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Small Press Bookwatch

Volume 6, Number 8 August 2007 Home | SPBW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Metaphysical Studies Shelf Fiction Shelf
Health/Medicine Shelf Mystery/Suspense Shelf World History Shelf
Parenting Shelf Biography Shelf Self-Help Shelf
Economics Shelf Money/Finance Shelf Psychology Shelf
Fantasy/SciFi Shelf Poetry Shelf Antiques/Collectibles Shelf
Christian Studies Shelf Education Shelf Theatre/Cinema Shelf
Social Issues Shelf Business Shelf Gay/Lesbian Studies Shelf
Jobs/Careers Shelf Religion/Spirituality Shelf Travel Shelf
Martial Arts Shelf Language Studies Shelf  


Reviewer's Choice

Ahead Of Your Time
Dick & Sue Coffin
Ahead of Your Time
c/o KSB Promotions
55 Honey Creek, NE, Ada, MI 49301
9780978843908, $14.95 www.amazon.com

Memorial service professionals Dick & Sue Coffin present Ahead of Your Time: A Complete Guide for End-of-Life Planning, a straightforward guide to making simple basic decisions that will protect loved ones from extra costs and unneeded confusion in the wake of one's passing. Chapters discuss arranging services, the legal aspects of final arrangements including living wills and end-of-life care, financial matters such as providing for minor children, establishing a trust, covering funeral expenses, and estate taxes, and much more. A number of reproducible sample forms round out this useful and highly practical guide.

Kundalini Rising
April Petty
Kitsun Books
PO Box 1154, Crawfordville, FL 32326-1154
9780979270000, $14.00 www.kitsunebooks.com

Certified Yoga and Pilates instructor April Petty presents Kundalini Rising: Exploring the Chakra/Asanas Connection, a guide for lay readers to the spiritual strengths of yoga as surely as its physical movements. Simple black-and-white line drawings illustrate basic yoga poses that virtually anyone can learn, and chapters cover how to successfully incorporate Yoga into one's daily life, learn the proper mindset for personal benefit, and open up one's chakras. A simple index allows for quick and easy reference to this primer suitable for yoga practitioners of all backgrounds.

Guitar Army
John Sinclair
Process
PO Box 39910, Los Angeles, CA 90039
9781934170007, $22.95 www.processmediainc.com

Now in an updated edition with two dozen previously unpublished black-and-white period photographs, additional recent writings by the author, and an introduction by Michael Simmons, Guitar Army: Rock Revolution with MC5 and the White Panther Party is the testimony of the Detroit MC5 band manager and leftist revolutionary "White Panther Party" leader John Sinclair, originally published in 1972. Sinclair was one of the best-known casualties of the "war on drugs", sentenced to nearly 10 years in prison for alleged possession of two marijuana joints - his supporters believed the disproportionate sentence was a form of persecution for his political leanings. Guitar Army collects Sinclair's writings on the street (1968-69) and in prison (1969-71) and discuss the power of revolution, the influence of rock-n-roll as a revolutionary weapon, the history of blues, tales of injustice and murder by the state, and much more. "Entertainment, as something you do on the weekends after slaving in the factory or the office all week, sitting at home at night taking in all the vile pablum spewed out of the television set. Luxury. What You Could Do Without. No sense, these people in this country have no sense of the immediacy of music, the quick feel of it, the way it can shape your life and take your life's shape as you give yourself to it every moment of your life, as a first term in your life." An accompanying music CD features recordings of MC5 and other revolutionary bands, enhancing this classic manifesto of music-inspired rebellion.

Tuscan Light
Mark Gordon Smith
Almar Books
PO Box 7207, Ocean Isle Beach, NC 28469
9780974098340, $14.00 www.almarbooks.com

The sequel to "Tuscan Echoes: A Season in Italy", Tuscan Light: Memories of Italy continues author and seasoned European traveler Mark Gordon Smith's reflections upon the culture and society of Italy, a nation that has remained robustly stable despite tremendous modern economic and social upheaval. Told in first-person perspective and present tense, chapters evoke the varied sights, sounds, people, and flavors of the Italian nation, with a connoisseur's eye for detail and a gourmet's palate. "When Renaissance scribes created their manuscripts and printers made hand-printed books, they used paper created by artisans not unlike Anna, women and men who carry a deep passion for their craft. The culture of Italy unfolds in a special way when we open a leather-bound journal and write on pages that have been lovingly sewn together. Quality, time, and care all meet when an object of such beauty comes into our lives." As much a tribute to Italy's refined wonders as it is a travelogue and memoir, Tuscan Light is especially recommended for armchair travelers and anyone seeking to experience fond memories of a beautiful and passionate nation.


The Metaphysical Studies Shelf

The Chanter's Guide
Victor Shamas, Ph. D
Act On Wisdom
PO Box 12484, Tucson, AZ 85732-2484
9780979362804, $14.95 www.actonwisdom.com

Written by psychology teacher and chanting circle leader Victor Shamas, Ph.D., The Chanter's Guide: Sacred Chanting as a Shamanic Practice is a guide to basic shamanic techniques used by Chanters to promote spiritual healing among their loved ones and communities. Recounting Shamas' own apprenticeship with master shaman Dr. Pablo Singh, chapter explain the amazing relevance and impact that ancient wisdom and Chanter prophesies can have on daily life in modern times. A handful of sample chants are also presented, such as "Circle of light, circle of joy, / Light and joy fill the universe. / I am the light, I am the joy. / Light and joy fill the universe." An excellent and user-friendly addition to metaphysical studies shelves.

True Stories of Messages from Beyond
Julie Aydlott & friends
San Diego Business Accounting Solutions
PO Box 11128, Lakeside, CA 92040
9780974609379, $14.95 www.messages-from-beyond.com

True Stories of Messages from Beyond gathers heart-touching true stories of those who experienced messages from loved ones who have passed on. Sometimes consoling, sometimes deeply personal, and on occasion literally life-saving, these communications and their impact on the lives of those who received them reveal that some mysteries of life and death simply cannot be explained by science. True Stories of Messages from Beyond a welcome contribution to metaphysical shelves and a comfort that the dearly departed are never truly, entirely gone.


The Fiction Shelf

The Castro Gene
Todd Buchholz
Oceanview Publishing
c/o Maryglenn McCombs (publicity)
2817 West End Avenue, Suite 126-274, Nashville, TN 37203
9781933515069, $24.95 www.amazon.com

The debut novel of former White House Director of Economic policy Todd Buchholz, The Castro Gene is a dramatic novel of one man caught amid a power struggle of international proportions. When boxer Luke Braden kills his opponent in the ring, it catapults him headlong into danger. Offered a shot at the big time by a hedge fund kingpin, Luke becomes inextricably involved in the machinations of Fidel Castro, during the last days of Castro's dictatorship. Luke will have to face his biggest fight yet - with his life as the prize! A taut, action-packed thriller.

The Passion of Maryam
Loren Woodson
Plain View Press
PO Box 42255, Austin, TX 78704
9781891386749, $18.95 www.lorenwoodson.com

Author Loren Woodson draws upon his background in Biblical studies and psychoanalysis as well as personal visits to the Holy Land in The Passion of Maryam, a novel that explores what life could have been like for the Virgin Mother of Jesus Christ. Chapters examine the question: what if both the Virgin Mary and her son Yeshua had been forced to seek holiness amid an abyss of evil? An exploration of the inexplicable mystery of the divine as well as the hardships of seeking spiritual truth while maintaining responsibilities as a wife and mother, The Passion of Maryam is an absorbing and thought-provoking read, recommended for lay Christians and scholars intrigued by what might have been alike.

Good Money After Bad
Donald G. Evans
Atomic Quill Press
PO Box 39859, Detroit, MI 48239
All Things Literary (dist.)
623 West Oakdale Ave, Chicago, IL 60657
0976053586, $14.95 www.press.atomicquill.com

Pushcart Prize-nominated author Donald G. Evans presents Good Money After Bad, a novel set in the Chicago heat-wave summer of 1995. Sports gambler Chance Skinner has plunged so deeply into debt that his one hope of keeping a good credit standing is to volunteer as a guinea pig for medical studies. The charismatic human parts broker Phase One Fenwick seems to have all the answers to Chance's dilemma, but can he be trusted? An involving novel about being confronted, once and for all, with the question of how one wants to live - and what price, whether in money or flesh, one is willing to pay for that lifestyle. Highly recommended.

Insatiate Archer
Hunter Taylor
BeWrite Books
32 Bryn Road South, Ashton-in-Makerfield, Wigan, Lancashire, UK WN4 8QR
9781905202348, $14.99 www.bewrite.net

The debut novel of retired soldier Hunter Taylor, Insatiate Archer is an action-packed novel set in the harsh era of the 14th century. Heroine Susanna is a high priestess of the sacred druidic groves, who seeks to accept the best of Christianity. Yet the murderous Yellow Curate will stop at nothing to exterminate her beliefs from the face of the earth. Susanna can barely stay scarcely one step ahead of her relentless pursuers, in this dramatic tale interspersed with touches of magical fantasy - a land where the ruthless Insatiate Archer could be lurking behind any obstacle, arrows notched and ready to pierce fresh hearts.

The Seeker Academy
L. D. Gussin
4361 Press
PO Box 645, Housatonic. MA 01236
9780978917005, $16.95 www.4361press.com

The Seeker Academy is novel that examines the mind-body-spirit holistic healing movement, and its roots in the beat-hippie counterculture, through the experiences of ordinary characters coming to grips with how to live their lives. Though secure materially, each is seeking purity with a virtually fundamentalist zeal; as social liberals, they tend to push societal boundaries in their quest. The yearning for connection and understanding is a central theme in this thoughtful and introspective story.

Quinnehtukqut
Joshua Harmon
Starcherone Books
PO Box 303, Buffalo, NY 14201
9780978881122, $16.00 www.starcherone.com

Set in the northern area of New Hampshire that once declared itself an independent nation, Quinnehtukqut is a novel about the real and illusory trials facing Martha Hennessy, a girl wishing to experience life past her humdrum family farm. Author and teacher Joshua Harmon weaves together a diverse assembly of characters, from a haunted veteran of World War I to an old woman forced to vacate her home due to the planned flooding of a valley, to an industrialist yearning to become a woodsman. A thoughtful composite portrait of diverse and colorful personalities and their connections to the land itself.

Cast Upon the Day
Thomas E. Kennedy
Hopewell Publications, LLC
PO Box 11, Titusville, NJ 08560-0011
9781933435152, $15.95 www.hopepubs.com

Author Thomas E. Kennedy presents a fresh medley of award-winning stories in Cast Upon the Day. Featuring an introduction by Robert Gover, the collected tales are "Years in Kaldar", "Small Gray Blues", "Gurb's Plunge", "A Cheerful Death", "South American Getaway", "Cast Upon the Day", "Communion", "The Splendor of Truth", "The Pleasure of Man and Woman Together on Earth", "Surprising Endings" and "Fellow Travelers". Presented with irony, wit, and side-splitting humor, the tales weave the life stories of protagonists going mad from music in the brain, tearing their own houses down on top of their heads, or escaping from the IRS with a sackful of ill-gotten gains. Gathered from a wide variety of short story contests and periodical publications, Cast Upon the Day is an eclectic collection that will not disappoint.

Taking Stock
C.J. West
22 West Books
PO Box 155, Sheldonville, MA 02070
9780976778813, $14.95 www.22wb.com

Taking Stock is a suspenseful novel about high-stakes thievery and fraud. When, $200 million disappears from the electronic accounts of Boston's number one money management firm, Erica Fletcher must unravel the secret behind the missing money. Bogged down with a heavy workload, plagued by mysteriously vanishing research, Erica uncovers evidence that points to her as the culprit - forcing her to prove her innocence and find the robbers before they find her. Fans of author C.J. West's previous novel, "Sin and Vengeance", will be delighted to see the return of hero Charlie Marston in Taking Stock. A fast-paced thriller for the technological age.

Albuquerque Blues
Jacques Paisner
TouchArt Books
PO Box 4009, Sante Fe, NM 87502
9780974654515, $21.95

New Mexican author Jacques Paisner presents Albuquerque Blues, an anthology of short stories about the search for meaning. Disillusioned with the routine of everyday life, protagonist Jack Lavallee embarks on the search from the casinos of Albuquerque to the beaches and jungle of Costa Rica. Love, loss, and the mournful comfort of the blues intertwine in this alternately humorous and wistful collection.

A Foreign Education
Craig Alan Williamson
Exposure Publishing
Three Rivers, Minions, Liskeard, Cornwall, PL14 5LE England
9781846856945, $12.99 www.craigalanwilliamson.com

The debut novel of author and research scientist Craig Alan Williamson, A Foreign Education is a debauchery-steeped tale of British exchange student Ross Cooper amid the campus of the University of Colorado. Among the educational skills not in his original curriculum are how to unfasten bra straps with the seductive power of his foreign accent; defrocking campus radio through obscene freestyle rapping; and the art of sharing a jail cell without using the communal toilet. Yet when he begins to truly fall in love with an all-American girl claimed by a sleazy boyfriend, his true education begins. A rampant hoot-and-holler saga of friendship and backstabbing, lust and second thoughts, gossip and honesty, and the rough-and-tumble battle for love. A thoroughly guffaw-inducing read cover to cover.

Loss of Innocence
Anne Newton Walther
Tapestries
c/o Anita Halton Associates
559 Alta Vista Way, Laguna Beach, CA 92651-4057
9780967670348, $24.95 www.amazon.com

Lecturer, consultant, and passionate student of history Anne Newton Walther presents Loss of Innocence: A Novel of the French Revolution, the de facto sequel to her debut novel "A Time of Treason". The heroine of "A Time of Treason", Eugenie Devereaux, returns in Loss of Innocence, which offers a vigorously involved view of the French Revolution colored by an unusually sympathetic portrayal of Marie Antoinette. Based upon an obscure historical event - the ambitious yet ultimately thwarted plan to rescue Marie Antoinette from her prison in France and deliver her across the Atlantic to the relative safe haven of a Pennsylvania town called "Azilum" - Loss of Innocence a moving, immersively detailed saga from cover to cover. Enthusiastically recommended for historical fiction aficionados.


The Health/Medicine Shelf

The Palm Oil Miracle
Dr. Bruce Fife
Piccadilly Books Ltd.
PO Box 25203, Colorado Springs, CO 80936
9780941599658, $15.95

The Palm Oil Miracle: Discover the Healing Power of Palm Oil is a fascinating guide to the healthful and nutritional properties of palm oil, especially virgin (red) palm oil. Palm oil is a natural source of tocotrienol, an antioxidant proven to help reverse heart disease and fight cancer. As a natural vegetable oil, palm oil contains no trans fatty acids or cholesterol, and has proven useful to doctors and government agencies as an inexpensive means to treat vitamin-deficiency related illnesses. Palm oil's many benefits include improving blood circulation, supporting healthy lung and liver function, strengthening bones and teeth, protecting against mental deterioration including Alzheimer's disease, providing a dietary source of vitamin E and beta-carotene, boosting one's immune system, and much more. A number of recipes and guidelines for cooking with palm oil round out this user-friendly tribute to a healthful food.


The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

King's Priory
David Hough
BeWrite Books
32 Bryn Road South, Wigan, Lancashire WN4 8QR, UK
9781905202669, $17.99 www.bewrite.net

King's Priory is a nerve-wracking novel about the horrific secrets that trail a family from generation to generation. Colin Portesham embarks on a desperate search for answers - from the identity of a brutally battered murder victim to the grim mystery of what happened to his brain-damaged Aunt Lucy in a Nazi death camp. A nightmare of gruesome torment is reaching out to those he loves most, and threatens to destroy his life unless he can bring closure to the agonizing family mystery in this tautly written tale of suspense.


The World History Shelf

Through Chinese Eyes, third edition
Edward Vernoff & Peter J. Seybolt
Center for International Training and Education
777 United Nations Plaza. Suite 3C, New York, NY 10017
9780938960515, $24.95 www.cipa-apex.org is

Now in a revised and expanded third edition, Through Chinese Eyes: Tradition, Revolution, and Transformation is a solid cross-section of primary source materials connected to China's complex history. Telling China's story through Chinese voices, with introductions constructed with an eye toward balance by history professors Edward Vernoff and Peter J. Seybolt, Through Chinese Eyes offers sources covering primarily the turbulent modern era, from the seeds of revolution to the time of Mao Zedong, to reforms enacted after Mao's death and China's current relationship with the world. A welcome contribution to college library and Chinese history shelves.


The Parenting Shelf

Soul Sunday
Carrie Brown-Wolf
TEO Summit Press
PO Box 23973, Silverthorne, CO 80498
9780979153600, $22.95 www.soulsunday.org

Multiculturalist Carrie Brown-Wolf presents Soul Sunday: A Family's Guide to Exploring Faith and Teaching Tolerance, a handy and useful resource for parents and families striving to teach the virtue of religious tolerance to their children. Chapters discuss how to create a safe environment to discuss spiritual questions with children, and offer a number of projects and activities from different cultures that kids can do, such as creating paper lanterns in the style of those celebrating the Vietnamese New Year, or drawing skeletons as a tribute to loved ones passed on in the spirit of Mexico's Day of the Dead. Color photographs and lined pages upon which parents can write notes round out this jubilant guide appropriate for families of all faiths and backgrounds.


The Biography Shelf

Vinyl Highway
Dee Dee Phelps
Altergate Publishing
816 Haverford Avenue, Suite 2, Pacific Palisades, CA 90272
9781934321751, $16.95 www.dickanddeedee.com

Vinyl Highway: A Memoir is the true-life story of singer Dee Dee Phelps. Packed with stories that tell both the bright and dark sides of fame, Vinyl Highway relates the experiences of performing with such legends as Dick Clark, The Rolling Stones, The Beach Boys, and other memorable recording artists of the 60s; Dee Dee's role in creating five Billboard gold records; and her routine as a semi-regular on the ABC show "Shindig". An up-close and personal reminiscence of the thick of the 60's music scene, and a treat for anyone who remembers the sounds of the 60's fondly.

Telling It All
Steven Levi
Community Press
239 Windbrooke Lane, Virginia Beach, VA 23462
9780979087868, $16.99 www.communitypresshome.com

Telling it All: My Life as a Con Man is the true-life memoir of professional African-American con man "Alabama Fats", as told to author Steven Levi. Alabama Fats was a black man who made a career of working the streets and conning people out of their money, whether through a game of Three Card Molly or by posing as a Bank Agent or selling junk jewelry for far more than its true value. His talent was to sucker marks (or "lames", as he calls them) who thought they would be cheating him - often with the help of a partner. "I'm not writing this book to help the con; I'm doing it for the old people who are going to get conned, because there are lots of people just like me out on the streets." Alabama Fats is unrepentant of the cheating he did, but gives the straight scoop on the life of a scam artist, and how the nature of the con evolved from the 30's and the Great Depression to the war-torn 40's to the latter half of the twentieth century when cars became more common than trains, to the modern era of credit cards and checks, when cash isn't so easy to find on lames anymore. An utterly captivating "must-read" especially for anyone who thinks they're immune to the con. "If you are a young person reading this book, keep an eye on your mother and father and grandparents... Know who they are talking to. Con men like me will sting anyone. We don't care and the older people are the easiest to con... If you don't watch out for your parents and grandparents, they will lose it all... If they are in a nursing home and lose it all, they could end up living with you." Highly recommended.

Stronger by the Day
Raymond E. Lumsden
Lighthouse Publishing
3805 Austin Ct. Flower Mound, TX 75028
9780979062803, $16.95 www.amazon.com

Stronger by the Day: A Gripping Story of Abuse, Neglect, Courage and Redemption is the chilling, true-life memoir of author Raymond Lumsden, a survivor of abuse and sexual molestation, convicted of felony burglary at age sixteen and sent to a maximum security prison for it. Life in prison was a nightmare ordeal; he had to survive day-to-day dealings with rapists and murderers, and was nearly killed in a brutal and horrific prison riot. Yet when he finally served his time, life on the outside was marked by fresh hardships - his efforts to turn his life around were at the mercy of whether his probation officer liked him, and at virtually every turn his prison record was a barrier to rebuilding his life. "Convicts are not criminals. Criminals plan and scheme what they will do once they get on the outside. Convicts like me do the time and go on to lead productive lives, if the system lets them." Lumsden survived three suicide attempts, and finally found peace through becoming a pastor and active counselor. Stronger by the Day is a profound story of personal redemption, as well as a terrible warning of the risks imperiling today's children at the mercy of a cruel and arbitrary justice system.

Having My Say
A. M. Foley
Dogwood Ridge Books
2336-I Elliot Island Road, Elliot Island, MD 21869
9780967294728, $18.95 www.thewritersbloc.org/id31.htm

Periodical article writer A. M. Foley presents Having My Say: Conversations with Chesapeake Bay Waterman Wylie "Gator" Abbott is the eventful biography of colorful Eastern Shore waterman Wylie Abbott. Told in Abbott's own words in first-person perspective, Having My Say covers the thrill of reigning as World Champion Muskrat Skinner, the crushing tedium of working on the water for days, rockfishing, enlistment in the National Guard, and much more. Black-and-white photographs illustrate this candid memoir of dealing with life's many trials and tribulations while maintaining personal integrity.

Dr. Stanley Pearle: A Man of Vision
Dr. Stanley Pearle, as told to Cara Lopez Lee
Arbor Books, Inc.
19 Spear Road, Suite 301, Ramsey, NJ 07446
9780979046919, $24.95 www.amazon.com

A Man of Vision is the biography and entrepreneurial success story of Dr. Stanley Pearle, who skillfully combined quality eye care with canny marketing to become the first optical retailer in America to sell eyewear coast to coast. Furthermore, he witnessed and helped engender the entrance of eyewear into the modern fashion era. A Man of Vision reveals all sides of Pearle - the innovator, the community leader, the family man, the consumer advocate, the philanthropist (he has been involved in the United Way, the Jewish Welfare Federation and the Pearle Vision Foundation) and the visionary businessman. A cover-to-cover inspirational success story.

Black Bart
George Hoeper
Word Dancer Press
950 N. Van Ness, PO Box 4638, Fresno, CA 93744-4638
9781884995057, $9.95 www.amazon.com

Written by former reporter George Hoeper, Black Bart: Boulevardier Bandit is an amazing biography of one of California's most colorful historical figures. For over eight years, the indubitably polite and genteel criminal Charles Boles (alias Black Bart) preyed upon Wells Fargo & Co., enacting at least 28 stagecoach robberies - always on foot with an unloaded shotgun, and never demanding money from stagecoach passengers or drivers. Folk legends sprung up about Black Bart, who lived the life of a boulevardier in San Francisco, hobnobbing with the city's upper crust and writing poetry. In 1888, Black Bart disappeared from the Palace Hotel in Visalia, never to be seen again; Black Bart: Boulevardier Bandit offers information to suggest that Black Bart's final fate was not to settle in some distant land, but rather to lose his life in the dry Nevada wasteland and rest in an unmarked grave. "Black Bart may have been remorseful about not returning to his family, but if he was remorseful about turning to a life of crime, he never expressed it... It seemed, when questioned by reporters on the possibility of returning to his old ways, that his decision to abandon crime was based more on the fear of being caught again than on his rehabilitation and sorrow for his sins of the past." An extensively researched biography, enthusiastically recommended for anyone curious about one of California's most famous career criminals.


The Self-Help Shelf

The Flip Side
Flip Flippen
Springboard Press
237 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10169
9780446580786, $23.99

Written by head of The Flippin Group and expert motivational coach Flip Flippen, The Flip Side: Break Free of the Behaviors That Hold You Back is a no-nonsense self-help guide to identifying how personal constraints and often unconscious restrictions can hold one back from one's full potential. Breaking free of those restraints and learning to "flip" negative thoughts and behaviors into positive ones form the core of The Flip Side. Negative personality-driven trait types are listed and range from "bulldozers" (too dominant, ignoring all dissenting options) to "marshmallows" (too nurturing, avoiding conflict at the expense of their happiness) and "quick draws" (too impulsive, with poor self-control). A readily accessible guide to improving one's strengths through recognizing and turning around one's weaknesses.

Bliss is in Knowing the Self
Neerja Bhatia
Rhythm of Success Publishing
37 Island Heights Circle, Stamford, CT 06902
9780979226908, $17.95 www.knowingtheself.com

Written by inspirational speaker Neerja Bhatia, Bliss is in Knowing the Self: How to Turn Pain and Sorrow Into Joy Filled Living is a self-help book about cultivating self-awareness, and transforming oneself from ordinary to extraordinary. Chapters cover how to create time and space for a relationship with the self, how to break addictions to unhealthy ways of being, how to be compassionate with emotional memories of pain, the wisdom to see through the illusion of freedom, why true power is in letting go, and much more. "Freedom is an inner state of being and cannot be acquired by owning objects. Possessions provide comfort or perceptual security; however, true freedom comes from non-attachment. Enjoy the objects of the impermanent world, but do not become attached to them." Bliss is in Knowing the Self is a consumable book, offering the reader blank lines in which to pen answers to questions such as "Who are the people in your life that hold up the mirror into your false beliefs, i.e. people who put you down? What are the conditioned false beliefs they are pointing at?" A highly motivational guide to self-improvement through personal understanding.

The Way Of Leading People
Patrick Warneka, Timothy H. Warneka, Lao Tsu
Asogomi Publishing International
30021 Miller Avenue, Wickliffe, OH 44092
9780976862741, $19.95 www.asogomi.com

Based in part on the writings of the Chinese philosopher Lao Tsu who wrote his commentaries some 2500 years ago, "The Way Of Leading People: Unlocking Your Integral Leadership Skills With The Tao Te Ching" is the collaborative work of leadership experts and martial arts practitioners Patrick Warneka and Timothy H. Warneka. In presenting a series of key quotations from the Tao Te Ching (each of which are numbered and illustrated by an accompanying full page black-and-white photograph, Patrick and Timothy have enabled the non-specialist general reader unfamiliar with the writings of Lao Tsu (which are second only to the Bible in being translated around the world) to benefit from a thoughtful and thought-provoking, inspired and inspirational series of cogent principles and observations relevant to becoming an effective and wise leader whether it be in business, in government, in the community, in the family, or in life itself. With its thoroughly 'reader friendly' format, "The Way Of Leading People" is an ideal addition to community library philosophy, business, and self-help reference collections and especially recommended for anyone seeking to understand the nature and requirements of personal leadership in the world of today.

UP
Lee E. Miller with Barbara Jackson
Your Career Doctors Press
45 Park Place South, #45, Morristown, NJ 07960
9780978835507, $18.95 www.amazon.com

Written by experienced businessman and winner of the 2005 Seton Hall University Business School's Award for Teaching Excellence Lee E. Miller with consultant and entrepreneur Barbara Jackson, UP: Influence, Power and the U Perspective - The Art of Getting What You Want is a self-help guide to cultivating one's ability to influence people and build lasting agreements that advance mutual goals. Chapters discuss the "three C's" method of influencing others (Convince, Collaborate and Create), and the importance of understanding others' perspectives. "Since our beliefs and values are developed over time, on a subconscious level, most people simply assume that everyone sees the world the way they do. Even when we recognize that someone else sees a situation differently than we do, our first instinct usually is to try to persuade them to see things our way. The U Perspective takes the opposite approach. Its effectiveness is not rooted in the ability to convince others to change their views or adopt different values. Instead, its power comes from recognizing what others already believe and want and providing solutions based on that information." A top-notch guide, especially ideal for greasing social wheels in business circles but packed cover to cover with tips for more effective negotiation and team-building in personal circles as well.

Passionate Action
Doug Gray
Gray Publications
9441 Titus Lane, Huntersville, NC 28078
Yorwerth Associates, LLC (publicity)
410 Fieldstone Drive, Bozeman, MT 59715
9780975884157, $15.95 www.publishingcoaches.com www.action-learning.com

In "Passionate Action: 5 Steps To Creating Extraordinary Success In Life And Work", ICF-certified coach, speaker and leadership trainer Doug Gray has written one of the best self-help, self-improvement instructional guidebooks for non-specialist general readers seeking to enhance the quality of their lives, the productivity of their endeavors, and their enjoyment of what daily life has to offer them. Replete with real-life examples and self-coaching techniques, readers will learn the five basic steps for an 'action-based' lifestyle. These critically important steps include learning how to 'get moving' toward fulfilling their aspirations and goals, how leave behind familiar but inhibitory habits or dysfunctional behavior, confront life's inevitable challenges with confidence, the value of obtaining wisdom and expressing compassion, but perhaps most importantly of all, learn to appreciate the values and rewards for themselves of service to others. If you have only time in your crowded schedule for a single 'self help' book, make it Doug Gray's "Passionate Action".


The Economics Shelf

Predicting Technology
Thomas E. Vass
The Great American Business & Technology Press
c/o Maryglenn McCombs Book Publicity
2817 West End Avenue, Suite 126-274 Nashville, TN 37203
9780979438806, $24.95 www.Gabby-Press.com

In "Predicting Technology: Identifying Future Market Opportunities And Disruptive Technologies", economist Thomas E. Vass draws upon his many years of experience as a leading expert on the impact of technological innovation to support his thesis that as technology continues to evolve at an ever increasing pace, local, regional, national, and international corporate businesses cannot merely keep up with the ever growing number of innovations, but to insure their success in today's highly competitive markets, they must be able to identify trends and predict technology, both in terms of marketing opportunities technology will afford, as well as the disruptions technological advancements can occur to existing practices with respect to manufacturing, transportation, distribution, communication, etc. Enhanced with numerous diagrams and tables, "Predicting Technology" addresses a variety of marketplace concerns including how to identify new markets, the impact of technology on jobs and income, and most especially, how to take advantage of rapid technological changes. Informed and informative, "Predicting Technology' is exceptionally well written and 'reader friendly', making it an invaluable and practical read for anyone charged with the responsibility of insuring their company's ability to properly and profitably adjust to technological developments, challenges, and opportunities.


The Money/Finance Shelf

CreditBooster: Ultimate Guide to Better Credit Score
InCharge Education Foundation
2101 Park Center Drive, Suite 310, Orlando, FL 32835
9780976939856, $19.95 www.creditbooster.com www.incharge.org

Written by the editors at InCharge Education Foundation, Creditbooster: Ultimate Guide to Better Credit Score: Unlock the Mysteries of Your Credit Report and Improve Your Credit Score is a step-by-step plan for improving one's credit score regardless of how low it is presently. Chapters cover how to read and understand one's credit report and credit history, how get mistakes removed from a credit report, when it's best to resolve serious problems on one's own and when one needs to get help, how to build credit when one has none or one has recently divorced, rebuilding credit after bankruptcy, and much more. A no-nonsense, savvy guide for readers of all backgrounds, highly recommended.

The Astute Speculator
Eric L. Prentis
Prentis Business
361 N. Post Oak Lane, Suite 332, Houston, TX 77024-5950
9780975966020, $55.00 www.theastuteinvestor.net

Stock market expert and registered investment advisor Eric L. Prentis presents The Astute Speculator, an in-depth guide to the art and science of stock market speculation for money. Chapters cover basic principles of speculation, short selling and why most speculators trade long instead, buying common stock, momentum speculating, solid speculative bylaws (such as "Have a plan and schedule, do the analysis, do not trade impulsively" and "Do not trade on the margin"), and much more. A glossary, bibliography, and index round out this robust, down-to-earth guide ideal for would-be stock market investors of all backgrounds and experience levels. "An astute speculator has neither the product or industry knowledge of the company trader or the low transaction costs nor the transaction speed of the floor trader, but has one overwhelming advantage - he or she does not have to speculate unless all the probabilities are in his or her favor - the power to "say no" is an invaluable asset. Speculators keep a cash reserve in order to take advantage of extraordinarily rare market conditions when they occur." Enthusiastically recommended.

Quantitative Trading Systems
Howard B. Bandy
Blue Owl Press, Inc.
3700 S. Westport Avenue, #1876, Sioux Falls, SD 57106
9780979183805, $49.95 www.quantitativetradingsystems.com

Written by former university professor of computer science and mathematics Howard B. Bandy, also a former senior research analyst for a commodity training advisor, Quantitative Trading Systems: Practical Methods for Design, Testing, and Validation is a highly technical guide written especially for professionals and students with a background in basic mathematics, computer science, and commodities training. Chapters discuss the difference between trading and investing, compare trading system software, what and how often to trade, how to use technical or fundamental data, statistically sound validation techniques, portfolio construction, Monte Carlo analysis, and much more. Sample computer programs and screenshots of portfolios on the computer illustrate the principles discussed; most programs and statements are in the user-friendly AmiBroker software. It should be noted that Quantitative Trading Systems focuses expressly upon trading strategies that derive from unambiguous mathematical statements, not any system that relies on subjective judgments (i.e. not chart patterns, trendlines, Fibonacci retracements, etc.) As a result, Quantitative Trading Systems is highly recommended for the serious, mathematically fluent investor who is not interested in gambling with his or her hard-earned dollars, but rather chooses to rely upon straightforward number-crunching analysis of raw data to make his money work for him.


The Psychology Shelf

The Power of Faith
Jay D. Glass, Ph.D.
Donington Press Ltd., Inc.
PO Box 22, Corona del Mar, CA 92625-0022
9780966053609, $24.95

Written by neuroscience and psychology expert Jay D. Glass, Ph.D., The Power of Faith: Mother Nature's Gift is more of a scientific book than a spiritual one; chapters strive to understand and explain precisely what it is in human nature and the human mind that causes people to believe in God so passionately, to the extent that extreme believers kill or destroy themselves in the name of God. The Power of Faith probes the theory that belief in God is a valuable tool for the human species' individual and collective survival, and thus part of Mother Nature's programmed design. Chapters compare and contrast animal instincts to human thoughts, and focus especial interest on understanding why and how belief in God can ultimately turn destructive, in the hope of finding solutions to end cruelty, suicide, and murder in God's name. At the same time, The Power of Faith does not entirely denounce God, beyond admitting that scientific logic cannot prove God's existence. Readers of all faiths as well as atheists, agnostics, and especially social psychologists will find The Power of Faith intriguing not only for its exploration of human thought processes, but also for its search for solutions to large-scale modern problems.


The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf

Windlandia
H. H. Sunro
Windland Press
1563 Grandview Drive, Cape Girardeau, MO 63701-2223
0979344301, $19.95 www.windlandia.com

Windlandia A Saga from the Age of Wings Book One: A Fable is Born is a fantastic novel set in a world where humankind never evolved - instead, birds became the dominant civilization! A young osprey, Fable Truetongue, has the unique ability to speak not only to birds, but also to furbeasts, a talent that makes him desirable to several competing factions within the Kingdom of Avilea who would use him for their own interests. Forced on a long journey of danger and discovery, Fable must reconcile his native traditions of honor, dignity, and justice with the more widespread and entrenched notions of duty, property, and power. An amazing and adventurous saga, enthusiastically recommended to readers of all ages, especially bird lovers.

The Old Power Returns
Morven Westfield
Harvest Shadows Publications
PO Box 378, Southborough, MA 01772
9780974174075, $15.95 www.harvestshadows.com

Set in the modern day, The Old Power Returns is a fantasy-horror novel about a group of Wiccans who must combine their powers and talents to confront a murderous vampiric menace. A dark saga of ancient hunger and the women who fought against it - or fell victim to it, The Old Power Returns seizes the reader's attention and does not let go until the final page. Enthusiastically recommended for especially for fans of vampire stories.


The Poetry Shelf

Murmur
Laura Mullen
Futurepoem Books
c/o Dan Machlin
PO Box 7687, JAF Station, New York, NY 10116
9780971680067, $15.00

Award-winning author Laura Mullen presents Murmur, a murder-mystery told in a blend of prose and poetry, featuring a refractive perspective on space-time - amid the medley of infinite cosmic possibilities, the tale is told in such a manner that at one time or another everyone has committed the murder and everyone has been the victim. Merging the mystery, poetry, film noir, and fictional memoir genres, Murmur captivates the reader with its nuances of fallible human detail. "There's a woman lying naked on the blood-stained sand, in her abdomen the exact wound so vividly described as given to her ex-husband, metaphorically of course, by her request for money - specifically, for child support. 'She's sticking a knife in my gut,' he said, backing up and holding clenched fists to his stomach, 'and twisting it.'" A one-of-a-kind narrative experience.

Emotions
Tawana Moore- Cedeno
Black Butterfly Publishing
PO Box 5247, Hyattsville, MD 20782
9780977055104, $10.95 www.blackbutterflypublishing.com

Washington D.C. native Tawana Moore-Cedeno presents Emotions: Black Butterfly Take Flight to Ride the Winds, an anthology of free-verse poetry written to inspire and foster renewed appreciations for the things one likes and truly lovers. A few poems have Christian themes, but the overwhelming message is of positive support and well-being. "Rising Sun": It is so sweet, Your glory / Magnified from on high. / Shining down upon your children, / Each new morn justified. / Your gentle dawnings / Illuminate darkness / And quietly turn night to day, / Brightly lighting our paths / So that we may find our way.


The Antiques/Collectibles Shelf

Photograde, 19th edition
James F. Ruddy
Zyrus Press Inc.
PO Box 17810, Irvine, CA 92623
0974237159, $14.95

Now in an updated nineteenth edition, Photograde: Official Photographic Grading Guide for United States Coins is a handy guide for coin collectors and dealers. More than 1,000 black-and-white obverse and reverse coin photographs clearly show the visual distinctions to look for when grading currency, and the easy-to-understand terms and grading descriptions make Photograde a snap to use for beginners and advanced graders alike. Special chapters on counterfeits and how to value, clean, retone, and store coins round out this highly recommended guide.


The Christian Studies Shelf

Door to Silence
John Main, author
Laurence Freeman, editor
Presbyterian Publishing Corp.
100 Witherspoon Street, Lousiville, KY 40202
1853117498, $8.99 www.scm-canterburypress.co.uk

Door to Silence: An Anthology for Christian Meditation is a collection garnered from the writings of Benedictine monk John Main, based on the talks he gave each week to meditation groups gathered at his monastery. Formed from an assembly of profoundly insightful paragraphs, each suitable as a seed of Christian spiritual contemplation, Door to Silence organizes its collection of thoughts by subject matter and is conducive to being contemplated a little bit at a time or read all at once. "The fullness of the life Christ offers us is eternal life, life without limitations. The mystery is that that fullness of life is offered to us now - in this life we are living now, not in future lives." Highly recommended for personal spiritual insight and meditation shelves.

A Bridge To Nowhere
Anthony Baggadontz
Three Angels Publishing
41 South Loudoun Street, Winchester, VA 22601
9780978998301, $23.95 www.threeangelspublishing.com

A baby boomer educated in Catholic schools and colleges, Anthony 'Tony Baggz' Baggadntz is an author who has been involved in the teaching of both children and adults in the Christian faith for the past 22 years. "A Bridge To Nowhere: Memories, Morals, Martinis And The Myth Of The Promiscuous Man" deftly combines a fictional story with sound Christian teachings which combine in to illustrate through the medium of storytelling the talks a father should have with their sons as their boys transition into manhood. Although written for appeal to young men, the author's writing style and the novel's content also make it an invaluable tool for single mothers needing a way to communicate with their teenage sons on the issues of responsibility, respect, relationships with women. Very highly recommended, especially to members of the Christian community, "A Bridge To Nowhere" is not a heavy handed morality treatise, but an engaging, superbly written work of 'creative fiction' that is as entertaining and inspirational as it is informed and informative.

Find Happiness
Shawn Smith
Knight For Christ Publishing
PO Box 61, Liberty, IL 62347
9780977286805, $16.95 www.knightforchrist.com

Written by Navy veteran and licensed private investigator Shawn Smith, Find Happiness: How to Fill the Void in Your Life by Looking, Feeling, and Living Better is an uplifting blend of self-help suggestions, Christian spirituality, and inspirational autobiography. Chapters teach the reader how to identify the symptoms of depression and act to prevent it, avoid harmful habits and vices, improve one's eating and exercise habits, find truth in the Word of God, and much more. Smith does not claim to be a saint; he confesses to the sins of his life, and tells the true story of how he succeeded in turning himself around from the brink. A deeply spiritual and reverent guide steeped in unwavering faith.


The Education Shelf

Measurement And Teaching
Patrick W. Miller
Patrick W. Millers & Associates
9235 Greenwood Avenue, Munster, IN 46321
9780967327969, $59.95 www.pwmilleronline.com

Measure student performance is a critically important aspect of public and private education today. In "Measurement And Teaching", author and academician Patrick W. Miller draws upon his 29 years of teaching university classes in academic assessment and evaluation to provide classroom instructors at all grade levels with a wealth of practical, applicable instruction on how to prepare assessment instruments to properly evaluate the academic performance of their students. "Measurement And Teaching" provides teachers with up-to-date guidelines, procedures, techniques, and examples with respect to developing quality tests that accurately measure student achievement and learning outcomes. Enhanced with 500 sample test items in twenty curriculum areas, 100 review questions and answers to stimulate learning; 120 checklist questions for evaluating test items, 150 illustrations and examples, 60 exercises on test development and analyses, 75 glossary terms for quick reference, and 60 invaluable resources (including thematically appropriate websites), "Measurement And Teaching" is an informed and informative contribution to the field of education and a strongly recommended addition to Teacher College reference collections, Student Teacher supplemental reading lists, and School District Teacher In-Service Training educational resources.


The Theatre/Cinema Shelf

Western Movie Wit & Wisdom
Jim Kane
Bright Sky Press
340 South Second Street, Albany, TX 76430
9781931721974, $19.95 www.brightskypress.com 1-866-933-6133

Compiled by U.S. Army Intelligence veteran and passionate western movie fan Jim Kane, Western Movie Wit & Wisdom is a collection of memorable quotes from a wide variety of classic westerns, arranged by topic. Topics covered range from anarchy ("Unenforced law is an invitation to anarchy." from "Heaven's Gate") to nurses ("I know what I'm doing. I ought to. I nursed two husbands to a comfortable grave." from "Law Men") to youthful offenders ("I buried a lot of friends who thought fuzzy-faced kids weren't dangerous." from "The Magnificent Seven Ride!") and much more. Each quotation includes the name of the character speaking the quote, the name of the actor playing the character, and the title and release date of the western movie it's from. In total, Western Movie Wit & Wisdom offers more than 2000 facts-of-life quotations from over 1100 movies, and is a first-rate giftbook for western movie buffs everywhere.


The Social Issues Shelf

Acequia
Sylvia Rodriguez
SAR Press
PO Box 2188, Santa Fe, NM 87504-2188
9781930618558, $27.95 www.sarpress.sarweb.org

Acequia: Water Sharing, Sanctity, and Place is a timely look at a means in which water, an increasingly commodified resource vital to human life, can be shared in an era of population growth, global warming and increasing urbanization. Acequia, or irrigation ditch associations of Taos, Rio Arriba, Mora, and other northern New Mexico counties offer a viable alternative plan; every spring, people gather to clean the ditches and irrigate fields and gardens with the water that runs through them. Today, ditch associations must increasingly go to court to defend their water against claims brought by population growth or industrial or resort development. A handful of color plates and maps illustrate this timely and serious-minded glimpse of the modern history and future of acequia and international relations concerning water. Highly recommended.

Stop the Presses!
Joseph Farah
WND Books
c/o Midpoint Trade Books
27 West 20th Street, Suite 1102, New York, NY 10011
9780979045103, $25.95 www.worldnetdaily.com

Written by Joseph Farah, veteran journalist and founder of independent news website WorldNetDaily.com, Stop the Presses!: The Inside Story of the New Media Revolution is the story of the decline of print and mainstream media, and the rise of alternative media and "new media", as personified by such charismatic individuals as Rush Limbaugh, Matt Drudge, and Ann Coulter, among many others. Stop the Presses! is very much the embodiment of Farah's personal point of view, and Farah vehemently expresses his opinions - from why he thinks Al Gore is "one coconut short of a pina colada" (one chapter tells how WorldNetDaily contributed to Gore's 2000 electoral defeat by running a story linking Al Gore to alleged corruptions and charges involving his elderly uncle) to why he loathes Google as immoral even as he uses it daily (he particularly blasts Google for bowing to the Chinese government's censorship demands). Running parallel to the personal invectives is a fascinating history of the rise of modern alternative media in general and WorldNetDaily.com in particular, as witnessed by an insider. Farah's overall message of the importance of a moral compass in journalism, as well as objectivity, is certain to resonate with the reader regardless of individual political leanings. Highly recommended for its up-close and personal examination of the rise of new media.


The Business Shelf

Secrets of Producing & Selling Successful Videos
Hal Landen
Oak Tree Press
9 King Philip Ave., Bristol, RI 02809
9781888093124, $19.95

Author Hal Landen, a film and video businessman of 25 years' experience, shares his hard-earned wisdom in Secrets of Producing & Selling Successful Videos: How to Make Money with DVDs and Streaming Video. Chapters address the core qualities of successful producers, how to choose an attention-getting video topic, the basics of the video publishing business in general and the educational market in particular, the "need-to-know" lowdown on laws and contracts, how to sell on the web step by step, a crash course in running one's own mail order business, and much more. "Another type of fraud you will encounter is from people who buy your product with no intention of keeping it. These customers are abusive but be careful. Most responses you might consider, such as dropping your guarantee, will hurt your business more than help it. This is why you need a good database or invoicing program to help you find and stop such problems." A "must-have" primer for anyone contemplating producing and selling their own videos for profit, whether as a primary or side business.


The Gay/Lesbian Studies Shelf

Androphilia
Jack Malebranche
Scapegoat Publishing
15608 S. New Century Drive, Gardena, CA 90248
9780976403586, $12.95 www.SCBDistributors.com

Jack Malebranche, the author of Androphilia: A Manifesto Rejecting the Gay Identity Reclaiming Masculinity, is a bisexual man who prefers the company of and sexual relations with men - to the extent that he shares a long-term sexual and personal bond with another man. Yet he emphatically rejects the label "gay" because in today's culture the concept of "gay" has become intermingled with the concepts of feminization, abandoning masculinity, underachievement, and irresponsibility to the lengths of false victimhood. Androphilia: A Manifesto rejects the baggage-laden gay identity, and calls for humankind to recognize homosexual desire as apolitical. "The Gay Party tells us that we homosexuals must band together to fight against high-school bullies, and to encourage kids to 'come out' and ghettoize themselves into little gay support groups where they can become conversant in Party dogma and avoid ever having to learn to deal effectively with their straight peers... The Gay Party insists we learn that we are victims of heterosexual oppression, and imagine that everyone is out to get us." Malebranche prefers to substitute the word "androphile" for "gay" to describe himself, as he is an unrepentant advocate of the positive aspects of masculinity and male culture. Androphilia: A Manifesto does not attack or criticize those men (homosexual or heterosexual) who want to emulate effeminate qualities. The crux of matter is not that men should be forced to be manly, but rather that the majority of them simply are manly, and should not be pressured by the gay culture to despise or reject their masculinity. Nor should a man's sexuality automatically define his hobbies, his politics, his interests, or who can or cannot be his friends. Though readers, regardless of gender or sexual orientation, may not agree with all Androphilia has to say, Androphilia is invaluable for its core messages of being self-reliant and true to oneself, and for its frank discussion of whether "gay marriage" (as opposed to less radical measures like domestic partnerships, which are more likely to be successfully accepted nationwide) is needed at all to govern same-sex relationships incapable of producing children who are the biological offspring of both parents. Highly recommended.


The Jobs/Careers Shelf

100 Paid Summer Adventures for Teachers
Jill Frankfort
Benefit Press
50 Main Street, #11, Charleston, MA 02129
9780976607816, $19.95 www.benefitpress.com

Compiled by math teacher and research analyst Jill Frankfort, 100 Paid Summer Adventures for Teachers lives up to its title. Presenting a wealth of detailed program descriptions including requirements, application procedures, credit awards, financial support, and contact information, 100 Paid Summer Adventures for Teachers offers instructors across America the opportunity to earn money and enhance their knowledge of technology, interpersonal classroom relations, the art of teaching itself, and much more. Indexes organized by geography, program duration, eligibility, and credit offered make looking through 100 Paid Summer Adventures for Teachers a snap. An excellent resource and also an ideal gift for one's teacher or the teacher of one's child.


The Religion/Spirituality Shelf

The Wisdom of Jesus and the Yoga Siddhas
Marshall Govindan
Babaji's Kriya Yoga & Publications, Inc.
196 Mountain Road, PO Box 90, Eastman, Quebec J0E 1P0
9781895383430, $15.95 www.babji.ca

Written by co-founder of the Yoga Siddha Research Project Marshall Govindan, The Wisdom of Jesus and the Yoga Siddhas is a unique spiritual resource giving insight into the original teachings of Jesus Christ, and also showing how Christ's words parallel the ancient yogic teachings of the Yoga Siddhas. The Wisdom of Jesus and the Yoga Siddhas further reveals how to apply this wisdom to one's own life, emphasizing the importance of seeking not simply to know God, but rather to know God through higher states of consciousness. Chapters discuss modern historical research of Jesus and early Christianity, the nature of Yoga as a philosophy and who the Yoga Siddhas were, what Jesus really did say and what He did not say, and much more. "Untold millions of Christians down through the centuries have been indoctrinated with the belief that 'I am a sinner, and there is nothing which I can do to escape eternal suffering in hell unless I accept Jesus as my personal savior.' Fear of God has replaced love for God in the psyche. Guilt, suppression of desires, internal division, skepticism and the glorification of suffering as imaged by Jesus on the cross has replaced the message of forgiveness, compassion, simplicity, truth, love, self-discipline, self-purification, detachment from materialistic desires, the presence of the Kingdom of God, mystical communion with it, and perfection which Jesus brought as his 'good news.' Highly recommended for Christian spiritual seekers of all denominations.

The Other Side of the River
Kevin Reeves
Lighthouse Trails Publishing, LLC
PO Box 958, Silverton, OR 97381
9780979131509, $12.95 www.lighthousetrails.com

The Other Side of the River is the true-life memoir of author Kevin Reeves, detailing how a spiritual movement called "the River" (also known as the Third Wave or the Latter Rain) and its repercussions within his family's church, the New Covenant Fellowship, affected his life and faith, as well as that of his loved ones. The Other Side of the River tells of how warnings of divine retribution were used as threats to keep members in line; how such blatantly false or nonsensical beliefs such as the idea that faithful women never feel pain from childbirth (since pain of childbirth is allegedly the legacy of the Original Sin) were prevalent; questionable worship practices; the author's own search for truth in the words of Jesus Christ and scripture even as he became increasingly disillusioned with the cultlike behavior he saw; and much more. "...the true prophets of old and the original New Testament apostles didn't charge at all for the Gospel, but today's prophets, acting more in the know than even Paul or John, make a hefty living drawing in the crowds. As long as they're able to come up with one more hidden key to spiritual prosperity, as long as they can persuade the average believer that he is lacking in some Christian fundamental, today's gospel merchandisers will continue to draw the misinformed with their promises of more. And make them pay through the nose with it." A sober and reflective testimony on the misuse of religious leadership, trust, and authority, highly recommended.


The Travel Shelf

Ohio Road Trips with Neil Zurcher
Neil Zurcher
Gray & Company, Publishers
1588 E. 40th St. Cleveland, OH 44103
9781886228955, $13.95 www.grayco.com

Experienced TV travel reporter Neil Zurcher presents Ohio Road Trips with Neil Zurcher, a collection of his all-around favorite Ohio getaways. Ohio Road Trips is packed cover to cover with descriptions (usually one or two paragraphs long) of unforgettable Ohio restaurants, lighthouses, malls, animal preserves, prehistoric mounds, romantic country inns, and much more. Each entry is accompanied by the phone number and street address of the location mentioned, and the entries are categorized by subject with an index in the back for quick reference. A "must-have" supplement for anyone visiting or vacationing in Ohio!

Grand Canyon Treks
Harvey Butchart
Spotted Dog Press
PO Box 1721 Bishop, CA 93515-1721
9780964753020, $16.95 www.spotteddogpress.com 1-800-417-2790

Written by experienced hiker Harvey Butchart, Grand Canyon Treks is a travelogue of Butchart's pioneering explorations through the Grand Canyon, whose travels have taken him across more than 12,000 miles of remote and previously uncharted Grand Canyon territory. Illustrated with black-and-white photographs, Grand Canyon Treks is an armchair traveler's delight in its vivid descriptions of numerous trails, from Bright Angel Trail and Campground to Tanner Trail routes away from it in the Eastern Grand Canyon, to upriver and downriver from President Harding Rapids in the Marble Canyon area, to the Toroweap Area in the Western Grand Canyon and much, much more. Appendices offer a wealth of helpful hints for aspiring hikers, such as precautions to take to avoid heat-related illness and hypothermia, but Grand Canyon Treks is primarily a travelogue to be savored for its details, memories, and fascinating tidbits of historical background, not a how-to guide and not a collection of trail maps. A treasure for anyone curious about what it's like to travel the Grand Canyon on foot.


The Martial Arts Shelf

Speed Training for Martial Arts
J. Barnes
Fitness Lifestyle
5443 Waterford Circle, Sheffield Village, OH 44035
9780976899808, $18.95 www.fitnesstyle.com

Author J. Barnes taps into his more than 20 years of experience in mixed martial arts in Speed Training for Martial Arts: How to Maximize Speed for Competition and Self-Defense, a guide to advanced training methods, instructions, and drills to maximize one's speed and reflexes. Speed Training for Martial Arts covers seven dimensions of speed: visual, tactile and auditory reflexes, as well as adaptation, initiation, movement and alteration speed. Exercises range from mental shadowfighting to practicing a "poker face" so one's opponent will be less able to read one's moves and intentions, to paper bag drills and much more. Written in plain terms for readers of all backgrounds and all martial arts styles, Speed Training for Martial Arts is highly recommended supplemental resource for anyone serious about honing their self-defense skills for any reason, from personal protection to professional safety to improved tournament performance.


The Language Studies Shelf

Getting Started With Latin
William E. Linney
Armfield Academic Press
10310 Mockingbird Pond Court, Burke, VA 22015
9780979505102, $18.95 www.armfieldacademicpress.com

A student of Latin for many years, William E. Linney writes with a particular and personal expertise to create "Getting Started With Latin: Beginning Latin For Homeschoolers And Self-Taught Students Of Any Age", a thoroughly 'user friendly', do-it-yourself instruction manual for anyone who aspires to teach themselves to read, write, and speak the Latin language in the privacy of their own home. Comprised of 134 succinct lessons, "Getting Started With Latin" begins with instructions on how to best use the book, along with a section of 'General Advice'. Enhanced with an Answer Key, a Classical Pronunciation Guide, an Ecclesiastical Pronunciation Guide, a Glossary, and a Subject Index, "Getting Started With Latin" is a complete, single volume, instruction manual that can be readily utilized to acquire a basic fluency in the Latin language. Of special note is the provision of a free MP# recording providing an audio presentation of the words and exercises in "Getting Started With Latin" and which can be downloaded from the Armfield Academic Press website at www.armfieldacademicpress.com for free. "Getting Started With Latin" is confidently recommended to the attention of any non-specialist general reader or student wishing to learn the language that is at the core of academic and ecclesiastical disciplines.


James A. Cox
Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review
278 Orchard Drive
Oregon, WI 53575-1129
phone: 1-608-835-7937
e-mail: mbr@execpc.com
e-mail: mwbookrevw@aol.com
http://www.midwestbookreview.com


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