Clinton Community College
Book of the Week Archive
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BUSINESS 
Apollo’s Fire: Igniting America’s Clean-Energy Economy
Inslee, Jay. Call number: HD9502 .U52 I536 2008
"To free the U.S. of fossil fuel dependency while boosting the economy, we need the kind of visionary leadership that led to the Apollo moon landings in 1969, according to Inslee and Hendricks in this energetic articulation of a clean-energy future."
– "Apollo's Fire: Igniting America's Clean Energy Economy." Publishers Weekly 254. 37 (2007): 47. Academic Search Premier. Clinton Community Coll. Lib., Plattsburgh. 23 May 2008.
Bridging the Culture Gap: A Practical Guide to International Business Communication
Penny Carté, Chris J. Fox. Call number: HF5389 .C36 2004
“Cross-cultural business requires skillful communication, and assumptions and misunderstandings about language and behavior can be barriers to success…. Six chapters present assumptions about cross-cultural behavior and communication, including coverage of interpretations of organizational identity; internal diversity and the chain of command; ethics and perceptions about legal compliance; socially accepted behaviors and humor; professional presentations; and negotiations. The final chapter categorizes the cultural preference scales and summarizes the tips presented.”
– Truty, D. “Bridging the Culture Gap: A Practical Guide to International Business Communication.” Choice 42. 4 (2004): 704. Research Library. Clinton Community Coll. Lib., Plattsburgh. 1 May 2006.
Career Wisdom for College Students: Insights You Won’t Get in Class, on the Internet, or from Your Parents
Vogt, Peter. Call number: HF5381.V58 2007
"Career Wisdom for College Students is a career-advice book for those who need it most–college students facing monumental decisions about their future but who may not have all the information they need."
– Publisher’s description
Do What You Are: Discover the Perfect Career For You Through the Secrets of Personality Type
Tieger, Paul D., Barbara Barron. Call number: BF698.9 .O3 T54 2007
"[This book] lists the wide array of occupations that are popular with your personality type, including today's hottest career tracks in growth areas such as e-commerce, biotechnology, new media, and telecommunications. Throughout, the authors provide savvy career advice and highlight the strengths and pitfalls of each personality type with real-life examples."
– Publisher’s description
Douglas McGregor, Revisited: Managing the Human Side of the Enterprise
Heil, Gary. Call number: HF 5549 .H377 2000
“Viewing employees not as cogs in the machine but as living beings with individual goals-what McGregor called "the human side of the enterprise"-has proven to provide a remarkable competitive advantage.”
– Publisher’s description
Encyclopedia of Small Business
Kevin Hillstrom and Laurie Collier Hillstrom, Eds. Online book, accessible through the Douglas Library's Resources by Subject page.
"Designed to provide entrepreneurs with how-to information that they can apply to their own business. Contains 600 detailed articles and overviews of all the key information needs of small business owners, including financing, financial planning, business plan creation, market analysis, sales strategy, tax planning, and human resource issues."
– Publisher’s description
Gale Encyclopedia of E-Commerce
Jane A. Malonis, Ed. Online book, accessible through the Douglas Library's Resources by Subject page.
“Presents answers to common questions about website development, financing, advertising, and more. Features 470 essays covering topics and terms, [plus] profiles of the top e-commerce companies.”
– Publisher’s description
Myths and Realities of Executive Pay
Kay, Ira T. Call number: HD4965.5 .U6 K389 2007
"Based on extensive empirical research and decades of direct experience in the field, Myths and Realities of Executive Pay settles the debate about executive compensation and the role it plays in the broader U.S. economy."
– Publisher’s description
The Perfect Resume: Today's Ultimate Job Search Tool
Jackson, Tom. Call number: HF5383 .J25 2004
"Based on new research into hiring and staffing methods, executive search, electronic screening systems, and public and private job banks, The Perfect Resume puts you ahead of the pack, whether you are after your first job or a competitive senior slot."
– Publisher’s description
The Resume Handbook: How to Write Outstanding Resumes & Cover Letters for Every Situation
Rosenberg, Arthur D. Call number: HF5383 .R67 2003
“Shows you exactly how to write the resume and cover letter that get the immediate attention of recruiters and employers. Featuring thirty-two of the best resumes ever written and filled with no-nonsense advice, this outstanding guide gives you the edge you need in a competitive marketplace.”
– Publisher’s description
Wal-Mart: The Face of Twenty-First-Century Capitalism
Nelson Lichtenstein, Ed. Call number: HF5429.215 .U6 W35 2005
“The largest employer outside the U.S. government is examined here for the first time by a consortium of scholars rather than through the lens of the typical Wall Street business press…. This assemblage thoroughly dissects the Wal-Mart global high-tech phenomenon through overarching historical, cultural, and economic perspectives. Lichtenstein and friends do an incredible job of balancing the wonders and horrors of the force that is Wal-Mart.”
– Siegfried, David. “Wal-Mart: A Field Guide to America's Largest Company and the World's Largest Employer.” Booklist 102. 4 (2005): 24. InfoTrac OneFile. Clinton Community Coll. Lib., Plattsburgh. 6 March 2006.
What Color is Your Parachute?
Bolles, Richard Nelson. Call number: HF 5382.7 .B64 2007
"With an extended preface that addresses job loss, vacancies, and outsourcing and updated references on how to use the Internet in your job-hunt throughout, [this book] addresses the top concerns of today’s job-hunters."
– Publisher’s description
EDUCATION
Encyclopedia of Education
James W. Guthrie, Ed. Online book, accessible through the Douglas Library's Resources by Subject page.
Nearly 900 articles covering individuals and educational institutions, products and procedures from around the world.
Inside Teaching: How Classroom Life Undermines Reform
Kennedy, Mary M. Call number: LC 210.5 .K46 2005
“This thoughtfully conceived and clearly presented study sheds light on typical teacher concerns and approaches and concludes with the recommendation that reform initiatives will succeed only if their authors are responsive to the full range of complexities that teachers face on a daily basis.”
– Caspers, Jean. "Inside Teaching: How Classroom Life Undermines Reform." Library Journal 130. 4 (2005): 97. Academic Search Premier. Clinton Community Coll. Lib., Plattsburgh. 16 July 2007.
It Doesn't Take a Genius: Five Truths to Inspire Success in Every Student
Randall McCutcheon, Tommie Lindsey. Call number: LB1062.6 .M43 2006
“Strategies for teaching and transforming at-risk students into academic and social success stories… Complemented by testimonials from the authors' students, all inner-city children from at-risk backgrounds who went on to defy the odds and become successful adults. The practical, insightful, and realistic strategies are designed to assist students in becoming not only smarter but also more confident, curious, and motivated.”
– Cegelka, Walter J. “McCutcheon, Randall & Tommie Lindsey. It Doesn't Take a Genius: Five Truths To Inspire Success in Every Student.” Library Journal 130. 20 (2005): 144. InfoTrac OneFile. Clinton Community Coll. Lib., Plattsburgh. 10 April 2006.
John Dewey and the Art of Teaching: Toward Reflective and Imaginative Practice
Douglas J. Simpson, Michael J. B. Jackson, and Judy C. Aycock. Call number: LB875 .D5 S56 2005
“Throughout the book, the reader reflects on the role of the teacher as artist, orchestral conductor, lover, wise mother, navigator, gardener, pioneer, social servant, engineer, curriculum builder, group leader, composer, and wise physician. At the heart of the discussion is the desire to support teachers in their pursuit of thoughtful and innovative teaching.”
– Publisher’s description
National Differences, Global Similarities: World Culture and the Future of Schooling
Baker, David. Call number: LB43 .B25 2005
“Each chapter develops a story about a particular global trend: continuing gender differences in achievement, new methods nations employ to govern their schools, the rapidly increasing use of private tutoring, school violence, the development of effective curriculums, and the everyday work of teachers, among other topics.”
– Publisher’s description
Reading With Oprah: The Book Club that Changed America
Kathleen Rooney. Call number: LC 6651 .R66 2005
Rooney “accurately captures the cultural unrest surrounding the Oprah Book Club, and raises numerous thoughtful points about its significance.”
– “Literary Democracy in Action.” Publishers Weekly 251. 44 (2004): 55. Academic Search Premier. Clinton Community Coll. Lib., Plattsburgh. 16 February 2007.
Scholarships, Fellowships and Loans, © 2007
Online book, accessible through the Douglas Library's Resources by Subject page.
"Written especially for professionals, students, parents, counselors and others interested in education, this annually updated resource provides sources of scholarships, fellowships, loans, internships, work study, and other education-related financial aid at all levels of study."
– Publisher’s description
The success manual for adult college students: how to go to college (almost) full time in your spare time – and still have time to hold down a job, raise a family, pay the bills, and have some fun
Mike Doolin. Call number: LB 2343.3 .D65 2006
“This is a ‘how to’ book. It’s intentionally short on theory, long on practice…. It tells you the things you need to do and say, and the people to say and do them to. It shows you the pitfalls and traps to watch out for and how to avoid the most common problems…. It’ll help you develop the personal organization you absolutely must have to get a college education while your life is full of a lot of other responsibilities.”
– Mike Doolin, forward, page xii.
Teach Like Your Hair’s on Fire: The Methods and Madness Inside Room 56
Esquith, Rafe. Call number: LB41 .E48 2007
"Rafe Esquith reveals the techniques that have made him one of the most acclaimed educators of our time."
– Publisher’s description
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HUMANITIES
Calamity Jane: The Woman and the Legend
James D. McLaird. Call number: F 594 .C2 M34 2005
“A meticulously researched account of how an alcoholic prostitute was transformed into a Wild West heroine…. A mother of two, [Calamity Jane] often found employment as waitress, laundress, or dance hall girl and was more likely to be wearing a dress than buckskin. But she was hard to ignore when she’d had a few drinks, and she exploited the aura of fame that dime novels created around her, even selling her autobiography and photos to tourists.”
– Publisher’s description
Complicity: How the North Promoted, Prolonged, and Profited from Slavery in America
Anne Farrow, Joel Lang, and Jenifer Frank. Call Number: E441 .F35 2005
“Slavery in the South has been documented in volumes ranging from exhaustive histories to bestselling novels. But the North’s profit from–indeed, dependence on–slavery has mostly been a shameful and well-kept secret . . . until now. In this startling and superbly researched new book, three veteran New England journalists demythologize the region of America known for tolerance and liberation, revealing a place where thousands of people were held in bondage and slavery was both an economic dynamo and a necessary way of life.”
– Book jacket
Eyes, Lies and Illusions: The Art of Deception
Laurent Mannoni. Call number: N 7430.5 .M36 2004
“Eyes, Lies and Illusions explores the art of perceptual paradox and optical wizardry from the sixteenth to the twenty-first centuries. It features full-color reproductions illustrating a vast range of intriguing media and artworks – anamorphoses, tricks of perspective, hidden and double images, manuscripts, prints and books, cameras, games and toys and early forms of animation.”
– Book jacket
First Hand: Poems
Linda Bierds. Call number: PS3552 .I357 F47 2004
“The ghost of the good monk Gregor Mendel haunts these poems as they sidle through the centuries, swaying from wonder to foreboding and resting most often on the fault line of science, where human achievement brings both honor and unease.”
– Publisher’s description
Flag: An American Biography
Marc Leepson. Call number: CR 113 .L44 2005
“Flag: An American Biography is not a book with an agenda, or a subjective point of view; it is an objective history of the American flag, well researched, well presented, easy to read and understand, and very informative and entertaining.”
– Nelson DeMille, preface, page xiii.
The Happiness Hypothesis: Finding Modern Truth in Ancient Wisdom
Jonathan Haidt. Call number: BJ 1481 .H14 2006
“Using the wisdom culled from the world's greatest civilizations as a foundation, social psychologist Haidt comes to terms with 10 Great Ideas, viewing them through a contemporary filter to learn which of their lessons may still apply to modern lives.”
– Sawyers, June. “Haidt, Jonathan. The Happiness Hypothesis: Finding Modern Truth in Ancient Wisdom.” Booklist 102. 9-10 (2006): 25. InfoTrac OneFile. Clinton Community Coll. Lib., Plattsburgh. 11 April 2006.
How Buildings Learn: What Happens After They're Built
Stewart Brand. Call number: NA 2542.4 .B73 1995
“All buildings are forced to adapt over time because of physical deterioration, changing surroundings and the life within--yet very few buildings adapt gracefully, according to Brand. … Creator of The Whole Earth Catalog, … Brand splices a conversational text with hundreds of extensively captioned photographs and drawings juxtaposing buildings that age well with those that age poorly. He buttresses his critique with insights gleaned from facilities managers, planners, preservationists, building historians and futurists. This informative, innovative handbook sets forth a strategy for constructing adaptive buildings that incorporates a conservationist approach to design, use of traditional materials, attention to local vernacular styles and budgeting to allow for continuous adjustment and maintenance.”
– “How Buildings Learn: What Happens After They're Built.” Publishers Weekly 241. 20 (1994): 56. InfoTrac OneFile. Clinton Community Coll. Lib., Plattsburgh. 24 January 2006.
Letter Perfect: The Marvelous History of Our Alphabet From A to Z
David Sacks. Call number: P 211 .S32 2003
“From aleph (ancient forerunner of our own a), discovered carved in Egyptian stone as part of the oldest known alphabetic inscription, all the way to the repeated Zs that help give the rock group ZZ Top its name, journalist Sacks unfolds the romance and magic of the English alphabet…. This is a delightfully entertaining and engrossing tale of how the score of Roman letters that arrived in England in the seventh century eventually gave us everything from the poetry of William Shakespeare to the official grades used by meat inspectors to evaluate chicken.”
– Christensen, Bryce. “Sacks, David. Language Visible: Unraveling the Mystery of the Alphabet from A to Z.” Booklist 99. 21 (2003): 1852. InfoTrac OneFile. Clinton Community Coll. Lib., Plattsburgh. 20 June 2006.
Mi Revalueshanary Fren: Selected Poems
Johnson, Linton Kwesi. Call number: PR 6060 .0345 M5 2006
"Linton Kwesi Johnson is the most influential black poet in Britain.… He is known worldwide for his fusion of lyrical verse and reggae." This book includes a CD of Johnson reading his poems.
– Publisher’s description
On SF
Thomas M. Disch. Call number: PS374 .S35 D57 2005
“Disch entertains and provokes with essays on UFOs, Science Fiction as a Church, and Newt Gingrich's Futurist Brain Trust. Close Encounters of the Third Kind and Madame Blavatsky also get the Disch treatment. Throughout, the writing is lively, agile, and irreverent, exhibiting an incisive honesty that is undiluted by Disch's own attachments as a sci-fi practitioner. On SF will appeal equally to lovers of science fiction and connoisseurs of the finest critical prose.”
– Publisher’s description
The Science in Science Fiction: 83 SF Predictions that Became Scientific Reality
Robert Bly. Call number: Q 162 .B65 2005
“Many of the most fascinating ideas in science originated not in the laboratory but in the minds of such science fiction writers as Arthur C. Clarke and Ray Bradbury…. From bionics to black holes and warp factors to worm holes, this is the quintessential guide to the many links between science fiction and science reality.”
– Publisher’s description
Singing Neanderthals: The Origins of Music, Language, Mind, and Body
Steven J. Mithen. Call number: ML3800 .M73 2006
“An exploration of music as a fundamental aspect of the human condition, encoded into the human genome during the evolutionary history of our species.”
– Publisher’s description
Whose Bible is it? A History of the Scriptures Through the Ages
Jaroslav Jan Pelikan. Call number: BS 445 .P46 2005
“Presents an outstanding introduction to the development, use and acceptance of the biblical canon over the centuries. As the title suggests, different groups have claimed ownership to the canonization process. Even today, Bibles vary in their content and in their philosophy of translation. Beginning with the long heritage of the oral tradition, then exploring the writing and editing of the biblical texts, Pelikan takes the reader through the process of scripture building with a fluency and ease that is both accessible and understandable to the nonscholar.”
– “Whose Bible is it? A History of the Scriptures Through the Ages.” Publishers Weekly 252. 3 (2005): 51. InfoTrac OneFile. Clinton Community Coll. Lib., Plattsburgh. 6 February 2006.
A World Without Time: The Forgotten Legacy of Gödel and Einstein
Yourgrau, Palle. Call number: BD638 .Y73 2005
"Readers who enjoy a good thought experiment or having basic preconceptions about their world challenged will enjoy this [book]."
– "A World Without Time: The Forgotten Legacy of Gödel and Einstein." Publishers Weekly 252. 2 (2005): 50-51. Academic Search Premier. Clinton Community Coll. Lib., Plattsburgh. 3 December 2007.
The Year of Magical Thinking
Joan Didion. Call Number: PS3554 .I33 Z63 2005
“Several days before Christmas 2003, John Gregory Dunne and Joan Didion saw their only daughter, Quintana, fall ill with what seemed at first flu, then pneumonia, then complete septic shock. She was put into an induced coma and placed on life support. Days later–the night before New Year’s Eve–the Dunnes were just sitting down to dinner after visiting the hospital when John Gregory Dunne suffered a massive and fatal coronary. In a second, this close, symbiotic partnership of forty years was over. Four weeks later, their daughter pulled through. Two months after that, arriving at LAX, she collapsed and underwent six hours of brain surgery at UCLA Medical Center to relieve a massive hematoma.
This powerful book is Didion’s attempt to make sense of the ‘weeks and then months that cut loose any fixed idea I ever had about death, about illness . . . about marriage and children and memory . . . about the shallowness of sanity, about life itself.’ ”
– Book jacket
Active Living Every Day: 20 Weeks to Lifelong Vitality
Blair, Steven N. Call number: RA781 .A196 2001
"In just 20 weeks this new guide, developed by scientists and presented by leading health writers, will have you on the road to a long life of good health, a fit body, and effective weight control."
– Publisher’s description
Annual Editions: Health
Call number: RA773 .A66
“Well-illustrated articles by physicians, educators, researchers, and writers providing effective and useful perspectives on today’s important topics in the study of health.” This book is part of the Douglas Library’s Annual Editions series. The series provides “a wide range of current, carefully selected articles from some of the most important magazines, newspapers, and journals published today…. The articles selected are authored by prominent scholars, researchers, and commentators writing for a general audience.” To find more books in the series, search the Douglas Library Catalog for “Annual Editions” without the quotes, and change “All Fields” to “Series.”
– Book and series descriptions are from the publisher.
Encyclopedia of Drugs, Alcohol, and Addictive Behavior
Rosalyn Carson-DeWitt, M.D., Ed. Online book, accessible through the Douglas Library's Resources by Subject page.
Contains material concerning addictive behaviors and substance abuse, including the following: Addictive behaviors not involving substance abuse, such as eating disorders and gambling, diseases and conditions, legal issues, pharmacology, psychology, and treatments.
Quinn, Mary Ellen. “Encyclopedia of Drugs, Alcohol, and Addictive Behavior.” Booklist 97. 18 (2001): 1778. Research Library. Clinton Community Coll. Lib., Plattsburgh. 9 March 2007.
Encyclopedia of Public Health
Lester Breslow, Ed. Online book, accessible through the Douglas Library's Resources by Subject page.
"Examines topics as broad in range as environmental health, drug abuse, epidemiology, nutrition, demographics, and diseases. Includes overviews, definitions, and biographical entries."
– Publisher’s description
Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine
Jacqueline Longe, Ed. Online book, accessible through the Douglas Library's Resources by Subject page.
Includes up-to-date articles on alternative healthcare, featuring acupressure, acupuncture, Ayurveda, biofeedback, chelation therapy, Chinese medicine, chiropractic, detoxification, Feldenkrais, kinesiology, naturopathy, osteopathy, polarity therapy, reflexology, and yoga. Covers treatments for particular diseases and disorders, herbal medicine, effectiveness and opinions of medical doctors.
Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine, © 2006
Online book, accessible through the Douglas Library's Resources by Subject page.
"Includes information on more than 1,600 medical disorders and concepts. Each article includes in-depth discussion of causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatments, procedures, and other related topics."
– Publisher’s description
Gale Encyclopedia of Nursing and Allied Health
Online book, accessible through the Douglas Library's Resources by Subject page.
"Entries cover topics in body systems and functions, conditions and common diseases, issues and theories, techniques and practices, and devices and equipment."
– Publisher’s description
Magill's Medical Guide
Chang, Anne Lynn S., Ed., et. al. Online book, accessible through the Douglas Library's Resources by Subject page.
Magill's Medical Guide is "an up-to-date and easy-to-use compendium of medical information suitable for student research."
– Publisher’s description
Managing Your Mind: The Mental Fitness Guide
Butler, Gillian. Call number: RA790 .B83 2007
"By adopting the practical strategies that mental health experts Butler and Hope have developed over years of clinical research and practice, one can develop the "mental fitness" necessary to resolve one's personal and interpersonal challenges at home and work and to live a productive, satisfying life."
– Publisher’s description
Nancy Clark’s Sports Nutrition Guidebook
Nancy Clark. Call number: TX361.A8 C54 2003
"Updated with realistic eating strategies to help you make the right food choices in today’s eat-and-run society, Nancy Clark’s Sports Nutrition Guidebook shows how to navigate your way healthfully through grocery stores, fast food drive-throughs, restaurants, and even your own kitchen. More than 72 recipes are included for healthful, mouth-watering meals that are quick and easy to prepare."
– Publisher’s description
Pete Egoscue. Call number: RC 965 .V53 E36 1999
Features exercises for preventing or reversing pain caused by improper computer use.
W. Grant Thompson. Call number: R726.5 .T488 2005
“Praised by the New England Journal of Medicine as ‘a gifted teacher and clinician with a talent for clear exposition,’ Dr. Thompson has written an important, accessible, and interesting work that deepens our understanding of both the tangible and intangible factors that affect health. He convincingly demonstrates that patients need the best that science has to offer combined with kind and compassionate care-giving by doctors in order for a treatment to be its most effective.”
– Publisher’s description
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SCIENCES
Airplanes: The Life Story of a Technology
Kinney, Jeremy R. Call number: TL515 .K45 2006
Details the invention and development of airplanes, and their impact on society.
Archives of the Universe: A Treasury of Astronomy's Historic Works of Discovery
Marcia Bartusiak. Call number: QB15 .A75 2004
“Here are records of the earliest naked-eye celestial observations and cosmic mappings; the discovery of planets; the first attempts to measure the speed of light and the distance of stars; the classification of stars; the introduction of radio and x-ray astronomy; the discovery of black holes, quasars, dark matter, the Big Bang, and much more. Here is the work of Copernicus, Galileo, Kepler, Newton, Halley, Hubble, and Einstein, as well as that of dozens of lesser-known scientists who have significantly contributed to our picture of the universe.”
– Book jacket
The Art of Perennial Gardening: Creative Ways with Hardy Flowers
Lima, Patrick. Call number: SB434 .L55 1998
“Offers hundreds of solutions and options for the perennial garden, suggesting plant combinations for every phase of the growing season.”
– Publisher’s description
Astronomical Enigmas: Life on Mars, the Star of Bethlehem, and Other Milky Way Mysteries
Mark Kidger. Call number: QB43.3 .K54 2005
“The author thoroughly entertains while providing a great deal of intriguing material on the Star of Bethlehem, the possibility of life on Mars and whether Pluto should be considered a planet or merely a trans-Neptunian object. Kidger is also superb at explaining how scientists can learn so much about astronomical objects without ever leaving home.... Finally, he explains why we needn't worry—at least not for many hundreds of years—about a killer asteroid smashing into the Earth.”
– “Astronomical Enigmas: Life on Mars, the Star of Bethlehem, & Other Milky Way Mysteries.” Publishers Weekly 252. 17 (2005): 46. InfoTrac OneFile. Clinton Community Coll. Lib., Plattsburgh. 8 March 2006.
Bigfoot Exposed: An Anthropologist Examines America's Enduring Legend
David J. Daegling. Call number: QL 89.2 .S2 D34 2004
“Biological anthropologist and primate physiology specialist David J. Daegling enters the fray to offer both sides of the dispute benefit of objective scientific study.”
– Publisher’s description
Blue Skies, Black Wings: African American Pioneers of Aviation
Broadnax, Samuel L. Call number: TL539 .B75 2007
"Broadnax offers personal recollections and firsthand accounts of the famed Tuskegee Airmen during World War II and the broader social and racial struggle represented by these black men."
– Bush, Vanessa. "Blue Skies, Black Wings: African American Pioneers of Aviation." Booklist 103. 15. Academic Search Premier. Clinton Community Coll. Lib., Plattsburgh. 18 February 2008.
The Bomb: A Life
Gerard J. DeGroot. Call number: U264 .D43 2005
“Many books cover the making of the bomb… but few carry the story forward into the thicket of cold-war strategies and beyond. Delivering hair-raising information and observations in the most lucid and galvanizing of prose, DeGroot vividly portrays an international cast of players, parses the ‘moral contortions’ and lies used to justify the building of the hydrogen bomb and the exposure to radiation of thousands of unwitting human ‘guinea pigs,’ marvels over how the Nevada bomb tests became popular tourist attractions, charts the arms race, and dissects the logistics of deterrence.”
– Seaman, Donna. “DeGroot, Gerard. The Bomb: A Life.” Booklist 101. 14 (2005): 1253. InfoTrac OneFile. Clinton Community Coll. Lib., Plattsburgh. 6 March 2006.
Bridges: Three Thousand Years of Defying Nature
David J. Brown. Call number: TG 15 .B76 2005
“Celebrates the stunning technical and artistic achievements in the creation, design, engineering, construction and social history of 100 remarkable bridges. The book reveals the secrets and science of the timeless masonry of imperial Rome, the elegant wooden edifices of ancient Japan and the soaring steel structures of today…. Magnificently illustrated.”
– Publisher’s description
Chasing Hubble's Shadows: The Search for Galaxies at the Edge of Time
Jeff Kanipe. Call number: QB500.262 .K36 2006
“Piecing together the first billion years of the cosmos is Kanipe's main focus. He starts with demarcations of the epoch, including a dark era in which thick gas blocked light; a "reionization" era coinciding with the formation of the first stars; and then their conglomeration into galaxies. Due to Kanipe's clarity on technical points, general readers will be as excited by the discovery as cosmologists.”
– Taylor, Gilbert. “Chasing Hubble's Shadows: The Search for Galaxies at the Edge of Time.” Booklist 102. 7 (2005): 20. Academic Search Premier. Clinton Community Coll. Lib., Plattsburgh. 11 January 2007.
David Levy's Guide to Variable Stars
Levy, David H. Call number: QB835 .L48 2005
"This book covers various types of objects that can be observed by amateur astronomers, including more exotic phenomena like gamma ray bursts, blazars, and polars."
– Publisher’s description
Deer of North America
Rue, Leonard Lee. Call number: QL737 .U55 R83 1997
"[This book is] the standard reference on all North American deer species-behavior, habitat, distribution, and more."
– Publisher’s description
Don't Make Me Think: A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability
Steve Krug. Call Number: TK5105.888 .K78 2006
“The sites that offer the best, easiest, most intuitive experience are the ones people visit again and again. To ensure that your sites provide that experience, you need this essential guide from usability guru Steve Krug that distills his years of on-the-job experience into a practical primer on the do's and don'ts of good Web design.”
– Publisher’s description
Einstein, 1905: The Standard of Greatness
John S. Rigden. Call number: QC 16 .E5 R54 2005
“An accessible, even page-turning, account of Einstein's new insights and the turmoil that they created. Five research papers published in 1905 by an unknown physicist working in the patent office in Bern, Switzerland, revolutionized physics and provided knowledge that would transform the world…. Rich sources of information are given on Einstein's thoughts and those of his contemporaries on the nature of light, how atoms can be visualized in relatively simple experiments, the role of time as a fourth dimension, and, above all, how matter and energy are interrelated. Simple diagrams and reproductions of the front pages of the papers inform key aspects of the text.”
– Woodcock, Alexander. “Rigden, John S. Einstein 1905: The Standard of Greatness.” School Library Journal 51. 7 (2005): 133-135. InfoTrac OneFile. Clinton Community Coll. Lib., Plattsburgh. 13 December 2005.
The Field Guide to Lake Monsters, Sea Serpents and Other Mystery Denizens of the Deep
Loren Coleman. Call number: QL 89 .C646 2003
“From the serpentine ‘Champ’ of Lake Champlain to the venerable ‘Nessie’ of Loch Ness, extraordinary – and unexplained – creatures of the deep have been reported in sightings throughout the centuries. Now, two of the world's leading cryptozoological authorities provide a globetrotting field guide to when, where, and what kind of mysterious aquatic beasts have gripped the public – and sometimes the scientific – imagination.”
– Publisher’s description
The God Machine: From Boomerangs to Black Hawks, the Story of the Helicopter
Chiles, James R. Call number: TL716 .C53 2007
"A surprisingly entertaining account of the helicopter: part history, part technical exploration, part flying lesson.… Delivers an avalanche of information with enough lucidity and enthusiasm to captivate not only aviation buffs, but general readers as well."
– "The God Machine: From Boomerangs to Black Hawks: the Story of the Helicopter. Kirkus Reviews 75. 17 (2007): 901. Academic Search Premier. Clinton Community Coll. Lib., Plattsburgh. 15 April 2008.
Gunpowder: Alchemy, Bombards, and Pyrotechnics: The History of the Explosive that Changed the World
Kelly, Jack. Call number: TP272 .K45 2004
"With dramatic immediacy, novelist and journalist Jack Kelly conveys both the distant time in which the 'devil's distillate' rose to conquer the world, and brings to rousing life the eclectic cast of characters who played a role in its epic story."
– Publisher’s description
How Birds Migrate
Kerlinger, Paul. Call number: QL698.9 .K47 1995
"Using case studies and illustrations, [the author] explains the basics of flight, the effects of weather and geographical barriers, and flight strategy."
– Publisher’s description
It’s About Time: Understanding Einstein’s Relativity
N. David Mermin. Call number: QC173.65 .M47 2005
“This readable and complete exposition of the nature of time as addressed in Einstein's special theory of relativity is accessible to readers without training in the sciences…. It assumes only competency in simple high school algebra and a bit of elementary plane geometry…. The book evolved as Mermin taught the subject to diverse groups of undergraduates at Cornell University, none of them science majors, over three and a half decades. Mermin's approach is imaginative, yet accurate and complete.”
– Publisher’s description
The Language of Life: How Cells Communicate in Health and Disease
Debra Niehoff. Call number: QH604.2 .N54 2005
“Cell communication takes place in all organisms, from the simplest single-celled bacterium to humans, mediated through an array of chemicals. Using human language as a metaphor, science writer Niehoff (The Biology of Violence) takes us on a whirlwind tour, discussing how chemical communication is responsible for turning a fertilized egg into a complex, fully differentiated adult; how the human immune system is called into action to fight infection; and how homeostatic mechanisms protect us…”
– “The Language of Life: How Cells Communicate in Health and Disease.” Publishers Weekly 252. 13 (2005): 67. InfoTrac OneFile. Clinton Community Coll. Lib., Plattsburgh. 13 February 2006.
Many Worlds in One: The Search For Other Universes
Vilenkin, A. Call number: QB 981 .V526 2006
An “estimably clear, personable treatment…. Vilenkin [physicist, Tufts University] guides readers through … bizarre and head-spinning propositions. One is that our observed universe is embedded in a suprauniverse that infinitely spawns an infinite number of other universes. This and other gigantic ideas concisely presented will provoke the interest of readers intrigued by the origin of the big bang.”
– Taylor, Gilbert. “Many Worlds in One: The Search for Other Universes.” Booklist 102. 21 (2006): 17. Academic Search Premier. Clinton Community Coll. Lib., Plattsburgh. 26 February 2007.
Marley & Me: Life and Love with the World's Worst Dog
John Grogan. Call number: SF429 .L3 G76 2005
“Author Grogan's wife sealed their fate when they ‘just went to look’ at a litter of Labrador retriever puppies and ended up picking out Marley.... Between careening through screen doors and swallowing everything that would fit in his mouth, Marley also managed to comfort these two when they miscarried their first child. Although Marley got kicked out of obedience training after he dragged the instructor across the parking lot and terrorized his pet sitter, he also landed a minor role in a straight-to-video movie. Marley, incorrigible though he was, had inserted himself into the author's life in a way no normal dog could.”
– Bent, Nancy. “Grogan, John. Marley & Me: Life and Love with the World's Worst Dog.” Booklist 102. 3 (2005): 12. InfoTrac OneFile. Clinton Community Coll. Lib., Plattsburgh. 5 May 2006.
Nanofuture: What's Next for Nanotechnology
J. Storrs Hall. Call number: T 174.7 .H35 2005
“Hall writes that nanotechnology "involves building machines whose parts are of molecular size, but more importantly, of atomic precision...." He foresees nanotechnology progressing through five stages of development, stage one being our current ability to image objects at an atomic scale with a limited ability to manipulate them, and stage five being the ability of miniature robots to reproduce and learn from experience… Predictions include thin body suits that will control body temperature, allowing people to live in the tropics or in the Arctic and medical advances that will send artificial antibodies into the bloodstream to destroy bacteria or viruses.”
– “Nanofuture: What's Next for Nanotechnology.” Publishers Weekly 252. 15 (2005): 45. InfoTrac OneFile. Clinton Community Coll. Lib., Plattsburgh. 17 April 2006.
The Physics of Superheroes
James Kakalios. Call number: QC 23.2 .K35 2005
“By combining his love for physics with his love of comic books, University of Minnesota physicist Kakalios has written a book for the general reader covering all of the basic points in a first-level college physics course and is difficult to put down. Among many other things, Kakalios uses the basic laws of physics to "prove" that gravity must have been 15 times greater on Krypton than on Earth; that Spiderman's girlfriend, Gwen Stacy, died because his webbing stopped her too abruptly after she plunged from the George Washington Bridge; and that when the Flash runs, he's surrounded by a pocket of air that enables him to breathe…. That all of this is accomplished with enough humor to make you laugh aloud is an added bonus.”
– “The Physics of Superheroes.” Publishers Weekly 252. 30 (2005): 56. Academic Search Premier. Clinton Community Coll. Lib., Plattsburgh. 10 July 2006.
Physics of the Impossible: A Scientific Exploration Into the World of Phasers, Force Fields, Teleportation, and Time Travel
Kaku, Michio. Call number: QC75 .K18 2008
"Physics of the Impossible takes readers on an unforgettable, mesmerizing journey into the world of science that both enlightens and entertains."
– Publisher’s description
Restless Skies: The Ultimate Weather Book
Paul Douglas. Call number: QC 981 .D68 2005
“[Emphasizes] safety strategies for use in dangerous weather…. packed with a compendium of historical information about disasters.“
– Taylor, Gilbert. “Restless Skies: The Ultimate Weather Book.” Booklist 102. 9/10 (2006): 38. Academic Search Premier. Clinton Community Coll. Lib., Plattsburgh. 9 March 2007.
The Robotics Primer
Matarić, Maja J. Call number: TJ211 .M3673 2007
"The Robotics Primer offers a broadly accessible introduction to robotics for students at pre-university and university levels, hobbyists, and anyone interested in this burgeoning field."
– Publisher’s description
Robots Unlimited: Life in a Virtual Age
Levy, David N. L. Call number: TJ211 .L456 2005
In this book, David Levy covers "the history of artificial intelligence from its earliest conception to present day. He then considers the most recent advances and makes predictions about the future of this burgeoning science."
– Publisher’s description
Space Sciences
Pat Dasch, Ed. Online book, accessible through the Douglas Library's Resources by Subject page.
Includes “space business," our knowledge of space, biographies, and the past, present, and future of space exploration.
Test Driving Linux: From Windows to Linux in 60 Seconds
David Brickner. Call number: QA 76.76 .O63 B7424 2005
“For years, computer users have put up with the bugs, security holes, and viruses on Windows because they had no choice…. Now, Windows users can switch to Linux…. Linux is easy to use, runs on almost any PC, and enables you to perform all the tasks you can do with Windows.… Now there's a way to test-drive Linux without changing, installing, or configuring a thing on your computer…. This latest release from O'Reilly comes with a Live CD called Move, that allows Windows users to try all the features of Mandrake Linux, a popular Linux distribution without the hassle of actually installing Linux.”
– Publisher’s description
Trees of New York State: Native and Naturalized
Leopold, Donald Joseph. Call number: QK477 .L46 2003
"Botanical descriptions for each species include a summary of its key identification characteristics and extensive information on its leaves, flowers, fruit, winter characteristics, and bark."
– Publisher’s description
Windswept: The Story of Wind and Weather
De Villiers, Marq. Call number: QC931 .D48 2006
"This book … looks at the power of the oceanic storms, at hurricanes, tornadoes, dust devils, and at the way the human species is tampering with the global climate."
– Publisher’s description
SOCIAL SCIENCES
The Age of Gold: The California Gold Rush and the New American Dream
Brands, H. W. Call number: F865 .B76 2002
"H. W. Brands explores the far-reaching implications of this pivotal point in U.S. history, weaving the politics of the times with the gripping stories of individuals that displays both the best and the worst of the American character."
– Publisher’s description
Al-Jazeera: The Inside Story of the Arab News Channel That is Challenging the West
Hugh Miles. Call number: HE8700.9 .Q22 M55 2005
“With more than fifty million viewers, Al-Jazeera is one of the most widely watched news channels in the world… With unprecedented access to the news channel’s key players, reporters, producers, and financiers, journalist Hugh Miles uncovers the full, behind-the-scenes story of Al-Jazeera’s meteoric rise and how its influence is shaping the course of the Arab world.”
– Publisher’s description
America's Game: The Epic Story of How Pro Football Captured a Nation
Michael MacCambridge. Call Number: GV954 .M32 2004
“A thoroughly entertaining account of the entire universe of professional football, from locker room to boardroom, from playing field to press box, [this book] is a unique lens through which to view the past sixty years of American history.”
– Publisher’s description
At Day's Close: Night in Times Past
A. Roger Ekirch. Call number: HN8 .E48 2005
“Historian Ekirch re-creates the ambience of the European nocturnal world prior to the advent of artificial lighting in a fresh and thought-provoking cultural inquiry. Drawing on works of literature, letters, diaries, and criminal court documents, and maintaining throughout an infectious sense of wonder, Ekirch ignites the reader's imagination with example-rich descriptions of humankind's ‘age-old fear of darkness’ and belief that the night is the domain of demons, witches, and ghosts.”
– Seaman, Donna. “Ekirch, A. Roger. At Day's Close: Night in Times Past.” Booklist 101. 18 (2005): 1621. InfoTrac OneFile. Clinton Community Coll. Lib., Plattsburgh. 4 May 2006.
Baseball Before We Knew It: A Search For the Roots of the Game
David Block. Call number: GV 862.5 .B56 2005
“Block's book takes readers on an exhilarating journey through the centuries in search of clues to the evolution of our modern National Pastime. Among his startling discoveries is a set of long-forgotten baseball rules from the 1700s. Block evaluates the originality and historical significance of the Knickerbocker rules of 1845, revisits European studies on the ancestry of baseball which indicate that the game dates back hundreds, if not thousands of years, and assembles a detailed history of games and pastimes from the Middle Ages onward that contributed to baseball's development.”
– Publisher’s description
Don't Give Up the Ship! Myths of the War of 1812
Hickey, Donald R. Call number: E 364.9 .H53 2006
"War making and mythmaking go hand in hand in Hickey's analysis of the misconceptions, embellishments and falsehoods that continue to shape Americans' views of the War of 1812."
– Publisher’s description
Encyclopedia of Crime and Justice
Joshua Dressler, Ed. Online book, accessible through the Douglas Library's Resources by Subject page.
"Covers legal, sociological, psychological, historical, and economic aspects of crime and justice worldwide. Entries cover civil and criminal issues, from domestic violence to terrorism."
– Publisher’s description
Encyclopedia of Sociology
Edgar F. Borgatta and Rhonda J.V. Montgomery, Eds. Online book, accessible through the Douglas Library's Resources by Subject page.
Includes topics such as abortion, economics, epidemiology, the Internet, poverty, pregnancy, privacy, race, and violence.
Encyclopedia of the American Constitution
Leonard W. Levy and Kenneth L. Karst, Eds. Online book, accessible through the Douglas Library's Resources by Subject page.
"The articles in the set provide comprehensive coverage of all aspects of constitutional law, as well as biographies of people who have had an impact on our government's legal framework."
– Publisher’s description
Barbara McMartin. Call number: GV 199.42 .N652 A3445 2003
“[McMartin] has distilled her vast experience into the 50 hikes offered here, representing a cross-section of the wilderness and wild forest: rugged peak climbs, gentle trips to distant waterfalls, bushwhacks to wild rivers. In all she describes 360 miles of trails to caves, uninhabited lakes, wetlands, cliffs, and fire towers across the Park's 6 million acres…. The hikes range in length from 1.5 to 13.5 miles in length, and each hike description includes a topographic map, mile-by-mile directions, and information on distance, difficulty, terrain, and hiking time.”
– Publisher’s description
1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus
Mann, Charles C. Call number: E61 .M266 2005
"In this groundbreaking work of science, history, and archaeology, Charles C. Mann radically alters our understanding of the Americas before the arrival of Columbus in 1492."
– Publisher’s description
How the Irish Saved Civilization: The Untold Story of Ireland’s Heroic Role From the Fall of Rome to the Rise of Medieval Europe
Thomas Cahill. Call Number: DA930.5 .C34 1995
“This book is more than the story of monks preserving manuscripts; it is an irreverent look back at how Ireland came to be…. Ireland became 'Europe's publisher,' as [Irish warrior-monks] began to colonize barbarized Europe."
– Bernstein, Elizabeth. "Thomas Cahill: Saving history, book by book." Publishers Weekly 245. 11 (1998): 39. Academic Search Premier. Clinton Community Coll. Lib., Plattsburgh. 27 February 2007.
Imagination and Play in the Electronic Age
Singer, Dorothy G. Call number: BF717 .S5145 2005
“This book offers a compelling examination of the ways in which video games, television, and the Internet (both e-mail and the Web) help to shape the lives of contemporary children, adolescents, and adults.”
– Dixon, W. W. “Imagination and Play in the Electronic Age.” Choice 44. 10 (2007): 1692. Research Library. Clinton Community Coll. Lib., Plattsburgh. 30 January 2008.
Last Dance: Behind the Scenes at the Final Four
Feinstein, John. Call number: GV885.49 .N37 F45 2006
"With the unflinching eye of a seasoned reporter and the remarkable skill of a true storyteller, Feinstein exposes the driving forces behind one of the most revered events in American sports."
– Publisher’s description
Legacy of Ashes: The History of the CIA
Weiner, Tim. Call number: JK468 .I6 W44 2007
This book "takes the CIA from its creation after World War II, through its battles in the cold war and the war on terror, to its near-collapse after 9/11."
– Publisher’s description
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Frady, Marshall. Call number: E185.97.K5 F695 2002
"Marshall Frady, the reporter who became the unofficial chronicler of the civil rights movement, here recreates the life and turbulent times of its inspirational leader."
– Publisher’s description
The Occupation of Iraq: Winning the War, Losing the Peace
Allawi, Ali A. Call number: DS79.76 .A393 2007
"In this book, the former Minister of Defense and Finance draws on his unique personal experience, extensive relationships with members of the main political groups and parties in Iraq, and deep understanding of the history and society of his country to answer the baffling questions that persist about its current crises."
– Publisher’s description
The Post-American World
Zakaria, Fareed. Call number: CB161 .Z34 2008
"Zakaria describes with equal prescience a world in which the United States will no longer dominate the global economy, orchestrate geopolitics, or overwhelm cultures."
– Publisher’s description
The Power of Play: How Spontaneous, Imaginative Activities Lead to Happier, Healthier Children
Elkind, David. Call number: BF717 .E397 2007
"Elkind calls for society to bring back long recesses, encourage imagination and let children develop their minds at a natural pace."
– "The Power of Play: How Spontaneous, Imaginative Activities Lead to Happier, Healthier Children." Publishers Weekly 253. 49 (2006): 64. Academic Search Premier. Clinton Community Coll. Lib., Plattsburgh. 20 November 2007.
Rights of Single Parents
Margaret C. Jasper, Ed. Call number: KF547 .J37 2005
“A concise guide to the legal rights of single parents, including the expansion of "father's rights" and single-parent adoption.” This book is part of the Douglas Library’s Legal Almanac Series. “This series serves to educate the general public on a variety of legal issues pertinent to everyday lives…. Each volume in the series presents an explanation of a specific legal issue. Whether it is the law of buying and selling, identity theft, marriage and divorce law, or laws for the small business owner, these volumes give simple, easily understood explanations.” To find more books in the series, search the Douglas Library Catalog for “Legal Almanac” without the quotes, and change “All Fields” to “Series.”
– Book and series descriptions are from the publisher.
Rock Climbing: Mastering Basic Skills
Craig Luebben. Call number: GV 200.2 .L855 2004
“Here [the author] presents the most common foot positions, hand grips, and body positions and how to use them precisely…. With an emphasis on safety and how to stay within your abilities, Luebben teaches how to evaluate potential hazards and then avoid them.”
– Publisher’s description
Snow Walker's Companion: Winter Camping Skills for the North
Conover, Garrett. Call number: GV198.9 .C65 2006
"[This book] gives readers a complete education regarding the skills and techniques appropriate to the snowshoe-and-toboggan trail" (Conover and Conover x).
Conover, Garrett, and Alexandra Conover. Snow Walker's Companion: Winter Camping Skills for the North. Wrenshall, MN: Stone Ridge Press, 2006.
The Sustainability Revolution: Portrait of a Paradigm Shift
Edwards, Andres R. Call number: HC79 .E5 E327 2005
"This book paints a picture of this largely unrecognized phenomenon from the point of view of five major sectors of society, concluding that the values emerging from sustainability work define a major paradigm shift.”
– Publisher’s description
What is Intelligence? Beyond the Flynn Effect
Flynn, James R. Call number: BF431.F57 2007
"One of the most creative and influential psychologists working in the field of intelligence, [Flynn] offers a new picture of human intelligence that is both surprising and illuminating."
– Publisher’s description
Where Have All the Voters Gone?
Wattenberg, Martin P. Call number: JK1976 .W38 2002
Discusses the causes of low voter turnout in the United States, and suggests possible solutions.
You Can Hear Me Now: How Microloans and Cell Phones are Connecting the World’s Poor to the Global Economy
Sullivan, Nicholas P. Call number: HE9715 .D48 S85 2007
"You Can Hear Me Now describes an inclusive capitalism that engages and enables many of the three billion people at the bottom of the economic pyramid."
– Publisher’s description