New Books, Films, Databases, and other Resources: October 2011

"Ahmed Alsoudani (*1975 in Baghdad) left Iraq for the United States in 1999 seeking political asylum. His paintings and drawings reflect the troubled contemporary history of his home country, yet they belong to a long tradition of painting depicting war and atrocity

A collection of 260 photographs, many never before published, offers panoramic views of scenes from every region of the world.

Wood was one of America's most famous regionalist painters. In his time he was an "almost mythical figure," recognized supremely for his hard-boiled farm scene, American Gothic, a painting that has come to reflect the essence of America's traditional values--a simple decent, home spun tribute to our lost agrarian age. America's most acclaimed, and misunderstood, regionalist painter, Grant Wood, is revealed to have been anything but plain, or simple.

Considers the contributions of World War II female secret agents, noting their experiences as undercover anti-Nazi operatives, weapons specialists, and prisoners of war, profiling ten courageous women from all walks of life.

Quotations from Schweitzer's speeches and writings on reverence for life, faith, music, civilization, peace, and other topics.

Focuses on Abraham Lincoln's leadership as president and commander in chief. This title examines Lincoln's deft navigation of the cross-currents of politics and wartime strategy. It assesses Lincoln's evolving position in the context of party politics. It considers Lincoln's views on race and citizenship

A comprehensive account of the fall of Constantinople to the Ottoman Turks in 1453 examines the end of the Byzantine Empire and the medieval era, and the implications of the siege for the relationship between the West and Islam.

McNeely presents a compact history of Western culture via the institutions that have shaped knowledge from the classical period to the present.

"One of the great literary forces of her age or any age, Germaine de Stael was born into the political and intellectual aristocracy of her time. The daughter of Jacques Necker, Louis XVI's finance minister; she married Sweden's ambassador to the French court and for two decades held the limelight as a political figure and prolific writer. Admittedly not a beauty, she was nonetheless notoriously seductive and enjoyed whirlwind affairs with some of the most influential men of her time. She was demonized by Napoleon for her forthrightness, her powerful intellect, and her prestigious salon, a hothouse of subversive ideas and sexual intrigue. The Emperor exiled her, on and off, for the last two decades of her life

Beginning in the mid-1930s, a handful of American businessmen forged alliances with the aim of rescuing America from socialism and the 'nanny state'. This book reveals the dramatic story of a pragmatic, step-by-step, campaign to promote an ideological revolution - one that helped propel conservative ideas to electoral triumph.

History of Britain and Ireland is a visual guide to 5,000 years of British history. It includes a comprehensive timeline chronicling key events in Britain and Ireland and "decisive moment" spreads that vividly describe turning points in British history. It also profiles the people who have had a significant impact on British culture and society through their inventions, discoveries, and ideas.

Describes the 1913 murder of Atlanta factory worker Mary Phagan, the arrest of her Jewish supervisor, Leo Frank, and the abduction and lynching of Frank, offering an account of the crime, its aftermath, and long-term repercussions.

Recounts Franklin Roosevelt's fight during his first term with a narrow conservative majority on the U.S. Supreme Court who struck down several key elements of the New Deal legislation--forever transforming the political and constitutional landscape, saving the New Deal, splitting the Democratic Party, and ushering in an era of Republican dominance.-

Probing the Ulyanov family archives, historian Philip Pomper uncovers Alexander Ulyanov's transformation from ascetic student to terrorist, and the impact his fate had on his younger brother Lenin. Vividly portraying the psychological dynamics of a family that would change history, "Lenin's Brother" is a perspective-changing glimpse into Lenin's formative years--and his subsequent behavior as a revolutionary.

Philosopher, ethicist, and psychoanalyst Nancy Sherman explores the psychological and moral burdens borne by soldiers. At the heart of the book are interviews with soldiers, from the current wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, but also from Vietnam and World Wars I and II.

From "1 + 1 = 2" to Heisenberg's uncertainty principle, Crease locates 10 of the greatest equations in the panoramic sweep of Western history, showing how they are as integral to their time and place of creation as are great works of art. 43 illustrations.

Poor America describes the sharp contrast in the extent of poverty between the United States and six Western European countries. Samuel J. Eldersveld seeks to discover why America struggles more with this social issue by exploring the history of the countries and various theories

Five years after the invasion of Iraq the world is a more dangerous place than ever. Twenty prominent political thinkers from the US and UK give their take on the crisis.

"The Age of Wonder" explores the earliest ideas of deep time and space, and the explorers of "dynamic science": an infinite, mysterious Nature waiting to be discovered. Three lives dominate the book: William Herschel, his sister Caroline, and Humphry Davy

A cache of newly-discovered love letters written by gifted student Heloise to medieval theology tutor Abelard follows their written relationship from behind cloistered walls after they were forced to separate.

A guidebook to making responsible choices about food, such as when organic foods really matter, where to source humanely raised meats and other ethically produced foods, and how to make choices when eating out.

This volume explores the topics relating to gambling by presenting varied expert opinions that examine many of the different aspects that comprise these issues. The viewpoints are selected from a wide range of highly respected and often hard-to-find sources and publications. Allows the reader to attain the higher-level critical thinking and reading skills that are essential in a culture of diverse and contradictory opinions

Linking the level of political participation to the health of a democratic system, many political researchers and activists have expressed concern about the low level of participation among those aged 18 to 30. This title sheds light on this important subject, identifying and discussing factors that have influenced youth political participation

Rampant abuse of online privacy is a problem of epic proportions - and impossible to stamp out. This title provides an investigation of the history of and controversies surrounding online privacy. It overviews the most critical issues involving topics such as social networking and online medical records.

Traces the twenty-one-year period between Charles Darwin's original idea about natural selection and the publication of "On the Origin of Species," in an account that offers insight into his experiences as a cautious naturalist

A narrative account of Charles Darwin's five-year voyage along the coastline of South America that describes his encounters with the region's rain forest, cliffs, and wildlife.

Explores how artists depicted the natural world in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, drawing on the works of renowned painters, naturalists, and explorers to explain how their images changed the way nature was seen and understood.

This true story profiles a scientific genius with eerie powers of smell who uses his gifts to solve one of the body's last secrets: how the nose works.

"It is 1836. Europe is modernizing, and the Ottoman Empire must follow suit. But just before the Sultan announces sweeping changes, a wave of murders threatens the fragile balance of power in his court. Who is behind them? Only one intelligence agent can be trusted to find out: Yashim Lastname ... a eunuch. He leads us into the palace's luxurious seraglios and Istanbul's teeming streets, and leans on the wisdom of a dyspeptic Polish ambassador, a transsexual dancer, and a Creole-born queen mother. And he introduces us to the Janissaries. For 400 years, they were the empire's elite soldiers, but they grew too powerful, and ten years ago, the Sultan had them crushed. Are the Janissaries staging a brutal comeback?"

Green Clean is the definitive, step-by-step guide to cleaning better while using nontoxic, ecofriendly products. Room by room and stain by stain, Green Clean breaks environmentally conscious cleaning into simple principles and easily mastered techniques that let readers set their own goals and develop their own cleaning plan. Also included are recipes for safe, simple, and economical cleaning solutions and the lowdown on the best ecofriendly cleaning products on the market. Green Clean is an indispensable reference for today's home.

Offers a look at the Western idea of the Other - the non-European or non-American. Looking at this concept through the lens of the author's own encounters in Africa, Asia and Latin America, this title traces how the West has understood the Other from classical times to colonialism, from the age of enlightenment to the postmodern global village.

Describes the author's 2000 move from Paris back to New York with his family in a series of essays that profile the teachers, therapists, coaches, friends, adversaries, and others who make up their extended urban family.

One man's campaign to build schools in the most dangerous, remote, and anti-American reaches of Asia: in 1993 Greg Mortenson was an American mountain-climbing bum wandering emaciated and lost through Pakistan's Karakoram. After he was taken in and nursed back to health by the people of a Pakistani village, he promised to return one day and build them a school. From that rash, earnest promise grew one of the most incredible humanitarian campaigns of our time--Mortenson's one-man mission to counteract extremism by building schools, especially for girls, throughout the breeding ground of the Taliban. In a region where Americans are often feared and hated, he has survived kidnapping, fatwas issued by enraged mullahs, death threats, and wrenching separations from his wife and children. But his success speaks for itself--at last count, his Central Asia Institute had built fifty-five schools.

A young woman and a London journalist delve into the histories of their ancestors and uncover a feud between two magicians, Alfred Borden and Rupert Angier, that put the lives of the men and their families in danger.

First written in 1790, Mary Wollstonecraft's book remains one of the very first works of feminist thought. This book puts Wollstonecraft's life and work in a different light.

"Toussaint L'Ouverture was the leader of the Haitian Revolution in the late eighteenth century, in which slaves rebelled against their masters and established the first free black republic. In this collection of his writings and speeches, former Haitian politician Jean-Bertrand Aristide demonstrates L'Ouverture's profound contribution to the struggle for equality."-

"In 1776 Thomas Jefferson, a future president, authored the most explosive document in the history of America: The Declaration of Independence, formally severing the link between America and the British state. Michael Hardt, co-author of the groundbreaking Empire and Multitude, examines this and other texts by Jefferson, arguing that his powerful concept of democracy is, seen through contemporary eyes, a biting critique of the current American Administration's tyranny"

Selections from the writings of Ho Chi Minh.

Ho Chi Minh, the founder of the Vietminh and President of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, having defeated Japanese and French colonialist became a hate figure of the USA during the Vietnam War. Anti-globalization activist Walden Bello shows why Ho Chi Minh should still be read by anti-imperialists the world over.

"In response to the American administration's attempt to isolate Cuba, Fidel Castro delivered a series of speeches designed to radicalize Latin American society. As Latin America experiences more revolutions in Venezuela and Bolivia, and continues to upset America's plans for neo-liberal imperialism, renowned radical writer and activist Tariq Ali provides a searing analysis of the relevance of Castro's message for today

Robespierre's defense of the French Revolution is one of the powerful justifications for political violence. Yet, the French Revolution is celebrated as the event which gave birth to a nation built on the principles of enlightenment. This title looks at these contradictions

In this newpresentation of the Gospels, Terry Eagleton makes a powerful andprovocative argument for Jesus Christ as a social, political and moral radical, a friend of anti-imperialists, outcasts and marginals, a champion of the poor, the sick and immigrants, and as an opponent o fthe rich, religious hierarchs, and hypocrites everywhere -- in otherwords, as a figure akin to revolutionaries like Robespierre, Marx, and Che Guevara

"In a series of dramatic debates with Oliver Cromwell in Civil War England of 1647, the Levellers argued for democracy for the first time in British history. Geoffrey Robertson QC, bestselling author and leading human rights lawyer, introduces this record of the debate and other Leveller writings, tracing their thrilling story so that their words may inspire again.

A book of spiritual ruminations with a progressive political edge, from the Pulitzer Prize-winner who has devoted her life to befriending the earth. Walker has long been a force for sanity in a chaotic world. Here she draws on her deep spiritual grounding, her political conviction and experience, and her literary gifts to offer a series of meditations filled with wisdom, hope, encouragement, and, at times, serenity to a world in need of all these things. "Happiness ... comes from the simple belief that what one is feeling and doing is right. That it is right to protect rather than terrorize others; right to feed people rather than withhold food (and medicine); right to want the freedom and joyful existence of all human kind ... A deep knowing that we are the earth--our separation from Earth perhaps our greatest illusion--and that we stand, with gratitude and love, by our planetary Self.

Offers information on dolphins. This book features illustrations that are equally various, showing dolphins not only inspiring artists over several millennia, but miraculously surviving almost unchanged from ancient Knossos to the Thames Embankment.

The first of Heimrad Backer s books to appear in English, transcript is an experimental Austrian writer s literary confrontation with the Holocaust.

"Contains four classic Jason books in one volume. Meow, baby!: A book-length compendium of Jason's short stories and gag strips. Tell me something: A graphic novelette of love found, lost, and then found again. You can't get there from here: The Frankenstein story retold as romantic triangle. The living and the dead: Boy meets girl, boy and girl face zombie apocalypse"

A best-selling classic features six additional works on the joys and embarrassments of favorite holidays, in a volume that includes tales of tardy trick-or-treaters, the difficulties of explaining the Easter Bunny to another culture, and a barnyard Secret Santa scheme gone awry

A graphic memoir in which the author records her efforts to learn about her father's experiences during World War II, a period in his life that he never talked about.

This book tells the extraordinary story of three sixteenth century sisters who, along with their father and brothers, were afflicted with an extremely rare genetic condition that made them unusually hairy.

Contains a graphic adaptation of the Old Testament and Book of Revelations by comic book writer and artist Basil Wolverton, and includes commentary throughout.

"George Gerfaut, aimless young executive and desultory family man, witnesses a murder and finds himself sucked into a spiral of violence involving an exiled war criminal and two hired assassins. Adapting to the exigencies of his new life on the run with shocking ease, Gerfaut abandons his comfortable middle-class life for several months (including a sojourn in the countryside after an attempt to ride the rails turns spectacularly bad) until, joined with a new ally, he finally returns to settle all accounts-- with brutal, bloody interest"

A collection from the Nemi cartoon series which appears daily in the Metro.

Bennie Salazar, an aging former punk rocker and record executive, and Sasha, the passionate, troubled young woman he employs confront their pasts in this powerful story about how rebellion ages, influence corrupts, habits turn to addictions, lifelong friendships fluctuate and turn, and how art and music have the power to redeem.

A veteran copyeditor studies the practice of diagramming sentences in a charming and funny look back at its odd history, its elegant method, and its rich, ongoing possibilities.

"Following the success of the Flash Fiction and Sudden Fiction series, editors Robert Shapard and James Thomas join with Ray Gonzalez in offering some of the best new and recent short-short stories by U.S. Latino and Latin American writers. Featuring an introduction by the much-lauded Argentine writer Luisa Valenzuela, Sudden Fiction Latino celebrates work from stars like Junot Dfaz, Sandra Cisneros, and Roberto Bolofio: masters like Gabriel Garda Marquez, Isabel Allende, and Jorge Luis Borges; and rising talents like Andrea Saenz, Daniel Alarcon, and Alicita Rodriguez. From as little as half a page long to a few pages, these stories are moving, challenging, humorous, artful, sometimes political, and altogether spectacular - and reveal significant distinctions and common ground between U.S. Latino and Latin American literature.

A novella and five stories on the Chinese immigrant experience. Subjects range from the difficulties of assimilation, to tension between immigrant parents and their American-born children.

The definitive guide to one of the most baffling epics of 19th-century literature is a companion to "The Annotated Alice." Two-color throughout. 56 illustrations.

Describes the 1913 murder of Atlanta factory worker Mary Phagan, the arrest of her Jewish supervisor, Leo Frank, and the abduction and lynching of Frank, offering an account of the crime, its aftermath, and long-term repercussions.

This book discusses assessment and its role in teaching and learning music in the classroom. For improving learning and raising standards, it puts the case for formative assessment, day-by-day, rather than summative assessment at the end of key stages. The advice is relevant to classroom and instrumental teachers, and the academic community