Home Publications College & Research Libraries News index.xml March New Publications

NEW PUBLICATIONS

C&RL News, March 2007
Vol. 68, No. 3

The Changing Vampire of Film and Television, by Tim Kane (232 pages, October 2006), tracks the evolution of cinematic and television vampires from Bela Lugosi’s Dracula (1931) to Kate Beckinsale’s Selene in Underworld (2003). Kane notes a definite trend away from the malevolent vamps of old to the more erotic and sympathetic undead of today. A semantic-syntactic timeline found in the appendix traces key elements of vampire lore over time—its stare, its bite, its appearance and behavior, its infection, the vampire expert, the effectiveness of a cross, and how it can be destroyed. $35.00. McFarland. ISBN 978-0-7864-2676-4.

Dinosaurs in Fantastic Fiction, by Allen A. Debus (220 pages, October 2006), takes a thematic approach to dinosaurs and other prehistoric animals in literature, from lost worlds and Cold War analogies to time travel, alien dinos, and biotechnology. An informative literary companion to Mark F. Berry’s Dinosaur Filmography (2002). $55.00. McFarland. ISBN 978-0-7864-2672-0.

Other science-fiction and horror themes are examined in Plagues, Apocalypses, and Bug-Eyed Monsters, by Heather Urbanski (255 pages, January 2007), who looks at speculative fiction as cautionary tales warning readers or viewers of the nightmarish dangers of science and technology, the perils of individual or state power, and the threats posed by unknown monsters or a frightening future. $35.00. McFarland. ISBN 9780-7864-2916-5.

The Design of Dissent: Socially and Politically Driven Graphics, by Milton Glaser and Mirko Ilic (239 pages, new ed., October 2006), presents posters, brochures, ads, buttons, postcards, magazine articles, and covers that convey antiwar, anticorporate visual messages. Most are from 1987 to 2004, though some images from the Vietnam Era are thrown in. A brief context is provided along with technical information, but the evocative designs speak for themselves. $30.00. Rockport. ISBN 978-1-59253-307-7.

Eyes Like Butterflies, by Terence Hodgson (288 pages, December 2006), is a compendium of similes and metaphors from modern literature arranged by topic, making it useful as either a dictionary of rhetorical comparatives or an introduction to authors whose writing styles are rich. Under “breath,” for example, we find Janet Frame in The Edge of the Alphabet (“breath made a sound like two pancakes cooking”) and under “sky,” Matt Cohen in Nadine (“It was a sky so perfect it should have been sold to a museum”). $15.95. Chambers. ISBN 978-0550-10272-0.

Going the Distance: Library Instruction for Remote Learners, edited by Susan J. Clayton (239 pages, January 2007), examines various methods to design, deliver, and assess library instruction for distance learners. Some of the topics included are copyright, plagiarism, web support, collaborating with faculty and IT staff, and using virtual classroom software. $65.00. Neal-Schuman. ISBN 978-1-55570-592-3.

An Illustrated History of the Knights Templar, by James Wasserman (191 pages, September 2006), provides an overview of the mysterious order’s origins, legends, and decline for Da Vinci Code fans who don’t want to wade through histories by Malcolm Barber, John J. Robinson, Helen Nicholson, or Stephen Howarth. The illustrations, from the First Crusade to the immolation of Jacques de Molay, are the big draw here, although Wasserman offers masterful commentary. $19.95. Destiny Books. ISBN 978-1-59477-117-0.

Islamic Calligraphy, by Sheila S. Blair (681 pages, September 2006), surveys the history of Arabic script from the 7th century to the present, identifying distinctive styles and regional variations used in Iran under the Mongols and in Egypt under the Mamluks. Arabic is second only to Roman script in frequency of use throughout the world, but it is little studied in the West. As the sacred script of the orally transmitted revelations in the Koran, Islamic calligraphy became a primary method of artistic expression throughout the Muslim world above and beyond its semantic content. Art historian Blair includes some 150 color illustrations that demonstrate the characteristics of each style. $150.00. University of Edinburgh. ISBN 978-0-7486-1212-3.

For those who want a wide-ranging literature survey of Muslim culture, S. M. Ghazanfar’s Islamic Civilization, History, Contributions, and Influence (547 pages, March 2006) is a good choice. A fully annotated bibliography of 392 books and 225 articles on the contributions of Islamic historians and humanists, the volume focuses on how this knowledge was assimilated into Western thinking. $95.00. Scarecrow. ISBN 978-0-8108-5264-8.

John James Audubon and The Birds of America: A Visionary Achievement in Ornithology Illustration, by Lee A. Vedder (94 pages, November 2006), draws on the naturalist’s writings to summarize Audubon’s efforts in pursuing his “Great Idea” to publish a work illustrating every bird on the North American continent. Selected plates from the Huntington Library’s double-elephant folio are reproduced in color, including the puffin, California condor, and the ivory-billed woodpecker. $24.95. Huntington Library. ISBN 978-0-87328-217-8.


Photographs: Archival Care and Management, by Mary Lynn Ritzenthaler and Diane Vogt-O’Connor (529 pages, August 2006), contains all the information you need to successfully acquire, arrange, describe, preserve, manage, digitize, copy, and offer access to a photographic archive. Some chapters will also be of general interest, including a history of photographic processes, how to read and research photos, legal and ethical issues of ownership, and digital imaging guidelines. Packed with illustrations, tips, checklists, forms, and guidelines. $84.95. Society of American Archivists. ISBN 978-1-931666-17-6.

The Science of Evolution and the Myth of Creationism: Knowing What’s Real and Why It Matters, by Ardea Skybreak (338 pages, September 2006), is a forcefully stated argument for evolution that does not shy away from deconstructing the political and religious elements of creationist polemics. The author warns that creationists are not just asking for equal time in school curricula, but they are actually bent on redefining science to allow for supernatural explanations of natural phenomena. $24.95. Insight Press. ISBN 978-0-9760236-5-4.

A Small Moment of Great Illumination: Searching for Valentine Greatrakes, the Master Healer, by Leonard Pitt (196 pages, November 2006), is Pitt’s story of his search both for details of the life of the curious 17th-century Irish healer Valentine Greatrakes as well as a rare copy of the book he wrote to defend himself against accusations of fraud, A Brief Account of Mr. Valentine Greatrak’s, and Divers of the Strange Cures by Him Lately Performed (London, 1666). His healing technique was performed by stroking or massage. The distinguished scientist Robert Boyle, author of The Sceptical Chymist (1661), became one of his most ardent supporters and frequently signed affidavits of support. Greatrakes went to London in 1666 on the summons of Charles II, who wanted the healer examined by royal physicians. An intriguing tale, spiced with tantalizing bibliographic tidbits. $22.00. Shoemaker & Hoard. ISBN 978-1-59376-126-4.

Training Library Staff and Volunteers to Provide Extraordinary Customer Service, by Julie Todaro and Mark L. Smith (160 pages, September 2006), offers guidelines on customer service and courtesy for supervisors of student circulation workers. Selected topics include responding to customer feedback, planning self-development days, and instituting continuous learning. Accompanied by assessment charts, sample scripts and case studies, and tips on using focus groups. $65.00. Neal-Schuman. ISBN 978-1-55570-560-2.

Vanished: Mississippi Gulf Coast, by Jim Fraiser and Rick Guy (104 pages, September 2006), pays tribute to the stately homes and landmarks of Ocean Springs, Pascagoula, Biloxi, Gulfport, Pass Christian, and Bay St. Louis, many of which were destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. Photographers Fraiser and Guy depict both the Gulf Coast as it was and the damage done in August 2005. $22.95. Pelican. ISBN 978-1-58980-346-6.

A Wanderer All My Days: John Muir in New England, by J. Parker Huber (357 pages, February 2007), traces the footsteps of preservationist John Muir on his five trips to Boston and other parts of New England from 1893 to 1912. Huber meticulously uncovers the places Muir stayed, the people he met, the lectures he gave, and the routes he took in the mountains of Maine and along the streets of Cambridge. $23.95. Green Frigate Books. ISBN 978-0-9717468-4-8.

George M. Eberhart is senior editor of American Libraries, e-mail: geberhart@ala.org