Title: Shoes : A History From Sandals to Sneakers
Author: Giorgio Riello
Anyone who has ever shopped for a pair of shoes--especially anyone who does so with a passion--knows that shoes are much more than functional objects. From the sneaker to the stiletto, shoes have become potent signifiers of gender, class, personality, taste, and even politics. This lavishly illustrated work recounts the history of shoes with entertaining essays that cover everything from the eroticism of ancient shoe lacing, medieval fears about long-toed shoes, and the role of shoes in religious ritual to the infamous Chopine with a 23-inch heel and the modern cult of shoe designers. With 170 color photos and 30 black and white illustrations, the essays will entertain and inform casual shoe shoppers and fashionistas alike.

Title: Blahnik by Boman
Author: Eric Boman
Long before their supporting role in Sex and the City, Manolo Blahnik's shoes were legendary—exquisitely detailed, unabashedly luxurious, and impossibly sexy. The epitome of sophistication and taste, they have graced the feet of royalty, supermodels, and movie stars. In these breathtaking pictures by Blahnik's longtime friend, photographer Eric Boman, the shoes take center stage in a dazzling array of intriguing and often lighthearted scenes and settings. A white leather stiletto plays an incriminating role in a suggested crime worthy of Hitchcock. A pale green mule nestles among ferns in homage to Blahnik's recurring botanical themes. The straps of a sandal echo the strands of spaghetti in which it lays entwined. Boman's unerring eye and oddly keen understanding of Blahnik's creations make for spellbinding pictures, full of wit, playfulness, and sole. Elegant allusions to Blahnik's eclectic influences abound—from the cinema to history, from the natural world to art and literature. As covetable as a pair of Manolos, this is a book of consummate creativity, addictive power, and unrivaled individuality: a cult object on a cult designer.

Title: Stiletto
Author: Carline Cox
Caroline Cox presents the various incarnations of the stiletto since its invention as a fantasy shoe brought to life by the flair and skill of shoemakers Vivier, Perugia, Ferragamo, and Jourdan in the early 1950s. Assertively modern, stilettos released women from the utilitarian wartime fashion of the 1940s, offering streamlined sophistication and glamour to women the world over. As the decade progressed the heel became saucier and higher, worn by starlets like Marilyn Monroe and Jayne Mansfield. By the end of the 1950s the heel was being worn by "bad girls" and had become a weapon of female power. The 1970s took the stiletto's associations with sex and death and turned it into a fetish object, eulogized by artists Allen Jones and Eric Stanton. 1980s power dressers brought the stiletto back into the fashion arena, and today heels designed by Manolo Blahnik, Christian Louboutin, JimmyChoo, and Gina are the badge of celebrity status and fashion savvy.

Title: The Perfect Fit
Author: Meghan Cleary
Meghan Cleary is a fashion writer and shoe expert whose work has appeared in Marie Claire, Life & Style Weekly, Time Out New York, Financial Times Style Section, JCREPORT, and other fashion-industry publications. She has appeared on the TODAY show, MSNBC, Good Day LA and Good Day NY, EXTRA! and Soaptalk, and was the recurring shoe expert on WE Network's Savvy. Meghan lives and shops for shoes in New York City's West Village.

Title: Heart Behind The Hero: A Heartwarming and Inspirational Collection of True Firefighter and Paramedic Stories from across America
Author: Curt Yoder
Curt Yoder, a twenty-five year veteran firefighter of the Costa Mesa Fire Department in California, and his wife, Karen, bring you this heartwarming and inspirational collection of true stories, essays and poems from firefighters and paramedics across America. These touching and beautifully written stories, from the hearts and souls of the firefighters and paramedics who wrote them, reveal the emotions, feelings and spirit of today's American firefighters and rescue workers.

Title: Firefighters: Their Lives in Their Own Words
Author: Dennis Smith
An unforgettable journey through the daily lives of the brave men and women who have made saving lives their profession. Dennis Smith, author of Report from Engine Co. 82 , traveled across the country talking to dozens of America's firefighters to put together this powerful collection of their own descriptions of their most dramatic and intense experiences on the job. Their stories, compiled here, are timeless testimonies to the human capacity for heroism and nobility. Focusing on the most courageous firefighters, from those who have been decorated for heroism to those who have been seriously injured, Firefighters presents the extraordinarily rich and rugged voices of men and women who fight urban building fires, who battle sweeping forest fires, who perform emergency rescues, and who face extreme danger and risk as part of their everyday lives. Sometimes brave, sometimes funny, sometimes bittersweet or filled with anger, these voices combine to make Firefighters both a riveting adventure drama and a moving chronicle of American heroism at its finest.

Title: Standard of the West: The Justin Story
Author: Irvin Farman
There's not much reason to go to Spanish Fort nowadays, unless you're drawn there by its past. Today, it's little more than a ghost town with a handful of residents, a half dozen or so ramshackle, weatherbeaten frame houses, an abandoned schoolhouse and a padlocked general store with a sign proclaiming that the Spanish Fort Coon Hunters Association used to gather there for weekly hunts every Saturday morning. But in 1879, young Joe Justin set up shop in a little one-room frame building and put up a sign that read, "H. J. Justin, Boot Maker." The opening of his crude, one-man shop marked Spanish Fort's final brush with history. The trail town would fade into oblivion, but it would be remembered as the original home of the company whose name became synonymous with cowboy boots and a part of western lore. Justin Industries today is a far cry from the one-man boot shop of more than a century ago, but its growth wasn't always an easy trail. This anecdotal and lively history of a family and a business, drawn from interviews with John Justin, Jr., newspaper and magazine articles and company records, traces the company - and its boots - through moves to Nocona and Fort Worth, periods of serious financial difficulties, family legal squabbles, and an unfriendly takeover attempt along the way to its present status as a $500 million enterprise with interests in publishing and building materials. But boots are still the focus - the Justin Boot Company, the Nocona Boot Company, and the Tony Lama Company.

Title: How to Prepare for the Firefighters Exam
Author: James Murtagh
This manual presents five practice exams of 50-questions each, two 100-question practice exams, and a 100-question diagnostic exam, with all questions answered and explained. Practice exams include two recent actual New York City Fire Department exams and five composite exams that reflect tests given across the country. The book also provides a detailed explanation of the Physical Component that is part of every firefighter exam. A subject review covers all firefighter test topics and contains more than 850 questions. Readers will find extensive subject-matter reviews.

Title: Cowboy Boots
by Jennifer June
Jennifer June, a custom cowboy boot maker, takes the reader through the diverse history of the boot, from the early days prior to 1930 to the modern twists on traditional styles popular a century down the line. She looks in detail at the motifs and metaphors that ornament the cowboy boot, from the artistic traditions of Spanish boot makers to the symbolism in stitchings of flora and fauna, and examines the different styles, shapes, and materials of boots through the ages. Featuring insights and testimonials from custom cowboy boot makers and obsessive buyers alike, the book also features a section on how to design your own individual boot. Cowboy boots are the most emblematic of American fashion icons, repositories of western tradition and symbols of the strength and endurance of true American style. In recent times, cowboy boots have become permanent fixtures of the fashion world and of Hollywood westerns. Beautifully illustrated with photographs of boots, boot makers, and cowboy fashionistas, this book presents the definitive perspective on the changing roles and various styles of the most enduring American footwear.

Title: A Closet Full of Shoes: Simple Ways to Make Them Chic
Author: Jo Packham
It's what all women crave: a closetful of fabulous, sexy, and stylish shoes for every occasion. These designer creations—with easy-to-follow instructions for the amateur shoemaker—will turn their fashion dreams into a stunning reality. Painted shoes, découpaged shoes, beaded and buttoned shoes: women will definitely ooh and aah in pleasure over this footwear! Designers from across the country competed in a contest to devise the most marvelous pair of shoes, and they've come up with more than 50 breathtaking and irresistible projects. Just imagine strappy exotic Asian Pumps with a high heel and delicate floral design, beaded rope mules dotted with small pearls, and sparkling jeweled ballet slippers. And you'll really want to raise a glass and toast the wonderfully whimsical Martini Party Shoes. Some are surprisingly simple and others are quite over-the-top, but they're all dazzling and wearable. Choose from shoes meant for weddings, fancy pairs for a night out, and casual ones for everyday or the beach. There are even boots and a few patterns for baby footware.

Title: Left and Right
Author: Joanne Oppenheim
PreS-Gr 3-- There once were two cobblers who were brothers. ``Left made the left boots./ Right made the rights.'' After many fights, they separate, and, since neither can make the opposite boot, everyone who orders new boots has foot trouble. The doctor is mystified and fears that ``We may all land in bed.'' At this point, it seems as if a scene has been left out, for when the townspeople decide to complain, they find the brothers reunited because ``It takes two to make a pair. . .in spite of the fights.'' The brothers may have anticipated the problem, but it leaves a gap in the storytelling. The staid verse has little humor or sparkle, and does not make much of the slight story. The liveliness of the book is in the bright, energetic pictures done with opaque watercolor and colored pencil. When the brothers fight, their large, glowering faces fill the double-page spread. Even their house seems to bend and swell with their quarrel. People hop and grimace convincingly after putting on their painful new boots. The characters are clothed in eclectic styles that borrow from costume of the 17th through 19th centuries, but Litzinger's bright colors and strong shapes blend them all together to give a pleasing, cheerful look. Only the sweep, sitting on a chimney in spotless green frock coat, top hat, yellow breeches, and white linen, sounds a false note. The message of cooperation despite differences is certainly worthy, and this is a visually pleasant book, but not a necessary purchase.

Title: Bootism: A Shoe Religion
Author: Michael Duranko
Do you forget people's names but remember their shoes? Do you have more that 10 pairs of black shoes? Do you often use the words love and shoes in the same sentence? If so, you may be a Bootist-or at least have Bootist tendencies-and this is the book for you. Bookism provides a voice and community for the shoe obsessed. It validates Bootists, fashionistas, and those with Bootist traits.

Title: The Greatest Firefighter Stories Never Told
Author: Mike Santangelo
The firefighters who lost their lives in the September 11 attack on the World Trade Center have become well-known-and rightfully so. But firefighters throughout America risk life and limb every day, many times without any acknowledgement whatsoever, let alone fame or fortune. In The Greatest Firefighter Stories Never Told, authors Mike Santangelo, Mara Bovson, and Allan Zullo have collected more than two dozen gripping accounts of America's bravest heroes, those who save lives every day. From airport firefighters to hazardous materials experts, from forest firefighters to high-elevation rescuers, from smoke jumpers to harbor firefighters, The Greatest Firefighter Stories Never Told captivates readers with its focus on fresh and fascinating tales of real heroes and those they save. Several stories highlight some of the courageous firefighters of the New York Fire Department who were on hand during the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. Already, the department's heroism has captured America's heart. These gripping, in-depth stories will put names and faces to those most deserving of worldwide recognition.

Title: Shoes
Author: Stephanie Pedersen
*An exuberant expose of the history of shoes from the first modest moccasin to the latest Burberry boot
*Exceptionally illustrated with shoe photographs, intriguing vintage advertisements, and stunning celebrity images
*A low price point makes this the perfect gift for all women with a weakness for shoes. Peep-toes, kitten heels, Chelsea boots, espadrilles, slingbacks, mules, stilettos, wedgies, platforms — fabulous footwear of all forms takes center stage in this must-have gift book for all dedicated followers of fashion. The beautifully packaged gift book is a veritable shoe bible, allowing readers to explore the footwear hall of fame and explore every significant development in the evolution of shoes. From the earliest moccasins of 8000 BC to the latest innovations of the 21st century, Shoes charts the rise of shoes from comfort to couture, and features top designers, trendsetters, celebrity shoeaholics, and fashionistas, and is sure to excite and inspire glamour girls everywhere

Title: Last Man Down : A New York City Fire Chief and the Collapse of the World Trade Center
Author: Richard Picciotto
On September 11, 2001, FDNY Battalion Chief Richard "Pitch" Picciotto answered the call heard around the world. In minutes he was at Ground Zero of the worst terrorist attack on American soil, as the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center began to burn-and then to buckle. A veteran of the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center, Picciotto was eerily familiar with the inside of the North Tower. And it was there that he concentrated his rescue efforts. It was in its smoky stairwells where he heard and felt the South Tower collapse. Where he made the call for firemen and rescue workers to evacuate, while he stayed behind with a skeleton team of men to help evacuate a group of disabled and infirm civilians. And it was in the rubble of the North Tower where Picciotto found himself buried-for more than four hours after the building's collapse.

Title: Firefighters from the Heart : True Stories and Lessons Learned
Author: Steve Chikerotis
Chicago Battalion Chief and 27-year service member Steve Chikerotis shares the experiences and stories that have shaped his career and the careers of some of the most influential names in firefighting in this compelling new book. A gripping compilation of 45 short stories and case studies, Firefighters from the Heart: Lessons Learned details actual fire service incidents from some of the most respected firefighters in the nation to convey valuable lessons on safety and risk management through education and awareness. These exciting stories make readers feel that they are on the scene of each heart-pounding incident, and inherently promote the development of crucial life saving instincts and leadership skills while inviting readers to develop a sense of appreciation for the challenges firefighters face.

Title: The Shoemaker Extraordinaire
Author: Steve Light
Hans Crispin is no ordinary shoemaker. He's a shoemaker extraordinaire! And his shoes are extraordinary, too. When he arrives in a village, the locals quickly discover that Hans's shoes can make them taller...or more confident...or peppier! Everybody is happy—except the village cobbler. No one wants his ordinary shoes anymore, so he send Hans to a new customer: a hungry giant! The giant thinks Hans looks pretty tasty, but soon the shoemaker extraordinaire has changed even his outlook: the giant becomes taller, more confident, peppier—and he has an exciting new life in the village.

Title: Art of the Boot
Author: Jim Arndt and Tyler Beard
What is it with cowboy boots that makes millions of people all over the world feel at home in a pair? With enduring allure, the boot is one of the great enigmas of modern society. Now, more than a hundred and fifty years after cowboys roped the ranges and galloped through the tallgrass and sagebrush, we're simply enamored with what they wore on their feet. Plain brown and black boots are still the mainstay of cowboy boot making, but the eye-poppin', snake-stompin', spine-chillin' designs created by individual artists are the ones that capture our hearts and imaginations. Since the publication of The Cowboy Boot Book in 1992, the number of bootmakers across the country has nearly doubled, waiting lists have compounded, and the art of the boot has risen to mind-blowing proportions. The men and women who create our fancy footwear are both fascinating and funny. Their tales and artworks exhibited here are testament to the high-minded dedication of a down-to-earth contingent of craftspeople. Tyler Beard and Jim Arndt have created an incredible gathering that will leave your toes twitchin' and your dogs barkin' for a new pair of boots.

Title: Cowboy Boots
Author: Tyler Beard and Jim Arndt
A collectible little book on America's most fashionable footwear with some of the most impressive cowboy boot designs from the most prestigious and famed bootmakers in the world.

Title: Working Fire : The Making of a Fireman
Author: Zac Unger
Zac Unger didn't feel like much of a fireman at first. Most of his fellow recruits seemed to haveplanned for the job all their lives; he was an Ivy League grad responding to an ad at a bus stop. He couldn't keep his boots shined, and he looked terrible in his uniform. Working Fire is the story of how, from this unlikely beginning, Zac Unger came to feel at home among this close- knit tribe, came to master his work's demands, and came to know what it is to see the world through a firefighter's eyes. From the raw material of his days' work—alarm calls both harrowing and hilarious, moments of triumph and grief—Unger has forged a timeless story of finding one's path, and a rousing adventure about the bravery and sacrifice of everyday heroes. Author Biography: Zac Unger is a firefighter and paramedic in Oakland, California. He has written about his life and work for the online magazine called Slate.

Fred Fazzio Built Boots During World War II on Bougainville in the Pacific
Below Are Books On Bouganville

Title: Bougainville, 1943-1945 : The Forgotten Campaign
Author: Harry A. Gailey
The 1943 invasion of Bougainville and the naval battles during the campaign for the island contributed heavily to the defeat of the Japanese in the Pacific war. A maze of swamps, rivers, and rugged hills overgrown with jungle, Bougainville, largest and northernmost of the Solomon Islands, afforded the Allies a strategic site for airbases from which to attack the Japanese bastion of Rabaul. Black American troops were used for the first time during this campaign, with mostly positive results, although criticism of one black company led to black soldiers in the Pacific theater being relegated to non-combat roles for the remainder of the war. Harry A. Gailey presents the only comprehensive account of the long and bitter fighting that took place on that all-but-forgotten island, revealing its crucial role in the outcome of the war in the Pacific.

Title: War in the Shadows: Bougainville 1944-45
Author: Peter Medcalf

The Bougainville campaign of 1943-45, was a campaign of World War II. The island of Bougainville was of strategic importance to the Allies and Japanese, in both the Pacific Ocean and South West Pacific theatres.”

Bougainville at the time was part of the Australian territory of New Guinea, and is geographically part of the Solomon Islands chain. The Bougainville campaign was therefore part of both the New Guinea campaign and the Solomon Islands campaign. It was occupied by Japanese forces in 1942.

Title: Solomons Campaigns, 1942-1943 : From Guadalcanal to Bougainville-Pacific War Turning Point, Vol. 2
Author: William McGee
This book covers all the Solomon Campaigns-from Guadalcanal to Bougainville. It tells the story of America's first offensive after Pearl Harbor. Part I, "The Southern Solomon," covers the bloody six-month struggle for Guadalcanal. Part II, "The Central Solomon," chronicles the amphibious operations in the New Georgia Islands group, including the five separate landings at Rendova, Segi Point, Viru Harbor, Wickham Anchorage, and Rice Anchorage. And Part III, "The Northern Solomon," recounts the seizure of the treasuries, the Chioseul Diversion, and the Bougainville campaign.

This second volume in a three-volume set describes all the Solomons Campaigns of WWII, from Guadalcanal to Bougainville. The relationship between ground fighting, naval warfare, and air combat is described in detail. Lessons learned during the Solomons campaigns are summarized, ranging from logistic support and force requirements to offshore toeholds and leapfrogging. Includes b&w historical photos.