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Visit Bookviews by Alan Caruba, October 2000
There are a handful of publishers known for publishing books that are, in themselves, works of art. I have been a longtime fan of Collectors Press, Inc. and for this reason, of course, was delighted to receive their latest book, Horror of the 20th Century: An Illustrated History by Robert Weinberg ($60). There is something in us that loves the vicarious thrill of being scared to bits and this book highlights the writers, illustrators, publishers, actors, and filmmakers that have supplied the frights. As in all Collectors Press books, it is big, it is lavishly illustrated in full color, and it has a text written by an expert on the subject. If horror is your pleasure, this book must be added to your personal library or given as a gift to someone who delights in it.
Another Firefly Books title that merits special attention is Jay Maisel’s New York featuring the work of a gifted photographer who has been taking pictures in New York since the 1950’s ($40). The book brings together 250 full-color images of the city that demonstrate how unique a place it is. For anyone who has lived there, worked there, or just loves the urban landscape, this book will prove a real treasure. It is a visual feast. This can also be said of a collection of beautiful line drawings of babes and young children by Karen Carrino ($29, Prometheus Books). The Spirit of Children is a treat for those who love this artform and Ms. Carrino’s work is splendid. If the world of science interests you, The Scalpel and the Butterfly: The War Between Animal Research and Animal Protection by Deborah Rudacille ($25, Farrar, Straus, Giroux) is a serious look at the conflict between those for whom experiments using animal subjects generates new pharmaceuticals and medical techniques to improve and save the lives of humans and those for whom such experiments have generated a zealous effort to eliminate this element of research. The fact remains that life expectancy has been extended from 43 in 1900 to 76 years today because of the scientific advances that have been made, often using animals. In a similar fashion, Death of a Rat Under-standings and Appreciations of Science by Dr. William D. Stansfield ($29, Prometheus Books), a geneticist and science writer, examines the ethical and philosophical issues confronting science today. If questions surrounding human experimentation, fetal cell research, and animal rights interest you, this book, too, merits your serious attention.
Susan Shapiro Barash has authored Second Wives: The Pitfalls and Rewards of Marrying Widowers and Divorced Men ($15.95, New Horizon press, also officially due out in December). She points out that, for second wives, the honeymoon can be over very quickly because they face a unique set of problems as they compete with the memory of wife number one, often inherit stepchildren or share the financial frustrations of supporting two households. Ironically, even though the number of second (and third) wives is at an all-time high, many feel there is no where to turn for advice and support. That makes this a particularly valuable book and, if you or someone you know is a second wife, don’t hesitate to get or give this book. If you are a history buff with an interest in World War II, then you will find Hitler’s Table Talk 1941-1944 ($32, Enigma Books) fascinating. Originally published in 1953, the book records Hitler’s conversations with his henchmen after Martin Bormann persuaded him to allow them to be taken down by a group of stenographers. The book has been issued with a new preface by Hugh Trever-Roper, the historian who has written about the man who unleashed the war and the Holocaust. Other books due out from this publishing house include In Stalin’s Secret Service, due in November and, in spring 2001, The Jews in Fascist Italy, A History. To understand the dementia that drove Nazism, you cannot improve on the table talk book. Like to travel? Music and art? Well, now you can combine the two in Robert Craft’s book, Places: A Travel Companion for Music and Art Lovers ($29.95, Thames and Hudson). A conductor, Craft takes you on travelogue of places in a way only a true connoisseur of music, art and literature can do, imparting insights and information, while sharing the joys and troubles of travel in an evocative way that makes you feel what he feels, learn what he knows. This book is truly a trip around the world from your favorite place to read. For some very amusing, grown-up humor, there’s the New York Friars Club Book of Roasts ($21.95, M. Evans & Co.) edited by Barry Dougherty. It is filled with the many moments of mirth aimed at stars like Milton Berle, Frank Sinatra, and stars of today such as Kelsey Grammer and Drew Carey. The insult rises to high comedic art and just as often reflects the famed raunchiness of the roasts that have passed into theatre history. You will also be treated to the behind-the-scenes stories involving these events and their famous participants. It is a wonderfully entertaining book. There was a time when the name S.J. Perelman meant sidesplitting humor for an entire generation. He made people laugh for fifty years, wrote screenplays for the Marx Brothers, won an Oscar for Around the World in Eighty Days, and wrote countless essays for The New Yorker. It’s time to rediscover this great humorist and the Lyons Press has made that possible by reissuing four of his best books, Baby, It’s Cold Inside, The Swiss Family Perelman, The Rising Gorge, and The Last Laugh, in affordable ($16.95 each, The Lyons Press) softcover volumes. Perelman inspired Woody Allen, P.J. O’Rourke, and Steve Martin, among other humorists who grew up wanting to be as funny as he was. He passed away in 1979, but the laughs remain. As America continues to enjoy the longest period of economic success, it’s no surprise that there are many new books to help the process continue, filled with advice that can help you run a company better, invest more wisely, start your own business, and much more. Here’s a look at some of the latest to arrive at Bookviews. Successful Business Planning in 30 Days by Peter J. Patsula ($19.95, Patsula Media) provides a step-by-step thirty day approach designed to launch any entrepreneur who is planning to start a small business and needs to know the essentials of writing a business plan. This book is especially good in the way it presents its information, making it particularly easy to absorb and apply. There’s plenty of supporting information to be found on his Internet site, smallbusinesstown.com where the book can be purchased online.My friend, Barbara Brabec is the guru of craft business and, happily, she has recently published Make it Profitable! How to Make your Art, Craft, Design, Writing, or Publishing Business More Efficient, More Satisfying, and More Profitable ($16.95, M.Evans & Co.) With a title like that, what more is left to say? Well, for one thing, anyone involved in the above activities can learn everything they need to know to actually make a lot of money from things they love to do. It is filled with advice on how design and package new products, improve production methods, solve pricing problems, use computer technology effectively, manage one’s time, and keep one’s personal and business life in perspective. It just doesn’t get much better than this in a single volume. For more, visit BarbaraBrabec.com.Shameless Marketing for Brazen Hussies ($19.95, Communication
Creativity) is by yet another friend, Marilyn Ross. Her book offers more
than There are an estimated three million salespeople in the United States, so the competition for a sales prospect’s time is fierce. That’s why, if you are one of those sales persons, you will want to read Dave Donelson’s Creative Selling: Boost your B2B Sales ($17.95, Entrepreneur Press) It is aimed at sales professionals competing in the business to business world who knows how difficult it is to get an appointment to pitch their products or services, much less close a deal. This book will get their creative juices flowing because it instructs how to research a customer’s business and market share, calculating its annual budget so you can sell the idea of success to the prospect instead of just a product. Donelson brings thirty years of sales experience to this book and it shows. I received a plain little book from Phil Slott called Never Let’em See You Sweat: A Tranquilizer for Presenters ($15.95, Ad-Land Press, 59-1526 Kohala Ranch Rd., Kamuela, HI 96743). I almost decided to ignore it, but I looked inside and discovered the wit and wisdom of the man behind some of the most memorable ad campaigns. He’s the fellow who came up with "It’s not just a job, it’s an adventure" for the US Navy and "We treat your car like people" for Arco and, of course, "Never let’em see you sweat" for Gillette. Turns out, he’s decided to share his secrets about making the kind of presentation that will knock the socks off of whoever you’re pitching. And nothing is more likely to make people nervous than making such a presentation. Check out adlandpress.com for more about this book. Become an expert on showmanship and selling. The author already is one.The 11 Immutable Laws of Internet Branding by Al and Laura Ries ($21, Harper Business) two of the most savvy marketing strategists, founders of Ries and Ries, and legends among PR folk. There are millions of websites on the Internet and that is increasing every day. The authors explain why the future belongs to those who do the best job of building their brands on the Internet. They offer specific strategies for meeting the Internet’s unique needs and requirements. The book happily focuses on practice, not just theory, using real-world examples to make their points. In business? On the Internet? You better get this book. Today! While you’re at it, pick up The 10-Second Internet Manager by Mark Breier from Random House Audiobooks ($38). It is filled with non-nonsense tips, tactics, and strategies for succeeding in the fast, fast Internet age. The author help build two of the top Internet sites, Amazon.Com and Beyond.Com. He knows the business from A to Z. To learn more, visit 10secondmanager.com.
The former is for the person seeking to quickly build leadership skills and the latter is a parable of a beleaguered executive’s quest for passion and purpose in work and life. The Board Book by Susan F. Shultz ($35, Amacom) could be titled "cronyism, nepotism, lethargy. Welcome to the board of directors." This is the book for the person who wants to put together a board of directors that will further the success of a company when expertise, objectivity and integrity should count more than whether the board member is your brother-in-law. The author is a recruiter for those who need boards that will work and she discusses all the mistakes that companies make when staffing their boards, as well as strategies for building effective ones. Great boards mean great companies says the author. This is "must" reading. Theft & Drugs in the Workplace: A Management Guide by K.C. Bettencourt ($10.95, Knighthawk Publishing Co., 2131 Palamar Airport Rd. Suite 200, Carlsbad, CA 92009 or info@knighthawkpublishing.com) is by an expert on a very big problem for businesses large and small. The author provides a wealth of advice on how to spot thievery of all kinds and the signs that an employee is into drug use, as well as the best means to deter these problems. This is one of those little books that can save you big money. Edmund Wall edits a look at Sexual Harassment ($20, Prometheus Books) with a collection of commentaries by psychologists, feminists, and legal scholars that tries to sort out the many manifestations of the problem, even if the solutions are not that easy to determine. While not technically a business book, it addresses one of big problems businesses are still trying to solve. There continues to be a huge outpouring of books about spiritual matters that reflects, I think, a response to the quest that so many are making these days to reunite themselves with matters of the human spirit, the care and tending of their souls. Here are some of the best that have arrived in recent weeks. Can you imagine a rabbi seeking spiritual direction from a nun? Finding
universal truths by exploring religious themes across different faiths is
the Bible Study for Children: An outline with questions for Parents and Teachers ($40, Bible Teaching Press, 2016 Willowdale Drive, Shepardstown, WV 25443) was written by Joan Koelle Snipes who has taught Sunday school classes for over twenty years. It shows! This book in the way she helps one to answer the many questions children ask about Bible people, places, vocabulary, chronology and authorship. For any parent seeking to school their own children or anyone who teaches in a Christian Sunday school, this excellent new book should be at the top of your list to read and use. For Catholics in particular and student of religion in general, Bert Ghezzi has performed a huge task very well in his book, Voices of the Saints: A Year of Readings ($29.95, Doubleday). The author has examined the lives of 365 men and women whose bond with God caused them to make great sacrifices in His name. Saints, both famous and obscure are presented and each entry includes unique biographical information, a quote and a meditation to be said in their memory. An interesting companion volume to this is The Seeker’s Guide to Saints by Mike Finley ($11.95, Loyola Press, 3441 N. Ashland Ave, Chicago, IL 60657). The author literally strips away layers of myth and mystique to reveal the real people who have become heroes of faith known as saints. This is very inspiring. The author has also written The Seeker’s Guide to the Christian Story and The Seeker’s Guide to Being Catholic, both available from Loyola Press. Also from Loyola Press, there’s Raising Faith-Filled Kids by Tom McGrath ($12.95 softcover) that explores how parents can integrate and nurture spirituality into the lives of their children. It’s very good. Pope John XXIII: A Spiritual Biography by Christian Feldman ($19.95, The Crossroad Publishing Co.) is the story of Angelo Guiseppe Roncalli, beatified in September. This Pope is credited with humanizing the role of the Pope. His choice was particularly interesting because he was well known within the Vatican as a "modernist" so, clearly, there was a widespread feeling his leadership was needed. Another book from The Crossroad Publishing Company is Buddha Heart, Buddha Mind by his holiness the Dalai Lama. In this interesting book, this exiled leader of Tibet’s population explores some of life’s toughest questions, teaching that the state of the world and the state of our souls are deeply interconnected. Comprised of lectures that have been translated here for the first time, the Dalai Lama speaks as a spiritual friend to the reader with a deep understanding of the human condition. Awakening to the Sacred: Creating a Spiritual Life from Scratch by Lama Surya Das, an American trained in the Tibetan tradition ($15, Broadway Books) will prove inspiring to the serious practitioner and newcomer alike. There is an interest in Buddhism and The Way of Youth: Buddhist Common Sense for Handling Life’s Questions by Daisaku Ikeda ($14.95, Middleway Press, 606 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica, CA 90401) offers young people and their parents a Buddhist perspective that people of all faiths will find useful. Islamic Mysticism: A Secular Perspective by Ibn al-Rawandi ($33, Prometheus Books) offers a look at Islam that is quite different from the headlines about jihad and Islamic politics that are often frightening to one unfamiliar with this religion. Within the faith is a mystical belief called Sufism and it has attracted many Westerners to the faith. That is what a convert, al-Rawandi addresses in his book about the poetry, the vision and devotion to Islam. Ironically, he concludes that the mystical experience is not a trustworthy validation of religion, his own or, one assumes, others. One has to come to faith with both one’s mind and heart. Ten Fun Things to Do Before You Die by Sister Karol Jackowski ($9.95, Hyperion) is a lighthearted look at ways to make your life a memory worth having by virtue of applying basic moral guidelines to it. It is a collection of ten short, humorous essays that are very uplifting. It is a guide to successful living that is well worth reading. For musicians and composers, Gospels in Verse by Jabez L. Van Cleef ($25 hardcover & $18 softcover, Xlibris (888-7XLIBRIS) this book will provide a great resource. Using rhymed ballad meter and poetic interpretations of the Old Testament prophets, this will inspire readers to create new music to celebrate faith. Finally, for those looking to strengthen their capacity to love and finding deeper meaning in life through life, there’s William Oak’s For Love or Nothing ($11.95, Guidepost Press, 14226 Cypress Falls Drive, Cypress, TX 77429) that is filled with valuable lessons that can make a positive and lasting difference in the lives of those who read this excellent book. Poisoning Young Minds with Green Lies
Is this a book you want your child or any child to read? It is a vile assault on the fears and young minds of its readers and it is filled with lies. Countless real trees have been cut down to provide the paper for books like this. There has been a deluge of such books, spreading lies about the earth. The textbooks in our nation’s schools are filled with these lies. This is how the Green Agenda has been spread for a quarter century or more. The truth is the earth is 5.4 billion years old. It is not dying. The rainforests are not disappearing, nor all the species of animals and plants. All available scientific data confirms the earth has not warmed in the past 50 years. To learn more about the scare campaigns that support environmentalism, visit The National Anxiety Center. Books for Writers and Self-Published Authors Books for writers abound and, if my mail is any indication, the rise in self-published authors is exponential. Still others take the traditional route. Anyone. I mean anyone can get published these days. In fact, there’s a new book on the subject, Getting Your Book Published for Dummies ($19.95, Dummies Press, IDG Books Worldwide) written by industry insiders, Adrian and Sarah Parsons Zackheim. This book takes the mystery out of the process, telling you how to refine your book idea, find a good agent to negotiate for you, and survive the joys and horrors of being published today. Self-Counsel Press (1704 North State Street, Bellingham, WA 98225) has a
series of books that I would recommend to writers. They include Writing Writer’s Digest Books have long been a leader in publishing books for and about writing, so when Stephen Wilbers offers his thoughts on the Keys to Great Writing ($l9.99), it’s a good idea for those seeking to develop their own particular writing style to sit down with an author who knows how to achieve this, as well as how to write more clearly, emphatically, and memorably. I can’t think of anyone, young or old, who would not benefit from this book. Published earlier this year, Successful Syndication: A Guide for Writers and Cartoonists by my friend, Michael Sedge ($16.95, Allworth Press) reveals how leading writers (like himself!) and cartoonists have learned to cash in by tapping the lucrative syndication market. Novices and veterans alike can benefit from this book if you dream of turning your column and comic strip into a money-making enterprise by syndicating to hundreds of publications, nationally, internationally, and on the Internet. This is real insider’s stuff that can make the difference between success and failure. The volumes of paperbacks being published are the best bargains in books. Here are some of the latest titles from leading publishers. Avon. The great novelist, Leon Uris, is out with A God in Ruins. The novel spans the decades from World War II to the 2008 presidential campaign with a riveting story of a man on the brink of becoming the second Irish Catholic President. Need it be said that there’s a secret that could shatter his ambitions, one that could tear the country apart, and one he doesn’t even know? Mystery and suspense is well served with A Summer for Dying by Jamie Katz, A Penny Urned by Tamar Myers, and by Peter Robinson’s In A Dry Season. For those who enjoy science fiction, Kristine Smith is out with Rules of Conflict. Romance is well served by Samantha James’ His Wicked Promise and Catherine Anderson’s Seventh Heaven. These titles average about $7.00 each.Harper Torch. The paperback division of Harper Collins is quite prolific and among their recent titles are some real thrillers include Leah Ruth Robinson’s Unnatural Causes, Chuck Freadhoff’s Blue Rain, and Lisa See’s The Interior. A novel about a Navajo healer, a woman, evokes the past in Pamela Jekel’s She Who Hears the Sun, and romance is served up by Hunter Hayes with Shoe’s on the Otha’ Foot about a beautiful, young Black woman and free spirit. Another novel with an Afro-American love theme is Unfit by Timmothy B. McCann. The Season is a non-fiction look at the secret life of Palm Beach and America’s richest society by Ronald Kessler. Another non-fiction title, Free Fire Zones: The True Story of US Navy Seal Combat in Vietnam by Kevin Dockery tells the story of eight years of combat in the jungles of Southeast Asia. Kensington. Rick Hanson is back with an Adam McCleet mystery in Extreme Odds that’s a fun read. Westerns are alive and well in William W. Johnstone’s The Last Gunfighter: Reprisal. A really good suspense story is Muse by Michael Cecilione about a less than successful actress stalked by a sadistic serial killer in whose fantasy she plays the lead role. I’m biased, but I don’t think anyone should go anywhere without a paperback tucked away to read on a train, plane, bus or anywhere else. Authors, publishers, publicists take notice! Now your book can be a Feature Book on this site where it will enjoy an entire page of its own and a link to Amazon.Com. This is a great way to let the many visitors to Bookviews.Com learn about your book. It is very affordable. For more information, click here .Are you a self-published or new author? Let me invite you to visit Caruba.Com to read about my Blitz PR program designed specifically for self-published authors and others who would prefer to turn this essential element of success over to a professional! |
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Contact: Alan Caruba |
Tel: (973)
763-6392 |
To reprint, e-mail for permission. |
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Occasionally a book comes along that illuminates a unique world and that
is the case of A World of Butterflies: Their Lives, Behavior and Future
by Phillip Schappert ($35, Firefly Books), a stunning volume that examines
the life cycle and patterns of the most charismatic species of the insect
world. It does so with more than 300 full-color photos. The butterfly has
always enjoyed a symbolic value for its sheer beauty. Their images have been
found on the tombs of the ancient pharaohs. They are often masters of
disguise, mimicking species that predators avoid. This is a pleasing,
informative book on many levels.
Two books deal with marriage in very interesting ways. The Conscious
Bride by Sheryl Nissinen ($12.95, New Harbinger Publications) is not due
out until December. It deals with the realities of marriage from the woman’s
point of view, addressing the issues that often lead to post-marriage
depression that occurs in the first year. How does one get happily
married while dealing with the squabbling of in-laws and everyone else over
what is supposed to be the happiest day of a bride’s life? This book
offers a frank discussion of the problems, as well as the transition a bride
makes from being an independent woman to a new status.
300 moneymaking strategies aimed at women. By 2005, it’s estimated
that fully half of all American businesses will be owned by women and, if
they read Marilyn’s book, they will learn how to secure free publicity,
advertise on the cheap, form strategic alliances to access non-traditional
sales channels, and much, much more. You can learn more about her new book
by visiting 
Distributed by Penton Overseas, Inc., there are two Wiley Audiobooks from
Jossey-Bass worth giving a listen. They are Leadership A to Z: A Guide
for the Appropriately Ambitious by James O’Toole and Leading with
Soul: An Uncommon Journey of Spirit by Lee G. Bolman and Terrence E.
Deal. You can check them out at 
subject of Howard A. Addision’s book, Show Me Your Way: The
Complete Guide to Exploring Interfaith Spiritual Direction ($21.95,
Skylight Paths Publishing, PO Box 237, Woodstock, VT 05091) is the story of
how the Conservative rabbi and leader of a large congregation in the suburbs
of Philadelphia crossed traditional religious boundaries to seek interfaith
spiritual direction. It is an inspiring book that reminds that there are
many paths to God.
I recently received a review copy of a children’s book, When the
Trees Held Their
for the Web and Writing Science Fiction and Fantasy, both by
Crawford Kilian. Then there’s Writing Books for Kids and Teens by
Marion Crook and Writing Cookbooks by Judith Comfort. These books
retail for $16.95 to $18.95 and are filled with good, solid advice than any
newcomer could use. You can check out their excellent titles at