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Library Bookwatch

Volume 7, Number 4 April 2012 Home | LBW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Literary Studies Shelf Art Shelf
Cookbook Shelf Theatre/Cinema Shelf Social Issues Shelf
Business Shelf Memoir Shelf American History Shelf
World History Shelf Poetry Shelf Education Shelf
Native American Studies Shelf Writing/Publishing Shelf Holocaust Studies Shelf
Architecture Shelf Photography Shelf Health/Medicine Shelf
Science Shelf Botany Shelf Psychology Shelf
Economic Studies Shelf Philosophy Shelf Biography Shelf
Library Science Shelf Self-Help Shelf Religion/Spirituality Shelf
Buddhist Studies Shelf Fiction Shelf Agriculture Shelf
International Studies Shelf Christian Studies Shelf Mystery/Suspense Shelf
Military Shelf Needlecraft Shelf Comix/Graphic Novel Shelf
Audiobook Shelf Library CD Shelf Library DVD Shelf
Judaic Studies Shelf Autism Shelf Real Estate Shelf
Humor Shelf Journalism Shelf  


Reviewer's Choice

Food And Famine In The 21st Century
William A. Dando, editor
ABC-CLIO
Box 1911, Santa Barbara, CA 93116-1911
www.abc-clio.com
9781598847307, $189.00, www.amazon.com

Famine has been the bane of the human race from the origins of humanity down to the present day. Indeed, more people have died of famine than all the wars recorded history. "Food and Famine in the 21st Century" is a two volume, 744-page compendium knowledgeably compiled and deftly edited by academician William A. Dando (Distinguished Professor of Geography, Indiana State University) that provides a comprehensive and detailed study of food and famine issues around the world today. Volume 1 focuses on an overview of 50 topics and issues relating to recorded famines from 4000 BCE to 2100 CE. Of special note is a perspective on the rise of agriculture. Volume 2 presents ten particularly representative and destructive famine case studies and the basis for predictions of famines occurring in the 21st Century and beyond. An impressive work of meticulous scholarship of the highest order, "Food and Famine in the 21st Century" is especially recommended for both community and academic library Geography, World Cultures, and Geopolitics reference collections.

Power Questions
Andrew Sobel & Jerold Panas
Wiley-Blackwell
350 Main Street
Malden, MA 02148
9781118119631, $22.95, www.wiley.com

Questions get answers, and to get the best answers you need the best questions. "Power Questions: Build Relationships, Win New Business, and Influence Others" is an inspirational read from Andrew Sobel & Jerold Panas as they encourage readers to embrace the power of inquisition and how to better get the idea of what you and your co-workers, friends, and even loved ones want out of life. Through motivating oneself and others, "Power Questions" is a strongly recommended pick for anyone who wants to keep theirs and those around them's curiosity and drive strong.

No War for Oil
Ivan Eland
The Independent Institute
100 Swan Way
Oakland, CA 94621-1428
9781598130461, $18.95, www.independent.org

There is a cost for many things that is not measured in dollars and cents. "No War for Oil: U. S. Dependency and the Middle East" discusses the conflicts surrounding oil and petroleum and how they have crafted twentieth century foreign policy and are well on the way to crafting twenty first century policy as well. The human price for this commodity is high, and Ivan Eland explains how humanity must get away from it all to get things done. "No War for Oil" is a strongly recommended read for social and international issues collections.


The Literary Studies Shelf

Milton And Homer
Gregory Machacek
Duquesne University Press
600 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15282
www.dupress.duq.edu
9780820704470, $58.00, www.amazon.com

Although separated in time by millennia and by cultures, the poets Homer and Milton both shared an ability to use poetry to speak indelibly to the imaginations, aspirations, fears, hopes, and dreams of each generation that followed their own. They have also been the subjects of whole libraries of literary analysis and commentary. What's unique about "Milton And Homer: Written to Aftertimes" by Gregory Machacek (Professor of English, Marist College, Poughkeepsie, New York) is an insightful and detailed examination of the way Homer's work influenced John Milton and offering a synchronic framework that will allow the reader to appreciate how reading Homer enables a deeper and richer understanding of Milton's equally epic works. "Milton And Homer: Written to Aftertimes" is a masterwork of impeccable and original scholarship, making it a highly recommended and core addition to academic library reference collections.

Michael Moorcock: London Peculiar and Other Nonfiction
Michael Moorcock & Allan Kausch, editors
PM Press
PO Box 23912, Oakland, CA 94623
9781604864908, $23.95, www.pmpress.org

Michael Moorcock is one of the best writers of the twentieth century, but his skill is not just in fantasy and science fiction. "Michael Moorcock: London Peculiar and Other Nonfiction" is a collection of the man's writings on many topics related to writing and everything else. An intriguing look into the mind and the workings of a man responsible for many fantasy and science fiction worlds, "Michael Moorcock" is an essential addition to any literary and current events collection of writing, highly recommended.

The Wisdom of Naguib Mahfouz
Aleya Serour, editor
American University in Cairo Press
420 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10018-2729
9789774164958, $19.95, www.aucpress.com

A love of writing begets a love of reading which begets a love of knowledge. "The Wisdom of Naguib Mahfouz: From the Works of the Nobel Laureate" is a compilation of the writings from the international renown Egyptian thinker and philosopher Naguib Mahfouz, a man with dozens of novels and other works, attaining the Nobel Prize for literature in 1988. Presenting excepts of novels, his poetry, among his other writings, editor Aleya Serour presents a fine assortment of literary work, and makes "The Wisdom of Naguib Mahfouz" a strong addition to any community and college literary studies collection.

Resurrection from the Underground: Feodor Dostoevsky
Rene Girard
Michigan State University Press
1405 South Harrison Road, Suite 25
East Lansing, MI 48823-5245
9781611860375, $24.95, www.msupress.msu.edu

Drawing ourselves away from the world can give a more complete reflection on it. "Resurrection from the Underground: Feodor Dostovsky" discusses the work of Dostovksy, the Russian author who was known for his unique world view that presents a fascinating look into the human condition. Excellently translated and discussed by Professor Rene Girard, "Resurrection from the Underground" is a strong addition to any international community and college philosophy collection, highly recommended.

The History of a Slave, updated edition
Paul E. Lovejoy, editor
Markus Wiener Publishers
231 Nassau Street
Princeton, NJ 08542
9781558765542, $24.95, www.markuswiener.com

Slavery is an evil not yet purged completely from the world. "The History of a Slave" is a republishing of H. H. Johnston's fictional telling drawn from true accounts of a slave brought throughout Africa and facing cruelty from many sources and witnessing countless acts inflicted on others. Paul Lovejoy presents this updated edition with additional information, annotations, and discussion on historical significance, as well as the original illustrations. "The History of a Slave" is a must read literary piece that focuses on one of humanity's greatest evils.

The Adventures of Roderick Random
Tobias Smollett
University of Georgia Press
330 Research Drive
Athens, GA, 30602-4901
9780820321653, $89.95, www.ugapress.org

Most people in the seventeenth century were born and died in the same village. "The Adventures of Roderick Random" is Tobias Smollett's literary classic following Mr. Random as he travels the world through many professions and continents to experience the world on a bigger scale. Through war, love, peace, and more, Roderick's tales present a unique perspective on the issues of the day, imperialism, slavery, war, money, and high society. A reprinting of a literary classic that reflects on its place in the history of literature, "The Adventures of Roderick Random" is an excellent addition to any community library collection of eighteenth century literature.


The Art Shelf

Abraham Manievich
Alan Pensler and Mimi Ginsberg
Hudson Hills Press
PO Box 205
74-2 Union Street
Manchester, VT 05254
9781555953454 $60.00 www.hudsonhills.com

Abraham Manievich is an artbook showcasing the striking paintings of Ukrainian-born Jewish artist Abraham Manievich, who immigrated to America in 1921 and contributed to the American Modernism artistic movement. Manievich's works often use color to define shape, and apply the power of simplicity to carry the weight of their imagery. A lengthy biographical essay introduces the reader to Manievich's history and the context of his creations, but most of the book is devoted to full-color reproductions of Manievich's masterpieces, many of which are currently part of private collections. Extensive notes and a timeline of major events in Manievich's life round out this absolute "must-have" for admirers of Manievich's work.

How the West Was Drawn
Linda L. Osmundson
Pelican Publishing Company
1000 Burmaster Street
Gretna, LA 70053-2246
9781455615063, $16.99, www.pelicanpub.com

The iconic artwork of a rough and romantic era was done by a man who didn't call it home. "How the West Was Drawn: Frederic Remington's Art" delves into the work of the New York artist who through fascination, devotion, and travel, captured the spirit of the area with his art. A study of his techniques and his symbolism, "How the West Was Drawn" should strongly be considered for any student of art who wants to examine the work of one of the best of his era.


The Cookbook Shelf

The Kitchen Diva's Diabetic Cookbook
Angela Shelf Medearis
Andrews & McMeel
1130 Walnut Street
Kansas City, MO 64106-2109
9781449402396 $24.99 www.andrewsmcmeel.com

The Kitchen Diva's Diabetic Cookbook is packed cover-to-cover with easy-to-follow instructions for delicious, healthy recipes. Although designed especially for people working to keep their diabetes under control, these sumptuous dishes are a marvelous addition to any health- and flavor-conscious gourmet! From "Quick Black Bean Breakfast Tacos" to "Garlic Flank Steak", "Cheesy Broccoli and Noodles", "Pumpkin-Nut Bars" and much more, these delicacies will enliven the nutritious culinary repertoires of aspiring chefs. Basic carbohydrate/fat/sodium/etc. information concerning each dish, color photographs, and an index round out this superb collection.

Skinny Ms. Slow Cooker
Tiffany McCauley and Gale Compton, authors
Quail Ridge Press
P. O. Box 123, Brandon, MS 39043
9781934193761, $24.95, www.quailridge.com

Just when the winter is looming long and wearisome, "Skinny Ms. Slow Cooker: Natural Recipes for a Healthy Lifestyle" brings a fresh and fabulous assortment of healthy recipes for slow cooker comfort food lovers. Collected and presented by a talented pair of women who are committed to promoting a healthy life style through eating unprocessed foods including vegetables and whole grains, eating healthy foods in correct (smaller) portions, keeping active, and eating more foods the way your great grandmother ate. Here are a variety slow cooker recipes for beverages, appetizers, breakfast, stews and soups, pasta and grains, beans and vegetables, poultry, meat and seafood, and desserts. Instructions are simple and brief, ingredients are listed first and are readily obtainable, and nutritional information for each recipe per serving is presented in a green sidebar which is easily spotted. Color photos of different recipes are mouthwatering, but the proof is in the pudding literally. This reviewer's two favorites so far are Sweet Potato Custard Oatmeal (p. 60), and Chicken Enchiladas Verde (p. 156). It is certain that even more culinary joy awaits the determined slow cooker fan who might just decide to cook their way through all 211 pages of recipes. Additional basic information about modern slow cookers is added at the end as is additional basic recipe information. "Skinny Ms. Slow Cooker, Natural Recipes for a Healthy Lifestyle" is a retro-flavored cookbook whose time has definitely arrived.

New Orleans Classic Brunches
Kit Wohl
Pelican Publishing Company
1000 Burmaster Street, Gretna, LA 70053
9781589808409, $16.95, www.pelicanpub.com

"New Orleans Classic Brunches: Recipes from Favorite Restaurants" is a beautiful color photo illustrated brunch recipe collection from favorite restaurants in New Orleans, "The Big Easy." The Classic Recipes Series features excellent regional cuisine, and New Orleans provides some of the riches examples of this specialty. Dietary and cultural influences include Spanish, French, British, African, and Caribbean cuisine and culture. This makes for a fantastic mix of palate popping flavors, best tried in person, but available through kitchen efforts of the sophisticated, well read armchair traveler. Kit Wohl's fabulous photography and accompanying notes of interest about different recipes' origins make the offerings of "New Orleans Classic Brunches" even more irresistible. Here we have recipes for Chef Dooky Chase's Eggs New Orleans (with crab meat imperial), chef Alex Harwell's Eggs, Biscuits & Sausage Gravy, and Chef Leah Chase's Breakfast Shrimp & Baked Cheese Grits, accompanied by a beautiful photo of Chef Leah Chase along with a thumbnail biography. There are also recipes for chef Michelle McRaney's Gumbo Ya-Ya, Chef Tory McPhail's Huckleberry Pancakes, and Linda Ellerbee's Skillet Cornbread. All recipes are clearly explained, with a serving total and list of ingredients first followed by instructions. Each recipe comes from a famous brunch restaurant in New Orleans, taking the reader on a culinary tour of that fabled city's best brunch offerings. Special or signature cocktails or drink recipes are also featured in sidebars from featured restaurants. Required standard components are collected in illustrated recipes at the end, such as roux, remoulade sauce, fresh bouquet garni, chocolate sauce, Hollandaise sauce, candied pecans, etc. "New Orleans Classic Brunches" closes with a beautiful photo of the clasped hands of fabulous chef and great grandmother, Leah Chase. No one who owns a copy of "New Orleans Classic Brunches" will be disappointed; it is the stuff of heaven on earth.

Cooking Vegan
Vesanto Melina & Joseph Forest
The Book Publishing Company
PO Box 99
Summertown, TN 38483
9781570672675, $19.95, www.thefarm.org/businesses/bpc.html

Vegan cooking is a good way to embrace greater health on many levels. "Cooking Vegan: Healthful, Delicious, and Easy" is a guide to embracing the vegan cooking style and diet from Vesanto Melina and Joseph Forest, who provide plenty of tips and tricks to eating a healthy diet vegan style at any point in their lives. With recipes for any taste, "Cooking Vegan" is a strong and recommended pick for anyone who wants to embrace a much healthier future for themselves.

Let Them Eat Vegan!
Dreena Burton
Da Capo Press
c/o Perseus Books Group
11 Cambridge Center
Cambridge, MA 02142
9780738215617, $20.00, www.perseusbooksgroup.com

The potential of Vegan cooking is vast, and an excellent choice for health or ethical reasons. "Let Them Eat Vegan!: 200 Deliciously Satisfying Plant-Powered Recipes for the Whole Family" is a compilation of vegan recipes from Dreena Burton, whose vast experience with the vegan avenue of cooking continues with this latest volume. These recipes are varied and designed for any occasion and bring out the full potential of vegan staples. "Let them Eat Vegan!" is a strong pick for any Vegan cook looking for new dishes and new ideas.

HELP! There's a Stove in My Kitchen!
Annabel Frere
Struik
c/o The Random House Publishing Group
1745 Broadway, 17th floor
New York, NY 10019
9781770079373, $19.95, www.randomstruik.co.za

Cooking is easy they say, until the entire house burns down. "Help!: There's a Stove in my Kitchen" is a guide for simple and effective meals for any time of day and any diet. Annabel Frere walks readers through the basics of cooking and how to make many simple favorites like Chicken Noodle Soup, Lasagna, Stroganoff, and Chicken Pie. "Help!: There's a Stove in My Kitchen" is packed cover to cover with full color photos and easy to follow instructions, strongly recommended as an introductory cookbook.

The Speedy Sneaky Chef
Missy Chase Lapine
Running Press
2300 Chestnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103-4371
9780762443291, $20.00, www.runningpress.com

Speed and Health don't have to be opposed to one another. "The Speedy Sneaky Chef: Quick, Healthy Fixes for Your Family's Favorite Packaged Foods" is a cookbook that takes many prepackaged products, adds a touch of innovation to produce something delicious & healthy, sure to please the picky tastebuds all parents often face. "The Speedy Sneaky Chef" is a strong pick for cookbook collections and on the shelves of busy cooks.


The Theatre/Cinema Shelf

The Actor as Storyteller
Bruce Miller
Limelight Editions
c/o Hal Leonard Performing Arts Publishing
33 Plymouth St, Suite 302
Montclair, NJ 07042
9780879103866, $24.99, www.halleonardbooks.com

Acting is to tell a story by being. "The Actor as Storyteller: An Introduction to Acting" is a guide to those who want to embrace the stage to unleash their inner storyteller. Bruce Miller, professor and director of acting programs at the college level, presents tips and tricks for aspiring actors who want to get improve their technique and do something special on stage. "The Actor as Storyteller" is a strong pick for theatre collections and other assortments dedicated to the arts.

Film Editing
Christopher Llewellyn Reed
Mercury Books
c/o International Publishers Marketing
22841 Quicksilver Drive
Dulles, VA 20166
9781936420100, $41.95, www.internationalpubmarket.com

Editing is how a filmmaker applies their finishing touches to their artwork. "Film Editing: Theory and Practice" is a guide to the many topics of film editing. From cutting out the unnecessary, how to consider one's genre and purpose, production values, the programs to use, and much more. Christopher Llewellyn Reed uses his expertise in Film and the Arts to advise readers on what to consider no matter what kind of film they are producing. "Film Editing" is a scholarly insight to editing, much recommended to both student filmmakers and amateur enthusiasts.

Revisioning Europe
Jerry White
University of Calgary Press
2500 University Drive, N.W.
Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 1N4
9781552385500, $34.95, www.uofcpress.com

Good film is like any other media, it presents questions and provokes thought. "Revisioning Europe: The Films of John Berger & Alain Tanner" focuses on the work of these two thinkers who have produced works that discuss Europe and its own brand of radicalism and liberalism. With ideas that further discuss the Enlightenment of thought, "Revisioning Europe" is a fascinating discussion for viewers of European film and its impact on the international debates of politics and human rights.


The Social Issues Shelf

Compassion, Inc.
Mara Einstein
University of California Press
2120 Berkeley Way
Berkeley, CA 94720
9780520266520 $29.95 www.ucpress.edu

Compassion, Inc.: How Corporate America Blurs the Line Between What We Buy, Who We Are, and Those We Help is a stinging indictment of the negative effects of marrying charitable giving to commerce. How could donating a little money to a worthy charity with every purchase made be a bad? Studies are cited to show that corporations exploit the absolute minimum of donations for maximum revenue, often to the point of misleading consumers about how much they actually give. "Marketable" charities tend to overtake less marketable ones in the public eye (case in point - for all the many "pink" products that raise funds for breast cancer, there are fewer that aid research in heart disease, a larger killer of women, and none that benefit prostate cancer research). A charity dependent on corporate largess is much less likely to "rock the boat" by defying or being critical of the corporation in any way. Worst of all, when consumers feel they have contributed sufficient donations through shopping, they are less likely to donate to charity directly, resulting in decreased funds for charity overall! "...marketing makes celebrities more important than the social causes they are touting... caring - real, true caring - becomes secondary to product sales... Thus, promotion-based - no, market-based - compassion lulls us into believing that we are being socially responsible, when the sad fact is that we are abdicating our social responsibilities to the market." An alarming wake-up call to rethink our charitable values before they are completely lost to corporatism, Compassion, Inc. is worthy of the highest recommendation.

#TweetSmart
J. S. McDougall
O'Reilly & Associates, Inc.
1005 Gravenstein, Hwy N.
Sebastopol, CA 95472-2811
9781449309114, $19.99, www.oreilly.com

Wisdom doesn't need to be elaborate to get the message across. "#TweetSmart: 25 Twitter Projects to Help You Build Your Community" is a guide from J. S. McDougall who advises readers on how to help their business or community using the social media juggernaut of Twitter. From photos to old school marketing techniques and much more, "#TweetSmart" is a wise and much recommended read, not to be missed for social issues collections.

A Leadership Guide for Today's Disabilities Organizations
Robert L. Schalock & Miguel Angel Verdugo
Brookes Publishing Company
PO Box 10624
Baltimore, MD 21285-0624
9781598571813, $44.95, www.brookespublishing.com

People with disabilities deserve representation that is worthy as well. "A Leadership Guide for Today's Disabilities Organizations: Overcoming Challenges and Making Change Happen" discusses how to more successfully campaign for the benefits of the disabled by using more modern thinking styles and appealing to them. With ideas for innovation, success, and more, "A Leadership Guide for Today's Disabilities Organizations" is a strong pick for anyone whose career is representing those with disabilities and assuring they get their fair chance in life.


The Business Shelf

Records Management and Knowledge Mobilisation
Stephen Harries
Chandos Publishing
c/o Neal-Schuman Publishers
100 William Street, Suite 2004
New York, NY 10038-4512
9781843346531, $90.00, www.neal-schuman.com

A mastery of information can prove all the more vital for today's world where knowledge proves to be everything. "Records Management and Knowledge Mobilisation: A Handbook for Regulation, Innovation and Transformation" explores the importance of records management can help public sector businesses thrive. Stephen Harries, an accomplished business consultant, advises managers on just why keeping the books in order is so important, the modern economic environment, legal purposes, and much more. Chapters include detailed analysis on the protocol for many types of public businesses and how to maximize efficiency on any level. With a great deal of figures to more accurately illustrate the knowledge within, "Records Management and Knowledge Mobilisation" is a core addition to any business and administration management collection for college and professional libraries.

The Zen of Social Media Marketing
Shama Hyder Kabani
BenBella Books
10300 N. Central Expressway, STE 400
Dallas, TX 75204
9781936661633, $16.95, www.benbellabooks.com

Word of mouth is the most natural of advertising. "The Zen of Social Media Marketing: An Easier Way to Build Credibility, Generate Buzz, and Increase Revenue" is a guide from Shama Hyder Kabani to embracing social media to spread the word of their product, understanding how it works, and using it with efficiency. With tips specific to Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Groupon, and much more, "The Zen of Social Media Marketing" is up to date for 2012 and is a much recommended pick for any publicist or marketer.

Follow That Customer!
Egbert Jan Vel Bel, Ed Sander, & Alan Weber
Racom Communications
150 N. Michigan Ave. Suite 2800
Chicago, IL 60601
978933199269, $39.95, www.racombooks.com

Where there's demand, there's a market. "Follow That Customer!: The Event-Driven Marketing Handbook" is a guide to predicting the market and having the products that customers will seek for many years to come. Authors Egbert Jan vel Bel, Ed Sander, & Alan Weber discuss Event Driven Marketing, and how to jump onto the next revolution of marketing. Quicker response rates leads to greater to success, and the experts present much technical info to make this so. "Follow That Customer!" is a much recommended pick for community library business studies collections.


The Memoir Shelf

Truth be Told
Larry King
Weinstein Books
345 Hudson Street, 13th floor
New York, NY 10014
9781602861305, $25.00, www.weinsteinbooks.com

Sitting across the most interesting people in world certainly leaves you with your own stories as well. "Truth Be Told: Off the Record About Favorite Guests, Memorable Moments, Funniest Jokes, and a Half Century of Asking Questions" is a memoir from Larry King, as he shares his tales of being show business for decades, dealing actors, musicians, politicians, and much more on his show, asking questions and getting answers. "Truth Be Told" is a strong pick for any fan of Larry King's work who wants perspective on what's the result of a life spent nightly.


The American History Shelf

Babysitter
Miriam Forman-Brunell
New York University Press
838 Broadway, 3rd floor
New York, NY 10003
9780814728956, $25.00, www.nyupress.org

Babysitting has been an icon of teenage girl culture for decades, having roots in centuries of human history. "Babysitter: An American History" is a delve into the history of the babysitter, proving to be the first job for many young American girls. A part of culture, the babysitter has often been the plot element in many pieces of fiction, from literature aimed at teen girls to horror movies. "Babysitter" is an excellent look at teenage girl youth culture in recent decades, a much recommended read.


The World History Shelf

The Cistercians In The Middle Ages
Janet Burton & Julie Kerr
Boydell Press
c/o Boydell & Brewer Inc
668 Mount Hope Avenue
Rochester, NY 14620-2731
www.boydellandbrewer.com
9781843836674, $45.00, www.amazon.com

One of the primary cultural aspects of medieval Christianity were the development of monasteries and nunneries. Among the monastic orders were the Cistercians who in the 11th and 12th centuries had established Cistercians houses throughout Europe and which operated under the Rule of St. Benedict. Usually founded in rural locations to avoid the excesses and temptations of urban life, the Cistercian order was still able to be immensely influential and contemporary with their times. The collaborative work of Professor Janet Burton (School of Archaeology, History and Anthropology, University of Wales) and Dr. Julie Kerr (Honorary Research Fellow, School of History, University of St. Andrews), "The Cistercians in the Middle Ages" provides a 242-page analytical and historical compendium on the origins and evolution of the Cistercian Order in a diversity of aspects and factors including daily life, administration, economy, architecture, and the relationship of its monks with the world at large. An impressive work of seminal scholarship, "The Cistercians in the Middle Ages" is enhanced with an extensive glossary and bibliography, an Index of Cistercian Houses, and a general index, making it a welcome and recommended addition to academic library Religious Studies and Medieval Studies reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

An Improbable War?
Holger Afflerbach & David Stevenson, editor
Berghahn Books
150 Broadway, Suite 812
New York, NY 10038
9780857454105, $37.95, www.berghahnbooks.com

World War I was simply the first horrible chapter in a century of conflict. "An Improbable War?: The Outbreak of World War I and European Political Culture Before 1914" discusses the politics of Europe leading up the first World War, the elements that led up to the boiling point of the conflict. From complex alliances to the oppression of many peoples across Europe, history professors and thinkers Holger Afflerbach & David Stevenson provide an insightful exploration of this important chapter in recent history. "An Improbable War?" is an excellent and core addition to any world history collection.

Napoleon
William R. Nester
Savas Beatie
PO Box 4527, El Dorado, CA 95762
9781611210927, $34.95, www.savasbeatie.com

It was not force alone that granted Napoleon his empire. "Napoleon and the Art of the Diplomacy: How War and Hubris Determined the Rise and Fall of the French Empire" discusses Napoleon's skill with diplomacy and related tactics and how it greatly contributed to his success for nearly two decades. Napoleon was a man who knew the arts of war well; author William R. Nester presents a diplomatic and thoughtful exploration of a side of the general not often discussed. "Napoleon and the Art of Diplomacy" is an excellent addition to any world history collection.


The Poetry Shelf

The Hecht Prize Anthology: 2005-2009
Joseph Harrison, editor
The Wayweiser Press
c/o Dufour Editions, Inc.
PO Box 7
Chester Springs, PA 19425-0007
9781904130468, $18.95, www.dufoureditions.com

The best of the best is what awards often seek. "The Hecht Prize Anthology: 2005-2009" is a collection of poetry from those four years, offering the many entries into the contest, all considered for their own originality. "The Hecht Prize Anthology" is a strongly recommended pick for any collection seeking poetry compilations. "Against Ornamentation" by Lesley Jenike: That one does not inlay every coffee table/with mother of pearl! Covering wood/with the stuff of the sea denies division.//Even here, in the tiniest room, I'm apart/from you./So is braided bullion part/from its curtain, egg tempera from the hen.//Filigreed into every door are the names compelled to, by etching, redo/trees now bent under their carved shorthand,//a tendency to spangle every space with angel/or cloud, as if sky's not enough or a joining of two planes, either side the ocean.


The Education Shelf

75 Quick & Easy Solutions to Common Classroom Disruptions
Bryan Harris and Cassandra Goldberg
Eye On Education
6 Depot Way West
Larchmont, NY 10538
9781596672093 $29.95 www.eyeoneducation.com

75 Quick & Easy Solutions to Common Classroom Disruptions lives up to its title with practical methods that teachers of all grade levels (especially early grade levels) can use to help and deal with troublesome students . Five problem behaviors common to difficult students are identified - "Blurting Out in Whole Group", "Side Talking", "Rude/Disrespectful Behavior", "Zoning Out/Lack of Focus", and "Doesn't Try/Gives Up Easily"; each offered idea is recommended to help with any one or a specific combination of these disruptive behaviors. For example, the concept of "Chunk Tasks" - "breaking assignments and activities into smaller, more manageable parts and providing structured directions for each part" - is proffered as a helpful tool to deal with cases where students tend to "Zone Out" or "Give Up Easily". A superb supplementary resource, 75 Quick & Easy Solutions to Common Classroom Disruptions is an invaluable aid for improving student success, and deserves to be readily available to every grade school teacher.

The Special Educator's Toolkit
Cindy Golden
Brookes Publishing Company
PO Box 10624
Baltimore, MD 21285-0624
www.brookespublishing.com
9781598570977, $39.95, www.amazon.com

The education of special needs children is one of the most challenging careers any teacher can embark upon. With "The Special Educator's Toolkit: Everything You Need to Organize, Manage, and Monitor Your Classroom", author and educator Cindy Golden draws upon some three decades of experience and expertise to create an instructional guide that will deftly serve instructors of special needs children from kindergarten through twelfth grade. The methodical focus is on six fundamental areas: the learning environment; no-cost / low-cost communication techniques and supports; teaching methods and materials; student behavioral systems; managing the inevitable paperwork required; building successful working relationships with school staff and parents. Of special note is the included CD-ROM featuring more than sixty printable forms and tools ranging from an environmental planning worksheet, to a classroom expectation chart, to group lesson plans, to home school notes, and more! Thoroughly 'user friendly', "The Special Educator's Toolkit: Everything You Need to Organize, Manage, and Monitor Your Classroom" should be considered indispensable for any special education novice instructor and has much of value to recommend it to the attention of experienced special education teachers and administrative staff as well.

Higher-Order Thinking Skills
Wendy Conklin
Shell Education
5301 Oceanus Drive
Huntington Beach, CA 92649-1030
9781425808228, $24.99, www.shelleducation.com

Critical thinking skills are perhaps the most important thing students can take from their classrooms. "Higher-Order Thinking Skills to Develop 21st Century Learners" is an educational guide from Wendy Conklin, M.A., who discusses how teachers can inspire their students to be more complete thinkers to face the problems that will be coming in the 21st century in many careers. With tips on how to inspire any level, from the gifted to the struggling, as well as those learning English, "Higher-Order Thinking Skills to Develop 21st Century Learners" is a strong addition to educational reference collections.

Teaching Sustainability, Teaching Sustainably
Kirsten Allen Bartels & Kelly A. Parker
Stylus Publishing, Inc.
22883 Quicksilver Drive
Sterling, VA 20166-2012
9781579227395, $29.95, www.styluspub.com

Conservation is not only for the environment alone. "Teaching Sustainability, Teaching Sustainably" is a college educators guide to encouraging sustainability in their lesson plans, as well as the importance of a practice that encourages good practices to help the teacher or professor keep their soul in their educational practices for years to come. An insightful discussion of these two vital yet related ideas that are needed for greater education in the long term, "Teaching Sustainability, Teaching Sustainably" is a strong pick for general education collections.

Serving Gifted Students
Susan K. Johnsen, Ph.D., Tracey N. Sulak, & Karen Rollins
Prufrock Press
PO Box 8813
Waco, TX 76714-8813
9781593638894, $29.95, www.prufrock.com

Skilled and driven students are worth going the extra mile for. "Serving Gifted Students Within an Rtl Framework" is a guide for educators working within the American 'Response to Intervention' model, on how to work within it to get gifted students the challenges they need to reach their next level of success. With plenty of practical advice for teachers of gifted students, professors of education and educational psychology come together well, making "Serving Gifted Students Within an Rtl Framework" well worth considering for any teacher who works within it.

Putting FACES on the Data
Lyn Sharratt & Michael Fullan
Corwin Press, Inc.
2455 Teller Road
Thousand Oaks, CA 91320-2218
9781452202587, $36.95, www.corwinpress.com

People are more than statistics, and they should be treated as such. "Putting FACES on the Data: What Great Leaders Do!" is a guide to better leadership and education as Lyn Sharratt & Michael Fullan is a guide for creating a more complete educational system, using research and knowledge compiled over recent years to create a more successful and personal experience for teachers. A collection of research that remembers that there are exceptions to the rule in every student, "Putting FACES on the Data" is a must for any educator or education administrator, highly recommended.


The Native American Studies Shelf

Waikiki Tiki
Phillip S. Roberts
The Bess Press
3565 Harding Avenue
Honolulu, HI 96816
9781573063111, $22.95, www.besspress.com

The art of a culture is what presents its unique face to the world. "Waikiki Tiki: Art, History, and Photographs" is a historical view of the Tiki, its place in Hawaiian culture and its long delve into its unique culture and history, mostly isolated from the world for over a thousand years since its first settlers appeared in 500 AD. "Waikiki Tiki" is presented in full color with plenty of photos and artworks spread all throughout, enthusiastically recommended.

The Civil War

Victors in Blue
Albert Castel
University Press of Kansas
2501 West 15th Street
Lawrence, KS 66049
9780700617927, $34.95, www.kansaspress.ku.edu

The brilliance of Lee alone cannot stand against the strategy the many minds of the Union. "Victors in Blue: How Union Generals Fought the Confederates, Battled Each Other, and Won the Civil War" discusses the generals of the Union Army, numerous and skilled, often clashed with one another on the direction and purpose of the fight, Albert Castel presents a profile of these leaders, the reasoning behind their victories, and presenting a scholarly dissection of union leadership. "Victors in Blue" is a strong addition to any Civil War and American History collection, highly recommended.


The Writing/Publishing Shelf

Four By Four
Joyce Armstrong Carroll
Edward E. Wilson
Libraries Unlimited
c/o ABC-CLIO
Box 1911, Santa Barbara, CA 93116-1911
www.abc-clio.com
9781598849509, $25.00, www.amazon.com

Most authors begin their writing careers while in school. Indeed, one of the primary purposes of public (and private) education is to teach students how to write effectively from crafting essays to creating reports. "Four by Four: Practical Methods for Writing Persuasively" is a 100-page instructional guide organized into four major sections devoted to historical influences with respect to writing persuasively; the basics of the persuasive essay; practical steps essential to writing effectively; and four cardinal patterns for teaching students to write persuasively. "Four by Four: Practical Methods for Writing Persuasively" should be considered mandatory reading for anyone charged with the responsibility of teaching students writing skills at any and all grade levels, as well as instructive value for anyone seeking to craft effective presentations utilizing the written word.

Writing Books For Fun, Fame, & Fortune
Rik Feeney
Richardson Publishing
PO Box 162115
Altamonte Springs, FL 32716
www.PublishingSuccessOnline.com
9781935683155, $14.95, www.amazon.com

Never before in the history of publishing has it been easier for aspiring authors to turn their manuscripts into finished books. Never before in the history of publishing has it been more difficult for authors to compete for attention in the ever volatile and changing marketplace for their books. That's why Rik Feeney's "Writing Books For Fun, Fame, & Fortune" will be especially welcome reading for aspiring authors regardless of whether they intend to produce fiction or non-fiction. "Writing Books For Fun, Fame, & Fortune" is a concise, succinct, practical, 'real world', 144-page compendium with chapters dedicated writing a nonfiction book; dealing with chapter summaries and introductions; creating book summaries and introductions; 'front matter' and 'back matter'; alternative ways in which to write a book; editing; the critical importance of book titles with respect to marketing successfully; tracking a book's development, and more! Enhanced with a list of publishing options; a glossary; resources and resource links (including Online Publishing), "Writing Books For Fun, Fame, & Fortune" is informed, informative, thoroughly 'user friendly', and highly recommended to the attention of anyone seeking to launch their career as an author of books whether for a general or a specialized readership.

Something Startling Happens
Todd Klick
Michael Wiese Productions
12400 Ventura Blvd., #1111
Studio City, CA 91604
9781615930593, $24.95, www.mwp.com

The art of writing is filled with plenty of pitfalls. "Something Startling Happens: The 120 Story Beats Every Writer needs to Know" is a guide for writers on how to create a more gripping and enticing story that won't be easy to put away. These tips are applicable to any medium, as Todd Klick presents the events that evolve the story well and keep readers glued to the story. "Something Startling Happens" is filled cover to cover with examples from award winning films, and how to adapt their essence to one's own story.

Women on Poetry
Caroll Smallwood, Colleen S. Harris & Cynthia Brackett-Vincent, editors
McFarland & Company
PO Box 611
Jefferson NC 28640
9780786463923, $45.00, www.mcfarlandpub.com

Being a poet is easy, being a professional is not so much. "Women on Poetry: Writing, Revising, Publishing, and Teaching" is a collection of advice and wisdom for aspiring lady poets, who are pursuing the medium to express themselves, and pursuing their own dreams. From getting published, teaching the history of women's poetry, and just general knowledge on the craft. The essays and pieces come a wide assortment of established female poets who share their own experiences on the way. "Women on Poetry" is a strongly recommended pick for any poetry hopeful.


The Holocaust Studies Shelf

Judgment Before Nuremberg
Greg Dawson
Pegasus Books
80 Broad Street,5th Floor
New York, NY 10004
9781605982908, $27.95, www.pegasusbooks.com

Justice for what happened in Nazi Germany is not something that looked like it could be achieved, but the nature of the world is to try anyway. "Judgment Before Nuremberg: The Holocaust in the Ukraine and the First Nazi War Crimes Trial" delves into the aftermath of genocide, as Greg Dawson presents a lesser known historical event. While the war still raged, three Nazi officers were captured and tried for their crimes in the Ukraine, where many Jews and other Ukrainians lost their lives. The death sentence received by the Nazis there is forgotten in the larger story of the Holocaust, but Dawson tells this forgotten story well. "Judgment Before Nuremberg" is a strong addition to any World War II or Holocaust history collection, very much recommended reading.


The Architecture Shelf

Service-Learning in Design and Planning
Tom Angotti, Cheryl Doble, Paula Horrigan, editors
New Village Press
PO Box 3049
Oakland, CA 94609
9781613320013, $19.95, www.newvillagepress.net

More people understanding how it all works means more people can help bring it all together. "Service-Learning in Design and Planning: Educating at the Boundaries" seeks to expand the knowledge of urban planning and architecture within communities, studying elements from around the world and how they can be applied locally and lead to a more inclusive plan for the communities of tomorrow. "Service-Learning in Design and Planning" is an informative and much recommended read for those who want to understand the importance of a communities wishes in preparing for its future.


The Photography Shelf

The Lewis & Clark Trail
Richard Mack, photographer
Quiet Light Publishing
2331 Hartzell Street, Evanston, IL 60201
9780975395400, $65.00, www.amazon.com

The Lewis and Clark exploration of the unknown west at the behest of a fledgling American government was a true landmark adventure that was to pave the wave for the massive migrations that were to ultimately create the boundaries and borders of the United States as we know them today. Using quotes and citations from the journals kept by the expedition, photographer Richard Mack has retraced their route and with 248 full color image showcase the beauty and the majesty of the lands they traveled through in the 256 pages of "The Lewis & Clark Trail". A perfect visual supplement to reading any of the established volumes of history with respect to the Lewis and Clark expedition, "The Lewis & Clark Trail" is especially recommended for personal, school, and community library American History and American Photography collections. Also very highly recommended from Quiet Light Publishing for both their quality and their subject matter are two other volumes of superbly produced photography: Richard Mack's "Great Smokey Mountain National Park" (97809755395424, $65.00) and Stephen Azzato's "Their Love Of Music" (9780975395431, $65.00).

Serengeti: The Eternal Beginning
Boyd Norton
Fulcrum Publishing
4690 Table Mountain Drive, Suite 100
Golden, Colorado 80403
9781555915933, $35.00, www.fulcrum-books.com

The deepest heart of Africa has a beauty which is constantly under fire. "Serengeti: The Eternal Beginning" is a collection of nature photography, as well as educational guide to the regions of these great plains and forests. One of the ten great natural wonders of the world, Boyd Norton proves to be an excellent guide and teacher. High quality full color photography throughout, "Serengeti" is a strong pick for any nature lover's coffee table, and for community library nature photography collections.


The Health/Medicine Shelf

Why Millions Died
George H. Scherr
University Press of America
4501 Forbes Blvd., Suite 200
Lanham, MD 20706
9780761855552 $26.95 www.univpress.com

Why Millions Died Before the War on Infectious Diseases is a keenly whetted study of the atrociously slow evolution and acceptance of the germ theory of disease. Members of the scientific community and the church pulpits alike fought against those who advanced the theory of infectious organisms, resulting in decades of delays in implementing vaccines and antimicrobial substances, delays that literally caused millions of deaths. Written in plain terms accessible to lay readers and scholars alike, Why Millions Died expressly focuses on less than a dozen individuals who worked against the current of the times to advance germ theory and its practical implications... from the dedicated Italian scientist Agostino Bassi, to Pasteur, who used Bassi's research yet committed fraud when he falsely claimed to have developed a vaccine for anthrax. A pristine example of humanity's stubbornness running contrary to its own self-interest, Why Millions Died is an excellent addition to public and college library medical history shelves, and especially crucial in the wake of modern-day anti-vaccination movements with no peer-reviewed scientific backing to support them. Highly recommended.

Relieving Pain In America
Institute of Medicine
National Academies Press
500 Fifth Street, NW, Washington, DC 20001
www.nap.edu
9780309214841, $59.95, www.amazon.com

Today more than one hundred million Americans find themselves having to live with chronic pain in their daily lives. The result is a national cost to the American economy of at least $635 billion dollars in medical treatments and lost productivity. The federal government authorized the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act which mandated the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to direct the Institute of Medicine (IOM) to examining the prevalence of pain as an on-going public health problem and concern. Out of this mandate came "Relieving Pain in America: A Blueprint for Transforming Prevention, Care, Education, and Research", a 382-page compendium providing an analytic summary defining the national problem of chronic pain, and offering an integrated approach to chronic pain factors including successful treatment strategies, medical management practices, and pain prevention. A seminal work of medical research and scholarship, "Relieving Pain in America: A Blueprint for Transforming Prevention, Care, Education, and Research" is to be considered a core addition to academic library Health & Medicine reference collections, and is especially recommended to the attention of medical professionals and providers, health and medicine agencies, associations, educators, and patient advocacy groups.

Living Well with Mitochondrial Disease
Cristy Balcells
Woodbine House
6510 Bells Mill Road
Bethesda, MD 20817
9781601130148, $24.95, www.woodbinehouse.com

Mitochondrial diseases cover a wide range of biological disorders, and may be more common than one would think. "Living Well with Mitochondrial Disease: A Handbook for Patients, Parents, and Families" is a discussion of the disorder, what the symptoms may be, understanding when to seek a diagnosis, the genetics, how to deal with the symptoms and the pursuit of treatments. Mitochondrial disease may be present instead of misdiagnoses of cerebral palsy, autism, chronic fatigue syndrome among others. For those seeking a second opinion, "Living Well with Mitochondrial Disease" is a strong addition to any health reference collection.

A Woman's Guide to Muscle and Strength
Irene Lewis-McCormick
Human Kinetics Publishers, Inc.
PO Box 5076
Champaign, IL 61820-5076
9780736090353, $19.95, www.HumanKinetics.com

Women often fear the gym, and that fear can put a damp in overall health. "A Woman's Guide to Muscle and Strength: Programs you need for the Body you want" is a women's health reference from Irene Lewis-McCormick who presents the lifting programs that are designed for women, who often find themselves following programs designed for men and wonder why it doesn't work. With explanations of exercises and practical advice for maximizing it, "A Woman's Guide to Muscle and Strength" is a strong addition to any woman's personal health collection, as well as community library health and fitness collections.

The Hypothyroid Diet
Kevin Dobryzynski, D. N.
Morgan James Publishing
4410 E Claiborne Square, Suite 334
Hampton VA 23666-2071
9781614480303, $17.95, www.morganjamespublishing.com

Health has many paths to take, finding the one for you is key. "The Hypothyroid Diet: Lose Weight and Beat Fatigue in 21 Days" is a guide to diagnosing and understanding hypothyroidism, and how to embrace a healthier life with it and reclaim their life from the symptoms of weight gain and chronic fatigue. With plenty of practical advice and resources to help readers, "The Hypothyroid Diet" is a strongly recommended pick for those who think they may be facing the disorder.


The Science Shelf

A Cultural History of Physics
Karoly Simonyi
CRC Press
Suite 300
6000 NW Broken Sound Parkway NW
Boca Raton, FL 33487
9781568813295 $59.00 www.crcpress.com

Hungarian scientist and educator Karoly Simonyi presents A Cultural History of Physics, a coffee-table book that bridges worldwide human history worldwide and the evolution and application of the scientific method across generations, and civilizations. From the first gleamings of science and philosophy in Egypt, Mesopotamia, and Greece, to outstanding contributions of Arab science, to the revival of science the West during the Enlightenment, and physics in the twentieth century, A Cultural History of Physics takes the reader on an immensely detailed and thoughtful tour. A Cultural History of Physics meticulously explains the specifics of its many examples, and it's packed cover to cover with charts, graphs, and diagrams illustrating key physics discoveries and how they revolutionized the world. A working knowledge of algebra or basic calculus will aid the reader in fully understanding specific examples, but the broader picture of human history transformed by science is thoroughly accessible to lay readers. Highly recommended, especially for college and public library science shelves.

Biotechnology and Innovation Systems
Bo Goransson and Carl Magnus Palsson, editors
Edward Elgar Publishing
9 Dewey Court
Northampton, MA 01060-3815
9781781001387 $185.00 www.e-elgar.com

Biotechnology and Innovation Systems: The Role of Public Policy is an anthology of essays by a diversity of expert scholars examining how policies toward public research institutions, such as universities, affect innovations in the development and adaptation of biotechnology worldwide (although none of the essays directly focus upon North America). Individual writings include "Linkages between bio-innovation, knowledge production and policy in Uruguay", "Biotechnology in Mozambique: present situation and future trends", "Biotechnology transfer and application in China: background and case study", "Biotechnology in Germany", and much more. Exhaustively researched, Biotechnology and Innovation Systems features a plethora of black-and-white charts and graphs to support its points. A user-friendly index rounds out this forward-thinking study of the role public policy and government can play in shaping the biotechnological expertise of the future.

Water Transport in Brick, Stone and Concrete, second edition
Christopher Hall & William D. Hoff
CRC Press
Suite 300
6000 NW Broken Sound Parkway NW
Boca Raton, FL 33487
Taylor & Francis Group
270 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016
9780415564670, $159.84, www.amazon.com www.crcpress.com

The collaborative work of Christopher Hall (Senior Professorial Fellow, School of Engineering, University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom) and William D. Hoff (Emeritus Professor of Construction Technology and Science, School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering, University of Manchester, United Kingdom), "Water Transport in Brick, Stone and Concrete" is a 392-page compendium focused on the engineering physics and materials science involved with transporting water utilizing conduits made of brick, stone, and concrete. Now in an expanded and updated second edition, "Water Transport in Brick, Stone and Concrete" includes new material relevant to the study of evaporation-driven moisture dynamics of built structures. Enhanced with a profusion of figures and tables, four appendices, a bibliography, and an index, "Water Transport in Brick, Stone and Concrete" is comprehensive, informed and informative, making it ideal as both a text book and as a continuing reference work for engineering students professionals, as well as a highly recommended and core addition to professional and academic library instructional reference collections.

NASA: Space Flight Research and Pioneering Developments
Hans-Jurgen Beckr
Schiffer Publishing Ltd.
4880 Lower Valley Road
Atglen, PA 19310
9780764338793, $39.99, www.schifferbooks.com

Space is what a child dreams about at one point or another in their young lives. "NASA: Space Flight Research and Pioneering Developments" discusses the projects of high end aviation and space exploration projects put forth by the world leader in space flight. Presented in full color, Hans-Jurgen Beckr shows the reality of these awe-inspiring projects which shatter the sound barrier and inspire a whole new dream for anyone to aspire to. "NASA" is a strong photographic reference as well as an excellent choice for coffee table book collections.


The Botany Shelf

Plant Reintroduction in a Changing Climate
Joyce Maschinski & Kristin E. Haskins, editors
Island Press
1718 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Suite 300
Washington, DC 20009-1148
9781597268318, $50.00, www.islandpress.org

Climate change leads to near extinction to once thriving species, plant and animal alike. "Plant Reintroduction in a Changing Climate: Promises and Perils" discusses this conservation effort and how some ecologists are pushing for restoration of plants to ecosystems where they once flourished. But this action isn't so simple, facing many problems with food chains and competition from other aspects of the domain of nature. Scholarly and in depth, Joyce Maschinski & Kristin E. Haskins provide an intellectual and thoughtful break down of these concepts and how it is gradually becoming more viable. A solid and core addition for science and environmental collections, "Plant Reintroduction in a Changing Climate" is not to be overlooked.


The Psychology Shelf

The Self and Perspective Taking
Louse McHugh, PhD & Ian Stewart, PhD
Context Press
c/o New Harbinger Press
5674 Shattuck Avenue
Oakland, CA 94609
9781572249950, $69.95, www.newharbinger.com

Placing oneself in the shoes of another is often a difficult endeavor. "The Self and Perspective Taking: Contribution and Applications from Modern Behavioral Science" is a psychology discussion from many thinkers, as they offer views of how we view ourselves and others, and the place in the greater psyche. With many fascinating ideas, the writings within are designed to provide perspective for psychologists dealing with patients with autism, schizophrenia and other mental disorders. Describing the self, perspective, and mindfulness, many thinkers come together to contribute. "The Self and Perspective Taking" is a worthy addition to any psychological reference shelf, recommended.

Record Keeping in Psychotherapy and Counseling, second edition
Ellen T. Luepker
Routledge
270 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10016
9780415892612, $34.95, www.routledge.com

Every business has books, including the business of people. "Record Keeping in Psychotherapy and Counseling: Protecting Confidentiality and the Professional Relationship" is a guide to the business side of things from Ellen T. Luepker who advises readers on how to better manage their psychotherapy career's business side, and how to best live up to one's clients on the business end of the profession, which can be used to work around the most tight lipped psychologist. "Record Keeping in Psychotherapy and Counseling" is a strongly recommended pick for any psychologist who wants to better manage their business end of their job.


The Economic Studies Shelf

American Health Economy Illustrated
Christopher J. Conover
American Enterprise Institute
1150 - 17th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20036
9780844772028 $19.95 www.aei.org

Professional research scholar Christopher J. Conover presents American Health Economy Illustrated, a plain-terms discussion of the costs, relative effectiveness, employment, tax burden, and more of the health-care industry in the American economy. Color graphs on practically every other page illustrate the straightforward conclusions drawn directly from aggregate data. "The relationship between savings and health spending is not nearly as tight at the cross-national level as it is within the United States over time. Although the nation that has the lowest share of GDP devoted to health spending also has the highest savings rate (Japan), the nation that has the next-lowest health spending also has a savings rate almost identical to that of the United States (the UK)." Although deliberately written to provide a grounded, factual base for the ongoing economic debate about American health care in general and Obamacare in particular, American Health Economy Illustrated eschews politics to focuses squarely on facts - the most accurate possible picture that statistics can give, with detailed explanations of the statistics' limitations as well as the unknown quantities for which there is no currently available statistical data. This neutral, information-oriented approach makes American Health Economy Illustrated an absolute "must-have" especially for college library economics collections and the personal shelves of any policymaker involved in the health care budget.

Managing the Fiscal Metropolis
Rebecca M. Hendrick
Georgetown University Press
3240 Prospect Street, NW
Washington, DC 20007
9781589017764, $34.95, www.press.georgetown.edu

As cities grow, the lines between one city and another become blurry. "Managing the Fiscal Metropolis: The Financial Policies, Practices, and Health of Suburban Municipalities" is a comprehensive discussion of the finances and politics that are becoming a growing issue as metropolises grow and consume one another. Focusing on Chicago, whose suburbs have been growing over the past twenty years, Rebecca M. Hendrick breaks down these issues and how it will affect the financial future of communities, the suburbs, and more. "Managing the Fiscal Metropolis" is a much recommended pick for any social issues, political science, or economics community and college library collection.


The Philosophy Shelf

Shows About Nothing
Thomas S. Hibbs
Baylor University Press
One Bear Place, #97363
Waco, TX 76798-7363
9781602583788, $24.95, www.baylorpress.com

Nothingness seems to be a more and more popular topic as the something has no value. "Shows About Nothing: Nihilism in Popular Culture" discusses the prominence of Nihilistic topics in today's media, it presents the ideas of Nietzsche and how it has infiltrated many films and television shows, as characters may be faced with decisions that may wander them down the road to nothingness. "Shows About Nothing" offers an intriguing debate of good, evil, how it matters and matters no longer, a strongly recommended addition to any philosophy or popular culture reference collection.


The Biography Shelf

Michele Obama
Alma Halbert Bond
Greenwood Press
c/o ABC-CLIO
Box 1911, Santa Barbara, CA 93116-1911
www.abc-clio.com
9780313381041, $37.00, www.amazon.com

Michele Obama is so much more than a First Lady of the country through courtesy of being married to a president. "Michele Obama: A Biography" by psychoanalyst and biographer Alma H. Bond is a 166-page personal history of a woman of color who worked hard and long to become an accomplished professional in her own right, a devoted wife and mother of two girls, and an advocate for causes that she believes ranging from her husband's presidency to helping the country deal with chronic obesity. Informed and informative, "Michele Obama: A Biography" is enthusiastically recommended for school and community library American Biography collections, and should be considered 'must reading' for Michele's legions of admirers and supporters.

The First Ladies Fact Book
Bill Harris
Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers
151 West 19th Street
New York, NY 10011
9781579128913, $19.95, www.workman.com

Few first ladies settle for their place in history simply being the president's wife. "The First Ladies Fact Book: The Childhoods, Courtships, Marriages, Campaigns, Accomplishments, and Legacies of Every First Lady from Martha Washington to Michelle Obama" is a massive and comprehensive guide following the life stories of the women who brought a feminine touch to the White House, and in recent years, began championing causes all their own. With photographs and illustrations throughout, Bill Harris presents an intriguing delve into history of tradition and traditions broken, and an endlessly fascinating read. "The First Ladies Fact Book" is a strong pick for any reference collection touching on history and powerful women.


The Library Science Shelf

True Stories Of Censorship Battles In America's Libraries
Valerie Nye & Kathy Barco
ALA Editions
c/o American Library Association
50 East Huron Street, Chicago, IL 60611
www.alastore.ala.org
9780838911303, $50.00, www.amazon.com

There are basically two types of censorship operating in America's school and community library systems. The first is obvious and blatant. It is when outside groups petition library boards and political authorities to remove targeted books from library collections. Such demands are usually based on religious or political objections. The second form of censorship is far more subtle and difficult to identify from the outside. It is the phenomena of 'self-censorship' on the part of library staff. Often in response to a perceived problem of anticipated adverse public relations or personal bias. Compiled and co-edited by the team of Valerie Nye and Kathy Barco, "True Stories Of Censorship Battles In America's Libraries" is a 176-page compendium of erudite articles contributed by an impressive roster of knowledgeable contributors showcasing case examples of censorship and the issues associated with them. The result is an impressive work of considerable and diverse scholarship making "True Stories Of Censorship Battles In America's Libraries" mandatory reading for library professionals, as well as free speech advocates and library patrons with an interest in library related censorship issues.

Evaluating and Measuring the Value, Use and Impact of Digital Collections
Lorna M. Hughes, editor
Facet Publishing
c/o Neal-Schuman Publishers
100 William Street, Suite 2004
New York, NY 10038-4512
9781856047203 $115.00 www.neal-schuman.com

Evaluating and Measuring the Value, Use and Impact of Digital Collections is an anthology of essays by expert librarians, archivists, and scholars cross-examining the use of digital collections, particularly when digital technology is used to preserve scholarly and cultural heritage materials. Individual writings scrutinize means to ensure the quality, longevity, and productive use of digital collections, among other issues. Sample essays include "User needs in digitization", "Improving sustainability of publicly funded digital resources, "The digital museum", and more. An exhaustive list of references for further reading and an index round out this thought-provoking, cutting-edge discourse tackling an increasingly important part of library, archival, and reference systems in the modern Information Age. Highly recommended, especially for professionals in the field.

No Shelf Required 2
Sue Polanka
ALA Editions
50 East Huron St.
Chicago, IL 60611
9780838911457, $65.00, www.alastore.ala.org

Many have decried e-books as the death of libraries, but only for those who won't evolve with the times. "No Shelf Required 2: Use and Management of Electronic Books" is a librarian's guide to e-books and their rising impact on paper based book and those who read them. Sue Polanka advises readers how to better embrace them for their libraries and work them into their standard collection. Comprehensive and scholarly, "No Shelf Required 2" is a strongly recommended read for any librarians reference collection.

The Library Catalog as Social Space
Laurel Tarulli
Libraries Unlimited
c/o ABC-CLIO
PO Box 1911
Santa Barbara, CA 93116-1911
9781598846294, $40.00, www.abc-clio.com

The rise of social media has turned almost everything into a community. "The Library Catalog as Social Space: Promoting Patron Driven Collections, Online Communities, and Enhanced Reference, and Readers' Services" discusses the role of library catalogs and their evolution in today's future-driven world. A reference for librarians looking to expand their online catalogs and embracing t he concepts of social media for a more comprehensive reading of one's patrons, "The Library Catalog as Social Space" is a strong addition to any library science reference collection that is focusing on the future of libraries.

Read On... Graphic Novels
Abby Alpert
Libraries Unlimited
c/o ABC-CLIO
PO Box 1911
Santa Barbara, CA 93116-1911
9781591588252 $30.00 www.abc-clio.com

Part of the "Read On..." series designed to help public libraries select books for their collection that will appeal to a broad range of personal tastes, Read On... Graphic Novels offers more than 500 original entries describing different graphic novels ideal for library collections. Organized into 70 thematic lists, Read On... Graphic Novels is an excellent, user-friendly tool for selecting visual literature - including graphic novels that have won prestigious honors such as National Book Awards or MacArthur Grants - that can boost circulation and help encourage young and old patrons alike to improve their literacy. Fiction and nonfiction graphic novels are well-represented, including the wildly popular category of manga (Japanese graphic novels). Highly recommended.


The Self-Help Shelf

Anger Management for Everyone
Raymond Chip Tafrate & Howard Kassinove
Impact Publishers
PO Box 6016
Atascadero, CA 93423-6016
9781886230835, $17.95, www.impactpublishers.com

Anger can easily consume one's life, but it's natural, so it must be controlled. "Anger Management for Everyone: Seven Proven Ways to Control Anger and Live a Happier Life" is motivational guide from psychologists Raymond Chip Tafrate & Howard Kassinove suggest ways for readers to better manage their anger, and reduce the damage it can do to their relationships. Stating how to vent well, manage one's emotions and put it forward so they can attain greater success, "Anger Management for Everyone" is a choice addition for self-help and inspirational collections, recommended.


The Religion/Spirituality Shelf

The Handy Religion Answer Book
John Renard
Visible Ink Press
43311 Joy Road #414, Canton, MI 48187-2075
9781578593798, $21.95, www.visibleinkpress.com

To ask questions is to get closer to understanding. "The Handy Religion Answer Book" is a collection of questions and answers about many questions about the faiths of the world, both Eastern and Western. John Renard applies his extensive studies in religion to grant a more complete understanding of religions and their intersections with one another. "The Handy Religion Answer Book" is a strongly recommended addition to community library religious studies collections.


The Buddhist Studies Shelf

The Magic of Awareness
Anam Thubten
Snow Lion Publications
PO Box 6483
Ithaca, NY 14851
9781559393928 $16.95 www.SnowLionPub.com

Anam Thubten, a lifelong practitioner of Nyingma tradition Buddism and the spiritual advisor/Dharma teacher for the Dharmata Foundation, presents The Magic of Awareness, a spiritual text about liberating one's mind and consciousness, awakening to one's true nature, gaining freedom from desires and fears, and rediscovering love and bliss in existence. "There is nothing to be discovered as ultimate truth beyond pure consciousness. That's all there is. Every other notion of truth is simply an elaboration of ideas and concepts. Pure consciousness is not the effect of any cause. If it were the effect of a cause, it would simply be another ordinary thing with a beginning and an end. It is present in each of us, and it is not bound by time or space. It is free from everything and it is present in everyone at this very moment. It is the ground of our being, and who we are in the ultimate sense." Although The Magic of Awareness deals with transcendental matters, the plain-terms language renders its message accessible to readers of all faiths and backgrounds. Highly recommended for any reader interested in better understanding and learning about Buddhism, particularly Nyingma Buddhism.

Breathing Through the Whole Body
Will Johnson
Inner Traditions International, Ltd.
One Park Street
Rochester, VT 05767
9781594774348, $12.95, www.innertraditions.com

The spiritual teachings of the Buddha is a whole being focus. "Breathing Through the Whole Body: The Buddha's Instructions on Integrating Mind, Body, and Breath" is guide to spirituality and Buddhism as Will Johnson encourages readers to put together their whole spirit and gain a more complete control over their mind, emotions, and body. With exercises both physical, mental, and spirituality, "Breathing Through the Whole Body" is a strongly recommended pick for spirituality and Buddhist studies collections.


The Fiction Shelf

Twelfth & Race
Eric Goodman
University of Nebraska Press
233 North 8th Street
Lincoln, Nebraska, 68588-0255
9780803239807, $18.95, www.nebraskapress.unl.edu

Romance often cares not for the complexities of race. "Twelfth & Race" follows the unusual romance of approaching middle age Richard Allan Gordon and his entry into the mother and daughter coupling of LaTisha & Jada, where Jada bears his last name through unusual circumstances. The meeting of Richard and LaTisha meets backlash from society as a Jewish man and an African-American woman, facing the racism that still lives on in today's world. "Twelfth & Race" is a strongly recommended pick for general fiction collections.

Gravel Road series
L.B. Tillit
Saddleback Publishing Inc.
3120 Pullman Street
Cosa Mesa, CA 92626-4564
Smith Publicity
1930 E. Marlton Pike, Suite I-46
Cherry Hill, NJ 08003
$8.95 each www.sdlback.com www.smithpublicity.com

Three hard-hitting novels in the "Gravel Road" series by L.B. Tillit, a veteran teacher of at-risk children, offer vivid stories of inner city young adults struggling to not only survive, but also forge a path to the future. "Unchained" (9781616517922) follows TJ, the son of a recovering drug addict, who is returning to live with his newly clean mother. But his mother lives in a neighborhood crawling with gangs and violence, and TJ's own past associating with criminals quickly comes back to haunt him. "Edge of Ready" (9781616517786) tells of the pressures mounting on a young woman trying to get good marks in school like her mother wants, but between the jobs she has to work for enough money to get by and the need to look after her baby brother Benny, she's pulled in too many directions - and that is before the devastation of a horrific rape. "2 Days" (9781616517939) is about sixteen-year-old Neema, a young woman whose rocky relationship with her mother and her mother's questionable boyfriend sends her out to the streets for two days. Neema decides to crash with her boyfriend - a decision with repercussions that will change her life forever. All three novels are powerful coming-of-age tales that teenagers and adults alike can appreciate, and highly recommended.


The Agriculture Shelf

Keeping the Farm in Your Family
Mark R. Alvig & David P. Buss
Adams Business & Professional
c/o Beaver's Pond Press
7108 Ohms Lane
Edina, MN 55439
9781592982257, $19.95, www.BeaversPondPress.com

The family owned farm seems to be a fading memory, as the megafarm seems to be the name of the game. "Keeping the Farm in Your Family: What you Need to Know" is a guide for farmers and other estate owners on how to keep their prized possessions and keep it going the one who you want it to, navigating the legal minefield that has popped up. "Keeping the Farm in Your Family" is a strongly recommended pick for those who want to better manage their farm's and their family's future.


The International Studies Shelf

Come from the Shadows
Terry Glavin
Douglas & McIntyre
2323 Quebeck Street, Suite 201
Vancouver, BC, Canada, V5T 4S7
9781553657828 $26.95 www.douglas-mcintyre.com

Come from the Shadows: The Long and Lonely Struggle for Peace in Afghanistan is an impassioned examination of the war in Afghanistan, primarily focusing on the difficult experience of the Afghan people. Award-winning author Terry Glavin (co-founder of the Canada-Afghanistan Solidarity Committee) harshly challenges antiwar claims, portraying the Afghans not as the enraged victims of a military seizure, but rather as courageous people trying desperately to survive and grateful for international aid against the brutally repressive Taliban. Glavin gives distorted portrayals of Afghan in the West the label of "Absuristan", asking sharply why current policy is leaning toward reconciliation with the Taliban when they have established themselves as championing misogyny and tyranny. Extensive notes, an appendix, and an index round out this strong warning against abandoning Afghan to the most reactionary and ruthless forces threatening it.

When More is Less
Astri Suhrke
Columbia University Press
61 West 62nd Street
New York, NY 10023-7015
9780231702720, $25.00, http://cup.columbia.edu

Peace in Afghanistan has been a very stressful process. "When More is Less: The International Project in Afghanistan" analyzes the struggles that America and the western invention have had in rebuilding Afghanistan after the reign of the Taliban. Astri Suhrke argues that the heavy handed methods used by the west are causing more problems than they solve, and that a lighter hand could help Afghanistan much more. "When More is Less" is a strongly recommended addition to the international issues debate.

Cocaine, Death Squads, & the War on Terror
Oliver Villar & Drew Cottle
Monthly Review Press
146 West 29th Street, Suite 6W
New York, NY 10001
9781583672518, $16.95, www.monthlyreview.org

Drugs and terror are quite cooperative, but could America be perpetuating their own problems? "Cocaine, Death Squads, & the War on Terror" discusses the relations between America and Columbia, where foreign aid to Columbia has been fueling a state controlled by its cocaine crops, increasing terror against the Columbian people and their neighbors. Looking at these underlying politics, Oliver Villar and Drew Cottle, international thinkers offer a critique of the cruel undertones of America's war on drugs and war on terror. "Cocaine, Death Squads, & the War of Terror" is a crucial yet strongly recommended read on international policy.


The Christian Studies Shelf

The Encyclopedia of Christian Civilization
George Thomas Kurian, editor
Wiley-Blackwell
350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148
www.wiley.com
9781405157629, $553.41, www.amazon.com

A four volume, 2790 page, encyclopedic history of Christianity from its beginnings with the life and teachings of Jesus, through the apostolic period, the evolution and legitimization of the Christian movement through the first three centuries, to the continued expansion and fragmentation of the first millennia, through the great schisms of the western and eastern churches, to Protestant reformations, down to the present day diversity of a truly global religion, "The Encyclopedia of Christian Civilization" (ably compiled and edited by George Thomas Kurian, President of the Encyclopedia Society and editor of sixty reference works of which twenty-seven are encyclopedias) is the definitive reference work on the total history of the Christian movement. More than 1,420 informed and informative entries contributed by more than 350 scholars from more than twenty-four countries, provide an up-to-date descriptive and analytical history that will prove to be of immense value to both academia and the non-specialist general reader with an interest in Christian History. "The Encyclopedia of Christian Civilization" is a core addition that is fundamental to any personal, professional, academic, or community library Christian Studies reference book collection. It should also be noted that an online edition is available at the Wiley Online Library at www.encyclopediaofchristiancivilization.com

A Quick Overview of the Bible
Douglas A. Jacoby
Harvest House Publishers
990 Owen Loop North
Eugene, Oregon 97402-9173
9780736944243, $12.99, www.harvesthousepublishers.com

The Bible is not a single book, but a compilation of many. "A Quick Overview of the Bible: Understanding How All the Pieces Fit Together" discusses how gain a more comprehensive understanding of the Bible by understanding how the many books come together. The various book so of the Bible were written hundreds of years apart in many languages, so understanding Genesis is not the same as understanding Revelations. "A Quick Overview of the Bible" is a strong pick as an introductory to any Bible student, be they professional or amateur.


The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

The Last Justice
Anthony J. Franze
Sterling & Ross Publishers
c/o Sterling Publishing Company
387 Park Avenue South
New York, NY 10016-8810
9780982139189, $24.95, www.sterlingpublishing.com

With six members of the nation's highest court dead, people can be quick to point fingers. "The Last Justice" is the story of the fallout from such an event, as Solicitor General Jefferson McKenna is granted charge of the investigation, the political battle over replacements suddenly has McKenna in the sights of the guilty. To prove his innocence, he has to find the deeper corruption within, that leaks through Washington D.C. and around the world. "The Last Justice" is a fine and much recommended pick, not to be missed.


The Military Shelf

Find, Fix, Finish
Aki Peritz & Eric Rosenbach
Public Affairs Books
250 West 57th Street, #1321
New York, NY 10107
9781610391283, $27.99, www.publicaffairsbooks.com

Classic strategies are classic for a reason. "Find, Fix, Finish: Inside the Counter-terrorism Campaigns That Killed Bin Laden and Devastated Al-Qaeda" discusses the evolution of US security policy since 9-11, showing how America has evolved its tactics following a relatively blind lash towards Afghanistan and Iraq. Stating how the strategies of Ulysses S. Grant, updated for one hundred fifty years later has led to a revolution in striking at America's enemies, "Find, Fix, Finish" is a strong pick for anyone who wants a better understanding of the future of military policy in America.


The Needlecraft Shelf

Knit Your Own Cat
Sally Muir and Joanna Osborne
Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers
151 West 19th St., New York, NY 10011
9781579128937, $14.95, www.amazon.com

Following the previously published, widely hailed "Knit Your Own Dog," "Knit Your Own Cat: Easy-To-Follow Patterns for 16 Frisky Felines" by the needlecraft team of Sally Muir and Joanna Osborne is an innovative book of adorable knitted felines of 16 famous breeds. Here is the perfect (or "purrfect") companion hobby book for creative cat lovers who knit, or adventurous knitters who are "owned" by cats. Complete, easy-to-follow patterns with instructions are provided for each cat, along with beautiful color photos of finished knitted cats. A tribute to the fabulous variety of breeds of cats, "Knit Your Own Cat" is a fantastic gift or hobbyist acquisition. Ranging from the Abyssinian to the Persian, to the Turkish Van, these knitted cats are unbelievably lifelike and striking in their resemblance to their living, breathing furry prototypes. Whether created as a companion or a tribute to a departed beloved feline, these unforgettable knitted cats are sure to be treasured by their fortunate owners.


The Comix/Graphic Novel Shelf

Tropica
Tony Clapes, author
Yishan Li, illustrator
The Bess Press
3565 Harding Avenue
Honolulu, HI 96816
9781573063203 $12.95 www.besspress.com

Tropica is a graphic novel set on the allegorical island of the same name, where most economic revenue is generated through low-paying service jobs working for tourists and the military. Although Tropica does not exist in our universe, parallels to the state of Hawaii leap to mind; the allegory could also apply not only to other island commonwealths, but also mainland cities and regions driven by the same economic forces, and possibly even America as a whole. Tropica's economic model suffers from long-term problems; the island's population is under-educated and ill-prepared for anything other than low-skilled jobs that barely keep its people above the poverty line. As a result its population is declining, and should the flow of military and tourism consumption ever dry up, it will spell complete disaster! The intelligent and forward-thinking Doc Nova proposes an ambitious plan to save the future; with more education and S.T.E.M. (Science, Technology, Education and Math) initiatives, Tropica could potentially create new industries with higher-paying jobs that rely on brainpower rather than agriculture or hard labor, and turn its looming economic crisis around. To achieve this end, Doc Nova teaches and enlists a group of students to fight for a better future. But the main power brokers in the island's government fiercely oppose changing the way things are; three groups of them feud, but all three are so resistant to improved education that they are essentially possessed by mysterious evil gremlins that effectively transform them into anthropomorphic pigs or wolves! The clean, manga-style artwork perfectly complements this tale that blends elements of the fanciful and the practical into a captivating whole. Highly recommended.

Hamakua Hero: A True Plantation Story
P.Y. Iwasaki and Berido
The Bess Press
3565 Harding Avenue
Honolulu, HI 96816
9781573063210 $12.95 www.besspress.com

Over 120 years ago, tens of thousands of Japanese men and women left their homeland to work on the sugar plantations of Hawaii. They had to toil for long hours in severe and sometimes life-threatening conditions, for distressingly little pay. Hamakua Hero: A True Plantation Story is a black-and-white biographical graphic novel, about one particularly idealistic young man. Katsu Goto resisted the injustices visited upon the plantation workers, but paid a terrible price for his courageous actions. Vignettes of Hawaiian and Japanese history are smoothly worked into the story, which is told with expressive, manga-style artwork. As captivating as it is educational, Hamukua Hero is highly recommended.


The Audiobook Shelf

Between Planets
Robert A. Heinlein
Full Cast Audio
PO Box 6110, Syracuse, NY 13217
www.fullcastaudio.com
9781934180297, $45.00, www.amazon.com

The late Robert A. Heinlein (1907-1988) was acknowledge by his peers and his fans as one of the most gifted and prolific of science fiction authors. Now the classic 1951 Heinlein SciFi yarn "Between Planets" has been brought to life with a multicast theatrical performance flawlessly produced by Full Cast Audio. It's the story of a young man caught up in interplanetary intrigue as war breaks out between the human colonists of Venus against the oppressive global government of Earth. Enhanced with original music, the 6-disc "Between Planets" has a total running time of seven hours. Pure entertainment from beginning to end, this production of "Between Planets" provides the listener with a total 'theatre of the mind' experience and is highly recommended for personal, school, and community library audio book collections.

Within A Budding Grove
Marcel Proust
Naxos of America, Inc.
1810 Columbia Avenue, Suite 28
Franklin, TN 37064
NA0097, $115.98, www.naxosaudiobooks.com

Complete and unabridged, this Naxos audio book production of "Within A Budding Grove" by Marcel Proust is deftly and dramatically narrated by Nevill Jason. The result is 25 hours, 33 minutes of memorable entertainment. "Within A Budding Grove" is the story of a young man dealing with his emerging sexuality, becoming involved with a group of teenaged girls, visiting a brothel, and encountering still other young women including Rachel, Gilberte, and Albertine. This is a transcendent 'coming of age' novel written by a master storyteller with an unusual gift for engaging full and continuing attention from beginning to end. "Within A Budding Grove" is very strongly recommended for college and community library audio book collections and should be considered a "must listen" for Marcel Proust enthusiasts.

Oliver Twist
Charles Dickens
Naxos of America, Inc.
1810 Columbia Avenue, Suite 28
Franklin, TN 37064
NA0076, $81.98, www.naxosaudiobooks.com

"Oliver Twist" is Charles Dickens' literary masterpiece that tells the story of a poor orphan boy in 19th Century England whose adventurous life will encompass tragedy and triumph. This complete and unabridged Naxos audio book entails flawless production values which serve to showcase Jonathan Keeble's superbly gifted narrative skills bringing all of Dickens' memorable characters to live from Oliver's friend 'The Artful Dodger', to such shady characters of Fagin, and humor providers like Mr. Bumble. With a total running time of 16 hours, 18 minutes on 13 CDs, Certain to be a popular title, "Oliver Twist" should be considered a core and necessary addition to both school and community library audio book collections.

The Eagle
Rosemary Sutcliffe
Naxos of America, Inc.
1810 Columbia Avenue, Suite 28
Franklin, TN 37064
NA442312, $28.98, www.naxosaudiobooks.com

No one writes historical fiction better than Rosemary Sutcliffe. "The Eagle" is set in second century Britain when all that separated 'civilization' from the barbarians was Hadrian's Wall and the Roman Legion. In 117 AD when the 9th Legion was wiped out north of the Wall and its Eagle symbol taken, it was a mystery as to what had happened. Twenty years later the son of the second in command of the ill fated 9th Legion, accompanied by his dedicated friend disguise themselves and head north to discover what had happened to his father and the 9th, and if possible retrieve the Eagle that served as its standard. Sutcliffe's superbly crafted novel is brought vividly to life in a true 'theatre of the mind' experience by the expert narrative skills of Charlie Simpson. The result is pure entertainment on four CDs with a total running time of 4 hours, 32 minutes. "The Eagle" is an enthusiastically recommended addition to school and community library audio book collections!


The Library CD Shelf

Waking from the Roots
Coyote Jump
Canyon Records Productions
3131 West Clarendon Avenue
Phoenix, AZ 85017
$14.98 www.canyonrecords.com

Coyote Jump is a musically talented duo consisting of composer Colin Farish, who is skilled in playing multiple instruments, and Native American flutist John-Carlos Perea. Together they present Waking from the Roots, a music CD album in tribute to the indigenous peoples of America, inspired by their ancient traditions that honor the mystery, bounty, and love of Mother Earth. The delicate beauty of the cedar flute binds these soul-stirring songs, in a reflective and ultimately joyous listening experience. Highly recommended. The tracks are "Lightning Drum" (5:20), "Ohlone Waters" (4:51), "Migration" (5:54), "Coyote Jump" (5:12), "Salish Sound" (4:02), "Midnight Moon" (5:31), "Lozen's Way" (5:19), "Prayer/Taking Flight" (7:20), and "Invocation/Waking from the Roots" (7:50). 51 min. 47 sec.

Close Your Eyes, Love: Lullabies of the Celtic Lands
Aine Minogue
Little Miller Records
97 Bow Street
Arlington, MA 02474
$14.99 www.minogue.com www.CelticMeditationMusic.com

Close Your Eyes, Love: Lullabies of the Celtic Lands is a wonderfully dreamy album original Celtic-style lullabies by Irish harpist and singer Aine Minogue, co-producer Scott Petito on bass keyboards and guitar, and grammy-winning cellist Eugene Friesen. Close Your Eyes, Love is multilingual; of its five tracks with vocals, three tracks are in English, one is in Gaelic, and one is in Welsh. A beautifully crafted work of resonant and soothing melody, Close Your Eyes, Love is a wonderful gift album, especially recommended for listening pleasure when one is winding down for bed. The tracks are "Take Time To Thrive" (6:25), "William's Lullaby" (4:40), "Slumber My Darling" (3:30), "Close Your Eyes, Love" (5:00), "Dun Do Shuil (Close Your Eyes)" (4:50), "Mary's Lullaby" (3:00), "Gartan Mother's Lullaby" (5:51), "The Ashgrove" (2:50), "Suo Gan (Welsh Lullaby)" (5:20), and "I am Asleep (Taimse im' Chodladh)" (4:40).


The Library DVD Shelf

Capitol Crimes
Featuring Bill Moyers
Athena
c/o Acorn Media Group
8515 Georgia Avenue, Suite 620
Silver Spring, MD 20910-3403
9781598287479 $49.99 www.acornonline.com AthenaLearning.com

Emmy and Peabody Award-winning journalist Bill Moyers hosts Capitol Crimes, a two-hour PBS documentary on DVD about Jack Abramoff, one of the most notoriously corrupt lobbyists of modern history. Abramoff used every machination possible to circumvent the law and funnel money to crony politicians. He lied to multiple Native American tribes about how their political contributions were being used and what they were getting from them, utilized a crooked public relations firm that literally charged its customers ten times what its services were worth, took money from Russian oil barons, helped enable the continued exploitation of workers in the Marianas (who lived in subhuman conditions; female workers could be forced to have abortions) and flagrantly broke campaign financing laws, until he was finally caught and exposed. Capitol Crimes is not only about one man and his allies in corrupt money laundering; it reveals how horrendously money-driven our political system has become. A bonus discussion between Bill Moyers, author Thomas Frank (who wrote "What's the Matter with Kansas?") and Congress-studier Norman Ornstein, recorded during the 2008 election campaigns of presidential candidates Obama and McCain, re-examines the causes, effects, and legacy of the Abramoff scandal and what continuing corruption means for modern America. A second, 83-min. DVD "Buying the War" also investigates the media's role in events leading up to the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Overall, "Capitol Crimes" is a frighteningly educational portrait of greed, corruption, and machinations that imperil the heart of American democracy, worthy of the highest recommendation for both public and college libraries, as well as the private DVD libraries of concerned American citizens everywhere. 2 DVDs, 117 min. plus 196 min. bonus features, full screen, SDH subtitles.

The City Dark
Ian Cheney
Bullfrog Films, Inc.
PO Box 149
Oley, PA 19547
1937772071 $295.00 www.bullfrogfilms.com

The City Dark is a thought-provoking documentary about light pollution - how the spread of civilization and cities has flooded our skies with light. What is the price living in cities where one is almost completely unable to see stars at night? Certainly, it becomes much more difficult for astrophysicists to observe the night sky, and the risk increases that when an asteroid inevitably comes into a collision course with the planet, it might not be spotted as soon as we would hope. Light pollution has a severe negative impact on wildlife; hatching sea turtles are less able to find the ocean before they dehydrate, and migratory birds are disoriented on their journey, attracted to the illumination of the city that ultimately kills them when they fly directly into buildings. Even humans suffer from excessive light exposure; light during the nighttime hours can inhibit the production of melatonin in human skin, and potentially make people more susceptible to cancers, particularly breast cancer (women who do "shift work" have a dramatically higher rate of breast cancer, and this is suspected to be a cause). Is a compromise possible? Lighting designer Herve Descottes has worked to create lights that can illuminate city streets without blotting the stars from their sky, directed so that the light radiates only downward where it's needed, rather than upward where it only causes problems. The City Dark is an extraordinarily thoughtful documentary, highly recommended especially for public and school library collections. Two versions of "The City Dark" are offered on the DVD, an 83 min. version and an abridged 58 min. version, both with SDH subtitles.

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
With Alec Guinness as George Smiley
Acorn Media Group
8515 Georgia Avenue, Suite 620
Silver Spring, MD 20910-3403
9781598287622 $59.99 Blu-ray www.acornonline.com

Based on the enduringly popular book by John le Carre, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is the classic British drama now available in the stellar clarity of Blu-ray. Set amid the height of the Cold War, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy follows sidelined agent George Smiley (played by the illustrious Alec Guinness), whose mission is to uncover a mole working at the highest level of the British Secret Intelligence Service. A wealth of bonus features enhance this classic of espionage and betrayal, including an exclusive interview with director John Irvin, deleted scenes, an interview with John le Carre, production notes, a glossary, and a le Carre biography and booklist. The definitive version of a superlative British drama, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is highly recommended. 6 episodes on 2 Blu-ray discs, 324 min. plus bonus features, 1080p (some bonus 480p), fullscreen, SDH subtitles.

Amazing Eggs
Featuring Chef Dave Christopherson
Learning ZoneXPress
PO Box 1022
Owatonna, MN 55060
$49.95 www.learningzonexpress.com

Ideal for viewers of all ages from grade 6 through adult, Amazing Eggs is an educational cooking DVD that covers how to select, store, and prepare eggs. From what the eggshell's color means and the nutrients that can be found in eggs, to how to store eggs, the proper temperature at which to cook eggs, and a hands-on walkthrough of how to create a diversity of egg dishes, Amazing Eggs lives up to its title. The recipes covered include scrambled eggs, sunny side up egg, over easy egg, basted egg, poached egg, hollandaise sauce, omelet, strata, frittata, and quiche. Amazing Eggs is an excellent choice for viewing in home economics classrooms, as well as a useful reference DVD for public library collections. 21 min., closed captioned.


The Judaic Studies Shelf

We're Missing The Point
Rabbi Dr. Gidon Rothstein
KTAV Publishing House
930 Newark Avenue
Jersey City, NJ 07306-6316
www.ktav.com
9781602802025, $25.00, www.amazon.com

To be an Orthodox Jew is to resist the manifold and ever present temptations to assimilate into the antithetical practices, customs and culture of the larger society. "We're Missing the Point: What's Wrong with the Orthodox Jewish Community and How to Fix It" by Rabbi Dr. Gidon Rothstein is a 256-page compendium addressing what it means to be a Jew, to be Orthodox, to live a God-oriented life, the role of autonomy and personal choice, and a practical, attainable, 'real-world' vision of how to keep focused on the core essentials that such a life and that such a community of lives requires within the context of a broader pagan and secular world. From Jewish traditions, to the necessity of prayer, to Jewish education, to the value of the spiritual and communal value of the synagogue, "We're Missing The Point" is inspired and inspiring. Thoroughly 'reader friendly', Rabbi Rothstein's book should be considered a core addition to personal reading lists, as well as community and academic library "Judaic Studies" instructional reference collections.

Studies in Rashi - Bereishit
Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson
Kehot Publication Society
291 Kingston Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11213
www.kehot.com
9780826607065, $24.95, www.amazon.com

"Studies in Rashi - Bereishit" is a 422-page, bilingual (Hebrew/English), collection of twelve informed and informative essays. Beginning in late 1964, after the passing of his mother, Rebbetzin Chana, the Rebbe began dedicating a segment of his weekly Shabbat public gatherings to the study of Rashi's classic biblical commentary. What soon emerged was an innovative method for both the study and analysis of the Bible's pre-eminent commentator, and Bible study itself. These talks continued for more than twenty-five years. Now in an impressive edition produced by the Kehot Publication Society under the editorship of Rabbi Y. Eliezer Danzinger, and ably translated into English by Rabbi Y. Eliezer Danzinger, "Studies in Rashi - Bereishit" is enhanced for the reader with the inclusion of seventeen 'General Principles' which are the basis for Rebbe's methodology in studying Rashi. Fully annotated in Hebrew and in English, "Studies in Rashi - Bereishit" is further enhanced with an extensively detailed bibliography and a comprehensive index, making it a very highly recommended and core addition to personal and academic library Judaic Studies instructional reference collections and supplemental reading lists.


The Autism Shelf

It's Raining Cats and Dogs
Michael Barton
Jessica Kingsley Publishers, Inc.
400 Market Street, Suite 400
Philadelphia, PA 19106
9781849052832 $15.95 www.jkp.com

It's Raining Cats and Dogs is a guide to the meanings of common English metaphors, idioms, shortened expressions, and sayings written especially for people on the autism spectrum. Each metaphor/idiom and its meaning is complemented by a simplistic, black-and-white illustrations of the literal implication of the words - and implication that is likely to jump into the head of any autism spectrum individual encountering the phrase for the first time! For example, one page has the phrase "We didn't meet eye to eye" alongside a crossed-out sketch of two eyeballs touching, followed by the phrase's true meaning, "We didn't agree". Although It's Raining Cats and Dogs is especially valuable for autism spectrum individuals, children and adults who are learning English as a second language will also find it an invaluable supplementary reference and teaching tool, particularly due to the visual reinforcement of the pictures. Highly recommended, especially for school library collections.


The Real Estate Shelf

Fixing the Housing Market
Franklin Allen, James R. Barth, and Glenn Yago
Prentice Hall Press
c/o Penguin Group (USA)
375 Hudson Street
New York, NY 10014
9780137011605 $34.99 http://us.penguingroup.com

Without such things as mortgages, far too many people would be unable to own their own home; yet too little regulation of real estate finances prompted the housing bubble and economic meltdown of 2008. How did we get here, and in what direction should we head now? Written by three experts in economics and real estate financing, Fixing the Housing Market: Financial Innovations for the Future is a scholarly and serious-minded study of the history and future of financial innovation products that make owning a home possible. Chapters cover the invention of housing innovations from antiquity to the modern day; the benefits and risks of different mortgage funding structures in today's economy; housing finance in emerging economies such as Brazil, Russia, India and China; and conclusions drawn from the evidence as to which financial innovations can provide the most stable and sustainable system for housing and real estate. "Lesson 3: Size Matters - ... What if houses returned to the size expected by the typical U.S. homebuyer 30 years ago?... America's total expenditures on all new homes sold over the past 30 years would have been $1.2 trillion less in today's dollars, and that savings would continue to accrue in the future. That's before taking into account the cost of furnishing, heating, cooling, and cleaning all that extra space... Factors such as neighborhood compactness, access to public transit, and rates of vehicle ownership affect mortgage performance. There is a direct, statistically significant link between longer, costlier commuting and a higher risk of default." Fixing the Housing Market lives up to its title with practical, serious-minded, real-world ideas, and should be required reading for real estate and economic policy professionals everywhere.


The Humor Shelf

Best Editorial Cartoons of the Year 2012 Edition
Charles Brookes, editor
Pelican Publishing Company
1000 Burmaster Street
Gretna, LA 70053-2246
9781455616152 $14.95 www.pelicanpub.com

Best Editorial Cartoons of the Year 2012 Edition continues its tradition of collecting the most hard-hitting political and editorial cartoons of 2011. Black-and-white cartoons from all sides of the political spectrum are showcased, grouped by general category and prefaced by a brief summary of important 2011 events, the better to put the cartoons in their full context. One particularly biting cartoon shows Uncle Sam reading a history book ("DEMOCRACY: Inspired by Ancient Greece") and wearing little more than a barrel with the word DEBT on it ("ECONOMY: Inspired by Modern Greece"). As solidly engaging as ever, Best Editorial Cartoons of the Year is especially recommended for public library collections and personal browsing - or even gift-giving for savvy followers of current events (although some violent images, such as the cartoons about Osama Bin Laden's death, may be inappropriate for young readers).


The Journalism Shelf

Covering America
Christopher B. Daly
University of Massachusetts Press
PO Box 429
Amherst, MA 01004
9781558499119 $49.95 www.umass.edu/umpress

Award-winning author Christopher B. Daly, a veteran journalist as well as an instructor of history and journalism at Boston University, presents Covering America: A Narrative History of a Nation's Journalism. Covering America lives up to its title with an exhaustively researched, scholarly, and in-depth chronicle of the art and craft of journalism in America, from 1705 to the present day. Chapters discuss the foundations of the American Press including Ben Franklin and his contemporaries, the rise of newspapers; how journalism covered slavery and the Civil War, the Great Depression, World War II, and other monumental historical events; the twentieth century rise of major media conglomerates; and much more. "Whether for-profit or not, the institutions that engage in mass communication have been almost entirely in private hands, separate form the government... From a small-scale shop to a factory-sized corporation to a global conglomerate, the news business as a business has kept pace with broader trends. That process has in turn created a recurring set of crises in which the values of journalism have come into conflict with the values of business." A handful of vintage black-and-white photographs illustrate this meticulous, methodical, and absolutely invaluable contribution to history and journalism shelves, worthy of the highest recommendation especially for public and college library collections.


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


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