Donovan's Bookshelf
MWBOOKREVW
DONOVAN'S BOOKSHELF
The Joy of Horses
Joy Roberts
Contemporary Books
0-8092-3065-8 $16.95
This beginner's guide to safe horsemanship is a recommended, basic pick for any
contemplating their first horse: it covers everything from shopping for a horse
to grooming and caring for a horse. Black and white photos throughout
supplement all the basics on horse care.
The Portable Wedding Consultant
Leah Ingram
Contemporary Books
0-8092-3086-0 $14.95
Brides-to-be receive a guidebook which applies to all facets of planning a
wedding, from choosing attendants to finding help on-line. This gathers advice
from a range of industry professionals, from travel agents who tell how to
organize a honeymoon on a budget to florists and jewelers who impart their
secrets of success. A fine expert's advice guide.
Remaking the World
Henry Petroski
Knopf
0-375-40041-9 $24.00
Petroski's essays on the role of engineers in shaping our environment provides
both a history of engineering achievements over the years and a survey of
engineering science. This blend provides any student of science or engineering
with a fine history and survey of the process of engineering advancements and
their practical applications to environmental changes.
Knopf
Original essays on art and artists by one of Britain's most talented art
critics are gathered in Andrew Graham-Dixon's Paper Museum (0-679-45520-5,
$35.00), an excellent collection of works written in response to notable
exhibitions of Western art that appeared in museums across Europe. Enjoy a fine
pursuit of artists, themes, and new views of works in a literary collection any
art library will relish. Christopher Benfey's Degas In New Orleans (43562-X,
$27.50) tells of the arrival of Edgar Degas in America at a key moment in the
cultural history of New Orleans, when American writers Kate Chopin and George
Washington Cable were discovering its culture and history. This surveys the
origins of the portraits Degas did during his American stay, showing how family
feeling and politics became entwined with his Impressionist images. John
McCabe's Cagney (44607-9, $29.95) provides a fine in-depth biography of a man
of diverse talents whose screen image was very different from the reality of
his personality. From his happy marriage to the evolution of a satisfying
career, this creates a strong biographical sketch which is lively and exciting.
Richard Meier's Building The Getty (40043-5, $35.00) follows a turn of the
century architect's special challenge in building the Getty Center in Los
Angeles. Meier tells of how he was selected over competing architects for the
project, how he designed the center, and how he blended artistic and practical
needs in order to produce a functional creation.
Picturing Ourselves
Linda Haverty Rugg
University of Chicago Press
0-226-73147-2 $17.95
Photography has transformed how we see ourselves, influencing self-image and
perception itself. This literary and scholarly study tracks four literary
autobiographers and their attempts to integrate self-image into their
autobiographies. Confronted with conflicting images of themselves, all four
writers are torn between text and photography impressions.
King Khama Emperor Joe and the Great White Queen
Neil Parsons
University of Chicago Press
0-226-64745-5 $18.95
In 1895 three African chiefs traveled to England to convince Queen Victoria not
to give their territory to 'Ruthless Rhodes': denied access to the Queen, the
chiefs traveled across the British Isles to plead their case. News accounts of
their journeys and archival records are used to reconstruct their pilgrimage
for justice in this fascinating, little-known story.
Mediterranean Cooking
Matthew Kenney
Chronicle Books
0-8118-1443-2 $24.95
This isn't your usual traditional cookbook, but presents a young American
chef's new interpretations of the cuisine. Restaurant Matthew's has received
critical acclaim: enjoy dishes which broaden the horizons of traditional
Mediterranean cooking, including North African countries and reflecting the
chef/author's travels through the region.
Invitation to Mediterranean Cooking
Claudia Roden
Rizzoli International
0-8478-2020-3 $TBA
Over a hundred vegetarian and seafood recipes include seafood, soups and
desserts in this presentation of traditional Mediterranean dishes. Vivid color
photos of completed and artistically arranged dishes liberally embellish a
title which is packed with fine flavors.
The Joy of Coffee
Corby Kummer
Houghton Mifflin
1-57630-060-9 $15.00
Learn how to buy, brew and use coffees with the aid of a title which has been
revised and updated to reflect the latest equipment and tastes from around the
world. Coffee history around the world blends with candid assessments of coffee
makers and techniques.
The Job Vault
Samer Hamadeh, et.al.
Mariner/Houghton Mifflin
0-395-86171-3 $20.00
Over 100,000 job opportunities are listed in this job search resource which
outlines selected companies likely to hire young workers and provide solid
benefits and opportunities for advancements. These go beyond listings,
focussing on job satisfaction, hours, dress codes, pay levels, and other
ratings of companies. "Uppers" and "downers" are noted and surveys form the
bulk of candid company assessments and opinions. Invaluable for locating
specific large employers.
Design Culture
Steven Heller & Marie Finamore
Allworth Press
1-880559-71-4 $19.95
The best writing from some of the top names in the design field are represented
in this collection, which gathers the top works of design writers for the
Journal of Graphic Design. Essays are organized in ten sections and provide
themes in the development of graphic design, with many important discussions of
pictorial significance.
The Compassion of Animals
Kristin Von Kreisler
Prima Publishing
0-7615-0990-9 $22.95
True stories of animal courage and kindness, from amazing animal rescues during
catastrophes to animals who remain loving while suffering, are recounted in
this gentle leisure read, recommended for animal lovers. Dozens of inspiring
true stories celebrate animal abilities.
Lorenzo Lotto
David Alan Brown, et.al.
Yale University Press
0-300-07331-3 $55.00
Hailed as the greatest Venetian painter after Titian, this Lotto coverage
presents a fine catalog and overview of his life and paintings, describing and
reproducing works in most of the genres of his achievements from portraits to
altarpieces. A range of original documents produces the in-depth background and
artistic analysis complimenting the color reproductions of Lotto's many works.
The Peopling of Africa
James L. Newman
Yale University Press
0-300-07280-5 $TBA
This geographic interpretation of African origins and population movements
provides a fine sourcebook presenting the diversity of differing regions and
the roles played by language and religion in distributing populations and
forming ethnic identities. An excellent guide on African cultures evolves with
an unusual geographic twist.
Civil Ideals
Rogers M. Smith
Yale University Press
0-300-06989-8 $35.00
College-level scholars of U.S. history and citizenship issues will find this an
in-depth survey of how civic identity in this country is defined by traditions
of both liberal principles and the realities of white supremacy. This history
of American citizenship laws from colonial through modern times shows that
issues of race often fully interacted with decisions to grant or deny
citizenship.
The Room in Context
Katherine Benzel
McGraw-Hill
0-07-005956-X $59.95
This discourse on the relationship between interior spaces to exterior
presentation draws important links between landscape and human environments,
tracing the basic elements of well-designed abodes and focussing on interiors
which draw their life from surroundings. Analyzes of housing needs and design
concepts integrate architectural with human concerns.
An Illustrated History of Scotland
Elisabeth Fraser
Jarrold/Seven Hills, Dist.
0-7117-0856-8 $21.95
This brightly illustrated history should be a mainstay of any library
interested in a strong representation of Scottish history and culture: it packs
in black and white and color photos and a wealth of historical detail,
beginning with the early Celts and moving to modern times. Rebellions, clan
interactions, and politics are all revealed and presented in a lively text
which is absorbing.
Promiseland
Elizabeth Rauh Bethel
University of South Carolina Press
1-57003-229-7 $16.95
The story of fifty Afro-American families living in a rural South Carolina
community is related as a history, with a century of life revealed in a
powerful description of cooperative efforts. From newly emancipated slaves who
built a small community to their descendants who remain, this creates an
inspiring account.
Picture This
Denise I. Matulka
Greenwood Publishing
0-313-30182-4 $39.95
Picture books for kids can provide fine introductions to curriculum-related
topics. This represents the only annotated bibliography of over 600 picture
books for students in grades 8-12, organized by content. Picture books for
young adults? Unusual as it seems, these are especially selected as inspiring
guides for older kids.
Dried Flowers
Cathy Miller
Artisan/Workman Publishing
1-885183-51-8 $30.00
This art and craft title is both a history and a 'how-to' guide on the art of
harvesting, preserving and arranging dried flowers: it covers everything from
the best flowers to use to instructions on drying and arranging them. Full
color photos illustrate the fine results of Miller's arrangements.
Bone Poems
Jeff Moss
Workman Publishing
0-7611-0884-X $14.95
It's difficult to categorize this: literature or natural history? Moss
rhapsodizes over T. Rex, celebrates other dinos, and packs in a quiz and
dinosaur facts along with poems about dinosaurs. The result is an unusual and
diverse collection which can be categorized either way - as poetry or as
science.
Reader's Companion to Fitzgerald's "Tender Is The Night"
Matthew Bruccoli & Judith Baughman
University of South Carolina Press
1-57003-223-8 $14.95
Both high school and college-level students of F. Scott Fitzgerald's writings
will find this an excellent survey of Fitzgerald's longest work. This
reconstructs the composition, publication and initial reception of the novel,
correcting errors in its text, making chronological adjustments for
consistency, and providing maps, photos, and explanations which highlight the
writing. Essential for any in-depth study of this particular novel.
Polite Lies
Kyoko Mori
Henry Holt
0-8050-4079-X $22.50
Mori's life falls into two halves: childhood in Japan, adulthood in the
Midwest. In both places she was an outsider: her twelve essays in Polite Lies
explore codes of silence and expression which govern women's responses in both
countries. This is both an autobiography and a cultural observation and primer
on women's issues: a wide audience will find it involving.
Subtle Energy
William Collinge
Warner Books
0-446-52017-9 $24.00
Researcher and teacher Collinge attempts to explain miracles through science,
exploring the role and relationships of energy in our world. This is more than
a scientific discourse of energy's relationship to ancient wisdom: it provides
keys to awakening and understanding these forces as well as a strong analysis
of how these forces are defined and observed by the scientific community.
Cyberville
Stacy Horn
Warner Books
0-446-51909-X $23.00
Every year since 1988 the number of computer users has doubled: this explores
how the new technology is changing our lives, detailing a former computer
hater's conversion to the status of a New York 'cybergoddess'. Horn's
investigations led to business associations, a new career, and insights into
how the online world is changing our lives. Her title is both casual and
revealing of a new online culture.
Ono Ono Girl's Hula
Carolyn Lei-Lanilau
University of Wisconsin Press
0-299-15634-6 $17.95
This is Lei-Lanilau's second published book and will appeal especially to those
interested in Hawaiian history and culture. Ono Ono Girl's Hula is filled with
metaphor, allusion, and poetic references to a sense of history and culture
which sets the protagonist and work apart from Asian authors. Use of the first
person and many twists of plot keep this an exceptionally fluid read.
In the Realms of Gold
Roland Oliver
University of Wisconsin Press
0-299-15654-0 $24.95
Over the last fifty years Oliver has been a scholar of Africa's pre-colonial
history: here he looks back on his life in a blend of autobiography and
discussion of the founding years of the study of African history and his
travels throughout the continent. Oliver was among the first to establish a
unified conception of African history independent from European frameworks: his
provides a fascinating survey of how this was achieved.
Spanish Dictionary & Grammar
Oxford University Press
0-19-860079-8 $11.95
This new paperback provides a complete reference to the Spanish language in a
350-page dictionary reference which contains over 50,000 words and phrases. The
inclusion of the latest colloquial and technical words and the fine
cross-referencing system makes for an excellent presentation students will
appreciate.
Oxford University Press
The hefty price tag of John D. Altringham's college-level primer Bats Biology
And Behavior (0-19-854075-2, $75.00) may limit its acquisition to only
dedicated natural history collections; but any studying the biology of bats
will find this a fine and in-depth coverage not to be missed. Professional and
amateur naturalists alike receive an excellent survey of bat natural history.
Stanislas Dehaene's The Number Sense (511004-8, $25.00) provides an unusual
survey of how the mind creates mathematical concepts. Unlike most primers on
math, this focuses on the science of how numbers are represented in the brains
of animals and humans, making for a fine survey which will appeal to students
of psychology as well as math.
St. Martin's Press
John Glatt's The Chieftains (0-312-16605-2, $26.95) is a winning, authorized
biography which follows the formation and impact of the legendary traditional
Irish folk group over their thirty-five years of success. Based on exclusive,
extensive interviews with all the band's members, families and friends, this
explores the musical background and development of each member as well as the
influence of their friends and fellow musicians. A "must" for any interested in
Irish music. Doug Sulpy and Ray Schweighardt's Get Back (15534-4, $24.95) is no
casual review of the Beatles: it represents Beatles experts' research into the
group's breakdown rather than its overall history. The Beatles' 'Get Back'
project quickly turned into a thirty-day saga of a group's dissolution, and
this traces the events and realities of the group's downfall.
Secrets of the Ocean Realm
Michele and Howard Hall
Beyond Words Pubs.
0-7867-0453-5 $39.95
This coffee table presentation features underwater photography and a stunning
natural history text based on the authors' years of travels and survey of the
world's oceans. A PBS series of the same name supports this powerful title
which focuses on animal behavior patterns from around the world. A startling
series of powerful close-up images emerges.
Dover Publications
Charles Singer's A Short History Of Science (0-486-29887-6, $12.95) runs to the
19th century in its quest for the earliest recordings of true science and the
evolution of scientific examination. Maps and diagrams compliment this history
of scientific investigations over the decades. Gerald Holton and Yehuda
Elkana's Albert Einstein (29879-5, $11.95) provides cultural and historical
perspectives on the scientist. Few may realize Einstein was a spirited social
critic who challenged conventional thinking: this provides a well-rounded
biography of the man which juxtaposes his scientific prowess with lesser-known
facets of his intellectual life.
Columbia University Press
Rafia Zafar's We Wear The Mask (0-231-08095-6, $17.50) is not to be missed:
here African Americans write American literature from 1760-1870, with Zafar
uncovering their early contributions and visions. From Phillis Wheatley to the
works of other forerunners of modern black authors, this traces an unusual
history of pioneering black literary achievers. Hanes Walton Jr.'s African
American Power And Politics (10419-7) is another fine achievement tracing the
impact of the Reagan revolution on black politics, and including a critical
assessment of the Clinton administration's record on race. Contrasts between
Republican and Democratic issues and approaches make for a particularly
involving study.
Lowell House
Judith Brown's Nutrition And Pregnancy (1-56565790-X, $27.00) provides a
clinically approved program for developing good nutritional habits before,
during and after pregnancy. Brown covers everything from the best foods for
pregnancy and daily allowances of these foods to exercise and special diets for
vegetarians. Recipes, nutritional facts, and worksheets are included. Francine
Roberts' The Therapy Sourcebook (793-4, $28.00) tells the basics of obtaining
effective therapy; from locating a therapist who's right to considering and
contrasting different therapeutic approaches. From good mental health attitudes
to understanding personality types and their effectiveness under different
therapeutic goals, this provides an important key to understanding and making
the most of mental health practitioners. Frena Gray-Davidson's Alzheimer's
Disease (788-8, $26.00) is organized in a question/answer format, covering
frequently asked questions of who gets the disease and what its progression and
treatment may be. Questions take the form of caregiver and family concerns in
not only treating, but managing Alzheimer's patients: the result is not just a
medical guide, but a key to practical concerns and care.
Facts on File
Bob Brier's Encyclopedia Of Mummies (0-8160-3108-8, $35.00) A-Z reference
charts not only the mummies and their history, but the explorers and
individuals who researched and wrote about them. What emerges is quite a
specific reference as far as topics go: but a fine research tool for any high
school or college level student of archaeology as well as a good leisure browse
for others. Richard Schwartz's Cold War Culture (3104-5, $55.00) is an
important volume which represents the first in a 'Cold War America' series.
Themes and genres of the era are covered in this volume's focus Media And The
Arts, 1945-90: a coverage which reveals the lively personalities and events of
the times.
Diane C. Donovan
Reviewer
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