News Blog @ Wellington City Libraries

Our latest science featured topic, is Near Earth Objects. Have a browse!

The Oxford Dictionary of Astronomy (log in online with your library card details) defines a Near Earth object (NEO) as “An asteroid whose orbit brings it close to Earth’s orbit. Such Asteroids have a perihelion of less than 1.3 AU (1 AU = 149,597,870 km)”.

Earth often has close encounters with these NEO’s: there have been five in the last 10 years – such as the November 8, 2011 encounter with asteroid 2005 YU55, which came within 324,600 km of Earth. The last time a NEO of this size got this close was in 1989. As of April 2011, 7,954 NEO’s have been discovered (this includes asteroids and comets). Of the 7,954, 1,047 have been listed as hazardous – but there is no need to worry!

Approximately 1 NEO per year measuring 5-10m across strikes the Earth, and in the last 100 years, only four NEO’s have struck Earth with any considerable force (although these only affected the immediate area of the fall). Of those under watch at the moment, the one with the highest chance of striking Earth has a probability of 1 in 300, and won’t be near us till the year 2880.

Books:

Wonders of the solar system / Brian Cox & Andrew Cohen.
“Employing his trademark clear, authoritative, yet down-to-earth approach, Brian will explore how these previously unseen phenomena have dramatically expanded our horizons with new discoveries about the planets, their moons and how they came to be the way they are.” (Amazon.co.uk)

See also the DVD version.

Asteroid rendezvous : NEAR Shoemaker’s adventures at Eros / edited by Jim Bell and Jacqueline Mitton.
“An account of NASA’s dramatic NEAR mission to the asteroid Eros by scientists involved.” (Syndetics summary)

For more books try this search for ‘Asteroids’.

From our databases:

(You’ll need to log in with your library card details to view.)

• Gale Search on – Near Earth Objects.
• Proquest Search on – Asteroids.
• Encylopaedia Britannica Search on – Near Earth Objects.

For more articles please use our Science databases located here.

From the web

• Wikipedia – Near Earth Objects
• NASA – Jet prepulsion lab and Asteroid watch
• European Space Agency – Introduction to NEO’s
• Stuff.co.nz – Huge asteroid hurtles past Earth

Previous Science features

Please click here for previous Science features

This months recent picks celebrate the iconic NZ cartoon Footrot Flats. There are also some beautiful new books featuring National parks, scenery and native trees and a travellers guide to birds of New Zealand. The last item is the new book on the Parker – Hulme murder and trial.

The art of Footrot Flats / by Murray Ball. “The Art of Footrot Flats showcases the magnificent body of work of New Zealand’s greatest cartoonist, Murray Ball. This book, however, is not simply a cartoon book. It is, as the title suggests, an art book. The Art of Footrot Flats will be different and very, very special. The cartoons will still be there, but more importantly this book will focus on the art of the strip.” – (adapted from Syndetics summary)

National parks of New Zealand / photography by Rob Suisted ; text by Alison Dench. “Leading New Zealand photographer Rob Suisted delivers a magnificent portrait of New Zealand’s national parks. Within these treasured parks is diverse wildlife and stunning scenery representing all kinds of unique landscapes from golden sands to snowy mountains, rainforests and rugged coastlines. With five of the parks sitting in World Heritage Areas, this is a celebration of scenic Aotearoa at its best. Alison Dench emphasises the great pride and spiritual connection New Zealanders hold for their land with an introduction to each park.” – (adapted from Syndetics summary)

Birds of New Zealand / Julian Fitter, Don Merton ; foreword by Helen Clark. “This beautiful photographic guide is the ideal companion for travelling bird watchers and nature enthusiasts alike. Featuring all 350 species of birds you can possibly see in New Zealand, it is the only guide that anyone travelling to this fascinating region of the world will need.” (adapted from back cover)

Wanaka : earth to heaven at Whare Kea / author, Michal McKay ; photographs Kieran Scott.
Photographs and text describe the environment, geography, seasons and the outdoor activities available in the Wanaka region. Includes recipes from the Whare Kea lodge and chalet and profiles local identities.

Trees of New Zealand : stories of beauty and character / Peter Janssen & Mike Hollman. “This is a new kind of tree book, not a guide to species or simply a photographic study, it is a collection of individual portraits of the most remarkable trees in New Zealand. From the 800-year-old pohutukawa that stands at ‘the place of leaping’ at Cape Reinga to the Moriori carved ‘kopi’ (karaka) trees of the Chatham Islands but also trees that have histories that are linked to our own, such as the Gallipoli Pine at Taradale Cemetery, grown as a memorial from the seed of Gallipoli’s Lone Pine Tree.” – (adapted from Syndetics summary)

So brilliantly clever : Parker, Hulme & the murder that shocked the world / Peter Graham. “In this mesmerising book, lawyer and true crime writer Peter Graham tells the whole story for the first time – giving a brilliant account of the crime and ensuing trial, dramatic revelations about the fate of Juliete Hulme and Pauline Parker after their release from prison, their strange lives today and a penetrating insight into the crime using modern psychology.” (adapted from back cover)

A map to find your way and a dose of willpower to win friends in the digital age, find love after 35, and liberation from anxiety make up our mix of new personal development picks this month.

How to win friends and influence people in the digital age / Dale Carnegie & Associates ; with Brent Cole.
“Since its initial publication, How to Win Friends and Influence People has sold a total of 15 million copies. The book continues to sell briskly today, but Carnegie never anticipated the ways in which the digital age would provide new tools and challenges for winning friends and influencing people. The advent of social networking sites, the dominance of email, and the ways in which the Internet has supplanted face-to-face interactions have made Carnegie’s precepts all the more immediate and vital. Brent Cole, working in tandem with Dale Carnegie & Associates, Inc., has re-imagined the original book for the digital age, updating and reframing Carnegie’s insights about communication, self expression, and leadership.” (Global Books in Print)

Willpower : rediscovering the greatest human strength / Roy F. Baumeister and John Tierney.
”For years the old-fashioned, even Victorian, value of willpower has been disparaged by psychologists who argued that we’re largely driven by unconscious forces beyond our control. Here Roy Baumeister, one of the world’s most esteemed and influential psychologists, and journalist John Tierney, turn this notion on its head. They show us that willpower is like a muscle that can be strengthened with practice. The latest laboratory work reveals that self-control has a physical basis and so is dramatically affected by simple things such as eating and sleeping – to the extent that a life-changing decision may go in different directions depending on whether it’s made before or after lunch. You will discover how babies can be taught willpower, the joys of the to-don’t list, the success of Alcoholics Anonymous, the pointlessness of diets and the secrets to David Blaine’s stunts. There are also fascinating personal stories, from explorers, students, soldiers, ex-addicts and parents. Based on years of psychological research and filled with practical advice, this book will teach you how to gain from self-control without pain, and discover the very real power in willpower.” (Global Books in Print)

The map : finding the magic and meaning in the story of your life / Colette Baron-Reid.
“In this inspiring and illuminating book, internationally acclaimed intuitive counsellor Colette Baron-Reid shares powerful life-changing concepts and practical methods to guide you on your personal Quest for wholeness and meaning. Discover the powerful symbiotic link between the psychospiritual world you inhabit and the outer conditions that influence your perception of reality. Understand that your contemporary desire to ‘have it all’ is incomplete, masking a profound yearning for connection, integrity and wholeness. Uncover the secret of how to identify, explore, and ultimately transform the inner world you inhabit through the powerful, universal metaphors of the environment, where you identify where you are deep in the landscape of your psyche, when that place was created and why it keeps calling you back and away from the true present, and who the voices are that you’re listening to, which help or hinder you on your life’s greatest journey.” (Global Books in Print)

Love for grown-ups : the Garter Brides’ guide to marrying for life when you’ve already got a life / Ann Blumenthal Jacobs, Patricia Ryan Lampl, Tish Rabe ; with Toni Sciarra Poynter.
“Over thirty-five and still seeking that special someone? About to take a serious relationship to the next level and want to make sure it works – for keeps? The Garter Brides can help! These three friends – whose name derived from the lucky garter passed from one woman to another – met and married wonderful men later in life. Now you can tap into the wisdom of this special sisterhood through the true stories and real-life strategies these women – plus the dozens of others they interviewed – used to meet the right guy, fall in love and create exciting, happy and fulfilling lives.” (Book cover)

Things might go terribly, horribly wrong : a guide to life liberated from anxiety / Kelly G. Wilson, Troy DuFrene.
“Rejecting the use of diagnostic labels (agoraphobia, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, etc.) as part of a medical legacy best left behind, psychologist Wilson (Mindfulness for Two) and writer Dufrene (Coping with OCD) approach anxiety as a mild dysfunction treatable with “acceptance and commitment therapy” (ACT), a way of becoming “more psychologically limber” in order to “negotiate crowds, participate in social functions, take risks, and so forth.” The collaborators contend that behind much anxiety is an inability to deal with ambiguity; as such, they suggest a series of exercises to stop the cycle of brooding that arises from problems that do not have clear, immediate solutions (and which may be unsolvable). Many of the techniques they propose (visualization, “mindful breathing practice”) are familiar exercises in mindfulness, but the most important message of ACT is not to avoid situations that produce anxiety. Instead, this empathetic guide helps readers recognize that brooding over painful or disorienting thoughts is a natural part of everyone’s life, necessitating the flexibility to “work around obstacles inside our own heads.” (Syndetics)

An update on recent beliefs and religion books and magazines received by the library. Read about the Mayan Prophecy for 2012, how Christians talk about homosexuality, and the transforming power of prayer.

Christians and the common good : how faith intersects with public life, by Charles E. Gutenson.
“Christians Across the Spectrum Have Soured on Religious Involvement in Politics, tempted either to withdraw or to secularize their public engagement. Yet the kingdom of God is clearly concerned with justice and communal well-being. How can Christians be active in public life without getting mired down in political polarization and controversy? …This book argues that … concentrating on the nature of God, we can move past presuppositions regarding the role of government and form a reasonable framework for engaging in healthy discussions about how best to serve the common good. (drawn from the book jacket)

Science and religion in quest of truth, by John Polkinghorne.
“Here Polkinghorne takes up, with clarity and concision, such vexed questions as causality, time, evolution, and consciousness in ways that integrate the latest understandings of science but also acknowledge a role for mystery and the work of God. VERDICT Loathed by Richard Dawkins and A.C. Grayling, Polkinghorne is the most gentlemanly champion that reasoned religion has; this brief and elegant discussion will be fodder for many conversations among interested atheists, agnostics, and believers.” (Drawn from Library Journal, courtesy of Syndetics)

The HarperCollins Bible dictionary; general editor, Mark Allan Powell.
“With more than 4,000 lively, informative, and reader-friendly entries, this essential reference book provides all the information you need to understand the Bible. … From Aaron to Zurishaddai, here are all the people, events, and ideas of biblical times. … More than half the articles in this book are new, and several dozen charts and tables have also been added as well as updates on recent archaeological discoveries. Over 200 contributors to the HarperCollins Bible Dictionary, from a diverse group of authorities, represent an ecumenical and non-biased viewpoint of scripture from different positions—Roman Catholic, Jewish, mainline Protestant, and evangelical. (drawn from the publisher’s description)

Recruiting young love : how Christians talk about homosexuality, by Mark D. Jordan.
“This new book explores American Christian speech about homosexuality from sources as diverse as interviews, pamphlets, minutes of meetings of early gay rights organizations, and pulp fiction. Jordan argues convincingly that modern American Christian speech about homosexuality and efforts to keep youth from “becoming gay” were not monolithic or theological and often depended more on appropriations of secular psychology than on Christian theology. … The author closes with a chapter claiming that Christian texts and rituals give Christians the material to live “queer” identities yet gives no examples of that appropriation–perhaps in a gesture to more hopeful stories that might exist alongside his narration of Christian oppression of gay people. (drawn from Choice review, courtesy of Syndetics)

Outspoken : coming out in the Anglican Church of Aotearoa New Zealand, by Liz Lightfoot.
Presents the narratives of eleven people who have come out in the Anglican Church in New Zealand, including two ordained church members. The author has written a general introduction, plus an introduction to each individual story and reflections on it. The book closes with a Postscript that discusses truth and the Church; community, belonging and rejection; ideas about hell and damnation; the theology of denial; and the implications and ramifications of the ‘Don’t ask, don’t tell’ approach. … She hopes that this research will contribute to community building within the Anglican Church.

The Christian theology reader, edited by Alister E. McGrath.
This bestselling volume is now available in a fully updated and expanded fourth edition, bringing together 378 readings, drawn from over 230 sources, and charting 2,000 years of Christian history. Each reading is accompanied by its own introduction, commentary and study questions, and illustrates a key doctrine, point of view, intellectual development, or theological landmark. Includes several new readings on religion and science, an expanded coverage of feminist theological voices, extracts from radical Protestant perspectives, and more contemporary theology. (drawn from Syndetics)

The secret things of God : unlocking the treasures reserved for you, by Henry Cloud.The Secret Things of God: Unlocking the Treasures Reserved for You
“A powerful attraction exists in the universe – an attraction between the Creator of the universe and the creation whom He loves. A positive, Christian alternative to “The Secret,” this book reveals 20 age-old secrets of God.” (Syndetics summary)

Invitation to life : the Kingdom of God on Earth for today’s world : a twenty-first century view, by Katharine Oliver.
“Examines and highlights Jesus’ teachings about relationships and behaviour, and what they have to say about how we could live our lives, individually and collectively.

The transforming power of prayer : from illusion to reality, by Michael Marshall.
“‘We are here that we may learn to bear the beams of light’, said Blake. This is the purpose of discipleship and the spiritual journey.>” (Syndetics summary)

MAGAZINE SUBSCRIPTIONS
These can be consulted on the Central library, First floor:
Back to Godhead : the magazine of the Hare Krishna Movement
Recent articles include : The need for a regulated life, by Srila Prabhupada; Near death experiences : where science points to the soul; The Eternally limitless and me.

Books & culture : a Christian review.
Recent articles include : God and the Detectives (mystery fiction); A Capital Miracle (comment on the title Mrs Mattingly’s Miracle); God’s century (religion and global politics)

Focus : Buddhist humanism for daily living (SGINZ)
Recent articles include : Basics of Buddhism; Courage; The Kalpa of Decrease (Nichiren Daisonin’s Buddhism)

The mountain astrologer.
Recent articles include : Is there a Mayan Prophecy for 2012?; Into the Blue : Nepture in Pisces; Astrology and the Art of Synthesis (interview with Noel Tyl)

Resurgence: at the heart of earth, art and spirit.
Recent articles include : The Gift of happiness, by Robert Holden; Genuine Wealth, by Mark Anielski; Stillness in schools : why teachers should start every lesson in silence, by Anthony Sheldon.

In this month’s sport and fitness recent picks: English cricketing greats, psychological warfare on the 1986 Tour de France, and a stunning book of photographs from the Rugby World Cup (Black: Back Where it Belongs). Plus, an account of a year spent fly-fishing in New Zealand, and another of climbling New Hampshire’s collection of four-thousand foot mountains with a very special miniature schnauzer. Have a browse!

Jack Hobbs : England’s Greatest Cricketer / Leo McKinstry.
“The astonishing feats of Sir Jack Hobbs continue to resonate more than a century after he first played Test cricket. During his long career that stretched from the age of W.G. Grace to the era of Don Bradman, he scored more first-class runs and centuries than any player. Even today, he remains England’s greatest run-maker in Ashes Tests. He changed the art of batting with his elegant style, and transformed the status of professional cricketers through the strength of his quiet, dignified personality. Despite his significance in the game, there has never been a comprehensive biography of Hobbs. Now Leo McKinstry, the acclaimed author of a best-selling life of Geoff Boycott, has remedied that.” (Global Books)

Slaying the Badger : LeMond, Hinault and the Greatest Ever Tour de France / Richard Moore.
“The 1986 Tour stands out as the year in which a show-stopping rivalry had spectators across the world gripped. When Greg LeMond – a blue-eyed, blonde-haired Californian boy, dubbed ‘L’American’ – won the 1986 Tour, he made history. The first non-European to win the Yellow Jersey, he broke the Old World stranglehold and changed the face of the competition. But LeMond’s victory was hard won. It was seemingly snatched from the jaws of the man ominously dubbed ‘The Badger’. Frenchman Bernard ‘The Badger’ Hinault was five times winner of the Tour and as tough as boots. After winning the 1985 Tour, in which LeMond came a close second, Hinault vowed to return for one final Tour, and with a single purpose: to help LeMond win. But could Hinault be trusted?” (Syndetics)

Greats of Origin / Neil Cadigan.
“In 1980 the State of Origin series was born at Lang Park in front of a crowd of 33,000, a hard-fought game in an electrifying atmosphere. Little has changed in three decades, the intensity and determination of the players running onto the field is the stuff from legends. Only now it has become Australia’s premier sporting event, attracting a huge television audience and constantly sells out the stadium. Cadigan interviews the highest profile players of the game, including Allan Langer, Mal Meninga, Wally Lewis, Andrew Johns, Ricky Stuart, Phil Gould, Wayne Bennett and Steve Mortimer amongst others, discovering what Origin means to them, how it has changed from ‘their day’ and what they think of their old foes.” (Library Catalogue)

Our Game / photographed by Arno Gasteiger ; written by Peter Malcouronne.
“Our Game celebrates the grassroots of our national game – rugby played by weekend warriors and embryonic All Blacks, far from the steely glare of stadium lights. It takes place in snow and mud in the south, on sun-parched plains in the north, on provincial fields, in back paddocks, back lawns and on beaches….As much as it is a sport of the people, rugby is a sport of the landscape. Taking in these themes, New Zealand Geographic photographer Arno Gasteiger has captured the sport, the heart and soul of New Zealand, and the landscape in which it is played….” (Global Books)

The trout Diaries : A Year of Fly-fishing in New Zealand / Derek Grzelewski.
“With disarming honesty and freshness, Derek Grzelewski has written a highly readable account of his year dedicated to fly-fishing in New Zealand, relating the highs and lows, and the intricacies and finesse, of pursuing trout in the wild places and pristine waters he loves so much… The Trout Diaries contains a wealth of captivating and often amusing anecdotes as well as useful technical information making it a true angler’s companion, both literary and practical”–Jacket.

Black : Where It Belongs / Bob Howitt.
“The must-have souvenir record of the 2011 RWC. One of rugbys most respected commentators, Bob Howitt, provides definitive commentary to the stunning array of images from leading international photo library TRANZ. Text and photos include: Introduction; Pool A New Zealand games, along with other B, C and D pool games (56 pages); quarter-finals (26 pages); semi-finals (14 pages); playoff for 3rd (2 pages); the Final (10 pages); profiles of tournament players; an interview with Graham Henry; statistics; and a selection of colourful spectator photos.” (Global Books)

Following Atticus : Forty-eight High Peaks, One Little Dog, and an Extraordinary Friendship / Tom Ryan.
” After the death of his dog Max, newspaper publisher and writer Ryan meets a breeder with one very special miniature schnauzer pup available. From there, in a story at times reminiscent of Marley & Me though without that book’s blatant humor, the reader is pulled into the relationship that develops between Ryan and Atticus… Ryan uses his newspaper columns to discuss Atticus’s impact on his life. The companionship improves Ryan’s physical and emotional health. He reconnects with family and bears his father’s death and the loss of his friend Vicki to cancer. Eventually, tired of the strain of an investigative reporting career and wishing to honor Vicki’s memory, he decides to climb New Hampshire’s 4000 White Mountains to earn money for charities, with Atticus at his side.” (Library Journal)

Doyle Brunson’s Super System 2 : A Course in Power Poker / contributions by Doyle Brunson … [et al.] ; [foreword to the new edition by Avery Cardoza].
“This essential guide features winning strategies and professional secrets from the world’s best poker players.” (Syndetics summary)

Do you need to vote in advance of  Saturday’s General Election because you can’t get to a polling place on election day or will be outside your electorate?  If so, the following libraries have advance voting booths:

• Rongotai electorate: Newtown, Miramar and Ruth Gotlieb (Kilbirnie) libraries
• Wellington Central electorate: Newtown and Wadestown libraries
• Ohariu electorate: Cummings Park (Ngaio) library

More information about this year’s general election – and the locations and hours of advance polling booths – can be found at elections.org.nz

“Music Ad Lib”, hosted by our own library staff music enthusiasts, airs monthly on Access Radio 783 AM. The show is on a Saturday afternoon from 4.30-5.00pm on Access Radio 783 AM, and will also be available as a podcast on the Access website. The show on Saturday the 26th is hosted by Neil, and here are the tracks that will be playing…

Not music.
TRACK: Pop molecules (Molecular pop 2)

Magazine… (where the power is)
TRACK: A song from under the floorboards

Medicine show. No. 6, The brain wreck show / selected and mixed by Madlib.
TRACK: Predicted 2000 years ago

LateNightTales / [compiled by] Snow Patrol.
TRACK: Bobby Gentry – Fancy

Bakesale [2CD].
TRACK: Together or alone

Cloud cuckooland.
TRACK: Ernst Schultz – Paranoia picknick

LateNightTales / [compiled by] Midlake.
TRACK: Midlake – Am I going insane

We have a winner for our Guess Who Competition! Congratulations Kathryn Asare!

Wondering how you did?

Here are the answers for the competition:

• François Trinh-Duc: 7
• Stephen Jones: 2
• Jonny Wilkinson: 4
• Morné Steyn: 3
• Ronan O’Gara: 8
• Quade Cooper: 1
• Grant Fox: 5
• Dan Carter: 6

Well done everyone!

In the spirit of appreciation, this month’s Classical Music recent picks are based on guides, lists, ideas and a few things you may not have seen before. Enjoy finding something new and exciting!

Books:

Music : an appreciation / Roger Kamien.
“What does it take to make a great performance? It takes great music, a great performer and a great instrument. Music: An Appreciation includes some of the greatest music ever created. Roger Kamien’s excellence as an interpreter of that music has made his program number one in the market used by over half a million students since its conception. Now, CONNECT Kamien provides the world-class instrument that allows Music: An Appreciation to bring great music to his audience in an extraordinary new way. Music: An Appreciation is the right music, the right interpreter, and the right instrument.” – (adapted from amazon.com summary)

The Classic FM hall of fame / Darren Henley, Sam Jackson, Tim Lihoreau ; illustrated by Lynn Hatzius.
This is a collection of the 300 most popular pieces of classical music, as voted for by the Classic FM listeners.

Weep, shudder, die : a guide to loving opera / Robert Levine.
“Weep, Shudder, Die is an insightful and accessible guide to the grand art of opera for both new and longtime fans. For too long opera was relegated to high society and perceived as stuffy and remote. But now that has changed. A new generation of opera lovers has emerged, inviting a wave of extraordinary new productions and revivals the world over…Weep, Shudder, Die will inspire anyone who has ever been curious about opera but never knew where to start to discover one of the world’s most entertaining and satisfying art forms.” – (adapted from amazon.com summary)

Finishing the hat : the collected lyrics of Stephen Sondheim with attendant comments, principles, heresies, grudges, whines and anecdotes / Stephen Sondheim.
“Musical theater lyricist and composer Sondheim (West Side Story; Sweeney Todd) has produced a delightful book melding lyrics, anecdotes, opinions, and whimsy that complements Mark Eden Horowitz’s Sondheim on Music: Minor Details and Major Decisions. This volume is vintage Sondheim, in terms of lyrics (sometimes slightly altered from previous published versions), descriptions (Sondheim includes “The Notion” and a “General Comment” about each show), and assorted essays on musical theater luminaries. Sondheim is always entertaining when writing about both his own work and that of others.” – (adapted from amazon.com summary)

CDs:

The glory tree [sound recording] : chamber works / by Cheryl Frances-Hoad.
“Cheryl Frances-Hoad has a unique and special compositional voice…Over recent years, she has had numerous notable successes, with commissions including solo, chamber, orchestral and choral works, as well as opera. Champs Hill Records is delighted to present this collection of Cheryl’s chamber music, performed in many cases by the musicians who commissioned and gave the premiere performances of the works.” – (adapted from cover description)

The guitarist [sound recording].
“This is a great collection spanning a wide range of his styles on classical guitar, one CD of traditional classic guitar, one CD of more ‘romantic’ style, and one CD with other musicians, such as guitar duets. Three hours of some of his best classical guitar music at a great price!” – (adapted from amazon.co.uk customer review)

The miracle of the voice [sound recording].
“Since Natalie was first signed to EMI Classics, and later to Virgin Classics, as exclusive artist, her recordings to date are a proof of her versatility as a soprano and musician. From Baroque music to Stravinsky, this 2-CD compilation offers a comprehensive sample of her musicianship, and not only will delight her fans world-wide but will also catch the attention of a larger public and lure them towards the works these excerpts come from.” – (adapted from amazon.com summary)

In our picks of the new computing books this month. Also included: creating digital art, Tumblr and CSS3. Have a browse!

Digital expressions : creating digital art with Adobe Photoshop elements / Susan Tuttle.
“Digital Expressions guides the mixed-media artist through 25 stepped-out digital projects created with Adobe Photoshop Elements. Projects like manipulating single photos, collage on a digital canvas, and digital illustration will inspire you to tackle all kinds of digital mixed-media projects using stock photography, custom brushes, textured backgrounds and your own digital photos. A team of talented contributing artists further illustrates the techniques in action. Plus, a bonus CD includes more than 20 digital design elements for you to use in your own projects!” (Syndetics summary)

Getting started with the Internet of things / Cuno Pfister.
“What is the Internet of Things? It’s countless embedded computers, sensors, and actuators all connected online. If you have basic programming skills, you can use these powerful little devices to create a variety of useful systems–such as devices that react to real-world events and take action. This hands-on guide shows you how to start building your own … projects. Learn to program embedded devices using the .NET Micro Framework and the Netduino Plus board. Then connect your devices to the Internet with Pachube, a cloud platform for sharing real-time sensor data. … Develop programs with simple outputs (actuators) and inputs (sensors); learn about the Internet of Things and the Web of Things; build client programs that push sensor readings from a device to a web service; create server programs that allow you to control a device over the Web; get example programs that you can compile with Visual Studio on Windows or Mono on Mac OS X and Linux”–P. [4] of cover. (adapted from Syndetics summary)

Get ready for cloud computing : a comprehensive guide to virtualization and cloud computing / Fred van der Molen (lead author).
“The IT sector is full of hype. But once in a while there is a genuine inflection point, a moment at which the way of doing things fundamentally changes due to the introduction of new technologies. The rise of cloud computing is just such an inflection point. Cloud computing is the next stage of the Internet computing model, one in which organizations will consume services, not technologies. These services will be ready to run, available outside the office walls, and be paid for on the basis of usage, just like water or electricity.” (Amazon.com)

Programming Android / Zigurd Mednieks … [et al.].
“This authoritative guide shows experienced application developers what they need to know to program the Android operating system–the core building blocks, how to put those blocks together, and how to build compelling apps that work on a full range of Android devices.” (Syndetics summary)

The book of CSS3 : a developer’s guide to the future of web design / by Peter Gasston.
“CSS3 is the latest revision of cascading style sheets, the language used to define the look and formatting of web documents. A still-evolving standard, CSS3 presents a moving target for developers who need to stay abreast of which features are supported by particular web browsers. “The Book of CSS3″ uses real-world examples to teach developers the fundamentals of the CSS3 specification, highlighting the latest developments and future features, while paying close attention to current browser implementations. ” (adapted from Syndetics summary)

Tackling Tumblr : web publishing made simple / Thord Daniel Hedengren.
The popularity of Tumblr is growing by leaps and bounds, as it continues to make a name for itself as a reliable, accessible blogging platform. Yet, there is very little documentation on Tumblr, leaving newcomers confused as to where to start. That′s where this helpful book comes in. Written by well-respected author Thord Hedengren, this step-by-step guide is an ideal starting point for Tumblr newcomers as well as web designers who want to take their Tumblblogs to the next level.” (adapted from Syndetics summary)