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California Bookwatch

Volume 8, Number 5 May 2013 Home | CALBW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Fashion Shelf Art Shelf
Native American Studies Shelf Architecture Shelf Photography Shelf
Fiction Shelf Mystery/Suspense Shelf Cookbook Shelf
Business Shelf Jobs/Career Shelf Biography Shelf
Education Shelf Military Shelf Woodworking Shelf
Crafts Shelf Agricultural Shelf Needlecraft Shelf
Travel Shelf Metaphysical Studies Shelf Computer Shelf
Railroading Shelf Automotive Shelf Fantasy/SciFi Shelf
Health/Medicine Shelf Christian Studies Shelf Pets/Wildlife Shelf
Mathematics Shelf Genealogy Shelf Music Shelf
Social Issues Studies Shelf Comix/Graphic Novel Shelf Science Shelf
Environmental Studies Shelf Literary Studies Shelf Gaming Shelf
Sports Shelf Audiobook Shelf Library DVD Shelf
Writing/Publishing Shelf Theatre/Cinema Shelf World History Shelf
Parenting Shelf California Shelf  


Reviewer's Choice

Random Acts of Kindness Then & Now
Editors at Conari Press
Conari Press
c/o Red Wheel/Weiser
65 Parker Street, Suite 7
Newburyport, MA 01950-4600
9781573245876, $14.95, www.redwheelweiser.com

Random Acts of Kindness Then & Now is republished in a 20th anniversary edition that includes the original Random Acts plus new stories, and documents the evolution of a simple idea: that the world can be changed by one kind thing done every day. Such kindnesses can be anonymous or not - and as simple as smiling at a too-busy clerk or helping a neighbor in need. From sharing wealth to kindness after a loss, this documents many different kind acts and reinforces the notion that anyone can make a difference. Very highly recommended for any who would cultivate a giving heart.

Floating World
Brigitte Carnochan
Hudson Hills Press
3556 Main Street, Manchester, VT 05254
9781555953805, $55.00, www.hudsonhillspress.com

Floating World: Allusions to Poems by Japanese Women of the 7th - 20th Centuries is a pick for literature and arts holdings alike, as well as collection strong in Japanese culture and women's issues, and pairs a fine gathering of photography by Brigitte Carnochan with lovely poems by women. This pairing is presented in an oversized artistic title packed with lovely poetic and artistic associations. By including poems by Japanese women from the 7th through 20th centuries, this creates a lovely juxtaposition between poem and works of art, and is highly recommended both as an art piece and for any interested in women's works.

Exploding the Phone
Phil Lapsley
Grove Press
c/o Grove/Atlantic, Inc.
841 Broadway, 4th floor
New York, NY 10003
9780802120618, $26.00, www.groveatlantic.com

Exploding the Phone: The Untold Story of the Teenagers and Outlaws Who Hacked Ma Bell provides a lively survey of the tinkerers and pranksters who turned AT&T's telephone system into a joke. Before smartphones or the personal computer, a group of teens, outlaws and geeks figured out how to hack the telephone system: the network had a flaw and once uncovered various groups exploited it. At once a history of the flaw, the hackings, and the birth of long-distance communications, this provides a lively survey of all, is based on original interviews and declassified documents, and is a top recommendation for all kinds of collections, from general interest holdings to those strong in telecommunications history and culture.

New York's Golden Age of Bridges
Antonio Masi
Fordham University Press
2546 Belmont Avenue
Bronx, NY 10458-5172
9780823240654, $34.95, www.fordham.edu

New York's Golden Age of Bridges provides powerful paintings by Antonio Masi accompanied by essays by Joan Marans Dim, and is a top recommendation for a range of collections, from arts libraries to transportation and New York history holdings. It explores New York City's nine major bridges, their artistic and cultural evolution, and their impact on bridgeworks and construction around the world, and it provides engineering as well as artistic perspectives on the bridges' construction processes. A 'must' for any collection with an interest in art, bridge engineering, and New York City history.

Transgressive Tales
Kay Turner & Paulene Greenhill, editors
Wayne State University Press
4809 Woodward Avenue
Detroit, MI 48201-1309
9780814334812, $29.95, www.wspress.wayne.edu

Transgressive Tales: Queering the Grimms is a pick for any college-level collection strong in either fairy-tale studies or gender and sexuality issues, and provides a series of scholarly essays analyzing the fairy tale and its underlying gender messages. It's based on historical scholarship and analysis of the Grimm texts and considers why the Grimms' tales remain relevant through the years. Any college-level collection strong in literary analysis and women's studies will find this a fine addition.

The Complete Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook: Dating & Sex
David Borgenicht, et.al.
Chronicle Books
680 Second Street, San Francisco, CA 94107
9781452116952, $22.95, www.chroniclebooks.com

The Complete Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook: Dating & Sex provides a comprehensive handbook for fielding the slings and arrows of romance, and packs in hundreds of scenarios from across the series plus dozens of new entries on romantic trysts gone bad. From losing a handcuff key or performing CPR to breaking up with your boss, this provides a range of frighteningly realistic modern scenarios - and how to get out of binds. Comedy pairs with practical considerations to make for a fine guide!

New York Nights
James T. & Karla L. Murray
Gingko Press
1321 Fifth Street, Berkeley, CA 94710
9781584235033, $65.00, www.gingkopress.com

The authors are professional photographers and their work has been critically applauded in the past, making New York Nights a fine, acclaimed documentary capturing all kinds of night scenes of the Big Apple. Pages packed with full-page color images explore all kinds of nighttime businesses, from the Apollo Theater to restaurants, record shops, diners and theaters. These are photographs celebrating New York life and history, including interviews with the businesses' owners and providing details about the evolution of business culture within the city. The combination of the two makes for a powerful visual and verbal celebration of New York City's business culture and its evolution, highly recommended for collections interested in urban art, New York City, or business.


The Fashion Shelf

The Wow Factor
Jacqui Stafford
Gotham Books
c/o Penguin Publishing USA
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
9781592407736, $25.00, www.penguin.com

Any collection strong in fashion design - which will include general-interest holdings as well as arts libraries - will consider the purchase of THE WOW FACTOR: INSIDER STYLE SECRETS FOR EVERY BODY AND EVERY BUDGET to be essential. You don't have to be rich or thin to look great - nor do fashion trends even need to be followed. TV style expert and fashion spokesperson Jacqui Stafford has been a beauty and fashion insider for many major magazines, and THE WOW FACTOR outlines eight style secrets in the process of teaching shopping methods and how to maximize what you own. Color photos accompany insider information on everything from common wardrobe challenges to shopping, and make for a fine guide to injecting more than a taste of 'wow' with each fashion choice, even on a limited budget with less than an ideal figure.

The Master of Us All
Mary Blume
Farrar Straus Giroux
18 West 18th Street, New York, NY 10011
9780374298739, $25.00, www.fsgbooks.com

THE MASTER OF US ALL: BALENCIAGA: HIS WORKROOMS, HIS WORLD comes from a world-famous designer whose fame was largely limited to the world of fashion design circles. He wanted little known about him - and hid to the point that some French journalists speculated about his very existence. Chapters provide an intimate revealing portrait of the man spiced by the perspective of Florette Chelot, the one woman who knew him well, worked with him for more than thirty years, and followed his pioneering design efforts. Her perspective lends a depth and drama to the biography of Balenciaga that makes it a biography not to be missed.


The Art Shelf

Painting Classic Portraits: Great Faces Step by Step
Luana Luconi Winner
North Light Books
c/o F+W Media
700 East State Street, Iola WI 54945
9781440321108, $29.99, www.artistsnetwork.com

Painting Classic Portraits: Great Faces Step by Step provides a set of easy techniques for creating realistic portraits and uses modern techniques to show how to capture physical likeness, personality, and subject's expressions. Here are tested, easily-followed techniques for facial shapes plus tips on how to capture them using a range of mediums, from watercolor and oils to sketches. Three start-to-finish paintings in oils and pastels show how to capture the images of females, males, adults and children alike. The step-by-step focus makes this a winning presentation highly recommended for any artistic endeavor.

Late Raphael
Tom Henry and Paul Joannides, Editors
Thames & Hudson
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110-0017
9780500970492, $65.00, www.thamesandhudsonusa.com

LATE RAPHAEL packs in over two hundred color illustrations and is published to coincide with a major exhibition at the Museo del Prado, focusing on the work of Raphael and his pupils from 1513 to his death in 1520. Nearly ninety later works include paintings, drawings and tapestry art and highlight the peak of his career, when his workshop methods were fully developed, technically adept, and unique to his approach. Any collection strong in the works of Raphael should consider this a definitive coverage of a lesser-covered period in the artist's life.


The Native American Studies Shelf

Kachinas and Ceremonial Dancers in Zuni Jewelry
Toshio Sei
Schiffer Publishing Ltd.
4880 Lower Valley Road, Atglen, PA 19310
9780764341670, $24.99, www.schifferbooks.com

Kachinas and Ceremonial Dancers in Zuni Jewelry is a top pick for arts and Native American holdings alike, and narrows its focus to Kachinas and Zuni jewelry. Color photos pack a survey of top artists, who provide their insights on inspiration and jewelry-making challenges in the process of exploring Zuni jewelry history and art as a whole. Color photos of contemporary pieces, works in museums and auction holdings, and more provide an excellent consideration of the origins and modern interpretations of Kachina and Ceremonial Dancer designs, profiling the works of Zuni artists from the 1940s through the 1960s. An outstanding pick for any Native American or jewelry arts holding!

Carrying On "Irregardless"
Martine J. Reid, Editor
Harbour Publishing
PO Box 219
Madeira Park, BC, Canada, V0N 2H0
0981234127, $24.95, www.harbourpublishing.com

Carrying On "Irregardless": Humour in Contemporary Northwest Coast Art provides a fine text by Peter Morin, Martine J. Reid and Mike Robinson discussing humor in Northwest Coast First Nations art, and accompanies a show mounted by the Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art in Vancouver. It's a color book edited by Reid packing in over 100 photos of artwork by nearly thirty Northwest Coast artists, and helps define aboriginal humor and the presence of wit in Native pieces from different eras. From a prehistoric Coast Salish bowl to a 1999 print, this offers a wide variety of examples of such humor and is a 'must' not just for arts holdings or Northwest history collections, but for those focusing on ethnic humor or Native American culture as a whole.


The Architecture Shelf

Experiments With Life Itself
Francisco Gonzalez de Canales
Actar-D
c/o ActarBirkhauser Distribution
151 Grand Street, 5th floor
New York, NY 10013
9788492861651, $44.95, www.actar-d.com

Experiments With Life Itself analyzes five projects of domestic radical architecture built between the end of the 1930s and the end of the 1950s by architects and artists, and is a recommendation for any scholarly arts holding. These five selected architects experimented on their own homes during the second world war, and their experiments and evolving architectural styles come to life in a vivid combination of photos and discussion about their influences, the social and political atmosphere of their times, and the evolving changes the field of architecture experienced. A 'must' for any college-level architectural studies library.

Urgent Architecture
Bridgette Meinhold
W. W. Norton & Company
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110
9780393735587, $49.95, www.wwnorton.com

URGENT ARCHITECTURE: 40 SUSTAINABLE HOUSING SOLUTIONS FOR A CHANGING WORLD profiles some 40 successful emergency and long-term housing projects from shipping containers to sandbag homes, and provides a key reference for any interested in sustainable design using (or reusing) green materials. Successful structures profiled here outline methods still being developed but proven to be successful; each offering affordable, sustainable architecture. Color photos accompany color drawings and diagrams of interiors and exteriors, while text describes initial plans, architectural and social challenges, and more. Highly recommended!

Inspiration
Mark Muckenheim and Juliane Demel
BIS Publishers
Het Sieraad, Postjesweg 1, 1057 DT
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
9789063692674, $49.00, www.bispublishers.nl

INSPIRATION: CONTEMPORARY DESIGN METHODS IN ARCHITECTURE provides art collections with a fine guide showing how the application of abstract spatial patterns can be implemented across the three-dimensional project itself. It packs in color examples in pages appealing to architects, students and any interested in spatial patterns, and it focuses on modern architectural design specifics and how architectural style moves from the abstract to the specific. Any college-level architectural student or arts collection must have this fine survey!


The Photography Shelf

Plug in with Nik
John Batdorff
Peachpit Press
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300
Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
9780321839770, $34.99, www.peachpit.com

Plug in with Nik: A Photographer's Guide to Creating Dynamic Images with Nik Software comes from a professional photographer who provides step-by-step instructions for enhancing portraits, landscapes, and more using the Nik Software collection. From reducing digital noise using Dfine to creating better HDR images and creating presets, this pairs technical discussions of film types, settings, and options with color photos and examples throughout. All that's needed is basic camera skills and Nik Software to continue the journey from novice to professional, outlined in this guide.

Direction & Quality of Light
Neil van Niekerk
Amherst Media
175 Rano Street, Suite 200
Buffalo, NY 14207-2176
9781608955701, $29.95, www.amherstmedia.com

Photographers strong in mastering basics on light for producing not just acceptable but superior results will find Direction & Quality of Light a fine guide for determining the optimal position for natural light portraits, positioning differences for hard light and other sources, and how to use modifiers to adjust light quality. From using flash to mimic natural lighting results to using video lights and bounce flash, this is filled with keys to using any light source to produce amazing portraits, and packs in color photo examples throughout illustrating the use and fine-tuning of various flash resources. Highly recommended for any photographer who wishes to move beyond the basics.


The Fiction Shelf

Where'd You Go, Bernadette
Maria Semple
Back Bay Books/Little, Brown
c/o Hachette Book Group
237 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017
9780316204262, $14.99, www.hbgusa.com

Where'd You Go, Bernadette was one of 2012's funniest best-selling books and packed satire with a punch: its appearance in paperback will involve new audiences in observations of modern life, from modern parenting to technology, as it considers the relationship between quirky daughter Bee and her misanthropic mother Bernadette. Prepare for a hilariously fun read and many moving moments in this best-selling novel which is filled with fun from cover to cover, and highly recommended for any general lending library seeing popularity with humor and novels alike.

The Gilly Salt Sisters
Tiffany Baker
Grand Central Publishing
c/o Hachette Book Group
237 Park Avenue, 16th Floor, New York, NY 10017
9780446557290, $14.99, www.hachettebookgroup.com

The Gilly Salt Sisters captures small-town drama and volatile family relationships in a saga set in an isolated Cape Cod village where the Gilly sisters hold very different perspectives on life and their future. One is a quiet longer devoted to the family salt farm, while the other is determined to leave the farm. But the farm holds secrets, the community suspects the sisters of witchcraft, and when the town's wealthiest bachelor becomes enamored with both of them, trouble evolves. A captivating story line keeps readers immersed in romance and tragedy throughout, in a novel highly recommended for any fiction collection.

The Storyteller
Jodi Picoult
Simon and Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas, 14th fl.
New York, NY 10020
9781439102763, $28.99, www.simonandschuster.com

THE STORYTELLER is based on extensive research and provides a fine philosophical novel examining two parallel journeys through the Holocaust: one with a Jewish girl struggling to survive the camps; the other with a German boy who becomes an avid, evil Nazi. A 90-year-old beloved man finally confesses his background as an SS officer - and tells his story to authorities just as his young worker, Sage, discovers her grandmother is a survival of the Holocaust's most horrible camps. Brutality and inhumane actions lie at the heart of THE STORYTELLER, which considers both experiences during a devastating era: it's a discussion of evil at its most basic level, and is a gripping, vivid account for any looking for stark portrays of what factors influence the development of evil in people.

The Laughter of Carthage
Michael Moorcock
PM Press
PO Box 23912, Oakland, CA 94623
9781604864922, $23.00, www.pmpress.org

The Laughter of Carthage is the second novel in the 'Colonel Pyat' quartet, and as such as a recommended read for fans of the first book who want to continue the story begun in Byzantium Endures. Pyat's fled the Bolshevik Russia environment in 1919 and now embarks on daring adventure involving affairs with a baroness and a Greek prostitute even as he decides to build flying machines in Europe and the U.S. He's racist, anti-Semitic, and an addict - and his life filled with sordid affairs, flamboyant mannerisms and eventually a move to Hollywood. A romp through one man's ever-changing life makes for an engrossing novel and a 'must' for prior fans of Pyat's adventures.

Children of Liberty
Paullina Simons
William Morrow
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
10 East 53rd Street, New York, NY 10022-5299
9780062103239, $15.99, www.harpercollins.com

CHILDREN OF LIBERTY provides a satisfying prequel to Paullina Simons' acclaimed novel The Bronze Horseman, and here follows immigrant Gina's journey from Italy to Boston wearing only the clothes on her back. When she meets one Harry, love is instant but volatile as forces conspire to work against their romance. The clash of two very different worlds brings changes to everyone around them as they must forge new inroads in moral and ethical belief. It's a satisfying romance and the perfect recommendation for fans of The Bronze Horseman.


The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

Out of the Black Land
Kerry Greenwood
Poisoned Pen Press
6962 E. First Ave., #103, Scottsdale, AZ 85251
9781464200380, $24.95, www.poisonedpenpress.com

OUT OF THE BLACK LAND provides a powerful mystery set in 18th dynasty Egypt, which is peaceful and prosperous under the rule of two pharaohs until the young begins to have terrifying dreams. A young boy studying to be a scribe wants to live a simple life - but when he's appointed as a royal scribe he finds himself surrounded by bitter enemies. A child princess's lovely sister is married to an impotent young man but must bear royal children - so the court women decide on a radical approach that involves Mutnodjme in a shocking plot. All these elements come together to form a satisfying mystery set against the backdrop of ancient Egypt, entwining the lives of all in a masterfully erotic, powerful story line that keeps the reader engrossed to the end. Any mystery collection, particularly those strong in historical settings, will find OUT OF THE BLACK LAND a winner.

What Darkness Brings
C.S. Harris
Obsidian Mystery
c/o Penguin Group (USA)
375 Hudson Street
New York, NY 10014
9780451239273, $24.95, www.penguin.com

WHAT DARKNESS BRINGS provides a fine Sebastian St. Cyr mystery and is the eighth book in the series, set in Regency London in 1812. This one revolves around the death of a diamond merchant and St. Cyr and his new wife are drawn to drama when the husband of St. Cry's former lover is accused of the murder. With his involvement the ante is upped and the killer becomes more dangerous even as St. Cyr finds the stress is testing his new marriage in unexpected ways. Any fan of the series will find this a satisfying, riveting addition to any mystery collection; especially powerful for those who appreciate historical settings.

The Mask of Fu-Manchu
Sax Rohmer
Titan Books
144 Southwark Street, London SE1 OUP, UK
9780857686077, $9.95, www.titanbooks.com

The Mask of Fu-Manchu continues Titan Books' reprint of the fascinating thriller series and is a pick for any who want to read the complete series in new, updated paperback formats. Here Fu-Manchu journeys to Egypt where an archaeologist blows up his tomb discovery, a sect interprets the explosion as a sign of the prophet's second coming, and Dr. Fu-Manchu senses an opportunity to gain access to world-changing relics. International intrigue and danger emerges in a fine cat-and-mouse game between Fu-Manchu and others interested in the discovery and its wide-ranging implications. Collections seeing interest in the Fu-Manchu figure will relish this fine reprint.

Shadows on a Cape Cod Wedding
Lea Wait
Perseverance Press
c/o Daniel & Daniel, Publishers
PO Box 2790, McKinleyville, CA 95519
9781564745316, $15.95, www.danielpublishing.com

Shadows on a Cape Cod Wedding tells of antique print dealer Maggie, visiting Cape Cod to help her best friend move and get married. Murder and a hurricane conspire to darken her Cape Cod holiday, and when Maggie at last confronts her own boyfriend about a big issue looming, her life turns to a maelstrom of confusion and danger. A vivid, realistic setting and characters that immerse the reader in a series of lively twists and turns of mystery keep Shadows on a Cape Cod Wedding vivid and hard to put down. Mystery collections will find it a winning addition.

Sweet Tea Revenge
Laura Childs
Berkeley Prime Crime
c/o Penguin Group (USA)
375 Hudson Street
New York, NY 10014
9780425252888, $25.95, www.penguin.com

Sweet Tea Revenge includes recipes and tea time tips and provides a satisfying mystery centered around a tea shop. When Theodosia Browning's close friend Delaine Dish asks her to become a bridesmaid in her wedding, all goes well - until the groom is found dead on his wedding day. It's up to Theodosia to uncover the truth behind his demise, while staying one step ahead of a killer who might have her in his crosshairs, next. Any mystery collection will find this a fine addition.


The Cookbook Shelf

Betty Goes Vegan
Annie & Dan Shannon
Grand Central Publishing
c/o Hachette Book Group
237 Park Avenue, 16th Floor, New York, NY 10017
9781455509331, $26.99, www.grandcentrallifeandstyle.com

Betty Goes Vegan: 500 Classic Recipes for the Modern Family packs in some 500 recipes in a colorful cookbook debut that holds an oversized format, inviting color cover, and a range of comfort food done vegan-style to appeal to families who have not much experience cooking vegan. Imitating the inviting Betty Crocker style and image, this intends to prove that any recipe can be recreated to satisfy vegans and carnivores alike - and creates a tasty array of adaptations for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Pages of color photos compliment such dishes as Vegan Chicken Cordon Bleu Pizza, Brooklyn-Style Vegan Chicken-Fried Rice, and Citrus, Black Pepper and Cheese Cauliflower (made with vegan mozzarella cheese). The result is a colorful, easy and inviting cookbook that belongs in any collection appealing to newcomers to vegan cookery.

Pati's Mexican Table
Pati Jinich
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
215 Park Avenue South
New York, NY 10003
9780547636474, $30.00, www.hmhbooks.com

Pati's Mexican Table: The Secrets of Real Mexican Home Cooking provides an outstanding survey from a busy mother whose cookbook is for busy American moms, and sets out to prove that Mexican home cooking is actually very easy - and healthy. Her dishes are filled with flavor but not heat, they aren't high in fried or fatty techniques or ingredients, and they can be one-pot meals as well as full courses. From Mexican Meatballs with Mint and Chipolte to Rodrigo-Style Fish with cilantro and lime, color photos accompany a range of delightful Mexican dishes perfect for any busy home cook looking for something different.

Kitchen & Co.
French & Grace
Kyle Books
67 - 69 Whitfield Street
London, England, W1T 4HF
9781906868857, $22.95, www.kylebooks.com

KITCHEN & CO: COLORFUL HOME COOKING THROUGH THE SEASONS pairs color photos throughout with instructions on cooking foods for eight. Dishes range from colorful summer salads and homemade breakfast cereals to Lamb Chops with Baba Ghanoush, Banana Bread for teatime fare, and a cool Gazpacho soup. Because dishes are arranged by season, cooks are encouraged to make the most of seasonal ingredients. Highly recommended for any home cook who wants more of a focus on seasonally fresh ingredients to pair with weather.

Comfort Food Makeovers
America's Test Kitchen
America's Test Kitchen Publishers
www.americastestkitchen.com
9781936493425, $26.95, www.amazon.com

Lighter versions of comfort foods often cut out not only fats and calories, but flavor, so the editors and owners of America's Test Kitchen put their minds to creating revisions that aren't small or filled with strange substitutions. The result is a higher-quality comfort food makeover collection than most: one which slims down favorites without altering the much-loved traditional flavors of the dishes. High-fat ingredients are reduced by stretched for maximum results, while meaty flavors of meat dishes are enhanced without adding more meat. The attention to detail means that dishes such as Meat and Cheese Lasagna, Creole-Style Gumbo and even Cinnamon Rolls can be placed back on the 'acceptable foods' diet plan. And the best part is: All recipes have been tested so as to be foolproof!

Russ & Daughters
Mark Russ Federman
Schocken Books
c/o Random House
1745 Broadway, 17th floor
New York, NY 10019
9780805242942, $25.95, www.schocken.com

Russ & Daughters: Reflections and Recipes from the House That Herring Built comes from the former owner of the Manhattan store and offers a memoir of the immigrant family's evolution for a 1907 pushcart to becoming New York's most famous location for herring, liver and caviar. Joel Russ began peddling herring from a barrel shortly after his arrival in America from Poland. How he survived changes brought about by the Depression, World War II, and changing generations makes for a powerful story paired with recipes and filled with lively insights into family and New York culinary history as a whole. Very highly recommended!

Betty Crocker Cookbook Newlywed Edition
John Wiley
c/o Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
215 Park Avenue South
New York, NY 10003
9781118072233, $29.99, www.wiley.com

The classic Betty Crocker Cookbook in a Newlywed Edition will make for a fine gift choice, offering keys on setting up one's first kitchen and providing the entire Betty Crocker Cookbook plus a special section with recipes and tips just for newlyweds. Instructions for hosting one's first Thanksgiving meal to making a quick romantic dinner for two accompanies recipes packed with color photos throughout the book. This 11th edition represents the biggest update in 60 years, is loaded with new photography and new recipes, and is the perfect item of choice for novices: as a cookbook basic, it should be in every newlywed's kitchen.

One Pan, Two Plates
Carla Snyder
Chronicle Books
680 Second Street, San Francisco, CA 94107
9781452106700, $24.95, www.chroniclebooks.com

ONE PAN, TWO PLATES: MORE THAN 70 COMPLETE WEEKNIGHT MEALS FOR TWO pairs lovely color photos by Jody Horton with a solid discussion of making fresh, scratch weeknight meals - some 100 complete dinner - in a minimum of prep time. Each recipe uses fresh ingredients and easy techniques and can be prepared in one pan, with dishes ranging from pastas and grains to meats and seafoods. International influences are evident in many of the dishes such as Hungarian Beef Goulash and Thai Red Curry Chicken. The result is a solid pick highly recommended for any cookbook collection; particularly those appealing to busy cooks.

Homemade With Love
Jennifer Perillo
Running Press
2300 Chestnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103-4371
9780762447237, $27.50, www.runningpress.com

HOMEMADE WITH LOVE: SIMPLE SCRATCH COOKING FROM IN JENNIE'S KITCHEN pairs lovely color photos by Penny De Los Santos with a fine cookbook that places the concept of the homemade meal in context with a successful home. The author has a successful blog for time-strapped parents and has long promoted the concept of cooking from scratch, buying local and eating at home. After the death of her young husband, these concepts became even more important to her - and HOMEMADE WITH LOVE shows readers how to achieve much from a simple kitchen. From setting up a basic pantry and stocking a fridge and freezer to shortcuts to homemade cooking - such as using homemade baking mixes as the base for many treats - this offers fine fare for all meals, sweet or savory and plenty of culinary insights. A fine addition to any culinary collection appealing to busy, working parents!


The Business Shelf

Contagious: Why Things Catch On
Jonah Berger
Simon and Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas, 14th fl.
New York, NY 10020
9781451686579, $26.00, www.simonandschuster.com

Contagious: Why Things Catch On comes from a Wharton marketing professor who explores the intricacies of social influence, studying why certain New York Times articles make the Most Emailed List, why some products receive word-of-mouth attention and others don't, and how social influence shapes buying decisions and our world. Stories of such events are used to explain the science behind social transmission, discussing the six elements of popularity and what drives them. Business readers and general-interest readers alike will find this a fascinating survey.

Technology Tools for Today's High-Margin Practice
David J. Drucker and Joel P. Bruckenstein
Bloomberg Press
c/o Wiley Professional Trade Group
111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
9781118434765, $60.00, www.wiley.com/go/bloombergpress

Technology Tools for Today's High-Margin Practice: How Client-Centered Financial Advisors Can Cut Paperwork, Overhead, and Wasted Hours has been fully revised and updated to provide the latest technology advice from a range of experts. From non-biased, in-depth reviews of all CRM systems on the market to assessments of the pros and cons of the latest financial planning and portfolio management software and integrating client needs with new technologies, this packs in chapters on using programs, social media, the latest advances in financial planning thought, and much more. A 'must' for any business or financial planning collection!

Spreadable Media
Henry Jenkins, et.al.
New York University Press
838 Broadway, 3rd floor
New York, NY 10003
9780814743508, $29.95, www.nyupress.org

Spreadable Media: Creating Value and Meaning in a Networked Culture is a 'must' for any business that would keep up with changes in the modern media environment where big business no longer has a stranglehold on media distribution. It's a companion to Convergence Culture: Where Old and New Media Collide and it challenges old concepts describing modern media, considering the arena of media engagement, audience development, how value is created in social media circles, and what makes for a model of 'spreadable' content. Businesses receive specific examples from film, music, games, television and more, with chapters assuming participation in media content development. The result is a recommendation not just for media studies collections, but for any who would understand the business implications of media's evolving and changing systems.

Opting In
Ed Brill
IBM Press
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300
Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
9780133258936, $24.99, www.ibmpressbooks.com

OPTING IN: LESSONS IN SOCIAL BUSINESS FROM A FORTUNE 500 PRODUCT MANAGER tells how product managers at IBM are successfully using social business to build global communities, and teach the best practices for agility and business engagement. It comes in the form of a personal case study and autobiography considering how social business actually works, and comes from an IBM executive who shares experiences from his successful social business explorations. The result is a 'must' for any business holding.

Enough is Enough
Rob Dietz and Dan O'Neill
Berrett-Koehler Publishers Inc.
235 Montgomery Street, Suite 650
San Francisco, CA 94104-2916
9781609948054, $19.95, www.bkconnection.com

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH: BUILDING A SUSTAINABLE ECONOMY IN A WORLD OF FINITE RESOURCES offers a realistic alternative to the pursuit of ever-expanding economic growth, and considers an economy where the goal is enough, not more. From how to conserve natural resources and stabilize populations to creating jobs under a plan where 'enough' is the goal, this offers chapters linking profits to other than expansion. New ideas on changing the way we measure progress makes for a winning survey blending social change with revised business goals.

Business Models for the Social Mobile Cloud
Ted Shelton
John Wiley
c/o Wiley Professional Trade Group
111 River Street
Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
9781118369944, $39.95, www.wiley.com

Business Models for the Social Mobile Cloud teaches the basics of connecting cloud computing abilities with social mobile marketing strategies and comes from a managing director in PwC's U.S. Advisory practice. From the merging of physical and digital into a new direction to understanding the combined impact of social technologies and how the increasingly mobile Internet and cloud computing creates new business opportunities, this explores how the trend will affect prepared and unprepared companies alike, and how it will change industries. Business executives who would get a heads-up analysis of the future of cloud computing and business interactions will find this packed with invaluable examples and case histories.

Global Dexterity
Andy Molinsky
Harvard Business Review Press
60 Harvard Way, Boston, MA 02163
9781422187272, $25.00, www.hbr.org/books

GLOBAL DEXTERITY: HOW TO ADAPT YOUR BEHAVIOR ACROSS CULTURES WITHOUT LOSING YOURSELF IN THE PROCESS provides a serious analysis of what it means to be a global worker in the modern world, considering how behaviors need to be adapted to new cultural contexts to foster greater international communication. Business libraries strong in management will find this packed with details on managing and communicating with people from other cultures, focusing on the concept of 'global dexterity' and providing tools to remaining authentic while adapting behaviors to new cultural communication challenges. Over a decade of research and work with managers and executives form around the world lend to a title packed with specifics identify 'global dexterity' and showing how it can operate in an existing business structure or pursuit, making this a strong pick for any business collection; particularly those strong in international business and cultural relationships.

Red Thread Thinking
Debra Kaye
McGraw-Hill Professional
c/o The McGraw Hill Companies
Two Penn Plaza, 11th Floor
New York, NY 10121-2298
9780071808217, $28.00, www.mcgraw-hill.com

RED THREAD THINKING: WEAVING TOGETHER CONNECTIONS FOR BRILLIANT IDEAS AND PROFITABLE INNOVATION provides a fine account of innovation, its business applications and its wellspring and shows how insight may be fostered and developed. Other books tell how innovators translated ideas into products: this differs in showing where to seek inspiration for such ideas, how to create them, and how to nurture their growth and development. Five central threads invite readers to look beyond the box to develop innovative thinking processes, and make for a fine link between business success and developing the thought processes supporting it.


The Jobs/Career Shelf

This is How to Get Your Next Job
Andrea Kay
Amacom Books
1601 Broadway, New York, NY 10019
9780814432211, $16.00, www.amacombooks.com

This is How to Get Your Next Job: an Inside Look at What Employers Really Want shares why employers request highly qualified job seekers as new hires, and shows how to overcome these common obstacles to success. Job applicants often are rejected because of how they seem, based on behaviors exhibited before, during or after an interview. Impressions and actions at this time are key to the employment decision and often have little to do with what strengths are profiled on a resume. This book is all about identifying those impressions and being sure job seekers give a more positive impression of qualifications and confidence to prospective employers, identifying 17 core behaviors and attitudes employees seek in an ideal candidate. Any collection strong in job searching skills needs this!


The Biography Shelf

Lucky Me
Sachi Parker with Frederick Stroppel
Gotham Books
c/o Penguin Publishing USA
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
9781592407880, $27.00, www.penguin.com

LUCKY ME: MY LIFE WITH - AND WITHOUT - MY MOM, SHIRLEY MACLAINE provides a fine autobiography of Sachi's memories of her ever-changing life, which began at age two when her parents suddenly moved her to Japan to live with her father Steve Parker. Sachi was lied to for decades about the reason - until the truth came out, and rocked her world. By then her Japanese upbringing had taught her to be accepting, and with absent parents, Sachi grew to an uncertain adulthood filled with self-defeating relationships and choices. From being stranded in Europe at age 15 because her parents forgot to pick her up from boarding school to her mother's jealousy and the uncertainty surrounding her paternity, Sachi provides a vivid account of abuse, neglect, and one girl's desire to connect with her busy and absent parents. The result is a gripping saga, hard to put down and perfect for fans of Shirley MacLaine who want to learn more about her family life.

Lucy Parsons: An American Revolutionary
Carolyn Ashbaugh
Haymarket Books
PO Box 180165, Chicago, IL 60618
9781608462131, $16.00, www.haymarketbooks.org

Lucy Parsons: An American Revolutionary provides a fine biography considering her life and work at key points of U.S. history, from the end of slavery to the rise of American socialism. Chapters document how Parsons worked with her lifelong partner and Haymarket martyr Albert Parsons, involving herself in struggles for women's rights and people of color and working for labor rights and better working conditions. It's a fine recommendation for general biography, American history and American political and civil rights collections alike!

When Law Was in the Holster
John Boessenecker
University of Oklahoma Press
2800 Venture Drive, Norman, OK 73069
9780806142852, $34.95, www.oupress.com

When Law Was in the Holster: The Frontier Life of Bob Paul offers a fine biography of one of the great lawmen of the Old West, who was heavily involved in frontier law and order but today is recalled primarily for his friendship with Wyatt Earp and his involvement in the OK Corral gunfight. Here western historian John Boessenecker offers all the missing details, from Paul's childhood and adventures as a whaler in the South Pacific to the evolution of his involvement in Western affairs and law enforcement. The result is an in-depth account and the first biography of Bob Paul, making for a powerful account for any Western history collection.


The Education Shelf

Educating Latino Boys
David Campos
Corwin Press
2455 Teller Road
Thousand Oaks, CA 91320-2218
9781452235028, $39.95, www.corwin.com

EDUCATING LATINO BOYS: AN ASSET-BASED APPROACH comes from an educator who promotes higher education for Latino boys - and documents proven strategies to assure their success. From case histories of special challenges and how they were met to a progression of ideas on the education process, this teaches how to link Latino male cultural norms with educational objectives, showing how schoolwide and personal beliefs can meld successfully and showing how to develop strategies that motivate Latino boys to pursue higher education goals. The result is an ethnically-specific educator's guide perfect for any who work with Latino populations.

Poetry Mentor Texts
Lynne R. Dorfman and Rose Cappelli
Stenhouse Publishers
477 Congress Street, Suite 4B
Portland, ME 04101-3451
9781571109491, $21.00, www.stenhousepub.com

POETRY MENTOR TEXTS: MAKING READING AND WRITING CONNECTIONS, K-8 is built on the success of Mentor Texts and Nonfiction Mentor Texts and here discusses poetry using the same approach. Poems are used in reading and writing workshops and across content areas to explore a range of forms with applications for both reading and writing that can be used in every grade. From building fluency and vocabulary to phonemic awareness and more, this helps young students discover their poetic voices, try out forms, and better understand language as a whole. Teachers who want an approach to teaching the basics of poetry, literature, and writing will find this poetry-based discussion a winner.

Sensible Mathematics, second edition
Steven Leinwand
Heinemann
PO Box 6926, Portsmouth, NH 03802-6926
9780325043821, $27.50, www.heinemann.com

The second updated edition of Sensible Mathematics: A Guide for School Leaders in the Era of Common Core State Standards teaches the basics of providing leadership for school math programs and is designed for teacher leaders, math coaches and principals alike, telling how to make the shifts in instruction and assessment that meet the Common Core State Standards in Mathematics. By identifying specific transition points, Sensible Mathematics shows exactly where and how to make changes, using the latest technology and instruction tactics to maximum advantage.

Heinemann
Teaching STEM in the Early Years
Sally Moomaw, EdD
Redleaf Press
10 Yorkton Court, St. Paul, MN 55117-1065
9781605541211, $39.95, www.redleafpress.org

Teaching STEM in the Early Years: Activities for Integrating Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics is for any early childhood educator who wants to incorporate math and science into a classroom, and is filled with over eighty specific activities designed to support children's learning in the four STEM disciplines. It comes from an assistant professor of early childhood at the University of Cincinnati, and includes ideas for everything from how to create a learning center to structuring educational experiences from outdoor time and providing kids with quick activities and field trips. Any working with young children will find this a winner!


The Military Shelf

Fallen Timbers 1794
John F. Winkler
Osprey Publishing
4301 21st St, Suite 220B
Long Island City, NY 11101
9781780963754, $21.95, www.ospreypublishing.com

Fallen Timbers 1794: The US Army's First Victory receives fine illustrations by Peter Dennis and tells of one Major-General "Mad" Anthony Wayne, who organized and trained a new army in 1791, created by the Washington administration to defeat the Ohio Indians. Facing the specter of failure as demonstrated by many predecessors, Wayne had to devise whole new strategies to forge a successful campaign - and this history documents these efforts and a campaign which was ultimately a great success, defeating the Indians at Fallen Timbers - a victory which led to the 1795 Treaty of Greenville which ended some 20 years of conflict between Americans and the Ohio Indians. Military and U.S. history holdings alike will find this a gripping winner.

Damn Few
Rorke Denver and Ellis Henican
Hyperion Books
77 West 66th Street, New York, NY 10023-6298
9781401324797, $27.99, www.hyperionbooks.com

DAMN FEW: MAKING THE MODERN SEAL WARRIOR provides a fine account of SEAL training and experience and comes from a former Navy SEAL who spent fourteen years learning the ropes, leading all aspects of SEAL basic and advanced training. As such it provides an insider's guide to how SEAL soldiers are recruited, selected, motivated and deployed to become modern warriors. From the underlying psychology involved in training practices unique to SEAL soldiers to histories of strategies and events in which their participation made a difference, this is a fine account worthy of any military collection.

Vietnam Labyrinth
Tran Ngoc Chau with Ken Fermoyle
Texas Tech University Press
PO Box 41037, Lubbock, TX 79409-1037
9780896727717, $39.95, www.ttupress.org

VIETNAM LABYRINTH: ALLIES, ENEMIES, AND WHY THE U.S. LOST THE WAR blends a memoir with military history and offers an eye-opening account by one of the few Vietnamese Army officers who saw service in Ho Chi Minh's National Liberation Army. Chau changed sides after five years with the army while his brother remained loyal to the North, going with his Buddhist training and his disillusionment with communist philosophies. His decision would result in imprisonment and yet he continued to oppose the regime and remained dedicated to democratic principles. Even after the fall of Saigon he was imprisoned in a re-education camp. His account reveals many behind-the-scenes experiences in Vietnam and is a 'must' accompaniment to any serious military and social history collection discussing Vietnam culture and experience.


The Woodworking Shelf

Wild & Wacky Birdhouses and Feeders
Paul Meisel
Fox Chapel Publishing Company
1970 Broad Street N., East Petersburg, PA 17520
9781565236790, $19.95, www.foxchapelpublishing.com

Wild & Wacky Birdhouses and Feeders provides some eighteen colorful projects that add fun to a backyard setting and show how to make a zany, unique bird or squirrel feeder, or a birdhouse. From a player piano squirrel feeder to a cardinal design, John Deere tractor, whimsical houses and even a 'squirrelmobile', this pairs color photos with full-page templates and step-by-step directions that are easy to follow. From materials and paint lists to instructions on cutting, this is packed with amazing and different ideas perfect for any woodworker who wants to create something new.


The Crafts Shelf

Metallic Seed Bead Splendor
Nancy Zellers
Kalmbach Books
c/o Kalmbach Publishing Company
21027 Crossroads Circle, Waukesha, WI 53186
9780871164841, $19.95, www.kalmbachbooks.com

Metallic Seed Bead Splendor shows how to create nearly thirty jewelry pieces in gold, bronze, and pewter and supplements sections on stitching bead projects with hints for jewelry construction and more. Metallic seed beads are profiled in a range of designs that include using baroque pearls in a bracelet, making a necklace using twisted herringbone rope, and using resin beads in a weave. The result is a series of lovely jewelry creations no jewelry maker should be without.

Handbuilt Pottery Techniques Revealed
Jacqui Atkin
Barrons
250 Wireless Boulevard, Hauppauge, NY 11788
9781438001999, $24.99, www.barronseduc.com

Handbuilt Pottery Techniques Revealed shows what happens at different stages of the process of making pottery by hand, using cutaway photos to demonstrate hand positions for controlling clay and providing simple projects to reinforce the basic pottery skills. A new 32-page section offers color displays of various kinds of ceramics, while section drawings, diagrams and photos abound to provide thorough coverage of all the techniques. The narrowed focus on handbuilt pottery makes for a winning tutorial especially accessible by newcomers who want clear step-by-step color photo reinforcement.


The Agricultural Shelf

Hatching & Brooding Your Own Chicks
Gail Damerow
Storey Publishing
210 Mass MoCA Way
North Adams, MA 01247
9781612120140, $24.95, www.storey.com

Hatching & Brooding Your Own Chicks covers everything from chickens and ducks to geese and guinea fowl, and is a pick for any rural or farm-oriented collection, or a home and garden holding where chicks are of interest. It comes from a poultry expert who covers all challenges of the process, from selecting a breed and locating a proper incubator to handling sanitary conditions and caring for newborn chicks in a brooder. Color photos and illustrations throughout offer fine embellishment in this top recommendation for any who would undertake a brooding project, but who lacks the experience to make solid decisions.

Storey's Guide to Raising Turkeys
Don Schrider
Storey Publishing
210 Mass MoCA Way
North Adams, MA 01247
9781612121499, $19.95, www.storey.com

In 12 years since the original edition of this title appeared in print, the backyard poultry movement has seen huge changes, with a big surge in small-scale poultry farming which has turkeys at its center. This new edition packs in everything needed to know to rise turkeys, from understanding different heritage breeds and humane raising practices to feeding, breeding, and on-farm processing. Any who would understand the modern art of turkey farming will find this a solid, highly recommended reference and a 'must' for any successful turkey farming venture.

Sustainable Market Farming
Pam Dawling
New Society Publishers
PO Box 189
Gabriola Island, BC, Canada, V0R 1X0
9780865717169, $34.95, www.newsociety.com

Sustainable Market Farming: Intensive Vegetable Production on a Few Acres provides the first year-round guide for small-scale market growers in all kinds of growing zones and is based on the author's own experiences growing a range of organic produce sustainably on just a few acres. Any who would become a market grower will find this an invaluable resource that covers crops, special problems of commercial cultivation, new techniques for growing, and how to best market them. Black and white photos accompany a fine guide organized by produce and containing tips on everything from root cellaring to transplanting, caring for crops, and more.


The Needlecraft Shelf

Radiant Landscapes
Gloria Loughman
C&T Publishing
1651 Challenge Drive
Concord, CA 94520-5206
9781607056300, $29.95, www.ctpub.com

Radiant Landscapes: Transform Tiled Colors and Textures into Dramatic Quilts provides a fine quilter's guide to using the author's mosaic tile process to capture natural light in fabric. From adding depth to a landscape applique quilt to using a range of stitching, dying and painting techniques, this discusses everything from choosing basic fabrics to handling color contrasts, using tiles in scenery, and constructing designs and backgrounds for quilts. The result is a powerful guide packed with color on every page and perfect for any quilter looking for techniques to elevate the landscape process to near-3D form.

101 Fabulous Small Quilts
Martingale & Company
19021 Avenue NE, Bothell, WA 98011
9781604682687, $29.99, www.martingale-pub.com

101 Fabulous Small Quilts packs in designs from a range of makers, from Country Threads to Kim Diehl and Lori Smith, and places them all under one cover. Little quilts range from lap quilts to doll quilts, wall displays to candle mats and more. Full-page color photos accompany clear and easy instructions on materials, cutting and finishing, and include smaller color shots of the squares and their production. With its huge variety of projects, this is a 'must' for any quilter seeking quick, small and foolproof projects.

Elegant Cotton Wool Silk Quilts
Rami Kim
American Quilters Society
PO Box 3290, Paducah, KY 42002-3290
9781604600247, $26.95, www.AmericanQuilter.com

Elegant Cotton Wool Silk Quilts provides a lovely series of Asian art-inspired quilts for six projects that focus on Asian influences and nature designs. Here are lovely pieces that offer even the most experienced quilter very different perspectives, from instructions for the ancient fabric arts of chopkey (folding) and bojahgey (piecing) to incorporating Korean architectural elements into American quilts. So many quilt books offer very similar designs and approaches: this unique title's approach will delight quilters always seeking different inspiration sources; especially those interested in Asian arts. A unique pick for any quilting library!


The Travel Shelf

Haiti
Paul Clammer
Bradt Guides
1st Floor IDC House, The Vale
Chalfont St Peter, Bucks, England, SL9 9RZ
9781841624150, $24.99, www.bradtguides.com

HAITI appears in its first edition and is packed with information on how to get around the island and how to see the most. From the country's pristine beaches and mountain trails to its Voodoo culture and enchantments, all is covered in the only dedicated guide to the country. Haitian culture and nature alike are celebrated in chapters that tell independent travelers how to make the most of a visit. The result is a fine guide packed with travel tips, details, and clear discussions of the island nation's travel opportunities that will serve travelers well both at destination and for advance planning.

Paris City Guide
Steve Fallon, et.al.
Lonely Planet Publications
150 Linden Street, Oakland CA 94607
9781741794557, $19.99, www.lonelyplanet.com

PARIS CITY GUIDE comes with a pull-out map and comes from three expert authors who offer five walking tours and numerous detailed neighborhood maps of the city in full color. From eating out and locating the best food streets to walking tours steeped in history and culture and top picks for wine tasting and touring, this is a city-specific guide loading some 400 pages with details on hotels and things to see. As an advance travel planner or a take-along tote, it can't be beat.

Moon Ecuador & the Galapagos Islands
Ben Westwood
Moon Handbooks
1700 - 4th Street, Berkeley, CA 94710
9781598803549, $19.99, www.moon.com

Moon Ecuador & the Galapagos Islands provides a fine handbook on planning the perfect trip to the region and is packed with over forty maps and the firsthand experiences of author Ben Westwood. From wildlife and Galapagos exploration options to Ecuador's entire cultural and nature offerings, this is specific in everything from sights and experiences to places to eat and stay: in short, anything needed to plan any kind of get-away to Ecuador. Destination-oriented visitors will find this a key not only to advance planning, but to take-along consultation.


The Metaphysical Studies Shelf

Evidence of the Gods
Erich von Daniken
New Page Books
c/o Career Press Inc.
220 West Parkway, Unit 12
Pompton Plains, NJ 07444
9781601632470, $19.99, www.newpagebooks.com

Evidence of the Gods focuses on ancient mysteries revolving around UFO visits to Earth, and comes from the creator of ancient alien theory. This packs in over 150 color photos never before printed from von Daniken's archives, compiled during his extensive worldwide travels searching for evidence of the gods. From Easter Island relics to South Pacific and South American relics, this provides a wide range of images and is a solid accompaniment to his other books, offering more of a visual approach than most.

The Secret History of the Reptilians
Scott Alan Roberts
New Page Books
c/o Career Press Inc.
220 West Parkway, Unit 12
Pompton Plains, NJ 07444
9781601632517, $16.99, www.newpagebooks.com

The Secret History of the Reptilians: The Pervasive Presence of the Serpent in Human History, Religion, and Alien Mythos is a pick for new age, mythology and science and nature holdings alike, and brings together various cultures and religions surrounding the figure of the serpent. From the serpent's connections with UFO phenomena and its involvement with issues of faith and spirituality to recent archaeology and cultural information surrounding its influence on human affairs, this provides a powerful debate on the presence and meaning of the reptilian archetype in human myth, and is a pick any new age collection will relish.

The Power of Peace in You
Marlise Karlin
Watkins Publishing
Sixth Floor, 75 Wells Street
London, England, W1T 3QH
9781780283821, $19.95, www.watkinspublishing.co.uk

The Power of Peace in You: A Revolutionary Tool for Hope, Healing and Happiness in the 21st Century includes stillness session meditation and music on an accompanying CD as it discusses ancient wisdom and healing traditions with resources applicable to all ages and ethnic groups. It's a simple method used to spark an Energy stream of peace into your life, and it involves releasing resistance, making requests, and understanding the Stillness that is an invitation to slow down in life. A spiritually moving, gripping survey is created which holds value for any new age or mental health collection.

Future Esoteric
Brad Olsen
CCC Publishing
530 8th Ave. #6; San Francisco, CA 94118
9781888729467, $17.95, www.CCCPublishing.com

Future Esoteric: The Unseen Realms is organized into three sections (Secrets, Cosmos and Utopia) and comes from the magazine editor of World Explorer who here considers alternative views of traditional historical facts. Several new age theories are examined closely, from extraterrestrial influences to creatures like Bigfoot, and support the idea that the supernatural has operated in our world for centuries - and that advanced military technology has been used as experiments, with information given to humans by aliens. Any interested in the past, present and future of this idea will find Future Esoteric a powerful guide.

Effortless Mind: Meditate with Ease
Ajayan Borys
New World Library
14 Pamaron Way, Novato, CA 94949
9781608681549, $14.95, www.newworldlibrary.com

Effortless Mind: Meditate with Ease comes from an internationally acclaimed meditation teacher who invites readers to enjoy deep meditation, whether they be newcomers to the entire practice or have extensive experience in the discipline. This book uses meditation practices that are easy and simple, offering instructions linked to personal experience to show how to meditate correctly and how to appreciate the experience of deep meditation. From chakra meditation and mantra meditation to specific techniques for health, this covers all the basics and blends in yogic practices, including anecdotes about the author's own experiences and challenges. The result is a complete survey that offers specific advice to any who would make the most of meditative practices.


The Computer Shelf

Effective JavaScript
David Herman
Addison-Wesley
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300
Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
9780321812186, $39.99, www.informit.com/aw

EFFECTIVE JAVASCRIPT: 68 SPECIFIC WAYS TO HARNESS THE POWER OF JAVASCRIPT teaches the basic features of Java and how to avoid common pitfalls, and is a strong tutorial for any level of JavaScript code writer. It considers the inner workings of the language and is arranged around nearly seventy proven approaches for better Java coding, from solutions for working with arrays and useful Java programming idioms to using JavaScript's unique approach to concurrency. It's a fine 'must have' reference for any Java user.

Keyboarding and Beyond
Theodor Richardson and Charles Thies
Mercury Learning
22841 Quicksilver Drive, Dulles, VA 20166
9781936420360, $79.95, www.merclearning.com

Keyboarding and Beyond: Introductory Typing and Word Processing is a primer that deserves ongoing recommendation as it explores the basics of introductory keyboarding and word processing. It covers with Windows and Mac OS, and uses the key addition method to reinforce proper typing positioning. Some 125 drills accompany chapters of explanation and an accompanying DVD that helps track speed and accuracy. Web browser-based software offers access to practice drills and more instruction. A 'must' for any learning keyboarding basics.

Natural Language Annotation for Machine Learning
James Pustejovsky and Amber Stubbs
O'Reilly & Associates
1005 Gravenstein, Hwy N.
Sebastopol, CA 95472-2811
9781449306663, $39.99, www.oreilly.com

Natural Language Annotation for Machine Learning provides a technical programming guide for creating a natural language training corpus for machine learning and guides readers through proven annotation development cycles for adding metadata to a training corpus. From defining annotation goals and learning analytical tools and strategies to building a model for an annotation project and selecting algorithms that will help handle the data, this covers everything from the selection process to analyzing results, and teaches how to use software for annotating texts. Because linguistic annotation is rarely considered in the typical course on Computational Linguistics, this is the first of its kind - and key to any in-depth programming collection.

The Definitive ANTLR 4 Reference
Terence Parr
Pragmatic Programmers
P.O. Box 293325
Lewisville, TX 75029-3325
9781934356999, $37.00, www.pragprog.com

The Definitive ANTLR 4 Reference teaches how to build your own computer language using ANTLR 4, which has been rewritten from scratch to help users create parsers and language applications. This is a completely revamped new edition of the bestselling reference, and teaches all the new features and how to integrate the properties of ANTLR 4 with applications. From using the automatically generated parse trees to parsing files with more than one language, this packs in code examples and applications from validating program symbols to recognizing ambiguous phrases. Any user of the new ANTLR 4 must have this reference!

Blender Master Class
Ben Simonds
No Starch Press
38 Ringold Street
San Francisco, CO 94103-4403
9781593274771, $49.95, www.nostarch.com

Blender Master Class provides a powerful, free 3D graphics program and will appeal to any who want to create professional-quality projects using Blender. It teaches how to create 3D models and uses three example projects to train users through the intricacies, possibilities and pitfalls of the program, teaching how to work with art in Blender and GIMP, how to use its tools to create better models, and how to achieve texture and 3D artwork qualities. Each chapter narrows the focus to one part of the modeling process and provides in-depth discussion of all tools and techniques, with color photos accenting every step. Add a DVD of project files for each project in the book plus extra textures and tools and you have a winning survey of Blender 2.6x recommended for computer and arts collections alike!

Windows PowerShell 3.0
Ed Wilson
Microsoft Press
c/o O'Reilly & Associates, Inc.
1005 Gravenstein, Hwy N.
Sebastopol, CA 95472-2811
www.oreilly.com
9780735663398, $54.99, www.microsoft.com/mspress

Windows PowerShell 3.0 Step By Step provides an excellent survey of hands-on information for automating Windows administration with PowerShell 3.0, and is a pick for any programming collection. From teaching the basics of the PowerShell 3.0 command line interface and scripting to managing systems using built-in cmdlets and writing scripts, this coves all kinds of keys to executing script to administer and troubleshoot Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 and perform other functions. Charts, diagrams and code accompany general user information perfect for any serious user of the PowerShell program.

Microsoft Office 2013 for Dummies
Wallace Wang
For Dummies
c/o Wiley Professional Trade Group
111 River Street
Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
9781118497159, $24.99, www.wiley.com

Any who want to get up and running quickly with Microsoft Office 2013 will find Microsoft Office 2013 for Dummies the best place to begin. Why? For one, it explores the basics of how to navigate based on common tasks, from editing and creating files to writing in Word, using Excel to crunch numbers, and creating effective slide point shows. Second, it offers tips for working with the Ribbon interface and methods of enhancing Word documents and employing tested 'best practices' for maximum benefit. Shortcuts and many secrets to better usage teach basics that often are learned after the fact through trial and error. Third, it employs good-sized charts, graphs, screen shots and step-by-step instruction for maximum ease in learning new concepts. Microsoft Office 2013 users could find no better reference for either at-a-glance or page-by-page study.

Reverse Deception
Sean Bodmer, et.al.
McGraw-Hill
c/o The McGraw Hill Companies
Two Penn Plaza, 11th Floor
New York, NY 10121-2298
9780071772495, $40.00, www.mhprofessional.com

Reverse Deception: Organized Cyber Threat Counter-Exploitation should be required reading for any network or security professional who wants to learn the latest tactics in the prevention, exposure and prosecution of those who attack computers. The latest tested security techniques accompany real-world scenarios in a guide that teaches how to assess a network's vulnerabilities, and how to block intruders. From setting up digital traps and making honeypots to catching individuals and organizations, Reverse Deception is packed with the tools needed to circumvent and thwart attackers - and even bring them to justice. Any network administrator or collection catering to them needs this reference, packed with clear direction and insight.

Get Agile!
Pieter Jongerius, et.al.
BIS Publishers
Het Sieraad, Postjesweg 1, 1057 DT
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
9789063693022, $32.00, www.bispublishers.nl

GET AGILE! SCRUM FOR UX, DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT presents a project management method for any who work in interactive design and development, and offers all the basics for getting started with Scrum. It's a manual of phrases and executions involved in setting up a Scrum environment, providing step-by-step project keys and discussing different roles and applications of Scrum. From blending UX and development to understanding what constitutes real content on a site, this is a 'must' for any who would quickly comprehend the basics of Scrum.


The Railroading Shelf

Grand Central
Sam Roberts
Grand Central Publishing
c/o Hachette Book Group
237 Park Avenue, 16th Floor
New York, NY 10017
9781455525966, $30.00, www.hachettebookgroup.com

GRAND CENTRAL: HOW A TRAIN STATION TRANSFORMED AMERICA is a pick for rail enthusiasts and general collections alike and considers how the modern Grand Central terminal station began with a fatal 1902 collision in the Park Avenue tunnel. Two Vanderbilt great grandsons decided the current Grand Central Station needed to be razed in favor of a massive new structure - and so began the evolution of a historic landmark that draws attention to this day. Reporter Sam Roberts tells of this construction effort, the people who fostered the transformation, and the history of the building and land. The result is a pick highly recommended for a wide range of holdings, from transportation and train history collections to those appealing to New York and general-interest readers.


The Automotive Shelf

Lost Drag Strips
Tommy Lee Byrd
CarTech
39966 Grand Avenue
North Branch, MN 55056
9781613250457, $29.95, www.cartechbooks.com

LOST DRAG STRIPS: GHOSTS OF QUARTER-MILES PAST packs in history and photos of abandoned drag strips from the golden era of drag racing, and provides fine stories covering their evolution, growth, heyday, and the factors which influenced the tracks' closing. From the U.S. 30 drag strip currently abandoned located in Gary, Indiana to the Dallas International Motor Speedway, currently a large retail complex, this provides an outstanding survey of drag strips and their births and deaths, and is a 'must' for any automotive history collection looking for current books on what happened to some of yesterday's stars.


The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf

A Natural History of Dragons
Marie Brennan
Publicity Department
Tor
c/o Tor/Forge Books
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010
9780765331960, $25.99, www.tor-forge.com

A Natural History of Dragons: A Memoir by Lady Trent provides a powerful protagonist in the form of a headstrong young woman filled with curiosity and delight over new worlds to discovery. Isabella Trent dreams of world travels and adventure; not the needlepoint and marriage women of her times usually dream of - but her special obsession is with dragons. Victorian Britain isn't accepting of women with such goals - but when grown and married when manages to join an expedition to observe the dragons in their natural habitat - and stumbles into mystery and danger and a growth process that will lead her to become a dragon expert. A vivid, unusual plot and strong characters keep this a solid, exciting read.

Frost Burned
Patricia Briggs
Ace Books
c/o Penguin Group (USA)
375 Hudson Street, 4th floor
New York, NY 10014
9780441020010, $26.95, www.penguin.com

Fans of shape-shifting car mechanic Mercy Thompson will relish this seventh book in Briggs' successful urban fantasy series, which revolves around Mercy's concern when she's unable to contact her mate Adam or any other members of their pack. The werewolves are fighting to gain acceptance from the public when they vanish - and Mercy fears the pack is in danger. Now she must act alone - and her choices involve an unusual alliance with traditional enemies, the vampires. The result is another action-packed story line that prior fans of Mercy Thompson will find compelling.

Firefly: A Celebration
Joss Whedon
Titan Books
144 Southwark Street
London SE1 OUP, UK
9781781161685, $49.95, www.titanbooks.com

Firefly: A Celebration gathers Titan Books' three Firefly volumes into one big volume for the first time, and is a special recommendation for readers enthusiastic about the science fiction series who either lack a volume or want all conveniently under one cover. From in-depth interviews with creator Joss Whedon and cast and crew members to uncut shooting scripts to all the episodes, rare photos and production art unseen elsewhere, and specially taken photos of props, this offers new stories from writers of the original series and plenty of behind-the-scenes analysis perfect for fans who continue to extol the virtues of the defunct series. Any science fiction or film collection will find this a definitive survey and top recommendation.

Shadow of Freedom
David Weber
Baen Books
PO Box 1188, Wake Forest NC 27588
9781451638691, $25.00, www.baen.com

SHADOW OF FREEDOM provides a satisfying new Honorverse novel and tells of Admiral Michelle Henke, Honor Harrington's best friend, who has become spearheaded a humiliating defeat of the powerful Solarian League navy, the most powerful star nation in humanity's history. Defeat is not without revenge, and Michelle faces not only military but political struggles as the defeat resounds through other star systems and prompts combat and strife among the oppressed and their masters. Michelle can't help them all, and her struggles to liberate become issues in defense in this powerful saga, highly recommended both for prior Honor readers and newcomers who will appreciate the science fiction plot's stand-alone possibilities.

Ender's World
Orson Scott Card, Editor
BenBella Books
10300 N. Central Expressway, Ste 400
Dallas, TX 75204
9781937856212, $14.95, www.benbellabooks.com

ENDER'S WORLD: FRESH PERSPECTIVES ON THE SF CLASSIC ENDER'S GAME is a recommendation for any who have appreciated Card's Ender chronicles, and offers a collection of science fiction, fantasy and other writers who produce insights on the stories in the Ender chronology. New content by Card accompanies his editing and offers perspectives on how the series evolved, its basic military premises, and analysis of the characters of Ender and his friends. The result is a recommended pick for any collection seeing popularity in the entire Ender series.


The Health/Medicine Shelf

Hypertension and You
Samuel J. Mann, MD
Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group
4501 Forbes Blvd., Suite 200
Lanham, MD 20706
9781442215177, $16.95, www.rowman.com

Hypertension and You: Old Drugs, New Drugs, and the Right Drugs for Your High Blood Pressure is a read for those already taking blood pressure medication - and is the first book to maintain that there's something very wrong with how doctors are prescribing drugs for it. Many patients can suspect they might be on the wrong medication, and Dr. Mann, a nationally recognized hypertension specialist, identifies those drugs likely to have side affects, and what can be used instead. Pros and cons of all commonly-used drugs are discussed with an eye to fine-tuning results for a better life. Any consumer or general health holding will find this a top pick helping identify hypertension issues and how to handle treatments.

The Cognitive Behavioral Workbook for Menopause
Sheryl M. Green, Ph.D., et.al.
New Harbinger Press
5674 Shattuck Avenue, Oakland, CA 94609
9781608821105, $24.95, www.newharbinger.com

The Cognitive Behavioral Workbook for Menopause: A Step-by-Step Program for Overcoming Hot Flashes, Mood Swings, Insomnia, Anxiety, Depression, and Other Symptoms provides a comprehensive workbook approach for controlling all kinds of menopause symptoms, and for organizing an individualized treatment plan to tackle them. From handling anxiety and mood swings to integrating natural and alternative therapies, this shows how to make basic lifestyle changes that offer solid alternatives to HRT.

The American Red Cross
Marian Moser Jones
Johns Hopkins University Press
2715 North Charles Street
Baltimore, MD 21218-4363
9781421407388, $39.95, www.press.jhu.edu

The American Red Cross from Clara Burton to the New Deal goes beyond the usual approach of providing a focus on Clara Burton to examining the overall creation of the American Red Cross and its changes over the years. From its start in 1881 during wartime to its expanded mission during natural and human disasters, this provides a powerful survey of the group's founding and non-political principles and the political and economic struggles that have influenced its decisions. Stories of various disasters and how the American Red Cross functioned during them provides specific accounts of these struggles, examining civil rights issues, the organization's expansion during World War II, and its ongoing influences today. The result is a powerful survey of one social and health organization's lasting impact on the world, and especially, of its ongoing social evolution. Highly recommended for any health or American history collection.


The Christian Studies Shelf

Bible Gender Sexuality
James V. Brownson
Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company
2140 Oak Industrial Drive, NE
Grand Rapids, MI 49505
9780802868633, $29.00, www.eerdmans.com

Bible Gender Sexuality: Reframing the Church's Debate on same-Sex Relationships argues that Christians should reconsider whether or not the biblical bans on same-sex relations from ancient times should apply to modern, committed same-sex relationships. It provides two sides to the debate and analyses the seven main Biblical texts that appear to address same-sex relations, exploring how basic interpretations of biblical texts evolve and how moral logic is taught. It's written to add to the ongoing debate over homosexuality and provides a powerful resource blending historical precedent and Scripture in a recommended pick for any gender studies or Christian library.

Monsenor Romero: Memories in Mosaic
Maria Lopez Vigil
Orbis Books
PO Box 308, Maryknoll, NY 10545-0308
9781626980105, $30.00, www.orbisbooks.com

Monsenor Romero: Memories in Mosaic provides a powerful spiritual account blending a portrait of Monsenor Oscar Romero (El Salvador's beloved archbishop who passed away in 1980) assembled by many hands in mosaic with a fine coverage of his life. Unusual to this approach are stories and remembrances gathered from peasants, friends, theologians and pastoral associates that contribute powerful memories and reflections on the archbishop's life and spirituality. The presence of the mosaic in art and literature provides a multi-faceted survey packed with memorable moments and insights, and recommended for any who enjoy spiritual biographical reflections.

Ancient Christian Texts: Commentary on John V. 1
David Maxwell, Translator; Joel C. Elowsky, Editor
InterVarsity Press
PO Box 1400, Downers Grove, IL 60515-1426
9780830829118, $60.00, www.ivpacademic.com

Ancient Christian Texts: Commentary on John V. is a pick for any scholarly Christian collection and provides the first completely fresh English translation of the commentary of Cyril of Alexandria one of the most eloquent of the Alexandrian theologists in the year 300. His Commentary here is provided in the first of two volumes and focuses on the content of the Bible and Cyril's teaching the story of God's creation. Footnotes, references and close study makes this a top recommendation for any scholarly Christian studies collection.

A Sense of the Sacred
James Monti
Ignatius Press
PO Box 1339, Fort Collins, CO 80522
9781586172831, $34.95, www.ignatiuspress.com

A SENSE OF THE SACRED: ROMAN CATHOLIC WORSHIP IN THE MIDDLE AGES provides a powerful volume exploring medieval liturgical celebrations and all the prayers, hymns and rubrics used in the Middle Ages. This is no light coverage: scholarly Catholic studies holdings will appreciate the detail and the accompanying commentary of scholars from the same time period. Numerous ceremonies embracing the Catholic worship days of the year come from countries across Europe, with extensive background history added by historian author James Monti. The result is an impressive, striking gathering recommended for any scholarly Catholic studies collection.


The Pets/Wildlife Shelf

Atlas of Ear Diseases of the Dog and Cat
Sue Paterson and Karen Tobias
Wiley-Blackwell
350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148
9781405193269, $139.99, www.wiley.com/wiley-blackwell

Atlas of Ear Diseases of the Dog and Cat packs in images of normal and diseased dog and cat ears in a diagnostic title recommended for small animal vet practices seeing ear cases on a regular basis. It covers the anatomy of the canine and feline ear, diagnostics, and ear surgery in one of the most extensive pictorial guides available. Over 400 color clinical images and line drawings are accompanied by text that explains different conditions, treatment options, and enables vets to make diagnosis. The volume includes the latest treatment methods and technology, and is outstanding in its focus and depth. Any vet student or practitioner will find this an outstanding key to assessing ear conditions and making an accurate diagnosis.


The Mathematics Shelf

Discrete Mathematics with Ducks
Sarah-Marie Belcastro
CRC Press
6000 NW Broken Sound Parkway NW, Suite 300
Boca Raton, FL 33487
9781466504998, $59.95, www.crcpress.com

Blend mathematics with levity and a fun discussion of discrete math and you have a college-level reference that will prove a delight to read, teach, and learn from. Humor and math aren't normally mixed; but the effect here allows students access to exercises and materials designed to engage students with lively discussions. From sorting bubbles in order of size and measuring radius and diameter in the process to understanding RNA chains and sequences by breaking them down into smaller bits, this packs in diagrams, charts, formulas and activities that broaden thinking and serve as the basis for interesting discussions. Included are examples for many enlightening math processes: "We have noted earlier that two events being independent means that one event has no bearing on whether the other happens or not. We know that two events being exclusive means they cannot happen at the same time. So they are dependent on each other! In other words, independence and exclusivity are in some sense opposite ends of a spectrum." A highly recommended, different approach for any who look for lively math instruction.


The Genealogy Shelf

Early Massachusetts Marriages Prior to 1800
Frederic W. Bailey
Clearfield Company
3600 Clipper Mill Road, Suite 260
Baltimore, MD 21211
9780806300085, $55.00, www.genealogical.com

Three prior volumes are bound into one book to make for one of the most comprehensive genealogical references to early East coast marriages in print. This packs in some 20,000 entries for the period 1643-1800, comes from archival records of various county and city clerks, and provides the full name of the bride and groom and date and place of marriage. Each of the four sections of the book is separately indexed and the last section comes in chronological order, making referencing a breeze. This will save a lot of footwork and court records accessing, and is a 'must' for any genealogist working extensively with the Massachusetts area.


The Music Shelf

Music and Its Secret Influence
Cyril Scott
Inner Traditions International, Ltd.
One Park Street, Rochester, VT 05767
9781594774874, $16.95, www.innertraditions.com

Music and Its Secret Influence Throughout the Ages provides a fine survey on music showing how the Elder Brothers of humanity work through music and the arts to change human consciousness, and is a pick for music and new age collections like. This is a new edition of composer Cyril Scott's writing on the relationship between music and evolving cultural consciousness: it provides a fine history of classical music's evolution, the effects of specific composers on music in society, and how music holds suggestive qualities for intuitive thinking. The result is an outstanding survey linking spirituality, culture, and music history in a strong pick for any music or new age library.

The Epiphone Guitar Book
Walter Carter
Backbeat Books
c/o Hal Leonard Performing Arts Publishing Group
33 Plymouth Street, Suite 302
Montclair, NJ 07042-2677
9781617130977, $24.99, www.backbeatbooks.com

The Epiphone Guitar Book: A Complete History of Epiphone Guitars provides a fine story of the family-owned Epiphone company, which adjusted successfully to many musical industry changes that killed off most major instrument makers in the first half of the 1900s. Their story spans not only decades but continents, and embraces the evolution of the guitar and its musical industry heritage as a whole. The result is a lovely music history packed with color photos throughout capturing the evolutionary history of the guitar in general and the Epiphone brand in particular, recommended for any music history holding.

I Would Die 4 U
Toure
Atria Books
c/o Simon & Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020
9781476705491, $19.99, www.simonandschuster.com

I WOULD DIE 4 U: WHY PRINCE BECAME AN ICON is more than another coverage of the pop rock musician: it comes from a journalist who argues that Prince is actually one of history's most significant religious artists. Prince has long been a Christian and expressed his faith using a combination of outrageous sexuality and traditional spiritual messages. His works helped foster a popular vision of God as a joyful presence - and this account uses firsthand interviews with Prince's associates along with the author's own encounters with Price and discussions with musicians and biblical scholars alike to make the case that Prince is much more than another pop music icon. Spirituality and music holdings alike will consider this an unusual, spirited discussion.


The Social Issues Shelf

The End of Power
Moises Naim
Basic Books
c/o Perseus Books Group
11 Cambridge Center
Cambridge, MA 02142
www.perseusbooksgroup.com
9780465031566, $27.99, www.basicbooks.com

The End of Power: From Boardrooms to Battlefields and Churches to States, Why Being in Charge Isn't What It Used to Be comes from a columnist and former Foreign Policy editor who examines the role of power today in politics, business and religion, providing a synthesis of the latest information on power strategies and management. Naim's unique position having served at the highest levels of government lend to a survey that considers how the power structure has vastly changed. From where and why power is decaying to the changing relationships and nature of power, this is a fine recommendation for a range of collections: any with an interest in power struggles.

Beyond Black
Ellis Cashmore
Bloomsbury Press
175 Fifth Avenue, Suite 315
New York, NY 10010
9781780931494, $29.95, www.bloomsbury.com

BEYOND BLACK: CELEBRITY AND RACE IN OBAMA'S AMERICA provides an appraisal of the impact of black celebrities in contemporary American culture, considering a new breed of Afro-American celebrity which has emerged in modern times. These individuals present ambitious, successful and individualistic attitudes, selling the image that racism in America has been vastly reduced. How this image evolved is the subject of a study that is lively yet scholarly, examining the roots of the evolution of race in America today. Any college-level collection strong in racial issues will find this a compelling discussion.

Immigration Wars
Jeb Bush and Clint Bolick
Threshold Editions
c/o Simon and Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas, 14th fl.
New York, NY 10020
9781476713458, $27.00, www.simonandschuster.com

IMMIGRATION WARS: FORGING AN AMERICAN SOLUTION provides a powerful survey of the immigration debate which divides the country, offering an attainable solution that embraces the fact that immigration is key to America's future, and any resolution of the issues must conform to legal precedent. Current laws are too cumbersome and easy to thwart, allowing immigrants to enter the country illegally. Jeb Bush and Clint Bolick provide an alternative, non-partisan approach and outline a six-point strategy for reworking outdated immigration structures. Any concerned with the social and political ramifications of immigration issues need to look at their solution.


The Comix/Graphic Novel Shelf

American Comic Book Chronicles: The 1960s
John Wells
TwoMorrows Publishing
10407 Bedfordtown Drive
Raleigh, NC 27614
9781605490458, $39.95, www.twomorrows.com

American Comic Book Chronicles: The 1960s covers the period of 1960-64, the first of two volumes on the era covering all the top moments of the comic and cartoon industry of the times. Here color pictures throughout detail the characters, evolution and popular themes of comics and survey the evolution of children's and adult comics alike. With its running discussion of fans, features and cartoon culture, this is a fine pick for any collection strong in American comic history and culture.

Unsportsmanlike Conduct
Stephan Pastis
Andrews McMeel
1130 Walnut Street, Kansas City, MO 64106-2109
9781449427740, $12.99, www.andrewsmcmeel.com

Unsportsmanlike Conduct provides another assembly of Pearls Before Swine comics and returns the familiar gang to pages filled with their latest exploits. From the naive Pig who is always being 'had' by the egomaniac Rat to the bad neighbors next door the Crocs, who are always plotting their Zebra neighbor's demise, this is packed with fun new cartoons in both color and black and white, offering prior fans and newcomers many memorable moments. Any fan of Pearls Before Swine or cartoon adventures will find this a winner.


The Science Shelf

Red Rover
Roger Wiens
Basic Books
c/o Perseus Books Group
11 Cambridge Center
Cambridge, MA 02142
www.perseusbooksgroup.com
9780465055982, $25.99, www.basicbooks.com

RED ROVER: INSIDE THE STORY OF ROBOTIC SPACE EXPLORATION, FROM GENESIS TO THE MARS ROVER CURIOSITY blends an autobiography of how a young boy became fascinated with building rockets to the overall science of robotic space exploration - and the author's evolving role as part of the Genesis mission to his role as principal investigator for the laser instrument attached to Curiosity. This narrowed focus on the field of robotics and its space exploration applications makes for a fine survey that offers a personal examination of the potentials of unmanned space exploration, offering engineering and political insights into the overall space program in a fine recommendation for any science collection.

To Touch the Face of God
Kendrick Oliver
Johns Hopkins University Press
2715 North Charles Street
Baltimore, MD 21218-4363
9781421407883, $39.95, www.press.jhu.edu

TO TOUCH THE FACE OF GOD: THE SACRED, THE PROFANE, AND THE AMERICAN SPACE PROGRAM, 1957-1975 explores the connections between religious movements and the space program, discussing religious thinkers such as C.S. Lewis and considering the overall attitudes of religious Americans as the space program evolved. Original archival research blends with studies of participant testimonies to consider the effects of one of the largest petition campaigns of the postwar era in which over eight million Americans wrote to NASA expressing support for prayer in space. Religious and science collections alike will relish this survey.


The Environmental Studies Shelf

Tom's River
Dan Fagin
Bantam Books
c/o The Random House Publishing Group
1745 Broadway, 17th floor
New York, NY 10019
9780553806535, $28.00, www.bantamdell.com

TOM'S RIVER: A STORY OF SCIENCE AND SALVATION comes from a journalist who recounts some sixty years of rampant pollution and mismanagement that made Toms River the focus for one of the largest legal settlements in the history of toxic dumping. A small town in New Jersey gained notoriety for being a focal point of childhood cancers scientifically linked to local air and water pollution caused by large chemical companies who had been using the river as a dumping ground for years. The result is a powerful piece of investigative reporting holding solid facts and eye-opening experiences for any collection strong in environmental history and science.


The Literary Studies Shelf

Practical Classics
Kevin Smokler
Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive
Amherst, NY 14228-2197
9781616146566, $18.00, www.prometheusbooks.com

PRACTICAL CLASSICS: 50 REASONS TO REREAD 50 BOOKS YOU HAVEN'T TOUCHED SINCE HIGH SCHOOL offers a survey of fifty books commonly assigned in high school English classes - and makes a case for re-reading them with newly adult eyes. Each book covers a different topic and receives an overview of its contents, approaches to reading, and reasons why a re-reading as an adult will provided added value. Any who have thought about re-reading the classics should begin here: it's a great starting point revealing the different lessons each book holds, and is a pick for literary and general-interest collections alike.


The Gaming Shelf

Ctrl-Alt-Play: Essays on Control in Video Gaming
Matthew Wysocki, Editor
McFarland & Company
PO Box 611, Jefferson NC 28640
9780786470136, $35.00, www.mcfarlandpub.com

Ctrl-Alt-Play: Essays on Control in Video Gaming offers sixteen essays in a collection that examines issues of control in video games, including different ways to define control and how this impacts how a game is created and played. Specific games are used in the course of explaining how each locates and uses elements of control. Any programming games or working with video games will find these essays to be specific considerations, filled with ideas that will translate to more effective game designs and better players.


The Sports Shelf

The Vegan Athlete
Ben Greene and Brett Stewart
Ulysses Press
PO Box 3440, Berkeley CA 94703-3440
9781612431321, $15.95, www.ulyssespress.com

THE VEGAN ATHLETE represents a strong collaboration between a certified personal trainer and triathlete and an endurance athlete and trainer, and offers a fine fitness guide paired with knowledge of the vegan diet that provides a full body workout program for any entering into a vegan diet. This book is packed with goals-based training and fitness programs tailored to vegan athletes and blends the benefits of a plant-based diet with recipes and conditioning routines perfect for any sports or athletic library.

Snorkeling the Florida Keys
Brad Bertelli
University Press of Florida
University of Florida
15 Northwest 15th Street
Gainesville, FL 32611-2079
9780813045521, $19.95, www.upf.com

Snorkeling the Florida Keys outlines snorkeling opportunities throughout the Florida Keys and provides coverage of the third largest barrier reef system in the world. Keys to navigating and exploring the Florida Reef blend travel advice and GPS coordinates with details such as water depth, notable shipwrecks, and history and provides divers with a fine account of what to see, where to see it, and how to get there. Black and white photos accompany the specifics, making this especially recommended for snorkelers who want specifics on the Keys area.

Introduction to Kinesiology
Shirl J. Hoffman
Human Kinetics Publishers, Inc.
PO Box 5076, Champaign, IL 61820-5076
9780736076135, $37.75, www.humankinetics.com

Introduction to Kinesiology: Studying Physical Activity provides a powerful survey highly recommended for any studying the evolving science of kinesiology, with top kinesiologists in the field discussing physical activity that goes beyond exercise and into the realms of philosophy, history and sociology alike. Job descriptions of professionals in the different fields discuss teaching, coaching, sport management and other opportunities while students can use this as a text for reviewing topics, considering key points in kinesiology, and more. An integrated companion online study guide accessible by key code included with the book provides further study opportunities, provides multimedia interactive activities, and supports all the text in the book with additional background and tips. Activity feedback provides students with plenty of self-assessment opportunities, making this a fine introduction for any college-level discussion of the topic.


The Audiobook Shelf

The Third Bullet
Stephen Hunter
Brilliance Audio
PO Box 887, Grand Haven, MI 49417
9781455815722, $34.99, www.brillianceaudio.com

Buck Schirner's crisp and evocative voice lends high drama and tension to yet another Bob Lee Swagger thriller that's been fifty years in the making: this one following the former Marine sniper's investigation into the bullet that ended John F. Kennedy's life. His investigation into inconsistencies in the story introduces many facets and factors into the story and follows two men in an evolving search for a long-hidden truth which embraces international influences and a global manhunt. With its high-profile tension and high drama, this is a fine pick, not to be missed by any interested in thrillers brought to life in audio.

A Story of God and All of Us
Roma Downey and Mark Burnett
Hachette Audio
237 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017
9781619694545, $29.98, www.hachetteaudio.com

A Story of God and All of Us provides a fine companion to the ten-hour miniseries the Bible produced by the authors, is narrated by Tony award-winning actor Keith David, and provides a powerful survey of Scripture's stories in a new novel that retells the sagas from the Bible. God's plan on hand on the world is illuminated through the stories of men and women from Scripture, from Mary and Abraham to Moses, Rahab and Saul. With vivid reading enhancing the entire effect, A Story of God and All of Us becomes a special recommendation for any religious collection.

Night Moves
Randy Wayne White
Penguin Audio
c/o The Penguin Publishing Group
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
9781611761344, $39.95, www.penguin.com

Night Moves receives a fine reading by George Guidall, a long-time audio narrator veteran who tackles the drama revolving around the sudden disappearance of five navy planes in 1945. Doc Ford is trying to solve the mystery when he becomes the target of a murder attempt by someone who wants to make it look like an accident. Secrets, murders and danger permeate a powerful story that is vivid in audio format and which preserves its secrets in satisfying twists and turns of plot to the end!

Out of Order
Sandra Day O'Connor
Random House Audio
c/o The Random House Publishing Group
1745 Broadway, 5th floor, New York, NY 10019
9780385360791, $35.00, www.randomhouseaudio.com

OUT OF ORDER: STORIES FROM THE HISTORY OF THE SUPREME COURT is narrated by O'Connor herself and appears in an unabridged production to explore the experiences of the first woman to sit on the United States Supreme Court. Its history and evolving culture are traced from its roots to modern times, pairing Justice O'Connor's personal perspective and involvements with surveys of how the Supreme Court works and how cases are chosen. Any who would gain greater insights into the justice system will find this audio a fine and spirited method of fostering greater understanding.


The Library DVD Shelf

Africa: Eye to Eye With the Unknown
BBC Earth
c/o BBC America
7475 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite #1100
Bethesda, MD 20814
www.press.bbcdvd.com
9781624045585, $24.98, www.bbcearth.com

Africa: Eye to Eye With the Unknown involved a team of film makers, 100 days on horseback and some 553 cameras all dedicated to producing Africa, the latest Discovery Channel/BBC co-production to combine the latest technology and film making advancements to consider the continent. The six-part series explores new behaviors of African animals and provides lovely overviews of the continent and its animals. Over 70 minutes of bonus materials include an exclusive interview with Sir David Attenborough, rare previously unseen footage from the Ethiopian Harenna Forest, outtakes and featurettes, and of course the main production exploring some of the most stunning scenery on the continent. The result is an outstanding survey, highly recommended for any home viewer who wants a vivid and stunning account of Africa's richest treasures.


The Writing/Publishing Shelf

The Ten Commandments of Comedy
Gene Perret
Quill Driver Books
2006 South Mary, Fresno, CA 93721
9781610351256, $14.95, www.quilldriverbooks.com

The Ten Commandments of Comedy comes from an Emmy Award-winning comedy writer and teaches comedy writers to become better through following 'ten commandments' of superior comedy writing. Each rule is designed to strengthen comedy material and get the most from jokes - and when used properly, each can strengthen a gag and keep it foolproof. The objective is to deliver maximum humor - and this key to writing good comedy does so, for all levels of comedy writer and performer. Any involved in the finer art of producing comedy will find this a solid reference offering keys to what makes comedy viable.


The Theatre/Cinema Shelf

The Working Film Director, second edition
Charles Wilkinson
Michael Wiese Productions
12400 Ventura Blvd., #1111
Studio City, CA 91604
9781615931323, $24.95, www.mwp.com

The Working Film Director appears in a newly updated second edition to provide a powerful focus on challenges of the industry for entry-level film directors and professionals alike. This is the only title to hone in on exactly what a film director's job is - and what it is not. The latest information on how to become a working director is provided in all its intricacies, from whether or not to schmooze at industry events (and how!) to pre-productions tools that are needed, understanding how the festival circuit operates for professional contacts, and how projects turn a profit. There is so much valuable information packed into this manual for the working film director that it's a top recommendation for any film library!

The Art of the Croods
Noela Hueso
Titan Books
144 Southwark Street
London SE1 OUP, UK
9781781164112, $34.95, www.titanbooks.com

The Art of the Croods is a pick for any who love the new CG animated pre-historic comedy and provides a lavish companion to the film, packed with concept art and sketches. Storyboards, digital paintings and interviews with key animators involved in the movie's production accompany plenty of discussion on the film's making, special challenges, and unique successes. The overall insights into how DreamWorks makes an animated film is embedded in the story of how The Croods was created, how its scenes evolved, and how multiple departments and individuals collaborated on the options. The result is a pick not just for Croods movie fans, but for any aspiring filmmaker looking at the mechanics of making an animated production: a 'must' for any serious film library.


The World History Shelf

The Enlightenment Vision
Stuart Jordan
Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive
Amherst, NY 14228-2197
9781616146412, $26.00, www.prometheusbooks.com

The Enlightenment Vision: Science, Reason, and the Promise of a Better Future offers insights into how modern society benefits from ideas that stemmed from the Enlightenment era of the 17th and 18th centuries, and provides close connections between modern society and technology and their Enlightenment-based principles and origins. This surveys the pros and cons of Enlightenment-era thinking, offering a fine survey of how the vision translates today - and how its ultimate benefits may be achieved. Highly recommended for any college-level collection strong in history and sociology.

The Sleepwalkers
Christopher Clark
Harper
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
10 East 53rd Street, New York, NY 10022-5299
9780061146657, $29.99, www.harpercollins.com

THE SLEEPWALKERS: HOW EUROPE WENT TO WAR IN 1914 offers a new perspective on the debate over the origins of the Great War, focusing on how the war happened and the decisions and interactions between nations and individuals involved in the crisis that led to war. Primary sources from before, during and post-conflict are used to document the circumstances that brought war to continental Europe, with chapters considering changes in decision-making and strategic objectives and exploring how Europe's polarization came to pass. Foreign policies, international politics and interactions, and the motivations to consider war over peace make for a powerful and in-depth account that any student of World War I will find essential to understanding the social and political atmosphere and choices of the times.


The Parenting Shelf

Parenting: Illustrated With Crappy Pictures
Amber Dusick
Harlequin
225 Duncan Mill Road
Don Mills, Ontario, Canada, M3B 3K9
9780373892747, $16.95, www.eHarlequin.com

Parenting: Illustrated With Crappy Pictures comes from a mother of two who produced her own blog complete with self-admittedly crappy pictures and a hilarious view on parenting. Her descriptions of parenting challenges struck a big chord and by her second post her blog received over 500,000 views and many comments. This collection considers popular challenges parents face, provides a healthy dose of humor, and illustrates all with her signature 'crappy' drawings which are whimsical and fun. Any harried parent who wants humor and fun will find this a top pick, and any collection strong in parenting and cartooning will welcome this strong addition to the collection.


The California Shelf

Quilts California Bound, California Made 1840-1940
Sandi Fox
University of Oklahoma Press
2800 Venture Drive
Norman, OK 73069
9780971918405, $40.00, www.oupress.com

Quilts California Bound, California Made 1840-1940 provides a fine survey of early California quilts and quiltmakers and pairs modern letters, diaries and historical records with a history of California quilting and how it was brought to the west. Selected quilts chosen for their colors and stories are accompanied by a survey linking California history and culture with the artistic results of quiltmakers who sought to represent California in their needlework. Sandi Fox is a former Collection Curator of Quilts at the Los Angeles County Museum of Arts: her collection is a highly recommended pick for any California library as well as for regional needlework collections as a whole.

San Francisco: Arts for the City
Susan Wels
Heyday Books
PO Box 9145, Berkeley, CA 94709
9781597142069, $45.00, www.heydaybooks.com

San Francisco: Arts for the City, Civic Art and Urban Change, 1932-2012 is a 'must' for any definitive San Francisco history and arts collection and provides a survey of the evolution of public art in the city, which began with the 1934 opening of San Francisco's Coit Tower, one of the San Francisco Arts Commission's first projects. This opening heralded some eighty years of public art in the city which ranged from sculptures and music venues to dance festivals and poetry performances. Images taken by modern photographers and artwork from the city's Civic Art Collection provide powerful and full-page colorful accompaniment to the history of the growth of San Francisco's arts. No San Francisco history collection should be without this - and many a general regional art or urban history collection will find it a welcome addition as well.

Street Fight
Jason Henderson
University of Massachusetts Press
PO Box 429
Amherst, MA 01004
9781558499997, $24.95, www.umass.edu/umpress

Could the future of cities lie in the promotion of the Bicycle? "Street Fight: The Politics of Mobility in San Francisco" discusses the city's push for the promotion of bicycles in response to growing concerns about pollution and other problems common associated with automobiles. A political debate has erupted, and Jason Henderson focuses on San Francisco as its continued leader in progressivism. "Street Fight" is a strong addition to modern social issues collections focusing on urban planning and environmentalism.

Arcadia Publishing
420 Wando Park Blvd.
Mount Pleasant, SC 29464
www.arcadiapublishing.com

Robert Newcombe's MONTROSE (9780738596341, $21.99) is an 'Images of America' photo history capturing the beginnings and evolution of the community of Montrose, which began in 1913 with a real estate agency's development. 250 acres of sage brush in the foothills could be a lovely retreat, they decided - and the construction of a freeway in the 1960s reflected the mountain community's ongoing evolution from that point on, captured here in vintage photos and stories from the past. Any Southern California history holding will find this captivating. Judy Copy and the San Anselmo Historical Society's SAN ANSELMO (9780738596891, $21.99) tells of the evolution of Northern California' Marin County community, comes from a chairperson of the San Anselmo Historical Society, and provides vintage images from the museum's collection along with local archives to trace the evolution of San Anselmo. From its early rancho days to the groundbreaking influence of the San Francisco Theological Seminary, which completed its huge project in 1892, and beyond, SAN ANSELMO traces the roots of what we know today as bustling crossroads in the region. WILLIAMS by Patricia Ash (9780738595245, $21.99) provides a fine history of a small town and its residents, documenting the evolution of a small village then named Central when one W.H. Williams had a bigger vision for its future. He bought land, built, and was ready to receive the incoming new railroad in 1877 - thus Williams grew. Here its story is captured in vintage photos from the Sacramento Valley Museum and the Colusa Historical Society, making for a fine survey. Dennis Dingemans and Ann Foley Scheuring's UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, DAVIS (9780738596990, $21.99) provides a fine survey of the University at Davis and how it's evolved from a farm institution focusing on agricultural studies to its modern world-class university with a range of studies. UC Davis conducts ground-breaking research and is also a top research facility: this history uses vintage photos to capture all the scenes and impact of its many programs, and will delight any who seek a visual survey of the school's evolution. Scott H. Brown's EUREKA (9780738596761, $21.99) provides a fine survey of the evolution of the historic northern California town of Eureka, which grew during the logging and mining eras and attracted fishermen and all kinds of workers. Historic images gathered from several historical archives blend with modern photos taken by the author to chart Eureka's transformation and evolution, making this a 'must' of comparisons between past and present Eureka. These are highly recommended picks for any California history holding!


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

Diane C. Donovan, Editor & Senior Reviewer
12424 Mill Street, Petaluma, CA 94952
phone: 1-707-795-4629
e-mail: donovan@sonic.net


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