Contemporary topics covered in new arrivals

Salley Davidson, Marion County Library director, accepts a $1000 contribution to the library’s Capital Campaign from WalMart assistant manager Wanda Wiggins.

The library is an eclectic place – that varied mix is perhaps its greatest appeal. While the latest bestsellers and new novels continue to roll in, there are interesting non-fiction titles that cover all kinds of contemporary topics.

The books featured below are the latest word on social networking -- from a marketing guide or a basic “how-to,” to a number of interesting biographies.

The personalities revealed come from history, the entertainment field, and your local garden center.

Twitter Power: How to Dominate your Market One Tweet At a Time, by Joel Comm with Ken Burge

In Twitter Power, Internet marketing and Web innovation expert Comm shows businesses and marketers how to integrate Twitter into their existing marketing strategies to build a loyal following among Twitter members, expand awareness for their product or service, and even handle negative publicity due to angry or disappointed consumers.

The book also presents case studies of companies on the forefront of the Twitter movement, to help you develop your own social networking strategies. The result of extensive testing and participation in the social networking community, it’s a must-have for any business that wants to keep up with the social media movement.

Facebook Marketing for Dummies, by Paul Dunay and Richard Krueger

Packed with vital real-world case studies, the book serves as a must-have guide for the most reliable, responsible, and ethical business and marketing practices with Facebook. A helpful reference that discusses essential strategies, tactics, and techniques for excelling in the world of Facebook marketing Examines setting up a business profile page, hosting an event on Facebook, and tracking your return-on-investment Shares strategies for successful Facebook advertising campaigns Demonstrates how to create widgets and Facebook applications.

Face it: this essential book contains everything you need to know for your foray into Facebook marketing.

The Facebook Era: Tapping Online Social Networks to Build Better Products, Reach New Audiences, and Sell More Stuff, by Clara Shih

Through case studies, examples, and a practical how-to guide, Shih, one of the world's top business social networking thought leaders and practitioners, helps individuals, companies, and organizations understand and take advantage of social networks to transform customer relationships for sales and marketing.

Twitter: Tips, Tricks, and Tweets, by Paul McDedries

Explore all the features of Twitter, so you can join the conversation and discover what all the buzz is about. This handy guide gives you everything you need to know. Guides you through setting up an account and following Twitter rules Explains how to tweet from mobile devices Shows how to add Twitter to a blog or to other social networking sites such as Facebook Offers ideas for using Twitter in business as well as for personal contacts Covers Twitter terminology Provides useful tips and tricks for expanding Twitter's usefulness through third-party applications

The Biggest Loser: Simple Swaps -- 100 Easy Changes to Start Living a Healthier Lifestyle, by Cheryl Forberg

The road to a healthier lifestyle starts with small decisions and better choices. With The Biggest Loser Simple Swaps, you can get healthy by simply swapping your old food, habit, and lifestyle choices for healthier versions every day. With 100 simple swaps that cut calories, save money, and provide better nutrition as well as more than 30 mouthwatering recipes that put these swaps into action, getting fit and healthy has never been easier.

Throughout the book, you'll also find advice and tips from The Biggest Loser experts, trainers, and the contestants themselves, who understand the challenges of fitting lifestyle changes into a busy schedule. These simple, budget-friendly swaps can make a major difference in your health and weight loss efforts. Start swapping, and losing, today!

The African Book of Names: 5,000+ Common and Uncommon Names from the African Continent, by Askhari Hodari

From a local Marion County-raised author who adopted an African name as an adult, comes an all-inclusive book of African names. Her book offers readers names organized by theme from 37 countries and at least 70 different ethno linguistic groups. Destined to become a classic keepsake, The African Book of Names shares in depth insight about the spiritual, social, and political importance of names from Angola to Zimbabwe. A checklist of do’s and don'ts to consider when choosing a name, a guide to conducting your own African-centered naming ceremony, and a 200-year naming calendar are included.

The Queen Mother: the Official Biography, by William Shawcross

The official and definitive biography of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother: consort of King George VI, mother of Queen Elizabeth II, grandmother of Prince Charles, and the most beloved British monarch of the twentieth century.

Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon, the ninth of the Earl of Strathmore's ten children, was born on August 4, 1900. No one could have imagined that her long life (she died in 2002) would come to reflect a changing nation over the course of an entire century.

William Shawcross, given unrestricted access to the Queen Mother's personal papers, letters, and diaries, gives us a portrait of unprecedented vividness and detail. Her many-faceted personality and the numerous roles she gracefully filled are richly detailed. The biography of this matriarch of the Royal Family and "that nation's best-loved grandmother," also serves as a revealing, one of a kind history of Britain in the twentieth century.

America’s Prophet: Moses and the American Story, by Bruce Feiler

The exodus story is America's story. Moses is our real founding father. The pilgrims quoted his story. Franklin and Jefferson proposed he appear on the U.S. seal. Washington and Lincoln were called his incarnations. The Statue of Liberty and Superman were molded in his image. Martin Luther King, Jr., invoked him the night before he died. Ronald Reagan and Barack Obama cited him as inspiration. For four hundred years, one figure inspired more Americans than any other. His name is Moses.

One part adventure story, one part literary detective story, one part exploration of faith in contemporary life, America's Prophet takes readers through the landmarks of America's narrative, from Gettysburg to Selma, the Silver Screen to the Oval Office, to understand how Moses has shaped the nation's character. Carefully researched and highly readable, this original work of history may change how we think about America, our faith, and our future.

Tracy Morgan: I am the New Black, by Tracy Morgan

With brutal honesty and his trademark take-no-prisoners humor, Tracy tells the story of his rise to fame. He tell his story, with all its highs and its many lows, from the very public battles with alcohol and diabetes that threatened both his career and his life to the private and poignant end of his twenty-year marriage.

In his singularly warped and brilliant way he muses on family, love, sex, race, politics, ambition, and what it takes to bring the funny. Hilarious, inspiring, searing, and touching, I Am the New Black is a fascinating peek inside the minds of one of the most compelling and defining comedians of our time.

Fallscaping: Extending your Garden Season into Autumn, by Nancy J. Ondra and Stephie Cohen

Bring late-season appeal to your yard with vines, shrubs, trees, and flowers that retain their good looks through the sweet, golden days of autumn. The authors identify all the key fall-specific players and explain how to combine them with multi-season workhorse plants to create gardens that move gracefully from spring through the riotous days of summer and into the last hurrah of autumn.

Beautiful blooms, rich foliage, and dramatic seed heads all have their roles to play in long-lasting fallscapes. Dozens of their favorites in each category are discussed and extensive advice offered on how best to integrate them into landscapes that give as much pleasure in October as they do in July.

Ten complete garden plans pull everything together. Particularly stunning in the fall but designed to deliver three-season appeal, they cover a range of growing conditions and color themes, and will satisfy even the most intense post-summer gardening urges.