Asian American Leadership: A Concise Reference Guide. Mission Bell Media. 2015. 500p. ed. by Don Nakanishi. index. ISBN 9780990730040. $130. REF

“Conduct a library or electronic search for information or publications dealing with Asian American leadership and the results will be limited,” states Nakanishi (emeritus, director, Univ. of California, Los Angeles Asian American Studies Ctr.) in his thought-provoking introduction. With this guide, he seeks to explain and rectify that problem using thematic, alphabetically arranged essays in which 39 contributors weigh in on subjects such as affirmative action, the “bamboo ceiling,” and elected officials. Each entry features an index, chronology, and readings lists; a supplemental glossary of leadership terms is also included. VERDICT This resource offers an illuminating look at the achievements of Asian Americans and the challenges they continue to face.

Banis, David & Hunter Shobe. Portlandness: A Cultural Atlas. Sasquatch. 2015. 192p. illus. maps. ISBN 9781632170002. $24.95. REF

Portland State University geography professors Banis and Shobe tap into the popularity of the TV show Portlandia with this entertaining and educational reference. They produce some 150 infographic maps representing an array of data sets about the famed Pacific ­Northwest city, covering everything from breweries (arranged by number, color, and bitterness of brew) and how long people wait in line for brunch to more serious analyses of the area’s weather and sound patterns. VERDICT This ­offbeat yet nifty media tie-in showcases the instructive art of cartography.

Brown, Emily Freeman. A Dictionary for the Modern Conductor. Rowman & Littlefield. 2015. 432p. illus. biblog. index. ISBN 9780810884007; ebk. ISBN 9780810884014. $85. REF

Art isn’t easy, and neither is pulling it all together in modern musical conducting. Brown (conducting, Bowling Green State Univ.) touches upon “as many aspects as possible” relating to this topic, covering everything from the simple “a” (the pitch that is sounded for tuning an orchestra) to influential conductors such as Jaap van Zweden, principal conductor of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. Included are eight appendixes covering conducting history; specifics on instruments, rhythm, and pitch; and an analysis of “Six Pieces That Changed Conducting,” with musical chart excerpts included. VERDICT This volume offers a worthwhile symphonic exploration of the conductor’s craft.

The History of British Literature on Film, 1895–2015. Bloomsbury Academic. 2015. 488p. ed. by Greg M. Colón Semenza & Bob Hasenfratz. illus. index. ISBN 9781623560430. $150; ebk. ISBN 9781623561871. REF

To assess truly the impact of British literature on cinema, readers will have to brush up on more than the works of William Shakespeare, Jane Austen, or Mary Shelley. That is the contention of this book which claims to be “the only comprehensive narration of cinema’s 100-year-old love affair with British literature.” ­Coeditors Colón Semenza and Hasenfratz (both, English, Univ. of Connecticut) explore the influence of British literature on films from The Death of Nancy Sykes (1897) to The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014) via the context of history, including how the 1958 adaptation of The Quiet American “actively attempts to refute the novel.” General and film indices are provided. VERDICT This rich analysis will appeal to Anglophile literature and film buffs alike.

Parkin, Lance. Whoniverse: An Unofficial Planet-by-Planet Guide to the World of the Doctor from Gallifrey to Skaro. Barron’s. 2015. 288p. illus. index. index. ISBN 9780764167980. $29.99. REF

Doctor Who fans will enjoy this compendium by expert Parkin, who has authored many titles in BBC Books’ “Doctor Who” series including The Eyeless and The Gallifrey Chronicles. Here the author takes readers on a tour of “some of the more interesting, significant, or bizarre places in the Dr. Who universe.” Each planet merits at least a spread of color photos, commentary, and dusting of show trivia, with Earth, Gallifrey, and Skaro among those getting extended treatment. The work is organized to lead up to how the universe ends, and as ­Parkin notes, “because this is Doctor Who, and the ­Doctor wouldn’t let something like the final end of the universe put a stop to things.” ­VERDICT This critical atlas is ideal for aficionados of this popular, long-running series.

Phillips, Leslie. Dictionary of Debate and Public Speaking. Idea Pub. 2016. 232p. index. ISBN 9781617701009. pap. $25.95. REF

In these days of less-than-civil dialog, this dictionary, released under the aegis of the International Debate Education Association, and detailing the various rules and etiquette of debate and public speaking, is especially welcome. Phillips, who has taught and coached high school and college debate teams for more than 30 years, explains more than 500 concepts associated with debate and public speaking, covering terms such as ad hominem, negative fiat, and more. An appendix offers detailed descriptions of major debate formats, particularly American and British forms. A list of abbreviations, acronyms, and an index are also included. VERDICT This well-timed primer helpfully explains elements of proper discourse.

Yang-Lee, Mao Amy. Hmong Picture Dictionary. Master Comm. 2015. 72p. ISBN 9781604801590. pap. $19.95. REF

Yang-Lee, who emigrated from Laos to the United States in the 1970s, developed this picture dictionary after being unable to find a suitable resource to help her children become literate in Hmong, her native dialect. The author’s slim primer draws on the approach her educator father harnessed to retain literacy among her and her siblings—using pictures to showcase Hmong words. The dictionary provides pictorials for fruits, animals, and more, while also detailing simple phrases and sentences as well as Hmong-specific nuance “tone markers,” or the use of pitch to distinguish word meaning. VERDICT This succinct labor-of-love cultural literacy tool remains relevant, as some 260,000 Hmong currently live in the United States, with populations in several states.—Judy Quinn, formerly with Library Journal