4/1: New at the library this week

Audiobooks

The fiery cross / Diana Gabaldon (unabridged; cassette)
Voyager / Diana Gabaldon (unabridged; cassette)
Drums of autumn / Diana Gabaldon (unabridged; cassette)

Movies:

Under the same moon
School of rock
The Savages
(all movies are on dvd unless otherwise noted)

Books:

Blind alley / Iris Johansen
Eve Duncan’s job is to put a face on the faceless victims of violent crimes. Her work not only comforts their survivors—but helps catch their killers. But there is another, more personal reason that Eve Duncan is driven to do the kind of work she does—a dark nightmare from a past she can never bury. And as she works on the skull of a newly discovered victim, that past is about to return all over again. (read an exerpt)

Medusa’s child / John J. Nance
For thirty-year-old captain Scott McKay, the transport run from Miami to Denver will give him the money he desperately needs to keep his fledgling air cargo company flying. When a mysterious crate is discovered on his plane, however, McKay is ordered to abandon his present course and fly the crate and its owner, Vivian Henry, to Washington, D.C., before going to Denver. McKay takes the forced detour in stride – until a strange noise comes from deep inside the crate. It is the voice of Vivian’s husband, Dr. Rogers Henry, warning that the shipment they are carrying is actually a fully armed Medusa device, a thermonuclear bomb that can destroy every computer chip over an entire continent, and blast the Silicon Age back to the Stone Age. And it is set to go off within hours. (read an exerpt)

His Majesty’s dragon / Naomi Novik
Aerial combat brings a thrilling new dimension to the Napoleonic Wars as valiant warriors rise to Britain’s defense by taking to the skies . . . not aboard aircraft but atop the mighty backs of fighting dragons.

When HMS Reliant captures a French frigate and seizes its precious cargo, an unhatched dragon egg, fate sweeps Capt. Will Laurence from his seafaring life into an uncertain future–and an unexpected kinship with a most extraordinary creature. Thrust into the rarified world of the Aerial Corps as master of the dragon Temeraire, he will face a crash course in the daring tactics of airborne battle. For as France’s own dragon-borne forces rally to breach British soil in Bonaparte’s boldest gambit, Laurence and Temeraire must soar into their own baptism of fire. (Temeraire Series, #1; read an exerpt)

Historic photos of Alaska / Dermot Cole
Just over 140 years ago, the United States made one of the greatest land deals of all time, purchasing from Russia a massive piece of property near the Arctic Circle. Since then, the land known as Alaska has been the site of a gold rush and an oil boom, but even those great events comprise only a small portion of what makes America’s largest and most northern state a place that continues to capture the imagination and the hearts of residents and visitors alike. Historic Photos of Alaska portrays the majesty, the history, and the awe-inspiring beauty of this unique section of America through rarely seen, stunning, black-and-white photographs selected from local, state, and national collections. Climb the snow-filled Chilkoot Pass with gold-seekers. Hunt with Native tribesmen. See cities like Anchorage and Fairbanks grow from a cluster of tents and wooden shacks. Stand with American soldiers as they repel the only invasion of North America during World War II. Observe the engineering feat of constructing the trans-Alaska oil pipeline through frozen wilderness. Marvel at pristine natural beauty, celebrate the long-awaited statehood, and witness the incredible destruction wrought by the 1964 earthquake, in this unique collection of historic photographs.

Max / James Patterson
Maximum Ride and the other members of the Flock have barely recovered from their last arctic adventure, when they are confronted by the most frightening catastrophe yet. Millions of fish are dying off the coast of Hawaii and someone-or something-is destroying hundreds of ships. Unable to discover the cause, the government enlists the Flock to help them get to the bottom of the disaster before it is too late.

While Max and her team are exploring the depths of the ocean, their every move is being carefully tracked by Mr. Chu-a criminal mastermind with his own plans for the Flock. Can they protect themselves from Mr. Chu’s army of mercenaries and save the ocean from utter destruction? (Maximum Ride Series, #5)

Critical mass / Whitley Strieber
A searing new novel from bestselling author Whitley Strieber, exploring the unthinkable but very real possibility – could terrorists get nuclear weapons?

Amazing grace / Danielle Steel
On a warm May night in San Francisco, the Ritz-Carlton ballroom shimmers with crystal and silver as a glittering, celebrity-studded crowd gathers for a charity dinner dance. The evening is perfect–until, just minutes before midnight, the room begins to sway. Glass shatters. And as the lights go out, people begin to scream….

In the earthquake’s aftermath, the lives of four strangers will converge.… Sarah Sloane, the beautiful wife of a financial whiz, watches her perfect world fall to pieces…. Grammy-winning singer Melanie Free, the event’s headliner, comes to a turning point in her life and career…. Photographer Everett Carson, a former war correspondent whose personal demons have demoted him to covering society parties, finds new purpose amid the carnage…and Sister Maggie Kent, a nun who normally works in jeans and high-tops with the homeless, searches through the rubble–and knows instantly that there is much work to be done….

As the city staggers back to life, a chain reaction of extraordinary events will touch each of the survivors.… For Sarah, it begins with the discovery of a crime and a betrayal, then a strength she never knew she had. For Melanie, volunteering at a refugee camp will open new worlds of possibility. And Everett will be shaken by the unlikely relationship he forges with Maggie, who helps him rebuild his shattered life–and upends her own in the process. But as a year passes, and the anniversary of the earthquake approaches, more surprises are in store–as each discovers the unexpected gifts in a tragedy’s wake…and the amazing grace of newbeginnings. (read an exerpt)

The parents we mean to be : how well-intentioned adults undermine children’s moral and emotional development / Richard Weissbourd
Harvard psychologist RichardWeissbourd argues incisively that parents—not peers, not television—are the primary shapers of their children’s moral lives. And yet, it is parents’ lack of self-awareness and confused priorities that are dangerously undermining children’s development.
Through the author’s own original field research, including hundreds of rich, revealing conversations with children, parents, teachers, and coaches, a surprising picture emerges.
Parents’ intense focus on their children’s happiness is turning many children into self-involved, fragile conformists.The suddenly widespread desire of parents to be closer to their children—a heartening trend in many ways—often undercuts kids’morality. Our fixation with being great parents—and our need for our children to reflect that greatness—can actually make them feel ashamed for failing to measure up. Finally, parents’ interactions with coaches and teachers—and coaches’ and teachers’ interactions with children—are critical arenas for nurturing, or eroding, children’s moral lives.

Final theory / Mark Alper
David Swift, a professor at Columbia University, is called to the hospital to comfort his mentor, a physicist who’s been brutally tortured. Before dying, the old man wheezes “Einheitliche Feldtheorie.” The Theory of Everything. The Destroyer of Worlds. Could this be Einstein’s proposed Unified Theory–a set of equations that combines the physics of galaxies with the laws of atoms? Einstein never succeeded in discovering it. Or did he? Within hours of hearing his mentor’s last words, David is running for his life. The FBI and a ruthless mercenary are vying to get their hands on the long-hidden theory. Teaming up with his old girlfriend, a brilliant Princeton scientist, David frantically works out Einstein’s final theory to reveal the staggering scope of its consequences. (read an exerpt)

The knitting design book : using color, pattern, and stitch to create your own unique sweaters / Ank Bredewold

Beadwork creates necklaces / Jean Campbell
Beaders and jewelry-makers will love the 30 incredible projects for dazzling, draping, hand-beaded necklaces in this creative resource. From easy to advanced instruction, readers will find it exciting to create these beautiful designs with their own hands. Step-by-step directions are accompanied by simple illustrations, allowing beaders to master even the more complicated techniques. The flexible binding keeps the book lying flat while the beader follows the instructions.

Weaving is fun / Alice Violet White
Complete instructions for simple looms, materials, patterns, finishings, 4-shaft loom for more advanced work. 154 illus.

Beadwork creates bracelets / Jean Campbell
Beginners and seasoned beadworkers alike will be thrilled to discover the 30 fun and stylish bracelets in this creative guide to beading jewelry. Clear, logical directions and easy-to-follow illustrations accompany each project, from simple bead stringing and wire working to more complex macramé, crochet, and off-loom weaving techniques. The flexible binding allows the book to lie flat while beaders work on hand-busying projects.

Elizabeth Zimmermann’s Knitting workshop / Elizabeth Zimmermann

Indian bead-weaving patterns : chain-weaving designs and bead loom weaving–an illustrated “how to” guide / Horace Goodhue
Indian Bead-Weaving Patterns is written for beginning and advanced beaders. It contains over 200 instructional illustrations and photographs of 47 bead-work pieces. Emphasis is on the use of traditional Native American beading techniques. The major portion of this book covers chain-weaving patterns, examples of which include multiple strands, 6-bead and 8-bead daisy chains, “Ogalala Butterfly,” ladder weaves, “Peyote Stitch,” fancy tubes, “spider” designs, “Apache Leaf,” “Zig-zag” variations, 5- and 8-bead diagonals, “Potawatomi Weave,” “Wide Net,” “Lakota Chain,” beaded braids, and beaded dolls. Also included in this book are notes on supplies, knots and threading … and an illustrated section on How to Make and Use an Indian Bead Loom. With this new, enlarged edition, come two additional sections: Triangle Base has illustrated directions for making this very popular pattern for pendants and ear-drops; and Bead Embroidery includes detailed instructions for Rosettes and Applique work. Additional descriptions and illustrations are also given for other patterns of sewn beadery.

Beads : their use by Upper Great Lakes Indians : an exhibition / Grand Rapids Public Museum; Cranbrook Academy of Art Museum

The technique of North American Indian beadwork / Monte Smith
Her new book presents step-by-step instructions on making a whole new series of beautiful and distinctive earrings and necklaces. Fantastic new ideas for earrings feature Raffia, Pine Needles, Bugle, and Seed Beads, which make up into exquisite creations. These styles are the Pine Needle Heart Earrings (with optional dangles); Pine Needle Circle Earrings; and Pine Needle Tear Drop Earrings. These new designs are truly unique.

The craft of cable-stitch knitting / Barbara G. Walker

50 baby bootees to knit : packed with patterns for little bootees and snuggly socks for newborn to nine months / Zoe Mellor
Leading designer Zoë Mellor returns with an adorable collection of classic and contemporary bootees for the beautifully shod baby, newborn to 18 months.

Rug weaving for everyone Designing and making handwoven rugs : techniques for creating European, oriental, and American rugs, and household fabrics / Osma Gallinger Tod; Josephine Couch Del Deo

Hot springs / Stephen Hunter
Earl Swagger is tough as hell. But even tough guys have their secrets. Plagued by the memory of his abusive father, apprehensive about his own impending parenthood, Earl is a decorated ex-Marine of absolute integrity — and overwhelming melancholy. Now he’s about to face his biggest, bloodiest challenge yet.

It is the summer of 1946, organized crime’s garish golden age, when American justice seems to have gone to seed for good. Nowhere is this more true than in Hot Springs, Arkansas, the reigning capital of corruption. When the district attorney vows to bring down the mob, Earl is recruited to run the show. As casino raids erupt into nerve-shattering combat amid screaming prostitutes and fleeing johns, the body count mounts — along with the suspense. (Earl Swagger Series, #1; read a sample chapter)

[Note: All synopses are provided by the publisher unless otherwise
noted and do not constitute reviews by the Seldovia Public Library.]