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The Bookwatch

Volume 10, Number 2 February 2015 Home | BW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Crafts Shelf Science Shelf
Cookbook Shelf Photography Shelf Military Shelf
Education Shelf Music Shelf Audiobook Shelf
Computer Shelf Art Shelf Fantasy/SciFi Shelf
Architecture Shelf Social Issues Shelf Business Shelf
Sports Shelf Environmental Studies Shelf Library Science Shelf
Metaphysical Studies Shelf Christian Studies Shelf Biography Shelf
Needlecraft Shelf Health/Medicine Shelf Mystery/Suspense Shelf
Theatre/Cinema/TV Shelf    


Reviewer's Choice

Pen & Ink
Isaac Fitzgerald & Wendy MacNaughton
Bloomsbury Press
175 Fifth Avenue, Suite 315, New York, NY 10010
9781620404904, $22.00, www.bloomsbury.com

PEN & INK: TATTOOS & THE STORIES BEHIND THEM provides a fine compilation for any interested in tattoo art, and gathers the tattoo images of musicians, writers, and ordinary people, using them to display art and tell their stories. Each story features illustrator MacNaughton's art work and provides a fine survey of tattoo symbols and the reasons behind their creation. Arts as well as social history and general-interest collections will find this a revealing and fun read.


The Crafts Shelf

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

Linda Landy's Textured Bead Embroidery: Learn to Make Inspired Pins, Pendants, Earrings, and More (9781627000444, $24.99) comes from a bead artist who offers a range of projects based on different shapes of beads and different styles, and includes a bonus CD of six project patterns drawn to scale and ready to print. Bead embroidery is one of the many possibilities involved in beadwork: this book's narrow focus provides plenty of details on stitches, designs, and the jewelry-making process and imparts a wealth of skills for all levels of bead worker, from novices to those who want to learn further skills. Bernard Kempinski's MODEL RAILROADS GO TO WAR (9780890249536, $19.99) is the only book to cover model railroading wartime scenes, and offers scenes and modeling from the Civil war through Operation Iraqi Freedom, pairing history and photos with step-by-step modeling instructions. Here modelers learn about how railroads operated during war times, how to construct military scenes around railroads, and how to create historically-accurate scenes and landscapes based on particular rail scenarios. The result is a solid recommendation for any rail crafter.


The Science Shelf

Science Unshackled
C. Renee Jones
Johns Hopkins University Press
2715 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218-4363
9781421415000, $24.95, www.press.jhu.edu

Science Unshackled: How Obscure, Abstract, Seemingly Useless Scientific Research Turned Out to Be the Basis for Modern Life considers how obscure studies of natural phenomena turned into modern innovations from GPS to WiFi and pain medication, and provides a fine survey of how scientific curiosity becomes linked to invention. Keys to following the scientific method to use disciplined inquiry to make new discoveries makes this a winning account, highly recommended for science collections and interested lay readers alike.

The Glass Cage
Nicholas Carr
W. W. Norton & Company
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110
9780393240764, $26.95, www.wwnorton.com

The Glass Cage: Automation and Us offers an important critique on substituting automation for the things we used to do ourselves, and uses a blend of economics, science, and philosophy to consider how science is changing what we do and how we engage with others and the world around us. Now, there are many benefits to modern automation - but with these benefits come dangers. The Glass Cage examines the drawbacks and the positive aspects of automation in society and provide a fine survey highly recommended for any interested in the social realm of automation and humanity's interactions with machines.


The Cookbook Shelf

Mrs. Wheelbarrow's Practical Pantry
Cathy Barrow
W. W. Norton & Company
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110
9780393240733, $35.00, www.wwnorton.com

Mrs. Wheelbarrow's Practical Pantry: Recipes and Techniques for Year-Round Preserving offers home cooks ideas for using garden and farmer's market bounty and over-abundance, and is all about making home-canned fruits, vegetables stocks and soups part of a pantry mainstay. Over 150 color photos finished dishes shows how to can and then use produce in recipes, with chapters also including dry-cured and salt-cured processes, smoking meats, and more. From using pectin to focusing on produce that's homegrown, this is a wider-ranging survey than most books on canning and embraces all methods of food preservation. The attention to using home-preserved foods enhances the overall focus and makes for a colorful, winning story.

Mitchell Beazley
c/o Octopus Publishing
236 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
www.octopuspublishing.com

The second updated edition of Dave Broom's THE WORLD ATLAS OF WHISKEY (9781845339425, $39.99) provides the same rich visuals, comprehensive history, and discussions of the distilleries and evolution of world whiskeys. This updated second edition features over twenty-five maps, 250 new tasting notes, and profiles of over fifty new distilleries that have evolved since the original first edition. A major update for this edition reflects many of the changes in the whiskey business, offering insights on craft distillers, expanded coverage of all the Scottish distilleries plus others around the world, and insights on the new innovative whiskies being produced. The result is an award-winning survey highly recommended for any enthusiast of whiskey. Paul Henderson edits GQ DRINKS: THE COCKTAIL COLLECTION FOR DISCERNING DRINKERS (9781845339524, $29.99), a book on drinks that assembles creative new inventions from various bar legends at the UK's best bars. Over a hundred recipes cover both classic and 'new' cocktails, along with tips on best brands, how to prepare them, and how to pair drinks with the appropriate glassware and garnishes. Recipes for cocktails blend with keys to equipment and creative ideas for embellishing cocktails, making this a fine item of choice for any who enjoy cocktails.

Andrews McMeel Publishing
1130 Walnut Street, Kansas City, MO 64106-2109
www.andrewsmcmeel.com

Joe Campanale, et.al.'s DOWNTOWN ITALIAN (9781449450342, $35.00) provides a range of recipes inspired by Italian cooking but created in New York's West Village, and features some 100 from three particular notable restaurants, all adapted for home cooks. From Charred Octopus with Chicories to Roasted Orange Negroni Sbagliato, this offers introductions to classic chef favorites at each of the establishments, offering a range of Italian dishes that have their roots in the Old Country and their innovations in this one. Cooks will find it an appealing, bright collection of possibilities enhanced with color throughout. Robin Robertson's VEGAN WITHOUT BORDERS: EASY EVERYDAY MEALS FROM AROUND THE WORLD (9781449447083, $40.00) features a range of dishes that link world cuisines under the vegan name, and includes well over a hundred dishes that can be made using ingredients easy to find and approaches that are simple for novice cooks. Each recipe includes a list of special attributes (gluten-free, soy-free and more), and each incorporates international classics with a focus on vegan fare from over 20 different countries on five continents. The result is a satisfyingly diverse range of dishes perfect for vegan cooks who want international influences, color photos, and easy approaches.

Twelve Recipes
Cal Peternell
William Morrow & Company
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
10 East 53rd Street, New York, NY 10022-5299
9780062270306, $26.99, www.harpercollins.com

Twelve Recipes comes from the chef at Chez Panisse, and outlines the author's own ideas of home cooking for readers who may have little background in cooking on their own. It selects twelve recipes that form the backbone of such home cooking, describing 'foundation foods' in each chapter and linking the standard recipe to a wide range of dishes and uses that are based upon it. It's all about variations and adaptations: chapters cover toast, eggs, beans, pasta, and more, and offer tips on how to take these individual recipes and make the most of them. Color photos and lovely drawings by the author's wife and sons accompany an approach that goes beyond the usual cookbook recipe format and delves into the basics of how to cook.

How to Roast
Michael Ruhlman
Little, Brown & Company
c/o Hachette Book Group
237 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017
www.hachettebookgroup.com
9780316254106, $25.00, www.littlebrown.com

Ruhlman's How to Roast: Foolproof Techniques and Recipes for the Home Cook accompanies color photos by Donna Turner Ruhlman with a set of recipes which cover all aspects of producing a superior roast: from tied meats and pan-roasted poultry to racks of meat and even side dishes such as cauliflower. Award-winning cook and author Michael Ruhlman has long been applauded as a culinary visionary: his book is first in a new series of technique titles - and tackles perhaps the most coveted and uniformly simple of cooking methods - if one has the right instruction, such as this book. The step-by-step color photos leave little to guess work and the classic dishes illustrate the different results to be gained from various temperatures, making this a winner.


The Photography Shelf

Amherst Media
175 Rano Street, Suite 200, Buffalo, NY 14207-2176
www.amherstmedia.com

Rosanne Olson's ABCS OF BEAUTIFUL LIGHT: A COMPLETE COURSE IN LIGHTING FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS (9781608957170, $27.95) comes from a photo-educator who uses graphics and demonstrations to provide a step-by-step survey of the tools needed for lighting not just photography efforts, but videos and art. Her approach blends hardware specifics with artistic insights on light and how it affects an image, surveying the elements that set superior lighting apart from barely acceptable settings. The result will educate photographers by covering all the options for making the most of lighting under not just a range of settings, but for a variety of purposes. Laurie Klein's PHOTOGRAPHING THE FEMALE FORM WITH DIGITAL INFRARED (9781608957194, $27.95) is all about posing to make the most of body and natural light, and explores how sixty of the author's images were created. Each selection offers supporting images that show variations and offer details on enhancing textures and features, and each makes for a fine survey recommended for figure photographers who want in-depth details on pose options and photographic enhancement. Robin Owen's BOUDOIR LIGHTING: SIMPLE TECHNIQUES FOR DRAMATIC PHOTOGRAPHY (9781608957552, $27.95) offers easy lighting techniques for images, and teaches how to design such using just one light, in many cases. Chapters teach how to pose, set scenes and props, and apply basic image concepts, offering an approach that is clear, quick, and more importantly, doesn't require special equipment or expertise to prove successful. Plenty of color photos packed on all pages make this a real winner!


The Military Shelf

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

Marco Mattioli's Savoia-Marchetti S.79 SPARVIERO TORPEDO-BOMBER UNITIS (9781782008071, $22.95) joins others in Osprey's 'Combat Aircraft' series, and is a pick for any collection strong in military aircraft. This study is the first of two volumes to cover the S.79 and comes from an expert on Italian military aviation, considering the rise and fall of the World War II combat plane. The result is a study that will appeal to military and aviation collections alike, pairing color illustrations and vintage photos with plenty of background. Mark Lardas' SHENANDOAH 1864: SHERIDAN'S VALLEY CAMPAIGN (9781472804839, $21.95) covers the battle for Shenandoah Valley during the Civil War and provides a lively discussion of the full story of the 90 days that followed the opposing armies' confrontations. With its color illustrations and vintage black and white photos, this is a history that no Civil War military collection should be without!


The Education Shelf

Corwin Press
2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320-2218
www.corwin.com

Peter Smagorinsky, EDITOR'S TEACHING DILEMMAS & SOLUTIONS IN CONTENT-AREA LITERACY GRADS 6-12 (9781452229935, $31.00) offers a cross-discipline approach to teaching literacy and shows how to develop curriculum and instruction that meet student literary requirements in not only the usual English circles, but in social studies, math, and the arts. It comes from an educator and his colleagues who analyze their own fields and their literacy needs, reviewing the latest issues, offering activities and food for thought for discussion, and reviewing policies revolving around classroom literacy. The result is a solid reference highly recommended for any involved in educational literacy processes. Lyn Sharratt and Gale Harild's GOOD TO GREAT TO INNOVATE: RECALCULATING THE ROUTE TO CAREER READINESS, K-12+ (9781483331867, $24.00) is written for education leaders at all levels and shows how to design a specific Pathways approach to careers that blends career aspirations with curriculum at early grade levels than is usual for this topic. It teaches how to develop life skills that are inclusive and which blend career training into curriculum through a network of community partners, it provides collective school action ideas, and it promotes agility and emphasizes choice as it surveys processes of innovation, respect, and creativity in a collaborative learning environment. The result is a powerful survey recommended for teachers who want to integrate Pathway concepts into their approach.


The Music Shelf

George Frideric Handel: A Life With Friends
Ellen T. Harris
W. W. Norton & Company
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110
9780393088953, $37.95, www.wwnorton.com

George Frideric Handel: A Life With Friends covers the classical musician's personal life and relationships, and considers the importance of his operas and music in light of his times. Where other perspectives on Handel focus on his music alone, this provides a history of his circle and his world, intersecting his compositions with their influences and his political interests. The result is a fine focus that combines opera history with social issues and creates a pioneering piece of research recommended for any classical music history collection.

Dylan: The Biography
Dennis McDougal
Wiley
c/o Wiley Professional Trade Group
111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
9780470636237, $35.00, www.wiley.com

Dylan: The Biography is billed as the 'ultimate' biography of the rock musician - and that's saying something, since many, many coverages of Dylan's life from all kinds of perspectives have preceded this book. This book includes subjects Dylan left out of his own autobiography, it goes beyond the usual approach of analyzing lyrics or covering the same biographical facts, and it probes how Dylan and his audience changed through two decades, using interviews with his family, friends, and fellow professionals. L.A. Times journalist McDougal's focus seeks exposes over inferences, facts over speculation, and provides a powerful coverage that is well-rounded and searches for depth over casual review. The result is a biography that, indeed, may be described as both definitive and complimentary to many a Dylan work already on one's bookshelf.


The Audiobook Shelf

Special Deluxe
Neil Young
Penguin Audio
c/o Penguin Group USA
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
9781611763348, $40.00, www.penguin.com

Special Deluxe: A Memoir of Life & Cars is narrated by author and musician Neil Young himself and provides a powerful survey of his Canadian background, his musical influences, and his passion for not just rock music, but cars. The latter is an unexpected facet to a story that winds through musical circles, but is a powerful account that captures his memories and personality and successfully supplements a musical focus with a bigger picture of his life and times. Superior audio packages often reach beyond the written word; especially when presented unabridged and using the author's own voice: Special Deluxe is a powerful saga and a fine pick for any interested in Neil Young and his life.

Full Force and Effect
Mark Greaney
Random House Audio Books
c/o The Random House Publishing Group
1745 Broadway, 5th floor, New York, NY 10019
9780553551983, $50.00, www.randomhouseaudio.com

Tom Clancy's Full Force and Effect provides a fine new Jack Ryan novel narrated by veteran reader Scott brick, whose smooth voice brings to life the drama surrounding a North Korean ICBM which crashes into the sea of Japan and involves a murdered CIA officer, forged documents, and more. There are many pieces to this puzzle - pieces which come satisfyingly to life in this story - and a familiar challenge is faced with President Jack Ryan, who must contend with new international dilemmas. The blend of intrigue, politics, and espionage comes to life in audio and makes this a special recommendation.

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

Preston & Child's BLUE LABYRINTH (9781478982845, $40.00) is narrated by TV actor Rene Auberjonois, whose TV credits include many major shows, and whose Broadway acting abilities led to a Tony Award. His smooth and memorable voice now lends equally well to audio as he narrates the story of a family secret that haunts a special agent with murder and its aftermath. As the mystery deepens the audio listen becomes ever more compelling, and swift action makes it hard to set aside - and recommended for any who love thriller mysteries. THE UNIVERSAL TONE by Carlos Santana (9781619698765, $35.00) pairs the musician's survey of his life with Jonathan Davis' reading and an introduction narrated by Santana himself, and provides a memoir that follows his earliest days playing in strip bars in Tijuana as a teen to his rise as a rock guitar star. From his spiritual blossoming to his evolution as a musician, The Universal Tone comes to life in an audio read that captures all the nuances of his world and times, making this a top recommendation for any rock music enthusiast in general and Santana listeners in particular. James Patterson returns his Alex Cross protagonists to viewers in HOPE TO DIE (9781611130362, $35.00), a story narrated by Michael Boatman and Scott Sower and documenting a legendary Washington, D.C. detective's latest challenge. Boatman and Sower work together to bring the saga to life as Alex's family is abducted by a madman and Alex finds himself grappling with terror and the possibility that a madman is in charge, manipulating the detective with everything he holds dear in life. A powerful thriller evolves in a story highly recommended for any interested in thrillers or high-stakes mystery stories. There's an abridged version (9781478982890, $25.00) for those who want a quicker listen.


The Computer Shelf

Cloud Computing and Electronic Discovery
James P. Martin and Harry Cendrowski
Wiley
c/o Wiley Professional Trade Group
111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
9781118764305, $45.00, www.wiley.com/business

Business and IT computer readers alike will welcome this new addition to Wiley's CIO series, which considers cloud computing technology's impact on electronic discovery approaches specific to litigation and criminal investigations. Chapters explore the legal issues that an investigator or litigant can't just access the data held by a third party in the cloud, and uses a range of experts to consider this area of law and its applications to the legal professional, from fraud investigators to forensic accountants. The focus on how data is stored and legal ruling involving data creation, storage and manipulation will prove invaluable to businesses and makes for a fine, in-depth survey no computer or business collection should be without.

For Dummies
c/o Wiley Professional Trade Group
111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
www.fordummies.com

Edward C. Baig and Bob "Dr. mac" LeVitus's iPAD FOR DUMMIES (9781118932247, $24.99) teaches the basics of how to master the latest iPad versions, and begins with the basics, assuming no prior iPad, Apple or computer experience. From how to turn on the device and customize it to working with its touch interface, setting up icons, understanding how a browser (Safari) works, and handling messaging and more, this is all about making the most of an iPad and is directed to the newcomers who 'knows nothing'. From troubleshooting to accessorizing, this packed with screen shot examples and step-by-step bulleted processes that include common 'tricks and traps' of the iPad world. The result is a 'must' for any absolute, bare-bones beginner. Sean McManus and Mike Cook's RASPBERRY PI FOR DUMMIES (9781118904916, $24.99) teaches the range of possibilities in raspberry Pi and provides a step-by-step resource that covers everything from downloading and installing the software to understanding the differences between Linux and other operating systems, and how to customize Raspberry Pi programs. The focus on games, electronic and more offers an opportunity to learn Raspberry coding to create music and all kinds of applications from animations to 3D Minecraft mazes, and uses the basics of game-building from scratch to teach both the program and basic game creation. Any who would produce video games will find this a key reference!


The Art Shelf

Designing Here/Now
Allan Chochinov and Eric Lundlum, Editors
Thames and Hudson
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110-0017
97805000517482, $50.00, www.thamesandhudsonusa.com

Designing Here/Now: Ac Global Selection of Objects, Concepts and Spaces for the Future covers designs ranging from consumer projects to transportation and visual communication, food design, and more, and gathers the work of one of the first online magazines, Core77, who works with leading design agencies and companies alike, hosting design awards and inviting the best of the world's design experts. This new book packs in over 500 objects in all fields of design into topical categories and focuses on designs selected by world critics and curators. The result is a 'must' for any designer or collections catering to them.


The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf

Ace Books
c/o Penguin Group (USA)
375 Hudson Street, 4th floor, New York, NY 10014
www.penguin.com

Jack Campbell's THE LOST STARS: IMPERFECT SWORD (9780425272251, $26.95) adds to Campbell's The Lost Fleet series with a new story where the last left off. This time President Gwen Iceni and General Artur Drakon have liberated the Midway Star System - but former dictators still threaten with revenge and punishments. As political and military threats rise, Iceni and Drakon face business forces with their own motives, as well. The result is a rollicking good military and political sci-fi read, particularly recommended for prior Lost Fleet series readers who can't get enough of the setting and ongoing events. William C. Deitz's ANDROMEDA'S WAR (9780425256268, $25.95) returns to the author's prior Legion of the damned universe where Andromeda McKee is now a platoon leader who is working outside of her real identity as Lady Catherine Carletto, one of the last two surviving members of the Carletto family. When her uncle is killed in a government raid, Andromeda is the only one who can carry through the quest for justice and vengeance and this book chronicles the one chance she has when she's assigned to a rescue mission of her greatest enemy. Familiarity wit the prior universe will make this sequel especially accessible to fans of Andromeda's world.


The Architecture Shelf

Green Home Building
Miki Cook & Doug Garrett
New Society Publishers
PO Box 189, Gabriola Island, BC, Canada, V0R 1X0
9780865717794, $24.95, www.newsociety.com

Green Home Building: Money-Saving Strategies for An Affordable, Healthy, High-Performance Home is a pick for architecture and sustainable building collections as well as for homeowners who want to 'go green' with their ownership using proved building methods, and covers all the latest construction and maintenance costs associated with greener building choices. From materials and affordable living to cutting maintenance and operating costs and achieving a net zero energy home, this is written for homeowners, builders, contractors, architects, and any interested in not just the ideal of green housing, but how it actually works in dollars and cents. Few titles are as specific and as useful in pinpointing exactly what makes 'green' living cost-effective, as well.


The Social Issues Shelf

Smart Cities
Anthony Townsend
W. W. Norton & Company
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110
9780393349788, $17.95, www.wwnorton.com

SMART CITIES: BIG DATA, CIVIC HACKERS, AND THE QUEST FOR A NEW UTOPIA explores the relationship between cities and information technology, considering the connections between uses of various utilities from electricity to broadband networks and exploring how new tools work in urban environments. It's an analysis of how innovators are creating 'smart cities' with new visions of control and command centers, of how these work in major urban areas, and of how smart technology offers both new opportunities and reasons to worry. From interconnected glitches to opportunities for better connections and infrastructure control, this considers all the possibilities of the 'smart city' and is especially recommended for any interested in urban development and social change.

Abortion, Execution, and the Consequences of Taking Life
James D. Slack
Transaction Publishers
10 Corporate Place South, Piscataway, NJ 08854
9781412853989, $49.95, www.transactionpub.com

Abortion, Execution, and the Consequences of Taking Life is recommended for college-level audiences and comes from a sociologist who provides a scholarly assessment of the situation from his personal experiences with life-and-death situations. He interviews participants on all sides of such issues, balancing scholarly research with personal perspective and insights into the sociology and ideology of abortion and execution - deliberate taking of life routines and perspectives.


The Business Shelf

Greenleaf Book Group Press
PO Box 91869, Austin, TX 78709
www.gbgpress.com

Joel Trammell's THE CEO TIGHTROPE: HOW TO MASTER THE BALANCING ACT OF A SUCCESSFUL CEO (9781626341067, $26.95) discusses the job of a CEO, how to recognize and reflect the company vision, and how to handle company goals and make decisions in accordance with board and shareholder concerns. It's for the new CEO that may have worked into the position without prior experience, and it identifies many potential pitfalls inherent in the position and how to avoid them. From common daily struggles that lead to instability to identifying the right kind of growth opportunity, this is packed with guidelines aspiring CEOs will find invaluable. Jen Lawrence & Larry Chester's ENGAGE THE FOX (9781626341234, $23.95) uses a fable format to engage readers on critical thinking processes, and provides a fine book considering how to build rational thought and frameworks. Critical thinking techniques lend to better business approaches and decision-making. ENGAGE THE F0X links various facets together, from neuroscience and human behavior to business approaches, to provide a framework for critical thought processes.

Kogan Page USA
1518 Walnut Street, Suite 1100, Philadelphia, PA 19102
www.koganpage.com

Julian Dent's Technology Distribution Channels (9780749472177, $65.00) focuses on the sales, marketing and distribution channels in technology and considers why these channels are heralded as the most efficient of any industry sector. Chapters consider how they operate, why they engage retailers and others better than other channels, and how to use these basics to improve other types of distribution processes in the market. From strategies of channel economics to blending online and other market approaches, this book is a 'must' for any who would build approaches to better marketing. Benjamin Berghaus, et.al.'s The Management Of Luxury: A Practitioner's Handbook (9780749471668, $60.00) is all about luxury management at the manufacturing and marketing levels, and considers how the management of luxury is different than other types of business management. Here some 50 contributors from 11 countries and 23 academic institutions around the world offer articles on luxury management practices and research, pairing marketing and management perspectives with insights on luxury customer behaviors, product branding, retail sales, online approaches, and more. The result is an in-depth survey well suited to any business collection. Helen Rideout's Employee Risk Management: How to Protect Your Business Reputation and Reduce Your Legal Liability (9780749471606, $60.00) considers basic concepts of employee risk management practices and how the actions of employees, boards of directors, contractors, and staff can affect an employer. Its focus is on a range of individual and collective threats to workforce routines and management, teaching businesses how to protect against a wide range of issues from managing employee social media use to maintain business reputation to remote working challenges and data security in the workplace. The result is a top recommendation for any size business with employees.

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

Rodney Heisterberg and Alakh Verma's CREATING BUSINESS AGILITY: HOW CONVERGENCE OF CLOUD, SOCIAL, MOBILE, VIDEO, AND BIG DATA ENABLES COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE (9781118724569, $60.00) offers a proven, tested model for bringing technological innovations to a successful digital business environment to making existing businesses more efficient, and provides the latest trends and data linking management practices to internal and external business pursuits. From how to assess key performance indicators for early warning indicating change to using predictive analytics and fostering an agile business environment dependant on quick adaptability and flexible change, this book uses a sample travel destination and event marketing campaign scenario to translate its models into business environment reality. Managers will find this a 'must have' tutorial filled with tested data applications and real-world examples. Mark A. Grinmaldi and G. Stevenson Smith's THE MONEY COMPASS: WHERE YOUR MONEY WENT AND HOW TO GET IT BACK (9781118614457, $40.00) considers the financial collapse and why operating under old rules isn't working for many. It provides a key to operating under new rules of investment, innovation and financial survival, and teaches how to navigate a changed reality. Investors who want to know where their monies went, how to get them back, and how to operate under new financial rules will find this an excellent choice for developing a revised system of money management and investing routines perfect for any navigating the stormy, changing waters of personal financial planning.

An Asperger's Guide to Entrepreneurship
Rosalind A. Bergemann
Jessica Kingsley Publishers
400 Market Street, Suite 400, Philadelphia, PA 19106
9781849055093, $29.95, www.jkp.com

An Asperger's Guide to Entrepreneurship: Setting Up Your Own Business for Professionals with Autism Spectrum Disorder is for any business person with Asperger's Syndrome considering self-employment, as well as young graduates who want to try out a business path, and provides a detailed guide that links common business processes with attention to how Asperger's fits into such a pursuit. From the unique strengths one can bring to a new business to typical problems that self-employment might especially bring to Asperger's entrepreneurs, this book takes all the usual business basics - marketing, promotion, financial management, networking - and adds an extra dimension specific to Asperger's individuals, making this a 'must' for both business and health collections.


The Sports Shelf

Human Kinetics Publishers, Inc.
PO Box 5076, Champaign, IL 61820-5076
www.humankinetics.com

Pete Pfitzinger and Philip Latter's FASTER ROAD RACING: 5k TO HALF MARATHON (9781450470452, $19.95) comes from a running coach and author who joins with the senior writer for Running Times to provide a guide to the most popular race distances, from the 5 and 10K to the half marathon. It features programs for each which are designed to help runners gain a competitive edge in a race, and it includes topics that range from cross-training and nutrition to training over age 40 and running multiple races. Runners will find in this an invaluable reference. Kevin G. Thompson's PACING: INDIVIDUAL STRATEGIES FOR OPTIMAL PERFORMANCE (9781450421232, $24.95) examines the latest science and research in the pacing of sports, considering different strategies for different athletic endeavors and the role the brain plays in pacing. From the biological foundations of pacing science and six commonly-used strategies to applying this to different kinds of competition, from running to swimming, this teaches how to develop and adjust different kinds of pacing routines for difference purposes. The result is recommended for any athlete and for many a coaching library.


The Environmental Studies Shelf

Solar Living Sourcebook, 14th edition
John Schaeffer
New Society Publishers
PO Box 189, Gabriola Island, BC, Canada, V0R 1X0
9780865717848, $39.95, www.newsociety.com

Solar Living Sourcebook has been regularly updated since 1982 and appears here in its 14th edition to offer the definitive guide to renewable energy options, sustainable living, and more. Articles come from experts with decades of experience and include everything from wiring diagrams and charts to electrical code regulations, solar sizing worksheets, and more - but you don't have to be a solar expert to utilize this book. Any interested in applying solar power to any endeavor will find this sourcebook packed with the latest technologies and off-the-grid living approaches, and will find chapters on water, power, community gardens, panel to plug applications and more to be specific and important references.


The Library Science Shelf

Extensible Processing for Archives and Special Collections
Daniel A. Santamaria
American Library Association
50 East Huron Street, Chicago, IL 60611
9780838912577, $75.00, www.alastore.ala.org

Professional librarians seeking information on reducing common processing backlogs will find Extensible Processing for Archives and Special Collections a key to developing more effective processing strategies. From formulating and implementing a professional program - which relies on advanced professional skills - to encoding descriptive records, adjusting archival thinking patterns and habits, and creating staffing models for better supervision, this is a professional library reference that considers all aspects of special collections challenges.


The Metaphysical Studies Shelf

Strange Electromagnetic Dimensions
Louis Proud
New Page Books
c/o Career Press Inc.
220 West Parkway, Unit 12, Pompton Plains, NJ 07444
9781601633327, $16.99, www.newpagebooks.com

Strange Electromagnetic Dimensions: The Science of the Unexplainable delves into the new science of natural and supernatural effects, and considers how all things are tied to an electromagnetic web - often with unpredictable results. From ESP and poltergeists to UFOs and the paranormal, this focus on electromagnetic roots analyzes alien energies that have been introduced into the environment and which shape human senses and experiences. From questions about ball lightning and scientific oddities to answers connecting electromagnetic effects with the supernatural, this is an exciting read for any interested in science and new age blends.

The Only Little Prayer You Need
Debra Landwehr Engle
Hampton Roads Publishing Company
65 Parker St., Ste. 7, Newburyport, MA 01950
9781571747181, $14.95, www.hamptonroads.com

The Only Little Prayer You Need: The Shortest Route to a Life of Joy, Abundance, and Peace of Mind is based on Engle's study of A Course in Miracles and explains how to use prayer to make better decisions, worry less, and multiply energy. The focus is on guilt-free actions and admonitions that break old patterns of behavior. Chapters consider how to tailor a prayer to encourage improvement on many levels in an approach especially recommended for prior followers of A Course in Miracles.

The Happiness Makeover
M.J. Ryan
Conari Press
c/o Red Wheel/Weiser
65 Parker Street, Suite 7, Newburyport, MA 01950-4600
9781573246101, $14.95, www.redwheelweiser.com

The Happiness Makeover: Teach Yourself to Enjoy Every Day is based on the author's international coaching practice, and provides the tools to recognize the habits and influences that hinder happiness and foster confusion and angst. Stories, quotes, and sayings encourage readers to focus on innate wisdom and overcome negative environmental impact, teaching a gentle method of adaptation and transformation recommended for any interested in new age or self-help approaches to life.

Coming Back to Life
Joanna Macy and Molly Brown
New Society Publishers
PO Box 189, Gabriola Island, BC, Canada, V0R 1X0
9780865717756, $21.95, www.newsociety.com

Coming Back to Life provides an updated guide to The Work That Reconnects and is an encouraging story of activism and environmental change that pairs the Work to life-affirming routines designed to change not only personal perspective but surrounding human culture. It uses the Work's theoretical foundations and adds an extra dimension to address modern angst and powerlessness, providing a game plan for thwarting apathy and becoming actively involved in changing directions for the better. The result may be picked primarily by new age readers, but is a recommendation for any interested in activism and positive change.


The Christian Studies Shelf

Thomas Berry: Selected Writings on the Earth Community
Marilyn Evelyn Tucker and John Grim
Orbis Books
PO Box 302, Maryknoll NY 10545-0302
9781626980952, $22.00, www.orbisbooks.com

Thomas Berry: Selected Writings on the Earth Community joins others in the 'modern spiritual masters' series, and represents the reflections of a priest and religion historian who here considers the nature of spirituality in communities. From how intimacy with cosmic forces may be found in life stories to expressions of cultural traditions, spiritual legacies, and world interactions, this is a gathering of considerations of the human role in spiritual perspective, and is filled with inter-connected observations of Christian beliefs and world perspectives.

Cybertheology
Antonion Spadaro, author
Translated by Maria Way
Fordham University Press
University Box L, Bronx, NY 10458-5172
9780823257003, $24.00, www.fordham.edu

Cybertheology: Thinking Christianity in the Era of the Internet draws direct connections between ways the Internet is changing and how Christian thinking about religion is changing, suggesting that concepts of theology are changing as a result of cyberspace influence. Chapters consider just how this is happening, offering connections between traditional theology and concepts being presented on the internet. From the evolution of a peculiar brand of 'cybertheology' to issues of hacking, and similarities between Internet thinking processes and other types of media influence on Christian thought and analysis, this is an important, scholarly survey recommended for any Christian thinker and media collection.


The Biography Shelf

Daring: My Passages
Gail Sheehy
William Morrow & Company
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
10 East 53rd Street, New York, NY 10022-5299
9780062291691, $29.99, www.harpercollins.com

Daring: My Passages was published last September but deserves ongoing recommendation as a powerful memoir of a literary journalist who forged a place for herself in the then-man's world of journalism. From how she traveled to war zones and took on assignments with little background or experience to how she emerged from a stormy romance with her mentor and editor to write her groundbreaking book Passages, this delves into her psychology and into women's issues alike, and provides a powerful memoir that is a top pick for any who have followed her career.


The Needlecraft Shelf

Sixth&Spring Books
161 Avenue of the Americas, Suite 1301, New York, NY 10013
www.sixthandspring.com

Susan Gibbs's MODERN COUNTRY KNITS: 30 DESIGNS FROM JUNIPER MOON FARM (9781936096794, $19.95) provides 30 knitwear designs that focus on country living and simple styles from Juniper Moon farm's line of yarns. From dresses and hats to cowls and jumpers, this offers a variety of approaches to knitting and highlights wool produced by the farm's own sheep. While you don't have to have the specific yarn to follow the designs and directions, the purpose here is to make use of the specific product, and knitters interested in using unique and specialty yarn products will find this a winning approach. Nancy Marchant's KNITTING FRESH BRIOCHE: CREATING TWO-COLOR TWISTS & TURNS (9781936096770, $24.95) is a follow-up to the author's best-seller Knitting Fresh Brioche, and here provides over seventy new stitch patterns featuring the same attention to two-color textures and 12 shawl and scarf projects. The brioche technique is explored using a range of textures that lend to two-color combinations and comes from an expert on the European stitch style of brioche knitting, offering a range of opportunities to learn different techniques and creative applications.

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

Molly Hanson's FREE-MOTION QUILTING FOR BEGINNERS AND THOSE WHO THINK THEY CAN'T (9781604684711, $26.99) offers a fine review of the techniques, designs and projects accessible to home sewing machine users, and focuses on making it easy to learn to free-motion quilt. Step-by-step instructions accompany a survey of the basics which use ten different quilting designs applied to some 15 different projects ranging from a tote bag and laptop holder to a complete quilt. Readers can thus use their machines to learn the basics on small projects before graduating to full quilts. Patterns, projects, and color images throughout create a fine and diverse selection of ideas that uses projects to teach, making this a highly recommended beginner's guide. Myra Harder's URBAN AND AMISH: CLASSIC QUILTS AND MODERN UPDATES (9781604684568, $24.99) offers a breath of fresh air in a world where quilt patterns too often look alike, taking classic Amish patterns and incorporating them into truly modern outtakes. These come from a designer whose modern geometric interpretations are bold and different, and whose quilting approach involves offering two distinct patterns for each design - one modern, one traditionally Amish. Full-page color photos accompany more colorful step-by-step directions in this fine survey.


The Health/Medicine Shelf

Yoga for Cancer
Tari Prinster
Healing Arts Press
c/o Inner Traditions International, Ltd.
One Park Street, Rochester, VT 05767
www.innertraditions.com
9781620552728, $19.95, www.healingartspress.com

Yoga for Cancer: A Guide to Managing Side Effects, Boosting Immunity, and Improving Recovery for Cancer Survivors is for the recovering cancer patient who wants to utilize alternate therapies in the healing process, and seeks to redefine the process of surviving cancer. It comes from a veteran yoga teacher and cancer survivor who provides an illustrated guide blending modern science with tools for conquering cancer, and is based on the author's own experience of using yoga's empowering qualities as a tool to change her life. Yoga4Cancer is a unique type of yoga for survivors: her own experiences with tailoring yoga for cancer concerns makes this a unique standout in either cancer or yoga literature.

Understanding Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
Maria Catterick and Liam Curran
Jessica Kingsley Publishers
400 Market Street, Suite 400, Philadelphia, PA 19106
9781849053945, $19.95, www.jkp.com

Understanding Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder: A Guide to FASO for Parents, Carers and Professionals provides a fine introduction to the most common non-genetic learning disability caused by alcohol during pregnancy, is written by two FASD experts, and analyzes the effects of alcohol on development - and even more importantly, how its effects can appear later on in life. Photos, charts and diagrams teach how to identify FASD and how mothers at risk can be helped, and provides tips and insights suitable for parents, caregivers, and educators alike.

Anatomy in Diagnostic Imaging, third edition
Peter Fleckenstein and Jorgen Tranum-Jensen
Wiley Blackwell
350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148
9781405139915, $95.00, www.wiley.com/go/radiology

Anatomy in Diagnostic Imaging appears in its third updated edition to provide an atlas of anatomy as it applies to diagnostic images, and covers all kinds of imaging, from x-ray and MR to ultrasounds and PET scans. All chapters have been completely revised for this edition; which is an excellent point since well over two hundred new images are included for this revision. Some nine hundred total images have been chosen for their high quality and comprehensive anatomical interpretation. This diagnostic imaging reference is a 'must' for any healthcare collection: it packs the clear black and white images with notes on views, numbered identification points, and more. The result is an outstanding guide for any healthcare library, filled with the specific images and their identification that students require.


The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

Ghost Wanted
Carolyn Hart
Berkeley Prime Crime
c/o Penguin Group (USA)
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
9780425266151, $25.95, www.penguin.com

Ghost Wanted provides a fine Bailey Ruth ghost novel and tells of a Heavenly supervisor who assigns ghost Bailey Ruth to investigate vandalism and theft at a haunted library in Oklahoma. It's an unusual device to have the investigator not only deceased, but on assignment from Heaven: GHOST WANTED thus offers a supernatural twist on the detective/mystery theme, but manages to remain firmly rooted in real, crime-oriented drama. The result is a title that may hold paranormal leanings, but will involve any avid detective story reader with a touch of something different.


The Theatre/Cinema/TV Shelf

Notes to Screenwriters
Vicki Peterson and Barbara Nicolosi
Michael Wiese Productions
12400 Ventura Blvd., #1111, Studio City, CA 91604
9781615932139, $26.95, www.mwp.com

Notes to Screenwriters: Advancing Your Story, Screenplay, and Career with Whatever Hollywood Throws At You is about the many changes most screenwriters fear when a script is returned, and it comes from experienced Hollywood professionals who handle the typical range of requests and show how an author can rewrite or tweak a screenplay without compromising creative license. It's an approach for any screenwriter who chaffs at the task of rewriting and fails to see it as a potential opportunity for positive change on all sides, and it offers a host of fresh new approaches to the process that hopefully will delight everyone, from writers and directors to actors. The result is a recommended pick for any involved in screenplay production and stands apart from your usual screen writer's guide.


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Diane C. Donovan, Editor
Midwest Book Review
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Oregon, WI 53575-1129
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