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California Bookwatch

Volume 5, Number 11 November 2010 Home | CALBW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Aviation Shelf Humor Shelf
Economics Shelf Writing/Publishing Shelf American History Shelf
Pets/Wildlife Shelf Health/Medicine Shelf Psychology Shelf
Crafts Shelf Education Shelf Theatre/Cinema/TV Shelf
Computer Shelf Language Studies Shelf Audiobook Shelf
Cookbook Shelf Fashion Shelf Art Shelf
International Studies Shelf Religion/Spirituality Shelf Christian Studies Shelf
Fantasy/SciFi Shelf Comix/Graphic Novel Shelf Antiques/Collectibles Shelf
Music Shelf Business Shelf Metaphysical Studies Shelf
Fiction Shelf Mystery/Suspense Shelf Literary Shelf
Biography Shelf Political Science Shelf Social Issues Shelf
Military Shelf Photography Shelf Science Shelf
Sports Shelf Nautical Shelf Automotive Shelf
Self-Help Shelf Judaic Studies Shelf Poetry Shelf
World History Shelf Needlecraft Shelf Environmental Studies Shelf
Hunting/Fishing Shelf California Shelf  


Reviewer's Choice

The Daily Show with Jon Stewart Presents Earth (The Book)
Jon Stewart
Grand Central Publishing
c/o Hachette Publishing Group
237 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
9780446579223, $27.99, www.hachettebookgroup.com

The Daily Show with Jon Stewart Presents Earth (The Book) should be in every general lending library. It's packed with hilarious tongue-in-cheek surveys about our species, blending science with irony and humor as it sums up what has been observed and accomplished by the human race on our planet. Color photos, graphs and charts pack a rollicking read perfect for any general lending library.

Running on Faith
Jason Lester with Tim Vandehey
HarperOne
c/o Harper San Francisco
353 Sacramento St., Suite 500, San Francisco CA 94111-3653
9780061965722, $25.99, www.harperone.com

RUNNING ON FAITH: THE PRINCIPLES, PASSION, AND PURSUIT OF A WINNING LIFE tells of an athlete who defied the odds to pursue his dream to set a world record. Nine lessons that helped him achieve these dreams include learning to take risks, pushing to reach a goal, and developing focus. Jason Lester is a physically challenged extreme athlete who at age 12 was victim of a terrible car accident. He refused to let his injury stop his life and his journey has benefited many others, as well.

Real Monsters, Gruesome Critters, and Beasts from the Darkside
Brad Steiger
Visible Ink Press
43311 Joy Rd #414, Canton, MI 48187
9781578592203, $19.95, www.visibleinkpress.com

Real Monsters, Gruesome Critters, and Beasts from the Darkside offers a survey of paranormal entities and offers stories taken from newspaper accounts and first-person interviews. From UFO abductors to giant snakes and big cats prowling neighborhoods, this gathers over 250 true monster stories and includes black and white illustrations throughout. General-interest collections will find this a compelling pick.

199 Fun and Effective Fundraising Events for Nonprofit Organizations
Eileen Figure Sandlin & Richard Helwig
Atlantic Publishing
1405 SW 6th Avenue, Ocala, FL 34471-0640
9781601381484, $24.95, www.atlantic-pub.com

199 Fun and Effective Fundraising Events for Nonprofit Organizations begins with a New Mexico fundraising event that earned a giant, $15K result from a 'battle of the bands' event at a local restaurant - despite the economic downturn - and tells how other events can be organized with similar promises of return. Creative ideas for nonprofits pack a guide to exciting event ideas that have proven successful for other organizations. Highly recommended for any collection where fundraising ideas are needed!

The GIS 20: Essential Skills
Gina Clemmer
ESRI
380 New York St., Redlands, CA 92373-8100
9781589482562, $39.95, www.esri.com

The GIS 20: Essential Skills provides a fine workbook to help readers master the top 20 skills needed to become proficient at using ArcGIS software. It stems from a survey with GIS professionals to assess primary skills needed to be a GIS user, and packs in keys to obtaining these 'base skills'. A data CD for completing exercises accompanies keys to joining data to maps, preparing data for transfer, geocoding and more.


The Aviation Shelf

The Flight of the Century
Thomas Kessner
Oxford University Press
198 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016-4314
9780195320190, $27.95, www.oup.com

The Flight of the Century: Charles Lindbergh and the Rise of American Aviation tells of an airmail pilot from rural Minnesota who made the first nonstop transatlantic flight. This recounts his 23-hour flight and the reaction to it on both sides of the Atlantic, explaining how an obscure international competition made history and made Lindbergh the most celebrated pilot of his time. A fine, intriguing story uses Lindbergh's experience to explain the history of aviation as well as his life and influence.


The Humor Shelf

Discover Your Inner Hermit Crab
Jim Toomey
Andrews McMeel
1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106-2109
9780740791109, $12.99, www.andrewsmceel.com

Discover Your Inner Hermit Crab is the fifteenth Sherman's Lagoon collection, offering some 42 weeks of the comic strip in a blend of some color and mostly black and white strips from the popular underwater spoof. Sherman and all his pals are back complete with business interests, views on sea life/human relationships, a shark with a passion for karaoke, and more. No cartoon humor library should be without!

Uncle John's Bathroom Reader Plunges into Canada
Bathroom Readers' Institute
Box 1117, Ashland, OR 97520
1607101009, $18.95, www.bathroomreader.com

Humor blends with reference trivia and snippets of detail in a lively, readable 'bathroom reader'' documenting names, events, culture and humor unique to understanding Canada. From an encounter with a Canadian polygamous tribe's traditions and unique problem-solving approaches to Canadians who influenced Hollywood and other Canadian-American encounters, this is packed with fun tidbits of detail perfect for leisure browsing and quick reading.


The Economics Shelf

Fubarnomics
Robert E. Wright
Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2119
9781616141912, $26.00, www.prometheusbooks.com

FUBARNOMICS: A LIGHTHEARTED, SERIOUS LOOK AT AMERICA'S ECONOMIC ILLS offers a fun look at contemporary economic woes, considering examples of Fubar - an acronym meaning 'fouled up beyond all recognition'. Modern and historical examples of Fubar covers everything from social institutions to national crises, making this a fine set of insights into social and economic woes alike. General libraries and business collections alike will find this a fine guide!

Sovereign Wealth Funds
Edwin M. Truman
Peterson Institute for International Economics
1750 Washington Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20036-1903
9780881324983, $23.95, www.piie.com

Sovereign wealth funds are perhaps one of the most misunderstood things in modern economics. "Sovereign Wealth Funds: Threat or Salvation?" discusses this enigmatic topic and its place in the globalization of the world. Drawing on his decades of economic experience, Edwin M. Truman gives a complete and comprehensive explanation to Sovereign Wealth funds and what they mean in the bigger picture. "Sovereign Wealth Funds" belongs in any economic studies collection, highly recommended.


The Writing/Publishing Shelf

The Coffee Break Screenwriter
Pilar Alessandra
Michael Wiese Productions
12400 Ventura Blvd. #1111, Studio City, CA 91604
9781932907803, $24.95, www.mwp.com

The Coffee Break Screenwriter belongs in any performing arts or screenwriting collection and offers keys to finding time to write a screenplay. Hollywood screenwriting instructor Pilar Alessandra shows how to write a screenplay on the side and offers some sixty ten-minute writing tools designed to train budding screenwriters in the art of budgeting time. Learn how to outline, finish pages, and progress through this fine survey.

Mind Your Business
Michelle Wallerstein
Michael Wiese Productions
3940 Laurel Canyon Boulevard, #1111, Studio City, CA 91604
1932907769, $24.95, www.mwp.com

Mind Your Business: A Hollywood Literary Agent's Guide to Your Writing Career is a 'must'' for any writer wishing to break into the business of writing for Hollywood. It comes from a former agent who knows all the insider's answers to what the industry expects and needs, and it considers the business end of screenwriting over the usual 'how to write' approach. No film or business collection should be without this specific set of insider secrets.


The American History Shelf

1877: America's Year of Living Violently
Michael A. Bellesiles
New Press
38 Greene St., New York NY 10013
9781595584410, $26.95, www.thenewpress.com

1877: America's Year of Living Violently follows the aftermath of the American Civil war, when the country was gripped by depression and white supremacist mobs in the South drove out the last of the Reconstruction state governments. It was a period of scandal, violence, confusion and even many high-profile murders as well as some of the last battles between the U.S. Army and Native Americans. The lives of famous and lesser-known Americans come to life in this fine survey of 1877's lasting impact on modern life and values.


The Pets/Wildlife Shelf

Bird Watching
Paula McCartney, Darius Himes, Karen Irvine
Princeton Architectural Press
37 East 7th St., New York NY 10003
9781568988559, $50.00, www.papress.com

BIRD WATCHING offers author Paula McCartney's handwritten notes on birds and observations with photos of birds in natural settings across the country, and makes for a powerful survey that is not all that it first seems at first glance. For wait - are those overdyed faux feathers? Paint? This blends art with science as it provides a lively field guide with natural history observation, pairing essays by Darius Himes and Karen Irvine with a fine, whimsical natural survey. Art and nature libraries alike will relish the different approach.

Clinical Pathology for the Veterinary Team
Andrew J. Rosenfeld and Sharon M. Dial
Wiley-Blackwell
10475 Crosspoint Boulevard, Indianapolis, IN 46256
9780813810089, $59.99, www.wiley.com/wiley-blackwell

Clinical Pathology for the Veterinary Team offers a fine recourse for technical team members involved in clinical diagnostic evaluation. Machinery calibration, normal anatomy, clinical diagnostics and more are revealed in chapters that provide key technical information for obtaining and evaluating samples, surveying the disease process, the progress of identification and treatment, and including a DVD with interactive cases. Vet collections need this!

Handbook of Radiographic Positioning for Veterinary Technicians
Margi Sirois, Elaine Anthony and Danielle Mauragis
Demar Cengage
5 Maxwell Drive, Clifton Park, NY 12065-2919
1435426037, $69.95, www.cengage/com/delmar

Handbook of Radiographic Positioning for Veterinary Technicians is designed for vets working in a small animal clinic and offers a quick visual reference to radiographic positioning techniques for canine, feline, and even exotic animal patients. Images of correctly positioned patients are accompanied by radiographic images and packaged in a spiral bound presentation for lay-flat consultation in a fine survey for any serious vet reference library.

The Tiger
John Vaillant
Alfred A. Knopf
c/o Random House
1745 Broadway, 17th floor, New York, NY 10019
9780307268938, $26.95, www.aaknopf.com

THE TIGER: A TRUE STORY OF VENGEANCE AND SURVIVAL tells of a 1997 man-eating tiger prowling a remote village in Russia's far east. Trackers discover the tiger isn't just killing at random, but is on a mission of revenge. John Vaillant provides a fine examination of events and interactions between tiger and man, offering tiger natural history along with the story of three main characters who interact with the endangered Siberian tiger. An engrossing account, this belongs in any natural history collection!

Shelter Cats
Michael Kloth
Merrell Publishers
38 High Avenue, 4th floor, Nyack, New York 10960
9781858945231, $22.95, www.merrellpublishers.com

SHELTER CATS pairs lovely cat photos by Michael Kloth with a fine survey of shelter cats and their unique personalities. Their stories and lives accompany his survey in a title designed to appeal to the heart and raise awareness of animal rescue and welfare causes. Any general lending library strong in animal titles must have this engaging compendium of shelter cat lives!


The Health/Medicine Shelf

Cancer Sourcebook for Women, fourth edition
Karen Bellenir, Editor
Omnigraphics
Box 31-1640, Detroit, MI 48231-1640
9780780811393, $85.00, www.omigraphics.com

The fourth updated edition of Cancer Sourcebook for Women provides a fine reference for both health and general lending libraries, offering updated details about cancers of special concern to women. From breast cancer to cancers of various female organs, this covers issues of survivorship, treatment options, diagnosis and more. It's an excellent health reference for all kinds of collections.


The Psychology Shelf

Personality Science
Marvin Zuckerman
American Psychological Association
750 First Street, NE Washington, DC 20002
9781433808937, $69.96, www.apa.org

Depression is a widespread, and few know how to properly deal with it. "Personality Science: Three Approaches and Their Applications to the Causes and Treatment of Depression" analyzes depression from a psychological standpoint. The chapters cover the causes, approaches that psychotherapists have taken over the years and offers analysis on how to face and overcome depression through treatment in many methods. With a slew of useful appendixes, "Personality Science" is an excellent resource and text for community and college psychology collections.

How We Got Barb Back
Margaret Hawkins
Conari Press
65 Parker St, Suite 7, Newburyport, MA 01950
9781573244770, $22.95, www.redwheelweiser.com

HOW WE GOT BARB BACK: THE STORY OF MY SISTER'S REAWAKENING AFTER 30 YEARS OF SCHIZOPHRENIA is written by Barb's younger sister (younger by eight years) and tells of her observations of a dazzling, high-achieving older sister who went from the star of her family to a totally different person after living abroad. For 32 years Barb's condition went undiagnosed and untreated: this tells of those years and how author Margaret Hawkins helped her sister recover from devastating mental illness. An outstanding tribute to the power of love and persistence offers hope for recovery from 'impossible' mental conditions, making this a pick for every general lending library.

Jungian Psychoanalysis
Murray Stein, Editor
Open Court
70 East Lake St., Suite 300, Chicago IL 60601
9780812696684, $59.95, www.opencourtbooks.com

Jungian Psychoanalysis: Working in the Spirit of C.G. Jung explains the basics of Jungian Psychoanalysis, how it relates to other types of therapy, and how it compares to other disciplines and cognitive-behavioral therapies. From clinical issues to social issues, this analysis is a fine pick for any college-level mental health collection!


The Crafts Shelf

The Allegheny Midland Lessons Learned
Tony Koester
Kalmbach Books
21027 Crossroads Circle, Waukesha, WI 53186
9780890247709, $21.95, www.kalmbachbooks.com

The Allegheny Midland Lessons Learned comes from a pioneer model railroader who reviews the history of the revolutionary HO scale Allegheny Midland model. Layouts, ideas, and which features worked - or didn't - are surveyed in a set of tips for model railroaders on everything from choosing an era and fitting a model railroad into the real world to providing staging tracks and scenery. No in-depth model rail collection should be without this!


The Education Shelf

Reforming Our Universities
David Horowitz
Regnery
1 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20001
9781596986374, $27.95, www.regnery.com

Education is one of the most vital aspects for the future. "Reforming Our Universities: The Campaign for An Academic Bill of Rights" discusses the problems with today's universities, placing much blame on politically charged curriculums that indoctrinate instead of educate. Calling for an academic bill of rights for a more level playing field in campus politics, he wishes for colleges to resume to being an avenue for the exchange of ideas. "Reforming Our Universities" is an intriguing addition to the debate of modern education, highly recommended.

The Big Ten of Grammar
William B. Bradshaw
Synergy Books
PO Box 30071, Austin, TX 78755
9780984235858, $19.95, www.williambbradshaw.com

Grammar errors can quickly devolve any work from great to amateur. "The Big Ten of Grammar: Identifying and Fixing the Ten Most Frequent Grammatical Errors" is a guide for better understanding the more subtle nuances of English grammar as William B. Bradshaw seeks to help readers meet these errors head on in their own personal quests to make their work more perfect and professional. Thoughtful and elaborate in its educational wisdom, "The Big Ten of Grammar" is a top pick for anyone who can't afford to screw up where they put their commas.

Working Text
Sue Livingston
Gallaudet University Press
800 Florida Avenue, NE, Washington, DC 20002-3695
9781563684661, $45.00, www.gupress.gallaudet.edu

It can be hard to excel at writing when it's hard to even speak the language. "Working Text: Teaching Deaf and Second-Language Students to be Better Writers" emphasizes the value of literacy and analyzing texts to understand to become better writers. Applying her own in depth experience, she presents ideas to help deaf and second language writers become more familiar with the language and excel at communicating through writing. "Working Text" is an invaluable resource for educators facing students with these handicaps and wants to do everything they can for them to succeed.

Unlocking Literacy, second edition
Marcia K. Henry
Paul H. Brookes Publishing
Box 10624, Baltimore, MD 21285-0624
1598570749, $34.95, www.brookespublishing.com

The second updated edition of UNLOCKING LITERACY is a 'must have' reference for any language arts or literacy library. It offers a new edition of the best-selling text for teachers and applies the latest, updated research on learning to show how to promote student print awareness and phonics. Practical material throughout assures classroom activities are supported with over twenty new activities for students of all abilities. Very highly recommended!

The Active Classroom Field Book
Ron Nash
Corwin Press
2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320
9781412981323, $26.95, www.corwin.com

The Active Classroom Field Book: Success Stories from the Active Classroom expands upon strategies in the prior THE ACTIVE CLASSROOM to provide educators with stories showing how active techniques work in real-world school environments. From classroom processes and student feedback to vignettes that reinforce chapter 'how to' applications, this is a fine pick for any education collection.

Developmentally Appropriate Play
Gaye Gronlund
Redleaf Press
10 Yorkton Court, St. Paul MN 55117-1065
9781605540375, $32.95, www.redleafpress.org

The most beneficial play is fun and all-engaging: it holds purpose as well as pleasure and adults can help kids achieve this with the strategies presented in Developmentally Appropriate Play. Strategies for early childhood teachers offer keys to creating an environment conducive to rich play and tells how to blend early learning strategies with play options. Early childhood collections will find this useful and packed with specific examples.

Cracking the GRE, 2011 Edition
Karen Lurie, Magda Pecsenye, Adam Robinson
The Princeton Review
c/o Random House Inc.
1745 Broadway, New York NY 10019
9780375429781, $34.99, www.princetonreview.com

The 2011 edition of Cracking the GRE offers proven techniques for test preparation, offering access to 4 full-length practice exams online and packing over 300 questions into the book. Everything needed for the current GRE is included, plus details on the late 2011 changes. From strategies to review help, this is the item of choice for any studying for the GRE!


The Theatre/Cinema/TV Shelf

Moving Images
Carl Casinghino
Delmar Cengage Learning
5 Maxwell Drive, Clifton Park, NY 12065-2919
1435485858, $78.95, www.cengage.com/delmar

MOVING IMAGES: MAKING MOVIES, UNDERSTANDING MEDIA blends film appreciation with movie production to provide college-level users with a textbook covering everything from creative experimentation and critical thinking to collaborative learning. Students involved in making movies will find this an exciting exploration that teaches how to analyze and understand motion pictures with the idea of creating their own productions. An interactive CD offers several short features and supports the text.


The Computer Shelf

HTML 5
Matthew David
Focal Press
c/o Elsevier/Butterworth Heinemann
30 Corporate Drive, Burlington, MA 01803
9780240813288, $39.95, www.focalpress.com

HTML5: Designing Rich Internet Applications provides a fine survey highly recommended for any web designer''s library. It teaches how to create images with SVG and Canvas, how to embed video and audio into a web page, how to use the new HTML5 elements, and much more, and comes from a web specialist. Color screen shots and sample code examples make this a fine winner!

Microsoft Excel Data Analysis, third edition
Denise Etheridge
Visual
c/o Wiley Professional Trade Group
111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
9780470591604, $29.99, www.wiley.com/go/visual

The third updated edition of Microsoft Excel Data Analysis offers an excellent visual approach to professional-level computer instruction in Excel, and uses web-based applications as keys to creating formulas, working with functions, performing predictions, automating Excel with macros, and adding color and customizing results. No Excel collection should be without this!

Build Your Own Wicked WordPress Themes
Allan Cole, et.al.
Sitepoint
www.sitepoint.com
9780980455298, $39.95, www.amazon.com

Build Your Own Wicked WordPress Themes is a fine introduction to WordPress theme development, showing how to use Thematic to develop custom color variants, pages, and theme options. Use design elements, apply existing CSS skills to the theme, and handle widgets more effectively using this versatile guide packed with color screen shots and step-by-step examples - a 'must' for WordPress users!

Network Flow Analysis
Michael W. Lucas
No Starch Press
38 Ringold Street, San Francisco CA 94103
9781593272036, $39.95, www.nostarch.com

Network Flow Analysis is a pick for any library strong in network administration and data management. It's the first to show system administrators how to assess, analyze and debut a network using flow analysis, and comes form one of the best technical writers in the networking and security environments. Any computer collection appealing to network administrators needs this fine guide!

PeopleSoft People Tools: Tips & Techniques
Jim J. Marion
Oracle Press
c/o The McGraw Hill Companies
Two Penn Plaza, 11th fl., NY, NY 10121-2298
0071664939, $69.99, www.mhprofessional.com

PeopleSoft People Tools: Tips & Techniques offers keys to different productivity tactics using PeopleSoft applications from Oracle. Proven methods and best practices compliments this analysis of tactics and applications, from merging Java with PeopleCode to using runtime loggers and tracers for testing, and writing your own Java applications. Advanced development libraries will consider this unique discussion a 'must'.

The Official Ubuntu Server Book, second edition
Kyle Rankin & Benjamin Mako Hill
Prentice Hall Professional
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300, Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
0137081332, $39.99, www.informit.com/ph

The second updated edition of The Official Ubuntu Server Book offers an in-depth, authoritative look at the latest versions of Ubuntu Server and comes from leading members of the Ubuntu community. From the basics of installation and administration to common server applications and cloud computing, this moves from beginning to advanced topics and offers a progressive course for any Ubuntu learner. Discs contain the versions of Ubuntu Server needed for different applications - and are supported by Canonical for five years.

Unreal Game Development
Ashish Amresh and Alex Okita
AK Peters
5 Commonwealth Rd, Suite 2C, Natick, MA 01760
9781568814599, $59.00, www.akpeters.com

Unreal Game Development teaches game makers the basics of designing a computer game, and requires only a basic knowledge of computers and a desire to create an original game to prove a successful handbook. From using 3D tools and 2D image-editing choices to programming and using design tools, this teaches how to use Unreal Engine 3 to design a computer game, providing a step-by-step tutorial mirroring a curriculum used successfully at a six-week summer program for high school students that has been running for over five years. Very highly recommended!

The Digital Pandemic
Mark R. Hicks, Ph.D.
New Horizon Press
Box 669, Far Hills, NJ 07931-0669
9780882823157, $14.95, www.newhorizonpressbooks.com

The Digital Pandemic: Reestablishing Face-to-face Contact in the Electronic Age exposes threats as people become addicted to electronic devices, and discusses how a fascination with electronics for communication and viewing affect interpersonal skills at home and outside. It does more than accuse: it uses psychological research and clinical experience to examine the problem and sets out to show how to regain control. It's a fine choice for any contemporary social issues or computer collection.

Essential GWT
Federico Kereki
Addison Wesley
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300, Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
0321705149, $39.99, www.informit.com/devlibrary

ESSENTIAL GWT: BUILDING FOR THE WEB WITH GOOGLE WEB TOOLKIT 2 reviews both basic and advanced GWT skills, covering issues ranging from organizing projects to compiling finished code. Here are keys on best practice approaches and design, teaching such skills as how to use the MVP model pattern to improve application design and agile purposes. Programming collections need this!

iPhone 4 Made Simple
Martin Trautschold & Gary Mazo
Apress, Inc.
233 Spring Street, New York, NY 10013
9781430231929, $29.99, www.apress.com

iPhone 4 Made Simple shows how to set up and customize your iPhone 4, download apps, make video calls, and more. It's packed with iPhone 4 enhancements and operations, covering all the basics involved in using the iPhone for fun or business, and its weighty appearance belays a fine focus on iPhone fundamentals and customization. No library should be without this specific guide.


The Language Studies Shelf

The Routledge Course in Modern Mandarin Chinese, Textbook Level 1: Simplified Characters
Claudia Ross, et.al.
Routledge
270 Madison Avenue, New York NY 10016
9780415472517, $64.95, www.routledge.com

The Routledge Course in Modern Mandarin Chinese Textbook Level 1: Simplified Characters provides a fine two-year undergraduate course for students with no prior background in Chinese study. It's designed to emphasize both spoken and written Chinese skills, and offers a series of workbook levels - of which this is one, introducing pinyin in its first five lessons. Characters come with the sixth lesson and offers a blend of dialogue, in-class practice, language FAQs, and more. College-level courses in Mandarin will find it an exceptional classroom supplemental text.


The Audiobook Shelf

The Cobra
Frederick Forsyth
Penguin Audio
375 Hudson St., New York NY 10014
9780142428467, $39.95, www.penguin.com

THE COBRA receives a fine and vivid narration by actor Jonathan Davis, who has received much acclaim for his previous audio stories. For decades the West has been fighting the cocaine traffic: now one president has asked Paul to take charge of destroying the cocaine industry. In secret. A vivid, dramatic account contributes to an outstanding thriller recommended for any serious audio collection!

Wingnuts
John Avlon
Brilliance Audio
PO Box 887, Grand Haven, MI 49417
1441866043, $19.99, www.brillianceaudio.com

WINGNUTS: HOW THE LUNATIC FRINGE IS HIJACKING AMERICA is performed by the author and provides a vivid account of the far-left of the political spectrum through the years. From professional partisans to crazy accusations, this surveys how the far-left and far-right political extremists came to dominate the American political arena, and is a pick for any general lending library.

Star Island
Carl Hiassen
Random House Audio
c/o The Random House Publishing Group
1745 Broadway, 8th fl., New York, NY 10019
9780739385128, $40.00, www.randomhouseaudio.com

STAR ISLAND receives a fine reading by Stephen Hoye, who lends his professional acting experience to a passionate story about Cherry, a pop star has-been about to attempt a comeback. Her undercover stunt double is kidnapped - challenging a rescue while keeping Cherry's secret. Add further complications from romance to politics and you have a riveting story perfect for any general lending library.

The Postcard Killers
James Patterson & Liza Marklund
Hachette Audio
237 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
9781607883821, $34.98, www.hachetteaudio.com

The Postcard Killers receives a fine group narration by Katherine Kellgren, Eric Singer and Reg Rogers, whose combined efforts produce a theatre-like drama enhancing this story of young couples being murdered across Europe. A Swedish reporter and a tough NYPD cop on vacation team up to solve what may be one of the strangest and most complex murder spree in European history in this riveting story, highly recommended for any general audio lending library.


The Cookbook Shelf

The Ultimate Soup Cookbook
Reader's Digest
letters@rd.com
9780762108862, $24.95, www.rd.com

Over 900 recipes for soup dishes make The Ultimate Soup Cookbook truly 'ultimate', packing in a wide variety of dishes, many of which can be made using quick ingredients. From chowders and various fish soups to vegetable soups and heartier stews, this is an excellent survey for any general cookery collection.

The Baby Cuisine Cookbook
Shane Valentine
Alinas Cucina
PO Box 16443, Seattle, WA 98116
9780615302331, $19.97, www.alinascucina.com

There's no time too early to encourage eating well. "The Baby Cuisine Cookbook" is a guide to preparing organic home cooking aimed younger eaters. Drawing on dishes from around the world, these simple foods will delight eaters of any age. With everything from Hummus to Parfaits to turkey bolognese, and so much more, "The Baby Cuisine Cookbook" is for the cooking parent who wants to do more than crack open a jar for their child.

Gordon Ramsay's World Kitchen
Gordon Ramsay with Mark Sargeant
Key Porter Books
Six Adelaide Street East, 10th floor, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5C 1H6
9781554701995, $25.00, www.keyporter.com

From Italian and Chinese to French foods, this offers chef Gordan Ramsay's interpretations of favorite dishes from cuisines and cultures around the world. From starters to main dishes and desserts, this also shows how to use special cooking techniques, from making Chinese dumplings to samosas, and provides fine insights into ingredients and their uses. Any library catering to serious cooks will welcome this latest Ramsay classic.

The Meat Lover's Meatless Cookbook
Kim O'Donnel
Da Capo Press
c/o Perseus Books Group
11 Cambridge Center, Cambridge MA 02142
9780738214016, $18.95, www.dacapopress.com

The Meat Lover's Meatless Cookbook: Vegetarian recipes Carnivores Will Devour provides nearly a hundred recipes for once-a-week and full-time vegetarians, offering a range of appealing, filling dishes designed to encourage Meatless Mondays and better health. A centerfold of a few color photos augments dishes such as Minty Chickpeas, True Blue Baked Beans, and more. General lending libraries will especially appreciate having a vegetarian title that focuses on main courses rather than 'fillers' such as salads and desserts - which seldom contain meat.

The Earth-Bound Cook
Myra Goodman with Pamela McKinstry, et.al.
Workman Publishing Company
225 Varick St., New York NY 10014
9780761156345, $20.95, www.workman.com

The Earth-Bound Cook provides a range of lovely recipes that focus on making planet-friendly food choices, such as knowing when to choose wild fish over farmed, and how to get the most from the flavors of farmed and wild foods alike. Considerations of organic cooking and more pair conscience ingredient choices and considerations of protecting the planet with concerns about flavor in a fine recipe collection considerably more Earth-friendly than most - and recommended for general lending collections.

Cheese
Patricia Michelson
Gibbs Smith
Box 667, Layton, UT 84041
9781423606512, $35.00, www.gibbs-smith.com

CHEESE: EXPLORING TASTE AND TRADITION packs in an in-depth survey of the tastes, history and traits of the author's favorite cheeses. Patricia Michelson is a cheese shop owner, recognized as being one of the best cheese shops in England: her survey covers the world of cheeses and pairs lovely color photos with insights on cheese qualities and cheese making in a lovely addition for libraries and personal collections alike.

The Wild Vegan Cookbook
Steve Brill
Harvard Common Press
535 Albany St., Boston MA 02118
9781558327214, $27.95, www.harvardcommonpress.com

The Wild Vegan Cookbook provides a fine culinary guide to locating wild vegan foods in either field or market, and to preparing them. It teaches how to use sustainable methods to harvest wild plants all around us - and how to locate and purchase underused natural foods in markets. Vegan author Steve Brill explains how nearly 150 wild American plants create tasty dishes - and provides over 500 recipes arranged by season. No vegan collection should be without this!


The Fashion Shelf

1000 Ideas by 100 Fashion Designers
Carolina Cerimedo
Rockport Publishers
c/o Quayside Publishing Group
400 - 1st Avenue North, Suite 300, Minneapolis, MN 55401-1721
1592535720, $40.00, www.rockpub.com

1000 Ideas by 100 Fashion Designers comes packed with color images and insights by fashion designers on sources of inspiration for design. Any college-level collection strong in fashion will find this is a solid set of first-person insights on ideas and their origins, offering students keys to understanding the approaches and works of major fashion designers and the theory behind them. Color photos throughout pack in design details.


The Art Shelf

Drunk Stoned Brilliant Dead
Rick Meyerowitz
Abrams
115 - W. 18th St., New York NY 10011
9780810988484, $40.00, www.abramsbooks.com

Drunk Stoned Brilliant Dead: The Writers And Artists Who Made The National Lampoon Insanely Great offers an oversized, definitive book on the National Lampoon, gathering the classic humor using an insider's viewpoint. Rick Meyerowitz has been a contributor to the magazine since its first issue: his survey of its heyday recreates notable columns, cartoons, parodies and more, documenting hundreds of Lampoon features and art. A 'must' for any Lampoon fan or humor collection!

Oil Painting for the Absolute Beginner
Mark and Mary Willenbrink
North Light Books
c/o F+W Media
4700 E. Galbraith Rd., Cincinnati, OH 45236
www.fwpublications.com
9781600617843, $24.99, www.artistsnetwork.com

Oil Painting for the Absolute Beginner provides a fine step-by-step guide to oil painting, is accompanied by a DVD workshop of demonstrations, and provides twelve painting projects progressing from easy landscapes to still life and animals. From selecting brushes to the basics of color, this presumes no prior knowledge and is a 'must' for any bare-bones beginner.

The Pond
John Gossage
Aperture
547 West 27th St., 4th Floor, New York NY 10001
9781597111324, $65.00, www.aperture.org

THE POND: PHOTOGRAPHS BY JOHN GOSSAGE pairs fine full-page black and white images of his works with essays by Gerry Badger and Toby Jurovics to accompany a Smithsonian Museum exhibition. Its reissue provides a stand-lone guide as well, recommended for any art library who will appreciate three new images and two essays to bring a master photographer's works to life. Photos were taken around and away form a pond at the edge of a city, and also is a recommended pick for natural history shelves.

Full Bleed
Alex Corporan, Andre Razo, Ivory Serra
Vice Books
97 North 10th St., Suite 202, Brooklyn NY 11211
9781576875391, $35.00, www.viceland.com

FULL BLEED: NEW YORK CITY SKATEBOARD PHOTOGRAPHY belongs in a range of collections, from New York cultural holdings and general libraries to libraries where modern photography and the arts are a key. Its pictures come from a range of sources and document some thirty years of New York City skateboard culture, with over forty photographers providing black and white and color, artistic images. It's a top pick for any library with patrons interested in skateboard culture.


The International Studies Shelf

Why Africa Matters
Cedric Mayson
Orbis Books
Box 308, Maryknoll, NY 10545-0308
1570758697, $20.00, www.orbisbooks.com

Many still think of Africa as the 'dark continent', filled with puzzles, frustrations, and far from the lives and meaning of Western civilization. Cedric Mayson examines a deeper set of concerns blending historical, cultural and spiritual examination in WHY AFRICA MATTERS, a survey packed with keys to understanding its spirituality and evolution. The contemporary issues key to modern Africa are concerns the world should be immersed in - and WHY AFRICA MATTERS places African experience and concerns directly in line with global interests, making this a pick for spiritual and social issues holdings alike.


The Religion/Spirituality Shelf

Crossing Religious Frontiers
Harry Oldmeadow, Editor
World Wisdom
1501 E. Hillside Dr., Bloomington, IN 47401
9781935493556, $23.95, www.worldwisdom.com

Crossing Religious Frontiers provides a fine collection of articles by East and West spiritual thinkers alike, offering a new focus that transcends formal religious boundaries. The essays in this new edition of a series pack in fine surveys of thought for modern students of traditional wisdom and provide fine insights into metaphysics, spiritual practice, and more!

I'm Spiritual, Dammit!
Jennifer Weigel
Hampton Roads
65 Park St, Suite 7, Newburyport, MA 01950
9781571746344, $16.95, www.hrpub.com

I'm Spiritual, Dammit!: How to Keep Your Feet on the Ground and Your Head in the Stars blends a memoir with the author's experiences a performance artist, parent, and more, discussing how her search for a deeper connection to life has led to a richer world. This blend of spiritual adventure and memoir lends to this book's enjoyment by a wide audience, from general lending library patrons to spiritual readers of all disciplines.


The Christian Studies Shelf

Wayfaring: Essays Pleasant and Unpleasant
Alan Jacobs
Wm B. Eerdmans Publishing
2140 Oak Industrial Dr NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49505
9780802865687, $18.00, www.eerdmans.com

Wayfaring: Essays Pleasant and Unpleasant offers a new collection of writings for wayfaring, offering a Christian perspective on letting writing reveal fresh insights into spiritual reflection and the modern world. From blogging to Harry Potter and more, this includes book reviews, a poem, and a foundation in Christian exploration.

The Greatest Prayer
John Dominic Crossan
HarperOne
c/o Harper San Francisco
353 Sacramento St., Suite 500, San Francisco CA 94111-3653
9780061875670, $24.99, www.harperone.com

THE GREATEST PRAYER: REDISCOVERING THE REVOLUTIONARY MESSAGE OF THE LORD'S PRAYER comes from an expert on the historical Jesus and provides a satisfying blend of history, scholarship and theology in researching the moral responsibilities that come with living a Godly life. The fundamental Lord's Prayer here serves as a foundation for examining the principles of this life.

The Good and Beautiful Community
James Bryan Smith
Intervarsity Press
Box 1400, Downers Grove, IL 60515-1426
9780830835331, $22.00, www.ivpress.com

The Good and Beautiful Community: Following the Spirit, Extending Grace, Demonstrating Love joins others in the Apprentice Series to promote Christian spirituality and faith. It's the author's third book in the trilogy and teaches how to live in relationships with others as apprentices of Jesus - and as an apprentice he means those who live in continuous contact with God. There are many opportunities to affect the world: this chronicles community interactions and how social and spiritual practices can blend.

The Case for Christ Study Bible
Lee Strobel, General Editor
Zondervan Publishing House
5300 Patterson Avenue, S.E., Grand Rapids, MI 49530
9780310938941, $34.99, www.zondervan.com

The Case for Christ Study Bible: Investigating the Evidence for Belief appears in a new international version to pack in articles to guide readers through a measured investigation of the Bible's claims. Learn a new appreciation for the scriptures and how they can apply to a more Christ-centered life through this in-depth study guide 'must' recommended for any scholarly Christian collection.

The End and the Beginning
George Weigel
Doubleday & Company
c/o Random House
1745 Broadway, New York, NY 10019
9780385524797, $32.50, www.doubledayreligion.com

The End and the Beginning: Pope John Paul II - the Victory of Freedom, the Last Years, the Legacy comes from one of the world's authorities on the Catholic Church and presents a title more than ten years in the making. New and recently disclosed information enhance the untold story of the Pope's long battle with communism and concludes a sequel to George Weigel's long-acclaimed WITNESS TO HOPE. No Catholic collection should be without this, and many a general lending library will find its depth and detail make it a key acquisition.


The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf

Corvus
Paul Kearney
Solaris
c/o BL Publishing
1525 Hulse Road, Unit 1, Pt. Pleasant, NJ 08742
9781906735777, $7.99, www.solarisbooksc.om

It can prove difficult to stop fighting when everyone wants you to continue. "Corvus" is the tale of war hero turned mercenary Rictus, tired and yearning for a life of peace after spending all of his adult life in endless combat. But when the powerful future leader Corvus wants one to help him claim domain over all of the Macht, Rictus's retirement plans seem even more distant. "Corvus" is an enthralling read, hard to put down.

Omnitopia Dawn
Diane Duane
DAW Books
375 Hudson St., New York NY 10014
9780756406233, $24.95, www.dawbooks.com

Omnitopia Dawn offers a vivid science fiction account of a world where massive multiplayer online games dominate entertainment, with Dev Logan's Omnitopia creation the finest of them all. Millions play the game, with most nearly 'living' in the online world - which holds a dangerous secret only its creator knows. Any fan of science fiction will find this a vivid, memorable story packed with unexpected twists and turns.

What Distant Deeps
David Drake
Baen Books
PO Box 1403, Riverdale, NY 10471
9781439133668, $25.00, www.baen.com

What Distant Deeps tells of Captain Daniel Leary and his friend, spy Adele, who have been involved in an ongoing conflict against the totalitarian Alliance. Even peace won't keep the struggles at bay, and the two find themselves immersed in the aftermath of war and threats to the new galactic alliance. Another gripping saga military sci-fi readers will appreciate!

The Waters Rising
Sheri S. Tepper
Eos
50. E. 53rd St., New York NY 10022
9780061958878, $26.99, www.eosbooks.com

The Waters Rising provides a fine sequel to A PLAGUE OF ANGELS and continues the story of Abasio, a man who wanders the world helping orphans and dealing with mythical beasts and fairy tale archetypes come to life. The world is drowning - can Abasio handle dark forces, curses, killers and a drowning world alike? An outstanding saga evolves!

The Vampire Book, third edition
J. Gordon Melton, Ph.D.
Visible Ink Press
43511 Joy Rd., #414, Canton, MI 48187-2075
9781578592814 #29.95, www.visibleinkpress.com

The third updated edition of The Vampire Book: Encyclopedia of the Undead packs in over 500 essays illustrated with over 200 photos covering vampire history and folklore. It's been completely updated for the first time in over ten years with 900 pages making for a 'must' acquisition for any collection seeking a comprehensive survey.


The Comix/Graphic Novel Shelf

The Thin Black Line
Robert L. Bryant, Jr.
TwoMorrows Publishing
10407 Bedfordtown Dr., Raleigh, NC 27614
9781605490281, $14.95, www.twomorrows.com

The Thin Black Line: Perspectives on Vince Colletta provides a fine history of one of the most prolific illustrators in comic book history. He rescued hundreds of comics about to miss their printing deadline, and led a long and colorful career in the comics industry. Any interested in comics history will find this an involving, memorable survey of a controversial industry leader.

Conan: Black Colossus
Timothy Truman, Tomas Giorello, Jose Villarrubia
Dark Horse Books
10956 SE Main St., Milwaukie OR 97222
9781595825070, $24.99, www.darkhorse.com

Conan: Black Colossus uses the graphic novel format and full color to bring to life a fine story of one Conan, once a wandering thief turned professional warrior earning his living as a soldier. A powerful army challenges his abilities - along with a haunted princess, an evil wizard, and more. Robert Howard's powerful Conan figure springs to life in a vivid saga recommended for graphic novel and science fiction holdings alike.


The Antiques/Collectibles Shelf

A Guide Book of Modern United States Proof Coin Sets
David W. Lange
Whitman Publishing
3101 Clairmont Rd, Suite C, Atlanta GA 30329
9780794828608, $19.95, www.whitmanbooks.com

A Guide Book of Modern United States Proof Coin Sets provides a new, color edition packed with over fifty more pages than the first edition. The illustrated history of U.S. Proof coins includes analysis of each Proof set from 1936 onward, a study of U.S. Mint packaging, certified coin populations, and much more. No coin collector should be without this clear, specific guide.

2011 North American Coins & Prices
David C. Harper, Editor
Krause Publications
4700 E. Galbriath Rd, Cincinnati, OH 45236
1440212864, $19.99, www.krausebooks.com

2011 North American Coins & Prices deserves a spot in any serious coin collector's library and many a general lending collection. In its 20th edition, it offers a fine survey of U.S., Canadian and Mexican coins under one cover, with coin-sized black and white photos accompanying the very latest values. Updated prices and new coin issues make this a 'must'.


The Music Shelf

Yoga
Susheela Raman, et al.
Putumayo World Music
411 Lafayette, 4th Floor, NY, NY 10003
#304, $14.98, www.putumayo.com

Never having practiced yoga in any form, I wasn't sure what to think of this latest various artists compilation from world music "ear candy" specialists Putumayo - but after several listens I can say that this is the most relaxing CD with vocals I have ever heard in my life. It's particularly notable that none of the Indian-sounding vocals got too preachy. All the singers were outstanding. Could this CD actually help you concentrate while practicing yoga? I can''t say for sure but suspect it's true - it is certainly compelling and relaxing!


The Business Shelf

Conversations for Change
Shawn Kent Hayashi
McGraw Hill
P.O. Box 182604, Columbus, OH 43272
9780071745284, $17.00, www.mhprofessional.com

Communication keeps a business mobile and moving freely. "Conversations for Change: 12 Ways to Say It Right When It Matters Most" is a guide to making sure one's message is clear and how to get it heard in one's own business or when working with other businesses. With tips on things to do and things to avoid when trying to get one's message heard to inspire those in your business, Shawn Kent Hayashi gives readers no shortage of tips to communicate more effectively. "Conversations for Change" is a choice pick for anyone looking to clarify their message.

A Quick Start Guide To Social Media Marketing
Neil Richardson, Ruth M Gosnay, and Angela Carroll
Kogan Page
525 South 4th Street, #231, Philadelphia, PA 19147
9780749457587, $14.95, www.koganpage.com

Twitter and Facebook have brought a whole new elements to the marketing table. "A Quick Start Guide to Social Media Marketing: High-Impact, Low-Cost Marketing That Works" is a guide to using these new avenues as a vehicle for advertising and making a bigger place for one's business in visibility and public relations. With chapters on ethical use, finding new customers, appeasing old ones, and much, much more, "A Quick Start Guide to Social Media Marketing" is a useful resource for any business.

Product Design in the Sustainable Era
Dalcacio Reis & Julius Wiedemann
Taschen
c/o TASCHEN America
107 Greene Street, New York, NY 10012
9783836520935, $39.99, www.taschen.com

Product Design in the Sustainable Era is a fine pick for not only college-level business collections, but collections where the arts border into business territory. It provides a highly illustrated worldwide survey of companies and products that are being geared to environmental awareness, presenting a tri-lingual text as it surveys products and revolutionary designs for readers in both the U.S. and Europe. Color photos of interiors and products alike make this a top pick!

Coolfarming
Peter Gloor
Amacom
1601 Broadway, New York NY 10019-7420
0814413862, $29.95, www.amacombooks.org

COOLFARMING: TURN YOUR GREAT IDEA INTO THE NEXT BIG THING shows readers how to identify and capitalize on trends by nurturing and developing a marketable idea tied to current trends. Real-life examples of 'coolfarmers' who have done this offer keys to innovation and linking such to market trends, making this a powerful, recommended pick for any business collection.

Good Boss, Bad Boss
Robert L. Sutton, Ph.D.
Business Plus
c/o Grand Central
237 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
9780446556088, $23.99, www.hachettebookgroup.com

Good Boss, Bad Boss: How to Be the Best and Learn from the Worst is for any new or established boss who wants to encourage staff to give all and produce superior results. From how body language affects employee perceptions to different moves and options that are good and bad when it comes to making decisions and taking charge, this provides an excellent survey of what differentiates a 'good' boss from a 'bad' one.


The Metaphysical Studies Shelf

Hidden Realms, Lost Civilizations & Beings from Other Worlds
Jerome Clark
Visible Ink Press
43311 Joy Road #414, Canton, MI 48187-2075
9781578591756, $24.95, www.visibleinkpress.com

"Hidden Realms, Lost Civilizations & Beings from Other Worlds" comes from a respected researcher of unexplained phenomena who provides a comprehensive look at ancient mysteries and fictional fantasy lands. Firsthand accounts and historical documents are explored, along with in-depth coverage of culture and consciousness. From a British journalist's 2004 accounts of fairyland and life on Mars to alien worlds and parallel universes, this is a discussion no new age library should be without!

Healing
David Elliott
Hawk Press
4510 Alumni Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90041
9780975391068, $18.00, www.thereluctanthealer.com

HEALING tells how to tap into the Universal Energy Flow to promote healing and comes from a healer whose mission is to share this technique with others. Spirituality blends with healing issues here and David Elliott also tackles the key issue that prevents the flow of balanced energy and a healthy life, making this a recommendation for any new age collection concerned with health.

Nostradamus, Bibliomancer
Peter Lemesurier
New Page Books
c/o Career Press Inc.
PO Box 687, Franklin Lakes, NJ 07417
9781601631329, $18.99, www.newpagebooks.com

Was Nostradamus a magician or an ordinary man with a vision? More than just another speculative title or biography, Peter Lemesurier's "Nostradamus, Bibliomancer: The Man, The Myth, The Truth" offers research from a world authority on the topic and focuses on Nostradamus' prophecies in the context of his era. As a result, insights into the medieval world as well as his life and work comes from a re-examination of original sources that determines how Nostradamus made his prophecies based on past history. A CD companion offers facsimiles of original books from the 1555 edition of his prophecies to the later 1668 version. New age libraries should consider this a 'must'!


The Fiction Shelf

Maybe This Time
Jennifer Cruise
St. Martin's Press
175 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10010
9780312303785, $24.99, www.stmartins.com

MAYBE THIS TIME tells of Andi Miller, who wants to marry her fiance and leave behind her past. But when she tries to leave behind her ex-husband, he asks a final favor of her - to take care of two orphans who are wild children and impossible to parent. Entering their lives will change her own in this riveting account of intrigue and an old haunted house.


The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

Royal Blood
Rhys Bowen
Berkeley Prime Crime
375 Hudson St., New York NY 10014
9780425234464, $24.95, www.penguin.com

ROYAL BLOOD tells of a poor heiress who holds an invitation from the queen to represent the royals at a Transylvania wedding. Her journey to the legendary world of the vampire brings her into contact with danger in a spooky old castle in this riveting thriller blending a historical mystery with history. General lending collections will consider this a winning mystery!

Dexter is Delicious
Jeff Lindsay
Doubleday & Company
c/o Random House
1745 Broadway, New York, NY 10019
9780385532358, $25.95, www.doubleday.com

DEXTER IS DELICIOUS offers a new case in the series that fostered the TV hit 'Dexter' - this time revolving around killer Dexter's absorption with his newborn daughter and his investigation of a vanished teen who has been spending time in the goth community. Dexter's probe brings him frighteningly close to a wanna-be vampire community that has apparently formed an agenda to make Dexter its next meal in this gripping saga, perfect for general lending libraries strong in novels of intrigue and mystery.

Deadline Man
Jon Talton
Poisoned Pen Press
6962 E. 1st Ave #103, Scottsdale, AZ 85251
9781590587140, $24.95, www.poisonedpenpress.com

DEADLINE MAN provides the fine story of a man who has no life outside of his job. He's a journalist used to locating trouble - but when a boring assignment leads to murder and danger, a gripping set of circumstances change him from reporter to insider knowledge of powerful, dangerous secrets. A fine murder mystery any mystery library will welcome!


The Literary Shelf

Still in Print
Jan Nordby Grelund, editor
The University of South Carolina Press
1600 Hampton Street, 5th Floor, Columbia, SC 29208
9781570039447, $59.95, www.uscpress.com

The literary presence of the south is still strong. "Still in Print: The Southern Novel Today" looks at a collection of contemporary novels from Southern authors since 1997 for an analysis of the American south and how it has continued to live in its literary heritage a century after the likes of Faulkner and Twain. Looking at the unifying themes of these novels and what they say about southern culture, this volume serves as both a literary analysis as well as a book of recommendation for several of the discussed volumes. Boiling into a fine collection of novels discussing modern southern issues such as racism, fundamentalism, poverty, and much more, "Still in Print" proves to be a vital read for any modern literary studies collection.

Charlie Chan
Yunte Huang
W.W. Norton
500 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10110
9780393069624, $26.95, www.wwnorton.com

CHARLIE CHAN: THE UNTOLD STORY OF THE HONORABLE DETECTIVE AND HIS RENDEZVOUS WITH AMERICAN HISTORY traces the evolution of Chan, blending records from hundreds of biographical, literary and film sources both in English and the author's native Chinese. This extensive a coverage has never been done before and provides a concurrent blend of biography and Chinese-American history not to be missed by film or social issues collections alike. General lending libraries, too, will find this a lively coverage and the first biography of the film hero and his inspirations.


The Biography Shelf

The Way of a Gardener
Des Kennedy
Greystone Books
720 Bathurst Street, Suite 500, Toronto, ON Canada, M5S 2R4
9781553654179, $22.95, www.greystonebooks.com

There are may reasons to embrace the garden. "The Way of a Gardener: A Life's Journey" is a memoir from Des Kennedy as he reflects on the values he has learned in his life. From a hard working Irish Catholic family which led to him living in a monastery for eight years and how gardens and plant life gave him the piece of mind he needed. "The Way of a Gardener" is an excellent read with plenty to think about, highly recommended.

Bandido
John Boessenecker
University of Oklahoma Press
2800 Venture Drive, Norman, OK 73069
0806141271, $34.95, www.oupress.com

While many may not be immediately familiar with the name Tiburcio Vasquez, any who knows American history will recognize him as one of America's most famous Mexican bandits, who was hanged as a murderer in 1875. "Bandido: The Life and Times of Tiburcio Vasquez" is a fascinating and informative survey which traces his entire life from childhood through adulthood, using newspaper archives, memoirs, and court records to recreate the colorful life of a notorious bandit. Many photos herein also appear for the first time under cover, making this a powerful historical account highly recommended for any American history holding.

The Flight of Ikaros
Kevin Andrews
Paul Dry Books
1616 Walnut Street, Suite 808, Philadelphia, PA 19103
9781589880641, $14.95, www.pauldrybooks.com

Before globalization, the world was a vastly different place. "The Flight of Ikaros: Travels in Greece During the Civil War" is a reprinting of a memoir written in the 1940s from Kevin Andrews, as he traveled through Greece during its civil war and before tourism and industrialization struck, giving Andrews a picture of a Greece standing alone in its culture. "The Flight of Ikaros" is an intriguing and fascinating read of history, highly recommended.


The Political Science Shelf

Beware of Small States
David Hirst
Nation Books
387 Park Avenue South, New York NY 10016
9781568584225, $29.95, www.nationbooks.org

Beware of Small States: Lebanon, Battleground of the Middle East documents 'small states' that are victims of greater states - and a source of danger to them. Lebanon, for example, is the battleground for the area's greater states and special interests, and this provides a concurrent history of Lebanon and documentation of Middle East conflicts and political positioning. A key acquisition for any collection strong in Middle East issues.

A Maverick's Defense of Freedom
Benjamin A. Rogge
Liberty Fund, Inc.
8335 Allison Pointe Trail, Suite 300, Indianapolis, IN 46250-1684
9780865977853, $15.00, www.libertyfund.org

The ability to calmly discuss instead of shout seems more and more loss on today's world. "A Maverick's Defense of Freedom" is a collection of essays from Benjamin A. Rogge and his passion for the free market in a time where regulation and restrictions seem to be becoming more and more commonplace. Speaking on many aspects of the economy with a respect to differing viewpoints, "A Maverick's Defense of Freedom" comes with much thought, a solid read for any students of economics.


The Social Issues Shelf

To Everything on Earth
Kurt Caswell, et.al., Editors
Texas Tech University Press
Box 41037, Lubbock, TX 79409-1037
9780896726550, $21.95, www.ttupress.org

To Everything on Earth: New Writing on Fate, Community and Nature considers the world around us with stories and writings considering human connections to the Earth and how best to make a home in it. College-level collections interested in literary nature writings will find this crosses genres, celebrating our planet, our ties to it, and community meaning.

Please Don't Bomb the Suburbs!
William Upski Wimsatt
Akashic Books
PO Box 1456, New York, NY 100009
9781936070596, $14.95, www.akashicbooks.com

The suburbs have their own risings and falling in recent years. "Please Don't Bomb the Suburbs!" is a discussion of suburban issues from William Upski Wimsatt, author of previous books Bomb the Suburbs and No More Prisons, and he continues to discuss the state of a shifting culture and politics of today's youth which will bring a new face to the America of tomorrow. "Please Don't Bomb the Suburbs!" is a fine read with plenty of ideas, highly recommended.

Selling the Fountain of Youth
Arlene Weintraub
Basic Books
c/o Perseus Books Group
11 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142
www.perseusbooksgroup.com
9780465017218, $25.95, www.basicbooks.com

Selling the Fountain of Youth: How the Anti-Aging Industry Made a Disease Out of Getting Old - And Made Billions comes from an author who spent more than ten years as a science reporter at BusinessWeek, and who examines the entire nature of anti-aging health care, from internet marketers behind the rise of acai berries to non-regulated compounds produced in pharmacies. Fads, trends, international marketing, and legitimate players as well are considered in a thorough investigation of the economic and cultural impact of anti-aging medicine which is key to health and social issues collections alike, as well as to many a general lending library.

Floodlines
Jordan Flaherty
Haymarket Books
Box 180165, Chicago, IL 60618
9781608460656, $16.00, www.haymarketbooks.org

FLOODLINES: COMMUNITY AND RESISTANCE FROM KATRINA TO THE JENA SIX provides an outstanding firsthand approach of race and community struggles in New Orleans. The stories of public housing residents, Mardi Gras Indians, Arab immigrants and activities are woven into a survey of post-Katrina issues in a compelling social issues saga highly recommended for any collection strong in minority group social change, from college to general lending libraries.

Gender Outlaws: The Next Generation
Kate Bornstein & S. Bear Bergman
Seal Press
1700 - 4th Street, Berkeley, CA 94710
9781580053082, $16.95, www.sealpress.com

Gender Outlaws: The Next Generation comes fifteen years after the release of Bornstein's GENDER OUTLAW: during that time, transgender narratives have made their way into the social and cultural mainstream. This update gathers the experiences of modern sex/gender radicals and offers many insightful surveys of thinking on trans and genderqueer issues, reflecting the different views of second-wave outlaws who share their experiences and social insights. From transpeople dealing with gender privilege in business to revolutionary world experience, this makes for an outstanding addition to any social issues collection.


The Military Shelf

Operation Husky
Mark Zuehlke
Douglas & McIntyre
2323 Quebec Street, Suite 201, Vancouver, BC Canada, V5T 4S7
9781553655398, $27.95, www.douglas-mcintyre.com

The Canadian contribution to World War II is woefully underplayed. "Operation Husky: The Canadian Invasion of Sicily: July 10-August 7, 1943" looks at the Canadian contribution to this campaign that began to wear down the Acis forces in Europe. Twenty thousand Canadian soldiers joined the charge here and made their notch in military history, as Mark Zuehlke gives it the coverage it deserves and its first major triumph in the World War. "Operation Husky" is a top pick for any Canadian military history collection.

Heart for the Fight
Brian Stann with John R. Bruning
Zenith Press
c/o Quayside Publishing Group
400 First Avenue North, Suite 300, Minneapolis, MN 55401
9780760338995, $28.00, www.zenithpress.com

Heart for the Fight: A Marine Hero's Journey from the Battlefields of Iraq to Mixed Martial Arts Champion tells of how Brian Stann moved from the Naval Academy and being a linebacker for the Navy football team to becoming a Marine officer, leading his men in two combat tours of Iraq, and who is now a mixed martial arts figure. Both sports and military libraries will appreciate a hard-hitting autobiography that documents his evolution in the world of fighting.


The Photography Shelf

Camera Raw 101
Jon Canfield
Amphoto Books
c/o The Crown Publishing Group
1745 Broadway, #B1, New York, NY 10019-4305
www.crownpublishing.com
9780817432294, $24.99, www.amphotobooks.com

CAMERA RAW 101 offers a fine, important survey of the latest techniques for shooting in raw format, using the newest software and explaining all the basics, from how to do RAW captures using the latest Photoshop, Elements and Lightroom releases to making corrections and converting RAW files using basic and advanced techniques alike. Lovely images accompany instruction that make this a clear winner.

Wildlife Photography
Uwe Skrzypczak
Rocky Nook
26 West Mission St., Suite 3, Santa Barbara CA 93101-2432
9781933952567, $39.95, www.rockynook.com

Wildlife Photography: On Safari with your DSLR: Equipment, Techniques, Workflow comes from a nature photographer who wrote this book to teach the technical aspects of digital wildlife photography as well as to instruct about his beloved Serengeti National Park wildlife encounters. The result is a fine survey teaching all the basics of wildlife field photography, and is packed with images perfect for all photographers at different levels of experience. Clear keys to better images abound - along with an appreciation of nature.

Guide to Photographing Weddings
Brett Florens
Amherst Media
175 Rano Street, Suite 200, Buffalo, NY 14207
9781608952748, $34.95, www.amherstmedia.com

Guide to Photographing Weddings offers a fine survey from a photographer who travels the world to shoot weddings for his clients. Brett Florens became a leader in his industry, and his insights and techniques cover everything from equipment to working with settings and participants. Newcomers as well as experienced photographers will relish the photos and insights!

Jazz
Herman Leonard
Bloomsbury
175 Fifth Avenue, Suite 300, New York, NY 10010
9781608193332, $65.00, www.bloomsburyusa.com

Jazz is driven as much by the soul of the people as the music itself. "Jazz" is a collection of black and white photographs from Herman Leonard, famed for his photographs. Taken during the height of the 1950s Jazz period and going forward, Leonard's work captured the soul of Jazz by capturing the performers as they did their life's work and how it stayed with them even as they left the stage. "Jazz" is a fascinating and hard to put down coffee table photography book, a very highly recommended pick.


The Science Shelf

The Grand Design
Steven Hawking & Leonard Mlodinow
Bantam Books
1745 Broadway, New York NY 10019
9780553805376, $28.00, www.bantamdell.com

The Grand Design provides another classic survey by physicist Steven Hawking, who considers the laws of nature and physics as they apply to the concept of a 'grand design' to the universe's structure. Some forty years of Hawking's own research and a recent series of astronomical observations lend to new arguments that the scientific concern with the unified theory may be misplaced, and that a web of theories might hold the key to the universe's mysteries. Science and general holdings alike will relish this survey!


The Sports Shelf

Mastering Cycling
John Howard
Human Kinetics
Box 5076, Champaign, IL 61825-5076
0736086773, $18.95, www.hkusa.com

Mastering Cycling: Your Guide for Cycling Stronger, Longer, and Faster comes from a renowned cyclist and coach and teaches cyclists of all abilities how to better their technique. From workout plans for either fitness or competition to training for races, cutting seconds from racing times, and selecting equipment, this covers a range of ideas and will find its place in any sports library as well as many a general lending collection.


The Nautical Shelf

Plain Sailing
Dallas Murphy
Burford Books
101 East State St., #301, Ithaca, NY 14850
9781580801614, $18.95, www.burfordbooks.com

Basics are the key to a pleasant sailing experience. "Plain Sailing: Learning to See Like a Sailor" is a read for those who want to understand the basics and necessities of plains ailing, and the importance of sail trimming. With plenty of troubleshooting advice, Dallas Murphy, using his nearly four decades of experience, proves to be a wise teacher for would be sailors. "Plain Sailing" is a choice addition for nautical collections.

Circumnavigating Low Key
Captain Woody Henderson
Sheridan House
145 Palisade St., Dobbs Ferry NY 10522
9781574092998, $23.95, www.sheridanhouse.com

Circumnavigating Low Key: Where a small Boat and a Smaller Budget Lead to Big Adventure offers Captain Woody's account of traveling the world on his 33' sloop Low Key. Initially his boat was not set up for ocean travel: he nearly lost it in Mexico but survived to travel the world. His lively adventures make for an outstanding survey highly recommended for any sailor who dreams of world travel on a budget.

The Anti-Pirate Potato Cannon
David Seidman & Jeff Hemmel
McGraw-Hill
c/o The McGraw Hill Companies
Two Penn Plaza, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10121-2298
www.books.mcgraw-hill.com
9780071628372, $24.95, www.internationalmarine.com

The Anti-Pirate Potato Cannon: 101 Other Things for Young Mariners to Build, Try & Do On the Water offers dozens of activities and adventures for parents who want to introduce kid to boating and the sea. It's reviewed here as a recommendation for entire families on (or near) the water, offering a range of projects in a format suitable for browsing. From building paperboats and constructing a waterfront swing to cooking lunch on a hot engine, this is packed with fine outdoors suggestions and fun, out-of-the-box nautical projects.

Celestial Navigation in the GPS Age
John Karl
Paradise Cay
Box 29, Arcata, CA 95518-0029
9780939837755, $24.95, www.paracay.com

Celestial Navigation in the GPS Age offers a fine set of keys to acquiring the skill of offshore navigation. Unlike older books, it's tailored for navigation in the GPS age of computers and calculators - and provides equations that can be keyed into a GPS system. New ways of plotting position and more are included in an updated skills set essential for any sailor or nautical collection.


The Automotive Shelf

Can-Am Cars in Detail
Pete Lyons and Peter Hardholdt
David Bull Publishing
4250 E Camelback Rd, Suite 150K, Phoenix, AZ 85018-9692
9781935007111, $99.95, www.bullpublishing.com

No serious transportation or auto history collection should be without Can-Am Cars in Detail; for despite its hefty price tag, it's an outstanding and unique coverage unequaled elsewhere. 22 cars featured here in an oversized, lavish edition complete with slipcase are not all the great ones from the series, but they're some of the best - and have been restored to original splendor and photographed in detail here. Full-page color photos blend with technical specs to make car enthusiasts drool.

Inside the Archives
Jesse Alexander
David Bull Publishing
4250 E Camelback Rd, Suite 150K, Phoenix, AZ 85018-9692
9781935007104, $75.00, www.bullpublishing.com

Inside the Archives represents the author/photographer some fifty years of photographing motorsports history, and this collection profiles the best of his rarer images, offering different focus on his art and the cars he loved. Many of his images are well known, so it''s refreshing to have a survey of his letter-known images documenting innovative, unique races, cars, and drivers. The oversized presentation and large photos are simply outstanding documents of transportation history and auto photography as an art form!


The Self-Help Shelf

Rock What You've Got
Katherine Schwarzenegger
Voice
c/o Hyperion Books
77 West 66th Street, NY, NY 10023-6298
9781401341435, $22.99, www.hyperionbooks.com

Rock What You've Got: Secrets to Loving Your Inner and Outer Beauty from Someone Who's Been There and Back blends honesty and humor in a fine survey of body image. Girls who struggle with self-esteem and mothers who are frustrated in directing them will find this a powerful survey of how media distorts a healthy image of the female figure and how to re-consider birth control, diet, exercise and more. Parents and teens alike will find this packed with practical insights.

Luck Is No Accident
John D. Krumboltz & Al S. Levin
Impact Publishers
PO Box 6016, Atascadero, CA 93423-6016
9781886230033, $18.95, www.impactpublishers.com

Being prepared for the unexpected is the true nature of luck. "Luck is no Accident: Making the Most of Happenstance in Your Life and Career" is a guide to prepared for when life throws wrenches at your plans and how to turn a surprise into a full fledged opportunity on one's behalf. With plenty of tips for meeting these head on and excellently, "Luck is No Accident" is a very useful read for those who want to be prepared for their big break.


The Judaic Studies Shelf

Silver From the Land of Israel
Abraham Isaac
Urim Publications
3709 13th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11218
9789655240429, $27.95, www.urimpublications.com

Judaism is an old religion, and questioning the traditions is encouraged and celebrated. "Silver From the Land of Israel" is a followup of the previous volume of Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook's work, "Gold from the Land of Israel". Featuring many more thoughts from the rabbi and his thinking on many Jewish traditions and offering explanations for why Jews do what they do, "Silver from the Land of Israel" is an enlightening and thoughtful read for Jew and Gentile alike, highly recommended.

Confronting Scandal
Erica Brown
SkyLight Paths Publishing
PO Box 237, Sunset Farm Offices, Rt. 4, Woodstock, VT 05091
9781580234405, $24.99, www.skylightpaths.com

When in a minority, it seems the actions of one reflect on the whole. "Confronting Scandal: How Jews Can Respond When Jews Do Bad Things" is a thoughtful read on how a Jew can stand up for their people and prevent one bad apple from ruining an entire bunch. Drawing from scripture, Erica Brown does well in explaining the role of the Jew in defending their society and condemning a law breaker of their own. "Confronting Scandal" is an excellent read, a key addition to Judaic studies collections.


The Poetry Shelf

North from Yaounde
Jim Beschta
Adastra Press
16 Reservation Road, Easthampton, MA 01027
9780982249567, $18.00, www.amazon.com

It can be saddening to see how far behind some places are in the world. "North from Yaounde" is a chapbook of ten poems from Jim Beschta reflecting on his own visit to Cameroon and its own challenges which seem much different from the rest of the world. With plenty to think about and thought-provoking verse, "North from Yaounde" is a choice pick for chapbook collections.

The Terracotta Army
Gary Geddes
Goose Lane
330-500 Beaverbrook Court, Fredricton, NB, Canada, E3B 5X4
9780864926340, $14.95, www.gooselane.com

The Terracotta Army was the biggest work of crafting of its time. "The Terracotta Army" is a collection of poetry focusing on the army and the history behind their creation and keeping over these countless centuries since then. "The Terracotta Army" is a fine collection with much to think about. "Infantryman": We all marvelled at the courage of Jing Ke,/a serious man of letters who loved books//and often drank to excess with dog-butchers/and lute-players in the marketplace.//To please the Crown Prince Tan of Yen, who feared/the imminent demise of his Kingdom by Qin,//Jing Ke agreed to undertake a daring plot/to assassinate the emperor. Delivering the head//of Quin's hated enemy General Fan in a box,/Jing Ke unrolled a map of the Yen territories//to be ceded. When the concealed dagger appeared/King Ke snatched it up and grabbed the sleeve//of the emperor, but the cloth tore in his hand/and his advantage was lost. Bi laughed//at this turn of events and made some remark about the advantages of shoddy workmanship./We tended to ignore his mart-ass comments/and asides, but the irony was not lost on us.


The World History Shelf

History's Lists
Bathroom Reader's Institute
PO Box 1117, Ashland, OR 97520
9781607101802, $18.95, www.bathroomreader.com

History is damned interesting, and can be quite the time waster. "History's List" is another entry into the Uncle John's Bathroom Reader series as he presents another fine collection of the finest bits of intriguing history that one can find. Packed with over five hundred pages of material, "History's Lists" is sure to pack a lot content to make time pass when you're trying to get something else to pass.


The Needlecraft Shelf

Yo-Yo Dolls & Doll Quilts
Bobbie McClure Long
AQS Publishing
Box 3290, Paducah, KY 42002-3290
9781574326635, $24.95, www.americanquilter.com

Yo-Yo Dolls & Doll Quilts tells how to create a doll collection AND a quilt collection, simultaneously! Eight yo-yo dolls and their quilts offer projects perfect for beginners and experienced quilters alike, offering tips on personalizing dolls and creating easy complementary quilts to go with them. Needlework and crafts collections will relish this approach!

The Perfect Finish
Kara Gott Warner, Editor
DRG Books
306 East Parr Road, Berne IN 46711
9781592172856, $19.95, www.drgbooks.com

THE PERFECT FINISH: A NO-NONSENSE GUIDE TO FINISHING TECHNIQUES FOR KNITTERS OF EVERY LEVEL packs in keys to finishing, with step-by-step instructional photos accompanying the basics of tools, equipment, and all kinds of knitting possibilities. A variety of teachers and designers walk knitters through each chapter and present clear instructions on the most basic knitting techniques for necks, collars, buttonholes, pockets and more.

Threads: The Basics & Beyond
Debbie Bates & Liz Kettle
Landauer Publishing
3100 - 101st Street, Urbandale, IA 50322
9780982558614, $27.95, www.landauercorp.com

Threads: The Basics & Beyond provides a fine visual guide to thread techniques and covers the basics of thread in quilting, paint, and a range of projects. Practice pages allow readers to build skills with each new technique presented, with basics covering how to understand thread tension, use threads in 'painting' projects, creating different thread images using texture, and more. Needleworkers will appreciate the different approach.

Jeans of the Old West: A History
Michael Harris
Schiffer Publishing
4880 Lower Valley Road, Atglen, PA 19310
0764335006, $34.99, www.schifferbooks.com

While Jeans of the Old West: A History could as easily have been featured in our History, Arts or Collector's areas, it's profiled here for the special interest it will hold for needleworkers and any interested in fabric and style history. It's packed with insights on the development of denim, its marketing, and its evolution in both function and presentation, and it is loaded with color photos of old Western jeans. An eclectic, fine survey, this crosses many genres in its presentation.

Double Take
Heather Willms & Elissa Willms
Martingale & Company
20205 - 144th Ave. NE, Woodinville, WA 98072-8478
9781564779816, $24.99, www.martingale-pub.com

DOUBLE TAKE: QUILTS WITH THAT HOPSCOTCH TWIST provides a fine range of quilt projects from a mother/daughter team who present some 16 projects from quilts to tote bags and place mats. Beginners and seasoned quilt-makers alike will appreciate the keys to using simple designs to create complex-appearing 'hopscotch' results.

Entree to Entrelac
Gwen Bortner
XRX
Box 965, Sioux Falls, SD 57101-0965
9781933064192, $19.95, www.knittinguniverse.com/Entrelac

Entree to Entrelac offers knitters a fine understanding of entrelac, which requires basic knitting skills but can be used by knitters at all levels. It uses the basics to more to more advanced techniques and encourages creative combinations and thinking, pairing the author's in-depth knowledge with user-friendly step-by-step directions in a reference for knitters interested in learning about entrelac and knitting alike.

The Crocheted Prayer Shawl Companion
Janet Bristow & Victoria A. Cole-Galo
Taunton Press
Box 5506, Newtown, CT 06470-5506
9781600852930, $19.95, www.taunton.com

The Crocheted Prayer Shawl Companion: 37 Patterns to Inspire & Celebrate Life offers a lovely survey that pairs the author's stories and prayer shawl reflections with 37 shawl patterns, color photos, and directions to making different shawls. The result is a fine blend of spiritual reflection and practical application perfect for crocheters seeking something different in the project world. Crafters of different faiths and cultures are everyday crochet artists and professional knitwear designers alike.

Embroiderers of Ninhue
Carmen Benavente
Texas Tech University Press
PO Box 41-37, Lubbock, TX 79409-1037
9780896726482, $45.00, www.ttupress.org

Embroiderers of Ninhue: Stitching Chilean Rural Life offers a powerful survey from a stitchery expert who returned to her native Santiago to find chaos and danger in the 1970s. Her solution: to reach out to families divided by politics. She offered to teach the women of Ninhue wool embroidery, a nontraditional art - and through her efforts changed the economics and outcome of women in her circle. Color photos of the stitched works blend with a social and political survey in a unique presentation reaching both needlework and college-level social issues and Latin history collections.

Pieced Applique
Penny Haren
Landauer
3100 101st Street, Suite A, Urbandale, IA 50322
9780982558607, $27.95, www.landauercorp.com

One of the most importance things for a would be quilter is a mastery of creating patterns. "Pieced Applique: Intricate Blocks Made Easy" is a guide for learning quilters who want to master the many patterns in their work so that they can more accurately master how to create elegant and beautiful patterns that will bring life to their work. With tips on everything from the planning to the details to mastering things like curves and the like, "Pieced Applique" is a fine pick for the enthusiastic quilter.


The Environmental Studies Shelf

Green Transporation Basics
Dan Chiras
New Society Publishers
PO Box 189, Gabriola Island, BC V0R 1X0
9780865716193, $12.95, www.newsociety.com

You can still live well without guiltily destroying the environment. "Green Transportation Basics" is a guide to embracing the more environmentally friendly things that one can do to drive a car with the least amount of environmental impact possible. With tips on everything from fuel types to aerodynamics of certain types of vehicle and so much more, "Green Transportation Basics" is a read with a lot for the green-conscious, highly recommended.


The Hunting/Fishing Shelf

Flyfishing Adventures Montana
John Holt
Wilderness Adventures Press
45 Buckskin Road, Belgrade, MT 59714
9781932098808, $24.95, www.wildadvpress.com

Montana is packed with wilderness and lots of opportunities for good fishing. "Flyfishing Adventures Montana" is a guide on how to get the best fly fishing one can find in the state of Montana. Author John Holt has a career of fishing writing, and in this volume he outlines the many rivers that criss cross throughout the state and how to get the best results out of each of them. A solidly recommended volume for any looking to fish in Montana, "Flyfishing Adventures Montana" is not to be overlooked.


The California Shelf

California Rocks!
Katherine J. Baylor
Mountain Press
1301 South Third Street West, PO Box 2399, Missoula, MT 59806
9780878425655, $16.00, www.mountain-press.com

Rocks aren't dull as dirt if you understand the stories behind them. "California Rocks!: A Guide to Geologic Sites in the Golden State" looks at the rich natural history of the California state region that holds much to wonder and understand about what lies beneath California and its unique status in the natural and geologic world. Studying the many regions of the state with plenty of info, "California Rocks!" is a must for any young reader with an interest in geology.

Vineyards & Vaqueros
George Harwood Phillips
The Arthur H. Clark Company
2800 Venture Drive, Norman, OK 73069
www.ahclark.com
9780870623912, $45.00, www.amazon.com

With the coming of the Spanish with their missions, pueblos, and ranches to what would one day become Southern California, the labor force necessary to establishing and maintaining them depended on Native American labor. The debut volume in the new American history series 'Before Gold: California Under Spain and Mexico' from The Arthur H. Clark Company, "Vineyards and Vaqueros: Indian Labor and the Economic Expansion of Southern California, 1771-1877" by George Harwood Phillips (formerly a Professor of History at the University of Colorado, Boulder and the author of numerous articles and books on California and its Native peoples) presents a 384-page compendium providing a historical survey of the diverse California Native American cultures, the Spanish mission systems, the formation and development of Los Angeles, and the ultimate decline of Spanish ranchos. The emphasis in Professor Phillips presentation is on the economic impact of Native American labor and the shaping of the early economic history of what today is the counties of Los Angeles, Orange, and Riverside California. Enhanced with illustrations, period maps, statistical tables, a glossary, an extensive bibliography, and a comprehensive index, "Vineyards & Vaqueros" is a model of meticulous, informed and informative scholarship, making it a valued and seminal contribution to 18th and 19th century California History and Native American Studies reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

Angel Island: Immigrant Gateway to America
Erika Lee & Judy Yung
Oxford University Press
198 Madison Avenue, New York NY 10036-4314
9780199734085, $27.95, www.oup.com

Angel Island: Immigrant Gateway to America offers the first comprehensive history of the Angel Island Immigration Station, revealing the stories of numerous immigrants and offering new research based on immigration records, oral histories, and barrack wall inscriptions. Experiences on the island based on this original research provides a fine depth to the story of how Angel Island's immigration policies shaped generations of lives. No California library should be without this!

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

Lucy Jones Berk and Stephen A. Covey's ESCONDIDO: GRAPE DAY FESTIVALS (9780738559490, $21.99) documents the first Grape Day festival in 1908, an event which attracted thousands of guests who could view the valley, see displays, and more. Mid-century Grape Day vanished - along with the grape in Escondido: the local Historical Society began its revival in the 1970s and its centennial celebration took place in 2008. Escondido: Grape Day Festivals uses historic photos to document the event, and is a wonderful acquisition for any California history or wine history collection! Leroy Radanovich's YOSEMITE VALLEY RAILROAD (9780738581188, $21.99) joins others in Arcadia's 'Images of Rail' series, providing a lively documentation of the Yosemite Valley Railroad. It comes from a photographer and historian who's been a lifelong resident of Mariposa county, and who pairs over 200 images of the Railroad from his personal archives and other collections with observations of the trains in operation and interviews with those who worked them. Linda Fitzpatrick and James M. Conkle's NEEDLES (0738580643, $21.99) provides a fine survey of the town located on the border of California and Arizona, which once served as a key state transit hub. Vintage photos pack in history of a bygone era in this outstanding survey. All are top picks California history libraries simply must have!


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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