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The Bookwatch

Volume 6, Number 3 March 2011 Home | BW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Cookbook Shelf Social Issues Shelf
Gardening Shelf Business Shelf Art Shelf
Fashion Shelf Architecture Shelf Education Shelf
Needlecraft Shelf Computer Shelf Fantasy/SciFi Shelf
Science Shelf Music Shelf DVD Shelf
Nautical Shelf Writing/Publishing Shelf Pets/Wildlife Shelf
Biography Shelf Health/Medicine Shelf Psychology Shelf
Christian Studies Shelf Metaphysical Studies Shelf Photography Shelf
Military Shelf Theatre/Cinema Shelf Audiobook Shelf
Mystery/Suspense Shelf Antiques/Collectibles Shelf Sports Shelf
Comix/Graphic Novel Shelf    


Reviewer's Choice

Badass Lego Guns
Martin Hudepohl
No Starch Press
555 DeHaro Street, #250, San Francisco, CO 94107
9781593272845 $29.95 www.nostarch.com

Badass Lego Guns offers a step-by-step instructional book on building weapons entirely from LEGO Technic parts. With rubber bands, some sanding and glue, you can build five functional guns that shoot plastic LEGO bricks or rubber bands. The models move from simple to more complex and provide LEGO builders with hours of fun.

The Onion and Philosophy
Sharon M. Kaye, Editor
Open Court
70 East Lake St. #300, Chicago, IL 60601
9780812696875 $21.95 www.opencourtbooks.com

The Onion and Philosophy: Fake News Story True, Alleges Indignant Area Professor provides the 54th volume in the Popular Culture and Philosophy series and offers the reflections of over twenty professional philosophers who examine The Onion's unique brand of humor and social commentary. The Onion has different perspectives on religion, sex and more: their writers fill the publication with made-up news that often offer pointed commentary. Any familiar with The Onion will appreciate this survey!

Fate, Time, and Language
David Foster Wallace
Columbia University Press
61 West 62nd Street, New York, NY 10023-7015
9780231151573 $19.95 www.cup.columbia.edu

Fate, Time, and Language: An Essay on Free Will offers a fine survey debating philosopher Richard Taylor's contention that human being have no control over the future. His critique of Taylor's work reveals his skepticism of abstract thinking when it serves to thwart reality: his is a philosophical argument that deserves a place in any college-level library interested in modern philosophical debate. A lively, debative tone keeps this accessible to newcomers.

Daring to Trust
David Richo
Shambhala
300 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston MA 02115
9781590308240 $25.95 www.shambhala.com

DARING TO TRUST: OPENING OURSELVES TO REAL LOVE & INTIMACY explains that most relationship problems are really trust issues in disguise, from fear of commitment to insecurity or jealousy. This offers insights and exercises for exploring such issues, teaching about underlying fears and how to overcome them. Specific keys to cultivating four different levels of trust make this a how-to winner for any general lending library.

Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk
David Sedaris
Little, Brown & Company
c/o Hachette Book Group
237 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017
9780316038393 $21.99 www.hachettebookgroup.com

Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk: A Modest Bestiary deserves ongoing recommendation and mention for any general lending library strong in humor. It presents 'animal fables' revolving around a cast of creatures all experiencing frustration in their daily lives, offering vignettes packed with humor and mirroring human reflections on daily living and life's ironies. Highly recommended!

La Bella Vita
Aminda Leigh & Pietro Pesce
Adams Media Corporation
57 Littlefield Street, 2nd floor, Avon, MA 02322
1598699024 $15.95 www.adamsmedia.com

La Bella Vita: Live and Love the Italian Way provides a fine guide to eating, living and loving well, showing how to achieve sensual perfection in all kinds of choices. From finding privacy to locating romantic settings outdoors, this provides a fine toolbox for living life well and will prove a light, appealing read for any general lending library concerned with lifestyle enhancement.

The Art of Invention
Steven J. Paley
Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2119
9781616142230 $20.00 www.prometheusbooks.com

THE ART OF INVENTION; THE CREATIVE PROCESS OF DISCOVERY AND DESIGN explores the artistic process of invention and the three qualities that lead to great inventions: simplicity, elegance, and robustness. From the roots of creative thinking and problem-solving to identifying problems and needs, this offers a fine survey of how great inventions embody these three basic principles and approaches.

365: A Daily Creativity Journal
Noah Scalin
Voyageur Press
400 First Avenue North, #300, Minneapolis, MN 55401
9780760339961 $16.99 www.voyageurpress.com

365: A Daily Creativity Journal isn't a recommendation for lending libraries - but it is a strong pick as a gift choice or for any who want project prompts designed to influence creativity. This journal form teaches how to choose a subject and document work, and includes examples from artists and crafters who teach new techniques to blend into projects. Artists, writers, and any seeking a creative 'push' will find the blend of blank page journal format and inspirational accompaniment to be a fine pairing.

Zombie Spaceship Wasteland
Patton Oswalt
Scribner
1230 Avenue of Americas, New York NY 10020
9781439149089 $24.00 www.simonandschuster.com

Zombie Spaceship Wasteland comes from a creative, funny entertainment commentator whose roles in TV and stage have amused many an audience. His memoir is at once autobiography, social commentary, film and television insider's insights, and much more, offering a range of social and cultural observations. General lending libraries will find it an unusual, fun survey highly recommended for any collection strong in humor and film and television personalities.

Ugly's Electrical References, 2011 edition
George V. hart and Sammie Hart
Jones & Bartlett
40 Tall Pine Dr, Sudbury, MA 01776
9780763790998 $18.95 www.jblearning.com

The 11th updated edition of Ugly's Electrical References is a 'must' for any practicing electrician. Packaged in a paperback-sided, spiral-bound tote for easy carrying and lay-flat consultation on the job, it offers quick at-a-glance reference information for everything from conduit bending specs and electrical safety to alternative energy systems. Chapters on conduit and conductors, general electrical tables, transformer connections and more are packed with the specs needed to get the job done.

Atlantic Publishing
1405 SW 6th Avenue, Ocala, FL 34471
www.atlantic-pub.com

Kristie Lorette's HOW TO USE THE EQUITY IN YOUR HOME OR BUSINESS TODAY TO INVEST FOR TOMORROW (9781601381392, $24.95) provides a fine guide to increasing a home's equity and making it work. Novices and pros receive a guide to how equity in a home or business may be tapped to create both income and investments. Dan Hardy's THE COMPLETE SPA MANUAL FOR HOMEOWNERS (9781601382634, $24.95) provides a complete step-by-step manual for hot tubs and spas and teaches how to install, clean, and control settings on a tub. From understanding aromatherapy and other hot water therapies to choosing between spa types and understanding water analysis and sanitation, this is an outstanding reference no spa owner should be without. Janet Traken's HOW TO WIN YOUR CASE IN TRAFFIC COURT WITHOUT A LAWYER (9781601383051, $24.95) provides a fine survey of fighting a traffic ticket - without the expense of a lawyer. Steps to take once you get a ticket are broken down into keys to understanding the law to know if a ticket can be fought. Details for every major type of moving violation are included to help readers analyze their chances of success. Jessica Linnell's THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO HELPING YOUR BABY SLEEP THROUGH THE NIGHT SO YOU CAN TOO (9781601383921, $24.95) packs over a hundred tricks parents can use to get a baby to sleep at night. From how babies sleep and why their schedules differ to choosing the right music, food, bedding and attention, this is an excellent guide parents and general libraries must have.

Chronicle Books
680 Second Street, San Francisco, CA 94107
www.chroniclebooks.com

ALLURE (9780811870436 $35.00) represents a work consuming author Diana Vreeland's entire career, offering a survey of the world's great fashion photographers and capturing, in black and white photos, their special creations and interpretations of allure. This returns to print and includes a special foreword from fashion designer Marc Jacobs as it packs in photos and cutouts from magazines that inspired fashion shots. Photography and fashion collections alike will find this reprint alluring. Julia Rothman, Jenny Volvovski and Matt Lamothe's THE EXQUISITE BOOK (9780811870900, $29.95) reinvents the classic surrealist drawing game the Exquisite Corpse, packaging it for new artists. Over a hundred modern indie artists each provide a single page with brand new work - from having only seen the page of the artist immediately prior. What emerges is a collaborative story offering a fine interconnected art form.


The Cookbook Shelf

Mix & Match Low-Calorie Cookbook
Cooking Light
Oxmoor House
PO Box 11095, Des Moines, Iowa 50336-1095
9780848734084 $24.95 www.oxmoorhouse.com

Mix & Match Low-Calorie Cookbook tells how to put together three meals plus two snacks to equal 1,500 calories or less per day, offering over 150 recipes and numerous combinations to create balanced, calorie-wise meals. Nutrition and exercise tips accompany color photos of foods, make-ahead tips, and ideas for quick, nutritious meals that any general lending library will find colorful and appealing.

Veganize This!
Jenn Shagrin
Da Capo Press
c/o Perseus Books Group
11 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142
9780738214023 $19.00 www.dacapopress.com

VEGANIZE THIS! FROM SURF-N-TURF TO ICE CREAM PIE Packs in over 200 recipes for vegans who seeks flavorful, good food - but who miss old standards. The focus is on making food simply that tastes good: secrets for changing everyday meat fare into vegan options offers dishes such as DIY Vegan Doritos, using Beef-Style Seitan and other vegan substitutes, and more. Any collection strong in vegan dishes will delight in this guide.

The Golden Book of Desserts
Various Editors
Barron's
250 Wireless Road, Hauppauge, NY 11788
0764163612 $29.95 www.barronseduc.com

The Golden Book of Desserts provides an outstanding collection suitable for gift-giving or library lending alike, packing in color photos and over 250 great recipes for all kinds of desserts, from ice creams and cakes to crepes and pastries. From a Lemon and Blueberry Trifle to Rhubarb and Sour Cream Tart, each recipe receives a facing page color photo and very easy preparation instructions that don't go over a single page sidebar. Busy cooks seeking showy dessert dishes will find this a virtual bible of information.

Wiley Professional Trade Group
111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
www.wiley.com

Loren Cordain, Ph.D. with Nell Stephenson and Lorrie Cordain's The Paleo Diet Cookbook (9780470913048 $19.95) comes from the creator of The Paleo Diet, which has helped millions of people lose weight and keep it off by following the diet of our Paleo ancestors. This cookbook supplements followers of the diet with over 150 new recipes supporting the diet, offering 3 meals a day and snacks and beverages too. Two weeks of meal plans, a special chapter for athletes, and discussions of how to pick superior foods make this a winning diet plan. John Kowalski & Culinary Institute of America's The Art of Charcuterie (9780470197417, $65.00) offers a fine, comprehensive look at the history and evolution of charcuterie, pairing color photos and technical drawings with discussions of finished products and how to make them. Any library catering to professional and neo-pro chefs will find this packed with detail on how to properly cure, brine and smoke meat, and how to use them in sausages, pates and other classic dishes. A highly recommended professional pick!

Wine Appreciation Guild
360 Swift Avenue, South San Francisco CA 94080
www.wineappreciation.com

John Hudelson, Ph.D.'s WINE FAULTS: CAUSES, EFFECTS, CURES (9781934259634, $39.95) is for any library strong in technical winemaking, including many a college-level culinary collection. It covers differences between wine flaws and faults, how flavors develop, and describes every microbial infection in a series of color slides and discussions. Any involved in winery quality control needs this. The second edition of Paul Wagner, Janeen Olsen and Liz Thach's WINE MARKETING & SALES; SUCCESS STRATEGIES FOR A SATURATED MARKET (9781934259252, $75.00) is also a top pick for any professional wine library: it covers all aspects of marketing and selling wine form theory to application of wine-specific sales and marketing, and comes from three industry professionals. This edition adds a hundred pages of new and expanded discussions on importing and exporting, tasting room management, branding and how to generate more sales in the retail market.


The Social Issues Shelf

Cruel Creeds, Virtuous Violence
Jack David Eller
Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2119
9781616142186 $28.00 www.prometheusbooks.com

Cruel Creeds, Virtuous Violence: Religious Violence Across Culture and History comes from an anthropologist who provides an in-depth study suitable for college libraries on violence connected with religion. From documentation of differing types of religious violence, from sacrifice and self-mortification to religious persecution and wars, to nonviolent societies and their belief systems, Cruel Creeds, Virtuous Violence provides a fine survey of the kinds of religious ideas that lend to and foster world violence. College-level spirituality and social issues shelves will find this a pointed observation!

Alone Together
Sherry Turkle
Basic Books
c/o Perseus Books Group
11 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142
9780465010219 $28.95 www.basicbooks.com

ALONE TOGETHER: WHY WE EXPECT MORE FROM TECHNOLOGY AND LESS FROM EACH OTHER discusses a culture in which we are always connected and available - yet distant in a different way. From kids who play with robotic dolls rather than inventing games with each other to teens who would rather text than telephone, this comes from a MIT-based clinical psychologist who assesses the impact of communication technologies and how they work - or not - to increase connections. Her decades of teaching technology and daily living add authority to her fine survey!

Audience Evolution
Philip M. Napoli
Columbia University Press
61 West 62nd Street, New York, NY 10023-7015
9780231150354 $27.50 www.cup.columbia.edu

AUDIENCE EVOLUTION: NEW TECHNOLOGIES AND THE TRANSFORMATION OF MEDIA AUDIENCES documents the current media environment, the overlapping of media technologies that is fragmenting media audiences even as it provides deeper information potentials, and the re-definition of industry-audience relationships. Chapters pack in scholarly analysis of the interactions of media and viewer, considering political, economic and social ramifications alike: no college-level media or sociology collection should be without this.

The Grand Jihad
Andrew C. McCarthy
Encounter Books
900 Broadway, Suite 601, New York NY 10003
9781594033773 $27.95 www.encounterbooks.com

THE GRAND JIHAD: HOW ISLAM AND THE LEFT SABOTAGE AMERICA maintains that the real threat to American freedoms lies not in terrorism, but in the forces of Islam which have collaborated with the American left to undermine U.S. national security and democracy. This shows how the global Islamist's jihad movement is changing the world - and pinpoints President Obama as a sympathizer. An intriguing viewpoint, this comes from a former federal prosecutor whose prior WILLFUL BLINDNESS: A MEMOIR OF THE JIHAD introduced the topic. Political science collections will find it an intriguing argument.


The Gardening Shelf

From Seed to Skillet
Jimmy Williams and Susan Heeger
Chronicle Books
680 - 2nd St., San Francisco CA 94107
9780811872218 $30.00 www.chroniclebooks.com

From Seed to Skillet provides an outstanding guide to growing, harvesting and cooking garden bounty and provides home gardeners with keys to producing finished meals from gardening efforts. From planning a garden design if you're a non-planner to keeping edibles productive while fighting off edible-eating bugs, this packs in many keys to gardening success, pairing such with full-page color photos and design examples throughout so that non-gardeners can easily learn gardening tricks.


The Business Shelf

Every Landlord's Tax Deduction Guide, seventh edition
Stephen Fishman, J.D.
Nolo Press
950 Parker, Berkeley, CA 94710
1413312772 $39.99 www.nolo.com

The seventh updated edition of Every Landlord's Tax Deduction Guide is a 'must' for any business collection strong in real estate guides. It teaches landlords how to reduce taxes legally, from identifying repairs, improvements and losses that can be deducted to handling casualty and theft losses and more. Real-world examples pack the latest survey updated with the latest tax laws and numbers in a reference every landlord must have!

The Futures
Emily Lambert
Basic Books
387 Park Avenue South, New York NY 10016
9780465018437 $26.95 www.basicbooks.com

THE FUTURES: THE RISE OF THE SPECULATOR AND THE ORIGINS OF THE WORLD'S BIGGEST MARKETS comes from Forbes magazine financial journalist Emily Lambert, who tells the story of commodities trading and trader history. Her survey documents the history and rise of the futures market, analyzes how the market works within the financial system, and provides an unexpectedly lively account of the quirky personalities behind trading. Any library strong in stock market history needs this!

Driving Technical Change
Terrence Ryan
Pragmatic Programmers
P.O. Box 293325, Lewisville, TX 75029-3325
sales@pragmaticprogrammer.com
9781934356609 $32.95 www.pragprog.com

DRIVING TECHNICAL CHANGE: WHY PEOPLE ON YOUR TEAM DON'T' ACT ON GOOD IDEAS, AND HOW TO CONVINCE THEM THEY SHOULD discusses resistance patterns that block people from accepting new ideas, and teaches techniques for overcoming team objections to change. By understanding patterns of resistance and using technical skills, a team leader can overcome resistance no matter how illogical or unfounded. DRIVING TECHNICAL CHANGE should be in any business collection; especially those appealing to team leaders.

The Naked Presenter
Garr Reynolds
New Riders
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300, Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
0321704452 $24.99 www.newriders.com

The Naked Presenter: Delivering Powerful Presentations With or Without Slides provides an excellent resource perfect for business collections covering new ideas on winning presentations. It tells how to develop a message and use key tools to deliver memorable presentations, covering meaningful ways to connect with an audience. It comes from a designer, musician and student of Zen arts who adds a different approach to a usually-dry topic, setting this apart from any other business surveys.

A Random Walk Down Wall Street
Burton G. Malkiel
W.W. Norton
500 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10110
9780393081435 $29.95 www.wwnorton.com

A Random Walk Down Wall Street: The Time-Tested Strategy for Successful Investing comes from an economist who shows how an investor with $100,000 in 2000 would have made $90,000 today following the author's special advice - as opposed to the same money diversified in a total stock market fund. Any interested in stock market investing will want to have this title, which covers his formula for success.

Atlantic Publishing
1405 SW 6th Avenue, Ocala, FL 34471
www.atlantic-pub.com

Donald Rodrigue with Donna M. Murphy's HOW TO OPEN & OPERATE A FINANCIALLY SUCCESSFUL VENDING BUSINESS (9781601382788, $39.95) comes with a companion CD-ROM offering all forms from the book plus an editable business plan in Word format, and offers a fine, comprehensive guide to learning the vending industry from start-up to marketing machines. From how to stock machines to choosing locations, this covers all the basics. Bryan Rose's HOW TO OPEN & OPERATE A FINANCIALLY SUCCESSFUL PHOTOGRAPHY BUSINESS (9781601380180, $39.95) provides a basic survey of successful photography business entrepreneurs and how to make investments that work. It provides a detailed study of running such a business, offering a companion CD-ROM with all forms outlined, and covers everything from methods to include in a marketing plan to building a marketing approach. Eileen Figure Sandlin's HOW TO OPEN & OPERATE A FINANCIALLY SUCCESSFUL CAR DETAILING BUSINESS (9781601382795, $39.95) comes with a CD-ROM of forms and tells the most efficient ways to start and run a full-time auto detailing business. From computer systems and hiring to meeting legal requirements and training employees, this is packed with important keys to success. Harmony Stalter's EMPLOYEE BODY LANGUAGE REVEALED (9781601381477, $21.95) comes from a body language expert who tells how to interpret typical employee body language. From transmitting messages people want to receive to benefiting everyday work situations, this tells how to predict behavior and take control of results. Cindy Ferraino's THE COMPLETE DICTIONARY OF ACCOUNTING AND BOOKKEEPING TERMS EXPLAINED SIMPLY (9781601383259, $24.95) provides a fine survey of accounting and bookkeeping terms, and is written for small business owners who want a greater understanding of payroll, taxes, and accounting measures. The non-accountant receives an excellent understanding of the terms and methods used by accountants and bookkeepers, and receives a handy, excellent dictionary of terms providing all the knowledge needed to help understand bookkeeping and finances.


The Art Shelf

Draw and Paint Realistic Horses
Jeanne Filler Scott
North Light Books
c/o F+W Media
4700 East Galbraith Road, Cincinnati, OH 45236
www.fwpublications.com
1600619967 $24.99 www.artistsnetwork.com

Draw and Paint Realistic Horses takes readers step-by-step through how to draw and paint horses, offering 12 start-to-finish projects that cover a range of poses and horses, from foals to race horses. These instructions demonstrate how to depict anatomy and authentic coat colors, reviews basic tools and techniques for pencil or acrylics, and offers tips on everything from taking reference photos to capturing horse action. Any illustration collection will find this a top basic 'how-to' pick!

A History of American Tonalism: 1880-1920
David A. Cleveland
Hudson Hills Press
Box 205, Manchester, VT 05254
9781555953027 $85.00 www.hudsonhills.com

A History of American Tonalism: 1880-1920 is a weighty reference and the first definitive account of the Tonalist movement that changed American art around the early 1900 era. Over 500 color and black and white illustrations accompanies a chronological narrative and re-evaluation of Tonalist influences and perspectives. Both major and lesser-known Tonalists are covered with traditional and new research lending to a fine story of how Tonalists became the dominant school in American art until the First World War. American art theory libraries should consider this in-depth survey an essential acquisition.

Winning Portfolios for Graphic Designers
Cath Caldwell
Barron's
250 Wireless Road, Hauppauge, NY 11788
0764145053 $21.99 www.barronseduc.com

Winning Portfolios for Graphic Designers tells how to create online and print graphic design portfolios that produce better jobs and more interest in a changing industry. From hw to present projects in memorable portfolio pages to understanding the different approaches and impacts of digital versus print media in making presentations to future employers, this is a 'must' not just for arts collections, but for many a business library as well.

You Can Draw in 30 Days
Mark Kistler
Da Capo Press
c/o Perseus Books Group
11 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142
9780738212418 $19.00 www.dacapopress.com

You Can Draw in 30 Days: The Fun, Easy Way to Learn to Draw in One Month or less comes from an author nationally recognized for his drawing lessons on PBC and his website video instructional sessions, and offers readers techniques for mastering 3-D drawing using any medium or style. All that's required is some basic tools and only twenty minutes a day for thirty days. This is a 'course in a book' packing in discussions of basic laws of drawing, and provides readers with a gradual course that includes tools for tracking and improving artistic results.


The Fashion Shelf

Scaasi: American Couturier
Pamela Parmal
MFA Publications
465 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115
9780878467594 $29.95 www.mfa.org/publications

Scaasi: American Couturier offers an outstanding survey of fashion perfect for any college-level arts collection strong in fashion history and culture. Arnold Scassi is one of the most distinguished fashion designers in America: here his contribution of elegance, flamboyance, and fine color and fabrics are captured in an oversized paperback perfect for any fashion collection. Over three dozen outfits are featured in an excellent survey!


The Architecture Shelf

Advanced Architectural Modelmaking
Eva Pascual I Miro, et.al.
W.W. Norton
500 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10110
9780393733389 $40.00 www.wwnorton.com

Advanced Architectural Modelmaking offers keys to building a three-dimensional and reduced-scale representation of a structure. Key techniques in creating and applying architectural models are provided in a step-by-step guide that illustrates the whole process involved in creating five different types of architectural models. A table on adhesives and directions for building stands and shipping cases for models rounds out a fine presentation packed with color photos throughout.

Buildings, Landscapes, and Memory
Daniel Bluestone
W.W. Norton
500 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10110
9780393733181 $47.95 www.wwnorton.com

Buildings, Landscapes, and Memory: Case Studies in Historic Preservation is a top pick for any college-level architecture or urban studies collection. It uses places and structures to examine the broader ideas and values that have made up historic preservation, offering critical thinking paired with a historic survey of movements to preserve and destroy structures. Relationships between tradition and modern design are analyzed in the context of buildings and movements that represent assumptions about history and preservation standards.


The Education Shelf

Act Premier 2011
Kaplan Publishing
1 Liberty Plaza, 24th floor, New York, NY 10006
9781607144717 $31.99 www.kaplanpublishing.com

Any studying for the ACT exam must have this in-depth key to scoring higher on the test. It pairs a cook and a CD-ROM with online support, packing in six practice tests, detailed answer explanations, and more, and uses proven score-raising strategies to help students take charge of their ACT experience.

Working with Asperger Syndrome in the Classroom
Gill D. Ansell
Jessica Kingsley Publishers
400 Market St. #400, Philadelphia, PA 19106
9781849051569 $19.95 www.jkp.com

Working with Asperger Syndrome in the Classroom explore the common themes affecting children with AS and the teachers who work with them, considering how their actions affect the mainstream classroom and school system. Chapters offer practical advice for teaching strategies, DIY resources for visual learners, tools for assessment, and more. Highly recommended as a top pick for any education collection!

Mind, Brain and Education Science
Tracey Tokuhama-Espinosa
W.W. Norton
500 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10110
9780393706079 $34.95 www.wwnorton.com

Mind, Brain and Education Science: A Comprehensive Guide to the New Brain-Based Teaching provides educators with an in-depth overview of the latest trends in 'brain-based' education processes, considering what characterizes its parameters and standards and using interviews with over twenty leaders in the field from six different countries to define these new boundaries. Scientific studies are paired with real-world teaching results in a key acquisition for any educator's collection.

Brookes Publishing
Box 10624, Baltimore, MD 21285-0624
www.brookespublishing.com

Paul Wehman's ESSENTIALS OF TRANSITION PLANNING (1598570986 $27.95) provides a fine guidebook collecting all of the basics of transition plans for young people with disabilities and comes from one of the top authorities on helping young people transition to independence. From planning transition at both the individual and community levels to coordinating services, choosing from vocational support service delivery models, and handling family involvement, this covers law, policy, and guidelines and blends in realistic case studies of students with a range of disabilities. Checklists for information and the latest research help teachers understand the entire transition process. Kathleen Curry Sadao and Nancy B. Robinson's ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY FOR YOUNG CHILDREN: CREATING INCLUSIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS (9781598570915, $39.95) provides a fine guide to recommended AT practice for kids from birth to age 5, offering solutions to common problems and showing how AT tools can make positive changes in development outcomes. From using AT to develop activity-based intervention to supporting language development and play, this provides an excellent review of all tools available.

Corwin Press
2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320
www.corwin.com

Susan Penny Gray and William A. Streshly's LEADING GOOD SCHOOLS TO GREATNESS: MASTERING WHAT GREAT PRINCIPALS DO WELL (9781412979788 $33.95) is based on the work of Jim Collins and shows how to build relationships and communicate professionally. Case studies provide the actual patterns for communication, with exceptional principals in the field contributing their insights and tips. Any principal seeking details on progressive change will find this invaluable. Teachers of grades 6-12 will find especially important J. Allen Queen and Bob Algozzine's RESPONSIBLE CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT: A SCHOOLWIDE PLAN (9781412974134, $23.95), which presents a schoolwide plan for decreasing discipline problems and directing adolescents toward responsible behavior patterns. From the basics of classroom management and skills teachers need to identify and reinforce these behaviors to tested consequences that promote self-control for students, this offers teacher and administrator resources based on real-world experiences. Marcia L. Tate and Warren G. Phillips' SCIENCE WORKSHEETS DON'T GROW DENDRITES: 20 INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES THAT ENGAGE THE BRAIN (9781412978477, $33.95) provides a brain-friendly guide for students on science activities. This workbook offers teachers solid plans on how to blend national science contest standards into their curriculum and packs in projects for K-12 young scientists. It's a 'must' for science teachers looking for 'applied projects' for basic concepts. Donna Walker Tileston's 10 BEST TEACHING PRACTICES (9781412973939, $30.95) also focuses on brain research and learning styles, linking the latest results to teacher practices in an updated third edition. Teachers receive the latest approaches and use classroom examples applicable to all kinds of teaching methods in a fine survey of how to connect with kids and create a collaborative teaching environment. Amy J. Mazur and Patricia Rice Doran's TEACHING DIVERSE LEARNERS: PRINCIPLES FOR BEST PRACTICE (9781412974981, $35.95) is based on the latest research on best classroom practices and reviews everything teachers need to know to differentiate instruction for students in a diverse classroom. From key cultural issues and setting up a safe classroom for learning to adapting curriculum and assessment to special needs, this belongs in any educator's collection. Educational leaders will find important Jacky Lumby and Fenwick W. English's LEADERSHIP AS LUNACY AND OTHER METAPHORS FOR EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP (9781412974271, $28.95). It provides an imaginative approach to rethinking leadership using metaphors and ideas to present both historical perspective and ideas on leadership in educational settings. From developing a deeper connection to leadership roles to fostering change, this is packed with ideas. Sally B. Kilgore and Karen J. Reynolds' FROM SILOS TO SYSTEMS: REFRAMING SCHOOLS FOR SUCCESS (9781412973083, $30.95) tells how to transform a school's culture, offering specific steps for engaging a school's staff to pinpoint and solve different causes of common school problems. The latest research on developing a positive school environment offers keys to analyzing the resolving teaching and behavior issues alike, making this a powerful pick for any lending library! Douglas Llewellyn's DIFFERENTIATED SCIENCE INQUIRY (9781412975032, $30.95) offers methods for determining when and how to provide students with more choices and different approaches to studying science. From engaging students to managing the overall science classroom, this is packed with examples and tips on how teachers can modify activities and labs. Catherine Collier's SEVEN STEPS TO SEPARATING DIFFERENCE FROM DISABILITY (9781412971607, $30.95) provides seven key steps to instruction and assessment techniques for limited-English-proficient students and English language learners. The process presented works within an RTI framework and offers case studies, keys to cognitive learning, and effective methods for testing students for special programs. Diane Sweeney's STUDENT-CENTERED COACHING: A GUIDE FOR K-8 COACHES AND PRINCIPALS (9781412980432, $33.95) outlines how school-based coaching can impact student learning. From the critical role of the principal in developing teacher support system to models for implementing coaching, this offers exercises to promote coach and principal collaboration. Michael Barber works with Andy Moffit and Paul Kihn in DELIVEROLOGY 101: A FIELD GUIDE FOR EDUCATIONAL LEADERS (9781412989503, $40.95) focuses on how to reform the educational process, offering a field-tested program that helps students benefit from a higher quality education. Reform cases from over 20 countries are cited in the process of considering how education reforms succeed or fail. Barbara A. Lehman, Evelyn B. Freeman and Patricia L. Scharer's READING GLOBALLY, K-8 (9781412973922, $31.95) tells how global literature can help prepare students for global understanding. From details on how reading global literature guides students to examples of recommended books for grades K-8 and a bibliography of hundreds of titles on a CD-ROM included with the book, this packs in teaching ideas for the curriculum and answers common questions about cultural authenticity and standards. Jim Knight's UNMISTAKABLE IMPACT: A PARTNERSHIP APPROACH FOR DRAMATICALLY IMPROVING INSTRUCTION (9781412994309, $38.95) provides a fine course of instruction for helping a school's transition to becoming an Impact School through professional learning done with teachers, not to them. From using high-leverage practices that achieve dramatic student results to encouraging teacher advancement and staff participation, this offers tools principals, workshop leaders and teachers alike can use to assure student advancement at all levels. The second updated edition of Steffen Saifer, et.al.'s CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE STANDARDS-BASED TEACHING: CLASSROOM TO COMMUNITY AND BACK (9781412987028, $35.95) provides a fine survey of student cultures and how it affects choices in teaching. From teacher options for valuing and honoring student cultures to engaging and motivating students based on cultural habits and recognition patterns, this is a 'must' for any teacher facing today's culturally diverse classroom. Cynthia McCallister's UNISON READING: SOCIALLY INCLUSIVE GROUP INSTRUCTION FOR EQUITY AND ACHIEVEMENT (9781412986649, $33.95) provides a fine breakthrough in reading instruction for all students and maintains that reading is a social activity - and should be taught as such. From organizing learning around a child's own interests to encouraging relationships and collaborations between young readers based on their interests, this offers a fine key to a different way of teaching reading. Rhoda M. Samkoff's IN A CLASS OF YOUR OWN: ESSENTIAL STRATEGIES FOR THE NEW K-6 TEACHER (9781412986670, $19.95) provides a slim but essential survey of a teacher's early years and is based on the author's years of experience working with student teachers and new teachers alike. It defines the early stages of an educator's career and the common challenges experienced during these years, pairing examples from real classrooms with tips from experienced teachers. Checklists for action and fact-filled sections make for quick, at-a-glance reading.


The Needlecraft Shelf

Quilts Around the World
Spike Gillespie
Voyageur Press
400 First Avenue North #300, Minneapolis, MN 55401
9780760337448 $40.00 www.voyageurpress.com

QUILTS AROUND THE WORLD: THE STORY OF QUILTING FROM ALABAMA TO ZIMBABWE includes 20 quilt block patterns and packs in a key for quilt4rs and collectors alike, offering commentary and history by the international quilt community's top experts and presenting over 300 color photos of quilts. The worldwide approach allows for a fine survey of quilting's history and culture in an unusual worldwide critical survey perfect for any serious needlework collection.

American Quilter's Society
Box 3290, Paducah, KY 42002-3290
www.americanquilter.com

Linda K. Johnson & Jane K. Wells's CUDDLY SNUGGLY QUILTS (9781574326727, $26.95) offers quilters some 18 projects based on quilts they've made for their own kids, and offers a range of easy pieced projects combined with different colors and styles for many options. The easy techniques makes these super-quick to produce, with eye-catching colors kids will love. Any collection catering to quilters who work with projects for kids will relish this! Also recommended is Ann Seely and Joyce Stewart's I CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S NOT PIECING! (9781574326697, $24.95), which tells how to create challenging pieced patterns with machine applique. Some ten projects, each shown with an alternate size and color scheme, accompanies a gallery of 9 additional quilts to make for a fine survey of easy machine quilting that mimics piecing. Linda J. Hahn's NEW YORK BEAUTY SIMPLIFIED (9781574326789, $26.95) provides a fine survey of the New York Beauty block pattern and provides a simple paper-piecing technique resulting in perfect New York Beauty blocks. Over twenty projects range from wallhangings and small projects to full quilts in a guide that offers quilting patterns for each project.

Martingale & Company
19021 - 120th Avenue NE, Suite 102, Bothell, WA 98011
www.martingale-pub.com

Kay Conors and Karen Earlywine's FANCY TO FRUGAL: AUTHENTIC QUILT PATTERNS FROM THE '30s (9781604680003 $26.99) tells how to create heirloom quilts and offers ten patterns from the 1930s, showing how these patterns can be blended into modern projects. A range of techniques teach how to feature reproduction fabrics while step-by-step color photos illustrate how to create blocks, assembly, and more. Tonya Ricucci's WORD PLAY QUILTS: EASY TECHNIQUES FROM THE UNRULY QUILTER (9781604680171, $17.99) provides keys to spelling out messages using no templates, paper piecing, applique or measuring. It was inspired by quiltmaker Gwen Marston and here provides a fine survey for free-pieced letters that promote easy enjoyment over technical expertise. Three practice projects accompany quilt samples in full color. Karla Alexander's STACK THE DECK REVISITED: UPDATED PATTERNS FROM STACK THE DECK! (9781604680317, $18.99) provides a range of patterns remade for modern fabrics, modifying original Stack the Deck designs from Karla Alexander's technique. Eleven projects offer even more potential for her stack-slice-shuffle-and-sew method in a title which is especially recommended for prior enthusiasts of her technique. Janet Rehfeldt and Mary Jane Wood's MORE CROCHETED SOCKS: 16 ALL-NEW DESIGNS (9781604680126, $19.99) provides sixteen patterns for toe-up and cuff-down sock designs, and tells how to create crocheted socks that are as close-woven and intricate as the more traditional knitted approach. This new collection follows up to the popular CROCHETED SOCKS title, and is a 'must' for any crocheter. Marie Osmond's HEARTFELT GIVING: SEW AND QUILT FOR FAMILY AND FRIENDS (9781564779472, $26.99) shares Marie's childhood photos and long-time love of sewing. Photos and step-by-step instructions for over twenty projects present quilts, bags, aprons and gifts for the entire family, and appear in a handy format blending a hardcover with spine lettering for easy filing with lay-flat binding for easy project use. Gretchen Gibbons' PENNIES FROM HEAVEN: CELEBRATED QUILT AND COMPANION PROJECTS (9781604680010, $26.99) tells how to combine cotton and wool to provide colorful new looks to quilting efforts. Patterns for 10 applique blocks and projects such as table mats and wall hangings make for a fine survey using the 'Pennies from Heaven' design in a range of projects. Kim Dolce's DOLCE HANDKNITS: SIMPLE, SOPHISTICATED DESIGNS (9781604680133, $24.99) comes from the owner of a handknit design business and presents sixteen of her to-selling designs for women. A full-page color photo of each knit modeled accompanies stitch guides, pattern notes, shaping and patterns, making for a fine pick for any knitter's library. Rebecca Danger's THE BIG BOOK OF KNITTED MONSTERS: MISCHIEVOUS, LOVABLE TOYS (9781604680096, $18.99) provides some 20 toy knitted monster projects pairing a complete set of instructions with how-to construction photos. Materials lists, step-by-step instructions and color photos makes it easy to whip together a knitted monster. Any needlework collection will find these outstanding.


The Computer Shelf

Host Your Web Site in the Cloud
Jeff Barr
Sitepoint
9780980576832 $39.95 www.sitepoint.com

Host Your Web Site in the Cloud: Amazon Web Services Made Easy offers specific keys to using Amazon Web Services to launch new servers, distribute data, and store data: all at a fraction of the usual cost. It provides a step-by-step approach to cloud hosting and managing web applications on the cloud, comes from an Amazon Web Services specialist, and offers an easy approach to a web services platform that offers scalable, reliable computing.

Pro Oracle SQL
Karen Morton, et.al.
Apress Inc.
233 Spring Street, New York, NY 10013
9781430232285 $49.99 www.apress.com

PRO ORACLE SQL provides advanced SQL programmers with a solid survey on how to utilize the power of SQL in the Oracle Database. From learning its special language features and analytic functions to grouping syntax and other special SQL features, this is packed with keys to integrating SQL into real-world programming processes, and is endorsed by OakTable network, a group of Oracle technologists known for the scientific approach to Oracle Database performance.

How to Stop E-Mail Spam, Spyware, Malware, Computer Viruses, and Hackers from Ruining Your Computer or Network
Bruce C. Brown
Atlantic Publishing
1405 SW 6th Avenue, Ocala, FL 34471
9781601383037 $24.95 www.atlantic-pub.com

How to Stop E-Mail Spam, Spyware, Malware, Computer Viruses, and Hackers from Ruining Your Computer or Network will appeal not just to computer collections but is a useful acquisition for any general library. It teaches how to eliminate spam, attack spyware and viruses, and how to use secure e-mail clients and protect personal information, and in this computer age it's a 'must' reference. No computer user should be without this basic manual to preventing attacks.

Ordering Disorder: Grid Principles for Web Design
Khoi Vinh
New Riders
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300, Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
0321703537 $29.99 www.newriders.com

Ordering Disorder: Grid Principles for Web Design provides a fine, definitive guide to grids and the Web, providing developers with techniques for grid-based design practices. From using design tools for implementing Web-based functions to constructing the grid, aligning elements, and developing logical column patterns, this is packed with many keys to cleaning web design using grid patterns. Plenty of visuals make this accessible to even newcomers to grid construction.

Clout
Colleen Jones
New Riders
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300, Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
0321733010 $34.99 www.newriders.com

CLOUT: THE ART AND SCIENCE OF INFLUENTIAL WEB CONTENT explains the keys to achieving web influence, applies the idea of 'clout' to web content, and discusses web content and business values. From rhetoric and psychology to applying context to web content, this offers business and computer users alike an excellent survey that tells now just how to build a website, but how to make it a valuable form.

Beginning C++ Through Game Programming, third edition
Michael Dawson
Course Technology
c/o Cengage Learning, Inc.
200 First Stamford Place, Stamford, CT 06902
www.cengage.com
1435457420 $34.99 www.courseptr.com

The third updated edition of Beginning C++ Through Game Programming uses a game-oriented approach to teaching C++, and is written for newcomers to the program. It assumes no prior programming knowledge and teaches basic skills using step-by-step instructions and easy language. Each chapter covers several topics and at the end of each, you'll learn how to organize work and break down problems and code alike. Game programmers will find this an exceptional method of learning C++.

Addison-Wesley
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300, Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
www.informit.com/svciseries

Obie Fernandez, et.al.'s THE RAILS 3 WAY (0321601661 $49.99) is a fine pick for programmers working with Ruby on Rails, and offers a 'bible' of application developments in the only guide to delivering production-quality code using Rails 3. It comes from a Rails expert and his team and covers all the basics of what is different in Rails 3 and how to apply it to increase productivity and understand interactions and program flows. Any collection strong in Ruby and Rails 3 will find this essential. Java developers will find Kim Topley's JAVAFX DEVELOPER'S GUIDE (0321601653, $49.99) is a powerful survey covering the JavaFX platform which can be used in a range of programming applications from cell phones to desktop computers. This surveys the language, its core libraries, and how they are applied using step-by-step discussions of delivering JavaFX applications. Updated for JavaFX 1.3, it's a programmer's key reference. Rails libraries should also include Chad Pytel and Tammer Saleh's RAILS ANTIPATTERNS: BEST PRACTICE RUBY ON RAILS RERFACTORING (0321604814, $44.99). It offers an in-depth guide to identifying, avoiding and fixing common Rails 3 code and design issues, offering step-by-step resolution for problems ranging from domain modeling to scaling and handling third-party code issues. Also key to programming collections is Jennifer Marriott and Elin Waring's THE OFFICIAL JOOMLA! BOOK (0321704215, $44.99). Programmers receive a fine web development key discussing Joomla, learning how to use the program to create effective sites. Prior users learn how to streamline Joomla results, while beginners learn all the basics from installation to templates. Key components of the program are simply explained, making this accessible to any Joomla user. Michael Hartl's RUBY ON RAILS 3 TUTORIAL (0321743121, $39.99) provides developers with a fine set of web applications from a leading Rails developer. Rails 3 is taught here through a sample application's development that teaches best techniques for using Rails. From setting up Rails to building static pages, changing them into dynamic ones, and defining site layouts, this is packed with top applications. Earl Miles and Lynette Miles work with Emma Jane Hogbin and Karen Stevenson on DRUPAL'S BUILDING BLOCKS: QUICKLY BUILDING WEB SITES WITH CCK, VIEWS, AND PANELS (0321591313, $44.99). It's directed to web builder professionals and comes from authors who have spent years creating and supporting Drupal models, and offers plenty of keys you won't find elsewhere. From customizing themes to building powerful Views and optimizing queries, this is packed with keys to success and will appeal to professional web developers and any using Drupal. Jurgen Appelo's MANAGEMENT 3.0: LEADING AGILE DEVELOPERS, DEVELOPING AGILE LEADERS (0321712471, $44.99) is a pick for any library strong in Agile software engineering. It shows how organizations and Agile teams work, uses the author's extensive background as an Agile manager, and identifies the key practices of Agile management. Business and software engineer collections alike will appreciate the focus on growing teams that are autonomous and effective, and will find this a key acquisition.

No Starch Press
38 Ringold St., San Francisco CA 94103
www.nostarch.com

David J. Perdue with Laurens Valk's THE UNOFFICIAL LEGAL MINDSTORMS NXT 2.0 INVENTOR'S GUIDE (9781593272159 $29.95) is a specialty item suitable for any collection where patrons are beginning building robotics. It here appears in a second edition and covers all the basics of building and programming robots with the NXT 2.0 set, pairing practical building techniques with insights into the NXT-G programming language's latest edition. Packed with references, resources, and tips for getting up and running quickly, this is a winning resource. Also winning is the updated second edition of Wallace Wang's MY NEW IPAD: A USER'S GUIDE (9781593272876, $24.95). It offers keys to getting the most from Apple's latest iPad, from using the Maps app and syncing and sharing photos and calendars to using more than one app at once and shopping on iTunes. Any who would get the most from their new iPad needs this tutorial!

O'Reilly Media
1005 Gravenstein Hwy North, Sebastopol, CA 95472
www.oreilly.com

The second updated edition of Jenifer Tidwell's DESIGNING INTERFACES: PATTERNS FOR EFFECTIVE INTERACTION DESIGN (9781449379704 $49.99) is a recommended pick for any software design collection, offering an updated edition that includes patterns for mobile apps and social media as well as web applications. Each pattern offers color examples and design advice for experienced designers and novices alike, making it a pick for any software engineering library. Robert Faludi's BUILDING WIRELESS SENSOR NETWORKS (9780596807733, $34.99) packs in keys to building wireless networks and offers a range of useful projects, from using the ZigBee toolbox and creating a network to learning power routing and source routing. Any working with wireless systems will find this holds applications beyond the Internet, reaching into radio networking systems, and will find this an invaluable guide. Aaron Reed's LEARNING XNA 4.0 (9781449394622, $39.99) offers a hands-on book to getting started with XNA 4.0 in game programming, with chapters offering lessons, illustrations and examples along with exercises and review questions. The result is a focus on game development that offers a virtual course in a book, recommended for any interested in developing sophisticated games. Chris Grover's OFFICE 2011 FOR MACINTOSH; THE MISSING MANUAL (9781449393359, $34.99) offers a fine guide to getting started with Word, Excel, Powerpoint and the new Outlook for Macs - but it goes beyond most introductions to cover the basics of how to customize documents, use new tools, and get the best results from each. From drawing directly in Word documents and adding spreadsheets to slides to better worksheet formatting, this covers all basics with a difference.


The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf

ROC Books
c/o Penguin Publishing Group
375 Hudson St., New York NY 10014-3658
www.penguin.com

Barb & J.C. Hendee's OF TRUTH AND BEASTS (9780451463753 $26.95) is the third book in the Noble Dead series and follows the lives of Wynn Hygeorht and her companions, a vampire and a wolf. Here Wynn and her friends have returned to the Guild of Sagecraft - but she faces danger from her former guild masters who want to keep her from her search for a mysterious device. Her struggles will change not only her life, but affect worlds in this fine fantasy saga, recommended for prior fans of the Noble Dead series. Juliet Marillier's SEER OF SEVENWATERS (9780451463555, $24.95) tells of young seer Sibeal, whose Sight leads her to Felix, a shipwreck survivor with amnesia. They form a bond - but her vocation is her path and as Felix regains his memory, the truth behind his shipwreck sets him on course for a dangerous mission that Sibeal will join. A fine blend of romance and fantasy adventure makes this a real winner!

The Bards of Bone Plain
Patricia A. McKillip
Ace
c/o Penguin Publishing Group
375 Hudson St., New York NY 10014
9780441019571 $24.95 www.penguin.com

The Bards of Bone Plain tells of Phelan, eager to graduate from school and to produce his final paper - an easy topic covering a legendary place, Bone Plain. His investigation will take him to another world with strange characters and difficult questions challenging his legacy as a bard in this powerful fantasy, recommended for any fantasy collection and especially for prior fans of Patricia A. McKillip.

Cobra War Book 2: Cobra Guardian
Timothy Zahn
Baen Books
Box 1403, Riverdale, NY 10471
9781439134061 $24.00 www.baen.com

Cobra War Book 2: Cobra Guardian provides an outstanding saga and tells of generations after a deadly war where Cobra warriors, who had high-tech weaponry implanted in their bodies, won against the alien Troft. Jasmine is a descendant of a legendry Cobra family, and when she fights off a new Troft attack, it's only to find their forces have invaded other Cobra worlds. A fine battle ensues with a new deadly struggle for power in this second Cobra military science fiction novel, especially recommended for collections seeing popularity with the Cobra concept.


The Science Shelf

The Evolutionary World
Geerat J. Vermeij
Thomas Dunne Books
c/o St. Martin's Press
175 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10010-7848
9780312591083 $27.99 www.thomasdunnebooks.com

THE EVOLUTIONARY WORLD: HOW ADAPTATION EXPLAINS EVERYTHING FROM SEASHELLS TO CIVILIZATION provides a powerful survey of evolutionary processes and how its consequences creates a meaningful worldview. Evolution as it pertains to species development is explained in the context of an entire framework of interlinked nature and beauty, with chapters exploring connections between genomes and languages, natural economies of islands and continents, and dangers in human systems. A fascinating, scholarly survey evolves perfect for college-level science holdings and many a general interest collection alike.

The 4% Universe
Richard Panek
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
222 Berkeley St., Boston MA 02116
9780618982448 $26.00 www.hmhbooks.com

THE 4% UNIVERSE: DARK MATTER, DARK ENERGY, AND THE RACE TO DISCOVER THE REST OF REALITY offers a fine survey based on the New York Times article that everything we see, touch, hear and can sense is only 4 percent of what is actually in the universe. The scientific quest to discern the nature of the remaining 'reality' is the subject of this title, which examines the theory and its development and the quest to locate 'dark' matter and energy. Both general and college-level astronomy libraries will find this a lively discussion of the history and nature of research into dark matter.

The Genesis of Science
Stephen Bertman
Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2119
9781616142179 $27.00 www.prometheusbooks.com

THE GENESIS OF SCIENCE: THE STORY OF GREEK IMAGINATION provides a fine college-level historical survey of ancient Greece and how scientific inquiry evolved from the Greek sciences. Why did the Greeks evolve the sciences, and not the older civilizations of Egypt, India and China? Stephen Bertman, a professor emeritus of classics in Canada, has written extensively on Greek history and here produces a fine survey of the Greek emphasis on the sciences and how they evolved from the Greek psyche.

Medical Device Software
David A. Vogel
Artech House
685 Canton St., Norwood, MA 02062
1596934220 $129.00 www.artchhouse.com

Medical Device Software: Verification, Validation, and Compliance offers an outstanding book that pairs a DVD with a college-level text designed specifically to help medical device and software engineers. Professionals learn how to think critically about software validation using a guide that explains the entire validation process, why it's important, and how to apply and evaluate them. Software embedded within medical devices as well as software that act as such a device is explored in a fine technical survey recommended for any advanced medical or software engineer's library.


The Music Shelf

Bridge of Waves
W.A. Mathieu
Shambhala
300 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston, MA 02115
9781590307328 $18.95 www.shambhala.com

BRIDGE OF WAVES: WHAT MUSIC IS AND HOW LISTENING TO IT CHANGES THE WORLD blends philosophy, cultural observation and music theory and history to provide a fine and poetic analysis suitable for musicians and non-musicians alike. From music as a mirror of human experience for reflection purposes to types of motion in music and life, this provides a fine presentation for any interested in music history and culture, and is suitable for both general and music libraries.


The DVD Shelf

The Nature of Existence DVDs
www.thenatureofexistence.com

Two excellent DVD collections are top picks for general lending libraries looking for discussions of science, spirituality and enlightenment. THE NATURE OF EXISTENCE ($27.00) comes in a special edition, two-DVD set to explore the basics of beliefs in God and perspectives on enlightenment. Humor blends well with a world journey considering different questions ranging from sexuality to mortality and the afterlife. If you like this collection, be sure to also choose the seven-DVD set that enlarges the topics, arranging them on discs suitable for both general and classroom viewing alike. This DVD Companion Series for The Nature of Existence ($119.95) blends philosophy, sociology, psychology and comparative religion alike in a format that lends to quick and easy consideration. Choose the single-disc NATURE OF EXISTENCE first - then pick the entire COMPANION SERIES for more depth and detail. The entire product is outstanding in scope and presentation!


The Nautical Shelf

The Book of Wooden Boats V. III
Maynard Bray
W.W. Norton
500 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10110
9780393080117 $60.00 www.wwnorton.com

The Book of Wooden Boats V. III pairs color photos by Benjamin Mendlowitz with informational text by Maynard Bray in an oversized, bright presentation perfect for any nautical collection where the wooden boat is of interest. Benjamin Mendlowitz has spent over three decades traveling the world in pursuit of lovely wooden boats: his images may seem familiar because they've appeared in many a magazine and in numerous books. His famous calendar of Wooden Boats has also made him a name in nautical photography circles. This is another volume presenting some of the finest boat photography in the world - and boat-builder and author Maynard Bray provides the fine and detailed accompanying information key to appreciating this treasure trove.


The Writing/Publishing Shelf

The Complete Guide to Hiring a Literary Agent
Laura Cross
Atlantic Publishing
1405 SW 6th Ave, Ocala, FL 34471
9781601384034 $24.95 www.atlantic-pub.com

The Complete Guide to Hiring a Literary Agent guides readers through the process of getting an agent to represent a book. From keys to researching a literary agent and what to look for in the right agent to writing query letters to gain attention and lists of top agencies and their genres, this is a 'must' for any writer's reference library.

Characters & Viewpoint
Orson Scott Card
Writer's Digest Books
4700 East Galbriath Road, Cincinnati, OH 45236
1599632128 $14.99 www.writersdigest.com/books

Characters & Viewpoint joins others in the 'Elements of Fiction Writing' series to provide a fine writing reference covering the basics of developing vivid characters. From developing individual character styles and choosing viewpoints to help reveal them to exploring major and minor character interactions and deciding on depth, this is a top pick for any writer's how-to collection offering all the nuts and bolts of character development.


The Pets/Wildlife Shelf

Noble Cows & Hybrid Zebras
Harriet Ritvo
University of Virginia Press
PO Box 400318, Charlottesville, VA 22904-4318
9780813930602 $39.50 www.upress.virginia.edu

Noble Cows & Hybrid Zebras: Essays on Animals & History offers college-level readers an exploration of attitudes towards animals, from cruelty to sentimentality, and considers social, scientific issues, and animal protection issues alike. These essays originally appeared in scholarly journals but also are accessible to the general public interest in science and wildlife issues,
offering key assessments on animals and human impacts upon them.

The Leafcutter Ants
Bert Holldobler and Edward O. Wilson
W.W. Norton
500 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10110
9780393338683 $19.95 www.wwnorton.com

THE LEAFCUTTER ANTS: CIVILIZATION BY INSTINCT offers an outstanding survey of these specialized ants and is inspired by the authors' prior THE SUPERORGANISM. It offers a visual portrait of the species accompanied by text easy enough for general as well as scientific audiences, and comes from two of the world's most renowned biologists. Any general lending library strong in natural history will find this packed with outstanding pictures and details.

Golden Retrievers
Edie MacKenzie
Barron's
250 Wireless, Hauppauge, NY 11788
0764197711 $18.99 www.barronseduc.com

Golden Retrievers joins others in the 'Barron's Dog Bibles' series, includes a bonus DVD on training a dog, and outlines everything from what to look for when initially choosing a puppy to understanding the retriever temperament, its health needs, and how to train it. Charts and color photos throughout make the coverage key to any golden retriever owner; especially newcomers to the breed.

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

Kenneth J. Drobatz & Merilee F. Costello's FELINE EMERGENCY & CRITICAL CARE MEDICINE (9780813823119, $94.99) is designed as a quick-access manual for vets responding to feline emergencies, and thus provides a quick outline format packed with enough detail to cover the basic clinical principles of each disease and condition. It's the first to narrow the focus solely to feline-specific emergency care, and provides all the details needed for quick action and treatments. Also recommended is Judith Joyce's NOTES ON SMALL ANIMAL DERMATOLOGY (9781405134972, $68.99), a fine survey joining others in the 'Notes on' series of vet's details. This holds a quick reference format designed to locate details fast, is packed with color photos throughout to aid in diagnosis, and includes diagrams and solutions to common small animal diseases and underlying conditions. Vet students and new practitioners alike will find this essential. Bradley Viner's SUCCESS IN VETERINARY PRACTICE: MAXIMISING CLINICAL OUTCOMES AND PERSONAL WELL-BEING (9781405169509, $51.99) provides a fine survey of success in veterinary practice and what it means. From achieving goals in a vet career and reflecting on work and persona life to developing professional values and improving clinical performance, this packs in chapters linking leadership qualities with positive clinical experiences. No vet's collection should be without these key manuals!

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
222 Berkeley St., Boston MA 02116
www.hmhbooks.com

Nicholas Dodman, NVMS, with Lawrence Lindner, Editors's GOOD OLD DOG: EXPERT ADVICE FOR KEEPING YOUR AGING DOG HAPPY, HEALTHY, AND COMFORTABLE (9780547232829 $26.00) provides dog owners a fine survey of how to handle the older dog's needs to assure healthy aging. This offers the accumulated knowledge of an entire group of board-certified specialists concerned with aging dog care, and covers everything from nutrition and how to evaluate complicated procedures to identifying cognitive decline and managing it. General lending libraries will find this a popular pick and also will want to choose Andrew O'Hagan's THE LIFE AND OPINIONS OF MAF THE DOG, AND OF HIS FRIEND MARILYN MONROE (9780151013722, $24.00). This title blends humor and animal insights with a memoir of Marilyn Monroe's dog Mafia Honey. Maf was with Marilyn the last two years of her life: this blends pop culture, a dog's observations of Hollywood, and elements of the novel in a quirky, fun read for pet owners, Hollywood fans, and any who want a different kind of pop culture observation piece.

Dogwise Publishing
403 S. Mission St., Wenatchee, WI 98801
www.dogwise.com

Pat Miller, CPDT-KA, CDBC's DO OVER DOGS: GIVE YOUR DOG A SECOND CHANCE FOR A FIRST CLASS LIFE (9781929242696, $17.95) provides an excellent survey discussing the 'do-over dog' and comes from a trainer who has spent her life working with shelter and family dogs alike. Here she shares keys to positive dog training processes that give pets a fine life and revises their negative behavior patterns. From using the 'honeymoon period' to advantage for a new pet to handling common problem behaviors, this is packed with strategies for new owners. Similar and equally important for novice trainers is Terry Ryan's THE TOOLBOX FOR BUILDING A GREAT FAMILY DOG (9781929242795, $16.95) provides families with all tools needed to train a dog. The family dog is the focus here - which includes interactions between kids and the dog, the entire family's training skills, and more. James O'Hare's SEPARATION DISTRESS AND DOGS (9780973836950, $23.95) provides a positive workbook for assessing and changing separation distress-related behaviors exhibited by dogs. An easily-followed behavior change program is provided for professional behavior consultants, with chapters covering behavior project management and therapies that work. O'Heare's THE DOG AGGRESSION WORKBOOK (9780973836936, $23.95) provides a fine guide for owners of dogs who act aggressively. The workbook provides a systematic, reinforcement-based approach to changing such behaviors, offering clearly-defined strategies and tools needed to address all kinds of aggression. These are fine recommendations for trainers and general lending libraries alike!


The Biography Shelf

Titanic Thompson: The Man Who Bet on Everything
Kevin Cook
W.W. Norton
500 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10110
9780393071153 $24.95 www.wwnorton.com

Titanic Thompson: The Man Who Bet on Everything provides a powerful biography of a legendary gambler and con man who was born poor in the Ozarks and became a millionaire on poker and dice games. He married five times, killed five men, and won and lost his millions - and his biography is a powerful survey of a fascinating man operating in frontier America.


The Health/Medicine Shelf

Sleep Disorders Sourcebook, third edition
Sandra J. Judd, Editor
Omnigraphics
Box 31-1640, Detroit, MI 48231-1640
9780780810846 $95.00 www.omnigraphics.com

The third updated edition of Sleep Disorders Sourcebook provides general lending libraries and health collections alike with an outstanding reference showing how nearly fifty million Americans suffer from sleep problems. It covers all common sleep disorders and health problems that affect sleep patterns, and holds the latest research on how to prevent and treat sleep disorders. Material collected from government agencies, nonprofits and periodicals alike assure this is a winning presentation.

A Patient's Guide to Heart Rhythm Problems
Todd J. Cohen, MD, FACC, FHRS
Johns Hopkins University Press
2715 N. Charles St., Baltimore, MD 21218
9780801897757 $16.95 www.press.jhu.edu

A Patient's Guide to Heart Rhythm Problems provides an easy guide recommended for any general lending library's health connection. It provides tips for any with heart rhythm problems (arrhythmias) and covers diagnosis, treatment, and when different kinds of therapies are indicated. Tables highlight key details, patient narratives provide personal insights into tests and decision-making processes, and this book comes from a professor who has many director positions to his name.

Jones & Bartlett
40 Tall Pine Drive, Sudbury, MA 01776
www.jbpub.com

Y.H. Hui's MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY BASICS: PROGRAMMED INSTRUCTION (9780763766184, $49.95) offers a key guide to medical terminology designed to help students with little or no formal training in medical language. Chapters are arranged according body system and include review exercises, a step-by-step self-programmed course, and keys to repetitive learning to build on skills. A 'must' for any medical student and any college-level collection catering to them! Also a 'must' is Donald J. Griffin's HOSPITALS: WHAT THEY ARE AND HOW THEY WORK (9780763791094, $72.95) appears in its fourth updated edition to provide college-level health students through the maze of the modern acute-care hospital. From a history of hospitals and health care to roles of staff, physicians, nurses and administration, this offers an analysis of every part of the hospital organization and is key to understanding the health industry's processes and routines.

Prescription Painkillers
Marvin D. Seppala, MD with Mark Rose, MA
Hazelden Foundation
PO Box 11, Center City, MN 55012-0011
9781592859016 $17.95 www.hazelden.org

PRESCRIPTION PAINKILLERS: HISTORY, PHARMACOLOGY, AND TREATMENT provides a fine survey joining others in the 'Library of Addictive Drugs', offering a well-researched book on the impact of painkiller abuse on a personal and social level. From different kinds of prescription drug abuse to brain changes caused by addiction and the marketing of different prescription drugs, this provides an excellent and detailed reference by type of prescription drug for any interested in prescription drug addiction and recovery.


The Psychology Shelf

The Impact of Attachment
Susan Hart
W. W. Norton
500 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10110
9780393706628 $42.50 www.wwnorton.com

The Impact of Attachment is a fine pick for any psychology collection, blending theories of neurobiology, attachment and interpersonal relationships to provide therapist with a lively survey of the latest approaches to working with clients. From new brain/mind and biology research findings to developing an interactive, neurobiological perspective to help clients, this explores the importance of attachment within the therapeutic relationship and offers case stories from the author's own clinical experience. College-level collections strong in psychology need this!


The Christian Studies Shelf

Stronger
Brian "Head" Welch
HarperOne
c/o Harper San Francisco
353 Sacramento St., Suite 500, San Francisco CA 94111-3653
9780061555824 $22.99 www.harperone.com

STRONGER: FORTY DAYS OF METAL AND SPIRITUALITY offers a fine autobiography that tells of the author's life with Christ. It comes from the former lead guitarist for the hard-rock band Korn and shares his spiritual transformation from a drug-addicted rock musician to Christianity. His original story was told in SAVE ME FROM MYSELF: this continuation writes about the scripture that helped him understand God.

Common Prayer
Shane Claiborne, et.al.
Zondervan Publishing House
5300 Patterson Avenue, S.E., Grand Rapids, MI 49530
9780310326199 $24.99 www.zondervan.com

COMMON PRAYER; A LITURGY FOR ORDINARY RADICALS considers how various liturgical traditions pray and offers a survey of prayer that will help the church be one. This universal prayer book approach allows readers to join together to celebrate dates and Christian heroes in church history, offering a unifying set of psalms, quotes and celebrations accessible to a wide audience.

The Christian Delusion: Why Faith Fails
John W. Loftus, Editor
Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2119
9781616141684 $21.00 www.prometheusbooks.com

The Christian Delusion: Why Faith Fails offers an anthology of recent criticisms aimed at Christian belief and comes from a former evangelical minister and apologist who became an atheist. Here are articles by leading skeptics expanding themes introduced in his prior WHY I BECAME AN ATHEIST, offering a defense of his 'outsider's test of faith' and arguing that believers should test their faith with skeptical standards they often apply to other faiths. Any spirituality library needs this.

Real Presence
Sister Wendy Beckett
Orbis Books
Price Bldg, Box 302, Maryknoll, NY 10545
9781570758980 $25.00 www.orbisbooks.com

REAL PRESENCE: IN SEARCH OF THE EARLIEST ICONS covers the extended journey of Sister Wendy Beckett in search of icons of Jesus and the saints in remote churches and monasteries. These were some of the few to survive the destruction of icons in the early eighth century: black and white and color photos accompany a fine history chronicling Sister Wendy's journey and artistic and spiritual discoveries.


The Metaphysical Studies Shelf

Beyond Happiness
Ezra Bayda
Shambhala
300 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston, MA 02115
9781590308257 $21.95 www.shambhala.com

BEYOND HAPPINESS: THE ZEN WAY TO TRUE CONTENTMENT comes from a Zen teacher who provides the teachings and practices needed to learn to gain real happiness. Most happiness comes from seeking satisfaction in things external to us: BEYOND HAPPINESS focuses on the internal condition and tells how to look inward to find a deeper satisfaction. New age and general collections alike will relish this!

The Lifeboard
Sue Shifrin-Cassidy, et.al.
Chronicle Books
680 - 2nd St., San Francisco CA 94107
9780811876384 $22.95 www.chroniclebooks.com

The Lifeboard is a simple concept: by collaging life goals and using visualization techniques, you can help solidify and invite change into your life. This package pairs an illustrated book and journal with a hangable 14x20 inch board, motivational stickers, mini storage envelopes for secret wishes, and storage pocks for photos, clippings and other keys to success. While not appropriate for library lending, it's a top pick for new age readers seeking a guided path for positive self-assessment and change!

The Guru in You
Yogi Cameron Alborzian
HarperOne
c/o HarperCollins
353 Sacramento St. #500, San Francisco CA 94111-3653
9780061898037 $25.99 www.harperone.com

THE GURU IN YOU: UNLOCK THE POWERS OF HEALTH AND HEALING WITHIN provides a fine program for rejuvenating body and soul, and comes from the first male supermodel in the fashion industry. He decided to leave the demanding world of high fashion with all its values at the height of his popularity and investigated yoga, meditation and Ayurvedic healing. The results changed his life and after years of study he now works with Hollywood celebrities and company executives with the program he presents here. Benefits of each exercise stretch and position accompany notes on safety in a recommendation for new age and general collections alike!


The Photography Shelf

The Photoshop Elements 9 Book for Digital Photographers
Scott Kelby and Matt Kloskowski
New Riders
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300, Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
0321741331 $49.99 www.newriders.com

The Photoshop Elements 9 Book for Digital Photographers teaches secrets of how professionals retouch photos, use color correction, handle Camera Raw, and sharpen digital products. This focus on Elements 9 provides fine work-arounds for digital manipulation - and it assumes readers have a prior, solid grounding in the basics. This means that the color screenshots and examples are perfect keys to success for those who want to advance their existing skills, offering insights and specifics tailored to neo-pros who want to refine their photography manipulation skills.

Amherst Media
170 Rano St., Suite 200, Buffalo, NY 14207
www.amherstmedia.com

Doug Box's FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY: ON- AND OFF-CAMERA TECHNIQUES FOR DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHERS (9781608952588, $34.95) tells how to avoid the common pitfalls of using small light sources, and tells how to control camera flash using sync cords, slaves, and wireless triggers. From understanding differences between automatic and manual flash results to handling metering, exposure, and working with flash in mixed lighting, this is packed with fine keys to photographic success. Bill Hurter's WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER'S HANDBOOK, 2ND EDITION (9781608952625, $34.95) comes from the editor of Rangefinder and goes behind the scenes with some of the world's top wedding photographers to learn their secrets for success. Images, ideas, and keys to everything from planning a shoot to designing an album makes for a powerful survey of digital workflow techniques that incorporate the latest wedding photography trends and equipment. Digital photographers will find this a 'must'. Also recommended is Michelle Perkins' 500 POSES FOR PHOTOGRAPHING MEN: A VISUAL SOURCEBOOK FOR DIGITAL PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHERS (9781608952700, $34.95) is packed with images by some of the world's most accomplished portrait photographers and provides a resource for photographers seeking inspiration for their own work. New poses, discussions of how they can be achieved, and numerous color shots on every page capture men in all kinds of poses making for a top recommendation for any neo-professional's collection - and a refreshing change from the typical focus on women.


The Military Shelf

This Time We Win
James S. Robbins
Encounter Books
900 Broadway #601, New York NY 10003
9781594032295 $25.95 www.encounterbooks.com

THIS TIME WE WIN: REVISITING THE TET OFFENSIVE provides an outstanding survey analyzing the flawed Tet mythology of the Vietnam era, and re-examines the Tet Offensive. Any military collection strong in Vietnam needs this: it analyzes the battles and their impact using themes of terrorism, war crimes, leadership breakdown and media bias alike, offering an analysis that often vastly differs from popular explorations.

Osprey Publishing
4402 - 23rd St. Suite 219, Long Island City, NY 11101
www.ospreypublishing.com

Stephen Ransom and Hans-Hermann Cammann's JAGDGESCHWADER 400 (9781846039751 $25.95) provides a military history of an elite group formed for the sole purpose of flying the rocket-powered ME 163. The massive plane had a big psychological impact upon the Allies and influenced the future of jet fighter development around the world. This tells the story of the ME 163 and the German pilots who flew them, offering rare photos, first-hand accounts, and a dramatic history from two experts. Any serious World War II collection must have this! World War I collections will find important Steven J. Zaloga's FRENCH TANKS OF WORLD WAR I (9781846035135, $17.95), an excellent survey that offers insights on the design, construction and history of early French armor developments and designs. This joins others in the New Vanguard histories of military machines and is an outstanding survey. Marco Mattioli's 53 DEGREE STORMO (9781846039775, $25.95) joins others in the Aviation Elite Units series, discussing the Stormo plane and its deployment. The history of the 1936-developed fighter makes for a key set of aviation victory insights of World War II and is illustrated throughout with period photos, plane profiles and full-color illustrations. Recently revealed archival material sets this apart from any other consideration - none of which offer the depth of detail of this survey. Chris Bucholtz's MUSTANG ACES OF THE 357TH FIGHTER GROUP (9781846039850,$22.95) joins others in Osprey's 'Aircraft of the Aces' series, this covering the Mustangs who produced more aces than any other unit in the USAAF during the second world war. Histories of the aircraft, the pilots who flew them, and the missions they embarked upon make for a fine blend of aircraft and military history, with first-hand accounts and extensive archival photos enhancing the coverage.


The Theatre/Cinema Shelf

Riding the Alligator
Pen Densham
Michael Wiese Publications
12400 Ventura Blvd. #1111, Studio City, CA 91604
9781932907841 $24.95 www.mwp.com

RIDING THE ALLIGATOR: STRATEGIES FOR A CAREER IN SCREENPLAY WRITING (AND NOT GETTING EATEN) explores screenwriting techniques and comes from a Hollywood filmmaker who documents the secrets of a successful career that have helped him through 14 feature films and numerous TV series. Ideas on overcoming common challenges to successful writing offers his discoveries plus short essays from other top successful Hollywood screenwriters.


The Audiobook Shelf

Brilliance Audio
PO Box 887, Grand Haven, MI 49417
www.brillianceauido.com

Roger Zelazany's THIS IMMORTAL (1441875018, $29.99) receives a fine performance by Victor Devine, who brings to life the story of Conrad, who has a rich personal history and a new arts commissioner job: to escort an alien ambassador on a guided tour of what remains of Earth. Intrigue adds to the mix and complicates his role in this fine science fiction tale. Christine Feehan's WILD FIRE (1441815295, $29.99) receives an excellent performance by veteran narrator Phil Gigante as it tells of Conner Vega, who retains to the panama rain forest as a lethal member of the shifter tribes. His encounter of a woman who is also a shifter - and who has never forgiven his transgressions - makes for a tense and thrilling account of deadly danger in the gripping audio saga. Three Jack Higgins audios are top picks for any audio collection interested in thrillers: all feature veteran narrator Michael Page's smooth and dramatic voice, which lends both excitement and uniformity to the listener's experience. EYE OF THE STORM (1441838856, $29.99) tells of former IRA allies Sean and Martin, who have chosen opposite paths since their employment. Sean is a terrorist for hire, Martin is one who knows him well. Both are exceptionally skilled in espionage in this riveting saga. THE EAGLE HAS LANDED (1441843604, $29.99) tells of an elite fighter unit gathered to thwart an enemy mission during World War II, and is packed with cat-and-mouse twists and turns of plot throughout as it describes a Nazi plan to kidnap Churchill on British soil. THUNDER POINT (1441838775, $29.99) is also set during the war, when Nazi leader Martin flees South America and terrorist Sean is employed to help the British government retrieve Martin's documents. Jack Higgins' ON DANGEROUS GROUND (1441838937, $29.99) is centered around Hong Kong's uncertain future and tells of a secret document that could delay the Chinese takeover and affect world governments. Michael Page also lends his smooth voice to this espionage thriller. All are highly recommended audio picks!

Hachette Audio
237 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017-0010
www.hachetteaudio.com

James Patterson & Michael Ledwidge's TICK TOCK (9781607888796 $34.98) receives a fine dual narration by Bobby Cannavale and Scott Sowers and whose combined, powerful voices bring to life the story of a killer's countdown, a detective pulled from his vacation with his ten adopted kids to solve the crimes, and the threat that reaches into his own home life from the 'Tick Tock Killer'. Suspense and twists and turns of plot make for a top pick for any audio library. Also tops is James Patterson and Ned Rust's WITCH & WIZARD: THE GIFT (9781607886747, $22.98), narrated by Peter Giles, Spencer Locke and Elijah Wood whose fine film and TV credits and dramatic acting voices bring to life the story of a dangerous leader of a new order set upon locating and kidnapping Whit and Wisty Allgood, who have unusual abilities that could change the world. An effort to capture and corrupt their Gifts holds implicates for any with gifts in this riveting drama.


The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

Prey on Patmos: An Aegean Prophecy
Jeffrey Siger
Poisoned Pen Press
6962 E. First Ave Suite 103, Scottsdale, AZ 85251
9781590587669 $24.95 www.poisonedpenpress.com

Prey on Patmos: An Aegean Prophecy tells of a Greek Aegean peninsula where twenty monasteries reflect an unchanged way of life. When a monk from the island's monastery is murdered in Patmos' town square during Easter week, it's up to Chief Inspector Andres Kaldis to find the killer - unearthing a dangerous scandal in the process. A powerful story of Greek politics and intrigue emerges, perfect for any mystery collection.

Obsidian
c/o Penguin Publishing Group
375 Hudson St., New York NY 10014
www.penguin.com

The Obsidian imprint offers a wide range of mysteries suitable for any general mystery lending library, and six new releases offer special recommendations. Amanda Lee's STITCH ME DEADLY (9780451232519, $6.99) tells of Marcy, who opens an embroidery specialty shop only to find herself facing a deadly killer. An antique piece of embroidery brings murder to the forefront in this fine thriller. Ellen Byerrum's SHOT THROUGH VELVET (9780451232502, $7.99) provides a fine 'crime of fashion' mystery as it tells of a fashion reporter's survey of death and scandal in a small town. Her investigation of the Velvet Avenger provides a gripping fashion industry mystery. Sofie Kelly's CURIOSITY THRILLED THE CAT (9780451232496, $6.99) tells of a small town librarian and her two new cats, affected by a small town murder that involves them all in investigation of the prime suspect - and brings Kathleen to suspect her cats are truly magical. Mary Kennedy's STAY TUNED FOR MURDER (9780451232359, $6.99) TELLS OF Maggie, a Florida radio talk show psychologist who is still learning about radio and her profession - until a murder involves her in a time capsule's opening. Victoria Laurie's GHOULS, GHOULS, GHOULS (9780451231970, $7.99) provides a satisfying paranormal mystery as it tells of M.J. and the crew of her cable TV show, who explore haunted castle ruins only to find ghostly murder follows the ghostbusters. An excellent paranormal mystery evolves. J.J. Murphy's MURDER YOUR DARLINGS (9780451231994, $6.99) tells of a charming writer who becomes a murder suspect, and Dorothy's detective work to ascertain his innocence. A new series revolving around a nosy investigator adds whimsy and drama to the story. All are top mystery collection additions.

Berkeley Prime Crime
375 Hudson St., New York NY 10014
www.penguin.com

Kaye Morgan's CELEBRITY SUDOKU (9780425238271, $6.99) tells of the scenic small Oregon town of Maiden's Bay and Liza's challenging Sudoku puzzles, which compliment her sharp detective's brain and eye for trouble. An earthquake and a missing celebrity add to her issues in this powerful story. Hannah Dennison's THIEVES! (9780425239278, $7.99) tells of silver thefts in a small town and an investigative journalist, Vicky Hill, who must figure out the culprits. Gypsies and murder blend in this fine saga. Toni L.P. Kelner's BLAST FROM THE PAST (9780425239902, $7.99) tells of Tilda, who finds herself chasing after a star during a small town filming. Her privy information on a secret turns dangerous when a murder attempt makes her the only one with inside knowledge. Merline Lovelace's CATCH HER IF YOU CAN (9780425239254, $7.99) tells of Lieutenant Samantha Spade and her team, who are testing a dog robot for military use when it leads them to a gruesome murder with puzzling results. FBI involvement, a reward, and dangerous technology mingle in this powerful mystery. Mary Stanton's ANGEL'S VERDICT (9780425239872, $7.99) tells of a celestial advocate who handles appeals for condemned souls, but who wants to return to practicing law amongst the living. Her role in a small town production leads straight into sabotage and murder in this riveting thriller. Lila Dare's POLISHED OFF (9780425239865, $7.99) includes organic skin-care recipes as it is set in a beauty parlor and tells of Violetta's salon and an opportunity to become a stylist for a pageant. Angry protestors and murder complicate the process. Lorraine Bartlett's A CRAFTY KILLING (9780425239858, $7.99) offers a new series, 'Victoria Square', and tells of Katie, who becomes a business manager only to find her business partner murdered. Her investigation of her partner's murder turns up more dangerous keys and implicates her in crime in this tense thriller. Christy Evans' DRIP DEAD (9780425239896, $6.99) has a female plumber's apprentice involved in a murder where a dead real estate mogul is found under her mother's house. Soon Georgiana's mother is arrested for murder - and it's up to Georgiana to clear her mother's name. All are powerful mysteries any lending library will welcome!


The Antiques/Collectibles Shelf

A Guide Book of United States Paper Money, third edition
Arthur L. and Ira S. Friedberg
Whitman Publishing
3101 Clairmont Rd Suite C, Atlanta, GA 30329
9780794832407 $24.95 www.whitmanbooks.com

A GUIDE BOOK OF UNITED STATES PAPER MONEY: COMPLETE SOURCE FOR HISTORY, GRADING, VALUES appears in an updated third edition to pack in all the latest values, and is a top pick for any collector or dealer needing the latest currency series values. Market valuations are compiled from recent sale and auction records and analysis of the paper money field from hobby experts, with hundreds of notes pictured in full color, front and back. Simply invaluable!


The Sports Shelf

Human Kinetics
Box 5076, Champaign, IL 61825-5076
www.humankinetics.com

The second updated edition of Gil Fred, et.al.'s SPORT FINANCE (0736067701, $70.00) provides students with a fine survey of financial management in sports, and is for any college-level student or physical education teacher involved in sport management and finance. It covers the basics of finance to teach students ethical guidelines, time and money values, and more, offering updated examples, references and case studies. Students new to sport finance concepts receive chapter objectives, tables and summaries in a step-by-step progressive learning course in a book. Instructors receive ancillary materials to make concepts easier for students in this recommendation for any college-level sports education collection. General collections as well as cyclers looking for a basic guide will find editor Andy Clarke's SMART CYCLING: PROMOTING SAFETY, FUN, FITNESS, AND THE ENVIRONMENT (0736087176, $29.00) presents all the information needed to teach new or returning cyclists how to choose a bike, gear, and how to use it. From road safety to repairs and maintenance, this includes a DVD of four videos that can be shown to help reinforce and visualize the skills taught here. Denise L. Smith and Bo Fernhall's ADVANCED CARDIOVASCULAR EXERCISE PHYSIOLOGY (0736073922, $69.00) details the effect of chronic exercise training on each part of the cardiovascular system. Intended for in-depth college-level sports and health collections, this provides details on the beneficial results of exercise on the entire system and is intended for trainers and educators who want a thorough understanding of exercise science and its medical impact. Riva L. Rahl's PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND HEALTH GUIDELINES (0736079432, $49.00) provides a fine collection of the latest health recommendations from various leading sources and provides a fine resource packed with specific activity recommendation for people with diabetes, asthma, and more. The individual options in an exercise routine are discussed with a key to integrating physical activity recommendations into a general health program.


The Comix/Graphic Novel Shelf

Sal Buscema: Comics' Fast & Furious Artist
Jim Amash with Eric Nolen-Weathington
TwoMorrows Publishing
10407 Bedfordtown Dr., Raleigh NC 27614
1605490210 $26.95 www.twomorrows.com

Sal Buscema: Comics' Fast & Furious Artist offers a fine survey essential for any comic history or graphic novel collection. It pairs black and white comic reproductions of Sal Buscema's works with a series of interviews with Sal Buscema discussing his influences, specific sketching choices, and more. Any fan of this Marvel Comics illustrator will find this survey key to understanding his art.

Too Much Crazy
Tom Tomorrow
Soft Skull Press
9781593764104 $14.95 www.softskull.com

Too Much Crazy provides the fine political cartoons of Tom Tomorrow, whose This Modern World has produced some of the funniest commentary on politics in the country. This anthology gathers his work from 2008 to present, adds previously unseen works, and covers the drama of the presidential election and Obama's first year in office.


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


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