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Library Bookwatch

Volume 11, Number 5 May 2016 Home | LBW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Art Shelf Science Shelf
Fiction Shelf Graphic Novel Shelf Audiobook Shelf
Library CD Shelf Library DVD Shelf Multimedia Shelf
Judicial Studies Shelf Library Science Shelf Writing/Publishing Shelf
Literary Studies Shelf Environmental Studies Shelf Philosophy Shelf
Education Shelf Psychology Shelf Money/Finance Shelf
Cookbook Shelf American History Shelf Music Shelf
Health/Medicine Shelf Mystery/Suspense Shelf Civil War Shelf
Photography Shelf Social Issues Shelf Business Shelf
Folktale/Fairytale Shelf Nautical Shelf Biography Shelf


Reviewer's Choice

LinkedIn in 30 Minutes, second edition
Angela Rose
i30 Media Corp.
in30minutes.com
9781939924520 $11.99 pbk / $7.99 Kindle www.amazon.com

Part of the "In 30 Minutes" guide series for newcomers to the digital revolution, and now in an updated second edition, LinkedIn in 30 Minutes is a user-friendly guide to the career-focused social media network LinkedIn. Readers will swiftly learn how to build a solid profile, and start networking online. Black-and-white computer screenshots illustrate the easy-to-follow examples of what to do and not do. In today's technology-driven era, LinkedIn is increasingly the tool of choice for locating the right job, or the right person to fill a vacancy; knowing how it works is vital for success!

Twitter in 30 Minutes, third edition
Ian Lamont
i30 Media Corp.
in30minutes.com
9781939924476 $11.99 pbk / $7.99 Kindle www.amazon.com

Part of the "In 30 Minutes" guide series for newcomers to the digital revolution, and now in an updated third edition, Twitter in 30 Minutes is a reader-friendly guide to using this social media platform, known for its unique limitation of restricting individual "tweets" (public posts) to no more 140 characters. Chapters cover how to use Twitter to connect with people, how to write memorable tweets, and how to quickly sort through tweets to extract relevant information. Black-and-white screenshots illustrate examples in this plain-terms guidebook, highly recommended for business professionals, hobbyists, and essentially anyone ready to join the 21st century!


The Art Shelf

Drawing Perspective
Matthew Brehm
Barron's
250 Wireless Boulevard, Hauppauge, NY 11788
www.barronseduc.com
9781438006598, $19.99, PB, 144pp, www.amazon.com

"Drawing Perspective: How to See It and How to Apply It" by Matthew Brehm (Associate Professor of Architecture at the University of Idaho) is a hands-on guide to perspective that's for anyone who wants to draw or paint in any genre or medium. "Drawing Perspective" is partly about learning how to draw a set of straight lines that meet at a point, but it's not filled with lots of dull, dry theory (although it does explain how it all works). Instead, it gives you tons of fun, practical exercises, and encourages you to play with them, so that learning how to draw in perspective is effortless and easy. Aspiring artists can test their observational skills with: Image Quizzes: take a pen and draw in all the vanishing points onto the book itself; Perspective Chambers: draw objects onto an existing scene, keeping it all in the right perspective--sort of like 3D doodling; Unique exercises with more than 100 vanishing points to figure out. By the time "Drawing Perspective" is completed, readers will have a keen understanding of how perspective really works. Plus, they will learn how to look at the world around them, see what's really there, and spot where those invisible straight lines may be located. It will become like a sixth sense to the budding artist and one that will add depth and meaning to every artistic pursuit. Profusely illustrated and thoroughly 'user friendly' in organization and presentation, "Drawing Perspective", with its workbook exercises and grids to draw over, is very highly recommended for art students and the non-specialist general reader with an interest in the subject.

Southwest Art Defined: An Illustrated Guide
Margaret Moore Booker
Rio Nuevo Publishers
PO Box 5250, Tucson, AZ 85703
www.rionuevo.com
9781933855752, $40.00, HC, 232pp, www.amazon.com

All of the traditional Native American arts of the American Southwest are brought together in the profusely illustrated pages of Margaret Moore Booker's "Southwest Art Defined: An Illustrated Guide" for the first time. Comprehensive descriptions of Native American and Hispano art are accompanied by full-color photographs of art from museums, galleries, and private collections. An impressive and comprehensive compendium showcasing stunning pottery, patterned weavings, distinctive jewelry, unqiue carvings, and the exceptional indigenous architecture of the American Southwest, "Southwest Art Defined: An Illustrated Guide" is an enthusiastically recommended and core addition to community and academic library Native American Arts & Crafts reference collections and supplemental studies curriculums. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "Southwest Art Defined: An Illustrated Guide" is also available in a paperback edition (9781940322124, $19.95).

The Drawings of G.F. Watts
Chloe Ward
Philip Wilson Publishers
c/o I. B. Tauris Publishers
9781781300350, $35.00, PB, 128pp, www.amazon.com

G.F. Watts (23 February 1817 - 1 July 1904) was one of the Victorian era's greatest painters. Yet his drawings which offer unequaled insight into his techniques and compositional decisions when developing his most celebrated paintings have never previously been studied. With paintings drawn from The Watts Gallery, and accompanied by an informative commentary provided by art historian Chloe Ward, "The Drawings of G.F. Watts" is the first in depth study of Watts's drawings. "The Drawings of G.F. Watts" illustrates over 100 works selected from the substantial holdings of The Watts Gallery and ranges from G. F. Watts' studies for paintings to his beautifully detailed figurative drawings executed throughout the artist's remarkable career. With flawlessly reproduced images, "The Drawings of G.F. Watts" is an extraordinary and highly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, and academic library British Art History reference collections in general, and Victorian Art History supplemental studies reading lists in particular.

Edgar Degas: A Strange New Beauty
Edgar Degas, artist
Jodi Hauptman, editor/contributor
Carol Armstrong, contributor
The Museum of Modern Art - New York
c/o Distributed Art Publishers
155 Sixth Avenue, 2nd floor, New York, NY 10013-1507
www.artbook.com
9781633450059, $50.00, HC, 224pp, www.amazon.com

Hilaire-Germain-Edgar Degas (1834 - 1917) was a French painter, draftsman, printmaker and sculptor celebrated for his scenes of modern life, from the cabaret concert to the racetrack to the ballet, the subject for which he is best known. Academically trained, Degas emulated old master and 19th-century predecessors; at the same time, he embraced radically new subjects, compositions and techniques. Yet it was his work in monotype that reveals the true extent of his restless experimentation. In the mid-1870s, Degas was introduced to the monotype process, a technique in which the artist draws in ink on a metal plate that is then run through a press, typically resulting in a single print. Degas embraced the medium with enormous enthusiasm, inventing a new repertoire of mark-making that included wiping, scraping, scratching, fingerprinting and rendering via removal. The resulting works are characterized by enigmatic and mutable forms, luminous passages emerging from darkness and a heightened tactility. Taking the monotype process to radical ends, Degas explored a variety of subjects, including city dwellers in motion; harshly illuminated cafe singers, ballet dancers on and offstage, women in intimate settings; and evanescent landscapes. With this medium, Degas is at his most modern, liberating drawing from tradition, depicting the body in new and daring ways, and boldly engaging the possibilities of abstraction. Published to accompany an exhibition at The Museum of Modern Art, "Edgar Degas: A Strange New Beauty" a richly illustrated catalogue presents approximately 120 monotypes along with some 60 related works, including paintings, drawings, pastels, sketchbooks and prints. Essays and detailed studies by curators, scholars and conservators explore the creative potency of Degas' rarely seen monotypes, and highlight their impact on his wider practice. "Edgar Degas: A Strange New Beauty" is an essential and core addition to personal, community, and academic library Art History collections in general, and Edgar Degas supplemental studies reading lists in particular.


The Science Shelf

Engineering Drawing and Design, sixth edition
David A. Madsen & David P. Madsen
Cengage Learning, Inc.
20 Channel Center Street, Boston, MA 02210
www.cengageptr.com
9781305659728, $242.95, HC, 1065pp, www.amazon.com

Now in a fully updated and significantly expanded sixth edition, "Engineering Drawing and Design" by David A. Madsen (Emeritus Professor in Drafting Technology with the Autodesk Premier Training Center at Clackamas Community College in Oregon City, Oregon) and David P. Madsen (President of Engineering Drafting & Design, Inc., and Vice President of Madsen Designs Inc., who provides drafting and design consultation and training for all disciplines and is an Autodesk Authorized Author) is an ideal drawing and designing curriculum textbook for students of engineering. An easy-to-read, comprehensive drafting and design instruction manual that complies with the latest ANSI and ASME industry standards for mechanical drafting. "Engineering Drawing and Design" offers a multitude of real, high-quality industry drawings and more than 1,000 drafting, design, and practical application problems -- including many new to the current edition. The informative and 'reader friendly' text showcases actual product designs in all phases, from concept through manufacturing, marketing, and distribution. In addition, the engineering design process now features new material related to production practices that eliminate waste in all phases, and describes practices to improve process output quality by using quality management methods to identify the causes of defects, remove them, and minimize manufacturing variables. "Engineering Drawing and Design, sixth edition" is an essential and core addition to technical college and university library Contemporary Engineering instructional reference collections and supplemental studies reading lists.

Control Engineering in Development Projects
Olis Rubin
Artech House
685 Canton Street, Norwood, MA 02062
www.artechhouse.com
9781630810023, $169.00, HC, 280pp, www.amazon.com

"Control Engineering in Development Projects" by Olis Rubin is a practical new guide to designing control systems gives students and professionals a virtual experience into the complex engineering problems that may occur during the design and development process. "Control Engineering in Development Projects" provides engineers with practical guidance in their journey to obtain a greater understanding of the thought processes involved in designing and developing successful control systems. "Control Engineering in Development Projects" is a constructive new resource that takes engineers through the various phases of project development including A Motor Drive Project- Technology Programs, the project definition phase, the design phase, the implementation phase flight control, and aerodynamic concepts. Clear examples and case studies are presented throughout demonstrating various management styles, and confronting readers with a variety of challenges that could occur during actual projects. Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Control Engineering in Development Projects" is very highly recommended for professional and academic library Technology Studies collections in general, and Electrical Engineering supplemental studies reading lists in particular.


The Fiction Shelf

My Marriage
Jakob Wassermann, author
Michael Hofmann, translator
New York Review of Books
435 Hudson Street, Suite 300, New York, NY 10014
www.nybooks.com
9781590179222, $15.95, PB, 288pp, www.amazon.com

J. Wassermann (1873-1934) was a renowned and, late in his life, bestselling German-Jewish author of fiction, plays, biographies, and a memoir, "My Path as a German and a Jew". Posthumously published in 1934 and based on Wassermann's own ruinous marriage, "My Marriage" is the story of Alexander Herzog, a young writer, goes to Vienna to escape his debts and a failed love affair. There he is pursued by book-loving Ganna: giddy, girlish, clumsy, eccentric, and wild. Dazzled and unnerved by her devotion to him, and attracted to the large dowry offered by her wealthy father, he thinks he can mold Ganna into what he wants. But no one can control her troubling passions. As their marriage starts to self-destruct, Herzog will discover that he can never escape her. Deftly translated into English for an American readership by Michael Hofmann, "My Marriage" is very highly recommended for community and academic library Literary Fiction collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "My Marriage" is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99).

Kingdom of the Sun: Stories
James Terry
University of New Mexico Press
MSC05 3185
1 University of New Mexico, Albuquerque NM 87131-0001
www.unmpress.com
9780826356406, $19.95, PB, 216pp, www.amazon.com

Set in southwestern New Mexico, the ten stories by James Terry that comprise his "Kingdom of the Sun" anthology present a stunning debut of short stories that explore the joys, insecurities, and failures of memorable characters as they attempt to connect with (or disconnect from) others around them. The elderly landlady of the Darling Courts apartments hires a reclusive handyman who suffers from a fear of water, and the pair forms an unlikely bond. A worker's unscrupulous plan to build a road in the middle of the desert is threatened by a lonely pregnant woman living in a trailer parked directly in his path. Overcome by nostalgia, a married trucker making the California run from Waco to Los Angeles takes a truck-stop waitress to the Deming drive-in theater with disappointing results. Together, these ten surprising stories uncover how our environment manifests itself in our everyday lives. Very highly recommended for both community and academic library Literary Fiction collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that James Terry's "Kingdom of the Sun: Stories" is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99).


The Graphic Novel Shelf

March: Book One
John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell
Top Shelf Productions
www.topshelfcomix.com
9781603093002 $14.95

March: Book One is the first of a trilogy of black-and-white graphic novels adapting the true-life story of Congressman John Lewis (GA-5), a major figure of the civil rights movement. An African-American born to Alabama sharecroppers, who grew up attending segregated schools, Lewis' commitment to justice and nonviolence earned him beatings from state troopers - and many years later, the Medal of Freedom from America's first African-American President. In addition to being a biography, March is a keen, historically accurate portrayal of the Civil Rights movement - including how its members were harassed, jailed, belittled, abused, and even murdered. Highly recommended, especially for public and college library graphic novel collections.

March: Book Two
John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell
Top Shelf Productions
www.topshelfcomix.com
9781603094009 $19.95

March: Book Two is the second of a trilogy of biographical black-and-white graphic novels about Congressman John Lewis (GA-5), and his work in the American Civil Rights movement to end segregation and discrimination. Book Two includes focus on the story of the "Freedom Riders", activists who traveled on interstate buses in mixed-race groups to protest segregation... and who suffered violent and deadly attacks, firebombings, and beatings and worse. In some Southern locations, the law enforcement authorities cooperated with the Ku Klux Klan, deliberately allowing the Klan time to brutalize protesters before the police approached. March: Book Two is a glimpse into the cruel side of American history, as well as the racist authorities and Jim Crow laws that mocked the American ideals of justice and equality, as much as it is the story of Lewis' life. Highly recommended, especially for public and college library graphic novel collections.

Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales: Alamo All-Stars
Nathan Hale
www.hazardoustales.com
Abrams/Amulet
115 West 18th Street, New York, NY 10011
www.abramsyoungreaders.com
9781419719028 $12.95 hc / $7.96 Kindle www.amazon.com

Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales: Alamo All-Stars is a black-and-white graphic novel that brings Texas history to life. The cartoony drawings will appeal to children and teens, but the story the simple caricatures tell is direct from history, meticulously researched and rich with detail. Readers of all ages will learn about Texas' violent battle for independence from the Mexican government, and why a small group of adventurers barricaded themselves in Fort Alamo against the might of the Mexican army. Educational and entertaining, Alamo All-Stars is highly recommended for school and public library graphic novel collections, as well as for casual browsing or even as a Lone Star State souvenir! It should be noted that Alamo All-Stars is part of the "Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales" series of history books in graphic novel format, all of which are choice picks for making learning fun. Other titles in the series include "Treaties, Trenches, Mud and Blood" (a World War I tale), "The Underground Abductor" (an abolitionist tale), "Donner Dinner Party" (about an ill-fated mission of explorers), "Big Bad Ironclad" (about ironclad steam warships used in the Civil War), and "One Dead Spy" (about Revolutionary War hero Nathan Hale, a spy hanged by the British).

The Gods Lie.
Kaori Ozaki
Vertical, Inc.
451 Park Avenue South, 7th floor, New York, NY 10016
9781942993360 $12.95 www.vertical-inc.com

The Gods Lie. (the period is part of the title) is a black-and-white manga (Japanese comics) about coping with life's difficult challenges. The complete-in-one-volume story follows Natsuru Nanao, young boy in school with a single mother. He loves soccer, but cannot stand how the new soccer coach relentlessly belittles him, and he doesn't really get along with any of the girls at school. But his chance discovery of a helpless kitten leads to an unexpected friendship with Rio Suzumura, a young girl who volunteers to take care of it (for a recurring fee). As Natsuru plays hooky from soccer camp, he spends time with Rio and her little sister, but he can't help noticing that Rio's parents are never present, and her house is in a gradually increasing state of disrepair. If he speaks out about the situation, then Rio will likely be separated from her beloved little sister, yet staying silent could have even worse consequences. Powerful and emotionally moving, The Gods Lie. is highly recommended for all ages, and a choice pick for public and school library graphic novel shelves.

Mystery in Antarctica: A Buck Danny Adventure
Script and artwork by Francis Bergese
Colors by Nathalie Bergese
"Buck Danny" created by Georges Troisfontaines, Victor Hubinon and Jean-Michel Charlier
Cinebook Ltd.
56 Beech Ave., Canterbury, Kent, CT4 7TA, UK
www.cinebook.com
c/o National Book Network (dist.)
4501 Forbes Boulevard, Suite 200, Lanham, MD 20706
9781849182874 $13.95 www.nbnbooks.com

Mystery in Antarctica: A Buck Danny Adventure is the sixth color graphic novel in a series by Francis Bergese, who inherited the legacy of Buck Danny's original creators (the character first appeared in the magazine "Spirou" in 1947, shortly after World War II). Mystery in Antarctica begins when a flight of unidentified fighter is photographed near the Antarctic continent. A formal military presence cannot be authorized, but when Buck and his friends spot a lifeless body and a suspicious cargo ship on their reconnaissance flights, they have to act fast to uncover what's really going on! Mystery in Antarctica is a self-contained adventure, and an excellent staring point to anyone new to Buck Danny's escapades.


The Audiobook Shelf

Around the World in Eighty Days
Jules Verne, author
Read by Bill Homewood
Naxos of America, Inc.
1810 Columbia Avenue, Suite 28, Franklin, TN 37064
www.naxosaudiobooks.com
9781843799726 $41.98 www.amazon.com

Brought to life with actor Bill Homewood's sterling performance, Around the World in Eighty Days is an unabridged audiobook edition of Jules Verne's classic travel-adventure story, originally published in 1873. When Phileas Fogg, a Victorian gentleman with a taste for excitement, accepts a wager that he cannot circumnavigate the world in 80 days, he tackles the challenge with gusto. His faithful French manservant Passepartout accompanies him, and the police officer Detective Fix relentlessly pursues them both under the false conviction that Fogg is a bank robber. Comedy, chivalry, thrills, and even blossoming love create a unforgettable saga that transcends its time. Highly recommended, especially for public, high school, and college library audiobook collections. 6 CDs, 7 hours 39 min.

Utopia
Thomas More
Naxos of America, Inc.
1810 Columbia Avenue, Suite 28, Franklin, TN 37064
www.naxosaudiobooks.com
9781843799238, $28.98, CD, www.amazon.com

Sir Thomas More (7 February 1478 - 6 July 1535), is today venerated by Catholics as Saint Thomas More. He was an English lawyer, social philosopher, author, statesman and noted Renaissance humanist. He was also a councillor to Henry VIII, and Lord High Chancellor of England from October 1529 to 16 May 1532. More steadfastly opposed the Protestant Reformation, and in particular the theology of Martin Luther and William Tyndale. Thomas More's "Utopia" stands out as one of the most striking political works ever written. Written specifically as a response to Henry VIII's break with Rome, "Utopia" meditates on the perfect society, while indirectly critiquing the political and social ills of Tudor England. Containing thoughts on religious pluralism, a welfare state and women's rights, "Utopia" was well ahead of its time, already hinting at later theories on communism and capitalism centuries before Marx, Engles and Smith. Superbly narrated by Mark Meadows, complete, unabridged, and with flawless production values, Thomas More's "Utopia" is very highly recommended for personal, community, and academic library audiobook collections. (4 CDs, Time 4:25:08)

A Breath of French Air
H.E. Bates, author
Read by Philip Franks
Naxos of America, Inc.
1810 Columbia Avenue, Suite 28, Franklin, TN 37064
www.naxosaudiobooks.com
9781781980019 $28.98 CD / $19.00 download

A Breath of French Air is the unabridged audiobook presentation of the second novel of the Pop Larkin series by H.E. Bates. When the Larkin family visits France, everything that can go wrong seemingly does, from the bad weather to the questionable food to the disrepair of their hotel. Can a wedding anniversary celebration anniversary turn things around? It's up to Pop Larkin's gift of gab to lighten family spirits, in this fantastic foray of free-spirited fun! 4 CDs, 4 hours 25 min.

Hamilton: The Revolution
Lin-Manuel Miranda and Jeremy McCarter
Read by Mariska Hargitay, Lin-Manuel Miranda, & Jeremy McCarter
Hachette Audio
237 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017
9781478913641 $35.00 www.HachetteAudio.com

Hamilton: The Revolution is the unabridged audiobook rendition of the de facto "backstage pass" to the wildly popular Broadway musical "Hamilton", a show directly based on the life and times of Alexander Hamilton, one of America's founding fathers. Authors Lin-Manuel Miranda and Jeremy McCarter were both involved in the theater project from its earliest stages. Hamilton: The Revolution includes the full libretto of the show with extensive annotations; more than 30 essays about topics ranging from the cast and production process to events in Hamilton's life; and a PDF on the final disc filled with photographs and more. As much an in-depth study about Hamilton's life as it is about the creation of a hit show, Hamilton: The Revolution is a "must-have". 6 CDs, 6 hours.


The Library CD Shelf

A Tribute to Jack Hardy
Smithsonian Folkways Recordings
www.folkways.si.edu
$21.98 CD / $19.98 download

John Studebaker "Jack" Hardy (1947-2011) was an American singer-songwriter and playwright; his inspirational work in North American and European folk music influenced generations, including star talents such as Suzanne Vega and John Gorka. A Tribute to Jack Hardy is a double-CD music album of two dozen Hardy's songs, covered by wide variety of performers, all in honor of Hardy's creative imagination, masterful techniques, and unabashed love for his craft. A "must-have" for connoisseurs of folk, and Hardy's classic works in particular, A Tribute to Jack Hardy is especially recommended for public library music CD collections.

Chapters of My Life
Moken
Bantu Records
www.banturecords.com
$16.99 CD / $9.99 download cdbaby.com

Visual artist, musician, and African-American immigrant Moken presents Chapters of My Life, an avante-garde original album grounded in the challenges he has faced. A fortunate winner of the green card lottery, Moken received the coveted opportunity to attend a design college in Detroit; yet money was so tight he had to live out of his car. Yet he also formed deep friendships with Senegalese musicians, and from the depths of hardship he discovered truth and inspiration. Chapters of My Life is vibrant, emotionally moving, and highly recommended. The tracks are "Wild Wild Ways", "Maliga", "A Bone to Grind with Einstein", "A Bato Bam", "The Man that Never Gives Up", "Ma Masse", "Machine Man", "Walkin Man", "Jerusalem" and "Waiting for the Day".

Hearing Music
Joanna Brouk
The Numero Group
numerogroup.com
$13.99 CD / $15.98 MP3 www.amazon.com

Hearing Music is an album of ambient, new age music by Joanna Brouk, a composer known for her trailblazing electronic and acoustic creations in the 70's and 80's. Assembling 22 pieces from the span of Brouk's twenty-year career, Hearing Music makes some songs that were previously only on rare cassettes, and some songs from Brouk's archive of unreleased recordings readily available to the public. Hearing Music is a treasure for connoisseurs, especially those who are interested in the history and evolution of the genre.

Colors in the Diary
Marika Takeuchi
www.marika-takeuchi.com
$15.00 CD / $9.99 download cdbaby.com

Japanese musician and composer Marika Takeuchi has synesthesia, a rare neurological condition that strongly affects one's perception of the world. Takeuchi sees colors in her mind in response to words and numbers, and hears notes in response to witnessing beautiful scenes. She has studied classical music and composition all her life; her immense talent is showcased in her latest album Colors in the Diary. An interweaving of piano, cello, and violin, Colors in the Diary is a wondrous soundscape, created in memory of timeless moments observing natural beauty; for example, several songs trace their genesis to witnessing frozen rivers and lakes in Norway. Extraordinary and unforgettable, Colors in the Diary is a treasure. The tracks are "Frozen Lake", "Green Field", "Blue Falls", "White Mountains", "Gray Clouds", "Remembrance", "Ocean Wind", "Nostalgia", "Into the Storm", "Sparkling Sky", "Colorful Mind" and "Morning Light".

Qingxi
DJ Sun
Soular Productions
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/qingxi/id1093319031
$TBA CD / $6.93 MP3 www.amazon.com

Qingxi is an original, instrumental soundtrack inspired by music artist DJ Sun's quest to learn more about his Chinese ancestor Soon Sam Sin. At the young age of 20, Sam Sin traveled from the Dongguan region of South China to Suriname, South America in 1858 as an indentured servant. Named for the Chinese city that Sam Sin once called home, Qingxi reflects on the lands, people, and driving motivations behind Sam Sin's transcontinental tribulations. Intensely beautiful, contemplative, and outreaching, Qingxi is highly recommended. The tracks are "Nature", "Bees", "Chaos", "Shop", "Mystery", "Macau", and "Journey." 50 min.


The Library DVD Shelf

Jeff Miracola's Fantasy Art Workshop: Acrylic Painting Techniques
Three Points Publishing
PO Box 210861, Milwaukee, WI 53221
www.threepointspublishing.com
$39.95 www.fantasyartworkshop.com

Jeff Miracola's Fantasy Art Workshop: Acrylic Painting Techniques is an extensive, four-disc DVD guide to the joy and art of acrylic painting, especially with regard to the fantasy genre. Professional artist Jeff Miracola, who has illustrated properties such as Dungeons & Dragons, World of Warcraft, Star Wars, Magic the Gathering, and more, shares his tips, tricks, and techniques at length. Viewers will learn about the tools needed for sketching, composition, painting surfaces, how to care for paints and brushes, advice for painting problematic subjects, painting splatter and texture effects, how to seal the final work, and freelance career advence. Candid and accessible, Jeff Miracola's Fantasy Art Workshop: Acrylic Painting Techniques is an absolute "must-have" for both hobbyist and aspiring professional acrylic painters! Highly recommended. 4 DVDs, 6 hours 36 min., widescreen.

Strange & Familiar: Architecture on Fogo Island
First Run Features
630 Ninth Avenue, Suite 1213, New York, NY 10036
$24.95 www.firstrunfeatures.com

Strange & Familiar: Architecture on Fogo Island is a true story of Fogo Island, a tiny landmass off the coast of Newfoundland, where the collapsing fishing industry presents residents with strong economic challenges. Local entrepreneur Zita Cobb and architect Todd Saunders joined forces to create a unique inn on Fogo Island's beautiful coastline. Their design was so eye-catching that it sparked a surge in architecture-as-art on the island, and their efforts became a catalyst for social and economic change. Strange & Familiar offers a vivid tour, the next best thing to visiting Fogo Island in person, and shows how the local community of artisans as well as Saunders and Cobb collaborated in the creative process. A treasury for architecture enthusiasts, Strange & Familiar is especially recommended for public and college library DVD collections. 54 min., English SDH.

Building Strong Families
Learning ZoneXpress
667 East Vine Street, Owatonna, MN 55060
$79.95 www.learningzonexpress.com

Intended for students in grade 6 through high school as well as adults, Building Strong Families is a DVD documentary about families can most effectively reinforce their bonds and help one another through the ups and downs of life. The program consists of "Vision" (10:31), "Define Your Family" (7:00), "Be Positive" (8:32), "Establish Rules" (8:35), "Spend Time Together" (9:18), and "Support One Another" (8:22). Printable teaching materials are available at www.learningzoneexpress.com/worksheets online. Accessible and viewer-friendly, Building Strong Families is enthusiastically recommended for both public and school library DVD collections. 52 min., closed-captioned.

Independence Hall, Liberty Bell & Historic Pennsylvania
Bennet Watt HD Productions, Inc.
13021 - 244 Avenue SE, Issaquah, WA 98027
9781604902075 $24.95 www.Bennett-Watt.com

Part of the Discoveries... America National Parks series of panoramic, high-definition DVDs showcasing the splendor of American nature preserves and historic sites, Independence Hall, Liberty Bell & Historic Pennsylvania offers an extraordinary tour of the America's very birthplace. Beautiful, on-location footage and informative commentary offer the next best thing to seeing the Liberty Bell, Gettysburg National Military Park, Valley Forge National Military Park, Independence Hall National Historical Park and much more in person. Highly recommended, especially for public and school library DVD collections; Independence Hall, Liberty Bell & Historic Pennsylvania also makes a wonderful gift or souvenir for Independence Day! 53 min.

Art House
A film by Don Freeman
First Run Features
630 Ninth Avenue, Suite 1213, New York, NY 10036
$24.95 www.firstrunfeatures.com

Art House is a vivid documentary on DVD about American artists' houses that are themselves bold and striking works of art. A broad range of styles from classic to futuristic appear in this celebration of the meeting point between art and architecture, inspiration and the comforts of home. Art House is a particular joy for connoisseurs of fine art and graceful design! Extras include a photo gallery, artist bios, and a filmmaker bio. 87 min., optional English subtitles.


The Multimedia Shelf

Pete-Pak
Pete Seeger and the Paul Winter Consort
Living Music
www.paulwinter.com
$25.00 www.paulwinter.com/recordings

Pete-Pak is a CD with companion DVD that celebrates the life and music of Pete Seeger. Included are a fully remastered edition of "Pete" (Seeger's first album to win a Grammy award), a new "Pete Seeger at the Living Music Festival DVD" showcasing three historic videos of Pete Seeger in live performance, and two booklets with excerpts of books and articles authored by Pete Segger himself, as well as David Dunaway's 1990 biography of Pete. A grand tribute to this beloved musician, well-known for his talent with the banjo and 12-string guitar, Pete-Pak has traditional ballads, Pete's original compositions, and three songs recorded for the first time: "Huddie Ledbetter was a Helluva Man", "Natural History (Spider's Web)", and Don West's anthem of Beethoven's "Ode to Joy". An absolute "must-have" for grass-roots music connoisseurs of all ages, Pete-Pak is highly recommended. The CD music tracks are "Well May the World Go", "My Rainbow Race", "Huddie Ledbetter", "The Water is Wide", "All Mixed Up", "Sailing Down My Golden River", "Kisses Sweeter than Wine", "Living in the Country", "How Can I Keep from Singing", "Garbage", "Natural History (Spider's Web)", "Old Devil Time", "Of Time and Rivers Flowing", "In the Evening", "To Everyone in All the World", "River of My People", "Russian Song/Ode to Joy" and "To My Old Brown Earth". The DVD contents are "Living Music Festival" (1982), "Pete-nic" (1997), and "Pete Seeger Solo" (2005), featuring eighteen different songs.


The Judicial Studies Shelf

Occupational Safety and Health Law Handbook, third edition
Melissa A. Bailey, et. al.
Bernan Press
c/o Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group
4501 Forbes Blvd., Suite 200, Lanham, MD 20706
9781598886788 $99.00 www.bernan.com

Occupational Safety and Health Law Handbook is the go-to reference and resource for the fundamentals of occupational safety and health law in America, including matters pertaining to the Occupational Safety and Health Act. Each chapter is by an expert attorney in the specific field. Occupational Safety and Health Law Handbook has been deliberately written in plain-terms English, avoiding legal jargon so as to be accessible to readers of all backgrounds. The updated third edition includes new material about major changes to the Hazard Communication Standard, new enforcement initiatives, updated regulations in the construction industry, new emergency response procedures, and more. Although Occupational Safety and Health Law Handbook cannot substitute for the counsel of a trained attorney, it is an invaluable tool for reducing the risk that legal troubles will arise in the first place - and an excellent resource to study prior to consulting with an expensive professional who bills by the hour! Highly recommended for law, college, and corporate reference shelves.

Privacy and Freedom
Alan Westin
Ig Publishing
PO Box 2547, New York, NY 10163
www.igpub.com
9781935439974, $22.95, PB, 500pp, www.amazon.com

In defining privacy as "the claim of individuals... to determine for themselves when, how and to what extent information about them is communicated", the late Alan Westin (a Professor of Public Law and Government at Columbia University) in his 1967 classic work "Privacy and Freedom" laid the philosophical groundwork for the current debates about technology and personal freedom, and is considered a foundational text in the field of privacy law. By arguing that citizens retained control over how their personal data was used, Westin redefined privacy as an individual freedom, taking Justice Louis Brandeis' 19th century definition of privacy as a legal right and expanding it for use in modern times. Westin's ideas transformed the meaning of privacy, leading to a spate of privacy laws in the 1970s, as well as prefiguring the arguments over privacy that have come to dominate the internet era. This all new edition of "Privacy and Freedom" from Ig Publishing features a new introduction by Daniel J. Solove (the John Marshall Harlan Research Professor of Law at the George Washington University Law School) and is very highly recommended and critically important addition to professional and academic library Judicial Studies reference collections.

The Contours of International Prosecutions
Elinor Fry
Eleven International Publishing
c/o International Specialized Book Services
920 Northeast 58th Avenue, Suite 300, Portland, OR, 97213
www.isbs.com
9789462366213, $88.50, PB, 228pp, www.amazon.com

By nature, core international crimes have indistinct factual parameters. War crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide generally occur on a massive scale, spread out over a large geographical area and a long time span, involving many perpetrators at various distances from the crime scene(s). These characteristics make international crimes difficult to demarcate from the start (when determining the jurisdictional scope for the investigation in its earliest stage) to the finish (pronouncing the final judgment on the charges as delineated in the indictment). Taking the nature of international crimes as point of departure, "The Contours of International Prosecutions: As Defined by Facts, Charges, and Jurisdiction", Elinor Fry (Assistant Professor of the VU University Amsterdam Faculty of Law and Deputy Director of the Center for international Criminal Justice) addresses the delineation difficulties by exploring the jurisdictional and factual boundaries of international criminal prosecutions. This entails researching the legal aspects that influence demarcation - jurisdiction (in terms of scope as well as institutional influence), charges, and identifying material facts - by adequately distinguishing them from background information and evidence for the purpose of the indictment. A truly impressive work of detailed and seminal scholarship, "The Contours of International Prosecutions" is enhanced with the inclusion of two appendices (Evidence, Facts, and Charges & The 10 Pleading Principles) as well as a nineteen page bibliography, making it very highly recommended, especially for academic library Judicial Studies and International War Crime Studies reference collections and supplemental curriculum reading lists.


The Library Science Shelf

Shared Collections: Collaborative Stewardship
Dawn Hale, editor
ALA Editions
c/o American Library Association
50 East Huron Street, Chicago, IL 60611
www.alastore.ala.org
9780838914038, $75.00, PB, 224pp, www.amazon.com

Libraries and the information technology organizations that provide services to them are devoting more attention to system-wide organization of collections whether the "system" is a consortium, a region or a country. As a strategy for saving space and money while expanding access to additional materials and resources, the value of shared collections is indubitable. "Shared Collections: Collaborative Stewardship" is a collected volume from the Association of Library Collections & Technical Services (ALCTS) that spotlights the histories and experiences of several collaborations at academic libraries. Contributors share winning strategies for intentional decision-making in developing and managing shared collections, both print and digital, with expert guidance such as: analysis of six consortia case studies, ranging from giants like CIC and CARL to regional collaborations like the State of Maine and Manhattan research libraries; elements to address in a memo of understanding among participating institutions; risk assessment methodologies that enable institutions to focus local resources where they will provide the greatest return; and costs to anticipate for budgeting, such as collection analysis, space, validation, transport, staff, and administration. With practical advice on issues such as governance and business models, demand driven acquisition, rare works, and access, this monograph is a valuable resource for academic library directors, administrators, and collection development leaders. Enhanced with the inclusion of a six page listing of the contributors and their credentials, and a seventeen page index, "Shared Collections: Collaborative Stewardship" is very highly recommended for the Library Science instructional reference collections of community, corporate, private, governmental, and academic library systems.


The Writing/Publishing Shelf

Before You Write Your Novel
James McCreet
Routledge
711 - 3rd Avenue, Floor 8, New York, NY 10017-9209
www.routledge.com
9781138186729, $120.00, HC, 214pp, www.amazon.com

"Before You Write Your Novel: Essential Skills for the First-time Novelist" by James McCreet (who has worked as a teacher, a bookseller, an editor, a copywriter, a journalist, and who currently teaches the MA Novel course at Sheffield Hallam University, UK) sets out the essential techniques and basic approaches that lay the perfect foundation for writing your first novel. This concise and readable guide addresses the major stumbling blocks of fiction writing: the importance of planning and structure. "Before You Write Your Novel" covers the essential components of novel writing including narrative, story, plot, pace, chronology, character arc and engagement techniques, as well as research, story building, plotting and editing. Using an open and honest approach, feeding from his own experience as a published novelist and creative writing teacher, McCreet offers a practical guide to the structural mechanisms of the novel, helping you plan a first draft through to a finished novel. While very highly recommended for community and academic library Creative Writing instructional reference collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of aspiring novelists that "Before You Write Your Novel" is also available in a paperback edition (9781138186736, $25.95) and in a Kindle format ($20.18).

The Tao of Book Publicity
Paula Margulies
One People Press
c/o Paula Margulies Communications
8145 Borzoi Way, San Diego, CA 92129
www.paulamargulies.com
9780991354535, $7.99, PB, 156pp, www.amazon.com

Herself a successfully published author, Paula Margulies is also the owner of Paula Margulies Communications, a public relations firm for authors and artists. In "The Tao of Book Publicity: A Beginner's Guide to Book Promotion", Paula draws upon her years of experience and expertise to provide the novice author with a complete course of basic instruction into the nuts and bolts of promoting, publicizing, and marketing books successfully. As informed and informative as it is exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "The Tao of Book Publicity" provides expert commentary and advice on book covers, creating a press release, the author biography, the author photo, book events, scheduling media interviews, social media and blog touring, pricing, web site content, publicity costs, hiring a publicist, and the importance of gratitude. Of special note are the final two chapters: The Ten Best Books on Writing & Publishing Resources. Thoroughly 'user friendly' in content and presentation, every novice author seeking to establish a successful carrier by selling their books needs to have their own personal copy of "The Tao of Book Publicity". It should be noted that Paula Margulies has made her invaluable and comprehensive instructional guide on book publicity available in an inexpensive Kindle edition ($0.99) as well.


The Literary Studies Shelf

The Entrapments of Form
Catherine Toal
Fordham University Press
2546 Belmont Avenue
University Box L, Bronx, NY 10458-5172
www.fordhampress.com
9780823269341, $70.74, HC, 184pp, www.amazon.com

Arguing that cruelty acquires a new meaning in modernity, "The Entrapments of Form: Cruelty and Modern Literature" by Catherine Toal (Professor of Literature and Dean of the College at Bard College Berlin, Germany) follows its evolution through exchanges between French and American literature over the contradictions of Enlightenment (slavery, genocide, libertine aristocratic privilege). Professor Toal traces Edgar Allan Poe's influence on the Sadean legacy, Melville's fictional dramatization of Tocqueville, and Henry James's response to the aesthetic of his French contemporaries, including Flaubert. The result is not simply a literary analysis that provides close readings of key literary texts of the nineteenth century-Benito Cereno, The Turn of the Screw, Maldoror-but one that shows how in this era cruelty develops a specific narrative structure, one that is confirmed by the manner of its negation in twentieth-century philosophy. The final chapters comprising "The Entrapments of Form" address this shift: the postwar French reception of Sade and the relationship between American cultural theory and the rhetoric of the so-called war on terror. Enhanced with thirty pages of Notes and a fifteen page Index, "The Entrapments of Form" is a truly impressive and inherently compelling work of seminal scholarship and very highly recommended for academic library Contemporary Literary Studies collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "The Entrapments of Form" is also available in a paperback edition (9780823269358, $25.00).


The Environmental Studies Shelf

Climate Change For Beginners
Dean Goodwin
For Beginners LLC
155 Main Street, Suite 211, Danbury, CT 06810
www.forbeginnersbooks.com
9781939994431, $15.95, PB, 144pp, www.amazon.com

Year after year science continually proves that global climate change is real. But what does it all really mean and what can or should we do about it? This new edition of "Climate Change For Beginners" provides is a clear, fluid narrative by Dean Goodwin, a leading scientist and educator who takes a scrupulously balanced approach in explaining the history of global climate monitoring and change, and the whos, hows, whats, whens, wheres and whys of the interaction between human activity and recent trends in the Earth's climate. Working from the premise that no one can do everything, but everyone can do something, Goodwin challenges readers with experiments they can conduct to gain a better understanding of the science underlying the problems facing our planet and concludes with a list of 50 easy actions readers can choose from to start doing their part in the effort to slow or stop global warming. Simply stated, "Climate Change For Beginners" is a critically important and thoroughly accessible work that should have as wide a readership as possible -- starting with the Republican members of the congressional science committee and the current crop of Republican presidential nominee candidates who are all on record as denying that the phenomena of climate change is real. This new edition of "Climate Change For Beginners" should be a part of every school and community Environmental Studies collection and supplemental studies reading lists. It should be noted for the non-specialist general reader that "Climate Change For Beginners" is also available in a Kindle edition ($15.15).


The Philosophy Shelf

Philosophy in Seven Sentences
Douglas Groothuis
IVP Academic
c/o InterVarsity Press
PO Box 1400, Downers Grove, IL 605151426
www.ivpress.com
9780830840939, $16.00, PB, 160pp, www.amazon.com

Philosophy is not a closed club or a secret society. It's for anyone who thinks big questions are worth talking about. To get us started, Douglas Groothuis unpacks seven pivotal sentences from the history of western philosophy, of which a few are famous, all are short, and none are trivial. Included are: "The unexamined life is not worth living." Socrates; "You have made us for yourself, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you." Augustine; "I think, therefore I am." Decartes; "The heart has reasons, that reason knows nothing of." Pascal. Other sentences are drawn from the works of Protagoras, Aristotle and Kierkegaard to round out this quick tour. Since every philosopher has a story, not just a series of ideas, Douglas Groothuis (Professor of Philosophy at Denver Seminary, Denver, Colorado) also offers a bit of each one's life to set the stage. The seven sterling sentences themselves, while they can't tell us all there is to know, offer bridges into other lands of thought which can spark new ideas and adventures. And who knows where they might lead? An inherently fascinating, thoughtful and thought-provoking read, "Philosophy in Seven Sentences: A Small Introduction to a Vast Topic" is very highly recommended for high school, college, university, and community library Philosophy collections. For academia and the non-specialist general reader with an interest in philosophy it should be noted that "Philosophy in Seven Sentences" is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.04).


The Education Shelf

Teacher Learning in the Digital Age
Chris Dede, Arthur Eisenkraft, Kim Frumin, Alex Hartley, editors
Harvard Education Press
8 Story Street, 1st floor, Cambridge, MA 02138
www.harvardeducationpress.org
9781612508986, $68.00, Library Binding, 304pp, www.amazon.com

With an emphasis on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) training, "Teacher Learning in the Digital Age" is a compendium of twelve erudite articles by expert academicians that examines exemplary models of online and blended teacher professional development, including information on the structure and design of each model, intended audience, and existing research and evaluation data. From video-based courses to just-in-time curriculum support platforms and MOOCs for educators, the cutting-edge initiatives described in the pages of "Teacher Learning in the Digital Age" deftly illustrate the broad range of innovative programs that have emerged to support preservice and in-service teachers in formal and informal settings. Enhanced with the inclusion of abundant resources, "Teacher Learning in the Digital Age" reveals critical lessons and insights for designers, researchers, and educators in search of the most efficient and effective ways to leverage technology to support formal, as well as informal, teacher learning. While very highly recommended as a core addition to academic library Teacher Education reference collections and supplemental studies lists, it should be noted for academics and aspiring classroom teachers that "Teacher Learning in the Digital Age" is also available for personal reading lists in a trade paperback edition (9781612508979, $34.00) and in a Kindle format ($22.49).

Smart Kid, Can't Read
Lorna Kaufman
Ash Point Publishing Group
www.smartkidcantread.com
Gulotta Communications, Inc. (publicity)
9780997078916, $14.95, PB, 288pp, www.amazon.com

More than one third of all children entering the fourth grade are reading below grade level. Even more alarming, less than one third of these children actually receive reading help! "Smart Kid, Can't Read" by dyslexia expert Lorna Kaufman (Adjunct Professor of Language and Literacy, Simmons College, Boston, Massachusetts) offers step by step real-world advice for parents, teachers, and caregivers trying to navigate the hurdles of getting a child reading help -- a task which can be amazingly daunting. With a clear and thoroughly 'reader friendly' practicality, "Smart Kid, Can't Read" explains the key points that every parent advocate for a reading-skills-impaired child should know. Armed with information about special education law, research-based reading instruction, and effective, unbiased assessments, parents especially will be ready to take the steps that will launch their child into a successful reading experience. Of special note is that "Smart Kid, Can't Read" also offers easy-to-administer tests that parents can give their children to help decide whether a reading evaluation is warranted. Simply stated, "Smart Kid, Can't Read" should be considered as an essential and critically important addition to community and academic library Educational Studies reference collections and the personal reading list of any parent with a child who is struggling in their attempt to learn how to read.

Science Teachers' Learning
Suzanne Wilson, et al.
National Academies Press
500 Fifth Street, NW, Washington, DC 20001
www.nap.edu
9780309380188, $54.95, PB, 256pp, www.amazon.com

Currently, many states are adopting the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) or are revising their own state standards in ways that reflect the NGSS. For students and schools, the implementation of any science standards rests with teachers. For those teachers, an evolving understanding about how best to teach science represents a significant transition in the way science is currently taught in most classrooms and it will require most science teachers to change how they teach. That change will require learning opportunities for teachers that reinforce and expand their knowledge of the major ideas and concepts in science, their familiarity with a range of instructional strategies, and the skills to implement those strategies in the classroom. Providing these kinds of learning opportunities in turn will require profound changes to current approaches to supporting teachers' learning across their careers, from their initial training to continuing professional development. A teacher's capability to improve students' scientific understanding is heavily influenced by the school and district in which they work, the community in which the school is located, and the larger professional communities to which they belong. "Science Teachers' Learning" provides guidance for schools and districts on how best to support teachers' learning and how to implement successful programs for professional development. This report makes actionable recommendations for science teachers' learning that take a broad view of what is known about science education, how and when teachers learn, and education policies that directly and indirectly shape what teachers are able to learn and teach. "Science Teachers' Learning" will prove to be a valuable resource for classrooms, departments, schools, districts, and professional organizations as they move to new ways to teach science, making it an extraordinary and highly recommended addition to professional and academic library Teacher Education instructional reference collections.

Who's Doing The Work?
Jan Burkins & Kim Yaris
Stenhouse Publishers
480 Congress Street, Portland, ME 04101-3451
www.stenhouse.com
9781625310750, $23.00, PB, 158pp, www.amazon.com

Classroom teachers are concerned about students whose reading development inexplicably plateaus, as well as those who face challenging texts without applying the strategies they've been taught. When such problems arise, their common instinct is to do more. But when summarizing the text before reading or guiding students when they encounter difficult words, are teachers leading the students to depend on teacher support? If teachers want their students to use strategies independently, "Who's Doing the Work?: How to Say Less So Your Readers Can Do More" advocates that teachers must question the ways their scaffolding is getting in the way of their students learning process. Next generation reading instruction is responsive to students needs, and it develops readers who can integrate reading strategies without prompting from instructors. In "Who's Doing The Work?", education specialists Jan Burkins and Kim Yaris examine how instructional mainstays such as read-aloud, shared reading, guided reading, and independent reading look in classrooms where students do more of the work. Classroom snapshots at the end of each chapter help translate the ideas in the book into practice. Thoroughly informed and informative, and exceptionally 'user friendly' in tone, content, commentary, organization and presentation, "Who's Doing The Work?" is very highly recommended for professional and academic library Teacher Education instructional reference collections and supplemental studies reading lists.


The Psychology Shelf

APA College Dictionary of Psychology, second edition
Gary R. VandenBos, editor
American Psychological Association
750 First Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002-4242
www.apa.org/books
9781433821585, $19.95, PB, 518pp, www.amazon.com

Now in a fully updated and expanded second edition, the popular, compact, and economical "APA College Dictionary of Psychology" for students and practitioners features some 5,500 entries (that's over 500 more than the original first edition), while continuing to feature clear and authoritative definitions that provide basic coverage from across 90 sub-disciplines of psychology. Special emphasis is concentrated on the fields that are typically encountered in undergraduate studies, such as general, personality and social, life span developmental, abnormal, and cognitive psychology. Moreover, basic coverage of neuropsychology and of statistics and methodology have been enhanced for the second edition, and two helpful appendixes have been included: Abbreviations and Acronyms and Symbols. Very highly recommended for personal, professional, community, and library Psychology/Psychiatry Studies reference collections, "The APA College Dictionary of Psychology, second edition" is a reliable resource that answers the needs of both advanced placement high-school students and college undergraduates -- whether they are taking psychology as part of a broader curriculum or making it their major field of study.


The Money/Finance Shelf

Real Money Answers for Every Woman
Patrice C. Washington
Amistad Books
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
10 East 53rd Street, New York, NY 10022-5299
www.harpercollins.com
9780062420268 $15.99 pbk / $10.99 Kindle www.amazon.com

Real Money Answers for Every Woman: How to Win the Money Game With or Without a Man is a money management guide written especially for women, and couched in question-and-answer format. Author Patrice Washington turned around $18,000 in debt (some from attending college, some from too many rationalizations for expensive purchases) in three years, by transforming her financial counseling into a successful business. She learned from her clients even as she taught them, and now she shares her understanding of the emotional forces that all too often induce women to make harmful financial decisions. Real Money Answers for Every Woman covers money myths; how to set realistic goals; how to improve one's professional life or even start making money from one's hobby; saving while reducing debt; banking fundamentals; how to improve one's credit rating; and much more. Perhaps the most standout chapters are the ones about relationships and money - including money problems with one's significant other, family members, or kids. "Q: I said 'no', and now my loved one isn't speaking to me. What next? A: Being in your life is a privilege, and you have to regard it as such. Not everyone deserves that privilege, especially those that choose to be angry with you because you're finally ready to make your dreams a reality."

Social Security, Medicare & Government Pensions, 21st edition
Joseph Matthews, Attorney
Nolo Press
950 Parker Street, Berkeley, CA 94710
www.nolo.com
9781413322354, $29.99, PB, 496pp, www.amazon.com

Now in a fully updated and significantly expanded twenty-first edition, "Social Security, Medicare & Government Pensions: Get the Most Out of Your Retirement & Medical Benefits" fully explains all of the new rules and pertinent strategies on and for Social Security conditions, personal and spousal benefits, as well as benefits for disabilities, dependents, survivors, and Supplemental Security Income (SSI). This complete and comprehensive reference will prove critically important for anyone trying to decide whether to take an early Social Security benefit or wait until age 70. "Social Security, Medicare & Government Pensions" covers earn how to qualify for and enroll in both Medicare and Medicaid programs, including Medicare Part D drug coverage. "Social Security, Medicare & Government Pensions" will prove invaluable for understanding Medigap insurance and Medicare Advantage plans, as well as what new Medigap policies are available (and old ones that aren't), comparing Medigap and Medicare Advantage plans, and ultimately choosing what's best. Of special note is the information "Social Security, Medicare & Government Pensions" provides on government pensions and veterans benefits, including discovers when and how to claim the benefits earned. Enhanced with information on how to file many essential forms online, "Social Security, Medicare & Government Pensions" will prove to be an indispensable and reliable informational guide and reference, making it critically important and highly recommended addition for community library Money/Finance instructional reference collections. For personal reading lists and references it should be noted that "Social Security, Medicare & Government Pensions" is also available in a Kindle edition ($16.32).


The Cookbook Shelf

200 Best Sheet Pan Meals
Camilla V. Saulsbury
Robert Rose Inc.
120 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 800, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M4P 1E2
www.robertrose.ca
9780778805380, $24.95, PB, 240pp, www.amazon.com

Camilla V. Saulsbury is a freelance food writer, recipe developer, cooking instructor and creator of the healthy cooking blog powerhungry.com. In "200 Best Sheet Pan Meals: Quick and Easy Oven Recipes One Pan, No Fuss!" she showcases great kitchen cook friendly meals that conveniently using a single sheet pan. These 200 recipes allow for individual ingredients to intensify flavors, and clean up is a breeze. All that is needed is a sheet pan, an oven, and expert instructions and recipes from Camilla Saulsbury for creating some of these extraordinary meals (and desserts). The recipes range from Pesto Chicken Thighs with Roasted Baby Carrots, Persian Rice-Stuffed Butternut Squash; and Chewy Coconut Trail Mix Bars; to Carrot Cake Breakfast Cookies; Halibut with Herbed Bread Crumbs and Broccoli; and Lemon Parmesan Prk Meatloaves with Zucchini Chips. A delight to browse and inspiring to plan menus with, "200 Best Sheet Pan Meals" will prove a popular addition to community library cookbook collections, and is especially commended to the attention of anyone pressed for time but wanting to serve meals that are as palate pleasing as they are health and nutritious.

The Top 100 Low-Carb Recipes
Nicola Graimes
Nourish
c/o Watkins Publishing
Angel Business Club, 359 Goswell Road, London, EC1V 7JL, UK
www.watkinspublishing.com
9781848993020, $9.95, PB, 144pp, www.amazon.com

Nicola Graimes is an award-winning cookery writer and former editor of Vegetarian Living Magazine. In "The Top 100 Low-Carb Recipes" she has compiled a culinary collection that will prove to be an essential meal planning reference for anyone who is interested in controlling their weight by cutting down their intake of carbohydrates. "The Top 100 Low-Carb Recipes" proves that living a low-carb lifestyle does not mean eating unlimited amounts of unhealthy, fatty foods. The key to success is eating the right type of carb alongside good sources of protein and fat. By focusing on unrefined carbohydrates (and eating these in carefully controlled amounts) you can keep blood sugar levels steady, have heaps of energy, and feel fuller for longer. Featuring innovative, delicious and nutritionally balanced dishes, this varied collection of 100 recipes from all over the world provides a safe and responsible blueprint for low-carb eating. Profusely illustrated and featuring thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly dishes that range from Tortilla Egg Rolls; Smoked Haddock Chowder; Crab Cakes with Chilli Dip; and Pan-Fried Pork with Minty Pea Puree; to Prosciutto-Wrapped Chicken with Mozzarella; Crisp Sea Bass with Japanese Pickled Vegetables; Spring Vegetable Stir-Fry with Cashews; and Chocolate Orange Cream; Nicola Graimes' "The Top 100 Low-Carb Recipes " will prove to be an enduringly popular and trusted addition to personal and family cookbook collections.

The Meals to Heal Cookbook
Susan Bratton & Jessica Iannotta
Livelong Books / Da Capo Press
c/o Perseus Book Group
250 W. 57th St., Suite 1500, New York, NY 10107
www.perseusbooksgroup.com
9780738218793, $18.99, PB, 304pp, www.amazon.com

Collaboratively compiled by Susan Bratton (Founder and CEO of Savor Health, a comprehensive patient and caregiver focused cancer nutrition service) and Jessica Iannotta (registered dietitian and certified specialist in oncology who is also the Chief Operating Officer of Savor Health), "The Meals to Heal Cookbook" is a compilation of 150 kitchen cook friendly, nutritionally well balanced recipes for dishes that palate pleasing and appetite satisfying -- especially for anyone having to deal with a diagnosis of cancer for themselves or a loved one. With recipes ranging from Peach Cardamon Honeyed Yogurt; Very Veggie Farro Salad; Creamy Grits with Roasted Tomatoes and Sauteed Spinach; Grilled Beet and Goat Cheese Burgers; and Panfried Tofu and Vegetables over Brown Rice; to Orzo Kale Soup; Blueberry Ginger Coconut Smoothie; Chocolate Avocado Fudgsicles; Zucchini Leek Latkes; Harvest Studded Squash; and Roasted Applesauce, "The Meals to Heal Cookbook" is as much a pleasure to browse through as it is to plan meals with. Enhanced with the inclusion of a section of beautiful photographs for selected dishes, an informative chapters on Getting Started, Common Nutrition Topics, Safe Food Handling, and Helpful References, "The Meals to Heal Cookbook" is very highly recommended for all personal, family, and community library cookbook collections. It should be noted that "The Meals to Heal Cookbook" is also available in a Kindle edition ($12.99).


The American History Shelf

Abductions in the American Revolution
Christian McBurney
McFarland
PO Box 611, Jefferson NC 28640
www.mcfarlandpub.com
9781476663647 $35.00 pbk / $24.99 Kindle www.amazon.com

Written with the precision of a historian, yet accessible to readers of all backgrounds, Abductions in the American Revolution: Attempts to Kidnap George Washington, Benedict Arnold and Other Military and Civilian Leaders is an utterly fascination examination of kidnapping as a military strategy during the Revolutionary War. Both sides sought to kidnap officers and prominent civilian leaders, including mayors or governors. Even George Washington called such efforts "honorable" (though he did write a wartime letter disapproving of the execution of kidnapped prisoners as a retaliatory measure, saying, "...where you have not the transgressor himself in your possession. Humanity will ever interfere and plead strongly against the sacrifice of an innocent person for the guilt of another.") Indeed, Washington himself had to beware kidnap attempts; as did Benedict Arnold, and a future king of Great Britain. A successful kidnapping could turn the tide of battle, while an unsuccessful attempt could end with the would-be kidnapper getting hanged. Enhanced with extensive notes and index, Abductions in the American Revolution is a welcome contribution to public and college library collections, and highly recommended.

Fatal Sunday
Mark Edward Lender and Garry Wheeler Stone
University of Oklahoma Press
2800 Venture Drive, Norman, OK 73069
9780806153353 $34.95 hc / $29.89 Kindle www.oupress.com

Fatal Sunday: George Washington, the Monmouth Campaign, and the Politics of Battle is an extensive, scholarly assessment of a crucial turning point in the American Revolutionary War - and in George Washington's military and political career. If not for Washington's relative success (the Battle of Monmouth Courthouse was technically a tactical draw, and because of the scorching summer weather, heat stroke is said to have claimed more lives than musket fire), his political opponents might have replaced him as the American commander-in-chief. Also notable is how the battle ended the military career of Washington's chief rival and fiercest critic, Major General Charles Lee. Lee and Washington and Lee had an acrimonious history, and Lee desired to be commander-in-chief instead of second-in-command; but during the battle, Lee's decision to retreat in defiance of orders, combined with his public disrespect of Washington, resulted in a court-martial. Extensive notes, a bibliography, and an index round out this fascinating account of the Monmouth Campaign and its repercussions, from military, political, and historic viewpoints. Highly recommended, especially for public and college library American History collections.

The Apache Wars
Paul Andrew Hutton
Crown
c/o The Random House Publishing Group
1745 Broadway, 17th floor, New York, NY 10019
www.crownpublishing.com
9780770435813, $30.00, HC, 544pp, www.amazon.com

The young white boy was called Mickey Free. His kidnapping started the longest war in American history, and both sides (the Apaches and the white invaders) blamed him for it. A mixed-blood warrior who moved uneasily between the worlds of the Apaches and the American soldiers, he was never trusted by either but desperately needed by both. He was the only man Geronimo ever feared. He played a pivotal role in this long war for the desert Southwest from its beginning in 1861 until its end in 1890 with his pursuit of the renegade scout, Apache Kid. In this sprawling, monumental work, Paul Hutton unfolds over two decades of the last war for the West through the eyes of the men and women who lived it. "The Apache Wars: The Hunt for Geronimo, the Apache Kid, and the Captive Boy Who Started the Longest War in American History" by Paul Andrew Hutton (Professor of History at the University of New Mexico) is the true story Mickey Free, as well as the story of his contemporaries: the great Apache leaders Mangas Coloradas, Cochise, and Victorio; the soldiers Kit Carson, O. O. Howard, George Crook, and Nelson Miles; the scouts and frontiersmen Al Sieber, Tom Horn, Tom Jeffords, and Texas John Slaughter; the great White Mountain scout Alchesay and the Apache female warrior Lozen; the fierce Apache warrior Geronimo; and the Apache Kid. These lives shaped the violent history of the deserts and mountains of the Southwestern borderlands -- a bleak and unforgiving world where a people would make a final, bloody stand against an American war machine bent on their destruction. Professor Hutton has written a detailed and riveting history that will prove to be a compelling and informative read from beginning to end. Very highly recommended for both community and academic library American Western History and Native American Studies collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists of academia and the non-specialist general reader that "The Apache Wars" is also available in a Kindle edition ($13.99) and in an Audio CD format (HighBridge Audio, 9781681680767, $44.99).

Traqueros
Jeffrey Marcos Garcilazo
University of North Texas Press
1155 Union Circle #311336, Denton, TX 76203-5017
9781574416275 $24.95 www.unt.edu/untpress

Traqueros: Mexican Railroad Workers in the United States 1870-1930 is an extensively researched, scholarly history of Mexican-American railroad laborers who settled in the United States, especially in the Southwest and the Midwest. In this era, railroad work was the second largest employer of Mexican labor, surpassed only by agricultural work. Traqueros examines how Mexicans were recruited to work on America's railroads, their positive and negative experiences on the job, labor struggles and unrest, boxcar communities, traquero culture, and more. Endnotes, a bibliography, and an index round out this excellent contribution to public and college library American History collections.


The Music Shelf

The Complete Singer-Songwriter, second edition
Jeffrey Pepper Rodgers
Backbeat Books
c/o Hal Leonard Performing Arts Publishing Group
33 Plymouth Street, Suite 302, Montclair, NJ 07042-2677
www.halleonard.com
9781495019913, $19.99, PB, 248pp, www.amazon.com

Now in a fully updated and expanded second edition, "The Complete Singer-Songwriter: A Troubadour's Guide to Writing, Performing, Recording, and Business" continues to be the ultimate guide for the modern performer, being packed from cover to cover with practical tips, applicable tools, and productive inspiration for both aspiring troubadours and those looking to take their craft and career to the next level. Author Jeffrey Pepper Rodgers (founder of "Acoustic Guitar" magazine and who has been writing extensively on the acoustic music scene since 1989) draws on firsthand interviews with song writing legends and rising stars; expert advice from managers, agents, lawyers, and publishers; and his own experiences as a performing songwriter. He offers this invaluable companion for singer-songwriters on their journey from idea to song to the stage, studio, and beyond. "The Complete Singer-Songwriter" covers a songwriter's guide to chord progressions; understanding song form and rhyme; dozens of songwriting games and exercises; essential info on copyrighting your songs, music publishing, and digital royalties; online companion at www.completesingersongwriter.com (complete with playlists and additional resources); song writing tips and techniques from more than 100 artists, including Joni Mitchell, John Mayer, Paul Simon, Rosanne Cash, Jewel, Jeff Tweedy, Ani DiFranco, James Taylor, John Fogerty, Brandi Carlile, Richard Thompson, Jason Mraz, Rodney Crowell, Jerry Garcia, Dar Williams, and more. A complete course of thoroughly 'user friendly' instruction, examples, and resources, "The Complete Singer-Songwriter" is very highly recommended for personal, professional, community, and academic library collections. It should be noted that "The Complete Singer-Songwriter" is also available in a Kindle edition ($13.99).

Les Paul in His Own Words
Les Paul & Michael Cochran
Backbeat Books
c/o Hal Leonard Performing Arts Publishing Group
33 Plymouth Street, Suite 302, Montclair, NJ 07042-2677
www.halleonard.com
9781495047398, $29.99, PB, 366pp, www.amazon.com

In 2009, the legendary Les Paul passed away at the age of 94. In celebration of his life, this centennial edition of "Les Paul in His Own Words" fully captures Paul's own reflections on his remarkable inventions and guitar playing. Originally published as a high-end collector's edition, this 2015 edition is a celebration of Les Paul having reached his centennial, and Backbeat Books is pleased to celebrate the legend once more in the first-ever paperback edition of Les Paul in His Own Words, makes his fascinating story available to a wide range of a new generation of readers. "Les Paul in His Own Words" is the definitive work on the recording and electric guitar pioneer whose prodigious talents and relentless work ethic single-handedly launched a new era in American popular music. This authentic account of Les Paul's life is packed with words of wisdom and experience from one of the most important contributors to modern music. Profusely illustrated throughout, "Les Paul in His Own Words" is very highly recommended for personal, community, and academic library American Music History reference collections and supplemental studies reading lists.


The Health/Medicine Shelf

Boomercise: Exercising as You Age
David Pargman
Fitness Information Technology
375 Birch Street, PO Box 6116, Morgantown, WV 26506-6116
http://fitinfotech.com
9781935412328, $16.95, PB, 260pp, www.amazon.com

Men and women of the boomer generation now have "Boomercise: Exercising as You Age", a book by David Pargman (Professor Emeritus at Florida State University, and an expert on the psychology of exercise) specifically about exercise catered to their specific needs and circumstances. Encouraged by doctors to continue to exercise three to five times a week for their health, a legion of running, swimming and biking elders are flouting the conventional limits of the middle-aged body's abilities, and filling the nation's operating rooms and orthopedists' offices in the process. Aging boomers would benefit immensely from regular exercise by first giving a careful reading to "Boomercise: Exercising as You Age" and then applying the presented guidelines in their personal exercise routines and activities. Simply stated, "Boomercise: Exercising as You Age" is a critically important addition to personal reading lists of 'babyboomer' men and women, as well as community, senior citizen center, and academic library Health/Medicine reference collections.


The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

Sherlock Holmes: A Case At Christmas
N. M. Scott
Magna Large Print
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9780750542166, $35.50, HC, 288pp, www.amazon.com

Ranging across the illustrious detective's long career, author N.M. Scott presents ten new cases in which Holmes and Watson investigate hauntings, grave robberies, art theft and the seemingly inexplicable disappearance of a priceless violin. When murder brings Holmes to the door of a popular novelist, he finds himself uncovering crimes sparked by jealousy and prejudice, and facing a criminal mastermind whose ruthlessness and cunning know no bounds. With all the storytelling skills of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, this new and deftly crafted stories are an impressive and much appreciated additions to the growing canon of Sherlock Holmes tales of detection and adventure. An absolutely 'must' for the legions of Sherlock Holmes fans, this large print edition of "Sherlock Holmes: A Case At Christmas And Other New Adventures" will prove an enduringly popular addition to community library Mystery/Suspense collections.

A Talent for Murder
Teresa LaRue
Gale Cengage Learning, Inc.
200 First Stamford Place, Stamford, CT 06902
www.cengageptr.com
9781432831059, $26.95, HC, 250pp, www.amazon.com

When Kate Spencer learns her aunt's fiance is two-timing her with an old rival, she has no choice but to pass along the information to her mother, who promptly informs her sister what a cad the man is. They are as shocked as the rest of the town when the rival turns up dead and the two-timing fiance disappears. Worse yet, an anonymous call places her aunt at the scene of the crime. Complicating matters, the lead investigator on the case turns out to be Kate's old boyfriend. Though he has a hard time believing the woman who once marched in front of his school carrying a 'save the frogs' sign is capable of murder, he has to consider her aunt his prime suspect. Can the trio find the killer before Kate's aunt is arrested for murder? Are they putting their own lives in danger by investigating the crime? Exceptionally well written from beginning to end, "A Talent for Murder" is a cozy, southern mystery filled with humor and colorful characters, with a touch of romance thrown in for added fun. Very highly recommended and certain to be an enduringly popular addition to community library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of mystery fans that "A Talent for Murder" is also available in a Kindle edition ($3.99).

The Committee
Terry E. Hill
www.terryehill.com
Urban Renaissance
9781622867226, $6.99, PB, 368pp, www.amazon.com

"The Committee" by Terry E. Hill is a deftly crafted novel that involves an Illuminati conspiracy, New Orleans voodoo, American politics, and a subplot gay affair with a twist of turbulence and turmoil. A secret society is behind the country's biggest political ploys. A mysterious New Orleans family of Creole women head "The Committee". and it is they who in fact control the men mistaken to be the country's power figures! "The Committee" has selected every US president since James Monroe and controls much of the country's economy. When they make the decision that the United States is not only ready for a Black woman president, but also select her, the phrase, 'hell hath no fury like a woman scorned' takes on new and insidious meaning. Camille Ernestine Hardaway is the first African American female mayor of Los Angeles and she has it all - stunning good looks, power, a seemingly devoted husband and influential allies. "The Committee" has decided that she will be the first Black female president of the United States and will stop at nothing to ensure their rising candidate reaches the White House. A deftly crafted and original story from beginning to end, "The Committee" is very highly recommended for community library General Fiction collections. Solidly entertaining and showcasing author Terry E. Hill as an impressively gifted storyteller, it should be noted that "The Committee" is also available in a Kindle edition ($5.99).

Crow Wing Dead
Midge Bubany
North Star Press of St. Cloud
PO Box 451, St. Cloud, MN 56302-0451
www.northstarpress.com
9781682010174, $11.85, PB, 272pp, www.amazon.com

When Detective Cal Sheehan learns no ones heard from his childhood friend Mike Hawkinson in days, he begins an unofficial investigation. Cal follows a lead from Minnesota to Las Vegas, and back again. When Hawks car is later found abandoned north of Prairie Falls, Birch County officially opens a missing persons case, which allows Cal to hunt for his buddy and investigate the strange circumstances surrounding his disappearance. But Cal doesnt know whether he is conducting a search and rescue (or a kidnapping and murder investigation) all as he is having to deal with the blowback from a family tragedy. "Crow Wing Dead" is a deftly written and thoroughly engaging page-turner of a read from beginning to end. Very highly recommended for community library collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of dedicated mystery buffs that "Crow Wing Dead' is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.49).


The Civil War Shelf

The Red River Campaign and Its Toll
Henry O. Robertson
Marketing Department
McFarland & Company
PO Box 611, Jefferson NC 28640
www.mcfarlandpub.com
9781476663784, $29.95, PB, 209pp, www.amazon.com

The American Civil War saw many brutal and bloody battles. The Red River Campaign in the spring of 1864 that was one of the most destructive of the Civil War. The agricultural wealth of the Red River Valley tempted Union General Nathaniel P. Banks to invade with 30,000 troops in an attempt to seize control of the river and confiscate as much cotton as possible from local plantations. After three months of chaos, during which the countryside was destroyed and many slaves freed themselves, Banks was defeated by a smaller Confederate force under General Richard Taylor. "The Red River Campaign and Its Toll: 69 Bloody Days in Louisiana, March-May 1864" by civil war historian Henry O. Robertson (who is also an Associate Professor of History and Coordinator of Institutional Effectiveness at Louisiana College in Pineville, Louisiana) takes a fresh and documented look at the fierce battles at Mansfield and Pleasant Hill, the Union army's escape from Monett's Ferry and the burning of Alexandria, and explains the causes and consequences of the war in Central Louisiana. A model of civil war scholarship, "The Red River Campaign and Its Toll" is a valued and strongly recommended contribution to the growing body of Civil War literature and very highly recommended for community and academic library collections.

Grenville Mellen Dodge in the Civil War
James Patrick Morgans
McFarland & Company
PO Box 611, Jefferson NC 28640
www.mcfarlandpub.com
9780786470693, $29.95, PB, 277pp, www.amazon.com

Grenville Mellen Dodge (April 12, 1831 - January 3, 1916) was a Union army officer on the frontier and pioneering figure in military intelligence during the Civil War, who served as Ulysses S. Grant's intelligence Chief in the Western Theater. He served in several notable assignments, including command of the XVI Corps during the Atlanta Campaign. He later served as a U.S. Congressman, businessman, and railroad executive who helped direct the construction of the Transcontinental Railroad. "Grenville Mellen Dodge in the Civil War" by James Patrick Morgans is the story of how, in 1861, Colonel Grenville Dodge organized the 4th Iowa Volunteer Infantry Regiment and led them off to war. They had few uniforms or weapons and were more of a mob than a military unit, but Dodge shaped them into a fighting force that won honors on the battlefield and gained respect as one of the best regiments in the Union army. Promoted to the rank of major-general, Dodge became one of the youngest divisional, corps and departmental commanders in the Army. A superb field general, he also organized a network of more than 100 spies to gather military intelligence and built railroads to supply the troops in the Western Theater. "Grenville Mellen Dodge in the Civil War" covers Dodge's Civil War career and the history of the 4th Iowa, who fought at Pea Ridge, Vicksburg, Chattanooga and Atlanta. Exceptionally well researched, written, organized and presented, "Grenville Mellen Dodge in the Civil War" is very highly recommended for personal, community, and academic library American Civil War reference collections and supplemental studies curriculums. For the personal reading lists of academia and the non-specialist general reader with an interest in the Civil War is should be noted that "Grenville Mellen Dodge in the Civil War" is also available in a Kindle edition ($14.99).

The Collapse of Price's Raid
Mark A. Lause
University of Missouri Press
2910 LeMone Boulevard, Columbia, MO 65201
9780826220257 $32.95 hc
9780826273215 $32.95 ebook www.umsystem.edu/upress

The Collapse of Price's Raid: The Beginning of the End in Civil War Missouri is a scholarly study of the final major Southern operation west of the Mississippi River, during the American Civil War. By the time of Price's Raid (also known as Price's Missouri Expedition), the Confederates were desperate for food and supplies. Confederate Major General Sterling Price sought to seize resources by using his cavalry expedition and recruiting guerrilla fighters to his cause. Yet Price made costly strategic mistakes; worn down by Union forces, he ultimately returned with half as many men as he initially set out with. Price's failure was so catastrophic that it substantially contributed to Union morale and President Lincoln's re-election. The Collapse of Price's Raid meticulously examines the entire chain of events, skirmish by skirmish, from both military and historical perspectives. Extensive notes and an index round out this excellent contribution to public and college library Civil War shelves.


The Photography Shelf

Picture Perfect Lighting
Roberto Valenzuela
Rocky Nook
802 East Cota Street, 3rd Floor, Santa Barbara, CA 93103
www.rockynook.com
9781937538750, $49.95, PB, 340pp, www.amazon.com

In "Picture Perfect Lighting: An Innovative Lighting System for Photographing People", photographer Roberto Valenzuela draws upon his many years of experience and expertise to present a system that will enable even the most novice of photographers to become better, more confident practitioners of their craft through understanding and controlling light in photography. After discussing the universal nature of light, Roberto introduces the five key behaviors of light, which are essential to understand in order to improve your knowledge of light. With those behaviors established, Roberto introduces his concept of "circumstantial light", an ingenious way of examining and breaking down the light around you in any given situation. Providing a detailed analysis of circumstantial light, Roberto develops the top ten circumstantial light elements you need to know in order to fully harness the power of the light around you to create an image that is true to your vision. The final piece of the "Picture Perfect Lighting" system is Roberto's "lighting benchmark test", a brilliant method for determining the quality of the light in any given situation. It is with the lighting benchmark test that you will determine if and when you need to use "helper light", the light that is needed or manipulated in order to "help" the circumstantial light so that your vision comes to life. Helper light is created with diffusers, reflectors, flashes, strobes, and light modifiers. "Picture Perfect Lighting" is very highly recommended for both community and academic library Photography instructional reference collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "Picture Perfect Lighting" is also available in a Kindle edition ($23.49).

Sawtooth-White Cloud
Mark William Link, photographer
Nicole LeFavour, essayist
Caxton Press
312 Main Street, Caldwell, ID 83605-3299
www.caxtonpress.com
9780870046001, $26.00, HC, 128pp, www.amazon.com

Blending acclaimed nature photographer Mark Lisk's powerful photos expose a striking side of the lakes and rocky heights of a remote slice of the American wild. Deep in Idaho's newly designated White Clouds Wilderness Area and the dramatic peaks of the Sawtooth Wilderness, with Nicole LeFavour insightful and informative essays underscoring the light and stark beauty of the silence and stillness of these high places perched far from where most will ever travel, "Sawtooth-White Cloud" is an inherently fascinating read and an ideal browsing choice for the armchair traveler.


The Social Issues Shelf

Enduring Uncertainty
Ines Hasselberg
Berghahn Books
20 Jay Street, Suite 512, Brooklyn, NY 11201
www.berghahnbooks.com
9781785330223, $45.00, HC, 252pp, www.amazon.com

Focusing on the lived experience of immigration policy and processes, "Enduring Uncertainty: Deportation, Punishment and Everyday Life" by antropologist Ines Hasselberg ( who is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow with the Centre for Criminology, University of Oxford, and the Associate Director of Border Criminologies research webpage) provides fascinating insights into the deportation process as it is felt and understood by those subjected to it. "Enduring Uncertainty" presents a rich and innovative ethnography of deportation and deportability experienced by migrants convicted of criminal offenses in England and Wales. The unique perspectives developed here - on due process in immigration appeals, migrant surveillance and control, social relations and sense of self, and compliance and resistance - are important for broader understandings of border control policy and human rights. An impressively informative and exceptionally presented study that includes a ten page bibliography of References and an eighty-five page Index, "Enduring Uncertainty" is a compelling work of original scholarship that is very highly recommended for academic library Contemporary Social Issues reference collections in general, and Deportation Policy supplemental studies reading lists in particular.

Racial Realities and Post Racial Dreams
Julius Bailey
Broadview Press
c/o FedEx Trade Networks
555 Riverwalk Parkway, Tonawanda, NY 14150
www.broadviewpress.com
9781554813162, $22.95, PB, 190pp, www.amazon.com

"Racial Realities and Post-Racial Dreams: The Age of Obama and Beyond" is a moral call, a harkening and quickening of the spirit, a demand for recognition for those whose voices are whispered. Author Julius Bailey straddles the fence of social-science research and philosophy, using empirical data and current affairs to direct his empathy-laced discourse. He turns his eye to President Obama and his critics, racism, income inequality, poverty, and xenophobia, guided by a prophetic thread that calls like-minded visionaries and progressives to action. Providing a keenly honest look at the current state of our professed city on a hill and the destruction left on the darker sides of town, "Racial Realities and Post-Racial Dreams" is a compelling read and underscores the devastation that the U.S. Supreme Courts gutting of the anti-voter rights legislation has created with the almost immediate appearance and re-emergence of the old Jim Crow laws and voter suppression legislation enacted by Republican controlled states. A compelling and informative, thoughtful and thought-provoking, "Racial Realities and Post Racial Dreams" is very highly recommended for personal reading lists, as well as community and academic library Social Issues and Contemporary African-American Studies collections.


The Business Shelf

Driven by Difference
David Livermore
Amacom Books
1601 Broadway, New York, NY 10019
www.amacombooks.org
9780814436530, $27.95, HC, 240pp, www.amazon.com

Like America's general population, today's workforce is more diverse than ever before. But despite new perspectives and talents, the promise of increased innovation rarely materializes. Why are so few businesses seeing results? Studies show that diverse teams are more creative than homogenous ones -- but only when they are managed effectively. The secret is to minimize conflict while maximizing the informational diversity found in varied values and experiences. To do this, both leaders and team members need a high level of cultural intelligence, or CQ. Drawing on success stories from Google, Alibaba, Novartis, and other groundbreaking companies, "Driven by Difference: How Great Companies Fuel Innovation Through Diversity" by David Livermore (President and Partner of the Cultural Intelligence Center, a research institute at the forefront of CQ assessment and development) identifies the management practices necessary to guide multicultural teams to innovation, including how to: Create an optimal environment; Build trust; Fuse differing perspectives; Align goals and expectations; Generate fresh ideas; Consider the various audiences when selecting and selling an idea; Design and test for different users. Cultural differences can lead to gridlock, or they can catalyze innovation and growth. "Driven by Difference" offers a research-based plan to turn diversity's potential into a successful economic reality. Unique and extraordinary, "Driven by Difference" is very highly recommended for community, corporate, and academic library Contemporary American Business reference collections and supplemental studies curriculums. For the personal reading lists of MBA studies, corporate professionals, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject it should be noted that "Driven by Difference" is also available in a Kindle edition ($15.37).

Global Sport Marketing
Norm O'Reilly, et. al.
Fitness Information Technology
375 Birch Street, PO Box 6116, Morgantown, WV 26506-6116
9781935412434 $41.00 http://fitpublishing.com

Global Sport Marketing: Sponsorship, Ambush Marketing, and the Olympic Games is a practical-minded, in-depth business guide especially for aspiring and practicing professionals in the field. Chapters cover sport marketing and the law, sponsorship as an element of marketing strategy, the strategy of "ambush marketing" (keeping the marketing campaign secret until very close to the officially sponsored event, thus creating a stronger link by association between one's marketed product and the event), a wealth of case studies, and more. Chapter questions, black-and-white photographs, an index, and a list of references round out this excellent text for college courses or self-study.


The Folktale/Fairytale Shelf

The Grimm Future
Erin Underwood, editor
NESFA Press
PO Box 809, Framingham, MA 01701
www.nesfapress.com
9781610373159, $35.00, HC, 272pp, www.amazon.com

Compiled and edited by Erin Underwood, "The Grimm Future" is an anthology that blends fresh new science fiction with a futuristic dash of magic in the form of fourteen re-imagined Brothers Grimm fairy tales from some of today's most exciting authors -- along with the original stories that inspired them. The original stories comprising "The Grimm Future" examines our humanity and what that term might come to mean through the eyes of future generations as society advances into an age when technology consumes nearly every aspect of our lives or has ultimately changed life as we know it. How might these timeless stories evolve? Given the relentless onrush of technology, there is even greater need for fairy tales and the kind of Grimm magic that is to be found in the pages of "The Grimm Future"! A compelling and thoroughly entertaining read from beginning to end, "The Grimm Future" is very highly recommended for personal reading lists of science fiction enthusiasts, as well as community, and academic library Science Fiction & Fantasy collections.


The Nautical Shelf

21st Century Knox
Edited by David Kohnen
Naval Institute Press
291 Wood Road, Annapolis, MD 21402
9781612519807 $24.95 pbk / $14.49 Kindle www.nip.org

21st Century Knox: Influence, Sea Power, and History for the Modern Era is a scholarly analysis and discussion of the ideas and legacy of Commodore Dudley Wright Knox (1877 - 1960), an officer in the United States Navy who served in the Spanish-American War and World War I, and who oversaw the Navy Department's historical office for many years. Knox's influence is especially notable during the years of Franklin Roosevelt's presidency; Knox advocated for the navy as an instrument for the preservation of peace and the protection of trade, rather than solely for warfare. Knox's views on naval strategy, leadership, and maritime options transcend his era, and offer invaluable insights to military and naval professions in the twenty-first century. Highly recommended, especially for college library nautical studies shelves.


The Biography Shelf

Immunity
Luba Vikhanski
Chicago Review Press
814 North Franklin Street, Chicago, IL 60610
www.chicagoreviewpress.com
9781613731109 $26.99 hc / $14.57 Kindle www.amazon.com

Immunity: How Elie Metchnikoff Changed the Course of Modern Medicine is the amazing biography of of Elie Metchnikoff (1845-1916), a Russian zoologist best known for his pioneer work in the biomedical science of immunology - the study of how living organisms' natural defenses against sickness work. In spite of criticism and outright ridicule from his peers, he was the first to propose that specific cells in humans and other animals were a natural defense line against foreign particles. Today such cells are commonly referred to as "white blood cells", but in Metchnikoff's time the idea was revolutionary. Metchnikoff's work earned him a Nobel Prize in 1908, and forever transformed how medical professionals understood and treated illnesses. Immunity draws upon a vast array of primary materials including letters, published articles, and a collection of Metchnikoff's personal documents to offer a portrait of not only his groundbreaking accomplishments, but also his everyday quirks and eccentricities. Even today, as problems arise from the overuse of antibiotics, medical professionals are re-examining some of Metchnikoff's ideas, such as cultivating gut bacteria for health benefits. Fascinating and accessible to readers of all backgrounds, Immunity is highly recommended especially for public and college library biography collections.

Apprehensions & Convictions
Mark Johnson
Quill Driver Books
2006 South Mary, Fresno, CA 93721
www.quilldriverbooks.com
9781610352642, $18.95, HC, 334pp, www.amazon.com

Mark Johnson is a retired detective with the Mobile Police Department, where he was decorated several times for service and bravery. Prior to his police career, Johnson spent twenty years as a public relations director and executive director for the United Way. "Apprehensions & Convictions: Adventures of a 50-Year-Old Rookie Cop" is Johnson's explosive memoir of his second career as a cop. Going from fund-raising with socialites to confronting armed suspects in the streets, Johnson found that poverty and crime were no longer social issues but matters of life and death. A civilized man whose first instinct is to help people in trouble, Johnson learned that some men can only be subdued with brute force and some chronic criminals refuse to be redeemed. Defying the skepticism of his wife, the derision of the younger cops who called him "Pawpaw," and his own self-doubts, Johnson rose to become a detective and a highly decorated officer. "Apprehensions and Convictions" also tells a personal story of how Johnson overcame his own demons to find a new sense of purpose and identity in mid-life. From a troubled drink and drug fueled youth, to dealing with both his birth and adoptive parents, to struggling to find a steady career path, Johnson's story is of a man who found his courage and changed himself. An intense, sweeping narrative that explores the frustrations of an over-privileged youth, delves deeply into the dysfunction of the Mobile ghetto, and ends with an armed standoff between Johnson and an escaped cop-killer, "Apprehensions and Convictions" is a compelling new memoir of a remarkable life. An unusually well written and exceptionally compelling read from beginning to end, "Apprehensions & Convictions" is very highly recommended for both community and academic library Contemporary American Biography and Law Enforcement Studies collections. For personal reading lists it should be noted that "Apprehensions & Convictions " is also available in a Kindle edition ($8.99).


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