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Library Bookwatch

Volume 8, Number 10 October 2013 Home | LBW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Economic Studies Shelf Social Issues Shelf
Environmental Studies Shelf Business Shelf Health/Medicine Shelf
Cookbook Shelf Memoir Shelf Biography Shelf
Audiobook Shelf Music CD Shelf Library DVD Shelf
American History Shelf World History Shelf Parenting Shelf
Writing/Publishing Shelf Fiction Shelf Philosophy Shelf
Theatre/Cinema Shelf Poetry Shelf Education Shelf
Reference Shelf Political Science Shelf Art Shelf
Music Shelf Psychology Shelf Architecture Shelf
Military Shelf Autism Shelf Computer Shelf
Large Print Shelf Native American Studies Shelf African-American Studies Shelf
Photography Shelf Money/Finance Shelf Religion/Spirituality Shelf


Reviewer's Choice

The Collected Letters Of Henry Northrup Castle
George Herbert Mead & Helen Castle Mead, editors
Ohio University Press
The Ridges, Building 19, Athens, OH 45701
www.ohioswallow.com
9780821420119, $49.95, www.amazon.com

George Herbert Mead (1863 - 1931) was an American philosopher, sociologist and psychologist, primarily affiliated with the University of Chicago, where he was one of several distinguished pragmatists. He is regarded as one of the founders of social psychology and the American sociological tradition in general. Henry Northrup Castle was Mead's best friend while at Oberline college and eventually became Mead's brother-in-law. "The Collected Letters Of Henry Northrup Castle" is a deftly compiled and edited 846 page compendium comprised of Castle's correspondence drawn from the Mead-Castle collection at the University of Chicago, and were collected and edited by Mead after the tragic death of Henry Castle in a shipping accident in the North Sea. These are correspondences with such luminaries as Mead, John Dewey, Jane Addams, and other Chicago Progressives and will prove illuminating and informative for students of this remarkable era in American politics. This Ohio University Press edition is a facsimile edition of the Mead text of 1902, plus an informed introduction by Alfred L. Castle (a great-nephew of G. H. Mead and Henry Castle). "The Collected Letters Of Henry Northrup Castle" is a strongly recommended addition to academic library collections and the supplemental reading lists for students of George Herbert Mead's life and work. It should also be noted that "The Collected Letters Of Henry Northrup Castle" is also available in an Adobe Digital Edition PDF (9780821444313, $39.99).

The Speech
Gary Younge
Haymarket Books
PO Box 180165
Chicago, IL 60618
9781608463220 $19.95 www.haymarketbooks.org

The Speech: The Story Behind Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s Dream lives up to its title, drawing upon interviews with Clarence Jones (good friend of and draft speechwriter for Martin Luther King Jr.), Joan Baez (a singer at the March on Washington, at which King delivered his historic speech), civil rights leader Angela Davis, and more. The result is a thoroughly researched, faithfully presented, scholarly account of how King's profound "I Have a Dream" speech came to be, as well as a modern analysis of why its message resonates so deeply with Americans then and now. Highly recommended, especially for public and college library collections.


The Economic Studies Shelf

Building a Green Economy
Robert B. Richardson
Michigan State University Press
1405 South Harrison Road, Suite 25
East Lansing, MI 48823-5245
9781611861020 $49.95 www.msupress.msu.edu

Building a Green Economy: Perspectives from Ecological Economics is an anthology of essays by an array of experts discussing the challenges and pressures that a growing human population puts on both the environment and the economy. The solution may lie in a "green" economy geared toward long-term ecological stability, but just how would such an economy function? Individual writings include "Taking Ecological Economics Seriously: It's the Biosphere, Stupid", "Green Keynesianism: Beyond Standard Growth Paradigms", "Civic Empowerment in an Age of Corporate Excess", "Assessing the Trade-Offs for an Urban Green Economy", "A Genuine Metric for Assessing Business Stability" and much more. In today's crossroads, when people suffer from both economic struggles and global environmental problems that could be reaching a catastrophic tipping point, the ideas Building a Green Economy are sorely needed! Highly recommended, especially for public and college library economic and environmental studies collections.

Global Economic Boom & Bust Cycles
Khafra K. Om-Ra-Seti
KMT Publications
PO Box 421
Walnut Grove, CA 95690
9781481042314 $26.95 http://tinyurl.com/Global-Economic

Global Economic Boom & Bust Cycles: The Great Depression and Recovery of the 21st Century traces the history of modern economic meltdowns, including the Great Depression that flowed from the excesses of the Roaring 20's, the 80's boom followed by the crash of '87, Japan's economic slowdown, the "Roaring 90's" and the crash of 2000, the mortgage meltdown of 2008 and more. Drawing connections between the forces that engineer economic cycles, with particular attention paid to the rise of China, the forthcoming "peak oil" shock as escalating demand outstrips the supply of oil, and the ongoing risk factors of natural disasters and terrorism, Global Economic Boom & Bust Cycles is a thought-provoking analysis of the hard lessons of modern history, and what they have to say about the uncertain global future. Highly recommended. "In 2012, what we see happening in China is this: (1) real estate prices have started to fall and the bubble appears to be deflating... (2) Viewed by the West, the commercial property development in China is extremely over-built. Speculative credit will start to leave China as the descent in property values begin in earnest. (3) The massive fiscal stimulus used to build infrastructure may prove in the end to be a massive case of malinvestment, a deadly sin in capitalism. (4) And like Japan, China has pumped more money into its stock and property markets in order to revive the wealth effect for local and domestic consumers... This is a bubble that is still in the making and is a colossal crisis..."


The Social Issues Shelf

The New Black
Kenneth W. Mack & Guy-Uriel E. Charles, eds.
The New Press
38 Green Street, 4th floor
New York, NY 10013
www.thenewpress.com
9781595586773, $21.95, www.amazon.com

The United States Supreme Court's decision to strike down those elements of the Voter Rights act, essentially on the basis that in the judgment of its conservative majority, racial discrimination was no longer a major factor in America society was and remains intensely controversial. Knowledgeable compiled and deftly edited by the team of Kenneth W. Mack (Law Professor, Harvard University) and Guy-Uriel E. Charles (Law Professor, Duke University), "The New Black: What Has Changed--and What Has Not--with Race in America" is a 256 page compendium comprised of twelve informed and informative articles by leading scholars on the subject of race in the 21st Century. Of special note is Luis Fuentes-Rohwer's thoughtful and thought-provoking article 'The Racial Metamorphosis of Justice Kennedy and the Future of Civil Rights Law'. Simply stated, "The New Black: What Has Changed--and What Has Not--with Race in America" should be considered mandatory addition to academic library Social Issues reference collections and essential reading for anyone concerned with the immediate and long range future of social justice and racial equality in America. It should also be noted that "The New Black: What Has Changed--and What Has Not--with Race in America" is also available in a Kindle edition ($10.99).


The Environmental Studies Shelf

The Hidden Potential of Sustainable Neighborhoods
Harrison Fraker
Island Press
2000 M St NW Suite 650
Washington, DC 20036
9781610914086 $40.00 www.islandpress.org

Harrison S. Fraker (Professor of Architecture and Urban Design, University of California Berkeley) presents The Hidden Potential of Sustainable Neighborhoods: Lessons from Low-Carbon Communities is a close study of four, first-generation sustainable neighborhoods. The four neighborhoods scrutinized are B001 (Malmo, Sweden), Hammarby Sjostad (Stockholm, Sweden), Kronsberg (Hannover, Germany) and Vauban (Freiburg, Germany). Drawing upon performance data, Fraker charts a path to improving sustainable community design based on the best and most effective practices. A handful of color photographs illustrate this excellent and insightful resource, highly recommended especially for urban and suburban planners with an eye toward long-term sustainable design.


The Business Shelf

The Tourism System, seventh edition
Robert Christie Mill & Alastair M. Morrison
Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company
4050 Westmark Drive, Dubuque, IA 52002
www.kendallhunt.com
9780757599767, $95.50, www.amazon.com

Tourism is a major source of revenue for every state in the union. Indeed, a great many areas of the country are very strongly dependent on their tourist seasons. Tourism is big business and one that is constantly evolving and competitive for tourist dollars. Now in a completely updated and expanded seventh edition, "The Tourism System" by Robert Christie Mill (University of Denver) and Alastair M. Morrison (Belle Tourism International Consulting) is a 427 page textbook offering a complete course under one cover on successfully developing and marketing tourism. In particular, the chapters dedicated to tourism marketing strategies, planning, promotion, and distribution, as well as the section identifying the factors involved people's vacation making decisions, travel destination decisions, and travel purchases. Superbly organized and presented, "The Tourism System" is an ideal curriculum textbook and should be a part of every professional and academic library reference collection.

Profit with Purpose
Teneshia Jackson Warner
Paramount Market Publishing, Inc.
950 Danby Road, Suite 136, Ithaca, NY 14850
www.paramountbooks.com
9780985179502, $34.95, www.amazon.com

America is a multicultural society and to be successful, companies selling services and products must take that into account with respect to their advertising and marketing campaigns. "Profit with Purpose: A Marketer's Guide to Delivering Purpose-Driven Campaigns to Multicultural Audiences" by Teneshia Jackson Warner (CEO and Founder of the EGAMI Consulting Group) is a 240 page instruction manual on doing just that. Covering every aspect of a multiculturally sensitive marketing campaign, Warner addresses such diverse issues as defining the brand, utilizing celebrities, selecting community partnerships, leveraging social media, and a great deal more. Of special note are Warner's chapters on 'Purpose vs. Profit' and 'The Future of Purpose-Inspired Marketing'. Enhanced with an extensive Bibliography and a comprehensive Index, "Profit with Purpose: A Marketer's Guide to Delivering Purpose-Driven Campaigns to Multicultural Audiences" is thoroughly 'user friendly' and highly recommended for personal, professional, and community library collections.


The Health/Medicine Shelf

Medical Family Therapy and Integrated Care, second edition
Susan H. McDaniel, William J. Doherty, and Jeri Hepworth
American Psychological Association
750 First Street, NE
Washington, DC 20002-4242
9781433815188 $69.95 www.apa.org/books

Medical Family Therapy and Integrated Care is a fully revised and updated rendition of the 1992 book "Medical Family Therapy: A Psychosocial Approach to Families With Health Problems". Created to cross-reference the valuable insights of psychologists, physicians, family therapists, social workers, nurses, counselors, and therapists, Medical Family Therapy and Integrated Care examines how providers can standardize their terminology for more effective communication, and other practices to greatly improve collaborative efforts at treatment in settings ranging from community health centers to outpatient therapy or integrated health systems. Chapters include "Clinical Strategies for Medical Family Therapy", "Health Behaviors that Harm", "Couples and Illness", "Caregiving, End of Life Care, and Loss", and much more. Highly recommended, especially for health care professionals and college library collections.

Making The Connection Between Brain & Behavior, second edition
Joseph H. Friedman, MD
Demos Health
11 West 42nd Street, 15th Floor
New York, NY 10036
www.demoshealth.com
9781936303533, $19.95, www.amazon.com

Parkinson's disease is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system. The motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease result from the death of dopamine-generating cells in the substantia nigra, a region of the midbrain; the cause of this cell death is unknown. Early in the course of the disease, the most obvious symptoms are movement-related; these include shaking, rigidity, slowness of movement and difficulty with walking and gait. Later, thinking and behavioral problems may arise, with dementia commonly occurring in the advanced stages of the disease, whereas depression is the most common psychiatric symptom. Other symptoms include sensory, sleep and emotional problems. Parkinson's disease is more common in older people, with most cases occurring after the age of 50. Now in a significantly updated and expanded second edition, "Making The Connection Between Brain & Behavior: Coping With Parkinson's Disease" by Dr. Joseph H. Friedman (Director of the Movement Disorders Program, Butller Hospital and Clinical Director of the American Parkinson's Disease Association Information and Referral Center, Warwick, Rhode Island) is a 220 page compendium specifically written for non-specialist general reader's wanting a basic understanding of Parkinson's Disease in terms of its causes, symptoms and treatment options. It is also ideal reading to prepare lay readers to communicate more effectively with their health care providers. Highly recommended for personal, professional, academic, and community library Health & Medicine instructional reference collections, it should also be noted that "Making The Connection Between Brain & Behavior: Coping With Parkinson's Disease" is also available in a Kindle edition ($14.61).


The Cookbook Shelf

Indian Inspired Gluten-Free Cooking
Alamelu Vairavan & Margaret Pfeiffer MS, RD, CLS
Hippocrene Books, Inc.
171 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10016
9780781813068 $19.95 www.hippocrenebooks.com

Featuring a beautiful, full-color and full-page photograph of virtually every recipe, Indian Inspired Gluten-Free Cooking lives up to its title with a medley of mouth-watering East Indian cuisine, which relies heavily on rice, lean meats, and vegetable dishes - all ideal for pursuing a gluten-free diet. The 100+ recipes include Roasted Vegetable Kebabs, Carrot Rice Pilaf, Swiss Chard Lentil Crumble, Spice-Rubbed Oven-Roasted Chicken, Roasted Plums with Spiced Walnuts, and much more. A useful FAQ about gluten-free foods and a handy guide to Indian ingredients round out this excellent addition to any international or gluten-free cookbook collection!

Fire & Ice Alaska
Sharon R. Leippi
Frosty Books
5604 E 40th Avenue #A-103
Anchorage, Alaska 99504
www.frostybooks.com
9780983968504, $20.00, www.amazon.com

Compiled by Anchorage Alaska resident Sharon R. Leippi, "Fire & Ice Alaska: Baked, Blended, & Sauteed" is a beautifully and profusely illustrated 145 page compendium showcasing healthy and delicious recipes that are low-salt, gluten-free, dairy-free, corn-free, nightshade-free, egg-free, yeast-free, alcohol-free, and compatible with anti-rosacea diets that necessitates foods which are low in hot spices. Of special and unique note are blood type diet notations (O, A, AB, B). The recipes themselves range from Chocolate Frosty (a non-dairy alternative to chocolate ice cream); to Cherry Glazed Salmon; to Golden Pea Soup; to Blue & Gold Tofu Pie. Kitchen cook friendly, palate pleasing, appetite satisfying, food allergy avoidance oriented, "Fire & Ice Alaska: Baked, Blended, & Sauteed" is a very special cookbook that is highly recommended for personal, family, and community library cookbook collections.

The Cheesy Vegan
John Schlimm
Da Capo Press
c/o Perseus Books Group
11 Cambridge Center
Cambridge, MA 02142
9780738216799 $19.99 www.perseusbooksgroup.com

The Cheesy Vegan is a cookbook of over 125 plant-based, 100% vegan recipes featuring non-dairy cheeses. Some recipes feature delicious cheese alternatives that can be made from foods such as soy milk; others incorporate store-bought vegan cheeses into a variety of delightful concoctions. Sample dishes include "Cozy Cottage Pancakes" with vegan cottage cheese; Potato Gratin (made with vegan Swiss cheese), Fried Olives Stuffed with Smoky Cheese Hummus, Creamy Seasoned Macaroni (made with vegan margarine & vegan cream cheese or cottage cheese), and much more. Beautiful color photography, an introduction with brief guides to vegan substitutes for common ingredients, and an index round out this "must-have" for vegan gourmets!

Smoke & Pickles
Edward Lee
Artisan Books
c/o Workman Publishing Company
225 Varick Street, New York, NY 10014-4381
www.artisanbooks.com
9781579654924, $29.95, www.amazon.com

Edward Lee is the Korean-American chef/owner of 610 Magnolia and MilkWood located in Louisville, Kentucky. "Smoke & Pickles" is a 340 page compilation of this three-time James Beard Foundation Award finalist for Best Chef and Iron Chef America winner's recipes and stories. The recipes range from Lime-Beef Salad; Adobo-Fried Chicken and Waffles; Cola Ham Hocks with Miso Glaze; and Frog's Legs with Celecry, Chile, Pepper, Fish Sauce, and Brown butter; to Yellow Squash Soup; Bourbon-Ginger Glazed Carrots; and Sweet Spoonbread Souffle. Beautifully illustrated throughout, each recipes in this impressive culinary collection offers thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly' step-by-step instructions. Of special note are the practical 'tips, tricks and techniques' Edward Lee shares with home cooks wanting to make the most of his palate pleasing, appetite satisfying, 'down home' southern recipes. Simply stated, "Smoke & Pickles" is a highly recommended addition to any personal, family, or community library cookbook collection.

Food & Wine Best of the Best, Vol. 16
Imagine Publishing
c/o Charlesbridge Publishing
85 Main Street
Watertown, MA 02472
9781932624595 $32.95 www.charlesbridge.com

The sixteenth annual volume of Food & Wine Best of the Best gathers the top recipies from the twenty-five best cookbooks published during the year. Each dish has been taste-tested in the Food & Wine kitchen, and judged exquisite! Recipes span multiple culinary traditions, and they include "Italian Cream Cake", "Bok Choy with Baby Shiitake Mushrooms", "Chopped Summer Salad with Miso", "Carnitas [Slow-Cooked Pork] Tacos", and much more. A handful of color illustrations as well as cooking tips and recommended wine choices to pair with appropriate dishes enhance this excellent collection for cooks who settle for nothing less than the very best.

The New Wine Country Cookbook
Brigit Binns
Andrews & McMeel
1130 Walnut Street
Kansas City, MO 64106-2109
www.andrewsmcmeel.com
9781449419127, $35.00, www.amazon.com

California's justifiably famous and fastest growing 'Wine Country' area runs from around Monterey south to Santa Barbara. The prize winning wines coming from this heart of California's vineyards from the basis for the recipes comprising Brigit Binns' beautifully illustrated "The New Wine Country Cookbook", a 304-page compendium showcasing elegant dishes ranging from Carmamelized Onion, Anchovy, and Sun-Dried Tomato Pissaladieres; Warm Escarole with Bacon, Almonds, and Sherry Vinegar; Ginger Flan with Ripe Apricots; and Crispy Pan-Fried Rex Sole with Quick Orange-Dill Aioli; to Three-Hour, Bone-In Berkshire Pork Shoulder with Brandy and Black Pepper Apples; Pistachio-Crusted Goat Cheese with French Beans, Radicchio, Endive, Red Grapes, and Sherry Vinaigrette; and Vine Leaf-Wrapped Sheep's Tomme with Roasted Olives and Lemon. Of special note is the section provided for metric equivalents and conversions. A truly elegant culinary collection, "The New Wine Country Cookbook" will prove a highly prized addition to personal, professional, and community library cookbook collections. It should also be noted that "The New Wine Country Cookbook" is available in a Kindle edition ($9.99).

Cooking Your Way To Gorgeous
Scott-Vincent Borba
Health Communications, Inc.
3201 S.W. 15th Street
Deerfield Beach, FL 33442-8190
www.hcibooks.com
9780757317187, $14.95, www.amazon.com

For better or for worse, we are what we eat. The upside to this is that what we eat can have a tremendously beneficial impact upon our health and well-being. That's why "Cooking Your Way to Gorgeous: Skin-Friendly Superfoods, Age-Reversing Recipes, and Fabulous Homemade Facials" by health and cosmetic expert Scott-Vincent Borba will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to personal and community library cookbook collections. The thoroughly 'user friendly' recipes in this 240 page compendium range from Mouthwatering Grapefruit Meringue; Black Bean-Oatmeal Burgers; Va-Va's Pumpkin Pancakes; and Sweet Goji Yogurt Medley; to a Jalapeno-Cilantro-Strawberry Margarita; Roasted Tomato and Caramelized Onion Farro Salad; Asparagus and Chicken Enchiladas; and a Shrimp and Spinach Shiitake Mushroom Risotto. Of special note is author Scott-Vincent Borba's informative introduction 'Eat Your Way to Gorgeous Skin'. Highly recommended, it should also be noted that "Cooking Your Way To Gorgeous" is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99).


The Memoir Shelf

Up on a Hill and Thereabouts
Gloria Stubing Rist
State University of New York Press
State University Plaza
Albany, NY 12246-0001
www.sunypress.edu
9781438448909, $24.95, www.amazon.com

In the 1930s, life for kids tucked away in the quiet woodlands of the Adirondack Mountains was rich with nature and filled with human characters. "Up on a Hill and Thereabouts: An Adirondack Childhood" is Gloria Stubing Rist's captivating 329 page memoir and contains the her personal recollections growing up on the hillsides and in the woods near Ticonderoga. A child's-eye view of days long gone, "Up on a Hill and Thereabouts" describes a time and place of poverty and hardship tempered by compassion, hope, and humor. Thoroughly engaging and graced with occasional black-and-white period photos, reading "Up on a Hill and Thereabouts" is like peering through a window in time and coming to understand a young life in a world now long gone into the mists of history. Superbly entertaining, thoughtful, and deftly written, "Up on a Hill and Thereabouts" is highly recommended reading and will prove to be a popular addition to academic and community library 20th Century American Biography collections. It should be noted that "Up on a Hill and Thereabouts" is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99).


The Biography Shelf

Edith Kermit Roosevelt: Creating the Modern First Lady
Lewis L. Gould
University Press of Kansas
2501 West 15th Street, Lawrence, KS 66049
www.kansaspress.ku.edu
9780700619023, $34.95, www.amazon.com

Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt (August 6, 1861 - September 30, 1948) was the second wife of Theodore Roosevelt and served as First Lady of the United States during his presidency from 1901 to 1909. "Edith Kermit Roosevelt: Creating the Modern First Lady" by Lewis L. Gould is a 176 page compendium providing the reading with an informed and informative and complex biography of a remarkable and accomplished woman whose familial, social, cultural, and political contributions have been heretofore under appreciated. A superbly crafted and notated work, "Edith Kermit Roosevelt: Creating the Modern First Lady" is enhanced with bibliographic essay. A work of impressive and detailed scholarship, and ideal for the non-specialist general reader with an interest in the evolution of the role of 'First Ladies' from Martha Washington to Michelle Obama, "Edith Kermit Roosevelt: Creating the Modern First Lady" is highly recommended addition to community and academic library American Biography collections.

Feminist and Abolitionist
Virginia Sanchez-Korrol
Pinata Books
c/o Arte Publico Press
University of Houston
4902 Gulf Fwy, Bldg 19, Rm 100
Houston, TX 77204-2004
9781558857650 $12.95 www.artepublicopress.com

Feminist and Abolitionist: The Story of Emilia Casanova is the biography of a woman raised in an upper-class, slave-holding Cuban family, who moved to New York and became a tireless crusader for Cuba's independence from Spain and the end of human slavery. During Cuba's Ten Years' War, she created the first women's political group to openly support the rebels. She dared to return to Cuba to deliver contraband papers, a dangerous undertaking for her family as well as herself. Her father and his entire family were ultimately forced into exile in the U.S. The true-life story of an extraordinary and principled woman, Feminist and Abolitionist is highly recommended especially for public and college library biography collections.

Rudolf Bultmann: A Biography
Konrad Hammann
Polebridge Press
900 State Street, Salem, Oregon 97301-3922
www.polebridgepress.com
9781598151183, $60.00, www.amazon.com

Rudolf Karl Bultmann (20 August 1884 - 30 July 1976) was a German Lutheran theologian and professor of New Testament at the University of Marburg. He was one of the major figures of early 20th century biblical studies and a prominent voice in liberal Christianity. Bultmann is known for his belief that the historical analysis of the New Testament is both futile and unnecessary, given that the earliest Christian literature showed little interest in specific locations. Bultmann argued that all that matters is the "thatness", not the "whatness" of Jesus, i.e. only that Jesus existed, preached and died by crucifixion matters, not what happened throughout his life. Bultmann's approach relied on his concept of demythology, and interpreted the mythological elements in the New Testament existentially. Bultmann contended that only faith in the kerygma, or proclamation, of the New Testament was necessary for Christian faith, not any particular facts regarding the historical Jesus. "Rudolf Bultmann: A Biography" by Konrad Hammann (Professor of Systematic and Historical Theology, Evangelical-theological Faculty, university of Munster, Germany) is a 624 page exhaustive biography of Bultmann's life and work. Deftly translated into English by Philip E. Devenish, "Rudolf Bultmann: A Biography" is chronologically organized and presented beginning with his formative years 1884-1907, through his academic and theological careers, to his finale productive years (1964-1976). This definitive biography is enhanced with indexes of biblical references; people, places, institutions and publications; and subjects. An exhaustive masterpiece of biographical scholarship, "Rudolf Bultmann: A Biography" is a strongly recommended contribution to academic library collections.

Once Upon A Time
Ian Bell
Pegasus Books
80 Broad Street, 5th Floor, NY, NY 10004
www.pegasusbooks.us
9781605984810, $35.00, www.amazon.com

Robert Allen "Bob" Dylan (born May 24, 1941) is an American musician, singer-songwriter, artist, writer, and an influential figure in popular music and culture for more than five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly reluctant figurehead of social unrest. A number of Dylan's early songs, such as "Blowin' in the Wind" and "The Times They Are a-Changin'", became anthems for the US civil rights and anti-war movements. Leaving behind his initial base in the culture of the folk music revival, Dylan's six-minute single "Like a Rolling Stone" radically altered the parameters of popular music in 1965. His recordings employing electric instruments attracted denunciation and criticism from others in the folk movement. "Once Upon a Time: The Lives of Bob Dylan" by journalism Ian Bell is a 592 page compendium providing a complex and analytical biography of Dylan. Detailed, documented, insightful, occasionally iconoclastic, "Once Upon a Time: The Lives of Bob Dylan" is a compelling read from beginning to end. Informed and informative, "Once Upon a Time: The Lives of Bob Dylan" is a 'must read' for all Dylan fans and will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to community library American Biography collections.


The Audiobook Shelf

Titan: The Life of John D. Rockefeller, Sr.
Ron Chernow, author
Grover Gardner, narrator
Blackstone Audiobooks
PO Box 969, Ashland, OR 97520
www.BlackstoneAudio.com
9781470882198, $140.00, www.amazon.com

John Davison Rockefeller (July 8, 1839 - May 23, 1937) was an American industrialist and philanthropist. He was the founder of the Standard Oil Company, which dominated the oil industry and was the first great U.S. business trust. Rockefeller revolutionized the petroleum industry and defined the structure of modern philanthropy. In 1870, he founded Standard Oil Company and aggressively ran it until he officially retired in 1897. "Titan: The Life of John D. Rockefeller, Sr." by Ron Chernow is the definitive biography of Rocefeller. This complete and unabridged audio book library edition is deftly narrated by Grover Gardner. Flawless technical recording values enhance the 30 compact disks for a total running time of 35 hours. Informed and informative, "Titan: The Life of John D. Rockefeller, Sr." is a very highly recommended addition to community and academic library audio book collections.


The Music CD Shelf

Marula's Shade: The ImprovED Album
Triad Trust
www.triadtrust.org
c/o Rock Paper Scissors
511 West 4th Street, Suite 2
Bloomington, IN 47404
www.rockpaperscissors.biz
$TBA CD / $8.99 MP3 www.amazon.com

Marula's Shade: The ImprovED Album is a music CD by artist-educators of the ImprovED program in South Africa's Nkomazi region, where 40% of the adult population lives with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. The music serves a purpose beyond entertainment; it offers education about how to protect oneself from HIV, take steps to reduce its spread, and prevent another generation from being lost to the virus. ImprovED strives to educate everyone who will listen, and young people especially; their task complicated by the silence about the terrible and insidiously widespread disease. Highly recommended not only for the as a beacon of hope and a collective effort to battle against a devastating social ill. The tracks are "HIV is our War", "Respect", "Lullaby", "Find a Way", "Marula's Shade", "To Zero", "Siyalobola", "Ika So", "My Brother", "Money for Love", "Days of Love", "The ImprovED Style", "History", "You Can't Dance", "The Cure", "Love Is", "Tshepo's Hope", and "Let's Come Together".


The Library DVD Shelf

From Up On Poppy Hill
Written by Hayao Miyazaki
Directed by Goro Miyazaki
GKIDS (Studio Ghibli)
Cinedigm Entertainment (dist.)
c/o Foundry Commnications (publicity)
newvideo.com www.gkids.com
$29.95 (DVD) / $34.95 (Blu-ray + DVD)

Available as both a DVD 2-pack and a Blu-ray + DVD combo pack, From Up On Poppy Hill is the latest theatrical masterpiece written by legendary creator Hayao Miyazaki and brought to life by the acclaimed anime (Japanese animation) artists of Studio Ghibli. The story is set in 1963 Yokohama, during Japan's painful yet steady recovery from the devastation of World War II. Japan is preparing for the prestige of hosting the Olympics. Amid this bustling backdrop, two ordinary high school students meet and form a close friendship - but a dark shadow from their past threatens to destroy their newfound bond, as well as their potential for happiness in the future. Beautifully animated, superbly voiced by an all-star English cast, and enhanced with over three hours of bonus features, From Up On Poppy Hill is an unforgettable treasure, sure to prove immensely popular for gift-giving, family movie night, or public library DVD collections. 91 min. plus extras, Japanese or English audio with English subtitles, rated PG for mild thematic elements and some incidental smoking images. Also highly recommended are Studio Ghibli's previous epic theatrical adventures, including "Spirited Away", "Howl's Moving Castle", "The Secret World of Arrietty", and "Princess Mononoke".

The Whale
A film by Suzanne Chisholm & Michael Parfit
Narrated by Ryan Reynolds
Bullfrog Films, Inc.
PO Box 149
Oley, PA 19547
1937772667 $295.00 www.bullfrogfilms.com

The Whale: The True Story of Luna is a heart-touching, widescreen documentary about a young wild killer whale (also known as orca), given the nickname of Luna, who became separated from his family and tried to befriend human beings on the coast of British Columbia. Part extraordinary adventure, part revelation that humans and animals share a profound bond, The Whale is an eye-opening true story that speaks to viewers of all ages and backgrounds. Highly recommended, especially for public and community library collections.

The Pallisers 40th Anniversary Edition
Written by Simon Raven
Based on the novels by Anthony Trollope
Acorn Media Group
8515 Georgia Avenue, Suite 620
Silver Spring, MD 20910-3403
9781598288261 $99.99 www.acornonline.com

Originally produced by BBC in 1974, The Pallisers 40th Anniversary Edition collects the complete PBS saga of an aristocratic family in Victorian England. Based on Anthony Trollope's popular albeit politically charged novels, and adapted by British author Simon Raven, The Pallisers is a story of vying to survive in a social circle where appearances and reputation rule all. Personal and public crises beset the family as they climb the social ladder through three generations, in this thought-provoking and extraordinarily human drama. A bonus interview with emmy-winning actress Susan Hampshire, a 32-page viewer's guide, and materials from Anthony Trollope round out this excellent series, highly recommended for gift-giving as well as public library collections. 8 DVDs, 26 episodes, 22 1/4 hours plus bonus, full screen, SDH subtitles.

First Run Features
630 Ninth Avenue, Suite 1213
New York, NY 10036
$24.95 each www.firstrunfeatures.com

Three eye-opening new documentaries from First Run Features make excellent addition to public, school, or community library collections. "A Girl & a Gun" (www.agirlandagunfilm.com, 76 min.) is a documentary by Cathryne Czubek about America's female gun owners, from both historical and cultural perspectives. Far from the femme fatales of Hollywood cinema, armed women are just as likely to be ordinary people, family members, and neighbors, who carry weapons for protection, confidence, or even personal satisfaction. "You Don't Need Feet to Dance" (www.docarts.com, 81 min.) is a film by Alan Govenar about Sidiki Conde, an African immigrant to America, who lost the use of his legs to polio at age fourteen. Conde lives a rich and independent life in spite of his disability; he uses his hands to travel the stairs of his fifth-floor apartment, teaches workshops for disabled kids, rehearses with his band, bicycles with his hands, plays djembe drums, sings, and dances with his hands. "Triumph of the Wall" (102 min.) is a movie by Bill Stone telling the true story of an unusual work of art - a 1000-foot stone wall by a beginner stonemason Chris Overing, in Canada's province of Quebec. Overing's project proves to be tremendously ambitious, and practical necessity transform his task and the film chronicling it into something unexpected! All three documentaries are as entertaining as they are thought-provoking, and highly recommended.


The American History Shelf

Cold War Dixie
Kari Frederickson
University of Georgia Press
330 Research Drive
Athens, GA, 30602-4901
9780820345208 $24.95 www.ugapress.org

Kari Frederickson (associate professor & chair of the Department of History, University of Alabama) presents Cold War Dixie: Militarization and Modernization in the American South, a close scrutiny of the impact of the Savannah River Plant (SRP). The SRP's origins lie in a partnership between the Atomic Energy Commission and the DuPont Corporation, dedicated to producing materials for the hydrogen bomb. Chapters address the costs of militarization, how the SRP was built, daily life in a company town, the interplay of race and politics, and much more. Notes, a bibliography, and an index round out this thoughtful close study of a turning point in American history.

Minidoka: An American Concentration Camp
Teresa Tamura
Caxton Press
312 Main Street
Caldwell, ID 83605-3299
9780870045738 $27.95 www.caxtonpress.com

Minidoka: An American Concentration Camp is a black-and-white photographic remembrance of one of the internment camps to which America imprisoned thousands of Japanese-American citizens during World War II, solely because of their ethnicity. Many of the images are portraits of survivors, complemented by brief or thumbnail profiles; others show images of railways that Minidoka inmates labored on, what has become of Minidoka sites in the twentieth century, art created by survivors of Minidoka, and much more. Some of the photographs are vintage from the 1940's; others were taken in the twenty-first century, but all have an unforgettable story to tell. The text is peppered with historical anecdotes, brief interviews, and much more. America must never forget the wrongs (including deaths, primarily from disease) that it inflicted upon its own citizens, who had committed no crime; for this reason, Minidoka: An American Concentration Camp is worthy of the highest recommendation especially for public and college library history collections.

Tracking the Texas Rangers
Bruce A. Glasrud and Harold J. Weiss, Jr., editors
University of North Texas Press
PO Box 311336
Denton, TX 76203-1336
9781574415261 $29.95 www.unt.edu/untpress

Tracking the Texas Rangers: The Twentieth Century collects fifteen published articles and chapter excerpts about the changing role of the Texas Rangers in the twentieth century. These essays explore the Texas Rangers' heroic and villainous deeds, from trying to protect border communities and capture outlaws, to the outright murders that Texas Rangers committed during the Mexican Revolution. Individual articles include "Establishing Law and Order in the Oil Fields", "The Modernization of the Texas Rangers, 1933-1936", "Homicides and Questionable Deaths: A Window into the Method", and much more. A brief black-and-white photo gallery, a bibliography, and an index round out this superb addition to American and Texas History collections.

Battleground 1948
Robert E. Hartley
Southern Illinois University Press
1915 University Press Drive
SIUC Mail Code 6806
Carbondale, IL 62901
9780809332663 $39.50 www.siupress.com

Battleground 1948: Truman, Stevenson, Douglas, and the Most Surprising Election in Illinois History is an in-depth examination of the first American general election since World War II, centering on Illinois politics. This was the race destined to put Adlai Stevenson, Paul Douglas, and Harry Truman into office, with Truman winning by a sliver. A month-by-month chronicle of key events in the 1948 election season, as well as an era snapshot of Illinois politics (including the dark influences of media, corruption, and crime) make Battleground 1948 a welcome addition to American History and Political Science shelves.


The World History Shelf

The Enduring Legacy of Ancient China
Primary Source, Inc.
Cheng & Tsui Company
25 West Street
Boston, MA 02111-1213
9780887275081 $59.99 www.cheng-tsui.com

Compiled and edited by the educational experts of Primary Source, Inc., The Enduring Legacy of Ancient China: Primary Source Lessons for Teachers and Students is a curriculum-building reference and resource created especially for Chinese History instructors of students in 5th to 9th grade. Packed with 20 adaptable lessons about China's history, civilization and culture, each broken down into point-by-point outlines including student objectives, key vocabulary terms, hands-on activities, and more, The Enduring Legacy of Ancient China is a superb repository of ideas to create or modify one's lesson plans. An accompanying CD-ROM for Windows/Macintosh offers more than 250 full-color images and documents, many of which can be used at computer workstations or as printed handouts. Highly recommended; as China takes an increasingly prominent place on the world stage, teaching the next generation about its storied history and rich culture becomes even more imperative.

Pacific Blitzkrieg
Sharon Tosi Lacey
University of North Texas Press
PO Box 311336
Denton, TX 76203-1336
9781574415254 $27.95 www.unt.edu/untpress

Pacific Blitzkrieg: World War II in the Central Pacific is an in-depth historical scrutiny of ground operations for five major invasions in the Central Pacific: Guadalcanal, Tarawa, the Marshalls, Saipan, and Okinawa. Ground commanders had to integrate the U.S. Army and Marine Corps into a single strikeforce, a task that would have been challenging enough in peacetime, let alone during a world-spanning war. Pacific Blitzkrieg especially focuses upon how this seemingly miraculous feat was achieved, with particular attention paid to the detailed rules and procedures that made it happen. Supporting every stroke of tactical genius was the hard work of thousands of small actions and adaptations that enabled war - and incidents of severe partisanship such as the actions of the notorious General "Howlin' Mad" Smith could have, and almost did derail the entire effort. Heavily researched and meticulously presented, Pacific Blitzkrieg's keen, ground's-eye perspective is a welcome addition to military and world history collections. Highly recommended.

The Pentathlon Of The Ancient World
Frank Zarnowski
McFarland & Company
PO Box 611, Jefferson NC 28640
www.mcfarlandpub.com
9780786467839, $35.00, www.amazon.com

A pentathlon is a contest featuring five events. The name is derived from Greek: combining the words pente (five) and -athlon (competition). The first pentathlon was documented in Ancient Greece and was part of the Ancient Olympic Games. Five events were contested over one day for the Ancient Olympic pentathlon, starting with the long jump, javelin throw, and discus throw, followed by the stadion (a short foot race) and wrestling. Pentathletes were considered to be among the most skilled athletes, and their training was often part of military service - each of the five events in the pentathlon was thought to be useful in war or battle. "The Pentathlon Of The Ancient World" by Frank Zarnowski (Visiting Professor of Economics, Dartmouth College) is a 216 page detailed descriptive history of the Greek Pentathlon including the nature of the spectacle, the method of determining victors, notable champions. Of special note is the information provided on the 18 year history of the contemporary counterpart -- the decathlon. Enhanced with the inclusion of a record book and a glossary, "The Pentathlon Of The Ancient World" is informed, informative, and highly recommended for school, community, and academic library collections. It should also be noted it is also available in a Kindle edition ($14.99).

The Devil's Breath
Steven Hanon
NeWest Press
#201, 8540-109 Street
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 1E6
www.newestpress.com
9781927063293, $24.95, www.amazon.com

The Hillcrest mine disaster, the worst coal mining disaster in Canadian history, occurred at Hillcrest, Alberta, in the Crowsnest Pass region of western Canada, on Friday June 19, 1914, 9:30 am. At the time it was the world's third worst mine disaster. The accident had a profound effect on the town of Hillcrest Mines, which in 1914 had a population of about 1,000. A total of 189 workers died, about half of the mine's total workforce, which left 130 women widowed and about 400 children fatherless. Many of the victims were buried in a mass grave at the Hillcrest Cemetery. Condolences came from across the country, including a brief message from King George V, but the commencement of World War I soon overshadowed this event. Operations at Hillcrest mine continued until 1939. A monument to the Hillcrest mine disaster and the lives lost has been placed at the Hillcrest cemetery. "The Devil's Breath: The Story of the Hillcrest Mine Disaster of 1914" by documentary film maker and historian Steven Hanon is a 220 page detailed history of this tragic event including the heroism and courage of the people it affected. Superbly written, "The Devil's Breath: The Story of the Hillcrest Mine Disaster of 1914" is highly recommended and informative reading. It should also be noted that it is available in a Kindle edition ($8.69).


The Parenting Shelf

Jump-Starting Boys
Pam Withers & Cynthia Gill
Viva Editions
2246 Sixth Street
Berkeley, CA 94710-2219
9781936740390 $16.95 www.vivaeditions.com

Award-winning author Pam Withers and thirty-year high school teacher Cynthia Gill present Jump-Starting Boys: Help Your Reluctant Learner Find Success in School and Life, an invaluable reference and resource especially for parents with school-age sons. In today's changing economy and tight job market, literacy skills and a strong educational background are more important than ever for securing a successful future; yet boys tend to lag behind girls in the classroom and at college. Jump-Starting Boys is packed with tips, tricks, and techniques for encouraging boys to read more, teach them good homework habits, appreciate the values of math and science, determine and work with their own learning style, and much more. Strategies are presented with for parents of all types of underachievers - from boy who genuinely struggle in school, to boys who put forth very little effort, boys who slack off in spite of their brilliance, and boys who are hindered by a learning disability. Testimonials, checklists, and an extensive appendix round out this "must-read", worthy of the highest recommendation for both parental and public library collections.

The Artful Parent
Jean Van't Hul
Roost Books
c/o Shambhala Publications, Inc.
300 Massachusetts Avenue
Boston, MA 02115-4544
www.shambhala.com
9781590309643, $21.95, www.amazon.com

One of the principle responsibilities of parenthood is to foster their child's abilities and talents, to help their children become aware of and appreciate the process of creating beauty in the world. Compiled and written by Jean Van't Hul "The Artful Parent: Simple Ways to Fill Your Family's Life with Art and Creativity--Includes over 60 Art Projects for Children Ages 1 to 8" is a 304 page compendium packed cover to cover with simple, fun, child-centered arts and crafts activities that any parent can use to foster creativity and an appreciation for art in their child. Parents will learn how to select the best materials for a child's age, including how to make their own project materials. There are 'user friendly' instructions on preparing art activities that will appeal to energetic kids, kids in small groups, and more. Highly recommended for family and community library collections, "The Artful Parent: Simple Ways to Fill Your Family's Life with Art and Creativity--Includes over 60 Art Projects for Children Ages 1 to 8" would also prove invaluable resource for day care staff and pre-school/kindergarten teachers as well.


The Writing/Publishing Shelf

Improve Your Writing With NLP
Judith E. Pearson
Crown House Publishing
6 Trowbridge Drive Suite 5
Bethel, CT 06801
www.crownhousepublishing.com
9781845908614, $29.95, www.amazon.com

Neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) is an approach to communication, personal development, and psychotherapy created by Richard Bandler and John Grinder in California, USA in the 1970s. Its creators claim a connection between the neurological processes ("neuro"), language ("linguistic") and behavioral patterns learned through experience ("programming") and that these can be changed to achieve specific goals in life. Bandler and Grinder claim that the skills of exceptional people can be "modeled" using NLP methodology, then those skills can be acquired by anyone. Bandler and Grinder also claim that NLP can treat problems such as phobias, depression, habit disorder, psychosomatic illnesses, myopia, allergy, common cold and learning disorders, often in a single session. NLP has been adopted by some hypnotherapists and in seminars marketed to business and government. It has also now been adopted and adapted to the process of writing with "Improve Your Writing With NLP" by Judith E. Pearson. This 216 page compendium is essential a complete and analytical course in teaching aspiring authors cognitive strategies to improve their writing, as well as learning the writing process in all of its facets, how NLP models for creativity best apply, and perhaps most usefully of all, how to overcome the inevitable 'writer's block'. Thoroughly 'reader friendly', "Improve Your Writing With NLP" is a unique and highly recommended addition to any aspiring or professional writer's instructional reference collection.


The Fiction Shelf

A House Too Small: And Other Stories
Ezra Hirschmann
Texas Tech University Press
PO Box 41037, Lubbock, TX 79409-1037
www.ttupress.org
9780896727953, $26.95, www.amazon.com

The European holocaust of World War II has left a lasting impact on Jewish communities around the world. "A House Too Small: And Other Stories" is a 288 page compendium comprising seven short stories by Ezra Hirschmann, each of which is arises from that profound experience upon first and subsequent generations of Holocaust survivors. Superbly crafted literary masterpieces, the stories include Beggar in the Bahnhoff; The Clairvoyant; Fall of Grace; Hester's Folly; Lady Dorothy's Dilemma; Ghost of the Ganges; and the title piece, A House Too Small. An impressive contribution to academic and community library Modern Jewish Literature and Culture collections, "A House Too Small: And Other Stories" is thoughtful, thought-provoking, and highly recommended reading.


The Philosophy Shelf

My Friendship With Martin Buber
Maurice Friedman
Syracuse University Press
621 Skytop Road, Suite 110
Syracuse, NY 13244-5290
www.SyracuseUniversityPress.syr.edu
9780815610168, $24.95, www.amazon.com

Martin Buber (February 8, 1878 - June 13, 1965) was an Austrian-born Israeli Jewish philosopher best known for his philosophy of dialogue, a form of existentialism centered on the distinction between the I - Thou relationship and the I - It relationship.[1] Born in Vienna, Buber came from a family of observant Jews, but broke with Jewish custom to pursue secular studies in philosophy. In 1902, he became the editor of the weekly Die Welt, the central organ of the Zionist movement, although he later withdrew from organizational work in Zionism. In 1923, Buber wrote his famous essay on existence, Ich und Du (later translated into English as I and Thou), and in 1925, he began translating the Hebrew Bible into the German language. In 1930, Buber became an honorary professor at the University of Frankfurt am Main, but resigned in protest from his professorship immediately after Adolf Hitler came to power in 1933. He then founded the Central Office for Jewish Adult Education, which became an increasingly important body as the German government forbade Jews to attend public education. In 1938, Buber left Germany and settled in Jerusalem, Mandate Palestine (later Israel), receiving a professorship at Hebrew University and lecturing in anthropology and introductory sociology. "My Friendship With Martin Buber" by the late Maurice Friedman (1921-2012) is a 198 page compendium tracing a chronology of Friedman and Buber's association drawn extensively on Friedman's personal collection of letters exchanged with Buber. "My Friendship With Martin Buber" provides the reader with an engaging and informative exploration of intellectual and personal friendship shared between two unique and extraordinary men. Highly recommended for academic library Philosophy collections in general, and to students of Martin Buber's philosophy in particular.


The Theatre/Cinema Shelf

The Plays of Hrotswitha of Gandersheim
Larissa Bonfante, translator
Robert Chipok, editor
Bolchazy-Carducci Publishers
1570 Baskin Road, Mundelein, IL 60060
www.bolchazy.com
9780865167834, $29.00, www.amazon.com

Hrotsvitha of Gandersheim (c. 935 - c. 1002), was a 10th-century German secular canoness, as well as a dramatist and poet who lived and worked at Gandersheim Abbey in modern-day Bad Gandersheim, Lower Saxony, established by the Ottonian dynasty. She wrote in Latin, and is considered by some to be the first person since antiquity to compose drama in the Latin West. Ably translated into English by Larissa Bonfante (Professor of Classics Emerita, New York University) and deftly edited into a bilingual edition for Bolchazy-Carducci Publishers by Robert Chipok, "The Plays of Hrotswitha of Gandersheim" is a 432 page compendium showcasing theatrical plays of this unusual 10th century female playwright. Readers are treated to the original Latin on the left side and the English translation on the facing right-hand page. Enhanced with occasional illustrations, translator notes, a bibliography, and a Note to the Reader, "The Plays of Hrotswitha of Gandersheim" is a very highly recommended addition to academic library Latin Studies and Medieval Studies reference collections and supplemental reading lists.


The Poetry Shelf

Cattails And Sagebrush
Victor Pearn
Indian Paintbrush Poets
c/o Pearn & Associates
1600 Edora Court, Suite D
Fort Collins, CO 80525
9780989724203, $27.95, www.amazon.com

Poetry is a form of literary art which uses aesthetic and rhythmic qualities of language - such as phonaesthetics, sound symbolism, and metre - to evoke meanings in addition to, or in place of, the prosaic ostensible meaning. "Cattails And Sagebrush" is an 86 page compilation of poetry by Victor Pearn and well deserves the definition of 'literary art'. The subject matter of his musings range from the Colorado tundra to the Chinese tomb of Confucius, and from our three daily meals to a local park. Deftly written and using words the way an artist uses paints, the prose poetry of Victor Pearn creates memorable images that last long after this anthology has been set back upon the shelf. Three Things Not Omitted: The Farmer's bank on the West side of the / square was the tallest building in town and / towered seven stories into the sky. // On the East side of the square / there was a jewelry store. // The park had a flagpole with / old glory waving in the breeze.

Follow The Blackbirds
Gwen Nell Westerman
Michigan State University Press
1405 South Harrison Road, Suite 25
East Lansing, MI 48823-5245
www.msupress.msu.edu
9781611860924, $16.95, www.amazon.com

With its Native American themes, "Follow The Blackbirds" by Gwen Nell Westerman (Professor of English and Director of Humanities, Minnesota State University, Mankato) is an 80 page compendium of superbly crafted prose poetry. Professor Westerman (an enrolled member of the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate) writes with a lyrical clarity that engages the reader with a finally woven texture of words and emotions that are paradoxically both personal and universal. Of special note are the poems that employ Native American language. 'He Keya Woabdakedan': A cricket chorus / calls the moon to devotion where / flaxen blue sky blushed lavender. / Dragonflies rush to usher in the dusk. / Sunflower congregations bow their naked heads / as a celebrant sun blesses / lush fields of wheat with radiance. / Grains fall upon the ground / and life springs up as a song. / I give you peace. / My peace I leave you. / He keya woabdakedan.


The Education Shelf

Teaching the Critical Vocabulary of the Common Core
Marilee Sprenger
ASCD
1703 North Beauregard Street
Alexandria, VA 22311-1714
9781416615712 $27.95 www.ascd.org

Teaching the Critical Vocabulary of the Common Core: 55 Words That Make or Break Student Understanding is an educational guide designed to be useful for teachers of students in kindergarten through 12th grade. The focus is on teaching exactly what 55 critical words mean (particularly when they show up on standardized tests). Words such as "articulate", "connotative language", "figurative language", "determine," "analyze", "distinguish", and more have very specific meanings that are crucial to not only test taking, but also broader reading, writing, and speaking skills. A wide variety of simple suggested activities to drive student understanding of these critical words, from templates to "game show" style reviews to pictorial representations and much, much more round out this invaluable supplementary resource, highly recommended for professional teachers and college education shelves.

The 12 Touchstones of Good Teaching
Bryan Goodwin & Elizabeth Ross Hubbell
ASCD
1703 North Beauregard Street
Alexandria, VA 22311-1714
9781416616016 $28.95 www.ascd.org

The 12 Touchstones of Good Teaching: A Checklist for Staying Focused Every Day describes twelve daily things teachers can do to keep their classroom practice focused at the highest level of quality. Based on the pillars of "Be Demanding", "Be Supportive", and "Be Intentional", the points include "create an oasis of safety and respect in the classroom", and "peel back the curtain and make performance expectations clear." "...there are diminishing returns for time. That is, after a certain point, stretching the school day has less benefit, presumably because the additional time may not always be put to good use... longer class periods or school days won't necessarily translate into more learning if the added time isn't used wisely." The 12 Touchstones of Good Teaching is an excellent, broad-based, and highly recommended guidepost/supplementary resource for teachers of all skill and experience levels, including grade school educators, college professors, and homeschoolers!

Apprenticeship in Literacy, second edition
Linda J. Dorn & Tammy Jones
Stenhouse Publishers
477 Congress Street, Suite 4B
Portland, ME 04101-3451
www.stenhouse.com
9781571109668, $25.00, www.amazon.com

Now in an updated and expanded second edition, "Apprenticeship in Literacy: Transitions Across Reading And Writing, K-4" by the Linda J. Dorn (Professor of Reading Education and Director of the Center for Literacy, University of Arkansas at Little Rock) and Tammy Jones (Vice President of Professional Development, Benchmark Education Company) is a 240 page compendium covering every aspect and facet of an apprenticeship approach to teaching elementary school children to read and write. Featuring updated research on the importance of early reading as an indicator of academic success; numerous classroom examples; language prompts promoting self-regulated learners; schedules for implementing a workshop framework for whole-group, small-group, and one-to-one settings; incorporating information texts into a balanced literacy program; an emphasis on the importance of the writing process; and practical ideas on establishing routines and for organizing the classroom, "Apprenticeship in Literacy" is an especially recommended instructional resource for novice teachers and has much of value for even the more experienced K-4 classroom instructor.

Writing a Successful College Application Essay, fifth edition
George Ehrenhaft
Barron's
250 Wireless Boulevard
Hauppauge, NY 11788
9781438001494 $13.99 www.barronseduc.com

Now in an updated fifth edition, Writing a Successful College Application Essay is a handy guide packed with tips, tricks, and techniques for creating an essay that showcases one's credentials and talents. Step-by-step instructions walk the reader through how to deal with common essay questions, avoiding pitfalls, crafting a rough draft, editing for clarity and interest, and much more. Sample passages from successful essays round out this "must-have" for anyone attempting to get into college!


The Reference Shelf

Racial And Ethnic Diversity, seventh edition
Editorial Staff
New Strategist Press
PO Box 242, Ithaca, NY 18451
9781940308012, $94.95, www.newstrategist.com

Now in a completed updated and significantly expanded seventh edition, "Racial And Ethnic Diversity: Asians, Blacks, Hispanics, Native Americans, And Whites" is a 798 page compendium that provides a current and detailed profile of the U.S. population. It is interesting to note that Hispanics are now the largest minority population in the U.S. With more than 100 million Americans classified as African America, Hispanic, or Asian, the U.S. is now clearly and unequivocally a multicultural nation. Like its predecessors, this seventh edition also focuses upon statistical data for American households broken down by ethnicity. This includes data on wealth, asset ownership, and debt. Of special note are the population projections to 2050, including college enrollments and health status. A new feature is the section on attitudes. Comprehensive, authoritative, reliable, and impressive, "Racial And Ethnic Diversity" is very highly recommended, for professional, corporate, community, governmental, and academic library reference collections. It should also be noted that "Racial And Ethnic Diversity" is also available as a PDF download from New Strategist Press.

Ranking America's Fifty States
Michael D. Dulberger
Bernan Press
c/o Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group
4501 Forbes Blvd., Suite 200
Lanham, MD 20706
9781598886696 $39.00 www.rlpgbooks.com

Ranking America's Fifty States: A Comparison in Graphic Detail lives up to its title with an array of color graphs presenting straightforward, easy-to-comprehend statistical data comparing America's fifty states. From "Daily Newspaper Circulation (15.1 per 100 persons nationally in 2009)" to "Toxic Chemical Releases (3,386 million pounds nationally in 2009)", "Medicaid Recipients (20.0 percent of population nationally in 2009)" and much more, Ranking America's Fifty States gives at-a-glance bar graph portraits that are immediately comprehensible to researchers and lay readers alike, enhanced with an index for quick and easy cross-reference. Highly recommended.


The Political Science Shelf

The Almanac Of The Unelected: 2013
Suzanne Struglinski & Samantha Young, editors
Bernan Press
c/o Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group
4501 Forbes Blvd., Suite 200, Lanham, MD 20706
www.rlpgbooks.com
9781598886313, $299.00, www.amazon.com

This 24th edition of "The Almanac Of The Unelected: 2013" provides a comprehensive listing of all the 113 Congress' staff members who serve on committees in the House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate. Also included are the staff members on Joint Committees, as well as those on select, special, and other congressional committees. Of special note are the opening description on diversity within the 133 Congress, the congressional battle over the nation's finances, debating such political divisive issues as gun control, and the cabinet nomination process. Each individual staff member entry is noted by name and includes their title, office location, phone number, email address, educational background, general professional history, areas of expertise, and congressional staff history. "The Almanac Of The Unelected: 2013" is an invaluable guide and is an especially recommended addition to professional, corporate, community, NGO, State, Federal, and academic library Governmental Studies reference and resource collections.

The DREAMers
Walter J. Nicholls
Stanford University Press
1450 Page Mill Road
Palo Alto, CA 94304-1124
9780804788847 $24.95 www.sup.org

The DREAMers: How the Undocumented Youth Movement Transformed the Immigrant Rights Debate examines the recent American shift in discourse and politics concerning undocumented youth - many of whom were illegally brought to America as young children. Now often referred to as DREAMers, in reference to the DREAM Act, a law that would potentially allow these young people (who have lived in America for nearly all their lives and are culturally American) the legal right to stay in America. The DREAMers traces the story of this youth movement from its origins in the early 2000s to the present day, referring to interviews, news stories, testimony from activists, and much more to reveal not only how undocumented youth have made their voice heard, but also how other stigmatized groups might do so as well. Highly recommended.


The Art Shelf

Andrea Pozzo And Video Art
Felix Burda-Stengel
Saint Joseph's University Press
5600 City Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19131-1395
9780916101787, $70.00, www.amazon.com

Andrea Pozzo (30 November 1642 - 31 August 1709) was an Italian Jesuit Brother, Baroque painter and architect, decorator, stage designer, and art theoretician. Pozzo was best known for his grandiose frescoes using illusionistic technique called quadratura, in which architecture and fancy are intermixed. His masterpiece is the nave ceiling of the Church of Sant'Ignazio in Rome. Through his techniques, he has become one of the most remarkable figures of the Baroque period. He is also noted for the architectural plans of the Ljubljana Cathedral (1700), inspired by the designs of the Jesuit churches Il Gesu and S. Ignazio in Rome. Video art is a type of art which relies on moving pictures and comprises video and/or audio data. "Andrea Pozzo And Video Art" by Felix Burda-Stengel is a beautifully illustrated, 179 page compendium analytically showcasing the life and work of this Baroque master of the arts. After laying out a through history and exploration of Pozzo's work, author Felix Burda-Stengel goes on to applying video art perspectives in chapters eleven and twelve. Of special note is the concluding chapter thirteen offering new criteria and concepts for the description of Baroque view of art. A work of unique and impressive scholarship, enhanced with exhaustive notes, an extensive bibliography, and a comprehensive index, "Andrea Pozzo And Video Art" is very highly recommended, especially for academic library Art History reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

Poetry to the Earth
Suzanne L. Flynt
Hudson Hills Press
Box 250, East Hampton, MA 01027-0250
www.hudsonhills.com
9781555953836, $60.00, www.amazon.com

Arts and Crafts was an international design movement that flourished between 1860 and 1910, especially in the second half of that period, continuing its influence until the 1930s. It was led by the artist and writer William Morris (1834 - 1896) during the 1860s, and was inspired by the writings of John Ruskin (1819 - 1900) and Augustus Pugin (1812 - 1852). It developed first and most fully in the British Isles, but spread to the rest of Europe and North America. It was largely a reaction against the impoverished state of the decorative arts at the time and the conditions in which they were produced. It stood for traditional craftsmanship using simple forms and often applied medieval, romantic or folk styles of decoration. It advocated economic and social reform and has been said to be essentially anti-industrial. The community of Deerfield, Massachusetts was home to an extraordinary group of women that contributed to the arts and crafts movement. "Poetry to the Earth: The Arts & Crafts Movement in Deerfield" by Suzanne L. Flynt (Curator of Memorial hall Museum, Deerfield, Massachusetts) is a beautifully and profusely illustrated, 240 page compendium providing a chronologically organized and presented overview of the arts and crafts movement in Deerfield. From needlework, furniture, basket making, and pottery, to photography, metalwork, and weaving, the examples presented are bolstered by an informed and informative commentary. An impressive work from beginning to end, "Poetry to the Earth: The Arts & Crafts Movement in Deerfield" is an especially valued and recommended contribution to personal, professional, academic, and community library Art History reference collections and supplemental reading lists.


The Music Shelf

Correspondence of Franz Liszt and the Comtesse Marie D'Agou
Michael Short
Pendragon Press
PO Box 190, Hillsdale, NY 12529
www.pendragonpress.com
9781576471654, $76.00, www.amazon.com

Franz Liszt (October 22, 1811 - July 31, 1886) was a 19th-century Hungarian composer, virtuoso pianist, conductor, teacher and Franciscan tertiary. Comtesse Marie D'Agou was a celebrated French historian and the mother of Liszt's three children. Michael Short has translated and edited for publication more than 400 letters between Franz Liszt and Marie D'Agou. The result is a remarkable 400 page compendium that is a unique and invaluable contribution to students of Liszt, his life and his work. No personal, professional, or academic collection dedicated to Liszt's life and achievements can be considered complete without the inclusion of the Pendragon Press edition of Michael Short's "Correspondence of Franz Liszt and the Comtesse Marie D'Agou". Also strongly recommended for students of Liszt's life and work is Michael Short's "The Letters Of Liszt In The Collections Of The Library Of Congress" (9781576470206, $76.00).


The Psychology Shelf

Creating Sanctuary, second edition
Sandra L. Bloom
Routledge
711 - 3rd Avenue, Floor 8
NY, NY 10017-9209
www.routledge.com
9780415821094, $37.95, www.amazon.com

A sanctuary is a safe place, a protected refuge, a place of healing and restoration. Now in an updated and expanded second edition, "Creating Sanctuary: Toward the Evolution of Sane Societies" by Sandra L. Bloom (Associate Professor of Health Policy and Management, School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia) is a 368 page compendium that provides a detailed and informative description of a hospital-based program specifically designed to treat adults who had been abused as children. The theories and practices around which such a program is founded represents significant advances in our understanding about psychological impactive trauma and adversity. This newly revised edition features an Adverse Childhood Experiences Study presented in 1998; new information about Epigenetics (the study of changes in gene expression or cellular phenotype, caused by mechanisms other than changes in the underlying DNA sequence - some of which have been shown to be heritable genetics); and new material about what recent research has revealed about the brain and violence. Comprehensive, nicely organized, accessibly presented, "Creating Sanctuary" is especially recommended as a textbook for counseling, social work, and clinical psychology curriculums on mental health, trauma, and trauma theory.


The Architecture Shelf

The Architect's History of Architecture, third edition
Hans Morgenthaler
Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company
4050 Westmark Drive
Dubuque, IA 52002
9780757591396 $123.90 www.kendallhunt.com

Now in an updated third edition, The Architect's History of Architecture features an extensive chronicle of architecture's evolution through history, covering a multitude of eras and cultures. Chapters discuss Egyptian temples, non-Western architecture, Greek architecture, early Christian and Byzantine architecture, Islamic architecture, early and high renaissance architecture, art noveau, countermodernism, postmodernism, and much more. Small yet illuminating black-and-white photographs of various architectural styles pepper almost every page of this excellent, broad-ranging survey, suitable as a classroom instructional text and highly recommended especially for college and trade school library collections.


The Military Shelf

Soviet and Russian Military Aircraft in the Middle East
Yefim Gordon & Dmitriy Komissarov
Crecy Publishing
c/o Specialty Press
99 Spring Street, 3rd floor, New York, NY 10012
www.specialtypress.com
9781902109282, $56.95, www.amazon.com

Soviet supplied military aviation to middle east countries like Syria continue to the present day. The collaborative work of Russian aviation experts Yefim Gordon and Dmitriy Komissarov, "Soviet and Russian Military Aircraft in the Middle East: Air Arms, Equipment and Conflicts Since 1955" is a profusely illustrated, 272 page compendium providing a detailed history of Soviet military aircraft used to create the aviation combat capabilities of Iraq, Syria and other middle eastern countries and which were involved in all the middle eastern conflicts including the Suez Crisis, the Six-Day and Yom Kippur Wars, and today's civil war in Syria. Organized and presented by country, featuring combat usage, and detailed descriptions of the aircraft and their armaments, "Soviet and Russian Military Aircraft in the Middle East" is comprehensive, informative, and an invaluable contribution to personal and academic library Military Aviation History reference collections and supplemental reading lists.


The Autism Shelf

Teach Me With Pictures
Simone Griffin, Ruth Harris and Linda Hodgdon
Jessica Kingsley Publishers, Inc.
400 Market Street, Suite 400
Philadelphia, PA 19106
9781849052016 $32.95 www.jkp.com

Featuring photocopiable pages (a disclaimer gives the owner permission to photocopy all pages with a checkmark icon for personal use) and an accompanying CD-ROM of printable scripts, Teach Me With Pictures: 40 Fun Picture Scripts to Develop Play and Communication Skills in Children on the Autism Spectrum is an excellent resource especially for parents, caregivers, educators, and counselors responsible for younger children with autism. The black-and-white, photocopiable images represent step-by-step common activities such as drawing, cooking, arts, crafts, life skills, and more; text instructions elucide how to use the images most effectively. Ideal for classrooms, therapy, or even simply at home, Teach Me With Pictures is highly recommended.

From Like to Love for Young People With Asperger's Syndrome
Tony Attwood & Michelle Garnet
Jessica Kingsley Publishers, Inc.
400 Market Street, Suite 400
Philadelphia, PA 19106
www.jkp.com
9781849054362, $19.95, www.amazon.com

Asperger's Syndrome (AS) is an autism spectrum disorder that is characterized by significant difficulties in social interaction and nonverbal communication, alongside restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior and interests. It differs from other autism spectrum disorders by its relative preservation of linguistic and cognitive development. Although not required for diagnosis, physical clumsiness and atypical (peculiar, odd) use of language are frequently reported. Children with AS require extra special parenting if they are to grow up into healthy and adjusted adults. "From Like to Love for Young People With Asperger's Syndrome (Autism Spectrum Disorder): Learning How to Express and Enjoy Affection With Family and Friends" by clinical psychologists Tony Attwood and Michelle Garnett is a 176 page compendium comprised of specifically designed activities that parents can utilize to enable their children to emotionally function in social situations and within the family unit. Highly recommended for personal, professional, academic, and community library Parenting Skills and Autism Studies reference collections, parents needing guidance in working through and with the challenges presented by the AS children will find "From Like to Love for Young People With Asperger's Syndrome" to be an invaluable and 'user friendly' instruction guide. It should be noted that "From Like to Love for Young People With Asperger's Syndrome" is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99).


The Computer Shelf

Fundamentals Of Information Systems Security, second edition
David Kim & Michael G. Solomon
Jones & Bartlett Learning
5 Wall Street, Burlington, MA 01803
www.jblearning.com
9781284031621, $98.95, www.amazon.com

Hostile attempts to illegally infiltrate computer systems for the purpose of obtaining information or to wreck havoc are happening every hour of every day. That is why computers and computer systems have to maintain the highest security against unwanted intrusion as possible. Now in a completely updated and expanded second edition, "Fundamentals Of Information Systems Security" by information systems security experts David Kim and Michael G. Solomon is an ideal 555 page compendium covering every aspect, facet and issue of information systems security. Key features include the risks, threats, and vulnerabilities associated with the transformation to a digital world; a high-level overview of the seven domains within the Systems Security Certified Practitioner certification; practical information on security standards, education, professional certification, and recent compliance laws. Of special note is the SSCP practice exam as well as a coupon offer for an SSCP Review Seminar. Especially well organized and presented, "Fundamentals Of Information Systems Security" is strongly recommended as a classroom textbook as well as a core addition to professional and academic library Computer Science reference collections and supplemental reading lists.


The Large Print Shelf

Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230
West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com

Ulverscroft is the premier publisher of large print books and a mainstay resource of such titles for community library as well as non-specialist general readers who need a large print format. Their Thorpe's "Linford Western Library" series is the primary imprint for large print western novels whose current and backlist titles form an impressive library for the genre. Five of their newest large print western titles are to be especially recommended for western fiction enthusiasts. Jack Dakota's "Hell Stage To Lone Pine" (9781444856334, $20.99); Lance Howard's "Hell On Hoofs" (9781444816358, $20.99); Rob Hill's "Sheriff Of Vengeance" (9781444816341, $20.99), Will Keen's "Trouble At Mesquite Flats" (9781444816365, $20.99); and Terrell L. Bowers' "Gun Law Of Phoenix Cline" (8781444816327, $20.99) are original stories that pack exciting western action/adventure entertainment into every tale. Highly recommended to western novel enthusiasts who require large print texts, community librarians especially would be well advised to visit the Ulverscroft web site and request their free quarterly catalogs create their large print collections in every literary genre -- but especially the western!


The Native American Studies Shelf

Under the Eagle
Samuel Holiday and Robert S. McPherson
University of Oklahoma Press
2800 Venture Drive
Norman, OK 73069
9780806143897 $19.95 www.oupress.com

Under the Eagle: Samuel Holiday, Navajo Code Talker is autobiographical testimony of Samuel Holiday (b. 1924), one of the few remaining Navajo code talkers - Native Americans who served their country in World War II by using the complex Navajo language as the basis for an encryption system, which the enemy never cracked. Historian Robert S. McPherson interviewed Holiday extensively, and interleaves both historical and cultural context to the events of Holiday's life story. Holiday speaks of his worldview as a Navajo, his traditional upbringing in Utah, his time at an Indian boarding school, and what it was like to serve during World War II. Under the Eagle is not only a fascinating, true personal story; it is also an invaluable addition to Native American studies and Military History shelves. Highly recommended.


The African-American Studies Shelf

Trail Sisters
Linda Williams Reese
Texas Tech University Press
PO Box 41037
Lubbock, TX 79409-1037
9780896728103 $39.95 www.ttupress.org

Trail Sisters: Freedwomen in Indian Territory, 1850-1890 examines the lives of African-American women who were slaves of the Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Seminole, and Creek Nations. Some were treated horrifically by their slaveowners; others were considered kindred. All of them suffered the hardship of the forced removal to Indian Territory. The Civil War dramatically changed their lives - legally, they were freed, but often bereft of places to go. Individual African-American women faced the challenges of reconstructing their lives - some sought education, while others formed relationships with immigrant African-Americans, and still others figured out how to earn an honest living on their own. Trail Sisters is the true story of a pioneer women, and their courage in the face of incredible hardship, highly recommended especially for American History and African-American Studies shelves.


The Photography Shelf

On Sports Photography
Peter Read Miller
New Riders
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300
Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
9780321857125 $49.99 www.newriders.com

Peter Read Miller, a 30-year veteran photographer of the beautiful and popular "Sports Illustrated" magazine, offers tips, tricks, techniques, and expertise of his trade in On Sports Photography. Packed cover to cover with lavish and striking photographs, including images of star athletes in action and highlights from the Olympics, On Sports Photography is highly recommended as an excellent reference and resource for photographers of all skill and experience levels, from soccer moms capturing memorable snapshots of youth players on the field to professionals covering popular events. "When [photo] shooting the javelin, you want to be as close to the side of the throwing vector as the officials will allow and low enough that you have a decent angle of the thrower. The javelin is definitely a full-body shot, because the throwers do some amazing contortions as they release..."


The Money/Finance Shelf

199 Fun And Effective Fundraising Events For Nonprofit Organizations
Eileen Figure Sandlin & Richard Helweg
Atlantic Publishing Group, Inc.
1405 S.W. 6th Avenue, Ocala, FL 34471
www.atlantic-pub.com
9781601381484, $24.95, www.amazon.com

Whether a member of a church, a social club, or a community organization, we have all had to participate in raising money for our causes. "199 Fun And Effective Fundraising Events For Nonprofit Organizations" by Eileen Figure Sandlin and Richard Helweg is a 480 page compendium packed from cover to cover with practical, proven, imaginative ways to organize and hold fun raising activities that go far beyond the usual bake sale or pot luck social. Each instructionally described fund raising event covers planning for an estimated cost, obtaining sponsors/donations, finding a venue, recruiting volunteers, preparations, execution. The 199 individual fund raising projects are grouped into chapters: Arts and Crafts; Auctions and Raffles; Food and Drinks; Games and Contests; Holidays and Special Occasions; Shows; Sports; Themed Events; Sales; and Miscellaneous. From a Student Art Gallery; to a Spelling Bee; to Fundraising by Blogging; to a Home and Garden Show, all of these events are 'user friendly' and proven effective. Enhanced with the inclusion of the concluding chapter 'Advice from the Experts', "199 Fun And Effective Fundraising Events For Nonprofit Organizations" will prove an invaluable addition to any NGO and community library instructional reference collection. It should be noted that "199 Fun And Effective Fundraising Events For Nonprofit Organizations" is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99).


The Religion/Spirituality Shelf

101 Questions and Answers on the Crusades and the Inquisition
John Vidmar, OP
Paulist Press
997 MacArthur Boulevard
Mahwah, NJ 07430
www.paulistpress.com
9780809148042, $14.95, www.amazon.com

The two most controversial actions of the Roman Catholic Church in its nearly two thousand year old history were the Crusades and the Inquisition. The Crusades were religious conflicts in the High Middle Ages through to the end of the Late Middle Ages conducted by Catholic Europe against Muslims, pagans, heretics, and people under the ban of excommunication. The Inquisition was a group of institutions within the judicial system of the Roman Catholic Church whose aim was to combat heresy. In "101 Questions and Answers on the Crusades and the Inquisition", Fr. John Vidmar, OP provides a synthesis of his own scholarship and the latest historical research to create a 128 page compendium comprised of common and often difficult questions concerning the Church's role in these events. Thoroughly 'reader friendly' in text and content, "101 Questions and Answers on the Crusades and the Inquisition" is highly recommended reading for both Catholic and non-Catholic general readers.

Rene Girard And Secular Modernity
Scott Cowdell
University of Notre Dame Press
310 Flanner Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556
www.undpress.nd.edu
9780268023744, $34.00, www.amazon.com

Rene Girard (born December 25, 1923) is a French historian, literary critic, and philosopher of social science. His work belongs to the tradition of anthropological philosophy. "Rene Girard and Secular Modernity: Christ, Culture, and Crisis" by Scott Cowdell (Associate Professor and Research Fellow in Public and Contextual Theology of Charles Stuart University, Canberra, Australia) is a 248 page compendium comprising an insightful and systematic interpretation of Rene Girard's controversial approach to secular modernity. A work of original and meticulous scholarship, "Rene Girard and Secular Modernity: Christ, Culture, and Crisis" is deftly organized into five chapters: Mimesis, Modernity, and Madness; Violence, the Sacred Canopy; Scripture and Secularization; Modern Institutions and Violence; and War, Terror, Apocalypse. Of special note are Professor Cowdell's 'Conclusions'. Enhanced with a substantial body of notations, an extensive bibliography, and a comprehensive index, "Rene Girard and Secular Modernity: Christ, Culture, and Crisis" is highly recommended for academic library "Christian Studies" and "Contemporary Philosophy" collections, as well as the supplemental reading lists for students of Rene Girard's life and work.


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