January Book Recommendations

[stevo]

There are few things that can improve the quality of life more than
reading a book. Whether it's teaching you how to do something new or
taking you to another universe, a good book is a rare treat. Here is
my list of recommended new and recently published nonfiction and
fiction (and a few children's) books for the month of January, 2008.
Since many books fall into more than one category, please make sure
you read the entire list, as you never know where you'll find that gem
that will change your life.

Nonfiction:

Best of the Bunch:

Navy: An Illustrated History: The U.S. Navy from 1775 to the 21st
Century by Chester G. Hearn (Zenith Press, $29.95 - Profusely
illustrated with dramatic paintings, evocative photographs and
informative maps, this book tells how the U.S. Navy grew into a highly
sophisticated armed force that is capable of projecting military power
to all corners of the world. It describes the battles, the ships and
aircraft, and the naval commanders who shaped it into the premiere
seaborne military force in the world today. Navy traces the progress
and expansion of technology and tactics from the early colonial days
through the furious combat of World War II at sea against Japan to
shielding the nation from the threats of the Cold War and today facing
the challenges of the twenty-first century. Also new: "Army: An
Illustrated History" and "Marines: An Illustrated History")

The Taste of Home Cookbook with Entertaining CD by Taste of Home
Magazine Editors (Reader's Digest, $29.95 - "The Taste of Home
Cookbook" gathers the most requested, best loved recipes from the
readers of Taste of Home magazine into the most comprehensive cookbook
we've ever published. The book contains: 1,200+ recipes and
variations, all tasted, tested, and approved by the Taste of Home
editors and Test Kitchen staff; 1,300+ color photos of finished
recipes, common ingredients and kitchen how-to's; 300+ practical,
proven for delicious results every time...plus handy reference charts;
simple, step-by-step instructions and quick-read ingredient lists to
make baking a snap; and complete nutrition facts and the latest
dietary guidelines take the guesswork out of healthy eating. Throw
your best party ever with this extra helping of fabulous foods and
creative ideas! The brand-new, interactive Celebrations CD inside
includes: 473 entertaining recipes to search, view and print; 90+
cocktails, coffees and other party drinks; 40 complete menus for
holiday gatherings and celebrations; dozens of shortcuts and party
decorating ideas; and 300+ color photos of recipes and projects. Also
new: "The Taste of Home Baking Book")

The Family Intervention Guide to Mental Illness: Recognizing Symptoms
& Getting Treatment by Bodie Morey and Kim T. Mueser (New Harbinger,
$17.95 - Over 50 million Americans have a mental illness, but as many
as 20 million don't have their illness detected. And many others get
substandard treatment. Family members play a crucial role in
recognizing mental illness, and helping a loved one get the treatment
they need. The early signs of mental illness are clear if you know
what to look for, and getting rapid and effective treatment will help
your relative get better faster. If you think a family member or
friend may be struggling with a mental illness, or isn't getting
effective treatment, this guide will help you recognize symptoms, get
the right treatment, and work together as a family to help your loved
one get better. Inside you'll find step-by-step support and
information for determining whether someone you care about is
suffering from a mental disorder, and what you can do to help. The
book outlines the nine fundamental steps to recognizing, managing, and
recovering from mental illness. It provides both diagnostic
information and details about therapy options and useful medications.
With the right advice, determined effort, and a lot of love, you can
make a difference)

The Dog Says How by Kevin Kling (Borealis Books, $22.95 - In this
wonderfully original collection of autobiographical stories, popular
storyteller and NPR commentator Kevin Kling deftly weaves pitch-
perfect scenes of childhood antics and adulthood absurdities with
themes of overcoming tragedy, forging lifelong friendships, and living
with disabilities in a complex world. In "Circus," Kling recollects
how his love of boats, animals and adventure inspired him to join a
traveling circus troupe--but it was the all-you-can-eat buffet that
cinched the deal. In "Dogs," Fafnir, Kling's new wiener puppy, leads
him into the world of show dogs, those resembling "cleaning implements--
perfumed, powdered, and pampered." In the poignant title story, Kling
straddles the realm of the ordinary and one rivaling Dante's
underworld as he learns how to use voice-recognition software after
his near fatal motorcycle accident)

The Healthy Heart Kit by Andrew Weil (Sounds True, $26.95 - It's a
given that diet and lifestyle affect heart health. But recent studies
show that your emotions as well as Mindbody practices such as guided
imagery and meditation have an equally powerful influence. Now,
building on the success of his earlier interactive kits, Dr. Andrew
Weil presents a comprehensive approach to heart health, with The
Healthy Heart Kit. Featuring medical experts Stephen Devries, M.D. (a
pioneering preventive cardiologist specializing in integrative
approaches to heart health), Erin Olivo, Ph.D. (clinical psychologist
and director of the Integrative Medicine Program at Columbia
University), and Martin L. Rossman, M.D. (founder of The Healing Mind
and a leader in the therapeutic use of guided imagery), The Healthy
Heart Kit offers a truly comprehensive action plan for lifelong
wellness that includes: Dr. Weil's Anti-inflammatory diet, emphasizing
omega 3-rich foods, healthy carbohydrate choices, and delicious
variety; New advances for heart health by Dr. Devries, integrating the
latest science with an emphasis on natural approaches; Dr. Olivo's
best exercises for optimizing the nervous system--mindfulness, stress
release, and loving kindness; and Guided imagery--proven medically
effective in study after study--in a 30-minute healing session with
Dr. Rossman Combining all these strategies in one convenient program,
including a 56-page workbook and thirty-five useful cards, provides an
excellent way to begin a lifelong regimen for heart health)

Art, Architecture, Photography, and Design:

Our World by Mary Oliver, photographs by Molly Malone Cook (Beacon,
$24.95 - Intertwined in art and life: the prose of Mary Oliver and the
photographs of Molly Malone Cook. Mary Oliver, winner of the Pulitzer
Prize for poetry, is one of the most celebrated and best-selling poets
in America. Molly Malone Cook, who died in 2005, was Oliver's partner
for many years, a pioneer gallery owner and photographer. This book
joins Cook's photographs with Oliver's prose--a uniquely intimate
intertwining of their lives and art. There are famous faces here,
among them Lorraine Hansberry, Walker Evans, Norman Mailer, and even,
through a restaurant window in Venice, Jean Cocteau. Other artists and
dozens of wonderful characters and scenes are also immortalized by
Cook's unfailing eye for telling detail and perfect composition--two
strangers playing chess, laundry billowing in a cityscape, a Pueblo
Indian with his 1958 Cadillac. Mary Oliver writes of Cook's work, the
people they knew, and the places they visited or lived. The poet's
beautiful text captures not only the unique qualities of her partner's
work, but the very texture of their shared world. Within the art
world, Molly Malone Cook made her reputation as an early advocate of
photography as an art form; she was a champion of the work of now-
famous photographers, including Edward Steichen, Eugene Atget,
Berenice Abbott, Minor White, Ansel Adams, Harry Callahan, and W.
Eugene Smith. Perhaps as important, in Mary Oliver's moving words,
Cook taught the beginner poet "to see, with searching attention, and
compassion")

Color Management in Digital Photography: Ten Easy Steps to True Colors
in Photoshop by Brad Hinkel (Rocky Nook, $29.95 - Color management is
one of the essential elements, yet major stumbling blocks in digital
photography. The vast majority of digital photographers really wish
they didn't have to be concerned with color management, yet the basic
process of moving images from capture to print becomes impractical
without it. And the more sophisticated the photography workflow
becomes, the more important it is to manage colors from capture to
print. In this book, Brad Hinkel simplifies the language of color
management. It is based on classes and workshops the author has given
to hundreds of students of digital photography. His process for color
management is intended to provide enough information to create a
simple and effective system allowing the user to get on with
photography - focus on creativity instead of technology. However, the
fact that this book suggests a simple approach to color management
does not mean it sacrifices quality and effectiveness. Simpler is
usually better - if it works. Also new: "Mastering Landscape
Photography: The Luminous-Landscape Essays" by Alain Briot and
"Digital Astrophotography" by Stefan Seip)

Biography, Autobiography, Memoir, and Essays:

James Crawford Master of the Mint at Carson City: A Short Full Life by
Rusty Goe (Southgate Coins, $59.95 - Perhaps you have heard of the
Carson City Mint, Nevada s historic coin factory. Almost a century and
a quarter ago this western mint at the base of Nevada s celebrated
Comstock Lode banged out silver dollars and a host of other
denominations, including gold coins, which today have become some of
the most cherished in the field of numismatics (the study of coin
collecting). In 2004, a silver dime dated 1873 bearing the legendary
CC mintmark, sold for $1 million. Yet, although the coins have gained
in notoriety, the men who made them passed into obscurity many years
ago. However, according to Reno coin dealer Rusty Goe, the award-
winning author of 2004 s The Mint on Carson Street, at least one of
these men deserves a tribute. In "James Crawford: Master of the Mint
at Carson City A Short Full Life," Goe resurrects the life of the man
who served as the fourth superintendent of the Carson City Mint from
1874 to 1885, and who was credited with overseeing the striking of
eighty-five percent of all the coins ever produced at that
institution. The book provides a panoramic view of the sweeping
history of Nevada's connection to California's Gold Rush era; with an
in-depth look into life in the Silver State's northwestern region from
1863 to 1885. Filled with never-before-presented facts about James
Crawford and the Carson City Mint, this 650-page book is linked with
stories about some of Nevada's most prominent historical figures and
many contemporary events occurring in the United States as well as
hundreds of references to coins struck at the Carson City Mint)

And There Was Light: Autobiography of Jacques Lusseyran, Blind Hero of
the French Resistance by Jacques Lusseyran (Morning Light Press,
$15.95 - Selected as one of USA Today's 100 Best Spiritual Books of
the Century, this astonishing autobiography tells the gripping, heroic
story of the early life of Jacques Lusseyran, an inspiring individual
who overcame the limitations of physical blindness by attending --
literally -- to the light within his own mind. Through faith in the
connection between vivid inner sight and outer events, he became a
leader in the French Resistance and survived the horrors at
Buchenwald)

Life, in Pictures: Autobiographical Stories by Will Eisner and Scott
McCloud (Norton, $29.95 - In what will be the closest thing Eisner
fans will see to an autobiography, the great master and pioneer of
American graphic arts presents the most intimate and personal
perspective yet on his life as a writer, a professional, and an
artist. "The Dreamer" and "To the Heart of the Storm" describe
Eisner's gritty early life and career, while "The Name of the Game"
chronicles a personal history of his wife's family. Finally, two
shorter pieces illuminate the bookends of a legendary career: "The Day
I Became a Professional"--which will appeal to any hopeful young artist--
describes Eisner's first rejection from a potential publisher, and "A
Sunset in Sunshine City" provides a poignant portrait of Eisner in old
age. The book features famous characters from the world of comics
(under pseudonyms, of course) and other historical figures and family
members, all drawn with Eisner's characteristic mastery and technique)

You'll Be Okay: My Life With Jack Kerouac by Edie Kerouac-Parker (City
Lights, $14.95 - Edie Parker was eighteen years old when she met Jack
Kerouac at Columbia University in 1940. A young socialite from Grosse
Pointe, Michigan, she had come to New York to study art, and quickly
found herself swept up in the excitement and new freedoms that the big
city offered a sheltered young woman of that time. Jack Kerouac was
also eighteen, attending Columbia on a football scholarship,
impressing his friends with his intelligence and knowledge of
literature. Introduced by a mutual friend, Jack and Edie fell in love
and quickly moved in together, sharing an apartment with Joan Adams
(who would later marry William S. Burroughs). This is the story of
their life together in New York, where they began lifetime friendships
with Allen Ginsberg, William S. Burroughs, and others. Edie's memoir
provides the only female voice from that nascent period, when the
leading members of the Beat Generation were first meeting and becoming
friends. In the end, Jack and Edie went their separate ways, keeping
in touch only on rare occasions through letters and late-night phone
calls. In his last letter to Edie, written a month before his death,
Kerouac ended it with the encouraging phrase: "You'll be okay." It was
from that note that the title of this book was taken)

Business and Economics:

Executive Coaching for Results: The Definitive Guide to Developing
Organizational Leaders by Brian O. Underhill, Kimcee McAnally, John J.
Koriath, and Marshall Goldsmith (Berrett-Koehler, $34.95 - The field
of executive coaching is growing at an astonishing rate. Corporations
are increasingly turning to coaching as an intervention, as it offers
leaders and managers both on-the-job learning and built-in follow-up.
But how can you make the best use of coaching within your
organization? "Executive Coaching for Results" helps this critical
leadership development method come of age. This is not a "how-to-coach
book"--there are already plenty of those--but rather a comprehensive
guide on how to strategically use coaching to maximize development of
talent and link the impact of coaching to bottom-line results.
Underhill, McAnally, and Koriath draw on their rigorous original
research (through Executive Development Associates) with Fortune 1000
and Global 500 companies such as Disney, IBM, UBS, Unilever and many
others, and combine that with their years of industry experience to
advance the state of the art)

How to Hire a Champion: Insider Secrets to Find, Select, and Keep
Great Employees by David Snyder (Career Press, $14.99 - Meticulously
outlining an arsenal of cutting-edge tools and strategies tied to
predicting performance and a "passion for excellence," David Snyder
has developed what may be a paradigm shift in our understanding of the
way high-performing individuals can be identified, selected, and
professionally coached. Drawing on Snyder's interviews with a team of
performance and hiring experts nationwide, "How to Hire a Champion"
will help all leaders to build: A better model and process for
selecting and retaining high-performing individuals; Stronger teams
and a customer-centered, results-driven culture; and A self-directed
"culture of greatness" where top performers and top managers in all
departments help and inspire each other. Also new: "Resumes For the
Rest of Us" by Arnold Boldt)

Mass Career Customization: Aligning the Workplace With Today's
Nontraditional Workforce by Cathleen Benko and Anne Weisberg (Harvard
Business School Press, $29.95 - Far-reaching changes in attitudes and
family structures have been redefining the workforce for more than two
decades--yet the workplace has remained much the same. During this
time, many companies have learned that personalizing the customer
experience is good for business. In "Mass Career Customization," the
authors argue convincingly to extend this popular and profitable
concept to the workplace. This book is centered on the powerful
insight that career options in today's economy need to accommodate the
rising and falling phases of employee engagement as it changes over
time. The remarkable process unveiled in this book offers choices
involving four important dimensions of career progression: role; pace;
location and schedule; and workload. As the working population
shrinks, maintaining industry advantage will depend largely on keeping
employees engaged and connected. "Mass Career Customization" provides
a framework for organizational adaptability that will do just that)

When the Shit Hits the Fan!: How to Keep Your Business Afloat for More
Than a Year by Barry Thomsen (Career Press, $16.99 - Every year, more
than a million people start a new small business with drive,
enthusiasm, and dreams of success. Unfortunately, about the same
number every year go out of business. The mortality rate for small
businesses is probably higher than it should be because most
entrepreneurs don't know what to do "When the Shit Hits the Fan"...and
it always does. There are things that are going to happen that no
textbook will ever warn you about, because no small business operates
like the textbooks say it should. After 30 years in many of his own
small businesses and helping others, Barry Thomsen has seen pretty
much all the things that can go wrong, all the solutions that just
don't work, and all the ways to keep the doors open...if only for
another month. There is a lot more to starting, running, and
succeeding at a business than buying a nice sign and ordering business
cards. In this provocative book, you'll find out how: Poor customer
care can ruin a small business. Losing a big account is not the end of
the world. Cash-flow problems can bring you to a standstill. Massive
competition can be dealt with profitably. Owner attitude can affect
the entire business. There are many common-sense answers to the
everyday problems that affect most small businesses. An owner must
meet these head-on...or head them off before they start. "When the
Shit Hits the Fan!" will help you survive when it seems like bullets
are coming from every direction at once. You'll learn tried-and-true
ways to deal with everything from poor cash flow, bad publicity, and
unanticipated market changes to problem employees, irate customers,
and weather disasters.

Make the Impossible Possible: One Man's Crusade to Inspire Others to
Dream Bigger and Achieve the Extraordinary by Bill Strickland
(Doubleday/Currency, $23.95 - According to MacArthur Fellowship
"genius" award winner Bill Strickland, a successful life is not
something you simply pursue, it is something that you create, moment
by moment. It is a realization Strickland first came to when, as a
poor kid growing up in a rough neighborhood of Pittsburgh, he
encountered a high school ceramics teacher who took him under his wing
and went on to transform his life. Over the past thirty years, Bill
Strickland has been transforming the lives of thousands of people
through the creation of Manchester Bidwell, a jobs training center and
community arts program. Working with corporations, community leaders,
and schools, he and his staff strive to give disadvantaged kids and
adults the opportunities and tools they need to envision and built a
better, brighter future. Strickland believes that every one of us has
the potential for remarkable achievement. Every one of us can
accomplish the impossible in our lives if given the right inspiration
and motivation to do so. We all make ourselves "poor" in one way or
another when we accept that we are not smart enough, experienced
enough, or talented enough to accomplish something. Bill Strickland
works with the least advantaged among us, and if he can help them
achieve the impossible in their lives, think what each of us can do.
Among Bill Strickland's beliefs: People are born into this world as
assets, not liabilities: It's all in the way we treat people (and
ourselves) that determines a person's outcome. The sand in the
hourglass flows only one way: Stop going through the motions of
living--savor each and every day. Life is here and now, not something
waiting for you in the future. You don't have to travel far to change
the life you're living: Bill grew up in the Pittsburgh ghetto, four
blocks from where he came to build one of the foremost job training
centers in the world. He now speaks before CEOs and political leaders,
church congregations and civic leaders. You only need to change your
thinking to remake your world. Through lessons from his own life
experiences, and those of countless others who have overcome their
circumstances and turned their lives around, "Make the Impossible
Possible" shows how all of us can build on our passions and strengths,
dream bigger and set the bar higher, achieve meaningful success and
help mentor and inspire the lives of others)

Invest Like a Shark: How a Deaf Guy with No Job and Limited Capital
Made a Fortune Investing in the Stock Market by James "RevShark"
DePorre and James J. Cramer (Financial Times Books, $25.99 - As an
individual investor, you can swim circles around the "whales" of Wall
Street...by investing like a shark! In this book, James "RevShark"
DePorre reveals how to maximize your powerful and unique advantages as
a small investor: speed and flexibility. You'll develop a completely
new way of looking at the stock market, learn when to attack, how to
move aggressively, how to stay flexible...and when to swim away in the
face of danger. You'll learn why "buy and hold" is today's riskiest
strategy...and exactly what to do instead. In short, you'll learn the
same disciplined investment techniques that helped DePorre build a
tiny nest egg into a huge fortune and transformed his life. If you
read TheStreet.com, RealMoney.com, or SharkInvesting.com, you already
know DePorre and his inspiring personal story of how he lost his
hearing, career, and marriage...turned to online investing out of
desperation...and succeeded beyond his wildest dreams. Now, in this fast-
paced, insightful, and entertaining book, DePorre shows how you can do
it, too.)

The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership: Follow Them and People Will
Follow You, 10th Anniversary Edition by John C. Maxwell (Thomas
Nelson, $24.99 - In The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, John C.
Maxwell combines insights learned from his 40-plus years of leadership
successes and mistakes with observations from the worlds of business,
politics, sports, religion, and military conflict. Some highlights of
the revised edition of this New York Times bestseller, which has sold
more than a million copies, are: Every chapter has been revised; 2
chapters - "The Law of Addition" and "The Law of the Picture" - are
entirely new; 17 new stories are included; 6 chapters are 50% revised;
5 chapters are 75% revised; Application pieces follow every chapter;
and Leadership evaluation is included)

Computers and Science:

sendmail, 4th Edition by Bryan Costales, Claus Assmann, George Jansen,
and Gregory Shapiro (O'Reilly, $59.99 - A classic O'Reilly title since
1993, sendmail now covers Versions 8.10 through 8.14 of this email
routing program, including dozens of new features, options, and
macros. This edition also takes a more nuts-and-bolts approach than
its predecessors. It includes both an administration handbook and a
reference guide that provide you with clear options for installing,
configuring and managing sendmail's latest versions and companion
programs. The sendmail program has withstood the test of time because
of its ability to solve the mail-routing needs of all sites large or
small, complex or simple. But it's also difficult to configure and
even more difficult to understand. That's why this book has proven
valuable since the dawn of email. With it, you will be able to
configure the program to meet any need, so that you never again have
to call in a sendmail guru to bail you out. "sendmail" includes the
following sections: Some Basics is especially useful for people new to
the program. It covers the basic concepts underlying mail delivery and
the roles sendmail plays in that delivery; Administration covers all
aspects of handling sendmail, from downloading and installing new
releases to managing mailing lists and aliases; Configuration
Reference contains a heavily cross-referenced guide for configuring
and tuning sendmail. Every arcane detail of sendmail is listed
alphabetically; and Appendices contain more detail about sendmail than
you may ever need. This edition also includes new material on SSL and
AUTH and a new chapter on Mitlers. If you're interested in what has
changed since the last edition, one appendix categorizes the many
improvements of sendmail's intervening versions by chapter, complete
with references to the appropriate sections and page numbers in the
book. With" sendmail," system administrators, programmers, network
engineers, and even inexperienced users will be able to match this
challenging but necessary utility to the needs of their network. Also
new: "Learning Python" by Mark Lutz)

The Unofficial LEGO Mindstorms NXT Inventor's Guide by David J. Perdue
(No Starch Press, $29.95 - The LEGO Mindstorms NXT set is a very
powerful robotics toolkit, but it lacks a detailed users guide. This
is the users guide that every Mindstorms owner needs. Includes a
Mindstorms NXT Brickopedia)

IPod: The Missing Manual by J.D. Biersdorfer with David Pogue
(O'Reilly, $19.99 - With iPod and iTunes, Apple's gotten the world
hooked on portable music, pictures, and videos. One thing they haven't
delivered, though, is an easy guide for getting the most from your
sleek little entertainment center. Enter iPod: The Missing Manual, 5th
Edition-a book as breathtaking and satisfying as its subject. Our
latest edition thoroughly covers the redesigned iPod Nanos, the video
iPod, the tiny Shuffle and the overhauled iTunes 7. Each custom-
designed page sports easy-to-follow color graphics, crystal-clear
explanations, and guidance on the most useful things your iPod can do.
Topics include: Out of the box and into your ears. Learn how to
install iTunes, load music on your iPod, and how to get rid of that
dang, flashing "Do not disconnect" message; Bopping around the iPod.
Whether you've got a tiny Shuffle or a big-screen model you'll learn
everything from turning your iPod off and on to charging your iPod
without a computer. Special coverage for iPod owners with trickster
friends: How to reset the iPod's menus to English if they've been
changed to, say, Korean; In tune with iTunes. iTunes can do far more
than your father's jukebox. Learn how to pick and choose which parts
of your iTunes library loads onto your iPod, how to move your sacred
iTunes Folder to a bigger hard drive, and how to add album covers to
your growing collection; and The power of the 'Pod. Download movies,
play photo slideshows, find cool podcasts, and more: this book shows
you how to unleash all your iPod's power. iPod is simply the best
music player available, and this is the manual that should have come
with it)

Cooking, Cookbooks, and Food:

Stick of Butter Cookbook by Angel Shannon (Cedar Fort, $16.99 -
Finally, a tribute to butter! Over the generations, butter, once a key
ingredient in tasty recipes, has become shunned and ignored. Although
it has been proven that butter is nature s best, only a few have
returned to its goodness. The latest research indicates that butter
betters reproductive capacity. Tired of all the endless butter
bashing, television and radio chef Angel Shannon has created a
cookbook that is packed full of butter-rich recipes, as well as tips,
tricks, and flavorful facts about the goodness of butter. Thanks to
Angel Shannon s "Stick of Butter Cookbook," everyone can discover the
benefits of butter for themselves. You ll learn how professional chefs
make those fancy herbed butter pats, how you can make butter with the
help of your kids, and how to whip up 100 amazingly delicious buttery
recipes such as: Encore Italian Barbecued Shrimp Swiss Chicken Bliss
Luscious Berry Cream Pastry Fresh Herb and Garlic Potatoes Indulge
yourself in the food joy that you ll find in every delectable bite!
Gather around the dinner table and get ready for the kind of home
cooking you loved as a kid! Angel Shannon makes butter better once
more. This book is a richly delectable journey filled with page after
page of fabulous flavors. Also new: "Beyond Oatmeal: 101 Breakfast
Recipes" by Carlene Duda)

To Cork or Not To Cork: Tradition, Romance, Science, and the Battle
for the Wine Bottle by George M. Taber (Scribner, $26.00 - In
"Judgment of Paris," George M. Taber masterfully chronicled the
historic 1976 wine tasting when unknown California wines defeated top
French ones, marking a major turning point in wine history. Now he
explores the most controversial topic in the world of wine: What
product should be used to seal a bottle? Should it be cork, plastic,
glass, a screwcap, or some other type of closure still to be invented?
For nearly four centuries virtually every bottle of wine had a cork in
it. But starting in the 1970s, a revolution began to topple the cork
monopoly. In recent years, the rebellion has been gathering strength.
Belatedly, the cork industry began fighting back, while trying to
retain its predominant position. Each year 20 billion closures go onto
wine bottles, and, increasingly, they are not corks. The cause of the
onslaught against cork is an obscure chemical compound known as TCA.
In amounts as low as several parts per trillion, the compound can make
a $400 bottle of wine smell like wet newspaper and taste equally bad.
Such wine is said to be "corked." While cork's enemies urge people to
throw off the old and embrace new closures, millions of wine drinkers
around the world are still in love with the romance of the cork and
the ceremony of opening a bottle. With a thorough command of history,
science, winemaking, and marketing, Taber examines all sides of the
debate. Along the way, he collects a host of great characters and
pivotal moments in the production, storage, and consumption of wine,
and paints a truly satisfying portrait of a wholly intriguing
controversy. As Australian winemaker Brian Croser describes it: "It's
scary how passionate people can be on this topic. Prejudice and
extreme positions have taken over, and science has often gone out the
window")

Daily Meal Planner by Joan Day Brady (Cedar Fort, $19.99 - Finally,
there's help for the menu impaired! With Daily Meal Planner, busy
homemakers will no longer have to dread hearing the question that has
haunted them for centuries: "What's for dinner?" Author Joan Day Brady
makes menu planning a snap with a year's worth of seasonal
suggestions, including meat, salad, soup, and seafood recipes. In
addition, she includes sections on desserts and breakfast, along with
handy ideas and helpful indexes. "Daily Meal Planner" truly is a busy
homemaker's answer to simplified meal planning)

Crafts, Hobbies, and Games:

Mimi Dietrich's Favorite Applique Quilts by Mimi Dietrich (Martingale,
$26.95 - Mimi Dietrich's incredible career as a bestselling author and
beloved appliquÃ(c) artist has spanned 20 years. Now Mimi has created a
collection of her favorite quilts from past books--long unavailable
until now! Get 13 of Mimi's best-loved quilt designs, all updated with
new fabrics, fresh colors, and great settings. Get the ultimate in
ease and simplicity with this special selection of patterns; they're
great for beginners! Choose from classic appliqué motifs such as
hearts, flowers, yo-yo's, and wreaths. Also new: "Charmed: A Fresh
Twist on Charm Quilts" by Jodi Crowell, "Cutting Garden Quilts" by
Melinda Bula, "Nine by Nine: 9-Patch Quilts, 9 Ways" by Cyndi Hershey,
"Mosaic Picture Quilts" by Pat Durbin, and "Storybook Snugglers:
Monkey Business" by Cheryl Almgren Taylor)

Knitting for Him: 27 Classic Projects to Keep Him Warm by Martin
Storey and Wendy Baker (Taunton, $24.95 - It's a fact of life: men
wear sweaters. And hats. And vests. So why do so few knitting books
offer patterns for men's clothing? Finally, Rowan, the name that
knitters trust, has expertly gathered dozens of easy-to-follow
patterns that are perfect for stylish men of all shapes and sizes.
Page after page of eye-catching designs detail fun, fashionable and,
of course, masculine sweaters, vests, hats and much more that will
keep men toasty no matter what the weather. "Knitting for Him" is the
perfect pattern collection for male knitters and the women who love to
knit for them)

Handknit Skirts From Tricoter by Linden Ward and Beryl Hiatt
(Martingale, $27.95 - The trendsetters of Tricoter are back with a
collection of gorgeous knitted skirts--easy to knit, easy to wear, and
easy to stand out at the height of fashion! With a variety of styles
to suit women of any age, knitters can get hip to this hot new trend
in knitting. Fifteen colorful designs are knitted in the round on
circular needles; no seams to sew or fronts and backs to match up.
Just change needle sizes as you go--no increases, decreases, or
complicated shaping techniques. Each project sports a sewn-in half
slip for extra durability, plus an elastic waistband for easy wear)

Knitting America: A Glorious Heritage from Warm Socks to High Art by
Susan M. Strawn and Melanie Falick (Voyageur Press, $35.00 - The first
fully detailed, full-color, comprehensive history of knitting in
America from Colonial times to the present, Knitting America conveys
the social and historical realities that the craft embodied as well as
the emotional narrative that unfolded at the hands of the nations
knitters. Also included are twelve historic knitting patterns for
todays knitters. With vintage pattern booklets, posters, postcards,
black-and-white historical photographs, and contemporary color
photographs of knitted pieces in private collections and in museums,
"Knitting America" comprises a knitted history of American society)

Stitch-Style: Mittens (Martingale, $17.95 - When it comes to hip
fashion accessories, give yourself a hand! From city streets to
catwalk couture, this collection of mittens spotlights the latest
cutting-edge trends--all from the hottest new designers on the
knitting and crochet scene. Mittens are just the beginning--20
projects include evening and driver gloves; fair isle and fingerless
gloves; plus flip mittens and muffs. Even beginners can finish many of
these projects over a weekend--a basic technique section explains all
the essentials. The compact size is perfect for slipping into your bag
to knit or crochet on the go. Also new: "Stitch-Style: Socks")

Gifts, Stationary, and Calendars:

365 Crochet Stitches a Year: Perpetual Calendar by Jean Leinhauser and
Rita Weiss (Martingale, $24.95 - Now crocheters can access hundreds of
unique stitches in a perpetual-calendar format! With a different
crochet stitch for every day of the year, this clever calendar makes a
valuable addition to any pattern collection. Find step-by-step
instructions for 365 crochet stitches, from easy to advanced. Each
day spotlights a solid-colored swatch in a full-color, close-up
photograph. A sturdy spiral binding keeps this perpetual calendar in
tip-top shape, even through years of turning pages)

Flower Girl Keepsake Photo Journal (Cool Springs Press, $14.99 -
"Flower Girl" commemorates the flower girl's participation in the
wedding party. This one-of-a-kind, creative keepsake journal is the
perfect "Thank You" gift for the flower girl or her parents. The
front cover photo-pocket allows total personalization of Flower Girl,
there is also space to attach a photo, opposite a ruled page for
anyone to write a note. The acid-free paper and cute "flower"
stickers preserve the photographs. Includes a colorful glassine
envelope to store flower petals or other wedding mementos)

That Patchwork Place Simple Seasons Recipe Cards (Martingale, $18.95 -
This beautiful quilt inspired tin contains 36 recipe cards and 6
sturdy tab dividers. Laminated for long-lasting wear. Adapted from
"Simple Seasons" by Kim Diehl. Also new from Diehl: "Simple Seasons:
Stunning Quilts and Savory Recipes")

Health and Self Improvement:

When All Hell Breaks Loose by Cody Lundin and Russ Miller (Gibbs
Smith, $17.95 - Survival expert Cody Lundin's new book, "When All Hell
Breaks Loose: Stuff You Need To Survive When Disaster Strikes" is what
every family needs to prepare and educate themselves about survival
psychology and the skills necessary to negotiate a disaster whether
you are at home, in the office, or in your car. The book entertains as
it informs, describing how to maximize a survival mind-set necessary
for self-reliance. Lundin offers solutions for finding or creating
potable water, storing foods, heating or cooling the home without
conventional power, and creating alternative lighting options.
Survival exotics such as building a makeshift toilet and composting
the results, catching rodents for food, and safely disposing of a
corpse are exclusives! Lundin also addresses basic first aid and
hygiene skills and makes recommendations for survival kit items for
the home, office, and car)

The End-of-life Handbook: A Compassionate Guide to Connecting With and
Caring for a Dying Loved One by David B. Feldman, Stephen Andrew
Lasher Jr., and Ira Byock (New Harbinger, $15.95 - This book addresses
both the emotional and psychological issues associated with death and
dying and the practical and medical realities typically dealt with at
this time--unusual among titles in this subject area. The authors, a
psychologist and medical doctor, are passionate advocates for quality
end-of-life care. Author Feldman's background in positive psychology
brings an emphasis on hope, inspiration, meaning, and human connection
at the end of life to the book. As medical technology progresses and
life expectancies edge upward, families are being faced with ever-more-
complicated choices as loved ones approach their final hours. This
book offers readers much-needed guidance and support for making these
often difficult decisions)

Learning ACT: An Acceptance & Commitment Therapy Skills-Training
Manual for Therapists by Jason B. Luoma, Steven C. Hayes, and Robyn D.
Walser (New Harbinger, $44.95 - Acceptance and commitment therapy
(ACT, read as one word rather than letters), is one of the most
exciting developments in psychotherapy to occur in the last fifty
years. ACT departs from conventional psychotherapeutic models, which
strive to "fix," "control," or "get rid of" unwanted thoughts and
behaviors. Instead, ACT demonstrates how to accept uncomfortable or
painful situations without engaging with them, allowing them to pass
away or diminish as they will. ACT is profound, revolutionary-and it
works. Research evidence is piling up that suggests ACT is as or more
effective than conventional psychotherapeutic approaches. A DVD
included with the text offers role-played examples of the core ACT
processes in action on both audio and video. In these examples, a
picture is worth a thousand words, bringing to life the concepts
developed in the text. Also new: "ACT for Depression" by Robert D.
Zettle and "Finding Life Beyond Trauma: Using Acceptance and
Commitment Therapy to Heal from Post-Traumatic Stress and Trauma-
Related Problems" by Victoria M. Follette and Jacqueline, Ph.D.
Pistorello)

Waking the Warrior Goddess: Dr. Christine Horner's Program to Protect
Against and Fight Breast Cancer by Christine Horner (Basic Health
Publications, $18.95 - Breast cancer has reached epidemic proportions.
Once a relatively rare disease, it now affects two to three million
American women, and the incidence is growing at an alarming rate. What
can we do to protect ourselves? Christine Horner, M.D., has the
prescription: Eat healthy foods, add a good dose of specific
supplements, get adequate rest and exercise, and avoid those things
that have negative effects on our bodies. Using the metaphor of the
Warrior the Goddess, this book explains what Ayurveda-an ancient
system of healing-describes as our "inner healing intelligence." It
explores the various foods, supplements, and health-promoting
strategies that can enable women to successfully fight breast cancer
and claim the healthy body that should be theirs. Dr. Horner explains
what to avoid and what to embrace, what will poison the Warrior
Goddess and what will feed her, and what she needs to thrive. "Waking
the Warrior Goddess sums up with Dr. Horner's program for reclaiming
health and defeating breast cancer. Each step is presented as a new
strategy to implement into one's daily life. The program focuses on
those nutrients and activities that bring health, vitality, and
longevity to women. An extensive resources section lists contacts for
obtaining various nutrients and toxin-free products to keep your
Warrior Goddess strong and healthy)

Thoughts & Feelings: Taking Control of Your Moods and Your Life, Third
Edition by Matthew McKay, Martha Davis, and Patrick Fanning (New
Harbinger, $19.95 - Thoughts and Feelings adapts the powerful and
widely adaptable techniques of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) into
a set of tools readers can use, not to solve a particular problem, but
to overcome any of the emotional and behavioral changes that life
throws their way. CBT recognizes that most negative feelings arise
from confused, irrational thoughts. By learning to identify and change
these thoughts and by replacing destructive and limiting behaviors
with new, more constructive ones, readers can start steering their
lives in the direction they want to go. Changes to this new edition
include revisions and updates to the core CBT chapters as well as a
new chapter on how to use mindfulness to bring focus and intention to
the process of change. Also new: "Calming Your Anxious Mind: How
Mindfulness & Compassion Can Free You from Anxiety, Fear, & Panic" by
Jeffrey, M.D. Brantley and "Leave Your Mind Behind" by Matthew McKay
and Catharine Sutker)

The Colors of Birth by Ellyn Stanek Hutton (Wellness Within
Publishers, $24.99 - After childbirth, a woman joins the largest
sorority on our planet: women who are mothers. Pregnant with child and
hope and expectation, each mother makes her choices: hospital birthing
room or water birth at home, obstetrician or midwife, epidural or
natural childbirth often forsaking all plans when unforeseen variables
threaten her and her child. But enduring such a trial to bring a new
life into the world provides a life-changing experience for the new
mother, as exemplified by the women who share their stories in Ellyn
Stanek Hutton s new compilation, "The Colors of Birth." The stories
are gripping, grounded as they are at the very core of human drama.
They are tales of love, fear, pain, and uncertainty; of rigorous
planning and unexpected obstacles; of surrender and insurmountable
joy. You won t be able to read just one. The Stories of Birth creates
community by reinforcing and refreshing the emotional bond that is
motherhood. It will stimulate conversations with friends, family
members, mothers, doctors, and midwives. A loving and thoughtful
shower gift, it will help the pregnant woman sort through a full
spectrum of birth stories as she identifies her own approach and offer
reassurance should her plans go awry. The stories might offer some
women a way to heal from experiences that were unexpected and
difficult. The reader will bask in the miracle that is birth as she is
drawn once again into a archetypal drama as old as time, yet made new
with each writer s voice and her unique set of circumstances. Join in
our collective memory of birth by posting comments on the Story Forum
page, or by submitting your own story for consideration in future
editions on that same page)

History:

101st Airborne: The Screaming Eagles in World War II by Mark Bando and
Steve Gansen (Zenith Press, $40.00 - In 1942, the 82nd Infantry
Division at Camp Claiborne, Louisiana, was split in two. One of the
new divisions began intense preparations and training for a surprise
landing on the Nazi-occupied European continent. The location was
Normandy, France; the date was June 6, 1944; and the division was the
101st Airborne--the legendary "band of brothers." This is the story of
that divisions heroic performance on D-Day, and right up to the Allied
victory in Europe. Filled with historic images, many never before
published, it is also a tribute to the fallen men of the 101st. Also
new: "Inferno: The Epic Life and Death Struggle of the USS Franklin in
World War II")

The Discovery of France: A Historical Geography, from the Revolution
to the First World War by Graham Robb (Norton, $27.95 - While Gustave
Eiffel was changing the skyline of Paris, large parts of France were
still terra incognita. Even in the age of railways and newspapers,
France was a land of ancient tribal divisions, prehistoric
communication networks, and pre-Christian beliefs. French itself was a
minority language. Graham Robb describes that unknown world in
arresting narrative detail. He recounts the epic journeys of
mapmakers, scientists, soldiers, administrators, and intrepid
tourists, of itinerant workers, pilgrims, and herdsmen with their
millions of migratory domestic animals. We learn how France was
explored, charted, and colonized, and how the imperial influence of
Paris was gradually extended throughout a kingdom of isolated towns
and villages. "The Discovery of France" explains how the modern
nation came to be and how poorly understood that nation still is
today. Above all, it shows how much of France--past and present--remains
to be discovered. With 8 pages of color and 8 pages of black-and-white
illustrations)

The Martial Arts of Ancient Greece: Modern Fighting Techniques from
the Age of Alexander by Kostas Dervenis and Nektarios Lykiardopoulos
(Destiny Books, $19.95 - The ancient friezes and decorative motifs of
ancient Greece contain abundant scenes of combat, one-on-one and hand-
to-hand. In "The Martial Arts of Ancient Greece," the authors offer
close inspection of these depictions to reveal that they exactly
correlate to the grappling and combat arts as they are practiced
today. They also show that these artifacts document the historical
course of the development of both the weaponry of the warrior classes
and the martial responses those weapons required when fighting hand-to-
hand. The depiction of each ancient technique is accompanied by
sequenced step-by-step photos of modern practitioners performing the
various stances of one-on-one combat. In addition, the authors explain
how the development of Hellenic combat arts was tied at its heart to a
spiritual practice. The centeredness, clear mind, and consequent
courage that develops from a spiritual practice was considered a
martial strength for a warrior, enabling him to be at his best,
unobstructed inwardly by conflict or inertia. "The Martial Arts of
Ancient Greece" provides a practical and comprehensive approach to the
techniques and philosophy of the martial arts of the ancient
Mediterranean that will be welcomed by modern fighters)
Minnesota State Fair: An Illustrated History by Kathryn Strand Koutsky
and Linda Koutsky (Coffee House Press, $35.00 - State fairs are
cornerstones of the American tradition, and few are as beloved as the
Minnesota State Fair. Since 1854, Minnesota has reveled in promoting
the rich bounty of its land and the magnificent talents of its
citizens. From the legendary horse Dan Patch, whose record-breaking
races kept the country on the edge of its seat, to Teddy Roosevelt's
famous grandstand speech suggesting that America should "speak softly
and carry a big stick," and from the invention of mini donuts to the
discovery of batter-fried cheese curds, the Minnesota State Fair has
captured the imagination-and the taste buds-of the entire nation. As
you travel through time imagining stolen kisses along the dark and
romantic canals of Ye Old Mill and the thrills and chills of the
Midway, as you explore the innovations found atop Machinery Hill and
dig into a hearty breakfast at the Epiphany Diner, you will also
uncover the history of this wonderful state. Filled with dozens of
concessionaire and blue-ribbon recipes, fascinating facts, and over
1,200 photographs from the Great Minnesota Get-Together, this treasury
of Minnesota's happiest memories will keep you looking forward to the
fair all year long)

Humor:

Last Laughs: Cartoons About Aging, Retirement...and the Great Beyond
by Mort Gerberg (Scribner, $22.95 - At long last, here are cartoons
about the truly important issues. Featuring twenty-six of The New
Yorker's most talented cartoonists, Last Laughs is a provocative and
exhilarating collection that will amuse, inspire, and occasionally
unnerve everyone obsessed with the perennially compelling topics of
old age, retirement, and, yes, death. Longtime New Yorker cartoonist
Mort Gerberg has assembled an all-star cast of gifted and popular
greats such as George Booth, Roz Chast, Leo Cullum, Frank Modell, and
Jack Ziegler to join him in this exclusive collection confronting,
illuminating, and celebrating the inevitabilities of life. Everything
from cloning to cryogenics is tackled with humor and pathos. It turns
out the Grim Reaper can be funny. Also included in this book are brief
reflections from the contributors that give readers a glimpse into
their unique personalities. These artists prove that they are just as
funny with the written word as they are with the image. "Last Laughs"
is a must-have for fans of literary cartoons and anyone interested in
slightly off-kilter insights about life and death)

Literature and Reading:

Nobel Lectures: From the Literature Laureates, 1986 to 2006 by Nobel
Prize Literature Laureates (The New Press, $24.95 - For over one
hundred years writers from around the world have traveled to
Stockholm, Sweden, on December 10, the anniversary of Alfred Nobel's
death, to be awarded the prize bearing his name. From the political to
the aesthetic, "Nobel Lectures" collects the words of a quarter
century of these literature laureates, representing the inspirations,
motivations, and passionately held beliefs of some of the greatest
minds in the world of literature. From Harold Pinter's passionate and
timely lecture on the nature of truth in art and politics to J.M.
Coetzee's allegorical journey through the mysteries of the creative
process; from Toni Morrison's essay on the link between language and
oppression to Nadine Gordimer's meditation on the ways in which
literature can shape the worlds of individual and collective being,
this is a volume in which meditations on imagination and the process
of writing mingle with keen discussions of global affairs, cultural
change, and the ongoing influence of the past. Whatever genre the
laureates write in, be it poetry, drama, or prose, and whatever their
cultural or social background, "Nobel Lectures" is a testament to the
power of literature to shape the world)

Natural Science, Environment, and Gardening:

Global Warming: The Last Chance for Change by Paul Brown (Reader's
Digest, $29.95 - From Publisher's Weekly: "Explaining the science of
global warming in layman's language, this hard-hitting assessment
shows why scientists predict that it could reach the point of no
return within the next 10 years. The global economy, and civilization
itself, may collapse unless greenhouse-gas emissions are controlled,
warns Brown, a correspondent for the Guardian (U.K.). He bolsters the
argument with stunning color photographs showing the effects of
humanity's abuse of the planet, such as traffic-clogged cities, rising
sea levels, desertification, dust storms, disappearing ice sheets and
glaciers, and the devastation of powerful hurricanes. Some of the most
alarming images are views from space that show the infinite number of
electric lights used by developed countries at night. Brown denounces
politicians who are too afraid of losing votes to take action to
prevent the coming cataclysm, and he reserves special condemnation for
George W. Bush. He finds hopeful signs, however, in the surprising
number of developing countries, including Costa Rica and Papua, New
Guinea, that have pledged to tackle climate change; many countries,
including Denmark, Norway and Japan, are replacing fossil fuels with
new technologies such as wind and solar power, geothermal power
plants, and wave and undersea turbines")

New Age:

Nine Designs for Inner Peace: The Ultimate Guide to Meditating with
Color, Shape, and Sound by Sarah Tomlinson and Dr. Robert E. Svoboda
(Destiny Books, $24,95 - The tantric art of drawing or painting the
nine designs known as yantras is an ancient practice of active
meditation that releases positive healing and centering effects. Each
of the nine designs corresponds to one of the nine qualities of body
and mind essential to well-being: radiance, nourishment, passion,
intellect, expansion, bliss, organization, uniqueness, and
spirituality. From the basic elements of the square, the circle, and
the triangle, dynamic visual meditations unfold as the practitioner
works clockwise from the outer elements inward toward the central
point of stillness, or bindu, the source of happiness within. An
accompanying mantra is recited while preparing each yantra to fully
engage the senses in the meditative process. Creating the design that
"speaks" most to the practitioner enables its unique healing quality
to be transmitted. For example, working on the yantra named "Radiance"
cultivates optimism and the self-confidence to succeed in one's
endeavors, while "radiating," or imparting, one's inner light to
others. This workbook provides an important resource for active
meditation, a practice revered for its effectiveness in revealing the
spiritual underpinnings of everyday life. The active participation of
the body in meditation while creating the nine planetary yantras
raises to the level of spiritual ritual the practitioner's intention
toward wakefulness and gives access to profound states of healing
integration)

The Spiritual Science of the Stars: A Guide to the Architecture of the
Spirit by Pete Stewart (Inner Traditions, $16.95 - The profound
influence of ancient cosmologies on our ideas about the human spirit.
The book: Shows how ancient myths contain a sophisticated
understanding of our relationship to the cosmos, derived from
thousands of years of observation of the night sky; Explains how ideas
of the mind and spirit are still entwined with these ancient
cosmologies despite the disruptive effects of modern astronomy; and
Reveals how ancient ideas and contemporary cosmology might be combined
into a new model for spiritual meaning. Thousands of years before the
first written records, humans were turning to the night sky as a
source of meaning for existence and their place within it. The
conclusions drawn from these observations are embodied in stories from
across the world known as Creation Myths. Contrary to the popular
belief that these myths were meant to explain the origins of the
universe, Pete Stewart shows that they were actually designed to
create a harmony and order in the lives of humans that reflected, in
their social and built environments, the ordered patterns they saw
evidenced in the sky. These ancient myths also record, in the story of
"the separation of Heaven and Earth," the discovery of a disastrous
discord in this ancient harmony, which the mythmakers overcame by
imagining a vastly expanded architecture, one in which the individual
soul had a role to play in the evolution of the cosmos. Today science
presents a similar challenge to our sense of meaning. Stewart explores
how, by reexamining the myths of creation in this light, we can learn
how contemporary cosmology might yield a new architecture for the
spirit and how the ancient sense of being in the cosmos might be
reconstructed for our age)

Tapping in: A Step-by Step Guide to Activating Your Healing Resources
Through Bilateral Stimulation by Laurel, Ph.D. Parnell (Sounds True,
$18.95 - Never has it been so effortless to activate your inner power
and resiliency than with the remarkable technique known as "resource
tapping." Dr. Laurel Parnell's book and companion audio program
Tapping In make available for the first time self-guided instruction
in this revolutionary EMDR-based tool. With step-by-step instruction
in bilateral stimulation (a core principle of EMDR), Tapping In
teaches this clinically recognized system for tapping both sides of
the body to release emotional and physical distress, build resilience,
aid in healing, and calm the body on a deep physiological level. A
world-renowned expert in the field of EMDR (Eye Movement
Desensitization and Reprocessing), Dr. Parnell guides students through
a series of practical methods to access latent positive resources for
building internal strength and increasing the sense of safety. Tapping
In uses personal accounts and innovative principles that show how to:
Cope more effectively with anxiety, creative blocks, insomnia, and
other stressful situations; Lift the spirit by finding joy, gratitude,
and freedom within; Return to wholeness by supporting the body's
ability to heal; and Dialogue with your "inner mentor" for everyday
guidance. "We have a natural healing system ready to restore us to
balance," explains Dr. Parnell. Now, this pioneering healer shares her
breakthrough tools to resolve inner wounds and reach our highest
potential. Also available on audio CDs)

The Gnostic Faustus: The Secret Teachings behind the Classic Text by
Ramona Fradon (Healing Arts Press, $19.95 - In "The Gnostic Faustus,"
Ramona Fradon shows the legend of Doctor Faustus to be a composite
Gnostic creation myth that reveals the process of spiritual salvation.
Nearly every element of the original 16th-century text is a metaphor
containing profound spiritual messages based on passages of Coptic and
Syrian Gnostic manuscripts, including the Pistis Sophia and The Hymn
of the Pearl. Fradon identifies many Hermetic, alchemical, and Tantric
symbols in the Faust Book that accompany the story of Sophia, the
goddess of wisdom, whose troubled journey to salvation is a model for
human spiritual development. Extensive line-by-line text comparisons
with these Gnostic manuscripts show that Faustus's corruption by the
Devil and his despair parallel Sophia's transgression and fall, and
that his tragic death is a simple reversal of her joyful rebirth, so
written in order to make an otherwise heretical story palatable to
Church authorities at that time. Fradon demonstrates that the Faust
legend is a vehicle for transmitting antiquity's secret wisdom. It
provides an account of spiritual initiation whose goal is ecstatic
revelation and union with the divine. The elements of alchemy,
sacramental sex, and worship of the divine feminine that are encoded
in the Faust Book reveal the same hidden goddess-worshipping tradition
whose practices are hinted at by the writings of Renaissance magi such
as Cornelius Agrippa and Giordano Bruno)

The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself (IONS/ New Harbinger)
by Michael A. Singer (New Harbinger, $16.95 - Who are you? When you
start to explore this question, you find out how elusive it really is.
Are you a physical body? A collection of experiences and memories? A
partner to relationships? Each time you consider aspects of yourself,
you realize that there is much more to you than any of these can
define. In this book, spiritual teacher Michael Singer explores the
question of who we are and arrives at the conclusion that our identity
is to be found in our consciousness, the fact of our ability to
observe ourselves and the world around us. By tapping into traditions
of meditation and mindfulness, Singer shows how the development of
consciousness can enable us all to dwell in the present moment and let
go of painful thoughts and memories that keep us from achieving
happiness and self-realization. Divided into five parts, the book
offers a frank and friendly discussion of consciousness and how we can
develop it. In part one, he examines the notion of self and the inner
dialogue that all of us live with. Part two examines the experience of
energy as it flows through us and works to show readers how to open
their hearts to the energy of experience that permeates their lives.
Ways to overcome tendencies to close down to the rest of the world are
the subject of part three. Enlightenment and the embrace of universal
consciousness are the subject of part four. And finally, in part five,
Singer returns to daily life and the pursuit of "unconditional
happiness." Throughout, the book maintains a light and engaging tone,
free from heavy dogma and prescriptive religious references. The easy
exercises that figure in each chapter help readers experience the
ideas that Singer presents)

How to Meditate With Pema Chodron: A Practical Guide to Making Friends
With Your Mind by Pema Chodron (Sounds True, $29.95 - When it comes to
meditation, Pema Chödrön is widely regarded as one of the world's
foremost instructors. Yet most of her books and teaching programs have
focused on the benefits and challenges of a well-established
practice . . . until now. On "How to Meditate with Pema Chödrön," the
American-born Tibetan Buddhist nun and author of "When Things Fall
Apart" (Shambhala, 2000) presents her first complete audio course for
those new to meditation. This in-depth, 5-session curriculum helps
listeners honestly meet and compassionately relate with the mind--the
fundamental skill in meditation--as they join Pema to explore: The
basics of mindfulness awareness practice, including proper posture,
inner and outer focus, and breathing; Overcoming common obstacles like
physical discomfort, difficult emotions, wandering attention, or
drowsiness; and Guided sessions for resting in the nature of mind,
staying present, and more--plus straightforward advice for bringing
the fruits of practice into everyday life If you could handpick
someone to teach you the best way to meditate, Pema Chödrön would be a
first choice for millions. Now this beloved voice shares with
listeners everywhere her unique approach-- simple and down-to-earth
while informed by the highest traditions of Tibetan Buddhism--on "How
to Meditate with Pema Chödrön")

The Metaphysical Book of Gems and Crystals by Florence Mégemont
(Healing Arts Press, $24.95 - Details the powerful effects of gems as
an alternative therapy for physical, psychological, and spiritual
healing. The book: Reveals the physical, healing, and astrological
properties of over 70 minerals, along with instructions for
maintaining and recharging their powers; Examines the "life" energy of
stones, their basic vibratory patterns, and how this energy is used
therapeutically to treat various disorders; and Shows how to use gems
in color therapy and to harmonize the chakras. Gemstones have been
used for both therapeutic and spiritual purposes since the beginning
of time and in all traditions. Used properly, they can contribute to
and accelerate healing through the practice of lithotherapy, which
uses gems and minerals to restore enzymatic functions, and they can
energize spiritual development. Alternative medicines such as
homeopathy have given prominence to the therapeutic character of
certain minerals, but the use of gemstones in expanding awareness or
establishing a holistic, energetic connection with the stone itself
have scarcely been brought forward. In this reclaiming of ancient
wisdom, Florence Mégemont explores the many potent and beneficial
dimensions of the mineral world. Over 70 precious and semiprecious
stones are inventoried as to their principal deposits, therapeutic
applications, and zodiac correspondences. Readers will discover which
physical and emotional disorders can be relieved by using which
minerals and--with the application of chakra therapy--which gemstones
are indispensable to their spiritual health. While not proposing that
lithotherapy is a substitute for traditional allopathic treatment,
Mégemont shows that it can be a powerful complement to it.
Additionally, stones can act preventively, energizing both our health
and spiritual resources to a state of balance and attunement)

The Return of Planet-X: Wormwood by Jaysen Q. Rand and Shusei Nagaoka
(Futureworld Publishing International, $29.95 - "The Return of Planet-
X" is an educational, informational source examining all aspects of
this controversial subject including the record of X's Ancient Science
of Prophecy, its Phantom Astronomy, Forbidden Archaeology and the
Signs Of Its Approach. This book examines the history and prophecy of
Earth's many cultures throughout the millennia and their voluminous
references to the reality of X's periodic passages. The most current
hypothesis used to examine X's next return through the solar system
centers around the fact that X's extended orbit (approximately every
3,600 years -- first passing through the solar system then back out
again), suggests that its 'destructive cycle' occurs in two phases.
The 'first phase' begins with X's initial pass-through in 2009
separated by three years until its 'second phase.' This passage marks
X's return leg back into deep space beginning again its 3,600-year-
long trek through the heavens. X's last return visit through the solar
system most likely coincided with the Hebrew's exodus from Egypt
estimated around 1447 BC -- roughly 3,459 years ago. Did God somehow
come to Moses' aid by staging a cosmic event that no one today
understands? The Mayan Celestial Calendar Codex inexplicably ends 21
December 2012. According to ancient Mayan cosmology, 'time' as we know
it on Earth will reach its climax on that date. Written across the
scroll of time and space, the author believes Planet-X will first
return in 2009 and again in 2012. X's power is real. Its story is
forever. Its time is soon)

Poetry and Plays:

The Making of a Sonnet: A Norton Anthology edited by Edward Hirsch and
Eavan Boland (Norton, $29.95 - This illuminating anthology of five and
a half centuries of the sonnet follows the form through its various
moments and makers. The editors, poets themselves, pay particular
attention to the way in which the sonnet thrived or waned over the
centuries. They also focus on the way in which individual poets
claimed these fourteen lines: lengthened them, shortened them,
elaborated on them, and were in turn defined by them. Three sections
--"The Sonnet in the Mirror," "The Sonnet Goes to Different Lengths,"
and "The Sonnet Around the World"--show the extraordinary durability of
this form and the ways in which poets have proved ingenious at
reinventing it. Along with approximately three hundred sonnets and a
"sonnet workshop," the editors pay particular attention to the craft
and history of the form following it through its various adventures,
right up to its extraordinary resurgence in contemporary poetry)

Politics:

The Conscience of a Liberal by Paul Krugman (Norton, $25.95 - With
this major new volume, Paul Krugman, today's most widely read
economist, studies the past eighty years of American history, from the
reforms that tamed the harsh inequality of the Gilded Age to the
unraveling of that achievement and the reemergence of immense economic
and political inequality since the 1970s. Seeking to understand both
what happened to middle-class America and what it will take to achieve
a "new New Deal," Krugman has created his finest book to date, a work
that weaves together a nuanced account of three generations of history
with sharp political, social, and economic analysis. This book,
written with Krugman's trademark ability to explain complex issues
simply, will transform the debate about American social policy in much
the same way as did John Kenneth Galbraith's deeply influential book,
"The Affluent Society")

The Fall of the House of Bush: The Untold Story of How a Band of True
Believers Seized the Executive Branch, Started the Iraq War, and Still
Imperils America's Future by Craig Unger (Hyperion, $27.00 - The
presidency of George W. Bush has led to the worst foreign policy
decision in the history of the United States -- the bloody, unwinnable
war in Iraq. How did this happen? Bush's fateful decision was rooted
in events that began decades ago, and until now this story has never
been fully told. From Craig Unger, the author of the bestseller House
of Bush, House of Saud, comes a comprehensive, deeply sourced, and
chilling account of the secret relationship between neoconservative
policy makers and the Christian Right, and how they assaulted the most
vital safeguards of America's constitutional democracy while pushing
the country into the catastrophic quagmire in the Middle East that is
getting worse day by day. Among the powerful revelations in this book:
Why George W. Bush ignored the sage advice of his father, George H.W.
Bush, and took America into war. How Bush was convinced he was doing
God's will. How Vice President Dick Cheney manipulated George W. Bush,
disabled his enemies within the administration, and relentlessly
pressed for an attack on Iraq. Which veteran government official, with
the assent of the president's father, protested passionately that the
Bush administration was making a catastrophic mistake -- and was
ignored. How information from forged documents that had already been
discredited fourteen times by various intelligence agencies found its
way into President Bush's State of the Union address in which he made
the case for war with Iraq. How Cheney and the neocons assembled a
shadow national security apparatus and created a disinformation
pipeline to mislead America and start the war. A seasoned, award-
winning investigative reporter connected to many back-channel
political and intelligence sources, Craig Unger knows how to get the
big story -- and this one is his most explosive yet. Through scores of
interviews with figures in the Christian Right, the neoconservative
movement, the Bush administration, and sources close to the Bush
family, as well as intelligence agents in the CIA, the Pentagon, and
Israel, Unger shows how the Bush administration's certainty that it
could bend history to its will has carried America into the disastrous
war in Iraq, dooming Bush's presidency to failure and costing America
thousands of lives and trillions of dollars. Far from ensuring our
security, the Iraq War will be seen as a great strategic pivot point
in history that could ignite wider war in the Middle East,
particularly in Iran)

Dirty Diplomacy: The Rough-and-Tumble Adventures of a Scotch-Drinking,
Skirt-Chasing, Dictator-Busting and Thoroughly Unrepentant Ambassador
Stuck on the Frontline of the War Against Terror by Craig Murray
(Scribner, $26.00 - With all the pace and drama of a political
thriller, Dirty Diplomacy is a riveting account of a young, fast-
living ambassador's battle against a ruthless dictatorship in Central
Asia and the craven political expediency in Washington and London that
eventually cost him his job. Craig Murray is no ordinary diplomat. He
enjoys a drink or three, and if it's in the company of a pretty girl,
so much the better. Murray's scant regard for the rules of the game
also extends to his job. When, in the first few weeks of his posting
to the little-known Central Asian Republic of Uzbekistan, he comes
across photographs of a political dissident who has literally been
boiled to death, he ignores diplomatic nicety and calls it for what it
is: torture of the cruelest sort. Murray soon discovers that this is
no one-off incident: fierce abuse of those opposing the government is
rife. It's not long before he is tearing around the country in his
embassy Land Rover, shaking off Uzbek police tails and crashing
through roadblocks to meet with dissidents and expose their
persecutors. He even confronts the despotic president, Islom Karimov,
face-to-face. But Murray's bosses in London's Foreign Office, ever
mindful of their senior partners in Washington, don't want to upset
the applecart. Karimov is an ally in the newly announced Global War on
Terror. His country is host to a big American air base. The last thing
they need is a battling young diplomat stirring things up. In Craig
Murray, that's exactly what they've got...)

Contenders by Laura Flanders, Dean Kuipers, James Ridgeway, and
Richard Goldstein (Seven Stories, $22.95 - Is there a difference
between one Democratic candidate and another? Or has the electoral
system leveled the field, so that it always and only comes down to
money and powerful friends? For the first time in many years, the
Democratic Party contenders-those who want to be president, and those
who are impacting the terms of the public discussion-are placing
issues and identity at the forefront of their campaigns. A black man
and a woman are both viable candidates. A populist from the South and
a progressive from Cleveland are propelling the party from the center
to a more liberal platform. A vice president makes a comeback. But we
still have to wonder-and worry-if any of them has what it takes to
turn the system around and begin to dig us out of the quagmire that
this country has created at home and abroad. Some of the nation's
wittiest and best-informed commentators look beyond the campaign
promises, the mudslinging, and the personal testimony to present
another side of the story: Will any of these politicians be able to
transcend politics and make a difference?)

Darwin Day In America: How Our Politics and Culture Have Been
Dehumanized in the Name of Science by John G. West (ISI Books, $28.00
- At the dawn of the last century, leading scientists and politicians
giddily predicted that science--especially Darwinian biology--would
supply solutions to all the intractable problems of American society,
from crime to poverty to sexual maladjustment. Instead, politics and
culture were dehumanized as scientific experts began treating human
beings as little more than animals or machines. In criminal justice,
these experts denied the existence of free will and proposed replacing
punishment with invasive "cures" such as the lobotomy. In welfare,
they proposed eliminating the poor by sterilizing those deemed
biologically unfit. In business, they urged the selection of workers
based on racist theories of human evolution and the development of
advertising methods to more effectively manipulate consumer behavior.
In sex education, they advocated creating a new sexual morality based
on "normal mammalian behavior" without regard to longstanding ethical
and religious imperatives. Based on extensive research with primary
sources and archival materials, John G. West's captivating "Darwin Day
in America" tells the story of how American public policy has been
corrupted by scientistic ideology. Marshaling fascinating anecdotes
and damning quotations, West's narrative explores the far-reaching
consequences for society when scientists and politicians deny the
essential differences between human beings and the rest of nature. It
also exposes the disastrous results that ensue when experts claiming
to speak for science turn out to be wrong. West concludes with a
powerful plea for the restoration of democratic accountability in an
age of experts.

Pop Culture, Performing Arts, and Music:

Save the Cat! Goes to the Movies: The Screenwriter's Guide to Every
Story Ever Told by Blake Snyder (Michael Wiese Productions, $24.95 -
In the long-awaited sequel to his surprise bestseller, "Save the
Cat!," author and screenwriter Blake Snyder returns to form in a fast-
paced follow-up that proves why his is the most talked-about approach
to screenwriting in years. In the perfect companion piece to his first
book, Snyder delivers even more insider's information gleaned from a
20-year track record as ?one of Hollywood's most successful spec
screenwriters, ? giving you the clues to write your movie. Designed
for screenwriters, novelists, and movie fans, this book gives readers
the key breakdowns of the 50 most instructional movies from the past
30 years. From M*A*S*H to Crash, from Alien to Saw, from 10 to Eternal
Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Snyder reveals how screenwriters who
came before you tackled the same challenges you are facing with the
film you want to write ? or the one you are currently working on)

Making Records: The Scenes Behind The Music by Phil Ramone and Charles
L. Granata (Hyperion, $24.95 - Sinatra. Streisand. Dylan. Pavarotti.
McCartney. Sting. Madonna. What do these musicians have in common
besides their super-stardom? They have all worked with legendary music
producer Phil Ramone. For almost five decades, Phil Ramone has been a
force in the music industry. He has produced records and collaborated
with almost every major talent in the business. There is a craft to
making records, and Phil has spent his life mastering it. For the
first time ever, he shares the secrets of his trade. Making Records is
a fascinating look "behind the glass" of a recording studio. From
Phil's exhilarating early days recording jazz and commercial jingles
at AR, to his first studio, and eventual legendary producer status,
Phil allows you to sit in on the sessions that created some of the
most memorable music of the 20th century -- including Frank Sinatra's
Duets album, Bob Dylan's Blood on the Tracks, Ray Charles's Genius
Loves Company and Paul Simon's Still Crazy After All These Years. In
addition to being a ringside seat for contemporary popular music
history, Making Records is an unprecedented tutorial on the magic
behind what music producers and engineers do. In these pages, Phil
offers a rare peek inside the way music is made . . . illuminating the
creative thought processes behind some of the most influential
sessions in music history. This is a book about the art that is making
records -- the way it began, the way it is now, and everything in
between)

The Musician's Guide to the Road: A Survival Handbook & All-Access
Backstage Pass to Touring by Susan Voelz (Billboard Books, $16.95 -
What's a tour bus like? What are the band members saying to each other
on stage? Exactly how much sex, how many drugs, how much rock 'n' roll
are we talking here? "The Musician's Guide to the Road" answers all
these questions and many, many, many more. Both a valuable primer
designed to prepare young musicians for life on the road and an
entertaining memoir of the touring life written by a seasoned
musician, this is the book that reveals the scene behind the scenes.
Chapters focus on preparing to tour, touring by van and bus, the day
of the show, the afternoon before the show, the night of the show and
the morning after, life on the road, and the end of the road)

Reference:

The Nikon D80 Dbook: Your Interactive Guide to DSLR Photography by
Rainer Dorau, Rudolph Krahm, and Helmut Kraus (Rocky Nook, $44.95 -
Rocky Nook Dbooks are the ideal companion for anyone who wants to get
the most from their Nikon D80. With more than 580 digital pages in
Acrobat format, you will discover the fundamentals on all aspects of
the digital image creation process: digital photography basics, taking
pictures, image optimization, lenses, accessories, and much more.
Rocky Nook Dbooks go well beyond the Nikon camera manuals and are well-
organized, beautifully illustrated introductions to digital
photography with the Nikon system. The Dbooks offer clickable examples
and digital images that explain before-and-after situations and
clearly illustrate the individual stages of the processes involved.
Navigation is easy with the built-in hyperlinks or the detailed index
and Acrobat search functions. Rocky Nook Dbooks make reading just as
exciting and interactive as digital photography itself. High-
resolution RGB images help to illustrate subtle differences and
effects which would hardly be visible on a printed book page. Rocky
Nook Dbooks also include a handy booklet for use on the road, which is
filled with practical overviews of your camera and menu options. The
Rocky Nook Dbook series is a must for all serious amateur, semi-
professional, or professional photographers who want to get the most
out of their Nikon equipment, and who strive to produce impressive,
polished, digital images. Also new in the series: "The Nikon D200
Dbook")

Jeff Herman's Guide to Book Publishers, Editors & Literary Agents
2008: Who They Are! What They Want! How to Win Them Over! (Jeff
Herman's Guide to Book Editors, Publishers, and Literary Agents) by
Jeff Herman (Three Dog Press, $29.95 - Calling all writers, get your
manuscripts out of the "slush pile" and into the bookstores with "Jeff
Herman's Guide to Book Publishers, Editors & Literary Agents." More
comprehensive than ever before--and now 1,000 pages--this revised
edition describes the insider dynamics at hundreds of U.S. and
Canadian publishers, with hundreds of names and specialties for book
acquisition editors. Nearly 200 of the most powerful literary agents
reveal invaluable tips, as if they were having a private conversation
with special friends. Includes a wealth of detailed information on
what to do (and what not to do) to break the code, break down the
walls, and get that first book, second book, or thirtieth book
published, bought and read. Jeff Herman's Guide is the go-to source
for writers everywhere)

Scanning Negatives and Slides: Digitizing Your Photographic Archives
by Sascha Steinhoff (Rocky Nook, $44.95 - A large number of
contemporary photographers have either moved into digital photography
exclusively or use both analog and digital media in their work. In
either case, there is most likely an archive of slides and negatives
which cannot be directly integrated into the new digital workflow, nor
can it be archived in a digital format. More and more, photographers
are trying to bridge this gap using high-performance film scanners.
How to achieve the best possible digital image from a negative or
slide, and how to build a workflow to make this process efficient,
repeatable, and reliable, is the subject of this book. The author uses
Nikon's filmscanners throughout, but all steps can easily be followed
using a different scanner. The most common software tools for scanning
(SilverFast, VueScan, NikonScan) are not only covered extensively in
the book, but are also provided on a CD along with other useful tools
for image editing, as well as numerous sample scans. Also new: "GIMP
2 for Photographers," "The Glossary of Digital Photography," and
"Photoshop CS3 Photographer's Handbook")

Paying for College without Going Broke, 2008 Edition (College
Admissions Guides) by Princeton Review (Princeton Review, $20.00 - As
the cost of college steadily increases, paying for it requires insider
strategies to maximize financial aid and minimize college costs.
"Paying for College Without Going Broke 2008" is thoroughly revised
and updated to take the stress, confusion, and guess-work out of
applying for financial aid. The only book to include the latest
financial aid forms and lists of annual changes in tax laws, it also
shows students and their parents how to calculate their aid
eligibility before applying to college and plan ahead to improve their
chances of receiving aid. The book also includes advice on how to
negotiate with financial aid offices, handle special circumstances
(for single parents or independent students), and receive educational
tax breaks. It is a must have for anyone concerned about the soaring
costs of college tuition)

Religion, Philosophy, and Spirituality:

Cogito: Part 1 Antoine & Liliana, The Separation by Liliana Franco and
Antoine Bacha (AJL Publishers, $24.95 - High above the earth, a flight
between Athens and Paris fell victim to hijackers in 1982, and one of
the pilots was taken hostage in Lebanon. In a cell measuring almost 2'
x 2', this innocent man experienced complete isolation, dramatic
torture, and a miracle. While tucked in this dark and cold cave, a
voice came to Antoine and taught him about the secrets and the truth
of humanity)

A Jesuit Off-Broadway by James Martin (Loyola Press, $22.95 - Called
to the priesthood by God, Fr. James Martin was startled to get a very
different kind of call one evening in 2004: a phone call from actor
Sam Rockwell. Rockwell had been cast in the part of Judas Iscariot in
an Off-Broadway play where Judas was on trial for his crime of
betraying Jesus; would Martin be willing to offer some theological
insights? Martin gladly obliged, and within weeks playwright Stephen
Adly Guirgis and other members of the cast began to dialogue with
Martin about a host of spiritual issues that weighed on their minds:
Can we believe the Bible? What was Jesus' mission? What is sin? Does
hell exist? Is anyone beyond God's forgiveness? "A Jesuit Off-
Broadway" recounts Fr. Martin's thrilling six months with the
LAByrinth Theater Company, as it created and performed The Last Days
of Judas Iscariot, which had a sold-out five-week run in New York. As
the occasionally profane and worldly playwright, director, and actors
struggled to understand theological issues and ideas, they strove to
convey them in an artistically convincing way to a largely secular
audience. Through it all, Martin learned lessons about theater and
life, about how the sacred and the secular aren't always that far
apart, and how questions often tell us more than answers do)

Sociology and Social Sciences:

Communication Revolution: Critical Junctures and the Future of Media
by Robert W. McChesney (The New Press, $24.95 - McChesney explains why
we are in the midst of a communication revolution that is at the
center of twenty-first-century life. Yet this profound juncture is not
well understood, in part, because our media criticism and media
scholarship have not been up to the task. Why is media not at the
center of political debate? Why are students of the media considered
second-class scholars?
With a concise history of media studies, McChesney explains the
important work of analysts like Noam Chomsky, Marshall McLuhan, and
Alexander Meiklejohn, while showing how communication scholarship grew
increasingly irrelevant in recent years, even as media became a
decisive issue of our times. Now the burgeoning media reform movement,
in which McChesney has been a key player, has made it even more clear
that the revolution in communication demands a political and
intellectual revolution as well)

Everything I Want To Do Is Illegal: War Stories From the Local Food
Front by Joel Salatin (PolyFace, Inc., $23.95 - Drawing upon 40 years'
experience as an ecological farmer and marketer, Joel Salatin explains
with humor and passion why Americans do not have the freedom to choose
the food they purchase and eat. From child labor regulations to food
inspection, bureaucrats provide themselves sole discretion over what
food is available in the local marketplace. Their system favors
industrial, global corporate food systems and discourages community-
based food commerce, resulting in homogenized selection, mediocre
quality, and exposure to non-organic farming practices. Salatin's
expert insight explains why local food is expensive and difficult to
find and will illuminate for the reader a deeper understanding of the
industrial food complex)

Victory for Us Is to See You Suffer: In the West Bank with the
Palestinians and the Israelis by Philip C. Winslow (Beacon Books,
$24.95 - During the second intifada, Philip C. Winslow worked in the
West Bank with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA),
driving up to 600 miles a week between almost every Palestinian town,
village, and refugee camp and every Israeli checkpoint in the occupied
territory. He returned just before the onset of the 2006 Israel-
Lebanon conflict. In "Victory for Us Is to See You Suffer," Winslow
captures the human aspects of the conflict during the years of suicide
bombings and Israeli reprisals in the West Bank--the daily struggles,
fear, and anger of Palestinian farmers and teachers, and the hostility
of Israeli soldiers and settlers. On this small territory, punctuated
with hundreds of heavily guarded crossings and physical barriers,
nervous young Israeli soldiers who believe they are fighting
terrorists enforce stringent controls over the movement of
Palestinians trying to live on their own land. Working with UNRWA,
Winslow negotiated the delivery of humanitarian aid through army
checkpoints, often finding himself the target of anger from both
Palestinians and Israelis. He returned as a journalist, in the wake of
the Hamas victory in Palestinian parliamentary elections, to interview
people on both sides of the checkpoints and look at the decades-long
destructive cycle through their eyes. From these unique multiple
perspectives, Winslow offers an uncensored view of the realities on
the ground that have made a just political solution and enduring peace
so difficult)

Sports and Recreation:

Backcountry Skiing: Skills for Ski Touring and Ski Mountaineering
(Mountaineers Outdoor Expert Series) by Martin Volken, Scott Schell,
and Margaret Wheeler (The Mountaineers Books, $19.95 - Martin Volken
and his co-authors provide skiers with all the tools and knowledge
they need to safely and successfully travel in the mountains. The
guide features intermediate-to-advanced techniques for ski touring and
ski mountaineering, from planning wilderness trips to perfecting turns
in rolling terrain and mastering uphill climbing. For those skiers
ready for a more technical, high alpine environment, they draw on
traditional mountaineering skills, including roped climbing, setting
protection anchors, using ice axes, climbing on bare rock, and more.
In addition to mastering techniques, "Backcountry Skiing" also
features information on recent evolutions in ski equipment; avalanche
safety tips; a primer on mountain weather and glaciers, trip planning
tools, a discussion of emergency situations, nutrition and fitness
advice, and winter camping basics. Throughout this guide, a special
emphasis is put on being well-informed and making good decisions-
whenever you strap on your skis and skins and head out into the
backcountry)

Colorado Snow Climbs: A Guide for All Seasons by Dave Cooper (Colorado
Mountain Club Press, $22.95 - Colorado Snow Climbs is a veritable
feast of snow climbs in the High Country. The Colorado mountains offer
of some the finest snow and alpine ice climbing in the U.S.; from
winter ridge routes, to couloir and gully climbs in the spring and
summer, to the alpine ice routes which form each autumn. The climbs
are organized first by season and then by technical difficulty and
commitment. The climbs range from routes requiring little more than an
ice axe and the requisite skills to technical climbs involving
sections of serious ice and mixed climbing. By including "classics" as
well as a sampling of lesser-known high quality routes, plus detailed
maps and route descriptions, Cooper continues the tradition started in
his best-selling "Colorado Scrambles." GPS data for critical points on
the approach and climb, plus four-color photographs, whet the appetite
and provide additional information about the routes)

The Complete Guide to Paintball, Fourth Edition: Completely Updated
and Revised by Jerry Braun, Rob Rubin, and Peter Field Peck
(Hatherleigh Press, $22.95 - Bigger and better than ever! Get your
game on and get ready to dominate the field! Includes new material on
guns and games, new interviews with leaders in the sport. From the
practical to the tactical, how to play and how to win, this is the
book on this super hot sport. "The Complete Guide to Paintball" is a
treasure trove of information and insight into this action-packed
game, and will delight novice and die-hard players alike. More than a
revision, this definitive fourth edition revisits every article and
section, adds new material and interviews with sport leaders, tips and
tricks on safety, movement, improving your shot, and even pro tricks.
In its pages, the complete history of the game comes to life as
paintball's leading stars remember the past and discuss the
groundbreaking new future. It includes all you need to know about: The
latest gear and gadgets; Urban and field gaming strategies; How to
choose, maintain, and clean your gun; Exclusive interviews with
leaders in the sport; and an Up-to-date international fields
directory)

Understanding Sports Culture (Understanding Contemporary Culture
series) by Tony Schirato (Sage Publications, $34.95 - "Understanding
Sport Culture" traces and analyzes the development of the modern field
of sport from its ancient and medieval precursors (the festivals of
Greece and Rome, and games such as folk football), through to its
inception in the mid-nineteenth century as a set of activities
designed to instill character and discipline in students in exclusive
British public schools, up to its transformation into a global
institution and popular spectacle. The narrative also focuses on and
provides a detailed account of the gradual coming together of sport
and the media. It explains how this relationship has accentuated
sport's status as one of the most important sites in contemporary
culture, while simultaneously threatening its existence. As part of
the Understanding Contemporary Culture series this book is aimed at a
broad range of students from undergraduate to graduate level, who want
to know more and be fully informed on sport, its relationship to the
media, and its cultural dynamics)

Transportation:

Camaro Forty Years by Darwin Holmstrom, Ed Welburn, and David Newhardt
(Motorbooks International, $50.00 - This big book chronicles the rich
history of an American muscle-car era icon. Here, accompanied by
fabulous, detailed photographs, is the full story of Camaro's forty
years--from Chevrolet's 1960s race to capture the emerging baby-boom
market, through the turbulent years of the muscle-car era, the
resurgence of American muscle in the 1980s, the decline of the 1990s,
right up to Camaros triumphant rebirth for a new millennium. Also
new: "Million-Dollar Muscle Cars" and "The 200-MPH Billboard: The
Inside Story of How Big Money Changed NASCAR")

The Farm Tractor: 100 Years of North American Tractors by Ralph W.
Sanders (Voyageur Press, $40.00 - Here is the biggest, best, and most
complete history of classic farm tractors. All North American models
make their appearance---from John Deere and Farmall to fascinating
"orphans" like the Iron Mule, from the late 1800s steamers through the
high-powered workhorses of the 1970s. In addition to high-detail large-
format photography, the volume includes 100 color and black-and-white
archival photos, advertising posters, and brochures. The result is an
unparalleled look at the icon of American agriculture)

Travel:

Moon Handbooks: Costa Rica (Avalon, $21.95 - Award-winning travel
writer Christopher P. Baker knows the best way to experience Costa
Rica, from surfing the beaches of Golfo Dulce to hiking in Corcovado
National Park and dining in upscale Escazú in San Jose. Baker includes
unique trip ideas like The 21-Day Best of Costa Rica, The Offbeat
Experience, and Seven Days for Active Vacationers. Packed with
information on dining, transportation, and accommodations, "Moon Costa
Rica" has lots of options for a range of travel budgets. Every Moon
guidebook includes recommendations for must-see sights and many
regional, area, and city-centered maps. Complete with details on the
best beaches for surfing and a variety of opportunities to get
outdoors, "Moon Costa Rica" gives travelers the tools they need to
create a more personal and memorable experience. With expert writers,
first-rate strategic advice, and an essential dose of humor, Moon
guidebooks are the cure for the common trip)

Frommer's Arizona 2008 by Karl Samson (Frommer's, $19.99 - In 2005,
15.8 million U.S. travelers visited Arizona. The Boulders Resort &
Golden Door Spa was voted the best spa resort in the U.S. at the 2006
World Travel Awards. The 2008 guide contains: Insider tips on
Arizona's best active vacations, bird-watching spots, Indian ruins,
golf courses, and luxury resorts; Outspoken opinions on what's worth
your time and what's not; Exact prices, so you can plan the perfect
trip whatever your budget; and Off-the-beaten-path experiences and
undiscovered gems, plus new takes on top attractions. Also new:
"Washington, D.C. 2008," and "Las Vegas 2008")

Legendary Route 66: A Journey Through Time Along America's Mother Road
by Michael Karl Witzel and Gyvel Young-Witzel (Voyageur Press, $29.95
- Get your kicks on Route 66 with this wonderfully illustrated tribute
to the best-loved highway in this car-loving nation. Michael Witzel
shares his expertise and wealth of personal, archive, collector, and
contributing photographer images in these pages, offering a nostalgic
tour of the charms and oddities of this road through American cultural
history. Starting in Chicago and running to Santa Monica, this book
highlights the sights along the highway with historic and current
photos, postcards, road signs, trinkets, maps, brochures, and
advertisements)

Rick Steves' Italy 2008 (Avalon, $21.95 - Who but Rick Steves can tell
travelers the best way to see Rome, Venice, Florence, the hill towns
of central Italy, the Dolomites, and the Amalfi Coast? With "Rick
Steves' Italy 2008," travelers can experience the best of everything
Italy has to offer -- economically and hassle-free. Completely revised
and updated, this guide includes opinionated coverage of both famous
and lesser-known sights, friendly places to eat and sleep, suggested
day plans, walking tours and trip itineraries, and clear instructions
for smooth travel anywhere by car, train, or foot. America's number
one authority on travel to Europe, Steves' time-tested recommendations
for safe and enjoyable travel in Europe have been used by millions of
Americans in search of their own unique European travel experience)

True Crime:

Dead Man in Paradise: Unraveling a Murder from a Time of Revolution by
J. B. MacKinnon (The New Press, $24.95 - At nightfall on June 22,
1965, amid the turmoil of the Dominican revolution and U.S. military
occupation, a soldier emerged from the outskirts of a small town to
report that he had just shot and killed two policemen and an outspoken
Catholic priest. It's the opening scene in a mystery that, forty years
later, compels writer J.B. MacKinnon-- the priest's nephew, born five
years after the incident--to visit the island nation for himself.
Beginning with scant official information, he embarks on a chilling
investigation of what many believe was a carefully plotted
assassination--and on a search for the uncle he never knew. Winner of
Canada's highest award for literary nonfiction, Dead Man in Paradise
takes MacKinnon to corners of the country far from the Caribbean
paradise seen by millions of tourists; he meets with former
revolutionaries and shadowy generals from the era of dictatorship,
family members of the slain policemen, and struggling Dominicans for
whom the dead priest is a martyr, perhaps even a saint. Along the way,
he uncovers a story inseparable from the brutal history of the New
World, from the fallout of American invasion, and from the pure
longing for social justice that once touched a generation)

Fiction:

Best of the Bunch:

People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks (Viking, $25.95 - In 1996,
Hanna Heath, an Australian rare-book expert, is offered the job of a
lifetime: analysis and conservation of the famed Sarajevo Haggadah,
which has been rescued from Serb shelling during the Bosnian war.
Priceless and beautiful, the book is one of the earliest Jewish
volumes ever to be illuminated with images. When Hanna, a caustic
loner with a passion for her work, discovers a series of tiny
artifacts in its ancient binding--an insect wing fragment, wine stains,
salt crystals, a white hair--she begins to unlock the book's mysteries.
The reader is ushered into an exquisitely detailed and atmospheric
past, tracing the book's journey from its salvation back to its
creation. In Bosnia during World War II, a Muslim risks his life to
protect it from the Nazis. In the hedonistic salons of fin-de-siècle
Vienna, the book becomes a pawn in the struggle against the city's
rising anti-Semitism. In inquisition-era Venice, a Catholic priest
saves it from burning. In Barcelona in 1492, the scribe who wrote the
text sees his family destroyed by the agonies of enforced exile. And
in Seville in 1480, the reason for the Haggadah's extraordinary
illuminations is finally disclosed. Hanna's investigation unexpectedly
plunges her into the intrigues of fine art forgers and ultra-
nationalist fanatics. Her experiences will test her belief in herself
and the man she has come to love. Inspired by a true story, "People of
the Book" is at once a novel of sweeping historical grandeur and
intimate emotional intensity, an ambitious, electrifying work by an
acclaimed and beloved author)

General Fiction:

Matecumbe by James Michener (University Press of Florida, $21.00 -
Pulitzer Prize-winning author James A. Michener was in his sixties
when he began traveling frequently to the Florida Keys. One result of
those visits was the novel "Matecumbe," named after two of the islands
that comprise the town of Islamorada, located approximately half way
between Miami and Key West. Never before published, "Matecumbe"
features many of the hallmarks of Michener's best work, including
detailed descriptions of place. However, the plot is much more
intimate than that found in most of his large-scale, epic historical
novels. Focusing on the parallel lives of a woman and her mother, both
divorced, Michener spent his creative energy on character development
and allegorical storytelling. Random House, his publisher, wasn't
pleased, and wanted the mega-best-selling author to concentrate on
producing "heavyweight" books like "Hawaii" and "Centennial."
"Matecumbe" seemed too much in the vein of his earlier romance novel,
"Sayonara." So it sat in a drawer until, eventually, Michener gifted
it--including the copyright--to Joe Avenick, his friend and former
ghostwriter. Avenick played a key role in the research and writing of
"Sports in America" and "Chesapeake," and introduced Michener to
Melissa (Missy) DeMaio, who soon became the primary reason for
Michener's increasingly frequent visits to the Keys. Biographers and
critics have long agreed that Michener's personality and his
characters were both affected by his relationship with DeMaio. As
perhaps his most encompassing autobiographical novel, and the one
written in the midst of these changes, "Matecumbe" provides what may
be tantalizing glimpses into Michener's life. The publication of
"Matecumbe," in the centennial year of the author's birth, will be a
boon for fans who have longed for more Michener in the ten years since
his death)

God of Luck by Ruthanne Lum McCunn (Soho Press, $23.00 - Ah Lung and
his beloved wife, Bo See, are separated by a cruel fate when, like
thousands of other Chinese men in the nineteenth century, he is
kidnapped, enslaved, and shipped to the deadly guano mines off the
coast of Peru. Using their wits and praying to the God of Luck, they
never lose hope of someday being reunited)
Historical Fiction:

The Fall of Troy by Peter Ackroyd (Doubleday, $23.00 - Heinrich
Obermann, a celebrated German archaeologist, has uncovered the ancient
ruins of Troy on a Turkish hillside. He fervently believes that his
discovery will prove that the heroes of the Iliad, a work he has
cherished all his life, actually existed. Sophia, Obermann's young
Greek wife, works at the site carefully preserving the ancient
treasures she uncovers. But Sophia soon comes to see another side of
her husband. He is mysteriously vague about his past and the wife he
claims died years before. When she finds a cache of artifacts Obermann
has hidden away, her suspicions about him rise, feelings that escalate
when a visiting archaeologist who questions Obermann's methods dies
from a mysterious fever. The arrival of a second, equally skeptical
archaeologist brings Sophia's doubts to a head--and spurs Obermann to
make even greater claims about the evidence he has found and the
profound importance of his achievements. In "The Fall of Troy," Peter
Ackroyd again demonstrates his ability to evoke time and place, and to
transform history into compelling fiction. Like the Homeric epics that
entrance Obermann, The Fall of Troy is in part accurate, in part
fantastic. It is a brilliantly told story of heroes and scoundrels,
human aspirations and follies, and the temptation to shape the truth
to fit a passionately held belief)

Horror, Thriller, and Adventure:

The Shell Game by Steve Alten (Cedar Fort, $26.95 - The story opens in
2007 when two CIA spooks meet with an American Colonel in military
intelligence. The war is going badly, and President Bush, who
steadfastly refuses to back down, remains unchallenged at home as
Democrats and Republicans continue to toss verbal grenades positioning
themselves for the 2008 elections. Meanwhile, Iran s pursuit of
nuclear energy will yield enriched uranium within five years, uranium
that can be used to manufacture suitcase nukes. The United States
military is too drained to invade Iran, and a preemptive strike is out
of the question, unless a nuclear detonation were to occur in an
American city, the enriched uranium traced back to Iran. A U.S.
reprisal would strike a death-blow against radical Islam, quell the
insurgent violence in Iraq, and yield more oil. Yes, the cost is
unthinkable but if we sit back and do nothing then one day a dozen
suitcase bombs could go off in a dozen American cities bringing with
it anarchy and the collapse of Western civilization. December 2011:
Ashley Ace Futrell is an oil expert working for PetroConsultants,
married to Kelli Doyle, a former National Security Advisor and one of
the CIA spooks from the opening scene. When Kelli threatens to expose
the plot, Ace finds his existence hurtling down a rabbit s hole of
deceit where the orchestrated lies of the powerful few could lead to
the darkest days of human existence, and the death knell for billions)

Mystery and Suspense:

Cache of Corpses by Henry Kisor (Forge, $24.95 - Porcupine City is a
peaceful little town in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. The residents
enjoy a quiet life far removed from the comings and goings of larger
cities. The kind of town where everyone knows everyone else and good-
natured gossip is a prime source of entertainment. It's certainly the
last place anyone would think of using as the backdrop for a high-
tech, high-thrill treasure hunt. Until the first gruesome clue is
found: a headless corpse wrapped in plastic. Deputy Steve Martinez--
Lakota Indian by birth, Porcupine City native by association--has
investigated many crimes, but none more surprising than the case
before him now. When clues at the first crime scene lead to the
discovery of a second headless corpse, it becomes clear to Steve that
it's someone's twisted idea of a game. And these events couldn't come
at worse time: the election for county sheriff is fast approaching and
the sudden rash of corpses is just the sort of ammunition Steve's
opponent is all too eager to use against him. Luckily Steve's longtime
love, beautiful redhead Ginny Fitzgerald, is still by his side, but
even that relationship becomes strained as Steve searches for a way to
connect with her foster son, Tommy. This is Steve's toughest
investigation yet--one that spreads from secretive internet chatrooms
into Chicago's seedy underbelly and even takes to the air above
Porcupine City. It will take all of Deputy Martinez's patience and
cunning to catch a sociopath who's after the next forbidden rush. It
might also force him to face some unpleasant truths about the locals
he has sworn to protect)

The First Wave by James R. Benn (Soho Press, $24.00 - Lieutenant Billy
Boyle reluctantly accompanies Major Samuel Harding, his boss, in the
first boat to land on the shores of Algeria during the Allied
invasion. Their task is to arrange the surrender of the Vichy French
forces. But there is dissension between the regular army, the local
militia, and De Gaulle's Free French. American black marketeers in
league with the enemy divert medical supplies to the Casbah, leading
to multiple murders that Billy must solve while trying to rescue the
girl he loves, a captured British spy)

Science Fiction and Fantasy:

Cry of Justice by Jason Pratt (Bittersea Publications, $25.00 - HOPE
AND LOVE - PRIDE AND HONOR. Monsters wander the world of Mikon. Caught
in the aftermath of a vicious international war, thousands of refugees
have fled the Coastal States, bringing their dangers with them into
the wilderness near the untamed Middlelands. Castaways from an
imploding civilization- fighting to find and to understand the most
dangerous of treasures ... Portunista: innovative, ambitious,
intemperate; a maga seeking her path to Imperial glory ... Seifas:
dark and lethal, alienating, poetic; a hunter whose words are his
tears ... Gaekwar: lanky, laconic, sardonic; 'only a cowherd', yet
wielding exotic weaponry ... Othon: the Implacable One; a quiet, quick-
thinking giant of a man ... Dagon: arrogant, insecure, buffoonish; a
miserable commander with a knack for solving puzzles ... Pooralay:
ruthless and compassionate, loud and brusque- when he wants to be; a
thug on a mystical quest ... Bomas: renegade killer planning a subtle
genocide; Artabanus: self-proclaimed Arbiter, drawing every power to
himself; Praxiteles: incompetent madman, possessing and possessed by
the Roguent Gamin ... In their increasingly desperate struggles- for
food, for knowledge, for life itself- what will make the difference
between brigades and bands of brigands?)

Short Stories and Collections:

Law Lit: From Atticus Finch to The Practice: A Collection of Great
Writing About the Law by Thane Rosenbaum (The New Press, $26.95 -
Fyodor Dostoevsky, Ayn Rand, Martin Luther King Jr., and Johnny Cash
have all written it. Joseph K., Hurricane Carter, Portia, and Bigger
Thomas have starred in the most timeless examples of the genre. And
now, law school professor and noted novelist Thane Rosenbaum has
collected the crusaders and casualties of the law, both real and
imagined, in one handsome volume of "law lit." Some of the finest
writers in the world have been tantalized by the law and the nature of
judgment, justice, and revenge. With dozens of selections, including
prose, poetry, essays, and even TV and film scripts, Law Lit is a
dazzling collection that transcends place and time, from ancient
Greece to foggy London to the narrow streets of Prague and the
spectacle of an Alabama courthouse, offering an enlightening look at
the legal system and its practitioners and at how lives can be laid
bare before the bench)

Bloodletting & Miraculous Cures: Stories by Vincent Lam (Weinstein
Books, $23.95 - Provocative, heartbreaking, and darkly humorous,
"Bloodletting & Miraculous Cures" introduces readers to a masterful
new voice in fiction. A practicing ER physician, Vincent Lam delivers
a precise and intimate portrait of the medical profession in his
fiction debut. These twelve interwoven stories follow a group of young
doctors as they move from the challenges of medical school to the
intense world of emergency rooms, evacuation missions, and terrifying
new viruses. Winner of the prestigious Giller Prize, "Bloodletting &
Miraculous Cures" marks the arrival of a deeply humane and
preternaturally gifted writer. Fitz, Ming, Chen, and Sri are the four
ambitious protagonists of "Bloodletting & Miraculous Cures." They fall
in love as they study for their exams, face moral dilemmas as they
split open cadavers, confront police who rough up their patients, and
treat schizophrenics with pathologies similar to their own. In one
harrowing story set amidst the 2003 SARS crisis, which the author
witnessed firsthand, two of these doctors suddenly become the
patients. "Bloodletting & Miraculous Cures" invites us into a world
where the ordinary becomes the critical in a matter of seconds. A
formidable debut, it is a profound and unforgettable depiction of
today's doctors, patients, and hospitals)

Children's Books:

Best of the Bunch:

Uncle Arthur's Art Studio (The Spiderwick Chronicles) by Emma
Forrester and Paul E. Nunn (Simon Scribbles, $10.99 - Uncle Arthur was
a great artist with lots of secrets. Step in to his studio to find
your hidden creativity! In "Uncle Arthur's Art Studio," you'll find a
box filled with scissors, stickers, crayons, a paint tray, and an
activity book featuring activities that are strange and puzzling...
just like Uncle Arthur! Also new in the Spiderwick Chronicles series:
"Thimbletack's Activity Book," "Hogsqueal's Activity Book," "Stained
Glass Book," and "Official Movie Companion." For ages 9-12)

Extreme Dinosaurs by Robert Mash, illustrated by Stuart Martin
(Atheneum, $21.99 - Dinosaurs were among the most incredible creatures
ever to walk this Earth. From small beginnings (around 230 million
years ago) they evolved into colossal killers with jaws big enough to
swallow a human whole, gigantic plant eaters who shook the ground as
they moved, and streamline-bodied sprinters, capable of sprinting at
sustained speeds. From the mammoth Argentinosaurus, which was as heavy
as twenty elephants, to the tiny meat-eating Microraptor, which was
smaller than a chicken, here are the dinosaur record breakers. Read
about daggerlike fangs, switchblade claws, gigantic skulls, and flesh-
ripping horns. Discover how the best-armed dinosaurs deterred their
enemies with fearsome suits of armor or how the tallest of the tall
stood as high as five-story buildings. For ages 4-8)

Delicious: The Art and Life of Wayne Thiebaud by Susan Goldman Rubin
(Chronicle Books, $15.95 - One of the giants of American art, Wayne
Thiebaud was at first unappreciated because of the everyday subject
matter of his paintings. His tasty hot dogs, delectable cakes, dizzy
streets, and sleepy deltas have since become icons of twentieth
century art. Now young readers have the chance to explore the
development of a fascinating artist while delighting in the very child-
friendly art that has made him so acclaimed. With her deft touch,
critically-acclaimed non-fiction author Susan Rubin tells the story of
the man behind the masterpieces. For ages 9-12)

Baby/Preschool:

The Alphabet from A to Y With Bonus Letter Z! by Steve Martin and Roz
Chast (Flying Dolphin Press, $17.95 - The acclaimed entertainer and
bestselling author Steve Martin and the wildly clever New Yorker
cartoonist Roz Chast team up in a weird, wonderful excursion through
the alphabet. The ABCs have never had it so good. Created by two of
today's wittiest, most imaginative minds, "The Alphabet from A to Y
with Bonus Letter Z!" is a sheer delight from A to Z. In twenty-six
alliterative couplets, Steve Martin conjures up much more than mere
apples and zebras. Instead we meet Horace the hare, whose hairdo hides
hunchbacks, and Ollie the owl, who owed Owen an oboe. Roz Chast
contributes the perfect visual settings for Martin's zany two-liners.
Her instantly recognizable drawings are packed with humorous touches
both broad and subtle. Each rereading--and there will be many--delivers
new delights and discoveries. There, hidden behind Bad Baby
Bubbleducks, is a framed picture of a beatnik holding balloons; and
the letter C finds clunky Clarissa all clingy and clueless adrift in a
landscape cluttered with images ranging from a curiously comfortable
clown to Chuck's Chili stand. A smart, laugh-inducing introduction to
the alphabet for young children, "The Alphabet from A to Y with Bonus
Letter Z!" will also enchant adults with its matchless mix of the
sophisticated and the silly)

Ages 4-8:

Yum! Mmmm! Que Rico!: America's Sproutings by Pat Mora and Rafael
Lopez (Lee & Low, $16.95 - Smear nutty butter, then jelly. Gooey
party, my sandwich and me. Peanuts, blueberries, corn, potatoes,
tomatoes, and more--here is a luscious collection of haiku celebrating
foods native to the Americas. Brimming with imagination and fun, these
poems capture the tasty essence of foods that have delighted, united,
and enriched our lives for centuries. Exuberant illustrations bring to
life the delicious spirit of the haiku, making "Yum! ¡Mmmm! ¡Qué
rico!" an eye-popping, mouth-watering treat. Open it and dig in!)

Babymouse #8: Puppy Love by Jennifer Holm (Random House, $5.99 - In
the tradition of Snoopy, of Clifford, and of Lassie comes another
great dog story for the ages . . . "Babymouse: Puppy Love!" Babymouse
doesn't exactly have a great history with pets-even her goldfish ran
away from home. But all that's about to change. Will Babymouse get the
dog of her dreams? Will she ever find her missing fish? Find out in
the eighth exciting Babymouse graphic novel! "Ruff! Four paws up!"-The
Canine Courier Growing up, brother-sister team Matthew and Jennifer
Holm had numerous beloved pets, including the creatively named Ruffy-
best known for once sporting a pink mohawk and eating an entire
chocolate birthday cake)

Volcanoes & Earthquakes (Insiders) by Ken Rubin (Simon and Schuster,
$16.99 - INsiders brings volcanoes & earthquakes to life, with the
most up-to-date information and state-of-the-art 3-D illustrations
that practically leap off every page, stimulating minds and
imaginations in a whole new way)

My Mommy's Tote by P. H. Hanson (Workman, $16.95 - Now it's mommy's
turn! Cuter than a button, "My Mommy's Tote" is a delicious
interactive gift for mothers and their kids. Created by P. H. Hanson,
whose previous books--"My Granny's Purse" and "My Grandpa's Briefcase"--
this is a die-cut cornucopia stuffed with marvelous adventures and
surprises, endearingly written and offering incredible value. There's
the clock with hands that move. A write-on wipe-off board and marker.
A maze to navigate. Two spin wheels for learning the alphabet and
numbers. Mommy's laptop and cell phone, planner and wallet (a magnet
for every little kid--this one has a removable credit card). Plus a key
ring and photos, a real handkerchief, and an intriguing mystery: Can
you find the missing red sock? In all, there are more than 75 objects,
30 activities, and seven spreads where things lift up, slide out,
unfold, flip open, turn, and beguile. This mommy's a treasure. She's
a mommy on the go. She's a glamorous mommy. She's a quirky mommy who
gets down on the floor and plays games and draws pictures. And she's a
mommy who always tries to do what's right, with a sense of humor: "My
mommy always says, 'Eat your peas,' 'Brush your teeth,' and 'Blow your
nose.' My mommy says she sounds just like her mommy")

Olivia Helps with Christmas by Ian Falconer (Atheneum, $18.99 -
Everyone's favorite Caldecott Honor-winning porcine heroine and #1
Kris Kringle enthusiast is helping to make the season brighter than
ever. Christmas is coming, and Olivia is incredibly busy. She has to
wait for Santa, make sure Dad sets up the tree, wait for Santa, watch
Mom make the Christmas dinner, wait for Santa, oversee the care with
which the stockings are hung, and, of course, open her presents! Do
you see how hard it is to be so helpful during the holidays? A
lovingly told and lavishly illustrated "Olivia Helps with Christmas"
is the perfect stuffing for any stocking, and the newest star atop the
Olivia series)

George Was Here! (Curious George Coloring Books) by Various and Rudy
Obrero (Simon Scribbles, $4.99 - Just like preschoolers, Curious
George likes to leave his mark! "George Was Here!" features 224-pages
of this funny monkey's adventures and some of the friends he meets
along the way. Also new: "Curious George: Monkey Around" sticker
book)

Ages 9-12:

The Chronicles of Narnia Pop-up: Based on the Books by C. S. Lewis
(Narnia) by C. S. Lewis, Robert Sabuda, Matthew Armstrong, and Matthew
Reinhart (HarperCollins, $29.99 - C. S. Lewis's classic Narnia books
spring to life in the hands of award-winning paper engineer Robert
Sabuda. Each of the seven books in the series has its own pop-up
spread rendered in spectacular detail with stunning special effects.
Experience a different adventure from Narnia on every spread in this
beautiful addition to the Narnia library--sure to enchant fans of both
C. S. Lewis and Robert Sabuda)

Young Adults:

Rash by Pete Hautman (Simon Pulse, $8.99 - Consumption of alcohol:
Illegal. Football and other "violent" sports: Illegal. Ownership of
guns, chain saws, and/or large dogs: Illegal. Body piercings, tattoos:
Illegal. It's late in the twenty-first century, and the United Safer
States of America (USSA) has become a nation obsessed with safety. For
Bo Marsten, a teenager who grew up in the USSA, it's all good. He
knows the harsh laws were created to protect the people. But when Bo's
temper flares out of control and he's sentenced to three years of
manual labor, he's not so down with the law anymore. Bo's forced to
live and work in a factory in the Canadian tundra. The warden running
the place is totally out of his mind, and cares little for his
inmates' safety. Bo will have to decide what's worse: a society that
locks people up for road rage, or a prison where the wrong move could
make you polar bear food)
The Sweet Far Thing by Libba Bray (Delacorte, $17.99 - IT HAS BEEN A
YEAR OF CHANGE since Gemma Doyle arrived at the foreboding Spence
Academy. Her mother murdered, her father a laudanum addict, Gemma has
relied on an unsuspected strength and has discovered an ability to
travel to an enchanted world called the realms, where dark magic runs
wild. Despite certain peril, Gemma has bound the magic to herself and
forged unlikely new alliances. Now, as Gemma approaches her London
debut, the time has come to test these bonds. The Order - the
mysterious group her mother was once part of - is grappling for
control of the realms, as is the Rakshana. Spence's burned East Wing
is being rebuilt, but why now? Gemma and her friends see Pippa, but
she is not the same. And their friendship faces its gravest trial as
Gemma must decide once and for all what role she is meant for)

Fake Boyfriend by Kate Brian (Simon and Schuster, $16.99 - He's
absolutely perfect. If only he were real. Lane and Vivi have had it
with Isabelle Hunter's boyfriend, Shawn Littig (a.k.a. Sluttig). He is
the only person who can turn their smart, confident best friend into a
complete mess. When Shawn Sluttig cheats on and dumps Izzy just months
before the prom she's been planning since the ninth grade, Lane and
Vivi decide to take action. With a few quick keystrokes, they create a
MySpace page for "Brandon," the perfect guy to get Izzy out of her
revolving-door relationship with Shawn. Too bad he's totally fake.
Vivi's younger brother, Marshall, who they hire to be the "man" behind
the profile, is way too into being Izzy's fake boyfriend. So they turn
to cute, prep-school Jonathan to be the face of Brandon. But when Vivi
falls for Jonathan, and Sluttig tries to wedge his way back into
Izzy's prom picture, the whole plan starts to go south faster than you
can say "fake boyfriend")

The Quillan Games (Pendragon) by D. J. MacHale (Aladdin, $8.99 -
Quillan is a territory on the verge of destruction. The people have
lost control of their own future and must struggle simply to survive.
The only chance they have of finding a better life is by playing the
Quillan Games. Hosted by a strange pair of game masters, Veego and
LaBerge, the games are a mix of sport and combat. They use the people
of Quillan as pawns for their amusement as they force them to enter
competitions that range from physical battles, to impossible obstacle
courses, to computer-driven tests of agility. To triumph in the games
is to live the life of a king. To lose is to die. This is the
dangerous and deadly situation Bobby Pendragon finds on Quillan. He
quickly realizes that the only way to save this troubled territory is
to beat Veego and LaBerge at their own games and dismantle their
horrible fun house. But there is more at stake for Bobby. The prize
for winning the Quillan Games may be discovering the truth of what it
really means a Traveler)

For Parents:

The Bipolar Teen: What You Can Do to Help Your Child and Your Family
by David J. Miklowitz and Elizabeth L. George (Guilford Press, $17.95
- Bipolar disorder is difficult at any age, but it can be particularly
daunting for teenagers and their families. David Miklowitz, author of
the bestselling Bipolar Disorder Survival Guide, provides invaluable
information parents can use to help teens cope--and thrive. His
adolescent bipolar treatment program has been tested and refined for a
decade. Now for the first time, this book makes it available directly
to parents. The Bipolar Teen helps parents distinguish between the
typical ups and downs of teen life and the symptoms of mania or
depression. With coauthor Elizabeth George, Dr. Miklowitz shows
parents how to recognize the early warning signs of an episode so they
can intervene before it's too late. They show how to strike a healthy
balance of medications and psychotherapy, and offer practical tips for
getting the most from doctors and from school programs. Crucially,
they also demonstrate practical strategies for managing the chaos at
home so every family member--including siblings without the illness--
can find the stability and support they need. A dozen helpful
reproducibles are included)