Tuskers, These Pigs are NOT Right

Barry had created a little piece of paradise in his southern Arizona backyard-until the javelinas came.
His battle to rid his property of the wild pigs soon escalated into war. Too late, he realized these weren't ordinary animals. They were something new, something meaner and smarter. These pigs weren't just at war with him; they were at war with the human race.
"And the humans were losing."


The book Tuskers on our dedicated bacon shrine.

In Tuskers, You don't eat bacon; bacon eats you!

The Body Silent: The Different World of the Disabled

Winner of the Columbia University Lionel Trilling Award. Robert Murphy was in the prime of his career as an anthropologist when he felt the first symptom of a malady that would ultimately take him on an odyssey stranger than any field trip to the Amazon: a tumor of the spinal cord that progressed slowly and irreversibly into quadriplegia. In this gripping account, Murphy explores society's fears, myths, and misunderstandings about disability, and the damage they inflict. He reports how paralysis like all disabilities assaults people's identity, social standing, and ties with others, while at the same time making the love of life burn even more fiercely."

Knit Your Own Dog: Easy-To-Follow Patterns for 25 Pedigree Pooches

Do you like to knit, crochet, quilt, or sew? From My Shelf Books is having a sale on all our books involving these activities. Sale starts today January 2nd and runs through January 18th 2015. You can save even save on books with these words in the title—such as Knitlit (Too): Stories from Sheep to Shawl . . . and More Writing about Knitting

The perfect gift for dog-lovers who knit From a spotted Dalmatian to a wrinkly Bulldog, the step-by-step patterns in "Knit Your Own Dog" let you knit the dog you've always wanted.

The knitted dog is indeed the ideal companion: There's no feeding, barking, shedding, or vet's bills, and he'll live forever "Knit Your Own""Dog" is the irresistible guide to knitting the perfect pup. With patterns for 25 different pedigree pooches, "Knit Your""Own Dog" lets you choose the dog you want, whether it's a pretty Poodle or a loyal Labrador. Or knit them all for a pack of canine fun

The patterns are easy-to-follow for both new and veteran knitters. It should take only a few evenings to create a covetable companion for life. And yet each pattern is extremely detailed and includes all of the distinguishing features of each breed, from the startling blue eyes of the Siberian Husky and the long, woolly curls of the Old English Sheepdog to the lolling tongue of the German Shepherd.

Accompanying the patterns are a brief description of each breed, as well as expert tips on choosing yarns, stuffing and sewing the dogs, and adding personality to your creation. Beautiful color photographs of the finished dogs, as well as detail shots, both inspire and instruct. "Knit Your Own Dog" is the perfect book for knitters and devoted dog lovers.

Breeds include: Afghan Hound, Basset Hound, Border Collie, Cocker Spaniel, Corgi, Dachshund, Dalmatian, English Bulldog, English Bull Terrier, French Bulldog, German Shepherd, Jack Russell, Labrador, Miniature Schnauzer, Old English Sheepdog, Poodle, Portuguese Water Dog, Pug, Red Setter, Rough Collie, Scottish Terrier, Siberian Husky, West Highland Terrier, Whippet, Wire-haired Fox Terrier.

Knit Your Own Zombie: Over 1,000 Combinations to Rip 'n' Reassemble for Horrifying Results

Do you like to knit, crochet, quilt, or sew? From My Shelf Books is having a sale on all our books involving these activities. Sale starts today January 2nd and runs through January 18th 2015. You can save even save on books with these words in the title—such as Knit, Purl Die by Anne Canadeo

Join the legions of The Crafting Dead

From your traditional living-dead moaners to the hard-partying Zombie Rock Star and deliciously evil Zombie Chef, each one of these creatures is easy to knit and hard to kill.

Best of all, every piece of every zombie is held together with Velcro strips and snap fasteners, so there are endless variations of Undead legions to discover. We've included some mashup pages to get you started (including a deadly Zen Yoga Zombie and a Mother of the Bride who would stop any groom dead in his tracks), but once you've got the hang of it, you'll find that making your own mashups is even more fun than knitting the originals.

Once a Massage Therapist...

Kevin Coolidge

I'm a certified massage therapist, but don't practice professionally any more. The bookstore is open every day, and just takes up most of my time. It takes a long time to do house calls, plus it takes more space to do a table massage than most people think. Doing table massage in less than a 10x10 can be challenging, especially if the massage therapist is large.

I went to massage school in Boulder Colorado and practiced professionally for about ten years, but then I opened From My Shelf Books. I did some massage from home, but massage is unpredictable. Sometimes I would have a lot of clients and sometimes very few. The downturn in the economy didn't help. You pay the electric bill before you get a massage. So, we turned the spare bedroom I was using as a massage space into a home office.

I miss doing massage sometimes, and once you are a massage therapist; you really are always a massage therapist. My wife is always willing to receive massage, but sometimes it's hard to want to do it after a long day at the store. I still do massage her neck and back and do some massage work on friends. My friend Jen recently was having problems with her infraspinatus and pectoralis minor(you really never do stop being a massage therapist.

I did a few pressure points and some PNF stretches(proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation) and was able to facilitate some healing and function. It's not 100%, but it's doing better. It's good to know I haven't lost my touch, and reminds me why I started doing massage in the first place.

It's been awhile since I've done paid massage, but I do have a massage chair that I haven't been using for what it is meant for. It's a shame that it's just collecting dust, and I wondered how I could get massage back into my schedule.

Those of you in Tioga County know that winter is slow. We have several employees here at From My Shelf Books, but once the rush of Christmas is over, we have to cut hours back. I'm thinking how to change that. I'm considering doing seated chair massage in the bookstore for donation. Your donation will then go towards our teen book club and other community activities we provide(and feeding our store kitties Huck & Finn of course)

A lot of massage therapists use chair massage to increase their regular practice, but I'm not looking to do that right now. I enjoy the bookstore and being a bookseller, but as a friend reminded me. I'm a pretty good massage therapist. She said awesome, but I'm a little out of practice, and that's why I'm going to do it for donation.

If you are interested, stop by the bookstore and check it out. Bring a friend, browse, have Kasey and our staff help you pick out the right book for you, and feel better...

Rigger: A Memoir from High School to High Steel

This world doesn't exist anymore. It was a time when jobs were plentiful and workers were scarce. The Vietnam War divided the country. The sexual revolution was embraced with open arms. The selective service collected reluctant soldiers. Women sought equality. Music was changing into protest songs to help stop a war. It was a time when, with only a high school diploma, you could follow your father into a high-paying but very dangerous industry. This is a story of a young man's quest, raised on traditional morals and values, finding his way through this tumultuous era. It is also a story of survival in the very dangerous occupation of "hanging iron." Mr. Neff, the son of a steelworker, joined the ranks of Bethlehem Steel employees in 1972, and became a rigger in 1975. The rigger crews in the Steel Company did the jobs that were deemed too high, too hard, or too dangerous for other departments to handle. They also had an earned reputation for being the bad boys of Bethlehem Steel. Rigger is both riotously funny and chilling. It is a look into a world that few have known and that will never exist again. "This is literally heavy metal literature-a pounding story of the suspense, the danger, and the sublime sense of accomplishment that was the everyday fare of the adventurous, rule-breaking riggers. With this vivid account, Larry Neff and Blue Heron Book Works have made a more important memorial of American industrial history than any museum could hope to achieve." Mary Lawlor, author of Fighter Pilot's Daughter: Growing Up in the Sixties and the Cold War. "Neff's book is a gift to his union "brothers and sisters," and to all of us who've stared at those long-quiet stacks and wondered what it must have been like to work, day to day, in the midst of them." Joyce Hinnefeld, author of Stranger Here Below ..".people wouldn't believe some of the stories we could tell." Charlie "Snapper" Walp, Rigger/Welder

Dr Who Fifth Doctor Sourcebook

This Sourcebook explores the Fifth Doctor's adventures on Earth and beyond. With detailed information on all the allies, enemies, aliens and gadgets that he encounters, as well as examining each of his adventures, the book contains a wealth of material for the Doctor Who: Adventures in Time and Space RPG, and is also a fact-packed resource for fans of the show!
Betrayed by the Master and left to die on Logopolis, the Doctor faced his most difficult regeneration yet - but it'd be nothing compared to the heartbreak, betrayal and loss that was to come. Fly Concorde through time, re-enact the English civil war, play in a ripping game of cricket and race yachts around the Solar System for the greatest prize of all. Witness the return of some of the universe's greatest foes, restored and deadlier than ever, and thwart their machinations once more ... but at a cost.
Brave heart, my friends...

The Cats of Mrs. Calamari

Mrs. Calamari's new landlord tells her that no cats will be allowed starting Sunday, thus beginning a week of trickery and amusing deception, ending in a happy surprise.

The Last Battle: When U.S. and German Soldiers Joined Forces in the Waning Hours of World War II in Europe

May, 1945. Hitler is dead, the Third Reich is little more than smoking rubble, and no GI wants to be the last man killed in action against the Nazis.
"The Last Battle" tells the nearly unbelievable story of the unlikeliest battle of the war, when a small group of American tankers, led by Captain Lee, joined forces with German soldiers to fight off fanatical SS troops seeking to capture Castle Itter and execute the stronghold's VIP prisoners. It is a tale of unlikely allies, startling bravery, jittery suspense, and desperate combat between implacable enemies.

Kids Knitting

Do you like to knit, crochet, quilt, or sew? From My Shelf Books is having a sale on all our books involving these activities. Sale starts today January 2nd and runs through January 18th 2015. You can save even save on books with these words in the title—such as The Sweetgum Knit Lit Society by Beth Pattillo

In fifteen easy projects, from bouncy bean bags to a rolled-edge sweater, author and knitting expert Melanie Falick teaches kids of all ages how to knit. Through step-by-step instructions and candy-colored illustrations, beginners learn the fundamentals: knitting tools, finger-knitting, and basic stitches such as knit, purl, mattress, overcast, embroidery, and stockinette.

"Kids Knitting" emphasizes fun in every step of the learning process. Sunny paintings by Kristin Nicholas illustrate the individual steps of each technique. Bright boxes of blues, greens, and reds explain everything from button-sewing to tassel-tying. Charming photographs by Chris Hartlove feature finished projects modeled by the creators themselves--all kids who knit.

Best of all, kids get to keep and use whatever they make: bookmarks, backpacks, bracelets, even their own set of customized knitting needles, topped with acorn caps or polka dot balls.