Tempting Titles - Nonfiction - July (continued)

Here are some more tempting titles our librarians have selected for the library recently. The books are either already in the system or on the way.

To get to the online catalog record, click on the image or the book title link. There you can place a hold request, see similar subjects or other books by the same author, read first chapters, reviews or summaries, and enlarge the image.

Dewey Decimal 400s

Lights, Camera, Spanish: pop in the movie, learn the language by Bill Van Patten, Michael J. Lesser, and Gregory D. Keating.

A film-based introductory Spanish program that integrates the feature-length film Sol y viento into the instructional and learning experience. "Imagine yourself in a world where a young man finds love thousands of miles away ... where a family's dream hangs in the shadow of a corporate takeover ... and you learn Spanish just by popping in this DVD. Rated E for everyone, Lights, Camera, Spanish! is a revolutionary, look-listen-and-learn approach specially created for you, the movie lover who wants a crash course in Spanish." (Publisher's summary)



When You Catch an Adjective, Kill It: the parts of speech for better or worse by Ben Yagoda.

Yagoda (The Sound on the Page) isn't trying to reinvent the style guide, just offering his personal tour of some of the English language's idiosyncrasies. Using the parts of speech as signposts, he charts an amiable path between those critics for whom any alterations to established grammar are hateful and those who believe whatever people use in speech is by default acceptable. Where many writing instructors rail against the use of adverbs, for example, he points out that they can be quite useful for conveying subtle relationships ordinary verbs can't describe. (Publishers Weekly)

Drawing on quotes from politicians, lyrics, movies, classic literature, and linguistic works, Yagoda also examines word history and differences between spoken and written language. Filled with humor and written in a casual tone. (Library Journal)

Dewey Decimal 500s

Why Size Matters: From Bacteria to Blue Whales by John Tyler Bonner

Bonner vividly illustrates how something apparently so simple as size is actually so fundamentally important. ... As this diminutive book describes with elegant simplicity, size is far more important than mere curiosity. (Choice)

Dewey Decimal 600s -

Happy Accidents: serendipity in modern medical breakthroughs by Morton A. Meyers

A character-rich account of the role of chance in scientific research.Meyers (Emeritus, Radiology and Internal Medicine/SUNY, Stony Brook) has collected dozens of stories, from Pasteur to present-day stem-cell researchers that show scientists looking for one thing, finding something entirely different and recognizing the potential of the unexpected discovery. A skilled storyteller, Meyers explains in layman's terms the science involved, whether it is a cardiovascular breakthrough, discovery of a hallucinogenic or a new antibiotic or antidepressant, or an advance in the understanding of ulcers or cancer. (Kirkus Reviews)

Otherwise Normal People: inside the thorny world of competitive rose gardening by Aurelia C. Scott

Investigative visits with some gung-ho rose-lovers, who reveal their methods, motivation and super-competitive ways. (Kirkus Reviews)

Tomatoes & mozzarella : 100 ways to enjoy this tantalizing twosome all year long by Hallie Harron and Shelley Sikora ; photographs by Richard Eskite.

The recipes in this attractive book are far more diverse than one might expect, ranging from a chopped version of the classic Caprese Salad to Stuffed Poblano Chiles with Tomato-Avocado Salsa to Rich Tomato Pot Pie. Harron, a chef and restaurant consultant who leads food and wine tours in France, and Sikora, co-owner of the Bobby McGee's restaurant chain, include their favorite combinations from a variety of cuisines, not only Italian. They also offer a brief introductory section that even explains how to make your own fresh mozzarella. (Library Journal)

Everyday pasta : favorite pasta recipes for every occasion by Giada De Laurentiis ; photographs by Victoria Pearson.

Bestselling author and Food Network star de Laurentiis presents a collection of 100 new recipes for the most popular and beloved of Italian foods and the delicious extras that make pasta a meal. (Publisher's summary)

How to cheat at cleaning: time-slashing techniques to cut corners and restore your sanity by Jeff Bredenberg

Part how-to bible and part liberating manifesto, this volume rewrites the housekeeping rules. Delivered in a swingy, conversational, irreverent style, this book is peppered with quick-read recurring boxes, including amusing anecdotes, easy cleaning formulas, great cleaning gear, cleaning emergencies, and how to eliminate dirt through design. (Publisher's summary)