. Supported by an outstanding cast that includes Megan Austin Oberle, Kirsten Potter, Samantha Robson, Kate Steele, Concetta Tomei, and Missy Yager, this Caryl Churchill play, "Top Girls", is professionally directed by John Rubinstein and presents the listener with a truly impressive 'theatre of the mind' experience – the kind that is special to the resonating imagination and epitomizes the best of what live theatre has to offer an appreciative audience. Flawless produced and recorded, "Top Girls" is a strongly recommended addition to personal, academic, and community library audiobook and Theatrical Studies collections.
The Looming Tower
Lawrence Wright
Tantor Media, Inc.
114 Mill Rock Road East, Old Saybrook, CT 06475
140013305X $79.99 www.tantor.com 1-877-782-6867
Written by author and screenwriter Lawrence Wright (who is also a staff writer for 'The New Yorker' magazine) and professionally narrated by Alan Sklar, "The Looming Tower: Al-Qaeda And The Road To 9/11" is an informed and informative history of the events, personalities, and policies that provide insight about one of the truly formative episodes in American history – the attack by Islamic fundamentalists upon the United States on September 11, 2001. Here detailed are the people, ideas, events and intelligence failures told from both American and the Islamic viewpoints. The narrative interweaves the lives of our men: two of the leaders of al-Qaeda (Osama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri) and the FBI's counter-terrorism chief (John O'Neill) and the former head of Saudi intelligence (Prince Turki al-Faisal). Especially recommended reading for the non-specialist general American citizen wanting a sound understanding of the coordinated attacks which plunged America into a global war on Islamic fundamentalist driven terrorism, this complete and unabridged library edition (consisting of 14 CDS with a total running time of 16.5 hours) of "The Looming Tower" should be on the shelves of every academic and community library system in the country. "The Looming Tower" is also available from Tantor Media is a retail audiobook edition (1400103053, 14 CDs, $39.99) as well as an MP3 CD edition (1400153050, 2 CDs, $39.99).
Covet
Tara Moss
Bolinda Publishing, Inc.
48 Oxford Woods, Falmouth, ME 04105-3401
1740936019 $80.00 www.bolinda.com 1-888-235-2019
Eighteen months after her ordeal at the hands of the sadistic 'Stiletto Murderer', fashion model and forensic psychology student Makedde Vanderwall must confront her demons when she returns to Sydney for the trial. But just as the verdict is handed down, the unthinkable happens – the homicidal maniac escapes and Makedde is his target once again. This is the basic plot of a truly riveting suspense novel by award-winning mystery writer Tara Moss who draws upon her own expertise as a former international model to craft a well-honed romantic thriller that will engage the listeners's total attention from beginning to end. This flawlessly recorded, 9 hour 45 minute, 10 CD audiobook features the author's own narration and is an enthusiastically recommended addition for community library audiobook and mystery/suspense collections.
The Library CD Music Shelf
Marioneta
La Cumbiamba eNeYe
Chonta Records
c/o Rock Paper Scissors
PO Box 1788, Bloomington, Indiana 47402-1788
www.chontarecords.com www.rockpaperscissors.biz www.amazon.com
Marioneta is the musical creation of La Cumbiamba eNeYe, a group dedicated to discovering and transforming Afro-Columbian music. African-influenced rhythms by way of Cuba and Brazil blend with traditional Columbian flute playing in this exciting celebration of musical culture, history, and invention. Taking its name after Columbia's northwest coast, La Cumbiamba eNeYe delights the ear with vibrant music celebrating life and happiness. The tracks are Andando Vengo, El Camaron, Marioneta, Voz de Nicolas Hernandez, Pachanga, Chicharron Peluo, Fiestas de mi Tierra, No Lo Mates, El Indio, Marimbita 'e Chonta, Sapo (Tungala), Descaderada, Encarnacion, Maridita, and Manuelito Barrios.
Collectables Records Corporation
PO Box 35, Narberth, PA 19072-0035
www.oldies.com 1-800-446-6426
Collectables Records is a premier source for 'yesteryear' music in the country, jazz, pop, rock, and big band genres. Offering the original performers and bands in an inexpensive CD format, Collectables Records enables anyone to build up an impressive and extensive library of their own favorite singers, musicians, and groups. Among the latest additions to the Collectables Records rooster are "Horace Heidt & His Brigadiers Introducing The King Sisters 1937-1938" (Col-CD-7542) featuring twenty-two class numbers that range from Hot Lips to This May Be The Night. Flavor's "Sally Had A Party"(COL-CD-7648), a collection of twenty-one singles that include Dancing In The Street and Shop Around. "Venus" (COL-CD-9996) that showcases ten tunes by Bananarama that include Tripping On Your Love and The Wild Life. "Country Classics" offers ten unforgettable numbers by Highway 101 that range from Whiskey, If You Were A Woman, to Somewhere Between Gone And Goodbye". For these and literally hundreds of other outstanding, flawless recorded and remastered CD releases, dedicated music enthusiasts and community librarians seeking to enhance their CD music collections at economical bargain prices are encouraged to visit and browse the Collectables Records website at www.oldies.com
Possible Dreams
Elise Lebec
Lebec Entertainment Ltd.
c/o The Creative Service Company
4360 Emerald Drive, Colorado Springs, CO 80918
LECD 41324 $6.50 1-888-866-5252 www.amazon.com www.eliselebec.com
Her third and very highly recommended CD album, "Possible Dreams" showcases fourteen original compositions by Elise Lebec who took her inspiration from nature, love, and an optimistic hope for the future. Superbly performing her solo piano pieces for the edification (and even inspiration) of her listeners, Elise's flawlessly artistic performances showcase elegantly produced pieces that include Before Awakening (5:47); Behold (3:14); The First Time (7:05); Meeting You Again (3:44); Letter From Elise (2:39); A Drive Through Sunflowers (3:46); Colors Of The Heart (4:04); Imaginary Kisses (4:33); Remember When... (4:05); Dark Before Light (3:53); Beyond Desire (4:13); Moonlight Dance (4:58); A Cloudless Sky (4:57); and the title number, Possible Dreams (4:00).
Winter Tidings
Al Petteway & Amy White
Maggie's Music
PO Box 490, Shady Side, MD 20764
MM234 $15.98 www.maggiesmusic.com
The musical team of All Petteway and Amy White are known and appreciated for their blends of contemporary, Celtic-influenced, original and traditional instrumental music employing acoustic guitars, the mandolin, the piano, Irish bouzouki, and incredible beautiful vocals. "Winter Tidings" is a CD collection providing their musical tributes to winter in the Southern Appalachian mountain country and includes Breakin' Up (4:09); Joy to the World/The Gift (4:34); The Holly and the Ivy (4:11); Bring a Torch Jeannete Isabella (3:05); People Look East (3:22); Cherry Tree Carol (5:05); Into the Light (5:15); Roving on a Winter's Night (5:27); Aerial (3:44); Gabriel's Message/I Wonder as I Wander (4:57); A New Year's Carol/Sussex Carol/Tomorrow Will Be My Dancing Day (4:59); Christ Child's Lullaby (4:10); and Star in the East/Born in Bethany (3:30). "Winter Tidings" is a wonderfully performed and enthusiastically recommended addition to personal and community library Christmas Season CD music collections.
The Sports Shelf
Barrel Racing 101
Marlene McRae
Lyons Press
The Lyons Press
246 Goose Lane, Guilford, CT 06437
1592287964 $22.95 www.lyonspress.com 1-800-836-0510
Barrel racing is one of the equestrian sports which lends to an exciting competition both for spectator and competitor, but few books cover barrel racing. Instructor and champion racer Marlene McRae has developed an entire program for the barrel racer and shares her arena tips for this audience; from selecting a champion barrel-racing horse to using equipment, beginning barrel racing patterns, and competing. A 'must' for all equestrian sports enthusiasts, Barrel Racing 101is as entertaining as it is informative and highly recommended for school and community library Sports & Athletics collections.
Ascent
Richard Yates
Van der Plas Publications
1282 7th Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94122
189249552X, $29.95, www.cyclepublishing.com 1-877-353-1207
The 'Tour de France' is an historic annual bicycling contest across the French countryside and through French communities that began in 1903 and in recent years (thanks in large part to Lance Armstrong) has become of great interest in America. In "Ascent: The Mountains Of The Tour De France", British cycling author and 'Tour de France' expert Richard Yates has written a history of this remarkable bicycle race with all its drama and competitive excitement in the mountain country expanses of the race course. Profusely illustrated with 150 duotone photographs and other historical illustrations, this superbly written and knowledgeably presented 160-page history is a 'must read' for all dedicated bicyclists and Tour de France enthusiasts, as well as a strongly recommended addition to community library Sports & Athletics collections.
Eric Bischoff: Controversy Creates Cash
Eric Bischoff with Jeremy Roberts
World Wrestling Entertainment
c/o Pocket Books
1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020
141652729X $26.00 www.simonsays.com, www.wwe.com
Eric Bischoff: Controversy Creates Cash takes a look at the life and career of easily the most controversial man in the professional wrestling industry. Bischoff doesn't dwell much on his personal life, knowing his audience will pick up this book for another side of the story. And that's exactly what Bischoff intends and does deliver. He offers his side of the story, opposing commonly accepted 'insider' info about himself and his various controversial business decisions such as firing the biggest star in the industry in the 1990s (Steve Austin), and why World Championship Wrestling was doomed no matter what he or anyone else did. Insights you cannot miss if you consider yourself a historian or hardcore fan of professional wrestling.
The Cookbook Shelf
Best Of The Best From Iowa Cookbook
Gwen McKee & Barabara Moseley, editors
Quail Ridge Press
PO Box 123, Brandon, MS 39043
www.quailridge.com
0937552828 $16.95 1-800-343-1283
Best Of The Best From Iowa Cookbook: Selected Recipes From Iowa's Favorite Cookbooks is a spiral-bound collection of approximately 400 crowd-pleasing recipes chosen for their long-lasting appeal among Iowans. From Peach Pudding Coffee Cakes to Velvety Almond Cream Soup and much more, these sumptuous delicacies are sure to please one's palate with their down-home style. A note next to each of the recipes tells which classic cookbook it was originally from. Recommended for anyone intrigued by a taste of the "land between two rivers".
Everyone Can Cook Appetizers
Eric Akis
Whitecap Books, Ltd.
351 Lynn Avenue, North Vancouver, BC, Canada, V7J 2C4
155285793X $22.95 www.whitecap.ca 1-888-980-9852
Occasionally illustrated with full color photography showcasing completed recipes, Eric Akis (culinary expert, food writer for the Victoria 'Times Colonist' and formerly a professional chef for fifteen years) draws upon his considerable expertise and experience to compile the recipes and preparation instructions for more than one hundred superbly conceived appetizers in "Everyone Can Cook Appetizers". From Green Peppercorn Pate Canapes with Orange Liqueur; Mini Shrimp Cakes with Chili Cumin Mayo; Fennel, Pepper and Sesame Flatbread; and Corn-Crusted Chicken Strips with honey Mustard Sauce; to Savoury Asian-Style Vegetarian Pancakes; Curry-Spiced Lamb Chops with Mint Yogurt; Lemmon and Sweet Pepper Clams; and Chocolate Truffle-Stuffed Dates with Mango Sauce, "Every Can Cook Appetizers" is an ideal and enthusiastically recommended addition to any kitchen cookbook collection and will enable even the most novice cook to provide appetizers that would be on par with anything served in even the finest restaurants by professional chefs!
Chicken Soup For The Soul: Recipes For Busy Moms
Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, 'Mr. Food'
Health Communications, Inc.
3201 S.W. 15th Street, Deerfield Beach, FL 33442-8190
0757304044 $19.95 1-800-441-5569
Especially compiled for kitchen cooks who are pressed for time but still want to prepare family meals that are tasty and nutritious, snacks their kids won't trade with other kids during school lunch periods, side dishes that aren't just popped out of a can or heated up from a frozen foods box, want their kids to kid involved and help out with meal planning and kitchen cooking, and even prepare 'guest worth' dishes for special occasions but without the necessity of elaborate ingredients or extended cooking instructions, "Chicken Soup For The Soul: Recipes For Busy Moms" offers a culinary wealth of simple but delicious recipes suitable for any and all occasions. Enhanced with real-live stories illustrating the importance of sharing time with loved ones, building family traditions, and hints for stretching food budgets and utilizing left overs, "Chicken Soup For The Soul: Recipes For Busy Moms" showcases easy-to-make recipes that range from Mexican Tortilla Soup; to Cinnamon-Sugar Pretzels; to Restaurant-Style Shrimp Scampi; to Vegetable Stir-Fry. Profusely illustrated with full color images of finished dishes, "Chicken Soup For The Soul: Recipes For Busy Moms" is a welcome, popular, and strongly recommended addition to personal and community library cookbook collections.
Matt Braun's Western Cooking
Matt Braun
Caxton Press
312 Main Street, Caldwell, ID 83605-3299
0870043749 $17.95 www.caxtonpress.com 1-800-657-6465
Known and respected for his western novels, Matt Braun is also a master of America's western frontier cuisine and documents his expertise with more than a hundred wonderfully flavorful recipes that showcase the hearty flavors, culinary traditions, and special lore of cooking and dining in the American West. Complete lists of ingredients are followed by methodical preparation instructions and an estimate of serving amounts. A popular and 'user friendly' addition to any kitchen cookbook collection, this spiral bound compilation of recipes ranges from Ranch-Fried Potatoes; Sourdough Biscuits; and Spicy Barbecue Sauce; to Enchiladas de Carne; Fried Rabbit; and Spotted Pup Pudding. If you only have room on your kitchen shelf for one more specialty cookbook, then you couldn't do better than "Matt Braun's Western Cooking".
Up A Country Lane
Evelyn Birkby
University of Iowa Press
119 West Park Road, Iowa City, IA 52242-1000
0877457433 $18.95 www.uiowa.edu/uiowapress 1-800-621-2736
"Up A Country Lane" by wife, mother, homemaker, newspaper columnist, author, and one-time radio personality Evelyn Birkby is more than just another country cookbook. It is a compendium of anecdotal stories of friends and family, useful household tips, tales of rural farm life in Mill Creek Valley, Iowa during the 1940s and 50s, and Evelyn's own philosophy – all liberally sprinkled with recipes for the kinds of dishes so familiar to Midwestern American farm wives ranging from Stockyard Stew; Shepherd's Pie; and Pudding Mix Sweet Rolls; to Fried Apples; Tuna Crunch Salad; and Snickerdoodles. Highly recommended and rewarding reading, "Up A Country Lane" is as entertaining and thoughtful as it is homespun and 'kitchen cook friend'.
Wilderness Cuisine
Carole Latimer
Wilderness Press
1200 5th Street, Berkeley, CA 94710
0899971148 $13.95 www.wildernesspress.com
Author Carole Latimer shares her twelve years of experience cooking for clients on wilderness trips in Wilderness Cuisine, a cookbook that proves enjoying the backcountry outdoors doesn't require giving up delectable gourmet food! Chapters address how to pack food and keep it fresh, how to equip a wilderness kitchen, how to set up camp and cook with minimal repercussions to the environment, how to keep food safe from animals, and much more. A wealth of wilderness-friendly recipies from Camper's Classic Jerky Marinade to Pear Torte, Corn Oatcakes, French Onion Soup Base and much more round out this superb "how-to" manual for outdoorsmen and women with a refined palate.
The Culinary Institute Of America One Dish Meals
Lynne Gigliotti
Lebhar-Friedman
Lisa Ekus Public Relations (publicity)
425 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10022
0867309083, $35.00, www.lfbooks.com
Compiled, edited and organized by Lynn Gigliotti (a lecturing instructor in Culinary Arts at The Culinary Institute of America), "The Culinary Institute Of America One Dish Meals: Flavorful Single-Dish Meals From The World's Premier Culinary College" offers the kitchen chef an impressive collection of recipes for upscale cuisines that would grace any dining occasion from informal family meals to ultra-formal celebratory or business dinners. Enhanced with full color photographs of finished dishes, this cornucopia of more than 150 kitchen-tested, "kitchen cook friendly", step-by-step, single-dish recipes range from Chicken Vegetable Soup Azteca; Green Chile and Pork Stew with Potatoes; and Braised Lamb Shanks; to Vegetarian Moussaka; Fried Rice with Chinese Sausage; and Barbecued Chicken Pizza. "The Culinary Institute Of America One Dish Meals" is an elegant and enthusiastically recommended addition to personal, professional, and community library cookbook collections!
As Fresh As It Gets
Christian Gaudreault and Star Spilos
Arsenal Pulp Press
341 Water Street, Suite 200, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6B 1BB
1551521997 $21.95 www.arsenalpulp.com
Christian Gaudreault and Star Spilos, owners Vancouver's award-winning Tomato Fresh Food Cafe, present As Fresh As It Gets: Everyday Recipes from the Tomato Fresh Food Cafe, a cookbook emphasizing recipes that can easily be made with ingredients available anywhere. From Heirloom Tomato Salad to Rigatoni with Chorizo, Brussel Sprouts with Chili Orange Maple Butter, Chocolate Mint & Pistachio Pesto, and much more, these delicious recipes balance succulent natural flavor and healthful living. Tomatoes are prominently featured of course, but As Fresh As It Gets is far from a mono-food themed cookbook; the available courses to delight the palate are sure to please homestyle chefs of all backgrounds, palates, and experience levels. Highly recommended.
The Lebanese Kitchen
Monique Bassila Zaarour
Interlink Publishing Group
46 Crosby Street, Northampton, MA 01060-1804
1566566428, $26.95, www.interlinkbooks.com
"The Lebanese Kitchen: Quick & Healthy Recipes" showcases recipes drawn from the Lebanese culinary heritage of food writer, nutritionist, and healthy eating expert Monique Bassila Zaarour. Enhanced with full-color photographs of each finished dish, the mouth-watering, palate-pleasing, body-healthy, instructive recipes range from Toasted Pine Nuts; Potato and Egg Salad; Moussaka; Artichoke Stew; and Stuffed Zucchini; to Shepherd's Pie; Chicken and Cilantro; Moughrabieh (chicken with pea-shaped dough); and Baked Fish Fillet. "The Lebanese Kitchen" is particularly recommended for ethnic cookbook collections in particular, and would make a welcome and much appreciated addition to personal, family, and community library cookbook collections in general.
The Good Home Cookbook
Richard J. Perry, editor
Collectors Press, Inc.
PO Box 230986, Portland, OR 97281
1933112255, $29.95, www.collectorspress.com 1-800-423-1848
Compiled and edited by classically trained chef Richard J. Perry, "The Good Home Cookbook" is a truly impressive compendium of more than one thousand traditional American recipes showcasing the very best of classic American cuisine drawn from cooks and chefs in all fifty states and reflecting the food and beverage culinary traditions of every region of the country. From Seafood Newburg; Apple-Stuffed Pork Crown Roast; Beer Brats; and Butternut Squash Casserole; to Hot Cross Buns; White Layer Cake; Cheese Bread; and Pina Colada, "The Good Home Cookbook" will prove to be the cornerstone volume of any family cookbook collection. Especially recommended for novice cooks and with much to commend it to even the more experienced family chef, each showcased recipe comes with a brief description, a list of ingredients, clear and easy instructions, and estimated servings. If you only have room, time, or money enough for one more family cookbook, you'd be best advised to make it "The Good Home Cookbook"!
Food Made Fast: Weeknight
Williams-Sonoma/Oxmoor House
Sunset Publishing Corporation
80 Willow Road, Menlo Park, CA 94025-3691
0848731379, $17.95, www.sunset.com 1-800-643-8030
Featuring a compilation of recipes by Melanie Barnard and superbly illustrated with the color photography of Tucker & Hossler, "Food Made Fast: Weeknight" a combination of quick and easy, 20-minute preparation time meals for busy nights, and delicious 30-minute 'start-to-finish' recipes for anytime that time is of the essence. Also included are simple but elegant recipes for making large batches of those dishes that can not only provide an immediate dinner, but serve as the foundation for two or three future meals as well. From Tandoori-Style Halibut; Lemongrass Chicken and Asparagus; Chimichurri Steak; and Sausages with White Beans; to Cuban Beef Picadillo; Moroccan Lamb Burgers; Herbed Spinach Frittata with Feta; and Italian Seafood Stew, "Food Made Fast: Weeknight"truly lives up to its title and would make an welcome addition to any kitchen cookbook collection. Also very highly recommended for time-stressed kitchen cooks are the other outstanding titles in the Williams-Sonoma 'Food Made Fast' cookbook series from Oxmoor House: "Slow Cooker"; "Baking"; Pasta"; and "Soup".
The Jobs/Careers Shelf
Public Health
Bernard J. Turnock M.D., MPH
Jones and Bartlett Publishers
40 Tall Pine Drive, Sunbury, MA 01776
0763737909 $39.95 www.jbpub.com
Written by medical doctor Bernard J. Turnock, Public Health: Career Choices That Make a Difference is a career guide written especially for anyone considering work in the field of public health. Chapters describe the requirements and expectations of those who pursue a career in nursing, epidemology and disease control, public health education, or other similar choices. From describing the typical day of a given public health worker, to meticulously listing the expected knowledge and skills, to practical advice for being successful in the requisite training, Public Health is an indispensable resource for anyone seeking to devote themselves to serving and protecting the health needs of the people at large.
The Training Design Manual
Tony Bray
Kogan Page LTD
525 South 4th Street, #241, Philadelphia, PA 19147
074944570X $45.00 www.kogan-page.co.uk
Written by training course and workshop designer Tony Bray, The Training Design Manual: The Complete Practical Guide To Creating Effective and Successful Training Programmes is a solid, user-friendly manual offering both theoretical guidance and practical exercises to aid the reader in designing a successful training course for any field, business, or endeavor. Chapters address the importance of analysis for successful formal learning, the STAR design model, the impact of different learning styles, how to create effective course materials, how and when to use audio, visual aids, and e-learning, staging a successful pilot course before going live, and much more. Numerous helpful diagrams, recommended learning activities to stage, and an accompanying CD-ROM filled with templates and source materials round out this all-purpose tool for putting together an effective training workshop. Highly recommended.
Top 100 Health-Care Careers
Dr. Saul Wischnitzer & Edith Wischnitzer
Jist Works
8902 Otis Avenue, Indianapolis, IN 46216-1033
159357178X $24.95 www.jist.com
Written by Dr. Saul Wischnitzer & Edith Wischnitzer, Top 100 Health-Care Careers: Your Complete Guidebook to Training and Jobs in Allied Health, Nursing, Medicine, and More is the updated second edition of a thorough, easy-to-use handbook for selecting a health care career best suited to one's interests, training, and aptitude. Listing training requirements, salary ranges, advancement opportunities, certification and license procedures, and much more for each of the 100 health care careers featured, Top 100 Health-Care Careers gets the reader started with extensive contact information for institutions that can provide training, along with details on admissions tests and obtaining financial aid, and solid advice for choosing the right path for one's future in the field. An up-to-date resource and a "must-have" for anyone planning their future in health care.
The Sociology Shelf
Community Media
Ellie Rennie
The Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group
4501 Forbes Blvd., Suite 200, Lanham, MD 20706
0742539253 $24.95 www.rowmanlittlefield.com
Written by Ellie Rennie (research fellow at the Institute for Social Research, Swinburne University of Technology), Community Media: A Global Introduction is a guide to community media theory, revealing how local media can challenge the mainstream and encourage communities to engage in greater participation and social change. A highly scholarly book drawing upon worldwide examples of digital broadcasting, community broadcasting (both legitimate and pirated), the interplay between community and network society, and much more. Community Media is a lynchpin to better understanding improved societal communications in the twenty-first century, and is a welcome addition to college library sociology shelves and media studies reference texts.
The Gardening Shelf
Essential Plant Pathology
Gail L. Schumann & Cleora J. D'Arcy
APS Press
3340 Pilot Knob Road, St. Paul, MN 55121-2097
0890543429 $79.95 www.shopapspress.org 1-800-328-7560
The collaborative effort of plant pathology experts and academicians Gail Schuman (Marquette University, Milwaukee, Wisconsin) and Cleora D'Arcy (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign), Essential Plant Pathology is a thoroughly 'student friendly' introduction to plant diseases, their diagnoses, prevention, and treatment. After an informative preface explaining why the study of plant pathology is important and how to use both this introductory textbook and its accompanying CD-Rom, the first chapter provides and explanation of how plant diseases are diagnosed, the 'plant disease triangle', how to determine the cause of a specific disease, what 'biotrophs' and necrotrophs are, disease cycles and they can be utilized. Specific chapters then go on to address plant diseases caused by fungi, bacteria, nematodes, viruses, parasitic flowering plants, abiotic factors, pathogens, how people influence plant disease epidemics, the prevention or management of plant disease epidemics, and more. Enhanced with appendices on 'Disease Classics', 'Example Diseases', and 'Rapid Assays for Pathogens', along with 'Figure Credits' and a comprehensive Index, "Essential plant Pathology" is a core addition to academic library Agricultural Studies collections and an especially appropriate acquisition for community libraries for their patrons with an interest in gardening, landscaping, and general horticulture.
Treasures Of The Conservatory Of Flowers
Nina Sazevich & Kevin J. Frest
Heyday Books
PO Box 9145, Berkeley, CA 94709
1597140317 $8.95 www.heydaybooks.com 1-510-549-3564
Nina Sazevich's informative text is beautifully enhanced with the full color photography of Kevin J. Rest in "Treasures Of The Conservatory Of Flowers", a showcase compilation of diverse flowering plants carefully cultivated at San Francisco's Conservatory of Flowers. This is the oldest surviving municipal wood and glass greenhouse in the United States having been founded in 1879. "Treasures Of The Conservatory Of Flowers" is nicely organized into four sections: lowland tropics; highland tropics; acquatic plants; and potted plants. Each entry reveals details on that particular flower and taken altogether represents a kind of descriptive tour of the Conservatory's main sections. Of special note is an illustration of the overall structure of this enduring and impressive example of Victorian architecture. "Treasures Of The Conservatory Of Flowers" is an excellent and recommended addition to personal, professional, and academic Gardening Studies and Floral Studies reference collection.
Lessons in Nature
Malcolm Beck
Acres USA
PO Box 91299, Austin, TX 78709-1299
0911311807 $25.00 www.acresusa.com
Lifelong organic farmer Malcolm Beck presents Lessons in Nature: 50 Years of Organic Advice from the Southwest's Foremost Composter, Gardener, Farmer, now in a new and expanded edition. Lessons in Nature walks the reader through the numerous details, tips, tricks, and techniques to pursuing successful organic gardening. Chapters address everything from organic insecticides to tree and lawn care, fertilization, organic weed control, how to rejuvenate a worn-out farm, and much more. A valuable "how-to" guide for hobbyist gardeners and serious organic farmers alike, illustrated with black-and-white photographs, Lessons in Nature enthusiastically recommended for its firsthand wisdom.
Teaming with Microbes
Jeff Lowenfels & Wayne Lewis
Timber Press Inc
133 S.W. Second Avenue, Suite 450, Portland, OR 97204-3527
0881927775 $24.95 www.timberpress.com/media
Written by lifelong gardeners Jeff Lowenfels and Wayne Lewis, Teaming With Microbes: A Gardener's guide to the Soil Food Web is a guide to using natural means to enrich the nutrients in soil and therefore the plants that grow in it, such as compost, mulches, and compost teas, rather than harshly toxic artificial fertilizers that destroy the very microbes that sustain healthy plants, therefore making plants increasingly dependent artificial nourishment. Color photographs illustrate the highly educational and practical text, which is divided into two parts. Part one is filled with information about the soil-food web from bacteria, fungi, algae, and protozoa to earthworms, gastropods, and mammals; part two describes in detail how to apply the soil-food web effectively in one's gardening, with the note that no one ever had to fertilize an old-growth forest. Enthusiastically recommended for gardeners of all skill and experience levels, as well as students and professionals in the fields of horticulture and agriculture.
The Buddhist Studies Shelf
Buddhism in World Cultures: Comparative Perspectives
Stephen C. Berkwitz, Editor
ABC-CLIO
Box 1911, Santa Barbara, CA 93116-1911
1851097821 $85.00 www.abc-clio.com
Joining others in the 'Religion in Contemporary Cultures' set is a survey of Buddhist belief in cultures around the world, offering fascinating comparisons in how Buddhism is perceived and recognized differently around the world. Both high school and college-level readers will enjoy a discussion that surveys how local cultures change religion, with different stages of adaptation and practice contrasted throughout. Buddhism in World Cultures: Comparative Perspectives is very highly recommended as a welcome and informative addition to academic and community library Buddhist Studies reference collections.
The Chan Handbook
Venerable Master Hsuan Hua
Dharma Realm Buddhist Association
c/o 3106 Crescent Avenue, Unit 7, Marina, CA 93933
0881399515 $6.95 www.amazon.com
The Chan Handbook condenses the essential principles of chan meditation as taught by the late Tripitika Master Hsuan Hua, former instructor at the Nan Hua Monastery in Canton, China, into straightforward quotes of the Master's words taken from a 40-year period during the course of his life. Pages relate in plain terms accessible to lay readers the benefits of meditation, how to meditate, the states of meditation, how to reach nirvana, and more. Subdivided sections of The Chan Handbook are only a few paragraphs or pages long, each clarifying a core principle such as "Only quiet contemplation can initiate Chan", "Concentrate on a single meditation topic", or "Enlightenment must be certified before it counts". An excellent introduction to the concept of chan meditation, preserving the wisdom of a teacher for those who never had the opportunity to learn from him directly.
Images of Enlightenment: Tibetan Art in Practice
Jonathan Landaw and Andy Weber
Snow Lion
PO Box 6483, Ithaca, NY 14850
1559392584 $24.95 www.SnowLionPub.com
Written by experts who spent years living in India to study Tibetan Buddhism and its art, Images of Enlightenment: Tibetan Art in Practice is a straightforward, plain-terms guide to the rich history, legends, and spirituality expressed through Tibetan Buddhist sacred art. 32 full-color plates illustrate Images of Enlightenment, while the text describes the symbolic self-transformation and expressions of enlightenment depicted. Chapters survey different paths and aspects of Buddhism as expressed through art, including the Bodhisattva Path, and the Path of Bliss and Emptiness. Images of Enlightenment is especially recommended for students, scholars, and practitioners of Tibetan Buddhism.
The Philosophy Shelf
Thus Spoke Zarathustra
Friedrich Nietzsche, author; Adrian Del Caro, translator
Adrian Del Caro and Robert Pippin, editors
Cambridge University Press
32 Avenue of Americas, New York, NY 10013
0521602610 $17.99 www.cambridge.org
Part of the Cambridge Texts in the History of Philosophy series, Thus Spoke Zarathustra is a specially commissioned English translation of what the renowned philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche considered to be his most important work. Framed in the context of the story of the wandering Zarathustra, Thus Spoke Zarathustra applies homilies, parables, epigrams, and dreams to present philosophical doctrines. Written in a bullet-by-bullet style of short paragraphs and brief lines of dialogue, Thus Spoke Zarathustra solidly conveys Nietzsche's views of nihilism, theology, the role of compassion, and other complex subjects. An index rounds out this superb primary source of classic philosophical discussion and frame of reference. Highly recommended especially for philosophy and college library reference shelves.
The Needlecraft Shelf
Martingale & Company
20205 – 144th Ave. NE, Woodinville, WA 98072-8478
www.martingale-pub.com
Bonnie A. Franz's DOUBLE EXPOSURE: KNIT IT BASIC, KNIT IT BOLD (1564776417, $27.95) teaches how to knit up an entire wardrobe using new show-stopping yarns for accents. Both vivid colors and more subdued hues can be brought to life with a blend of different textures and details: knitters with some prior experience who want to take the next step will find this perfect. Rachel W.N. Brown's ADORATION QUILTS: APPLIQUE NATIVITY PROJECTS (1564776700, $24.95) uses Christmas and the story of the Nativity as a theme, offering projects which blend Nativity themes into quilts. Table settings, fireplace mantle decorations, and more. A top pick for holiday decorators handy with the needle.
Applique Lace Patterns
Linda Pool
American Quilter's Society
Box 3290, Paducah, KY 42002-3290
1574329081 $24.95 www.aqsquilt.com
Linda Pool's applique creations are renowned in quilting circles, and you can duplicate her techniques using APPLIQUE LACE PATTERNS, an easy collection of patterns worked for only two pieces of fabric, scissors, and a needle. Blocks can be made for quilt projects from a lovely book packed with both patterns and color details.
C&T Publishing
Box 1456, Lafayette, CA 94549
www.ctpub.com
Shannon Mullen's MAKE IT YOU: SEW HIP (9781571203724, $21.95) comes with a dvd which illustrates the basics of the book's easy step-by-step instructions and unique projects. From a vivid designer belt to a slouched shoulder bag, projects are designed with young people in mind, encourage innovation and bright colors, and provide a diverse range of easy projects for home or person. BEAUTIFUL BEADED EMBROIDERY (9781571204066, $27.95) tells beaders with some experience how to make the next step in beading, creating professional-quality heirloom-style projects from slippers and sweaters to holiday decorations for the home. Seventeen patterns – full-sized – are accompanied by clear step-by-step direction in full color. The variety of projects is appealing and unique. Amy Barickman's THE VINTAGE WORKSHOP: ART-TO-WEAR (9781571203885, $29.95) tells how to use image transfer techniques to best advantage, adding images to fabric projects ranging from jackets and jeans to purses and totes. You can also customize the 40 original projects here: directions tell how. All are excellent recommendations.
The Poetry Shelf
Chaotic Angels
Gwyneth Lewis
Bloodaxe Books Ltd./Dufour Editions Inc.
PO Box 7, Chester Springs, PA 19425
1852247231 $24.95 610-458-5005
Written by Gwyneth Lewis (made National Poet of Wales in 2005), Chaotic Angels is a free-verse anthology of sharply honest and creative poems collected from her three English collections, "Parables & Faxes" (1995), "Zero Gravity" (1998) and "Keeping Mum" (2003). A diverse spread of ultimately human topics, from the disillusionment of a decaying marriage to a prayer for a deceased canine companion to the visceral appearance of a panic attack. A fresh experience on every page. "Drought": It needs torching, all that boring moor / above the village. I planted seeds / in several places till the spindly gorse // bore crimson flowers all around its own / in yellow, then collapsed in black. / Borders I planted with exotic blooms // then I watched as arson laid a smoky lawn / as far as the tree line. Beneath its grass / grew a snowdrop season of broken glass.
Teahouse of the Almighty
Patricia Smith
Coffee House Press
27 North 4th Street, Suite 400, Minneapolis, MN 55401
1566891930 $15.00 www.cofeehousepress.org 1-800-283-3572
Four-time poetry slam champion Patricia Smith presents Teahouse of the Almighty, an anthology of dynamic, free-verse poetry that sublimely captures the thrills and dilemmas of the human experience. From the sad denouement of the end of a marriage, to the numb shock surrounding a mother of soldiers losing her loved ones to war, to a visualization of Dexter King meeting James Earl Ray, each poem conceptualizes amorphous instants into heavy, tangible feeling. "Down 4 the Up Stroke": But you have poetry, you say. / And if you can tell me what poetry is, / where the line is drawn / between the beauty and the breathing / of breath into something to make it beautiful, / I will claim poetry as my own.
Hitch
Matthew Holmes
Harbour Publishing
PO Box 219, Madeira Park, BC VON 2H0
088971214X $16.95 www.nightwoodeditions.com
Hitch is an anthology of poetry by Matthew Holmes, publisher of the zine "Modomnoc." Featuring both free-verse stanzas on a wide variety of subjects and a handful of stream-of-consciousness introspections upon universal laws, Hitch ties together rhythm, nuance and precision with the exquisite accuracy of a sailor's knot. At times mournful and introspective, at times bold and outspoken, Hitch flows with original talent in its interfolding of concept, description, and verbal patterns. "The Reliquaries of Trees": The reliquaries of trees / are sapling bone chainlink suspended, / lawn stump rooting pipe dry, / avenues tuning-forked to power lines, / patchwork arcanum of mountainside / (when seen from above) / and the sawdust cenotaphs of lumberyards- // where the woods mob in unruly, / try to see past the wind's shoulders / to where the kill site was, / crowd at the edge of roads laid to tell them / there's nothing to see here, nothing to see, / rub rooftops for a blessing pray, / and queue for the time of their own haunting.
Selected Poetry and Drama
Lea Goldberg, author
Rachel Tzvia Back & T. Carmi, translators
The Toby Press LLC
PO Box 8531, New Milford, CT 06776-8531
1592641113 $14.95 www.tobypress.com
Written by Lea Goldberg (1911-1970), establisher of the Hebrew University's Department of Comparative Literature and recipient of the Israel Prize, Selected Poetry and Drama presents Rachel Tzvia Back's fresh translation of a broad cross-section of Goldberg's poetry, as well as T. Carmi's classic translation of Goldberg's only theatrical play, "Lady of the Castle". Goldberg's sharply honest and insightful verse strips away all illusions masking the true appearance of both physical and mental realities. Notes on the poems explain in-depth nuances of certain translation issues, and an index of poems by first line allows for quick lookup of favorite verses. A seminal contribution to classic women's and Judaic poetry collections. "On the Mount of Olives": A landscape like this has no answers / when aging people / stand on the road / and a summer day passes them by / by the broken stones / in this place.
Vision Mixer
Duncan Forbes
Enitharmon Press
c/o Dufour Editions
PO Box 7, Chester Springs, PA 19425
190463415X $22.95 www.dufoureditions.com 1-800-869-5677
The fifty poetry collection by Duncan Forbes, Vision Mixer is a compilation of free-verse expressions and seekings written in search of understanding, from the contemplation of small creatures such as toads to meditations in quest of enlightenment to struggling to comprehend the supreme force that is God. A search for depth beyond readily apparent signs, Vision Mixer highly thought-provoking and well worth close study. "Theory": In our Greco-Roman youth / We believed in love and truth. / In post-modernist decline / Signifier questions sign.
The Automotive Shelf
American Hot Rod
William Scheller
Hugh Lauter Levin Associates
9 Burr Road, Westport, CT 06880
0883631199 $50.00 www.hlla.com
Based upon the Discovery Channel's popular weekly show 'American Hot Road', author and automotive expert William Scheller's "American Hot Rod: The Fine Art Of The Custom Hot Rod" is an informed and informative introduction to the history of hot rods, street rods and custom cars that were painstakingly created and crafted to express both cutting edge automotive development technical skills and expressive artistic and cultural imagination as expressed in design and performance. Profusely illustrated throughout, "American Hot Rod" showcases twelve of the best American hot rod cars, as well as fourteen Boyd Coddington Garage Cars as revealed on the popular TV show and held in fabulous privately owned hot rod collections. "American Hot Rod" will prove a welcome and popular addition to personal, professional, academic, and community library Automotive History reference collections.
The Social Issues Shelf
No One Is Illegal
Justin Akers Chacon & Mike Davis
Haymarket Books
PO Box 180165, Chicago, IL 60618
1931859353 $14.00 www.haymarketbooks.org 773-583-7884
Written by Justin Akers Chacon (professor of US History and Chicano Studies in San Diego) and Mike Davis (teaches in the Department of History at the University of California at Irvine), No One Is Illegal: Fighting Racism and State Violence on the US-Mexico Border is a sharp rebuke against anti-immigration vigilantism, denouncing the often violent right-wing backlash against immigrants and striving to put a human face upon the men and women who cross America's borders. Chapters survey white, anti-immigrant violence in California history from the inception of the Ku Klux Klan, the "Yellow Peril", and anti-Filipino riots to modern times, with an especially critical eye turned toward the Minutemen. Also scrutinized is the history of how dominant corporate interests and the wealthiest members of America have used immigration policy to control labor - such as the bracero program, an individualized contract that subjects a guest worker to deportation at the employer's relative discretion; such "guest worker" programs actually give agribusiness employers more control over their workers than they would have over undocumented workers, who can migrate to construction other fields and thus place some pressure upon agribusiness to raise its poverty-level wages. A scholarly, heavily researched yet harsh wake-up call to American immigration policy injustice.
The Way of Ignorance
Wendell Berry with Daniel Kemmis and Courtney White
Shoemaker & Hoard Publishers
c/o Avalon Publishing Group
245 West 17th Street, 11th floor, New York, NY 10011-5300
1593760779 $24.00 www.shoemakerhoard.com 1-800-788-3123
The Way of Ignorance and Other Essays is an anthology of writings by cultural critic Wendell Berry - one of Smithsonian magazine's 35 People Who Made a Difference - about topics ranging from what freedom is really being discussed when one speaks of "free market" or "free enterprise", to the costs of so-called rugged individualism in a democratic commonwealth, to sharp-laced observations on the Kerry campaign, and much more. Written in plain terms, The Way of Ignorance takes a cold, hard look at the doubletalk and doublethink that saturates modern American airwaves, stripping them down to bare conundrums, all with a heavy dose of the author's practical evaluation. An enthusiastically recommended, thought-provoking cross-examination of modern society.
The Christmas Shelf
A Glorious Angel Show
Dandi Daley Mackall & Susan Mitchell
Integrity Publishers
660 Bakers Bridge Avenue, Suite 200, Franklin, TN 37067
1591454360, $14.99, www.integritypublishers.com
Written with an elegant originality by Dandi Daley Mackall and beautifully illustrated by Susan Mitchell, "A Glorious Angel Show" is the tender 'pop-up' picturebook story of the Christmas nativity recounted with rhyme and repetitive phrases ideal for preschool and kindergarten children. The rather spectacular pop-up spread in the center of the picture reveals the heavenly proclamation by the angels that the savior has been born. Wonderfully 'child friendly' and a welcome addition to personal and family Christmas book collections, "A Glorious Angel Show" is highly recommended for family story hour celebration of Christmas and all that it means.
A Simply Wonderful Christmas
Silke Leffler
North-South Books Inc.
PMB 248, 455 Sam Ridley Parkway West, Smyrna, TN 37167
0735821003, $25.00, www.northsouth.com
Compiled and organized by Silke Leffler, "A Simply Wonderful Christmas: A Literary Adventure Calendar" offers children of elementary school age a wonderful and enthusiastically recommended collection of twenty-four seasonally appropriate stories meant to be read one at a time for each day in December leading up to Christmas. The stories are enhanced with Leffler's lovely and whimsical illustrations reflecting the enchantment and magic of the three weeks leading up to Christmas Day. There are even pages set aside where young readers (and their parents) can record personal holiday memories making "A Simply Wonderful Christmas" a truly enduring family legacy and keepsake.
The Economic Studies Shelf
The Sarbanes-Oxley Debacle
Henry N. Butler & Larry E. Ribstein
American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research
1150 Seventeenth Street, NW Washington DC 20036
0844771945 $25.00 www.aei.org
Written by economics professor Henry N. Butler and law professor Larry E. Ribstein, The Sarbanes-Oxley Debacle: What We've Learned, How to Fix It is a sharp-tongued denouncing of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, or SOX. SOX was a legal measure created in response to the misconduct of the Enron Corporation, with the intent of protecting investors by improving the accuracy and reliability of corporate disclosures. Yet the strict new rules affecting financial practices and corporate governance regulation that comprise SOX cause a heavy direct and indirect cost - one so great, according to The Sarbanes-Oxley Debacle, that it harms the very investors it was supposed to protect as surely as the companies themselves. By creating opportunities for excessive litigation, increasing risk aversion by managers, and distracting executives' attention from maximizing shareholder value, among other flaws, SOX's disadvantages far outweigh its advantages according to the authors - who have come up with a far more viable plan to repeal or legally challenge SOX and address the issues SOX was meant to handle in a more effective manner. Especially recommended reading for policymakers and professionals in the field of corporate business law.
Railroading Economics
Michael Perelman
Monthly Review Press
122 West 27th Street, New York, NY 10001
1583671358 $20.00 www.monthlyreview.com
Written by Michael Perelman (Professor of Economics, California State University), Railroad Economics is an openly critical denouncement of the weaknesses in modern economic theory. Denying the prevailing belief in "pure capitalism" or "perfect competition", Railroading Economics explores how the so-called free market is always subject to numerous constraints, even in the United States. Chapters discuss the historic increase of fixed capital, the role of finance, the long-term effects of the railroad industry, the rise of "welfare capitalism" in which consolidated enterprises dared to adopt a relatively progressive attitude toward labor, the impact and legacy of the Great Depression, the Golden Age of industrial dependence, and much more. Part history lesson, part cautionary tale, and part scholarly dissection of the nuances of labor, capital, and changing perspectives within the discipline of economics, Railroading Economics is a welcome contribution to economics studies shelves.
The Graphic Novel Shelf
Adventures In Oz
Eric Shanower
IDW Publishing
4477 Morena Boulevard, Suite 106, San Diego, CA 92117
1933239611 $39.99 www.idwpublishing.com
L. Frank Baum's delightful Oz books have entertained every generation of readers, young and old alike, since they first appeared more than half a century ago. Indeed, so popular was the world of Oz and its myriad of colorful characters, that after his death other writers took up the task of creating more stories set in that colorful land over the rainbow. Now Eric Shanower has imaginatively written and beautifully illustrated five more stories that are combined in a large format graphic novel called "Adventures In Oz". The stories include 'The Enchanted Apples of Oz', 'The Secret Island of Oz', 'The Ice King of Oz', 'The forgotten Forest of Oz', and 'The Blue Witch of Oz'. Carrying and expanding the mythology, legendary, and fairy-tale fantasy first established by Frank Baum and enthusiastically recommended reading for ages 8 to 80, "Adventures In Oz" does full homage and credit to the growing library of Oz books, – and this time with the added visual and storytelling benefits of the graphic novel format. For school and community libraries (and dedicated Oz fans) it should be noted that IDW Publishing plans to release a hardcover edition (1600100716, $75.00) next year that will have 70 additional pages of behind-the-scenes materials, including material from Eric Shanower's sketchbook, character designs, an essay by Eric about his experiences creating Oz comic stories, a variety of illustrations he has created for other Oz publications, short Oz comic stories, and more.
Captain Gravity And The Power Of The Vril
Stephen Vrattos 7 Joshua Dysart
Penny Farthing Press
10370 Richmond avenue, Suite 980, Houston, TX 77042
0971901287 $19.95 www.pfpress.com
Created by Stephen Vrattos, written by Joshua Dysart, "Captain Gravity And The Power Of The Vril" is an outstanding science fiction adventure graphic novel penciled by Sal Velluto, inked by Bob Almond, Joe Rubenstein and sal Velluto, colored by Mike Garcia, lettered by Richard Starkings and Albert Deschsne, and featuring a dramatic cover by Sal Velluto and Mike Garcia. It's the Golden Age of 1930s movie-making and a young man working for one of the Hollywood studios finds his destiny amid B-movie sets, involved in a pre-war international intrigue, compounded by an archaeological discovery – all of which combine to compel a re-examination of accepted human history. An enthusiastically recommended and wonderfully entertaining read, "Captain Gravity And The Power Of The Vril" most closely resemblances one of those thrilling Saturday matinee movie serials of yesteryear with its cliff-hanging scenarios of seemingly inescapable dangers, clever plot twists, heroism and villainy!
The Holocaust Studies Shelf
Between Home and Homeland
Brian Amkraut
The University of Alabama Press
PO Box 870380, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0380
0817315136 $37.50 www.wapress.edu
Associate Professor of Jewish History at the Laura and Alvin Siegal College of Judaic Studies Brian Amkraut presents Between Home and Homeland: Youth Aliyah from Nazi Germany is the true story of the organization "Youth Aliyah" ("aliyah" referring to the Zionist goal of a homecoming for Jews in historic Israel) that strived to facilitate the emigration of Jews from Germany in the years leading up to World War II and the Holocaust. Between Home and Homeland provides a detailed history of Youth Aliyah's origins, its philosophies, its alliances and its detractors - thought it saved several thousand youth from the Holocaust, the movement's greatest obstacle may well have been simple human optimism that things would get better, even as Hitler consolidated power. A scholarly, sober, and in-depth historical chronicle.
Wolf Trapped
Robert Follett, author
As told by Peter Natan
Alpine Guild Inc.
PO Box 4848, Dillon, CO 80435
0931712297 $29.95 www.alpineguild.com
Wolf Trapped: The Life and Death of a Young Artist in Hitler's Europe is the true story of Wolfgang Hamburger, a brilliant artist and cartoonist prodigy trapped in Europe during the advance of the Nazis. He was sent to a detention camp in 1939, and though released in 1940, he had to confront a terrible decision with his beloved wife - her failing health all but guaranteed that she would not survive escape from the relentless Nazi advance, no matter where they tried to go. Author Robert Follett relates Wolf's sad tale as told by Wolf's brother, Peter Natan, and illustrated by Wolf's own art and cartoons. A tragic story of genius cut short, and a microcosm of the waste, murder, and inhumanity perpetrated by the Holocaust.
James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Diane C. Donovan, Editor
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