New & Notable

Surf Graphics By Ian C. Parliament, Introduction by Jim Phillips

A dazzling display of top surf art and design From vintage surf art to the latest designs, this collection is filled with brilliant color, energy, and vibe. It features the top 30 artists working on the surf graphic scene, each with a detailed biography, as well as the same eye-popping production values of Kustom Graphics and Kustom Graphics II. Of course, there are plenty of California artists making their marks on the surf art scene, including Shawn Dickinson (Palmdale), Damian Fulton (Los Angeles), Tom "Big Toe" Laura (Irvine), Jim Phillips (Santa Cruz), Rick Rietveld (Newport Beach), and Keith Weesner (Thousand Oaks). Brad Parker lives in Hawaii, while Thor splits his time between California and Hawaii. Pat Grant and Marty Schneider are among Australian artists on the scene, while European artists include PG Artworks (Sweden), Mik Baro (Spain), and Thorsten Hasenkamm (Germany). More...

Temari Techniques By Barbara B. Suess

Bringing a time-honored art form into the modern needle-working world, this visually rich how-to guide reveals the techniques of Japanese temari balls. Anyone with an interest in fabric arts, particularly Japanese arts and design, can master stitching techniques and layer threads to create pattern, color, and texture. There are more than 40 easy-to-follow patterns to help fine-tune this skill set that will appeal to not only temari enthusiasts, but to quilters and embroiderers as well. Step-by-step directions and detailed drawings explain each technique, while mini patterns aid in practicing the new skills and help to lay the groundwork for individual and unique designs. This volume is great for beginners and for those stitchers looking for new challenges and intermediate temari designs. The book is more than a collection of patterns: once the basic techniques have been mastered, instruction is provided on how to combine patterns on the same ball to create a unique temari. A guide for left-handed stitchers is also provided. More...

Fairy Houses . . . Unbelievable! By Barry Kane, By Tracy Kane

Conducting a unique photographic tour, this book explores a variety of whimsical fairy houses designed and built by gardeners, artists, nature lovers, and children. It pictures amazingly diverse miniature homes that have been constructed with natural materials, revealing the woods as a veritable treasure trove. Featured creations include transforming milkweed pods into fairy beds, producing tiny dishes from acorn caps, crafting a woodland library of pint-sized books from birch bark, and constructing a fairy artist's studio inside a pumpkin. This collection invites one and all to be transported to a world of enchantment while bringing out the architect in adults and kids alike. More...

Guess Where? By Guido van Genechten

The various places animals hide, sleep, and make their homes are cheerfully depicted in this playful book. The entertaining lift-the-flap pages reveal a host of colorful characters, from a sleeping cat and a mother bird feeding her chicks to a burrowing worm and a hungry polar bear. Educating children on different animals and their habitats, this book is the ideal companion for interaction between parents and toddlers. More...

Barefoot and in the Kitchen By Ashley Rowe

Chock full of vegan recipes and featuring comics, drawings, and helpful asides for any vegan needs, this invaluable resource is much more than a standard cookbook. From apple cinnamon beer bread to award-winning mac and cheese, even the most carnivorous palates will be satisfied. With an emphasis on demystifying veganism and taking the intimidation out of cooking, this cookbook's tips, tricks, and glossaries of important ingredients and cooking terms serve to encourage the uninitiated as well as vegan veterans. More...

Build Your Own App for Fun and Profit By Scott La Counte

Aimed squarely at the entrepreneur who knows little about mobile applications but is eager to know more, this primer explains in simple language this fast-growing segment of the world economy. The burgeoning smartphone and tablet market presents opportunities and new income streams for enterprising business managers. Avoiding jargon and technical language, the basics of mobile web applications are explained, and practical advice about using open-access development tools such as PhoneGap are discussed. A sample app is developed through the course of the book, providing a handy model for the reader. Even rookie developers with no programming experience will be able to create effective mobile applications using this handy introduction to a thriving billion-dollar industry. More...

Rosewood Confidential By Liv Spencer

The dark deeds, ugly secrets, and flashy fashion of Rosewood are captured in this glossy, full-color tribute to the hit TV show Pretty Little Liars. Featuring background information and insight into the cliques and mysteries of the award-winning show, it is a stylish guide that will satiate the many fans of the first two seasons and serve as an invaluable resource for show newcomers. The first companion book of the show, it features an episode guide, biographies of the stars, and the story of how a New York Times bestselling book series by Sara Shepard became a pop culture phenomenon that is sweeping the Teen Choice Awards. More...

Cultivating Peace By James O'Dea

Penned by a world-renowned social healer and peacemaker, this guide provides strategies for navigating disagreements in conflict situations of any type--within oneself, between family members, in the workplace, or between nations or religions. The study offers an integral approach to the field of building peace, covering its often-ignored cultural, spiritual, and scientific dimensions in one volume. Ideal for psychologists, negotiators, peace activists, educators, business leaders, and clergy, this handbook presents a unique set of profound tools and perspectives needed for fostering peace in the 21st century. Topics covered include how to navigate conflict with wisdom and effectiveness, develop the essential skills of a social healer, learn lessons from the new "science of peace," and connect with an inspiring community of peace builders worldwide. More...

The Pointe Book By Janice Barringer, By Sarah Schlesinger

A complete examination of the pointe technique and pointe shoes is provided in this guide. Dancers tired of their pointe shoes wearing out too quickly benefit from a thorough explanation of the shoemaking process, and the book includes tips that show how to best fit, care for, and custom order toe shoes. Interviews with ballet stars reveal their highly evolved but proven methods of caring for pointe shoes, while the basics of the pointe technique, different methods, and its history are also discussed. With a handy reference on pointe-related injuries and their remedies, this new edition also offers the latest information on contemporary designs, materials, products, and suppliers. A sampling of pointe technique schools around the country offers an authoritative syllabus for teachers and students alike. More...

Social Media for Seniors By Studio Visual Steps

Social media such as Facebook and Twitter have become an undeniable—and seemingly inescapable—aspect of modern culture and daily communication, and this helpful guide provides the ins and outs of social media for seniors so that all levels of tech savvy can participate and connect with the enormous established social media population. Using approachable step-by-step instructions and featuring screenshots throughout for easy reference, this book focuses on the basics of social media, including creating accounts across the different platforms, adding personal information and photographs, building friend groups, privacy settings, and tips for business use. From keeping in touch with family and reconnecting with friends to marketing and growing a business or managing clubs and organizations, this guide introduces seniors to the social media scene with all the essential tools for establishing their online presence. More...

Roadside Picnic By Arkady Strugatsky, By Boris Strugatsky, Foreword by Ursula K. Le Guin

Red Schuhart is a stalker, a young rebel who is compelled, despite extreme danger, to venture illegally into the Zone to collect mysterious alien artifacts. His life is dominated by the place and the thriving black market in alien products. But when he and his friend Kirill go into the Zone together, something goes terribly wrong. The news Red receives from his girlfriend upon his return makes it inevitable that he'll keep going back to the Zone, again and again, until he finds the answer to all his problems. Back in print after 30 years, this brand new translation of a science-fiction classic has been supplemented with a foreword by Ursula K. Le Guin and a new afterword by Boris Strugatsky that explains the strange history of its original publication in Russia. More...

Physical Chess By Billy Robinson, By Jake Shannon

The memoir fills a crucial gap in the history of catch-as-catch-can wrestling while simultaneously chronicling the subject’s life in his own inimitable voice. Starting with Robinson’s upbringing in a working-class family in post–World War II England, the record journeys through his career as a professional wrestler, concluding with his current profession as a highly sought-after MMA coach, training legends such as Kazushi Sakuraba and Josh Barnett. For the first time, this narrative sets the record straight on the author’s infamous street fight with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson's grandfather and the accomplishments of some of the world’s greatest competitive grapplers. Both eye-opening and inspiring, Robinson’s story spans wrestling from before its first appearances on television to its presence in today's social media, demanding a unique place on the bookshelves of pro-wrestling and MMA fans alike. More...

The Ultimate Scholarship Book 2013 By Gen Tanabe, By Kelly Tanabe

Information on thousands of scholarships, grants, and prizes is easily accessible in this revised directory with more than 700 new listings that feature awards indexed by career goal, major, academics, public service, talent, athletics, religion, ethnicity, and more. Each entry contains all the necessary information for students and parents to complete the application process, including eligibility requirements, how to obtain an application, how to get more information about each award, sponsor website listings, award amounts, and key deadlines. With scholarships for high school, college, graduate, and adult students, this guide also includes tips on how to conduct the most effective search, how to write a winning application, and how to avoid scams. More...

Three By Annemarie Monahan

One yellow April morning, a 17 year old girl asks herself, "Do I dare to eat a peach?" Three different answers will send her down three very different paths. That morning is long past. Now she is 41. Kitty Trevelyan has been happily married 23 years. Happily enough. Until her professor asks her for coffee and kisses her.Dr. Katherine North's memory of two lovers chafes her like a hair shirt. After reading one has died, she contacts the otherâ€”only to discover that she has been renounced for God. Ãntonia searches the sea-horizon every evening. In the last light, she can glimpse it: a feminist Utopia built on an abandoned oil rig, led by her charismatic and bipolar lover. Her lost Eden made by Eves.Who are we? Who haven't we been? Have we dared? Three of one woman's possible lives are about to collide.More...

Byzantium Endures By Michael Moorcock, Introduction by Alan Wall

Published in 1981 to great critical acclaim, then condemned to the shadows and unavailable in the United States for 30 years, Byzantium Endures, the first of the Pyat quartet, is not a book for the faint-hearted. It is the story of a cocaine addict, sexual adventurer, and obsessive anti-Semite whose epic journey from Leningrad to London connects him with scoundrels and heroes from Trotsky to Makhno and whose career echoes that of the 20th century's descent into fascism and total war. This is Moorcock at his audacious, iconoclastic best: a grand sweeping overview of the events of the last century, as revealed in the secret journals of modern literature's most proudly unredeemable outlaw. This authoritative edition presents the author's final cut, restoring previously forbidden passages and deleted scenes. More...

Surviving Your Adolescents By Thomas W Phelan

A step-by-step approach to handling teenagers, this guide helps parents end hassles and improve their relationship with their adolescent. Parents learn how to communicate with teenagers, how to manage teenage risk-taking, how to let go in certain situations, and when to seek professional attention. Concise and encouraging, this resource walks parents through the ups and downs of parenting teenagers as their kids push towards independence. Read more...

Frederick Douglass for Kids By Nancy I. Sanders

Few Americans have had as much impact on the United States as Frederick Douglass, and this guide follows his footsteps, from his birth into slavery to his becoming a friend and confidant of presidents and the leading African American of his day. This American hero became a bestselling author, an outspoken newspaper editor, a brilliant orator, a tireless abolitionist, and a brave civil rights leader. To better appreciate Frederick Douglass and his times, young readers will form a debate club, cook a meal similar to the one Douglass shared with John Brown, make a Civil War haversack, participate in a microlending program, and more. This valuable resource also includes a time line of significant events, a list of historic sites to visit or explore online, and web resources for further study. More...

Fairy Tales of Oscar Wilde: The Happy Prince By Oscar Wilde, Illustrated by P. Craig Russell

Arguably the most famous and beloved of Oscar Wilde’s nine fairy tales, this particular rendition stands apart from the others due to its brilliant illustrations by a a master of comic art. After dying young, the Happy Prince’s soul inhabits a beautiful ruby-encrusted statue covered in gold leaf which is perched high above the city. But when he sees the poverty, misery and desperateness of his people, he enlists the help of a barn swallow to remove the gilding of his statue and shower the riches on his people. In the spring, the townspeople are saved, but find only a stripped down and dull statue alongside a dead swallow. The remains are tossed into an ash heap, but an emissary of God recognizes their sacrifice, and escorts them into the gardens of Heaven. Perfect for middle school students as an introduction to the world-famous author, the dazzling illustrations in this book suit the timeless writings of Wilde. More...

This Wheel's on Fire By Levon Helm, By Stephen Davis

The Band, who backed Bob Dylan when he went electric in 1965 and then turned out a half-dozen albums of beautifully crafted, image-rich songs, is now regarded as one of the most influential rock groups of the '60s. But while their music evoked a Southern mythology, only their Arkansawyer drummer, Levon Helm, was the genuine article. From the cotton fields to Woodstock, from seeing Sonny Boy Williamson and Elvis Presley to playing for President Clinton, This Wheel’s on Fire replays the tumultuous history of our times in Levon’s own unforgettable folksy drawl. This edition is expanded with a new afterword by the authors. More...

The Scots By Alistair Moffat, By James F. Wilson

An almost limitless archive of history is available through DNA analysis and this book examines how DNA can be used to trace ancestry. It uses fascinating, cutting-edge science to uncover the details of Scottish origins: where Scots are from and who they are. Engrossing and entertaining, this account furthers the understanding of a people's past and vividly colors a DNA map of Scotland. More...

A Secret Woman By Rose Solari

Louise Terry is the quintessential, modern American woman; a successful and independent artist, sexually liberated and head strong, she's determined to carve out a life for herself where her painting comes first and where she can avoid messy romantic entanglements. But when her estranged mother, Margaret, dies, leaving a box of documents, photos, and journals, Louise discovers in its contents a new and very different woman from the one who raised her. This Margaret was admired by Catholic priests and Wiccan priestesses alike for her spiritual gifts and was working, at the time of her death, on assembling her visions of a 12th-century cross-dressing woman mystic who not only managed to infiltrate the male bastion of Glastonbury Abbey, but who instigated the tragic fire that burned it to the ground in 1184. More...

Wes Cole's Healthy Habits By Wes Cole

This dynamic wellness guide presents the definitive solution for taking control of diet and fitness, guaranteeing healthy changes for life. The detailed plan is broken down into four cycles, providing supportive guidance for gradually altering eating habits and eliminating harmful substances that promote weight gain. An active lifestyle is encouraged through realistic suggestions, until daily fitness becomes second nature. Formulating a patient and supportive approach to optimal health, this handbook promises a lifelong transformation, one proactive step at a time. More...

Girardi By Kevin Kernan

Drawn from more than 60 interviews and hours of face time, this authorized biography offers an unprecedented inside-the-dugout look at the manager who guided the New York Yankees to their 27th world championship. Beginning with his childhood in the baseball mecca of Chicago, this book traces Joe Girardi's rise from a catcher at Northwestern University to his time in the minors, his 15 years in the majors, and his successful career as a manager. As much a character portrait of the man as a chronicle of his achievements, this study reveals the amalgam of influences--the relentless work ethic learned from his father combined with the systematic mind of an engineer, the baseball know-how instilled by the likes of Don Zimmer and Joe Torre, and the heart of his tenacious mother--that combined to propel Girardi to his current stature. More...

Every Night the Trees Disappear By Alan Greenberg, Foreword by Werner Herzog

This intimate chronicle about the visionary filmmaker Werner Herzog explores his unorthodox methods in directing the film Heart of Glass. Twenty-four-year-old Alan Greenberg showed up unannounced at Herzog's Munich home; by the end of their first evening together Herzog urged him to collaborate on his current project--and everything thereafter. Sharing how unusual Herzog's renegade filmmaking methods could be, Greenberg explains how Herzog hypnotized the actors prior to shooting their scenes, creating a profoundly haunting cinematic experience. More than a conventional journalistic account, this book interweaves the original screenplay with Greenberg's observations from his work on the film, allowing the married texts to play off each other hypnotically and create a unique vision with the feel of a novel--intimate, penetrating, and filled with mystery. More...

The Handy Math Answer Book By Patricia Barnes-Svarney, By Thomas E. Svarney

From modern-day challenges such as balancing a checkbook, following the stock market, buying a home, and figuring out credit card finance charges to appreciating historical developments by Pythagoras, Archimedes, Newton, and other mathematicians, this engaging resource addresses more than 1,000 questions related to mathematics. Organized into chapters that cluster similar topics in an easily accessible format, this reference provides clear and concise explanations about the fundamentals of algebra, calculus, geometry, trigonometry, and other branches of mathematics. It contains the latest mathematical discoveries, including newly uncovered historical documents and updates on how science continues to use math to make cutting-edge innovations in DNA sequencing, superstring theory, robotics, and computers. With fun math facts and illuminating figures, The Handy Math Answer Book explores the uses of math in everyday life and helps the mathematically challenged better understand and enjoy the magic of numbers. More...

Couples By Kate Figes

An intelligent, thoughtful look at the ways people make couplehood work in a time of unprecedented expectations of romance, commitment, equality, fidelity, and happiness ever after. Historically speaking, people currently enjoy unrivaled freedom when it comes to choosing a relationship, yet new levels of uncertainty coupled with new myths about how to live and love can compromise potential coupled happiness. Kate Figes argues that, whether married or cohabiting, gay or straight, remarried or a couple living apart, the quality of one's intimate relationship is fundamental to long-term health and happiness, because the human need for commitment and love has not changed. She set out to find out how people make it work by interviewing 120 people from diverse backgrounds, as well as surveying couplehood-related academic literature. More...

One Steppe Beyond By Thom Wheeler

Traveling across the former Soviet Union is a challenge at the best of times; doing so in a dilapidated VW is just that much more of an adventure. A chance job offer at a timber yard in Estonia gives Thom and his old pal Jo a taste for the unknown. So when Uncle Tony asks them to drive to Vladivostok for another job, they can't think of a good reason why not. The result is a classic caper across the former Soviet Union in Max, a rusty old VW camper. Knowing little of the language or the geography ahead, they embark on probably the longest commute ever, encountering corrupt officials, film star mechanics, and over-friendly gangsters. Far off the tourist trail, they bear witness to the collapse of one nation and the birth of a new one during the free-for-all that was Russia in the 1990s. More...

The Code of the Woosters By P. G. Wodehouse, Read by Martin Jarvis

The third novel to feature the inimitable Wooster and Jeeves The sinister affair of the 18th century cow-creamer and the small, brown, leather-covered notebook tests the Wooster soul as it has never been tested before. Friends and relations, in urgent need, queue up to beg for assistance in a variety of troublesome situations, and ruthless enemies stop at nothing in their determination to bring Bertie down. Does our hero blink at the burdens placed on his shoulders by his nearest and dearest? He does not. More...

Hero of Rome By Douglas Jackson

The first in a major new Roman trilogy tells the story of Valerius Verrens as he faces up to 50,000 British warriors with only 3,000 defenders and a last stand that will live on in history. The Roman grip on Britain is weakening. Emperor Nero has turned his face away from this far-flung outpost; the Druids are on the rise, spreading seeds of rebellion among the British tribes; and Roman cruelty and exploitation have angered their British subjects. The warrior queen Boudicca will lead the tribes to war. Standing against the rising tide of Boudicca's rebellion is Roman Tribune Gaius Valerius Verrens, Commander of the veteran legions at Colonia. Valerius leads the veterans in a last stand against the unstoppable horde of Boudicca's rebel army. Step by step, the bloodied survivors are forced back into the Temple of Claudius. It is here that Valerius wins lifelong fame and the accolade Hero of Rome. More...

King's Gold By Michael Jecks

The 30th outing in the acclaimed series from medieval crime master Jecks. As the year 1326 draws to a close, London is in flames. King Edward II is a prisoner, and the forces of his vengeful queen, Isabella, and her lover Sir Roger Mortimer, are in the ascendant. The Bardi family, bankers who have funded the King, must look to their future with the Queen, steering a careful course between rival factions—if, that is, they can keep themselves alive. Others, too, find their loyalties torn. Guarding the deposed King on behalf of Mortimer, Sir Baldwin de Furnshill and bailiff Simon Puttock find themselves entangled in a tightening net of conspiracy, greed, betrayal, and murder. More...

Happy Days By Graham Hurley

D/I Faraday is gone and the police are left reeling. As his boss attempts to limit any possible PR damage his one time shadow on the force, ex D/C Winter is ever more concerned that he may have made the biggest mistake of his life throwing in his lot with the city's drug baron, Bazza McKenzie. Especially as Bazza is becoming increasingly desperate and violent as his empire begins to crumble under the weight of austere times. And, in the person of D/S Jummy Suttle there's a new will at the heart of Portsmouth's embattled police force to nail Bazza once and for all, the one man Faraday was always desperate to bring to justice. Graham Hurley's new novel is about loss. It is about the decisions we make in life, about the impact our lives have on others. Hurley's trademark authenticity has been allied to an ever increasing sense of drama as he charts the lives of his vivid characters and paints a stunning portrait of a city and a country at war with itself. A war which throws the police into the front line. Happy days? More...

Birth 2012 and Beyond By Barbara Marx Hubbard

Explaining how the planet's myriad crises are actually the birth pangs of a new Earth, this inspired exploration is Barbara Marx Hubbard's prophetic call for a planetary shift. It explores the aftermath of the coming planetary renaissance that she has heralded for decades, and introduces an established popular global movement to cocreate a massive transition around a symbolic "Planetary Birthday" event on December 22, 2012. This volume features 12 evolutionary pioneers' commentary on the author's key themes of collective birth and conscious evolution, aiming to foster the emergence of a sustainable planetary civilization. Featured contributors include Ervin Laszlo, Michael Beckwith, Jack Canfield, Jean Houston, and Neale Donald Walsch. More...

Caillou: Happy Easter! By Melanie Rudel-Tessier, Illustrated by Pierre Brignaud

It’s springtime, and Caillou and his family are going to celebrate Easter with Uncle Felix at his farm. Caillou has great fun seeing the cute little chicks and piglets, riding on the tractor, and decorating eggs with his cousins. What they’re most excited about, though, is the annual Easter egg hunt. Together Caillou and Uncle Felix search the henhouse for hidden eggs and find more than anyone else. Capturing the precious memories and emotions of the Easter holiday, this book commemorates the magical traditions of the Easter bunny’s arrival and the Easter egg hunt for toddlers. More...

Leaving Mundania By Lizzie Stark

Exposing a subculture only beginning to enter the imagination of mainstream America, this is the story of live action role-playing (LARP) games. A hybrid of games, such as Dungeons & Dragons, historical reenactment, fandom, and good old-fashioned pretend, LARP games are thriving and this book explores its multifaceted culture and related phenomenonincluding the Society for Creative Anachronism, a medieval reenactment group that boasts more than 32,000 members. The history of LARP is detailed and is shown to have arisen from the pageantry of Tudor England and is currently being used as a training tool for the U.S. military. Along the way, the author duels foes with foam-padded weapons, lets the great elder god Cthulhu destroy her parents' beach house, and endures an existential awakening in the high-art LARP scene of Scandinavia. More...

Edvard Munch (1863â€“1944) Edited by Dr. Alexander Bastek

Forty pieces from a private Norwegian collection of the elegant woodcuts of Edvard Munch are presented in this collection and are supplemented by the Museum Behnhaus Drägerhaus exhibition and catalog. Projects colored by hand and unique copies of works are explored, following a general introduction into the featured pieces—penned by the artist himself and his main subjects. The showcase illustrates all woodcut works in detail, contains a short biography of Munch, and is presented as a bilingual edition in both English and German. More...

The Flying Machine Book By Bobby Mercer

With 35 easy-to-build and fun-to-fly contraptions that can be used indoors or out, this project book contains instructions for building rockets, gliders, boomerangs, launchers, and helicopters for little or no cost using recycled materials. Kids will learn how to turn a drinking straw, rubber band, and index card into a straw rocket and convert a paper towel tube into a grape bazooka. Each project contains a materials list and detailed step-by-step instructions with photos, as well as explanations of the science behind each flyer, including concepts such as lift, thrust, drag, the Bernoulli effect, and more. Readers can use this information to modify and improve their flyers or explain to their teachers why throwing a paper airplane is a mini science lesson. More...

Terry's Greatest Tips for Acrylic and Watercolour Artists By Terry Harrison

A compilation of renowned artist Terry Harrison's most important and practical advice, this book, which contains more than 200 tips for painting in either acrylics or watercolor, is packaged in a spiral-bound format ideal for artists to use while painting. Taking the mystery out of painting with quick, clever tips that are easy to follow and highly effective, this book covers topics from what supplies to buy and how to transfer images to using additives such as texture paste, eggshells, and sawdust. Whether painting skies, fields, foregrounds, trees, mountains, water, or buildings, artists of all skill levels will find this reference packed with tips to help create more beautiful and accomplished works of art. More...

Asia's Unknown Uprisings Volume 1 By George Katsiaficas

Using social movements as a prism to illuminate the oft-hidden history of 20th-century Korea, this book provides detailed analysis of major uprisings that have patterned the country's politics and society. From the 1894 Tonghak uprising through the March 1, 1919, independence movement and anti-Japanese resistance, a direct line is traced to the popular opposition to U.S. division of Korea after World War II. The overthrow of Syngman Rhee in 1960, resistance to Park Chung-hee, the 1980 Gwangju Uprising, as well as student, labor, and feminist movements are all recounted with attention to their economic and political contexts. This is the first of two volumes that emphasizes the effects of grassroots political movements in different countries of Asia. More...

Follow Me Down By Marc Strange

A man, hanging from a tree at the edge of the forest that surrounds Dockerty, Newry County, has been shot with arrows, two of which pin his belly to the tree trunk. Orwell Brennan, Dockerty's chief of police, wonders whether it's a hunting accident when a sergeant tells him it's been ruled a murder. He also tells the chief that it's now in the hands of Metro Homicide and outside his concern. But Orwell has never listened much to those telling him to mind his own business, and this case has far too many unanswered questions to suit him. He decides he can't and won't let it go until he knows what really happened, no matter whose toes he steps on. With a fast-paced, cinematic narrative, this murder mystery introduces a take-no-prisoners police chief, whose determination unearths some better-left-alone secrets. More...

A Fine and Private Place By Peter Beagle

Conversing in a mausoleum with the dead, an eccentric recluse is tugged back into the world by a pair of ghostly lovers bearing an extraordinary gift—the final chance for his own happiness. When challenged by a faithless wife and aided by a talking raven, the lives of the living and the dead may be renewed by courage and passion, but only if not belatedly. Told with an elegiac wisdom, this delightful tale of magic and otherworldly love is a timeless work of fantasy imbued with hope and wonder. After multiple printings since 1960, this newest edition will contain the author's recent revisions and will stand as the definitive version of an ageless classic. More...

Birth 2012 and Beyond By Barbara Marx Hubbard

Explaining how the plane's myriad crises are actually the birth pangs of a new Earth, this inspired exploration is Barbara Marx Hubbard's prophetic call for a planetary shift. It explores the aftermath of the coming planetary renaissance that she has heralded for decades, and introduces an established popular global movement to cocreate a massive transition around a symbolic "Planetary Birthday" event on December 22, 2012. This volume features 12 evolutionary pioneers' commentary on the author's key themes of collective birth and conscious evolution, aiming to foster the emergence of a sustainable planetary civilization. Featured contributors include Ervin Laszlo, Michael Beckwith, Jack Canfield, Jean Houston, and Neale Donald Walsch. More...

Baby Caillou First Word Library By Chouette Publishing, Illustrated by Pierre Brignaud

Bursting with full-color illustrations, this six-in-one boxed set presents first words perfectly suited to help develop a young child's vocabulary. Introducing such themes as animals, clothes, colors, and vehicles, each book in the slipcase contains a single word per page with an easily recognizable Caillou illustration. Toddlers will love discovering these words with Caillou, and parents will enjoy the convenient carrying-case format. More...

Style Me Vintage: Clothes By Naomi Thompson

Vintage styles have never been more popular, with everyone from major stars to teens on the street looking to indulge in retro glamour. Whether a reader is looking to completely overhaul their look, go for complete vintage glam, or just introduce a few key vintage pieces into their day-to-day wardrobe, this book will teach them how. It is packed with tips on how to find unique, one-off items that fit any budget, look fabulous, and will retain their value, and also details what to look for, when to part with one's cash, and what to avoid. Readers will learn how to determine which era fits their shape, how to build a retro look from the base up, and how to make retro styles work with modern accessories. Filled with fun, detailed photographs showing classic looks from the 1920s to the 1980s, this is essential reading for anyone who has ever wanted to introduce vintage into their wardrobe, but felt unsure where to start. More...

And the Band Played On . . . By Christopher Ward

As the order to abandon ship was given, the orchestra took their instruments on deck and continued to play as the ship went down. The violinist, 21 year-old Jock Hume, knew that his fiancée, Mary, was expecting their first child, the author's mother. A century later, Christopher Ward reveals a dramatic story of love, loss, and betrayal, and the catastrophic impact of Jock's death on two very different Scottish families. He paints a vivid portrait of an age in which class determined the way you lived—and died. This outstanding piece of historical detective work is also a moving account of how the author's quest to learn more about his grandfather revealed the shocking truth about a family he thought he knew, a truth that had been hidden for nearly 100 years. More...

The Doctors: Who's Who By Craig Cabell

Updated from the hardcover, this book provides detailed biographies of the 11 actors who have played the Time Lord, including the latest, Matt Smith. Doctor Who is the world's longest-running science fiction television series, and the role of the Time Lord has been a career landmark for all 11 actors who have played him. Few roles in television history are as iconic, demanding, or as anticipated by its legion of fans as that of the famous time traveler with two hearts. This compendium of facts about the men behind the role reveals to fans who was a bouncer for the Rolling Stones before taking control of the Tardis, who was nearly blown up in World War II aboard HMS Hood, who had a fondness for wooly hats and a grandson who would become Harry Potter's nemesis, and who played a transvestite barmaid before becoming a Who heartthrob. All these bizarre facts are expained, and many more, as the lives and careers of each Doctor—including the youngest and most recent incarnation, Matt Smith—are put under the spotlight and given the credit they so richly deserve. Including interviews with many of the stars, this is a must-have for any fan. More...

Gay Conversations with God By James Alexander Langteaux

Representing a first in gay and Christian publishing, this provocative book presents a complete reversal of thought and action, contending that God loves homosexuals without attempting to refute scripture references. The study confronts its subject with a quirky sense of humor in the spirit of the bedtime story, providing a rare, evangelical Christian volume addressed directly to the gay community. Unorthodox in its presentation, this guide speaks the language of those who may feel abandoned, condemned, and damned while avoiding reinterpretations of scriptural passages, making the gospel accessible to a younger, free-spirited generation. Spearheading a volatile topic with candor and grace, it reframes the never-ending question, Is homosexuality a sin? and instead asks the gay community for a cease-fire to forgive, love, and help put a stop to a cultural war being waged in the world. More...

Time Management for Catholics By Dave Durand

Offering dozens of practical techniques for managing time, avoiding burnout, and reconnecting with your Creator, bestselling author Dave Durand reveals the methods he has used over the past 10 years in his work with thousands of busy Catholics. In this faith-based guide, Durand dispenses simple advice that's easy to adapt and apply immediately—from finding extra hours for quality family time and reducing workweek hours to retooling a schedule for fitness and exercise—each technique is sure to create more structured days, weeks, and months while, most importantly, encouraging every Catholic to be the person God intended. More...

Mega Manga By Keith Sparrow

Geared toward beginners but with tips for more experienced manga enthusiasts, this concise yet comprehensive guide takes artists new to this popular genre through the drawing process from rough sketches to finished artwork. With easy-to-follow drawings in pencil, ink, and color, it presents all the techniques necessary to create great manga characters. The book pays particular attention to the art of drawing bodies and faces, eyes and hair, hands and feet, and expressions and gestures across a range of human and fantasy creatures. Additionally, it offers a focused approach by highlighting each subject of manga and demonstrating how to draw it using multiple examples. It also includes galleries of finished drawings to show the full range of manga artistry achievable with the type of instruction this informative guide offers. More...

The Mobile Marketing Handbook By Kim Dushinski

Focusing on a concept that is rapidly integrating into the daily lives of consumers—locally, nationally, and globally—this handbook presents a detailed examination of mobile marketing. Based on 20 years of experience in the field, this reference proves that this cost-effective strategy can be used successfully by businesses of any size. Beginning with a simple test to determine a firm’s readiness to go mobile, this guide also includes preliminary questions, an accessible program for creating a dynamic campaign, advice on how to avoid making common mistakes, and the most current online resources for mobile marketers. With easy-to-follow tips on building stronger consumer relationships and strategies such as text messaging and social networking, this resource will help any company put their message in the palms of customers’ hands. More...

Ball RedBook Edited by Chris Beytes, Edited by Chris Beytes

This professional horticulture reference, which has been in print continuously for 70 years, is fully revised and updated in this new edition. Based on real-life experiences from industry professionals including growers and equipment and greenhouse manufacturers, the presented information covers all aspects of greenhouse equipment—the structures themselves, benches, irrigation, curtains, environmental controls, machination, and the greenhouse as a retail facility. Discussed are the most recent developments in greenhouse evolution and the varieties of greenhouse structures available, from freestanding and gutter-connected to shade houses and open-roof greenhouses. There are many types of glazing available for each greenhouse, and the differences between glass, polyethylene film, and rigid plastic are explored. Also included is information on managing the greenhouse, marketing products, and operating a retail store from a greenhouse. More...

Ball RedBook Edited by Jim Nau, Edited by Chris Beytes

Offering detailed information on the production of 162 flower, herb, and vegetable crops, this essential resource for growers includes techniques and advice that work in real-life production, not just in the lab or trial greenhouses. Information is offered on how to decide what to grow, as well as tips on temperature, media, plant nutrition, irrigation, water quality, light, crop scheduling, and growth regulators. Details about propagation, growing, pest and disease control, troubleshooting, and postharvest care are presented and arranged by genus name. The plants represented in this compendium include annuals, perennials, flowering potted plants, herbs, and some vegetable bedding plants. More...

2012 Provincetown and the National Seashore Calendar Photographs By Charles Fields

Seasonal landscape photographs of a quaint, resort town on the tip of Cape Cod are included in this 12-month calendar. The captivating images—including those of dunes, lighthouses, and beaches—capture the charming essence of this popular tourist destination. Marked with all major holidays and moon phases and with ample space for noting appointments, meetings, and social events, this collection makes a special, year-round gift for visitors and locals to the area. More...

Wall and Piece By Banksy

Banksy, Britain's now-legendary "guerilla" street artist, has painted the walls, streets, and bridges of towns and cities throughout the world. Not only did he smuggle his pieces into four of New York City's major art museums, he's also "hung" his work at London's Tate Gallery and adorned Israel's West Bank barrier with satirical images. Banksy's identity remains unknown, but his work is unmistakable—with prints selling for as much as $45,000. More...

Mini Weapons of Mass Destruction 2 By John Austin

From a mini-catapult in a breath-mint tin to milk-jug cap blow-dart wristwatches, this handbook details how to achieve clandestine ends practically and inexpensively. In addition to creating weapons such as periscopes, bionic ears, and grappling hooks, spies-to-be will find ideas on how to hide their stash—a deck of cards, a false-bottom soda bottle, or a cereal box-brief case—and tips for target practice. Clear diagrams and instructions make construction simple, while easy-to-follow safety tips help ensure DIY builders avoid injuries. Projects include a paper throwing star, a bowler hat launcher, and a Q-pick blow gun. More...

Forever a Blackhawk By Stan Mikita, By Bob Verdi

Few athletes in the grand history of Chicago sports have ever been as beloved as the Chicago Blackhawks' Stan Mikita. One of the most popular players of his or any era, Mikita thrilled fans with his unique combination of speed, skill and grace. Coming on the heels of the best-selling One Goal Achieved: The Inside Story of the 2010 Stanley Cup Champion Chicago Blackhawks and The Golden Jet, Forever a Blackhawk is another must-have keepsake for Blackhawk fans of all ages and a rare opportunity to celebrate the life of one of Chicago's favorite sons. And bringing these pictures to life is an exclusive commemorative DVD, which includes highlights, interviews, and behind-the-scenes clips from the Blackhawks' video library. More...

When a Dragon Moves In By Jodi Moore, Illustrated by Howard McWilliam

On a beautiful day at the beach, a young boy brings his bucket, shovel, and imagination, and builds a perfect sand castle. Right away, a dragon moves in. The boy decides to befriend his dragon and they spend time roaming the shore, flying a kite, braving the waves, defying bullies, and roasting marshmallows—all while Dad is busy sunbathing and Mom is engrossed in her book. Unfortunately, no one believes the boy when he tries to share the news of this magnificent creature. That’s when the mischief begins, and the dragon becomes a force to be reckoned with. While adults will recognize the naughty antics as a ploy for attention, children will dissolve into giggles as the dragon devours every last sandwich, blows bubbles in the lemonade, and leaves claw prints in the brownies. More...

Stargazing Dog By Takashi Murakami

The bestselling Japanese tale of a man and his faithful dog: translated from the Japanese bestseller, this story centers on Oto-san, a man who finds himself abandoned by his family and friends with nothing in his life happening the way he had planned. He embarks on a road trip to escape it all, and he soon discovers the only one he can count on completely is his faithful, recently adopted dog, who helps him see the light at the end of the tunnel. Illustrating the valuable lessons of friendship and loyalty, this is a heartwarming tale of two endearing characters and their shared adventure into the unknown. More...

Conquest By Julian Stockwin

Newly victorious at the Battle of Trafalgar, England now rules the seas and is free to colonize the furthest reaches of the world. Captain Thomas Kydd joins an expedition to take Dutch-held Cape Town, a strategic harbor that will give England a rich trade route to India. With enemies lurking on all sides, Kydd and his men must defend the fragile colony while braving Africa’s vast and hostile hinterland. When Renzi learns too much about the enemy’s plans, even Kydd may not be able to save him. More...