From the Stacks: June 8, 2007

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A guano-rich cave in the Missouri Ozarks teems with blind salamanders, pseudo-scorpions, and other rare troglobites, and Tom and Cathy Aley are determined to keep it that way. The couple's passion for conserving caves and the native fauna found therein is just one of the environmental tales brought to a national readership by OnEarth, the quarterly magazine from the Natural Resources Defense Council, one of the nation's largest environmental organizations. In addition to troglobites, news items, and dispatches on the nonprofit's work, the Summer issue highlights Lowville, New York, a small farming town that has been transformed by a massive new wind farm. Awarded an Utne Independent Press Award for general excellence in magazines in 2005, OnEarth continues to provide essential information for environmentalists. -- Natalie Hudson

The June/July issue of Minnesota Law & Politics takes a star turn with 2008 senatorial candidate Al Franken donning its cover. In a lengthy interview, the comedian-turned-pundit-turned-political-hopeful pushes his talking points, distances himself from his satire, and inveighs against incumbent Minnesota Senator Norm Coleman. The issue's gem, however, is an article parsing the fallout from the short-term appointment of Robert Delahunty -- co-author with John Yoo of a controversial Department of Justice memo on the detention of enemy combatants (not the more infamous 'torture memo') -- at the University of Minnesota Law School, which is known for its human rights program. -- Eric Kelsey

Surely there are words to encapsulate the whole of Vallum, but mine were left behind in the folds of the contemporary poetry magazine; all that remain are the often-interchangeable feelings of bewilderment and wonderment. Fittingly, 'wonder' is the theme of the journal's latest issue, which contains an eclectic and colorful collection of original art, poetry, and essays that unravel the world from bizarre and fantastic perspectives. Published twice a year by the Vallum Society for Arts and Letters Education in Montreal, the journal prints works from a host of Canadian, American, and international writers, providing a refreshing variety of style and range of voice. -- Natalie Hudson

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