Chelsea Green Publ. Co.

The atlas of American artisan cheese.

Roberts presents an atlas of American artisan cheese that features 345 producers organized by region, then alphabetically by state. Profiles include the varieties of cheese produced, aging information, contact information, and locations where the producers' cheeses are available. Profiles also include vignettes of the cheese makers themselves. These are typically entertaining stories of how they became involved in handmade cheeses, details of their cheese-making process, and how their craft has evolved. The book includes numerous color photos. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Exposed; the toxic chemistry of everyday products; who's at risk and what's at stake for American power.

European Union countries have surged ahead of the U.S. in setting "greener" consumer product safety standards, and China may be next, asserts the editorial director of the Center for Investigative Reporting in San Francisco. Focusing on products including phthalate-containing plastics that may feminize boys and e- waste, Shapiro (coauthor, Circle of Poison: Pesticides and People in a Hungry World) explains the global politics and economics behind different market standards. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

The rammed earth house, rev. ed.

This volume explains the design of rammed earth houses for sustainability and longevity. After discussing the evolution of earth building from ancient times to the present, Easton describes techniques for building these houses based on the past thirty years of his experience. Design and materials, the architectural plan and ecological considerations, foundations, and the type of soil are covered, as are form building, soil preparation and compaction, the wall system, and beams and engineering. The incorporation of insulation and mechanical systems and working with the landscape are also explained. Many color illustrations are incorporated throughout. This edition has been revised. Easton is associated with a firm that designs and builds residential and commercial rammed earth structures around the world. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)