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Library Bookwatch

Volume 8, Number 11 November 2013 Home | LBW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Science Shelf Pets/Wildlife Shelf
Education Shelf Political Science Shelf American History Shelf
World History Shelf Library Science Shelf Philosophy Shelf
Biography Shelf Reference Shelf International Studies Shelf
Writing/Publishing Shelf Literary Studies Shelf Cookbook Shelf
Botany Shelf Religion/Spirituality Shelf Business Shelf
Military Shelf Environmental Studies Shelf Audiobook Shelf
Library CD Shelf Library DVD Shelf Autism Shelf
Economic Studies Shelf Anthropology Shelf Civil War Shelf
Music Shelf Gaming Shelf Photography Shelf
Genealogy Shelf Folklore Shelf  


Reviewer's Choice

Framing the Net
Rikke Frank Jorgensen
Edward Elgar Publishing
9 Dewey Court
Northampton, MA 01060-3815
www.e-elgar.com
9781782540793, $125.00, www.amazon.com

Human rights are commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being. Human rights are thus conceived as universal (applicable everywhere) and egalitarian (the same for everyone). The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite (TCP/IP) to serve several billion users worldwide. It is a network of networks that consists of millions of private, public, academic, business, and government networks, of local to global scope, that are linked by a broad array of electronic, wireless and optical networking technologies. The Internet carries an extensive range of information resources and services, such as the inter-linked hypertext documents of the World Wide Web (WWW), the infrastructure to support email, and peer-to-peer networks. "Framing the Net: The Internet and Human Rights" by Rikke Frank Jorgensen (The Danish Institute for Human Rights) is a 288 page compendium comprised of three major sections (Human Rights in the Internet Era; Framing the Net; ICT and Social Change); plus three appendices (Summary of internet metaphors; list of interviewees - Uganda; List of interviewees - Wikipedia); a bibliography; a glossary; and an index. Of special note is the chapter devoted to the Wikipedia as a platform for community life and collaboration. An impressive and thoroughly notated work of seminal scholarship, "Framing the Net: The Internet and Human Rights" is both informed and informative, proving to be a welcome and significant contribution to professional and academic library Internet & and Communication Policy reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

Nuclear Weapons Counterproliferation
Jack I. Garvey
Oxford University Press
198 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10016-4314
9780199841271 $85.00 www.oup.com/us

Nuclear Weapons Counterproliferation: A New Grand Bargain criticizes the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty as no longer capable of stopping the spread of weapons that can literally destroy the world. How can such deadly devices be effectively restricted from rogue governments and terrorists? Jack I. Garvey (Professor of Law, University of San Francisco) offers guiding principles and prerogatives to achieve this goal, hinging upon a United Nations Security Council Counterproliferation Resolution that would apply equally to all States. "The sanctions orchestrated for Iraq, Iran, and North Korea achieved compliance value notwithstanding the failure to achieve more direct counterproliferation objectives, by imposing considerable costs on the targeted governments. Sanctions in the hard cases are persuasive evidence for other governments that compliance with the nuclear weapons non-proliferation regime is the preferred option." Forward-thinking and extensively researched, Nuclear Weapons Counterpoliferation is quite literally a book that could help save the world, and worthy of the highest recommendation.


The Science Shelf

Organic Electronics
Fabio Cicoira and Clara Santato
Wiley-VCH
www.wiley-vch.de
c/o Wiley Professional Trade Group
111 River Street
Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
9783527411313 $125.00 www.wiley.com

Organic Electronics: Emerging Concepts and Technology is a reference and resource compendium of research in organic spintronics, iontronics, light-emitting transistors, organic sensors, advanced structural analysis, and more. Written for graduate students, post-doctoral researchers, and professionals in the field (as well as closely related fields such as organic chemical synthesis and biomaterials), Organic Electronics is detailed and technical, requiring a strong understanding of mathematics, and supplements its chapters with black-and-white charts, graphs, and the occasional photo. An excellent addition to university and graduate school science library collections. Also highly recommended for the technology and science shelves of college libraries is "MAX Phases: Properties of Machinable Ternary Carbides and Nitrides" (9783527330119, $145.00), a scholarly compendium that collects information on MAX phases, a cutting-edge field so new that information about it was previously scattered amid scientific journals.

To The Denmark Strait
Dallas Murphy
Burford Books, Inc.
101 East State Street, #301, Ithaca, NY 14850
www.burfordbooks.com
9781580801737, $35.00, www.amazon.com

Oceanography is the branch of Earth science that studies the ocean. It covers a wide range of topics, including marine organisms and ecosystem dynamics; ocean currents, waves, and geophysical fluid dynamics; plate tectonics and the geology of the sea floor; and fluxes of various chemical substances and physical properties within the ocean and across its boundaries. These diverse topics reflect multiple disciplines that oceanographers blend to further knowledge of the world ocean and understanding of processes within: astronomy, biology, chemistry, climatology, geography, geology, hydrology, meteorology and physics. "To the Denmark Strait: Oceanographers Search for a Mysterious Current" by Dallas Murphy is a profusely illustrated, 144 page compendium comprising a first hand account of an expedition on the research vessel Knorr under the leadership of oceanographer Robert Pickart for the purpose of confirming the existence and origin of a previously unknown oceanic current between Greenland and Iceland. Informed, informative, and enhanced throughout with the full color photography of Rachel Fletcher and Sindre Skrede, "To the Denmark Strait: Oceanographers Search for a Mysterious Current" is enhanced with the inclusion of a DVD with videos by Ben harden and will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to both community and academic library Oceanography reference collections and supplemental reading lists.


The Pets/Wildlife Shelf

The Multiple-Cat Family
Shelia Webster Boneham, Ph.D., author
T. F. H. Publications
One T.F.H.
Plaza, Third and Union Avenues
Neptune, NJ 07753
9780793837984, $10.95, www.tfh.com

"The Multiple-Cat Family" is a sensitively written, practical, photo-illustrated guide to pet care for families with more than one cat or kitten. Many helpful fact and procedure pages help cat owners of all ages understand the best ways to keep their cats healthy. Eight succinct chapters deal with choosing and transporting cats, safety tips for keeping cats at home, cat socialization tips, feeding multiple cats, behavior training tips and issues, routine cat health care with a list of "when to call your vet" times, and managing illness or injury, as well as reactions to the death of your cat. "The Multiple-Cat Family" is completed by three pages of resources, websites, and helpful publications. Although "The Multiple-Cat Family" is part of a juvenile series on pet care from Animal Planet, it is also a helpful resource for adult cat owners.


The Education Shelf

The Neglected Child
Ginger Welch, et al.
Gryphon House
6848 Leon's Way, Lewisville, NC 27023
www.ghbooks.com
9780876594780, $16.95, www.amazon.com

Child neglect is a form of child maltreatment. Child neglect is a deficit in meeting a child's basic needs. Furthermore, child neglect is the failure to provide basic physical health care, supervision, nutrition, emotional nurturing, education or safe housing. Child neglect is the most frequent form of abuse of children, with children that are born to young mothers at a substantial risk for neglect. In 2008, the U.S. state and local child protective services received 3.3 million reports of children being abused or neglected. Maltreated children/youth were about five times more likely to have a first emergency department presentation for suicide-related behavior compared to their peers, in both boys and girls. Children/youth permanently removed from their parental home because of substantiated child maltreatment are at an increased risk of a first presentation to the emergency department for suicide-related behavior. The collaborative work of Ginger Welch (a licensed pediatric psychologist and certified early childhood educator), Heather Johnson (Assistant Professor of Early Childhood Education, Oklahoma City University), and Laura Wilhelm (Oklahoma Public School District Curriculum Coordinator), "The Neglected Child: How to Recognize, Respond, and Prevent" is a 128 page compendium comprised of what every adult (and especially classroom teachers) need to know on creating a safe, nurturing, and protective environment for young children who are suffering or are recovering from parental neglect. Deftly organized, informed and informative, and thoroughly 'reader friendly' in presentation and text, "The Neglected Child: How to Recognize, Respond, and Prevent" is very strongly recommended for professional, school, community, and library troubled child instructional reference collections.

Talking Is Hard For Me!
Linda M. Reinert, M.S., CCC-SLP, author
Emily S. Lynch, illustrator
Woodbine House
6510 Bells Mill Rd., Bethesda, MD 20817
9781606131923, $18.95, www.woodbinehouse.com

"Talking Is Hard for Me!" is an excellent book that is designed to help stimulate communication skills in children ages 3-7 who exhibit delayed speech due to one of multiple medical causes. Subtitled "Encouraging Communication in Children with Speech-Language Difficulties," "Talking Is Hard for Me!" achieves its stated goals by being used by children and teachers/caregivers as a storybook with an empathetic point of view, or an instruction manual with pictures, or a resource for caregivers, family and friends. A handy list of tips and techniques for parents, teachers and caregivers is included with specific suggestions that complements the pages of story situations and illustrations. An additional glossary of speech-related terms, acronyms and abbreviations is also helpful. All content is designed for use with children ages 3-7 with delayed speech/communication. "Talking Is Hard for Me!" is a great tool for parents, teachers, caregivers, and children who need to continue learning to communicate with others.

Zero Chance Of Passage
Ember Reichgott Junge
Beaver's Pond Press
7108 Ohms Lane, Edina, MN 55439
www.BeaversPondPress.com
Smith Publicity
1930 E Marlton Pike, Suite I-46
Cherry Hill, NJ 08003
9781592984763, $20.00, www.amazon.com

In the United States, charter schools are primary or secondary schools that receive public money (and may, like other schools, also receive private donations). They are subject to some of the rules, regulations, and statutes that apply to other public schools, but generally have more flexibility than traditional public schools. Charter schools are expected to produce certain results, set forth in each school's charter. Charter schools are attended by choice. In exchange for flexibility, charter schools receive less funding than public schools in the same area - typically, they receive only 'head' funds (a certain amount per student) and do not receive any facilities funding which typically pays for a public school's maintenance and janitorial needs. Although charter schools provide an alternative to other public schools, they are part of the public education system and are not allowed to charge tuition. Where enrollment in a charter school is oversubscribed, admission is frequently allocated by lottery-based admissions systems. However, the lottery is open to all students. "Zero Chance of Passage: The Pioneering Charter School Story" by Ember Reichgott Junge is a 388 page history of how the law enabling the creation of charter schools came about. It's an engaging story that draws upon hitherto unpublished historical documents and first-person accounts by both those that supported charter schools and those who opposed them. "Zero Chance of Passage: The Pioneering Charter School Story" touches upon current issues in chartering and public school choice, the value of bipartisanship in passing controversial legislation, and how policy is made in the halls of congress. Informed and informative, "Zero Chance of Passage: The Pioneering Charter School Story" is a very highly recommended addition to both community and academic library collections and would is especially commended to non-specialist general readers with an interest in how charter schools came into the roster of American education alternatives.

Learn To Move, Moving Up!
Jenny Clark Brack, OTR/L, BCP
Photos by C. Scott Campbell
Cartoons by Gerard Arantowicz
Autism Asperger Publishing Company
PO Box 23173
Shawnee Mission, KS 66283
9781934575383 $35.00 www.aapcpublishing.net

A sequel to pediatric occupational therapist Jenny Clark Brack's previous sensorimotor child activity book "Learn to Move, Move To Learn", Learn To Move, Moving Up! Sensorimotor Elementary-School Activity Themes is intended for older children in the early elementary age range. The pages are packed with activities, themes, and basic lesson plans that educators or child-care providers can use to help young people develop their balance, coordination, proprioception and vestibular abilities, and more. These physical activities will also induce young children's minds to be alert and aware, the better to gain a classroom education. For example, a baseball-themed lesson suggests an action-song "Take Me out to the Ball Game" (warm-up), baseball bat exercises (vestibular), "Mat sandwich" pretend hotdog game (proprioception), balance beams in a diamond shape (balance), a T-ball stand (eye-hand coordination), a baseball book and stretching exercises (cool-down), and a hotdog snack (fine motor). Checklists, references, resources and more round out this excellent supplementary resource, highly recommended for elementary educators everywhere.


The Political Science Shelf

Surviving Inside Congress, third edition
Mark Strand, Michael S. Johnson, & Jerome F. Climer
The Congressional Institute, Inc.
1700 Diagonal Road, Suite 730
Alexandria, VA 22314
9780963305756 $19.95 www.conginst.org

Now in an updated third edition, Surviving Inside Congress is a practical-minded guide created especially to assist members of Congress, their staff, government relations professionals, and the general public by demystifying the Legislative Branch of the U.S. government. Chapters cover who's who in Congress, different types of legislation, the congressional committee system, parliamentary procedure, the relationship between Executive and Legislative Branches, ethics rules, issues of partisanship and polarization, and much more. The authors have drawn upon their combined fifty years of experience on Capitol Hill to create this eminently accessible, user-friendly reference and resource that should be required reading for anyone who interacts with Congress. Surviving Inside Congress is worthy of the highest recommendation especially for public and college library Political Science shelves. "The most basic principle of American jurisprudence is that we are all innocent until proven guilty. The surest reality of political life is that this basic principle doesn't apply. The unwritten by even more universal rule of political prudence holds that appearance of wrongdoing is as damaging as actual guilt."

Open Budgets
Sanjeev Jhagram, et al.
Brookings Institution Press
1775 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W.
Washington, DC 20036-2188
www.brookings.edu
9780815723370, $29.95, www.amazon.com

Knowledgeably compiled by the editorial team of Sanjeev Khagram (John Parke Young Professor of Global Political Economy, Occidental College), Archon Fung (Ford Foundation Professor of Democracy and Citizenship, Harvard Kennedy School), and Paolo de Renzio (Research Associate, Overseas Development Institute and the University of Oxford), "Open Budgets: The Political Economy of Transparency, Participation, and Accountability" is a 264 page compendium comprising nine seminal articles ranging from the editor's title piece, 'Overview and Synthesis: The Political Economy of Fiscal Transparency, Participation, and Accountability around the World' and concluding with 'Capturing Movement at the Margins: Senegal's Efforts at Budget Transparency Reform' by Linda Beck, E. H. Seydou Nourou Toure, and Alieu Faye. An impressive and seminal body of original scholarship, "Open Budgets: The Political Economy of Transparency, Participation, and Accountability" is very highly recommended for academic library collections. It should be noted that "Open Budgets: The Political Economy of Transparency, Participation, and Accountability" is also available in a Kindle edition ($16.17).


The American History Shelf

"Mr. President"
Harlow Giles Unger
Da Capo Press
c/o Perseus Books Group
11 Cambridge Center
Cambridge, MA 02142
dacapopress.com
9780306819612 $25.99 www.perseusbooksgroup.com

Award-winning author Harlow Unger presents "Mr. President": George Washington and the Making of the Nation's Highest Office, a scholarly yet accessible accounting of how America's first president shaped both his fledgling country and the office of the Presidency. Chapters tell of Washington's political cunning, his dedication to protect individual liberties as guaranteed by the Bill of Rights, and his establishment of presidential powers not explicitly stated in the Constitution (such as the power to spend public moneys, make foreign policy agreements, or issue executive orders carrying the weight of the law). Detailed, fascinating, and supplemented with notes, a bibliography, and an index, "Mr. President" is an excellent contribution to American History shelves for its inside look at early American politics.

Parading Patriotism
Adam Criblez
Northern Illinois University Press
2280 Bethany Road
DeKalb, IL 60115
9780875806921 $28.95 www.niupress.niu.edu

Parading Patriotism: Independence Day Celebrations in the Urban Midwest, 1826-1876 examines America's celebrations of its own founding during a crucial era when the new nation expanded its territory, created cities in the Midwest, and began to industrialize. Of particular interest is how the terrible toll of the Civil War transformed national remembrance of this holiday. "In both the planning and execution of Independence Day celebrations in 1865, Midwestern revelers drew parallels between the eastern heroes of 1776 and their own victorious armies in 1865. Making these ties explicit not only connected war veterans to their Revolutionary War kindred, but also linked the rebirth of American nationalism and patriotic loyalty brought forth by the Civil War to the battles faced by the Founding Fathers in building a national identity nearly a century earlier." Notes, a bibliography, and an index round out Parading Patriotism, a welcome and seminal contribution to American history shelves.

New Mexico: A History
Joseph P. Sanchez, Robert L. Spude, & Art Gomez
University of Oklahoma Press
2800 Venture Drive
Norman, OK 73069
9780806142562 $26.95 www.oupress.com

New Mexico: A History is a meticulously researched, thoroughly accessible history of New Mexico, from the is earliest Native American settlers to the present day. Most of the discussion examines New Mexico's transformations in the 1800's and 1900's, from a territory administered by Mexico to shifting national identities, the terrible toll of the Great Depression, and the modern flourish of "space science and civic boosterism". A suggested reading list and an index round out this excellent accounting, highly recommended especially for public and college library American History shelves.

A Yankee On Puget Sound
Karen L. Johnson & Dennis M. Larsen
Washington State University Press
PO Box 645910, Pullman, WA 99164-5910
www.wsupress.wsu.edu
9780874223156, $29.95, 188 pp., www.amazon.com

The collaborative work of Karen L. Johnson and Dennis M. Larsen, "A Yankee on Puget Sound: Pioneer Dispatches of Edward Jay Allen, 1852-1855" is the story of how a young twenty-year old man made an overland trek to Oregon and his experiences and adventures during a three-year stay in the Washington Territory. Drawn from Allen's letters and diary entries, "A Yankee on Puget Sound: Pioneer Dispatches of Edward Jay Allen, 1852-1855" is an invaluable contribution to the growing library of 19th Century American Frontier History memoirs and biographies. Enhanced with occasional black-and-white period photos, extensive notes, an expansive bibliography, and a useful index, "A Yankee on Puget Sound: Pioneer Dispatches of Edward Jay Allen, 1852-1855" is a minor masterpiece of seminal scholarship and a highly recommended addition to academic library 19th Century American History reference collections and supplemental reading lists.


The World History Shelf

The Nature of the English Revolution Revisited
Stephen Taylor and Grant Tapsell, editors
Boydell Press
c/o Boydell & Brewer Inc
668 Mount Hope Avenue
Rochester, NY 14620-2731
9781843838180 $115.00 www.boydellandbrewer.com

To this day, there remains controversy over whether the English revolution - the violent military clash between King Charles I and Parliament, which would ultimately cost the king his head, and prompt a ten-year interregnum that ended when the former king's son Charles II ascended to the throne. Scholars disagree on the English Revolution's precise causes, the nature of its political/social/economic/intellectual impact, or even whether it should be labeled a "revolution" at all. The Nature of the English Revolution Revisited (volume 18 in the "Studies in Early Modern Cultural, Political and Social History" series) is an anthology of essays by learned scholars about diverse aspects of the conflict, including "Oliver Cromwell and the Instrument of Government", "The Parish and the Poor in the English Revolution", "Style, Wit and Religion in Restoration England", and much more. An index rounds out this well-researched, thoughtful exploration of a critical time in British history. Highly recommended for public and college library World History shelves!

American Relief Aid and the Spanish Civil War
Eric R. Smith
University of Missouri Press
2910 LeMone Boulevard, Columbia, MO 65201
www.umsystem.edu/upress
9780826220097, $60.00, www.amazon.com

The Spanish Civil War was fought from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939 between the Republicans, who were loyal to the established Spanish Republic, and the Nationalists, a rebel group led by General Francisco Franco. The Nationalists prevailed, and Franco ruled Spain for the next 36 years, from 1939 until his death in 1975. The war became notable for the passion and political division it inspired, and for the atrocities committed by both sides in the war. Organized purges occurred in territory captured by Franco's forces to consolidate the future regime. A smaller but significant number of killings took place in areas controlled by the Republicans, normally associated with a breakdown in law and order. "American Relief Aid and the Spanish Civil War" by academician Eric R. Smith is a 206 page history of American involvement in providing humanitarian relief supplies to the Spanish civilians who were suffering horrifically because of the war. This was a time when the American government and a majority of the American citizenry were essentially isolationists with respect to European conflicts. Informed and informative, "American Relief Aid and the Spanish Civil War" is a seminal work of historical scholarship and will prove to be an enduringly valued contribution to academic library 20th Century Spanish History and American International Studies reference collections and supplemental reading lists. It should be noted that "American Relief Aid and the Spanish Civil War" is also available in a Kindle edition ($48.00).

An Introduction to the History of the Principal Kingdoms and States of Europe
Samuel von Pufendorf
Liberty Fund, Inc.
8335 Allison Pointe Trail
Indianapolis, IN 46250
www.libertyfund.org
9780865975132, $14.50, www.amazon.com

Baron Samuel von Pufendorf (January 8, 1632 - October 13, 1694) was a German jurist, political philosopher, economist, statesman, and historian. His name was just Samuel Pufendorf until he was ennobled in 1684; he was made a Freiherr (baron) a few months before his death at age 62 in 1694. Among his achievements are his commentaries and revisions of the natural law theories of Thomas Hobbes and Hugo Grotius. Now reprinted for a new generation of appreciate readers under the editorship and with an introduction by Michael J. Seidler (Professor of Philosophy and University Distinguished Professor at Western Kentucy University), "An Introduction to the History of the Principal Kingdoms and States of Europe" was originally translated from German into English in 1695 by Jodocus Crull and quite influential among 18th Century scholars. An important addition to academic library collections, "An Introduction to the History of the Principal Kingdoms and States of Europe" will prove to be of extraordinary interest to students studying the development of early modern historigraphy, as well as the historical philosophic development of natural law. It should also be noted that "An Introduction to the History of the Principal Kingdoms and States of Europe" is also available in a hardcover edition (9780865975125, $24.00).

Urban Bodies
Carole Rawcliffe
Boydell & Brewer
668 Mount Hope Avenue
Rochester, NY 14620-2731
www.boydellandbrewer.com
9781843838364, $99.00, www.amazon.com

In an age before modern medicine and our understanding of the role of microbes in human disease and epidemics, the cities of medieval Europe created and implemented some surprisingly sophisticated and practical strategies for trying to combat the spread of illnesses ranging from simple fevers to the Black Plague. "Urban Bodies: Communal Health in Late Medieval English Towns and Cities" by Carole Rawcliffe (Professor of Medieval History, University of East Anglia) is a 445 page compendium providing a clear, accurate, and documented history of the environmental and public health issues that were addressed in urban areas that included dealing with urban waste, fire prevention, water, food and drink, drugs and pharmaceuticals, hospitals and almshouses, and the medical beliefs of the era. Of special note is the appendix article 'National and Urban Epidemics 1257-1530'. Enhanced with the inclusion of a substantial bibliography and a comprehensive index, "Urban Bodies: Communal Health in Late Medieval English Towns and Cities" is a masterpiece of scholarly research and a very highly recommended addition to academic library Medieval Studies and History of Medicine reference collections and supplemental reading lists.


The Library Science Shelf

Bringing the Arts into the Library
Carol Smallwood, editor
ALA Editions
50 East Huron St.
Chicago, IL 60611
9780838911754 $50.00 www.alastore.ala.org

Bringing the Arts into the Library is an anthology of essays by public library professionals discussing how the library can enrich the local population's knowledge and understanding arts, and in the process cultivate grassroots support. Individual writings include insights on public library poetry programs, hosting gatherings for local authors at the community college, creative writing programs for middle schoolers, using the arts as a spearhead to fight illiteracy, and much more. In today's increasingly commercialized world, the need for a public space to celebrate the arts rather than the almighty dollar is greater than ever, making Bringing the Arts into the Library welcome, needed, and highly recommended!

Customer Service in Libraries
Charles Harmon and Michael Messina, editors
Scarecrow Press
c/o Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group
4501 Forbes Blvd., Suite 200
Lanham, MD 20706
9780810887480 $45.00 www.rlpgbooks.com

Customer Service in Libraries is an anthology of essays from nine American librarians, each of whom describes the best customer service practices of their own library. Their writings tell of planning technological changes with a focus on the user (who may well be a techno-neophyte), picture-book arrangements, Web 2.0 tools to make the library more accessible to users, creating effective and efficient delivery chains, practical approaches to making the library a superlative resource for homeschoolers, and much more. "Getting input from our homeschooling families was instrumental in planning how we would offer our program. We learned about special events that were already being held in our community (science fairs, spelling bees, etc.) and when other organizations held regular meetings so that our time wouldn't conflict." An excellent resource of ideas and improvements for any public library professional!

Better Library and Learning Spaces
Les Watson
Facet Publishing
7 Ridgmount Street, London, England, WC1E 7AE
www.facetpublishing.co.uk
9781856047630, $49.95, www.amazon.com

Knowledgeably compiled and deftly edited by educational advisor and learning spaces consultant Les Watson "Better Library and Learning Spaces: Projects, Trends and Ideas" is a 128 page compendium comprised of forty informed and informative articles by experts in their respective fields and organized into three major parts: Projects and Trends; Trends and Ideas; Ideas and Futures. Of special note is that at the end of parts 1 and 2 editor Less Watson provides a summary, and at the end of part 3 provides concluding remarks. Informed and informative, "Better Library and Learning Spaces: Projects, Trends and Ideas" is an invaluable and seminal contribution to the field of Library Science and is highly recommended for professional and academic library reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

Words Of Life
Bill Schmitt
University of Notre Dame Press
310 Flanner Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556
www.undpress.nd.edu
9780268017835, $35.00, www.amazon.com

Theodore Hesburgh Library is the primary building of the library system of University of Notre Dame. The building opened on September 18, 1963, as the Memorial Library. It was named after Father Theodore Hesburgh in 1987. The library has 3.39 million volumes, the 61st largest collection among all U.S. research universities. "Words of Life: Celebrating 50 Years of the Hesburgh Library's Message, Mural, and Meaning" by Bill Schmitt (Communications and Media Specialist, Alliance for Catholic Education, University of Notre Dame) is a 160 page tribute to one of the finest university libraries of the American Midwest. The informed and informative text is enhanced with 135 illustrations and features the story behind the library's iconic mural named 'The World of Life'. Highly recommended reading for anyone who has admired this beautifully crafted and maintained academic library, "Words of Life" would also well serve as a template for memorializing the history and achievements of other academic libraries elsewhere in the country.


The Philosophy Shelf

The Philosophy of Arthur C. Danto
Randall E. Auxier & Lewis Edwin Hahn, editors
Open Court Publishing Company
70 East Lake Street, Suite 800
Chicago, IL 60601
www.opencourtbooks.com
9780812697322, $99.95, www.amazon.com

The late Arthur Coleman Danto (January 1, 1924 - October 25, 2013) was an American art critic and philosopher. He is best known as the influential, long-time art critic for The Nation and for his work in philosophical aesthetics and philosophy of history, though he has contributed significantly to a number of fields. His interests span thought, feeling, philosophy of art, theories of representation, philosophical psychology, Hegel's aesthetics, and the philosophers Maurice Merleau-Ponty and Arthur Schopenhauer. Collaboratively compiled and edited by the team of Randall E. Auxier (Professor of Philosophy, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale) and Lewis Edwin Hahn (editor of Open Court's Library of Living Philosophers series from 1981 to 2001), "The Philosophy of Arthur C. Danto" is an 816 page compendium organized into three major sections: Intellectual Autobiogaphy of Arthur C. Danto; Descriptive and Critical Essays on the Philosophy of Arthur C. Danto, with Replies; and Bibliography of the Writings of Arthur C. Danto. Enhanced with a comprehensive Index, "The Philosophy of Arthur C. Danto" offers a comprehensive introduction to one of the most influential and scholarly American philosophers of the 20th Century, making it a significant and core addition to academic library 20th Century Philosophy collections and supplemental philosophical studies reading lists.


The Biography Shelf

The Cost of Liberty
William Murchison
ISI Books
3901 Centerville Road
Wilmington, DE 19807-1938
1933859946 $25.00 www.isibooks.org

Journalist William Murchison presents The Cost of Liberty: The Life of John Dickinson, a biography of America's most overlooked and little-known founders. Dickinson authored the essays "Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania", served as a delegate to the Continental Congress, helped shape the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution, and much more. He is perhaps best known for refusing to sign the Declaration of Independence, because the thought it was the wrong time to do so - he nevertheless took up arms to defend the nascent United States of America, unlike all but one of the Declaration's signers. The Cost of Liberty is a worthy addition to public, college, and high school Biography and American History shelves, highly recommended.

Champion of Civil Rights
Joel William Friedman
Louisiana State University Press
3990 W. Lakeshore Drive
Baton Rouge, LA 70808
9780807154465 $29.95 www.lsu.edu/lsupress

Champion of Civil Rights: Judge John Minor Wisdom is a scholarly biography of unsung civil rights hero John Minor Wisdom, who served on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit from 1957 to his death in 1999. Wisdom wrote multiple decisions that were crucial to desegregating the American South. Author and Professor of Procedural Law Joel William Friedman has taken full advantage of his unfettered access to Wisdom's personal and professional papers to craft this in-depth scrutiny of a principled man, and a committed anti-segregationist who ironically hailed from a privileged background in New Orleans, one of America's most racially stratified cities. An index rounds out this excellent biography, highly recommended for public and college library collections.

Deep River
Keith C. Burris
GIA Publications, Inc.
7404 South Mason Avenue
Chicago, IL 60638
www.giamusic.com
$45.00, www.amazon.com

Robert Shaw (April 30, 1916 - January 25, 1999) was an American conductor most famous for his work with his namesake Chorale, with the Cleveland Orchestra and Chorus, and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chorus. Shaw received 14 Grammy awards, four ASCAP awards for service to contemporary music, the first Guggenheim Fellowship ever awarded to a conductor, the Alice M. Ditson Conductor's Award for Service to American Music; the George Peabody Medal for outstanding contributions to music in America, the Gold Baton Award of the American Symphony Orchestra League for "distinguished service to music and the arts," the American National Medal of Arts, France's Officier des Arts et des Lettres, England's Gramophone Award, and was a 1991 recipient of the Kennedy Center Honors. "Deep River: The Life and Music of Robert Shaw" by Keith C. Burris is a 630 page biography covering the life, career, and accomplishments of Robert Shaw. Detailed and comprehensive, (and the result of ten years of research and writing), "Deep River: The Life and Music of Robert Shaw" is the definitive biography of a remarkable man that is enhanced with the inclusion of a CD recording of Shaw's conducting the Brahms Requiem at Boston University. Informed and informative, "Deep River: The Life and Music of Robert Shaw" is a highly prized addition to academic library 20th Century American Music History reference collections in general, and the supplemental reading lists for students of Robert Shaw's music and career in particular.

Asa: Honoring His Life and Work
James Young & Itihari Toure
African American Images
PO Box 1799, Dept. W/SP
Chicago Heights, IL 60412
www.AfricanAmericanImages.com
9781934155769, $16.95, www.amazon.com

The collaborative work of James Young and Itihari Toure, "Asa: Honoring His Life and Work" is a very nicely composed and presented 154 page history of educator, historian, and psychologist Asa Hilliard, who served on the faculty of Georgia State University fo 27 years. Professor Hillard authored a number of influential books, wrote hundreds of articles, and helped to found several organizations. "Asa: Honoring His Life and Work" provides a succinct accounting of these accomplishments as well as key descriptive explanations on important positions Professor Hillard took on a spectrum of issues including IQ testing, Egypt, 'Africentric' education, and his relationship with a number of others ranging from John Henrik Clarke, to Wade Nobles, to Josef ben-Jochannan. Exceptionally well organized and presented, "Asa: Honoring His Life and Work" is informed, informative, and highly recommended for anyone with an interest in life and legacy of Professor Asa Hillard.


The Reference Shelf

The United States Government Internet Directory, 2013
Shana Hertz-Hattis, editor
Bernan Press
c/o Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group
4501 Forbes Blvd., Suite 200
Lanham, MD 20706
www.rlpgbooks.com
9781598886283, $72.00, www.amazon.com

The recent shutdown of the federal government only served to underscore how much a role it plays in the lives of the citizenry. The federal government is so large, complex, and diversified that finding internet access to a particular department or record site can often prove perplexing. That's why "The United States Government Internet Directory, 2013", deftly compiled and organized by Shana Hertz-Hattis will prove to be an invaluable reference. Listing more than 1,800 web site records accessibly organized into 21 subject themed chapters; major government publications; up-to-date organizations charts for major federal government agencies; House and Senate Committees with committee URLs; and major government web sites re4lated to the global recession and new government economic recovery programs; and (new to this edition) more than 100 web sites on non-government organizations, "The United States Government Internet Directory, 2013" is comprehensive, definitive, accurate, and thoroughly 'user friendly', making it a very strongly recommended addition to community, corporate, NGO, political lobbyist, and academic library reference collections. It should be noted that "The United States Government Internet Directory, 2013" is also available in a Kindle edition ($41.49).


The International Studies Shelf

Ruth First and Joe Slovo in the War Against Apartheid
Alan Wieder
Monthly Review Press
146 West 29th Street, Suite 6W
New York, NY 10001
www.monthlyreview.org
9781583673560, $23.95, www.amazon.com

Apartheid was a system of racial segregation enforced through legislation by the National Party (NP) governments, who were the ruling party of South Africa from 1948 to 1994. The rights of the majority black inhabitants of South Africa were curtailed and Afrikaner minority rule was maintained. In 1990 President Frederik Willem de Klerk began negotiations to end apartheid, culminating in multi-racial democratic elections in 1994, which were won by the African National Congress under Nelson Mandela. The vestiges of apartheid still shape South African politics and society. Although the official abolishment of Apartheid occurred in 1990 with repeal of the last of the remaining Apartheid laws, the end of Apartheid is widely regarded as arising from the 1994 democratic general elections. "Ruth First and Joe Slovo in the War Against Apartheid" by historian Alan Wieder is the biographical story of a white man and a white woman who became heroes to subjugated South African blacks by working to abolish the apartheid system. Their complex personal story is presented in documented detail and is a critically important contribution toward an understanding of what it was like and what it cost to confront entrenched political, cultural, and economic interests that sought to defend and perpetuate South African apartheid. A blend of biography and political history, "Ruth First and Joe Slovo in the War Against Apartheid" is informed, informative, and highly recommended for academic library South African History and 20th Century International Studies collections.


The Writing/Publishing Shelf

The Self-Publisher's FAQ
Jacqueline Church Simonds
Beagle Bay Books
2325 Homestead Place, Reno, NV 89509
www.beaglebay.com
9780974961095, $14.95, www.amazon.com

Self-publishing is the publication of any book or other media by the author of the work, without the involvement of an established third-party publisher. A self-published physical book is said to be privately printed. The author is responsible and in control of entire process including design (cover/interior), formats, price, distribution, marketing & PR. The authors can do it all themselves or outsource all or part of the process to companies that offer these services. In the past, self-published authors had to spend considerable amounts of money preparing a book for publication, and to purchase bulk copies of their title and find a place to store them. Print-On-Demand technology means the author, via numerous, accessible global distribution channels like Amazon.com, can have a book printed only when an order has been placed and it is available for purchase world-wide. In 2008, for the first time in history, more books were self-published than those published traditionally. In 2009, 76% of all books released were self-published, while publishing houses reduced the number of books they produced. Against this background of an ever evolving publishing industry, Jacqueline Simonds draws upon her thirteen year experience and expertise as a publisher producing more than twenty books, her work on some thirty-five publishing projects, and her book distributor work with over forty titles to write "The Self-Publisher's FAQ", a 258 page compendium covering every aspect of the self-publishing process including starting a press, standard publishing industry practices, producing print and ebook editions, required forms and web site registrations, and marketing. From developing a marketing plan, to answering such basic questions as to buying an ISBN and the role of book reviews, "The Self-Publisher's FAQ" will prove to be and enduringly valuable and practical reference. Of special note is the introduction provided by Dan Poynter, who is justifiable considered to be the leading pioneer of self-publishing. Thoroughly 'user friendly', "The Self-Publisher's FAQ" should be considered mandatory reading for anyone engaging in or otherwise considering self publication.

Writing Children's Fiction
Yvonne Coppard and Linda Newbery
Bloomsbury Press
175 Fifth Avenue, Suite 315
New York, NY 10010
9781408156872 $24.95 www.bloomsbury.com

Featuring tips directly from successful children's authors including Malorie Blackman, Anne Cassidy, Michael Morpurgo, Celia Rees, and more, Writing Children's Fiction: A Writers' & Artists' Companion lives up to its title as a first-rate guide, reference, and resource to the art of writing novels for young adults. Part one analyzes the history of children's literature and the modern-day diversity of its genres; part two is packed with tips, tricks, and techniques from professionals in the field; and part 3 includes broad-minded guidance such as how to shape a solid plot, create well-rounded characters, handle tricky subjects, and even finding a capable agent or publisher when ready for print. Writing Children's Fiction is an absolute "must-have" for any nascent writer trying to create a middle grade or YA novel; published children's authors will very likely discover beneficial suggestions and ideas as well!


The Literary Studies Shelf

The Treacherous Imagination
Robert McGill
Ohio State University Press
180 Pressey Hall, 1070 Carmack Road
Columbus, OH 43210-1002
http://www.ohiostatepress.org
9780814212318, $54.95, www.amazon.com

The literary history of the novel is replete with accusations that authors have transformed friends, family members, neighbors, colleagues, or associates into the characters they have populated their works of fiction with -- often with unflattering overtones or implications. "The Treacherous Imagination: Intimacy, Ethics, and Autobiographical Fiction" by Robert McGill (Assistant Professor of English, University of Toronto, Canada) is a 208 page compendium that examines the ethics of writing such novels and short stories. As informed and informative as it is thoughtful and thought-provoking, "The Treacherous Imagination: Intimacy, Ethics, and Autobiographical Fiction" is a unique work of seminal scholarship and a welcome, highly recommended addition to academic library Literary Criticism collections and supplemental reading lists for students with an interest into the ethical ramifications of 'autobiographical fiction'. It should be noted that "The Treacherous Imagination" is also available ins CD-ROM format (9780814293331, $14.95).


The Cookbook Shelf

The Ultimate Diabetes Cookbook
Better Homes and Gardens
c/o Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
215 Park Avenue South
New York, NY 10003
9781118626795 $19.99 www.hmhpub.com

The Ultimate Diabetes Cookbook is packed with over 400 healthy, taste-tested recipes that are relatively low in sugar and salt. Full-color photographs on virtually every page, nutrition facts (including exchanges), average preparation and cooking times for each dish supplement the step-by-step directions. Highly recommended for both personal and library cookbook collections - one doesn't have to be diabetic to savor mouth-watering delights such as Foccacia Breadsticks, Chipolte Chicken with Peach Salsa, Maple-Orange Roasted Carrots and Beets, Summer Corn Tortilla Soup, Vegetable Israeli Couscous, Blueberry Muffin Bars, and much more!

Taste of Home: Home Style Cooking
Taste of Home Editorial Staff
Reader's Digest Trade Publishing
44 South Broadway, White Plains, NY 10601
www.rdtradepublishing.com
9781617651618, $17.99, www.amazon.com

Beautifully and profusely illustrated with full color photography, "Taste of Home: Home Style Cooking" showcases 420 superbly presented recipes with the common features of being palate pleasing, appetite satisfying, and kitchen cook friendly in their preparation. The recipes range from Swiss Pear Sandwiches; Cottage Cheese Confetti Salad; Grilled Chops with Rosemary Lemon Marinade; and Broiled Fish with Tarragon Sauce; to Creamy Chicken Angel Hair; Prime Rib with Horseradish Cream; Peppermint Stick Cookies; and Easy Apricot Jam. Of special note is the entire chapter devoted to Finger Foods! Simply stated, "Taste of Home: Home Style Cooking" will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to family and community library cookbook collections.

The Soup Maker's Kitchen
Aliza Green
Quarry Books
c/o Dalyn Miller Public Relations
9781592538447, $24.99, www.amazon.com

Soup is a primarily liquid food, generally served warm (but may be cool or cold), that is made by combining ingredients such as meat and vegetables with stock, juice, water, or another liquid. Hot soups are additionally characterized by boiling solid ingredients in liquids in a pot until the flavors are extracted, forming a broth. Traditionally, soups are classified into two main groups: clear soups and thick soups. The established French classifications of clear soups are bouillon and consomme. Thick soups are classified depending upon the type of thickening agent used: purees are vegetable soups thickened with starch; bisques are made from pureed shellfish or vegetables thickened with cream; cream soups may be thickened with bechamel sauce; and veloutes are thickened with eggs, butter, and cream. Other ingredients commonly used to thicken soups and broths include egg, rice, lentils, flour, and grains; many popular soups also include carrots and potatoes. While there are any number of canned soups available on your local grocery store shelf, truly fabulous soups are home-made. That's where "The Soupmaker's Kitchen: How to Save Your Scraps, Prepare a Stock, and Craft the Perfect Pot of Soup" comes in. This profusely illustrated, 160 page compendium provides such comprehensive and 'user friendly' instructions that even the most novice of homemakers can make 5-Star restaurant quality soups based on meal-time preparation leftovers. The recipes comprising this gem of a cookbook range from Thom Kha Gai (Thai Chicken Coconut Soup); Corn Cream Soup with Summer Vegetables; and French Onion Soup; to French Soupe de Potiron (Red Pumpkin Soup); Rumanian Beet-Vegetable Borscht with Beef Brisket; and Golden Tomato Gazpacho with Smoked Paprika. "The Soupmaker's Kitchen: How to Save Your Scraps, Prepare a Stock, and Craft the Perfect Pot of Soup" will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to personal, family, and community library cookbook collection!

Celebraciones Mexicanas
Andrea Lawson Gray & Adriana Almazan Lahl
AltaMira Press
c/o Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group
4501 Forbes Blvd., Suite 200
Lanham, MD 20706
www.rlpgbooks.com
9780759122819, $37.00, www.amazon.com

The collaborative work of culinary experts Andrea Lawson Gray & Adriana Almazan Lahl, "Celebraciones Mexicanas: History, Traditions, and Recipes" is a 412 page compendium showcasing diversity and authenticity of the foods of Mexico's main holidays and celebrations. A unique cultural cookbook, "Andrea Lawson Gray & Adriana Almazan Lahl" provides informative insights into the traditional Mexican holidays while providing more than 200 original recipes demonstrating the versatility and culinary excellence of genuine Mexican cuisine. Of special note is the overview of Mexican eating customs and the coverage of twenty five holidays and festivals ranging from the day of the Virgin of Guadalupe; Carnaval; and Cinco de Mayo, to the Day of the Revolution; Christmas Eve; and Mother's Day. Each holiday/festival includes historical background and cultural and food information. Superbly and profusely illustrated throughout, the recipes range from Tamales with Chicken Fricassee; Mexican Hot Chocolate; and Tortilla Soup; to Mexican-style Pasta with Chorizo; Fried Sweet Plantains; and Horchata Gelatin Dessert. Informed and informative, "Celebraciones Mexicanas: History, Traditions, and Recipes" is enthusiastically recommended and would prove to be an enduringly popular acquisition to family and community library cookbook collections, as well as a distinctive addition to academic library Mexican Culture reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

Cooking Close To Home
Diane Imrie & Richard Jarmusz
Chelsea Green Publishing Company
85 North Main Street, Suite 120
White River Junction, VT 05001
www.chelseagreen.com
9781603585194, $24.95, www.amazon.com

Showcasing more than 150 original recipes specifically arranged to follow the four seasons of the year, "Cooking Close to Home: A Year of Seasonal Recipes" will prove a popular addition to family and community library cookbook collections. Of special not is that each individual recipe includes useful "Harvest Hints" clearly informing the kitchen cook on how to find, purchase, prepare, and preserve fresh and seasonal ingredients. The emphasis is on buying and utilizing local foods. Of special note are the inspiring full color food photographs and stories of farms, orchards, and farmers' markets throughout the northeast. The recipes themselves range from Hot and Sour Spinach and Dandelion Greens Soup; Winter Kohlrabi and Cherry Salad; and Stuffed Cabbage Baked in a Rustic Curried Tomato Sauce; to Cheddar Scalloped Potatoes with Horseradish; Winter Holiday Trifle; and a Maple Blackberry Barbeque Sauce. As much fun to browse through as it is satisfying to plan and create full dinner menus from, ""Cooking Close to Home: A Year of Seasonal Recipes" is very highly recommended for both novice and experienced cooks.

The Allergy-Free Cook Bakes Cakes & Cookies
Laurie Sadowski
The Book Publishing Company
PO Box 99, Summertown, TN 38483
www.BookPubCo.com
9781570672910, $14.95, www.amazon.com

A food allergy is an adverse immune response to a food protein. They are distinct from other adverse responses to food, such as food intolerance, pharmacological reactions, and toxin-mediated reactions. The protein in the food is the most common allergic component. These kinds of allergies occur when the body's immune system mistakenly identifies a protein as harmful. It basically boils down to eating something you have an allergy to is hazardous to your health -- and even your life. That's why people with gluten, dairy, egg, and soy based allergies will welcome "The Allergy-Free Cook Bakes Cakes & Cookies", a 144 page compendium packed with kitchen cook friendly recipes for delicious and nutritious cakes and cookies that are free of glutens, diary products, eggs, and soy elements, while still being palate pleasing and appetite satisfying. The recipes range from Triple-Chocolate Layer Cake; Orange-Pineapple Cupcakes; and Simple Buttermilk Cake; to Really Good Peanut Butter Cookies; Traditional Ginger Men; and No-Bake Frosted Mint Brownies. Simply stated, "The Allergy-Free Cook Bakes Cakes & Cookies" is enthusiastically recommended for personal, family, and community library specialty cookbook collections. It should be noted that "The Allergy-Free Cook Bakes Cakes & Cookies" is also available in a Kindle edition ($7.69).

Vegan Indian Cooking
Anupy Singla
Agate Publishing
1328 Greenleaf Street, Evanston, IL 60202
www.agatepublishing.com
9781572841307, $19.95, www.amazon.com

Veganism is the practice of abstaining from the use of animal products, particularly in diet, as well as following an associated philosophy that rejects the commodity status of sentient animals. A follower of veganism is known as a vegan. "Vegan Indian Cooking: 140 Simple and Healthy Vegan Recipes" will prove a welcome addition to any personal, family, or community library vegetarian cookbook collection with its roster of beautifully illustrated vegan dishes and their clear 'kitchen cook friendly' preparation instructions. The dishes range from a South Indian Tomato and Tamarind Soup (Rasam); to a Street Corn Salad (Bhutta); to Five Lentil Stew (Panchratna Dal); to Curried Winter Melon (Ghiya ki Sabji). Of special note is the chapter devoted to vegan drinks. Enhanced with sound advice for beginners on how to get started, as well as spice blends and other shortcuts, "Vegan Indian Cooking: 140 Simple and Healthy Vegan Recipes" is an enthusiastically recommended to anyone contemplating or already living a vegan lifestyle. It should be noted that "Vegan Indian Cooking: 140 Simple and Healthy Vegan Recipes" is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99).

Cooking from the Heart
John Besh
Andrews & McMeel
1130 Walnut Street
Kansas City, MO 64106-2109
9781449430566 $40.00 www.andrewsmcmeel.com

The third book by award-winning chef John Besh, Cooking from the Heart: My Favorite Lessons Learned Along the Way is more than just a sumptuous recipe compendium; it's filled cover to cover with striking color photographs, and Besh's reminiscences about his love for the culinary arts and his journey to hone his skills. The result is a treasury that will appeal to both armchair gourmets and adventurous cooks of all skill and experience levels. Recipes include "Warm Goat Cheese Salad With Chris's Garlic & Anchovy Dressing", "Mussel & Swiss Chard Soup", "Wild Game Consomme with Cepes & Sage", "Basic Clafoutis" (a pastry dessert resembling a tart, that incorporates the chef's choice of fruits or nuts), and much more. An oversized hardcover edition that is as pleasurable to browse as it is to cook from, Cooking from the Heart makes a superb holiday giftbook!


The Botany Shelf

Illustrated Genera Of Smut Fungi
Kalman Vanky
APS Press
3340 Pilot Knob Road, St. Paul, MN 55121
9780890544280, $139.00, www.amazon.com

The smuts are multicellular fungi, that are characterized by their large numbers of teliospores. The smuts get their name from a Germanic word for dirt because of their dark, thick-walled and dust-like teliospores. They are mostly Ustilaginomycetes (of the class Teliomycetae, subphylum Basidiomycota) and can cause plant disease. The smuts are grouped with the other basidiomycetes because of their commonalities concerning sexual reproduction. Smuts are cereal and crop pathogens that most notably affect members of the grass family (Graminaceae). Economically important hosts include maize, barley, wheat, oats, sugarcane, and forage grasses. They eventually hijack the plants' reproductive systems, forming galls which darken and burst, releasing fungal teliospores which infect other plants nearby. Before infection can occur, the smuts need to undergo a successful mating to form dikaryotic hyphae (two haploid cells fuse to form a dikaryon). Now in a significantly updated and expanded third edition, "Illustrated Genera Of Smut Fungi" by Kalman Vanky is a spiral bound, 288 page compendium enhanced with 116 black-and-white illustrations and is justifiably considered the basic reference on Smut Fungi. A masterwork of scholarship, "Illustrated Genera Of Smut Fungi" is an especially recommended reference and textbook for academic library collections and for students of mycology, phytopathology, taxonomy and botany.


The Religion/Spirituality Shelf

The Mormons
Roy A. Prete, editor
Merrell Publishers
38 High Avenue, 4th floor
Nyack, NY 10960
www.merrellpublishers.com
9781858946207, $34.95, www.amazon.com

Mormons (the nickname given to members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints) are a religious group founded by Joseph Smith in upstate New York during the 1820s. After Smith's death in 1844 the Mormons followed Brigham Young to what would become the Utah Territory. The center of Mormon cultural influence is in Utah, and the Mormon Church is world-wide in its membership. "The Mormons: An Illustrated History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints" by Roy a. Prete (Emeritus Professor, royal Military College of Canada, Kingston, Ontario) is a profusely illustrated, 168 page introduction and overview of the Mormon Church, its history and beliefs. Of special note are the chapters on 'Mormon Lifestyle' and the role the temples in Mormonism, the importance of genealogy, an impressive list of influential Mormons. Enhanced with an extensive bibliography and a useful index, "The Mormons: An Illustrated History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints" is informed, informative, and highly recommended reading for anyone curious about the Mormons.


The Business Shelf

Public Relations: The Complete Guide
Joe Marconi
Thomson
622 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017
c/o Gale Cengage Learning, Inc.
200 First Stamford Place, Stamford, CT 06902
www.cengage.com
0324203047 $TBA www.etexere.com

Public Relations: The Complete Guide is the definitive reference, resource, and how-to guide by veteran marketing consultant Joe Marconi. Written for business professionals of all skill and experience levels in the field, Public Relations: The Complete Guide covers how public relations intersects with marketing, the importance of focusing on the message, crafting an image, understanding investor relations, how to choose a PR Agency tailored to one's needs, crisis management and PR, and much more. "Announcing the support of a cause can be risky if the public does not immediately recognize the company and the cause as a good fit. If the pairing does not look like a good match, it should at least not seem to be absurd, such as the retailer of erotic merchandise that offered to underwrite a children's nutrition program." Highly recommended, both for individual consultation among business professionals and as a valuable contribution to public and college library Business shelves.


The Military Shelf

Normandy: From D-Day to the Breakout: June 6-July 31, 1944
Dominique Francois
Zenith Press
c/o Quayside Publishing Group
400 First Avenue North, Suite 300
Minneapolis, MN 55401
www.zenithpress.com
9780760345580, $24.99, www.amazon.com

The Normandy landing was a critically important Allied turning point in the war against the Germany military and the eventual emancipation of Europe from Nazi domination. Compiled and written by Dominique Francois, "Normandy: From D-Day to the Breakout: June 6-July 31, 1944" is a 300 page photographic history of the Normandy invasion and provides an informed and informative history of the event. A valued addition to the growing library of World War II European Theatre histories, "Normandy: From D-Day to the Breakout: June 6-July 31, 1944" is a very highly recommended addition to community and academic library collections, and World War II studies supplemental reading lists.

To Crown the Waves
Vincent P. O'Hara, W. David Dickson, & Richard Worth, editors
Naval Institute Press
291 Wood Road
Annapolis, MD 21402
9781612510828 $37.95 www.nip.org

Also available as an ebook, To Crown the Waves: The Great Navies of the First World War is an anthology of essays by learned authors about the navies and naval battles of World War I. Particular emphasis is placed on each national navy's individual goals, circumstances, characteristics, and battle tactics. Each chapter focuses on a different nation's navy, covering those of Austria-Hungary, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Russia, the U.S., and a collective summary of the navies of other nations. A wealth of maps, tables, and illustrations, as well as a bibliography and an index round out this excellent, in-depth analysis and contribution to military and nautical history shelves.


The Environmental Studies Shelf

Global Environmental Politics, sixth edition
Pamela S. Chasek, David L. Downie, and Janet Welsh Brown
Westview Press
2465 Central Avenue
Boulder, CO 80301
c/o Perseus Book Group
250 West 57th Street, 15th Floor
New York, NY 10107
www.perseusacademic.com
9780813348964 $45.00 www.westviewpress.com

Now in its sixth updated edition, with new material pertaining to the 2012 UN Conference on Sustainable Development, the impact of the global economic crisis, and more, Global Environmental Politics is an intense scrutiny of the difficult and complex issues involved in stemming the loss of biodiversity, pollution, and other environmental threats. As the global human population approaches 7.2 billion and climbing, promoting sustainable development becomes more important than ever; Global Environmental Politics addresses how astute governance can tackle such thorny and complicated issues. A handful of black-and-white photographs, extensive notes, and an index round out this excellent addition to the "Dilemmas in World Politics" series, highly recommended especially for public and college library Environmental Studies shelves.

Liminal Zones
Kim Trevathan
The University of Tennessee Press
293 Communications Building
Knoxville, TN 37996-0325
1572339535 $26.95 www.utpress.org

Part memoir, part travelogue, Liminal Zones: Where Lakes End and Rivers Begin reflects on the precarious fragility of our environment's waterways. Auther, professor of writing and communication, and dedicated kayaker Kim Trevathan tells of his four-year exploration of the rivers and lakes of America, particularly those most strongly affected by man-made structures... especially when those structures decay from abandonment and neglect. From Blood River in western Kentucky, to the Big South Fork of Cumberland, to Montana's Clearwater River, Colorado's Dolores River, and more, Liminal Zones is an extraordinary personal tour of adventure, insight, mystery, and wonder. A treasure for armchair travelers, and a thoughtful contribution to environmental studies shelves.


The Audiobook Shelf

12 Years a Slave
Solomon Northup, author
Sean Crisden, narrator
Tantor Media, Inc.
2 Business Park Road, Unit 2
Old Saybrook, CT 06475
9781452606637 $24.99 www.tantor.com

Superbly performed by veteran actor Sean Crisden, 12 Years a Slave is the unabridged audiobook adaptation of the heart-wrenching memoir by Solomon Northrup (July 1808 - after 1857), who was born a free black man in the American North, kidnapped by slave traders in Washington, D.C., and sold into slavery in the South. For twelve years he worked on cotton and sugar plantations, was traded to multiple masters, and narrowly escaped death - only the fact that he was worth a sizeable amount of money as a slave kept one of his owners from murdering him. His true-life account of his twelve years of slavery is not a simple black-and-white tale of good and evil; he describes the positive qualities of the people who held him in bondage, even as he tells of slavery's most inhuman horrors. Only with the aid of others - including a Canadian who sent letters to Northrup's family, and who likely would have been executed had his role in delivering the missives been exposed - was Northrup restored to freedom in 1853. No reliable record exists of Northrup after 1857, and the circumstances of his death are unknown to this day; journalists and historians can only speculate whether he ultimately perished of natural causes, was kidnapped and enslaved again, or was murdered for trying to bring his kidnappers to justice (a doomed effort, because in that era Washington, D.C. did not allow black people to testify in court against white defendants). Northrup's personal testimony remains as an immortal bedrock about the dehumanizion and cruelty of slavery, and is worthy of the highest recommendation, especially for public library collections and personal audiobook lists. This Tantor audiobook also includes a free PDF eBook of Northrup's historic memoir. 6 CDs, 7 hours.

Wilson
A. Scott Berg, author
Jeremy Bobb, narrator
Audioworks
c/o Simon & Schuster Audio
1230 Avenue of the Americas, 12th floor
New York, NY 10020
9781442365872 $75.00 www.simonsaysaudio.com

Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award-winning biographer A. Scott Berg presents Wilson, the definitive, in-depth life chronicle of Woodrow Wilson, America's twenty-eighth President. Now in an unabridged audiobook format read by Broadway and television actor Jeremy Bobb, Wilson is an extraordinary biography that describes Wilson the man as thoroughly as Wilson the President. Drawing upon the thousands of documents in the Wilson Archives, caches of papers owned by Wilson's physician, and interviews with Jessie Wilson Sayre (the second of Wilson's three daughters), Berg portrays Wilson as far more than the staunch leader who saw America through World War I - Wilson was also a romantic who courted his wife through eloquent love letters, a principled idealist dedicated to making the world "safe for democracy", a visionary who ahead-of-their-time ideas were precursors that prepared America for the New Deal, to the survivor of a stroke that spawned immense subterfuge and one of the greatest deceptions that the American government ever played on the public. Sweeping, thorough, vivid, and enlightening, Wilson is worthy of the highest recommendation especially for public library audiobook collections. 26 CDs, 32.5 hours.

A Long Walk to Water
Linda Sue Park, author
David Baker and Cynthia Bishop, narrators
Duets
c/o Full Cast Audio
101 Clark Street, 1st floor, Syracuse, NY 13210
9781936223121 $34.00 www.fullcastaudio.com

A Long Walk to Water is the unabridged audiobook version (brought alive by two excellent performers) of a harrowing yet thoughtful novel, accessible to young adult and adult readers alike. The story, based on true events, follows two young people in Africa, separated by decades. One is a boy caught in the crossfire of a murderous conflict; the other is a girl who must walk for eight hours a day to bring her family water. The boy becomes one of many refugees trapped in a violent and desperate search for safety, in which they are wracked by killer crocodiles, lions, and rebel fighters seeking to draft child soldiers into their ranks. The girl's life is comparatively peaceful, yet bleak, for her arduous daily walks for water mean that she cannot attend school. As cruel and tragic as both tales may appear to be, they are destined to intersect in a uniquely inspiring manner. A Long Walk to Water is ultimately a story about hope, and the human potential to make the world a better place in spite of the most difficult and terrible of obstacles. Highly recommended, especially for public library audiobook collections. 3 CDs.

War of the Worlds Global Dispatches
Kevin J. Anderson, editor
Performed by MacLeod Andrews
Brilliance Corporation
PO Box 887
Grand Haven, MI 49417
9781480536357 $19.99 www.brillianceaudio.com

An unabridged audiobook brought to life by award-winning narrator MacLeod Andrews, War of the Worlds Global Dispatches is a unique anthology of original stories by popular science fiction authors, including Robert Silverberg, Mike Resnick, Connie Willis, and more. Each tale is set during the horrific alien invasion of H.G. Wells' classic sci-fi pioneer story (and infamously panic-inducing radio show), and presented through the eyes of famous authors and historical figures of the era, such as Winston Churchill, H.P. Lovecraft or Jules Verne. A multifaceted and deliciously fearsome revisitation of a generational classic, War of the World Global Dispatches is an absolute "must-have" for science fiction connoisseurs! 10 CDs, 12 hours 11 min.

Snowbound
Richard S. Wheeler, author
Performed by Brian Hutchison, et. al.
Recorded Books, LLC
270 Skip Jack Road
Prince Frederick, MD 20678
9781470365714 $102.75 www.recordedbooks.com

Performed by a stellar cast of eight narrators, Snowbound is the unabridged audiobook rendition of Richard Wheeler's award-winning biographical novel about American explorer John Fremont, who searched for a railway route west along the 38th parallel. His journey took him to the Colorado mountains, where he became trapped by the unforgiving winter weather. His efforts to survive the sheer hostility of nature is an extraordinary saga, and testimony to the resilience of human will and ingenuity. Highly recommended, especially for public library audiobook collections. 8 CDs, 9 3/4 hours, tracks every 3 minutes for easy bookmarking.

Dragons of Autumn Twilight
Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman, authors
Performed by Paul Boehmer
Brilliance Corporation
PO Box 887
Grand Haven, MI 49417
9781480563421 $19.99 www.brillianceaudio.com

Dragons of Autumn Twilight is the unabridged audiobook adaptation of the first volume of the classic Dragonlance Chronicles trilogy, set on the world of Krynn from the Dungeons & Dragons pen-and-paper fantasy role-playing game. In Dragons of Autumn Twilight, the gods have been silent and dragons have been only a legend for as long as humans can remember. Now, a legion of evil is swarming, threatening to plunge the land into darkness. Reptilian humanoids skulk in the shadows; dark knights pledge allegiance to the cruel goddess Takhisis, and the forgotten dragons are gathering to make war. A small band of friends finds themselves caught in the upheaval, as they unexpectedly become the protectors of Goldmoon, a woman called upon and chosen by the benevolent gods. Together, they quest for the fabled weapon that can be used against Takhisis' minions - the Dragonlance. One of the most well-known and widely beloved fantasy sagas of recent times, Dragons of Autumn Twilight is superbly brought to life by Paul Boehmer's performance, and sure to prove a popular lend for public library audiobook collections. 16 CDs, 19 hours 32 min.


The Library CD Shelf

Train to Basra ...and Other Stories
Salaam
Music and stories by Dena El Saffar
www.SalaamBand.com
c/o Rock Paper Scissors
511 West 4th Street, Suite 2
Bloomington, IN 47404
www.rockpaperscissors.biz
$TBA CD / $8.99 MP3 www.amazon.com

Drawn from stories that Dena El Saffar's father used to tell her about his train journey from Baghdad to Basra, Train to Basra ...and Other Stories is the 20th anniversary celebration of the eclectic Salaam Band. A wondrous showcase of Middle Eastern music and culture, Train to Basra is an extraordinary musical odyssey that resonates in the imagination long after the last note plays. Highly recommended! The tracks are "Queen of Sheba" (4:40), "Kashaniya" (5:14), "Train to Basra" (5:31), "Iraqi-American Blues" (3:58), "Lima Sahar" (3:19), "Joza Tears" (4:22), "The Mariachi Stole My Heart" (8:12), "Beledi, Baby" (4:42), "Drum Intro" (1:40), "Awakening" (6:06), "Rast Saffari" (6:32), and "Mesopotamia" (5:05).

Tales From The Grand Bazaar
Bombay Dub Orchestra
Six Degrees Records
PO Box 411347, San Francisco, CA 94141-1347
c/o Press Junkie PR
9901 Brodie Lane, Suite 160, PMB 221, Austin, TX 78748
www.sixdegreesrecords.com www.bombaydub.com
$11.94 CD / $6.99 MP3 www.amazon.com

Tales From The Grand Bazaar is the product of five years of creativity across five different nations. The Bombay Dub Orchestra, originally founded in India by two men from London, has grown to encompass the rhythmic traditions of Turkey, Jamaica, and more. Rich and eclectic, the multicultural flavor of Tales From The Grand Bazaar is distinct and memorable, showcasing stellar performances on exotic instruments such as the qanun (a stringed dulcimer). Highly recommended, especially for international music collections. The tracks are "The Orange Terrace" (6:13), "Blue Mosaic" (7:16), "City of Amber" (5:39), "Sea of Marinara" (6:01), "Songs From the Seven Towers" (7:56 ), "A Time of Beauty" (5:01), "Bohemia Junction" (6:38), "Four Thousand New Colours" (8:23), and "Air Like Velvet" (5:46).

Gypsy Bells
Brianna Lea Pruett
Canyon Records Productions
3131 West Clarendon Avenue
Phoenix, AZ 85017
www.canyonrecords.com
$14.98 CD / $8.99 MP3 www.amazon.com

Folk singer-songwriter Brianna Lea Pruett presents Gypsy Bells, an album that balances traditional folk and blues with influence from her Native American Cherokee and Choctaw heritage and musical culture. Her dulcet vocals and skill withe the acoustic guitar create an resonating, unforgettable soundscape. Gypsy Bells is a treasure for folk enthusiasts, not to be missed. The tracks are "No Diamond Ring" (3:29), "New Life" (3:07), "Seeds of Love" (3:48), "Gypsy Bells" (3:02), "Sun on the Mountain" (4:10), "Shine for You" (2:40), "Love My Free" (3:44), "It's All Right" (2:53), "Red Jacket" (3:26), "Under Your Wing" (3:39), and "Live Wire" (3:16).


The Library DVD Shelf

Saving Sunshine
Produced by Winnie Hoskyns-Abrahall and Bill Hennessy
Bullfrog Films, Inc.
PO Box 149
Oley, PA 19547
1937772659 $195.00 www.bullfrogfilms.com

Saving Sunshine: Keeping the Lights on with Batteries and Solar Power is a brief yet enlightening DVD documentary about the growing role that solar energy has to play in today's modern world, where the need for renewable and sustainable sources of power is greater than ever. New AC-coupled systems blend the strong points of off-grid, stand-alone solar installations and grid-tied systems; AC-coupled systems transform renewable solar energy into electricity, while offering back-up, stand-alone electricity as needed. Advances in both renewable energy and energy storage pave the way for a cleaner, more sustainable, low-carbon future. Thoroughly accessible to viewers of all backgrounds, Saving Sunshine is an excellent informational resource, ideal for public and community library environmental studies collections. 34 min., English and Spanish captions.

A Fierce Green Fire
A film by Mark Kitchell
First Run Features
630 Ninth Avenue, Suite 1213
New York, NY 10036
www.AFierceGreenFire.com
$24.95 www.firstrunfeatures.com

An official selection of the Sundance film festival, A Fierce Green Fire: The Battle for a Living Planet is a DVD documentary about the course and legacy of fifty years of global environmental activism, sometimes undertaken against incredible odds. From stopping dams in the Grand Canyon, to blocking toxic waste from Love Canal, the efforts of people from Greenpeace to everyday citizens have made - and continue to make - a crucial difference for the better. Special features include a timeline of the environmental movement and a resource guide. Highly recommended, especially for public, community, and college library documentary collections. 101 min.

Discoveries... America National Parks
Bennet Watt HD Productions, Inc.
13021 - 244 Avenue SE
Issaquah, WA 98027
$24.95 each www.Bennett-Watt.com

Two beautiful new, high-definition DVDs in the Discoveries... America National Parks series are the next best thing to visiting these historic sites in person. "Arizona Footprints of the Ancients" (9781604901702, 50 min.) is a glorious tour of ancient Native American dwellings, nine national monuments, and the national historic site of the Hubbell Trading Post. "Lyndon B. Johnson National Historic Park" (9781604901719, 50 min.) explores a site dedicated to "larger than life" American President Lyndon B. Johnson, including Johnson City and the LBJ Ranch, also known as the "Texas Whitehouse". The result is an unforgettable glimpse of locations that shaped a world-shaping President, including his first school, birthplace home, and family cemetery. Both DVDs are highly recommended, especially for armchair travelers and public library collections.


The Autism Shelf

Social Skills Training
Jed E. Baker, Ph.D. with Brenda Smith Myles
Autism Asperger Publishing Company
PO Box 23173
Shawnee Mission, KS 66283
193128220X $48.00 www.aapcpublishing.net

Clinical psychologist and social skills trainer Jed E. Baker, Ph.D. presents Social Skills Training: For Children and Adolescents with Asperger Syndrome and Social-Communication Problems, an educational guide to helping young people with Asperger Syndrome (or other traits that make social interaction difficult) improve their socialization skills. Chapters include an overview of Asperger Syndrome (provided by Brenda Smith Myles), strategies for teaching social skills, behavior management recommendations, skill lessons, and activities, using sensitivity training and incentive programs to promote peer acceptance, and more. For example, to "bait the skill" of sharing, Social Skills Training recommends "Have students (or siblings) do an art project without giving separate materials to each. Have only one set of markers, one bottle of glue, etc., so that they must share." Or, "Give out snacks and pretend to run out, forcing students to share with each other. In case they do not share, have enough snacks on hand after all." Simple things such as talking on the telephone, greetings, dealing with losing, and much more. Every educator (or parent!) who works with autistic children should investigate Social Skills Training as a valuable reference and resource for teaching the crucial basics.


The Economic Studies Shelf

Foundations of Economic Evolution
Carsten Herrmann-Pillath
Edward Elgar Publishing
9 Dewey Court
Northampton, MA 01060-3815
9781847204745 $150.00 www.e-elgar.com

Foundations of Economic Evolution: A Treatise on the Natural Philosophy of Economics merges the disciplines of the physical, biological, and social sciences as well as philosophy with economic theory. Chapters are highly technical, in-depth, and require a solid mathematics background in some cases. Topics covered at length include ontology, economics as applied to evolution, the role of the individual in economics (which in turn draws upon what science knows about the human brain), the role of networks, institutions, technology, and much more. An extensive list of references and an index round out this complex attempt to reveal how economics intersects in tandem with other physical and social forces driving the world at large. "Prices are publicly observable and compress information about the realized states of markets. Expectations of actors do not simply follow prices, though, because prices need to be interpreted (for instance, a rising price can indicate both rising prices in the future or falling prices, depending on assumptions about the ceiling, given general market conditions.)"


The Anthropology Shelf

Mediating the Global
Heather Hindman
Stanford University Press
1450 Page Mill Road
Palo Alto, CA 94304-1124
9780804786515 $40.00 www.sup.org

Mediating the Global: Expatria's Forms and Consequences in Kathmandu is a close scrutiny of the daily life of foreign workers and their families living in Kathmandu, Nepal. Chapters cover the realities of paperwork and shopping for professional expatriates; their cross-cultural training; and common pitfalls in expatriate life. "In Nepal, spouses are restricted by local visa laws from earning money in-country, and many are banned by their husbands' companies from driving, which becomes a necessity for those placed in isolated, detached homes across the Valley; yet they are expected to have extensive social, familial and community responsibilities particular to expatriate life." An extensive bibliography and index round out this well-researched and insightful examination of the challenges, pressures, and changing characteristics of Nepal's expatriate community, as well as the lessons that can be drawn and generalized from their experiences.


The Civil War Shelf

Writing the Gettysburg Address
Martin P. Johnson
University Press of Kansas
2501 West 15th Street
Lawrence, KS 66049
9780700619337 $34.95 www.kansaspress.ku.edu

Writing the Gettysburg Address is an exhaustively researched, in-depth reconstruction of how President Lincoln's historic Civil War speech came to be. From the speech's rough draft in Washington, to Lincoln's railway journey, its revisions, and its battlefield presentation, Writing the Gettysburg Address spares no detail, and applies literary and deductive reasoning to the circumstances and motivations of the major players in the speech's creation. Exhaustive notes, references, and an index round out seminal contribution to public and college library American History and Civil War shelves.

Summer Lightning
Matt Spruill III & Matt Spruill IV
The University of Tennessee Press
293 Communications Building
Knoxville, TN 37996-0325
www.utpress.org
9781572339989, $32.95, www.amazon.com

The Second Battle of Bull Run or Second Manassas was fought August 28 - 30, 1862, as part of the American Civil War. It was the culmination of an offensive campaign waged by Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia against Union Maj. Gen. John Pope's Army of Virginia, and a battle of much larger scale and numbers than the First Battle of Bull Run (First Manassas) fought in 1861 on the same ground. The collaborative work of Matt Spruill III and Matt Spruill IV "Summer Lightning: A Guide to the Second Battle of Manassas" is a 224 page documented history of this major American Civil War engagement. Offering 'reader friendly' directions, enhanced with detailed tactical maps, the inclusion of extensive eye witness accounts, and providing insightful, descriptive, informative, scholarly analysis, "Summer Lightning: A Guide to the Second Battle of Manassas" is a welcome addition to the growing library of American Civil War Studies and highly recommended for academic library collections and supplemental reading lists.


The Music Shelf

The Music Industry, second edition
Patrik Wikstrom
Polity
c/o Blackwell Publishing
350 Main Street
Malden, MA 02148
9780745664187 $22.95 www.blackwellpublishing.com

Part of the "Digital Media and Society Series", The Music Industry is a scholarly, insightful survey of how the popular music business has transformed in the wake of the digital revolution, including the rise of high-quality MP3 files, file sharing, and Napster. Now in an updated and revised second edition, The Music Industry examines both economic and creative issues, the practical realities of copyright, the intersection of music and the media, and much more. Anyone involved in the business of music, from recording professionals to economists studying the influence of digital market trends will find The Music Industry an absolute "must-read".


The Gaming Shelf

Chess
Laszlo Polgar
Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers
151 West 19th Street, New York, NY 10011
www.workman.com
9781579125547, $27.95, www.amazon.com

Chess is a two-player strategy board game played on a chessboard, a checkered gameboard with 64 squares arranged in an eight-by-eight grid. It is one of the world's most popular games, played by millions of people worldwide at home, in clubs, online, by correspondence, and in tournaments. Each player begins the game with 16 pieces: one king, one queen, two rooks, two knights, two bishops, and eight pawns. Each of the six piece types moves differently. Pieces are used to attack and capture the opponent's pieces, with the objective to 'checkmate' the opponent's king by placing it under an inescapable threat of capture. In addition to checkmate, the game can be won by the voluntary resignation of the opponent, which typically occurs when too much material is lost, or if checkmate appears unavoidable. A game may also result in a draw in several ways, where neither player wins. The course of the game is divided into three phases: opening, middlegame, and endgame. Compiled by Hungarian chess master Laszlo Polgar, and featuring an informative introduction by chess expert and instructor Bruce Pandolfini, "Chess: 5334 Problems, Combinations and Games" is a massive, 1104 page compendium of fully diagramed chess problems, enabling even the most novice chess player to gain expertise. Each problem, combination and game are keyed to the solution archived at the back of the book. Strongly recommended for personal, community, and academic library chess instructional reference collections, "Chess: 5334 Problems, Combinations and Games" is also available in a Kindle edition ($14.99).

Poker For Dummies
Richard D. Harroch & Lou Kriger
For Dummies
c/o Wiley Professional Trade Group
111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
www.wiley.com
9780764552328, $16.99, www.amazon.com

"Poker For Dummies" is a 336 page instruction manual that begins with an informed and informative introduction about how this guidebook is organized, then proceeds chapters on poker gaming basics and poker gaming strategies. This is followed by chapters dedicated to specific poker games including Seven-Card Stud, Texas Hold'em, High-Low, and Omaha. This first section concludes with an invaluable chapter on Home Poker Games. The second section, Advanced Strategies, deals with bluffing, money management, and record keeping. Section three, Computers, Casinos, and Cardrooms, exhaustively covers poker tournaments, video poker, the World Series of Poker, the role of the computer in poker, and internet poker. Section four, More Poker Fun, covers poker myths, terms, and sayings, as well as 'Learning More About Poker' (including the Zen of poker). The fourth and final section addresses the issues of tells, presents ten legends of poker, 'Ten Keys to Success', what to consider before becoming a professional poker player, 'Ten Ways to Improve Your Poker Today', and concludes with 'Ten Real-Life Poker Lessons'. Thoroughly 'user friendly', "Poker For Dummies" will enable even the most novice beginning to immediately improve their poker table performance and will prove to be an enduringly useful reference. Highly recommended for personal and community library reference collections, "Poker For Dummies" is also available in a Kindle edition ($10.49).

Texas Hold'em For Dummies
Mark Harlan
For Dummies
c/o Wiley Professional Trade Group
111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
http://www.dummies.com
9780470046043, $16.99, www.amazon.com

Texas Hold'em is a variation of the standard card game of poker. Texas Hold'em consists of two cards being dealt face down to each player and then five community cards being placed face-up by the dealer - a series of three ("the flop") then two additional single cards ("the turn" and "the river" or "fourth and fifth street" respectively), with players having the option to check, bet, raise or fold after each deal; i.e., betting may occur prior to the flop, "on the flop", "on the turn", and "on the river". Texas Hold 'em is also the "H" game featured in H.O.R.S.E and in H.O.S.E. "Texas Hold'em For Dummies" by Mark 'The Red' Harlan (avid poker player and cofounder of CyberArts, a poker software supplier to WPTOnline and other professional poker sites and casinos) is a 288 page compendium that provides the novice player with a complete course of comprehensive instruction that includes the rules and strategies for limit, no-limit, tournament, and online play; practical tips for "playing" the other players; the importance of a player's bankroll, including recommended sizes and more; hands that should and should not be played; how to camouflage play and dodge traps; when, who, and how to bluff; how to maximize wins with check-raising and trapping; The different approaches for playing in private games, casinos, card rooms, tournaments, and on the Internet; and even how to use mathematics to advantage. Thoroughly 'user friendly', "Texas Hold'em For Dummies" should be considered a mandatory read for all beginners and has a great deal of value for refreshing the play of even the more experienced player of either Pot Limit or No Limit Texas Hold'em poker. It should be noted that "Texas Hold'em For Dummies" is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.34).


The Photography Shelf

Robert E. Lee in War and Peace
Donald A. Hopkins
Savas Beatie
PO Box 4527
El Dorado Hills, CA 95762
9781611211207 $34.95 www.savasbeatie.com

Robert E. Lee in War and Peace: The Photographic History of a Confederate and American Icon is a most extraordinary collection - author and Vietnam War surgeon Donald A. Hopkins searched manuscript repositories and private collections to locate every known photographic image of Confederate military mastermind Robert E. Lee - 61 pictures in total, some of them published for the first time ever. Each black-and-white image is accompanied by detailed, descriptive text. Together, the photographs and the stories behind them flow into a singularly unique, strikingly visual biography. Highly recommended, especially for public and college library collections.


The Genealogy Shelf

Ohio and the War of 1812
Eric Eugene Johnson
Heritage Books
5810 Ruatan St.
Berwyn Heights, Maryland 20740
9780788454950 $30.00 www.heritagebooks.com

Ohio and the War of 1812 is a reference and resource that will prove especially useful for genealogists and/or people researching Ohio ancestors who served in the War of 1812. Packed with reproductions of information contained in army documents, Ohio and the War of 1812 is the most thorough reference available to identify in which company a given individual served. Descriptive and informative text essays supplement the lists of names and ranks, as well as a handy glossary and military organizational flowcharts. Ohio and the War of 1812 is an excellent, detailed, and user-friendly addition to genealogical reference shelves.


The Folklore Shelf

The Last Laugh
Trevor J. Blank
University of Wisconsin Press
1930 Monroe Street, Third Floor
Madison, WI 53711-2059
www.uwpress.wisc.edu
9780299292041, $24.95, www.amazon.com

Media studies is a discipline and field of study that deals with the content, history and effects of various media; in particular, the 'mass media'. Media studies may draw on traditions from both the social sciences and the humanities, but mostly from its core disciplines of mass communication, communication, communication sciences and communication studies. "The Last Laugh: Folk Humor, Celebrity Culture, and Mass-Mediated Disasters in the Digital Age" by Trevor J. Blank (Assistant Professor of Communications, State University of New York - Potsdam) is the debut title in the University of Wisconsin Press series 'Folklore Studies in a Multicultural World'. This 188 page compendium is comprised of an informative introduction (Cyberspace, Technology, and mass media in the Twenty-First Century), followed by seven major articles ranging from the popular use of new media for vernacular expression, to responses to celebrity deaths and falls from grace, to the transformation of sports celebrity Tiger Wood from celebrated hero to ridiculed villain. Enhanced with an Afterword (Predictions on Future Trajectories of Vernacular Expression and New Media), a glossary, extensive notes, a list of references, and a comprehensive index, "The Last Laugh" is a model of meticulous scholarship and a highly recommended contribution to academic library Cultural Studies, Contemporary Folk Lore Studies, and Media Studies reference collections and supplemental reading lists. It should be noted that "The Last Laugh" is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99).


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Diane C. Donovan, Editor
Midwest Book Review
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Oregon, WI 53575-1129
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e-mail: mbr@execpc.com
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