In Recovering the Commons: Democracy, Place, and Global Justice, Herbert Reid and Betsy Taylor, senior research scholar at the Alliance for Social, Political, Ethical, and Cultural Thought at Virginia Tech, provide new practical and conceptual tools for responding to human and environmental crises in Appalachia and beyond.

The book is published by University of Illinois Press (1325 S. Oak St., Champaign, IL 61820-6903); www.press.uillinois.edu.

In his compilation Images: Sixty Short Japanese Poems of Nature, Man, and Love, Carl J. Pfeiffer, professor emeritus of biomedical science at Virginia Tech, captures impressions of Japanese culture as seen through the eyes of a Westerner. Japanese interpretation is provided by Akiko Nakata.

The book is published by Pocahontas Press Inc. (P.O. Drawer F, Blacksburg, VA 24063-1020); www.pocahontaspress.com.

Introduction to Composite Materials Design, second ed., by Ever J. Barbero (Ph.D. engineering mechanics '89), updates its preceding best-seller with new chapters on short-fiber and fabric-reinforced composites and external reinforcement for infrastructure.

The book is published by CRC Press (6000 Broken Sound Pkwy. N.W., Ste. 300, Boca Raton, FL 33487); www.crcpress.com.

The book is published by Adams Media (57 Littlefield St., Avon, MA 02322); www.adamsmedia.com.

In 50-Year Adventure, Rick Evans (geophysics '84) chronicles his travels, which begin in rural Virginia and take him around the globe, offering a unique story of personal struggle and redemption.

This book is self-published through Lulu Enterprises Inc. (3103 Hillsborough St., Raleigh, NC 27606-5436); www.lulu.com.

Greeetings from Ekaterinburg, by Jean Wilson Hale (civil engineering '79), offers a humorous account of living and working in Russia by way of letters and e-mails sent to family and friends.

This book is self-published through iUniverse (1663 Liberty Dr., Bloomington, IN 47403); www.iuniverse.com.

Nanotechnology Environmental Health and Safety: Risks, Regulation and Management, edited by Matthew S. Hull (M.S. biology '02) and Diana M. Bowman, tackles the debate over nanotechnology by thoroughly explaining environmental health and safety issues, financial implications, foreseeable risks, and the implication of occupational hygiene precautions and consumer protections.

The book is published by Elsevier (3251 Riverport Ln., Maryland Heights, MO 63043); www.elsevier.com.

Through a series of rare photographs, maps, and illustrations, Attack on Pearl Harbor, Japan Awakens a Sleeping Giant, written by Bert Kinzey III (business administration '68) and illustrated by Richard S. "Rock" Roszak (management '71), alumni director for the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets, chronicles Pearl Harbor before, during, and after the fated Japanese attack.

This book is self-published through Military Aviation Archives Inc. (403 Hearthstone Dr., Blacksburg, VA 24060); www.milavnarc.com.

New Selected Poems of T. Byron Kelly (English '90) takes the reader on a visionary poetic journey that spans 23 years.

The collection is self-published through iUniverse (1663 Liberty Dr., Bloomington, IN 47403); www.iuniverse.com.

Virginia's Montgomery County, edited by Mary Elizabeth Lindon (architecture '52), is a comprehensive history of Montgomery County from the prehistoric geography of its land to the modernity of present-day life.

The publisher is Montgomery Museum and Lewis Miller Regional Art Center (300 S. Pepper St., Christiansburg, VA 24073); www.montgomerymuseum.org.

Favorites, by Garret Mathews (economics '71), is a collection of intriguing columns about Americana, compiled to honor the fading print of newspaper.

This compilation is published by the Evansville Courier and Press (300 E. Walnut St., Evansville IN 47702); www.courierpress.com.

The Now Exspirientuality--The Way of Unity: Conversations with Dog, Book 1, by Greg Morgoglione (business '81), reveals an instantly accessible, real-time meditation for those seeking immediate enlightenment, with the help of Alice, the Canine Messiah.

The book is self-published by BookSurge LLC (7290-B Investment Dr., North Charleston, SC 29418-8305); www.BookSurge.com.

In his novel The Ark, Boyd Morrison (industrial and systems engineering M.S. '93, Ph.D. '95) combines elements of the thriller genre with biblical mystery to tell of a frantic search for an ancient artifact and a race to save humanity.

The novel is published by Simon & Schuster Inc. (1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020); www.simonandschuster.com.

My Whole Life and 48 Years of Small Town Family Medical Practice, by Paul A. Tanner Jr. (biological sciences '45), is an autobiographical account stemming from his collection of patient comments and quotes.

The book is self-published with Eloquent Books (845 Third Ave., Sixth Floor, No. 6016, New York, NY 10022); www.eloquentbooks.com.

Just Tell Me What Happened: My Adventures in Central America, by Thomas T. Wiatt (civil engineering technology '80), is a collection of stories inspired by his 20-year journey backpacking through Central America.

The book is self-published through PublishAmerica (P.O. Box 151, Frederick, MD 21705); www.publishamerica.com.

In his book Keeping People Safe: The Human Dynamics of Injury Prevention, Josh Williams (Ph.D. industrial organizational psychology, '94) illustrates how organizations can create safer workplaces through the use of the "Big Five" components of occupational safety: communication, leadership, behavior-based factors, person-based factors, and safety-management systems.

The book is published by Government Institutes (4501 Forbes Blvd., Ste. 200, Lanham, MD 20706); www.govinstpress.com.

This book is self-published through Author House (1663 Liberty Dr., Bloomington, IN 47403); www.authorhouse.com.