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Library Bookwatch

Volume 10, Number 6 June 2015 Home | LBW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Writing/Publishing Shelf Education Shelf
Biography Shelf Theatre/Cinema Shelf Gardening Shelf
Botany Shelf Political Science Shelf Business Shelf
International Studies Shelf Cookbook Shelf Photography Shelf
Biology Shelf Technology Shelf Graphic Novel Shelf
Audiobook Shelf Library CD Shelf Library DVD Shelf
American History Shelf World History Shelf Criminology Shelf
Native American Studies Shelf Parenting Shelf Social Issues Shelf
Culinary Shelf Martial Arts Shelf Genealogy Shelf
Jobs/Career Shelf Religion/Spirituality Shelf  


Reviewer's Choice

Nonviolent Communication, second edition
Marshall B. Rosenberg
Paddle Dancer Press
2240 Encinitas Blvd., Suite D-911, Encinitas, CA 92024
www.nonviolentcommunication.com
Independent Publishers Group (distributor)
814 North Franklin Street, Chicago, IL 60610
www.ipgbook.com
Sounds True Audio
413 South Arthur Avenue, Louisville, CO 80027
www.soundstrue.com
9781892005038, $19.95, 222pp, www.amazon.com

Nonviolent Communication (also called Compassionate Communication or Collaborative Communication is a communication process developed by Marshall Rosenberg beginning in the 1960s. It focuses on three aspects of communication: self-empathy (defined as a deep and compassionate awareness of one's own inner experience), empathy (defined as listening to another with deep compassion), and honest self-expression (defined as expressing oneself authentically in a way that is likely to inspire compassion in others). Nonviolent Communication is based on the idea that all human beings have the capacity for compassion and only resort to violence or behavior that harms others when they don't recognize more effective strategies for meeting needs. Habits of thinking and speaking that lead to the use of violence (psychological and physical) are learned through culture. Nonviolent Communication theory supposes all human behavior stems from attempts to meet universal human needs and that these needs are never in conflict. Rather, conflict arises when strategies for meeting needs clash. Nonviolent Communication proposes that if people can identify their needs, the needs of others, and the feelings that surround these needs, harmony can be achieved. While Nonviolent Communication is ostensibly taught as a process of communication designed to improve compassionate connection to others, it has also been interpreted as a spiritual practice, a set of values, a parenting technique, an educational method and a worldview. Now in a fully updated second edition, "Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life" is a complete instructional course under one cover enabling the reader to improve personal relationships; peacefully deal with harsh judgments, criticisms, and anger; inspire compassion and understanding when thinking, speaking and listening; break destructive patterns that give rise to stress, depression, guilt, and shame; and finally -- discover common ground with anyone, anytime, anywhere. If you only have time for one self-help / self-improvement -- make it Marshall B. Rosenber's "Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life". It should be noted that "Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life" is also available in a Kindle edition ($10.49) and in an unabridged audio book CD format (Sounds True, 9781591791706, $29.95).

Strider: The Story of a Horse
Leo Tolstoy, author
Larry Welo, woodcut illustrations
Louise and Alymer Maude, translators
Borderland Books
http://borderlandbooks.net
c/o University of Wisconsin Press (distribution)
1930 Monroe Street, Third Floor, Madison, WI 53711-2059
www.uwpress.wisc.edu
9780983517474, $25.00, www.amazon.com

Count Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy (9 September 1828 - 20 November 1910), usually referred to in English as Leo Tolstoy, was a Russian novelist regarded as one of the greatest of all time. Principally recognized for his masterpieces "Anna Karenina" and "War and Peace", Tolstoy takes a less dramatic but no less poignant approach his relatively unknown, 100 page novel "Strider: The Story of a Horse". Told from Strider's own aged, equine perspective, the tale nonetheless addresses such perennial human concerns as prejudice, fortune, and mortality. Tolstoy subtly illustrates the parallels and contrasts between horse and human, as we see through Strider's eyes the decline of his most memorable owner -- a rich, arrogant hussar officer in his youth and a depleted, decrepit figure in his dotage. Completed in Tolstoy's own old age, Strider offers a compelling glimpse into the author's growing obsession with mortality. Originally published in 1885, the story idea first occurred to Tolstoy in 1856 and thus spans the two main periods of his writing career. "Strider: The Story of a Horse" will be of special interest and is highly recommended to the attention of academia, while being a considerably entertaining and inherently fascinating recommendation for personal reading lists. It should be noted that the Borderland Books edition of "Strider: The Story of a Horse" is a high-quality jacketed cloth volume, featuring unique woodcut illustrations by Larry Welo and an introduction by Richard Gustafson, a professor of Russian at Columbia University. The special introduction and the woodcut illustrations are not present in paperback or Kindle editions of "Strider".


The Writing/Publishing Shelf

The Frugal Editor
Carolyn Howard-Johnson
HowToDoItFrugally Publishing
www.howtodoitfrugally.com
9781505712117, $17.95, 288pp, www.amazon.com

Editing is the process of selecting and preparing written, visual, audible and film media used to convey information. The editing process can involve correction, condensation, organization, and many other modifications performed with an intention of producing a correct, consistent, accurate and complete work. The editing process often begins with the author's idea for the work itself, continuing as a collaboration between the author and the editor as the work is created. As such, editing can involve creative skills, human relations and a precise set of methods. There are various editorial positions in publishing. Typically, one finds editorial assistants reporting to the senior-level editorial staff and directors who report to senior executive editors. Senior executive editors are responsible for developing a product for its final release. The smaller the publication, the more these roles overlap. In the book publishing industry, editors may organize anthologies and other compilations, produce definitive editions of a classic author's works (scholarly editor), and organize and manage contributions to a multi-author book (symposium editor or volume editor). Obtaining manuscripts or recruiting authors is the role of an Acquisitions Editor or a commissioning editor in a publishing house. Finding marketable ideas and presenting them to appropriate authors are the responsibilities of a sponsoring editor. Copy editors correct spelling, grammar and align writings to house style. Changes to the publishing industry since the 1980s have resulted in nearly all copy editing of book manuscripts being outsourced to freelance copy editors. "The Frugal Editor: Do-It-Yourself Editing Secrets for Authors" is a complete course of instruction under one cover. From editing query letters to editing final manuscripts to the editorial chores of marketing, "The Frugal Editor" covers the complete range of editorial tasks and responsibilities -- including common mistakes and errors to avoid. Thoroughly 'user friendly' from beginning to end, "The Frugal Editor" is ideal for the novice author, and would prove to be of immense value as an instructional reference resource for experienced authors, publishers, publicists, and freelance copy editors.

How to Publish a Bestselling Book
Kim Staflund
Polished Publishing Group
www.shop.polishedpublishinggroup.com
News & Experts
9780986486982, $19.99, 172pp, www.amazon.com

Writing professionally is a business. Getting published is a business. Any author who discount this fact are doomed to failure no matter how brilliantly written their book might be. "How to Publish a Bestselling Book" focuses on the business aspects and facets of becoming a published author including the diverse types of publishing and publishers; domestic and foreign copyrights; books sales and marketing; the modern book publishing process; as well as modern book printing and non-printing options. Of special note is the concluding section offering sound and seasoned advice on such issues as when to let a book go; when to write, sell, and get it all done; handling criticism, and more. Enhanced with the inclusion of a four page Bibliography; and a six page Index, "How to Publish a Bestselling Book" is exceptional, practical, detailed, comprehensive, and thoroughly 'user friendly' from beginning to end. If you are an aspiring writer seeking commercial success as a published author, then you need a copy of Kim Staflund's "How to Publish a Bestselling Book".

The ALVA Axiom Anthology of Author Interviews
Roberta M. Roy, editor
ALVA Press, Inc.
216 Hooker Avenue, Poughkeepsie, New York 12603
9781938729263, $7.99, http://alvapressinc.com

Compiled and edited by Roberta M. Roy (creative lead and owner operator of ALVA Press Inc at http://alvapressinc.com), "The ALVA Axiom Anthology of Author Interviews" features interviews with noteworthy writers and editors discussing their creative roles in publishing and the media. It highlights the differences among their approaches and personalities with the intent to entertain and inform. "The ALVA Axiom Anthology of Author Interviews" provides a very personal look into the world of writing for hard copy publication, the internet, and film. the authors interviewed include Jean Arleen Breed, Catherine Caminero, Chris Campbell, Trish Dalton, Betty Hampel, Kristen Henderson, Stephen Hise, Jim Holmgren, Helmy Parlente Kusuma, M. Edward McNally, Roberta M Roy, Byron Suggs, Carl Waldman, The compilation includes sections titled "Fiction," "Non-Fiction," "Poetry," "Fantasy/Paranormal," "Illustrated Children's Books," and "In the Media". "The ALVA Axiom Anthology of Author Interviews" is as informed and informative as it is thoughtful and thought-provoking as a variety of successful authors provide commentaries that will prove to be applicably useful reading for any and all aspiring writers regardless of the genre or subject matter they are attempting to produce in the highly volatile and intensely competitive world of publishing. An absolute 'must' for beginners, and having a great deal of relevant value for even the more experienced author, "The ALVA Axiom Anthology of Author Interviews" is highly recommended for personal, professional, community, and academic library Writing/Publishing reference collections and supplemental studies reading lists. It should be noted that "The ALVA Axiom Anthology of Author Interviews" is also available in a Kindle edition (9781938729270, $4.99).


The Education Shelf

Children's Mathematics: Cognitively Guided Instruction, second edition
Thomas P. Carpenter, et al.
Heinemann
PO Box 6926, Portsmouth, NH 03802-6926
www.heinemann.com
9780325052878, $33.75, www.amazon.com

Now in a fully updated and significantly expanded second edition, "Children's Mathematics: Cognitively Guided Instruction " is a 256 page instruction manual and guide for classroom teachers instructing children ages 5 to 10 and in grades K to 5 in basic arithmetic. Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Children's Mathematics: Cognitively Guided Instruction" is enhanced with the inclusion of two appendices (The Research Base of Cognitively Guided Instruction; Answers to Selected Questions for Reflection), a list of References, and an available online video, "Children's Mathematics: Cognitively Guided Instruction" is thoroughly 'reader friendly' and very highly recommended for professional and academic library Mathematics Education reference collections and supplemental studies reading lists.

Handbook on Teaching and Learning in Political Science and International Relations
John Ishiyama, William J. Miller, Eszter Simon, editors
Edward Elgar Publishing
9 Dewey Court, Northampton, MA 01060-3815
www.e-elgar.com
9781782548478, $240.00, www.amazon.com

The editorial team of John Ishiyama (University of Texas), William J. Miller (Flagler College), and Eszter Simon (Masaryk University, Czech Republic) have assembled an outstanding group of contributors who offer many highly useful insights and tools for more effective and innovative teaching in political science. With a focus on providing concrete teaching strategies for scholars, the "Handbook on Teaching and Learning in Political Science and International Relations" blends both theory and practice in an accessible and clear manner. In an effort to help faculty excel as classroom teachers, the expert contributors offer representation from various types of institutions located throughout the world. Split into three distinct parts, "Handbook on Teaching and Learning in Political Science and International Relations" covers such issues as curriculum and course design; teaching subject areas; and in class teaching techniques. An essential guide for anyone looking to teach political science and international relations at the university level, "Handbook on Teaching and Learning in Political Science and International Relations" is enhanced with the inclusion of thirty-seven seminal articles and is very highly recommended for academic library Political Science, International Relations, and Applied Education Reference collections and supplemental studies reading lists.

Teaching Beowulf in the Twenty-First Century
Howell Chickering, Allen J. Frantzen, R. F. Yeager
ACMRS
Arizona State University
PO Box 874402, Tempe, AZ 85287-4402
http://acmrs.org/publications
9780866984973, $40.00, www.amazon.com

Beowulf is an Old English epic poem consisting of 3182 alliterative long lines. It is possibly the oldest surviving long poem in Old English and is commonly cited as one of the most important works of Old English literature. It was written in England some time between the 8th and the early 11th century. The author was an anonymous Anglo-Saxon poet, referred to by scholars as the "Beowulf poet". "Teaching Beowulf in the Twenty-First Century" by Howell Chickering (Professor of English emeritus, Amherst College), Allen J. Frantzen (English Department of Loyola University, Chicago), and R. F. Yeager (Professor of English and World Languages, University of West Florida) is a 279 page compendium comprised of twenty-six scholarly essays organized and presented in two major sections. Materials (Texts; Adaptations; Electronic and Multimeida Resources). Approaches (Course Models; Teaching Beowulf in Translation; Teaching Beowulf in Writing Courses; Cultural Models - Traditional Contexts; Interdisciplinary Contexts; Contemporary Contexts). An outstanding body of literary scholarship, "Teaching Beowulf in the Twenty-First Century" is enhanced with the inclusion of a two page list of Contributors; a thirty page list of Works Cited; and a six page Index. "Teaching Beowulf in the Twenty-First Century" is a strongly recommended addition to academic library Beowulf literary instructional reference collections and supplemental studies reading lists.

Exploring the Western Hemisphere Using Literature and Mnemonics
Nancy Polette
Pieces of Learning
1990 Market Road, Marion, IL 62959
www.piecesoflearning.com
9781632790224, $14.95, www.amazon.com

A mnemonic (or mnemonic device) is any learning technique that aids information retention. Mnemonics aim to translate information into a form that the brain can retain better than its original form. Commonly encountered mnemonics are often used for lists and in auditory form, such as short poems, acronyms, or memorable phrases, but mnemonics can also be used for other types of information and in visual or kinesthetic forms. Their use is based on the observation that the human mind more easily remembers spatial, personal, surprising, physical, sexual, humorous, or otherwise "relatable" information, rather than more abstract or impersonal forms of information. "Exploring the Western Hemisphere Using Literature and Mnemonics" is a spiral bound, nicely illustrated, 90 page introduction to using mnemonics as an educational study and information retention tool. Specifically designed for students studying the Western Hemisphere including the United States, Canada, Mexico, Central and South America through the use of stories, rhymes, and mnemonics. A thoroughly 'kid friendly' consumable workbook, "Exploring the Western Hemisphere Using Literature and Mnemonics" is highly recommended as a classroom curriculum supplement and is appropriate for use by home schooling parents with their children.


The Biography Shelf

John Brown In Memory And Myth
Michael Daigh
McFarland & Company
PO Box 611, Jefferson NC 28640
www.mcfarlandpub.com
9780786496174, $39.95, www.amazon.com

John Brown (May 9, 1800 - December 2, 1859) was a white American abolitionist who believed armed insurrection was the only way to overthrow the institution of slavery in the United States. During the 1856 conflict in Kansas, Brown commanded forces at the Battle of Black Jack and the Battle of Osawatomie. Brown's followers also killed five slavery supporters at Pottawatomie. In 1859, Brown led an unsuccessful raid on the federal armory at Harpers Ferry that ended with his capture. Brown's trial resulted in his conviction and a sentence of death by hanging. The life of John Brown has been the subject for several novels and movies which have all contributing to the legend of the most well known abolitionist of his day -- and ours. "John Brown In Memory And Myth" by Michael Daigh is a 268 page biographical history and historical evaluation of John Brown, the age he embodied and the myth he became, and how the tragic gravity of his actions transformed America's past and future. Through biographical narrative, his life and legacy are discussed as a study in metaphor and power and the nature of historical memory. An impressive work of historical research and exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "John Brown In Memory And Myth" will prove to be a welcome addition to community and academic library 19th Century American Biography collections in general, and to the attention of non-specialist general readers with an interest in the life and legend of John Brown in particular.

No Ordinary Being: W. Starling Burgess
Llewellyn Howland III
David R. Godine, Publisher
PO Box 450, Jaffrey, NH 03452
www.godine.com
9781567925265, $65.00, www.amazon.com

William Starling Burgess (December 25, 1878 - March 19, 1947) was a yacht designer, aviation pioneer, and naval architect. He was one of the great, restless geniuses of American design, making his mark across an extraordinary range of fields, from aviation, naval architecture, and automotive design, to poetry, and perhaps typography. He was awarded the highest prize in aviation, the Collier Trophy in 1915, just two years after Orville Wright won it. In 1933 he partnered with Buckminster Fuller to design and build the radical Dymaxion Car. Between 1930 and 1937 he created three America's Cup-winning J-Class yachts, Enterprise, Rainbow and Ranger (the latter in partnership with Olin Stephens). "No Ordinary Being: W. Starling Burgess" is a 512 page biography by Llewellyn Howland (Antiquarian book-seller and author, who is also a frequent contributor to the publication 'Wooden Boat') that is enriched by a profusion of period photographs. Organized chronologically this detailed, informed and informative biography is enhanced further with the inclusion of a four page listing of yachts and other vessels designed by W. Starling Burgess; a two page roster of aircraft designed by Burgess; Notes on Sources, a nine page Bibliography; and a 72 page Index. An erudite, seminal, and deftly written work of impressive research and scholarship, "No Ordinary Being: W. Starling Burgess" is a very strongly recommended addition to community and academic library American Biography collections.

Blessed Assurance
Marion Castleberry
Mercer University Press
1400 Coleman Avenue, Macon, GA 31207-0001
www.mupress.org
9780881465051, $35.00, www.amazon.com

Albert Horton Foote, Jr. (March 14, 1916 - March 4, 2009) was an American playwright and screenwriter, perhaps best known for his screenplays for the 1962 film "To Kill a Mockingbird" and the 1983 film "Tender Mercies", and his notable live television dramas during the Golden Age of Television. He received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1995 for his play "The Young Man From Atlanta". In 1995, Foote was the inaugural recipient of the Austin Film Festival's Distinguished Screenwriter Award. In 2000, he was posthumously awarded the National Medal of Arts. "Blessed Assurance: The Life and Art of Horton Foote" by Marion Castleberry (Professor of Theatre Arts at Baylor University, Waco, Texas) is a 600 page biography that is the definitive, chronological, and descriptive work on Albert Foote's life struggles and accomplishments. Enhanced with the inclusion of an 8 page Bibliography and a 117 page Index, "Blessed Assurance" is an impressive work of scholarly research and highly recommended for community and academic library American Biography collections.

John Jefferson Bray: A Vigilant Life
John Emerson
Monash University Publishing
c/o International Specialized Book Services
920 Northeast 58th Avenue, Suite 300, Portland, OR, 97213
www.isbs.com
9781922235619, $39.95, www.amazon.com

"John Jefferson Bray: A Vigilant Life" by John Emerson is the 271 page biography of The Honorable Dr. John Jefferson Bray, AC (16 September 1912 - 26 June 1995) who was an Australian lawyer, an academic and a published poet, and who, from 1967-1978, served as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of South Australia. In March 1967, South Australian Premier Don Dunstan appointed his State's most outstanding barrister as Chief Justice: John Jefferson Bray. In public, Bray's appointment brought barely a ripple, but in the murky urban waters of Adelaide's corridors of power, this decision unleashed waves of outrage and bitter revenge seeking. After his successful defense of Rupert Murdoch's News in 1960 in a seditious libel case, John Jefferson Bray made a powerful enemy who coveted the position that Chief Justice Bray would come to hold; an enemy who would then ruthlessly target Bray's unconventional private life. Conditions would eventually lead to the sacking of a police commissioner, the resignation of Dunstan, and the early retirement of Bray. "John Jefferson Bray: A Vigilant Life" is the story of an extraordinarily gifted man whose judicial writings continue to be cited across the Commonwealth and who was determined to defend not only his own natural right to a private life, but that of all citizens. Enhanced with the inclusion of an Appendix (John Bray's Response to the Police Surveillance Files); a two page Bibliography; and a two-page Index of Selected Proper names and Specific Terms, "John Jefferson Bray: A Vigilant Life" is highly recommended for academic library 20th Century Biography collections in general, and 20th Century Australian Legal History supplemental studies lists in particular.

Living On Fire
Daniel Kelly
ISI Books
3901 Centerville Road, Wilmington, DE 19807-1938
www.isibooks.org
9781610170864, $27.95, www.amazon.com

Leo Brent Bozell, Jr. (January 15, 1926 - April 15, 1997) was an American conservative activist and Roman Catholic writer. "Living on Fire: The Life of L. Brent Bozell Jr." by the late historian and academician Daniel Kelly (1938 - 2012) is a 272 page biography of an extraordinary orator. L. Brent Bozell Jr. was a young man with fiery red hair who won a national debate competition in high school and later was elected president of Yale's storied Political Union, where his debating partner was his close friend William F. Buckley Jr. In less than a decade after graduating from Yale, Bozell helped Buckley launch National Review, became a popular columnist and speaker, and, most famously, wrote Barry Goldwater's landmark book "The Conscience of a Conservative". But after setting his sights on high political office, Bozell took a different route in the 1960s. He abruptly moved his family to Spain; he founded a traditional Catholic magazine, "Triumph", that quickly turned radical. Bozell repudiated the U.S. Constitution on religious grounds; he made it his mission to transform America into a Catholic nation; he led the nation's major anti-abortion protest; he severed ties with his erstwhile friends from the conservative movement, including Buckley (who was also his brother-in-law). By the mid-1970s, Bozell had fallen prey to bipolar disorder and alcoholism, leading life as if "manacled to a roller coaster," as a friend put it. "Living On Fire" is a compelling, informative, and inherently fascinating read that is highly recommended for community and academic library American Biography collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "Living On Fire" is also available in a Kindle edition ($12.99).


The Theatre/Cinema Shelf

Stanislavski for Beginners
David Allen
For Beginners LLC
155 Main Street, Suite 211, Danbury, CT 06810
www.forbeginnersbooks.com
9781939994356, $15.95, www.amazon.com

Konstantin Sergeyevich Stanislavsky (17 January 1863 - 7 August 1938) was a Russian actor and theatre director. The Stanislavsky system of acting has had a pervasive influence, and was especially widespread in the period after World War II with such theatrical luminaries as Marlon Brando. Stanislavsky treated theatre-making as a serious endeavor requiring dedication, discipline and integrity. Throughout his life, he subjected his own acting to a process of rigorous artistic self-analysis and reflection. His development of a theorized praxis (in which practice is used as a mode of inquiry and theory as a catalyst for creative development) identifies him as one of the great modern theatre practitioners. Stanislavsky's work was as important to the development of socialist realism in the Soviet Union as it was to that of psychological realism in the United States. It draws on a wide range of influences and ideas, including his study of the modernist and avant-garde developments of his time (naturalism, symbolism and Meyerhold's constructivism), Russian formalism, Yoga, Pavlovian behavioral psychology, James-Lange (via Ribot) psychophysiology and the aesthetics of Pushkin, Gogol, and Tolstoy. Stanislavski himself described his approach as 'spiritual Realism'. Impressively well written and fully accessible to theatre students and theatre history buffs with an interest in acting in general and the Stanislavski Method in particular, "Stanislavski for Beginners" is a thoroughly 'reader friendly', 192 page study that is strongly recommended for community theatre groups supplemental studies reading lists, as well as community and academic library Theatre/Cinema reference collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "Stanislavski for Beginners" is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99).


The Gardening Shelf

The Gardens of Luciano Giubbilei
Andrew Wilson
Merrell Publishers
8755 Lookout Mountain Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90046
www.merrellpublishers.com
60 Cycle Media Relations LLC
9781858946443, $69.95, www.amazon.com

Luciano Giubbilei is the master designer of some of the most beautiful contemporary gardens on earth. With descriptive commentary by Andrew Wilson (a garden designer, lecturer and writer, and also Chief Assessor for the Royal Horticultural Society for show gardens), "The Gardens of Luciano Giubbilei" is a magnificent 240 page compendium of Giubbilei's work that is superbly and profusely illustrated throughout with the full color photography of Steven Wooster. Deftly organized and presented with an introductory chapter on The Design Process, "The Gardens of Luciano Giubbilei" follows with The Gardens (The Boltons; Pelham Crescent; Geneva; Wentworth); The Artists (Nigel Hall; Stephen Cox; Keiichi Tahara); The Gardens (Addison Crescent; Morocco; Addison Road; Kensington); Site Development; The Gardens (Chelsea; Notting Hill; Barcelona; Holland Park). Enhanced with an informative Foreword by Tom Stuart-Smith; a one page list of Collaborators; and a three page Index, "The Gardens of Luciano Giubbilei" is an impressive and beautifully produced coffee table edition that would grace any personal, professional, community, or academic library Gardening & Landscaping reference collections.


The Botany Shelf

Wildflowers of the Northern and Central Mountains of New Mexico
Larry J. Littlefield & Pearl M. Burns
University of New Mexico Press
MSC05 3185
1 University of New Mexico, Albuquerque NM 87131-0001
www.unmpress.com
9780826355478, $29.95, www.amazon.com

A wildflower is a flower that grows in the non-domesticated wilderness, meaning it was not intentionally seeded or planted. Yet "wildflower" meadows of a few mixed species are sold in seed packets. The term implies that the plant probably is neither a hybrid nor a selected cultivar that is in any way different from the way it appears in the wild as a native plant, even if it is growing where it would not naturally. The term can refer to the flowering plant as a whole, even when not in bloom, and not just the flower. "Wildflower" is not an exact term either. Terms like native species (naturally occurring in the area, see flora), exotic or introduced species (not naturally occurring in the area), of which some are labeled invasive species (in that they out-compete other plants - whether native or not), imported (introduced to an area whether deliberately or accidentally) and naturalized (introduced to an area, but now considered by the public as native) are much more accurate. Compiled with informative commentaries by Larry J. Littlefield (Professor Emeritus of Plant Pathology at Oklahoma State University) and Pearl M. Burns ( a member of the Friends of the Sandia Mountains and a leader of countless wildflower hikes for the U.S. Forest Service, Albuquerque Open Space program, and other organizations), "Wildflowers of the Northern and Central Mountains of New Mexico: Sangre de Cristo, Jemez, Sandia, and Manzano" is a 408 page compendium New Mexico's wildflower varieties beautifully illustrated, organized and presented in full color photographs and according to their colors. Enhanced with the inclusion of a Glossary, a list of References, as well as two Indexes (Common Names and Scientific Names), "Wildflowers of the Northern and Central Mountains of New Mexico" is an ideal and highly portable identification guide for the use of non-specialist general readers wanting to trek the countryside and admire the flora any time from spring through fall. An exceptional volume, "Wildflowers of the Northern and Central Mountains of New Mexico" could well serve as a template for similar studies of wild flowers in other parts of the country.


The Political Science Shelf

Political Animal: Gore Vidal on Power
Heather Neilson
Monash University Publishing
c/o International Specialized Book Services
920 Northeast 58th Avenue, Suite 300, Portland, OR, 97213
www.isbs.com
9781921867682, $39.95, 270pp, www.amazon.com

Gore Vidal (3 October 1925 - 31 July 2012) was an American writer and a public intellectual known for his patrician manner, epigrammatic wit, and polished style of writing. Born Eugene Louis Vidal, he was a member of a political family; his maternal grandfather, Thomas Pryor Gore, served as United States Senator from Oklahoma (1907 - 21 and 1931 - 37). As Gore Vidal, he was a Democratic Party politician who twice sought elected office; first to the United States House of Representatives (New York State, 1960), then to the U.S. Senate (California, 1982). As a political commentator and essayist, Vidal's principal subject was the history of the United States and its society, especially how the militaristic foreign policy of the National Security State reduced the country to decadent empire. "Political Animal: Gore Vidal on Power" by Heather Nelson is a work of seminal scholarship that examines the centrality of the theme of the use and abuse of political power throughout his writings. "Political Animal: Gore Vidal on Power" focuses primarily, although not exclusively, on Vidal's historical fiction. In his novels depicting American history, and those set in the ancient world, Vidal evokes a world in which deliberately propagated falsehood ('disinformation') can become established as truth. "Political Animal: Gore Vidal on Power" engages with Vidal's representations of political and religious leaders, and with his deeply ambivalent fascination with the increasingly inescapable influence of the media. It asserts that Vidal's oeuvre has a Shakespearean resonance in its persistent obsession with the question of what constitutes legitimate power and authority. An informative and inherently fascinating read, "Political Animal: Gore Vidal on Power" is very highly recommended for community and academic library Political Science collections in general, and personal reading lists for non-specialist general readers with an interest in Gore Vidal's life, accomplishments, and perspectives.


The Business Shelf

Chinese Business Etiquette, updated edition
Stefan H. Verstappen
Stone Bridge Press
PO Box 8208, Berkeley, CA 94707
www.stonebridge.com
9781611720204, $9.95, www.amazon.com

Stefan H. Verstappen is a writer and world traveler. He was one of the first Westerners to travel freely in Communist China in the mid 80's. He has worked as a corporate trainer and publicist in Hong Kong, Taipei, and Beijing. In this newly updated and expanded edition of "Chinese Business Etiquette: The Practical Pocket Guide", Verstappen draws upon his years of experience and expertise to provide a handy, 176 page, pocket-sized compendium of common business and social protocols for traveling and doing business in China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. This newest edition features new trends, Internet and phone tips, references, illustrative anecdotes, and more. Thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "Chinese Business Etiquette: The Practical Pocket Guide" will prove invaluable for anyone hosting or greeting Chinese visitors here in the U.S. No one hoping to do business in China can afford to be without their own highly portable copy of the "Chinese Business Etiquette: The Practical Pocket Guide".


The International Studies Shelf

Seychelles
James R. Mancham
Paragon House
3600 Labore Road, Suite 1, St. Paul, MN 55110-4144
www.paragonhouse.com
9781557789150, $24.95, 464pp, www.amazon.com

Seychelles (officially the Republic of Seychelles) is an archipelago in the Indian Ocean. The 115-island country, whose capital is Victoria, lies 1,500 kilometers (932 mi) east of mainland Southeast Africa. Other nearby island countries and territories include Zanzibar to the west and Comoros, Mayotte, Madagascar, Reunion and Mauritius to the south. Seychelles, with a population of 90,024, has the smallest population of any African state. Seychelles is a member of the African Union. "Seychelles: The Saga of a Small Nation Navigating the Cross-Currents of a Big World" by James R. Mancham (the first President of the Republic of Seychelles) writes with a special expertise about the history of this island nation that received its independence from the United Kingdom in 1976. Abandoned by England and betrayed by France, founding president James R. Mancham lost power in a communist coup spearheaded by the Prime Minister the following year. Following the collapse of communism and its own bankruptcy, Seychelles has been finding an exemplary path to political stability and economic development under the leadership of current president James A. Michel and with the help of the U.A.E. An especially informed and informative analytical history, "Seychelles: The Saga of a Small Nation Navigating the Cross-Currents of a Big World" is an inherently fascinating read and a very highly recommended addition to community and academic library International Studies reference collections in general, and Seychelles History and Cold War History supplemental studies reading lists in particular. It should be noted that "Seychelles: The Saga of a Small Nation Navigating the Cross-Currents of a Big World" is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.95).


The Cookbook Shelf

The Ultimate Allergy-Free Cookbook
Judi Zucker
Square One Publishers
115 Herricks Road, Garden City Park, NY 11040
www.squareonepublishers.com
9780757003974, $15.95, 192pp, www.amazon.com

An allergy is a hypersensitivity disorder of the immune system. Symptoms include red eyes, itchiness, and runny nose, eczema, hives, or an asthma attack. Allergies can play a major role in conditions such as asthma. In some people, severe allergies to environmental or dietary allergens or to medication may result in life-threatening reactions called anaphylaxis. Food allergies and reactions to the venom of stinging insects such as wasps and bees are more often associated with these severe reactions. Compiled by Judi Zucker and Shari Zucker, "The Ultimate Allergy-Free Cookbook: Over 150 Easy-to-Make Recipes That Contain No Milk, Eggs, Wheat, Peanuts, Tree Nuts, Soy, Fish, or Shellfish" Begins with an overview problem of allergies including how they can be identified and what problems they can cause. "The Ultimate Allergy-Free Cookbook" offers valuable information on the dangers of cross-contamination of allergens in packaged foods, and helps the reader to understand food labels. "The Ultimate Allergy-Free Cookbook" shows how to stock a safe allergen-free kitchen. This is followed by six chapters of taste-tempting recipes, including starters and appetizers, soups, salads and dressings, main dishes, desserts and snacks, and drinkable delights. Each recipe is designed to be clear and easy to use, and many include options that help you change up dishes to fit your family's preferences. Special emphasis has been placed on using wholesome and fresh products that are rich in nutrients and fiber, and low in calories. Throughout, clever time-saving tips help you fit healthy cooking into your life, no matter how hectic it may be. With recipes ranging from Carob-Bana Smoothie; Creamy Roasted Garlic Soup; Curried Brown Rice and Grape Salad; and Tasty Taquitos; to White Beans and Mushrooms with Sage; Potato Latkes; Neapolitan Baked Eggplant; Verry Veggie Sushi Rolls; and No-Bake Maple Treats, "The Ultimate Allergy-Free Cookbook" is as fun to browse through as it is practical and 'kitchen cook friendly' to plan menus with. Very highly recommended for personal, family, and community library cookbook collections.

The Side Dish Handbook
Tori Ritchie
Weldon Owen, Inc.
415 Jackson Street, San Francisco, CA 94111
www.weldonowen.com
9781616288136, $19.95, www.amazon.com

A side dish, sometimes referred to as a side order, side item, or simply a side, is a food item that accompanies the entree or main course at a meal. Side dishes such as salad, potatoes and bread are commonly used with main courses throughout many countries of the western world. New side orders introduced within the past couple of decades, such as rice and couscous, have grown to be quite popular throughout the United States and Europe, especially at formal occasions. Compiled and presented by Tori Ritchie (a cookbook author, food writer, cooking teacher, and TV host, who has appeared regularly on CBS and The Food Network) is a beautifully illustrated, 96 page culinary compendium comprised of palate pleasing, appetite satisfying, kitchen cook friendly side dishes that would elevate and enhance any dining occasion. The step-by-step recipes range from Spicy Broccoli Rabe with Anchovy and Preserved Lemons; Warm Red Cabbage Salad with Goat Cheese; Swiss Chard with Currants and Pine Nuts; and Slow-Cooked Greek-Style Green Beans; to Parsnip and Carrot Latkes; Smashed Potatoes with Paprika Salt; Stir-Fried Snap Peas with Almonds, Maple, and Soy; Celery Root Remoulade; and Golden Flannel Hash. Unique and exceptionally well presented, "The Side Dish Handbook" is strongly recommended for personal, family, and community library cookbook collections.

The Silver Platter
Daniella Silver & Norene Gilletz
Mesorah Publications, Ltd.
c/o Artscroll / Shaar Press
4401 Second Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11232
www.artscroll.com
9781422615577, $34.99, www.amazon.com

Collaboratively compiled by Daniella Silver & Norene Gilletz, two masters of Jewish cuisine and kosher cooking, "The Silver Platter: Simple to Spectacular Wholesome, Family-Friendly Recipes" is a beautifully and profusely illustrated 336 page compendium showcasing a cornucopia of culinary dishes that would please any palate, satisfy any appetite, and celebrate any dining occasion. Thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly' throughout, the recipes range from an Exotic Island Salad; Crunchy Corned Beef Strips; Cedar-Planked Salmon with Strawberry-Chili Salsa; and Chinese Chicken & Mushrooms; to Bourbon Marinated Prime Rib; Double Cheese Cauliflower Gratin; Curried Basmati Pilaf; and Herb-Roasted Dijon Onions. Of special note is the chapter on Cookies, Squares, & Treats which feature such delights as White chocolate Chip & Dried Apricot Cookies; Pistachio Biscotti; Rainbow Pretzels; Carrot Cake with Coconut Topping; and Heavenly Halvah Cheese Cake. A pure joy to browse through and create menus from, "The Silver Platter: Simple to Spectacular Wholesome, Family-Friendly Recipes" will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to personal, family, and community library kosher cookbook collections!

The Best Mexican Recipes
America's Test Kitchen Editors
America's Test Kitchen
www.bestmexicancookbook.com
9781936493975, $26.95, www.amazon.com

Mexican cuisine is primarily a fusion of indigenous Mesoamerican cooking with European, especially Spanish, elements added after the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire in the 16th century. The basic staples remain native foods such as corn, beans and chili peppers, but the Europeans introduced a large number of other foods, the most important of which were meat from domesticated animals (beef, pork, chicken, goat and sheep), dairy products (especially cheese) and various herbs and spices. "The Best Mexican Recipes" is a beautifully illustrated, 318 page culinary compendium showcasing an impressive variety and diversity of authentic Mexican cuisine. It should be noted that each thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly' recipe begins with a succinct commentary on that particular dish. Ranging from Homemade Fried Tortilla Chips; Soup of the Seven Seas; Grilled Fish Tacos; and Chile-Rubbed Roast Chicken; to Yucatan-Style Barbecued Pork; Skillet Rice and Beans with Corn and Tomatoes; Breakfast Burritos; and Roasted Winter Squash with Chipotle and Lime, "The Best Mexican Recipes" represents all regional areas of Mexico and will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to personal, family, and community library Ethnic Cookbook collections. It should be noted that "The Best Mexican Recipes" is also available in a Kindle edition ($18.36).


The Photography Shelf

The Adobe Photography Lightroom CC Book for Digital Photographers
Scott Kelby
New Riders
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300, Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
www.newriders.com
9780133979794, $49.99, www.amazon.com

Digital photography is a form of photography that uses cameras containing arrays of electronic photodetectors to capture images focused by a lens, as opposed to an exposure on photographic film. The captured images are digitized and stored as a computer file ready for further digital processing, viewing, digital publishing or printing. Until the advent of such technology, photographs were made by exposing light sensitive photographic film, and used chemical photographic processing to develop and stabilize the image. By contrast, digital photographs can be displayed, printed, stored, manipulated, transmitted, and archived using digital and computer techniques, without chemical processing. "The Adobe Photography Lightroom CC Book for Digital Photographers" by Scott Kelby (Editor, Publisher, and co-founder of Photoshop User magazine, co-host of The Lightroom Show, and co-host of The Grid, the weekly, live talk show for photographers, and Executive Producer of the top-rated weekly show Photoshop User TV) is a profusely illustrated, 576 page instruction manual that is exceptionally well written, organized and presented. A complete course of instruction, "The Adobe Photography Lightroom CC Book for Digital Photographers" is a core addition to personal, professional, community, and academic library Digital Photography reference collections and supplemental studies reading lists. It should be noted that "The Adobe Photography Lightroom CC Book for Digital Photographers" is also available in a Kindle edition ($22.99).

The World's Most Magical Wilderness Escapes
Michael Poliza
teNeues Publishing Group
7 West 18th Street, New York, NY, 10011
www.teneues.com
9783832732387, $75.00, www.amazon.com

Michael Poliza (born January 1, 1958) is a German photographer and entrepreneur specializing in wildlife and nature photography. Michael Poliza grew up in Hamburg, Germany. A prominent child actor, he appeared in over 100 television shows and films, including Tadelloeser und Wolff, Hansel und Gretel (1971) and Unsere heile Welt (1972) while continuing his schooling. At the age of 17, he left Germany for the USA as an exchange student, where he studied Computer Sciences. At the age of 23, Poliza founded his first IT company, importing IBM computers to Germany. Three years later, Poliza claims he had already earned his first million dollars as he expanded his business in the IT sector. In 1997 he sold his IT companies, invested in stock, and began focusing on digital media. When the dot.com crash happened, Poliza lost much of his fortune. With what was left, he bought the boat 'Starship' in 1998. Accompanied by journalists and photographers, he undertook the 'Millennium Starship Voyage' to document the state of the world's wild locations at the turn of the millennium. The book of the voyage, containing 50% pictures taken by him, became a bestseller. Returning to Hamburg in June 2001, Poliza sold the Starship to the US actor Gene Hackman. Between 2002 and 2009, Poliza lived in Cape Town, South Africa, focusing his attention on photographing in the game reserves and nature parks of Southern Africa. The book "Africa" was launched in 2006, followed by the book "Eyes Over Africa" in 2007. Poliza moved back to Hamburg in 2009, published the book "Antarctice", opened a gallery and was named ambassador of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). The books "South Africa" and "Classic Africa" were published in 2010, "Kenya" in 2011. Parallel to his photography, Poliza launched a tailored-tour company, Michael Poliza Experiences. Now his latest photography book has been published in a coffeetable sized volume called "The World's Most Magical Wilderness Escapes". This stunningly beautiful, 224 page volume wonderfully showcases full page and double page color images taken in twenty different national parks and wilderness reserves from around the world. Flawless production values and an informative introduction to each of these twenty regions, serve to enhance the appreciation for Poliza's photographic artistry with his images of landscapes and wildlife. Very highly recommended, "The World's Most Magical Wilderness Escapes" would make an ideal and enduringly popular Memorial Fund acquisition for community and academic library International Photography collections.


The Biology Shelf

Mitosis
Mitsuhiro Yanagida
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press
500 Sunnyside Boulevard, Woodbury NY 11797-2924
www.cshlpress.com
9781621821359, $79.00, www.amazon.com

Mitosis is a part of the cell cycle process by which chromosomes in a cell nucleus are separated into two identical sets of chromosomes, each in its own nucleus. In general, mitosis (division of the nucleus) is often followed by cytokinesis, which divides the cytoplasm, organelles and cell membrane into two new cells containing roughly equal shares of these cellular components. Mitosis and cytokinesis together define the mitotic (M) phase of an animal cell cycle - the division of the mother cell into two daughter cells, genetically identical to each other and to their parent cell. The process of mitosis is highly complex. The sequence of events is divided into stages corresponding to the completion of one set of activities and the start of the next. These stages are prophase, prometaphase, metaphase, anaphase, and telophase. During mitosis, the chromosomes, which have already duplicated, condense and attach to fibers that pull one copy of each chromosome to opposite sides of the cell. The result is two genetically identical daughter nuclei. The cell may then divide by cytokinesis to produce two daughter cells.[2] Errors during mitosis can induce apoptosis (programmed cell death) or cause mutations. Certain types of cancer can arise from such mutations. Collaboratively compiled and co-edited by Mitsuhiro Yanagida (Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University); Anthony A. Hyman (Max Planck institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics); and Jonathan Pines (Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute), "Mitosis" is 200 page compendium comprised of ten erudite scientific articles by experienced and articulate mitosis researchers beginning with Mitsuhiro Yanagida's "The Role of Model Organisms in the History of Mitosis Research", and concluding with Hiroyuki Ohkura's "Meiosis: An Overview of Key Differences from Mitosis". Informed and informative, "Mitosis" is an essential and core addition to the growing body of Mitosis literature and a significant addition to academic and medical school reference collections and supplemental studies reading lists.


The Technology Shelf

Laser-Based Optical Detection of Explosives
Paul M. Pellegrino, Ellen L. Holthoff, Mikella E. Farrell
CRC Press
6000 NW Broken Sound Parkway NW, Suite 300, Boca Raton, FL 33487
www.crcpress.com
9781482233285, $189.00, www.amazon.com

An explosive material is a reactive substance that contains a great amount of potential energy that can produce an explosion if released suddenly, usually accompanied by the production of light, heat, sound, and pressure. An explosive charge is a measured quantity of explosive material. This potential energy stored in an explosive material may be: Chemical energy, such as nitroglycerin or grain dust; Pressurized gas, such as a gas cylinder or aerosol can; Nuclear energy, such as in the fissile isotopes uranium-235 and plutonium-239. "Laser-Based Optical Detection of Explosives" offers a comprehensive review of past, present, and emerging laser-based methods for the detection of a variety of explosives. It considers laser propagation safety and explains standard test material preparation for standoff optical-based detection system evaluation; explores explosives detection using deep ultraviolet native fluorescence, Raman spectroscopy, laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy, reflectometry, and hyperspectral imaging; examines photodissociation followed by laser-induced fluorescence, photothermal methods, cavity-enhanced absorption spectrometry, and short-pulse laser-based techniques; and describes the detection and recognition of explosives using terahertz-frequency spectroscopic techniques. Each chapter is authored by a leading expert on the respective technology, and is structured to supply historical perspective, address current advantages and challenges, and discuss novel research and applications. Readers are provided with an in-depth understanding and appreciation of each technology's capabilities and potential for standoff hazard detection. Exceptionally well organized and presented, "Laser-Based Optical Detection of Explosives" is very highly recommended as a core addition to professional and academic library technology reference collections. It should be noted that "Laser-Based Optical Detection of Explosives" is also available in a Kindle edition ($180.45).

Practical Engineering, Process, and Reliability Statistics
Mark Allen Durivage
ASQ Quality Press
600 N. Plankinton Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53201-3005
www.asq.org
9780873898898, $70.00, www.amazon.com

"Practical Engineering, Process, and Reliability Statistics" by Mark Allen Durivage was specifically written to aid quality technicians and engineers in the performance of their assignments. It is a 288 page compilation of 30 years of quality-related work experience and the result of frustration at the number of books necessary, at times, to provide statistical support. To that end, the intent of "Practical Engineering, Process, and Reliability Statistics" is to provide the quality professional working in virtually any industry a quick, convenient, and comprehensive guide to properly utilize statistics in an efficient and effective manner. "Practical Engineering, Process, and Reliability Statistics" will prove to be an enduringly useful reference when preparing for and taking many of the ASQ quality certification examinations, including the Certified Quality Technician (CQT), Certified Six Sigma Green Belt (CSSGB), Certified Quality Engineer (CQE), Certified Six Sigma Black Belt (CSSBB), and Certified Reliability Engineer (CRE). "Practical Engineering, Process, and Reliability Statistics" is an expansion of the work of Robert A. Dovich in his books "Quality Engineering Statistics and Reliability Statistics". Indeed, "Practical Engineering, Process, and Reliability Statistics" builds on and expands Dovich's method of presenting statistical applications in a simple, easy-to-follow format. "Practical Engineering, Process, and Reliability Statistics" is an essential and core addition to professional and academic library technology and engineering reference collections. It should be noted that "Practical Engineering, Process, and Reliability Statistics" is also available in a Kindle edition ($70.00).


The Graphic Novel Shelf

Saint Teresa of Avila: God's Troublemaker
Yoon Song-i
Pauline Books & Media
50 St. Pauls Avenue, Boston, MA 02130
www.pauline.org
9780819890382, $14.95, www.amazon.com

Teresa of Avila (also called Saint Teresa of Jesus), was baptized as Teresa Sanchez de Cepeda y Ahumada (28 March 1515 - 4 October 1582). Teresa was a prominent Spanish mystic, Roman Catholic saint, Carmelite nun, author during the Counter Reformation, and theologian of contemplative life through mental prayer. She was a reformer of the Carmelite Order and is considered to be a founder of the Discalced Carmelites along with John of the Cross. "Saint Teresa of Avila: God's Troublemaker" is a superbly produced graphic novel written and illustrated by Yoon Song-i. An informative and inherently fascinating read of her life and mission, "Saint Teresa of Avila: God's Troublemaker" is very highly recommended for personal, family, and church library collections within the Roman Catholic community.


The Audiobook Shelf

The Aeneid
Virgil
Read by David Collins
Naxos of America, Inc.
1810 Columbia Avenue, Suite 28, Franklin, TN 37064
9781843798866 $62.98 www.naxosaudiobooks.com

Also available in an abridged version, The Aeneid the unabridged audiobook rendition of the masterpiece by Rome's greatest poet, Virgil. The Aeneid is an epic about a group of refugees from the ruined city of Troy. Their search for a promised land in the West is continually beset with obstacles from the antagonistic goddess Juno. When they reach the land that is now known as Italy, their leader Aeneas must engage in a bitter war with the native peoples to stake his claim to what is destined to become Rome. Award-winning BBC radio performer David Collins brings this sweeping and powerful epic to vivid life! The Aeneid is especially recommended for public and college library audiobook collections. 10 CDs, 13 hours 1 min.


The Library CD Shelf

Afro-Caribbean Party
Putumayo World Music
www.putumayopress.com
$12.99 CD / $9.49 MP3 www.amazon.com

Afro-Caribbean Party lives up to its title as a lively musical celebration for all ages. An anthology songs steeped in 500 years of African, European, and indigenous culture, each performed with joie de vivre by a different singer, Afro-Caribbean Party is the perfect choice to enliven a summer celebration, or simply jump-start one's day. Highly recommended, especially for personal and public library world music collections! The tracks are "La Grev Bare Mwen" by Kali (4:25), "Come By Yah" by Clinton Fearon (3:32), "Cachita" by Ska Cubano (4:31), "Bel Ti Fanm Kreyol" by Wesli (3:30), "Fem'm Sa" by Michel Blaise (5:28), "A Favor del Viento" by Asere (3:12), "Famasound" by Famara (3:32), "Mango Fransik (Mango Lafrance)" by Jan Sebon and Kazak International (3:51), "La Barca" by Chispa Labori (3:01), and "Spence for da Soul" by Fred Ferguson & Grafitti (3:38).

Ba Power
Bassekou Kouyate and Ngoni Ba
Glitterbeat Records
c/o Rock Paper Scissors (publicity)
$13.99 CD / $6.99 MP3 www.glitterbeat.com

Recorded live, Ba Power is an album featuring Malian virtuoso Bassekou Kouyate's mastery of the ngoni lute, a tradition passed down through his ancestors. Ba Power draws upon both heritage and modern elements of rock music to create a distinctly West African fusion. Kouyate's band Ngoni Ba consists of four ngonis including a bass instrument, two percussionists, and vocals by Kouyate's wife Amy Sacko. A strong message of hope permeates Ba Power, creating an uplifting and memorable soundscape experience. Highly recommended, especially for international music collections. The tracks are "Siran Fen", "Musow Fanga", "Abe Sumaya", "Aye Sira Bla", "Borongoli ma Kununban", "Waati", "Fama Magni", "Te Duniya Laban", and "Bassekouni".

Kind of New
Jason Miles and Ingrid Jensen
Whaling City Sound
www.whalingcitysound.com
c/o Mixed Media (publicity)
$14.99 CD / $8.99 MP3 www.amazon.com

Kind of New is a contemporary jazz creation, a collaboration of keyboardist Jason Miles and trumpeter Ingrid Jensen. Fast-based with a strong rhythm, and enriched with the contributions of numerous fellow music artists, Kind of New embraces spontaneity, intuition, and excitement in its performance. The tracks are "Interlude" (0:07), "The Faction of Cool" (6:32), "Super City" (5:38), "Shirley" (5:04), "Film Noir Interlude" (0:35), "Ferrari" (8:31), "Seeing Through the Rain" (5:35), "Close to the Action" (4:09), "Kats Eye" (3:06), "Street Vibe" (8:07), "Twilight Interlude" (0:51), and "Sanctuary" (5:17).

De Pelicula!
Los Crema Paraiso
Cutupra Productions
c/o Press Junkie PR
$9.98 CD / $8.99 MP3 www.amazon.com

De Pelicula! is the second album by the musical trio Los Crema Paraiso, a band that combines traditional Venezuelan music with jazz, rock, funk, electronica, and elements of inspiration from music around the world. Celebrating Venezuelan history, heritage, and prospects for the future, De Pelicula! is a superlative addition international music collections. The tracks are "Intro", "Un Disip en Nueva Yol", "El Currucha", "Bello e' Bola (mira la una)", "Varon Domado", "Personal Jesus feat. Carol C", "Mas", "To Zing with your girlfriend (Paradise Cream)", "Everybody wants to rule the world", "Tanto que ia quise", "Cucaracha en baile de gallinas", and "Sleepwalk".

Elixir
Ola Fresca
Pipiki Records
c/o Rock Paper Scissors
$20.00 www.olafresca.com

Elixir is an album of the band Ola Fresca, created to defy generations of factional antipathy between aficionados of Cuban music and contemporary salsa. Blending Cuban son, rumba, timba, and Puerto Rican-style salsa into an energetic mix that embraces pan-Latino heritage, Elixir is a rhythmic powerhouse of lasting appeal. Highly recommended, especially for Latino and world music collections. The tracks are "Elixir", "La Mano del Rumbero", "Bandera", "Pollitos de Primavera", "Mulata", "El Nino de la Clave", "Convivencia", "Bizcocho", and "Amor Ciclonico".

A Thousand Springs
Adam Andrews
Privately Published
c/o The Creative Service Company (publicity)
4360 Emerald Drive, Colorado Springs, CO 80918
www.thecreativeservicecompany.com
$11.99 CD / $9.99 MP3 www.adamandrewsmusic.com

A Thousand Springs is a solo piano album from talented performer Adam Andrews. Its songs represent the cycle of drawing healing strength from nature, releasing stress, refreshing the mind and rejuvenating the soul, in preparation to face the needs of society anew. The cascading music is a wonder to experience, highly recommended for connoisseurs of original solo piano compositions. The tracks are "A Thousand Springs" (2:38), "Authenticity Falls" (4:15), "Finding Free" (2:37), "Just Gotta Be" (2:42), "Night Embers" (1:42), "Every Dark Tear" (3:41), "Surrounding Hollow" (3:03), "A New Dawn Rising" (3:32), "Water Over Ashes" (4:22), "Not Lost On Us" (3:05), "Believe" (3:23), and "Foundation Trails" (3:16).

Playing with Shadows
David Franklin
Privately Published
c/o The Creative Service Company (publicity)
4360 Emerald Drive, Colorado Springs, CO 80918
www.thecreativeservicecompany.com
$16.05 CD / $8.99 MP3 www.amazon.com

Playing with Shadows is an album of eighteen original songs, including solo piano pieces, piano/guitar compositions, as duos and trios with influence from acoustic guitar or electric bass. The resonant sound is ideal for meditation, clarity, focus, and expanding one's creative imagination. Playing with Shadows is ethereal beauty in performance, untouchable, much like shadows themselves. The tracks are "A Thousand Springs" (2:38), "Authenticity Falls" (4:15), "Finding Free" (2:37), "Just Gotta Be" (2:42), "Night Embers" (1:42), "Every Dark Tear" (3:41), "Surrounding Hollow" (3:03), "A New Dawn Rising" (3:32), "Water Over Ashes" (4:22), "Not Lost On Us" (3:05), "Believe" (3:23), and "Foundation Trails" (3:16).

Mandala
John Calvert
www.johncalvertmusic.net
Privately Published
c/o Heart Dance Records/RS Promotions
$TBA CD / $9.99 download, www.heartdancerecords.com

Formally-trained American fingerstyle guitarist and composer John Calvert presents Mandala, an album of instrumental songs. Nine are his original creations; two are covers of centuries-old hymns. Mandala's music reverberates with creativity, insight, and awakening, and enriches the mind even as it eases the soul. A treasure for connoisseurs of guitar compositions! The tracks are "Take My Life And Let It Be", "All Hands On Deck", "Lu", "Desire", "Flight", "Sally Cornuts", "La Orquidea", "Figaro's Last Tango", "Lew", "More Hands On Deck", and "Come Thou Fount Of Every Blessing".


The Library DVD Shelf

Britain's Bloodiest Dynasty: The Plantagenets
Dan Jones
Acorn Media
c/o RLJ Entertainment
9781621724209 $39.99 www.acornonline.com

Award-winning journalist and historian Dan Jones presents Britain's Bloodiest Dynasty: The Plantagenets, a documentary focusing upon the rulers who brutally crushed all opposition to rule England from 1154 to 1485. A true saga of brutality, greed, tyranny, and betrayals, Britain's Bloodiest Dynasty draws upon historical documents, dramatic reenactments, and skillful storytelling to bring history to life. Highly recommended, but not for young children due to the presence of graphic violence, nudity, and sexual situations. Bonus features include a 12-page viewer's guides and profiles of Plantagenet queens. 4 episodes on 2 DVDs, 188 min.

Without Shepherds
Bullfrog Films, Inc.
PO Box 149, Oley, PA 19547
1941545327 $295.00 www.bullfrogfilms.com

Licensed for public performance, Without Shepherds is a documentary filmed by a team of Americans and Pakistanis over the course of two years, following six unconventional Pakistanis trying to not only survive, but also make a difference for the better. A cricket star founds a progressive political party; a female journalist goes behind Taliban lines; an ex-mujahid searches for redemption; a trucker risks his life traveling through dangerous territory to feed his family; a supermodel uses fashion to advance feminism; and a Sufi rocker promotes healing through music. An eye-opening ray of hope, Without Shepherds defies contemporary stereotypes of Pakistan and its people, and is highly recommended especially for public library DVD collections. Both the full 89 minute and an abbreviated 56 minute version are offered on the same DVD.

San Francisco Bay Area National Parks
Bennet Watt HD Productions, Inc.
13021 - 244 Avenue SE
Issaquah, WA 98027
9781604901795 $24.95 www.Bennett-Watt.com

Available in both DVD and Blu-ray formats, San Francisco Bay Area National Parks is part of the "Discoveries... America National Parks" documentary series, and a visually stunning tour of heritage highlights from the San Francisco Bay area. Featuring Alcatraz Island, Pinnacles National Park, Golden Gate National Recreation Area, San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, and much more, San Francisco Bay Area National Parks is an enlightening video essay with magnificent footage. A choice pick for armchair travelers and prospective tourists alike, highly recommended.

Sagrada: The Mystery of Creation
A film by Stefan Haupt
First Run Features
630 Ninth Avenue, Suite 1213
New York, NY 10036
$27.95 www.firstrunfeatures.com

Sagrada: The Mystery of Creation is a DVD documentary about one of the most famous and distinctive architectural structures created, Barcelona's La Sagrada Familia, first imagined by Antoni Gaudi in the late 19th century and admired by art historians for decades. Sagrada: The Mystery of Creation explores the beauty of the colossal basilica at length, while exploring the human effort and struggle that made the creation of such a multigenerational project possible. Highly recommended, especially for connoisseurs of art and architecture. 94 min.; English, Catalan, Spanish, French and German languages; English subtitles.

Welcoming Your Second Child
A workshop with Barbara Olinger
Progressive Parent Publishing
c/o 411 Video Information (publicity)
PO Box 1223, Pebble Beach, CA 93953
www.411videoinfo.com
$14.95 www.progressiveparenting.org

Welcoming Your Second Child (66 min.) is an educational DVD about guidelines for parents expecting a second child to join the family. Mother and social worker of 30 years' experience Barbara Olinger guides viewers to understand the needs of the older child, methods to strengthen and maintain family connections, and common concerns that both parents and firstborn children have (even those too young to clearly verbalize them). Welcoming Your Second Child is an invaluable resource for public library DVD collections. Also highly recommended for prospective parents is the DVD "Growing From the Roots: A Practical Guide To The Art Of Parenting" (107 min., $14.95).


The American History Shelf

1920: The Year that Made the Decade Roar
Eric Burns
Pegasus Books
80 Broad Street, 5th Floor
New York, NY 10004
9781605987729 $27.95 www.pegasusbooks.us

1920: The Year that Made the Decade Roar is a close study of the year that kicked off America's "Roaring Twenties". Common myths about the era are deconstructed; though the Roaring Twenties are often thought to be a peaceful, prosperous time, 1920 is notable for the greatest act of terrorism in American history up to that date, concentration of wealth among "robber barrons", virtual serfdom among the poorest masses, horrific labor conditions that nurtured unions out of necessity; and more. The women's suffrage movement advanced, and Margaret Sanger opened the first birth control clinic in America, shortly thereafter founding the organization that would eventually become known as Planned Parenthood. Charles Ponzi dreamed up a devastating, multi-layer scam that would add his name to the English lexicon, gangsters ran rampant, and the rise of jazz helped spark the Harlem Renaissance. Edifying and meticulously detailed, yet thoroughly accessible to readers of all backgrounds, 1920: The Year that Made the Decade Roar is a fascinating tour of tumultuous historical turning points, highly recommended especially for college and public library collections.

The Reagan Era: A History of the 1980s
Doug Rossinow
Columbia University Press
61 West 62nd Street, New York, NY 10023-7015
c/o Perseus Distribution
193 Edwards Drive, Jackson, TN 38301-7716
9780231169882 $35.00 http://cup.columbia.edu

The Reagan Era: A History of the 1980s lives up to its title as a study of this decade in American history, with especial attention paid to the ideology and policies of President Ronald Reagan. Reaganite conservatives espoused libertarian economics, a forceful foreign policy, and the repercussions of their efforts are felt in the present day. Author and professor of history Doug Rossinow relates how America began its transformation into a service economy; traces the rise of the politics of crime and mass incarnation; recognizes Reagan's role in ending the Cold War as well as revealing the cruel and savage consequences of his administration's involvement in conflicts in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Nicaragua. "[Reagan] was little troubled by the mass killings committed during his presidency by the Central American regimes that he armed and defended to the hilt. Reagan aggressively advanced grisly counterinsurgency policies in order to prevent socialists from taking power in small countries of no strategic importance to the United States." Exhaustively researched, yet candidly accessible to readers of all backgrounds, The Reagan Era: A History of the 1980's is a choice pick for public and college library American History shelves.


The World History Shelf

The Making of Australia
Robert Murray
Rosenberg
c/o International Specialized Book Services
920 Northeast 58th Avenue, Suite 300
Portland, OR, 97213
9781925078152 $29.95 www.isbs.com

Freelance journalist Robert Murray presents The Making of Australia: A Concise History, a detailed yet accessible history of Australia from the arrival of Aborignal people approximately 60,000 years ago, to is designation as a penal colony, to a modern-day democratic society through the election of the Abbott government in 2013. Tracing the transition from a convict society to a free one, The Making of Australia analyzes the development of representative government, the growth of cities, the careers of notable politicians, and Aboriginal-settler relations. A handful of black-and-white photographs, a bibliography, and an index round out this superb reference and resource, ideal for personal edification, classroom study, or college and public library collections.


The Criminology Shelf

Behind San Quentin's Walls
William B. Secrest
Craven Street Books
c/o Linden Publishing
2006 South Mary, Fresno, CA 93721-9875
www.woodworkerslibrary.com
9781610352215 $18.95 www.CravenStreetBooks.com

Behind San Quentin's Walls: The History of California's Legendary Prison and Its Inmates 1851-1900 chronicles the storied history of California's most famous prison, from its implausible origin as a real estate scheme, to the mismanagement and jailbreaks that plagued it, to profiles of the most notorious robbers and killers kept within its walls. A handful of period black-and-white photographs, newspaper clippings, maps, and more enrich this expertly researched and accessibly presented history. An excellent read for connoisseurs of true-crime (and true-punishment!) stories.

Skullduggery, Secrets, and Murders
Bill Neal
Texas Tech University Press
PO Box 41037, Lubbock, TX 79409-1037
9780896729179 $34.95 www.ttupress.org

Skullduggery, Secrets, and Murders: The 1894 Wells Fargo Scam that Backfired re-examines two cold-case murders from the close of the nineteenth century. In 1894, George Isaacs allegedly hatched a scam to ship fake money packets with a claimed value of $25,000 to the Wells Fargo office in Kansas City. Accomplices were to stage a robbery, enabling Isaacs to sue Wells Fargo for the loss of his fortune. But the sheriff was present when the train arrived; the bandits killed the sheriff, then panicked and fled without seizing the phony cash. An undercover agent sent by Wells Fargo to investigate the matter was assassinated. Of the eight trials held in connection to these murders, only George Isaacs was convicted, and he somehow evaded a life sentence. To this day, there lingers questions and doubts about whether Isaacs was truly the mastermind of the failed scam. A true-crime story that undeniably lives up to its title, Skullduggery, Secrets, and Murders vividly reconstructs the evidence in meticulous detail.


The Native American Studies Shelf

The Early Chickasaw Homeland
John P. Dyson
Chickasaw Press
1315 Hoppe Blvd., Ada, OK 74820
9781935684176 $29.95 www.chickasawpress.com

The Early Chickasaw Homeland: Origins, Boundaries & Society is a close examination of how the Chickasaw native people once lived in their original homeland before their removal to Indian Territory in the first half of the nineteenth century. Author John P. Dyson applies extensive personal research, including knowledge of the Chickasaw language, to offer insight into the boundaries, place-names, and social structures of the Chickasaw of generations past. A bibliography and an index round out this extensive resource, especially recommended for college library Native American Studies shelves.


The Parenting Shelf

How to Be a Good Mommy When You're Sick
Emily Graves, Ph.D.
MSI Press, LLC
1760-F Airline Highway, #203, Holister, CA 95023
www.chronicillnessandmotherhood.com
9781933455891 $14.95 www.amazon.com

How to Be a Good Mommy When You're Sick: A Guide to Motherhood with Chronic Illness lives up to its title as a no-nonsense resource filled with practical strategies and helpful tips for mothers impeded by recurring medical conditions. Author Emily Graves was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis, with a prognosis that she would eventually lose the ability to walk; then while pregnant with her only child, her kidneys shut down. Her wisdom is from personal experience, battling illness while at the same time striving to be a good mother. "Baby wipes are the miracle I wish I had known about years before I even had a baby. I swear, they are good for spotting clothes, cleaning furniture, etc. You name it, a baby wipe can probably take care of it. Seriously - buy in bulk." Highly recommended!


The Social Issues Shelf

Social Safeguards
Rodolfo Tello
Amakella Publishing
P.O. Box 9445, Arlington, VA 22219
9781633870116, $22.99 www.amakella.com

Social Safeguards: Avoiding the Unintended Impacts of Development is a thoughtful, scholarly, and proactive assessment of means to protect vulnerable human populations from the negative consequences of construction and development. Chapters examine impacts of development on indigenous peoples, gender issues in development projects, policies that can protect against negative social outcomes (such as violence between displaced individuals and the police), preserving sites with cultural heritage, and much more. As the global human population keeps increasing, necessitating more development, Social Safeguards is an invaluable wake-up call and resource for chartering best practices going forward.


The Culinary Shelf

Cranberries Revealed
Wayne R. Martin
Martin Photo Media LLC
13245 North 55th Avenue, Plymouth, MN 55442
9780990812906, $24.95, www.cranberriesrevealed.com

Cranberries are a group of evergreen dwarf shrubs or trailing vines in the subgenus Oxycoccus of the genus Vaccinium. In North America, cranberry may refer to Vaccinium macrocarpon. Cranberries are low, creeping shrubs or vines up to 2 meters (7 ft) long and 5 to 20 centimeters (2 to 8 in) in height; they have slender, wiry stems that are not thickly woody and have small evergreen leaves. The flowers are dark pink, with very distinct reflexed petals, leaving the style and stamens fully exposed and pointing forward. They are pollinated by bees. The fruit is a berry that is larger than the leaves of the plant; it is initially white, but turns a deep red when fully ripe. It is edible, with an acidic taste that can overwhelm its sweetness. Cranberries are a major commercial crop in certain American states and Canadian provinces. Most cranberries are processed into products such as juice, sauce, jam, and sweetened dried cranberries, with the remainder sold fresh to consumers. Cranberry sauce is a traditional accompaniment to Thanksgiving dinners in the United States. Since the early 21st century within the global functional food industry, raw cranberries have been marketed as a "super fruit" due to their nutrient content and antioxidant qualities. "Cranberries Revealed: From The Marsh To The Table" is an 84 page profusely illustrated compendium by photojournalist and freelance commercial photographer Wayne R. Martin that takes the reader on a truly impressive visual journey into the world of cranberries that goes quite literally from the marshes where they grow to some truly nutritious and delicious cranberry cuisine. Deftly organized and presented in three major sections (Art and Beauty of the Cranberry; Cranberry Culture; Cranberry Inspirations), "Cranberries Revealed: From The Marsh To The Table" will prove a popular addition to community library collections and should be considered a "must" for all cranberry enthusiasts!


The Martial Arts Shelf

Tai Chi Chuan Martial Power
Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming
YMAA Publications
PO Box 480, Wolfeboro, NH 03894-0480
www.ymaa.com
9781594392948, $26.95, www.amazon.com

Often shortened to t'ai chi, taiji or tai chi in English usage, T'ai chi ch'uan or taijiquan is an internal Chinese martial art practiced for both its defense training and its health benefits. It is also typically practiced for a variety of other personal reasons: its hard and soft martial art technique, demonstration competitions, and longevity. As a result, a multitude of training forms exist, both traditional and modern, which correspond to those aims. Some training forms of t'ai chi ch'uan are especially known for being practiced with relatively slow movement. Today, t'ai chi ch'uan has spread worldwide. Most modern styles of t'ai chi ch'uan trace their development to at least one of the five traditional schools: Chen, Yang, Wu (Hao), Wu, and Sun. "Tai Chi Chuan Martial Power: Advanced Yang Style; New User Friendly Design" is a 320 page fully illustrated instruction manual by a true master of the martial arts. 'Jing' is a word meaning tai chi power. Included are 12 coiling qi exercises; 3 types of sensing jing; 16 types of offensive jing; 19 types of defensive jing; 4 types of neutral jing; 11 types of kicking jing; 14 hand forms for accumulating jing; 8 postures for accumulating jing; and 15 tai chi classics with translations and commentaries. "Tai Chi Chuan Martial Power" is a complete course of instruction and very highly recommended for personal, professional, dojo, and community library Martial Arts reference collections and supplemental studies reading lists.


The Genealogy Shelf

In Search of Your German Roots, fifth edition
Angus Baxter
Genealogical Publishing Company
3600 Clipper Mill Road, Suite 260
Baltimore, MD 21211
9780806320113 $19.95 www.genealogical.com

Now in an updated fifth edition In Search of Your German Roots: A Complete Guide to Tracing Your Ancestors in the Germanic Areas of Europe is a resource for tracking one's German ancestry in Germany and all the German-speaking areas of Europe, including the Baltic, the Crimea, the Czech Republic, Belgium, and more. Since the guides original publication in 1987, its updated revisions have changed to reflect that searching for information about one's German heritage is easier than ever before - many archives have put digitized images of their records online, searchable databases are more common, and correspondence can be undertaken more swiftly via e-mail. In Search of Your German Roots guides the reader to new facilities, new websites, and newly available records that immensely aid the research process. General advice for those new to genealogical research rounds out this excellent, user-friendly guide.


The Jobs/Career Shelf

Excellence in IT
Warren C. Zabloudil
Universal-Publishers
23331 Water Circle, Boca Raton, FL 33486-8540
c/o Authoright (publicity)
9781627340250 $25.95 www.universal-publishers.com

Information Technology expert of twenty-five years' experience Warren C. Zabloudil presents Excellence in IT: Achieving Success in an Information Technology Career, a practical-minded guide to maintaining one's skill sets and moving forward toward career goals. Chapters discuss bad habits to avoid (such as whining, or coming across as a "know-it-all"), stress management techniques, understanding the end user, common career pitfalls (such as not keeping one's skills cutting-edge current in a rapidly evolving industry), and how to work well with a team. "You should always judge delegation carefully. It can be a risk to your credibility if the person you delegated a job task to ever fails you. If you made the call that allowed others to drag you down, then you've demonstrated bad decision making skills." Excellence in IT is an absolute "must-read" for anyone working or contemplating the IT field.


The Religion/Spirituality Shelf

Mormonism Unvailed
Eber D. Howe
Signature Books
564 West 400 North, Salt Lake City, UT 84116-3411
9781560852315, $37.95, www.signaturebooks.com

Mormonism is the commonly known name of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints founded by Joseph Smith in the 1820s. After Smith's murder at the hands of a Missouri mob, most Mormons followed Brigham Young on his westward journey to settle in what would become Utah where they remain a majority of the population today. The word Mormon is originally derived from the Book of Mormon, one of the faith's religious texts. Eber Dudley Howe (1798-1885) was born in Clifton Park, New York. A newspaperman, he launched the Telegraph in Painesville, Ohio, in 1822. An abolitionist, Howe used his home as a refuge for runaway slaves as part of the Underground Railroad. He is author of "Mormonism Unvailed" which was the first investigative journalism attempt to describe the Mormon church, its practices, principles, and key leading figures. Now a new edition has been published by Signature Books and features critical commentaries by Mormon scholar Dan Vogel (editor of the five volume series "Early Mormon Documents"). "Mormonism Unvailed" including affidavits from Smith's former neighbors in New York and from Smith's father-in-law in Pennsylvania; Joseph Smith's early interest in pirate gold and use of a seer stone in treasure seeking; theories from Smith's friends, followers, and family members about the Book of Mormon's origin. Howe's expose is to be valued by historians and students of Mormon history for its primary source material and account of the growth of Mormonism in northeastern Ohio. "Mormonism Unvailed" is an essential, cored addition to personal and academic library Mormon History reference collections and supplemental studies reading lists.


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Diane C. Donovan, Editor
Midwest Book Review
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Oregon, WI 53575-1129
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