This is a sad time for newspapers. It is also a sad time for me.

Since losing a newspaper is much like a death in the family, the fact that the Tucson Citizen is ceasing publication has left me with a feeling of crippling loss. Within a day or two of the first announcement in February, I found myself in denial, the first of five stages of grief as outlined in “On Death and Dying,” the 1969 bestseller by Elizabeth Kubler-Ross.

I told myself that this could not be happening, because belts were tightened and there had been assurances by Gannett that the paper was safe after the latest round of cuts. My denial was quickly followed by anger, a red, hot rage. How could corporate America be so heartless?

Even though my pain was deep, I wasn’t alone in feeling such despair. One afternoon as I left the paper, I saw a colleague in the parking lot, crying. Nothing I could ever say would lessen the pain that we both felt. As I drove home that afternoon, I wondered if corporate executives ever think about the impact their decisions have on people? Profits are important but what about the cost in human terms of the people who make those profits possible?

As time marched on, I found myself playing out various scenarios in my head. Perhaps, if the skeleton staff at the Tucson Citizen worked a little harder, or if a buyer could be found, maybe, just maybe, the paper could be saved. Not even I believed that.

A week or two later, the depression I had deepened even further when I read a sampling of hateful postings from our readers who seemed jubilant the paper was on life support and probably would not survive. Why do some people feed on the calamity of others? What joy is there when people lose their jobs and possibly their homes? It was shortly after that when I realized I didn’t care anymore. Maybe closing the paper was for the best.

Gallows humor was one of the last stages I experienced and then came acceptance.

When the last issue of the paper rolls off the presses, I have prepared myself emotionally for whatever happens. Nevertheless, there remains an empty feeling, and I am sad.

Memory can be comforting, especially during difficult times. I originally arrived on the doorstep of the Tucson Citizen because of a promise I had made to myself years before. I vowed I would never work for either a person or a company I didn’t respect.

After being treated rather shabbily at another publication in Tucson, I quit. Because I love writing and it is an important part of my life, my next move was to meet with Michael Chihak, the editor and publisher of the Tucson Citizen. After a brief conversation that lasted no more than five minutes, I was hired one autumn day in 2002. I agreed to write two weekly columns that would continue until Michael no longer found they fit the paper or I decided the work was no longer fun. That was the totality of our agreement. We shook hands and I began my work as a columnist at Arizona’s oldest daily newspaper.

For the last seven years, I have had more than just fun working for the paper. The friends I have made there will continue to be my friends even though the paper that brought us together will soon be nothing more than microfilm and dusty clips.

I love newspapers. I get excited when I hear the crackle of police radios, hear a reporter doing a telephone interview, or see the latest issues hot off the presses. What made the Tucson Citizen so extraordinary was the sense of family that existed in the newsroom. Simply put, the Tucson Citizen is and was a special place and it will always be so in my heart and memory.

Because this isn’t a perfect world, there are things that I won’t miss. At the top of my list are the mean-spirited anonymous comments posted by what I hope are a small minority of our readers. More often than not, the comments are vile and racist and have no place in a civilized society.

Even topping those comments is a personal e-mail that I received several years ago. After reading one of my book reviews, a woman called me a “liberal pus-sucking pig.” As if that wasn’t enough, she ended her little poison pen message by saying that she hoped I died of cancer. If she had wanted a bull’s-eye hit, she got it. I received this message just three days after I had returned to Arizona from burying my mother in Arkansas. Mom died after three terrible years fighting cancer. I consider myself a strong person but I remember even now how I wept after reading that hateful e-mail.

This finally brings me to the end.

Goodbyes are never easy and I hate saying them. I’ve had to say too many of them in my lifetime. There are so many things I could say and so many people I should thank but, as the closing of this proud old newspaper has taught me, there is never enough time.

I am sad.

"What is it?" a reader asks.

Q I purchased this item at a local flea market and not even the person I bought it from knew what it was. Even though everyone in my immediate family has examined it, no one has a clue. Can you solve this mystery for us? – Donna, Tucson

A You have a pie bird that was used to vent and support the crust and act as a ventilator for pies, especially fruit and berry ones. According to “300 Years of Kitchen Collectibles” by Linda Campbell Franklin (Krause, $29.95), pie birds have been in use since the early 18th century. They were especially popular during the 1890s when dozens of “pie chimneys” were manufactured in both ceramic and glass.

In recent years, pie birds have become collectible, especially ones depicting hens and roosters, pigs, birds, cats, frogs, Dutch girls, bears, and licensed characters such as Donald Duck and Mickey Mouse. As with most collectibles, prices are determined by several factors including condition, rarity and desirability. Typical prices are Donald Duck, circa 1940, $150; white china bird, British origin and from the 1920s, $65; a chef on a pedestal, $35; and a “mammy,” probably from the 1940s, $175.

It was necessary to vent pies, especially ones such as the humongous pie on wheels that was made in January 1770 for Sir Henry Grey in London. This special pie included the following ingredients: 2 bushels of flour, 20 lbs. butter, 4 geese, 2 turkeys, 2 rabbits, 4 wild ducks, 2 woodcocks, 6 snipes and 4 partridges in addition to 7 blackbirds and six pigeons. The pie weighed 168 pounds and required two men to carry it to the table. Although it is not reported that pie birds were used, some type of ventilation had to have been necessary to make certain it cooked through and through.

Some sources that might be helpful are Piebirds Unlimited, a quarterly publication for collectors, P.O. Box 192, Acworth, GA 30101; and dealer Deborah Vanden Heuvel, Global Galleria, 209 Riverwalk Circle, Cary, NC 27511. Also experts Lillian Cole, 14 Harmony School Road, Flemington, NJ 08822 and Linda Fields, 158 Bagsby Hill Lane, Dover, TN 37058.

FICTION

‘The Red Squad’

By E.M. Broner (Pantheon, $24)

Anka Pappas, a professor at an Ohio university, is startled when an envelope containing a confidential file that was kept on her during the 1960s by the Red Squad is tossed on her front porch. She wonders who sent the file to her and why. This profoundly crafted story involves Anka, a group of instructors, a spy, and the separate trails their lives have taken.

‘Cemetery Dance’

By Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child (Grand Central Publishing, $26.99)

The popular characters Pendergast and D’Agosta are tapped once again when William Smithback, a New York Times reporter, and his wife, Nora, a Museum of Natural History archaeologist, are attacked in their apartment on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. Eyewitnesses claim and a security camera shows that the assailant was a strange, sinister neighbor, a man who by all reports had died two weeks before. This tale of magic, cults and sorcery will keep readers entertained to the last page.

‘Sunnyside’

By Glen David Gold (Knopf, $26.95)

This uneven story set in 1916 features Charlie Chaplin at its center. The narrative is a mix of real characters including Mary Pickford, Doug Fairbanks and Adolph Zukor, and a doomed expedition staged against the Bolsheviks. Swept up in the events is Chaplin, who faces such complications as studio moguls, questions about his patriotism, his unchecked heart, and, perhaps, most frightening of all, his mother.

‘Perforated Heart’

By Eric Bogosian (Simon & Schuster, $25)

The third novel by the author of “Talk Radio” is a meditative and lacerating portrait of a writer as he morphs from callow young man to aging literary lion. Partly autobiographical, this double narrative slyly moves back and forth between New York’s underground arts scene of the 1970s and ’80s to the present. While recovering from surgery in his Connecticut country home, Richard Morris finds a cache of old journals and rediscovers the voice of his younger self. Intriguing characters, memorable dialogue and a well-crafted story bring into sharp focus the underbelly of the American Dream.

‘The Secret Speech’

By Tom Rob Smith (Grand Central Publishing, $24.99)

In his second novel, Smith, author of “Child 44,” sets his story against the turmoil and upheaval of the post-Stalinist Soviet Union. Leo Demidov, a former member of the state security force, struggles to build a new life with his wife and their adopted daughters. As the Soviet Union begins to fracture, the dark legacy of Leo’s past career resurfaces to threaten both him and his family.

NONFICTION

‘Why Your World Is About to Get a Whole Lot Smaller: Oil and the End of Globalization’

By Jeff Rubin (Random House, $26)

The chief economist at CIBC World Markets for almost two decades and one of the first to accurately predict soaring oil prices in 2000, is one of the country’s leading energy experts. His new book maps out a plan of how we can benefit – politically, personally and economically – from a future that might in its physical limits resemble the distant past. He builds a convincing case that the American economy can be made stronger if we work to forge “green” alliances between labor and management that are good not just for business but also the very air we breathe.

‘The Center of the Universe: A Memoir’

By Nancy Bachrach (Knopf, $24.95)

When Bachrach’s father is killed in an accident aboard his cabin cruiser, she leaves Paris for the family home in Providence, R.I. Her mother, Lola, is on a ventilator and near death. As Nancy rearranges her life, she rediscovers her brother, Ben, a surgeon who was born with three thumbs, and Helen, the “wild child” and now an “abnormal psychologist.” This memoir is a fascinating blend of dark humor, stark reality and crisp writing.

‘WWII Behind Closed Doors: Stalin, the Nazis and the West’

By Laurence Rees (Pantheon, $35)

This gripping new history of World War II by an award-winning author and documentary filmmaker provides documentation of the little-known secret deals that were struck that helped make the war possible. These deals, which involved Stalin, Churchill and Roosevelt, will change not only the way we think about the war but also the relationships that existed between the Allied powers. Drawing on archives in the East and testimony from nearly 100 separate witnesses, Rees presents a new and disturbing history of the war, raising such questions as: Was it necessary for the British and Americans to surrender so much to Stalin at Yalta? Did the British behave honorably toward the wartime Poles? And were Churchill and Roosevelt as friendly as legend would have us believe?

‘The Silence and the Scorpion: The Coup Against Chavez and the Making of Modern Venezuela’

By Brian A. Nelson (Nation Books, $26.95)

Nelson, who has lived in Venezuela and studied its culture and history extensively as a Fulbright scholar, presents a balanced account about the coup that attempted to topple Chavez during the spring of 2002. As an estimated 1 million citizens marched on the presidential palace demanding the resignation of the democratically elected President Hugo Chavez, a bloody confrontation ensued and within the subsequent 72 hours the country would go through three presidents. What exactly happened during this turbulent period is revealed in depth and through multiple perspectives in this meticulously researched and masterfully written new book.

‘Lowside of the Road: A Life of Tom Waits’

By Barney Hoskyns (Broadway Books, $29.95)

As a fiercely private, enigmatic, talented and mischievous man, Waits is the perfect candidate for a biography. Part carnival barker, part beatnik poet, part avant-garde rabble- rouser and part crooner, Waits began his musical career during the 1970s in Los Angeles. Hoskyns, a British music critic who has written extensively for such publications as The Times, The Guardian, and The Observer, gained unprecedented access to the closest people in Wait’s world. The result is a book that peels away many of the myths as it serves up one of the most nuanced and completed portraits of this remarkable one-of-a-kind artist.

‘Blue Collar, Blue Scrubs: The Making of a Surgeon’

By Michael Collins (St. Martin’s Press, $24.95)

Even though Collins enjoyed his work breaking concrete and throwing rocks for a construction company, he knew that there was more to life than crushing rocks and drinking beer. In his first memoir, “Hot Lights, Cold Steel,” Collins recounted his 4-year surgical residency at the prestigious Mayo Clinic. In his new book, he takes readers back to his early days as a Chicago construction worker and how he reached his soul-searching decision to leave that life and become a doctor. This is an extraordinary book of how one man went from construction worker to medical doctor by hard work, determination and beating the odds.

PAPERBACKS

‘Easy Company Soldier’

By Sgt. Don Malarkey with Bob Welch (St. Martin’s Press, $14.95)

Malarkey was drafted in 1942 and two years later he and his fellow paratroopers provided ground cover for the largest amphibious military attack in history, the Normandy Invasion. In this dramatic account of the bloody battles and dangerous rescue missions he took part in, he paints memorable portraits of the men he trained and fought beside. The Easy Company soldiers were featured in both the “Band of Brothers” book and the HBO miniseries.

‘Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Cancer Book’

By Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen and David Tabatsky (CSS Books, $14.95)

When Elizabeth Bayer, a vibrant Tucson resident, was diagnosed with stage III colorectal cancer, she was determined to fight it. Even though she would eventually lose the battle, her determination and courageous fight are an inspiration to others. In this memoir, her cancer diagnosis, treatment, remission and return are documented along with many of the valuable lessons she learned along the way. In addition to Bayer’s story, there are other real-life experiences that can help others embrace life with cancer as Elizabeth did.

‘Up Till Now: The Autobiography of William Shatner’

With David Fisher (Thomas Dunne Books/St. Martin’s Griffin, $15.95)

One of the real pleasures of this autobiography is its unexpected wit. After almost 60 years as an actor, musician, producer, director and celebrity pitchman, Shatner has stories to tell. Even though he was emerging as an important Broadway actor during the 1950s, it was his role as Captain Kirk in “Star Trek” that brought him lasting fame. Written with all of the kicked-back style of a personal visit, this is a show business tale that is fun, entertaining and out of this world.

‘Country Cooking’

By the editors at Betty Crocker (Wiley, $25.95)

What makes this recipe collection so appealing is that most of the featured dishes are family favorites and authentic.

The 325 recipes are divided into eight main categories: Rise-and-Shine Breakfasts; Blue-Ribbon Lunches and Lighter Fare; Down-Home Poultry and Fish; Country Meats and Mainstays; Fresh from the Garden; Warm Up the Oven; Homespun Desserts; and Icebox Creations. These chapters are in addition to menus, helpful nutrition and cooking information, a glossary of cooking terms and even a metric conversion guide.

The recipes are fast, easy and foolproof. Even though some of recipes are heirloom favorites, all have been adjusted to accommodate the labor-saving resources of today’s modern kitchen. Looking through many of the recipes brought back memories, especially of my grandmother’s country kitchen. The Country Fried Steak with Milk Gravy is almost identical to the way she prepared it. The Wilted Spinach Salad is the real deal as is the Hoppin’ John. I suspect the Chocolate Chiffon Icebox Cake recipe is also the same that was used by my mom when I was a youngster.

More than 80 full-color photos and clear cooking instructions make this collection essential. Whether you want to make a Hot Fudge Cake that doesn’t require eggs, and can be made in less than an hour, or Candied Sweet Potatoes that are reminiscent of family dinners, this cookbook is just one example of why more than 65 million Betty Crocker collections have been sold since 1950.

Three recipes were tested from Country Cooking. Since I have a bumper crop of lemons in my yard, I made a Lemon-Filled Coconut Cake that was moist and absolutely scrumptious. The Avocado-Citrus Salad, which featured lime juice, grapefruit, one large orange and mint leaves, was a perfect pick for a hot afternoon. My third and favorite was a zesty Mexican Beef-and-Bean Casserole.

Mexican Beef-and-Bean Casserole

1 pound lean ground beef

2 cans (15- to 16-ounces each) pinto beans, drained

1 8-ounce can tomato sauce

1/2 cup mild chunky salsa (I used hot, hot, hot)

1 teaspoon chili powder (I used chili powder from Santa Cruz Chili Co.)

1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese with jalapeño peppers

Heat oven to 375F.

Cook beef in 10-inch skillet over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until brown. Drain.

Mix beef, beans, tomato sauce, salsa and chili powder in ungreased 2-quart casserole.

Cover and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, stirring once or twice, until hot and bubbly. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake uncovered for about five additional minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve.

Tucsonan Larry Cox’s “Shelf Life” reviews of fiction and nonfiction books and his “Treasures & Trends” antiques column run Thursdays in Calendar Plus. For more, go to tucsoncitizen.com/calendar.
E-mail: contactlarrycox@aol.com

This postcard was sent by a visitor to the St. Louis World's Fair of 1904.

Postcards are among America’s favorite collectibles. Since this is National Postcard Week, it seems a perfect time to discuss their collectibility and salute one of the area’s best clubs for enthusiasts, the Tucson Post Card Exchange.

According to Kovels’ Antiques & Collectibles by Ralph and Terry Kovel, the first legally permitted postcards originated in Austria in 1869. The first “penny” postcards were mailed in the United States in 1872. Most of the picture postcards are from the early years of the last century.

The price of postage fluctuated, so it is often possible to determine when a card was mailed both by the postal mark and the amount of the stamp. For example, the rates are 1872 (1 cent), 1917 (2 cents), 1919 (1 cent), 1925 (2 cents), 1928 (1 cent), 1952 (2 cents), 1958 (3 cents), 1963 (4 cents), 1968 (5 cents), 1971 (6 cents), 1973 (8 cents), 1975 (7 cents), 1976 (9 cents), 1978 (10 cents), March 1981 (12 cents), November 1981 (13 cents), 1985 (14 cents), 1988 (15 cents), 1991 (19 cents), 1995 (20 cents), 2001 (21 cents), 2002 (23 cents), 2006 (24 cents), and 2007 (26 cents).

Postcards can vary in price depending on rarity, condition and desirability. A quick check of eBay revealed dozens of interesting cards being offered for sale including a Halloween card depicting a black cat from the 1920s, $35; a real photo image of Phoenix from 1910, $45; a Santa in blue robes promoting a laundry soap, circa 1915, $65; a view of the Titanic, $275; and a series featuring seven movie stars from the 1930s (Greta Garbo, Clark Gable, Jean Harlow, Joan Crawford, Gary Cooper, Mae West and George Brent), $65 for the set.

The value of postcards has continued to increase, especially for older, more desirable cards. In special demand are holiday cards, designs by important illustrators such as Hank Feilig and Harrison Cady, cards relating to politics and labor, and images of small town America.

One of the premier clubs is the Tucson Postcard Exchange Club. Members meet the first Sunday of each month at 2:30 p.m. at the Pima County Medical Society Building, 5199 E. Farness. The meetings are open to the public. Membership dues are $15 per year.

For additional information, contact club president Jack Mount at jdmount@cox.net

‘America’s Best BBQ: 100 Recipes from America’s Best Smokehouses, Pits, Shacks, Rib Joints, Roadhouses, and Restaurants’

By Ardie A. Davis and Chef Paul Kirk (Andrews McMeel, $19.99)

Being a seventh-generation Southerner, it’s no secret that barbecue is embedded in my DNA. I have driven hundreds of miles out of my way to sample a good barbecue joint.

In recent years, I’ve sampled such delights as the spicy pit barbeque at The Dixie Pig in Blytheville, Ark., munched my way through a platter of smoked pig snoots at Smoki O’s in St. Louis, and tracked down a Texas gourmet treat, namely brisket nachos, a staple at Tom’s Ribs in San Antonio.

Ardie A. Davis, a certified judge in several barbecue events and cook-offs, and Chef Paul Kirk, barbecue guru and winner of more than 475 cooking awards, crisscrossed America in search of the best barbecue joints in the country. After investigating some 8,000 restaurants, they listed their top 100 picks in a fascinating new book.

In addition to recipes for meat, meat and more meat, there are dozens of delicious entries for starters, sides and even desserts. This is one of the more fun collections I’ve seen and it is being published just in time for the summer backyard cooking season.

Barbecue joints from 25 states are represented including Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Minnesota, Missouri, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin. The only Arizona restaurant to make the cut is Joe’s Real B-B-Q in Gilbert, renown for its Root Beer Cake.

Three recipes were tested from this collection. Coleslaw from Woody’s Bar-B-Que in Waldenburg, Ark., was a snap to prepare and required only three ingredients in addition to salt and pepper. Smoked hot links, a draw at Barbara Ann’s Bar-B-Que & Motel in Chicago, were spicy and served with baked beans.

My third and favorite tested recipe was for Glazed Barbecued Ribs, a specialty at North Main BBQ in Euless, Texas. The secret spice used is fairly easy to prepare and the finishing mop and glaze added just the right touch.

Glaze for Barbecued Ribs

Serves 6 to 8

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup seasoned salt

3 tablespoons chili powder

1/4 cup garlic salt

1 tablespoon paprika

1 tablespoon finely ground black pepper

1 tablespoon cayenne

2 slabs of St. Louis-style spareribs

Finishing Mop and Glaze

1/4 cup ketchup

1/4 cup yellow mustard

1/4 to 1/3 cup distilled white vinegar

1 cup packed light brown sugar

To make the secret spice, combine all of the ingredients in an airtight container and blend well. Store in a cool, dry place until ready for use or can be saved for up to six months.

Preheat your smoker to 230-250 degrees. Season the ribs all over to taste with secret spice. You can store the rest of the secret spice for up to six months. Place in your smoker and cook for 4 to 6 hours, or until done.

When the ribs are smoking, make the finishing mop and glaze. Combine the ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.

In the last 10 minutes of cooking time, mop the ribs all over with the finishing sauce.

Tucsonan Larry Cox’s “Shelf Life” book reviews and “Treasures & Trends” antiques column run Thursdays in Calendar Plus. For more, go to tucsoncitizen.com/calendar.
E-mail: contactlarrycox@aol.com

WWII-era cookbooks are popular.

With an economic downturn, a war on two fronts and Americans tightening their belts, it’s not a surprise that family vegetable gardens are making a comeback.

The trend has even reached the White House. Several weeks ago, ground for a vegetable garden was broken on the South Lawn, the first vegetable plot since Eleanor Roosevelt’s Victory Garden during the early 1940s. With the popularity of growing home vegetables, the demand for “back-to-basics” cookbooks also has increased. Especially popular with collectors are cookbooks from the 1930s and ’40s that feature lean recipes and sugar-free desserts.

Examples include “Prudence Penny’s Coupon Cookery,” which was published in 1943 by Murray and Gee. “Prudence Penny” was a West Coast home radio show that ran for around two decades, showcasing a fictional home economist who served up household hints and recipes, all accommodating wartime shortages and rationing. In addition to network radio, columns by Penny were published in several regional newspapers, including both the Seattle Post-Intelligencer and San Francisco Examiner. The “Prudence Penny” recipe collection could be purchased for about $10 until just recently when its value began to climb. It currently sells in the $25-$50 range, depending on condition.

Other popular cookbooks from the war-era are “The Woman’s Home Companion Cook Book,” 1942-46, $50-$100; “The Settlement Cookbook,” 1942, $25-$50; “The Good Housekeeping Cook Book,” 1944, $65-$100; “The Joy of Cooking” by Irma S. Rombauer, 1943, $75-$125; and “The New American Cook Book” by Lily Haxworth Wallace, 1941-44, $65-$110.

As with most collectibles, values vary from region to region and depend on several factors, including scarcity, demand and condition. Cookbooks with original dust jackets always sell at a premium.

A cookbook signed by the author can dramatically increase the value of a collection. Handwritten recipes in a book by the original owner not only establishes provenance, it often makes the collection more desirable to collectors.

One of the better price guides is Antique Trader Collectible Cookbooks by Patricia Edwards and Peter Peckham. Published by Krause, the guide is fully illustrated and features values for nearly 1,000 cookbooks. Edwards and Peckham are the creators of oldcookbooks.com, one of the largest online bookstores specializing in vintage, hard-to-find and rare cookbooks.

FICTION

‘No Such Creature’

By Giles Blunt (Henry Holt & Company, $25)

Mangus “Max” Maxwell and his 18-year-old adopted nephew, Owen, team up to tour the country in a tricked out Winnebago. Their plan is to swindle the rich, but things take a deadly turn in Las Vegas when they come in contact with the “Subtractors,” a gang of crooks who target fellow thieves and “subtract” body parts one by one until they surrender their loot. There is so much to admire in this fascinating novel, a brilliant concept, interesting characters and unexpected plot twists, all guaranteed to keep readers engaged until the very last page.

‘Darling Jim’

By Christian Moerk (Henry Holt & Company, $25)

In this masterfully written suspense thriller, two sisters and their aunt are found dead in their home just outside of Dublin. A third sister is missing. The plot thickens when Niall, a young mailman, finds a mysterious diary in the post office’s dead-letter bin that provides information about a mysterious itinerant storyteller at the very heart of the murders. Set against the bucolic backdrop of the Irish countryside, this is an enthralling tale of love, jealousy, deep family feuds, resentment, sexual obsession, envy and murder.

‘The Faraway War’

By Enrique Clio (Thomas Dunne Books, $24.95)

Nineteen-year-old Henry Reese leaves Brooklyn for Cuba in 1853 to join Cuban insurgents who are fighting the Spanish Army. Captured during his first battle, he is lined up before a firing squad and shot. He survives his wounds, is rescued and rejoins the fight, eventually becoming a brigadier general in the Liberation Army. Based on the life of a real character, this engaging novel is lively, entertaining and a page-turner of the highest sort.

‘The Contractor’

By Colin MacKinnon (St. Martin’s Press, $24.95)

Rick Behringer uses his small telecom company located near Washington, D.C., as the perfect cover for his second, more secretive job as a spy for the CIA. When he learns that a mysterious Pakistani Islamist is attempting to acquire highly enriched uranium, his colleagues at the CIA encourage him to track down the elusive man and find out more. As, perhaps, the only man who can stop “an Islamic bomb” from bringing disaster to America, he has his work cut out for him in this fast moving, nail-biting thriller.

‘Germania’

By Brendan McNally (Simon & Schuster, $26)

In this remarkable debut novel, the Flying Magical Loerber Brothers, once the biggest stars on the German cabaret circuit, find themselves in danger during the final days of World War II. Determined to defeat the Nazis from within, two of the four become spies for the Allies, using their positions to supply the British and Russians with much needed intelligence. A third brother joins the German navy and the final member of the team is presumed dead but in reality has joined the radical group The Blood of Israel. Thrilling and laced with dark humor, “Germania” is unpredictable and highly entertaining.

‘Choral Society’

By Prue Leith (St. Martin’s Press, $25.95)

This crisply written story pivots around three women who meet when they join a choir. One widowed, one divorced and one never married, they form a tight bond. In this delightful story of friendship and discovery, three women share their disappointments, hopes and dreams while in the process discovering the possibility of love – if they dare to open themselves up to it.

‘Feathered Serpent’

By Xu Xiaobin and translated by John Howard-Gibbon and Joanne Wang (Atria, $25)

This Chinese novel, first published in 1998, was a literary breakthrough, selling a record number of copies in Chinese women’s literature. Powerful, lyrical and haunting, the central story spans a century, from 1890 to the 1990s, following five generations of women from one family. Xu Xiaobin, born in Beijing in 1953, and one of China’s most celebrated writers, has written a passionate story that is a deft blend of women’s fiction, mysticism and socio-political literature that is both rich and insightful.

NONFICTION

‘The Talent Code’

By Daniel Coyle (Bantam, $25)

Coyle, an Alaskan-based writer and frequent contributor to Outside magazine, focuses on nine of the world’s most prolific hotbeds of talent to uncover the key to unlocking human potential. Along the way he discovers why one impoverished Russian tennis club is able to field more Top 20 women players than any other country, how all three Brontë sisters became literary all-stars and the methods used by a music school in a mall in Texas that enables it to produce a string of pop stars including Jessica Simpson and Demi Lovato. The secret, according to the author, boils down to three elements: the right kinds of practice, coaching and motivation. Combining vivid examples with expert analysis, this book is geared to help you reach your full potential.

‘All My Patients Have Tales: Favorite Stories from a Vet’s Practice’

By Jeff Wells, DVM (St. Martin’s Press, $24.95)

Wells grew up in Iowa, surrounded by pets that ranged from cats and dogs to cows and pigs. His dad, who made a living teaching agriculture at the local high school, was the reason why the author’s home was much like a petting zoo and why he eventually became a veterinarian. His new book documents his first job in the farmlands of South Dakota and follows his career as he relocates to the foothills of Colorado where he establishes a successful practice. As he points out, vets need not only animal skills but people skills as well. This touching, poignant look at the daily life of a busy, dedicated veterinarian is witty, inspirational and an absolute treat.

‘Warren Oates: A Wild Life’

By Susan Compo (University Press of Kentucky, $34.95)

Even though Warren Oates never reached leading actor status, his work, especially during the 1970s, made him one of the more interesting and talented supporting actors in the business. In the first published biography of Oates, the author serves up a lively and studious look at this extraordinary man, chronicling his early life in Kentucky as well as his later achievements and misadventures. Drawing on interviews and new materials, Compo builds a convincing case that Oates was a talented rebel often haunted by long periods of hard drinking, drug abuse and infidelities.

‘Real Solutions for Busy Moms’

By Kathy Ireland (Howard, $23.99)

Ireland, chief designer and CEO of Kathy Ireland Worldwide, is convinced that no job is more rewarding, fulfilling or empowering than that of a mom. Sometimes that job can be difficult, demanding and overwhelming. Ireland believes that moms can do it all – just not all at once. This supermodel, entrepreneur and mom of three provides a road map for dealing with tough times. She addresses such tough issues as managing money, establishing a happy home environment, developing a healthy lifestyle, keeping children safe and balancing tasks and responsibilities. With compassion, encouragement and empathy, she offers both tools and solutions to cope.

‘Let Me Eat Cake: A Celebration of Flour, Sugar, Butter, Eggs, Vanilla, Baking Powder, and a Pinch of Salt’

By Leslie Miller (Simon & Schuster, $25)

Miller, A Baltimore-based writer, graphic designer and photographer, is a self-confessed cake addict. Her new book is a lively, loving testament to cake that explores its long history and legends, its celebratory significance, its quirky practitioners and even Miller’s own successes and failures in baking the perfect pastry. One of the more intriguing episodes in her book is when she insinuates her way into what she calls the underbelly of cake, namely the lives and bakeries of Baltimore’s bakers, including celebrity baker Duff Goldman, the darling of the Food Network.

‘How to Win a Cosmic War: God, Globalization, and the End of the War on Terror’

By Reza Aslan (Random House, $26)

Reza Aslan is a Senior Fellow at the Orfalae Center for Global and International Studies at U.C. Santa Barbara and a frequent commentator on CNN, CBS and NPR. In his new book, he provides both an in-depth study of the ideology behind al-Qaida, the Taliban and like-minded militants throughout the Muslim world, and the tradition of religious violence found in Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Surveying the global scene from Israel to Iraq, and from New York to the Netherlands, he concludes that the only way to win a cosmic or religious war is by, first, addressing earthy grievances. This will, he writes, remove the appeal of Jihadism as a social movement. He believes the next steps are to change the narrative between Islam and the West, support the democratic aspirations of Islamist parties in places such as Indonesia, Morocco, Palestine and Turkey, and – perhaps more importantly – recognize that our present War on Terror cannot be won militarily.

‘The Marriage-Go-Round: The State of Marriage and the Family in America Today’

By Andrew J. Cherlin (Knopf, $25.95)

Cherlin, one of the nation’s leading experts on the American family, concluded after more than three decades of study that marriage in the United States is different than in other Western countries and in a way that no one was writing about. He points out that marriage in the United States is seen as a cultural ideal and our government spends a great deal of money to promote its continuation. He adds that Americans have come to embrace two contradictory models of personal and family life: marriage, a formal commitment to share one’s life with another; and individualism, which emphasizes personal growth and development. Each model is culturally reinforced by two basic, powerful institutions: religion and law.

‘The Body Broken: A Memoir’

By Lynne Greenberg (Random House, $25)

When she was 19, Greenberg narrowly survived a terrible car crash. Her fractured neck eventually healed, or so she thought, and she resumed an active life that included a devoted husband, two wonderful children and a fulfilling career as an English professor in New York City. Twenty-two years later, the crippling pain returned. After two years of doctors, specialists and tests, it was determined that her neck had not healed as originally thought. Her heartbreakingly, honest memoir is how she had to learn to cope with chronic pain while finding the strength to return to a productive yet irrevocably changed life.

‘When I Married my Mother’

By Jo Maeder (Da Capo, $25)

Maeder was a DJ on New York’s WKTU when she realized that her estranged mother could no longer live alone. Against the advice of her colleagues and friends, she left the bright lights of the Big Apple, bought a house in Greensboro, N.C., and moved her mother in so they could live together. This book highlights the growing trend of intergenerational households in America, a 57 percent increase since 2000. This insightful, true-to-the-bone account documents one woman’s decision to leave her glamorous career in New York City to become an informal caregiver for her mother in the Bible Belt.

PAPERBACKS

‘Stone Me: The Wit and Wisdom of Keith Richards’

Compiled by Mark Blake (New American Library, $12.95)

This little book is apparently as thin as Richards’ intellect. For example, one of his more colorful observations compares The Beatles to an enema, adding that their impact made the Rolling Stones a great toilet bowl. While you’re mulling that one over, there’s more. He claims you are never alone with a Smith and Wesson, that Mick, when drunk, is a sight to behold, and that occasionally you want to strangle even the closest of your friends.

‘The 7th Infantry Regiment: Combat in the Age of Terror, the Korean War Through the Present’

By John C. McManus (Tor/Forge, $15.95)

Acclaimed military historian McManus provides readers with a compelling glimpse of the history of the 7th Infantry Regiment. This collection of unremarkable, ordinary soldiers who through their struggle, anguish, fear, sacrifice, triumph and pride, have established themselves as the very soul of the U.S. Army. This is required reading for anyone interested in the true and gritty stories that have made this special unit so extraordinary.

‘Summer in Tuscany’

By Elizabeth Adler (St. Martin’s Griffin, $14.95)

Gemma Jericho is an overworked New York doctor. When her mother, Nonna, learns of a mysterious inheritance in Tuscany, she talks Gemma and her teenage granddaughter into accompanying her to Italy to claim it. When the three women get to Tuscany, they find a divided village and Ben Raphael, an unnervingly handsome American, occupying their villa.

‘Who Do You Think You Are?’

By Alyse Myers (Touchstone, $15)

Raised in a housing project in Queens, Myers, the oldest of three girls, spent most of her childhood witnessing the disintegration of her parents’ marriage and her father’s constant vanishing acts. She came to the conclusion that she didn’t care much for her mother and suspected she felt the same about her. When her mother dies, she becomes obsessed by a locked wooden box. Could the contents shed some light on her stormy history with her mother and, perhaps, even her parents’ troubled relationship? More importantly, does she have the courage to open the box? This heart-wrenching and ultimately uplifting memoir of a mother and daughter is powerful and unforgettable.

‘Pride and Prejudice and Zombies’

By Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith (Quirk, $12.95)

“Pride and Prejudice” is one of the most beloved novels ever written. It has been adapted into several Hollywood films, a Broadway musical, a BBC miniseries, and is even the basis for Bridget Jones’s Diary. Who could have imagined that in 2009 it would be given the zombie treatment? The real shock in this book is how well it works. This book features most of the original 1813 text with zombie narratives neatly inserted. Featuring 20 illustrations and a reader’s discussion guide, this is perfect summer reading. Can a heart-pounding edition of “David Copperfield: London Vampire” be far behind?

‘The Scandinavian Cookbook’

By Trina Hahnemann with the photography of Lars Ranek (Andrews McMeel, $29.99)

Trina Hahnemann is a chef and food writer who began her culinary work as a caterer for such rock stars as Bruce Springsteen, Elton John and members of the Rolling Stones. In addition to her numerous awards and achievements, she owns and runs a cafe in Denmark’s House of Parliament.

Hahnemann has helped define the New Nordic movement, a movement that focuses on purity, freshness and simplicity. In her new collection, she brings that aspect of Scandinavian cooking into the American kitchen. Most of the recipes require fresh, seasonal ingredients, and use user-friendly cooking techniques.

The recipes are supplemented by the images of Lars Ranek who has contributed to more than 20 cookbook collections.

The 115 recipes are grouped into 12 chapters, each part representing a month of the year. The changing seasons with their shifting daylight conditions, as well as strong agricultural and fishing traditions in Norway, Denmark and Sweden, helped to develop a highly differentiated approach to cooking and dining. Those factors are what make this collection so interesting.

More than just a collection of recipes, this new cookbook is a celebration of Scandinavian culture.

Two recipes were tested from “The Scandinavian Cookbook.” Vanilla Custard with Red Currants was rich yet called for just five ingredients. The Kransekage, or almond cake, was a little more complex but equally delicious. This is a collection that is as delightful to look at as it is delicious to test.

Vanilla Custard with Red Currants

Serves 4

1 vanilla bean

6 pasteurized egg yolks

2/3 cup of superfine sugar

1 1/4 cups heavy cream

1 cup red currants

Split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out the seeds with the tip of a knife. Put the seeds in a bowl with the egg yolks and sugar and beat until pale and fluffy. Whip the heavy cream until it forms soft peaks, then gently fold into the egg mixture.

Pour the mixture into one or more freezer-proof containers and freeze for six hours. The parfait is now ready. Serve with red currants or other fresh fruit.

Tucsonan Larry Cox’s “Shelf Life” reviews of fiction and nonfiction books and his “Treasures and Trends” antiques column run Thursdays in Calendar Plus. For more, go to tucsoncitizen.com/ calendar. E-mail: contactlarrycox@aol.com

Historic newspapers are popular collectibles.

With the possible sight of The Tucson Citizen in our rearview mirror, several people have asked if the final issues of newspapers are worth saving.

Strolling through the newspaper cemetery is startling. Some of America’s most historic papers have folded in recent years and even more are barely alive and on life support. Gone are such proud old publications as the Los Angeles Herald-Examiner, the San Francisco Herald, The Miami News, the Chicago Daily News, the New Orleans States-Item, The Baltimore Evening Sun, The Kansas City Star, the St. Louis-Globe Democrat, the Houston Post, The Albuquerque Tribune, and the New York Herald Tribune. In recent weeks, we’ve witnessed the demise of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer and the Rocky Mountain News and heard the death rattle of the San Francisco Chronicle and Minneapolis Star-Tribune.

Are any of the final editions of these papers worth more than just a dollar or two and is a newspaper with historic headlines worth collecting? To find out the answer, I monitored online auctions and contacted several collectors and experts. Some final issues, such as the last edition of the Rocky Mountain News, are almost certain to increase in value because of their content and the overall historic value of the publication. I saw several issues sell on eBay in the $15-$20 range.

According to one collector, most older editions of newspapers, even when packed away for decades, rarely sell for more than $25. There are, of course, exceptions. For example, the farewell issue of The Washington Daily News from 1972 routinely sells for $40. Other popular papers that are highly collectible include Leslie’s Illustrated account of the Chicago Fire, Oct. 28, 1871, $250; Chicago Tribune from April 5, 1882, with story of Jesse James murder, $650; Columbian Centinel’s War of 1812 issue, $65; the New York Herald’s Lincoln election issue, $150; and Lincoln’s assassination from almost any New York or Washington paper, $150 and up.

Other historic events that are highly collectible include the Civil War, presidential elections and deaths, the sinking of the Titanic, the stock market collapse in 1929, and the death of Elvis Presley in 1977.

Papers should be placed flat and stored in a dark, dry place. Cedar chests are ideal. Never keep older paper items in plastic of any kind.

For additional information, I recommend two experts: Timothy Hughes, Timothy Hughes Rare and Early Newspapers, P.O. Box 3636, Williamsport, PA 17701, and Steve Goldman, P.O. Box 359, Parkton, MD 21120. Another excellent source is the Newseum, 555 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20001, and 888-639-7386.

BUY OF THE WEEK

It’s wicker season and this vintage planter is $45 at Marche Noir Interiors, 2229 N. Country Club Road.

Upgraded inventory replaces shabby chic items

The merchandise offered at Antiques, Etc. reflects the diverse tastes of sisters and co-owners Karen Grimm (left) and Ellen Haskell.

After more than a decade, Antiques, Etc., formerly Tumbling Tumbleweed, has renamed and redefined itself.

The shop, which has been at 2319 N. Country Club Road since 1998, is a difficult business to categorize. In some ways, the inventory is reminiscent of a flea market in Paris. In other ways, a quaint art gallery, a whimsical collection of nostalgia or a treasure-laden Southern attic.

Opened by sisters Ellen Haskell and Karen Grimm, the shop reflects the diverse tastes of these women.

Grimm smiles and then laughs as she tries to explain the things that she is most attracted to in the world of antiques and collectibles.

“I specialize in French furniture but not just any kind of French furniture. It must reflect an over-the-top style with lots of rococo,” she says. For those who are uncertain about what rococo is, think early Liberace.

Both sisters explain that the shop was started as a diversion for their mother to keep her occupied. The plan worked out well until she retired recently due to failing health.

The 5,000-plus-square-foot building, originally Janos Square Structure when it was constructed in 1948, is filled with an inventory Grimm describes as “good and high end.”

Gone are most of the shabby chic items that filled the store during the last decade.

“After mother retired and we began upgrading our inventory, we made a conscious decision to buy only the best items we could find,” Grimm says. She is drawn to exceptional paintings, pottery, Spanish and Mexican colonial pieces, and traditional devotional art.

“Many of the items we sell are to out-of-state buyers,” she says. “If I find an exceptional painting, a rare piece of art pottery, or even a pickle caster, I know just who to contact,” she says.

Like many dealers, both sisters are concerned about reproductions and knockoffs.

“We never sell reproductions, but it is getting more and more difficult to spot many of them, especially items such as Roseville pottery,” Grimm notes. She points out that Chinese companies now own many of the original Roseville molds and workers there have become so good at duplicating the old colors and glazes that it has become a major problem.

As Grimm moves about the shop, she picks up a recent copy of Veranda Magazine.

“If I have a guide, it is this magazine since it reflects the cutting-edge style that we are trying to achieve in our shop,” she says.

The recent name change came about because of a simple reason.

“We didn’t want to be the last shop listed in the business pages of the phone book,” Grimm says with a smile. After considering “A Tumbleweed Antiques,” it was discarded in favor of “Antiques, Etc.”

“The original store had more Western Americana that we presently do and the old name simply didn’t reflect what we are now doing,” Grimm explains.

The store's inventory includes (from top): vintage tack, traditional devotional art, a pair of earthenware King Charles' spaniels and classic opera shoes.

———

IF YOU GO

What: Antiques, Etc.

Where: 2319 N. Country Club Road

When: Open 10:30 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays

Info: 322-6269

NOVELS

‘Everything Hurts’

By Bill Scheft (Simon & Schuster, $24)

In his third novel, Scheft, the 15-time Emmy-nominated writer for David Letterman, zeroes in on the self-help industry as he digs deep into the universal themes of aging, family and mortality. At the center of the story is Phil Camp, a neurotic writer who tries to come to terms with life’s imperfections. As he grapples with crippling leg pain, a nutty ex-wife and a career built on a lie, his depression deepens as he falls in love with the daughter of one of his harshest critics.

‘An Accomplished Woman’

By Jude Morgan (St. Martin’s Press, $24.95)

Lydia Templeton rejects the county’s most eligible bachelors, a move that scandalizes society. Ten years later, fiercely independent and incredibly intelligent, Lydia is confronted by her grandmother, Lady Eastmond, who requests that she takes her young ward, Phoebe, to Bath for the social season. Lydia declines but then has second thoughts. This witty, romantic story is as frothy and light as a meringue.

‘Jeff in Venice, Death in Varanasi’

By Geoff Dyer (Pantheon, $24)

Every two years, the international art world flocks to Venice for the opening of the Biennale. Jeff Atman, a jaded and dissolute journalist, attends and meets Laura. The experience makes him feel ecstatic and rejuvenated. This superbly crafted story is about romantic fulfillment and spiritual yearning against the backdrop of two old, watery cities. Are the two stories set in two different cities actually one and the same? That’s part of the fun of this irresistibly entertaining novel.

‘How It Ended: New and Collected Stories’

By Jay McInerney (Knopf, $25.95)

This collection of stories by McInerney is reminiscent of Fitzgerald and Hemingway at their peak. Written with bold literary strokes, the novel find McInerney returning to many of the same characters and places originally introduced in his previous novels including “Bright Lights, Big City” and “The Good Life.” Even though only seven of the stories have been collected in a book, all 26 unveil and re-create the manic flux of our society. Intelligent, insightful and a rare contemporary voice, McInerney has established himself as one of our most essential modern writers.

‘Hunted: A House of Night Novel’

By P.C. and Kristin Cast (St. Martin’s Press, $17.95)

This Oklahoma-based mother-daughter writer team has become a force in young adult literature. According to their latest tale, once a teenager is marked as a fledgling vampire, the future holds only two options: Change into an adult vampire or die. Zoey Redbird is a normal high school student and when she is marked she quickly discovers that her life has changed forever.

‘Supermarket’

By Satoshi Azuchi (Thomas Dunne Books, $24.95)

The end of World War II brought unexpected changes to Japan including the introduction of the supermarket. Azuchi’s story, translated in English for the first time, follows Kojima, a banker in Osaka, and his cousin Iskikari, who manages a supermarket chain in one of Japan’s provincial cities. When Kojima is asked for help, he soon finds himself in supermarket management and dealing with employee theft, poor accounting and a lack of innovation and creativity among his workers. Vivid characters set in a unique period in history make this extraordinary reading.

‘A Country Called Home’

By Kim Barnes (Knopf, $23.95)

Thomas Deracotte, a physician by trade, and his pregnant wife, Helen, leave Connecticut and buy a farm in Idaho, sight unseen. As they learn to live off the land, they meet Manny, a sweet 18-year-old kid with no family of his own. This highly readable story, set in 1960, underscores the importance of what it means to be young and in love and the lengths people will go to escape loneliness. Exquisitely written, this book is powerful and profound.

NONFICTION

‘Bonnie and Clyde: The Lives Behind the Legend’

By Paul Schneider (Henry Holt & Company, $27.50)

Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow made headlines throughout the country during the early years of the Great Depression before finally meeting their deaths in an ambush on a dusty road near Gibsland, La., in May 1934. In a new book that is novelistic in style but based on extensive archival research, Schneider attempts to separate fact from fiction surrounding two of America’s most iconic gangsters.

‘Hide and Seek: The Search for Truth in Iraq’

By Charles Duelfer (PublicAffairs, $29.95)

Duelfer – deputy chairman of the United Nations weapons inspection organization from 1993 to 2000 and a leader of the Iraq Survey Group – probably knows Iraq better than almost anyone else in the U.S. government. With insight and a no-holds barred narrative, he reveals how the U.S. and Iraq misled each other into war, twice, and the stand-off in between that has dominated our foreign policy in the region for more than two decades. In a crisply written text, Duelfer explains how the U.S. got itself into this quagmire as he documents past mistakes, misunderstandings and miscalculations that triggered one of the most colossal international tragedies of our time.

‘Under Their Thumb: How a Nice Boy from Brooklyn Got Mixed Up With the Rolling Stones (and Lived to Tell About It)’

By Bill German (Villard, $25)

In 1978, on his 16th birthday, Bill German set out to chronicle the career and adventures of his favorite rock band, the Rolling Stones. As he made his way into the band’s inner circle, he had a front row seat to the feuds, infidelities and the near breakup of the famous group. In his warts-and-all book, he reveals intimate backstage stories of their recording sessions, tours and personal lives. Supplemented with dozens of never-before-published images, this up-close and amazing book crackles with energy.

‘Being Hal Ashby: Life of a Hollywood Rebel’

By Nick Dawson (University Press of Kentucky, $37.50)

Hal Ashby was born into a Mormon family in Utah in 1929 and found international fame as one of this country’s most eccentric film directors. A visionary artist who shaped such classic films as “Harold and Maude,” he won an Oscar for film editing for his work on “In the Heat of the Night” in 1967. His innovative style attracted such A-list actors as Jack Nicholson (“The Last Detail”), Warren Beatty (“Shampoo”), and Jane Fonda (“Coming Home”). His life spiraled out of control as he stumbled through five marriages and drug addiction, ending with his death in 1988. Dawson, an editor at FilmsInFocus, has written a superb biography of this troubled, talented man.

‘I’m Perfect, You’re Doomed: Tales from a Jehovah’s Witness Upbringing’

By Kyria Abrahams (Touchstone, $25)

Abrahams was raised a Jehovah’s Witness in Pawtucket, R.I., where she was smug in the belief that as long as she refrained from doing such things as singing the national anthem or drawing a turkey from the outline of her hand, she was safe and would be one of the few not left behind at Armageddon. When she finds herself married at 18 to a man she doesn’t love, with adultery her only escape, she decides to run, losing her religion, and her future, in one breath. This remarkable book, written with unexpected wit and deep compassion, is truly a unique coming-of-age story that is certain to be every bit as haunting as a Ouija board.

‘One Less Thing to Worry About: Uncommon Wisdom for Coping with Common Anxieties’

By Jerilyn Ross with Robin Cantor-Cooke (Ballantine, $25)

With the economy tanking, unemployment soaring, images of wars and famine streaming into our living rooms, and uncertainty all around us, this is truly a time of anxiety. In this new book, psychotherapist Ross presents ways readers can identify what triggers anxiety, determine if it is healthy and useful or distressing and potentially harmful, and, ultimately, control anxiety by utilizing her Eight Points plan. Ross is convinced that by only taking charge of anxiety can we regain control of our lives.

‘The Challenge for Africa’

By Wangari Maathai (Pantheon, $25)

Nobel Peace Prize laureate and founder of the Green Belt Movement Maathai offers a powerful and compelling look at the problems facing Africa and the promises of the future. Darfur, HIV/AIDS, unbearable debt, election fraud, cross-border conflicts and environmental degradation can all be confronted if there is motivation and hope. The author stresses that Africans need to invent and implement their own solutions rather than relying on foreign aid and Western visions of change.

‘The Day We Found the Universe’

By Marcia Bartusiak (Pantheon, $27.95)

On Jan. 1, 1925, a 35-year-old man announced that the Milky Way was not alone. In fact, he pointed out that the universe was a thousand times larger than previously thought and filled with myriad galaxies like our own. The man was Edwin Hubble and he changed the way humans eventually understood their place in the cosmos. Bartusiak fleshes out the influential scientists such as Henrietta Leavitt, Harlow Shapley and Vesto Slipher, people who expanded our knowledge by developing an accurate means of measuring the vast dimensions of the cosmos. Bartusiak is an award-winning author and frequent contributor to such publications as National Geographic, Smithsonian, and The New York Times.

‘Red Light Women of the Rocky Mountains’

By Jan Mackell (University of New Mexico Press, $34.95)

In this highly entertaining account, the “soiled doves” of the Rocky Mountain West are treated with wit, color and respect. In addition to an overview, Mackell, director of the Cripple Creek Museum in Colorado, divides her book into several chapters: Amazons of Arizona; Courtesans of Colorado, Illicit Ladies of Idaho; Madams and Other Women of Montana; Nubians of New Mexico; The Undoing of Utah’s Soiled Doves; and Wicked Women of Wyoming. Profusely illustrated and meticulously researched, “Red Light Women of the Rocky Mountains” is a rollicking peek at one of the more fascinating aspects of our Western heritage.

‘Bond of Union: Building the Erie Canal and the American Empire’

By Gerald Koeppel (Da Capo, $27.95)

The Erie Canal, proposed in 1807, was America’s first great piece of infrastructure. New York historian Koeppel tells how Jesse Hawley, a grain merchant in debtors’ prison, planted the seeds for the canal by writing a series of newspaper essays under the pen name “Hercules.” The idea gained traction and after several false starts was completed in 1825, making it the first great bond between the seaboard American nation and the vast continental interior. This comprehensive history is lively, well researched and written by an author with a real talent for genuine story telling.

PAPERBACKS

‘Lost Mines and Buried Treasures of Arizona’

By W.C. Jameson (University of New Mexico Press, $23.95)

Jameson, who has written some 60 books and acted in movies and TV, claims that Arizona’s history is liberally seasoned with legends of lost mines, buried treasures and significant deposits of gold and silver. Selected from tales passed down from generation to generation, the folklore contained in this book includes bandit booty buried near Yuma, gold in Huachuca Canyon, and the granddaddy of them all, the Lost Dutchman Mine in the Superstition Mountains east of Phoenix.

‘The 21st Century Economy: A Beginner’s Guide’

By Randy Charles Epping (Vintage, $14.95)

This is nothing less than a crash course about economics and why literacy in this field might just determine our very survival. Abreast with the most current developments of the world economy, Epping, who has worked in international finance for more than 25 years, breaks down complex ideas and explains them in simple terms and by using compelling narratives and lively anecdotes.

‘Growing Up Dead: The Hallucinated Confessions of a Teenage Deadhead’

By Peter Conners (Da Capo, $14.95)

Conners discovered the Grateful Dead in 1985. After his first concert in 1987, he was drawn into the culture of drugs, sex and rock ‘n’ roll. Between 1987 and 1995, he attended nearly 100 Dead shows nationwide, traveling from place to place in a Volkswagen camper and, amazingly, lived to write about it.

FOR YOUNG READERS

‘The True Story of Little Red Riding Hood’

By Agnese Baruzzi and Sandro Natalini (Templar Books, $14.99)

If you think you know the real story of Little Red Riding Hood and the big bad you-know-what, you might discover that things are not always as they seem. This delightful retelling of a childhood classic, features foldouts, fabrics and unexpected surprises. (Ages 3 and older)

‘Maggie’s Monkeys’

By Linda Sanders-Wells with illustrations by Abby Carter (Candlewick Press, $19.99)

A family of monkeys has moved into the refrigerator. No one can see them except Maggie. This is a hilarious, wildly imaginative story of sibling love and loyalty. (Ages 5-8)

‘The North Star’

By Peter H. Reynolds (Candlewick Press, $16.99)

This beautifully illustrated book is about life and its journey. As a young boy discovers, it can be confusing when signs point in different directions. Should he follow the well-worn path or follow his dreams? (Ages 5-7)

‘Busy Chickens’

By John Schindel and Steven Holt (Tricycle Press, $6.95)

This book, with thick, sturdy pages that are perfect for little fingers, is filled with pictures of chickens walking, squawking, cheeping and leaping. (Ages 3-5)

‘Pastry: Savory & Sweet’

By Michel Roux (Wiley, $24.95)

Michelin three-star chef Michel Roux shows how easy it is to prepare professional-caliber pastry at home. His comprehensive book covers 10 popular types of dough, step-by-step techniques and kitchen tips that ensure perfect results. Trained in the classic French style and with more than 30 years of experience as a top chef, Roux has compiled what might just become the new authoritative guide to pastry-making. Some of the standout recipes include such international favorites as classic Cornish Pasties, Beef and Cheese Empanadas, and Gougeres Filled with Mushroom Duxelles. The 100 recipes are supplemented with more than 250 full-color photographs illustrating both the techniques and finished dishes.

‘Tacos: The Santa Fe School of Cooking Series’

By Susan Curtis and Daniel Hoyer with R. Allen Smith

(Gibbs-Smith, $12.95)

A taco isn’t necessarily just a taco. For example, by combining olives and almonds, you can create delicious Creamy Chicken and Almond Tacos. The richness of the cream is a perfect balance for the Mediterranean-style filling. Susan Curtis, owner-director of the Santa Fe School of Cooking and Market, has achieved international acclaim for her passion for food. Assisted by Daniel Hoyer, the sous chef at Mark Miller’s Coyote Café, and Chef R. Allen Smith, director of the Stock Pot, an exclusive cooking school in Texas, this exciting new collection is innovative and fun.

‘Cookies!’

By the editors of Good Housekeeping (Hearst Books/Sterling Publishing, $14.95)

Food director Susan Westmoreland serves up 150 recipes culled from the Good Housekeeping collection, all triple-tested for ease, reliability and great taste. The five chapters include Bar Cookies; Drop Cookies; Rolled Cookies; Rolled, Molded & Refrigerator Cookies; and Holiday Cookies. There are tips and techniques that make the recipes almost foolproof. In addition to such tried-and-true classics as Sugar Cookies and Pinwheels, there are dozens of unexpected treats including Lemon Cornmeal Thins, Ricotta-Cheese Cookies, Brandy Snaps and decadent Chocolate Wows. This is a marvelous collection that represents all skill levels with countless recipes that promise to become year-round family favorites. This book is spiral-bound making it even more accessible for easy use in the kitchen.

‘Dinnertime Express’

By the editors of Better Homes and Gardens (Better Homes and Gardens Books, $24.95)

The simple and innovative recipes featured in this collection take 30 minutes or less to prepare and require readily available ingredients. From appetizers to desserts and everything in between, the exciting flavors of these healthful meals are certain to energize the family dinner table night after night. In addition to more than 250 recipes, there are nutritional facts, helpful tips and inspiring full-color photographs.

‘Falling Cloudberries: A World of Family Recipes’

By Tessa Kiros (Andrews McMeel, $29.99)

Tessa Kiros was born in London to a Finnish mother and a Greek-Cypriot father. The family moved to South Africa when she was 4. As a teenager, she began traveling throughout the world, learning as much as she could about cultures and traditions as she sampled regional foods. While on a road trip to Italy, she met her eventual husband, Giovanni. They and their two daughters live in Tuscany.

Tessa Kiros’ new collection is, as might be expected, a joyful mix. Not only is it a homage to her personal diverse heritage, it also reflects what she has sampled and learned throughout her travels. The mouthwatering recipes – from Finland, Greece, Cyprus, South Africa and Italy – are divided geographically. In addition to the recipes are helpful notes, simple instructions, and a relaxed inviting style. The gorgeous illustrations make this a beautifully packaged cookbook that is a pleasing addition to any home collection.

Some of the standout recipes include Cinnamon and Cardamom Buns, Poached Quinces that is a perfect addition to ice cream, tangy Lemon and Oregano Chicken, and traditional Spanakopita. One dish was tested from this collection, Daniele’s Tomato Pasta. It was easy to prepare and a perfect warm-weather supper.

Daniele’s Tomato Pasta

12 ripe cherry tomatoes, halves

About 30 baby salted capers, rinsed and squeezed dry

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 garlic cloves, lightly crushed with a knife

About 5 basil leaves, torn

3/4 package 16-oz spaghetti

Directions:

Put all of the ingredients except the spaghetti in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. (I used sea salt and freshly ground pepper.) Set aside for at least an hour, if possible, to let the flavors mingle. Cook the spaghetti in a large pan of boiling salted water, following the package instructions.

Drain and add to the tomato sauce, tossing well to coat the pasta. Serve immediately, with or without grated Parmesan.

Tucsonan Larry Cox’s “Shelf Life” reviews of fiction and nonfiction books and his “Treasures and Trends” antiques column run Thursdays in Calendar Plus. For more, go to tucsoncitizen.com/calendar. E-mail: contactlarrycox@aol.com

This column would be almost impossible to write without a good library of reference books. These are the ones that I have found especially helpful. Most are available at www.amazon.com.

Lehner’s Encyclopedia of U.S. Marks on Pottery, Porcelain & Clay

By Lois Lehner (Collector Books, $24.95)

Want to find out more about a teacup marked Monmouth Pottery Company or learn more about Coors porcelain? If so, this is the book for you because it includes almost every mark found on American pottery, porcelain and clay pieces. The research is first rate and the format user-friendly.

Collecting Toys

Edited by Karen O’Brien (Krause, $24.99)

More than 18,000 toys are featured, from banks and erector sets to soldiers and vehicles. The up-to-date pricing covers three condition grades. This is one of the more respected guides for pre-World War II toys.

The Blue Book of Dolls and Values

By Jan Foulke (Hobby House Press, $55.88)

There is not a more trusted guide to dolls than this one. Now in its 16th edition, it covers both antique and modern dolls with up-to-date prices and manufacturer’s information. Fully illustrated in color, this reference is comprehensive and essential.

‘The Official Price Guide to Collecting Books’

By Marie Tedford and Pat Goudey (House of Collectibles, $18)

Although there are dozens of price guides for books, this is the one I’ve found the most useful. Revised and updated on a regular basis, the books are listed by author, making it user-friendly. In addition to values, there are practical tips on buying, selling, and preserving books, as well as a complete glossary of book-collecting terms.

Comics Values Annual

By Alex G. Malloy (Krause, $19.99)

This book features current prices and expanded listings for more than 94,000 comics issued from the Golden Age through the present. Black-and-white comics, titles from independent and underground publishers, Golden Age favorites, and extensive listings for perennial powerhouses Marvel and DC Comics are all covered.

Official Price Guide to Disney Collectibles

By Ted Hake (House of Collectibles, $29.95)

Every time I get a question about a Mickey Mouse watch or a Donald Duck figurine, I grab this excellent book, which lists more than 28,000 items in some 125 sections.

Warman’s Political Collectibles

By Enoch L. Nappen (Krause, $24.99)

Almost everyone has a small collection of political buttons. If you’re curious about how much they might be worth, this handy guide features color photographs of more than 1,100 political items from Lincoln to Bush, including pins, posters and signs, medals, bumper stickers, clothing, magazines and much more.

The Official Stamp Collector’s Bible

By Stephen R. Datz (House of Collectibles, $22)

This is the ultimate compendium for all things philatelic. It is jammed with practical advice on every aspect of collecting and trading. Novices will learn such valuable information as how dealers price stamps and the best way to develop Internet auction strategies.

The Standard Catalog of Baseball Cards

Edited by Don Fluckinger (Krause, $39.99)

This comprehensive guide stands alone in depth of coverage, ease of use and accurate information in the buying, selling and trading of baseball cards. Referencing more than 15,000 sets issued between the mid-1800s and 2008, more than 1 million cards and collectibles are listed in its 1,848 pages.

Warman’s Antiques & Collectibles 2009 Price Guide

By Ellen T. Schroy and edited by Tracy L. Schmidt (Krause, $24.99)

More than 2,000 color images and an easy-to-use friendly color-coded format make this one of the better general guides for both antiques and collectibles. In addition to current values, the guide contains must-have information such as history, fakes, reproduction alerts and manufacturers’ marks.

The Standard Catalogue of American Records: 1950-1975

By Tim Neely (Krause, $34.99)

The 150,000 listings include updated prices for pop, rock, country, soul, rhythm & blues, and virtually all other genres of music released in America from 1950-75. No other book comes close to providing the sheer volume of information that is found in this landmark Goldmine reference.

The U.S. Coin Digest: The Complete Guide to Current Market Values

Edited by David C. Harper (Krause, $14.99)

This affordable guide covers thousands of coins and features hundreds of high-quality color images, prices for 11 grades of condition, current values, and U.S. error coins, and everything you need to know to keep your coin up to date.

CLARIFICATION

Karen Grim, one of the owners of Tumbling Tumbleweed, 2319 N. Country Club Road, spoke to me this week about one of my recent columns. She said her shop does, indeed, sell large iron crosses but only ones that have been recycled from cemeteries in France. According to Grim, crosses are often replaced after about a century and many of these are then shipped to the U.S., where they are brokered and resold through a company in San Francisco. Grim points out that crosses sold by Tumbling Tumbleweed are legally acquired and fully documented as salvage.