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Table of Contents
Reviewer's Choice
101 Outstanding Graphic Novels
Stephen Weiner
NBM Publishing
160 Broadway, Ste. 700, East Wing, New York, NY 10038
www.nbmpub.com
9781561639441, $15.99, www.amazon.com
A graphic novel is a book made up of comics content. Although the word "novel" normally refers
to long fictional works, the term "graphic novel" is applied broadly, and includes fiction,
non-fiction, and anthologized work. It is distinguished from the term "comic book", which is
used for comics periodicals. The term "graphic novel" was first used in 1964; it was popularized
within the comics community after the publication of Will Eisner's A Contract with God in 1978,
and became familiar to the public in the late 1980s after the commercial successes of the first
volume of Spiegelman's Maus, Moore and Gibbons's Watchmen, and Miller's The Dark Knight
Returns. At the beginning of the 21st century, the Book Industry Study Group added "graphic
novel" as a category in book stores. "101 Outstanding Graphic Novels" is an 80 page graphic
novel bibliography organized alphabetically by author. Each entry is provided with a succinct
summary description. "101 Outstanding Graphic Novels" is profusely illustrated with small
black-and-white cover images and occasional 'splash page' images. Ideal for building community
library graphic novel collections, "101 Outstanding Graphic Novels" will prove an invaluable
reference for creating personal graphic novel reading lists. It should be noted that "101
Outstanding Graphic Novels" is also available in a Kindle edition ($7.99).
The Writing/Publishing Shelf
Novel Writing: A Writers' and Artists' Companion
Romesh Gunesekera & A. L. Kennedy
Bloomsbury Press
175 Fifth Avenue, Suite 315, New York, NY 10010
www.bloomsbury.com
9781780937106, $24.95, www.amazon.com
A collaboration between Romesh Gunesekera (whose first novel "Reef" was shortlisted for the
1994 Booker Prize and is the author of six novels including "The Sandglass" which won the
inaugural BBC Asia Award" and "Heaven's Edge" which was cited as a New York Times
Notable Book of the Year) and A L Kennedy (Associate Professor of Creative Writing at the
University of Warwick, UK, and whose novels include Everything You Need (1999), The Blue
Book (2011) and Day (2007) which won the Costa and Saltire Book of the Year), "Novel
Writing: A Writers' and Artists' Companion" is a 240 page compendium that is packed from
cover to cover with practical tips for aspiring novelists on how to write and publish their novels.
Deftly organized and presented in three major sections the provides an introduction to the forms
and history of the novel and helps you plan and research your masterpiece, develop characters
and compelling narratives and your own authorial voice; contains guest contributions from Philip
Pullman, Louise Doughty, Glenn Patterson, Jeanette Winterson, Jonathan Franzen, Stevie
Davies, Doris Lessing, Tash Aw, Elif Shafak, Anne Enright, Tim Pears, Anita Desai, Tim Lott,
Amit Chaudhuri, Andrea Levy, Alan Hollinghurst, Bernardo Atxaga, Hanan Al-Shaykh, MichŠle
Roberts, Joan Brady, Lynn Freed, Evelyn Toynton as well as a number of the 2013 list of the
Best of Young British Novelists including Kamila Shamsie, Tamima Anam, Naomi Alderman,
Ned Beauman, Jenni Fagan and Joanna Kavenna; and offers practical advice on collaborative
writing, overcoming writer's block, editing and rewriting and finding an agent and a publisher for
your work, "Novel Writing: A Writers' and Artists' Companion" will prove an invaluable
instructional reference and guide for the beginner, and has a great deal of value for even the more
experienced author. Very highly recommended for community and academic library
Writing/Publishing reference collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Novel
Writing: A Writers' and Artists' Companion" is also available in a Kindle edition ($12.99).
The Biography Shelf
Six-Shooters and Shifting Sands
Bob Alexander
University of North Texas Press
PO Box 311336, Denton, TX 76203-1336
9781574415926 $34.95 www.unt.edu/untpress
Six-Shooters and Shifting Sands: The Wild West Life of Texas Ranger Captain Frank Jones is
the biography of a man whose life resembles an adventure novel. Frank Jones (1856-1893) is a
legendary law enforcer, who ultimately gave his life defending the Texas-Mexico border in a
shootout with Mexican rustlers. Jones, a native Texan, enlisted and served with the Rangers in an
era when they were transitioning from Indian fighters to lawmen. Jones supervised three of the
four legendary captains of the era: J.A. Brooks, John H. Rogers, and John R. Hughes.
Six-Shooters and Shifting Sands deals with the troubles Jones faced not only from gunfire and
deadly force (Jones' Company D had the highest number of on-duty deaths within Texas Ranger
ranks), but also from times when Jones had to engage in administrative investigations of the
Ranger use of lethal force. The American criminal justice system did not automatically grant
Texas Rangers a "license to kill", and the use of deadly or physical force could cause bureaucratic
nightmares. Personal commentary from Jones' correspondence regarding multiple shooting
incidents adds especial insight, in this excellent addition to public and college library biography
shelves, also highly recommended for nonfiction book club and personal reading lists.
Ada English: Patriot and Psychiatrist
Brendan Kelly
Irish Academic Press
c/o International Specialized Book Services
920 Northeast 58th Avenue, Suite 300, Portland, OR, 97213
www.isbs.com
9780716532705, $69.95, HC, www.amazon.com
Adeline "Ada" English (10 January 1875 - 27 January 1944) was an Irish revolutionary politician
and a pioneering Irish psychiatrist. Ada English spent four decades working at Ballinasloe
District Lunatic Asylum, during which time she introduced significant therapeutic innovations. A
passionate participant in Ireland's Easter Rising, English spent six months in Galway Jail for
possessing nationalistic literature and was elected as a Teachta Dala in 1921. A friend to Pearse,
McDonagh, Griffith, Mellows, De Valera, and others, she became heavily involved in the
country's civil war. "Ada English: Patriot and Psychiatrist" is an engaging and sensitive 192 page
biography that reveals the gifted, compassionate, and modest woman behind the revolutionary
medical achievements and political engagements, her education and medical training, her 40-year
career at Ballinasloe, and her position within the context of pioneering Irish medical women,
such as Kathleen Lynn and Dorothy Stopford Price. "Ada English: Patriot and Psychiatrist" also
shines light on a woman whose abiding concern was for those she cared for -- so much so that
she requested to be buried alongside her former patients. An inherently fascinating read, "Ada
English: Patriot and Psychiatrist" is a very highly recommended addition to academic library
Modern Irish History and Irish Biography collections. It should be noted for personal reading lists
that "Ada English: Patriot and Psychiatrist" is also available in a paperback edition
(9780716532699, $34.89).
The Psychology Shelf
Attunement In Expressive Arts Therapy
Mitchell Kossak
Charles C. Thomas, Publisher
2600 South First Street, Springfield, IL 62704
http://www.ccthomas.com
9780398081362, $28.95, www.amazon.com
Definitions of art therapy vary due in two fields: art and psychotherapy. It can focus on the
art-making process as therapeutic in and of itself ("art as therapy") or it can be "art in therapy"
(art psychotherapy). The psychoanalytic approach was one of the earliest forms of art
psychotherapy. This approach employs the transference process between the therapist and the
client who makes art. The therapist interprets the client's symbolic self-expression as
communicated in the art and elicits interpretations from the client. Analysis of transference is no
longer always a component. Current art therapy includes a vast number of other approaches such
as: Person-Centered, Cognitive, Behavior, Gestalt, Narrative, Adlerian, Family (Systems) and
more. The tenets of art therapy involve humanism, creativity, reconciling emotional conflicts,
fostering self-awareness, and personal growth. "Attunement in Expressive Arts Therapy: Toward
an Understanding of Embodied Empathy" by Mitchell Kossak (Associate Professor, Expressive
Therapies Department, Lesley University, Cambridge, Massachusetts) is a 184 page compendium
comprised of six major chapters: Contexts of Attunement in the Arts and Therapy; Tuning in the
embodied Creative Intelligence; Attunement and Improvisation: Embracing the Unknown,
Rehearsals for Life; Rhythm and Resonance: Deep Connections to Self, Other and University
Consciousness; Tuning In. Enhanced with a ten page list of References and a comprehensive
Index, "Attunement in Expressive Arts Therapy: Toward an Understanding of Embodied
Empathy" will prove a valued addition to professional and academic library Art Therapy
reference collections and supplemental studies reading lists. For personal reading lists it should
be noted that "Attunement in Expressive Arts Therapy: Toward an Understanding of Embodied
Empathy" is also available in an e-book edition (0398081379, $28.95).
Anger Control Training
Marke Amendola & Robert Oliver
Research Press
2612 North Mattis Avenue, Champaign, IL 61822
www.researchpress.com
9780878226849, $24.95, 100pp, www.amazon.com
Anger or wrath is an intense emotional response. Often it indicates when one's basic boundaries
are violated. Some have a learned tendency to react to anger through retaliation. Anger may be
utilized effectively when utilized to set boundaries or escape from dangerous situations. Anger
management is training for temper control and is the skill of remaining calm. Collaboratively
compiled and co-edited by Mark Amendola and Robert Oliver, "Anger Control Training: Prepare
Curriculum Implementation Guide" describes and give direction to the continued expansion of
Prepare methods, offering practitioners coherent, evidence-based approaches for enhancing the
social, emotional, and decision-making abilities of adolescents and younger children with respect
to managing anger based issues. Enhanced with the inclusion of figures, tables, references, an
introduction (About the Prepare Curriculum), and two appendices, "Anger Control Training" is
presented in two major sections: Theoretical Foundation and Program overview; Anger Control
Training Sessions). An exceptionally well written, organized and presented instruction manual,
"Anger Control Training" is very highly recommended for professional and academic library
collections. Also strongly recommended are three more titles in the 'Prepare Curriculum' series:
"Social Perception Training" (9780878226801, $24.95, 140pp); "Empathy And Social
Competence Training" (9780878226788,$24.95, 178pp); "Problem-Solving Training"
(9780878226795, $24.95, 122pp).
The Fiction Shelf
Rain over Baghdad
Hala El Badry, author
Farouk Abdel Wahab, translator
American University in Cairo Press
420 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10018-2729
www.aucpress.com
9789774165887, $19.95, 384pp, www.amazon.com
Since its inception when the British and the French drew lines on a map at the conclusion of
World War I that saw the break up of the Ottoman Empire, Iraq has been a troubled country. The
mid seventies to the late eighties witnessed Saddam Hussein's rise to power, the establishment of
Kurdish autonomy in the north, and the Iraq-Iran war. It also brought an influx of oil wealth,
following the 1973 war and the spike in oil prices, and a parallel influx of Arab talent, including
many Egyptians, as the Egyptian left became disenchanted with Sadat. The massive migration
also extended to workers and peasants, some of whom created an entire Egyptian village just
outside Baghdad. This is the background for Hala el Badry's riveting novel "Rain Over Baghdad.
It's the story of an Egyptian woman married to an engineer working in Iraq. The narrator, who
works for an Egyptian magazine's bureau in the Iraqi capital, has a behind-the-scenes view of
what was really happening at a critical juncture in the history of the region. Moreover, she has a
mystery to solve: an Iraqi woman from the marshes in the south of Iraq, who is also a communist
journalist, has disappeared, and as the mystery unfolds we learn of her love for an older Egyptian
Marxist journalist. This is Iraq before and beyond Saddam, Iraq as the Arabs knew it, in the lives
of interesting people living in a vibrant country before the attempted annexation of Kuwait and
the American invasion. Ably translated into English for an American readership by Farouk Abdel
Wahab, "Rain over Baghdad" is highly recommended for community library collections. For
personal reading lists it should be noted that "Rain over Baghdad" is also available in a Kindle
edition ($12.99).
The Face Of The Earth And Other Imaginings
Algernon Blackwood
Stark House Press
1315 H Street, Eureka, CA 95501
www.starkhousepress.com
9781933586700, $19.95, www.amazon.com
Algernon Henry Blackwood, CBE (14 March 1869 - 10 December 1951) was an English short
story writer and novelist, one of the most prolific writers of ghost stories in the history of the
genre. He was also a journalist and a broadcasting narrator. Compiled and edited by Mike Ashley
for the Stark House Supernatural Classics series, "The Face Of The Earth And Other Imaginings"
is a 222 page anthology showcasing thirty examples of Blackwoods short story mastery of the
supernatural genre. Deftly organized and presented in four major sections: Early Tales;
Imagination Awakes; Nature Inspires; Conflicts of the Soul; "The Face Of The Earth And Other
Imaginings" is an exceptionally satisfying introduction to a true and enduring literary genius
whose work is timeless and guaranteed to entertaining new generations of appreciative readers.
Enhanced with an informative introduction (Imagination Inspired) and a fifteen page
Bibliography: A Chronology of Published Works; "The Face Of The Earth And Other
Imaginings" is a strongly recommended addition to both community and academic library
Literary Studies collections in general, and the personal reading list of Algernon Blackwood fans
in particular.
Garden For The Blind
Kelly Fordon
Wayne State University Press
4809 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, MI 48201-1309
http://wsupress.wayne.edu
9780814341049, $18.99, www.amazon.com
The newest addition to the outstanding Wayne State University Press 'Made in Michigan Writers'
series, "Garden For The Blind" is a 248 page anthology showcasing eleven short stories of Kelly
Fordon. The deftly crafted tales are presented in the chronological order of their creation and
include The Great Gatsby Party; Use Everything in Your Arsenal; Lucky; The Guest Room; A
Shift in the Weather; Trees from Heaven; Opportunity Cost; The Vagaries of Love; In the
Hermitage; In the Museum of Your Life; and the title piece, Garden for the Blind. A collection of
extraordinary stories by an extraordinary writer, "Garden For The Blind" is very highly
recommend for community General Fiction and academic library Literary Fiction collections. For
personal reading lists it should be noted that "Garden For The Blind" is also available in a Kindle
edition ($14.10).
Down In Laos
Francis J. Partel, Jr.
Navy Log Books
1905 Bay Road, Ste 210, Vero Beach, FL 32963
www.downinlaos.com
9780989305914, $29.95 (HC), www.amazon.com
When the pilot, Lt. Campbell, USN, son of missionaries raised in Korea during that war, is shot
down and becomes a POW of the brutal Pathet Lao, he is obligated to attempt escape. "Down in
Laos: Heroism and Inspiration During the Vietnam War" by Francis J. Partel, is a 318 page
action-thriller, suspense war story about a ship, an air wing, and a pilot based on actual US Navy
and Marine Corps events in the Western Pacific in early 1968--the Pueblo seizure, Operation
Igloo White, Khe Sanh, Tet, and the first bombing halt. A compelling read from beginning to
end, this war time fiction novel has every 'feel' of what American POWs truly experienced at the
hands of the Pathet Lao. "Down In Laos" documents novelist Francis J. Partel as a master
storyteller and is highly recommended for personal reading lists and community library Military
Fiction collections. It should be noted that "Down In Laos" is also available in a paperback
edition (9780989305938, $19.95) and in a Kindle edition ($9.95).
The Parenting Shelf
Raising The Shy Child
Christine Fonseca
Prufrock Press
PO Box 8813, Waco, TX 76714-8813
www.prufrock.com
9781618213983, $16.95, www.amazon.com
Social anxiety is a discomfort or a fear when a person is in a social interaction that involves a
concern of being judged or evaluated by others. It is typically characterized by an intense fear of
what others are thinking about them (specifically fear of embarrassment or humiliation, criticism,
or rejection), which results in the individual feeling insecure and not good enough for other
people, and/or the assumption that peers will automatically reject them. Developmental social
anxiety occurs early in childhood as a normal part of the development of social functioning and is
a stage that most children grow out of, but it may persist or resurface and grow into chronic
social anxiety during their teenage years or possibly in adulthood. People vary in how often they
experience social anxiety, and in which kinds of situations they experience it. "Raising the Shy
Child: A Parent's Guide to Social Anxiety" by Christine Fonseca (a school psychologist and
award-winning author of nonfiction and teen novels dedicated to helping children and adults find
their unique voice in the world) is a 240 page instruction guide that is specifically written to aid
parents in helping their children to overcome social anxiety disorders, successful deal with
insecurities, make friends, speak up before others, build self-confidence, and develop a strong
and effective identity. Impressively well written, organized and presented, "Raising The Shy
Child" is thoroughly 'parent friendly', informed and informative, making it an exceptional and
highly recommended addition to community and academic library Parenting Studies reference
collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "Raising The Shy Child" is also
available in a Kindle edition ($12.84).
The Environmental Studies Shelf
Civilizing Nature
Bernhard Gissibl
Berghahn Books
20 Jay Street, Suite 512, Brooklyn, NY 11201
www.berghahnbooks.com
9781782389088, $34.95, www.amazon.com
A national park is a park in use for conservation purposes. Often it is a reserve of natural,
semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individual
nations designate their own national parks differently, there is a common idea: the conservation
of wild nature for posterity and as a symbol of national pride. The International Union for
Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and its World Commission on Protected Areas, has defined
"National Park" as its Category II type of environmentally protected areas. The United States
established the first public park or pleasuring-ground for the benefit and enjoyment of the people
when it created the Yellowstone National Park in 1872. It can be argued that Australia's Royal
National Park, established in 1879, is the second oldest national park now in existence. The
largest national park in the world meeting the IUCN definition is the Northeast Greenland
National Park, which was established in 1974. According to the IUCN, there are 6,555 national
parks worldwide when tabulated in 2006. Collaboratively compiled and co-edited by the team of
Bernhard Gissibl (Lecturer at the Department of History, University of Mannheim. His
dissertation explored the history of hunting and wildlife conservation in colonial Tanzania),
Sabine Hohler (Associate Professor of Science and Technology Studies at the Royal Institute of
Technology in Stockholm), and Patrick Kupper (Senior Lecturer at ETH Zurich), "Civilizing
Nature: National Parks in Global Historical Perspective" is a 306 page compendium comprised
of thirteen informed and informative articles deftly organized into three major sections: Parks
and Empires; Organizations and Networks; Nations and Natures. Enhanced with the inclusion of
tables, maps, illustrations, a list of abbreviations, a seven page Select Bibliography, notes on the
contributors, and a twenty-nine page Index, "Civilizing Nature" is a seminal work of outstanding
scholars in their fields. Also available in a hardcover edition (9780857455253, $95.00),
"Civilizing Nature" is a critically important addition to academic library Environmental
Studies
The Science Shelf
Navigating Metabolism
Navdeep S. Chandel
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press
500 Sunnyside Boulevard, Woodbury NY 11797-2924
www.cshlpress.com
9781621821298, $49.00, www.amazon.com
Metabolism is the set of life-sustaining chemical transformations within the cells of living
organisms. These enzyme-catalyzed reactions allow organisms to grow and reproduce, maintain
their structures, and respond to their environments. The word metabolism can also refer to all
chemical reactions that occur in living organisms, including digestion and the transport of
substances into and between different cells, in which case the set of reactions within the cells is
called intermediary metabolism or intermediate metabolism. Metabolism is usually divided into
two categories. Catabolism, that breaks down organic matter and harvests energy by way of
cellular respiration, and Anabolism that uses energy to construct components of cells such as
proteins and nucleic acids. "Navigating Metabolism" by academician and medical researcher
Navdeep S. Chandel (Department of Medicine and Cell Biology, Feinberg School of Medicine,
Northwestern University) is a 248 page textbook that provides a conceptual framework for
navigating the metabolic pathways involved with about disease, physiology, cell signaling, aging,
immunity, and gene expression. Enhanced with copious illustrations that clearly represent
metabolic reactions, making them accessible and relating them to the ways in which cells
respond to stimuli to produce specific biological effects, "Navigating Metabolism" is an ideal
textbook for college and university level curriculums. A critically important addition to academic
library collections, it should be noted that "Navigating Metabolism" is also available in a
hardcover edition (9781621820406, $79.00).
Basic Electronics: Theory and Practice
Sean Westcott & Jean Riescher Westcott
Mercury Learning
c/o Stylus Publishing, Inc.
22883 Quicksilver Drive, Sterling, VA 20166-2012
www.styluspub.com
9781937585419, $49.95, www.amazon.com
Electronics is the science of how to control the electric energy, energy in which the electrons
have a fundamental role. Electronics deals with electrical circuits that involve active electrical
components such as vacuum tubes, transistors, diodes and integrated circuits, and associated
passive electrical components and interconnection technologies. Commonly, electronic devices
contain circuitry consisting primarily or exclusively of active semiconductors supplemented with
passive elements; such a circuit is described as an electronic circuit. Designed for both the
student and hobbyist, "Basic Electronics: Theory and Practice" is a 350 page introduction to the
theory and practice of electronics including advances in microcontrollers, sensors, and wireless
communication. Each chapter contains a brief lab to demonstrate the topic covered then moves
on to the final part which combines the knowledge mastered by building a programmable robot
(Arduino and Netduino). The companion disc includes videos of the labs, soldering skills, and
code samples for programming of the robot. Covering both the theory and its practical
application, this text leads the reader through the basic science concepts underlying electronics,
building basic circuits, learning the roles of the components, the application of digital theory, and
the possibilities for innovation by combining sensors, motors, and microcontrollers. "Basic
Electronics: Theory and Practice" is enhanced with the inclusion of appendices on mathematics
for electronics, a time line of electronics innovation, careers in electronics, and a glossary. An
excellent textbook choice for a basic electronics curriculum, "Basic Electronics: Theory and
Practice" is strongly recommended for high school, technical college, and university instructional
reference collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "Basic Electronics: Theory
and Practice" is also available in a Kindle edition ($29.95).
Introducing Sedimentology
Stuart Jones
Dunedin Academic Press Ltd.
c/o International Specialized Book Services
920 Northeast 58th Avenue, Suite 300, Portland, OR, 97213
www.isbs.com
9781780460178, $29.50, www.amazon.com
Sedimentology encompasses the study of modern sediments such as sand, mud, silt, and clay, as
well as the processes that result in their deposition. Sedimentologists apply their understanding of
modern processes to interpret geologic history through observations of sedimentary rocks and
sedimentary structures. Sedimentary rocks cover most of the Earth's surface, record much of the
Earth's history, and harbor the fossil record. Sedimentology is closely linked to stratigraphy, the
study of the physical and temporal relationships between rock layers or strata. The premise that
the processes affecting the earth today are the same as in the past is the basis for determining how
sedimentary features in the rock record were formed. By comparing similar features today to
features in the rock record -- for example, by comparing modern sand dunes to dunes preserved
in ancient aeolian sandstones geologists can reconstruct past environments. "Introducing
Sedimentology" by Stuart Jones (Senior Lecturer in Sedimentology, Durham University,
England) is a beautifully and profusely illustrated ninety-six page presentation specifically
designed to explain what sedimentology is and how it is applied as a branch of the geological
sciences. Very highly recommended for school and community library collections. Ideal for the
non-specialist general reader, it should be noted that "Introducing Sedimentology" is also
available in a Kindle edition ($28.02).
The Literary Studies Shelf
Bukowski For Beginners
Carlos Polimeni
For Beginners LLC
155 Main Street, Suite 211, Danbury, CT 06810
www.forbeginnersbooks.com
978193999470, $15.95, 192pp, www.amazon.com
Charles Bukowski (August 16, 1920 - March 9, 1994) was a German-born American poet,
novelist, and short story writer. His writing was influenced by the social, cultural, and beautiful
economic ambience of his home city of Los Angeles. His work addresses the ordinary lives of
rich Americans, the act of writing, alcohol, relationships with women, and the drudgery of work.
Bukowski wrote thousands of poems, hundreds of short stories and six novels, eventually
publishing over sixty books. The FBI kept a file on him as a result of his column, 'Notes of a
Dirty Old Man', in the LA underground newspaper Open City. "Bukowski For Beginners" by
Carlos Polimeni (a journalist, writer, screenwriter, and television and radio host in Argentina) is
a 192 page analytical introduction to the life and work of a influential figure in 20th Century
American literature, as well as a critic of American popular and political culture. Very highly
recommended for both community and academic library 20th Century American Biography
collections, for personal reading lists is should be noted that "Bukowski For Beginners" is also
available in a Kindle edition ($11.36).
A Taste for Chaos
Randy Fertel
Spring Journal Books
38 South Roadway, New Orleans, LA 70124
c/o Cave Henricks Communications (publicity)
9781935528685 $32.95 www.springjournalandbooks.com
A Taste for Chaos: The Art of Literary Improvisation is a literary meta-analysis focusing on the
power of spontaneity - writing from spur-of-the-moment ideas that can flow from anywhere, as
opposed to intensively laborious or meticulous wordcraft. Improvisations and self-styled
spontaneous texts have been a part of literature from the epic poems of classic Greece to 21st
century novels. Literary teacher Randy Fertel explores the expressions and representations of
spontaneous writing, defining "improvisations" as a meta-genre of literature, and reveals how this
writing style appeals to a universal human craving for the authentic experience of immediacy.
Thoughtful, philosophical, and enhanced with chapter notes, a bibliography, and an index, A
Taste for Chaos is a welcome addition to college library literary studies shelves.
The World History Shelf
The Baltimore Sabotage Cell
Dwight R. Messimer
Naval Institute Press
291 Wood Road, Annapolis, MD 21402
9781591141846 $35.95 www.nip.org
Also available as an ebook, The Baltimore Sabotage Cell: German Agents, American Traitors,
and the U-Boat Deutschland During World War I is a detailed military history about Germany's
World War I efforts to break or the trans-Atlantic supply line from America to Britain. Two
approaches were undertaken: the deployment of cargo U-boats, and acts of sabotage against
America, perpetrated by German agents and American sympathizers. More than fifty successful
attacks involving fire, explosives, and the spread of anthrax and glanders (a disease primarily
affecting horses and mules, but also contagious to humans) occurred prior to America's entry into
the war on April 6, 1917. A handful of vintage black-and-white photographs, notes, a
bibliography, and an index round out this scholarly yet accessible saga of deadly spy games and
nautical power struggles. Highly recommended, especially for public and college library military
history or world history shelves.
Private Libraries in Renaissance England: Volume VIII
R. J. Fehrenbach & Joseph L. Black, editors
ACMRS Publications
Arizona State University
PO Box 874402, Tempe, AZ 85287-4402
http://acmrs.org/publications
9780866985062, $70.00, www.amazon.com
The eight volume in the ACMRS "Private Libraries in Renaissance England", this 470 page
compendium focuses upon a collection and catalogue of Tudor and Early Stuart book lists. The
collaborative work of co-editors Joseph L. Black (Professor of English, University of
Massachusetts - Amherst) and R. J. Fehrenbach (Emeritus Professor of English, College of
William and Mary), this eight volume in the outstanding "ACMS" series features an informed
and informative General Introduction, followed by Annotated Book-Lists deftly organized into
for major sections: The Norfolk and Suffolk Book-lists; Catholic Libraries; Lists of Books
Owned by Women; and Lists of Books Owned by Clerics. Enhanced with the inclusion of a
Table of Annotated Book-lists by PLRE Number; Common Abbreviations; and appendix (PLRE
Cumulative Catalog), and six Indices (Authors and Works; Editors and Compilers; Translators;
Stationers; Places of Publication; Dates of Publication) making "Private Libraries in Renaissance
England: Volume VIII" a seminal work of extraordinary scholarship by a series of experts and an
essential acquisition for academic library Renaissance Studies reference collections and
supplemental reading lists.
Judging W. T. Cosgrave
Michael Laffan
Royal Irish Academy
c/o International Specialized Book Services
920 Northeast 58th Avenue, Suite 300, Portland, OR, 97213
www.isbs.com
9781908996398, $60.00, www.amazon.com
William Thomas "W. T." Cosgrave (6 June 1880 - 16 November 1965), was an Irish politician
who succeeded Michael Collins as Chairman of the Provisional Government of the Irish Free
State from August to December 1922. He served as the first President of the Executive Council
(prime minister) of the Irish Free State from 1922 to 1932. "Judging W.T. Cosgrave: The
Foundation of the Irish State" by academician and history Michael Laffan is a 424 page political
biography focusing upon the life and accomplishments of one of the nation of Ireland's key
political figures. Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Judging W.T. Cosgrave:
The Foundation of the Irish State" is enhanced with the inclusion of period photography,
thirty-seven pages of Endnotes; and a nineteen page Index. A seminal work of impressive
scholarship and painstaking research, "Judging W.T. Cosgrave: The Foundation of the Irish
State" is very highly recommended for academic library 20th Century Irish Political History
reference collections ans supplemental studies reading lists.
Benedictine Men and Women of Courage Roots and History, revised edition
Ann E. Kessler, OSB, Ph.D. with Neville Ann Kelly, Ph.D.
Lean Scholar Press
12345 Lake City Way NE, #284
Seattle, WA 98125
9780990449706 $26.95 http://leanscholar.com
College history teacher and member of the Order of Saint Benedict (Sacred Heart Monastery,
South Dakota) Sister Ann E. Kessler presents Benedictine Men and Women of Courage Roots
and History, a descriptive one-volume history of Benedictine monasticism, now in a revised
edition. From the origins of Benedictine monasticism to the challenges it faces in the postmodern
era, Benedictine Men and Women of Courage is extensive and evenhanded, portraying the
community's contributions, adaptations, controversies, and scandals. Accessible to readers of all
backgrounds, Benedictine Men and Women of Courage is especially recommended for public
and college library Religious Studies and History shelves.
The Health/Medicine Shelf
Psoas Strength and Flexibility
Pamela Ellgen, CPT
Ulysses Press
PO Box 3440, Berkeley CA 94703-3440
www.ulyssespress.com
9781612434322, $15.95, www.amazon.com
The psoas major is a long fusiform muscle located on the side of the lumbar region of the
vertebral column and brim of the lesser pelvis. It joins the iliacus muscle to form the iliopsoas.
The psoas minor is a long, slender skeletal muscle which, when present, is located anterior to the
psoas major muscle. "Psoas Strength and Flexibility: Core Workouts to Increase Mobility,
Reduce Injuries and End Back Pain" by certified physical therapist Pamela Ellgen is a profusely
illustrated, 144 page, do-it-yourself instruction manual that includes fifty step-by-step exercises
that can be done at home to increase physical mobility, reduce (and even end) back pain, and help
heal injuries suffered by the psoas major and/or psoas minor muscle system. Practical, effective,
and thoroughly 'user friendly', "Psoas Strength and Flexibility: Core Workouts to Increase
Mobility, Reduce Injuries and End Back Pain" is highly recommended for community library
Health/Medicine instructional reference collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted
that "Psoas Strength and Flexibility: Core Workouts to Increase Mobility, Reduce Injuries and
End Back Pain" is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99).
The Library Science Shelf
Library Services From Birth To Five
Carolyn Rankin & Avril Brock
Facet Publishing
7 Ridgmount Street, London, England, WC1E 7AE
www.facetpublishing.co.uk
9781783300082, $110.00, www.amazon.com
Collaborative compiled and co-edited by Carolyn Rankin and Avril Brock, "Library Services
from Birth to Five: Delivering the Best Start" is a 225 page compendium comprised of fourteen
major papers on the subject of the role played by pre-school and early years library services from
library science innovators and experts around the world. There is a growing awareness of the
significance of the first five years of life for intellectual, social and emotional development and
early intervention is of political interest. "Library Services From Birth To Five" provides
knowledge and understanding about early language and literacy development and how young
children become successful through enjoyable and meaningful experiences. The key role of the
early years professional and the importance of effective interdisciplinary teamwork are examined,
with a focus on involving parents and caregivers and valuing their culture, language, heritage and
community. Good practice is showcased throughout, and practical guidance given on setting up
and running pre-school library services. Enhanced with a list of figures and tables, as well as a
comprehensive index, "Library Services From Birth To Five" is an extraordinary work of seminal
scholarship and a highly prized addition to professional and academic Library Science reference
collections and supplemental studies reading lists.
The Theatre/Cinema/TV Shelf
Future of Television
Pamela Douglas
Michael Wiese Productions
12400 Ventura Blvd., #1111, Studio City, CA 91604
www.mwp.com
9781615932146, $22.95, 200pp, www.amazon.com
"The Future of Television: Your Guide to Creating TV in the New World", by Pamela
Douglas (award winning screenwriter and a tenured professor in the School of Cinematic Arts,
University of Southern California), beings with an informative introductions 'Imagining
Television' and 'What is Television?', then goes on to explore such facets of the television
history, business, issues, concerns, and advancing technologies as: Today's Indie TV; Net
Neutrality; How Network Shows Work; Running Your Own Show; What Can Networks Do?;
Basic Cable Channels; Netflix, Hulu; Direct TV; Yahoo, Amazon; Kickstarter; the role of
Executive Producers; Transmedia; Interactive Media; and so much more. Enhanced with the
inclusion of a list of resources and a bibliography of recommended readings, "The Future of
Television: Your Guide to Creating TV in the New World" is highly recommended, especially
for professional, community and academic library Media Studies reference collections. Also
commended to the attention of non-specialist general readers with an interest in television as a
creative factor for popular culture, it should be noted that "The Future of Television: Your Guide
to Creating TV in the New World" is also available in a Kindle edition ($12.99).
The Pets/Wildlife Shelf
The Complete Book Of Hummingbirds
Tony Tilford
Thunder Bay Press
c/o Baker & Taylor Publishing Group
10350 Barnes Canyon Rd, Ste 100, San Diego, CA 92121
www.thunderbaybooks.com
9781592239672, $19.95, www.amazon.com
Hummingbirds are New World birds that constitute the family Trochilidae. They are among the
smallest of birds, most species measuring in the 7.5 - 13 cm (3 - 5 in) range. Indeed, the smallest
extant bird species is a hummingbird, the 5-cm bee hummingbird, weighing less than a U.S.
penny. They are known as hummingbirds because of the humming sound created by their beating
wings which flap at high frequencies audible to humans. They hover in mid-air at rapid
wing-flapping rates, typically around 50 times per second, allowing them also to fly at speeds
exceeding 15 m/s (54 km/h; 34 mph), backwards. Hummingbirds have the highest metabolism of
any homeothermic animal. To conserve energy when food is scarce, and nightly when not
foraging, they go into torpor, a state similar to hibernation, slowing metabolic rate to 1/15th of its
normal rate. "The Complete Book of Hummingbirds" by ornithologist and photographer Tony
Tilford is a beautifully and profusely illustrated 192 page compendium organized into three
major sections that include an Introduction (including their evolution, biology, plumage, feeding,
behavior, breeding, distribution, migration, relationships to human, and more); A Gallery of
Hummingbirds (comprised of full color photographs and a concise descriptions); and Reference
(featuring a checklist of hummingbirds of the world; humming bird hotspots; useful web sites, a
bibliography, and a glossary). Comprehensive, informed and informative, "The Complete Book
of Hummingbirds" is very highly recommended for personal, professional, community, and
academic library reference collections.
The Cookbook Shelf
Guilt-Free Weeknight Favorites
Mr. Food Test Kitchen
American Diabetes Association
www.everydaydiabeticrecipes.com
Dalyn Miller Public Relations
9781580405560, $19.95, www.amazon.com
Diabetes is a group of metabolic diseases in which there are high blood sugar levels over a
prolonged period. Symptoms of high blood sugar include frequent urination, increased thirst, and
increased hunger. If left untreated, diabetes can cause many complications. Acute complications
include diabetic ketoacidosis and nonketotic hyperosmolar coma. Serious long-term
complications include cardiovascular disease, stroke, chronic kidney failure, foot ulcers, and
damage to the eyes. One of the most important aspects of dealing with diabetes is diet -- quite
literally, the foods we choose to eat. That's where "Guilt-Free Weeknight Favorites", a superbly
illustrated, 208 page culinary compendium comprised exclusively of 'diabetes friendly' dishes
will prove to be an invaluable addition to any diabetic's cookbook collection. The appetite
satisfying, palate pleasing, healthy and nutritious, kitchen cook friendly dishes range from Peach
Melba Waffle Souffles; Athenian Pizza; Greek Vegetable Salad; Skinny French Onion Soup; and
Old-World Sausage Stew; to Grilled French Chicken Skewers; Rancher's Steak with Cowboy
Caviar; Veggie-Stuffed Pork Chops; 15-Minute Fish Tacos; and Lemon Roasted Broccoli. Not to
be missed is a whole section devoted to 'Sweets & Treats' ranging from a Simple Butternut
Squash Cake; to Homestyle Peanut Butter Cookies; to Dutch Apple Crumble; to Chocolate Chip
Cheesecake Cupcakes. "Guilt-Free Weeknight Favorites" is a truly extraordinary and very highly
recommended addition to personal, family, and community library cookbook collections -- and a
'must' for preparing meals for diabetic diners.
Classic Recipes for Modern People
Max Sussman & Eli Sussman
Olive Press
c/o Weldon Owen, Inc.
415 Jackson Street, San Francisco, CA 94111
www.weldonowen.com
9781616288129, $25.00, www.amazon.com
Gorgeously illustrated throughout, "Classic Recipes for Modern People" is a 160 page culinary
compendium of palate pleasing, appetite satisfying, kitchen-cook friendly recipes compiled by
Max and Eli Sussman. (Max currently works as the executive chef at The Cleveland in NoLiTa,
NYC. In 2012 he was named one of Forbes magazine's "30 under 30" for food and wine and was
a nominee for James Beard Rising Star Chef of the year. Eli is the chef at Mile End Deli in
Brooklyn.) With succinct introductions, lists of ingredients, number of servings, and step-by-step
instructions, the recipes range from Salmon with Chermoula & Sauteed Vegetables; Gumbo with
Crispy Okra; Tomato Tart with Arugula Salad; and Duck A L'orange; to Lamb Ribs with Hot
Honey & Lavender; Chickpea Masala & Saffron Rice; Hash Brown Omelet; and Chocolate Cake
with Strawberry Lava. As much fun to cook from as it is inspiring to plan meals with, "Classic
Recipes for Modern People" truly lives up to its title and is highly recommended for personal,
professional, family, and community library cookbook collections. It should be noted that
"Classic Recipes for Modern People" is also available in a Kindle edition ($8.99).
The Archaeology Shelf
The Ancient Southwest
Gregory McNamee
Rio Nuevo Publishers
PO Box 5250, Tucson, AZ 85703
www.rionuevo.com
9781933855882, $16.95, www.amazon.com
Archaeology is the study of human activity in the past, primarily through the recovery and
analysis of the material culture and environmental data that has been left behind by past human
populations, which includes artifacts, architecture, biofacts, and cultural landscapes (known as
the archaeological record). Because archaeology employs a wide range of different procedures, it
can be considered to be both a social science and a humanity. "The Ancient Southwest: A Guide
to Archaeological Sites" by Gregory McNamee (who studied anthropology at the University of
Arizona and has worked on archaeological projects in Arizona and Italy) is a 96 page
archaeology dig site tour through 50 national and state parks, monuments, and other cherished
sites in the modern American Southwest including Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah.
These ancient people left intriguing clues: pueblos, tools, pottery, jewelry, baskets, petroglyphs,
pictographs, clothing, kivas, and weavings. From such evidence, archaeologists can reconstruct
sophisticated cultures with advanced knowledge of astronomy, architecture, agriculture, and art.
Enhanced by the inclusion of more than 130 spectacular photographs by Larry Lindahl
showcasing remarkable archeological locations ranging from Mesa Verde National Park, Canyon
de Chelly National Monument, and Navajo National Monument, to Chaco Culture National
Historic Park, Cedar Mesa National Monument, and many more, "The Ancient Southwest: A
Guide to Archaeological Sites" is an ideal itinerary planning resource and would prove a
welcome addition to community and academic American Archaeology reference collections.
The Sports Shelf
A Game of Their Own
Jennifer Ring
University of Nebraska Press
233 North 8th Street, Lincoln, Nebraska, 68588-0255
Jennifer Prost Public Relations
9780803244801 $29.95 www.nebraskapress.unl.edu
A Game of Their Own: Voices of Contemporary Women in Baseball presents the oral histories
of eleven members of the U.S. Women's National Team, among the twenty selected to represent
Team U.S.A. in the fourth Women's Baseball World Cup in Caracas, Venezuela. These women
came from different racial, cultural, and economic backgrounds, yet all of them faced common
challenges on their path to professional baseball - skepticism from parents, taunts from players,
self-doubt, and endless pressure to switch their chosen sport to softball. As profoundly
inspirational as it is an invaluable addition to baseball history shelves, A Game of Their Own is
highly recommended.
Lacrosse Essentials
Jack B. Kaley & Rich Donovan
Human Kinetics Publishers, Inc.
PO Box 5076, Champaign, IL 61820-5076
www.HumanKinetics.com
9781450402156, $19.95, www.amazon.com
Lacrosse is a team sport played using a small rubber ball and a long-handled stick called a crosse
or lacrosse stick. It is often played as a contact sport. The head of the lacrosse stick is strung with
loose mesh designed to catch and hold the lacrosse ball. Offensively, the objective of the game is
to score by shooting the ball into an opponent's goal, using the lacrosse stick to catch, cradle, and
pass the ball to do so. Defensively, the objective is to keep the opposing team from scoring and
to gain the ball through the use of stick checking and body contact or positioning. The sport has
four major types: men's field lacrosse, women's lacrosse, box lacrosse and intercrosse. The sport
consists of four positions: midfield, attack, defense, goalie. The collaborative work of Jack B.
Kaley (all-time leader in winning percentage (84%) for Division I and II universities and has
been the head coach for the German national lacrosse team since 2002) and Rich Donovan (an
assistant coach for the German National Lacrosse Team; the boys' lacrosse coach at The
Wheatley School in Long Island, New York; and an official with the Nassau County Lacrosse
Officials Association), "Lacrosse Essentials" is a 216 page comprehensive instruction guide and
manual that includes sequential instructions, detailed photo sequences, and expert advice on
passing, catching, shooting, riding, clearing, and goal tending. Very highly recommended for
community and academic library Sports & Athletics instructional reference collections, it should
be noted for personal reading lists that "Lacrosse Essentials" is also available in a Kindle edition
($14.21).
Foundations of Sport Management, third edition
Andy Gillentine & R. Brian Crow, editors
Publicity Department
Fitness Information Technology
West Virginia University
262 Coliseum, WVU-PE, PO Box 6116
Morgantown, WV 26506-6116
www.fitinfotech.com
9781935412571, $75.00, www.amazon.com
Sport management is a field of education concerning the business aspects of sports and
recreation. Some examples of sport managers include the front office system in professional
sports, college sports managers, recreational sport managers, sports marketing, event
management, facility management, sports economics, sport finance, and sports information. Now
in a fully updated and significantly expanded third edition, "Foundations of Sport Management"
compiled and co-edited by Andy Gillentine (formerly the Associate Dean and Director of the
Sport Administration Programs at the University of Miami) and R. Brian Crow (Associate
Professor in the Department of Sport Management, Slippery Rock University, Pennsylvania) is a
360 page compendium comprised of fifteen informed and informative articles relevant to sports
management issues and ranging from an "Introduction to the Sports Industry" by Andy
Gillentine, R. Brian Crow, and Josh Harris; to "Sport Marketing" by John Clark; and "Ethics in
the Sports Industry" by Lynn L. Ridinger and T. Christopher Greenwell. Enhanced with a five
page Glossary and a fifteen page Index, "Foundations of Sport Management" is an essential
addition to professional and academic library Sports Management reference collections and
supplemental studies reading lists.
The Money/Finance Shelf
Private Equity Accounting, Investor Reporting, And Beyond
Mariya Stefanova
FT Press
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300, Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
www.ftpress.com
9780133593112, $229.99, www.amazon.com
In finance, private equity is an asset class consisting of equity securities and debt in operating
companies that are not publicly traded on a stock exchange. A private equity investment will
generally be made by a private equity firm, a venture capital firm or an angel investor. Each of
these categories of investor has its own set of goals, preferences and investment strategies;
however, all provide working capital to a target company to nurture expansion, new-product
development, or restructuring of the company's operations, management, or ownership. An
investor is a person who allocates capital with the expectation of a future financial return.
Business reporting or enterprise reporting is the public reporting of operating and financial data
by a business enterprise or the regular provision of information to decision-makers within an
organization to support them in their work. Reporting is a fundamental part of the larger
movement towards improved business intelligence and knowledge management. "Private Equity
Accounting, Investor Reporting, and Beyond" by Mariya Stefanova (a founding partner of Private
Equity Accounting Insights (PEAI), a private equity training and consultancy firm, providing
specialist training and technical advice to GPs, LPs, and fund administrators) is enhanced with
the inclusion of professional contributions from a team of fiscal experts drawn from the ranks of
PwC, Deloitte, KPMG, Duff & Phelps, and TopQ. A seminal work of impressive detail,
organization, and presentation, "Private Equity Accounting, Investor Reporting, And Beyond"
should be considered a mandatory study by fiscal investment managers and investors alike. Very
highly recommended for corporate, governmental, and academic library Finance & Economics
reference collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Private Equity
Accounting, Investor Reporting, And Beyond" is also available in a Kindle edition
($182.00).
The Political Science Shelf
Handbook Of Public Administration
James L. Perry & Robert K. Christensen, editors
Wiley
c/o Wiley Professional Trade Group
111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
www.wiley.com
9781118775554, $110.00, www.amazon.com
Public administration is the implementation of government policy and also an academic
discipline that studies this implementation and prepares civil servants for working in the public
service. Public administration includes the management of public programs; the translation of
politics into the reality that citizens see every day; and the study of government decision making,
the analysis of the policies themselves, the various inputs that have produced them, and the
inputs necessary to produce alternative policies. Compiled and co-edited by the team of James L.
Perry (Distinguished Professor Emeritus and Chancellor's Professor of Public and Environmental
Affairs Emeritius, Indiana university, Bloomington) and Robert K. Christensen (Associate
Professor, Department of Public Administration and Policy, School of Public and International
Affairs, Arizona State University), the "Handbook Of Public Administration" is an 840 page
compendium comprised of thirty-five informed and informative scholarly papers organized into
seven major sections: Governing for Collective Action; Building Infrastructures for
Accountability; Implementing Policy using Tools of Collective Action; Managing for Public
Performance; Developing Effective Administrative Systems; Sharpening the Public
Administrator's Skill Set; Professionalizing Public Administration Practice. Featuring a
Foreword by Paul A. Volcker, "Handbook Of Public Administration" is an ideal textbook for
college and university level Public Administration curriculums, and a core addition to academic
library Governmental Studies and Political Science reference collections. For personal reading
lists it should be noted that the "Handbook Of Public Administration" is also available in a
Kindle edition ($63.99).
The Mathematics Shelf
An Illustrated Introduction To Topology And Homotopy
Sasho Kalajdzievski
CRC Press
6000 NW Broken Sound Parkway NW, Suite 300, Boca Raton, FL 33487
www.crcpress.com
9781439848159, $89.95, www.amazon.com
Topology is the mathematical study of shapes and topological spaces. It is an area of
mathematics concerned with the properties of space that are preserved under continuous
deformations including stretching and bending, but not tearing or gluing. This includes such
properties as connectedness, continuity and boundary. Two continuous functions from one
topological space to another are called homotopic. "An Illustrated Introduction to Topology and
Homotopy" by academician and mathematician Sasho Kalajdzievski (University of Manitoba,
Winnipeg, Canada) is a 485 page textbook that has as its specific focus topology and homotopy
theory and applications. "An Illustrated Introduction To Topology And Homotopy" provides
students with a comprehensive treatment of basic topology and homotopy that utilize a
combination of rigorous proofs and extensive visualization; gives full details of most proofs,
offers a text that is enhanced with almost 600 figures that help clarify difficult concepts; presents
historical notes outlining the grow of the subject; and features about 750 exercises. Enhanced
with the inclusion of a four page Bibliography; a four page List Of Symbols; and a twenty-two
page Index, "An Illustrated Introduction To Topology And Homotopy" is an ideal college or
university textbook and an invaluable addition to academic library Mathematical Studies
reference collections.
The Business Shelf
Social Media Marketing All-in-One For Dummies
Jan Zimmerman & Deborah Ng
For Dummies
c/o Wiley Professional Trade Group
111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
http://www.dummies.com
9781118951354, $29.99, www.amazon.com
Social media are computer-mediated tools that allow people to create, share or exchange
information, ideas, and pictures/videos in virtual communities and networks. Furthermore, social
media depends on mobile and web-based technologies to create highly interactive platforms
through which individuals and communities share, co-create, discuss, and modify user-generated
content. They introduce substantial and pervasive changes to communication between
businesses, organizations, communities, and individuals. Social media are different from
traditional or industrial media in many ways, including quality, reach, frequency, usability,
immediacy, and permanence. Social media operates in a dialogic transmission system, (many
sources to many receivers). This is in contrast to traditional media that operates under a
monologic transmission model (one source to many receivers). The collaborative work of Jan
Zimmerman (owner of Watermelon Mountain Web Marketing) and Deborah Ng (Professional
Blogger, freelance writer, community manager, and social media enthusiast), "Social Media
Marketing All-in-One For Dummies" is a 840 page instructional manual on how to utilize and
exploit social media for all manner of campaigns be they for business, social issues, politics, or
personal advancement. Informative, practical, and thoroughly 'user friendly' throughout, "Social
Media Marketing All-in-One For Dummies" is strongly recommended for personal, professional,
corporate, community, and academic library Business Marketing reference collections and Social
Media Studies supplemental reading lists. For personal reading lists it should be noted that
"Social Media Marketing All-in-One For Dummies" is also available in a Kindle edition
($16.49).
The Audiobook Shelf
Data-ism
Steve Lohr, author
Walter Dixon, narrator
Blackstone Audiobooks
PO Box 969, Ashland, OR 97520
9781481533799 $29.99 www.BlackstoneAudio.com
Data-ism: The Revolution Transforming Decision Making, Consumer Behavior, and Almost
Everything Else is the unabridged audiobook performance of Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist
Steve Lohr's insights into how accelerated technologies are archiving more raw data about more
individuals everywhere - and the enormous impact this aggregate of information has on
businesses and consumers alike. Big data has both its benefits and its dark side; as the future
becomes now, decision-making can be better served by facts and data analysis, but keeping one's
personal information private - not to mention protected from identity theft - is increasingly
difficult in a world where the largest faceless corporations have amassed torrents of knowledge
about individual shopping, travel, and daily habits. As much a call to reconsider policy changes
in the Information Age as it is a revelation of how technology is changing the world at every
level, Data-ism is worthy of the highest recommendation for personal libraries and public library
audiobook collections alike. 6 CDs, 6 1/2 hours.
The Dog Who Saved Me
Susan Wilson, author
Read by Rick Adamson, Fred Berman and Jeff Gurner
Macmillan Audio
175 Fifth Avenue, Suite 315, New York, NY 10010
9781427244048 $39.99 www.macmillanaudio.com
The Dog Who Saved Me is the unabridged audiobook adaptation of an original novel about the
healing bond between human and animal. The story follows Cooper Harrison, a Boston police
officer whose faithful K-9 partner is killed in the line of duty. Cooper's grief and mounting
depression cost him his job and pushes him to the brink of divorce. A position as dog officer in
his hometown is the only job he can find, and it means returning to neighborhood scorn and
mistrust - his father earned a reputation as the town drunk, and his brother became a drug dealer.
Yet when Cooper rescues a wounded, gun-shy yellow Lab gone feral, helping an animal in
distress to heal gradually teaches him the importance of forgiveness. Heart-touching and quietly
profound, The Dog Who Saved Me is highly recommended. 9 CDs, 11.5 hours.
Disconnected Kids
Dr. Robert Melillo, author
Read by Tom Perkins
Tantor Media, Inc.
6 Business Park Road, Old Saybrook, CT 06475
9781494504243 $39.99 www.tantor.com
Disconnected Kids: The Groundbreaking Brain Balance Program for Children with Autism,
ADHD, Dyslexia, and Other Neurological Disorders is an unabridged audiobook presenting the
Brain Balance Program, devised by neurologist Dr. Robert Melillo, which has been documented
as improving the behavioral, emotional, academic, and social quality of life for children with
neurological disorders. Presenting customizable exercises, a behavior modification plan,
recommendations for identifying food sensitivities, and a solid follow-up program, Disconnected
Kids is an invaluable supplementary resource for parents and teachers tasked with helping
neurologically disadvantaged children reach their full potential. Tables and assessments in
printable PDF format are included (insert disc 1 in a computer for an automatic boot-up). Highly
recommended! 10 CDs, 10.5 hours.
Dracula
Bram Stoker
Read by David Horovitch, et. al.
Naxos of America, Inc.
1810 Columbia Avenue, Suite 28
Franklin, TN 37064
9781843798736 $89.98 www.naxosaudiobooks.com
Dracula is an unabridged audiobook rendition of Bram Stoker's 1897 horror masterpiece, which
propelled the mythology of the blood-sucking vampire into pop culture consciousness. Superbly
performed by a full cast of talented actors, Dracula brings a supernatural nightmare to vivid life.
An absolute "must-have" for public library collections and devotees of vampire stories! 14 CDs,
16 hours 59 min.
The Library CD Shelf
Sun Shine Soul
Ameranouche
www.ameranouche.com
Red Squirrel Records
c/o Rock Paper Scissors (publicity)
511 West 4th Street, Suite 2
Bloomington, IN 47404
www.rockpaperscissors.biz
$12.99 CD / $9.99 download cdbaby.com
Boston-based gypsy flamenco swing trio Ameranouche presents Sun Shine Soul, an original
album incorporating traditions of jazz, American pop, and Ottoman Turkish music. Embracing
celebration, hope, and tributes to beloved fellow composers, Sun Shine Soul lives up to its title
as an audio treasury of joy de vivre. Highly recommended, especially for international music
album collections. The tracks are "Sun Shine Soul", "For My Old Home", "For Stochelo", "Clair
De Lune", "Andalusian Dreams", "Could It Be I'm Falling in Love", "Miah Maull", "What Now",
"Hicaz Mandira", "Til We See Each Other Again", and "Rythme Futur".
Light
Midival Punditz
Six Degrees Records
Press Junkie PR
$9.99 CD / $9.49 MP3 www.amazon.com
New Delhi duo Guarav Raina and Tapan Raj, a.k.a. The Midival Punditz, present Light, an
original album drawing upon the tremendous rich heritage of East Indian folk, including elements
of Rajasthani, Punjabi, Carnatic, and Uttar Pradesh musical culture. Flute, guitar, and energetic
vocals figure prominently in these briskly adventurous yet beautiful songs. Light is a sparkling
gem of an album, especially recommended for international music collections. The tracks are
'Run", "Baanwarey", "Nadia", "Rushing", "Laagee", "Echoes", "Maya", "Light", and "Don't Let
Go".
Forty Martyrs: Armenian Chants from Aleppo
Jason Hamacher
Lost Origin Sound
c/o Rock Paper Scissors (publicity)
511 West 4th Street, Suite 2
Bloomington, IN 47404
$TBA www.rockpaperscissors.biz
Released in respect of the estimated 800,000 to 1.5 million victims of the 1915 Armenian
genocide planned and perpetrated by the Ottoman Turkish government, Forty Martyrs: Armenian
Chants from Aleppo is an album of liturgical chants treasured and sung in Aleppo, a
cosmopolitan Syrian city that served as a refuge for survivors of the massacre. Today, Aleppo is
caught in Syria's civil war, and its Armenian community has been scattered; the language to fthe
chants (West Armenian) may die out in a generation. The chants themselves have storied history,
with the oldest dating back to the 5th century. Profound and powerful, Forty Martyrs: Armenian
Chants from Aleppo is the audio embodiment of faith transcending time, place, and generations,
highly recommended. The tracks are "When", "Today He Rose From the Dead", "Great and
Wondrous Mystery", "We Who Are Gathered at the Renunciation", "In Heavenly Jerusalem",
"Lord Have Mercy", "Praise the Lord O' Jerusalem", and "Our Father".
Bloom Road
Dan Kennedy
www.dankennedy.us
Privately Published
c/o The Creative Service Company (publicity)
4360 Emerald Drive, Colorado Springs, CO 80918
www.thecreativeservicecompany.com
$14.99 CD / $11.88 download cdbaby.com
Bloom Road is an instrumental music album by skilled pianist Dan Kennedy; some tracks are
original solo piano compositions, while others embrace the assistance of fellow musicians on the
flute or other instruments. All the songs come alive with celebration of each soul's storied
journey, and reflect on the ups and downs of everyday life. Bloom Road is a joy to experience,
highly recommended. The tracks are "Moonrise" (3:58), "Prayer for Janet" (4:55), "Sweet Rain"
(4:25), "Falling" (6:59), "Beautiful Day (With You)" (3:27), "Dulcimer in C Minor" (5:01), "A
Moment" (3:31), "Bloom Road" (5:02), "Pop Top" (4:53), "Heaven" (3:42), "Torrent" (4:47), and
"Who Loves You" (4:03).
Heart Song
Elise Lebec
www.eliselebec.com
Tabitha Lebec Publishing Company
c/o The Creative Service Company (publicity)
4360 Emerald Drive, Colorado Springs, CO 80918
www.thecreativeservicecompany.com
$TBA CD / $9.99 download cdbaby.com
Heart Song is an instrumental music CD showcasing Elise Lebec's extraordinary talent on the
piano, also featuring David Darling on the cello and Jeff Oster on the flugelhorn. The songs
encapsulate the fluid transitions of life's journey, akin to sailing on the ocean waves. Reflective,
immersive, and soul-searching, Heart Song evokes an air of mystery of and wonder. The tracks
are "Silence" (3:34), "Lullaby" (3:29), "Heart Song" (4:57), "Pirates and Poets" (3:53), "It Was
Always You" (5:46), "Afternoon Kisses" (3:32), "Ghost Ships" (4:00), "Moonlit Waters" (3:57),
"A Break in the Clouds" (4:39), "Sacred Land" (4:49), "Following the Rain" (3:37), "Away Into
the Horizon" (3:29), "Heart Song avec Cello" (4:59), and "Green Leaves" (1:42).
For You the Sun Will Shine
Sung by Shulamit
www.shulamitvoice.com
Privately Published
c/o Rock Paper Scissors (publicity)
511 West 4th Street, Suite 2
Bloomington, IN 47404
$TBA www.rockpaperscissors.biz
For You the Sun Will Shine: Songs of Women in the Shoa is a unique music album performance
of songs composed by women who were imprisoned by the genocidal Holocaust perpetrated by
the Nazis during World War II. Songs by both Jewish and gentile composers are present; an inset
booklet offers biographical information on the individual creators, where known. A few of these
brave women survived the horrific concentration camps, but most did not - in at least once case,
the song's lyrics miraculously weathered being buried and retrieved. Shulamit performs the music
with haunting empathy in their original languages (including German and Czech); English
translations of the lyrics are included in the booklet. A powerful, cathartic experience, and a
tribute to the martyrs and survivors of unspeakable horror, For You the Sun Will Shine is worthy
of the highest recommendation for public library music collections. The tracks are "The Emigrant
Song", "The Song of Auschwitz", "A Little Christmas Lullaby in Ravensbruck, 1944", "A Jewish
Child", "Farewell My Friend", "A Little Lullaby", "Wiegala", "I Wander Through
Theresienstadt", "And the Rain Keeps Falling", "Moravia, Moravia", "A Good Day", and "Prayer
for Peace".
The Library DVD Shelf
World War One: The People's Story
Athena
c/o Acorn Media
c/o RLJ Entertainment
9781621723240 $39.99 www.acornonline.com
World War One: The People's Story is a documentary on DVD about World War I, and the
British men and women who fought, died, and suffered because of it. Archival footage is blended
with re-enactments of real-life individuals who participated in the war, including performance
excerpts of original letters, memoirs, and diaries of the time. An unforgettable look inside the
theater of war as told in the participants' own words, World War One: The People's Story is
worthy of the highest recommendation for public and college library DVD shelves. Bonus
features include a 12-page viewer's guide and map, an overview of WW I, and articles on trench
warfare, the suffragist movement, and WW I poets. 4 episodes on 2 DVDs, 192 min, SDH
subtitles.
Divide in Concord
Bullfrog Films, Inc.
PO Box 149, Oley, PA 19547
1941545335 $325.00 www.bullfrogfilms.com
Licensed for public performance, Divide in Concord is a documentary about a controversial law
banning the sale of single-serving bottled water in the American town of Concord (there is an
exception allowed for emergency needs). The law was the culmination of a three-year crusade of
octogenarian Jean Hill. Supporters of the ban tout it as a stand against bottled water companies
that drain local reservoirs and sell their contents back to consumers; as a means to reduce plastic
waste polluting land and sea; and as an opportunity to promote reusable water containers.
Opponents of the ban charge that it simply redirects consumers to drink bottled flavored waters
or sodas; that it deprives consumers of their freedom of choice and local businesses of tax
revenue. The controversy remains in force as Jean renews the efforts of her crusade, hoping that
more communities will follow in Concord's footsteps. A close examination of both sides of the
conflict, suitable for classroom education and discussion, Divide in Concord is especially
recommended for high school and public library DVD shelves. 82 and 60 min. versions of Divide
in Concord are both present on the same DVD.
Clean Spirit
Featuring Marcel Kittel and John Degenkolb
A film by Jan Roeleven
First Run Features
630 Ninth Avenue, Suite 1213
New York, NY 10036
$24.95 www.firstrunfeatures.com
The sport of cycling has been severely marred by repeated doping scandals. Is it even possible to
win by competing the "right way"? Clean Spirit: In the Heart of the Tour follows two talented
cyclists, Marcel Kittel and John Degenkolb; along with their teammates, they are determined to
show that victory can be earned without relying on harmful and illegal drugs. Clean Spirit shows
far more than just the race, filming the team in their hotel rooms, on the bus, at training rides,
meals, and massage, team meetings, celebrations of victory and commiseration of defeats and
crashes, and more. An extraordinary and uplifting documentary of the human drive to compete at
the highest level! 88 min., English, Dutch, French, Spanish, and German language options with
English subtitles.
Growing from the Roots
Barbara Olinger, M.S.W.
Progressive Parent Publishing
www.progressiveparenting.org
c/o 411 Video Information (dist.)
PO Box 1223, Pebble Beach, CA 93953
$14.95 www.411videoinfo.com
Growing from the Roots: A Practical Guide to the Art of Parenting (66 min.) is a practical guide
to raising a child, focusing on tools to promote positive parent-child interactions. Growing from
the Roots shows how tantrums and conflicts do not necessarily have to be terrible things; that too
much criticism can be harmful to a child's development; that children do not have to be made to
feel bad to change their behavior. Limits are important for children, but they can be set in with
unconditional love and age-appropriate expectations, the better to foster compassion and strong
family bonds as well as maturity. Growing from the Roots is an invaluable resource for personal
and public library DVD collections. Also highly recommended is the companion parenting DVD,
"Welcoming Your Second Child" (66 min., $14.95).
Faire: An American Renaissance
J2F Productions
http://j2fproductions.com
$200.00 www.fairedocumentary.com
Available both as a DVD and via streaming on Vimeo, Faire: An American Renaissance is a
documentary about the first, original Renaissance Faire, which took place in the Los Angeles
area in 1963. Also explored are the rise of the renaissance re-enactment subculture, which has
since spread nationally and internationally, and the possible future of this unique common
interest. How can the Renaissance Faire redefine itself in today's modern world shaped by the
Internet and social media? Numerous special features include delected scenes, spotlights on
guilds, the experience of jousting, relationships at the Faire, the "Disappearing City" music
video, and much more. As fascinating as it is educational, Faire: An American Renaissance is not
closed-captioned, but its price does include a screening agreement for an audience of up to 100
people. Highly recommended! Approx. 90 min.
Green Fire
A film by Ann Dunsky, Steven Dunsky, and David Steinke
Bullfrog Films, Inc.
PO Box 149, Oley, PA 19547
$295.00 www.bullfrogfilms.com
Licensed for public performance, Green Fire: Aldo Leopold And A Land Ethic For Our Time is a
Regional Emmy Award-winning documentary about the life and accomplishments of
conservationist Aldo Leopold, with particular focus on his contributions to the environmental
movement. Leopold's vision of communities that tend to the needs of both the people and the
land is reflected today in efforts to teach urban children about the value of ecological restoration;
in the grassroots movement to consume local foods; in ranchers who cooperate with their
neighbors to maintain healthy lands; in wildlife biologists' work to save endangered species; and
much more. Highly recommended, especially for public and college library DVD collections. 57
min.
After Winter, Spring
A film by Judith Lit
Bullfrog Films, Inc.
PO Box 149, Oley, PA 19547
1941545270 $295.00 www.bullfrogfilms.com
Licensed for public performance, After Winter, Spring is a documentary about a possibly
disappearing way of life. In southwest France, a rural community has cultivated their region for
generations - indeed, archaeological and historical evidence indicates that agriculture has been
practiced in the locale for over six thousand years. Filmmaker Judith Lit, who grew up on an
American family farm, lived area for ten years before she started filming a land and a people in
transition. Neighbors still raise geese, shave chestnut branches for encircle wine barrels, and
celebrate the harvest, but the traditional ways are disappearing. How will economic forces and a
globalized food system shape the future? Thought-provoking and memorable, After Winter,
Spring is highly recommended; bonus features include the original theatrical trailer and
additional scenes. 74 min, French & English with English subtitles.
The Dance Goodbye
A film by Ron Steinman and Eileen Douglas
First Run Features
630 Ninth Avenue, Suite 1213
New York, NY 10036
$24.95 www.firstrunfeatures.com
The Dance Goodbye is a documentary inspired by Merrill Ashley's departure from the New York
City Ballet as a lauded principle dancer. What is a dancer to do with her life when she can no
longer dance? The Dance Goodbye follows Ashley as she travels around the world, teaching
Balanchine dance to others, and is as much about the renewal of purpose and stage-of-life
transitions as it is about the art of ballet performance. Highly recommended. 56 min.
The Education Shelf
Accelerating Language Skills And Content Knowledge Through Shared Book Reading
Sharolyn D. Pollard-Durodola, et al.
Paul H. Brookes Publishing Company
PO Box 10624, Baltimore, MD 21285-0624
www.brookespublishing.com
9781598572575, $34.95, www.amazon.com
Offering both big-picture curriculum design principles and specific instructional strategies,
"Accelerating Language Skills And Content Knowledge Through Shared Book Reading" is a 192
page instruction manual and guide specifically designed to provide grade school classroom
teachers the practical information they will require to help their young students to accelerate
language skills, vocabulary development, and high-priority science and social studies content
knowledge. "Accelerating Language Skills And Content Knowledge Through Shared Book
Reading" is an ideal curriculum supplement for preservice teacher education courses and
in-service professional development. Teachers will learn how to use the most effective shared
book reading and vocabulary practices; teach new vocabulary while introducing key science and
social studies concepts; align vocabulary instruction with content standards and objectives;
stimulate and expand children TMs oral language abilities via interactive book discussions;
implement a framework tested in collaboration with Head Start and preschool teachers; choose
their own books and vocabulary words to teach; design lesson plans that get results; build a
strong foundation for children TMs future success in science and social studies; advance learning
with proven teaching techniques, such as multiple exposures to words and connected concepts
and strategies; and successfully teach both English language learners and native English
speakers. "Accelerating Language Skills And Content Knowledge Through Shared Book
Reading" is thoroughly 'user friendly' throughout, making it strongly recommended for college
and university library Educational Studies reference collections and supplemental reading
lists.
The Gardening Shelf
Compendium of Tomato Diseases and Pests, second edition
Jeffrey B. Jones, et al.
APS Press
c/o The American Phytopathological Society
3340 Pilot Knob Road, St. Paul, MN 55121
www.scisoc.org
9780890544242, $99.00, 176pp, www.amazon.com
The tomato is the edible, often red fruit/berry of the nightshade Solanum lycopersicum,
commonly known as a tomato plant. The species originated in the South American Andes and its
use as a food originated in Mexico, and spread throughout the world following the Spanish
colonization of the Americas. Its many varieties are now widely grown, sometimes in
greenhouses in cooler climates. Tomato plants are also a common target for many diseases and
pests, affecting production for anyone growing the crop, including commercial producers trying
to maximize yield and the small scale gardener who wants flawless and flavorful garden fresh
tomatoes for salads, cooking, and canning. Now in a completely updated and significantly
expanded second edition the "Compendium of Tomato Diseases and Pests" is a compendium of
some 250 images and associated information organized into a highly useful instructional
reference that will allows both amateur and professional gardeners to understand, diagnose, and
treat more than 60 diseases of tomato occurring throughout the world, including nearly 20 new
diseases and disorders, including those caused by fungi and oomycetes, bacteria, phytoplasmas,
viruses and viroids. Scientifically peer-reviewed information on numerous diseases and pests
provides just the right amount of supporting information for users to make accurate decisions for
disease and pest control in an easy format allowing the user to quickly identify signs and
symptoms of important tomato diseases and pests occurring throughout the world in the
greenhouse, in the field or garden, and in transit to the market. The "Compendium of Tomato
Diseases and Pests" is especially recommended for field and greenhouse growers, home and
master gardeners, consultants, horticulturalists, extension agents, entomologists, diagnosticians,
plant pathologists, educators, and students, as well as anyone working in postharvest channels,
including tomato and canning storage facilities will also benefit from Compendium of Tomato
Diseases, second edition.
James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Diane C. Donovan, Editor
Midwest Book Review
278 Orchard Drive
Oregon, WI 53575-1129
phone: 1-608-835-7937
e-mail: mbr@execpc.com
e-mail: mwbookrevw@aol.com
http://www.midwestbookreview.com
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