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Library Bookwatch

Volume 3, Number 11 November 2008 Home | LBW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Christian Studies Shelf Biography Shelf
Poetry Shelf Judaic Studies Shelf Business Shelf
American History Shelf Native American Shelf Psychology Shelf
Religion/Spirituality Shelf Economics Shelf Black Studies Shelf
Political Science Shelf Computer Shelf Anthropology Shelf
Philosophy Shelf Fiction Shelf Money/Finance Shelf
Education Shelf Health/Medicine Shelf Graphic Novel Shelf
Library Science Shelf Writing/Publishing Shelf Audiobook Shelf
Library DVD Shelf Pets/Wildlife Shelf Cookbook Shelf
Library CD Music Shelf Environmental Studies Shelf Architecture Shelf
Needlecraft Shelf Antiques/Collectibles Shelf Interior Design Shelf
Social Issues Shelf Women's Studies Shelf Travel Shelf
Self-Help Shelf Theatre/Cinema/TV Shelf Sports Shelf
Jobs/Careers Shelf    


Reviewer's Choice

Living Will
M. Dianne Godkin
The University of Alberta Press
Ring House 2, University of Alberta
Edmonton, AB, Canada, T6G 2EI
0888644949, $24.95, www.uap.ualberta.ca

No one is immortal, and the best way to deal with the unfortunate is preparation. "Living Will, Living Well" is a guide to responsibly dealing with the event of death. Aimed at those in their later years, the book speaks of the importance of a living will and how the document isn't enough. "Living Will" offers advice on encouraging communication with loved ones and friends, assistance in dealing with the legal paperwork of wills and other complications that arise, and dealing with oneself after a loved one has passed on. "Living Will" is a solid compendium of knowledge on one's own death, and should be highly considered by those who don't want complications for themselves or their loved ones.

East of the Storm
Hanna Davidson Pankowsky
Texas Tech University Press
PO Box 41037, Lubbock, TX 79409-1037
9780896726277, $19.95, www.ttup.ttu.edu

Expecting social justice and sanctuary in Stalinist Russia ranged from simple, desperate naivete to a deliberately self-inflicted delusion but some unfortunate souls did just that, only to find their very lives at risk. "East of the Storm: Outrunning the Holocaust in Russia" is the true story of the Pankowsky family's ordeal of escaping their homeland for an uncertain fate in the Soviet Union. Poland quickly fell to Nazi Germany, and was subject to its antisemitic practices almost the same instant. Hanna and her family saw hope in making it to the Soviet-occupied portion of Poland, and took their chances going for it. "East of the Storm" is a tale of bravery and risking it all for just the chance to survive.

So Why Have You Never Been Married?
Carl Weisman
New Horizon Press
PO Box 669, Far Hills, NJ 07931-0669
9780882823263, $14.95, www.newhorizonbookspress.com

Pressure into marriage is common in society, but why would some take their time or even refuse? "So Why Have You Never Been Married? 10 Insights Into Why He Hasn't Wed" is a look at the eternal bachelor, the man who has been married. Talking to many men who have yet to tie to knot, he gets a wide range of answers from those who would simply like to continue playing the field, to those who believe monogamy is a sham, to those who simply haven't found the right one. "So Why Have You Never Been Married?" is a look into the male psyche and will provide many answers to a woman who's wondering just why their desired man has yet to pop the question.

Projected History Volume One 1929-1930
Phillip W. Stewart, editor
PMS Press
PO Box 1496, Crestview, FL 32536
9780979324383, $26.95 www.pmspress.com

Projected History: A Catalog of the U.S. National Stories Released by Universal Newsreel Volume One 1929-1930 lists over 1275 nationally released newsreel titles, covering the first two years of what was once known as the Universal Newspaper Newsreel. The reference to each individual news story is no more than a title and one or a handful of sentences encapsulating the story, such as "Runaway Train Plunges Down Mountain: New Castle, PA - 210,000 tons of coal spilled, 32 cars wrecked, but nobody is hurt. Some of the derailed cars hung on the edge of a steep embankment." A solid archive of history's highlights, compiled into an easy-to-use resource for quick reference, and enhanced with an exhaustive title index.


The Christian Studies Shelf

No Atheists in Foxholes
Patrick McLaughlin
Thomas Nelson
565 Royal Parkway, Nashville, TN 37214
9780849919985, $19.99, www.thomasnelson.com

Chaplains are pastors who risk their lives to give soldiers a spiritual shoulder to lean on in the crisis-filled area of the battle field. "No Atheists in Foxholes: Prayers and Reflections from the Front" is a collection of thoughts and reflections on the importance of religion in the Iraq conflict that rages on to this day. Telling stories of his times and offering poignant prayers, Chaplain McLaughlin tells a moving story of his times with his marines unit. "No Atheists in Foxholes" is a must for anyone who wishes to read about God in the Iraq conflict.

Angels and Wonders
Joan Wester Anderson
Loyola Press
3441 N. Ashland Avenue, Chicago, IL 60657
9780829427332, $14.95, www.loyolapress.com

Strange, unforeseen events that give people just what they need to get by, it's what referred to as miracles. "Angels and Wonders: True Stories of Heaven on Earth" is a collection of more than thirty true stories telling of God's servants and their presence on Earth. These stories tell of people in need and how when they needed help most, they believe there's no one who went to bat for them there except Angels. Touching stories of overcoming adversity and making it through tough times, "Angels and Wonders" is inspiring and faithful reading, a great gift book for Christians.

The Last Four Visions of Daniel
Thomas A. Daniels
Tate Publishing & Enterprising
127 E. Trade Center Terrace, Mustang, OK 73064-4421
159886775X, $22.99, www.tatepublishing.com

The Book of Daniel has some intriguing insights into our world indeed. "The Last Four Visions of Daniel: Some Startling Revelations" is Thomas A. Daniel's scholarly examination of the book of Daniel. Speaking of the 'seventy weeks' prophecy of the book and what it means to the world, it is a work of top notch biblical scholarship. A strong choice for anyone who finds study of the Bible enthralling, "The Last Four Visions of Daniel" is a choice that you can't go wrong with.

The Master Carpenter
Hugh Poland
Judson Press
PO Box 851, Valley Forge, PA 19482-0851
9780817015299, $15.00, www.judsonpress.com

Whenever anyone creates anything by hand, heart and soul are poured into their creation. "The Master Carpenter: Devotions for Woodworkers" is a look at the spiritual side of wood working, containing much spiritual information to inspire readers to put their souls into what they craft. Combining the wisdom of Christianity with the meditation of woodworking, "The Master Carpenter" is a solid choice for any Christian who takes after the craft of Jesus Christ.

The Purity Code
Jim Burns
Bethany House
11400 Hampshire Ave., S., Bloomington, MN 55438
9780764202094, $11.99, www.bethanyhouse.com

The world is filled with things that may change how you are. "The Purity Code: God's Plan for Sex and Your Body" is a heavily Christian influenced guide aimed at preteens and young teenagers about the conflicts with faith that spring up around that age. Encouraging children to find their faith and retain their faith toward the many 'impure' influences of the world, "The Purity Code" is a consideration for Christian parents who want to keep their children to their values as they age.

The Visible and the Revealed
Jean-Luc Marion
Fordham University Press
University Box L, 2546 Belmont Ave, Bronx, NY 10458
9780823228843, $30.00, www.fordhampress.com

Philosophy and religion have a lot in common. "The Visible and the Revealed" is one French scholar's ideas about Christianity and the philosophy that comes along with it. Published before, this new edition contains two chapters unreleased in the English language before this, expertly translated by Christina M. Gschwandtner. "The Visible and the Revealed" asks many questions and presents many answers, solidly recommended reading.


The Biography Shelf

Father Flanagan of Boys Town
Hugh Reilly & Kevin Warneke
Boys Town Press
14100 Crawford St., Boys Town, NE 68010
9781889322995, $14.95, www.boystownpress.org

Too often children are left to fend for themselves, and it takes a noble soul to defend them. "Father Flanagan of Boys Town: A Man of Vision" tells of a man who looked after hundreds of orphan boys in Nebraska. He founded Boy's Town, following his faith, looking after children of any race or creed, supporting them to adulthood. Fighting his own poor health, his story is a moving one, making "Father Flanagan of Boys Town" a solid read.

The Billionaire Who Wasn't
Conor O'Clery
Public Affairs
250 West 57th Street, Suite 1321, New York, NY 10107
9781586486426, $15.95, www.publicaffairsbooks.com

So often the rich seek to only get richer, getting more money to pad their wallets than they need to survive. Is there any honor among the greedy? "The Billionaire Who Wasn't: How Chuck Feeney Secretly Made and Gave Away a Fortune" is about a different kind of entrepreneur. Chuck Feeney made billions with his company Duty Free Shippers, but never pursued the fame and did very little pursuit of the fortune, instead becoming one of America's greatest reclusive philanthropists. "The Billionaire Who Wasn't" is highly recommended reading for anyone who has had a soured view on the wealthy.

Dream Homes
Joyce Zonana
The Feminist Press
365 Fifth Avenue, Suite 5406, New York, NY 10016
9781558615731, $15.95, www.feministpress.org

What is home, really? "Dream Homes: From Cairo to Katrina, An Exile's Journey" tells of the author's history of being expunged from her beloved home twice. Once from his native land due to intolerance of her people, and once by Mother Nature's fury in the form of the devastating Hurricane Katrina. Enhanced with photographs and family recipes and tales of and from her mother, Zonana paints a picture of a two-time exile who learns what home really is. "Dream Homes: From Cairo to Katrina" is a top pick for academic and community library Women's Studies and American Biography collections, as well as a 'must read' for anyone who is also struggling with questions of who they are and what they aspire to.

Santiago's Children
Steve Reifenberg
University of Texas Press
2100 Comal Street, Austin, TX 78722
9780292717428, $24.95, www.utexaspress.com

The lessons of life are never laid out as if they were in a book. "Santiago's Children: What I Learned About Life at an Orphanage in Chile" is one man's reflection of one of his great times of learning in life. Santiago, Chile was where he went and fought a language barrier armed with only his own good will. He met many children, each different from the next who gave him a crash course in the harsh realities of life. "Santiago's Children" is poignant and inspiring, highly recommended reading.


The Poetry Shelf

Anna, Washing
Ted Genoways
The University of Georgia Press
330 Research Drive, Athens, GA 30602-4901
9780820332062, $16.95, www.ugapress.org

With the emergence of Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin, America's interest in Alaska is higher than ever. "Anna, Washing" is an anthology of poetry set in the great northern state of Alaska, telling the story of Anna and Abe Malm, two immigrants who came to the state from Finland. Poignant and entertaining, Genoways' poetry makes "Anna, Washing" a recommended read. "Wash-Day Song": This machine now is her only solace / machine whose wooden handle is polished//by years of use, grooves that mirror her grip./Machine she chose, warranted not to rip//your fineries but to wash tough clothes clean./Machine she fills with scalding water, steam//fogging the window glass, and packs with shirts./Machine she hates so much her stomach hurts.//Year she has given to route and routine,/machine washwoman and washing machine.// Sud with lye, rinse, then dry twelve times, each day./Machine that kept their debtors away,//machine Abe dubbed Anna's golden goose,/machine she cranked til it rocked like a sluice.

Alpha Zulu
Gary Copeland Lilley
Ausable Press
1026 Hurricane Road, Keene, NY 12942
9781931337380, $14.00, www.ausablepress.org

"Alpha Zulu" is the fourth book from Gary Copeland Lilley, a native of North Carolina and artist of many types. His poems tackle the basics of the daily life many black Americans face each day, and how it isn't much different from the lives of the people in some parts of America. Philosophical and enlightening, "Alpha Zulu" is intriguing and recommended. "Three of Cups Reversed": In the parking lot she's washing her car, bending down to wipe the rims. Wide butt and showing waistline, always some man wanting to wax her trunk./Sitting on my back porch in a lounger/that's chained to the cast iron railing/I turn obstacles into stepping stones./Dispel the negative and focus/On the self that hangs off my bones./Beneath a ragged flag, the bare trees/in the departing winter, ashtray half full,/fresh pack of cigarettes, and three cans of beer/sweating beside me on the table.

This Dirty Little Heart
B.T. Shaw
Eastern Washington University Press
534 E. Spokane Falls Blvd, Suite 203, Spokane, WA 99202
9781597660402, $14.95, www.ewupress.ewu.edu

Prolific published poet B.T. Shaw brings poetry readers her debut anthology of poetry in "This Dirty Little Heart". Holding nothing back, her verse is moving and inspiring to readers and offers fresh prose. As a sign of things to come, "This Dirty Little Heart" leaves readers wanting more. "The Invisible Woman vs. Mr. Fantastic": Honey, she said, it is not your fault./I saw everything in you except myself.

Cage
Astrid Cabral
Host Publications
277 Broadway, Suite 210, New York, NY 10007
9780924047442, $12.00, www.hostpublications.com

One of Brazil's most famous poets, Astrid Cabral knows shows. In this new edition of "Cage" from Host Publications, she demonstrates to English readers just why she deserves her well earned literary fame. Bilingual, "Cage" contains both the original Portuguese and the deftly translated English translation by Alexis Levitin. The poetry comprising "Cage" brings the reader an unusual and exotic picture of Brazil, a picture that contains both the massive Amazon rain forests and a piece of western civilization. Introducing a major Brazilian literary talent o American poetry readers, "Cage" is worth reading for its tales of Brazil alone. "Gecko": Blessed be the morning/of childhood when/I found myself/sister to the gecko/acrobat./On the wall of the room/utterly at ease/just like me/tumbler/ on the edge of the planet.

Reality Check
Dennis O'Driscoll
Copper Canyon Press
PO Box 271, Port Townsend, WA 98368
9781556592805, $15.00, www.coppercanyonpress.org

Stereotypes are offensive because they assume, and Dennis O'Driscoll seeks to combat the Irish stereotypes with "Reality Check". Writing about Ireland in a world of Globalization and what it has done to his homeland, both positive and negative, his poetry is entertaining as it enlightening about a modern people. "Reality Check" is a solid choice for poetry readers with an interest in Irish culture. "Diversions": Lean on the green recycle bin/in the yard where roses run amok, scent intensified by last night's rain.//Life your eyes to the sunlit hills, hedge/ perforated fields are first day issues/tweezered askew in your childhood album.//Rest on the laurels of your elbows./Consent to mind and body going/their ways amicably, a trial separation.


The Judaic Studies Shelf

The Chief Rabbi, the Pope, and the Holocaust
Robert G. Weisbord & Wallace P. Sillanpoa
Transaction Publishers
35 Berrue Circle, Piscataway, NJ 08854-8042
1412807913, $29.95, www.transactionpub.com

The Catholic Church has declined in power over the centuries, but their presence is still strong. "The Chief Rabbi, the Pope, and the Holocaust: An Era in Vatican-Jewish Relations" is the story of how the Catholic Church related with the Jewish people during the tragic years of the Holocaust. The Catholic Church's efforts to stave the Holocaust were not the best, yet for some reason, Israele Zolli, the chief rabbi of Rome's Jewish community, praised their acts so much to convert to Catholicism, a decision which causes uproar to this day. A picture of a strange time and strange action with intellectual explanation, "The Chief Rabbi, the Pope, and the Holocaust" is solid reading for religious students.

Rav Chesed
Rafael Medoff
KTAV
930 Newark Avenue, Jersey City, NJ 07306
9781602800434, $18.95, www.ktav.com

In the twentieth century, there have been many defenders of Judaism, and Rabbi Haskel Lookstein has always been on the front line. "Rav Chesed: The Life and Times of Rabbi Haskel Lookstein" is a biography of this champion of Israel, whose main efforts were to protect the rights of Soviet Jews. Telling of his life, deeds, and his philosophies, anyone of the Jewish faith looking for a role model need to look no further. A superbly researched and written biography by Rafael Medoff, "Rav Chesed" is a story of a great man, highly recommended reading, and an core addition to personal, academic, and community library Judaic Studies and Judaic Biography collections.

The Jewish Bible
JPS Guide
The Jewish Publication Society
2100 Arch Street, 2nd Floor, PA 19103
9780827608511, $22.00, www.jewishpub.org

Judaism is a culture with a long history and a belief system that has endured millennia of oppression, evolution, and influence. "The Jewish Bible" is a complete and comprehensive guide to anyone who wants to learn about the Torah and the Talmud. With summaries of each of the Bible's individual books, a glossary of terms, important diagrams and maps, along with scholarly commentary from some of today's most influential Judaic scholars, "The Jewish Bible" is a highly educational piece and essential reading for scholars, students, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in Judaism. No personal, community, or academic library's Judaic Studies reference collections would be complete or comprehensive without the inclusion of The Jewish Publication Society's edition of "The Jewish Bible".

Jewish Stories from Heaven and Earth
Dov Peretz Elkins
Jewish Lights Publishing
PO Box 237, Sunset Farm Offices, Rt. 4, Woodstock, VT 05091
9781580233637, $16.99, www.jewishlights.com

The body needs food to live, the soul needs food to believe. "Jewish Stories from Heaven and Earth: Inspiring Tales to Nourish the Heart and Soul" is a collection of stories from figures who speak on the Jewish soul to inspire and give readers something to believe in. The stories tackle the values that are invariably important to Jewish readers, making "Jewish Stories from Heaven and Earth: Inspiring Tales to Nourish the Heart and Soul" a highly recommended collection for Jewish readers.


The Business Shelf

Make Meetings Matter
Charlie Hawkins
Career Press
3 Tice Road, PO Box 687, Franklin Lakes, NJ 07417
Connect Influential Public Relations (publicity)
24 Main Street, Warwick, NY 10990
9781601630155, $14.99, www.careerpress.com

People dread their business meetings . . . why? The answer is simple, most of the time, they could skip it and not miss a thing. "Make Meetings Matter: Ban Boredom, Control Confusion, and Terminate Time Wasting" is a guide for business leaders to make their corporate meetings actually mean something, by keeping meetings as something that makes things get done instead of simply being lip service to company unity. "Make Meetings Matter" is vital to those who want their company rolling at maximum efficiency, and would be an excellent addition to community library business collections.

Deduct It!
Stephen Fishman
Nolo Press
950 Parker Street, Berkeley, CA 94710
9781413307191, $34.99, www.nolo.com, 1-800-955-4775

We hear a lot about corporate taxes during this current political season. The average federal and state tax rate of small businesses is around 35%. But what is not generally known is that through the advantages of legal tax deductions most companies do not pay anywhere near that amount of tax assessment on their general revenues. Where it was once necessary to employ a top flight tax attorney, now anyone starting up an entrepreneurial venture in the form of a small business can take full and lawful advantage of all their tax deductions associates with start-up expenses, operating expenses, health and medical related expenditures, retirement commitments, as well as costs associated with entertainment, meals, travel, inventory, equipment, operating a home office, and so much more. They key to all this is "Deduct It!: Lower Your Small Business Taxes" by tax attorney and specialist Stephen Fishman. Now in a newly updated and expanded fourth edition, "Deduct It!" should be considered a thoroughly user friendly and instructive 'Tax Bible' for every small business owner wanting to steer clear of the IRS while taking full and legal advantage of every appropriate (and profitable) tax deduction allowed by law. Also highly recommended for home-based entrepreneurs and also available from Nolo Press is Stephen Fishman's "Home Business Tax Deductions: 5th Edition" (9781413309072, $34.99).

A Sense of Urgency
John P. Kotter
Harvard Business Press
60 Harvard Way, Boston, MA 02163
9781422179710, $22.00, www.harvardbusiness.org/press

Speed is an underrated and powerful aspect of business that oft goes ignored. "A Sense of Urgency" is a guide to business urgency and keeping the sense of it going to increase productivity and efficiency. Urgency brings speed, speed brings changes, and changes bring opportunities, and opportunities bring profit. A must for improving one's business while not stressing employees out, "A Sense of Urgency" is a solid read for any business manager.

Copywriting
Rob Bowdery
Ava
c/o Watson-Guptill Publications
770 Broadway, New York, NY 10003
9782940373680, $29.95

You could have the greatest product in the world, but if no one knows about it, no one is going to buy it. "Basics Advertising: Copywriting" is a simple crash course in basic fundamental skill of advertising one's product. With ideas both combining the art of words and visual components when creating an effective advertisement, it contains many examples to gain inspiration from many established and successful marketing agencies. For anyone who wants to best understand the art of copywriting, "Basics Advertising: Copywriting" is strongly recommended reading.

Engagement is Not Enough
Keith E. Ayers
Elevate
c/o Advantage Media Group
PO Box 272, Charleston, SC 29402
9781599320113, $24.99, www.engagementisnotenough.com

Cruise control is not the way to go through the world of business. "Engagement Is Not Enough: You Need Passionate Employees to Achieve Your Dream" is a guide focusing on motivating one's employees to work for one's desire with enthusiasm, instead of just coasting toward an easy paycheck. Advising employers to give their employees what they need to feel respected, feel like part of a team, love their job, and do what they can to improve the company because they care as much as the owner. "Engagement is Not Enough" is solid reading about the value of being motivated for one's job.

Positive Leadership
Kim Cameron
Berrett-Koehler
235 Montgomery Street, Suite 650, San Francisco, CA 94104-2916
9781576756027, $14.00, www.bkconnection.com

A good leader can make mediocre workers good and good workers great. "Positive Leadership: Strategies for Extraordinary Performance" is a leadership manual encouraging managers to inspire and motivate their workers to new levels using the advice and tips contained within. With four principle strategies, he goes over their implementation and also gives advice on motivating oneself along with their employees. "Positive Leadership" is solid and recommended reading for anyone in charge of the productivity of others.


The American History Shelf

Quelch's Gold
Clifford Beal
Potomac Books
22841 Quicksilver Drive, Dulles, VA 20166
9781597972338, $16.95, www.potomacbooksinc.com

A victim of something he didn't understand, a sad fate indeed. "Quelch's Gold: Piracy, Greed, and Betrayal in Colonial New England" is the tragic story of John Quelch. With a massively valuable haul in his ship coming to the American colonies in 1704, Quelch finds himself charged with piracy against ally Portugal. Baffled at the accusation, Quelch stood powerless as his fate was decided. A history of a Massachusetts legend and look at the law of the early eighteenth century, "Quelch's Gold" is a worthwhile acquisition for history buffs.

Israel and the Legacy of Harry S. Truman
Michael J. Devine, Robert P. Watson, & Robert J. Wolz
Truman State University
100 East Normal Street, Kirksville, MO 63501-4221
9781931112802, $28.95, tsup.truman.edu

One of the first government heads to recognize the existence of Israel, Harry Truman is a vital figure in the history of modern Israel. "Israel and the Legacy of Harry S. Truman" tells of the man and his involvement and inner conflict in his role in establishing the Jewish homeland. Alongside the objective history are the voices of many who knew him and worked with him, from Israeli ambassadors, scholars, representatives to aides. An impressive work of meticulous scholarship throughout, "Israel and the Legacy of Harry S. Truman" is welcome addition to academic library 20th Century American History collections, as well as a recommended and informative read for any who are studying Harry Truman's contribution to the establishment of the modern state of Israel.

Copts in Michigan
Eliot Dickinson
Michigan State University Press
1405 South Harrison Road, Suite 25 Manly Miles Building, East Lansing, MI 48823-5202
9780870138249, $12.95, www.msupress.msu.edu

There are many people and many cultures making up our country. "Copts in Michigan" is a look at the ethno-religious group known as the Copts, Egyptian Christians. They have made their home in and around Detroit, and Eliot Dickinson brings a focus on how these people came to America and how they are making their place in society. An educating and enlightening picture of a people, "Copts in Michigan" is high recommended.

For Members Only
Lisa Holton
Lake Claremont Press
PO Box 711, Chicago, IL 60690
9781893121287, $18.95, www.lakeclaremont.com

One could walk down a Chicago street and pass many of them, never knowing they passed an important part of Chicago's history. Knowledgeably compiled and expertly written by Lisa Holton, "For Members Only: A History and Guide to Chicago's Oldest Private Clubs" looks at over a century of secrecy and how it is not always a bad thing. Identifying these clubs and their contributions, examining how they were formed, and revealing how they exist in the modern world which frowns on exclusionary practices, "For Members Only" a solidly informative and educational study. Highly recommended for non-specialist general readers with an interest in American History in general, and the city of Chicago in particular, "For Members Only" is a great piece of history and a welcome addition to library reference collections.


The Native American Shelf

The Cherokee Trail of Tears
Duane King, author
David G. Fitzgerald, photography
Graphic Arts Books
PO Box 10306, Portland, OR 97296-0306
9780882407524, $19.95 www.gacpc.com 1-800-452-3032

Author and museum director Duane King presents The Cherokee Trail of Tears, a close examination of the true story behind the catastrophe that the American government inflicted on the Cherokee people. In 1838, fifteen thousand Cherokees were imprisoned in preparation for forced transport to Indian Territory in Oklahoma. Fifteen hundred died before the long, hard march started. The Cherokee Trail of Tears draws heavily upon historical records ranging from eyewitness diaries to newspaper accounts, nineteenth-century maps, oral traditions and more to recreate the painful journey. Illustrated with inset sections of full-color photographic plates taken by award-winning photographer David G. Fitzgerald, The Cherokee Trail of Tears is an indispensable addition to high school, college, and public library Native American history shelves.

Power Struggles
Thibault Martin and Steven M. Hoffman, editors
University of Manitoba Press
301 St. John's College, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 2M5, Canada
9780887557057, $34.95, www.umanitoba.ca/uofmpress

All too often governmental and corporate concepts of progress and those of the aboriginal people of Canadian lands have a history of conflict. "Power Struggles: Hydro Development and First Nations in Manitoba and Quebec" is an informed and informative history of the growing areas of dispute between the aboriginal peoples of Canada and the hydro corporations. A conflict growing since the 1970s, it is symptomatic of Canada's relations with its indigenous people in general. A work of seminal scholarship and recommended for academic library Native American Studies and Contemporary Social Issues reference collections, "Power Struggles" is a solid read for anyone who wants to fully understand the conflicts Canada faces with a group of its own Native Americans whom they call the 'First Nation'.


The Psychology Shelf

Madness in Buenos Aires
Jonathan D. Ablard
Ohio University Press
19 Circle Drive, The Ridges, Athens, OH 45701
University of Calgary Press (distributor)
MLB 19, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, AB Canada T2N 1N4
9780896802599, $34.95, www.ohioswallow.com

The mentally ill have been treated in different attitudes throughout history, ranging from compassion and tolerance to persecution and institutionalization. "Madness in Buenos Aires: Patients, Psychiatrists, and the Argentine State, 1880-1983" by Jonathan D. Ablard carefully examines the history of Argentina and how that country dealt with its mentally unstable for over a century. Going over the history of the practices and what they did right and what they did wrong, "Madness in Buenos Aires" presents a vivid and detailed picture of how a non-American country dealt with its psychological health problems. A work of seminal scholarship, "Madness in Buenos Aires" is a study worth reading for historians and non-specialist general readers with an interest in mental health issues and history.

Dream Power
Mary Jo Davis-Grant
Sterling House
7436 Washington Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15218
1585010952, $17.95, www.sterlinghousepublisher.com

Some cultures believed that dreams were prophecies, visions of the future. "Dream Power: Can Our Dreams Make Us Well?" is a look at the role of dreams and the subconscious in the healing of the body. The power of the mind is high when it comes to healing, and dreams are unadulterated pictures of one's mind. With thrilling advice on manipulating one's mind and dreams to help one heal, "Dream Power" is a solid read for those looking for all tips on healing from their injury.

Freud at 150
Joseph P. Merlino & collaborators, editors
Jason Aronson
c/o Rowman & Littlefield Publishers Inc.
4501 Forbes, Boulevard, Suite 200, Lanham, MD 20706
9780765705471, $29.95, www.rowmanlittlefield.com

If Sigmund Freud was still alive today, how would he be viewed? Compiled and principle edited by Joseph P. Merlino, "Freud at 150: 21st Century Essays on a Man of Genius" is the impressively informed and informative work arising from contributions by many psychotherapy professionals who collectively offer a modern outlook on the works of one of the most influential and controversial founding figures of their profession. Offering a new light and new thoughts on his work, "Freud at 150" is an inspiring, gripping, insightful, and educational look at one of the great minds of the past. No college or university Freudian Studies reference collection can be considered complete or comprehensive without the inclusion of "Freud at 150: 21st Century Essays on a Man of Genius".


The Religion/Spirituality Shelf

Ancestral Grace
Diarmuid O'Murchu
Orbis Books
Walsh Building, PO Box 308, Maryknoll, NY 10545-0308
9781570757945, $22.00, www.orbisbooks.com

We have the records that Humanity has been around for much more than six thousand years, contrary to the literal interpretation of the Bible. "Ancestral Grace: Meeting God in Our Human Story" comes with a different perspective on God which blends the beliefs of many religions with what humanity knows as a science. Thought provoking, well researched, and with a new approach, "Ancestral Grace" is surely worth reading for those trying to balance their faith with logic.

Finding Faith, Losing Faith
Scot McKnight & Hauna Ondrey
Baylor University
c/o B&B Media Group
109 South Main Street, Corsicana, TX 75110
9781602581623, $19.95, www.baylorpress.com

For some, faith is not life long. "Finding Faith, Losing Faith: Stories of Conversion and Apostasy" is a scholarly look at conversion, evangelism, and those who change their faith and those who encourage them. Saying that most conversion is the result of a crisis and people responding to it, it is an explanation of the whole process, which will enlighten readers about their faith and those who convert and try to convert others. "Finding Faith, Losing Faith" is educational reading, a solid choice for religious collections.


The Economics Shelf

Economics Sanctions Reconsidered
Gary Clyde Hufbauer & collaborators
Peterson Institute
1750 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20036-1903
9780881324082, $49.95, www.petersoninstitute.org

Military might is not the only way to fight a war, but there are downsides to alternative methods to armed conventional conflict as well. "Economic Sanctions Reconsidered" looks at the downside of using economic sanctions to persuade other nations to work with the United States. Filled with countless studies, freshly updated for the new edition, it looks at some sanctions failing to have the desired effect for the country, and how the end of the Cold War means the United States actually has less power than it used to. "Economic Sanctions Reconsidered" is worth reading for anyone who wants to understand the US Foreign Policies when it comes to economics.


The Black Studies Shelf

Race and Remembrance
Arthur L. Johnson
Wayne State University Press
4809 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, MI 48201-1309
9780814333709, $24.95, www.wsupress.wayne.edu

Civil rights weren't always a given for black Americans. "Race and Remembrance" tells of Arthur L. Johnson, a man who fought for civil rights during its toughest battle during the sixties, and has spent much of his life since fighting those battles. A peer to Martin Luther King Jr., it's a look into an old man's life and struggles through rough and turbulent times faced with such a harsh struggle to make the progress that has been made today. "Race and Remembrance" is a top pick for anyone who wants to read about the life of a civil rights warrior.

The Black Citizen Soldiers of Kansas 1864-1901
Roger D. Cunningham
University of Missouri Press
2910 LeMone Boulevard, Columbia, MO 65201
9780826218070, $34.95, www.press.umsystem.edu

The right to defend one's country isn't something that wasn't always permitted black Americans. In "The Black Citizens Soldiers of Kansas 1864-1901" Roger D. Cunningham tells the story of black Americans during the second half of the nineteenth century and the segregated military units that many of these black soldiers proudly served in. Even for those who fought, bled, and died gallantly in military service to their country, it took a long time for the American Government to make up for its folly of having originally disallowed their service at all. A work of impressively detailed and original scholarship, Cunningham brings his research to bear in describing the lives and efforts of these valiant soldiers who fought for a country that hated them -- only because it was their own. "The Black Citizen Soldiers of Kansas 1864-1901" is a fine read and a recommended addition for academic library Military History, American History, and Civil Rights Studies collections.


The Political Science Shelf

The Wicked Wine of Democracy
Joseph S. Miller
University of Washington Press
PO Box 50096, Seattle, WA, 98145-5096
9780295988016, $27.95, www.washington.edu/uwpress

Politics haven't changed much in the thousands of years it has existed. "The Wicked Wine of Democracy" is the memoir of Joe Miller, a man who acted as a media relations professional for the Democratic party for much of the twentieth century. A simple explanation on his belief on how politicians get elected, and how to put the correct spin on the man you're fighting for, and the wrong spin on the man you're fighting against, "The Wicked Wine of Democracy" is intriguing, entertaining, and educational, despite its shady undertone. "The Wicked Wine of Democracy" is an insider's look at a darker side of politics, recommended reading for those who don't think American democracy is as pure as it can be.


The Computer Shelf

The Complete Guide to Torque X for XNA
John Kanalakis
GG Press
c/o AK Peters
888 Worcester Street, Suite 230, Wellesley, MA 02482
9781568814216, $59.00, www.akpeters.com

The Xbox 360 is one of the major players in today's console gaming market, and many people leap at the chance to develop for it. "The Complete Guide to Torque X for XNA" is a guide to using the Torque X framework for creating games for the powerful home console. A framework with many powerful and flexible tools for developers, mastering them is key to making an excellent game for Microsoft's video game juggernaut. With samples of code and finished work, "The Complete Guide to Torque X for XNA" is a must for any would be Xbox 360 programmer.


The Anthropology Shelf

Island Folk
Peter Oikarinen
University of Minnesota Press
111 Third Avenue South, Suite 290, Minneapolis, MN 55401
9780816653362, $16.95, www.umn.edu

What's life like on a tiny island? "Island Folk: The People of Isle Royale" is a complete history and examination of the people of Isle Royale. Covering the endeavors these people face daily, the adventures of procuring food and fishing, tales of tourists, and a way of life that's fading over the years. "Island Folk" is a snapshot of a people, and a strong recommendation for any who enjoy reading about how other people live.


The Philosophy Shelf

Star Trek and Philosophy
Jason T. Eberl & Kevin S. Decker, editors
Open Court
70 East Lake Street, Suite 300, Chicago, IL 60601
9780812696493, $18.95, www.opencourtbooks.com

Does something besides entertainment lie in the famed Star Trek series? "Star Trek and Philosophy: The Wrath of Kant" takes an educated view of the show and puts it under the microscope of twenty-one different professionals who offer readers a dissection of the show's topics and ideas. Star Trek, like much science fiction, commonly used present and past events and presented them in a new perspective, giving much food for thought. "Star Trek and Philosophy" is educational reading, a must for any Trekker and armchair philosopher.

Revelations
Harold W.G. Allen
Perspective Books
PO Box 6123, Spring Hill, FL, 34611
9780962455571, $24.95, www.cosmicperspective.com

The very question which has pounded at the psyche of mankind since he began to think why are we here? "Revelations: A Scientific Quest to Comprehend Life and the Universe" is Harold Allen's long and complex thoughts on the nature of the universe that surrounds us. Taking a religious approach by saying that all scientific research may ultimately come back to the concept of God, he explains his views with precision and tact. He then examines the Bible, and draws many conclusions from that as well, and uses the ideas presented in his first two sets to turn to the world itself, and how a world society may be humanity's best hope. Enlightening and intelligent, "Revelations" is a solid read for those seek food for thought.


The Fiction Shelf

Case File: Union Pacific
Paul Colt
Durban House Press
7502 Greenville Avenue, Suite 500, Dallas, TX 75231
9780970006783, $15.95, www.durbanhouse.com

The expansion westward for America was filled with opportunities, with some countries rushing for them more ruthlessly than the next. "Case File: Union Pacific" is the tale of US Marshal Chance and his job to prevent a conspiracy of a business which seems to want to take the competition out of the free market by monopolizing the railroad industry and the land around it. A fast paced thriller of the Old West, "Case File: Union Pacific" is a must for those who love themselves a tale of the frontier that used to be.

Rebels of Mindanao
Tom Anthony
Beaufort Books
27 West 20th Street, Suite 1102, New York, NY 10011
9780825305146, $24.95, www.beaufortbooks.com

Retirement is sometimes too much to ask for. "Rebels of Mindanao" tells the story of Thomas Thornton, a retired covert operative, or so he thought. Urged to pull one last mission, he agrees, and must somehow push a group of tribesmen to stop a bloody civil war on the island of Mindanao, which could lead to harm to all of the island's citizens. "Rebels of Mindanao" is a gripping thriller, sure to keep the reader glued from first page to last.


The Money/Finance Shelf

Buying Annuities
Steve Weisman
FT Press
800 E. 96th St., 3rd Floor, Indianapolis, IN 46240
9780132353083, $18.99, www.ftpress.com

Retirement is expensive, and making the right decisions is incredibly important. "The Truth About Buying Annuities" is a guide to avoiding bad choices in finances when planning one's retirement. With cogent advice on minimizing risk when investing in annuities, avoiding the hazards embedded in the fine print, identifying and utilizing new options that are emerging in the modern market, and so much more, "The Truth About Buying Annuities" is solid and recommended reading for anyone planning the finances of their retirement. An ideal addition to the growing library of financial and money management literature, "Buying Annuities" is an important acquisition for personal, professional, and community library instructional reference collections.


The Education Shelf

Academic Advocacy for Gifted Children
Barbara Jackson Gilman
Great Potential Press
PO Box 5057, Scottsdale, AZ 85261
9780910707886, $26.95, www.giftedbooks.com

One could have all the intelligence in the world but it means nothing if it's not nurtured. "Academic Advocacy for Gifted Children: A Parent's Complete Guide" is aimed at parents at gifted children who want cut through the piles of bureaucratic red tape and give their child the education they need to make the most of their gifted skill in the field of academics. Covering everything from other parents experiences with gifted children, the definition of the subject, testing, classes, what to do about under achievement and much more, "Academic Advocacy for Gifted Children" is a solid and recommended guide for parents, a must for those who suspect their child is more than just the average student.

Schoolwide Prevention Models
Charles R. Greenwood, Thomas R. Kratochwill, & Melissa Clements, editors
The Guilford Press
72 Spring Street, New York, NY 10012
9781593858391, $40.00, www.guilford.com

The best way to solve a problem is to prevent it from ever happening. "Schoolwide Prevention Models: Lessons Learned in Elementary Schools" is a collection of models for school administrators for preventing discipline problems through observation, discipline, and other tactics for making schools more harmonious. With ideas from psychologists, school administrators, teachers, and more, "Schoolwide Prevention Models" is a brain trust and reference principals can't be without.

Promising Practices for Partnering with Families in the Early Years
Mary M. Cornish, editor
Information Age Publishing
11600 North Community House Road, Suite 250, Charlotte, NC 28277
9781593119461, $45.99, www.infoagepub.com

It's not just a school's job to teach children, parents too must take a dedicated effort. "Promising Practices for Partnering with Families in the Early Years" is a guide for parents who want to ensure their child gets the best education possible. Advocating strong bonds between students, parents, teachers and others to best communicate a child's needs and making the best decisions possible, it's a different and effective approach to education which seems obvious but is so often overlooked. "Promising Practices for Partnership with Families in the Early Years" is a strong choice for any parent or enthusiastic educator.


The Health/Medicine Shelf

Asthma-Free Naturally
Patrick McKeown
Conari Press
65 Parker Street, Suite 7, Newburyport, MA 01950
9781573243728, $14.95, www.redwheelweiser.com

Asthma doesn't need a barrage of chemicals to be dealt with. "Asthma-Free Naturally: Everything You Need to Know to Take Control of Your Asthma" is a manual for asthma sufferers to take a stand against their chronic ailment to help them overcome it. The tips are natural and make use of suggestions that alter one's lifestyle to fight against complications. Diet, exercise, and enough sleep are all basic factors, and "Asthma-Free Naturally" gives all the necessary advice, a must for asthmatics or parents of asthmatic children.

Discharge Planning Handbook for Healthcare
Ali Birjandi & Lisa M. Bragg
CRC Press
600 Broken Sound Parkway, NW, Suite 300, Boca Raton, FL 33487
9781563273926, $60.00, www.crcpress.com

Hospitals need money to continue to run, and increasing revenue is a way to keep the money flowing. "Discharge Planning Handbook for Healthcare: Top 10 Secrets to Unlocking a New Revenue Pipeline" is a guide for hospitals to channel new ways to increase their funds to more efficiently run and provide care to those in need. A cold, business-like approach to health care, it tells hospital administrators to revamp their discharge plans with several new ideas and frameworks as presented in the book, backed up by a heavily researched study on the methods. "Discharge Planning Handbook for Healthcare" is a top consideration for hospital administrators.


The Graphic Novel Shelf

Inukami! Volume 1
Mamizu Arisawa, author
Mari Matsuzawa, artist
Seven Seas
c/o Tor Books
1403 Flatiron Building, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010
9780765321466, $9.99 www.tor-forge.com 1-888-330-8477

Volume one of Inukami! is the debut graphic novel of a new manga (Japanese comic) series about the unique relationship between a boy and a powerful spirit. Though their names would suggest a canine connection, the only visibly doglike aspect of inukami spirits is their bushy tails. Young Keita Kawahira is the scion of a long family line with a tradition of partnering with inukami to fight against evil spirits. But Keita's selfish personality repulses all available inukami except one - Yoko, an equally selfish outcast among her own kind, isolated for most of her young life, who sees this supposed "partnership" as a golden opportunity to escape and explore the human world! It's a raucous clash of personalities as boy and girl-dog-spirit vie for dominance, but in the process, could it be that they just might learn to respect and care for one another? (Perhaps, but not before she takes many an opportunity to punish Keita for real or perceived infractions by stealing his clothes!) The relationship gets further confused when another inukami comes to temporarily serve Keita, ostensibly to teach Yoko basic housekeeping skills, but unwittingly sparking her jealous ire! An action-packed comedy, recommended for older teens and adults (age 16 and up) due to raunchy humor and mature themes, Inukami! is great fun to read from cover to cover. Highly recommended.

The Lindbergh Child
Rick Greary
ComicsLit
c/o NBM Publishing
40 Exchange Pl., Ste., 1308, New York, NY 10005
9781561635290, $15.95, www.nbmpublishing.com

There can often be a dark side to fame. "The Lindbergh Child: America's Hero and the Crime of the Century" tells of the fateful tragedy of the kidnapping of Charles Lindbergh's baby. Lindbergh is famous in the annals of aviation history for being the first man to fly across the Atlantic in an airplane. "The Lindbergh Child" tells the entire story from the kidnapping to the following investigation to the tragic conclusion in the form of a highly accessible graphic novel. "The Lindbergh Child" is a uniquely entertaining way to learn history and highly recommended. for personal, school, and community library American History collections.

Rosario + Vampire, Volume 1
Akihisa Ikeda
Viz Communications Inc.
295 Bay Street, San Francisco, CA 94133
9781421519036, $7.99 www.viz.com 1-800-394-3042

Part of Viz's "Shonen Jump Advanced" series collecting popular, action-packed manga (Japanese comic) stories, volume one of Rosario + Vampire is the brainchild of unabashed monster fan Akihisa Ikeda, and it shows! Ordinary fifteen-year-old boy Tsukune Aono is average at everything, exceptional at nothing, and his straight C grades combined with horrible test performance have denied him the chance to continue his schooling. In a stroke of "luck", he comes across the one high school that will take students without rigorous examinations; it's Yokai Academy, where every student is a monster in human disguise, studying how to peacefully blend into the human world! The first Yokai Academy student Tsukune meets it the beautiful and friendly vampire Moka, who finds his human blood simply irresistible. Moka is usually gentle and charming, but only because her full vampire powers are held in check by the rosario around her throat; when it's removed, the terrifying alternate personality of her vampire self emerges! Survival is a haphazard endeavor at best for Tsukune, as he must evade the machinations of his monstrous classmates - the beastly boys are jealous of his close relationship with the attractive Moka, while some of the fiendish girls want him for themselves. Moka's ruthless vampire personality has the power to defend Tsukune in (im)mortal combat, but at what price? More humor than horror, Rosario + Vampire is a howling good read cover to cover, enthusiastically recommended for monster fans everywhere. Rosario + Vampire is unflipped (it's read right-to-left, just as it was originally drawn), and rated T+ for older teen due to violence and the occasional panty shot.


The Library Science Shelf

POP Goes the Library
Sophie Brookover and Elizabeth Burns
Information Today, Inc.
143 Old Marlton Pike, Medford, NJ 08055-8750
9781573873369, $39.50, www.infotoday.com

Libraries are viewed as antiques . . . I mean, who wants to read books? "POP Goes the Library: Using Pop Culture to Connect With Your Whole Community" is a guide for librarians who want to revitalize their library and making it valuable to society in at time where books are viewed as geeky and the love of trivial things rules all. With plenty of fresh ideas for librarians to encourage reading by using pop culture to advertise them, using information technology, and much more, "POP Goes the Library" is solid and recommended reading for any librarian.

Even More Great Ideas For Libraries And Friends
Sally Gardner Reed & Beth Nawalinski
Neal-Schuman Publishers
100 William Street, Suite 2004, New York, NY 10038-4512
9781555706388, $69.95, www.neal-schuman.com

Every community library benefits from its 'Friends of the Library' support group. Not just in fund raising, but in raising community awareness of what modern libraries have to offer everyone in their service area from children's services to InterLibrary Loan Services. But for libraries to maximize their usefulness to the community and to expand community support, every librarian will need a range of ideas and 'best practices' specifically designed and implemented to build enduring good relations between library staffs and the surrounding community. That's why Sally Gardner Reed and Beth Nawalinski have collaborated in "Even More Great Ideas For Libraries And Friends", a compendium of practical and 'user friendly' strategies, tactics, and events designed to accomplish a number of specific goals ranging from raising money, developing community appropriate services and outreach programs, creating and enhancing public awareness in support of the library, building and maintaining active membership in their 'Friends' group, as well as recruiting and utilizing volunteers. Enhanced throughout with samples and examples, "Even More Great Ideas For Libraries And Friends" should be considered an essential addition to all community library staff resource reference collections. Also very highly recommended is the companion title published by Neal-Schuman, "101+ Great Ideas For Libraries And Friends".


The Writing/Publishing Shelf

A Book Inside
Carol Denbow
Plain & Simple Books
PO Box 1506, North Bend, OR 97459
www.BooksByDenbow.Weebly.com
9780615199245, $18.95, www.amazon.com

It seems that every season there are more and more 'how to' books being published for aspiring writers yearning to be published. One of the latest is also one of the best. "A Book Inside: How To Write, Publish, And Sell Your Story" is a succinct 104-page compendium packed from cover to cover with practical, real-world information, strategies and techniques dealing with the necessity for completing a saleable manuscript, compiling its pages into book form, identifying and selecting an appropriate publishing option, selling the book in traditional and non-traditional markets, and publicizing, promoting, and marketing the book without significant capital expense. Carol Denbow writes with a particular, experienced-based expertise as the author of three books and the editor of nine websites including 'A Book Inside' online. Especially appropriate for, and recommended to, the novice author needing to master the 'learning curve' for become a successfully published author in today's highly competitive marketplace, "A Book Inside" is a welcome and highly recommended addition to personal and professional Writing/Publishing reference shelves.

Writer's Block Busters
Velina Hasu Houston
Smith & Kraus, Inc.
PO Box 127, Lyme NH 03768
9781575255972, $17.95, www.smithandkraus.com

'Writer's Block' is the term used to describe the condition of being unable to come up with any ideas -- and well articulated ideas are the core source of any professional writer's livelihood! Drawing upon her many years of experience and expertise, Velina Hasu Houston (author of more than 20 plays, and who is the Professor of Theatre, Director of Dramatic Writing, Resident Playwright, and Associate Dean of Faculty at the University of Southern California School of Theatre) offers "Writer's Block Busters: 101 Exercises To Clear The Deadwood And Make Room For Flights Of Fancy". This compendium of succinct 'things to do' will break through this often encountered author's nemesis and trigger the flow of creative ideas. Superbly organized and thoroughly 'user friendly' in form and format, "Writer's Block Busters" should be considered a high priority addition to the reference shelf of anyone seeking to make their living through the written word.

Time To Write
Frank Milligan
Quill Driver Books
1254 Commerce Avenue, Sanger, CA 93657
9781884956768, $16.95, www.quilldriverbooks.com

As we grow older, one of the best ways to create an enduring legacy for future generations is to record in writing our own life stories, our experiences, observations, values, the products of our imaginations and our perspectives. Frank Milligan draws upon his experience and expertise in publishing fiction and nonfiction, as well as teaching creative writing and business writing in "Time To Write: Discovering The Writer Within After 50", a comprehensive and 'user friendly' instruction guide that will take aspiring older writers with an initial concept or idea and walk them through each stage to crating a finished, ready-to-publish manuscript. "Time To Write" is a 304-page compendium of practical tips, techniques, insights and shortcuts that will enable the reader's writing, talent, desire and drive to crate a written document with a minimum of distraction. Although specifically intended for older readers, "Time To Write" has a great deal of value for younger writers seeking to put their own ideas and stories down in a publishable form.

Success
Maralyn D. Hill & Brenda C. Hill
Infinity Publishing.com
1094 New Dehaven Street, #100, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2713
0741448483, $14.95, www.BooksByHills.com

It isn't necessary reinvent any wheels when it comes to the writing and publishing of books. Not when there are so many experts in the field who have produced so many notable, practical, informative, reality-based instructional guides for aspiring authors seeking to be published, and novice publishers seeking to produce commercially viable works in the highly competitive marketplace. Expertly co-authored by Maralyn and Brenda Hill "Success: Your Path To A Successful Book" is a combination seminary and do-it-yourself workshop that covers cogent information on writing, marketing, and publishing. Of special note setting "Success: Your Path To A Successful Book" apart from other instruction manuals are the sections concerning journaling, writing in tandem, and understanding target markets with respect to book sales. The section focusing specifically on publishing covers agents, traditional publishing, print-on-demand options, ebooks, and the 'vanity presses'. Enhanced for beginners with additional material dealing with contact information and experience based tips by Maralyn and Brenda, "Success: Your Path To A Successful Book" features workbook pages for notes and notations by the reader. "Success: Your Path To A Successful Book" is a thoroughly 'user friendly' and strongly recommended addition to personal and community library Writing/Publishing reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

The Autobiographer's Handbook
Jennifer Traig
Holt Paperbacks
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010
9780805087130, $15.00, www.henryholt.com

It has been said that everyone has one good book in them. "The Autobiographer's Handbook: The 826 National Guide to Writing Your Memoir" is a collection of tips and advice from masterful writers on putting down one's life story onto paper, and in a format that would be appealing to read for your audiences. A basic writing course with a focus on memoirs, "The Autobiographer's Handbook" is a must for someone who wants the world to read their story.

The Art of The Personal Letter
Margaret Shepherd
Broadway Books
1745 Broadway, New York, NY 10019
9780767928274, $16.00, www.randomhouse.com

The personal letter is a lost art in this day of quick e-mails and instant messaging. "The Art of the Personal Letter: A Guide to the Connecting Through the Written Word" is a guide to bringing back this lost skill and putting it to its best use, and doing what the internet can't do, provide personality and feeling through the words. With advice and tips to making one's letter something to be cherished and loved, "The Art of the Personal Letter" shows that snail mail isn't dead yet and still has quite the value in the world of fast communication.


The Audiobook Shelf

Relieving Your Holiday Stress
Ronald G. Nathan, Ph.D.
UpwardPress.com
Publisher@UpwardPress.com
CD, $19.00 www.upwardpress.com

Practicing psychologist and award-winning teacher Ronald G. Nathan presents Relieving Your Holiday Stress and Achieving Your New Year's Resolutions, a brief audiobook on CD discussing the often unacknowledged stress of the holiday season, and ways to stay relaxed and focused while enabling transformative change. In "Better Holidays & Resolutions", Nathan examines research results and teaches therapeutic techniques such as counter-conditioning substitutions to rise above tension caused by giving holiday gifts, carefully watching one's budget, jostling competitive shopping crowds, and other stressors. "Holiday Relaxation" and "Mastering Resolutions" are guided relaxation tracks ideal to prepare one against the fight-or-flight response, reduce sensitivity to the ghosts of holidays past, and remain committed to one's New Year's Resolutions. Accompanied by the gentle sound of a harp, Nathan speaks to the reader in quiet tones conducive to easing the inevitable stress caused by the frantic rush of life. Highly recommended, whether for one's own use or as a gift to the most stressed person in one's life. 59 minutes 31 sec.

The Decline And Fall Of Rome
Thomas F. Madden
The Modern Scholar
c/o Recorded Books
270 Skipjack Road, Prince Frederick, MD 20678
UX125, $99.99, www.modernscholar.com, 1-800-636-3399

The empire of Rome was such a dominating phenomena that it continues to be a subject of interest and study for modern students of history and politics today. Thomas F. Madden is a Professor of History and Director of the Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies at Saint Louis University. The author of a great many scholarly publications, in "The Decline And Fall Of Rome" he has created a complete fourteen lecture series that presents, explores, and interprets how the Roman Empire broke apart, overthrown, and ultimately supplanted. Beginning with the problem of defining what is meant by 'Roman Empire', the transformation of a Republic into an imperial state, the 'Augustan Revolution, the Julio-Claudian emperors, the eras of instability and war, the restoration of order as exemplified by 'The Five Good Emperors (A.D. 96-180), the emergence of military dictatorships, the decades of anarchy (A.D. 235-284), 'Diocletian and the Reform of Empire', the Emperor Constantine and the legitimizing of Christianity, the impact of heresy upon state stability, Theodosius and his successors, 'The Fall of Rome', and concluding with a lecture on 'Rome after Rome', this superbly presented and produced lecture series is an outstanding contribution and highly recommended for academic and community library World History reference collections in general, and Roman History Studies curriculums in particular. This flawlessly recorded 7 disk CD audio book collection is particularly recommended for non-specialist general listeners with an interest in Roman history.

Lavinia
Ursula K. Le Guin, author
Alyssa Bresnahan, narrator
Recorded Books, LLC
270 Skip Jack Road, Prince Frederick, MD 20678
9781436157025, $92.75 www.recordedbooks.com 1-800-638-1304

Lavinia is an unabridged audiobook adaptation of beloved author Ursula K. Le Guin's story about a girl from Vergil's famous epic, "The Aeneid". Set in ancient times, when Rome was little more than village, and the lands of what will one day be Italy are hostile and dangerous terrain, Lavinia grows up as the daughter of King Latinus and Queen Amata. As she reaches the appropriate age for marriage, she learns that prophets have predicted she will cause a horrendous war. Events are set irrevocably into motion when she meets a man from Troy. A sweeping, historical fantasy epic narrated by talented actress Alyssa Bresnahan, Lavinia is an excellent addition to public library and private audiobook collections alike, and highly recommended. 10 CDs, 11.75 hours.

Undead And Unworthy
Mary Janice Davidson
Recorded Books, LLC
270 Skip Jack Road, Prince Frederick, MD 20678
C4706, $72.75, www.recordedbooks.com, 1-800-638-1304

The vampire genre has come a long way since the days of Bram Stoker and 'Dracula'. But it took the storytelling talent and eccentric imagination of Mary Janice Davidson to create Betsy -- the reluctant vampire Queen of the Dead. "Undead And Unworthy" is her latest adventure among the ranks of the undead in which we find that she has become the target of the 'fiends' -- vampires who have been brutalized by their original master into near mindless killing machines. The problem is that when Betsy had defeated their original master and granted the fiends a safe (and supervised) haven, they seem to see her benevolence as tyranny and mean to tear her limb from undead limb. To complicate things even more, Betsy has to deal with her well-meaning but rather high-handed vampire consort, a bothersome family ghost, and her usual assortment of all-to-loyal friends -- plus one very hostile anti-vampire cop. Superbly narrated by Nancy Wu who makes Betsy and the rest of her crew 'come alive'. "Undead And Unworthy" is an unabridged, flawlessly recorded CD, rollicking and hysterically funny tale that is a must for her legions of fans and a popular addition to any and all community library audio book collections.


The Library DVD Shelf

Stay Rich Forever & Ever with Ed Slott
WGBH Boston Video
SSA Public Relations
15260 Ventura Boulevard, Suite 1730, Sherman Oaks, CA 91403
9781593758844, $24.95 www.ssapr.com

Stay Rich Forever & Ever with Ed Slott is a special edition DVD based on the popular, public television show hosted by CPA Ed Slott. In today's era, corporate pensions are going the way of the dinosaur, social security is troubled, and the baby boomer generation is reaching retirement. How is one to protect one's retirement savings, especially when Uncle Sam is eager to take up to 70% of them for himself? Ed Slott walks to the viewer through how to protect one's money from excess taxation, how to take advantage of laws enacted to protect one's tax-deferred savings, and more. The special edition includes an overwhelming amount of bonus content, such as ten questions to ask one's financial advisor, ten potential fiscal disasters to avoid, question-and-answer sessions, and much more. An absolute must-see for all Americans, especially in today's economic climate! 54 minutes plus 2 hours of bonus material.

Bayview Entertainment
pr@bayviewent.com
411 Video Information
PO Box 1223, Pebble Beach, CA 93953
www.411videoinfo.com www.bayviewentertainment.com

Two cardio kickboxing DVDs hosted by ACE certified fitness expert and black belt martial artist Lynn Hahn make for a vigorous addition to workout DVD libraries. Punch & Firm: Cardio Kickboxing ($19.99, 62 min.) is filled with user-friendly, martial arts stances designed especially to build upper body strength, overall agility, and fitness. Two user-friendly workouts that can be done individually or together comprise Punch and Firm, which can be enjoyed by any fitness enthusiast regardless of personal familiarity with the art of kickboxing. In Kick: Cardio Kickboxing ($19.99, 61 min.) the two workouts one can follow consist of kicking drills and original combinations designed to keep one moving. Applying traditional methods in a format designed to be challenging, but presented with the help of a monitor for anyone who needs the intensity toned down a bit, Kick: Cardio Kickboxing is a high-impact experience sure to put fitness buffs in high spirits!

Yoga to Have Fun
c/o 411 Video Information
PO Box 1223, Pebble Beach, CA 93953
www.411videoinfo.com www.yogatohavefun.com

Two DVDs introduce people of all ages and experience levels to the joy and health benefits of Yoga. In Yoga for Families ($19.95, 31 min.), Yoga to the Stars instructors Ingrid Von Burg and Tom Morley host a family-friendly instructional video suitable for viewers of all ages from four to one hundred and four. Filled with laughing, jumping, dancing, and singing, Yoga for Families offers a choice of music in its dynamic sections: relaxing/meditative or high energy/silly. Shot in hi-definition in Cancun, Mexico, Yoga for Families consists of a warm-up routine, a "karate warrior" dynamic, a "cookie jar crunch" dynamic, breathing and relaxation sections, and namaste (closing poses). A great way to spend family time together engaged in healthy activity. In Yoga for Grandparents ($19.95, 40 min.) Ingrid Von Burg and Yves Vacheresse walk viewers through a yoga routine designed especially to cultivate flexbility, fitness, and calm in seniors. The dynamic track sections have a choice of music between contemplative/meditative or instructional/traditional. Filmed in hi-definition overlooking the majestic Santa Monica Mountains, Yoga for Grandparents includes the section for warming up, dynamic, a focus on breathing and relaxation, and namaste (closing poses). A wonderful, easy-to-follow introduction that is deliberately gentle on one's body and bones, Yoga for Grandparents is the perfect gift for elderly relatives who enjoy the benefits of physical activity. Both DVDs are excellent additions to public library or family fitness collections.

Inside Bob Dylan's Jesus Years
MVD Entertainment Group
H-840 North Circle Drive, Oaks, PA 19456
DVD, $14.95 www.MVDb2b.com

Inside Bob Dylan's Jesus Years is a DVD offering an inside perspective of how Bob Dylan, a Jewish folk singer from the Midwest, came to embrace Jesus Christ and Christianity. Passionate for his new faith, Dylan made three Gospel albums, and won a Grammy for "Gotta Serve Somebody". Yet the Christian direction of his music alienated fans and sparked the ire of critics, especially when he preached apocalyptic passages from the "Book of Revelation." Telling the story of Bob Dylan's transformation through interviews with notable figures ranging from "Slow Train Coming" producer Jerry Wexler to background singer Regina McCrary to San Francisco Chronicle rock reporter Joel Selven and many more, Inside Bob Dylan's Jesus Years includes rare photos, exclusive live concert footage from 1978-1981, and an interview from 1981 in which Bob Dylan himself speaks of the impact Jesus Christ had on his art and soul. Bonus features include full soundtrack MP3s! Highly recommended especially for Bob Dylan fans who wish to better understand and appreciate this turning point in his life's work. 120 minutes.

Lascaux: A New Look
Crystal Productions
PO Box 2159, Glenview, IL 60025-6159
9781562905507 $29.95 www.crystalproductions.com 1-800-255-8629

Lascaux: A New Look is a DVD visit to the ancient Lascaux cave hosting paintings that are evidence of the emergence of Home sapiens sapiens, modern man, roughly 35,000 years ago. Breaking away from familiar interpretations of these early artworks, Lascaux: A New Look examines four pivotal questions about the cave paintings: What precisely do we see? What do we believe in our minds that we see? What do we truly know, as determined by evidence? What do we believe we know, supported by conjecture as well as evidence? A stunning presentation of the amazing experience shared only by those few permitted to enter the cave, Lascaux: A New Look is a top-quality presentation, highly recommended especially for public and school library collections, as well as for any individual curious about the earliest known history of art. 53 minutes, color.

Breaking the Maya Code
David Lebrun
First Run Features
630 Ninth Avenue, Suite 1213, New York, NY 10036
DVD, $24.95, www.firstrunfeatures.com

Breaking the Maya Code: The 200-Year Quest to Decipher the Hieroglyphs of the Ancient Maya is a DVD documentary about the scientific and linguistic quest to rediscover the literary heritage of an entire civilization. In the 16th century, Spanish invaders burned Mayan books and remorselessly exterminated their hieroglyphic literacy. For two hundred years, scientists and linguists have worked to relearn the knowledge once lost, and uncover the mysteries and heritage of an ancient civilization. Though scholars from around the world applied their brainpower to the puzzle, the final breakthrough came from an 18-year-old boy who had been immersed in the glyphs since his early childhood. Revealed, the ancient hieroglyphs tell of an astonishing cosmic mythology, held by a people who burned their blood to invoke the Vision Serpent, that interleaves the deeds of mythical heroes with the cycles of planets and stars. Recounting a treasury of cultural heritage not only for history and archaeology, but also for the six million Maya living today, Breaking the Maya Code is highly recommended especially for public library DVD collections.

Linden Publishing
2006 South Mary, Fresno, CA 93721-9875
www.woodworkerslibrary.com 1-800-345-4447

British-trained designer and furniture maker Ian Kirby hosts two excellent DVDs about woodworking. "Sharpening Planes & Chisels with Ian Kirby: A Sharp Edge in 60 Seconds" (9781933502212, $21.95, 65 min.) is an in-depth, how-to DVD for woodworkers of all skill and experience levels to sharpening and adjusting one's planes and chisels for maximum success. Grinding equipment, how to grind the blade, sharpening with waterstones, setting up a sharpening table, back sharpening, and more are all discussed at length in this quality reference. In "Using a Hand Plane with Ian Kirby: Tuning, Setting the Blade, and Planing Techniques" (9781933502229, $21.95, 68 min.) the viewer learns step-by-step how to plane parts and turn the plane, use the plane against a bench step, cross grain planing, edge and end planing, preparation of stock, and more, culminating in an overall demonstration of techniques in the creation of a kitchen cutting board. Both DVDs are the perfect gift for woodworking enthusiasts everywhere!

Anchor Bay Entertainment
1699 Stutz Drive, Troy, MI 48084
www.anchorbayentertainment.com

Two new fitness DVDs in the Crunch series are sure to add vigor, spice, and spirit to one's daily exercise regimen! In "Crunch Yoga Body Sculpt: Perfect Yoga Poses to Tone & Sculpt Your Entire Body" ($14.98, 41 min.), instructor Bethany Lyons guides the viewer through yoga poses designed to promote not only relaxation, but also strengthen the body and core resulting in a firmer belly, as well as buns and thighs. No equipment is necessary, although a suitable yoga mat is recommended. Suitable for yoga practitioners of all ages and experience levels, "Crunch Yoga Body Sculpt" is an excellent addition to personal fitness DVD libraries. In "Crunch Latin Rhythms: Fat Blasting Dance" ($14.98, 38 min.), professional dancer and certified group fitness instructor Jennifer Galardi demonstrates a zesty Latin dance cardio workout that blends excitement and fun with sheer calorie burning. Moves from the mambo, cha cha, merengue, samba, and more are incorporated into this enthusiastic celebration of the joy of movement. A wonderfully fun high-energy workout, highly recommended.

The Minotaur's Island
Bettany Hughes
Acorn Media Group
8515 Georgia Avenue, Suite 620, Silver Spring, MD 20910-3403
DVD, $24.99 www.acornmedia.com

Hosted by historian Bettany Hughes, The Minotaur's Island is an amazing documentary on DVD about Europe's first civilization, Crete. The Minoans had a thriving culture nearly five thousand years ago, more than two millennia before Homer created "The Iliad". Then their civilization died, leaving behind little record. Archaeologists continue to discover new wonders that bring insight into Minoan culture - magnificent palaces, hinged doors, flush toilets, painted designs of acrobatic individuals leaping over bulls, and much more. Did Minoan society meet its doom from natural disasters, foreign invaders, religious strife, or a perfect storm combination of factors? The Minotaur's Island explore the many clues to the daily life and final end of this amazing ancient civilization. Highly recommended. 98 minutes, color, full screen.

Inspector Lewis Series I
WGBH Boston Video
c/o SSA Public Relations
15260 Ventura Boulevard, Suite 1730
Sherman Oaks, CA 91403
WG42609, $29.95, www.ShopPBS.org, www.ssapr.com

A spin off from the enormously popular Inspector Morse BBC mystery series, "Inspector Lewis Series I" chronicles the adventures of British police inspector Robert Lewis (flawlessly portrayed by Keven Whately) and his new partner Detective Sergeant James Hathaway (Laurence Fox) where they confront complicated and devious crimes from the streets of Cambridge to the halls of Oxford University in three new mysteries. With sophisticated plots, populated with memorable characters, and characterized by superb attention to set designs and backgrounds, the three featured mysteries include 'Whom The Gods Would Destroy'; 'Old School Ties'; and 'Expiation'. The DVD format allows for the additional features of scene selection, closed captions, and access to the Masterpiece Theatre website. "Inspector Lewis Series I" will make a popular addition to any community library DVD collection, and should be considered a 'must see' by the legions of Inspector Morse fans.

The Real McCain
Robert Greenwald, et al.
The Disinformation Company
220 East 23rd Street, Suite 500, New York, NY 10010
DIS049, 9781934708132, $9.95, www.disinfo.com

All too often in the course of American political history, good and descent men have sacrificed their own honor on the altar of presidential ambition. John McCain is simply the latest to do so. "The Real McCain: Less Jobs, More Wars" is a one hour documentary DVD comprised of ten shorts enhanced with commentary that include 'John McCain vs John McCain'; 'Less Jobs, More War', 'Why Won't McCain Support the G.I. Bill?'; 'John McCain Sings Bomb Iran'; 'Big Oil Fuels the Straight Talk Express'; 'McCain's Spiritual Guide Wants American to Destroy Islam'; 'John McBush 2008'; Leaked - ABC's Stephanopoulos Interviews McCain'; 'Why Do Women Give McCain a Zero?'; and 'McCain's Youtube Problem Just became a Nightmare. It's somewhat ironic that the McCain campaign's descent into character assassination politics against his Democratic opponent Barack Obama should come from a man who himself was the smear campaign target in the Republican presidential primaries of 2008 from the team of George Bush, Dick Cheney, and Karl Rove.


The Pets/Wildlife Shelf

Restraint and Handling of Wild and Domestic Animals
Murray Fowler
Wiley-Blackwell
c/o John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5773
9780813814322, $120.00 www.wiley.com 1-800-225-5945

Now in an updated third edition, Restraint and Handling of Wild and Domestic Animals is an in-depth resource of scientific and practical information concerning the most effective ways to handle, hold, and restrain all sorts of animals from dogs and cats to mice, chickens, cattle, snakes, and even exotic creatures like tigers or elephants. Featuring meticulous descriptions and crystal-clear photography on virtually every page, Restraint and Handling of Wild and Domestic Animals is an utterly invaluable resource for veterinarians, farmers, zookeepers, and any scientist or researcher who works with animals. Worthy of the absolute highest recommendation for its depth of professional experience and its highly accessible instructional style, Restraint and Handling of Wild and Domestic Animals is an absolute must-have particularly for vocational college libraries and the personal reference of any professional who interacts with animals on a regular basis.


The Cookbook Shelf

Food Festivals of Italy
Leonardo Curti & James O. Fraioli
Gibbs Smith, Publisher
PO Box 667, Layton UT 84041
9781423603320, $35.00 www.gibbs-smith.com 1-800-748-5439

Illustrated with color (or sometimes black-and-white) photography on virtually every page, Food Festivals of Italy: Celebrated Recipes from 50 Food Fairs is an amazingly beautiful recipe and coffee table book. Interspersing its easy-to-follow instructions to create celebratory Italian cuisine with extensive images of the mouth-watering delicacies at each stage of preparation, from raw ingredients to the people who devote themselves to culinary art to the finished feast, Food Festivals of Italy is intended more for connoisseurs who love to linger over lavishly illustrated cookbooks than for practical kitchen use (its sheer size makes it slightly difficult to fit on a kitchen countertop while one cooks, though it enables the reader to see every last detail in the captivating photos). A worthy centerpiece for upscale cookbook collections.

Home Grown Indiana
Christine Barbour & Scott Hutcheson
Indiana University Press
601 N. Morton Street, Bloomington, IN 47404
9780253220196, $16.95, www.iupress.indiana.edu

If one resides in the Hoosier state, you don't have to travel far to get great food. "Home Grown Indiana: A Food Lover's Guide to Good Eating in the Hoosier State" takes a look at the finest food one can find in the state of Indiana. With an examination of how the best food starts with the best livestock and best plants, it takes a farm to plate approach to good eating. With many ideas presented as well in cookbook form, "Home Grown Indiana" offers much to read for even those who live outside of Indiana.


The Library CD Music Shelf

The Decider
Benn Clatworthy, Chris Colangelo, and Ryan Doyle
No-Sound Studios
c/o Mixed Media Promotion (publicity)
20 Lockmere Rd., Cranston, RI 02910
$16.98 www.mixedmediapromo.com

The Decider is an exciting new jazz CD featuring Benn Clatworthy on soprano and tenor saxophone as well as flute, Chris Colangelo playing bass, and Ryan Doyle's drum performance. Clatworthy re-examines popular jazz classics, liberally applying his own music into the melodies for a remixed twist on old favorites. A catchy collection that will have the listener tapping out rhythms in no time, highly recommended. The tracks are "Afternoon in Paris" (8:37), "Pannonica" (6:39), "Patterns" (6:56), "Off Minor" (6:01), "Tango Sentimental" (5:08), "The Deicder" (3:44), "I Get a Kick Out of You" (5:36), "Bossa Mia" (5:32), "Sister Sarah" (5:58), "This is New" (5:22) and "Short Story" 2:26). 62 minutes, 24 seconds.

Sound of the World Presents: Beyond the Horizon
Selected by BBC DJ Charlie Gillett
Warner Classics & Jazz
c/o Rock Paper Scissors
511 West 4th Street, Suite 2, Bloomington, IN 47404
CD, $49.98, www.rockpaperscissors.biz

Sound of the World Presents: Beyond the Horizon is a two full-length CD music album of the best contemporary international music by 34 artists from 28 countries worldwide. Chosen by BBC DJ Charlie Gillett, who is responsible for music in the globally syndicated BBC World Service (which also consists of talk radio and news), these pieces range from remote Russian folk songs to Argentinean pop to a unique blend of guitar and trumpet from New Zealand. Beyond the Horizon is not only the perfect gift album for international music lovers with a taste for the heady spice of variety, but also a "must-have" for library music CD collections everywhere.

Economy Class
Frigg
Northside
PO Box 7367, Minneapolis, MN 55407
Rock Paper Scissors (publicity)
511 West 4th Street, Suite 2, Bloomington, IN 47404
$11.98 noside.com www.rockpaperscissors.biz

Economy Class is the latest music CD album by power-string band Frigg, which blends elements of traditional Finnish and Norwegian string music with no-holds-barred enthusiasm worthy of rock stars, spiced with the unpredictable rhythms or even missing beats. The fiddle is the core instrument featured, but Economy class draws upon a wide variety of acoustic instruments from the mandolin and cittern to a Finnish bagpipe, a jaw harp, and even a dobro. A wonderful collection of original tunes grown from the fusion of individual creativity and the eclectic inspiration of jam sessions, Economy Class is a welcome addition to both personal and public library music CD shelves. The tracks are"Jalla jalla", "Norrsken", "Polka International de Louisiane", "When the time comes I'll be ready", "Viinalaulu", "Kind of Polka", "Kisapolska", "Economy class", "Northern lights", and "Lars Lenkelifot". 35 minutes, 53 seconds.

Cinematic
Spencer Brewer
The Creative Service Company (publicity)
4360 Emerald Drive, Colorado Springs, CO 80918
$25.49 www.SpencerBrewer.com

Composer, pianist, and producer Spencer Brewer expresses his love for movie music in Cinematic, a two-CD album celebrating classic film scores. The first CD, "Black & White", has Brewer playing solo piano, with the inclusion of a guitar and a flute on the last track. The second CD, "Technicolor", includes instrumental compositions by a diversity of artists led by Brewer on piano, synthesizers, Hammond B-3, and a pump organ created in 1888. A wondrous medley ranging from Brewer's own popular compositions to new material and some music that has already been used in cinema, Cinematic is an emotionally rousing listening experience, enthusiastically recommended to movie and music buffs everywhere. The tracks are "Quintessence" (3:33), "Say What?!" (3:39), "Ode for Patricia" (3:54), "Fellini's Carousel" (3:09), "Into the Mirror" (3:43), "Blueberry Street" (3:28), "Last Chance for Eden" (3:33), "Morning Glory" (4:02), "Caravanserai" (4:41), "Lupin Swing" (2:36), "Satie's Forgotten Dream" (3:56), "Walls that Move" (5:54), and "Heartwood" (4:25) on the first CD, and "Quintessence" (3:57), "Morning Glory" (4:00), "Blueberry Street" (3:33), "Ode for Patricia" (4:01), "Fellini's Carousel" (3:32), "Say What?!" (3:43), "Outer Limits" (5:24), "Trip to Glory" (4:24), "Cinematic" (6:43), "Lupin Swing" (2:37), "Last Chance for Eden" (3:37), "Dreamgift" (3:43), "Satie's Forgotten Dream (4:01), and "Heartwood" (5:35).

Portraits: Music for Classical Guitar
Gabriel Ayala
Canyon Records Productions
3131 West Clarendon Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85017
$15.98 www.canyonrecords.com 1-800-268-1141

Gabriel Ayala, a member of the Yaqui people of southern Arizona, presents Portraits: Music for Classical Guitar, an album revealing his prodigious talent and expertise playing classical and popular guitar compositions. Ranging in flavor from widely beloved Spanish songs to folk ballads to Bach, Portraits: Music for Classical Guitar is an absolute "must-have" for guitar music enthusiasts. The tracks are "Asturias - 'Leyenda'" (6:13), "Gymnopedie No. 1" (2:56), "Go from my window" (1:53), "Julia Florida" (4:17), "Evocacion" (1:53), "Introduction and Variations on a Theme from 'The Magic Flute' by Mozart" (8:10), "Melancholy Galliard" (2:34), "Wild Mountain Thyme" (2:10), "Fantasia Original" (5:25), "Toccata & Fugue in D minor" (9:00), and "Farewell Stromness" (4:39). 50 minutes, 16 seconds.

From the Moon to the Sun
Kip Winger
MVD Audio
PO Box 280, Oaks, PA 19456
$14.95 www.MVDb2b.com 1-800-888-0486

Musician Kip Winger presents his latest album From the Moon to the Sun, a vibrant collection of original pop/rock songs with Middle Eastern influences. Percussion teacher Rod Morgenstein and guitarist Andy Timmons also contribute their talent to several tracks. The pulsing, almost hypnotic rhythms captivate the listener in this unique and original album, enthusiastically recommended for anyone eager to listen to something new. Highly recommended. The tracks are "Every Story Told", "Nothing", "Where Will You Go", "Pages and Pages", "Ghosts", "In Your Eyes Another Life", "Runaway", "California", "What We Are", "One Big Game", "Why", "Reason to Believe", and "Holy Man". 53 minutes.


The Environmental Studies Shelf

Sanctuary
Michael Tobias & Jane Gray Morrison
Council Oak Books Ltd.
2105 East 15th Street, Suite B, Tulsa, OK 74104
9781571782144, $60.00, www.counciloakbooks.com, 1-800-247-8850

An awareness of environmental issues is now universal throughout first world and third world countries around the globe. That awareness of the diversity, beauty, and utility of what we humans must rescue, preserve and protect has now been beautifully and dramatically illustrated through the publication of "Sanctuary: Global Oases Of Innocence". The collaborative work of Michael Tobias (President of the Dancing Star Foundation, a nonprofit organization to global diversity conservation, animal protection, and environmental education) and Jane Gray Morrison (the Executive Vice President of the Dancing Star Foundation), "Sanctuary" is a 338-page compendium of full color photography showcasing twenty-four sanctuaries located throughout twenty different countries. Some of them are in private hands, others are public preserves, all of them are presented with an informed and informative text of description and explanation. Along with stunningly beautiful images of the flora and fauna. "Sanctuary" is a seminal and superbly produced volume of work that is enthusiastically recommended for personal, academic, and community library Environmental Studies and Photographic Studies collections and supplemental reading lists.

Trees & Forests Of America
Tim Palmer
Harry N. Abrams, Inc.
115 West 18th Street, 6th floor, New York, NY 10011
9780810972940, $40.00, www.abramsbooks.com, 1-800-759-0190

The forests of America are as geographically diverse as the flora and fauna they shelter. In "Trees & Forests Of America" author and photographer Tim Palmer showcases that diversity from the towering redwoods on the edge of the Pacific Ocean to the magnificent oaks seen inland along Atlantic coast. All the forest regions are magnificently represented including the Northern, Central Hardwoods and Appalachians, South, Drylands/Grasslands, Rocky Mountains, Drylands/Desert/Steppe; Sierra Nevada and Southern California; and the Northwest areas. An informed and informative text is enhanced with a profusion of full color photographic images providing illustration and example of the lives of the trees, the ecological workings of the forests, as well as the challenges confronting our woodlands and the people who are working to preserve and protect them for the sake of future generations. "Trees & Forests Of America" is a superbly produced and instructive work that should be a part of every academic and community library Environmental Studies reference collection and supplemental reading list. Also very highly recommended for those same collections is Tim Palmer's earlier work, "Rivers Of America" which is also published by Harry N. Abrams.

Gila Libre!
M.H. Salmon
University of New Mexico Press
MSC04 2820, 1 University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001
9780826340825, $19.95 www.unmpress.com 1-800-249-7737

Written by New Mexico resident and novelist M.H. Salmon, Gila Libre! New Mexico's Last Wild River is the true story of a river that has been part of New Mexico's history since ancient times. Prehistoric Native American art, believed to be produced by the Mogollon culture, has been found along the Gila river; since then, Apaches and a wide assortment of mountain men and other rugged characters have considered the headwaters of the Gila to be their home. The Gila region includes the largest national forest in the forty-eight contiguous states, and the only undammed main-stem river currently left within New Mexico. A handful of black-and-white photographs illustrate this thoughtful survey of the Gila's past, present, and potential future - including the threat of a major state and federal water project. Highly recommended.


The Architecture Shelf

Expanding Architecture Design as Activism
Bryan Bell and Katie Wakeford, authors
Metropolis Books
c/o Distributed Art Publishers (distributor)
155 Sixth Avenue, 2nd floor, New York, NY 10013-1507
9781933045788, $34.95 www.artbook.com 1-800-338-2665

Expanding Architecture Design as Activism collects thirty in-depth essays about the concept of "public-interest architecture", that is, building designs created explicitly with the benefit of the public in mind. Illustrated with full-color photography on virtually every page, individual essays discuss examples ranging from building housing or water systems to best serve the needs of a refugee population, to participatory planning in a Taiwanese mountain village that transforms an abandoned creek into swimming ponds for the village's future, to exploring different ways to create strong designs with minimal environmental impact, all at a reasonable profit. Enthusiastically recommended to anyone with a serious interest in expanding the humanitarian role of modern architecture, from professionals in the field to any concerned citizen voting on city planning projects.


The Needlecraft Shelf

Sew Fabulous Fabric
Alice Butcher & Ginny Farquhar, authors
David & Charles
c/o F&W Publications
4700 Gallbraith Road, Cincinnati, OH 45236
9780715328583, $22.99, 128 pp., www.mycraftivity.com

Not so crafty when it comes to sewing projects? For many of people sewing and creating homemade projects can be a nightmare! That's why needlecraft authors and experts Alice Butcher and Ginny Farquhar have collaborated in putting together "Sew Fabulous Fabric". Their aim, at which they have so wonderfully succeeded, is to take the worry out of making personal fabric-based gifts, items for the home, and so much more. Profusely illustrated throughout, ""Sew Fabulous Fabric" is a beautiful instructional 'how to' book enhanced with clear directions and pictures. Environmentally friendly with great ideas for using every scrap of fabric, "Sew Fabulous Fabric" is especially appropriate for aspiring needleworkers looking for new ways to use their skills, as it is for the fabric crafter learning how to sew, embroider, do patchwork, and applique. Go vintage, or retro, which every way you choose "Sew Fabulous Fabric" will provide the aspiring needlecrafter with a unique collection of irresistible and memorable projects that have a homespun feel. Thoroughly 'user friendly', "Sew Fabulous Fabric" is enthusiastically recommended for anyone wanting to learn to make extraordinarily creative home projects and gifts with the deft use of ordinary fabrics.


The Antiques/Collectibles Shelf

The International Art Markets
James Goodwin
Kogan Page USA
525 South 4th Street, #241, Philadelphia, PA 19147
9780749448356, $99.00, www.koganpage.com, 1-800-232-0223

The current Wall Street economic melt down underscores the value of investing in art as an alternative to stocks and bonds. James Goodwin draws upon his many years of experience and expertise in "The International Art Markets: The Essential Guide For Collectors And Investors", a project for which he serves as the consultant editor and compiling informed and informative contributions by fifty-eight of the finest minds working in the field today. Each alphabetically arranged chapter showcases the international art markets of different countries and areas around the world from Sub-Saharan Africa, Argentina, and Australia, to The United Kingdom, The United States, and Venezuela. Included are the art shows and fairs, galleries and museums, auctions and art market histories of the various nations. Packed with relevant and useful information, "The International Art Markets" is strongly recommended reading for anyone seeking to engage in the buying and/or selling of art internationally, as an invaluable reference for art dealers, art collectors, and art investors, as well as a core and seminal addition to academic and community library reference collections.


The Interior Design Shelf

The Sustainable Home
Cathy Strongman
Merrell Publishers Limited
740 Broadway, Suite 1202, New York, NY 10003
60 Cycle Media (publicity)
38 High Avenue, #1, Nyack, NY 10960
9781858944302, $34.95, www.merrellpublishers.com

Interior design is not restricted to considerations of decorative aesthetics, it also involves being environmentally responsible and utilizing appropriate materials as part of the conceptual process being realized with respect to wall coverings, furniture selections, lighting, appliances, and floor surfaces. Renewable energy and energy efficient appliances for both kitchen and bathroom (and any other room of the home or office) is also a fundamental aspect of modern interior design work. A veritable compendium of ideas, concepts, examples and illustrations, "The Sustainable Home: The Essential Guide To Eco building, Renovation And Decoration" by Cathy Strongman (former Eco Editor at 'Insideout' magazine and a contributor of articles to such publications as 'Architects' Journal', 'Grand Designs Magazines', and 'House & Garden') is a welcome addition to personal, professional, academic, and community library collections, as well as an informed and informative, superbly illustrated reference for non-specialist general readers with an interest in doing renovation and interior design within their own home setting. Also recommended for Interior Design supplemental reading lists are three other excellent titles from Merrell Publishers: "Dream Homes: 100 Inspirational Interiors" (9781858943497, $29.95); "More Dream Homes: 100 Inspirational Interiors" (9781858943770, $39.95); and "Vacation Homes And Perfect Weekend Hideaways" (9781858943695, $49.95).


The Social Issues Shelf

Public Health Business Planning
Stephen N. Orton, Anne. J. Menkens, & Pamela Santos
Jones and Bartlett Publishers
40 Tall Pine Drive, Sudbury, MA 01776
9780763746216, $66.95, www.jbpub.com

Taking the approach of business to many things can bring many benefits. "Public Health Business Planning: A Practical Guide" offers much advice on the topic of planning through public health issues with the tact and skill of a successful entrepreneur. Topics such as working with non-profit status, the government, partnerships, risks, the advice is backed up with solid and educational examples to fully illustrate the models laid out within. Enhanced with an index, "Public Health Business Planning" is from a collection of scholarly minds, and very much recommended to anyone who is faced with the issue of public health.

Street-Level Bureaucracy
Michael Lipsky
Russel Sage Foundation
112 East 64 Street, New York, NY 10021
9780871545268, $14.95

In public service, there's one part of the chain that matters a great deal the ones who deal with the public. "Street-Level Bureaucracy: Dilemmas of the Individual in Public Services" is a study from 1980, praised for its content on what the street level public servants face when dealing with the people and their higher ups. Worth reading for any curious or those on higher rungs of the public service ladder who want to change it for the better, "Street-Level Bureaucracy" rings true almost three decades later.

The Black White Divide in America ...Still
Marlin Foxworth & Ralph Gordon
Regent Press
2747 Regent Street, Berkeley, CA 94705
9781587901423, $25.00, www.regentpress.com

State sponsored segregation has been ended, but it doesn't means segregation vanished. "The Black White Divide in America ...Still" takes an examination to the strong division that America still faces racially. Race still plays a huge role in America, despite having potentially the first black president in roughly a few weeks. A scholarly discussion on the subject and how the country could move on to what many, but not enough, have dismissed as a petty issue, "The Black White Divide in America" is solid and recommended reading for discussion on this touchy social issue.

Life Sentences
Zohreh Bayatrizi
University of Toronto Press
10 St. Mary Street, Suite 700, Toronto, ON M4Y 2W8
9780802097552, $45.00, www.utpublishing.com

Death can be a complicated thing. "Life Sentences: The Modern Ordering of Mortality" takes a look at the west attitude's on death, and more importantly the value of life. Looking at the importance of the terminally ill, the vegetables, and the push for legalized euthanasia against the willingness to let easily preventable diseases take otherwise healthy children, it offers much food for thought for readers in pondering how much value they put on life themselves. "Life Sentences" is an ideal choice for any social issues discussion group to bring much pondering to the table.

Courageous Journey
Ayuel Leek Deng, Beny Ngor Chol, & Barbara Youree
New Horizon Press
PO Box 669, Far Hills, NJ 07931
9780882823348, $24.95, www.newhorizonspressbooks.com

The violence of Africa, despite being under reported in American news, is all too real. "Courageous Journey: Walking the Lost Boys' Path from The Sudan to America" is two young men's unwillingness to give up. Ayuel Leek Deng and Beny Ngor Chol have been through many things many times that many Americans never hope to encounter once. The violence over race, oil, money, all occurs as these two try to live their lives. A true story, "Courageous Journey" is eye opening and thought provoking, a telling of what really matters.


The Women's Studies Shelf

Seeing Through the Lies
Vonda Skelton
Regal Books
1957 Eastman Avenue, Ventura, CA 93003
Kathy Cartlon Willis Communications (publicity)
1324 S. 10th Street Raymondville, TX 78580
9780830745012, $12.99, www.regalbooks.com

Old Wive's Tale, a term given to myths that are passed around, but totally false. "Seeing Through the Lies: Unmasking the Myths Women Believe" is a guide to the myths and urban legends that many Christian women are led to believe, but are totally false. A look at all things female and how the Bible plays into it with quotes straight from scripture, "Seeing Through the Lies" is a must for any Christian who also happens to be a woman.


The Travel Shelf

Living in China
Lin Wang & Xiaohua Wei
Pro Lingua Associates
c/o Alan C. Hood & Company, Inc.
PO Box 1348, Brattleboro, VT 05302
9780866472678, $12.50, www.hoodbooks.com

When you do more than visit, mixing into the culture is vital. "Living in China: How to Feel at Home, Make Friends, and Enjoy Everyday Life" is a complete and comprehensive manual for readers to better understand what it means to take up residency in the nation of China. With tips on dealing with currency, help from Chinese neighbors, Eating customs, manners, day to day life, embassies, and much more. If one is contemplating a move to the country, "Living in China" is as vital as a plane ticket.

Lourdes for Today and Tomorrow
Jacques Perrier
New City Press
202 Cardinal Rd., Hyde Park, NY 12538
9781565483057, $14.95, www.newcitypress.com

Lourdes has become a religious center of the world for Catholicism, and "Lourdes for Today and Tomorrow" takes a look at the city, a prime choice for pilgrimage. Around a century and a half ago, the Virgin Mary appeared as an apparition to Bernadette Soubirous, an event which has given Lourdes its status. Jacques Perrier tells of Lourdes and its many missions which embark on the idea to help humanity as a whole, making "Lourdes for Today and Tomorrow" a scholarly look at Lourdes and why it has become and stayed a major religious city.


The Self-Help Shelf

Overpower Pain
Mitchell T. Yass
Sentient Publications
1113 Liability Company, Boulder, CO 80302
KSB Promotions (publicity)
55 Honey Creek NE, Ada, MI 49301-9768
9781591810759, $15.95, www.sentientpublications.com

No one enjoys being in pain, but it doesn't have to be the focus of one's life. "Overpower Pain: The Strength-Training Program that Stops Pain without Drugs or Surgery" is a guide to building strength to dull the nagging pain, be it from age, injury, or whatever the circumstance. Chronic pain can be overcome by working the affected muscle through the pain and therefore decreasing the pain in everyday life. "Overpower Pain" is something to be strongly considered for those facing daily, persistent pain.


The Theatre/Cinema/TV Shelf

Something in the Darkness
Stephen James Walker
Telos
david@telos.co.uk
9781845830243, $25.95, www.telos.co.uk

Doctor Who has been a wildly popular series, so it's no surprise Torchwood has carried much of that same fan base. "Something in the Darkness: The Unofficial and Unauthorized Guide to Torchwood Series Two" is a complete and comprehensive guidebook to the second season called series in the United Kingdom to the popular show. Discussing the concepts of the show and what lays ahead from the hints layed out in the thirteen episodes, "Something in the Darkness" is a solid gift for fans of the series.


The Sports Shelf

Climbing
Clyde Soles
The Mountaineers Books
1001 SW Klickitat Way, Suite 201, Seattle, WA 98134
9781594850981, $18.95, www.mountaineersbooks.org

The thrill of conquering nature's toughest challenges, the high a mountain climber pursues. Now in a newly expanded and updated second edition, "Climbing: Training for Peak Performance" is a guide for mountain climbers to best train themselves for their ultimate goal of conquering the mountain of their choice. A fitness guide to maximizing one's health and conditioning for the harsh demands of the mountain climbing challenge, from exercise to eating right and taking supplements, the advice is applicable to living well even if one is just looking to get in shape. "Climbing" is a must for any climbing enthusiast.


The Jobs/Careers Shelf

The Career Coward's Guide to Job Searching
Katy Piotrowski
Jist Works
7321 Shadeland Station, Suite 200, Indianapolis, IN 46256
9781593573928, $19.95, www.jist.com

Security, the one thing hat will keep someone in a job that they despise with all of their being. "The Career Coward's Guide to Job Searching: Sensible Strategies for Overcoming Job Search Fears" is a guide designed for those in such a situation who want to move on with their careers without the insane risk usually associated with such methods. Encouraging and insightful, it's an ideal manual for the timid to get the courage they need, making "The Career Coward's Guide to Job Searching" an essential addition.


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