Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Preview Shelf -- The Latest Commemorative Donnelley Publication

The annual R. R. Donnelley & Sons Company Lakeside Classic special publication dated December, 2008 is now available to borrow from the Crawfordsville District Public Library. Its title is "Jailed for Freedom" the story of the militant American suffragist movement written by Doris Stevens, born in 1892 in Omaha, a teacher and social worker in Ohio and Michigan. She was also "a phenomenal organizer and lobbyist with striking good looks, legendary charm, and radical sensibilities". (See the "Historical Introduction"). The "Publisher's Preface" notes that it "is published at the close of a national election year that finds women more prominent in our federal government than ever before. Sixteen women are United States senators; seventy women serve in the House of Representatives where they are led by its first woman Speaker, ...another woman is Secretary of State..." There follows a history of the women's rights movement. It also tells how the original 1920 edition of the book was "heavily illustrated with photographs of the people and events whose story it tells." The Preface goes on to update the reader about the forward-looking business and environmental ideas being implemented by the Donnelley Company. This book has special value for its readability and documented historical content. "The Last Lincolns" by Charles Lachman follows the family after President Lincoln's murder through calamities and woes as their misfortunes multiplied for the last generations. "Asian Americans in the Twenty-First Century" is a volume of 27 oral histories of first-to fourth-generation Americans from China, Japan, India, Korea, the Philippines, Vietnam, and Laos. There are many new environmentally-geared books. "Made from Scratch" by Jenna Woginrich helps us discover the pleasures of a handmade life. She says, "Point is, it feels good to get dirty, work hard, and slow down." "Where Am I Wearing?" by Kelsey Timmerman is a global tour to the countries, factories, and people that make our clothes now. A similar subject, "Confessions of an Eco-Sinner", is Fred Pearce's adventure tracking the routes taken by the items in his home - from raw ingredients to finished products. Deirdre Imus offers "The Essential Green You!" Volume Three, full of easy ways to detox a diet, a body, a life. "The Green Collar Economy" is Van Jones' solution to two problems: our failing economy and our devastated environment. "OverSuccess" by Jim Rubens offers to heal the American obsession with wealth, fame, power, and perfection. Then, there's Richard O'Connor's "Happy at Last" described as the Thinking Person's Guide to Finding Joy. Linda Stroh's "Trust Rules" show how to tell the good guys from the bad guys in work and life. Timothy Keller tells about how belief can prevail in an age of skepticism in "The Reason for God" as it points to the true path and purpose of Christianity.Here are colorful books about various kinds of arts. In "Posters For The People" Ennis Carter shows the art of the WPA as the New Deal marks its 75th anniversary; the designs of the day (post Depression) added good messages to the posters' drawings. "Native American Leather & Bead Crafting" comes from Patty Cox. "Seams to Me" is Anna Horner's composition with 24 new reasons to love sewing. "Every Day Crochet" presents illustrations of Doris Chan's wearable designs. "Baby Beanies" offers happy hats to knit for little heads designed by Amanda Keeys.

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