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Library Bookwatch

Volume 10, Number 9 September 2015 Home | LBW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Writing/Publishing Shelf Pets/Wildlife Shelf
Judicial Studies Shelf American History Shelf Education Shelf
Literary Studies Shelf Computer Shelf Audiobook Shelf
Library CD Shelf Library DVD Shelf Psychology Shelf
Art Shelf Dance Shelf Cookbook Shelf
Nautical Shelf Economic Studies Shelf International Studies Shelf
Fiction Shelf Civil War Shelf Political Science Shelf
Genealogy Shelf Native American Studies Shelf Biography Shelf
Theatre/Cinema Shelf    


Reviewer's Choice

Daisy Turner's Kin
Jane C. Beck
University of Illinois Press
1325 South Oak Street, Champaign, IL 61820-6975
9780252080791 $24.95 www.press.uillinois.edu

Daisy Turner's Kin: An African American Family Saga is the multigenerational biography/oral history of an African American family. In 1983, folklorist Jane Beck initiated a series of interviews with Daisy Turner, who was one hundred years old at the time, and recounting four generations of oral history. Turner's family history originated among the Yoruba people of West Africa, endured the crushing burden of slavery, and continues through the twentieth century. Chapters recount how Turner's ancestors were abducted into slavery, daily life as a slave in Vermont, how Daisy's father Alec Turner learned to read and returned as a soldier to his former plantation to kill his former overseer, and much more. A handful of black-and-white photographs and an index enhance this welcome contribution to African-American Studies and Biography shelves.

The Peach Blossom Fan
K'ung Shang-Jen, author
Chen Shih-Hsiang, translator
New York Review of Books
435 Hudson Street, Suite 300, New York, NY 10014
9781590178768 $17.95 www.nybooks.com

Superbly translated from the original Chinese, The Peach Blossom Fan is a work of literature that bring the political intrigues and the downfall of the Ming dynasty to life, written in the style of a poetic play. In the mid 1640s, China suffers from terrible famine, Peking falls to the Manchus, and the emperor hangs himself. Ming loyalists congregate in the southern capital of Nanking, and two brave generals strive to defend the city. But corruption, decadence, and factionalism plague the court in exile. The newly installed emperor and his cronies care for nothing but pleasures such as theater, while troops starve outside the city. The ruling elite's foolishness can only bring doom, yet two members of the Revival Club, the handsome young scholar Hou Fang-yu and his lover Fragrant Princess, struggle to survive and find happiness amid disaster. The Peach Blossom Fan is highly recommended especially for public and college library literature collections.


The Writing/Publishing Shelf

Spellbinding Sentences
Barbara Baig
www.barbarabaig.com
Writer's Digest Books
c/o F+W Media
10151 Carver Road, Suite 200, Blue Ash, OH 45242
WritersDigest.com
9781599639154 $19.99 www.wherewriterslearn.com

Professional writing teacher Barbara Baig presents Spellbinding Sentences: A Writer's Guide to Achieving Excellence & Captivating Readers lives up to its title as a practical guide improving one's writing through study, practice, and learning from quality models. Chapters cover both nuts and bolts of syntax and advanced strategies of composition, with a wealth of demonstrative examples throughout. "Just like athletes and musicians, writers can break down the complex activity of writing into its component skills; we can practice each skill on its own, then combine it with others." Filled cover to cover with tips, tricks, techniques, and useful advice, Spellbinding Sentences is a "must-have" for aspiring writers everywhere! Also highly recommended is Barbara Baig's previous book, "How to Be a Writer: Building Your Creative Skills Through Practice and Play."

Academic Writing Now
David Starkey
Broadview Press
c/o FedEx Trade Networks
555 Riverwalk Parkway, Tonawanda, NY 14150
9781554812493 $19.95 www.broadviewpress.com

Academic Writing Now: A Brief Guide for Busy Students is a resource created especially to teach college students (or high school graduates) a basic, introductory college writing course; it can be used as a self-study tool or as a complement to class. Chapters focus on the most critical elements of composing a clear, concise academic essay. "Timesaver tips", tricks, and techniques fill out this superb guide to writing succinctly and well when one's free time is strictly limited. "Don't do a final proofreading until you have completely revised and edited your draft. It's never a bad idea to correct small errors as you see them. However, if you move into the final proofreading process while you still have major changes to make, much of your time will be wasted." Although there are a few pages that encourage students to practice writing their thoughts and questions, Academic Writing Now is primarily a user-friendly textbook rather than a consumable book. Highly recommended, especially for prospective college students.


The Pets/Wildlife Shelf

Helping Minds Meet
Helen Zulch and Daniel Mills
Hubble & Hattie
c/o Veloce Publishing
www.velocebooks.com
9781845845766 $19.95 www.hubbleandhattie.com

Written to be accessible to dog owners of all backgrounds, Helping Minds Meet: Skills for a Better Life with Your Dog is a guide to understanding how dogs think and effective ways to train them. The text emphasizes learning to comprehend how dogs perceive the world, and using that knowledge to better communicate with and teach them. Full-color photography on virtually every page illustrates this practical-minded, straightforward reference and resource. The dog training guidelines range from how to teach basic commands to preparing one's dog to run agility courses. "Never make the obstacles [of a home agility course] so secure that they can't be knocked over by your dog - if a stick can be knocked off its support, it is less likely that a dog will trip or injure himself." Highly recommended for dog owners everywhere.


The Judicial Studies Shelf

A War Like No Other
Owen Fiss
Edited and with a foreword by Trevor Sutton
The New Press
126 Wall Street, floor 31, New York, NY 10005-4007
9781620970973 $27.95 www.thenewpress.com

If an American citizen takes up arms against America, at what point should he be treated as an "enemy combatant" with fewer legal protections than any other criminal or murderer? Legal scholar Owen Fiss presents A War Like No Other: The Constitution in a Time of Terror, an examination how constitutional principles of freedom have been altered by counterterrorism practices in the wake of the September 11th attacks. Those practices have since become enshrined in judicial opinion. Fiss studies legal controversies of the past decade including "Hamdi v. Rumsfeld" and "Boumediene v. Bush". A War Like No Other strives to illuminate the role that the judiciary has played, and continues to play, while mediating how the administration can treat suspected terrorists. A key issue is the balancing point between the judiciary's responsibility to defend basic human rights and the President's responsibility to protect national security and foreign relations. Thoughtful and thought-provoking, A War Like No Other is a "must-read" for legal students, scholars, and professionals, and a "must-have" for public and college library Judicial Studies collections.

Law, Privacy and Surveillance in Canada in the Post-Snowden Era
Michael Geist, editor
University of Ottawa Press
542 King Edward, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, K1N 6N5
9780776622071 $54.95 www.press.uottawa.ca

American whistleblower Edward Snowden leaked classified information from the U.S. National Security Agency in 2013, an act with severe and ongoing repercussions both domestically and abroad. His revelations of the extent of the NSA's spying ignited a firestorm of debate. Law, Privacy and Surveillance in Canada in the Post-Snowden Era is an anthology of scholarly essays by a diversity of legal experts, discussing the role of The Communications Security Establishment, which is the Canadian counterpart to America's NSA. The Community Security Establishment has engaged in surveillance activities both home and abroad, which prompts a host of difficult legal and policy conundrums. Individual writings include "Lawful Illegality: What Snowden Has Taught Us about the Legal Infrastructure of the Surveillance State", "Permanent Accountability Gaps and Partial Remedies", "Why Watching the Watchers Isn't Enough: Canadian Surveillance Law in the Post-Snowden Era", and much more. An excellent addition to international legal and judicial studies shelves, offering thoughtful perspectives worthy of considering when shaping governmental policy, Law, Privacy and Surveillance in Canada in the Post-Snowden Era is especially recommended for college library collections.


The American History Shelf

The Pedestriennes
Harry Hall
Dog Ear Publishing
4010 W. 86th Street, Ste H, Indianapolis, IN 46268
9781457534294 $30.00 www.dogearpublishing.net

The Pedestriennes: America's Forgotten Superstars explores a little-known chapter in sports history, women's history, and American history. In the late 1860s, an emerging sport briefly rose to prominence: professional endurance walking. Male athletes who participated were called pedestrians, but there were a handful professional female endurance walkers, called pedestriennes. Professional endurance walking remained significant for five years, and is virtually forgotten today, but the pedestriennes notably challenged common social preconceptions about women's capabilities, laying groundwork for the suffragist movement and women's participation in the Olympics. Enhanced with extensive notes and a bibliography, The Pedestriennes explores the fascinating history of these remarkable female athletes, their triumphs, and their setbacks. Highly recommended, especially for public and college library collections.

Before the Big Bonanza
Donnelyn Curtis & Lawrence I. Berkove, editors
University of Missouri Press
2910 LeMone Boulevard, Columbia, MO 65201
9780826220387 $60.00 www.umsystem.edu/upress

Author Dan De Quille (pen name of William Wright) is well-known for his classic history of the Comstock mines of western Nevada, "The Big Bonanza", published in 1875. Before the Big Bonanza: Dan De Quille's Early Comstock Accounts gathers fifty previously uncollected letters that De Quille wrote to five periodicals around the country from 1860 to 1863. This writings contain De Quille's detailed, colorful accounts of the early development of the Comstock Lode and its related communities. A notable aspect of these settlements is that many of the influx had no desire to make the area a permanent home; their drive was to "get in, get rich, and get out". Expertly edited with notes, a bibliography, and an index, Before the Big Bonanza is a firsthand primary source that is as exciting as it is enlightening, and highly recommended especially for college library American History collections.

The Underground Railroad
Laurie Collier Hillstrom
Omnigraphics, Inc.
155 W. Congress, Suite 200, Detroit, MI 48226
www.omnigraphics.com
9780780813465, $60.00 (trade) / $55.00 (library), www.amazon.com

The latest addition to the outstanding Omnigraphics 'Defining Moments' series, "The Underground Railroad" by Laurie Collier Hillstrom presents a detailed, illustrated, and authoritative overview of the Underground Railroad, which was a network of safe houses and secret routes used by thousands of enslaved African Americans in the 1800s to escape to free states. "The Underground Railroad" is deftly organized and presented in three major sections consisting of seven narrative overviews; ten key biographies; and fourteen primary sources. Enhanced with the inclusion of a six page glossary of Important People, Places, and Terms; an eight page Chronology; a three page roster of Sources for Further Study; a two page Bibliography, a two page listing of Photo and Illustration Credits; and a twenty-five page Index. An ideal reference for student report research topics and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the 19th Century American history, "The Underground Railroad" is very highly recommended for personal, community, school, and university library reference collections and supplemental studies reading lists.


The Education Shelf

Power Up
Diana Neebe and Jen Roberts
Stenhouse Publishers
480 Congress Street, Portland, ME 04101-3451
9781625310132 $24.00 www.stenhouse.com

Power Up: Making the Shift to 1:1 Teaching and Learning is a resource for secondary teachers to using a personalized, technology-rich classroom for optimal instruction. The 1:1 ratio refers to the concept that every student has access to their own computer, laptop, or tablet during class. Chapters describe how a 1:1 classroom operates, how to avoid common problems, encourage innovative thinking, promote communication, and more, supplemented with examples from 1:1 classrooms. Power Up is a "must-have" for an educational instructor working in a 1:1 environment. "By forcing our students to think beyond what they created, and to consider how they created it, we expose how much we value high-quality collaboration. Students learn that working effectively with others represents far more than just earning a grade, and that in the end, learning these soft skills will matter as much as learning content material."

Take 5! for Science
Kaye Hagler & Judy Elgin
Capstone Press
c/o Maupin House Publishing
PO Box 669, Mankato, MN 56002-0669
www.maupinhouse.com
www.capstonepress.com
9781496602923, $23.95, 224pp, www.amazon.com

The collaborative effort of experienced classroom teachers Kaye Hagler and Judy Elgin, "Take 5! for Science: 150 Prompts that Build Writing and Critical Thinking Skills" is a highly recommended curriculum supplement for incorporating unique science prompts to help transform five minutes of class time into engaging writing opportunities. "Take 5! for Science" also address NGSS and ELA CCSS as it explores topics in physical, life, and earth science and engineering design through writing prompts. Each topic includes a K-2 and 3-5 writing prompt, a science refresher, and strategies for developing science and engineering practices, plus digital and print resources to supplement science instruction. Students in grades K-5 exercise their mental muscles as they work individually, in pairs, or as a collaborative team on prompts that support your standards-based lessons. Whether your students are working to save endangered ecosystems, investigating distant constellations, creating unusual animals, or constructing a design solution, these diverse and creative prompts will have students look forward to the part of the day when they're asked to "Take Five!" for science. The 150 prompts establish the learning environment each day from the minute that students step into the class. Each science topic includes: ready-to-use prompts for physical, life, and earth science and for engineering design; correlations to NGSS and ELA CCSS; science background refreshers; strategies for science and engineering practices; supply lists for prompts and practices; additional digital and print resources; assessment options; and rubrics. Thoroughly 'user friendly' in composition, organization, and presentation, it should be noted that "Take 5! for Science" is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99).


The Literary Studies Shelf

Married or Single?
Catharine Maria Sedgwick
Edited with an introduction by Deborah Gussman
University of Nebraska Press
233 North 8th Street, Lincoln, Nebraska, 68588-0255
9780803271920 $30.00 www.nebraskapress.unl.edu

Originally published in 1857, Married or Single? is an extraordinary novel from an American woman writer who dared to challenge the prevailing notion of the era that every woman must marry. Author Catharine Maria Sedgwick (1789-1867) wrote a story insisting on women's rights to choose whether or not to marry, rejecting the concept of spinsters as pariahs. Married or Single? explores a wider range of options for women in modern society, with insight and razor wit. A classic that is at once both an engrossing read and an erudite champion of women's rights, Married or Single? is highly recommended especially for public and college library literature and women's studies shelves.

The Poetry and Poetics of Michael Heller
Jon Curley & Burt Kimmelman
Fairleigh Dickinson University Press
285 Madison Avenue, Madison, NJ 07940
www.fdupress.org
9781611476880, $70.00, 204pp, www.amazon.com

Michael Heller (born May 11, 1937), is an American poet, essayist and critic. Among his many books are Exigent Futures, In The Builded Place, Wordflow and Living Root: A Memoir. He wrote the libretto for the opera, Benjamin, based on the life of Walter Benjamin. He is recipient of awards including the NEH Poet/Scholar grant, New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowship (NYFA), National Endowment for the Humanities award, and The Fund for Poetry. Collaboratively compiled and co-edited by Jon Curley (Senior University Lecturer in the Humanities at New Jersey Institute of Technology) and Burt Kimmelman (Professor of English at New Jersey Institute of Technology), "The Poetry and Poetics of Michael Heller: A Nomad Memory" is a 204 page compendium comprised of eight erudite scholarly essays on Heller's various writings and ideas. Enhanced with the inclusion of an informative Foreword; an Introduction (Charting a Nomadic Course: Michael heller's Dispersions of Tradition), an Afterword (The Philosophical Poet in the Age of the Simulacrum); an interview with Michael Heller conducted by Curley and Kimmelman; an eight page Bibliography; an eight page Index; and a list of contributors, "The Poetry and Poetics of Michael Heller" is an impressive and seminal body of original scholarship and highly recommended for academic library Literary Studies in general, and Michael Heller supplemental studies lists in particular. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "The Poetry and Poetics of Michael Heller: A Nomad Memory" is also available in a Kindle edition ($66.50).


The Computer Shelf

Programming for the Absolute Beginner, second edition
Jerry Lee Ford, Jr.
Cengage Learning
27500 Drake Road, Farmington Hills, MI 48331
www.cengageptr.com
9781305504431, $29.99, 410pp, www.amazon.com

Now in a newly updated and expanded second edition, "Programming for the Absolute Beginner" by Jerry Lee Ford, Jr. is a thoroughly 'user friendly' guide that will teach aspiring computer programmers the fundamentals of computer programming through the hands-on and easy to master development of computer games. This new edition of "Programming for the Absolute Beginner" teaches programming using Just BASIC, a free, easy-to-learn software that lets you create programs for computers running Windows. Computer programming instructor Jerry Ford, Jr., deftly teaches all of the fundamental programming principles and gives the computer student a broad view of computer programming and its many possibilities. As students work through the lesson pages of "Programming for the Absolute Beginner", they will not only learn the basics of programming, but they will also build a foundation from which they can advance into other programming languages with confidence. "Programming for the Absolute Beginner" is very highly recommended as a curriculum textbook and will prove to be an invaluable addition to personal, professional, community, and academic library Computer Science instructional reference collections.


The Audiobook Shelf

Villa America
Liza Klaussmann, author
Read by Jennifer Woodward
Hachette Audio
237 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017
9781611130591 $30.00 www.HachetteAudio.com

Villa America: A Novel is the unabridged audiobook adaptation of a novel set in the French Riviera during the 1920s, and based on the true-life events that inspired F. Scott Fitzgerald's "Tender Is the Night". The story follows married New York socialites Sara Wiborg and Gerald Murphy, who moved with their children to the South of France. They find cameraderie with a group of expatriates, including Hemingway, Picasso, and Zelda and Scott Fitzgerald. They enjoy the beautiful scenery, lavish parties, and passionate debates. But when a terrible accident brings Owen, an American aviator who fought in the Great War, to the South of France, the Murphy's world is unexpectedly turned around. A emotional saga that strikingly revives 1920s culture, Villa America is highly recommended. 11 CDs, 14 hours.

The Hidden Masters Of Marandur
Jack Campbell
Brilliance Corporation
PO Box 887, Grand Haven, MI 49417
www.brillianceaudio.com
9781491540145, $19.99, www.amazon.com

The second book of the exciting "The Pillars of Reality" epic fantasy series by Jack Campbell, "The Hidden Masters Of Marandur" continues a fascinating science fiction story set in a world divided between mechanics, mages, and the common folk. Someone wants to kill Mari, a young steam mechanic in the guild that controls all technology. She has learned that her world of Dematr is headed for a catastrophe that will destroy civilization and that mages really can alter reality for short periods. Someone also wants to kill Alain, a young mage who has learned that mechanics are not frauds, as his guild teaches, and that mechanic Mari is the only person who can prevent the oncoming disaster. Narrowly escaping death, the mechanic and the mage stay alive thanks to their combined skills, an alliance never before seen. But it becomes clear that both of their guilds, the most powerful forces in the world, are trying to destroy them. Other powers, like the great empire and a mysterious secret order, also seek to kill or capture them using every weapon from imperial legions to mage-created trolls, dragons, and rocs. Trying to survive and learn the truth about their world so they will know how to save it, Mari and Alain realize the answers they seek may lie in the dead city of Marandur. But Marandur is guarded by the legions that have sealed it off from the rest of the world for more than a century. Mari and Alain's only hope may rest with the unseen masters of Marandur. Complete and unabridged, "The Hidden Masters Of Marandur" is impressively narrated by MacLeoad Andrews and very highly recommended to the attention of science fiction enthusiasts and community library audio book collections. 11 CDs; 13 hours, 3 minutes.


The Library CD Shelf

Flute Flight
Sherry Finzer & Mark Holland
Cedar 'n' Sage Music
$15.00 www.sherryfinzer.com

Award-winning flutists Sherry Finzer (silver flutes) and Mark Holland (Native American flutes) present their entrancing duo album Flute Flight, an instrumental soundscape to soothe and renew the soul. Flute playing enriched with piano, guitar, and percussion forms a rich tapestry, unforgettable in its intricate detail. Flute Flight is a "must" for anyone inspired by the ethereal beauty of the flute! The tracks are "Looking Through" (6:07), "Seasons of the Heart" (4:21), "Echo of Desire" (8:35), "Always a Dream" (4:46), "Illumination" (4:43), "From Afar" (4:06), "Luna's Dance" (2:47), "Sea of Stars" (3:08), "The Way" (8:09), "Reflection 2" (5:45), "Planetary Drift" (7:47), "Nature's Spirit" (3:46), and "Into the Light" (4:12). 68 min, 12 sec.

Nanda Devi
Hans Christian
New Earth Records
$13.99 www.NewEarthRecords.com

Nanda Devi is a new age album of instrumental music crafted in tribute to nature's glory, and in especial honor of the sacred mountain Nanda Devi in Northern India. Virtuoso Hans Christian has created a flowing fusion from his proficiency in a wide variety of musical instruments. Christian's cello playing forms the core, augmented by Indian sitara, Indian sarangi, Swedish nyckelharpa, Indian dhilruba, Indian swaramandala, medieval psaltery, lapsteel/electric/acoustic guitars, bamboo flute, ethnic percussion, electronic keyboards and more. Breathtaking in its beauty, Nanda Devi is an elegant treasure. The tracks are "First Light" (6:57), "Majestic Mountain" (7:17), "My Inner Ascent" (7:00), "Eternal Spring" (6:30), "Sunanda" (8:02), "She Who Brings Bliss" (4:40), "Valley of Gori Ganga" (7:30), "Between Dusk and Dawn" (7:13), and "November Toning" (6:12). 61 min. 35 sec. Also highly recommended for new age connoisseurs is the emotional piano album "Keys of Light" by Dan Chadburn ($12.97 CD / $9.99 download).

Vintage Latino
Putumayo World Music
$12.99 CD / $9.49 MP3 www.putumayopress.com

Vintage Latino is an album of cherished Latino classics from the 1950's music scene of a variety of nations, including Cuba, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, and Colombia. Extensive liner notes enlighten the listener about the performers who made each song a beloved popular hit. A "must-have" for international music collections! The tracks are "Perfidia" (3:11), "Mentiras Tuyas" (2:56), "Cha Cha Cha Para Ti" (2:45), "Un Cielo Para Los Dos" (2:44), "Eso" (3:12), "Piel Canela" (2:57), "Tierra Colora" (4:54), "Juarez" (4:06), "Chinita" (3:03), "Despedida" (2:38), "Amantes" (3:05), and "Besame Mucho" (4:35).

The Music of Jelly Roll Morton
Performed by The Jim Cullum Happy Jazz Band
Classic Jazz Recordings
50 Executive Blvd., Elmsford, NY 10523
www.innercityjazz.com
$16.95 CD / $9.99 download www.cdbaby.com

The Music of Jelly Roll Morton is an album featuring the ragtime and classic jazz pianist, bandleader, composer, and Grammy Lifetime Achievement award winner Ferdinand Joseph LaMothe (1890-1941), known by the professional name "Jelly Roll Morton". Though Morton did not invent jazz (a claim he once made, which has been thoroughly decried by music historians) Morton was a jazz trailblazer, and the first to arrange jazz pieces. Morton proved that a genre known for improvisation could be notated while keeping its spirit intact. His contributions to a lively and developing field of music earned him induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Vivaciously performed by The Jim Cullum Happy Jazz Band, The Music of Jelly Roll Morton showcases the compositions of a performer of incredible talent and gumption. A "must-have" for jazz connoisseurs! The tracks are "The Chant", "Milenberg Joys", "Winin' Boy Blues", "Sweet Substitute", "Black Bottom Stomp", "Shreveport Stomp", "Jelly Roll Blues", "Buddy Bolden's Blues", and "Wolverine Blues".

Come Fly With Me
Glenn Zottola
glennzottola.com
Classic Jazz Recordings
50 Executive Blvd., Elmsford, NY 10523
www.innercityjazz.com
$16.95 CD / $9.99 download www.cdbaby.com

Trumpet player Glenn Zottola presents Come Fly With Me, a trumpet-led album supported by the full force of a big-band arrangement. Vivid and joyful, Come Fly With Me invites the listener to soar, dream, and remember the good times. The tracks are "Come Fly With Me" (3:40), "God Bless The Child" (4:13), "You Leave Me Breathless" (3:16), "How High The Moon" (2:40), "Prisoner Of Love" (3:52), "When Your Lover Has Gone" (2:40), "People" (3:53), "There'll Be Some Changes Made" (2:44), "Volare" (3:20), and "Come Back To Me" (2:30). Also highly recommended for distinguished music connoisseurs (as well as gift-giving!) are Zottola's albums "Miles Davis Remembered" ($16.95 CD / $11.99 download), a trumpet-based tribute to a legendary jazz musician, and "The Bossa Nova Story: Glenn Zottola Salutes Stan Getz" ($16.95 CD / $9.99 download), a sensational saxophone accolade.

Big Galut(e)
Privately Published
$12.97 www.biggalute.com

Big Galut(e) is the self-titled debut album of a quintet of artists who revel in the spirit of klezmer (Jewish folk music). The songs embody a smorgasbord of styles, all with a quintessentially Jewish cultural twist. Clarinet, violin, baroque guitar, accordion, bass, mandolin and more feature in this vivacious, joyful outpouring of creativity and celebration. Highly recommended! The tracks are "Seletsker Freylekhs" (4:11), "Levant" (4:09), "Papirosin" (6:26), "Kalkutta Klezmer" (2:03), "Go Down Moses" (2:04), "Charlemos" (3:55), "Wallachian-Appalachian Scratchin'" (4:07), "Sonata Prima (Rossi)" (2:56), "Sonata Settima, 'sopra l'aria d'un Balletto' (Rossi)" (3:10), "Tango-Ballade (Weill)" (3:15), "La Yiddishe Mama" (4:42), "Moyshele+Yankee+Reyzele" (4:28), "Khosidl" (6:13), "Kosher Bagel Medley" (4:35), and "The True Story of Carmen" (6:22) 63 min., 30 sec.


The Library DVD Shelf

Social Media Manners
Learning ZoneXpress
667 East Vine Street
Owatonna, MN 55060
$79.95 www.learningzonexpress.com

Thoroughly accessible to viewers of all ages and backgrounds, Social Media Manners: Polite Behavior in the Social Media World is a DVD documentary about the basics of courtesy when communicating online. Segments cover how to be polite when using a mobile phone, text messaging, and posting on social media, such as Facebook or Twitter. An excellent video to help prepare students (or neophyte social media users of any age!) for today's increasingly interconnected world, Social Media Manners is enthusiastically recommended especially for homeroom viewing in public schools. 19 min. 29 sec.

Nutrition Starts Here
With Chef Marshall O'Brien
Learning ZoneXpress
667 East Vine Street
Owatonna, MN 55060
$79.95 www.learningzonexpress.com

Thoroughly accessible to viewers of all ages and backgrounds, Nutrition Starts Here: Smart Eating on a Budget lives up to its title as an introduction to nutritious food choices and healthy eating strategies. Chef Marshall demonstrates how eating well can be inexpensive, flavorful, and fun! Video segments include "Simple, Tasty Slow Cooker Meals" (10:06 min.), "Understanding Portion Sizes" (3:42 min.), "Label Reading" (2:13 min.), and "Tasty Whole Grains" (2:59 min.). An excellent, educational pick for public and school library shelves, homeroom viewing, or any Basic Food Preparation course! 19 min.

Weather Gone Wild
Bullfrog Films, Inc.
PO Box 149, Oley, PA 19547
1941545432 $250.00 www.bullfrogfilms.com

Weather Gone Wild is a documentary about "superstorms", and how human beings adapt to prepare for and survive them. The cities of Calgary, Toronto, New York, Miami, and Rotterdam each have undertaken innovative plans to protect themselves against natural disasters, but is this enough? Weather Gone Wild examines how everything from agriculture to the insurance industry to building codes need to change to adapt to the "new normal" of increasingly frequent and savage storms. Enlightening and edifying, Weather Gone Wild is especially recommended for public and school library DVD collections. 43 min., SDH captions.

The Antibiotic Hunters
Bullfrog Films, Inc.
PO Box 149, Oley, PA 19547
1941545424 $250.00 www.bullfrogfilms.com

The Antibiotic hunters is a medical documentary that plays like an quest-adventure. One of the greatest concerns of modern medicine is the increasing persistence of diseases resistant to current antibiotics. Will a post-antibiotic era arrive, when people die from diseases that used to be easily treatable? The Antibiotic Hunters follows scientists who try to stay one step ahead by discovering new "miracle drugs". They investigate sloths' slimy green fur, Komodo dragon saliva, alligator blood, bacteria in the caves of British Colombia, and more in search of components for a new generation of antibiotics. Raptly fascinating, The Antibiotic Hunters is highly recommended for school and public library DVD collections. 44 min., SDH captions.

The Wild West with Ray Mears
Athena
c/o Acorn Media
c/o RLJ Entertainment
9781621723806 $39.99 www.acornonline.com

The Wild West with Ray Mears is a fascinating documentary about the rugged, 19th-century American western frontier, and pioneers who bravely sought to tame it. Survivalist and nature enthusiast Ray Mears guides the viewer past forbidding mountain ranges, harsh deserts, and wild grasslands. From panning for gold to riding the range, to visiting local communities who preserve the way of life of these historic explorers, fortune-seekers, and settlers, and more, The Wild West is an exciting glimpse of adventure, hardship, and daily life in an unforgiving new world. Bonus features include a 16-page viewer's guide and profiles of notable women of the west. The Wild West with Ray Mears makes an excellent gift for enthusiasts of Western history (or fiction!), and is enthusiastically recommended for public library DVD collections. 8 episodes on 2 DVDs, 204 min., widescreen, SDH subtitles.


The Psychology Shelf

Using the Creative Therapies to Cope with Grief and Loss
Stephanie L. Brooke and Dorothy A. Miraglia, editors
Charles C. Thomas, Publisher
2600 South First Street, Springfield, Illinois 62704
9780398090777 $74.95 www.ccthomas.com

Using the Creative Therapies to Cope with Grief and Loss is an anthology of essays by an array of credentialed, professional creative arts therapists who use art, play, music, dance/movement, drama, or animal-assisted therapies to aid both child and adult patients who are struggling to cope with grief and loss. Individual writings include "'Bye, Bye Little Snow Bird': Using Art Therapy to Grieve the Suicide of a Father", "These are My Memories of You: The Use of Music Therapy with Children's Grief Support Groups", "Dance/Movement Therapy with Institutionalized Older Adults: An Effective, Holistic Intervention for Loss Adaptation", "A Healing Ritual in Grief Using Drama Therapy", and much more. Using the Creative Therapies to Cope with Grief and Loss is an invaluable contribution of field-tested means to alleviate suffering and enable healing, especially recommended for the reading lists of professional therapists as well as college library Psychology shelves.

Cognition
Cori Bargmann, et al.
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press
500 Sunnyside Boulevard, Woodbury NY 11797-2924
www.cshlpress.com
9781621821267, $318.00, 308pp, www.amazon.com

Cognition is the set of all mental abilities and processes related to knowledge: attention, memory and working memory, judgment and evaluation, reasoning and "computation", problem solving and decision making, comprehension and production of language, etc. Human cognition is conscious and unconscious, concrete or abstract, as well as intuitive (like knowledge of a language) and conceptual (like a model of a language). Cognitive processes use existing knowledge and generate new knowledge. "Cognition" is a 308 page compendium comprised of research papers given at the seventy-ninth Cold Spring Harbor Symposia on Quantitative Biology addressing discoveries and advances in neuroscience and psychology with respect to cognitive functions of the human brain including memory, language, decision making, and diseases. Of special note is the new information regarding the emerging connections between molecular/cellular/circuit mechanisms and higher brain function. "Cognition" is exceptionally well organized and presented, making it an invaluable, core addition to professional and academic library Psychology/Psychiatry reference collections and supplemental reading lists. It should be noted that "Cognition" is also available in a paperback edition (9781621821274, $129.00).


The Art Shelf

The Greeks in Asia
John Boardman
Thames & Hudson, Inc.
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110-0017
www.thamesandhudsonusa.com
9780500252130 $50.00 www.amazon.com

Accessible to readers of all backgrounds, The Greeks in Asia is a showcase and analysis of ancient Greek art, exploring how Greek culture influenced a wealth of other civilizations, including those of Anatolians, Levantines, Persians, Asiatics, Indians, and Chinese. Although the Greeks were not empire-builders, they traded extensively and spread a monetary economy through Eurasia, and their poets and philosophers became highly respected far beyond the borders of their homeland. Copiously illustrated with black-and-white and some full-color photography of ancient artworks and artifacts, The Greeks in Asia is a nuanced tour of how the Greeks influenced numerous other cultures, many with significantly older histories and traditions. Highly recommended, especially for public and college library Art History collections. It should be noted that The Greeks in Asia is also available in a Kindle edition.


The Dance Shelf

Dance: An Illustrated History
Helene Andreu, author
Author House, Publisher
1663 Liberty Drive, Bloomington, IN 47403
www.authorhouse.com
9781504920469 $72.99 www.amazon.com

A stunning overview of the history of dance from prehistoric roots to modern times, "Dance: An Illustrated History" presents 320 pages of exciting trends in dance history, embellished with colored prints of paintings, posters, photos of dancers in action and more. Written by an experienced professional dancer and dance teacher, "Dance: An Illustrated History" contains information about exotic dance traditions including Native Americans, Alaskans, Hawaiians, Japanese, Indians, Indonesians, Turkish, Cambodians, Mexicans and Chinese as well as current dance traditions such as tap, modern, ballet, and jazz in performance. Chapters unfold about Early Dance to Middle Ages, Dance in the Middle Ages, Early American Dance, Ballet and Other Dances, Modern Dance, Tap Dance, Jazz Dance and Minstrelsy, and more chapters on Modern Dance, Tap Dance and Jazz Dance and Musicals. A final chapter is devoted to Ballet from the 1960's to the 21st Century. Frequent black and white and colored photograph prints feature famous dancers and choreographers past and present in this stunning survey of many styles of dance. Important figures' names are typed in bold to stand out on pages of text. Ideal as an educational text for serious students of dance and theater, "Dance: An Illustrated History" carves out a new niche in dance arts history.


The Cookbook Shelf

The Diabetes Comfort Food Diet
Laura Cipullo, RD, CDE
Robert Rose, Inc.
120 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 800, Toronto, ON M4P 1E2
www.robertrose.ca
9780778805182 $24.95 www.amazon.com

"The Diabetes Comfort Food Diet" is both a diabetes self care manual and a collection of fantastic, healthy, diabetic friendly recipes that are easy to prepare. Containing 200 delicious dishes that will help you manage your weight and balance your blood sugar, "The Diabetes Comfort Food Diet" is a valuable resource and also a great guide to generally healthy eating. Recipes are clearly presented usually one page, with helpful notes on the left and ingredients listed with amounts in standard measurements, and simple step by step instructions. There is a handy comparison chart at bottom left (titled Makeover Magic) which contrasts before and after totals for calories, fat, carbs, fiber, protein, and sodium. The change in amounts is significant and surprising. Makeover Magic refers to the techniques demonstrated in the recipes which help to curb carbs, fill up on fiber, and favor healthy fats, in adapting the recipe from a standard homemade version to a diabetic comfort food. Some of the star featured recipes, many of which show beautiful color photographs of the completed dish, are as follows: Couscous and Chickpea Salad (pg.107), Wild Mushroom and White Bean Risotto (pg. 226), Caramelized Onion and Fennel pizza (pg. 242), Creamy Pumpkin Mousse (pg. 283), Whipped Sweet Potato Casseroles (pg. 252), Chicken Pad Thai (pg. 197), Asparagus Swiss Quiche ( pg. 234), Guilt Free Spinach-Artichoke Dip (pg. 140), Baked Penne with Turkey (pg. 208), and many more. One recipe that is particularly intriguing is Chocolate Layer Cake with Maple Frosting, an incredible concoction that uses whole wheat pastry flour, espresso powder, buttermilk, pure maple syrup and egg whites to result in a serving that is only 188 calories (compare to 790) per serving. It is clear that diabetics need not deny or restrict themselves from their favorite comfort foods if they will use this incredible cookbook and diabetic self understanding manual.

Food of the Southern Forests
Sophie Zalokar
UWA Publishing
c/o International Specialized Book Services
920 Northeast 58th Avenue, Suite 300
Portland, OR, 97213
9781742585512 $59.99 www.isbs.com

Featuring striking, full-color photography of the recipes and of farm life in Australia's Southern Forests region, Food of the Southern Forests is a gorgeous cookbook showcasing dishes made with the Southern Forests' agricultural bounty. Dishes include Roast Rib Eye Beef with Smoked Tomatoes & Kale Pesto; Snapper with Toasted Quinoa, Marjoram, Borage & Buttered Sorrel; Roasted Jerusalem Artichokes, Hazelnuts, Truffle, Labna & Sage and much more. Vignettes from small farmers pepper the recipe collection, making Food of the Southern Forests enlightening and fascinating to browse. "Knowing that the Wessex Saddleback's [a heritage breed of pig] great foraging skills contributed to the flavour of the meat, [small-scale farmers] Susan and Allen planted a large orchard of chestnut trees for the pigs to forage and fatten under, and the pigs devour the sweet chestnuts in addition to a special grain mix Susan and Allan developed and mill themselves." Highly recommended especially for cookbook connoisseurs.


The Nautical Shelf

A Little America in Western Australia
Anthony J. Barker and Michael L. Ondaatje
UWA Publishing
www.uwap.uwa.edu.au
International Specialized Book Services
920 Northeast 58th Avenue, Suite 300
Portland, OR, 97213
9781742586854 $45.00 www.isbs.com

A Little America in Western Australia: The US Naval Communication Station at North West Cape and the Founding of Exmouth is a history of the first US defense facility established on Australian soil during peacetime. During the Cold War, North West Cape existed primarily to communicate with the US fleet in the Indian and Western Pacific Oceans, especially the powerful and dangerous nuclear missile submarines. Not only is the station itself scrutinized, but also its impact on Australia-US relations and Australian politics, and the town of Exmouth created specifically to support the base. A Little America in Western Australia distills archival records, oral interviews, and more to accurately represent the experiences of Australian civilians and US Navy personnel through the decades, in this detailed and welcome addition to military and nautical history collections, highly recommended especially for college library shelves.


The Economic Studies Shelf

Hollowed Out
David Madland, Ph.D.
University of California Press
155 Grand Avenue, Suite 400
Oakland, CA 94612 - 3758
9780520286528 $27.95 www.ucpress.edu

David Madland, Ph.D. (Managing Director for Economic Policy at the Center for American Progress) presents Hollowed Out: Why the Economy Doesn't Work Without a Strong Middle Class, a persuasive, accessible economic argument as to why the squeezing of America's middle class harms the nation as a whole, and how this increasingly disastrous situation can be turned around. Supported by an exhaustive amount of research, including almost 80 pages of notes and an index, Hollowed Out decries American governmental policies that have favored the wealthy over the struggling (for example, big banks get government bailouts, while small business owners, homeowners, and students do not), examines why the hollowing out of the middle class is so harmful (one problem is that as the American middle class has a smaller piece of the pie, they can afford to spend less, and lower consumer demand leads to fewer jobs and economic recessions), compares America to other developed nations which don't have quite as steep a grade of income inequality, and offers possible solutions. Madland emphasizes means of making American politics more democratic and less favorable to the wealthy, the importance of education especially for children living in poverty, the long-term value of making taxation systems more progressive, and much more. Hollowed Out offers serious food for thought and is highly recommended for public and college library Economic Studies shelves, as well as the reading lists of economists and policy officials.

California Dreaming
Lawrence J. McQuillan
The Independent Institute
100 Swan Way, Oakland, CA 94621-1428
www.independent.org
9781598132434 $24.95 hc
9781598131895 $18.95 pbk / $12.28 Kindle

California Dreaming: Lessons on How to Resolve America's Public Pension Crisis is a wake-up call about a simmering crisis in California and the United States. As the baby boomer generation grows older and retires, increasingly government pensions and retirement benefits are a rising cost that threatens to force state and local governments to raise taxes, slash public services, declare bankruptcy, or all three. California Dreaming examines the extent of the problem, the causes that are forcing public pension debt to unprecedented levels, and lists six critical reforms needed to bring financial stability to California and other jurisdictions in trouble. Accessible to readers of all backgrounds, California Dreaming is a "must-have" for policy makers and public and college library Economic Studies shelves. "...using pension benefits to buy votes is particularly attractive in California because the state has term limits, forcing any legislator elected today to leave office after 12 years. Term limits encourage elected representatives to buy votes now using higher pensions knowing they will be out of office when voters become aware of the true costs and the pension bill is due."


The International Studies Shelf

Strike Action and Nation Building
David De Vries
Berghahn Books
20 Jay Street, Suite 512, Brooklyn, NY 11201
9781782388098 $90.00 www.berghahnbooks.com

Also available as an ebook, Strike Action and Nation Building: Labor Unrest in Palestine/Israel, 1899-1951 is a scholarly analysis of how worker strikes have shaped Israeli society during the eras of the Ottoman Empire and Mandate Palestine. Although there have been forces dissuading strikes, such as the Arab-Jewish conflict, the decline of organized labor, and an increasing scarcity of jobs, Strike Action and Nation Building explores how the strike was used in the first half of the 20th century to improve the power, standing, and welfare of workers. A keen political, economic, and social historical scrutiny, Strike Action and Nation Building is a welcome contribution to college library International Studies shelves.


The Fiction Shelf

In the Gulfs of Dream and Other Lovecraftian Tales
David Barker & W.H. Pugmire
Dark Renaissance Books
9781937128494 $19.95 darkrenaissance.com

In the Gulfs of Dream and Other Lovecraftian Tales is an anthology of short stories and novellas inspired by the classic fantasy-horror writings of H.P. Lovecraft (who is perhaps best known for his nightmarish depictions of godlike eldritch monstrosities such as Cthulhu). Contemporary authors David Barker and W.H. Pugmire masterfully bring Lovecraftian mythos to life, particularly in their rendition of Lovecraft's beautiful yet deadly Dreamworld. An absolute "must-read" for Lovecraft fans! Also highly recommended for connoisseurs of terrifying supernatural fiction is award-winning author Reggie Oliver's "The Sea of Blood" (9781937128487, $19.95), an original anthology of spine-chilling short stories.

Latigo
Steve Hayes
Linford Western Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781444823578, $20.99, 216pp, www.amazon.com

Bounty hunter Latigo Rawlins was looking to start a whole new life with Emily Mercer, but Stillman Stadtlander has other plans for him. Latigo had given evidence that the landowner had arranged the deaths of rival Mexican ranchers, and now Stadtlander intends to see him pay -- at the end of a rope. It doesn't matter to Emily that Latigo has notched up over a dozen killings himself. She is in love, and so she'll move heaven and earth to save the life of this man. "Latigo" is a compelling, entertaining, and completely absorbing read from beginning to end. Author Steve Hayes is clearly a master of the western genre and this large print edition is especially recommended to the personal reading lists of western action/adventure fans, as well as community library Large Print and Western Fiction collections.

Trail To The Cazadores
Mark Bannerman
Linford Western Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781444822830, $20.99, 216pp, www.amazon.com

The five men who set out into the desert, searching for Joe Hennessey's wayward daughter, are bound together by very different motives ranging from greed for the offered reward, to compassion for the young woman. But after an Indian attack results in the loss of his companions (plus his horse and gun) Texas Ranger Duncan finds himself alone. Astray in this vast, hostile terrain, he is wounded and afraid. To top it all, the Indians who took his compatriots may soon return to take his scalp. "Trail To The Cazadores" is a deftly crafted western adventure replete with surprising twists and unexpected turns. A terrific entertainment first page to last, this large print edition of "Trail To The Cazadores" is highly recommended for both personal reading lists and community library Western Fiction collections.

The Man From Cheyenne
Jack Edwards
Linford Western Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781444820669, $20.99, 296pp, www.amazon.com

The last man to wear a sheriff's badge has finally been driven out of Jackson Creek and Jake Pierce plans to take over the town, backed by a group of vicious gunfighters. When Clay Harding rides in from Cheyenne to bring back the rule of law, he is sucked into a whirlpool of killing and the lure of gold. Knowing that he might never get back to Cheyenne, he can console himself with one thought: he might be able to shoot his way out of trouble -- maybe. "The Man From Cheyenne" is pure and unadulterated western action/adventure and this large print edition is very highly recommended for personal and community library collections.

Wild Bill Williams
Jack Martin
Linford Western Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781444820690, $20.99, 216pp, www.amazon.com

Welshman and gambler William Williams, otherwise known as 'Wild Bill', is no stranger to trouble. It seems to follow him like a shadow. But even as a survivor of the Little Big Horn, as he claims, he has never before had to face the kind of trouble that he finds in the town of Stanton. When the bullets start to fly and the blood begins to run, Wild Bill is never far behind. "Wild Bill Williams" is a compelling and extraordinarily entertaining western yarn from beginning to end, making this large print edition a strongly recommended addition to personal reading lists for western buffs, as well as an enduringly popular addition to community library collections.

The Color of Smoke
Menyhert Lakatos, author
Ann Major, translator
New Europe Books
www.NewEuropeBooks.com
9780985062347 $17.95 www.amazon.com

Prizewinning author Menyhert Lakatos (1926-2007), who came of age in a Romani settlement during World War II, created a literary masterpiece in The Color of Smoke: An Epic Novel of the Roma. The Color of Smoke is a story about struggling to survive among the Roma in an era of widespread fascism and the Nazi Holocaust. Historically, the Roma people were one of the Holocaust's many targets, along with Jews, disabled people, political dissenters, and more. Yet despite the grim foreboding of its period, The Color of Smoke is also a candid and vivid portrayal of young adult life. The adolescent narrator comes of age at a crossroads between his own people and a wider society that bears both allure and rejection. He participates in school, engages in sexual encounters, suffers hunger and police harassment, and confronts violence. A powerful, unforgettable portrayal of how society at large and the Nazis in particular dehumanized the Roma, The Color of Smoke is highly recommended. It should be noted that The Color of Smoke is also available as an ebook.


The Civil War Shelf

The First Battle for Petersburg
William Glenn Robertson
Savas Beatie
PO Box 4527, El Dorado Hills, CA 95762
9781611212143 $27.95 www.savasbeatie.com

The First Battle for Petersburg: The Attack and Defense of the Cockade City, June 9, 1864 is an in-depth analysis of the Battle of June 9, 1864 for the city of Petersburg, Virginia during the American Civil War. A ten-month struggle led up to the eventful day, and of particular note is that nearly 300 of the 1,200 Confederate defenders (against a force of 3,300 infantry and 1,300 cavalry) consisted of reserves with companies of elderly men and teenagers. The First Battle for Petersburg especially focuses on how this critically outnumbered force managed to hold the city. A bibliography and an index round out this fascinating and welcome contribution to Civil War and Military History shelves.


The Political Science Shelf

The Hillary Doctrine
Valerie M. Hudson & Patricia Leidl
Columbia University Press
61 West 62nd Street, New York, NY 10023-7015
9780231164924 $29.95 http://cup.columbia.edu

Hillary Rodham Clinton was the first Secretary of State to declare the subjugation of women worldwide a major threat to American national security. This concept, known as the Hillary Doctrine, postulates that societies that which dehumanize women are just as likely to dehumanize their neighbors; also, when the voices of women are not heard, a nation becomes less economically and politically stable. Such instability ultimately threatens to manifest into violent conflicts, including terrorism and threats to the United States. The Hillary Doctrine: Sex & American Foreign Policy explores the history, fieldwork, theory, and policy analysis of the doctrine, examining the issue in both principle and practice. Also studied is how the doctrine has influenced American foreign policy, and altered American relationships with nations such as China and Saudi Arabia. Close studies of the doctrine's applicability in Guatemala, Afghanistan, and Yemen round out this nuanced, sober, and meticulous account by Valerie M. Hudson (Professor of Texas A&M University) and international communications adviser/writer Patricia Leidl (former head of the Advocacy and Communications with a World Health Organization department). Highly recommended, especially for college library Political Science collections.


The Genealogy Shelf

Evidence Explained, third edition
Elizabeth Shown Mills
Genealogical Publishing Company
3600 Clipper Mill Road, Suite 260
Baltimore, MD 21211
www.genealogical.com
9780806320175 $59.95 www.amazon.com

Now in an updated third edition, Evidence Explained: Citing History Sources from Artifacts to Cyberspace is a resource by award-winning historical writer Elizabeth Shown Mills, created especially for history and genealogy students, scholars, and professionals. Chapters guide the reader through the science and art of historical record analysis. Even though records offer direct evidence of the past, their assertions are not always true. Understanding records aids in objective judgment and evaluation. Evidence Explained discusses what details must be gleaned from each source for a proper interpretation of its evidence; how a record's credibility should be evaluated; how each source should be identified so that others may judge its reliability; and much more. An immense variety of sources in different media formats are scrutinized, with demonstrations of more than a thousand citation models for U.S. and international documents. Meticulous detail and wealth of examples make Evidence Explained as user-friendly as possible, given the Byzantine nature of some of the many documents it demystifies. Highly recommended especially for college library Genealogy collections.


The Native American Studies Shelf

War Paintings of the Tsuu T'ina Nation
Arni Brownstone
University of Alberta Press
Ring House 2, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, T6G 2E1
9781772120523 $TBA / 35.00 CAD www.uap.ualberta.ca

During the nineteenth century, paintings were the closest thing that the Plains Indians had to written records, and the majority of their paintings showed warfare and war deeds. War Paintings of the Tsuu T'ina Nation is a scholarly study of these pictorial narratives, featuring color reproductions of war paintings and artifact collections of the Tsuu T'ina (Sarcee) along with extensive interpretation and commentary. The text discusses what insights these paintings hold concerning relations between the Tsuu T'ina, other plains tribes, and non-Native settlements during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. War Paintings of the Tsuu T'ina Nation contemplates all known Tsuu T'ina paintings and several collections of Tsuu T'ina artifacts. Extensive notes and an index round out this thoughtful, in-depth contribution to Art and Native American History collections.


The Biography Shelf

The Many Faces of Herod the Great
Adam Kolman Marshak
Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company
2140 Oak Industrial Drive, NE
Grand Rapids, MI 49505
9780802866059 $35.00 www.eerdmans.com

The Many Faces of Herod the Great is a historical biography and analysis of King Herod the Great. Today, Herod is remembered as the tyrant who, according to the Bible, sent his soldiers to Bethlehem to murder all its male babies lest one of them grow up to claim his throne. History teacher Adam Marshak provides a more nuanced portrait of King Herod, drawing upon historical, archaeological, and literary sources. The Many Faces of Herod the Great reveals how Herod ruled over his kingdom through skillful diplomacy and interacting with its different factions - Roman, Hellenistic, and Judean - in a variety of ways. Herod was extraordinarily charismatic and gifted in the art of politics. Furthermore, he successfully transformed himself from a bankrupt usurper to a wealthy and powerful king, who founded a dynasty and brought prominence and prosperity to ancient Judaea. Thoughtful and thought-provoking, The Many Faces of Herod the Great is highly recommended especially for public and college library Biography and World History collections.

Field Marshal
Daniel Allen Butler
Casemate-IPM
1950 Lawrence Road, Havertown, PA 19083
www.casematepublishers.com
9781612002972 $32.95 www.amazon.com

Also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99), Field Marshal: The Life and Death of Erwin Rommel is a thorough biography of a German war hero and military genius, well-known for his sense of honor, duty, and respect for human life. Erwin Rommel (1891-1944) was a field marshal whose skill at desert warfare earned him the nickname "Desert Fox". He served in World War I and World War II, and is especially notable for defying Nazi orders to uphold his conscience. He deliberately ignored orders to kill Jewish soldiers, civilians, and captured commandos; he was known to treat Allied prisoners of war humanely; and his Afrika Korps was never accused of war crimes. When an internal movement to assassinate Adolf Hitler gathered momentum, it tried to recruit Rommel, but Rommel feared that assassinating Hitler would make him a martyr, and permanently enshrine Hitler's worst ideas. Rommel felt that the best outcome would be to put Hitler on trial. When Rommel's involvement in the plot against Hitler was discovered, Hitler forced Rommel to commit suicide. Field Marshal is the incredible story of a master tactician, a noble leader and patriot, and ultimately, a flawed hero who hated the Nazis but could not recognize Adolf Hitler as a monster until too late. Highly recommended, especially for public and college library biography collections.


The Theatre/Cinema Shelf

Imperial Projections
Wolfgang Fuhrmann
Berghahn Books
20 Jay Street, Suite 512, Brooklyn, NY 11201
9781782386971 $120.00 www.berghahnbooks.com

Imperial Projections: Screening the German Colonies is a scholarly examination of the beginning of filmmaking in the German colonies, in the era before World War I. This nascent film industry arose partly in response to scandals and economic stagnation in Germany's colonies. Film was seen as a way to promote business, and provide a positive image of the colonies' value for Germany. Films topics ranged from patriotic themes to travel, wildlife protection, and showcases of cultural events. A handful of black-and-white photographs, notes, a bibliography and an index round out this thoughtful historical analysis, especially recommended for college library Theatre/Cinema and World History collections.


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