Nova Books

_Talking the Talk_ discusses how the Western scientific tradition has influenced which discourses count as "valid" professional communication; this has been to the exclusion of discourses that are "unconventional" (i.e., cannot be measured via scientific protocols). Historically, certain features of agrarian discourses, such as the heavy reliance upon anecdotal narrative, have invalidated these discourses as unconventional.

With the recent, dramatic changes in agriculture, however, so too have agrarian discourses changed. _Talking_ chronicles an Iowa State University Extension program as representative of these changes and their impact on Iowa's family farms today.

Having recently been in Halifax - i found that this book was right on! Wonderful examples of great food with some history thrown in to boot. Great gift for those who like seafood and want more than just a good receipe.

Speaking as one who loves to read, Terra Nova is on the one hand a moving story of human grit, pain, love, and triumph, and on the other hand an intelligent scientific journey through the cutting-edge science of space technology from the brilliant mind of Thelma Ritchie. It's rare to deliver truth in a student-friendly form without being trite or mundane, but in Terra Nova students will devour the truth about life and self and God - and love it in the form of this thrilling futuristic tale. Get this book.

Allan Hunter's book, Therapeutic Uses of Writing, is a personal conversation with the reader in which he reveals apparently simple but profoundly meaningful ways of coming to know the rich complexity of one's own personality. Written in a warm, direct style, the author gently leads the reader along a path of personal discovery by means of interactive exercises and wonderful examples. Woven into the fabric are lucid discussions of theories of personality (Rogers, Freud, Jung, Erickson) that provide structure to the personal discovery process. Drawings and rich visual imagery guide the reader to pencil-on-paper revelations of inner and previously unknown personal thoughts and conceptual patterns. This versatile book, especially suitable for late adolescents and adults, is not only an excellent self-study resource; it could also work very well as a course textbook that would generate enthusiastic classroom conversations. The purchase price of Therapeutic Uses of Writing is now around $16, reduced from the library price of $80. Few books are quite so exciting, effective, engrossing, and relevant as this one, a real resource for personal discovery.

This is a wonderful book. The illustrations are beautifully done. The story charming. I recommend this book not only for avid hockey fans but for everyone.

Ex-Tennis pro Jordan Myles is looking for answers. She travels to south Florida, Wimbeldon, and Flushing Meadows to find out just what has happened to Audrey Armat, the best female tennis players in the world. When Audrey turns up dead, Jordan is determined to expose the killer, or die trying.

A suspense-filled whodunnit that will keep you guessing up until the very end. Navratilova's extensive knowledge of tennis and tournaments make this an interesting read for enthusiasts and non-enthusiasts alike. Very similar to the "Brad Smith" tennis novels authored by Jack M. Bickham and just as enjoyable.

Looking forward to more courtside suspense from Nickles and Navratilova!

Navratilova brings a level of authenticity to this book about the competitive world of tennis. And given that this was written a while ago, it still has echoes with the modern game. You can see Arantxa Sanchez Vicario, Sharapova, Lucic, Dokic, Hingis, Davenport, Graf, Evert and Martina herself in bits of all the characters here. What is amazing of course is that many of the players I've named above weren't playing when the book was written.

The story revolves around 16 year old teen queen Audrey Armat who has a controlling family but exudes exterior calm. When her game inexplicably begins to fall apart she goes to the Springs' conditioning camp run by Jordan Myles, a former pro who had to give up the sport after injuring herself while hiking. I won't give any more story details away. But having been to Wimbledon, I must say that Navratilova fantastically captures the atmosphere at SW19. Also the pace never lets up, and she tackles a number of key issues in modern sports- the relationship between parent and child, the role of the promoters and the sponsors and so on.

There is one thing that stands out for me. The human face of the players. Navratilova doesn't use the players and the tennis circuit to tell a story. The players have their own foibles, but they are all human, and most of them are nice young women. It's a reminder that behind the world of glamorous tennis queens lies some troubled, but on the whole normal teenagers.

Along with my newly adopted mini poodle, I purchased three books on the breed. This one is by far my favorite for several reasons.

Number one, it was obviously written by a person intimately familiar with the poodle breed. Though it did cover some basics that would be great for any dog owner to keep in mind (such as potty and behavior training and a basic vet overview), it also delved into specific poodle concerns that I - as a new poodle owner - had never known. My concerns about grooming, feeding, special health concerns and training were all covered.

Another thing I loved about this book was its readability. I never felt overwhelmed or bored reading this, and I really felt prepared to take on the ownership of a breed of dog I'd never had prior experience with.

As an added bonus, it came with a neat training dvd that showed some basic training techniques in live action.

Probably my absolute favorite part about this book is that it covers how to ADOPT a poodle. I met my little buddy at the humane society, and most people are shocked to hear that when I tell them (he looks like he could be a show dog). You really can find a pure bred best friend at the pound. But don't let them overshadow all those adorable mixed breeds!!

This book is a descrition of some traditional dances and footwork. The authors went around interviewing elderly people and collecting their recollections of how dancing was done when they were young. These dances date back to the mid 1800's. This is a nice alternative to dances presented by the Royal Scottish Country Dance Society.

My husnand and I recently spent our honeymoon in the Charlevoix region of Quebec, Canada and enjoyed very much many of the places recommended in Traveler's Eastern Canada Companion. Hotels, restaurants, points of interest: this guidebook helped to make our trip one that we will remember fondly for years.

Jennifer Petrela