Return to home
page Book Reviews, Book Lover Resources, Advice for Writers and Publishers
Home / The Bookwatch

The Bookwatch

Volume 9, Number 6 June 2014 Home | BW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Parenting Shelf Fashion Shelf
Computer Shelf Health/Medicine Shelf Pets/Wildlife Shelf
Autism Shelf Travel Shelf Psychology Shelf
Religion/Spirituality Shelf Christian Studies Shelf Gardening Shelf
Agriculture Shelf Cookbook Shelf Mystery/Suspense Shelf
Needlecraft Shelf Crafts Shelf Political Science Shelf
Sports Shelf Fantasy/SciFi Shelf Military Shelf
Theatre/Cinema Shelf Business Shelf Social Issues Shelf
Biography Shelf Education Shelf Audiobook Shelf
Technology Shelf Genealogy Shelf Science Shelf
Photography Shelf Native American Studies Shelf Art Shelf
Metaphysical Studies Shelf Architecture Shelf Music Shelf


Reviewer's Choice

You Are Here
Hiawatha Bray
Basic Books
c/o Perseus Books Group
250 W. 57th St., Suite 1500, New York, NY 10107
www.perseusbooksgroup.com
9780465032853, $27.99, www.basicbooks.com

YOU ARE HERE: FROM THE COMPASS TO GPS, THE HISTORY AND FUTURE OF HOW WE FIND OURSELVES comes from an award-winning journalist who documents many achievements relating to maps, satellites, and the human history of finding a way through the world, and is a lively consideration of how we've come to modern times and tracking devices that are making 'getting lost' increasingly difficult. From old styles of guidance relying on radio and beacons to surveillance satellites that map the world, YOU ARE HERE provides a powerful survey recommended for a wide audience of general readers, from those interested in travel and geography to any who want a review of contemporary pathways.


The Parenting Shelf

The Conversation Train
Joel Shaul
Jessica Kingsley Publishers
400 Market Street, Suite 400, Philadelphia, PA 19106
9781849059862 $24.95 www.jkp.com

The Conversation Train uses a color picture book format and the metaphor of a train to teach the basics of conversation to children with autism spectrum disorders, and is recommended for any parent who wants to reach ages 5-13. The photos of trains pair with tips for developing conversational skills, blank worksheets and coloring pages, and exercises designed to engage youngsters in learning the rudiments of interaction processes. Parents will find this a fine teaching tool.

The Myth of the Spoiled Child
Alfie Kohn
Da Capo Press
c/o Perseus Book Group
250 W. 57th St., Suite 1500, New York, NY 10107
www.perseusbooksgroup.com
9780738217246, $25.99, www.dacapopress.com

The Myth of the Spoiled Child: Challenging the Conventional Wisdom about Children and Parenting debunks the downside of spoiling a child and points out the problems in approaches that are lean on rewards and affirmations, illustrating why it's more important to establish positive reinforcements for kids. Chapters discuss how to involve children in decision-making processes rather than lessons learned through deprivation, and show how kids can, rather, absorb more positive lessons on handling issues in their world. The result is a fine survey recommended for any parent concerned about childrearing and mental health.


The Fashion Shelf

Decades of Hats: 1900s to the 1970s
Sue Nightingale
Schiffer Publishing Ltd.
4880 Lower Valley Road, Atglen, PA 19310
9780764345111, $29.99, www.schifferbooks.com

Decades of Hats: 1900s to the 1970s is a pick for collections strong in fashion history, and covers vintage women's hats and styles. Reproductions from vintage catalogs accompany surveys of some seven decades of style in a guide packed with color ads and accompanying description of the hats. The result is a lovely array of hats that traces their evolution over seventy years, and which provides authentic pieces for costume planners as well as hat collectors.

The Lost Art of Dress
Linda Przybyszewski
Basic Books
c/o Perseus Books Group
250 W. 57th St., Suite 1500, New York, NY 10107
www.perseusbooksgroup.com
9780465036714, $28.99, www.basicbooks.com

The Lost Art of Dress: The Women Who Once Made America Stylish discusses a group of women in the first half of the 20th century - 'Dress Doctors' - who taught American women how to dress and fostered a nationwide movement on fashion. The Dress Doctors were based in Home Economics and Retailing departments across the country and provided advice on radio shows and in magazines: yet today their message and importance has all but faded. That's why The Lost Art of Dress is so important: it documents these women and their achievements in the course of adding another chapter in the chronicles of American fashion. No collection strong in style and fashion history should be without this!

Forbidden Fashions
Isabella Campagnol
Texas Tech University Press
PO Box 41037, Lubbock, TX 79409-1037
9780896728295, $34.95, www.ttupress.org

Forbidden Fashions: Invisible Luxuries in early Venetian Convents is especially recommended for any collection strong in costume design and fashion history in Europe, and offers an examination of nuns in early modern Venice who used the meaning of secular clothes and fabrics to rebel against the rules of their lives. Archival documents were used to create the first book to focus on the dress of nuns in Venetian convents: chapters discuss period trends, use documents, engravings, and literature as well as the arts to explore how these nuns lived in luxurious clothing, and blends academic research with a lively format to make the results accessible to general-interest arts and history readers alike. A fine recommendation for any interested in the evolution of costumes and the attire of nuns.


The Computer Shelf

The Principles of Object-Oriented JavaScript
Nicholas C. Zakas
No Starch Press
38 Ringold Street, San Francisco, CO 94103-4403
9781593275402, $24.95, www.nostarch.com

The Principles of Object-Oriented JavaScript explores JavaScript's unique language and key attributes, offering assessments of what makes its functions outstanding and how to apply them when creating objects. From working with prototypes and inheritance patterns to understanding the basics of how objects work in the JavaScript environment, this is packed with ideas for writing better code, and is a 'must' for any programmer who wants a closer inspection of JavaScript objects and their environment.

Practical Algorithms for 3D Computer Graphics, second edition
R. Stuart Ferguson
CRC Press
6000 NW Broken Sound Parkway NW, Suite 300
Boca Raton, FL 33487
9781466582521, $79.95, www.crcpress.com

The second updated edition of Practical Algorithms for 3D Computer Graphics is a pick for college-level computer science and engineering collections and covers the basic algorithms that lie at the heart of all 3D computer graphics software packages. It shows how to use Core OpenGL and Open GL ES to create programs for 3D computer animation, modeling and processes and it includes several new chapters covering real-time 3D programming, 3D graphics for mobile devices, and more. New topics such as marching cubes, more source code for the algorithms, and plenty of black and white images and code throughout make this a fine technical coverage for any studying 3D design and products.

Improving the Test Process
Graham Bath and Erik van Veenendaal
Rocky Nook
802 East Cota Street, 3rd Floor, Santa Barbara, CA 93103
9781933952826, $49.95, www.rockynook.com

Improving the Test Process: Implementing Improvement and Change - a Study Guide for the ISTQB Expert Level Module covers the syllabus for the "Improving the Test Process" module of the International Software Testing Qualifications Board, and provides a detailed survey of how the test improvement process works and what's involved in the improvement assessment effort. Chapters can be used in preparation for taking the ISTQB expert level exam and as a guide for test professionals looking to improve their skills, and provide review questions to accompany chapter explanations, real-world examples, key definitions, and more.


The Health/Medicine Shelf

End of Life Care
Nigel Hartley
Jessica Kingsley Publishers
400 Market Street, Suite 400, Philadelphia, PA 19106
9781849051330, $39.95, www.jkp.com

END OF LIFE CARE: A GUIDE FOR THERAPISTS, ARTISTS AND ARTS THERAPISTS describes ways therapists and artist therapists can offer their services in end of life care settings from outpatient services to care homes, and includes tips for all kinds of illness including dementia. It covers everything from policies and teamwork to methods of working within different contexts to offer emotional support for dying patients and their caregivers. From how multi-disciplinary work can aid families to understanding the wider-ranging issues involved at end of life, this is a powerful survey packed with tips any therapist will consider practical and essential.

The Chlorine Revolution
Dr. Michael J. McGuire
American Water Works Association
c/o Julia Drake Literary Publicity
9781583219133, $29.95, www.amazon.com

The Chlorine Revolution: Water Disinfection and the Fight to Save Lives details how drinking water evolved in the early 20th century so that it was no longer a dangerous killer - by disinfecting public water systems with chlorine. At the heart of the effort was a physician who partnered with sanitary engineer George W. Fuller to plan, build and operate the first such large-scale drinking water disinfection system in the U.S. There's a lot of misinformation on the records about how this all came about and the name of Dr. John L. Leal has all but been lost to history: The Chlorine Revolution remedies this by offering a lively, powerful story of how chlorine changed the face of drinking water and made it safe for all. It deserves a place in any health or social issues history holding.

Acupuncture: An Anatomical Approach, second edition
Houchi Dung
CRC Press
6000 NW Broken Sound Parkway NW, Suite 300
Boca Raton, FL 33487
9781466581920, $129.95, www.crcpress.com

Acupuncture: An Anatomical Approach appears in its second updated edition to provide a key reference for any medicine collection or practitioner concerned with the therapy and applications of acupuncture. It presents a scientific, anatomically-based approach to acupuncture and discusses acupuncture points, pain measurement and management, and clinical applications from easy cases to challenging. Health professionals will find here all the basics needed to understand how acupuncture works and its possibilities, especially for relieving chronic and acute pain.


The Pets/Wildlife Shelf

Wiley Blackwell
350 Main Street Malden, MA 02148
www.wiley.com/wiley-blackwell

Christine M. Egger, et.al.'s PAIN MANAGEMENT IN VETERINARY PRACTICE (9780813812243) provides veterinarians with the information needed to manage pain in a range of large, small or exotic animals in a clinical setting, and provides the latest research and information on pain management. From in-depth details on pharmacokinetic characteristics of drugs to the latest techniques for physical therapy, acupuncture and nutrition, this reviews all resources in the animal pain management world and provides practical management tips. The result is a fine survey highly recommended for any working with animals. Also recommended is Amy Johnson's SMALL ANIMAL PATHOLOGY FOR VETERINARY TECHNICIANS (9781118434215), which focuses on small animal diseases and how technicians can use pathology technology in the clinic. From basic terminology to diagnosis, chapters arranged by system cover anatomy, lab and clinical practices, and how the issues involved in handling small animals with different kinds of diseases. Each provides descriptions, causes, and clinical signs for each, pairing information with color photos throughout in an excellent basic reference for any vet technician or student. And, let's not leave out Chiara Noli, et.al.'s VETERINARY ALLERGY (9780470672419), the first in-depth reference considering all aspects of veterinary allergy in all species and body systems. From clinical presentation and treatment to allergic diseases, science and references for specialists and researchers, and chapters written by experts, this provides a powerful and highly recommended veterinary exploration that any clinician or vet student must have in their reference collections.


The Autism Shelf

The Independent Woman's Handbook for Super Safe Living on the Autistic Spectrum
Robyn Steward
Jessica Kingsley Publishers
400 Market Street, Suite 400, Philadelphia, PA 19106
9781849053990, $19.95, www.jkp.com

The Independent Woman's Handbook for Super Safe Living on the Autistic Spectrum provides a fine handbook for independent women who want to understand common safety issues and how to identify risks to personal safety. It covers everything from friendships to sex and employment, includes online safety as well as personal interactions, and comes from an author who is 26 years old and on the autistic spectrum herself. From when to talk to a date about autism to engaging friends in a previously arranged 'alert system', this is packed with practical approaches the author uses in her own struggles with autism and the wider world.


The Travel Shelf

Roadfood, ninth edition
Jane & Michael Stern
Clarkson Potter Publishers
c/o The Random House Publishing Group
1745 Broadway, 17th floor, New York, NY 10019
www.randomhouse.com
9780770434526, $21.99, www.clarksonpotter.com

ROADFOOD appears in its ninth updated edition and continues to provide a coast-to-coast guide to some 900 regional specialties and cuisine ranging from highway diners to lobster shacks, and is a top pick for any who want to explore dining spots along America's roadways. From the 100 most-visit tops accessible to road trips to the latest details on restaurant hours, websites, phones and fare, this compiles mouth-watering details on food destinations many would otherwise drive right by, making it a 'must' especially recommended for cross-country road travelers.

Italian Ways
Tim Parks
W. W. Norton & Company
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110
9780393348828, $15.95, www.wwnorton.com

ITALIAN WAYS; ON AND OFF THE RAILS FROM MILAN TO PALERMO comes from an author who rode the rails o Italy from Verona to Milan and beyond, traveling the country top to bottom and encountering all manner of people, from scholars and conductors to priests and more. His focus, on capturing the distinctive lives of Italy's people, makes for a lively armchair travel journey that will simply delight any interested in Italian culture and journeys.

Hiking Ohio
Gary S. Williams
Human Kinetics Publishers, Inc.
PO Box 5076, Champaign, IL 61820-5076
9781450412537, $22.95, www.humankinetics.com

HIKING OHIO is for any who would visit Ohio or enjoy hiking its various areas, and packs in some 83 day hikes across the state. GPS coordinates for every hike, phone numbers, websites, park hours, and facilities accompany maps for all parks and trails and features on its history and terrain. With all the details packed into one book, it's easy for any visitor or resident to locate the perfect outdoor day trip for nearly any purpose, making this a 'must' for travelers who would locate and enjoy specific outdoors areas in the state.


The Psychology Shelf

Ha!
Scott Weems
Basic Books
c/o Perseus Books Group
250 W. 57th St., Suite 1500, New York, NY 10107
www.perseusbooksgroup.com
9780465031702, $26.99, www.basicbooks.com

Ha! The Science of When We Laugh and Why comes from a cognitive neuroscientist, Scott Weems, who probes the psychological experience of humor and how it relates to handling complex messages. His own research as well as that of other cognitive scientists, psychologists and linguists blend in a survey of how humor responds to conflict in the brain - and how it can help resolve social and psychological issues alike. In considering what purpose humor serves, underlying social issues as well as insights into physical and psychological well-being are probed in a fine addition to any social issues and psychological collection and many a general-interest library.

Mental Biology
W.R. Klemm
Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2197
9781616149444, $19.95, www.prometheusbooks.com

MENTAL BIOLOGY: THE NEW SCIENCE OF HOW THE BRAIN AND MIND RELATE focuses on how the mind emerges from nerve impulse patterns in the brain - and why consciousness therefore can be seen as a neural-activity-based entity in its own right. Many would argue that consciousness and thinking and free will aren't real: here is evidence showing that mental creativity and choice are indeed real - and it explains brain-based differences between the nonconscious, unconscious and conscious minds. Even readers with little science background will find this an accessible important survey that lends key insights into the nature of the human mind.

Mindful Anger
Andrea Brandt
W. W. Norton & Company
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110
9780393708943, $22.95, www.wwnorton.com

MINDFUL ANGER: A PATHWAY TO EMOTIONAL FREEDOM comes from a therapist who demonstrates that anger is a good, healthy emotion - when expressed in a productive and appropriate manner - and offers keys around learning concepts and practices relating to mindfulness surrounding anger. From identifying a personal anger style to managing it, MINDFUL ANGER is filled with insights on myths surrounding anger's origins and arguments on breaking old habits and handling false perceptions about anger. Psychology collections will find this a key acquisition.


The Religion/Spirituality Shelf

Making Sense of Sex
William Loader
Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company
2140 Oak Industrial Drive, NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49505
9780802870957, $24.00, www.eerdmans.com

Making Sense of Sex: Attitudes Towards Sexuality in Early Jewish and Christian Literature offers an unusual focus on what ancient authors had to say about sex in early Judaism and Christianity, and offers a summary and conclusion to Loader's five previous books on sexuality. As such it's recommended not for health or social issues collections (as one might expect from its title), but for spirituality holdings interested in scholarship and college-level reading about ancient texts. The result is a very fine account that will please any interested in early Biblical attitudes and writers.


The Christian Studies Shelf

Orbis Books
PO Box 308, Maryknoll, NY 10545-0308
www.orbisbooks.com

Deirdre Cornell's JESUS WAS A MIGRANT (9781626980402, $20.00) provides a reflection on the life of the migrant and the Christian life, and considers how the suffering involved in a migrant journey can result in blessings for all involved. It's a blend of personal experience, pastoral theology and Christian thought and provides a simple yet eye-opening new way of viewing the migrant and personal journeys through life and spirituality, and is a fine recommendation for Christian readers and collections. Miguel A. De La Torre's DOING CHRISTIAN ETHICS FROM THE MARGINS (9781626980754, $35.00) appears in its second revised, expanded edition to help readers understand the basics of ethical theory and how it applies to Christianity, and is recommended for scholarly collections. It comes from a professor of social ethics and Latina/o studies and is packed with quotes and source material references as it considers its subject from issues of war and global poverty to politics, business relationships, and more. The result is a wide-ranging examination that offers a fine analysis perfect for any Christian studies library.


The Gardening Shelf

Homegrown Tea
Cassie Liversidge
St. Martin's Griffin
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010
9781250939415, $23.99, www.stmartins.com

Homegrown Tea: An Illustrated Guide to Planting, Harvesting, and Blending Teas and Tisanes is an unusual blend of gardening guide and cookbook and features some forty different tea plants to use, paired with the author's paintings of plants and photos of the tea-making process. It provides all the details on how to grow the plants, use them for medicine, and how to store them - and of course offers many keys to enjoying homegrown tea. Because the emphasis is on growing and harvesting, this is reviewed in our gardening section, but easily crosses over into food and wine circles.

The Urban Gardener
Matt James
Mitchell Beazley
c/o Octopus Publishing
236 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
9781845337964, $24.99, www.octopusbooksusa.com

The Urban Gardener pairs fine color photos by Marianne Majerus with a practical guide to urban gardening and considers how to design an urban space, whether you have a small yard, balcony, courtyard, basement or even a roof. Sustainable gardening techniques are the focus of an urban design title that shows how to use plants to define space and introduce color and interest. From planting to irrigation and drainage, this includes coverage of practical matters from piping to cleaning and security, and provides an excellent survey with the urban habitat in mind.


The Agriculture Shelf

An Introduction to Heritage Breeds
The Livestock Conservancy
Storey Publishing
210 Mass MoCA Way, North Adams, MA 01247
9781612121253, $19.95, www.storey.com

An Introduction to Heritage Breeds provides a fine survey on raising rare-breed livestock and poultry and is recommended for any collection strong in small animal management. Chapters discuss the qualities of such breeds with an eye to determining which is right for a specific need, and provide history, color photos, and discussions of behavior and small stock management on farms and in small areas. From sheep and goats to poultry this considers different heritage breeds and their qualities. The result is an excellent survey recommended for any who want to look into heritage breeds.


The Cookbook Shelf

Stuffed
Dan Whalen
Page Street Publishing
27 Congress Street, Suite 103, Salem, MA 01970
9781624140112, $19.99, www.pagestreetpublishing.com

STUFFED: THE ULTIMATE COMFORT FOOD book isn't your usually anticipated assembly of tacos, stuffed potatoes and wraps: it ups the ante and takes the 'stuffed' notion a step further, including new stuffings and new wraps to hold them, and is a pick for any who want different fare. Such dishes as Parmesan Truffle French Fry Stuffed Burger and Goat Cheese and Orange-Basil Stuffed Cherry Peppers, for example, aren't your usual fare - and many are as simple as mixing a filling and stuffing it into vegetables or bread casings. With its range of alternative dishes, this is a 'must' for any who want comfort food with a contemporary twist.

Alice's Eats
Pierre A. Lamielle and Julie Van Rosendaal
Whitecap Books Ltd.
314 West Cordova Street, Suite 210
Vancouver, BC, Canada, V6B 1E8
9781770501911, $34.95, www.whitecap.ca

Alice's Eats: A Wonderful Cookbook provides a fine survey by cookbook authors who consider the zany ingredients often referred to in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, and will prove a fun book for literary readers and cookbook enthusiasts looking for different recipes. The full text of Alice's Adventures is included alongside recipes, photos, and new color illustrations of dishes that range from Mock Turtle's Mock Turtle Soup to Cheshire Cat's Grainy Mustard Rarebit. The result is a very fun collection, highly recommended for any cookbook fan and especially for those who want to plan a menu around a literary theme.

Race Point Publishers
400 First Avenue North, Suite 400
Minneapolis, MN 55401
www.racepointpub.com

Susan Sulich, Food Writer's THE WORLD'S BEST ASIAN NOODLE RECIPES: 125 GREAT RECIPES FROM TOP CHEFS (9781937994204, $28.00) provides a fine survey of Asian noodle dishes from across Asia - and original creations based on Asian noodles from chefs around the world - and is a recommendation for any fascinated by Asian noodles. From a Tokyo Seafood Ramen Soup to Cold Sesame Noodles and Beef with Black Bean Sauce, this pairs traditional Asian ingredients with noodle bases for unusual impact, and is a pick for any who want something familiar yet slightly different. Lindy Wildsmith & Valentina Sforza's CICCHETTI AND OTHER SMALL ITALIAN PLATES TO SHARE (9781937994150, $28.00) provides a fine gathering of bite-sized local Italian specialties, and pairs anecdotes, color photos and the authors' knowledge of regional Italian cooking with dishes perfect for small bites. From a 'Maciotti' - Hot Polenta Flour Buns with Golden Raisins and Rosemary - to an unusual Fish Empanadas and a homemade sweet, boozy Vov drink, this is packed with color photos and insights on Italian food and drinks, and is a top pick for any Italian cook.

Down South
Donald Link
Clarkson Potter Publishers
c/o The Random House Publishing Group
1745 Broadway, 17th floor, New York, NY 10019
www.randomhouse.com
9780770433185, $35.00, www.clarksonpotter.com

DOWN SOUTH: BOURBON, PORK, GULF SHRIMP & SECOND HELPINGS OF EVERYTHING is written with Paula Disbrowe and packed with color photos throughout by Chris Granger, and provides a fine survey of Southern cooking and regional dishes. From Spiced Pecans to Watermelon Gazpacho with Crabmeat, this is packed with main courses and side dishes alike, and offers local characters and color along with dishes that are intrinsic to Southern cooking. The result is an inviting collection that any interested in Southern cooking will find accessible and inviting.

Southern Thymes Shared
Laura Lyn Carter and Doc Lawrence
Pelican Publishing Company
1000 Burmaster Street, Gretna, LA 70053-2246
9781455618668, $35.00, www.pelicanpub.com

Any with an interest in Southern classic cuisine will find this an excellent survey pairing menus with wine recommendations and themed meals with a Southern flair for entertainment, and will appeal to hosts who enjoy cooking for gatherings. It comes from a Georgia native and a veteran journalist and includes wine pairings for dishes ranging from Jack Daniel's Peachy Rice Pudding to Fresh Berries with Lemon-Scented Whipped Cream. It's also refreshing to note that Southern wines are recommended; not your usual California or French fare. The result's an excellent pick for any fan of Southern classic cuisine who wants ideas for entertainment, whether it be for brunch or dinners.

Whisky: The Manual
Dave Broom
Mitchell Beazley
c/o Octopus Publishing
236 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
9781845337551, $19.99, www.octopuspublishing.com

Whisky: The Manual comes from an expert who considers the history, mystery, and uses of whisky, and provides a fine guide especially recommended for novices just getting used to the taste. From different styles and how best to appreciate them to cocktails and racy history from around the world, this is much more than either a cookbook or a history title, covering whisky's diverse uses and its interactions as a mixer. Any collection strong in cocktails and spirits in general will find this a lively coverage of whisky's place in world history.

A la Mere de Famille
Julien Merceron
Chronicle Books
680 Second Street, San Francisco, CA 94107
9781452118284, $35.00, www.chroniclebooks.com

A la Mere de Famille: Recipes from the Beloved Parisian Confectioner offers the company's first cookbook after some 250 years in business, and features a candy-shop window cover, embossed lettering, and an enchanting format pairing nearly a hundred recipes for classic French candies with discussions of formulas and baking perfect for novices and advanced confection-makers alike. From truffles to ice cream, chapters offer a lovely compilation of A la Mere de Famille favorites in an enticing and enchanting format made visually striking with photos by Jean Cazals and illustrations by Sophie Pechaud and Jule Serre. No dessert cookbook collection should be without this unique title!


The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

Panthers Play for Keeps
Clea Simon
Poisoned Pen Press
6962 E. First Ave., #103, Scottsdale, AZ 85251
9781590588703, $24.95, www.poisonedpenpress.com

Panthers Play for Keeps provides a fine Pru Marlowe Pet Noir mystery revolving around a dogwalker who spots a body - and becomes involved in a real mystery. The young woman appears to have been mauled by a wild cat, but service dog Spot seems to indicate otherwise. With panther panic growing, it's up to Pru and her pets to uncover the roots of the attack before someone else bites the dust. A fine, whimsical mystery will involve readers from beginning to end!

A Guide for the Perplexed
Dara Horn
W. W. Norton & Company
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110
9780393348880, $14.95, www.wwnorton.com

A Guide for the Perplexed provides a fine novel centered around software developer and businesswoman Josie, who has created the Genizah program - a digital archive that gathers and organizes every moment of people's lives in the world's biggest virtual storage effort. What evolves from her work is unexpected: a thriller story that blends high technology with family concerns, historical precedent, and even religion. Josie's journey to Egypt to assist with the Library of Alexandria's digital archiving efforts will change her life through unexpected cultural interactions, a kidnapping, and the reality of a creation that could go awry if it fell into the wrong hands. A gripping story evolves in a thriller that proves easy to enter and hard to put down.


The Needlecraft Shelf

Stylish Dress Book
Yoshiko Tsukiori
Tuttle Publishing
364 Innovation Drive, North Clarendon, VT 05759-9436
9780804843157, $18.95, www.tuttlepublishing.com

Stylish Dress Book: Wear With Freedom pairs color photos with pull-out patterns for nearly thirty relaxed, comfortable dresses and tops, and while these pull-outs may not last the rigors of library lending, they do provide needleworkers with clear diagrams and patterns to compliment easy step-by-step instructions on how to make the garments. The result is a lovely book packed with a range of styles perfect for those who want to recreate the relaxed fit and style of contemporary Japanese garments.

Modern Hand Stitching
Ruth Chandler
Landauer Publishing LLC
3100 NW 101st Street, Suite A, Urbandale, Iowa 50322
9781935726487, $24.95, www.landauerpub.com

Modern Hand Stitching: Dozens of Stitches with Creative Free-Form Variations offers some six stitch chapters covering 39 stitches with dozens of variations for each, and is a special recommendation for readers who want a sampler of ideas and step-by-step methods for recreating them. Color photos capture every technique while colorful pages offer plenty of examples of their different uses in art projects. The result is a colorful guide for any who would improve hand stitching capabilities.

Martingale
19021 Avenue NE, Bothell, WA 98011
www.shopmartingale.com

Jean Leinhauser and Rita Weiss's THE BIG BOOK OF CROCHET (9781604684506, $19.99) packs in over three hundred stitch examples and a unique format that includes color photo close-ups of each stitch, and is a recommendation for any collection strong in crochet crafting. Step-by-step instructions cover these stitches which range from easy to advanced, while swatches for each show how they differ. They're also grouped by style for quick reference, with instructions requiring only some basic knowledge of crochet abbreviations to prove satisfying. Beginners now have a reference that embraces all kinds of crochet stitch work! Kim Diehl's SIMPLE APPEAL: 14 PATCHWORK AND APPLIQUE PROJECTS FOR EVERYDAY LIVING (9781604682971, $28.99) offers a new collection of quilts that use modern techniques and fabrics based on traditional designs, and shows how to recreate motifs suitable for decorating. From traditional patchwork to machine applique using different kinds of materials, this covers a host of inviting projects, pairing patterns and full-page and smaller color photos with materials lists, cutting directions, and more. The result is an excellent collection suitable for any needlework library. Another new release highly recommended for quilters is Cheri Leffler's ANIMAL PARADE: ADORABLE APPLIQUE QUILT PATTERNS FOR BABIES (9781604682823, $26.99), which uses simple piecing with whimsical applique to make quilts for children. From using fusible applique in animal shapes to creating patterns and colors kids will love, this is filled with ideas and full-page patterns especially designed for babies. Karla Alexander's STACK, SHUFFLE, AND SLIDE: A NEW TECHNIQUE FOR STACK THE DECK QUILTS (97816046822359, $24.99) comes from an award-winning designer who offers a new angle on her popular stack-cut-and-shuffle idea, adding the 'slide' to the routine to create a new variety of quilts. 15 designs provide beginners to seasoned quilters with the basics of using a new idea to create new blends of patterns and colors. Bright color photos throughout reinforce this approach.


The Crafts Shelf

Kalmbach Books
21027 Crossroads Circle, Waukesha, WI 53187-1612
www.kalmbachbooks.com

Karin Van Voorhees, COMPILER'S STYLISH JEWELRY YOUR WAY: DESIGNS IN STRINGING, WIREWORK, STITCHING, METALWORK, AND MORE (9781627000734, $21.99) includes a bonus DVD of nearly thirty techniques to watch as it provides a step-by-step workbook in full color of various kinds of designs. From triangles and wrapped metal clay to chain mail weaves and romantic flowers, this teaches the basics of working with various mediums and techniques, offers projects from a range of designers rather than a single one, and is packed with ideas beginning jewelry designers will love. Beth L. Martin and Eva M. Sherman's ORGANIC WIRE AND METAL JEWELRY: STUNNING PIECES MADE WITH SEA GLASS, STONES, AND CRYSTALS (9780871167040, $21.99) provides some twelve fully illustrated techniques for working with wire and metal in over twenty designs presented two ways (so, it's actually fifty projects). Step-by-step instructions and hundreds of color photos throughout illustrate all kinds of styles and projects perfect for jewelry makers who want to work with metal and wire for the first time. Karin Van Voorhees compiles projects for LINKED: INNOVATIVE CHAIN MAIL JEWELRY DESIGNS (9781627000895, $19.99) and uses instruction from six artists to provide different approaches to making chain mail. Patterns include necklaces, bracelets, earrings and more, while directions pair step-by-step instruction with clear how-to close-up photos beginners can appreciate. Its range of projects and clarity of instruction make this a recommended pick.


The Political Science Shelf

Westview Press
250 W. 57th St., Suite 1500, New York, NY 10107
www.westviewpress.com

Catherine Shaw's THE CAMPAIGN MANAGER: RUNNING AND WINNING LOCAL ELECTIONS (9780813348636, $39.00) appears in its fifth updated edition to provide a step-by-step guide to funding, publicizing and arranging successful political campaigns, and is directed to managers of such efforts whether they be high school students, local or state government candidates, and more. From gaining volunteers and winning debates to building media attention and handling polls, all methods are field-tested, not theory, and include all the tools needed for success. Examples of campaign approaches, brochures, and more accompany new material that includes a new chapter on social media, a new focus on how to put together such a campaign plan, and a specific new appendix on campaigning with only, $3,000 in hand. Highly recommended for any involved in political campaigning! Howard J. Wiarda and Harvey F. Kline edit the eighth updated edition of LATIN AMERICAN POLITICS AND DEVELOPMENT (9780813349046, $53.00), which provides a comprehensive reference on Latin American government and political development on a country-by-country basis. Chapters are written by leading authorities on each country in Latin America, coverage extends to Cuba, Haiti and the Dominican Republic, and some twenty essays are new to this edition, including discussion of Mexico's ongoing drug wars. The result is an engrossing survey packed with the latest details and highly recommended for any college-level collection strong in Latin American issues. Robert Booth Fowler, et.al.'s RELIGION AND POLITICS IN AMERICA: FAITH, CULTURE, AND STRATEGIC CHOICES (9780813348513, $42.00) appears in its fifth updated edition to provide college readers with updated materials covering the religious influences on the 2012 election as well as other political structures in the country, and examines the treatment of religious minority groups and their impact on the electoral process. Scholars cover different areas of religious and political intersection and provide lively discussions about both in a recommendation for spirituality and political studies readers alike. John Haskell, Marian Currinder and Sara A. Grove's CONGRESS IN CONTEXT! (9780813347561, $45.00) provides an outstanding survey in a second edition that's been completely revamped to include two new chapters on Congress's relationship with the courts and interests groups, and new coverage on campaign finance, and is a recommendation for any college-level political studies library. It explains congressional actions including budgeting and oversight, it relies on real-life examples to support analysis of how Congress works, and it provides students with material they must know to thoroughly understanding Congressional action. James D. Ramsay and Linda Kiltz's CRITICAL ISSUES IN HOMELAND SECURITY: A CASEBOOK (9780813348278, $30.00) offers college-level political studies readers a casebook covering different challenges within the homeland security environment, from terrorism to emergency management, and offers assessments of the latest issues in security from the use of killer drones to cyber security. Chapters from different contributors from different disciplines provide wide-ranging perspectives and offer plenty of studies that will lend to classroom debate and discussion. Highly recommended!


The Sports Shelf

Dumbbell Training
Allen Hedrick
Human Kinetics Publishers, Inc.
PO Box 5076, Champaign, IL 61820-5076
9781450444583, $19.95, www.humankinetics.com

Dumbbell Training offers nearly eighty exercises and fifteen programs for programs using the dumbbell, and is a pick for any athlete who wants specific exercises based on muscle development, performance, and building strength. It can be used in the gym, at home, or when traveling and includes workouts and programs specific to increasing speed, agility and performance in some 11 popular sports from cycling and soccer to speed skating, swimming and track. Add black and white photos of routines in a step-by-step coverage and you have a winner!


The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf

Cauldron of Ghosts
David Weber & Eric Flint
Baen Books
PO Box 1188, Wake Forest NC 27588
9781476736334, $25.00, www.baen.com

Cauldron of Ghosts is military sci fi at its best, and revolves around a centuries-old cabal that places genetic rank at the top of human affairs. It's a conspiracy exposed by an agent of Honor Harrington's Manticore kingdom - but the war between the Republic of Haven and the Star Empire has been settled by a new common enemy - the Mesan Alignment. It's up to two agents to use a genetic disguise to penetrate the Alignment; there to uncover a threat that will change the world. A powerful saga set in the Honor Harrington world evolves.


The Military Shelf

Area 51 Black Jets
Bill Yenne
Zenith Press
c/o Quarto Publishing Group USA
400 First Avenue North, Suite 300
Minneapolis, MN 55401
9780760344262, $40.00, www.zenithpress.com

AREA 51 BLACK JETS: A HISTORY OF THE AIRCRAFT DEVELOPED AT GROOM LAKE, AMERICA'S SECRET AVIATION BASE comes from a military historian who provides the first illustrated chronology of Area 51's aircraft projects, with each earning its own chapter on the aircraft's development. It also includes some of the many classified experimental programs conducted at Area 51 over the decades - secret efforts that successfully reverse-engineered notable aircraft. Color and black and white photos, diagrams and maps compliment a coverage filled with insights on one of the most secret military areas in the U.S. where the latest technological inventions are put to the test.

Osprey Publishing
4301 21st St, Suite 220B, Long Island City, NY 11101
www.ospreypublishing.com

Gordon L. Rottman's BROWNING .30-CALIBER MACHINE GUNS (9781780969213, $18.95) follows the history of John Browning and his ideas for weapons that were lighter than the common maxim machine gun and more reliable: an idea first patented in 1901 but which didn't see interest until 1917 during World War I. Here the 'heavy' was developed into an air-cooled light machine gun and Browning's firearms prowess at last found its audience with the U.S. forces through World War II. Vintage black and white photos throughout enhance an engrossing survey recommended for any interested in military equipment in general and machine guns in particular. Edward M. Young's F6F HELLCAT ACES OF VF-9 (9781782003359, $22.95) covers one of the military squadrons that were developed after the Pearl Harbor attack, and covers the unit's fighting capabilities, engagements, pilots, and machinery. Aviation and military holdings alike will appreciate the blend of original photos and color plates as well as the focus on experiences of the aces. The result is a fine coverage recommended for any interested in the VF-9's operations. Nick Lipscombe's BAYONNE AND TOULOUSE 1813-14: WELLINGTON INVADES FRANCE (9781472802774, $21.95) covers Wellington's movements and victories and how he achieved the most from an exhausted army and a prolonged campaign that would test them to the limits in the siege of Bayonne and the battle of Toulouse. The entire campaign is covered with all of its battles and dangerous crossings, and makes for an excellent survey recommended for any interested in early military struggle. Peter E. Davies' F-111 & EF-111 Units in Combat (9781782003472, $22.95) is another pick for any collection strong in combat aircraft history, and covers a plane originally designed as a cost-effective interceptor and strike bomber that became the US Air Force's best long-range strike aircraft in its thirty-year tenure. Chapters cover its combat history, its pilots, and its makeup and are paired with vintage photos and modern illustrations, making for a fine survey packed with details. Scott S. Sheads' THE CHESAPEAKE CAMPAIGNS 1813-15 (9781780968520, $21.95) provides a fine account of one of the most influential campaigns of the War of 1812, and provides a survey that considers the Chesapeake region's raids and battles. And lest you believe this a minor focus - the bombardment of Fort McHenry that resulted inspired the writing of the "Star-Spangled Banner". Black and white and color maps and vintage and contemporary photos liberally pepper a survey any military history collection will find specific and inviting.

Living Hell
Michael C.C. Adams
Johns Hopkins University Press
2715 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218-4363
9781421412214, $29.95, www.press.jhu.edu

Living Hell: The Dark Side of the Civil War considers the contrast between recruits and the realities of communal living and disease that part of the Civil War - and which is rarely discussed in titles covering the War's battles and glory. While tourists reenact the experience, they often omit the reality of the harsh life caused by the war - and this book uses the letters and memoirs of individual soldiers to document hardships on both sides. Any who would truly understand the daily trials of the Civil War must have this book!


The Theatre/Cinema Shelf

Stephen King Films FAQ
Scott Von Doviak
Applause Books
c/o Hal Leonard Performing Arts Publishing Group
19 West 21st Street, Suite 201, New York, NY 10010
www.halleonard.com
9781480355514, $24.99, www.applausebooks.com

Stephen King Films FAQ: All That's Left to Know About the King of Horror on Film is recommended for any who relish King's unique style of horror, and provides a in-depth review of King's films covering everything from well-known movies to obscure creations. From flops to acclaimed films, this covers films that influenced King and those that followed his works, unmade projects, and works in other media. By expanding the focus to the entire 'King genre' of movies - not just works by King himself - this offers a wider-ranging series of works that include other filmmaker efforts and provides a fine analysis key to any Stephen King enthusiast and collections catering to them.


The Business Shelf

Supercommunicator
Frank J. Pietrucha
Amacom Books
1601 Broadway, New York, NY 10019
9780814433683, $17.95, www.amacombooks.org

Supercommunicator: Explaining the Complicated in a Digital Age is all about access, knowledge, and how to make complicated content accessible to a wider audience, and comes from a seasoned communications pro who considers how digital technology is changing how skills are applied. It's packed with advice for delivering powerful messages using new 'supercommunications' to make sense of complicated digital environments and it urges anyone who wants successful communication to develop a better mindset for fostering such. The result is a powerful survey recommended for business and social studies collections alike.

Building Your Business the Right-Brain Way
Jennifer Lee
New World Library
14 Pamaron Way, Novato, CA 94949
9781608682560, $21.95, www.newworldlibrary.com

Building Your Business the Right-Brain Way: Sustainable Success for the Creative Entrepreneur pairs self-help and psychology with a business focus that provide the basics of real-world-tested techniques leading to business success, and is a fine recommendation for all kinds of businesses and their managers. From understanding the basics of identifying and attracting the ideal customer to managing teams and staff members, keeping operations smooth, and promoting products, this combines sidebars of tips for right- and left-brain processing with checklists and lively illustrations throughout. The result is a lively survey highly recommended for any looking to integrative business and personal objectives.

Code Halos
Malcolm Frank, Paul Roehrig, Ben Pring
Wiley
c/o Wiley Professional Trade Group
111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
9781118862070, $28.00, www.wiley.com

CODE HALOS: HOW THE DIGITAL LIVES OF PEOPLE, THINGS, AND ORGANIZATIONS ARE CHANGING THE RULES OF BUSINESS shows leaders how digital innovators and companies can build 'Code Halos' solutions for greater success, and revolves around a peer-based business strategy that's creating new commercial models for innovation and achievement. The focus on data and analytics considers digital information and its applications to business and society alike, with chapter showing how models can predict market shifts and determine company direction. Traditional firms are already benefiting from Code Halos: with this in-depth study, anyone else can, too.

Impact: Great Leadership Changes Everything
Tm Irwin, PhD
BenBella Books
10300 N. Central Expressway, Suite 400, Dallas, TX 75204
9781939529046, $24.95, www.benbellabooks.com

Impact: Great Leadership Changes Everything discusses the impact of exceptional leadership and its ability to change worlds, considering what happens when that leadership is threatened and how a leader can protect their impact. It considers the ideas that form the basis of great leadership and shows how to stay the course and grow within a leadership role that invites the trust and following of others. The result is a fine survey of leadership forces and changes and is a top recommendation for those leaders who would hone their abilities.

Ice Cream Social
Brad Edmonson
Berrett-Koehler Publishers
235 Montgomery Street, Suite 650
San Francisco, CA 94104-2916
9781609948139, $18.95, www.bkconnection.com

Ice Cream Social: The Whole Story of the Struggle for the Soul of Ben & Jerry's isn't the first book to cover the company's rise to success; but it is the first to tell the entire inside story of its rise, fall, recovery, and ongoing blossoming. Most other accounts have followed Ben and Jerry's rise, but this goes beneath the surface to explain how it was sold off to one of the world's biggest corporations - and how Ben & Jerry's created a unique contract with Unilever to preserve its underlying mission and pursuits. The result is an eye-opening history of a business transition that is supported by the author's interviews with numerous early leaders in the company.

Haunted Empire
Yukari Iwantani Kane
HarperBusiness
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
10 East 53rd Street, New York, NY 10022-5299
9780062128256, $27.99, www.harpercollins.com

HAUNTED EMPIRE: APPLE AFTER STEVE JOBS is compiled form hundreds of insider interviews at Apple and comes from a former Wall Street Journal tech reporter and Apple authority who explores the new milieu of Apple after Job's death. Nobody denies the company stands at a crossroads: in fact, discussion has been on the table for years about Apple's future. In the past two years Apple's business has become more complex and more global, facing new issues around the world. This offers insider perspectives on these issues and events and is the result of five years of reporting and writing on Apple: no better expose of Apple's future can be found, making this a top pick for any business collection.

Presentationzen Design
Garr Reynolds
New Riders
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300, Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
9780321934154, $34.99, www.newriders.com

Business and computer readers interested in creating and delivering more effective presentations will find Presentationzen Design a fine guide to designing effective presentations that combine text, data, images and video. It shows how to streamline the process and how to design for more polished results, discusses the basics of using presentations for talks, student assignments or other goals, and is packed with rich color photo examples throughout. The result is a solid survey highly recommended for any who would use the best presentation methods for optimum results.


The Social Issues Shelf

Westview Press
c/o Perseus Book Grop
250 W. 57th St., Suite 1500, New York, NY 10107
www.westviewpress.com

Patrick R. Grzanka's INTERSECTIONALITY: A FOUNDATIONS AND FRONTIERS READER (9780813349121, $35.00) is for college-level students in sociology and gathers readings and the latest works and theory in the concept of intersectionality and how it works. Chapters explore readings and common threads, consider interdisciplinary applications and sociology standards, and apply both theory and analysis to specific groups and their functions. The result is a primer any college-level social sciences student will find scholarly and absorbing. The fourth updated edition of David B. Grusky's SOCIAL STRATIFICATION: CLASS, RACE, AND GENDER IN SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE belongs in any serious social sciences library strong in minority studies, and provides a key coverage including works important to how poverty, social class and gender is perceived. This is no light review: it's a weighty volume packed with technical works from scholars who have changed the field, and it is edited by a professor of sociology at Stanford University. The result is a clear and in-depth discussion of how social policy has dealt with issues of poverty and inequality, and is a 'must' for any college-level collection. Kathleen Fitzgerald's RECOGNIZING RACE AND ETHNICITY: POWER, PRIVILEGE, AND INEQUALITY (9780813349305, $70.00) provides a fine account of the concept of privilege and uses a different vantage point to consider the history of U.S. race relations across racial and ethnic lines. Students thus receive a perspective on race that embraces its social, political and historical roots, avoiding the usual assessments of racial groups and instead focusing on deeper layers of privilege and its perception. The result is a fine pick for any social issues collection strong in race issues.

Overpowered
Martin Blank, PhD
Seven Stories Press
140 Watts Street, New York, NY 10013
9781609805098, $23.95, www.sevenstories.com

OVERPOWERED: WHAT SCIENCE TELLS US ABOUT THE DANGERS OF CELL PHONES AND OTHER WIFI-AGE DEVICES is also recommended for health and science as well as general-interest holdings, but is reviewed here for its wide-ranging applications to social science. It explains the biological effects of cell phones on cell physiology and how to protect ourselves from these effects, it considers the wider problem of electromagnetic radiation levels usually considered 'safe' by regulatory standards, and it discusses evolving technologies and personal well-being. It's a health, consumer and science guide all in one and provides important food for thought, inviting readers to consider new standards in safety and technology's management.


The Biography Shelf

Mommy Man
Jerry Mahoney
Taylor Trade Publishing
c/o Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group
4501 Forbes Blvd., Suite 200, Lanham, MD 20706
www.rowman.com
9781589799226, $24.95, www.taylortradepublishing.com

MOMMY MAN: HOW I WENT FROM MILD-MANNERED GEEK TO GAY SUPERDAD follows the author's life, from his teen years in the 1980s to twenty years later he when was living with his long-term boyfriend - and wanting parenthood. How he and his boyfriend made choices that would lead him to become a father makes for an engrossing - and unexpectedly funny - saga that embraces the complexities of surrogacy and parenthood, mixes in a healthy dose of gay perspective, and ultimately succeeds in creating a warm, memorable and personal story recommended for any general interest reader interested in gay parenthood.


The Education Shelf

More Than Meets The Eye
Melissa B. Smith
Gallaudet University Press
800 Florida Avenue, NE, Washington, DC 20002-3695
9781563685798, $80.00, www.gupress.galludet.edu

More Than Meets The Eye: Revealing the Complexities of an Interpreted Education is the tenth volume in the 'Interpretation' series covering sign language interpreters and public schools. Over 80% of all deaf children are mainstreamed, but few of their teachers can sign well enough to offer them full access and many K-12 interpreters fulfill roles beyond interpreting, making educational decisions with wide-ranging impact. This considers the roles of K-12 interpreters and comes from the author's analysis at three different schools, and offers important keys to understanding resources, interpretation modifications, and interactions between the deaf and hearing worlds. The result is a powerful account recommended for any special education collection.

Assuring Quality in Online Education
Kay Shattuck, Editor
Stylus Publishing, Inc.
22883 Quicksilver Drive, Sterling, VA 20166-2012
9781579228712, $35.00, www.styluspub.com

Assuring Quality in Online Education: Practices and Processes at the Teaching, Resource, and Program Levels gathers experts in the field who contribute to an in-depth review of standards, practices and processes surrounding quality online education, and provides recommendations to students and instructors as well as accreditors and administrators. Chapters discuss quality assurance, improvement, accessibility, academic resources and more as they consider the special processes in offering higher education to online students at the college level. The result is an excellent assessment highly recommended for any concerned about online education.

Early Elementary Children Moving & Learning
Rae Pica
Redleaf Press
10 Yorkton Court, St. Paul, MN 55117-1065
9781605542690, $24.95, www.redleafpress.org

Early Elementary Children Moving & Learning is a guide to physical education at the early elementary level and offers a complete movement curriculum for early elementary children. It provides an introduction that includes keys to understanding how creative movement supports children's physical, social and creative development processes, and it covers a range of activities plus adaptations for children of special needs, with five categories making it easy to quickly review a class of activities perfect for a given educational objective. A CD of original music adds to the value of a fine recommendation for any early educator's collection.


The Audiobook Shelf

Hachette Audio
237 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017
www.hachetteaudio.com

James Patterson & Marshall Karp's NYPD RED 2 (9781611130522, $35.00) receives a lively narration by Eduardo Ballerini and Jay Snyder, and relates the hunt for a killer who wants to send a message to the world. Even for New York City, the string of murders is especially visual and harrowing - and it's up to Zach and Kylie to find out who's behind the rampage. Add a close-held secret kept by Kylie which could affect the investigation and you have a thriller that is engrossing and rich in detail and action. Jeffrey Deaver's TROUBLE IN MIND: THE COLLECTED STORIES, VOLUME 3 (9781478925460, $35.00) receives a multi-reader production by Ellijah Alexander and five others, who bring to life Jeffrey Deaver's short stories. This title holds twelve tales - six written just for this anthology - and tells of individuals who are challenged on everything from a murder investigation to reviving their careers and handling terrorist threats. Also new are series characters who return in stories tailored for audio production. The result is a fine collection especially recommended for prior Deaver fans. Jean Hanff Korelitz's YOU SHOULD HAVE KNOWN (9781478978138, $30.00) centers around a marriage counselor who learns that her perfect life is false - weeks before her forthcoming book You Should Have Known is to be published, calling upon women to pay more attention to their instincts. A violent death and a missing husband are only two of the chain of events that calls upon Grace to heed her own advice - or suffer the consequences. A riveting story emerges, perfect for any fiction listener. Joyce Meyer has a simple message in her inspirational account, narrated by Jodi Carlisle: YOU CAN BEGIN AGAIN (9781611132618, $24.00). It covers one of the core messages of the Bible and offers plenty of Biblical references to support the pattern of God offering a new beginning, and His people taking that to change their lives. The result is a powerful message that comes alive in audio format. J. Randy Taraborrelli's THE HILTONS: THE TRUE STORY OF AN AMERICAN DYNASTY (9781478927648, $35.00) receives a fine narration by Robert Petkoff, who has appeared on Broadway and television alike, and though captures the biography of the Hilton family dynasty with a deft, smooth voice that draws readers into what sounds like a sweeping epic. From the rise of the Hilton family fortune to its business and personal affairs, this is an epic saga any listener will find especially gripping in audio. Emma Donoghue's FROG MUSIC (9781478927105, $30.00) is based on an unsolved murder in 1870s San Francisco, receives actress Khristine Hvam's smooth voice, and is a powerful account of a young woman's murder and a friend's determination to bring the killer to justice. Riveting action and a mystery steeped in history makes this audio a vivid listen. Any business listener who would understand the basics of making a sale must hear Tom Hopkins and Ben Katt's WHEN BUYERS SAY NO: ESSENTIAL STRATEGIES FOR KEEPING A SALE MOVING FORWARD (9781478929686, $25.00). This account of a completely different way of saying 'no' comes to life with new strategies that aren't just theory, but have been proven successful in getting buyers to re-think their original decisions. It goes beyond common 'canned' responses to invites salespeople to develop a more modern, better way of connecting with customers, and it provides sample dialogues, directions, and supportive case studies that simply come alive in audio.


The Technology Shelf

Finite Element Analysis: A Primer
S.M. Musa, et.al.
Mercury Learning
22841 Quicksilver Drive, Dulles, VA 20166
97819378549342, $69.95, www.merclearning.com

Finite Element Analysis: A Primer may seem like it's an introductory text, but it's a recommendation not for novices but for college-level students used to calculations revolving around math software applications such as MATLAB or ANSYS. Such calculations are covered in over thirty-five examples of applications that balance theory with real-world considerations, with chapters showing how the FEM method has become a common engineering tool. Materials applied to mechanical, civil and electrical engineering as well as physics offer students a basic introduction to FEM analysis methods and problems. The result is an excellent pick for any student of engineering or physics.

The HDR Book, second edition
Rafael "RC" Concepcion
Peachpit Press
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300, Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
9780321966940, $44.99, www.peachpit.com

THE HDR BOOK appears in its second updated edition to present a workshop in a book, and covers the hardware, software, and post-processing technique involved in HDR technology. It includes interviews for HDR photographers, teaches how to map images with HDR software, and includes ten projects that are designed to show differences in different scenarios. The result invites users to play with images to create specific looks and is filled with the latest HDR processing insights - all written using the latest HDR processing technology, Photomatix Pro 5. The result is a key to successfully incorporating HDR into any objective.


The Genealogy Shelf

International Vital Records Handbook, sixth edition
Thomas Jay Kemp
Genealogical Publishing Company
3600 Clipper Mill Road, Suite 260, Baltimore, MD 21211
9780806319810, $57.25, www.genealogical.com

The sixth updated edition of a classic genealogical reference offers the latest forms and information for each of the fifty states, and provides information about records created prior to statewide vital records registration. Also included are details for online databases, institutions, other countries of the world and their vital records systems, and more, offering amateurs and researchers alike the latest information on where and how to request vital records. Since applications and processes vary widely from place to place and information is widely scattered, this reference will prove invaluable, bringing everything under one cover and providing a wealth of information genealogy researchers must have.


The Science Shelf

Lucky Planet
David Waltham
Basic Books
c/o Perseus Books Group
250 W. 57th St., Suite 1500, New York, NY 10107
www.perseusbooksgroup.com
9780465039999, $26.99, www.basicbooks.com

LUCKY PLANET: WHY EARTH IS EXCEPTIONAL - AND WHAT THAT MEANS FOR LIFE IN THE UNIVERSE comes from an astrobiologist who argues that Earth's climate stability is connected to its ability to support life - and that this is, largely, a matter of luck. Earth's climate is really a special occurrence, it's rare, and surface temperatures on the planet have never fluctuated so much as to make it uninhabitable. His LUCKY PLANET refutes common perceptions that Earth-like planets out there also have natural stabilizing mechanisms that allow life - and show how rare the Earth really is. Any science collection will find this an important survey.

The Beginning of Heaven and Earth Has No Name
Heinz von Foerster
Fordham University Press
2546 Belmont Avenue
University Box L, Bronx, NY 10458-5172
9780823255610, $26.00, www.fordhampress.com

The Beginning of Heaven and Earth Has No Name: Seven days with Second-Order Cybernetics will reach students in media studies and science collections alike, and comes from the inventor of second-order cybernetics which acknowledges the investigator as part of the system he's looking at. It reviews his ideas and philosophy, considers its lasting impact on scientific processes, and was developed from a week-long conversation between the editors and the author near the end of his life. Any interested in Von Foerster's works must include this as a wider-ranging inspection of his philosophy.


The Photography Shelf

Data Protection for Photographers
Patrick H. Corrigan
Rocky Nook
802 East Cota Street, 3rd Floor, Santa Barbara, CA 93103
9781937538224, $32.95, www.rockynook.com

Data Protection for Photographers: A Guide to Storing and Protecting Your Valuable Digital Assets assesses the tools, procedures and basics of image protection and storage and provides details covering the best hardware, software, and practices for capturing and storing images and data. It surveys the latest data protection technologies and provide descriptions of specific products for Windows, Mac OS X and Linux systems, and it offers plenty of insights perfect for any photographer looking to protect their work.


The Native American Studies Shelf

Literacy and Intellectual Life in the Cherokee Nation, 1820-1906
James W. Parins
University of Oklahoma Press
2800 Venture Drive, Norman, OK 73069
9780806143996, $34.95, www.oupress.com

Literacy and Intellectual Life in the Cherokee Nation, 1820-1906 is a strong pick for American literature and Native American studies collections alike, and will reach college-level readers with a survey covering the rise of bilingual literacy in the Cherokee Nation during the 19th century when political change in the Nation was at its height. By the 1820s Cherokees had perfected a system for writing their language and taught it to all their citizens - then developed a strong public school system that taught students in English. This English literacy gave Cherokees a strength other Native American tribes didn't have, and fostered a literacy and intellectualism among tribal members that helped unite them. The story of this evolving literacy is a powerful celebration of their life and approach to the world, and is a unique contribution in the field.


The Art Shelf

Italian Renaissance Art, second edition
Laurie Schneider Adams
Westview Press
c/o Perseus Book Grop
250 W. 57th St., Suite 1500, New York, NY 10107
9780813349022, $90.00, www.westviewpress.com

Italian Renaissance Art appears in its second updated edition to pack in over 400 images throughout the work - some 250 in full color - and has been expanded to include new works and topics as well as new treatment of mannerism and the role of women in visual arts. Maps, diagrams, and history accompanies a chronology of Italian renaissance art that will appeal to any arts collection primarily - but also to history holdings covering the Italian Renaissance era. College-level readers in both these areas will find this a fine survey!

An Artist's Vision of New Orleans
John R. Kemp
Pelican Publishing Company
1000 Burmaster Street, Gretna, LA 70053-2246
9781455618507, $40.00, www.pelicanpub.com

An Artist's Vision of New Orleans: The Paintings of Alan Flattman is a gorgeous collection of pastels from the New Orleans artist and is recommended for arts and New Orleans collections alike. An oversized format with full-page color reproductions enhances a volume gathering works by Flattmann; many of which have been in private collections and are shared here for the first time. His renditions of the city capture streets, neighborhoods, and the people and places of New Orleans in a celebration that will delight any fan of pastel artistry in general and Louisiana culture in particular.


The Metaphysical Studies Shelf

Bear & Company
c/o Inner Traditions International, Ltd.
One Park Street, Rochester, VT 05767
www.innertraditions.com

Chris H. Hardy, PhD's DNA OF THE GODS: THE ANUNNAKI CREATION OF EVE AND THE ALIEN BATTLE FOR HUMANITY (9781591431855, $18.00) is for any interested in the work of Zecharia Sitchin, and further develops his work by showing that the 'gods' of myth are actually visitors from another world who created humans using their own DNA. Numerous sacred texts are examined for evidence supporting this contention as Hardy details how humanity was genetically engineered, and how the first female, Eve, contained more alien DNA than the earlier male Adamu. An intriguing concept: one new age readers will find refreshingly different. Bradford and Hillary Keeney's SEIKI JUTSU: THE PRACTICE OF NON-SUBTLE ENERGY MEDICINE (9781620552346, $16.95) provides a fine guide to the ancient Japanese practice for self-healing and discusses using seiki (life-force energy) for not just healing but improving creativity. This practice doesn't require expertise or years of learning: it can be incorporated into a daily practice, discussed here, and can be used to recharge the body. The result is a fine survey recommended for any new age or alternative medicine collection. Ocha'ni Lele's OSOGBO: SPEAKING TO THE SPIRITS OF MISFORTUNE (9781620550984, $16.95) discusses the Santerian spirits of misfortune and starts with the story of his goddaughter's struggle with stage IV cancer, exploring the Lucumi beliefs regarding osobgo and discussing the healing aspects of the faith. The result is a fine survey of osobgo spirituality and comes from a priest of Oya who provides fine insights into the rituals and beliefs involved, a recommendation for any new age collection.

Llewellyn Worldwide, LTD.
2143 Wooddale Drive, Woodbury, MN 55125
www.llewellyn.com

Servet Hasan's LIFE IN TRANSITION: AN INTUITIVE PATH TO NEW BEGINNINGS (9780738738338, $15.99) offers new age and self-help readers important keys to facing issues and discerning 'gifts' that have their source in loss, and is a recommendation for any who are suffering a loss in their lives. Personal stories blend with meditations and exercises designed to help embrace the pain and use it as a guide for better purposes, and shows how to use such transitions as a catalyst for positive personal change. The result is an excellent survey recommended for a wide audience. Djuna Wojton's KARMIC CHOICES: HOW MAKING THE RIGHT DECISIONS CAN CREATE ENDURING JOY (9780738736167, $16.99) is for any involved in personal change and healing processes, and offers exercises and questionnaires designed to help readers get 'unstuck' from old issues and self-defeating routines. Chapters take the form of a three-step karmic-based formula and show how to tap the help of family and friends to help create new avenues to joy and new actions that make a positive impact on the world. Ana Holub's FORGIVE AND BE FREE: A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE TO RELEASE, HEALING, AND HIGHER CONSCIOUSNESS (9780738736174, $16.99) provides a step-by-step approach to forgiveness and uses a spiritual foundation to blend case histories and stories with exercises to promote serenity. Compassion, release and healing are encouraged in a process that considers forgiveness at its deepest spiritual and emotional level. These are excellent recommendations not just for new age readers, but for any who would hone the combined tools of self-help and spiritual insight.


The Architecture Shelf

Understanding Architecture, third edition
Leland M. Roth & Amanda C. Roth Clark
Westview Press
c/o Perseus Book Grop
250 W. 57th St., Suite 1500, New York, NY 10107
9780813349039, $80.00, www.westviewpress.com

Understanding Architecture: Its Elements, History, and Meaning appears in its third updated edition to provide an in-depth introduction to the historical styles of architectural design, and packs in black and white photos and plan drawings covering some of the finest architecture in the world. Chapters are reorganized for easy flow of subjects, there's a larger trim size for better display of text and images, and an insert of some fifty full-color photos compliments discussions of modern architecture. It remains the only text to discuss architecture as a cultural phenomenon, making this a top recommendation over others for college-level readers of architectural studies.


The Music Shelf

K-Pop Now!
Mark James Russell
Tuttle Publishing
364 Innovation Drive, North Clarendon, VT 05759-9436
9784805313008, $15.95, www.tuttlepublishing.com

K-Pop Now! The Korean Music Revolution is a wonderful blend of Korean cultural observation and pop music history, and comes from an author who writes about the South Korean entertainment industry with authority and enthusiasm, pairing words with lively color photos. Mark Russell has lived in Korea and written about its pop culture and music scene for over a decade, so his is the perfect introduction to discuss its development, trends, and influences. A 'must' for any collection strong in South Korean culture in general and music in particular.


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


Copyright ©2001

Site design by Williams Writing, Editing & Design