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Library Bookwatch

Volume 11, Number 12 December 2016 Home | LBW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Agriculture Shelf Terrorism Studies Shelf
Health/Medical Shelf Writing/Publishing Shelf Science Shelf
Money/Finance Shelf International Studies Shelf Military Shelf
Civil War Shelf American History Shelf World History Shelf
Islamic Studies Shelf Political Science Shelf Cookbook Shelf
Photography Shelf Art Shelf Gardening Shelf
Fiction Shelf Aviation Shelf Education Shelf
Library Science Shelf Mystery/Suspense Shelf Graphic Novel Shelf
Audiobook Shelf Library CD Shelf Library DVD Shelf
Native American Studies Shelf Biography Shelf Literary Studies Shelf
Music Shelf Holocaust Studies Shelf  


Reviewer's Choice

The Ex-Offender's Re-Entry Assistance Directory
Ronald L. Krannich, Ph.D.
Impact Publications
9104 Manassas Drive, Suite N, Manassas Park, VA 20111
www.impactpublications.com
9781570233678 $29.95 pbk / $18.99 Kindle amazon.com

The Ex-Offender's Re-Entry Assistance Directory is a reference and resource created especially for American ex-offenders and who have served their prison sentences and seek to successfully return to society as law-abiding citizens. Ex-offenders often find themselves unprepared to deal with the challenges of finding housing, navigating a job market that is quick to reject them, social barriers, and more. The Ex-Offender's Re-Entry Assistance Directory includes information about 39 gateway websites covering housing and employment opportunities, 1,000+ re-entry assistance programs in each state, 50 free downloadable re-entry handbooks and curricula, a 5-page, 13- category, 95-item checklist for re-entry preparation, and much more. Partly directory, and partly an empathetic source of guidance and encouragement, The Ex-Offender's Re-Entry Assistance Directory is worthy of the highest recommendation for public library collections and the bookshelves of ex-offenders as well as professionals who work with them.

Prenuptial Agreements, fifth edition
Katherine E. Stoner, et al.
Nolo Press
950 Parker Street, Berkeley, CA 94710
www.nolo.com
9781413323023, $34.99, PB, 400pp, www.amazon.com

Approximately 50% of all marriages in the United States end in divorce. Marriage is one of the few personal contracts in which the state you live in dictates the terms of a divorce -- unless a couple create their own customized premarital agreement. Combining Nolo's legal expertise and plain-English writing, this newly updated and expanded fifth edition of "Prenuptial Agreements: How to Write a Fair & Lasting Contract" makes a potentially touchy subject easy to deal with while explaining how to create a valid contract. Thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "Prenuptial Agreements" is an easy-to-use guide that covers: Whether a prenup is right for your relationship; How to decide what a prenup should include; How to deal with special situations, such as one spouse's debts, business ownership, or kids from a previous marriage; How to assemble a draft agreement; How to turn your draft into a contract; and even offers tips on negotiating and communicating. This current edition of "Prenuptial Agreements" reflects current state laws, plus worksheets and clauses for preparing an agreement that suits the unique needs of anyone contemplating getting married and desirous of the protection that a prenuptial agreement can provide. Simply stated, "Prenuptial Agreements" should be a part of every community library collection. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Prenuptial Agreements" is also available in a Kindle format ($19.24).

Food Anatomy
Julia Rothman
Storey Publishing
210 Mass MoCA Way, North Adams, MA 01247
www.storey.com
9781612123394, $16.95, PB, 224pp, www.amazon.com

The third book in award-winning food journalist Julia Rothman's best-selling Anatomy series, "Food Anatomy: The Curious Parts & Pieces of Our Edible World" starts with an illustrated history of food and ends with a global tour of street eats. Along the way, Rothman serves up a an informative and witty primer on short order egg lingo and offers a mouth-watering menu of how people around the planet serve fried potatoes -- and what we dip them in. In the pages of "Food Anatomy" Wharton also lends her editorial expertise to a light-hearted exploration of everything food that is replete with little-known facts and delightful drawings. An inherently fascinating, impressively informed and informative compendium of profusely illustrated information, "Food Anatomy" is highly recommended for community library collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Food Anatomy" is also available in a Kindle format ($15.95).


The Agriculture Shelf

Biting the Hands that Feed Us
Baylen J. Linnekin
Island Press
2000 M St NW Suite 650, Washington, DC 20036
www.islandpress.org
9781610916752, $30.00, HC, 257pp, www.amazon.com

Food waste, hunger, inhumane livestock conditions, disappearing fish stocks -- all of these are exactly the kind of issues we expect food regulations to combat. Yet, today in the United States, laws exist at all levels of government that actually make these problems worse. In "Biting the Hands that Feed Us: How Fewer, Smarter Laws Would Make Our Food System More Sustainable", Baylen Linnekin (a food lawyer and an Adjunct Professor at George Mason University Law School, where he teaches the Food Law & Policy Seminar, and is an Adjunct Faculty Member at American University, where his teaching focuses chiefly on food policy) ably argues that, all too often, government rules handcuff America's most sustainable farmers, producers, sellers, and consumers, while rewarding those whose practices are anything but sustainable. Impressively well researched, written, organized and presented, "Biting the Hands that Feed Us" is as informed and informative as it is thoughtful and thought-provoking. A critically important contribution to our on-going national conversations over food safety, animal management, contemporary hunger management, and related social issues. Of special note is the chapters on to 'Wasting Your Money Wasting Food' and 'There Are Good Food Rules'. Enhanced with 48 pages of Notes and an eight page Index, "Biting the Hands that Feed Us" is highly recommended for community, college, and university library Contemporary Social Issues collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of academics and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Biting the Hands that Feed Us" is also available in a Kindle format ($3.03).


The Terrorism Studies Shelf

Syria in Ruins
David S. Sorenson
Praeger
c/o ABC-CLIO
PO Box 1911, Santa Barbara, CA 93116-1911
www.abc-clio.com
9781440838361 $75.00 amazon.com

Syria in Ruins: The Dynamics of the Syrian Civil War lives up to its title as a scholarly, expertly researched and meticulously presented analysis of the ongoing war that has torn apart Syria, fueled the rise of the Islamic State terrorist organization, and flooded neighboring nations and Europe with Syrian refugees. Chapters offer a straightforward, candid discussion of the Syrian Civil War's origins, the rise of the Islamic State, international responses, and an overview of the different possible ways in which the war may end. "One sign of the impact of IS's declining resources is the announcement that it had cut the wages of its fighters in half, from US $400 to $200 in early 2016." Extensive notes, a bibliography, and an index round out this measured and candidly honest accounting, highly recommended especially for public and college library reference shelves.


The Health/Medical Shelf

Managing Hypertension
Sandra A. Moulton
McFarland & Company
PO Box 611, Jefferson NC 28640
www.mcfarlandpub.com
9780786494217, $29.95, PB, 244pp, www.amazon.com

Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is a common chronic disease affecting people of different ages, cultural backgrounds and socio-economic statuses worldwide. Research links hypertension to increased risk of heart disease, kidney disease and cardiovascular disease--the leading cause of death worldwide. "Managing Hypertension: Tools to Improve Health and Prevent Complications" by Registered nurse Sandra A. Moulton (who is an urgent care coordinator at Toronto Central Community Care Access Centre in Toronto, Canada) provides an up-to-date illustrated overview of research findings concerning hypertension, covering risk factors, increase in prevalence, cultures affected and challenges to treating and managing the disease in specific populations. Pharmacological and non-pharmacological methods for effectively managing hypertension are discussed. Exceptionally well informed and informative, "Managing Hypertension " is especially recommended for health center, community, college, and university library Health/Medicine collections in general, and Hypertension supplemental studies reading lists in particular. It should be noted for students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Managing Hypertension " is also available in a Kindle format ($17.99).


The Writing/Publishing Shelf

Publishing Your Medical Research, second edition
Daniel W. Byrne
Wolters Kluwer
PO Box 1600, Hagerstown, MD 21740
www.lww.com
9781496353863 $59.99 pbk / $47.39 Kindle amazon.com

Now in an updated second edition with additional details to aid medical researchers in a "publish or perish" world, Publishing Your Medical Research is a practical, no-nonsense guide to planning a balanced, publishable paper; anticipating and avoiding common criticisms; observing and collecting requisite data; writing fluently with proper formatting; and editing and revising one's work. "If you collected your data by surveying the past (retrospectively), explain why this approach was appropriate, despite its limitations. Retrospectively collected information often is of poorer quality than prospectively collected information because the presence or absence of many conditions is not documented consistently in routine medical records. For instance, smoking and drinking histories may be vague or may not be recorded at all." Publishing Your Medical Research is a "must-have" for college library collections and professionals in the field, highly recommended.


The Science Shelf

A Space Traveler's Guide to the Solar System
Mark Thompson
Pegasus Books
80 Broad Street, 5th Floor, New York, NY 10004
www.pegasusbooks.com
9781681772394 $27.95 hc / $14.99 Kindle amazon.com

British astronomer Mark Thompson, also well-known as the host of the award-winning BBC program "Stargazing Live", presents A Space Traveler's Guide to the Solar System, an eye- opening tour of the planets in the solar system and beyond. Written to be accessible to readers of all backgrounds, touches upon the history of astronomical discoveries about the solar system as well as what a hypothetical space traveler might expect to see and encounter. A Space Traveler's Guide to the Solar System is the ultimate "must-read" for armchair travelers, highly recommended for both personal and public library collections!


The Money/Finance Shelf

How to Go to College on a Shoe String, second edition
Ann Marie O'Phelan, author
Revised by Debra Lipphardt
Atlantic Publishing Group, Inc.
1405 S.W. 6th Avenue, Ocala, FL 34471
www.atlantic-pub.com
9781620231180 $21.95 pbk / $21.95 Kindle amazon.com

Now in a revised, up-to-date second edition, How to Go to College on a Shoe String: The Insider's Guide to Grants, Scholarships, Cheap Books, Fellowships, and Other Financial Aid Secrets lives up to its title as a reader-friendly guide to funding one's higher education. Chapters discuss how to choose the best college for one's needs, the pros and cons of student loan programs, work opportunities while attending college, how to pursue grants and scholarships, and much more. A list of additional online resources and an index round out this absolute "must- have" for any high school graduate who is not independently wealthy!


The International Studies Shelf

Modern Finland
Harald Haarmann
McFarland & Company
PO Box 611, Jefferson NC 28640
www.mcfarlandpub.com
9781476662022, $39.95, PB, 256pp, www.amazon.com

The Republic of Finland is a sovereign state in Northern Europe. A peninsula with the Gulf of Finland to the south and the Gulf of Bothnia to the west, Finland has land borders with Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east. Providing a multifaceted view of modern Finland, German linguist, cultural scientist, and Finland resident Harald Haarmann covers topics that include Fenno-Scandia inhabitants and their environment, traditional naturalism and modern environmentalism, and the salient features of "Finnishness", including an analysis of the Finnish educational system and gender equality. Also represented are Finland's art, architecture and music, along with its peace-keeping missions worldwide. The country's several ethnic groups and their languages are discussed including the Saami, Finns, Finland-Swedes, Russian-speaking peoples, Jews and Gypsies. "Modern Finland" deftly examines Finland's late but rapid development in commerce and industry, with a focus on the history of Nokia Corporation, which grew from a 19th-century manufacturer of pulpwood and rubber boots to a 21st-century international digital communications company. Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Modern Finland" is impressively informed and informative. While very highly recommended for community and academic library Finland collections in general and supplemental studies lists in particular. For the personal reading lists of students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject it should be noted that "Modern Finland" is also available in a Kindle format ($9.99).


The Military Shelf

Combat Mission Kandahar
T. Robert Fowler
The Dundurn Group
3 Church Street, Suite 500, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5E 1M2
www.dundurn.com
9781459735163, $21.99, PB, 272pp, www.amazon.com

What was it like to serve in the combat mission in Afghanistan? Journalists' reports from 2006 to 2011 could only give brief glimpses of the reality on the ground for Canadian soldiers. In "Combat Mission Kandahar: The Canadian Experience in Afghanistan" military author T. Robert Fowler reveals the full story of what happened to seven soldiers, ranking from corporal to captain, who were deployed during Operation ATHENA, Phase 2. The operation became known as "the combat mission" as Canadian battle groups engaged in a deadly multi-year war of counter-insurgency in Kandahar province. Each of the seven soldier's experiences covered in "Combat Mission Kandahar" highlights a facet of one of Canada's longest, most complicated, and challenging operations. Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Combat Mission Kandahar: The Canadian Experience in Afghanistan" is an extraordinary and highly recommended addition to community and academic library Canadian Military History collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Combat Mission Kandahar: The Canadian Experience in Afghanistan" is also available in a Kindle format ($8.79).


The Civil War Shelf

Confederate in Congress
Joshua E. Kastenberg
McFarland & Company
PO Box 611, Jefferson NC 28640
www.mcfarlandpub.com
9781476664897, $35.00, PB, 208pp, www.amazon.com

In May 1865, the final month of the Civil War, the U.S. Army arrested and prosecuted a sitting congressman in a military trial in the border state of Maryland, though the federal criminal courts in the state were functioning. Convicted of aiding and abetting paroled Confederate soldiers, Benjamin Gwinn Harris of Maryland's Fifth Congressional District was imprisoned and barred from holding public office. Harris was a firebrand (and uniquely effectively as Confederate serving in Congress) and had long advocated the constitutionality of slavery and the right of states to secede from the Union. "A Confederate in Congress: The Civil War Treason Trial of Benjamin Gwinn Harris" is first book-length analysis of the unusual trial examines the prevailing opinions in Southern Maryland and in the War Department regarding slavery, treason and the Constitution's guarantee of property rights and freedom of speech. Illuminating a heretofore obscure incident in the political history of the American Civil War, "Confederate in Congress" is a unique and seminal work of impressive scholarship that will prove to be an especially welcome addition to the growing body of Civil War literature and is unreservedly recommended for community, college, and community library Civil War collections. It should be noted for academia and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Confederate in Congress" is also available in a Kindle format ($19.99).

The Chickamauga Campaign - Barren Victory
David A. Powell
Savas Beatie
PO Box 4527, El Dorado Hills, CA 95762
9781611213287 $34.95 hc / $9.99 Kindle www.savasbeatie.com

The third and final volume of the "Chickamauga Campaign" trilogy studying a series of battles fought in northwestern Georgia during the American Civil War, The Chickamauga Campaign - Barren Victory examines the conclusion of this important and complicated military operation. Chapters scrutinize events from Monday, September 21, 1863, immediately after Confederate commander Braxton Bragg's victory, to the end of the extremely costly campaign. An extraordinarily detailed Chickamauga orders of battle, including information about unit strengths and losses, as well as a comprehensive bibliography round out this scholarly military history, highly recommended especially for public and college library collections along with the first two volumes of the trilogy, "The Chickamauga Campaign - A Mad Irregular Battle" (9781611211740, $37.50 hc / $9.99 Kindle) and "The Chickamauga Campaign - Glory or the Grave" (9781611212020, $39.95 hc / $13.99 Kindle).


The American History Shelf

A New Deal for South Dakota
R. Alton Lee
South Dakota Historical Society Press
900 Governors Drive, Pierre, SC 57501-2217
www.sdshspress.com
9781941813119 $24.95 amazon.com

A New Deal for South Dakota: Drought, Depression, and Relief, 1920-1941 is a scholarly examination how New Deal programs, instituted by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, impacted the state of South Dakota during the Great Depression. In the depths of depression, economic hardship and unemployment were so extreme that many fled the state, and New Deal programs supported nearly half of South Dakota's remaining population. Political historian R. Alton Lee (professor emeritus of history, University of South Dakota) examines how the programs affected families, farmers, miners, young people, and women. A handful of black-and-white photographs, extensive notes, a bibliography, and an index round out this excellent contribution to public and college library American History collections.

Honor Before Glory
Scott McGaugh
Da Capo Press
c/o Perseus Book Group
250 W. 57th St., Suite 1500, New York, NY 10107
www.perseusbooksgroup.com
9780306824456 $25.99 hc / $17.99 Kindle amazon.com

After Pearl Harbor was attacked and America entered World War II, over 100,000 Japanese Americans were incarcerated along the West Coast for no crime. Honor Before Glory: The Epic World War II Story of the Japanese-American GI's Who Rescued the Lost Battalion is the striking true story of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, which consisted of thousands of Japanese men who volunteered from within the internment camps to fight in a segregated unit, on behalf of the nation that had imprisoned them. The 442nd Regiment was charged with rescuing the "Lost Battalion", over two hundred American soldiers surrounded by German troops in the forests of eastern France's Vosges Mountains. Despite suffering over 350 casualties, the "Go-for- Broke" regiment succeeded in their mission, and rescued 211 of the "Lost Battalion". Honor Before Glory is the story of these brave Japanese-American veterans during and after their two years of military service, both in the context of history and with a focus on the personal stories of many individuals - some of whom returned home after the war, and some who did not. Highly recommended, especially for both personal and public library American History collections.

When Lincoln Came to Egypt
George W. Smith
Southern Illinois University Press
1915 University Press Drive, SIUC Mail Code 6806, Carbondale, IL 62901
www.siupress.com
9780809335527, $20.50, PB, 202pp, www.amazon.com

In "When Lincoln Came to Egypt", the late George Washington Smith (who served on the faculty of the History Department at Southern Illinois University from 1890 to 1935 and was a professor emeritus from 1935 until his death in 1945) provides a detailed record of Abraham Lincoln's travel in the southernmost region of Illinois, commonly referred to as Egypt. These visits began in 1830, before Lincoln had held public office, and continued through 1858, when he debated Stephen A. Douglas in Jonesboro and Alton as they ran against each other for a seat in the U.S. Senate. Lincoln found in the southern third of Illinois a political climate very different from that of central Illinois, where his career had begun. Lincoln's trips to Egypt thus broadened his experience and understanding of the state as well as the nation. Professor Smith also discusses the origins of the people of the region and Lincoln's early public life and provides historical and political background for his detailed discussion of the Lincoln-Douglas debates. The culmination of fifty years of extensive research, "When Lincoln Came to Egypt" provides a glimpse into an often overlooked part of Lincoln's development as a politician. A work of detailed and seminal scholarship "When Lincoln Came to Egypt" and a part of the Southern University Press 'Shawnee Classics" series and a critically essential addition to community, college, and university library American History collections in general, and Abraham Lincoln Studies supplemental reading lists in particular. For students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject it should be noted that "When Lincoln Came to Egypt" is also available in a Kindle format ($19.48).

Italian Prisoners of War in Pennsylvania
Flavio G. Conti and Alan R. Perry
Fairleigh Dickinson University Press
The Gatehouse M010C, 285 Madison Avenue, Madison, NJ 07940
www.fdupress.org
9781611479973 $95.00 hc / $69.82 Kindle amazon.com

During World War II, 51,000 Italian prisoners of war were detained in the United States. In September of 1943, Italy signed an armistice with the Allies, and most of these Italian soldiers agreed to swear allegiance to the United States and aid in the war effort against Germany. More than 1,200 Italian soldiers were detained at the Letterkenny Army Depot of Pennsylvania. They formed the 321st Italian Quartermaster Battalion and remained until October 1945. These soldiers helped to order, stock, repair, and ship military goods, munitions, and equipment. Italian Prisoners of War in Pennsylvania gathers the stories of these Italian soldiers from oral histories of surviving POWs, memoirs generously provided by family members, archival material from Italy and United States, and much more. The portrait that emerges is fascinating and remarkably positive; it's notable that Italian co-operators received a modest regular salary and more freedom than most POWs, even the liberty to leave their posts in groups chaperoned by American soldiers. Notes, appendices, and an index round out this welcome contribution to public and college library American history collections, highly recommended.


The World History Shelf

The Secret History of World War II
Neil Kagan & Stephen G. Hyslop
National Geographic Press
101 West 104th Street, Suite 8, New York, NY 10025
www.nationalgeographic.com
9781426217012, $40.00, HC, 352pp, www.amazon.com

The collaborative work of Neil Kagan and Stephen G. Hyslop, "The Secret History of World War II: Spies, Code Breakers, and Covert Operations" is the inherently fascination and true story behind the covert activity that shaped the outcome of one of the Second World War. This profusely illustrated and consistently compelling military history reveals the secret lives of spies and spy masters; the role of secret agents and secret armies; Enigma machines and code breakers; the shadowy world of psychological warfare and black propaganda; secret weapons and secret battle strategies. Seven heavily illustrated narrative chapters reveal the truth behind the lies and deception that shaped the "secret war", eight informed and informative essays showcasing hundreds of rare photos and artifacts (many never before seen); and featuring more than 50 specially created sidebars tell the stories of spies and secret operations, "The Secret History of World War II" is emphatically and unreservedly recommended for personal, school, college, university, and community library World War II military history collections. It should be noted that "The Secret History of World War II" is also available in a complete and unabridged MP3 audio book format (Blackstone Audio, 9781504746960, $29.95).


The Islamic Studies Shelf

Islam: What Non-Muslims Should Know
John Kaltner
Fortress Press
P.O. Box 1209, Minneapolis, MN 55440-1209
http://fortresspress.com
9780800635831, $11.99, PB, 80pp, www.amazon.com

In the pages of "Islam: What Non-Muslims Should Know", John Kaltner (Professor of Religion at Rhodes College, Memphis, Tennessee) presents Islam as first and foremost a religion of orthopraxis, that is, a set of prescribed practices that Muslims refer to as the five pillars of Islam. Showing the deep humanism of Islam and its most cherished commitments, Professor Kaltner presents Islam through assertions that counter frequent and common misconceptions of the faith. Give today's unfortunate political climate, "Islam: What Non-Muslims Should Know" is an urgently needed and timely volume that can effectively counteract the distortions of what Islam, one of the three great Abrahamic faiths, truly is and what it truly stands for. Informed and informative, thoroughly 'reader friendly' from cover to cover, "Islam: What Non-Muslims Should Know" is urgently and unreservedly recommended for community library Islamic Studies collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "Islam: What Non-Muslims Should Know" is also available in a Kindle format ($9.59).


The Political Science Shelf

Critical Government Documents on Law and Order
Don Philpott
Bernan Press
c/o Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group
4501 Forbes Blvd., Suite 200, Lanham, MD 20706
http://www.bernan.com
9781598887839, $50.00, HC, 324pp, www.amazon.com

"Critical Government Documents on Law and Order" reviews of many law and order issues relevant to our current national issues. This extensive volume does not offer any new science, nor does it attempt to take sides with respect to any given law and order issue. It is, however, an impressive attempt to gather together information from as many sources as possible so that the reader doesn't have to. "Critical Government Documents on Law and Order" presents arguments for and against the issues covered so that the reader can come to their own conclusions. Areas and issues covered include the threat from domestic and international terrorism and the growth of extremist militias; the increase in school place and workplace violence; relationships between police and the public; and how people can protect themselves from being victims of crime. Enhanced with the inclusion of eleven pages of Notes, and a ten page Glossary, "Critical Government Documents on Law and Order" is very highly recommended for community, college, and university library Political Science collections in general, and Contemporary Judicial & Law Enforcement supplemental studies reading lists in particular. It should be noted for students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Critical Government Documents on Law and Order" is also available in a Kindle format ($47.50).


The Cookbook Shelf

Gluten-Free Small Bites
Nicole Hunn
Lifelong Books / Da Capo Press
c/o Perseus Book Group
250 W. 57th St., Suite 1500, New York, NY 10107
www.perseusbooksgroup.com
9780738218588, $22.99, PB, 240pp, www.amazon.com

Gluten-related disorders is the umbrella term for all diseases triggered by gluten. Gluten-related disorders include celiac disease, non-celiac gluten sensitivity, gluten ataxia, dermatitis herpetiformis and wheat allergy. This condition is present in a significant percentage of the general population and has given rise to an increasing awareness on the necessity to avoid gluten for those affected by this medical condition. It has also given rise to an increasing number of cookbooks offering gluten-free recipes so those with a gluten allergy can still continue to enjoy gluten free meals that are as palate pleasing as they are appetite satisfying. One of the latest and very highly recommended is Nicole Hunn's "Gluten-Free Small Bites: Sweet and Savory Hand-Held Treats for On-the-Go Lifestyles and Entertaining" -- a thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly' and beautifully illustrated culinary compendium of outstanding dishes ranging from Fried Pickle Chips; Sticky Barbecue Chicken Wings; Pizza Pinwheels; Beef Stromboli; and Soft Beef Tacos; to Peanut Butter Cookie Chips; One-Bite Apple Fritters; Miniature Vanilla Beans Scones. Of special note is the chapter devoted to gluten free Breads, Tortillas, and Doughs. While strongly recommended for personal, family, and community library cookbook collections, it should be noted that "Gluten-Free Small Bites: Sweet and Savory Hand-Held Treats for On-the-Go Lifestyles and Entertaining" is also available in a Kindle format ($15.99).

Super Fast Food: No Chef Required!
Jason Vale
Crown House Publishing
81 Brook Hills Circle, White Plains, NY 10605
www.crownhousepublishing.com
9780954766474, $39.95, HC, 272pp, www.amazon.com

"Super Fast Food: No Chef Required!" by Jason Vale is an outstanding compendium showcases over 100 truly inspirational recipes ranging from incredibly healthy super food breakfasts to palate pleasing desserts! Here are offered healthy versions of all the classics from pizza to pasta to risotto, and even a healthy veggie burger and fries! Also features are super salads, super soups and amazing fish recipes. Whether you're a vegan, veggie or pesci there's something for everyone! The thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly' recipes range from Sweet Potato, Beetroot & Ginger Soup; and Seared Tuna on a Bed of Noodles with a Warm Mango, Orange & Coriander Salsa; to Veggie Layered Lasagne; Thai Green Prawn Curry; and Pecan power Granola Bars. Beautifully illustrated throughout, "Super Fast Food: No Chef Required!" is expressly recommended for personal, family, and community library cookbook collections.


The Photography Shelf

Shoot What You Love
Henry Horenstein
Monacelli Studio
http://penguinrandomhouse.ca
9781580934558, $40.00, HC, 208pp, www.amazon.com

"Shoot What You Love: Tips and Tales from a Working Photographer" showcases more than four decades of the work professional photographer Henry Horenstein has produced with images that often richly evoke older cultures and places, especially ones that are disappearing including: country musicians in Branson, horse racing at Saratoga Springs, nightlife in Buenos Aires, fais do-dos in Cajun Louisiana, old highways everywhere. A rich visual memoir, enhanced with behind-the-scenes stories, insights, and tips and suggestions for being a better photographer, "Shoot What You Love" will prove to be an inherently fascinating, beautifully illustrated blend of autobiography and instructional guide for professionals and non-specialist general readers with an interest in photography. "Shoot What You Love" is unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, college, and university library American Photography collections and supplemental studies reading lists.


The Art Shelf

Billy Showell's Botanical Painting in Watercolour
Billy Showell
Search Press USA
c/o Publishers Group West
1700 Fourth Street, Berkeley, CA 94710
www.searchpressusa.com
9781844484515, $35.00, HC, 192pp, www.amazon.com

Botanical artists Billy Showell's highly accomplished paintings give a contemporary twist to the traditional art of botanical painting, and have received worldwide acclaim. In "Billy Showell's Botanical Painting in Watercolour" she draws upon her years of experience and expertise to produce an impressive compendium of simply stunning works of art. As an instruction manual, "Billy Showell's Botanical Painting in Watercolour" covers every aspect of botanical painting, including the materials and tools needed, preserving specimens, drawing, painting, color mixing and composition. Richly illustrated throughout with step-by-step demonstrations and examples of her work, "Billy Showell's Botanical Painting in Watercolour" is a visual feast as well as an invaluable source of expert guidance and inspiration. With a diverse range of subjects that include flowers, foliage, fruit and vegetables, Billy provides an insight into her painting techniques that artists of all abilities will find both informative and inspirational. "Billy Showell's Botanical Painting in Watercolour" is thoroughly 'user friendly' in tone, commentary, organization and presentation, making it an ideal and very highly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, and academic library Art Studies instructional reference collections in general, and Botanical Art supplemental studies reading lists in particular. It should be noted for students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "Billy Showell's Botanical Painting in Watercolour" is also available in a Kindle format ($22.30),.

Hockney's Pictures: The Definitive Retrospective
David Hockney
Thames & Hudson, Inc.
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110-0017
www.thamesandhudsonusa.com
9780500286715, $29.95, PB, 368pp, www.amazon.com

David Hockney is an English painter, draughtsman, printmaker, stage designer and photographer. An important contributor to the pop art movement of the 1960s, he is arguably one of the most influential British artists of the 20th century. "Hockney's Pictures: The Definitive Retrospective" is a stunningly beautiful compendium that showcases almost fifty years of this truly extraordinary artist's creativity across a range of media. The pieces are selected and organized thematically by Hockney himself, tracking his lifelong experiments in ways of looking and depicting. Including more than 300 perfectly reproduced illustrations, accompanied by quotes from the artist that illuminate the passionate thinking behind the work, "Hockney's Pictures" shows the evolution and diversity of his paintings, drawings, watercolors, prints, and photography, confirming and reinforcing his position as one of the world's most popular living artists. "Hockney's Pictures" is a 'must' for the legions of David Hockney fans, and a critically important addition to community, college, and university library Contemporary Art History collections in general, and David Hockney supplemental studies reading lists in particular.


The Gardening Shelf

Indoor Green: Living with Plants
Bree Claffey, author
Lauren Bamford, photographer
Thames & Hudson, Inc.
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110-0017
www.thamesandhudsonusa.com
9780500500538, $39.95, HC, 206pp, www.amazon.com

In the pages of "Indoor Green: Living with Plants", Bree Claffey (the owner of Mr. Kitly, an emporium of carefully curated ceramics, housewares, and indoor plants) provides a visual and informational journeys into the interior worlds of fellow plant lovers for the purpose of exploring the enduring attraction of houseplants. From the ever-reliable peace lily and beguiling fiddle leaf fig to the elusive Chinese money plant, "Indoor Green" makes it obvious that even the humblest greenery can transform a home. Houseplants encompass the art of decorative arrangement and add romance to any room. Within the pages of "Indoor Green" gorgeous photographs were taken by Lauren Bamford of interiors from across the globe, and then divided into chapters such as "Plant Music", "How to Grow Fresh Air", "Plant Portraits", and more, making the house plant magic easy to replicate in within any home. Interviews of indoor green enthusiasts appear alongside the images, as well as tips on caring for plants and an index of plant varieties. More than just good-looking decorative props, plants are living, growing, joyful things rooted in community and creativity, and are easy to introduce into any home and lifestyle. Simply beautiful and inspiring to browse through, "Indoor Green" is thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, making it an ideal and enduringly popular addition to personal, professional, community, and academic library Gardening & Interior Design collections and supplemental studies reading lists.


The Fiction Shelf

Gunpowder Percy
Grace Tillany
Bagwyn Books
c/o Arizona Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies
P.O. Box 874402, Tempe, AZ 85287-4402
www.bagwynbooks.com
9780866988155, $14.95, PB, 294pp, www.amazon.com

With "Gunpowder Percy", author Grace Tiffany spins a deftly crafted novel from out of a nation-shaking historical event -- the English Gunpowder Plot of 1605. Her early-modern protagonist is Sir Thomas Percy, a man who is irresistibly drawn to London's Globe theater and the wildly popular new history plays. Inspired by the king-hating warrior Hotspur in Shakespeare's Henry IV, Percy joins a group of disaffected Catholics that includes the mysterious traveler Guido Fawkes and the rebel aristocrat Robin Catesby. The terrorist plot on which they embark is colored by nostalgia and fantasy. It's a quest not just to destroy a Protestant king, but to return the nation to a mythic medieval past. With an impressive adherence to historical detail, "Gunpowder Percy" is a consistently compelling read from beginning to end and showcases author Grace Tillany as an extraordinarily gifted storyteller of the first order. While very highly recommended, especially for community library Historical Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Gunpowder Percy" is also available in a Kindle format ($5.99).

Minyan: Ten Interwoven Stories
John J. Clayton
Paragon House
3600 Labore Road, Suite 1, St. Paul, MN 55110-4144
www.paragonhouse.com
9781557789204 $17.95 pbk / $9.95 Kindle amazon.com

Award-winning author John J. Clayton presents Minyan: Ten Interwoven Stories, a highly recommended short fiction anthology of ten interlinked stories about a minyan (a quorum of ten Jewish adults who meet to pray). A mother fears for her son, who shoplifted in Harvard Square and faced the consequences in juvenile court; a man who struggled with mental illness in the past feels the whispers of insanity returning to haunt him; a young rabbi grapples with undeniable evidence that his best friend (and the executive director of the synagogue) is a thief and a sociopath; and much more. Minyan: Ten Interwoven Stories is as much about the universal human condition as it is about the lives of Jewish people, and thoroughly captivating from cover to cover. It should be noted for personal reading lists that Minyan: Ten Interwoven Stories is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.95).

Charting the Darkness
A.C. Geisel
Cape Breton University Press
P.O. Box 5300, Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada, B1P 6L2
www.cbupress.ca
9781772060362 $19.95 pbk / $9.99 amazon.com

Charting the Darkness is a novel about the long, hard journey to recovery. Nick Sullivan was a fighter pilot during the Vietnam War; his years in a horrific Viet Cong prison camp haunt him long after the war's end, driving him to self-medicate with alcohol. The death of an uncle from his estranged family leads Sullivan to Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, where he works to refurbish a worn-out sailboat. The process of restoring the boat strikes an epiphany within, in this thoughtful work about gradually discovering renewal and hope. Charting the Darkness is highly recommended for both personal and public library collections.

The Trail Breakers
Logan Winters
Linford Western Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781444827910, $20.99, Large Print PB, 256pp, www.amazon.com

The Broken W ranch has used the same drive route for years: consequentially, every local rustler knows where the herd will pass, making it easy pickings. Ranch owner Glen Wycherly has an old map showing a potential alternative course through the Poconos - however, the map is incomplete. With a contract to deliver five hundred steers to Fort Davis, Wycherly dispatches former railroad man Ray Hardin to survey the new terrain and report back on its suitability. But Hardin and his companion Wally Chambers will find they are riding along a trail. What they encounter is a lethal conspiracy within the Wycherly family and a riveting final confrontation upon returning to the Broken W ranch at the end of the cattle drive. Logan Winters is a master of the western novel genre and with "The Trail Breakers" has written yet another riveting read that is unreservedly recommended for all western fiction buffs.

Shotgun Charade
Ethan Flagg
Linford Western Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781444826449, $17.00 (Amazon), PB, 256pp, www.amazon.com

When cowhand Laramie Juke helps out a new friend whose family is being harassed by the unscrupulous Mayor of Jacinto by the name of Highspade Jack Daley he has his own score to settle with the villain who was cheated him at poker. Attempting to get rid of the Cavendish clan, who have discovered a rich gold seam (the source of which hides beneath his own land) Daley hired the notorious Shotgun Murphy. But through a fluke of circumstance Juke slew Murphy and he arrives in Jacinto, he is mistaken for the gunman because he had claimed the infamous assassins trademark shotgun for his own. "Shotgun Charace" is a consistently compelling read by Ethan Flagg who is a master of the western action/adventure genre. This large print edition of "Shotgun Charade" is very highly recommended for both personal reading lists and community library collections.

The Hunt For Iron Eyes
Rory Black
Linford Western Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781444827866, $20.99, Large Print PB, 184pp, www.amazon.com

The infamous bounty hunter Iron Eyes is death personified. In "The Hunt For Iron Eyes" he is pursuing ruthless outlaws Joe Hyams and Buster Jones. But the pair get the drop on him, and leave him for dead in the dust. Meanwhile, another man is on the bounty hunter's trail - gunfighter Wolfe, sworn to take his revenge on the man who left him missing one arm. Kidnaping Squirrel Sally, the woman besotted with Iron Eyes, Wolfe sets off across the prairie -- intending to use her as bait to draw out his enemy. Author Rory Black is a master of the action/adventure western genre and "The Hunt For Iron Eyes" is his seventeenth novel depicting the hazardous adventures of the bounty hunter called Iron Eyes. Another extraordinary read from cover to cover, this large print edition of "The Hunt For Iron Eyes" is especially recommended for the personal reading lists of western buffs and is certain to be a popular addition to community library Western Fiction collections.


The Aviation Shelf

Training the Right Stuff
Mark A. Frankel & Tommy H. Thomason, authors
Jack Morris, illustrator
Schiffer Publishing Ltd.
4880 Lower Valley Road, Atglen, PA 19310
www.schifferbooks.com
9780764350306, $69.99, HC, 352pp, www.amazon.com

"Training the Right Stuff: The Aircraft That Produced America's Jet Pilots" is a comprehensive and profusely illustrated study of the training aircraft used to transition the United States military into the jet age. At the end of World War II, high-performance jets with unfamiliar operating characteristics were replacing propeller-driven airplanes. As accident rates soared, the Air Force and Navy recognized the need to develop new trainers to introduce fledgling as well as experienced pilots to jet flight. The first step occurred in 1948, when a two-seat jet trainer, the T-33, was developed with private funds. It was welcomed by the Air Force and subsequently the Navy, allowing both services to start building modern air arms. Over time other new trainers were developed to serve specific needs while innovations, such as high fidelity simulators, accelerated the process, reduced costs, and increased safety. That military aviation evolution continues today with the goal of producing high-quality newly winged aviators for assignment to operational squadrons. Impressively informed and informative, "Training the Right Stuff" is a truly extraordinary and unique addition to personal, community and academic library Military Aviation History collections.


The Education Shelf

Embracing Rough-and-Tumble Play
Mike Huber
Redleaf Press
10 Yorkton Court, St. Paul, MN 55117-1065
www.redleafpress.org
9781605544687, $39.95, PB, 240pp, www.amazon.com

Physical play is vital to young children's development. "Embracing Rough-and-Tumble Play: Teaching with the Body in Mind" by Mike Huber (an early childhood teacher since 1992 and currently teaches at the Seward Child Care Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota) is practical, hands-on resource encourages teachers to incorporate boisterous physical play into children's every day activities and offers concrete advice on how to create spaces for safe play, how to effectively work big body movement into children's daily schedule, and how to use physical play to make teaching practice more dynamic and effective. Profusely illustrated and exceptionally well organized and presented, "Embracing Rough-and-Tumble Play" covers: Learning about the importance of big body play for social and emotional development throughout life; Discovering how to communicate about safe and intentional rough and tumble play with children and families; Incorporating big body play into all areas of the child care program while maintaining boundaries and teaching self-regulation; Using the family companion (sold separately) to educate families on the importance of rough and tumble play for all children. While very highly recommended for college and university Teacher Education collections, it should be noted that "Embracing Rough-and-Tumble Play" is also available in a Kindle format ($39.95).

Ensuring High-Quality Curriculum
Angela Di Michele Lalor
ASCD
1703 North Beauregard Street, Alexandria, VA 22311-1714
www.ascd.org
9781416622796, $28.95, PB, 208pp, www.amazon.com

A curriculum is the core of the classroom experience. Just what makes a quality curriculum? How can educators be sure that what they teach is strongly aligned to the specific standards that their district or school has adopted? What kinds of lessons, learning experiences, and assessments are most effective, and how should they be embedded within the curriculum? "Ensuring High-Quality Curriculum: How to Design, Revise, or Adopt Curriculum Aligned to Student Success" by Angela Di Michele Lalor (a senior consultant at Learner-Centered Initiatives, where her work includes facilitating schoolwide initiatives in the areas of curriculum, instruction, and assessment. Her primary focus having been helping districts design high-quality units of study that incorporate meaningful and engaging learning experiences for students) provide the answers to these and many other questions in a definitive, step-by-step guide to curriculum design and evaluation. "Ensuring High-Quality Curriculum" offers targeted advice and real-life examples from elementary and secondary units of study across a variety of content areas and standards, as well as field-tested rubrics, protocols, and other tools. Included are criteria for evaluating each component of a curriculum and end-of-chapter checklists to help educators ensure that the criteria are met. Exceptionally well organized and presented, "Ensuring High-Quality Curriculum" is an especially recommended addition to professional, school district, college, and university library Educational Administration collections and supplemental studies reading lists.

Teaching Math to People with Down Syndrome and Other Hands-On Learners, second edition
DeAnna Horstmaeier
Woodbine House
6510 Bells Mill Road, Bethesda, MD 20817
www.woodbinehouse.com
9781606132784, $29.66, PB, 372pp, www.amazon.com

Children and adults with Down syndrome need math for operating in the real world, this includes the skills of counting with meaning, adding the scores in a game, and tracking time in order to keep to a schedule, etc.. Written in a straightforward and user-friendly style, the newly updated and expanded second edition of "Teaching Math to People with Down Syndrome and Other Hands-On Learners" by DeAnna Horstmaeier ( a retired educator, former instructor of special education and speech, language, and communication at the Ohio State University) provides strategies and activities that are relevant to daily living, are concrete and practical, offer hands-on practice, and provide opportunity for successful completion. It covers: Prenumber Concepts; Counting; Recognition & Writing of Numbers; Time & Measurement; Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication & Division; Fractions; Money; and Calculator Use. The included appendices, available to photocopy, feature more than 150 activities such as worksheets, games, and teaching aids for practicing math skills. Parents and teachers can use the comprehensive coverage of math concepts to tailor lessons to students' needs at home and in the community, incorporate goals into IEPs, and help students access the general education curriculum. An ideal classroom curriculum text, "Teaching Math to People with Down Syndrome and Other Hands-On Learners" is very highly recommended for Down Syndrome class curriculums in particular, academic library Special Education instructional collections in general. Impressively well written, organized and presented, "Teaching Math to People with Down Syndrome and Other Hands-On Learners" is ideal for home school parents of Down Syndrome children.


The Library Science Shelf

Winning Grants, second edition
Stephanie K. Gerding & Pamela H. MacKellar
Neal-Shuman Publishers
c/o American Library Association
50 East Huron Street, Chicago, IL 60611
www.alastore.ala.org
9780838914731, $108.00, PB, 248pp, www.amazon.com

When economic times get tough, one of the first community resources to see cutbacks in their funding are the libraries. Now in a newly revised and updated second edition, "Winning Grants: A How-To-Do-It Manual For Librarians" is invaluable how-to manual that will effectively instruct librarians and library board members in the skills and strategies crucial for finding, applying for, and winning grants. Loaded with a wide variety of forms, worksheets, and checklists to help stay organized when applying for a grant, "Winning Grants": summarizes the grant process cycle and outlines a clear path to success; shares inspiring grant success stories in action from diverse libraries; offers guidance on gathering knowledge and conducting research, with updated resource lists and links to the various types of funders; covers every stage of planning, including how to cultivate community involvement, methods for needs assessment, advice on organizing the grant team, and exercises to help you write realistic goals and objectives; gives tips on writing the proposal, such as where to find the best statistics and census data to support your statement of needs; advises how to announce a successful grant to the community, and other first steps of implementation, including the basic principles of project management; provides guidance on what to do when you're turned down and how to conduct an effective review session that keeps the process moving forward; highlights ways to stay current through online discussion groups, blogs, networking groups, and more; and features sample RFPs, budget templates, grant partnership documents, and many other helpful tools. Collaboratively written by Stephanie Gerding and Pamela MacKellar (two librarians who are experts in grantsmanship), "Winning Grants" is an all-in-one toolkit for successfully applying for grants that will prove to be an invaluable instructional guide for library directors, grant writers, board members, consultants, and anyone else involved in planning library programs and services.

Prison Librarianship Policy and Practice
Suzanna Conrad
McFarland & Company
PO Box 611, Jefferson NC 28640
www.mcfarlandpub.com
9781476666334, $45.00, PB, 224pp, www.amazon.com

Prison libraries violate many tenets of librarianship under the justification of maintaining order. The field is de-professionalized in that many of positions are filled by persons without degrees in library science, and corrections administrators often write policy for library services within their correctional institutions. Critics of prison library systems cite the need to implement public library service models despite practical difficulties. "Prison Librarianship Policy and Practice" by Suzanna Conrad (Head of Library Information Systems in the University Library at California State University - Sacramento) investigates state, national and international policies on prison libraries, reviews literature on the topic and describes partnerships between prisons and public libraries. Results from a national survey and follow-up interviews are included, providing a full narrative of policy outcomes in U.S. prisons. Informed and informative, exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Prison Librarianship Policy and Practice" is a core and unreservedly recommended addition to college and university Library Science collections and supplemental studies reading lists -- and should be considered mandatory for anyone having responsibilities for operating or servicing a prison library system.


The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

Sherlock Holmes and the Nine-Dragon Sigil
Tim Symonds
MX Publishing
www.mxpublishing.com
9781787050358, $16.95, PB, 364pp, www.amazon.com

It's the year 1906. Rumors abound that a deadly plot is hatching - not in the fog-ridden back-alleys of London's Limehouse district or the sinister Devon moors of the Hound of the Baskervilles but in faraway Peking, China. Sherlock Holmes's task is to discover whether or not such a plot exists -- and if so, to foil it. But are the assassins targeting the young and progressive Ch'ing Emperor or his imperious aunt, the fearsome Empress Dowager Cixi? The murder of either could spark a civil war. The fate of China and the interests of Britain's vast Empire in the Orient could be at stake. Holmes and faithful companion John Watson take up the mission with their customary confidence until they find they are no longer in the familiar landscapes of Edwardian England. Instead, they tumble into the Alice In Wonderland world of the Forbidden City. Author Tim Symonds does full justice to the iconic detective Sherlock Holmes originally created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in this consistently compelling and deftly crafted Sherlock Holmes novel. Certain to be an highly prized addition to the growing canon of the great detective's adventures, "Sherlock Holmes and the Nine-Dragon Sigil" is unreservedly recommended to the attention of the legions of Sherlock Holmes fans and will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to community library collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Sherlock Holmes and the Nine-Dragon Sigil" is also available in a Kindle format ($8.99).


The Graphic Novel Shelf

Glenn Gould: A Life Off Tempo
Sandrine Revel
NBM Publishing
160 Broadway, Suite 700, East Wing, New York, NY 10038
www.nbmpub.com
9781681120652, $25.99, HC, 136pp, www.amazon.com

A prolific and award-winning French creator of graphic novels, Sandrine Revel has turned the life of Canadian pianist Glenn Gould into a graphic novel format. Gould was a child genius who became a worldwide superstar of classical music and is remembered for, among others, his almost revolutionary interpretations of Bach. This graphic novel style approach to biography seeks to understand the eccentric personality behind the persona. Who is the mysterious Glenn Gould? Why did he abruptly end his career as a performing musician? Why did he become one of the very first of his peers to disappear from the public eye like J.D. Salinger? Author and illustrator Sandrine Revel deftly delves into the life of Gould with her hand painted illustrations and the viewpoint of an adoring fan. Unique, unusual, informative and effective, "Glenn Gould: A Life Off Tempo" is very highly recommended for personal reading lists and community library Contemporary Biography collections. It should be noted that "Glenn Gould: A Life Off Tempo" is also available in a Kindle format ($14.99).


The Audiobook Shelf

The Go-Between
L.P. Hartley
Read by Sean Barrett
Naxos of America, Inc.
1810 Columbia Avenue, Suite 28, Franklin, TN 37064
www.naxosaudiobooks.com
9781781980255 $59.98 amazon.com

Read by film and theater actor Sean Barrett, The Go-Between is the unabridged audiobook edition of the classic 1953 novel by L.P. Hartley, which has also been adapted to stage and screen. The story lies in the memories of a man who, as a child in the hot summer of 1900's, was persuaded to act as a message carrier between an aristocratic young woman and her lowborn lover. Blinded by his own affections, he was at first unaware of his role in sustaining an illicit love affair. But neither his naivete nor the deception shrouding the love affair could endure forever, with tragic consequences. The Go-Between is poignant, dramatic, and highly recommended especially for personal and public library audiobook collections. 9 CDs, 10 hours 39 min.


The Library CD Shelf

Beyond Karma
Gyuto Monks of Tibet
Featuring Kim Cunio & Heather Lee
New Earth Records
c/o Sounds True
413 South Arthur Avenue, Louisville, CO 80027
www.soundstrue.com
$10.73 CD / $9.49 MP3 amazon.com

Beyond Karma is a unique melding of traditional sacred music. The Gyuto Monks of Tibet perform along with two Australian music artists, Kim Cunio and Heather Lee, to create an emotionally moving, transcendent experience. Beyond Karma is a treasure for both personal and public library collections. The tracks are "Beyond Karma", "Karma Burning", "O Pastor Animarum", "Tantric Grace", "Unity of Life", "Mahakala", "Lament for a Lost Land", "On the Path", "As the Sun Sets", "The Suffering of the World", and "Dedication". Also highly recommended for connoisseurs of reflective, spiritual soundscapes is "Shakti Sutra" by Sheela Bringi, an album of evocative music crafted to be especially suitable for chanting, yoga, and movement.

Expansions Live
The Dave Liebman Group
Whaling City Sound
www.whalingcitysound.com
c/o Naxos of America, Inc. (dist.)
www.naxosaudiobooks.com
$16.99 amazon.com

Expansions Live is a 2-CD set of a live performance of Dave Liebman's group Expansions, five musicians who tour and record together: Dave Liebman (soprano sax and flute), Matt Vashlishan (reeds), Bobby Avey (keys), Tony Marino (bass), and Alex Ritz (drums). One CD is devoted to acoustic songs, the other to electric songs; all are brimming with creativity, improvisation, and flourish. Expansions Live is highly recommended, especially for jazz connoisseurs, and public library collections. The tracks are "Introduction of band members", "JJ", "Continues to Ignore", "All Blues", "Vendetta", "Good Bait", "Selim", and "India" on the Acoustic disc, and "Surreality", "The Moors", "Footprints", "Ugly Beauty", "Liberian Hummingbird", "Love Me Tender", and "Danse de la Fureur" on the Electric disc.

More Than a Little
Adrian + Meredith
www.adrianplusmeredith.com
Vertigo Productions
$11.00 CD / $7.00 MP3 / $20.00 vinyl

East Nashville based due Adrian + Meredith present More Than a Little, an original Americana music album that freely experiments with punk, folk, rock & roll, and even early swing and jazz. Featuring the stylings of quintessentially Midwestern instruments such as tenor banjo, harmonica, and fiddle as well as guitar, drums, bass, trombone, trumpet, and clear-as-day vocals, More Than a Little is a joy to experience. Highly recommended! The tracks are "Take a Boat", "Bank", "Birthday Cakes", "More Than a Little", "Hero", "Greasy Coat + Kitchen Girl", "Fixer", "Get What She Wants", "Country Tune", "Southern Call", and "Old Midwestern Home".


The Library DVD Shelf

When Two Worlds Collide
First Run Features
630 Ninth Avenue, Suite 1213, New York, NY 10036
$19.95 www.firstrunfeatures.com

An award-winning selection of the Sundance film festival, When Two Worlds Collide is a gripping documentary about an ongoing struggle set in Peru. On one side is President Alan Garcia who, in order to bolster his nation's economy, has begun seizing oil, minerals, and gas from previously untouched Amazonian land inhabited by indigenous peoples. On the other side is indigenous leader Alberto Pizango, who has made profound, passionate speeches against Garcia's destructive actions and rallied opposition. Their war of words has erupted into outbreaks of violence. A sober, revealing video essay of the potentially deadly conflict over land and its use, When Two Worlds Collide is highly recommended for both personal and public library viewing. 103 min., Spanish language with English subtitles.

Indian Point
A film by Ivy Meeropol
First Run Features
630 Ninth Avenue, Suite 1213, New York, NY 10036
$24.95 www.firstrunfeatures.com

Indian Point is a documentary on DVD about Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant, an aging facility located a mere 35 miles from Times Square. Although the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) supports the plant, a local anti-nuclear movement has voiced fears that a disaster similar to the 2012 meltdowns at Japan's Fukushima nuclear plant could occur. America needs clean energy, and the appeal of nuclear power is very strong, but could government complacency or insufficient regulation cause a nuclear crisis? A balanced appraisal of the risks and rewards of relying on nuclear power, Indian Point is highly recommended especially for public, school, and college library DVD collections. DVD extras include bonus and deleted scenes. 94 min.

Oregon's Crater Lake National Park
Bennett Watt HD Productions, Inc.
13021 - 244th Avenue SE, Issaquah, WA 98027
www.Bennett-Watt.com
9781604902099 $24.95 DVD
9781604902327 $24.95 Blu-ray

Part of the Discoveries... America National Parks series of beautiful, high-definition video essays (available in both DVD and Blu-ray formats), Oregon's Crater Lake National Park is a stunning showcase of the features and natural beauty of this remote natural park. Crater Lake is America's deepest lake, and scientists believe it to be the cleanest and clearest large body of water in the world. Steep, 2,000 foot rock walls surround this difficult-to-reach yet utterly breathtaking natural spectacle. Oregon's Crater Lake National Park includes ranger-guided boat tours, footage from hiking old growth forests, Crater Lake Lodge, ranger-guided snow shoeing and cross country skiing in winter, and the "Dancing Dozers". The next best thing to visiting this extraordinary national park in person, Oregon's Crater Lake National Park is a joy to view, and especially recommended for public library DVD collections. 51 min.

Soundbreaking
Athena
c/o RLJ Entertainment
www.us.RLJEntertainment.com
$49.99 www.acornonline.com

Soundbreaking is a Blu-ray documentary series about the rise of recorded music in the 20th century. Eight episodes draw upon archival studio footage, insights from 150 original interviews, and more to provide a stunning tour of the artists and producers who permanently transformed the modern-day experience of music. As entertaining as it is edifying, Soundbreaking is also available in DVD format ($49.99) and highly recommended for both personal and public library collections. Bonus features include extra footage of Elton John, Sir George Martin, Les Paul, and others, plus a 20-page booklet. 425 min. plus bonus, 1080p, widescreen, SDH subtitles.


The Native American Studies Shelf

Dividing the Reservation
Nicole Tonkovich
Washington State University Press
PO Box 645910, Pullman, WA 99164-5910
www.wsupress.wsu.edu
9780874223446, $29.95, PB, 344pp, www.amazon.com

Alice C. Fletcher was an ethnologist who helped write the Dawes General Allotment Act of 1887 and became one of the first women to serve as a federal Indian agent. A commanding presence, she spent four summers with the Nez Perce, completing close to 2,000 allotments. Charged with supervising the daunting task of re-surveying, verifying, and assigning nearly 757,000 acres, Fletcher also had to preserve land for transportation routes and restrain white settlers claiming prime properties. She sought to "give the best lands to the best Indians", but faced numerous other challenges, including the terrain, complex ancestries, and her own misperceptions about Native American life. Fletcher wrote daily in the diverse forms of letters, reports, petitions, scholarly documents, articles, diaries. The collection reproduced here as "Dividing the Reservation: Alice C. Fletcher's Nez Perce Allotment Diaries and Letters, 1889 - 1892" fully illuminates her relations with the key players and offers insight into how federal policy was applied, resisted, and amended, as well as her internal conflicts over dividing the reservation. A unique and critically important contribution to college and university Native American Studies reference collections and supplemental studies reading lists, "Dividing the Reservation" is a seminal work of scholarship for academia and will prove to be a fully accessible and highly recommended study for the non-specialist general reader with an interest in the subject.


The Biography Shelf

Heroes Without Glory
Jack Schaefer
University of New Mexico Press
MSC05 3185, 1 University of New Mexico, Albuquerque NM 87131-0001
9780826357663 $24.95 pbk / $9.99 Kindle www.unmpress.com

Heroes Without Glory: Some Good Men of the Old West lives up to its title as a collection of biographical essays about little-known yet noble-hearted doctors, explorers, and cowboys of the Old West - men who achieved great things without resorting to violence or gun battles. Profiled men include shoemaker James Capen Adams, postman John A. Thompson, Shoshone warrior and statesman Wash-a-kie, peace officer Elfego Baca, and many more. An inspirational anthology packed cover to cover with real-life courage, Heroes Without Glory is highly recommended for both public library collections and personal reading lists.

Tesla for Beginners
Robert I. Sutherland-Cohen
For Beginners LLC
155 Main Street, Suite 211, Danbury, CT 06810
www.forbeginnersbooks.com
9781939994486 $15.95 pbk / $9.99 Kindle amazon.com

Part of the "For Beginners" series well-known for its engaging illustrations and reader-friendly text, Tesla for Beginners teaches readers of all ages about Nikola Tesla (1856-1943), a Serbian- American inventor, electrical engineer, mechanical engineer, physicist, and futurist. Though not as well-known as his contemporary Thomas Edison, Nikola Tesla was a genius who created nearly 300 patents for household an industrial inventions, including his design of the modern alternating current. Black-and-white illustrations on virtually every page make Tesla for Beginners easy on the eyes and thoroughly accessible to readers of all backgrounds. Tesla for Beginners is highly recommended for personal, school, and public library collections.


The Literary Studies Shelf

Eight Children in Narnia
Jared Lobdell
Open Court Publishing Company
70 East Lake Street, Suite 800, Chicago, IL 60601
www.opencourtbooks.com
9780812699012 $49.95 pbk / $29.49 Kindle amazon.com

Author and literary scholar C.S. Lewis (1898-1963) decided late in his life to embark upon a new type of project - a fantasy novel especially for children and young adults. He drew upon his own childhood memories as well as concepts from philosophy and spirituality to create the timeless Narnia series, which eventually spanned seven books. Eight Children in Narnia: The Making of a Children's Story is an in-depth study of the Narnia series, influences upon their creation, their themes, and their legacy. A studious literary analysis, Eight Children in Narnia is especially recommended for college library literary studies shelves, as well as for connoisseurs of Lewis' work seeking to better understand the Chronicles of Narnia.


The Music Shelf

The Words and Music of Sheryl Crow
Christopher Gable
Praeger Publishers
c/o ABC-CLIO
PO Box 1911, Santa Barbara, CA 93116-1911
www.abc-clio.com
9781440831287, $49.00, HC, 138pp, www.amazon.com

Sheryl Suzanne Crow is an American singer-songwriter and actress whose music incorporates elements of pop, rock, folk, country and blues. She has released eight studio albums, two compilations, a live album and has contributed to a number of film soundtracks. Crow has garnered nine Grammy Awards (out of 32 nominations) from the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. In addition to her own work, Crow has performed with the Rolling Stones, Stevie Nicks, Michael Jackson, Steve Earle, Prince, Eric Clapton, Luciano Pavarotti, Willie Nelson, Smokey Robinson, B.B. King, George Strait, Tony Bennett, Kid Rock and Sting, among others. She has also performed backing vocals for Tina Turner, Don Henley, Stevie Nicks, Belinda Carlisle, Bob Dylan and Joe Cocker. "The Words and Music of Sheryl Crow" by Christopher Gable (a lecturer of music at the University of North Dakota) combines commentary, musical analysis, and detailed interpretation of Crow's songs' lyrics. Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "The Words and Music of Sheryl Crow" presents an in-depth and complete listening guide to all of Crow's songs, including B-sides and rarities; features insightful commentary with song analysis; and includes a glossary of musical and technical terms for the non-specialist general reader. Impressively informed and informative, "The Words and Music of Sheryl Crow" is a 'must' for the legions of Sheryl Crow fans. While highly recommended for both community and academic library Contemporary American Music collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject that "The Words and Music of Sheryl Crow" is also available in a Kindle format ($38.71).


The Holocaust Studies Shelf

Defying The Nazis
Artemis Joukowsky
Beacon Press
24 Farnsworth Street, Boston, MA 02210
www.beacon.org
9780807071823, $25.95, HC, 272pp, www.amazon.com

In 1939, the Reverend Waitstill Sharp, a young Unitarian minister, and his wife, Martha, a social worker, accepted a mission from the American Unitarian Association: they were to leave their home and young children in Wellesley, Massachusetts, and travel to Prague, Czechoslovakia, to help address the mounting refugee crisis. Seventeen ministers had been asked to undertake this mission and had declined; Rev. Sharp was the first to accept the call for volunteers in Europe. Armed with only $40,000, Waitstill and Martha quickly learned the art of spy craft and undertook dangerous rescue and relief missions across war-torn Europe, saving refugees, political dissidents, and Jews on the eve of World War II. After narrowly avoiding the Gestapo themselves, the Sharps returned to Europe in 1940 as representatives of the newly formed Unitarian Service Committee and continued their relief efforts in Vichy France. "Defying the Nazis: The Sharps' War" offers a fascinating and detailed portrait of resistance as told through the story of one courageous couple as it offers a rare glimpse at the high-stakes international relief efforts during WWII. This is the remarkable true story of a couple whose faith and commitment to social justice inspired them to risk their lives to save countless others. "Defying The Nazis" is the companion to a documentary film directed by Ken Burns and Artemis Joukowsky and is very highly recommended for both community and academic library collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists that "Defying The Nazis" is also available in a Kindle format ($15.99). Librarians should note that "Defying The Nazis" is available as a complete and unabridged MP3 audio book (Tantor Audio, 9781515959793, $24.99).


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