October 2017 Prime Picks
Audiobooks
Highbridge
Audio
www.highbridgeaudio.com
Aldo Leopold's classic A Sand County Almanac (9781681687421, $34.95) comes to life in an unabridged reading by Mike Chamberlain, who lends a smooth and powerful voice to this 1949 celebration of nature.
This book preceded many other powerful nature writers who were inspired by its message and who created powerful works after it; but the most notable aspect of this audio version lies in its ability to capture Leopold's most striking phrases, such as “I am glad I will not be young in a future without wilderness" or "A conservationist is one who is humbly aware that with each stroke [of the axe] he is writing his signature on the face of the land.”
All this assumes special life in audio, especially through Mike Chamberlain's evocative rendition of Leopold's words.
Sara Taylor's The Lauras (9781681686073, $34.99) receives an excellent narration by Rudy Sanda, who packs life and energy into the story of a mother who pulls her son out of the family and his life to embark on a journey of self-discovery on an unusual mother-son road trip.
As Alex comes to realize that the destinations his mother's charted for them reflect something deeper than chance, he starts to understand this is actually a journey through hidden secrets and family relationships, and his own world blossoms.
Lawrence Osborne's Beautiful Animals (9781681687148, $34.99) receives narrator Tim Campbell's ability to make events and people come to life through a fine voice, capturing two women's startling discovery of a man barely alive on the Greek island of Hydra. Their hike gets complicated as they decide to help this strange man, learning about his flight from Syria's war and the battle that rages beyond their peaceful lives.
But even the best of intentions can go awry, as revealed in this fine story of a life-changing decision.
Young-Ha Kim's I Hear Your Voice (9781681687247, $29.99) enjoys an excellent reading by David Shih, who brings to life Kim's story of South Korea gangs, two orphans, and a motorcycle culture that changes their friendship.
Korean culture and scenes support a powerful story of street life, teens in trouble, an aggressive new gang that edges into violence and conflicts with the law in a coming of age saga that is as stormy as any American's experience.
All three productions excel in powerful authors strengthened even further by superior narrators who bring their written words to life in highly recommended audiobooks sure to enjoy lasting attention and library lending value.
Business Books
Allworth
Press
www.allworth.com
These three business books are recommended for arts and business collections alike, holding important information and approaches that lend to educating wordsmiths and artists about career opportunities.
P.J. Aitken's The Online Writer's Companion (9781621535387, $19.99) is for freelance writers who want to build an online career, and covers the basics of writing proposals, establishing long-term clients, and tackling various forms of paying writing projects.
From how to identify and give up on certain types of clients who are all talk and little action to taking odd jobs, tackling special client communication requests such as Skype sessions, and contrasting freelancing platforms and what happens when disputes arise, The Online Writer's Companion goes far beyond the mechanics of most similar-sounding writer's career guides to tackle the nuts and bolts of online challenges and successful moves.
Michael Fleishman's Starting Your Career as an Illustrator (9781621535096, $24.99) is a primer covering the first steps and basics of creating an illustration career, blending set-up techniques with business savvy in its survey of how to open an illustration business and how to find and handle clients.
As chapters move through such basics as packaging goods, pricing, the pros and cons of working from home, and setting up a business structure, illustrators will find they need little in the way of prior business savvy in order to understand the step-by-step process of turning their illustration skills into a marketable product.
Steven Heller and Lita Talarico's Becoming A Design Entrepreneur: How to Launch Your Design-Driven Ventures from Apps to Zines (9781621535089, $19.99) is for designers who want to consider the expanding opportunities afforded by the online environment, and covers everything from launching a new design venture to making the most of skill sets.
Many business basics are covered here, from pitching a project and legally protecting intellectual property to crowd sourcing and considering the design potentials of paper products.
The result is a powerful discussion that begins with design skills but moves rapidly into areas of how and where to promote them for optimal results.
All are key acquisitions for creative artists looking to move into effective, successful business circles.
How
to Be Happy at Work
Annie McKee
Harvard Business Review Press
9781633692251 $27.00
www.hbr.org
How to Be Happy at Work is a straightforward discussion that needs little prior explanation as it considers the worth of a job, reasons for workplace burnout and stress, how office politics and business demands can make work less than fulfilling, and how to find and cultivate happiness on the job despite adversity.
Annie McKee maintains that even under such conditions, workplace happiness is more essential than ever, and her research and experiences with business leaders suggest many key elements to developing a better sense of purpose and vision in the workplace.
Managers and business leaders in particular will find many clues to better team and organizational arrangements. Experiences are cemented by real-life stories and discussions of how happiness and better attitudes can be cultivated and rewarded even under the most demanding of business environments.
Mastering
the Art of Negotiation
Geurt Jan deHeus
BIS
9789063694319
$45.00
www.bispublishers.nl
Mastering the Art of Negotiation: Seven Guides for Creating Your Journey is especially recommended for business collections and readers; but unlike most business books, it shouldn't be limited to this audience alone.
Negotiation, in reality, is about life itself, reaching into all parts of decision-making at many levels; and so Mastering the Art of Negotiation is about deal-making at more than the management level.
Seven guidelines for managing the negotiation process at different stages help readers absorb the basics about becoming an effective negotiator. These guidelines for dialogue offer plenty of examples, provide insights into developing skills, and result in a closer inspection of the overall process with an eye to exploring how it works in daily life as well as in business arenas.
Business and self-help collections alike will find Mastering the Art of Negotiation a solid, engrossing account.
Reach
Out
Molly Beck
McGraw Hill Education
9781269860911
$22.00
www.mhprofessional.com
Reach Out: The Simple Strategy You Need to Expand Your Network and Increase Your Influence adopts Molly Beck's strategy for reaching out to attract business and networking readers, a process which began for her in 2011 when she sent one email five days a week to a complete stranger or someone she didn't know well. It was an effort that propelled her from being a lonely college grad in a strange city to a successful professional woman with many business connections and friends.
Her 'RO' (or Reach Out) strategy involves identifying a business or life goal, those who can help you reach that goal, and reaching out with a giving hand to make a connection.
Plenty
of business books advise networking. Few actually address the nuts and
bolts of
how to make that happen between virtual strangers.
Reach Out is a 'must' on how this can be achieved, imparting a strategy that will cross from business to personal worlds with a wide-ranging set of specific approaches proven to be successful in this very highly recommended guide.
Pets, Wildlife and Nature
Arthur
Mikael Lindnord
Greystone Books
9781771643375 $24.95
www.greystonebooks.com
Arthur: The Dog Who Crossed the Jungle to Find a Home speaks of the author's faithful dog, Arthur, and offers a heart-warming story highly recommended for fans of animal stories.
Mikael Lindnord was captain of a Swedish adventure racing team, and was racing through the jungles and mountains of South America when something unexpected happened: he picked up a stray dog who tagged along with him.
The dog wouldn't leave the running team, and as Mikael grew attached to the mongrel, they eventually became a pair. Arthur was destined to go home to Sweden with him - but not without a series of trials that tested them both.
Engrossing and heart-warming, this adventure will delight fans of animal stories and unexpected human encounters.
Moose:
Crowned Giant of the Northern Wilderness
Mark Raycroft
Firefly Books
9781770859661 $19.95
www.fireflybooks.com
Moose: Crowned Giant of the Northern Wilderness packs in over eighty color photos of moose and provides an engaging natural history of the moose's presence in northern Canada, Russia, Scandinavia, and North America.
From the moose's habitats and presence in the world to its re-introduction in some U.S. states and threats to its existence, moose biology and natural history are brought to life with lovely color photos throughout in a top recommendation for natural history collections from high school to general-interest public library collections.
Wild
by Nature
Andrea L. Smalley
Johns Hopkins University Press
9781427422350
$49.95
www.press.jhu.edu
Wild
by Nature: North American Animals Confront Colonization
argues that repeated attempts to domesticate indigenous animals in
America
resulted in dangerous interactions between wild animals and humans in
contrast
to the usual theme of how abundant wildlife helped colonization efforts
by
lending an aura of wealth and richness to the wild new lands being
cultivated
as pioneer attractions.
Far from being ready, acquiescent fodder for colonists, these wild creatures often threatened communities, thwarting repeated attempts to present them as part of a benign, supportive wilderness environment.
Surprisingly, many such attitudes had their roots in England, where wild creatures from wolves to boar and lynx were systemically eradicated. It makes sense that the English colonists would transfer these same attitudes to the animals they found in North America.
Wild by Nature offers thought-provoking blends of history, wildlife management concerns and ethics which makes it a recommendation not just for American history or wildlife holdings, but for any collection strong in conservation and animal management.
Reviewer's Choice
The
Anatomy of Color
Patrick Baty
Thames & Hudson
9780500519332 $50.00
www.thamesandhudsonusa.com
The Anatomy of Color: the Story of Heritage Paints and Pigments provides a wide-ranging historical survey of paint and color in interior design: a three-century inspection that documents some surprisingly sweeping changes in perspective as well as the evolution of new paints, pigments, and theories about design and color applications.
The focus of this book covers paint and color on building interiors over the past three hundred years, with chapters surveying the house painting trade from the mid-seventeenth century to 1960.
From the evolution of and changes to trends and individual color tastes to efforts to efforts to popularize specific colors and re-order color charts, The Anatomy of Color is packed with illustrations and swatches from architectural paint and color historian Patrick Baty's own collection. The result illustrates many insights that make this a 'must have' book not just for arts holdings, but for home designers and anyone working with color.
The
Cottingley Secret
Hazel Gaynor
William Morrow
9780062499844
$15.99
www.harpercollins.com
The Cottingley Secret crafts fiction from the true story surrounding the Cottingley Fairies, one of the biggest hoaxes of the 20th century, following two young girls from Yorkshire who manage to convince the world that they've photographed fairies in their garden.
What began as a fun childhood prank in 1917 turned into a storm of attention that drew the attention of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and created a powerfully compelling, popular mystery.
Fast
forward a hundred years to this story, when a bookshop inheritance in
Ireland
leads Olivia to uncover a manuscript written by one of these
girls.
The plot offers a gripping story that is hard to put down, whether or not the original Cottingley events were known to the reader before this book.
The
Exodus
Richard Elliott Friedman
HarperOne
9780061565242 $27.99
www.harpercollins.com
The Exodus: How it Happened and Why It Matters is an important survey because, until relatively recently, physical evidence was lacking to support Biblical claims of a mass migration called the Exodus.
Biblical scholar and author Richard Elliott Friedman presents new findings supporting the event and crosses disciplines to do so, considering evidence of a historical exodus that may not have contained the volume claimed in the Bible, but which does provide proof that it happened.
Even better, The Exodus goes beyond Biblical story and facts to probe how the idea and event of the exodus changed notions of social niceties and politics both during and after its incarnation.
History as well as Bible studies collections will thus find much food for thought in this winning, well-researched survey.
House
Jungle
Annie Doman-Smith
Storey Publishing
9781612129440 $12.95
www.storey.com
House Jungle: Turn Your Home Into a Plant-Filled Paradise! goes beyond most houseplant books, pairing illustrations of more than 30 selected plants with discussions on how to incorporate plants into home décor.
Too many houseplant books neglect the insights on care and maintenance which make the difference between appropriate choices and those which are difficult to maintain in small spaces, or by busy college students; but this book's focus is on exploring the pros and cons of different plants for different purposes.
The result is a homegrown, chatty book that is packed with practical houseplant considerations with an eye to making sure plants and people are paired correctly.
Murach's
Java Programming, 5th Edition
Joel Murach
Murach
9781943872077
$59.50
www.murach.com
The 5th updated edition of Murach's Java Programming is a core workbook that combines a self-study training program with a reference guide to offer both a quick start in basic Java and a workbook of advanced skills for programmers who already know the basics.
It teaches skills in a progressive manner, so it's easy for those at differing levels of expertise to enter at whatever stage suits their abilities and pick up tips, tricks, and solid approaches from there.
Serious programmers who want links between strategies and real-world programming challenges will especially appreciate the code, analysis of results, discussions of different modifications and methods, and more, which makes for a solid Java reference and a 'must' for any collection catering to Java professionals.
There are many Java 'cookbooks' and how-to guides on the market already; but the depth and approach of Murach's Java Programming is unparalleled, making it a top recommendation above almost all other competitors.
Noumenon
Marina J. Lostetter
Harper Voyageur
978006249784
$15.99
www.harpervoyageur.com
Noumenon is set in 2088, when mankind is set to explore beyond the Earth's solar system, but faces too many choices for a journey expected to take eons.
In fact, how can mankind undertake such endeavors if the explorers themselves will be gone before any discoveries are made?
Astrophysicist Reggie discovers a star that seems to defy the laws of physics, and proposes a mission manned by clones. There's only one problem: future generations of clones embark on their own evolutionary path beyond what mankind originally intended.
A powerful story of exploration, challenge, and the meaning of being human is presented in a sci-fi adventure that's riveting and hard to put down.
Whitman
Guide to Coin Collecting
Kenneth Bressett
Whitman Publishing, LLC
97800794845216
$12.95
www.whitman.com
Whitman Guide to Coin Collecting: An Introduction to the World of Coins has been revised and updated for this 'golden edition' to include details beginners need, from how to understand the basics of coin collecting and start a collection to coin terminology, mintmarks and influences on coin value, and how to find valuable coins and identify, grade, and price them correctly.
Chapters include good-sized color photos throughout which illustrate all kinds of examples, accompanying discussions of what makes a coin valuable.
Exceptionally clear details and attention to history, description, and practical collecting concerns make Whitman Guide to Coin Collecting: An Introduction to the World of Coins the first primer any would-be coin collector should turn to as they enter the exciting world of numismatics.
Political and Social Issues
The
Mind of the Islamic State
Robert Manne
Prometheus Books
9781633883710 $18.00
www.prometheusbooks.com
The Mind of the Islamic State: ISIS and the Ideaology of the Caliphate surveys the motivating ideology of ISIS and terrorism, and is key reading for anyone who would better understand the evolution of this brand of thinking from its origins in jihadist prison writings to its modern incarnations.
Plenty of books discuss the roots of ISIS, but few turn to the source of jihadist thinking and belief systems as a start for understanding terrorism and why jihad produces so many willing martyrs for its cause.
Anyone who would study terrorism and its issues must look to this psychological and social analysis as a foundation primer for understanding the greater political picture and its psychological and religious roots.
Take
Me With You
Scott Jackson
SelectBooks Inc.
9781590793923 $26.95
www.selectbooks.com
Take Me With You: One Person's Journey to Find the Charity Within at first glance seems to be a memoir or autobiography, but in fact it goes far beyond one life experience to delve into the moral, ethical, and psychological fabric of American society as it traces Scott Jackson's story, which begins during the Civil Rights movement when his family fell apart and he lived with his brutal father.
The divisions affecting the nation during the 1960s were duplicated in Scott Jackson's family, where he found himself rejecting brutality that sent him on a course that embraced the concept of charity and goodwill toward others even under dire circumstances.
Short essays capture this juxtaposition of personal experience and bigger cultural issues surrounding them in a story that will prove especially engrossing for anyone interested in charitable giving and how such attitudes are cultivated.
Young Adult/Childrens
But
I Don't Eat Ants But
I Don't Eat Ants is illustrated by
Kelly Fry and tells of an anteater who loves to eat food - but, not
ants. The
other anteaters think he holds strange tastes, as he'll even eat fast
food and
fancy foods ... everything but ants. He'll
eat strudels, noodles, gazpacho by the gallon - just, not
ants. Kids
receive a funny story of a versatile eater who is everything but what
is
expected in a delightful presentation about different tastes.
Dan Marvin
Pow!
9781576878378 $16.99
www.powkidsbooks.com
The
Cranky Caterpillar The
Cranky Caterpillar reaches ages 3
and
up with the fun story of a blues piano-playing caterpillar who never
seems
happy. Ezra
doesn't even know her house has such a talented denizen until she hears
the
blues coming from inside the piano and opens it to discover a
caterpillar who
searched for a happy tune in the piano before opting for a sad tune,
which
became his theme. He's
cranky, blue and gloomy - can Ezra change his hardened
attitude? A
fun story evolves, made especially winning by author Richard Graham's
artistic,
unique caterpillar drawings.
Richard Graham
Thames & Hudson
9780500651087
$16.95
www.thamesandhudsonusa.com
Imagine Imagine
is illustrated by Jean Jullien,
includes a foreword from Yoko Ono Lennon, and offers a children's
picture book
which is actually a call for peace around the world, using John
Lennon's song
as its foundation. A
dove carrying an olive branch journeys through various creatures who
all find
ways of peacefully co-existing on the planet in a gentle, animal-based
story
that offers delightfully simple language and positive viewpoints to
young
picture book readers (who will appreciate the large-sized
illustrations) and
their read-aloud parents.
John Lennon
Clarion Books
9781328808653
$18.99
www.hmhco.com
Penguin/Putnams Three
inviting new picture books are recommended picks for young readers and
collections seeking different perspectives and creative new
ideas. Corey
Rosen Schwartz's Twinderella:
A Fractioned
Fairy Tale (9780399176333, $17.99) profiles
engaging drawings by
Deborah Marcero and focuses on the story of Cinderella's twin sister,
who has
twice the amount of adventures and fun as her sister. Math
was never as appealing as in this fraction-filled tale which involves
counting
sheep, splitting things, dividing duties, and more. Jan
Brett's The
Mermaid
(9780399170720, $18.99) tells of young mermaid Kiniro, who enters a
house made
of beautiful shells and coral and discovers it holds the perfect
set-up. The
house's rightful owners, the octopus family, aren't thrilled to find
her there,
but Kiniro finds a way to make everything right in this underwater
take-off on
The Three Bears, which is replete with the gorgeous signature Brett
drawings
that make this story a standout. B.B.
Cronin's The
Lost Picnic
(9781101999226, $18.99) provides a 'seek and find' book about a
grandfather who
takes his grandchildren on a picnic which turns out to be packed with
road
signs, a park, and the lure of food everywhere. Can they await the
picnic
they'd planned? Hidden
treasures invite kids to seek and find various things in a colorful,
gentle
story of family adventure which will especially thrill young readers of
Where's Waldo?
www.penguin.com
Simon
& Schuster/McElderry Three
new children's books from this publisher provide exceptional stories
worthy of
inclusion in any discriminating children's book collection. Patricia
MacLachlan's Just
Dance
(9781481472524, $15.99) will reach ages 7 and older with the gentle
story of
Sylvia Bloom, who wants to find something exciting outside her family's
farm.
Opportunity comes when Sylvie is invited to produce a newspaper column
for the
summer, reporting on events in the small Wyoming town. That
doesn't sound like the kind of adventure Sylvie's been longing for - at
least,
it's not on par with her mother's background traveling the world as a
famous
opera singer before she gave up opportunity for something
better. Was
family enough of a reason - and are Sylvie and her sibling deserving of
her
mother's sacrifice? A
gentle story emerges in a tale of both family revelations and
self-discovery. Aaron
Reynolds' Creepy
Pair of Underwear!
(9782553502580, $17.99) features lovely and unique drawings by Peter
Brown as
it tells of little bunny Jasper, who has graduated to big-bunny
underwear. Ages
4-8 will find that there is
such
a thing as creepy underwear, however - and that creepy and cool run too
close
together for comfort, at times. Ainsley
Earhardt's Through
Your Eyes: My Child's
Gift to Me (9781534409590, $18.99) is
illustrated by Ji-Hyuk Kim and
tells of the everyday wonder and surprise experienced by a mother when
she
views the world through her daughter's eyes, adopting a new perspective
on life
in the process. Though
this might seem like heady, mature reading for ages 4-8, it should be
noted
that exquisite, full-page color drawings and an easy rhyme make it
simple for
kids to absorb this concept, especially with a read-aloud parent
participating
in the experience. All
are lovely recommendations promising lasting library lending
value.
www.simonandschuster.com/kids
Kids with good reading skills or parents who enjoy pre-Halloween
read-aloud fun
will find Creepy
Pair of Underwear!
a different and engaging story of creepy underwear and a little
rabbit's big
ideas.
Sleeping
Bear Press Four
excellent new children's books are top recommendations, offering
original
stories designed to attract and hold young reader attention. Book
2 in the 'The Wild World of Buck Bray' series, Danger
at the Dinosaur Stomping Grounds (9781585363681,
$16.99) reaches
ages 8-11 with a sequel to The Missing
Gizzly Cubs that both stands well on its own and
as the second
series of adventures of Buck and Toni, part of a TV crew that travels
the world. This
trip to Utah's Canyonlands National Park uncovers a different problem:
someone
is vandalizing the park's artifacts and stealing its fossils. Can
Buck and Toni solve the case when they themselves are threatened? This
works as
both a stand-alone mystery and a satisfying series addition, so
newcomers and
old fans alike will find the action involving. The story requires no
prior
familiarity in order to prove inviting. Petra
Brown's When
the Wind Blew
(9781585369690, $16.99) is a lovely picture book for ages 4-8 that
tells of
Little Bear, who is warm in a cozy den when he hears a sound in the
night. When
he and his mother emerge, they discover a storm has changed everything
around
them, threatening their world. Little
Bear and his mother have to journey to a new home. Can they find one as
good as
their original den? A gentle story of change and survival
emerges. Caroline
Stutson's Blue
Corn Soup
(9781585369676, $16.99) is illustrated by Teri Weidner and tells of
Mouse, who
faces winter with the conviction that a pot of blue corn soup will
solve all
problems. Her
cooking skills results in an aroma which awakens her hungry neighbors -
but
will there be enough for all of them? Cooperative
efforts are profiled in a warm story that adds a fine Southwest feel to
its
cozy ingredients. Trinka
Hakes Noble's Rettie
and the Ragamuffin
Parade: A Thanksgiving Story (9781585369607,
$17.95) is illustrated
by David C. Gardner and is set in 1918 America during an influenza
pandemic. Nine-year-old
Rettie is charged with caring for her sick family, and she does
everything,
from earning a few pennies to cooking and cleaning. She's saving up for
Thanksgiving, but her big hope lies in entering the Ragamuffin Parade
on
Thanksgiving morning - if it's not cancelled due to illness. History
blends with the story of an American girl who undertakes monumental
tasks in
this picture book story, recommended for kids who have good reading
skills but
are only on the cusp of chapter book reads.
www.sleepingbearpress.com
Timeless
Tales: Poems of Childhood Timeless
Tales: Poems of Childhood is best
used as a read-aloud by parents who will relish the variety of these
poems,
which range from discussions of everyday dress and unique, beautiful
fabrics
and embellishments to the experience of a winter carousel ride and a
fun
choo-choo train. Many
of these poems come from children's perspectives, but most are a page
or two in
length (some longer), so they will benefit from the participation of a
parent
who can bring these fun stories to life.
E.V. Eklund
Waldorf Publishing
9781684192649
$14.95
www.waldorfpublishing.com
The Culinary Corner
The
Art of Flavor
Daniel Patterson and Mandy Aftel
Riverhead Books
9781594634307
$28.00
www.penguin.com
The Art of Flavor: Practices and Principles for Creating Delicious Food comes from a two-star Michelin chef and a natural perfumer who explore how flavor is created and how cooking changes, heightens, or releases flavors.
Seventy-five recipes take each concept about flavor and illustrate it with a selected dish, offering seasoned chefs and novices alike a clear explanation of how better flavors may be achieved by altering ingredient combinations, cooking methods, or through better meal planning designed to heighten flavor experiences.
What often seems like an afterthought or garnish thus becomes a key to better-tasting foods, all explored in a cookbook that accents its recipes with a deeper focus on how flavor is experienced, achieved, and boosted.
No serious cook should be without this primer.
The
Cooking Gene
Michael W. Twitty
Amistad
9780082379290 $28.99
www.amistadbooks.com
The Cooking Gene: A Journey Through African American Culinary History in the Old South comes not from a chef's perspective but from a culinary historian who examines soul food, Southern cuisine, and the politics and social issues that often obscure the real origins and influences of Afro-American cuisine in this country.
While its focus is on culinary evolution and heritage in black communities, Twitty uses his own family story and three centuries of ancestral experiences to trace the stories, recipes, and history of Southern cuisine as it relates to both his family's evolution and experiences and those of the South in general.
Enslavement, ownership, prejudice, and how Africans influenced the food culture of Southern natives and foods makes for an engrossing survey that embraces growers, producers, products and recipes alike. This makes for a cultural and ethnic examination that goes far beyond the usual cookbook approach to Southern cuisine to consider the relationships and issues surrounding the region's food.
The Cooking Gene is very highly recommended for anyone who already holds an interest in Southern fare, but who wants more of a social, political, and ethnic consideration of how that food evolved.
For
the Love of Pie
Cheryl Perry & Felipa Lopez
Gibbs Smith
9781423647690
$27.99
www.gibbs-smith.com
For the Love of Pie: Sweet and Savory Recipes comes from the pie-wielding owners of Pie Corps, who have dedicated their lives to pie-making, and takes their successful Brooklyn venture to the world in a cookbook dedicated to teaching pie lovers how create superior productions.
Pie is the love and mission of Cheryl Perry & Felipa Lopez, and their dedication shows in a cookbook that pairs full-page color photos with innovative dishes such as a Lemon-Buttermilk Blueberry Pie, a mashed-potato topped vegetable, beef and bean Cottage Pie, or a Fresh Corn Pie with Bacon and Tomato.
From hand pies to those made in traditional tins, this is a treasure trove of innovative ingredients and pairings that manages to maintain comfort food appeal without venturing into overly exotic realms, making For the Love of Pie a top recommendation even for cooks who have other pie cookbooks. It's tested, authoritative, and different.
Mastering
Stocks and Broths
Rachael S. Mamane
Chelsea Green Publishing
9781603586566
$35.00
www.chelseagreen.com
Mastering Stocks and Broths: A Comprehensive Culinary Approach Using Traditional Techniques and No-Waste Methods is not for the everyday cook who believes canned broth to be nearly as good as homemade; but for home cooks and chefs who cultivate more than a casual approach to stocks and broths.
It comes from a self-taught chef and owner of a small Brooklyn broth company who examines the basics of stocks and broths as she shares some 100 recipes that create stock and broth foundations and uses them in innovative ways.
From the science of superior broths to a range of broths and stocks, from reductions to roasted, browned stocks and broths, Mastering Stocks and Broths is packed with in-depth, basic approaches that require only the passion of a home or neo-professional cook who recognizes that such productions are key to better far superior recipe results.
This 'foundation title' should be in any serious cook's collection.
Offal
Good
Chris Cosentino with Michael Harlan Turkell
Clarkson Potter Publishers
9780770435127
$40.00
www.clarksonpotter.com
Offal Good: Cooking from the Heart, With Guts tells how to use organs and other under-utilized cuts of meat to best advantage, covering both traditional and innovative approaches in a survey that ranges from basic preparation and cooking methods to recipes that bring out the best of offal's qualities.
Chris Cosentino spent two decades honing his skills with offal and making a reputation for himself as an offal chef, and this cookbook offers many innovations (and not a few edgy names) for new recipes in the process, such as a "Lips and Assholes" Beef Lips & Oxtail Terrine, Artichokes, Tarragon.
Bright, full-page color photos of completed dishes enhances a collection that will attract cooks with such dishes as Marinated Beef Tendons, Chile, Pistachios & Mint or Braised Trotter, Tomato & Corona Beans medley.
The
result is a 'must'; especially for relative newcomers to offal who want
to try
a variety of recipes.
Toast
& Jam
Sarah Owens
Roost Books
9781611803570
$30.00
www.roostbooks.com
Toast & Jam: Modern Recipes for Rustic Baked Goods and Sweet & Savory Spreads is a pick for any who like recipes for things to slather onto toast, be they savory or sweet, and includes a variety of ideas, from preserves and jams to savory confits, vegetable spreads, nut butters, egg salads, and more.
The selection goes beyond the usual fruit preserve focus to incorporate a range of spreads that can be applied to all kind of breads.
Add full-page color photos for a production that is winning and appealing, especially for fans of spreads that tire of cookbooks that only focus on jams and sweet fare.
Education
Dean's
List, 2nd Edition
John Bader
Johns Hopkins University Press
97814214232374 $24.95
www.press.jhu.edu
The second updated edition of Dean's List: 10 Strategies for College Success is a 'must' for any new student who would excel in college, and gathers the latest thoughts of deans at top schools across the country, who share insights on what makes for a superior college experience.
From building new bridges and relationships both at home and in school to honing skills that allow students to cope with success, failure, and everything in between, chapters offer details on typical college experiences, challenges, and how to make the most of one's college years.
Dean's List should thus be on the packing list of any student heading off for college.
SAT
Subject Test: Biology E/M, 6th Edition
Deborah T. Goldberg, M.S.
Barron's
9781438009605 $24.99
www.barronseduc.com
The 6th updated edition of SAT Subject Test: Biology E/M offers a workbook of five full-length practice tests (including one diagnostic and two online), reviews and practice sessions for biology, discussions of strategies and test-taking tips, and online supplements compatible with tablets and smartphones alike.
There are many study guides on the market, but the strategies in SAT Subject Test: Biology E/M are designed to produce top scores on SATs by not just reviewing study options, but lending detailed insights into its sample questions, answers, and what makes for a successful response.
The bonus online practice tests answer all questions with specific insights showing students what the SAT strives to assess ("This topic is complex, but questions on it are usually basic on standardized tests. You should study the vocabulary listed in Table 13.3 and have a general sense of the topic."), making the 6th edition of SAT Subject Test: Biology E/M in particular and the series in general a top recommendation for any high school student tackling the SAT.
Teaching,
Learning, Literacy in Our High-Risk High-Tech World: A Framework for
Becoming
Human
James Paul Gee
Teacher's College Press
9780807758601
$27.95
www.tcpress.com
Teaching, Learning, Literacy in Our High-Risk High-Tech World: A Framework for Becoming Human maintains that children need to be creative, flexible, purposeful learners if they are to survive the modern world, and urges a multidisciplinary approach to developing and encouraging different ways of viewing the world and its adversities.
It's more than a set of guidelines, creating a broader vision of the educational process in a framework of principles that can be used to restructure and repurpose literacy education to prepare students to better handle the world and each other.
Teaching, Learning, Literacy in Our High-Risk High-Tech World is more purposeful and structured than most, but offers teachers a different set of guidelines for achieving this goal.
Health and Self-Help
Brookes
Publishing
www.brookespublishing.com
Two outstanding new references are highly recommended picks for any health library.
The second updated edition of Michael L. Wehmeyer, et.al.'s A Comprehensive Guide to Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities (9781598576023, $99.95) is an especially important foundation reference for special education and health collections, and represents an in-depth update to what has become a key textbook on the subject of intellectual and developmental disabilities.
It includes the latest research and information on intervention, education, health issues, and syndromes and conditions associated with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and it pairs overviews of these conditions with statistics about their prevalence, support systems and services for coping with them, biological mechanisms involved in identifying different behaviors and conditions, and more.
While health collections will be the primary audience for this in-depth, technical discussion, special education holdings will also find that it holds many basics essential for understanding the learning process.
Kathleen Ann Quill and L. Lynn Stansberry Brusnahan's Do-Watch-Listen-Say: Social and Communication Intervention for Autism Spectrum Disorder (9781598579802, $69.95)'s updated edition covers social and communication intervention processes for children of all ages on the autism spectrum.
Professionals involved with this group will find Do-Watch-Listen-Say an important resource for handling communication for children ages 3-18 years.
Chapters expand intervention tools, include the latest evidence-based practices and approaches for communication development, provide new activity sheets and projects, and update case histories that contain communication examples.
From support strategies and instructional approaches to individual and group skills and data collection and assessment, Do-Watch-Listen-Say represents a treasure trove of proven techniques that will help any educator or caregiver working with kids on the autism spectrum.
Hard
Roll
Jon McCarthy
Pelican Publishers
9781455623211 $19.93
www.pelicanpub.com
Hard Roll: A Paramedic's Perspective of Life and Death in New Orleans belongs in both medical and autobiography collections as it surveys the paramedic author's encounters with crises, patients, and EMT calls in New Orleans and the life-changing moments they offer.
Part of the reason why both medical and autobiography audiences will find Jon McCarthy's story compelling lies in its ability to detail not only daily crises, but the kinds of decision-making processes involved in crisis management and emergency treatment.
Add to that process a healthy dose of New Orleans atmosphere and culture and you have a scintillating and fast-paced story of not just medicine and ethics, but crime, prejudice, poverty, and more; highly recommended for readers who seek more than a singular discussion of EMT experiences.
Jessica
Kingsley Publishers
www.jkp.com
Four excellent new titles are top picks for any health collection looking for valuable health references.
Caroline
Baker and Jason Corrigan-Charlesworth edit Visiting
the Memory Café and Other Dementia Care Activities: Evidence-based
Interventions for Care Homes (9781785922527,
$24.95), a survey
filled with activities for engaging with dementia patients. These
activities
are for caregivers who strive for meaningful communication processes
and
activities that encourage this.
Case studies illustrate the best way to use these activities as positive reinforcements of life experiences and shared time, reviewing a range of approaches that both individual caregivers and institutions will value.
Tamsin Grimmer's Observing and Developing Schematic Behavior in Young Children: A Professional's Guide for Supporting Children's Learning, Play and Development (9781785921797, $22.95) is for any who work with or care for young children, and defines schemas, schematic behavior, and how various schemas can be utilized to enhance development and play.
Case studies pair with approaches to and interpretations of their effectiveness to illustrate basic schemas such as transporting, core and radial trajectories, positioning, and more.
Libby Schmanke's Art Therapy and Substance Abuse: Enabling Recovery from Alcohol and Other Drug Addiction (9781849057349, $34.95) is a handbook for art therapists who are working with clients with addiction issues, and pairs the author's experience as an art therapist and addictions counselor with specific therapeutic strategies for intervention and recovery programs.
Case study stories supplement information on programs which draw on the combined treatment models for addiction and art therapy applications, discussing how such therapy can supplement treatment models and enhance the therapeutic process.
Rachel Cohen's Outsider Art and Art Therapy: Shared Histories, Current Issues & Future Identities (9781785927393, $29.95) takes two disciplines and considers their shared histories and how the foundations of art therapy and its issues can be better understood and handled through a consideration of how art functions in the therapy environment.
As chapters examine the notion of outsider art and how museums and art shapes culture, they also consider the major issues and future of art therapy applications, making for an excellent history-based introduction for practicing art therapists and those seeking detailed insights on the topic.
These four books offer specific strategies based on real-world experiences and are highly recommended for their blend of theory, insights, and specific, real-world therapeutic applications.
The
Mastery of You
Renu S. Persaud, PhD
Waldorf Publishing
978194478436
$22.95
www.waldorfpublishing.com
The Mastery of You: A Journey Toward the Understanding of Self is a personal narrative centered around how to love and care for ourselves based on the insight that self-love is an essential prerequisite for caring for others.
From nurturing one's mind and body to understanding approaches to social atmosphere, steps to building inner strength and self-mastery, and how to assess personal happiness for a better life, The Mastery of You is an uplifting blend of spirituality, psychology, and philosophy that advocates a different kind of self-love than most: one which begins at home and only then expands to include the world.
Readers interested in the kind of self-help program which includes self-assessment, reassessment, and change will find The Mastery of You is packed with keys to loving self beyond borders and boundaries.
History
The
Streets of Paris
Susan Cahill
St. Martin's Press
9781250074324
$19.99
www.stmartins.com
It would have been easy to place The Streets of Paris: A Guide to the City of Light Following in the Footsteps of Famous Parisians Throughout History in a travel book section because it walks the reader through places and neighborhoods where famous Parisians lived from the 12th to the 20th century; but in fact, this book is loaded with cultural and historical insights and so deserves a place in history and biography collections as well.
The lives of some twenty famous Parisians are used to travel through Paris visiting their homes, places of employment, favorite cafes and restaurants, and sources of inspiration.
Lovely color photos by Marion Ranoux capture the monuments, buildings, streets and locales of Albert Camus, Simone Weil, philosopher Michel de Montaigne, and Henry IV, among others.
The result is a scenic journey through the byways and streets of Paris that blends more than views into an iconic exploration of Parisian culture and people.
The
Vietnam War: An Intimate History
Geoffre C. Ward and Ken Burns
Knopf
9780307700254 $60.00
www.aaknopf.com
If only one volume about the Vietnam War were to be considered for a collection, The Vietnam War: An Intimate History should be at the top of the list.
Based on a ten-part film series by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick, The Vietnam War considers all the major battles and milestones of events in Vietnam through three American presidents, covering the social, political, and military decisions that affected these proceedings.
Rare photos, guest essays, newspaper articles, and personal accounts many viewpoints, from North Vietnamese journalists to soldiers and politicians, make for an in-depth and well-rounded survey few other, more singular, discussions can match.
The result is a treasure trove of information, perceptions, and considerations of controversies that enlightens readers not just about American experiences in Vietnam, but about other countries and their involvements. Very, very highly recommended for its multi-faceted considerations.
Music
Blues
from the Bayou
Julian C. Piper
Pelican Publishing
9781455623099
$24.95
www.pelicanpub.com
Blues from the Bayou: The Rhythms of Baton Rouge at first glance seems rather unassuming in its standard-size paperback form, as opposed to visual displays of many coverages of Louisiana music history. It isn't intended as eye candy, but as a serious discussion of blues music based on conversations Englishman Julian C. Piper had with blues musician icons and those who knew them.
His coverage incorporates more of a personal approach as it surveys the musical genius, personalities, politics, and social atmosphere of the blues in Baton Rouge, offering portraits of local heroes, larger-than-life musicians and support systems behind the scenes, and how an English guitar player became privy to the atmosphere and personalities of the region.
From the evolution of original songs to major and minor figures of the music world, Blues from the Bayou succeeds where glitzier coffee table productions don't, imparting a personal sense of experience, evolution, and music history from the point of view of a relative outsider who became part of the unique culture of the Louisiana blues music world.
David
Bowie: A Life
Dylan Jones
Crown Archetype
9780431497633
$28.00
www.crownarchetype.com
David Bowie: A Life offers a fine musical biography of Bowie that blends interviews with numerous friends, lovers, collaborators and professionals with an overview of his times, and is recommended for prior Bowie fans who probably know selected pieces of his life; but not the different viewpoints and perspectives presented here.
Dylan Jones has written a prior book about Bowie, but if only one definitive biography were to be selected, it should be this one. No other can claim to have compiled its foundation from over 180 conversations with Bowie, and none go to the lengths of this discussion, which seeks to probe not just his musical contributions and background, but his psyche and relationships both within and outside of the music industry.
David Bowie: A Life is a 'must' for any who would receive the kind of depth and attention to different facets of his life beyond his musical contributions.
Live
from the Mississippi Delta
Panny Flautt Mayfield
University Press of Mississippi
9781496813749
$45.00
www.upress.state.ms.us
Live from the Mississippi Delta offers a coffee table-sized collection of vintage photos of blues musicians both famous and local, and pairs this collection with stories about the artists.
It comes from a journalist who surveys many decades of blues and gospel music history in her native Mississippi; but it doesn't just include her research: information from and about other musicians enhance a photo-driven documentary in book form representing the best of a journalist who has photographed blues and gospel musicians at festivals, churches and clubs for decades.
This unique collection is a visual treat shared by no other Mississippi Delta music analysis, and is thus highly recommended as a 'must' for any blues or Mississippi music reference collection.
Soul
Survivor
Jimmy McDonough
DaCapo Press
97803068225674 $16.99
www.dacapopress.com
Soul Survivor: A Biography of Al Green considers Al Green's life and music and comes from a journalist who probes Green's background and special challenges, moving behind his musical contributions to examine the angst and controversies of a loner who created some of the most vital soul songs of modern times.
From his interactions with music labels and other musicians to interviews with those who were part of his personal and professional life, Soul Survivor is a 'must' not only for prior Al Green fans, but for any music collection strong in the evolution and influence of popular music in general and soul music in particular.
It brings to the table much more than a singular biography, capturing the political, social, and musical issues and icons of Al Green's times: all keys to understanding his lasting impact on soul music.
Biography & Autobiography
The
Blue Chameleon
Det. Daril Cinquanta with Dennis Bloomquist
Waldorf Publishing
9781944783938
$16.95
www.waldorfpublishing.com
The Blue Chameleon: The Life Story of a Supercop is recommended reading for those who like stories of police work and social issues, providing a powerful account of inside detective and police atmosphere by an author who held a twenty-year career in the Denver police department handling big-name investigations.
This is not just an autobiography of positive results: Daril Cinquanta received both good and bad publicity from his efforts even though his work earned him the designation of 'super cop' in police circles.
From bombs and search and seizure experiences to burglary crime sprees and drug arrests, the fast-paced world of Denver's police department comes to life in a discussion that will engross anyone interested in cop stories and crime issues.
The
Kelloggs: The Battling Brothers of Battle Creek
Howard Markel
Pantheon Books
9780307907271
$35.00
www.pantheonbooks.com
The Kelloggs: The Battling Brothers of Battle Creek blends history and biography in a survey of two brothers whose lives of jealousy and competition changed the face of American medical thinking as well as ideas on American diet and nutrition in a survey that has its family roots in Puritan New England.
While most would associate the name Kellogg with cereal, in fact the Kelloggs of Battle Creek had much impact on medicine and health in this country. Dr. John Harvey Kellogg and his famous Battle Creek Sanitarium media center and spa attracted famous names from Amelia Earhart to Henry Ford and Presidents Taft, Harding and others, fostering many innovative health programs.
As far as the cereal empire was concerned, the brothers Kellogg experimented with ingredients and special toasting devices to come up with corn flakes, and their discoveries changed not only the American diet, but the country's perception of food and health connections.
No American history or health collection should be without this winning biography of two brothers whose stormy relationship changed America.
Not
Quite a Genius
Nate Dern
Simon and Schuster
9781501122200 $26.00
www.simonandschuster.com
Not Quite a Genius is highly recommended for any biography reader who either knows of Nate Dern or who likes hilarious stories about modern life and society.
One doesn't need to have heard of this senior writer at Funny or Die in order to appreciate his writings and wry observations, however. Superior humor is good humor whether a prior introduction has been made or not; and in this case, the story is filled with fun vignettes and observations that range from Apple computer savvy and the accusation, neatly fielded, of being a genius to smart-aleck employee signs about hand washing and attempts to explain business concepts to a child.
Not Quite a Genius is pointed, wry, hard to put down, and a fine blend of autobiography and social inspection with more than a light overlay of fun added into its mix.