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NLS: Talking Book Topics

November - December 2001

Contents

In Brief

NLS web site upgraded

The NLS web site has been redesigned recently for clarity and ease of use. Talking Book Topics and many other NLS publications are available on the web site, including eight annual volumes of Cassette Books published since 1993, four biennial volumes of For Younger Readers, Books in Spanish 1994-2000, reference materials, subject bibliographies, newsletters, and reports on the progress of the NLS Digital Talking Book Program. Readers will also find a simplified online search tool to enable them to search the NLS catalog. Because of the time required for production processes that follow final editorial review, Talking Book Topics is usually posted on the web site several weeks in advance of its availability in print, recorded, or diskette versions.

Newsstand

The following announcement may be of interest to readers. The National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped reserves the right to publish announcements selectively, as space permits. Items mentioned, however, are not part of the NLS program, and their listing does not imply endorsement.

Disaster preparedness pamphlet. Disaster Preparedness for People with Disabilities, a publication of the American Red Cross, is available for download or for use online at the American Red Cross web site <www.redcross.org/services/disaster/beprepared/mobileprogs.html>. Audiotape cassette and print versions of the pamphlet are also available for a nominal fee. Contact your local chapter of the American Red Cross for information. Quote reference number A5091 for the print editon, and A5091C for the cassette.

Books for Adults

Books listed in this issue of Talking Book Topics were recently sent to cooperating libraries. The complete collection contains books by many authors on fiction and nonfiction subjects, including biographies, classics, gothics, mysteries, romances, and others. Contact your cooperating library to learn more about the wide range of books available in the collection.

Cassette books are labeled with the code RC and play at 15/16 ips. To order books, fill out the order form and send it to your cooperating library.

Note: For the information of the reader, a notice may appear immediately following the book description to indicate occurrences of strong language, explicit descriptions of sex, or violence. The word "some" before any of these terms indicates an occasional or infrequent occurrence, as in "some strong language."

Cassettes Nonfiction

The Chan's Great Continent: China in Western Minds     RC 48127

by Jonathan D. Spence

read by Bill Wallace

2 cassettes

Based on a series of lectures presented at Yale, a survey of China's influence on the West from 1253 to the 1980s. Citing diplomatic reports, letters, plays, films, poetry, and novels, Spence argues that the Western view of China has been shaped by the observations of outsiders rather than the words of the Chinese people themselves. 1998.

The Norton Book of American Autobiography     RC 48490

edited by Jay Parini

read by MaryBeth Wise

6 cassettes

Presents more than sixty American autobiographies and memoirs from the seventeenth to the twentieth centuries. Includes Mary Rowlandson's account of being captured by Indians, Frederick Douglass's narrative of his life as a slave, and Mark Twain's recollection of his childhood on the Mississippi. For senior high and older readers. 1999.

Teller of Tales: The Life of Arthur Conan Doyle     RC 48653

by Daniel Stashower

read by Corrie James

4 cassettes

Biography of the doctor, athlete, traveler, writer, and spiritualist best known as the creator of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson in 1886. Describes Doyle's frustration with the popularity of his character, Holmes, and Doyle's lifelong study of the occult, which damaged his reputation. 1999.

World Religions: An Introduction for Students     RC 48693

by Jeaneane Fowler and others

read by Margaret Strom

5 cassettes

Five British professors outline the tenets, rites, and traditions of Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Sikhism, emphasizing the view that these religions are relevant to life in the late twentieth century. Summarizes basic information to enable believers and nonbelievers to engage in conversation about the spiritual realm. For senior high and older readers. 1997.

Cairo: The City Victorious     RC 48700

by Max Rodenbeck

read by Ted Stoddard

3 cassettes

A correspondent for the Economist and longtime resident of Cairo presents the city's history, inhabitants, and social life, mingled with personal observations. Discusses Cairo's geographic importance, the prevailing influence of Islam, and the pull of Western materialism. Portrays past elegance in contrast to twentieth-century problems. 1998.

Hunting Down the Universe: The Missing Mass, Primordial Black Holes, and Other Dark Matters     RC 48712

by Michael Hawkins

read by Terence Aselford

2 cassettes

British astronomer expounds his theory that "quasars, black holes, and big-bang cosmology unite to identify and describe the nature of the universe's missing mass." Discusses the great cosmological debates of the twentieth century and examines the conflict between rationalist and empirical approaches to science. 1997.

Accessible Gardening: Tips and Techniques for Seniors and the Disabled     RC 49080

by Joann Woy

read by Margaret Strom

2 cassettes

Advises gardeners with special needs on ideas, tools, and methods. Topics include garden design and layout, raised beds, container and tabletop gardening, easy composting, watering, lawn care, and accessories to facilitate physical tasks. An appendix lists sources of tools, supplies, and information. 1997.

Murder in the Name of God: The Plot to Kill Yitzhak Rabin     RC 49200

by Michael Karpin and Ina Friedman

read by Bill Wallace

3 cassettes

Examines the events that culminated in the assassination of Israel's prime minister in 1995. Includes an interview with Yigal Amir, the Jewish zealot who shot Rabin. Studies the factions in Israeli society that foment political dissension and the foreign support for these movements. 1998.

The Gulag Archipelago, 1918-1956: An Experiment in Literary Investigation; Volume 3, Parts 5-7     RC 49271

by Aleksandr I. Solzhenitsyn

read by Ken Kliban

5 cassettes (Reissue)

These final sections document the rebellion in the camps, especially after Stalin's death; the subsequent brutal quelling of disorders; and the inability of the Russian government to admit past mistakes. Conveys Solzhenitsyn's conclusions about the Russian penal system. Sequel to The Gulag...Volume 2, Parts 3-4 (RC 49270). 1978.

Learning to Love: Exploring Solitude and Freedom; the Journals of Thomas Merton, Volume 6, 1966-1967     RC 49274

by Thomas Merton

read by Gordon Gould

4 cassettes

During 1966 and 1967, Merton moves from a period of monastic routine to an intense love affair with a student nurse, then back to the quiet life of contemplation. He discusses his emergence from the experience with a deeper understanding of love and a renewed commitment to his religious vocation. 1997.

Almost Everyone's Guide to Science: The Universe, Life, and Everything     RC 49321

by John Gribbin

read by Gillian Green

2 cassettes

An overview of modern science that explains our understanding of the universe. Encompasses atoms, chemistry, evolution, and the solar system, among other topics. Discusses how all of the sciences fit together and can be comprehensible to the average person. 1999.

The Patent Files: Dispatches from the Frontiers of Invention     RC 49329

by David Lindsay

read by Gary Roan

2 cassettes

An introduction to the world of inventors and their intriguing and often quirky creations. This collection of fifty articles covers pheromone deodorant, space elevators, a greenhouse helmet, Doppler radar, a toilet-seat lock, and many other products of human ingenuity. 1999.

Kick Ass: Selected Columns of Carl Hiaasen     RC 49343

by Carl Hiaasen

read by Len Mailloux

4 cassettes

Essays taken from the author's Miami Herald column written from 1985 through the 1990s. Hiaasen, whose latest crime fiction book was Lucky You (RC 45006), lambasts corruption and crime in his native south Florida. He criticizes overpopulation and development, pollution, and crooked politicians--all of which he has seen firsthand as an investigative reporter. 1999.

Dawn Powell: A Biography     RC 49397

by Tim Page

read by Samarra Mbenga

3 cassettes

Presents personal facts and traces the career of the mid-twentieth-century American writer who is achieving posthumous success. Discusses her move at age twenty-one in 1918 to New York City where she became part of the literary scene. Describes her dedication to writing throughout the hardships of her adult years. 1998.

Wind: How the Flow of Air Has Shaped Life, Myth, and the Land     RC 49589

by Jan DeBlieu

read by Kristin Allison

2 cassettes

The author incorporates science, history, myth, religion, and her own personal experiences in describing the effects the wind has had on the earth and on humankind. Describes global wind systems, the results of windblown insects and seeds, catastrophic storms, pollution, and the destruction of forests. 1998.

The Great Shame: And the Triumph of the Irish in the English-Speaking World      RC 49595

by Thomas Keneally

read by Ralph Lowenstein

6 cassettes

A narrative history of the nineteenth-century Irish migrations to Australia and America. Depicts the plight of Ireland's emigrants through biographical accounts of the author's ancestors. Among them is Thomas Francis Meagher, who in 1849 was exiled to Australia but escaped to the United States to lead the Union's Irish Brigade at Antietam. 1998.

Genesis: The Story of Apollo 8; the First Manned Flight to Another World     RC 49671

by Robert Zimmerman

read by Gary Telles

2 cassettes

Recounts the flight of Apollo 8, the first manned vehicle to venture beyond Earth's orbit. Provides personal biographies of the three astronauts and assesses their accomplishment in the context of the Cold War and the turbulent political events of 1968. 1998.

The Vein of Gold: A Journey to Your Creative Heart     RC 49779

by Julia Cameron

read by Martha Harmon Pardee

3 cassettes

A step-by-step guide to a journey of spiritual healing and discovery of the creative potential, or "spiritual DNA," that resides in every person. Describes practical tools such as writing, singing, mask-making, and walking meditation to uncover deep-seated strengths and abilities. Companion to The Artist's Way (RC 41149). 1996.

The Book of War     RC 49803

edited by John Keegan

read by Bill Wallace

4 cassettes

Military historian compiles twenty-five centuries of writings about conflicts dating from the ancient Greeks to the 1990 Iraqi incursion into Kuwait. Includes an account of Caesar's invasion of Britain, the fall of Constantinople, the siege of Malta, the French withdrawal from Russia, and the Normandy Invasion, along with poetry and reminiscences. Violence. 1999.

Kant's Life and Thought     RC 49818

by Ernst Cassirer

read by Bill Wallace

4 cassettes

Twentieth-century philosopher Cassirer portrays the life of Immanuel Kant and discusses his influence on Western thought over two centuries. Provides an interpretation of Kant's writings on the nature of knowledge. Explores his ideas about the role of experience, a priori understandings, and linguistic categories in human comprehension of the universe. 1981.

Fodor's Europe, 2000     RC 49953

read by Robert Blumenfeld

16 cassettes

Practical guide to travel and tourism in eastern and western Europe. Contains information on planning a trip, including transportation to and within the continent. Provides specific recommendations concerning lodging, meals, and tourist attractions in each destination. 1999.

Eleanor Roosevelt's My Day: First Lady of the World; Her Acclaimed Columns, 1953-1962     RC 49956

by Eleanor Roosevelt

read by Barbara Rappaport

4 cassettes

This is the third and final volume of select newspaper columns written by Eleanor Roosevelt during the last nine years of her life. She champions world peace through the United Nations, advocates civil rights by promoting desegregation, and supports Adlai Stevenson for president, among other topics. Sequel to Eleanor Roosevelt's My Day...1945-1952 (RC 32151). 1991.

Lives of the Poets     RC 49963

by Michael Schmidt

read by George Holmes

9 cassettes in 2 containers

A history of English-language poetry from the 1300s to 1998, with emphasis on the twentieth century. Encompasses writers from the British Isles, the Caribbean, Australia, India, and North America, discussing their lives and works and the poets' influences on one another over time. Some descriptions of sex and some strong language. 1998.

The Factory of Facts     RC 49982

by Luc Sante

read by Gary Telles

3 cassettes

Memoir of a Belgian-born American who describes various versions of his early years to dramatize the accidental nature of life. He also recounts his later return to Belgium to rediscover "things seen and smelled and tasted and endured in those few years before our clay hardens." 1998.

A Coach's Life     RC 49993

by Dean Smith

read by Jim Johnston

4 cassettes

Memoir of the award-winning college basketball coach. The son of a Kansas high school coach, Dean Smith played basketball for the University of Kansas before beginning his coaching career, which included a record-breaking thirty-six-year stint as head coach at the University of North Carolina. 1999.

The Great Republic: A History of America      RC 50002

by Sir Winston Churchill

read by Corrie James

4 cassettes

In this work, edited by his grandson, Churchill expounds on the history of his mother's country from its conception to the beginning of the twentieth century. Includes his later speeches and articles about the United States on such topics as California, the death of President Roosevelt, and NATO. 1999.

The Interpretation of Dreams      RC 50005

by Sigmund Freud

read by Clifford Carpenter

4 cassettes

Joyce Crick's new translation of Freud's first edition of his classic work written in 1899. Introductory material describes how Freud incorporated autobiography into his theoretical writing. Provides glimpses of daily life in late-nineteenth-century Vienna. Companion to James Strachey's earlier translation, On Dreams (RC 9451). 1999.

A Shining Thread of Hope: The History of Black Women in America      RC 50032

by Darlene Clark Hine and Kathleen Thompson

read by Robin Miles

3 cassettes

A chronology of diverse African American women's lives across the United States from colonial times to the late twentieth century. Uses first-person narratives, where available, to recall efforts to resist oppression, improve education, impart religious values, and assume leadership roles in the community and the nation. 1998.

The Rough Riders      RC 50049

by Theodore Roosevelt and Richard Bak

read by David Hartley-Margolin

2 cassettes

1899 memoir by future president Theodore Roosevelt of his experiences in Cuba during the Spanish-American War, first published in Scribner's magazine. Describes how he organized his unique regiment, which consisted of wealthy Ivy Leaguers, cowboys and Native Americans, and western scoundrels. Includes supplementary historical information. 1997.

Gotham Unbound: How New York City Was Liberated from the Grip of Organized Crime      RC 50054

by James B. Jacobs

read by Jake Williams

3 cassettes

An in-depth account of the impact of the Cosa Nostra on business, labor, and politics in New York City in the twentieth century. Describes mob infiltration of the garment, construction, and other major industries. Chronicles law enforcement initiatives since 1980 to drive the mob out of the metropolis. 1999.

Out of Place: A Memoir      RC 50068

by Edward W. Said

read by Ken Kliban

3 cassettes

Reminiscences of a Palestinian American's formative years--from his birth in 1935 until 1962, when he was completing his doctorate. Describes his youth as an exile and refugee, speaking Arabic at home and English at school. Said calls his memoir "an unofficial personal record of those tumultuous years in the Middle East." 1999.

Explorers with Disabilities Program Helps      RC 50084

by Boy Scouts of America

read by Ralph Lowenstein

1 cassette

Provides a variety of programs and activities for the scout leader in an effort to include young adults with disabilities in the Exploring program, which includes both men and women from ages fourteen through twenty. Companion to Scouting for the Physically Handicapped (RC 9429). 1994.

A People's History of the Supreme Court      RC 50180

by Peter Irons

read by Robert Sams

6 cassettes

A thematic overview of landmark Supreme Court decisions that have shaped the meaning of the constitutional aim to secure "the blessings of liberty." Traces two hundred years of cases and controversies that involve such seminal issues as slavery, segregation, patriotic conformity, abortion, and gay rights. 1999.

The Last Mogul: Lew Wasserman, MCA, and the Hidden History of Hollywood RC 50190

by Dennis McDougal

read by Robert Sams

6 cassettes

Biography of one of Hollywood's most powerful moguls who joined the industry at the beginning of talking films and could singlehandedly make or break a career. Wasserman was also a confidant to other powerful people--politicians and businessmen as well as Mafia bosses--as the head of Universal Studios. Some strong language. 1998.

Saving the Heart: The Battle to Conquer Coronary Disease      RC 50193

by Stephen Klaidman

read by Gregory Gorton

3 cassettes

This history of the treatment of coronary disease examines the intersections of medical practice, clinical science, technology, and entrepreneurship. Details the development of life-enhancing and sometimes life-extending treatments for the number-one killer. Introduces such men as Mason Sones, inventor of the coronary angiography, and Andreas Gruentzig, angioplasty pioneer. 2000.

Fire on the Mountain: The True Story of the South Canyon Fire      RC 50200

by John N. Maclean

read by Jim Johnston

2 cassettes

An account of the 1994 forest fire on Colorado's Storm King Mountain, which claimed the lives of fourteen elite firefighters, including four women. Reconstructs the human errors that compounded the natural disaster, mistakes made during the investigations that followed, and lessons to be learned. Some strong language. 1999.

The Physician and the Slave Trade: John Kirk, the Livingstone Expeditions, and the Crusade against Slavery in East Africa      RC 50239

by Daniel Liebowitz

read by Peter Johnson

3 cassettes

Account of the life of Sir John Kirk, who accompanied explorer David Livingstone on his second expedition to Africa in 1858. Kirk, a physician and naturalist, sought to bring Christianity to the continent. Appalled by the slave trade, he later returned to Zanzibar to work towards its elimination. Some violence. 1999.

Flags of Our Fathers      RC 50264

by James Bradley

read by Ted Stoddard

3 cassettes

Recounts the story of the six young marines who raised the flag at Iwo Jima during fierce combat on the obscure Japanese-held island in 1945. Author Bradley, the son of one of the soldiers, recreates his father's experiences as well as those of the five men who fought beside him. Bestseller 2000.

Genome: The Autobiography of a Species in Twenty-Three Chapters      RC 50310

by Matt Ridley

read by Gregory Gorton

3 cassettes

As the mapping of the sixty to eighty thousand genes in the human genome comes to a close, the author examines an interesting gene on each of the twenty-three chromosomes. Discusses genes' roles in such things as intelligence, memory, and personality, and explains mutations that cause Huntington's chorea and other diseases. 1999.

The Last of the Black Emperors: The Hollow Comeback of Marion Barry in the New Age of Black Leaders      RC 50318

by Jonetta Rose Barras

read by Dolores King-Williams

3 cassettes

Traces Marion Barry's youth in Mississippi, years at LeMoyne College, involvement in the civil rights movement, and career as mayor of Washington, D.C., for four nonconsecutive terms. Explores his popularity and charisma; recalls his arrest, imprisonment, and reelection; discusses his efforts to broaden social participation and interest in city government. 1998.

The Hairstons: An American Family in Black and White      RC 50321

by Henry Wiencek

read by John Hammock

4 cassettes

Traces the lineage, legacy, and lives of both black and white members of the Hairston family from the American Revolution through the twentieth century. Recalls the importance of land ownership and inheritance in shaping attitudes toward marriage and kinship. Notes the acceptance between the two groups in the 1990s. 1999.

Road Swing      RC 50322

by Steve Rushin

read by Jim Johnston

2 cassettes

A writer from Sports Illustrated takes a year-long road trip across America, visiting halls of fame and stadiums while conversing with fans and athletes. Rushin's 23,000 miles of travel take him to Cooperstown, New York; Canton, Ohio; Iowa's Field of Dreams; and the hometowns of some famous heroes. Some strong language. 1998.

Amy Beach, Passionate Victorian: The Life and Work of an American Composer, 1867-1944      RC 50332

by Adrienne Fried Block

read by Margaret Strom

4 cassettes

Biography of the first American woman to succeed as a composer of both art song and large-scale vocal and instrumental works. Discusses the early recognition of her talent and the personal freedom she finally enjoyed on tours as a concert pianist after her husband's death in 1910. 1998.

Against the Tide: The Fate of the New England Fisherman      RC 50334

by Richard Adams Carey

read by Michael Scherer

3 cassettes

In this portrait of New England's imperiled fishing industry, the author chronicles his year spent with four independent fishermen, observing and assisting them. Describes their arduous and risky work at sea as they vie for stocks that have been depleted from years of plunder. Discusses causes of the industry's decline. 1999.

Project Girl      RC 50336

by Janet McDonald

read by Samarra Mbenga

2 cassettes

Autobiography of an African American lawyer who now resides in France. McDonald was raised in a Brooklyn housing project but was accepted at Vassar. She recalls her problems fitting into a new culture and her early struggles with drugs, despair, poverty, and alienation. Strong language and some violence. 1999.

Grown Up All Wrong: Seventy-five Great Rock and Pop Artists from Vaudeville to Techno      RC 50337

by Robert Christgau

read by Mark Ashby

3 cassettes

Tours the realm of popular music--its different styles and well-known artists from the 1950s to 1997. These critical essays trace the evolution of pop, rock-and-roll, hip-hop, and other musical expressions, offering insights and discussing performers from the sophisticated Nat King Cole to the iconoclastic Beastie Boys. Some strong language. 1998.

An Empire Wilderness: Travels into America's Future      RC 50369

by Robert D. Kaplan

read by Bill Wallace

3 cassettes

Author who wrote Balkan Ghosts (RC 37464) describes his travels across western North America and envisions a scenario for the future based on his experience. He foresees a fragmented society in which the "haves" and "have-nots" are separated by access to technology and class differences override national boundaries. Some strong language. 1998.

The View from Alger's Window: A Son's Memoir      RC 50379

by Tony Hiss

read by Bill Wallace

2 cassettes

A son pays loving tribute to his father, Alger Hiss, who was accused of being a communist spy and convicted of perjury in 1950. To defend his father's innocence, Tony Hiss disputes courtroom testimony by Whittaker Chambers, quotes letters from prison, and presents the recollections of friends and family, including the author's half brother. 1999.

Dieting with the Duchess: Secrets and Sensible Advice for a Great Body      RC 50390

by Sarah, the Duchess of York

read by Lisette Lecat

2 cassettes

Sarah Ferguson describes how she became the spokesperson for Weight Watchers and her techniques for losing and maintaining weight. Includes advice on nutrition, exercise, stress-reduction, and self-esteem as well as recipes. 1998.

Peace, War, and Politics: An Eyewitness Account      RC 50392

by Jack Anderson

read by Richard Davidson

4 cassettes

Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter continues his life story, begun in Confessions of a Muckraker (RC 14540), with further revelations of the corruption that pervades American politics. Includes recollections of his early career in Utah and China, the savings-and-loan scandal, the Iran-Contra affair, and his dealings with presidents and politicians for five decades. 1999.

The Last Man on the Moon: Astronaut Eugene Cernan and America's Race in Space      RC 50403

by Eugene Cernan and Don Davis

read by Steven Carpenter

3 cassettes

This memoir of a space pioneer describes his personal experiences during his years with NASA, especially the flights of Gemini 9, Apollo 10, and Apollo 17. Cernan recalls the technical problems, his relations with fellow astronauts, and some family repercussions--but mostly the thrill of being in space and walking on the moon. 1999.

Just as I Thought      RC 50406

by Grace Paley

read by Laura Giannarelli

2 cassettes

Paley states that "this is not an autobiographical collection, but it is about my life." In these articles, poems, reports, and talks covering her life from the 1950s to the mid 1990s, Paley offers a glimpse into her life as daughter, mother, grandmother, teacher, and antiwar activist. 1998.

Why They Kill: The Discoveries of a Maverick Criminologist      RC 50410

by Richard Rhodes

read by Terence Aselford

3 cassettes

Discusses the theories and life of criminologist Dr. Lonnie Athens, who experienced abuse as a child and later explored the subject of violence. Athens uses case studies of criminals in prison to suggest causes and varieties of destructive behavior and to propose ways to prevent such outbreaks. Violence, strong language, and some descriptions of sex. 1999.

The Last Avant-Garde: The Making of the New York School of Poets      RC 50415

by David Lehman

read by Kimberly Schraf

3 cassettes

Combines cultural history, biography, and literary analysis. Profiles four major poets: John Ashbery, Kenneth Koch, Frank O'Hara, and James Schuyler. Depicts their friendships and interaction in New York City in the 1950s and early 1960s. Examines their reinvention of poetry and collaboration with other artists. 1998.

Siberian Dawn: A Journey across the New Russia      RC 50417

by Jeffrey Tayler

read by Mark Ashby

2 cassettes

An American recounts his adventures and pays tribute to the people he met in 1993 as he traveled 8,325 miles across the Russian Far East through Siberia, the Urals, and Ukraine to Warsaw, Poland. Offers glimpses of the often bleak existence of residents of remote and rarely visited areas. Describes popular disillusionment in the post-Soviet era. 1999.

Jefferson Davis: Unconquerable Heart      RC 50418

by Felicity Allen

read by Mary Kane

6 cassettes

Biography of the president of the Confederacy, tracing his ancestry, marriages, children, and career until his death in 1889. Uses first-person accounts as well as autobiographies of Davis and his wife, Varina, to portray his character, personal beliefs, and politics. Discusses Davis's activities following his postwar imprisonment. 1999.

France on the Brink      RC 50422

by Jonathan Fenby

read by Steven Carpenter

4 cassettes

Explores the uniqueness of France as well as the problems confronting the nation during the second half of the twentieth century, including political scandals, economic decline, shifting demographics, and social stagnation. Discusses the necessity for national reformation in a global order that requires French stability. 1999.

The Yard: Building a Destroyer at the Bath Iron Works      RC 50423

by Michael S. Sanders

read by Robert Sams

2 cassettes

portrait of Maine's Bath Iron Works, a venerable shipbuilding firm that has produced hundreds of vessels since it was founded in 1884. Chronicles the four-year process of constructing the destroyer USS Donald Cook. Describes the planning and craftsmanship needed to assemble a warship in the late 1990s. 1999.

The Mute's Soliloquy: A Memoir      RC 50426

by Pramoedya Ananta Toer

read by Mark Ashby

3 cassettes

A harrowing account of life in a penal colony by an Indonesian political dissident. The notes, essays, and unsent letters collected here were written in the last two years of a fourteen-year prison sentence, begun in 1965, during most of which novelist Toer was deprived of books and writing materials. Some violence. 1999.

Sacred Roads: Adventures from the Pilgrimage Trail      RC 50428

by Nicholas Shrady

read by Jim Leary

2 cassettes

A "pilgrim's progress is both an interior journey, a spiritual exercise, and a physical journey toward an actual site imbued with a divine character." Shrady describes the six routes he traveled in such countries as Bosnia, India, and the Holy Land that took him to sites encompassing Christian, Buddhist, Hindu, Jewish, and Islamic traditions. 1999.

A Useful Woman: The Early Life of Jane Addams      RC 50429

by Gioia Diliberto

read by Renee Dutton-O'Hara

2 cassettes

Biography of the first thirty-nine years of the social reformer's life--from her birth in 1860 through the 1889 founding of Hull-House to 1899, when she gained national recognition. Discusses influences during her formative years, her private life, and her meaningful career in an age when women had few choices. 1999.

Empire Express: Building the First Transcontinental Railroad      RC 50430

by David Haward Bain

read by Robert Sams

8 cassettes in 2 containers

The epic story of connecting America's east and west coasts by railroad during the nineteenth century's Gilded Age. Chronicles the engineering feats, the scandals and political dealings, and the lives of the movers and shakers that accomplished the feat of uniting the country by rail. 1999.

The Enchanted Braid: Coming to Terms with Nature on the Coral Reef      RC 50502

by Osha Gray Davidson

read by Rick Rohan

2 cassettes

Presents a natural history of coral reefs and explains their importance to the ecosystem. Surveys the conditions of major reefs and describes the complexity and diversity of marine life found there. Enumerates the threats posed by humanity to these fragile areas and advocates their preservation. 1998.

Places Left Unfinished at the Time of Creation      RC 50503

by John Phillip Santos

read by Michael Russotto

2 cassettes

A Mexican American writer from Texas examines his family heritage on both sides of the border. While exploring themes of home and identity, he recounts stories about various relatives--his grandparents and his madrina (godmother) among others. 1999.

See You on the Radio      RC 50528

by Charles Osgood

read by Peter Gil

1 cassette

Presents selections from the best of the CBS radio commentator's programs. Includes features on everyday events and on the "human perversity factor," along with samples of the author's verse. 1999.

Blessed by Thunder: Memoir of a Cuban Girlhood      RC 50530

by Flor Fernandez Barrios

read by Laura Giannarelli

2 cassettes

A woman's account of her childhood years during Castro's revolution. Describes harvesting crops at a work camp and witnessing her family's disillusionment with the changes under the new government. Also depicts the love and wisdom of the author's grandmothers and Afro-Cuban nanny, which sustained her after she left Cuba. 1999.

Air Warriors: The Inside Story of the Making of a Navy Pilot      RC 50535

by Douglas C. Waller

read by Gregory Gorton

3 cassettes

Chronicles the inside story of how air warriors are made by tracking a group through school and interviewing two hundred aviators. The author, a reporter for Time magazine who previously investigated the U.S. services' special forces in The Commandos (RC 39046), spent two years following the grueling training of navy pilots. 1998.

The Search for the North West Passage      RC 50536

by Ann Savours

read by Anne Flosnik

3 cassettes

Chronicles four centuries of expeditions seeking a sea route west from the Atlantic through the Canadian Arctic archipelago to reach China. Excerpts from diaries and letters recount the hardships and courage of these intrepid explorers, including John Barrow, Edward Parry, John Ross, John Franklin, and others. 1999.

Who Killed Kirov? The Kremlin's Greatest Mystery      RC 50539

by Amy Knight

read by Anne Flosnik

3 cassettes

An account of the December 1934 murder of Leningrad Communist party chief and Stalin's close associate Sergei Kirov. Examines Kirov's career in the Soviet political system, events surrounding the murder, and its tragic aftermath. Based on evidence from the Russian archives. 1999.

Eyewitness to the American West: From the Aztec Empire to the Digital Frontier in the Words of Those Who Saw It Happen      RC 50552

edited by David Colbert

read by Dan Bloom

4 cassettes

The editor of Eyewitness to America (RC 44136) presents firsthand accounts of events in America from 1519 to the 1990s. Several of these short essays explain reasons for the nation's westward expansion--e.g., to seek religious freedom, escape from creditors, or pursue profits from endeavors such as mining. 1998.

African-American Philosophers: Seventeen Conversations      RC 50597

edited by George Yancy

read by Peter Jay Fernandez

3 cassettes

Explores in conversational format the beliefs, identities, and ideologies of seventeen African American philosophers representing various legal, social, political, and moral schools of thought. Topics include existentialism, feminism, race, culture, religion, science, and ideas about the nature of existence. Reflects on these thinkers' formative influences and significant contributions. 1998.

Hockey Now!      RC 50607

by Mike Leonetti

read by Jake Williams

2 cassettes

Brief biographies of seventy top National Hockey League players, including goalies Patrick Roy and Grant Fuhr, forwards Eric Lindros and Mark Messier, and wingers Brett Hull and Jaromir Jagr among others. For junior and senior high readers. 1999.

The Shadow of Kilimanjaro: On Foot across East Africa      RC 50611

by Rick Ridgeway

read by David Hartley-Margolin

3 cassettes

Recalls encounters with wild animals and the reflections engendered while on a hiking trek from the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro, crossing Tsavo national park, and ending at the Indian Ocean. Ponders man's relationship with African animals as hunter and conservationist, and considers future possibilities. 1998.

The Black O: Racism and Redemption in an American Corporate Empire      RC 50616

by Steve Watkins

read by Jake Williams

2 cassettes

An account of the lawsuit against Shoney's restaurant chain for discriminatory hiring practices against African Americans, which led to a $132.5 million settlement in 1992. Describes how managers were coerced into blackening the "o" in "Shoney" on the application forms of blacks in order to flag minority applicants. 1997.

A Dark Place in the Jungle      RC 50617

by Linda Spalding

read by Suzanne Toren

2 cassettes

A writer recounts her arduous expedition into the sweltering forests of Borneo in search of a reclusive primatologist who has devoted her life to protecting orphaned orangutans. Describes the forbidding beauty of the island, the colorful local society, and the despoilment of natural resources through poaching, deforestation, and misguided ecotourism. 1998.

Time to Be in Earnest: A Fragment of Autobiography      RC 50626

by P.D. James

read by Patricia Kilgarriff

3 cassettes

British mystery writer P.D. James, the creator of Inspector Dalgliesh, begins a diary in 1997 that leads her to reminisce about her personal life, civil service career, and development as a writer, while disdainfully commenting on pop culture. Describes her struggles as her late husband slowly succumbed to mental illness. 1999.

The Remarkable Mrs. Ripley: The Life of Sarah Alden Bradford Ripley      RC 50632

by Joan W. Goodwin

read by Jill Ferris

4 cassettes

Biography of a Victorian woman who influenced many of New England's literary elite, including Thoreau and Emerson (who wrote her obituary). A descendant of Pilgrims, Ripley was a classical scholar who helped her Unitarian-minister husband operate a boys' boarding school while raising seven children of her own. 1998.

Desire of the Everlasting Hills: The World before and after Jesus; Hinges of History, Volume 3      RC 50633

by Thomas Cahill

read by Gordon Gould

2 cassettes

Examines "the phenomenon of Jesus" and assesses his impact through history and at the end of the second millennium. Analyzes accounts of his life, teachings, and followers. Confronts the question of whether Christianity has benefited the world. Sequel to The Gifts of the Jews (RC 46335). 1999.

The Lighthouse Stevensons: The Extraordinary Story of the Building of the Scottish Lighthouses by the Ancestors of Robert Louis Stevenson      RC 50634

by Bella Bathurst

read by Frank Coffee

2 cassettes

portrayal of the family of writer Robert Louis Stevenson. Recalls the ingenuity and perseverance of four generations of engineers who designed and built most of Scotland's lighthouses. Fighting harsh weather, politicians, and scavengers known as "wreckers," the Stevensons redefined the treacherous, jagged coastline. 1999.

Almost an Island: Travels in Baja California      RC 50635

by Bruce Berger

read by Peter Johnson

2 cassettes

A writer depicts the beautiful and unique world of the Mexican peninsula known as Baja California, characterizing its terrain as an "eight-hundred-mile dead end." Describes its natural and cultural history, its contemporary society, and the environmental threats posed by land development and technological advancement. Chronicles his thirty-year love affair with the region. 1998.

The Trembling Mountain: A Personal Account of Kuru, Cannibals, and Mad Cow Disease      RC 50650

by Robert Klitzman

read by Butch Hoover

2 cassettes

Recounts the author's experiences in Papua New Guinea in 1981 studying kuru, an illness caused by essentially the same infectious agent as mad-cow disease. Documents his encounters with the Stone Age Fore group that practices cannibalism. Discusses the difficulties and triumphs of conducting field work in epidemiology and medical anthropology. 1998.

Apocalypse Pretty Soon: Travels in End-Time America      RC 50663

by Alex Heard

read by Barry Bernson

2 cassettes

A ten-year survey of millennialists and utopians who anticipate a coming apocalypse, "a period of dramatic upheaval and change that will lead to a new and improved tomorrow." Using published sources and personal interviews, the author describes UFO cultists, Earth Change zealots, life-extensionists, New Agers, and other radical believers. 1999.

We Band of Angels: The Untold Story of American Nurses Trapped on Bataan by the Japanese      RC 50664

by Elizabeth M. Norman

read by Kerry Cundiff

3 cassettes

Traces the experiences of the army and navy nurses who were trapped on the Philippine Islands during World War II. Nicknamed the "Angels of Bataan and Corregidor," the women worked in makeshift jungle hospitals before being captured and sent to prison camps for three years. All seventy-seven survived. Some violence. 1999.

Day of Deceit: The Truth about FDR and Pearl Harbor      RC 50665

by Robert B. Stinnett

read by Randy Atcher

4 cassettes

The author contends that the December 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor was effectively orchestrated by the U.S. government in order to justify entering World War II. Cites archival material to support the conspiracy theory that President Franklin D. Roosevelt deliberately provoked the Japanese into military action. 2000.

Napoleon on the Art of War      RC 50672

edited by Jay Luvaas

read by Fred Major

2 cassettes

An exposition of Napoleon's views on the proper conduct of warfare, based on extensive correspondence and other writings of the French military genius. Covers preparation for war, combat arms, organization, command, and operational art. Discusses the "great captains," including Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, and Frederick the Great. 1999.

Legacy: A Biography of Moses and Walter Annenberg      RC 50678

by Christopher Ogden

read by Lou Harpenau

5 cassettes

A double biography of the father and son who built up a publishing empire and a vast family fortune. Covers Moses' arrival at Ellis Island in 1885; his rags-to-riches tale; the family's marriages, divorces, scandals, success, and failures; and Walter's expansion of the business, political interventions, and philanthropic undertakings. 1999.

A Woman Alone and Other Plays      RC 50682

by Franca Rame and Dario Fo

read by Mitzi Friedlander

2 cassettes

A collection of twenty monologs from the 1997 Nobel Prize-winning playwright and his actress wife. The plays deal with political and sexual themes that are often repressed in traditional Italian society, including rape, the double standard, and trophy wives. Strong language, some explicit descriptions of sex, and some violence. 1991.

The Golden Age of Travel, 1880-1939      RC 50683

by Alexis Gregory

read by Kerry Cundiff

2 cassettes

Examines the era of glamorous travel. Depicts the wealthy and privileged elite who sailed on luxury ocean liners, traversed continents in private railroad cars, and cruised on personal yachts while vacationing in exotic spots, staying in palatial hotels, and dining from extensive menus. 1998.

Journey beyond Selene: Remarkable Expeditions past Our Moon and to the Ends of the Solar System      RC 50687

by Jeffrey Kluger

read by Richard Hauenstein

2 cassettes

Chronicles the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory's unmanned exploration of Earth's solar system with robot spacecraft. Describes the pre-1969 testing of the Moon's surface in advance of the manned landing. Recounts the subsequent deep-space probes of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune and their moons. 1999.

Old Souls: The Scientific Evidence for Past Lives      RC 50688

by Tom Shroder

read by John Polk

2 cassettes

A skeptical journalist's account of a scientist's extensive study of children born with unique knowledge, birthmarks, and other indicators that suggest reincarnation. Describes field trips to Lebanon and India where cases of supposed reincarnation were documented. Explores various theories for explaining these uncanny phenomena. 1999.

Godforsaken Sea: Racing the World's Most Dangerous Waters      RC 50690

by Derek Lundy

read by Richard Hauenstein

2 cassettes

Depicts the grueling and perilous 27,000-mile Vendée Globe solo sailing race, which circumnavigates Antarctica in the Southern Ocean. Narrates the 1996 contest through the eyes of the sixteen competitors as they endure fifty-foot waves and hurricane-force winds in the world's most hostile seas. 1998.

Prozac Backlash: Overcoming the Dangers of Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil, and Other Antidepressants with Safe, Effective Alternatives      RC 50692

by Joseph Glenmullen

read by Butch Hoover

3 cassettes

A psychiatrist warns against the current practice of indiscriminately prescribing serotonin boosters for patients. After describing the medication's potentially severe side effects, he uses case histories to illustrate alternatives such as herbal remedies and psychotherapy. 2000.

Illness as Metaphor and AIDS and Its Metaphors      RC 50695

by Susan Sontag

read by Mitzi Friedlander

1 cassette

Two previously published works about perceptions of disease. In the first, from 1978, an American intellectual discusses punitive or sentimental fantasies "concocted" about being seriously ill--especially suffering from cancer. The second, a sequel produced in 1989, deals specifically with social attitudes toward AIDS. 1989.

Candor and Perversion: Literature, Education, and the Arts      RC 50697

by Roger Shattuck

read by Butch Hoover

3 cassettes

A literary scholar critiques the assumptions, content, and methods of American education. Argues that a chief aim of learning is to develop a basic understanding of culture, morality, and literature in order to coexist in a diverse society. Discusses a broad range of literary works. 1999.

The Making of Stonehenge      RC 50708

by Rodney Castleden

read by Gordon Gould

3 cassettes

Deals exclusively with the prehistoric Stonehenge site in southern England. The author compiles scientific evidence to "take account of modern archaeologists' interpretations and attempt a synthesis that contains Stonehenge's meaning." The analysis provides an explanation of what the site's creators were trying to achieve. 1993.

Death and Money in the Afternoon: A History of the Spanish Bullfight      RC 50715

by Adrian Shubert

read by David Elias

2 cassettes

Discusses bullfighting as a social institution within the framework of a broader society. Traces modern bullfighting from the eighteenth to the twentieth century, revealing changes in Spanish attitudes toward entrepreneurship and the bullfighters. Views the sport from the perspectives of business, politics, and gender. 1999.

Strong Women Stay Slim      RC 50732

by Miriam E. Nelson

read by Patricia McDermott

2 cassettes

In this companion to Strong Women Stay Young (RC 46865) the author continues with advice on exercising with weights in order to develop strength, build bone, improve balance and flexibility, and increase energy. Presents pertinent scientific evidence, sample exercises, and healthful recipes. 1998.

A Good-Natured Riot: The Birth of the Grand Ole Opry      RC 50736

by Charles K. Wolfe

read by Randy Atcher

3 cassettes

History of the country music radio station that founded the Grand Ole Opry following a well-received broadcast of old-time fiddle tunes in 1925. Recalls the show's early performers. Discusses social and cultural conditions that fueled its immense popularity and created a nationwide audience by the 1940s. 1999.

How to Carve Wood: A Book of Projects and Techniques      RC 50740

by Richard Bütz

read by Butch Hoover

2 cassettes

Discusses selecting and sharpening tools; selecting and finishing woods; whittling and different carving techniques; design aspects of woodwork; and doing lettering and wildlife and architectural carving. 1984.

Around the World in Twenty Days: The Story of Our History-Making Balloon Flight      RC 50743

by Bertrand Piccard and Brian Jones

read by Randy Davidson

2 cassettes

An account of the first nonstop balloon flight to circle the globe. The authors describe their liftoff in Switzerland in March 1999, their record-setting journey, and their landing in the Egyptian desert. Discussion includes equipment used and crises encountered, with revelations of the personal quirks of the two adventurers. 1999.

A Lifetime of Labor: The Autobiography of Alice H. Cook      RC 50744

by Alice H. Cook

read by Mitzi Friedlander

4 cassettes

Feminist and labor organizer discusses her life and multifaceted career in an autobiography she completed before her death in 1998 at the age of ninety-five. Her activism, teaching, and research took her around the world and helped working women everywhere strive for gender equality. 1997.

Development as Freedom      RC 50746

by Amartya Sen

read by John Richardson

3 cassettes

The 1998 Nobel Prize laureate in Economic Science proposes that a nation's well-being is determined by civil rights, political liberties, freedom of speech, and social responsibility, as well as gross national product, industrialization, technology, and modernization. Argues that human development depends on citizens' participation in the decisions that affect their lives. 1999.

Eugene O'Neill: Beyond Mourning and Tragedy      RC 50747

by Stephen A. Black

read by Fred Major

5 cassettes

A biography of the Nobel Prize-winning American playwright O'Neill (1888-1953) and a study of his works from a psychoanalytic standpoint. Examines O'Neill's personal tragedies and how he transformed them into drama. Discusses the composition of Long Day's Journey into Night (RC 19192) and The Iceman Cometh (RC 12758). 1999.

Sexually Transmitted Diseases      RC 50772

by Christine Perdan Curran

read by Catherine Byers

1 cassette

Examines the history, symptoms, treatment, and prevention of sexually transmitted diseases--both bacterial and viral--as well as other contagious problems such as lice, scabies, and fungi. Includes information on syphilis, gonorrhea, herpes, AIDS, and hepatitis. For junior and senior high and older readers. 1998.

What Have You Lost? Poems      RC 50773

selected by Naomi Shihab Nye

read by Suzanne Toren

1 cassette

Selections from 140 contemporary poets expressing their thoughts and observations in free verse on the theme of loss--of objects, people, places, or concepts. Many of the poems are first-time publications. Biographical notes on the contributors are included. For junior and senior high readers. 1999.

One Year Off: Leaving It All Behind for a Round-the-World Journey with Our Children      RC 50779

by David Elliot Cohen

read by Peter Johnson

2 cassettes

Travelog of a forty-year-old suburbanite who sold his house and possessions, closed his thriving business, and set out in 1996 with his wife, three children, and a baby sitter on a thirteen-month, sixteen-country trip. This is a compilation of the lengthy descriptive e-mails he sent to friends while on the road. 1999.

Symptoms of Culture      RC 50780

by Marjorie Garber

read by Peter Johnson

2 cassettes

Essays identify and analyze cultural symbols that highlight anxieties of modern life in the United States. A Harvard University English professor argues that such practices as praying for God's favor at sports contests and quoting Shakespeare as arbiter of social truth serve to indicate basic beliefs about reality. Some discussion of sexuality. 1998.

Black and White on Wall Street: The Untold Story of the Man Wrongly Accused of Bringing Down Kidder Peabody      RC 50793

by Joseph Jett

read by Jake Williams

4 cassettes

A graduate of MIT and the Harvard Business School and former senior bond trader at Kidder Peabody Company asserts that greed, combativeness, corporate misdeeds, financial manipulation, racism, and sexism prevail on Wall Street. Alleges that Kidder and its parent company, General Electric, falsely accused him of causing their economic losses. 1999.

Lanterns: A Memoir of Mentors      RC 50799

by Marian Wright Edelman

read by Gail Nelson

2 cassettes

In this autobiographical sketch Edelman discusses the influences of the "natural daily" mentors who have enriched, informed, and shaped her life. Her models include not only adults from her youth, but also persons such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy. An afterword includes twenty-five lessons for life. 1999.

Menopause and the Mind: The Complete Guide to Coping with Memory Loss, Foggy Thinking, Verbal Slips, and Other Cognitive Effects of Perimenopause and Menopause      RC 50807

by Claire L. Warga

read by Jill Ferris

3 cassettes

Psychologist describes the self-named Warga's Hormonal Misconnection Syndrome (WHMS). Asserts that troubling memory and speech problems occur in women as their estrogen levels drop. Includes detailed descriptions of symptoms, self-screening techniques, and both hormonal and nonhormonal therapies. 1999.

A Sportsman's Life: How I Built Orvis by Mixing Business and Sport      RC 50814

by Leigh Perkins

read by Gordon Gould

2 cassettes

An entrepreneur recounts how he turned a foundering company into a thriving $100-million mail-order sporting outfitter. As an avid outdoorsman who delights in traveling the globe to field-test the hunting and fishing equipment he sells, the author wryly observes that "nobody has any reason to feel sorry for me." 1999.

Captured by Aliens: The Search for Life and Truth in a Very Large Universe      RC 50820

by Joel Achenbach

read by Bill Wallace

3 cassettes

A reporter and National Public Radio commentator delves into the question of belief in extraterrestrial life. Drawing on interviews with NASA scientists, a Heaven's Gate survivor, UFO conventioneers, Roswell enthusiasts, X-Files stars, and the late Carl Sagan, Achenbach tests claims of encounters with aliens against the scientific evidence. 1999.

Nothing like It in the World: The Men Who Built the Transcontinental Railroad, 1863-1869      RC 50872

by Stephen E. Ambrose

read by Randy Atcher

4 cassettes

A look at the investors, politicians, engineers, surveyors, and laborers involved in the construction of America's first transcontinental railroad. Records the Union Pacific and the Central Pacific Railroads' fierce competition, which ended in a team effort in 1869, to connect America's two coasts by rail. Bestseller 2000.

On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft      RC 50873

by Stephen King

read by Bruce Huntey

2 cassettes

Prolific, bestselling horror novelist describes his writing technique and gives tips for aspiring authors. King also discusses pertinent events from his childhood and tells of the near-fatal accident in 1999, when he was hit by a truck while taking his daily walk. Some strong language. Bestseller 2000.

The First American: The Life and Times of Benjamin Franklin      RC 50878

by H.W. Brands

read by Mark Ashby

5 cassettes

Biography of one of America's founding fathers, incorporating correspondence and anecdotes of his contemporaries. Franklin was heralded as a leading inventor and scientist, author, and diplomat as well as a bon vivant. In exploring Franklin's conversion from British loyalist to revolutionary, Brands seeks out the genius behind the man. Bestseller 2000.

Joe DiMaggio: The Hero's Life      RC 50881

by Richard Ben Cramer

read by Roy Avers

4 cassettes

Muckraking biography of sports legend Joe DiMaggio, who rose from his Sicilian working-class background in San Francisco to become an American icon. Explores his pivotal games and business decisions, his obsession--and fights--with Marilyn Monroe, his dubious mob acquaintances, his life after baseball, and his lonely death in Florida. Some strong language. Bestseller 2000.

The Spanish Inquisition: A Historical Revision      RC 50886

by Henry Kamen

read by Annie Wauters

4 cassettes

The author reexamines his original research on the medieval Spanish Inquisition. Includes information on how the Inquisition operated, its trials and punishments, its impact on literature and science, the dispersion of the Jews, and anti-Catholic propaganda. Argues that the Inquisition was not as powerful or cruel as it has often been judged. 1997.

Haiti: Land of Inequality      RC 50901

by Mary C. Turck

read by Ted Stoddard

1 cassette

Examines the history of Haiti's ethnic conflicts and their continuing effects on its people. Chronicles important milestones and describes Haitian leaders. Discusses geography, religion, language, economics, and class divisions in terms of the nation's social problems. For junior and senior high readers. 1999.

The Anti-Aging Zone      RC 50904

by Barry Sears

read by Rick Rohan

3 cassettes

Describing how to live a longer and more functional life, the author discusses the hormonal group eicosanoids in greater detail than he had in The Zone (RC 42493) and his other books. He asserts that through dietary control, hormonal communication can be improved and the aging process reversed. 1999.

The Day John Died      RC 50930

by Christopher Andersen

read by Gordon Gould

2 cassettes

Calling this the final book in his Kennedy family trilogy, the author of Jackie after Jack (RC 45845) discusses the life and untimely death of John Kennedy Jr. in 1999. Thirty-eight-year-old John, his wife, Carolyn, and her sister died in a plane John was piloting. Some strong language. Bestseller 2000.

Kids Still Say the Darndest Things!      RC 50944

by Art Linkletter

read by Bob Askey

1 cassette

A selection of humorous "quips, slips, and shockers" uttered by children on the television show "Art Linkletter's House Party." Companion to The New Kids Say the Darndest Things! (RC 16266). 1961.

Constantine the Great: The Man and His Times      RC 50962

by Michael Grant

read by Robert Blumenfeld

2 cassettes

Biography of the first Christian Roman emperor and founder of Constantinople. Constantine (c. 272-337) fought numerous civil and foreign wars and murdered his eldest son and wife. Grant describes Constantine's government and character, the founding of his capital, and the establishment of Christianity as the state religion. 1994.

American Rhapsody      RC 51008

by Joe Eszterhas

read by John Polk

4 cassettes

The screenwriter of Basic Instinct and Showgirls provides his own satiric take on the Clinton sex scandals, using a combination of researched facts and fictionalized embellishments. Focuses on the Lewinsky affair and Hollywood. Strong language and some explicit descriptions of sex. Bestseller 2000.

Bobbi Brown Teenage Beauty: Everything You Need to Look Pretty, Natural, Sexy, and Awesome      RC 51013

by Bobbi Brown and Annemarie Iverson

read by Kerry Cundiff

1 cassette

Noted makeup artist provides instructions on choosing and applying cosmetics. Addresses common teen issues including blemishes and braces. Includes sections on hair care, body type, self image, and beauty tips for various ethnic types. For junior and senior high and older readers. Bestseller 2000.

Strong Women, Strong Bones: Everything You Need to Know to Prevent, Treat, and Beat Osteoporosis      RC 51016

by Miriam E. Nelson

read by Patricia McDermott

2 cassettes

The author of Strong Women Stay Young (RC 46865) prescribes a strength training program and nutritional guidelines to fight osteoporosis and osteopenia. She also discusses diagnostic tests; medications, including hormone replacement therapy; and myths regarding bone density. Provides an altered program for men at risk. 2000.

Butterfly Economics: A New General Theory of Social and Economic Behavior RC 51022

by Paul Ormerod

read by Butch Hoover

2 cassettes

The head of the Economic Assessment Unit at the Economist and a visiting professor at the Universities of London and Manchester presents an unconventional economic model. Asserts that the discipline is unpredictable and uncontrollable largely because of uncertainties in human behavior and communities. Appendixes and footnotes explain specialized and technical terms. 1998.

Shabbat Shalom: Recipes and Menus for the Sabbath      RC 51031

by Susan R. Friedland

read by Kerry Cundiff

2 cassettes

Following a brief discussion of the Sabbath, Friedland offers more than 175 traditional and contemporary recipes for celebrating the three Sabbath meals. Includes challah, appetizers, soups, meats, kugels, vegetables, salads, and desserts. Also features sample menus. 1999.

The O'Reilly Factor: The Good, Bad, and Completely Ridiculous in American Life      RC 51053

by Bill O'Reilly

read by Terence Aselford

2 cassettes

A running commentary on society by the Fox News Channel's broadcast journalist. Discusses a wide-range of topics, including class, race, money, politics, and sex, as well as interpersonal relationships and the ridiculousness of life. Some strong language. Bestseller 2000.

Talking Dirty with the Queen of Clean      RC 51054

by Linda Cobb

read by Margaret Strom

1 cassette

Cobb offers down-to-earth housekeeping tips that get cleaning jobs done quickly throughout the house. She advocates the use of inexpensive, environmentally friendly cleaning concoctions such as tea, lemon juice, baking soda, and vinegar. Her advice includes methods for washing household and personal items both inside and outside your home. Bestseller 1998.

The Soy Zone      RC 51059

by Barry Sears

read by Rick Rohan

3 cassettes

In this companion to The Zone (RC 42493), the author recommends using primarily soy products as protein sources and explains why he considers this to be his healthiest hormone-balancing diet yet. Includes over one hundred recipes. 2000.

The Paris Years of Thomas Jefferson      RC 51085

by William Howard Adams

read by Peter Gil

3 cassettes

Traces Thomas Jefferson's years in Paris as the preeminent American diplomat from 1784 to 1789 (after Benjamin Franklin). Examines the city's intellectual, political, and cultural influence on his ideas and ideals. Notes its effects on his performance as third president of the United States, especially his economic and fiscal initiatives. 1997.

Lost at Sea: An American Tragedy      RC 51089

by Patrick Dillon

read by Steven Carpenter

2 cassettes

Recounts how in 1983, two boats from a fishing fleet out of Anacortes, Washington, simultaneously capsized off the coast of Alaska, without giving distress signals. Describes the extensive investigation into the mysterious incident and explains why crabbing had become "the nation's deadliest occupation." Some strong language. 1998.

I Love You, Ronnie: The Letters of Ronald Reagan to Nancy Reagan      RC 51118

by Nancy Reagan

read by Judith Ann Gantly

1 cassette

While preparing Ronald's letters to her for inclusion in the Ronald Reagan Library, Nancy Reagan realized how much they said about him as president and as a man. His writings, which began in the 1950s, and Nancy's reflections on them provide a glimpse into their lives, both private and public. Bestseller 2000.

Born Free: A Lioness of Two Worlds      RC 51124

by Joy Adamson

read by Jill Ferris

1 cassette (Reissue)

The wife of a Kenya game warden recounts the couple's unique relationship with the lioness Elsa. Recalls raising the orphaned cub for three years and ingeniously training her to fend for herself. Describes how Elsa recognized her human friends even after she returned to the wild. Reprinted with a new foreword in 2000. 1960.

Don't Sweat the Small Stuff for Teens: Simple Ways to Keep Your Cool in Stressful Times      RC 51201

by Richard Carlson

read by Jack Fox

2 cassettes

This companion to Don't Sweat the Small Stuff (RC 45257) and others in the series for adults, advises teens on controlling stress in their lives. Includes one hundred tips on coping with such things as breakups, bad hair days, and peer pressure. For junior and senior high readers. Bestseller 2000.

The Catholic Vision      RC 51210

by Edward D. O'Connor

read by Lou Harpenau

5 cassettes

A Roman Catholic priest and Notre Dame theology professor discusses the mysteries of God, Jesus Christ, and the Church. Outlines defining features, teachings, and practices of his religion. Asserts that Catholic doctrine is coherent, intelligible, reasonable, and socially relevant. Disputes the notion of a conflict between faith and reason. 1992.

Sessions with Sinatra: Frank Sinatra and the Art of Recording      RC 51213

by Charles L. Granata

read by Barry Bernson

3 cassettes

portrays Frank Sinatra as producer and perfectionist in the recording studio. Traces technological advances, including the shift from monaural to stereo sound, that affected his method. Features recollections of associated musicians and arrangers. Foreword by Phil Ramone and afterword by Nancy Sinatra. 1999.

Physics in the Twentieth Century      RC 51220

by Curt Suplee

read by Kerry Cundiff

1 cassette

Describes advances in physics over the last century. Includes chapters on the electromagnetic spectrum, quantum mechanics, atomic structures, chaos and order, and the evolution of the universe. Chronicles the research that resulted in the creation of new technology. For senior high and older readers. 1999.

Fatherneed: Why Father Care Is as Essential as Mother Care for Your Child RC 51289

by Kyle D. Pruett

read by Rick Rohan

2 cassettes

A psychiatrist who has done extensive research on fathering examines the importance of the father-child bond and how paternal care differs from a mother's. Using quotes from children and parents to illustrate his points, Pruett discusses the roles of males as primary caregivers and how fathering changes men for good. 2000.

Dixie Chicks: Down-Home and Backstage      RC 51290

by James L. Dickerson

read by Margaret Strom

2 cassettes

Traces the singing careers of sisters Martie and Emily Erwin and cohort Natalie Maines from their early days in Dallas to the award-winning achievements of their country-western band. Discusses the group's original members and the later merchandising success of the Dixie Chicks. For senior high and older readers. 2000.

A Short Guide to a Happy Life      RC 51407

by Anna Quindlen

read by Jill Fox

1 cassette

Inspirational advice to find fulfillment in enjoying each moment of life. Words of wisdom spoken from the heart by the bestselling author of such works as Object Lessons (RC 33059), One True Thing (RC 40750), and Black and Blue (RC 45715). Bestseller 2000.

Touch the Top of the World: A Blind Man's Journey to Climb Farther than the Eye Can See      RC 51505

by Erik Weihenmayer

read by Dan Bloom

3 cassettes

In this adventure-packed memoir, the author recalls rebelling against becoming blind by age fifteen. Relates acquiring a passion for mountaineering and developing the character traits that enabled him to succeed. Covers his climbing exploits and his wedding on top of Mount Kilimanjaro. Some strong language. 2001.

The Imprisoned Guest: Samuel Howe and Laura Bridgman, the Original Deaf-Blind Girl      RC 51840

by Elisabeth Gitter

read by Martha Harmon Pardee

2 cassettes

The life of Laura Bridgman, deaf and blind from age two, who became one of the most famous women of the mid-nineteenth century. Explores her education with Samuel Howe at Boston's Perkins Institution for the Blind. Views her achievements in the context of American social, cultural, and intellectual history. 2001.

Cassettes Fiction

Caesar: Let the Dice Fly     RC 45492

by Colleen McCullough

read by Chuck Benson

6 cassettes

This sequel to Caesar's Women (RC 41781) continues the account of Julius Caesar, beginning as he conquers Britannia in 54 B.C. After receiving word that his mother and daughter are dead, Caesar returns to Gaul, where he defeats a former ally, Pompey. Caesar then stands poised to seize control of the entire Roman empire. Some violence and some strong language. 1997.

The Queen of Spades; The Negro of Peter the Great; Dubrovsky; The Captain's Daughter     RC 47517

by Alexander Pushkin

read by Rick Rohan

2 cassettes

Four stories by the nineteenth-century Russian writer. The Queen of Spades, written in 1833, tells of a young officer's obsession with winning at cards. His subterfuge, intended to learn an elderly countess's secret for success, has dire consequences for both of them. 1962.

The Big Blowdown     RC 49222

by George P. Pelecanos

read by Conrad Feininger

2 cassettes

When Pete Karras returns to Washington, D.C., after World War II, he takes up with childhood buddy Joey Recevo, who collects protection money for a loan shark. Karras's refusal to rough up a fellow Greek gets his knee smashed, but years later Karras gets revenge. Strong language, violence, and explicit descriptions of sex. 1996.

The Whispering Outlaw     RC 49320

by Max Brand

read by Phil Regensdorf

2 cassettes

Jack Richards, nicknamed The Whisperer, creates a loose and anonymous gang of thieves to commit robberies throughout the West. Only when he is betrayed by one of the gang are his true motives--and identity--revealed. Some violence. 1923.

The Demon Apostle: DemonWars, Volume 3     RC 49339

by R.A. Salvatore

read by Michael Scherer

4 cassettes

Believing the demon dactyl has finally been destroyed, Elbryan and Pony travel around Corona hoping to restore peace to the land. But they soon discover the demon has survived and now manifests himself in the person of Father Abbot Markwart and other Albellican monks. Sequel to The Demon Spirit (RC 49338). 1999.

The Black Rose     RC 49358

by Thomas B. Costain

read by Ray Childs

4 cassettes (Reissue)

1273. Walter of Gurnie, bastard son of a noble crusader, meets commoner Tristram Griffen and Friar Roger Bacon at Oxford. Following his father's death, Walter journeys to Cathay seeking knowledge and riches. Tristram joins his adventures, which include the rescue of a captive Greek girl, whom Walter marries. Some violence. 1945.

Truly Madly Yours     RC 49369

by Rachel Gibson

read by Lindsay Ellison

2 cassettes

Henry Shaw commits suicide, leaving an unusual will that affects his son, Nick, and stepdaughter, Delaney. It restricts Delaney from leaving town for a year and Nick from having a sexual relationship with her. But that's not easy for two enamored people. Some explicit descriptions of sex and some strong language. 1999.

The Ombú Tree     RC 49559

by Elise Dallemagne-Cookson

read by Gabriella Cavallero

2 cassettes

In 1962, Michael and Diana Haines and their two-year-old son, Philip, immigrate to Argentina. They build a model dairy farm and enjoy country living. Along the way, they encounter unanticipated obstacles: political revolutions, forces of nature, former Nazis, and ghosts on their property. 1998.

The Road Home     RC 49593

by Jim Harrison

read by Bob Askey

4 cassettes

In this sequel to Dalva (RC 28211), patriarch John Northridge reminisces about his life as a failed artist and successful rancher, and about the women he loved. His granddaughter Dalva's nomadic son, Nelse, adopted from birth, searches for his birth mother and becomes acquainted with his Native American heritage. Some strong language. 1998.

Adem's Cross     RC 49747

by Alice Mead

read by Phil Regensdorf

1 cassette

Kosovo, 1993. Fourteen-year-old Adem tries to understand the violent feud that has developed between his Muslim countrymen and their Serb neighbors. But after his sister is killed, his father is imprisoned, and Adem is tortured, he looks for an escape from the country. Some violence. For senior high readers. 1996.

Glory's People: Goldenwing Cycle, Book 3     RC 49761

by Alfred Coppel

read by Fred Major

2 cassettes

Fleeing the Terror they met in Glory's War (RC 49760) and hoping to find allies, those aboard the Goldenwing starship Glory travel to the planet Yamato, a world steeped in feudal tradition, though equipped with modern technology. But the Terror has already infiltrated the planet, forcing everyone to focus on survival. 1996.

Stand into Danger: Richard Bolitho Novels, Volume 2     RC 49765

by Alexander Kent

read by Jim Zeiger

2 cassettes (Reissue)

As a third lieutenant in the Royal Navy in 1774, eighteen-year-old Richard Bolitho is dispatched on a secret mission to the Caribbean. He faces the loss of a star-crossed love--his first--as military life begins to mold him into a model officer. Sequel to Midshipman Bolitho (RC 49764). Some violence. 1980.

In Gallant Company: Richard Bolitho Novels, Volume 3     RC 49766

by Alexander Kent

read by Jim Zeiger

2 cassettes (Reissue)

In 1777 Lieutenant Richard Bolitho of the British navy joins in the blockade of the American colonies. His ship patrols the coast to prevent the French and other privateers from supplying Washington's rebels. Sequel to Stand into Danger (RC 49765). Some violence. 1977.

Sloop of War: Richard Bolitho Novels, Volume 4     RC 49767

by Alexander Kent

read by Jim Zeiger

3 cassettes (Reissue)

In 1778 Richard Bolitho takes command of the HMS Sparrow. He sails into the Atlantic, where he fights colonial rebels and deals with privateers, French warships, and a dangerously incompetent senior officer. Sequel to In Gallant Company (RC 49766). Some violence. 1972.

The Dragonriders of Pern: Dragonflight, Dragonquest, and The White Dragon     RC 49811

by Anne McCaffrey

read by J.P. Linton

7 cassettes in 2 containers (Reissue)

It has been years since the dreaded "threads" descended on Pern, and the inhabitants, busy with daily pursuits, no longer worry about the danger. Now, with only a few dragons left who can take to the skies and destroy the threads, they suddenly begin falling again. For senior high and older readers. 1988.

The Flying Cavalier: The House of Winslow, Book 23     RC 49920

by Gilbert Morris

read by Mitzi Friedlander

3 cassettes

Lieutenant Lance Winslow, in France on a training mission, falls in love with and marries Noelle Laurent. A few years later, after Noelle is killed in a bombing raid, Lance meets Josephine Hellinger, who tries to help him overcome his bitterness about the past. Sequel to The White Hunter (RC 49919). 1999.

Three Gothic Novels: Wieland (or, The Transformation); Arthur Mervyn (or, Memoirs of the Year 1793); Edgar Huntly (or, Memoirs of a Sleep-Walker)      RC 50006

by Charles Brockden Brown

read by Michael Scherer

6 cassettes

Three gothic novels written in 1798 and 1799. Wieland is based on an actual murder by an insane farmer; Arthur Mervyn occurs during a yellow-fever epidemic in Philadelphia in 1793; and Edgar Huntly involves sleepwalkers. 1998.

Virgin Earth      RC 50011

by Philippa Gregory

read by Barbara Caruso

4 cassettes

John Tradescant the Younger has inherited his father's talent for nurturing plants. When he sails to Virginia in 1638 to gather specimens for the king's gardens, he meets Suckahanna, a Powhatan maiden. He promises to marry her when he returns to America, but many obstacles await him. Sequel to Earthly Joys (RC 50010). 1999.

Pay It Forward      RC 50012

by Catherine Ryan Hyde

read by Bruce Nelson

2 cassettes

Twelve-year-old Trevor tackles his new teacher's extra-credit assignment to improve the world. He performs three large favors, and instead of paying him back, each recipient agrees to pay favors forward to three more people, and so on. Initially a disaster, his project soon snowballs into a great success. Some strong language. 1999.

The Window at the White Cat      RC 50014

by Mary Roberts Rinehart

read by Gregory Gorton

2 cassettes

Margery Fleming's father, Allan--the "state treasurer, a delightful companion, polished gentleman, and successful politician of the criminal type"--has been missing for ten days. Margery seeks the help of lawyer John Knox and moves in with her aunts, but trouble seems to follow her wherever she goes. 1910.

Star Wars: The New Jedi Order; Dark Tide, Onslaught      RC 50026

by Michael A. Stackpole

read by Chuck Benson

2 cassettes

As Luke Skywalker contends with rogue elements rebelling against his rule, the New Republic is attacked by aliens known as Yuuzhan Vong. The Jedi are tested as never before in their struggle to prevail against the aggressors. A Star Wars novel. Bestseller 2000.

The Best American Mystery Stories, 1999      RC 50183

edited by Ed McBain

read by Christopher Walker

4 cassettes

Collection of nineteen mysteries by well-known authors Lawrence Block, Ed Gorman, Phillip M. Margolin, John Updike, and others. In "Redneck," private eye Amos Walker tracks a cheating wife--with murderous results. In "Wrong Time, Wrong Place," two punks kidnap the wrong couple. Some violence and some strong language. 1999.

Great Stories of the American West II      RC 50196

edited by Martin H. Greenberg

read by Michael Russotto

3 cassettes

A selection of eighteen short stories. Includes "The Idyl of Red Gulch" by Bret Harte, "The Lonesome Road" by O. Henry, and tales by Jack London, Mark Twain, John Jakes, Louis L'Amour, Evan Hunter, Bill Pronzini, Marcia Muller, Erle Stanley Gardner, and Ed Gorman. 1996.

Jason's Gold      RC 50201

by Will Hobbs

read by Gregory Gorton

1 cassette

When fifteen-year-old wanderer Jason Hawthorn decides to join the Klondike gold rush, he learns that his older brothers beat him to it. Jason spends a difficult year trying to find them, befriending writer Jack London and others along the way. Some violence. For junior and senior high readers. 1999.

The Scapegoat      RC 50205

by Daphne du Maurier

read by David Cutler

3 cassettes (Reissue)

John, an English professor on holiday in France, encounters his exact double, Frenchman Jean de Gué. Monsieur de Gué, who is beset by family and business problems, deceitfully shifts identities with John, leaving the hapless Englishman in a sea of troubles. 1956.

The Night Inspector      RC 50212

by Frederick Busch

read by David Elias

2 cassettes

Disfigured Civil War veteran William Bartholomew prowls the slums of Manhattan, where he befriends customs inspector Herman Melville. Encouraged by a Creole prostitute, Bartholomew joins a scheme to free African American children who are being traded as slaves in Florida. Some descriptions of sex, some violence, and some strong language. 1999.

Cold Case      RC 50219

by Stephen White

read by Gregory Gorton

3 cassettes

Colorado psychologist Alan Gregory and his wife, assistant prosecutor Lauren Crowder, agree to help an elite group of Washington, D.C., investigators solve a decade-old murder of two teenagers. Suspicions fall on a congressman whose wife's mysterious death left unanswered questions. Violence and some strong language. 2000.

The Buckskin Line      RC 50220

by Elmer Kelton

read by Ted Stoddard

2 cassettes

On the Texas frontier in 1840, the Comanche warrior Buffalo Caller claims a red-haired boy during a raid that kills many settlers. The orphaned boy, Rusty Shannon, is eventually rescued, grows up to become a Ranger, and--years later--has another encounter with Buffalo Caller. 1999.

Bonfire      RC 50221

by Dorothy Canfield

read by Michele Schaeffer

3 cassettes

Nurse Anna Craft returns to her Vermont village of Clifford after spending two years working in Paris. Her half-brother, Anson, now a doctor, is determined to pay Anna back for supporting him. Young Lixlie, shunned by most of the villagers, and disfigured Father Kirby play prominent roles in their lives. 1933.

Something Wicked This Way Comes      RC 50233

by Ray Bradbury

read by Gary Telles

2 cassettes (Reissue)

Will Halloway and Jim Nightshade, both thirteen, are fascinated by the carnival that comes to their small town. But after a series of frightening events, the boys realize there is something sinister about the show and its owner. 1962.

The Key of the Keplian: Witch World      RC 50243

by Andre Norton and Lyn McConchie

read by Mary Kane

2 cassettes

Eleeri--part Native American, part Celtic--is fifteen when her grandfather dies, and she must flee to save her life. She travels the path of the gone-before-ones and eventually finds herself in a new land. There she rescues two Keplians--a mare and her foal--and finds love. 1995.

The Forest      RC 50245

by Edward Rutherfurd

read by Gillian Green

6 cassettes

Saga of family life and political intrigue over nine centuries in southern England's New Forest. Clerics, smugglers, woodsmen, aristocrats, and merchants--along with forest creatures--play their parts in the panorama, from the killing of William the Conqueror's son Rufus in 1099 to the filming of a story about the land in April 2000. 2000.

Girl with a Pearl Earring      RC 50258

by Tracy Chevalier

read by Lisette Lecat

2 cassettes

A fictional account of how the seventeenth-century artist Vermeer came to paint a portrait of a young woman wearing a pearl earring. When sixteen-year-old Griet, a Protestant, becomes a maid in Vermeer's Catholic household, the drudgery of her duties is offset by working in the artist's studio. Some descriptions of sex. Bestseller 1999.

Middle of Nowhere      RC 50268

by Ridley Pearson

read by Ray Foushee

3 cassettes

Seattle police lieutenant Lou Boldt and psychologist Daphne Matthews are investigating assaults on fellow officers and a string of robberies just as the department is stricken with the "blue flu"--an unofficial strike. They soon realize that these events are related and their lives are in danger. Violence and strong language. 2000.

In the Fall      RC 50270

by Jeffrey Lent

read by David Hartley-Margolin

5 cassettes

After serving in the Civil War, Norman Pelham returns home to Vermont with his African American bride, Leah. Some time later, following a visit to her North Carolina home, Leah hangs herself. Eventually, Leah's grandson sets out to uncover the story of her tragic end. Strong language and some descriptions of sex. 2000.

The Web and the Rock      RC 50278

by Thomas Wolfe

read by L.J. Ganser

6 cassettes (Reissue)

Wolfe continues the autobiographical cycle of novels begun in Look Homeward, Angel (RC 37655) and Of Time and the River (RC 48934). Published posthumously, this story follows George Webber, from his childhood in North Carolina through his college years, his travels in Europe, and his love affair in New York City. Some strong language. 1937.

Dead above Ground      RC 50308

by Jervey Tervalon

read by Dolores King-Williams

2 cassettes

New Orleans, 1946. Mixed-blood teenager Lita Du Champ learns all of the family secrets when her married sister falls for a gangster and pimp with a long-standing grudge against her mother, Helen. Suddenly Lita and Helen are fighting for the family's very survival. Some violence and some strong language. Bestseller 2000.

Chumley's Gold: A Western Duo      RC 50317

by Wayne D. Overholser

read by Robert Sams

2 cassettes

Two western novellas. In High Valley, Grant Talbot tries to save the Wagon Wheel Ranch for the murdered owner's widow. In Chumley's Gold, Dan Larsen discovers that his late father was a bank robber and that a fortune might still be buried on his old homestead. Some violence. 1999.

O Jerusalem: A Mary Russell Novel      RC 50327

by Laurie R. King

read by Corrie James

3 cassettes

Palestine, 1919. Britain has recently driven the Turks out of the country and is trying to stem the ethnic and religious unrest in the area. Meanwhile, Sherlock Holmes and his apprentice, Mary Russell, are sent to Jerusalem by Sherlock's older brother Mycroft to investigate murder and treason. Some violence. 1999.

Perlman's Ordeal      RC 50330

by Brooks Hansen

read by Vanessa Maroney

3 cassettes

London, 1906. Dr. August Perlman, a music lover originally from Vienna, usually treats patients by hypnosis, but he encounters difficulties in the case of Sylvie Blum, a hysterical thirteen-year-old. Overwhelmed by a compelling spiritualist, too much hashish, and Sylvie's tales of Atlantis, Perlman finds himself in over his head. 1999.

Masterson      RC 50331

by Richard S. Wheeler

read by Robert Sams

2 cassettes

Just before Prohibition in 1920, "Bat" Masterson's wife, Emma, persuades him to take her to Dodge City to fathom his legend. On the pilgrimage to his past, Masterson seeks to establish his actual deeds, as distinct from the myths propagated by newspapers. Some strong language. 1999.

The Redhunter: A Novel Based on the Life of Senator Joe McCarthy      RC 50333

by William F. Buckley

read by Peter Gil

3 cassettes

Recreation of a troubled era in twentieth-century American politics. McCarthy's life and anticommunist crusade are sympathetically recalled by author Buckley's fictitious narrator, a professor who worked with McCarthy in the early 50s. He regrets the senator's painful decline and fall but maintains respect for his goals. Some strong language. 1999.

Leota's Garden      RC 50338

by Francine Rivers

read by Colleen Delany

4 cassettes

At eighty-four, Leota can no longer tend her once-beautiful backyard. And her born-again granddaughter, who is rebelling against her domineering mother, needs guidance. Then a college boy volunteers to help restore Leota's garden. Together the three come to find peace and solace amid the blossoms. 1999.

The Riddle of the Reluctant Rake      RC 50360

by Patricia Veryan

read by Gabriella Cavallero

2 cassettes

When Colonel Hastings Chatteris Adair is wrongly stripped of his rank, he sets out to prove his innocence. He is accused of kidnapping Miss Alice Prior and destroying her reputation. But with the aid of several faithful friends, Adair struggles to set the record straight. Sequel to The Riddle of the Lost Lover (RC 48738). 1999.

The Girl Philippa      RC 50361

by Robert W. Chambers

read by Graeme Malcolm

3 cassettes

Northern France, 1914. Halkett, a British officer in civilian clothes and concealing a thin envelope destined for London, is in danger from murderous pursuers. He approaches a stranger, an American artist, and takes the chance of entrusting him with the envelope. Together at the Café Biribi, they meet the cashier Philippa. 1916.

The Little Red Foot      RC 50362

by Robert W. Chambers

read by Robert Blumenfeld

3 cassettes

The love story of colonist John Drogue and a young Scottish woman, Penelope Grant, set in northern New York during the American Revolution. The war's bloody battles involve not only the colonists and the British, but the native Iroquois and Oneida as well. 1921.

Jem (and Sam)      RC 50363

by Ferdinand Mount

read by George Holmes

3 cassettes

Fictitious memoirs of Jeremiah (Jem) Mount, the drinking companion and rival of the seventeenth-century British diarist Samuel (Sam) Pepys. His tale leads through the taverns and palaces of Restoration England and shows the growing credence given to science over religion. Some descriptions of sex. 1998.

The American Claimant      RC 50367

by Mark Twain

read by L.J. Ganser

2 cassettes

Viscount Berkeley leaves England to investigate claims on the family title and to satisfy his fascination with democracy and all things American. In the United States, he takes advantage of an opportunity to hide his identity and meets the claimant, Colonel Mulberry Sellers. Based on the author's unsuccessful 1887 play. 1892.

The Fencing Master      RC 50376

by Arturo Pérez-Reverte

read by Jonathan Davis

2 cassettes

Madrid, 1866. Don Jaime Astarloa is an honorable man of tradition who makes his living teaching fencing to wealthy students. But his life changes forever when a beautiful young lady enters his studio requesting advanced lessons. Don Jaime unwittingly becomes embroiled in political intrigue--and murder. 1988.

The Body in the Big Apple: A Faith Fairchild Mystery      RC 50378

by Katherine Hall Page

read by Barbara Caruso

2 cassettes

In this prequel to the Faith Fairchild series, young Faith has just launched her catering business in New York when former classmate Emma Stanstead asks for her help. A blackmailer is threatening to use secrets from Emma's past to ruin her husband's political career. Some violence and some strong language. 1999.

Somewhere Lies the Moon      RC 50383

by Kathryn Lynn Davis

read by Patricia Kilgarriff

5 cassettes

Scotland, 1993. Eva Crawford inexplicably refuses a marriage proposal. Her ancestral journals seem to be pulling her into the past and in a series of flashbacks Eva relates with family matriarch Mairi Rose and her half-sisters Ailsa, Genevra, and Lian. Sequel to All We Hold Dear (RC 44911). 1999.

Bones: An Irene Kelly Mystery      RC 50393

by Jan Burke

read by Catherine Byers

3 cassettes

Four years ago, reporter Irene Kelly was approached by teenager Gillian Sayre, whose mother was missing. Now Kelly is part of a group traveling with suspected serial killer Nick Parrish to find Mrs. Sayre's grave--and Parrish has a plan to escape. Violence and strong language. 1999.

Dragonshadow      RC 50394

by Barbara Hambly

read by Kristin Allison

2 cassettes

Although Jenny Waynest returned to human form and married Lord John Aversin at the end of Dragonsbane (RC 26667), she retained some magical powers. Those abilities prove useful when dragons begin stalking the homeland--first an illusionary dragon, then a real one. Some strong language. For junior and senior high readers. 1999.

Dead Souls: An Inspector Rebus Novel      RC 50395

by Ian Rankin

read by Graeme Malcolm

3 cassettes

Scottish inspector John Rebus is pulled in several directions: tracking a murderer deported from the United States to Edinburgh, keeping an eye on a pedophile who lives near a neighborhood playground, accepting the apparent suicide of a colleague, and searching for the son of a high school girl friend. Violence and strong language. 1999.

Tom Clancy's Net Force: Night Moves      RC 50399

by Tom Clancy and Steve Pieczenik

read by Chuck Benson

2 cassettes

April 2011. A train is derailed in Pakistan, a Union Jack appears on computer screens universally, and computer experts--including a Net Force agent--are suffering strokes. A British scientist and a Russian operative may be the culprits. Sequel to Tom Clancy's Net Force: Hidden Agendas (RC 49476). Strong language and some violence. Bestseller 2000.

Lefty Carmichael Has a Fit      RC 50407

by Don Trembath

read by Rick Rohan

1 cassette

Fifteen-year-old Lefty suffers a seizure and learns he has epilepsy. If he remembers to take his medication, Lefty can probably stop the convulsions, but he remains anxious, feels odd from the drug, and doesn't like people knowing about his condition. For junior and senior high readers. 1999.

Caterina      RC 50413

by Jane Aiken Hodge

read by Corrie James

2 cassettes

In this sequel to Whispering (RC 41728), it is now 1832, and Dom Pedro has returned from Brazil to help his daughter, Maria da Gloria, claim her position as queen of Portugal. He is aided by Caterina Fonsa, who is creating political cartoons to advance his cause. 1999.

To Catch a Star / Alcanzar una Estrella      RC 50414

by Ivette González

read by various narrators

2 cassettes

Mario Santana se escapó de Cuba para realizar sus sueños. Definitivamente, ser el chófer de Marta Alvarez, una actriz bella, rica y temperamental, no es uno de esos sueños. Pero Mario pronto descubre que hay mucho más con Marta de lo que nadie sospecha. Novela romántica bilingüe en inglés y español. (Mario Santana fled Cuba to seek out a better life. However, working as chauffeur to rich, temperamental actress Marta Alvarez is not exactly his idea of the American dream. But he finds there is more to Marta than he first realized. Bilingual romance. English/Spanish language. 1999.)

Shiva 3000      RC 50419

by Jan Lars Jensen

read by Christopher Walker

2 cassettes

In a future India, Rakesh, a young Hindu, is following his dharma--to kill the Baboon Warrior who, revered as a hero, must be destroyed for ravishing Rakesh's intended bride, a princess. Rakesh is accompanied on his journey by Vasant, who has a different mission. Some descriptions of sex and some violence. 1999.

Death Train to Boston: A Fremont Jones Mystery      RC 50421

by Dianne Day

read by Colleen Delany

2 cassettes

Partners and lovers Fremont Jones and Michael Kossoff are investigating railroad vandalism, when the train they are riding is dynamited, injuring both. Fremont is abducted by a Mormon, who decides to make her his next wife. Michael struggles to rescue her while eluding the bomber. Some violence. 1999.

The Gown of Glory      RC 50427

by Agnes Sligh Turnbull

read by Colleen Delany

3 cassettes (Reissue)

In 1881, newly wedded minister David Lyall and his wife, Mary, arrive in the small town of Ladykirk, Pennsylvania, expecting to stay for just a while. But twenty-five years later they are still there with three grown children, and David continues to serve as leader of the Calvinist congregation. 1951.

Shell Game      RC 50499

by Carol O'Connell

read by Madelyn Buzzard

3 cassettes

Tough New York policewoman Kathleen Mallory, last seen in Stone Angel (RC 47622), is convinced that an old magician's death during a televised performance was murder rather than a horrible accident. Mallory questions the victim's fellow illusionists and focuses on one who seems to be accompanied by his long-dead wife. Violence. 1999.

Inherit the Earth      RC 50508

by Brian Stableford

read by Roy Avers

2 cassettes

In the twenty-second century people are living hundreds of years with periodic rejuvenations. Authentically young Damon Hart learns that one of his foster fathers has been kidnapped by someone who claims Damon's famous long-dead father is still alive and that his reputation for saintliness is false. Some violence and some strong language. 1998.

Architects of Emortality      RC 50509

by Brian Stableford

read by Roy Avers

2 cassettes

In this sequel to Inherit the Earth (RC 50508), a twenty-fifth-century murderer is targeting victims who are almost two hundred years old and killing them with a genetically altered flowering plant. On the case are detective sergeant Charlotte Holmes and genetic artist Oscar Wilde. Some strong language. 1999.

Jim the Boy      RC 50526

by Tony Earley

read by John Lescault

1 cassette

North Carolina, 1934. Anecdotes trace a year in the life of ten-year-old Jim Glass, who lives with his widowed mother near her three bachelor brothers. Follows Jim as he views the ocean for the first time, celebrates the town's electrification, and sees his best friend contract polio. 2000.

The Burning Bride      RC 50538

by Margaret Lawrence

read by Annie Wauters

3 cassettes

Maine, 1786. In this sequel to Blood Red Roses (RC 46974) midwife Hannah Trevor is reluctantly marrying Daniel Josselyn, father of her deaf daughter and their unborn child. Amidst a rebellion by bankrupt, overtaxed farmers, Daniel is accused of murder. Some descriptions of sex and some violence. 1998.

Unforgotten      RC 50576

by D.J. Meador

read by Jeremy Gage

3 cassettes

When sixty-three-year-old attorney and decorated Korean War veteran John Winston is nominated for a federal judgeship, he does not expect an incident from his combat days to surface. But Winston harbors a dark secret that someone exposes to jeopardize his reputation as well as his career. Some violence. 1999.

Black Alley      RC 50584

by Mickey Spillane

read by Don Feldheim

2 cassettes

The murder of one of Mike Hammer's army buddies sends him, the mob, and the FBI looking for a stash of eighty-nine billion dollars reportedly hidden by him before his demise. Mike's own recent return from death's door also leads him to propose to Velda, his longtime secretary. Some violence. 1996.

The Toughest Indian in the World      RC 50590

by Sherman Alexie

read by David Hartley-Margolin

2 cassettes

Nine short stories exploring the concept of Native American identity. In the title piece--originally appearing in the New Yorker--a Spokane Indian journalist adopts his father's practice of picking up Indian hitchhikers but carries the tradition farther than intended. 2000.

The Brass Dolphin      RC 50595

by Joanna Trollope

read by Gabriella Cavallero

2 cassettes

1938. When naive twenty-year-old Lila Cunningham and her impoverished father lose their home in England, she accepts the offer of an abandoned house on Malta. Lila begins a difficult readjustment, but it is the brutal German bombing campaign and its aftermath that finally bring her to a point of real self-discovery. 1997.

Thunderwoman: A Mythic Novel of the Pueblos      RC 50604

by Nancy Wood

read by Gabriella Cavallero

2 cassettes

In this allegory blending history and mythology, generations of Pueblo Indians portray life from their creation and prehistory through the mid-twentieth century. Bloody massacres follow the arrival of Spanish conquistadores and others. Cultural crises escalate, culminating in the 1947 atomic bomb tests in the desert. For senior high and older readers. 1999.

Three Hands in the Fountain      RC 50618

by Lindsey Davis

read by George Holmes

2 cassettes

Rome, A.D. 73. Private investigator Marcus Didius Falco and his wife and newborn are recently home from Spain when Falco discovers a woman's severed hand in a fountain. When two more hands are found after large festivals, a serial killer is suspected of polluting the city's water supply. Sequel to A Dying Light in Corduba (RC 47471). Some violence. 1996.

Ride South to Purgatory: A Western Story      RC 50623

by James C. Work

read by Bob Askey

2 cassettes

Pasque Pendragon works on his uncle's ranch while planning to avenge his brothers' murders at the hands of rustlers. But after agreeing to duel a stranger, Pasque spends a year on another quest. Along the way he has a change of heart and finds love. Some violence. 1999.

Deep South      RC 50627

by Nevada Barr

read by Suzanne Toren

2 cassettes

Park Ranger Anna Pigeon accepts a promotion to supervise the Natchez Trace Parkway in Mississippi, but on her arrival immediately regrets the decision. Soon a teenage girl is murdered and Anna faces danger from the suspects, including a group of Civil War reenactors. Some violence and some strong language. 2000.

The Kill Box      RC 50630

by Chris Stewart

read by Jim Zeiger

3 cassettes

On a return flight from the Middle East, Air Force One crashes, killing all aboard including the vice president. When investigators find lethal biological agents in the wreckage, Captain Charlie McKay leads a retaliatory air strike force to Iraq in an attempt to avert another terrorist disaster. Violence. 1998.

The Climate of the Country      RC 50639

by Marnie Mueller

read by David Hartley-Margolin

3 cassettes

1940s. Denton Jordan, a conscientious objector, and his Jewish wife, Esther, live at the Tule Lake Relocation Camp for Japanese in northern California. Trouble brews both within the camp and in their marriage, escalating until life-alterating choices are made. Some explicit descriptions of sex and some violence. 1999.

To Visit the Queen      RC 50654

by Diane Duane

read by Jill Fox

3 cassettes

In this sequel to The Book of Night with Moon (RC 47393), feline wizards Rhiow, Arhu, and Urruah are sent into the London underground to foil a plot by the evil Lone Power, who plans to assassinate Queen Victoria and start a nuclear war. For senior high and older readers. 1999.

In Legend Born      RC 50667

by Laura Resnick

read by Richard Hauenstein

5 cassettes

The Silerians have been oppressed by the Valdani for centuries, but now a peasant begins fighting back with the help of a recently returned Silerian soldier. However, the warrior has another powerful enemy: the magical waterlord society, which has long sought his head. Violence, strong language, and some descriptions of sex. 1998.

Chains of Command      RC 50674

by William J. Caunitz

read by Fred Major

3 cassettes

Deputy police commissioner Suzanne Albrecht, hoping for a promotion, enlists the help of her former lover, Lieutenant Matt Stuart, to investigate crooked cops who might stall her career. Matt's probe uncovers police links to the Dominican and Colombian drug gangs as well as Mafia connections. Violence and strong language. 1999.

Transfer of Power      RC 50675

by Vince Flynn

read by Jack Fox

3 cassettes

The CIA learns that foreign terrorists intend to assault the White House imminently. The Secret Service has only seconds to usher the president into his bunker, leaving others to be taken hostage. As officials dither, a CIA counterterrorism operative mounts a rescue. Some violence and some strong language. 1999.

Darwin's Radio      RC 50676

by Greg Bear

read by Roy Avers

4 cassettes

Disgraced archaeologist Mitch Rafelson, geneticist Kaye Lang, and government epidemiologist Christopher Dicken are embroiled in researching a miscarriage-producing virus named SHEVA, which spontaneously generates replacement pregnancies of new evolutionary humans. The ensuing panic spreads worldwide. Then Kaye becomes pregnant. 1999.

Hart's War      RC 50677

by John Katzenbach

read by Jack Fox

4 cassettes

Stalag Luft Thirteen, 1944. Former Harvard law student Tommy Hart is ordered to represent fellow prisoner of war Lincoln Scott, a Tuskegee airman who is accused of murdering a bigoted American captain. Hart soon realizes that he and his client are victims of a frame-up. Strong language and some violence. 1999.

The Pleasing Hour      RC 50685

by Lily King

read by Jill Fox

2 cassettes

Rosie, a nineteen-year-old American, becomes an au pair with a wealthy Parisian family to escape her grief over having given up her baby to her barren sister. In her vulnerability, Rosie becomes attached to her young charges and more especially to their father. Some descriptions of sex. 1999.

Treasure Box      RC 50686

by Orson Scott Card

read by Chris Parente

2 cassettes

Reclusive, thirty-four-year-old Quentin Fears first falls in love when he meets Madeline Cryer, who reminds him of his dead sister Lizzy. The uncanniness builds as Madeline mysteriously disappears after Quentin refuses to open a box that supposedly contains her inheritance. But then he lifts the lid... 1996.

The Group      RC 50691

by Mary McCarthy

read by Jill Fox

3 cassettes (Reissue)

Relates the lives of eight Vassar College friends from Kay Strong's wedding in 1933, one week after commencement, to her funeral seven years later. Describes the young women's transitions from college living to the practicalities of sex, marriage, motherhood, and careers. Some descriptions of sex and some strong language. Bestseller 1963.

Jitterbug: A Novel of Detroit      RC 50696

by Loren D. Estleman

read by Jack Fox

2 cassettes

Detroit, 1943. A serial killer is roaming the city murdering people suspected of hoarding ration coupons. Lieutenant Max Zagreb uses all the methods available--legal and illegal--to track down the culprit. Meanwhile, police contend with growing racial unrest that explodes into a race riot. Violence and strong language. 1998.

A Deepness in the Sky      RC 50698

by Vernor Vinge

read by Gary Tipton

5 cassettes

Thirty thousand years before the events in A Fire upon the Deep (RC 35758) the human starfleets Qeng Ho and Emergents head toward the planet Arachna to await the dormant Spider's awakening. While Qeng Ho's intentions are good, those of Emergents are sinister. Some violence and some strong language. 1999.

Fairy and Folk Tales of Ireland      RC 50702

edited by W.B. Yeats

read by Terry Donnelly

3 cassettes

A collection of folk tales, songs, poems, and legends gathered by Yeats and first published separately as Fairy and Folk Tales of the Irish Peasantry in 1888 and Irish Fairy Tales in 1892. The cast of characters includes fairies, leprechauns, pookas, ghosts, witches, giants, and royalty. 1973.

What the Body Remembers      RC 50703

by Shauna Singh Baldwin

read by Yolande Bavan

4 cassettes

Toward the end of the Raj in India, wealthy Sikh landowner Sardarji takes a young bride in hopes of fathering the children his first wife has been unable to provide. As political tensions over the imminent partition build, the two women vie for Sardarji's heart. Some descriptions of sex. 1999.

The Promised Land      RC 50706

by Ruhama Veltfort

read by Suzanne Toren

2 cassettes

Recurring visions of persecution cause a rabbi's son and his wife to flee their shtetl near Cracow, Poland, for America in the mid-1800s. Guided by his dreams, Yitzhak and his family join the perilous trek to California. A story of faith, love, and survival in a new land. 1998.

A Child's Christmas      RC 50739

by Eva Rutland

read by Chris Parente

2 cassettes

Eric Archer, ten, attends boarding school because his father is too busy to care for him. Eric's uncle, who lives nearby, is supposed to keep an eye on him but seems to forget--until the school counselor calls. Before long, Eric is at the center of an expanding circle of love and friendship. 1997.

In the Family Way: An Urban Comedy      RC 50741

by Lynne Sharon Schwartz

read by Sharon Murray

3 cassettes

Tenants of a New York apartment owned by aging Anna include her daughters, Bea and May; Bea's first husband, Roy; and Roy's second wife, Serena, now May's lover. When Roy reluctantly agrees to impregnate Serena, two other members of the convoluted family also become pregnant. Explicit descriptions of sex and some strong language. 1999.

A Bitter Feast      RC 50745

by S.J. Rozan

read by Ann Hodapp

2 cassettes

Chinese American private investigator Lydia Chin is hired to find four missing restaurant workers in New York's Chinatown. With the help of her partner, Bill Smith, and police detective Mary Kee, she uncovers a world of illegal immigrants, drug smuggling, and conflicts between the Cantonese and Fukienese. Some violence. 1998.

Those Bones Are Not My Child      RC 50748

by Toni Cade Bambara

read by Jill Fox

6 cassettes

Based on the true story of the abduction and murder of more than forty children, mostly black males under fifteen, in Atlanta in the 1980s. Centered on the fictitious Spencer family's agonizing search for their missing child, the novel reaches into every corner of Atlanta society. Published four years after Bambara's death. 1999.

Tom Clancy's Op-Center: Divide and Conquer      RC 50767

by Jeff Rovin

read by Jim Zeiger

2 cassettes

Op-Center director Paul Hood is newly separated from his wife, but he has no time to worry about the effect on his children. Traitors within the State Department are attempting to convince the president that he is mentally unstable, and a takeover is almost within their grasp. Some violence and some strong language. Bestseller 2000.

Fierce Invalids Home from Hot Climates      RC 50770

by Tom Robbins

read by Jim Zeiger

4 cassettes

Unorthodox CIA agent Switters incurs a shaman's curse of death if his feet touch the ground. Consequently, he uses a wheelchair for his next assignment, which includes transporting gas masks to the Kurds and falling in love with a defrocked nun in Syria. Strong language and some descriptions of sex. Bestseller 2000.

When We Were Wolves: Stories      RC 50774

by Jon Billman

read by Jim Zeiger

2 cassettes

Stories depicting colorful and independent people of Wyoming, including smoke jumpers, small-town Mormons, and an eccentric artist who delights in taunting the local conservatives. In "Custer Complex," a government computer dispatches a U.S. Forest Service firefighter to a remote fire that burned out two years ago. Some strong language. 1999.

Aftershocks      RC 50783

by Richard S. Wheeler

read by Jim Zeiger

3 cassettes

San Francisco, 1906. Survivors cope with the fiery aftermath of a catastrophic earthquake in different ways. Architect Harrison White is chiefly concerned with his buildings; Katharine Steinmetz photographs the city for posterity; missionary Ginger Severance works to save souls; and the army sets about making matters worse. Some violence. 1999.

Windward Heights      RC 50801

by Maryse Condé

read by Suzanne Toren

2 cassettes

Caribbean novelist Condé has transposed the tale of Wuthering Heights to her native Guadeloupe. Razyé, taken in and raised by Hubert Gagneur, falls in love with Gagneur's daughter, Cathy. Unhappy with his treatment there, Razyé flees to Cuba. But when Cathy marries a wealthy Creole, Razyé returns to avenge his loss. 1998.

Sartoris      RC 50802

by William Faulkner

read by Nick Sullivan

3 cassettes (Reissue)

Sartoris returns to Jefferson, Mississippi, after his brother's death in World War I. Desolated by this and the loss of his wife and infant son, he becomes reckless and wild. 1929.

Before You Sleep      RC 50816

by Linn Ullmann

read by Catherine Byers

2 cassettes

Waiting for an overdue update on her sister's attempt to reconcile with her husband, Karin recounts the story of three generations of their Norwegian family and its eccentric women. The setting is Oslo and New York, and Karin's humorous fantasy life colors the telling. Strong language and some descriptions of sex. 1999.

The Silk Code      RC 50829

by Paul Levinson

read by Richard Davidson

2 cassettes

NYPD detective Phil D'Amato, in Pennsylvania's Amish country, investigates a mysterious death, apparently related to contact with a bioengineered food. D'Amato's search leads back in time to Basques pondering murders in eighth-century Europe, recollections of early Chinese efforts to control the silk industry, and evidence that pre-human populations survived alongside civilization. Strong language. 1999.

Winter Solstice      RC 50844

by Rosamunde Pilcher

read by Vanessa Maroney

4 cassettes

Elfrida, a retired actress; Oscar, a recent widower; Carrie, recovering from a love affair; Lucy, Carrie's niece; and Sam, deserted by his wife, spend the winter solstice in a Scottish cottage, where they form a lasting bond that allows them to recover from their various challenges and losses. Bestseller 2000.

Dust to Dust      RC 50847

by Tami Hoag

read by John Polk

3 cassettes

When Minneapolis Internal Affairs gay cop Andy Fallon is found hanging naked from a noose, detective Sam Kovac and his partner Nikki Liska think it's murder. They review Andy's investigations, including an old case involving his policeman father. Violence, strong language, and some explicit descriptions of sex. Bestseller 2000.

The Blind Assassin      RC 50848

by Margaret Atwood

read by Mary Kane

3 cassettes

This convoluted tale of two sisters begins with the questionable circumstances of the 1945 death of the younger, Laura, at twenty-five. A memoir by Iris, the surviving and now elderly sister, recalls what led up to the tragic event. Interspersed is a novel-within-a-novel, Laura's posthumously published book. Bestseller 2000.

The Switch      RC 50852

by Sandra Brown

read by Martha Harmon Pardee

3 cassettes

The day she is artificially inseminated, Gillian Lloyd switches places with her identical twin, Melina, acts as escort for Native American astronaut Christopher Hart, and is murdered. As they investigate the evangelist behind the killing, Melina and Hart become targets too. Explicit descriptions of sex, violence, and strong language. 2000.

Buried Evidence      RC 50853

by Nancy Taylor Rosenberg

read by Martha Harmon Pardee

2 cassettes

The rapist who attacked prosecutor Lily Forrester and her daughter in Mitigating Circumstances (RC 35901) is out on parole and looking for them. Meanwhile, Lily's alcoholic ex-husband tries to escape a manslaughter charge by implicating Lily in a long-ago murder. Strong language, some explicit descriptions of sex, and some violence. 2000.

Stalker      RC 50858

by Faye Kellerman

read by Richard Davidson

3 cassettes

Detective Peter Decker's outspoken Ivy League-educated daughter Cindy joins the LAPD, but has trouble fitting in with the blue-collar work force. During a rash of serial carjackings, Cindy realizes she is being stalked and suspects the danger comes from within the department. Violence and strong language. Bestseller 2000.

Lethal Seduction      RC 50871

by Jackie Collins

read by Ann Hodapp

3 cassettes

Magazine writer Madison Castelli discovers that her father is a hit man for the mob and becomes suspicious about her stepmother's recent death. Meanwhile, Madison's best friend, Jamie, is divorcing her bisexual husband and meets kinky playboy Joel Blaine in Las Vegas. Explicit descriptions of sex and strong language. 2000.

The Last Precinct      RC 50875

by Patricia Cornwell

read by Madelyn Buzzard

3 cassettes

In this sequel to Black Notice (RC 48767), Dr. Kay Scarpetta has escaped death from the serial killer "werewolf" and continues investigating crimes committed by his French syndicate. But then the doctor herself faces a murder accusation. Violence, strong language, and some descriptions of sex. Bestseller 2000.

When We Were Orphans      RC 50876

by Kazuo Ishiguro

read by David Cutler

2 cassettes

After Cambridge, the observant but self-delusional Christopher Banks becomes a private detective, fulfilling a childhood ambition. His successful career leads him back to his boyhood home of Shanghai during the Sino-Japanese War in 1937. He feels confident he will find his parents, who disappeared there years before. Bestseller 2000.

The Sky Is Falling      RC 50877

by Sidney Sheldon

read by Margaret Strom

2 cassettes

Anchorwoman Dana Evans becomes suspicious when five members of a prominent family die violently within a year. Her investigation begins with patriarch Taylor Winthrop, ex-ambassador to Russia. Privately, Evans experiences problems with the Serbian orphan she has adopted and with her wandering fiancé. Some violence and some strong language. Bestseller 2000.

The Rescue      RC 50879

by Nicholas Sparks

read by Mary Kane

2 cassettes

Single mom Denise is struggling to raise her young son, Kyle, who has an auditory processing problem. After a car accident during a storm, Kyle disappears and is later found by volunteer fireman Taylor, who becomes part of their lives. But a past tragedy prevents commitment. Some strong language. Bestseller 2000.

Now and Always/Para Siempre      RC 50884

by Caridad Scordato

read by María Pino

3 cassettes

El médico ortopédico Víctor Cienfuegos cree que Carmen González es demasiado joven para servirle como nueva recepcionista. Pero Carmen pronto prueba que sirve muy bien, cuando le presenta a su hermana mayor, Connie, a Víctor. Connie resulta ser un agente del FBI que al sufrir un brazo quebrado recibe tratamiento médico de Víctor, y acaba enamorándose de él. Lenguaje injurioso y descripciones de índole sexual.(Orthopedic surgeon Victor Cienfuegos believes the temporary receptionist sent to his office is too young to be any good. But Carmen Gonzalez quickly proves valuable, especially when her FBI agent sister, Connie, suffers a broken arm and steals Victor's heart. Some explicit descriptions of sex and some strong language. 1999.)

Liar's Game      RC 50892

by Eric Jerome Dickey

read by Gregory Gorton

2 cassettes

Dana leaves New York for a fresh start in Los Angeles. She meets Vince, whose ex-wife is refusing to let him see his daughter. Both Dana and Vince fear long-term commitment and jeopardize their relationship by hiding details about the past. Some explicit descriptions of sex and some strong language. Bestseller 2000.

The Right Hand of Evil      RC 50896

by John Saul

read by Gregory Gorton

3 cassettes

As alcoholic Ted Conway loses another job, his long-institutionalized aunt dies, leaving him an old house in a Louisiana town. The Conways soon learn of the dwelling's evil reputation and begin experiencing the horrors Ted's ancestors tried to escape. Violence, some explicit descriptions of sex, and some strong language. Bestseller 1999.

Midnight in Ruby Bayou      RC 50899

by Elizabeth Lowell

read by Michele Schaeffer

2 cassettes

Jewelry designer Faith Donovan has been asked to create a ruby necklace as a friend's wedding gift. But the Russian Mafia covets the gems, and family friend Owen Walker becomes Faith's bodyguard. Sequel to Pearl Cove (RC 48619). Strong language, some explicit descriptions of sex, and some violence. 2000.

Night Tales      RC 50925

by Nora Roberts

read by Kristin Allison

5 cassettes

Four connected novels--Night Shift, Night Shadow, Nightshade, and Night Smoke--feature a cast of related characters who enter passionate relationships while investigating dangerous crimes. Explicit descriptions of sex, some violence, and some strong language. Bestseller 1994.

Night Shield      RC 50926

by Nora Roberts

read by Kristin Allison

1 cassette

In this sequel to Night Tales (RC 50925) Denver police commissioner Boyd Fletcher pairs his detective daughter, Ally, with club owner Jonah Blackhawk, whom Boyd saved from a life of crime years ago. Romance complicates their investigation of burglaries involving Blackhawk's club. Explicit descriptions of sex, strong language, and some violence. Bestseller 2000.

Lightning Strikes: The Hudson Family Series, Volume 2      RC 50929

by V.C. Andrews

read by Kristin Allison

2 cassettes

In this sequel to Rain (RC 50028) eighteen-year-old Rain Arnold is in England studying acting while she works as an au pair at her great aunt Lenora Endfield's austere home. Rain soon makes a horrifying discovery about a cottage on the estate. Some explicit descriptions of sex and some strong language. Bestseller 2000.

Heartbreaker      RC 50933

by Julie Garwood

read by Martha Harmon Pardee

3 cassettes

In the confessional the homicidal "Heartbreaker" informs Father Tommy Madden of his intent to kill the priest's sister, Laurant. Tommy seeks the help of his old friend, FBI agent Nicholas Buchanan, who soon has several reasons for protecting Laurant. Violence, some explicit descriptions of sex, and some strong language. Bestseller 2000.

Mr. Perfect      RC 50936

by Linda Howard

read by Martha Harmon Pardee

2 cassettes

Jaine and three coworkers jokingly create a list of requirements for the ideal man. When the list goes public, someone secretly vows to kill the listmakers. Meanwhile, Jaine goes from hating her new neighbor to thinking he's "Mr. Perfect." Explicit descriptions of sex, strong language, and some violence. Bestseller 2000.

Blue Gold: A Novel from the NUMA Files      RC 50937

by Clive Cussler

read by Bob Askey

3 cassettes

When National Underwater and Marine Agency (NUMA) investigators Kurt Austin and Joe Zavala hit a pod of dead whales during a boat race, it sets off an inquiry that leads to an eco-extortionist's plot to control the world's freshwater supply. Some strong language. Bestseller 2000.

Move to Strike      RC 50940

by Perri O'Shaughnessy

read by Martha Harmon Pardee

3 cassettes

While teenage Nicole Zack is robbing the uncle who cheated her mother, she witnesses his murder and becomes the prime suspect. Recently widowed attorney Nina Reilly takes her case, while investigator Paul Van Wagoner examines the coincidence of the death that same night of the murdered man's son. Strong language. Bestseller 2000.

Eric: A Discworld Novel      RC 50953

by Terry Pratchett

read by Kristin Allison

1 cassette

Eric, fourteen, is an inept sorcerer with three aspirations: to be immortal, to rule the world, and to have a beautiful girl love him. Hoping to have his desires granted, Eric conjures up the wizard Rincewind and soon wishes he had never been born. For senior high and older readers. 1990.

A Knight of the Word      RC 50963

by Terry Brooks

read by Erik Sandvold

3 cassettes

In this sequel to Running with the Demon (RC 46826), John Ross seeks relief from his constant missions by renouncing his role as a Knight of the Word. It is up to college coed Nest Freemark, whom Ross once helped, to keep him focused on assisting others. 1998.

The Good Old Stuff: Thirteen Early Stories      RC 50967

by John D. MacDonald

read by Chuck Benson

3 cassettes (Reissue)

Thirteen pulp magazine stories published between 1947 and 1952 by the author of the Travis McGee mystery series. All involve revenge, disappearance, adventure, or homicide. In "Murder for Money" adult siblings suspect their young stepmother of killing their rich--but unloved--father. Some violence. 1952.

Hatchet Job: A Carl Wilcox Mystery      RC 51007

by Harold Adams

read by Fred Major

1 cassette

Detective Carl Wilcox is called in to investigate the murder of Mustard's town cop, Lou Dupree, who "died of overexposure to an ax." Lou had plenty of enemies because of his numerous affairs with married women, but who hated him enough to commit such a brutal murder? Some strong language. 1996.

The Guest List      RC 51010

by Fern Michaels

read by Mitzi Friedlander

3 cassettes

After their parents died mysteriously, young Abby and Mallory Evans were adopted by their uncle. Shortly afterward, Mallory was institutionalized because of her behavior. Now as adults, the sisters are reunited--but someone wants the past kept hidden. Some descriptions of sex and some strong language. Bestseller 2000.

Pigtown      RC 51014

by William J. Caunitz

read by Fred Major

2 cassettes

When the corpse of Brooklyn mobster Beansy Rutolo turns up, detective Matthew Stuart takes the case for personal reasons. Beansy was known to have sources in the department, and Stuart encounters mortal danger as he uncovers a web of official corruption. Strong language, violence, and descriptions of sex. 1995.

Ilse Witch: The Voyage of the Jerle Shannara, Book 1      RC 51015

by Terry Brooks

read by Gary Tipton

3 cassettes

In this first book of a new Shannara saga, a mortally wounded elf is found carrying two items--a bracelet and a mysterious map. Only Walker Boh can decipher the chart, and he must do so before the Ilse Witch steals it. Some violence. Bestseller 2000.

Exit to Eden      RC 51017

by Anne Rampling

read by Jill Fox

3 cassettes

Lisa works at The Club, which she helped create--the grandest exotic sex club in the world. Sex slaves are chosen at auctions and paid $100,000 for a two-year stint of fulfilling the sado-masochistic fantasies of The Club's guests. Lisa has a female slave herself. After a brush with death, photographer Elliott gives in to his own fantasies and signs on as a club slave. Strong language, explicit descriptions of sex, and some violence. Bestseller 1985.

Gilded Dreams      RC 51018

by Kristy Daniels

read by Mitzi Friedlander

4 cassettes

When a blizzard hits New York City in the late 1800s, the courageous act of Jonathan Caras, a young journalist, sets in motion his move to Paris and the development of a love triangle that includes the owner of the newspaper for which Jonathan works and an aspiring ballet dancer. Some strong language and some explicit descriptions of sex. 1993.

Running from the Law      RC 51020

by Lisa Scottoline

read by Madelyn Buzzard

2 cassettes

Although she suspects her live-in lover is having an affair, Philadelphia attorney Rita Morrone agrees to defend his father, a federal judge, in a sexual harassment case brought by a former secretary. Deposing her, Rita realizes the two were having an affair. When the woman is killed that night, Rita must decide whether to defend the judge against a murder charge. Strong language, violence, and some explicit descriptions of sex. 1995.

The Plumed Serpent      RC 51021

by Annabel Murray

read by Sharon Murray

2 cassettes

When Josslyn Ransome leaves England for Mexico to compile a sketchbook in honor of her late explorer father, she does not expect to have chauvinistic, young Juan de Grijalva as her guide. Nor does she expect to fall in love with him. Descriptions of sex and some strong language. 1986.

Mrs. Pargeter's Point of Honour      RC 51023

by Simon Brett

read by Janis Gray

2 cassettes

Mrs. Pargeter plans to secretly return the "hot" paintings that the widowed Veronica Chastaigne wants to give back before her demise. Recruiting her late husband's old cronies for the task, Mrs. Pargeter eludes Detective Wilkinson and Sergeant Hughes only to discover that the old masters have been stolen--again. Some violence. 1998.

Chain of Evidence      RC 51024

by Ridley Pearson

read by Jack Fox

2 cassettes

Three years ago Hartford police detective Joe Dartelli (Dart) investigated the suicide of a sex offender. Now that there is a rash of similar deaths, Dart's suspicions about the first one resurface. Someone is killing these men and planting evidence to make them appear as suicides, and Dart is fairly certain the culprit is his mentor, forensics specialist Walter Zeller. Strong language, violence, and some explicit descriptions of sex. 1995.

Shallow Grave: Inspector Bill Slider Mystery      RC 51026

by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles

read by Fred Major

2 cassettes

Detective Inspector Bill Slider and his partner, Jim Atherton, investigate the death of Jennifer Andrews. Because her body was found in a trench on a posh West London property that her contractor husband Eddie was hired to repair, Eddie seems an obvious suspect. Some strong language. 1998.

Thunder City: A Novel of Detroit      RC 51032

by Loren D. Estleman

read by Jack Fox

2 cassettes

Detroit, 1900s. Henry Ford is showing great promise on his third attempt to start an automobile plant. But Harlan Crownover can't convince his coach-making family to invest in the new technology, so he turns for help to "Boss" Jim Dolan and Sicilian gangster Sal Borneo. Chronologically the first in Estleman's Detroit series. Some violence. 1999.

The Man Who Was Taller than God: A Carl Wilcox Mystery      RC 51037

by Harold Adams

read by Fred Major

1 cassette

South Dakota, 1930s. Itinerant painter Carl Wilcox is hired by the mayor of a small town to investigate the murder of Felton Edwards, a womanizing schemer who had returned to his hometown unexpectedly. Wilcox encounters nubile housewives and another murder before he finds his suspects. Some violence. 1992.

A House Divided      RC 51038

by Catherine Cookson

read by Ann Hodapp

2 cassettes

Blinded in World War II, twenty-nine-year-old Matthew Wallingham is having trouble adjusting to his disability. Compassionate young nurse Elizabeth Ducksworth helps him face his fears and eventually steals his heart. But both bring family problems to their relationship. Some descriptions of sex, some violence, and some strong language. 1999.

The Devil's Code      RC 51046

by John Sandford

read by Bob Moore

2 cassettes

Kidd and his associate and lover, LuEllen, investigate the death of a member of their computer hacking group. Kidd was last seen in The Empress File (RC 36590) and The Fool's Run (RC 30857), which appeared under the author's real name, John Camp. Violence, strong language, and some descriptions of sex. Bestseller 2000.

Journey      RC 51051

by Danielle Steel

read by Martha Harmon Pardee

2 cassettes

In her fiftieth novel, Steel explores the secrets of Washington, D.C., anchorwoman Madeleine Hunter and her husband, Jack, head of the network. Publicly they appear happy, but Madeleine must face reality when she works on the first lady's Commission on Violence against Women. Explicit descriptions of sex and strong language. 2000.

Wilderness      RC 51060

by Robert B. Parker

read by Gregory Gorton

2 cassettes

While out jogging, suspense writer Aaron Newman witnesses a murder and notifies the police. When the suspect, psychopath Adolph Karl, threatens Newman's family, Aaron, his wife, and army buddy decide that their only chance is to eliminate Karl and his gang. Violence, strong language, and some explicit descriptions of sex. 1979.

Aunt Dimity's Christmas      RC 51061

by Nancy Atherton

read by Michele Schaeffer

1 cassette

In this sequel to Aunt Dimity Digs In (RC 48173) and others, a homeless man collapses outside of Lori Shepherd's English cottage. While he's hospitalized in a coma, Lori is encouraged by her late aunt's spirit to search for his identity and for the reason he arrived at her door. 1999.

A Wizard in Midgard: The Rogue Wizard, Book 6      RC 51064

by Christopher Stasheff

read by Michael Scherer

2 cassettes

Using the name Gar Pike, Magnus d'Armand continues his mission to bring justice to oppressed people. In Midgard, where giants and dwarfs are brutally ruled by the normal-size people, Gar meets Alea Larsdatter, an orphan slave with telepathic potential. Sequel to A Wizard in Chaos (RC 48804). Some violence. 1998.

Freedom's Altar      RC 51065

by Charles F. Price

read by Terence Aselford

2 cassettes

In the sequel to Hiwassee (RC 44371) emancipated slave Daniel McFee returns to the mountains of Tennessee to sharecrop. He is welcomed back by his former master, Judge Madison Curtis, and his clan. But there is trouble with bushwhackers, the militia, freedmen, and the defeated. Some violence and some strong language. 1999.

Cat on the Scent      RC 51066

by Rita Mae Brown and Sneaky Pie Brown

read by Laura Giannarelli

2 cassettes

Postmistress Mary "Harry" Haristeen with her cats, Mrs. Murphy and Pewter, and corgi Tee Tucker investigate the shooting of a local man during a Civil War reenactment. The event leads to the discovery of drug dealing, adultery, and a missing airplane in sleepy Crozet, Virginia. Some violence. 1999.

The Queen of Attolia      RC 51067

by Megan Whalen Turner

read by Christopher Walker

2 cassettes

In this sequel to The Thief (RC 47183), the Queen of Attolia captures Eugenides, the official thief of Eddis. Although her severe punishment nearly breaks his spirit, he continues to love her throughout the ensuing political and military intrigues. For junior and senior high readers. 2000.

The Far Shore of Time      RC 51068

by Frederik Pohl

read by Rick Rohan

2 cassettes

This sequel to The Siege of Eternity (RC 49289) concludes a trilogy about the near-future Earth caught in conflict between two alien races. As the story begins, the original Dan Dannerman's situation looks bleak--his clones have escaped and he is under interrogation by the horrible Horch. Some strong language. 1999.

So Sure of Death: A Liam Campbell Mystery      RC 51069

by Dana Stabenow

read by Nanette Savard

2 cassettes

Alaska state trooper Liam Campbell from Fire and Ice (RC 50187) is investigating the murder of a family aboard their boat, when his lady love discovers the body of an archaeologist. Meanwhile, Liam's father arrives at Chinook Air Force Base. Some explicit descriptions of sex, some violence, and some strong language. 1999.

Newton Forster; or, The Merchant Service      RC 51071

by Frederick Marryat

read by David Cutler

3 cassettes

Young Newton Forster is impressed into the Royal Navy and endures sea battles, shipwrecks, and imprisonment before finding his niche with the British East India Company. He also discovers true love--but at the risk of losing an inheritance. Some violence. 1832.

The King's Own      RC 51072

by Frederick Marryat

read by Ted Stoddard

3 cassettes

William Seymour is raised--and orphaned--on a British navy ship, anointed a midshipman at an early age, and later impressed to help crew a smuggler. He comes to engage in battle with the French during a hurricane and to fall in love with an heiress. Some violence. 1830.

Random Hearts      RC 51077

by Warren Adler

read by Colleen Delany

2 cassettes (Reissue)

When Edward Davis and Vivien Simpson are informed that their respective spouses died together in a plane crash, they realize the two were having an affair. Shocked and hurt, the survivors turn to each other while they piece together the betrayal. Some explicit descriptions of sex and some strong language. 1984.

Dead Souls      RC 51078

by Nikolai Gogol

read by Annie Wauters

4 cassettes

Pavel Ivanovich Chichikov travels across the Russian countryside with a money-making scheme to buy up "dead souls"--deceased serfs still on the tax roll until the next census. When he is eventually arrested, his lawyer mounts an unusual defense. A satire originally published in 1842, newly translated by Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky. 1996.

Mail      RC 51083

by Mameve Medwed

read by Michele Schaeffer

2 cassettes

Fiction writer Katinka O'Toole, once briefly married to her Joyce professor, is now lusting after the mailman, Louie, who brings her rejection slips. Things improve when Louie brings a check from Playgirl, they begin an affair, and her incapacitated ex-husband lets her teach his writing class. Some descriptions of sex. 1997.

Fail-Safe      RC 51094

by Eugene Burdick and Harvey Wheeler

read by Gregory Gorton

2 cassettes (Reissue)

Cold War suspense classic. Through an unforeseen mechanical error, bombers armed with nuclear weapons have been dispatched to destroy Moscow and are now beyond recall. A White House translator becomes an unwilling witness to the crisis as the U.S. president and the Soviet premier enter frantic negotiations to avert global catastrophe. 1962.

Lost Horizon      RC 51095

by James Hilton

read by David Cutler

2 cassettes (Reissue)

Classic utopian adventure fantasy. One of four Western passengers abducted during an airplane hijacking from Baskul, Hugh Conway, recounts the group's sojourn at the mysterious lamasery of Shangri-La in the mountains of Tibet. Hugh describes Shangri-La's unusual inhabitants and their quest, and the feelings of peace and contentment he enjoyed there. 1933.

White Magic      RC 51097

by Faith Baldwin

read by Michele Schaeffer

2 cassettes

Various groups of people converge on a ski lodge in Sun Valley. Included are a self-made man with his secretary, an heiress with a German nobleman and his brother--both ski instructors--and several troublemaking businessmen. When they finally sort out their feelings, some newly engaged couples emerge. 1939.

Four Blondes      RC 51128

by Candace Bushnell

read by Martha Harmon Pardee

2 cassettes

Four loosely connected tales featuring dissatisfied New York women seeking status and fame. In "Nice N'Easy" a shallow model uses men for their money, while in "Single Process" a writer finagles an assignment in London in hopes of finding a husband. Strong language and some explicit descriptions of sex. Bestseller 2000.

Angel Fire East      RC 51171

by Terry Brooks

read by Erik Sandvold

3 cassettes

John Ross continues his mission to defeat the Void and save the world's future. Ross's hope lies in the recent birth of a gypsy morph and in having the support of Nest Freemark, a woman with magical powers. Sequel to A Knight of the Word (RC 50963). 1999.

Wish You Well      RC 51202

by David Baldacci

read by Madelyn Buzzard

2 cassettes

In 1940 a happy family outing turns to tragedy when their car overturns, killing the father and leaving the mother incapacitated. The two children, Lou and Oz, take her to great-grandmother Louisa's rural Virginia home, where the New York City kids face difficult adjustments. Some strong language. Bestseller 2000.

Miss Darby's Duenna      RC 51211

by Sherri Cobb South

read by Madelyn Buzzard

1 cassette

Sir Harry Hawthorne is engaged to his neighbor Olivia Darby but does not realize that he's in love until a disreputable rake pursues her during her London debut. Consumed by jealousy, Harry decides to keep a closer eye on his fiancée--so he impersonates his own grandmother. 1999.

The Exchange Student      RC 51212

by Kate Gilmore

read by Erin Jones

1 cassette

2094. Daria, sixteen, is a licensed breeder of endangered species. Her family is hosting Fen, a seven-foot alien from Chela, where there have been no animals for centuries. Daria hopes Fen will share her interest in animals, and Fen does--but for a very special reason. For junior and senior high readers. 1999.

Fasting, Feasting      RC 51278

by Anita Desai

read by Annie Wauters

2 cassettes

Through details about the daily rituals of meals, the lives of two families, in India and America, are revealed. Part one focuses on the blighted life of Uma, a prisoner of her Indian family's conventions; part two deals with the experiences of her brother Arun among well-to-do New England suburbanites. 1999.

Dreamcatcher      RC 51542

by Stephen King

read by Gregory Gorton

4 cassettes

Four friends have hunted together for twenty-five years. This trip, however, is interrupted by an intruder's rambling about lights in the sky. Patterned like a Native American talisman, the dreamcatcher phenomenon must be summoned for the men to fight alien and natural horrors. Strong language and some violence. Bestseller 2001.

On the Street Where You Live      RC 51647

by Mary Higgins Clark

read by Jill Fox

2 cassettes

Because lawyer Emily Graham is being stalked, she changes jobs and moves to New Jersey. She buys the house that once belonged to her great-great-grandaunt Madeline Shapley, whose skeleton turns up in Emily's back yard. Suddenly Emily finds herself being followed again. Some violence. Bestseller 2001.

Books for Children

Books listed in this issue of Talking Book Topics were recently sent to cooperating libraries. The complete collection contains books by many authors on fiction and nonfiction subjects, including animals, geography, nature, mystery, sports, and others. Contact your cooperating library to learn more about the wide range of books available in the collection.

Cassette books are labeled with the code RC and play at 15/16 ips. To order books, fill out the order form and send it to your cooperating library.

Cassettes Nonfiction

Girls Who Rocked the World: Heroines from Sacagawea to Sheryl Swoopes     RC 48285

by Amelie Welden

read by Kristin Allison

1 cassette

Biographical sketches of thirty-three young women around the world describe their impressive achievements before the age of twenty. Presented in chronological order from Cleopatra, ruler of ancient Egypt, to Martina Hingis, tennis champion of the 1990s. For grades 4-7. 1998.

This Same Sky: A Collection of Poems from around the World     RC 48296

compiled by Naomi Shihab Nye

read by Gabriella Cavallero

1 cassette

Anthology of pieces by 129 poets from sixty-eight countries other than the United States. The poems express a universal spirit through themes including dreams, families, nature, loss, and human mysteries. For grades 5-8. 1992.

Sing Me a Story: The Metropolitan Opera's Book of Opera Stories for Children      RC 49694

by Jane Rosenberg

read by Ilona Dulaski

1 cassette

Retellings of fifteen operas to introduce the basic story lines. Divided into acts, the stories include dialog and refer to specific musical passages. Presents Aida, Amahl and the Night Visitors, Die Fledermaus, Hansel and Gretel, The Magic Flute, and The Tales of Hoffmann, among others. For grades 5-8. 1989.

Science Projects about Plants      RC 50237

by Robert Gardner

read by Bruce Huntey

1 cassette

Provides instructions for more than thirty experiments involving plant physiology, reproduction, and growth. Projects include growing grass on a turntable, removing the root tip from a seedling, and raising plants in a hydroponic solution. For grades 6-9. 1999.

The World of King Arthur and His Court: People, Places, Legend, and Lore RC 50307

by Kevin Crossley-Holland

read by David Cutler

1 cassette

Collection of articles about the mythology of King Arthur, including an account of Geoffrey of Monmouth, who first created the legend. Describes the real lives of knights and their duties, and discusses the Crusades, the Round Table, and heraldry. Also includes tales about Camelot, Sir Lancelot, and Excalibur. For grades 5-8. 1998.

South Africa      RC 50371

by Claudia Canesso

read by Lisette Lecat

1 cassette

Surveys the history, topography, people, and culture of South Africa. Includes information on the country's economy, industry, politics, and relation to the rest of the world. Features profiles of various rulers of the area, and discusses the outlawed policy of apartheid. For grades 6-9. 1999.

The Century That Was: Reflections on the Last One Hundred Years      RC 50431

edited by James Cross Giblin

read by Jacinda Bronaugh

2 cassettes

A collection of eleven essays by well-known authors for young people, reflecting on various customs and events of twentieth-century America. Includes Albert Marrin on World War I; Bruce Brooks on sports; Walter Dean Myers on civil rights; Penny Colman on women's issues; and Katherine Paterson on religion. For grades 6-9. 2000.

Digging for Bird-Dinosaurs: An Expedition to Madagascar      RC 50522

by Nic Bishop

read by Celeste Lawson

1 cassette

The story of Cathy Forster's experiences as a member of a 1998 expedition of paleontologists to the island of Madagascar in search of fossil birds. Discusses the details of their field work and how their discoveries advanced the knowledge of bird evolution. For grades 4-7. 2000.

The Oxford Illustrated Book of American Children's Poems      RC 50546

edited by Donald Hall

read by Kimberly Schraf

1 cassette

An anthology of American poems for children, arranged chronologically, from Native American cradle songs to colonial alphabet rhymes to contemporary pieces. The writers include Emily Dickinson, Carl Sandburg, T.S. Eliot, Ogden Nash, Langston Hughes, Dr. Seuss, Gwendolyn Brooks, Shel Silverstein, and Sandra Cisneros. For grades 2-4 and older readers. 1999.

Kuwait      RC 50565

by Maria O'Shea

read by Dan Bloom

1 cassette

Describes the geography, history, government, economy, and society of Kuwait, a small country on the Persian Gulf. Discusses the Kuwaitis' languages, religious beliefs, arts, leisure activities, and diet. For grades 5-8 and older readers. 1999.

Mexico      RC 50591

by Leslie Jermyn

read by Jonathan Davis

1 cassette

An introduction to Mexico, the North American country that shares its northern border with the United States. Explores Mexico's geography and history, government and people, arts and leisure, and language and economics. Includes information on well-known citizens and a glossary of terms. For grades 5-8. 1998.

Fundamental Strength Training      RC 50795

by Jeff Savage

read by Nick Sullivan

1 cassette

Introduces the sport of strength training, with and without weights, discussing its history, equipment, techniques, and variations. Includes information on the human muscular system and on athletes who have popularized the activity. For grades 5-8 and older readers. 1998.

So You Want to Be President?      RC 50856

by Judith St. George

read by Terence Aselford

1 cassette

Offers unusual and interesting facts about the first forty-two presidents of the United States. Points out the variety of personalities and physical characteristics of these men who had at least one thing in common: "their first priority has always been the people and the country they served." For grades 3-6. Caldecott Medal. 2000.

Ricky Martin: Livin' the Crazy Life/Livin' la Vida Loca      RC 50885

by Kristin Sparks

read by Maria Pino

2 cassettes

Presenta la biografía del popular cantante puertorriqueño, ganador del premio Grammy. Narra la carrera de Ricky como cantante en el joven grupo Menudo, como actor en la telenovela General Hospital y en Broadway, y como caliente cantante solista. Para grados 6 a 9 y lectores mayores. Edición bilingüe en ingés y español. (Biography of the Grammy Award-winning singer from Puerto Rico. Chronicles his career with the boy band Menudo, his acting on the soap opera General Hospital, his stint on Broadway, and his solo debut. For grades 6-9 and older readers. English/Spanish language. 1999.)

Uruguay      RC 50902

by Leslie Jermyn

read by Mark Ashby

1 cassette

Describes the geography and history, government and economy, people and lifestyle, arts and leisure, festivals and food, as well as religion, of the smallest country in South America. For grades 5-8. 1999.

The Best of the Best in Figure Skating      RC 50952

by Rachel Rutledge

read by Kristin Allison

1 cassette

A history of the sport of women's figure skating and brief biographies of eight leading competitors from the 1990s: Oksana Baiul, Surya Bonaly, Nancy Kerrigan, Michelle Kwan, Tara Lipinski, Chen Lu, Katarina Witt, and Kristi Yamaguchi. For grades 5-8. 1998.

Basketball: A History of Hoops      RC 51030

by Mark Stewart

read by Bruce Huntey

2 cassettes

Discusses the popular sport from its 1891 inception in a Massachusetts YMCA to its evolution into an Olympic event. Relates significant developments and key personalities on both the college and the professional levels. For grades 5-8 and older readers. 1998.

Eleanor Everywhere: The Life of Eleanor Roosevelt      RC 51036

by Monica Kulling

read by Janis Gray

1 cassette

Biography of the shy girl who became a leading human rights advocate. Orphaned at a young age, Eleanor finished boarding school caring deeply about the needy. Her marriage to distant cousin Franklin resulted in Eleanor's becoming first lady. She remained active and much admired after Franklin's death. An easy chapter book. For grades 2-4. 1999.

Science Projects about Kitchen Chemistry      RC 51062

by Robert Gardner

read by Jim Johnston

1 cassette

Experiments dealing with the chemistry of foods and cooking. Includes information about carbohydrates, fats, proteins, acids and bases, yeasts, eggs, and the strength of spaghetti. For grades 5-8. 1999.

Multiple Sclerosis      RC 51076

by Nathan Aaseng

read by Margaret Strom

1 cassette

Combines the personal stories of movie, television, and sports figures who were diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) with a medical discussion of the neurological disease. Covers symptoms, methods of detection, effects, treatments, and approaches to living with MS. For grades 6-9. 2000.

Ghana      RC 51084

by Patricia Levy

read by Steven Carpenter

1 cassette

Describes the geography, history, government, economy, people, lifestyle, religion, language, arts, leisure, festivals, and food of the West African Republic of Ghana. For grades 5-8 and older readers. 1999.

Tim Duncan      RC 51150

by Jeremy Byman

read by Jake Williams

1 cassette

Biography of the basketball superstar from St. Croix who didn't even play the game until high school. Duncan attended Wake Forest University on a sports scholarship and insisted on graduating before being drafted by the San Antonio Spurs in 1997. For grades 4-7. 2000.

Backstreet Boys      RC 51204

by Cathy Alter Zymet

read by Sharon Murray

1 cassette

Collective biography of the five members of this musical group. Describes the band's beginnings in Florida, their initial success in Europe, and the religious faith that sustains them. For grades 6-9. 2000.

Cassettes Fiction

Snowdrops for Cousin Ruth     RC 48423

by Susan Katz

read by Gillian Green

1 cassette

Nine-year-old Johanna Rush's brother, Johnny, is killed in a car accident just two days after Christmas. Eight months later his twin sister, Susie, is still not talking. Johanna has been told not to talk about Johnny because that upsets everyone. But when Cousin Ruth comes to live close by, things change. For grades 4-7. 1998.

Wayside School Gets a Little Stranger     RC 48597

by Louis Sachar

read by Marilyn Gleason

1 cassette

The students on the thirtieth story of the school built sideways have a series of unusual substitute teachers. Sequel to Wayside School Is Falling Down (RC 48596). For grades 3-6. 1995.

Gratefully Yours     RC 49039

by Jane Buchanan

read by Peg Gilleland

1 cassette

In 1923, Hattie, nine, rides the Orphan Train to Nebraska and is taken in by Henry and Elizabeth Jansen, who recently lost their young son and unborn daughter. Henry needs Hattie's help with the farm work and in caring for Elizabeth, who is often ill. Hattie hopes she will be treated kindly. For grades 4-7. 1997.

The Face in the Mirror     RC 49754

by Stephanie S. Tolan

read by Arnie Warren

1 cassette

Teenager Jared Kingsley's actress mother sends him to live with his father, a famous director, whom he has never known. His father, stepmother, and obnoxious half brother are performing a play in a reputedly haunted opera house. There Jared discovers his innate acting ability--and a sinister ghost. For grades 5-8. 1998.

Countdown     RC 49755

by Ben Mikaelsen

read by Gary Roan

1 cassette

NASA has selected Elliot as its first junior astronaut. From space he talks by radio with people on Earth, including Vincent, a Maasai youth. Elliot and Vincent argue over their respective beliefs and customs, but finally realize that such differences need not be barriers to friendship. Some violence. For grades 5-8. 1996.

Stockings of Buttermilk: American Folktales     RC 49757

edited by Neil Philip

read by Arnie Warren

1 cassette

Sixteen traditional stories with European origins. In some of the tales, such as "The Cat That Went A-Traveling," animals outsmart humans. In "Lady Featherflight," the daughter of a mean giant tricks him in order to help a young man she later marries. Source notes are provided. For grades 4-7. 1999.

Eloise at Christmastime; Eloise in Moscow     RC 49857

by Kay Thompson

read by Laura Giannarelli

1 cassette

Two complete stories about the mischievous six-year-old who lives at the Plaza Hotel. Eloise enjoys Christmas in her own inimitable way, spreading cheer and giving gifts to the staff. And, when Eloise and Nanny visit Moscow, she is undaunted by language or cultural barriers. For grades 2-4 and older readers. 1958.

The Ghost in the Tokaido Inn      RC 50081

by Dorothy Hoobler and Thomas Hoobler

read by Erik Sandvold

1 cassette

Japan, 1735. While attempting to solve the mystery of a stolen jewel, Seikei, a merchant's fourteen-year-old son who longs to be a samurai, joins a group of Kabuki actors. For grades 6-9. 1999.

Here Comes Heavenly      RC 50218

by Todd Strasser

read by Barbara Pinolini

1 cassette

The Rands' nanny stormed off last night, leaving fourteen-year-old Kit, her brother, two stepsiblings, and a toddler half brother, while both parents were away on business as usual. Now a nanny--with purple hair, tattoos, and piercings--magically appears in their house, makes them breakfast, and begins bossing them around. For grades 6-9. 1999.

Emily's First 100 Days of School      RC 50435

by Rosemary Wells

read by Laura Giannarelli

1 cassette

Starting with the number one for the first day of school, Emily Bunny learns the numbers up to one hundred in many different ways. For grades K-3. 2000.

The Grey King      RC 50442

by Susan Cooper

read by Brian Conn

2 cassettes (Reissue)

While visiting in Wales, Will Stanton is challenged to find a golden harp to rouse the sleepers needed for the battle against the Dark. Sequel to Greenwitch (RC 50257). For grades 4-7 and older readers. Newbery Medal. 1975.

Silver on the Tree      RC 50443

by Susan Cooper

read by Brian Conn

2 cassettes (Reissue)

In this sequel to The Grey King (RC 50442) and last in the series Will Stanton, an immortal dedicated to saving the world, receives a dreadful warning that the Dark is rising in its last and greatest bid for global domination. For grades 4-7 and older readers. 1977.

Anne of Green Gables; Anne of Avonlea; Anne's House of Dreams      RC 50475

by Lucy Maud Montgomery

read by Jill Fox

6 cassettes (Reissue)

An anthology of three complete novels chronicling Anne's passage from eleven-year-old orphan to village schoolteacher to the bride of young doctor Gilbert Blythe, who provides her with the house of her dreams. The first book was originally published in 1908. For grades 5-8 and older readers. 1985.

The Case of the Lion Dance: Chinatown Mystery, Volume 2      RC 50506

by Laurence Yep

read by MaryBeth Wise

1 cassette

In this sequel to The Case of the Goblin Pearls (RC 46951), Lily and her actress great-aunt Tiger Lil are attending the opening of a friend's restaurant when charity funds are stolen. The duo searches for the thief in San Francisco's Chinatown. For grades 4-7. 1998.

The Trouble with Cats      RC 50545

by Martha Freeman

read by Kimberly Schraf

1 cassette

Holly Garland has a new home; a new school; and a new stepfather, William. And she shares a bedroom with four mischievous cats in William's tiny San Francisco apartment. Holly's life is a disaster for a few days, but she soon learns to adjust. For grades 2-4. 2000.

Yang the Eldest and His Odd Jobs      RC 50581

by Lensey Namioka

read by Miranda Daniloff

1 cassette

In this sequel to Yang the Second and Her Secret Admirers (RC 49543), Third Sister and her siblings try to help Eldest Brother, the most talented musician in the Yang family, find work to pay for a new violin. For grades 3-6. 2000.

Tuck Everlasting      RC 50587

by Natalie Babbitt

read by Anne Hancock

1 cassette (Reissue)

Winnie Foster is ten when she meets seventeen-year-old Jesse Tuck in the woods and learns that his family hasn't aged in eighty-seven years since drinking from a secret spring. She is mighty tempted to drink that water too. For grades 4-7. 1975.

My Life as a Fifth-Grade Comedian      RC 50797

by Elizabeth Levy

read by Erik Sandvold

1 cassette

Class clown Bobby is on the verge of being sent to an alternative school because of his disruptive behavior. Recognizing that Bobby needs help channeling his sense of humor, his teacher encourages him to organize a laugh-off contest at school. For grades 4-7. 1997.

The Great Interactive Dream Machine: Another Adventure in Cyberspace      RC 50828

by Richard Peck

read by L.J. Ganser

1 cassette

In this sequel to Lost in Cyberspace (RC 42808), Aaron has designed a computer program that will transport him through time and space, but it has a flaw. If anyone is nearby, the program will send Aaron and Josh where that person dreams of going. For grades 4-7. 1996.

Rain      RC 50870

by Manya Stojic

read by Laura Giannarelli

1 cassette

The soil of the African savanna is dry and beginning to crack. Then the porcupine smells the rain coming, the zebras see it, and the rhino feels it. It rains and rains and rains, making everything lush and green--until it stops, and the land becomes dry and hot again. For preschool-grade 2. 2000.

The Secret of the Old Clock      RC 50914

by Carolyn Keene

read by Kristin Allison

1 cassette (Reissue)

When Nancy Drew witnesses a near-accident on a country road, she becomes involved with a missing will and the theft of some valuable silver pieces. For grades 3-6. 1930.

The Hidden Staircase      RC 50915

by Carolyn Keene

read by Kristin Allison

1 cassette (Reissue)

Nancy Drew visits the family mansion of a close friend to discover the source of untraceable music, thumps, creaking noises, and eerie shadows. For grades 3-6. 1930.

Mary Poppins      RC 50917

by P.L. Travers

read by Anne Flosnik

1 cassette (Reissue)

An extraordinary English woman blows in on the East Wind with her parrot-headed umbrella and magic carpetbag to become the Banks family's new nanny. Mary Poppins introduces her elder charges, Jane and Michael, to some delightful people and experiences. Prequel to Mary Poppins Comes Back (RC 50918). For grades 4-7. 1934.

Mary Poppins Comes Back      RC 50918

by P.L. Travers

read by Anne Flosnik

1 cassette

One out-of-sorts day the Banks children are sent to the park, where Michael flies his kite so high it disappears behind a cloud. Tugging on the line, he winds in Mary Poppins! And her return brings more unusual adventures. Sequel to Mary Poppins (RC 50917). For grades 4-7. 1935.

The Mystery of Mineral Gorge: A Cobtown Story from the Diaries of Lucky Hart      RC 50928

by Julia Van Nutt

read by Kristin Allison

1 cassette

Cobtown, USA; 1845. When eerie shrieking sounds begin emerging from Mineral Gorge, even the brave ten-year-old Lucky Hart is scared. Citizens hold a town meeting and decide to send a search party to investigate the horrible noise. Their discovery brings quite a surprise. For grades K-3. 1999.

Arthur's Camp-Out      RC 50942

by Lillian Hoban

read by Erik Sandvold

1 cassette

Arthur is bored with spring vacation. When his little sister is invited to a camp out in the woods behind their house, Arthur decides to go on an overnight field trip by himself. But it's pretty scary out there! An easy chapter book. For grades K-3. 1993.

Blackwater      RC 50943

by Eve Bunting

read by Erik Sandvold

1 cassette

When Brodie and his cousin Alex go to the river, Brodie finds Pauline--the girl he wants to date--with another guy, Otis. Brodie plays a dumb prank on Pauline, which turns tragic as she and Otis are swept away downriver. But then lying about what happened makes matters worse. For grades 5-8. 1999.

Arthur's Family Treasury: Three Arthur Adventures in One Volume      RC 50951

by Marc Brown

read by Erik Sandvold

1 cassette

The adventures of Arthur the aardvark and his family include Arthur's Birthday, when Arthur solves the problem of having the same birthday as Muffy; Arthur's Family Vacation, when it rains almost all the time; and Arthur's Baby, when a new sister joins the family. For preschool-grade 2. 2000.

Gib and the Gray Ghost      RC 51011

by Zilpha Keatley Snyder

read by Bruce Huntey

1 cassette

In this companion to Gib Rides Home (RC 46233) Gib is leaving the orphanage for the second time to return to the Thornton ranch, where he cares for the horses. During a blizzard a beautiful gray thoroughbred, abused and hungry, finds his way to the stable. For grades 4-7. 2000.

Odder than Ever: Stories      RC 51012

by Bruce Coville

read by Jack Fox

1 cassette

Nine fantasy tales involving aliens, nightmares, and ghosts. "The Golden Sail" and "The Metamorphosis of Justin Jones" were written specifically to be performed with a symphony orchestra. In "Biscuits of Glory," a ghost is forced to make fluffy biscuits every Saturday night. Companion to Oddly Enough (RC 43249). For grades 5-8. 1999.

Off the Rim      RC 51019

by Fred Bowen

read by Jack Fox

1 cassette

Christopher has to warm the bench on his school's basketball team because he can't score. But with the help of Greta, the girl's champion, and her mother, a former star defense player, he learns that teamwork is more important than scoring. For grades 4-7. 1998.

The Final Cut      RC 51029

by Fred Bowen

read by Jack Fox

1 cassette

Eighth-graders Ryan, Zeke, Miles, and Eli have always been friends, but now they're trying out for the school's basketball team. Ryan worries what will happen if they don't all make the cut--and they don't. For grades 4-7. 1999.

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz      RC 51047

by L. Frank Baum

read by Colleen Delany

1 cassette

When a cyclone blows Dorothy and her dog Toto from their Kansas home to the magical Land of Oz, Dorothy meets the Munchkins and witches. With her new companions the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman, and the Cowardly Lion, Dorothy travels to the Emerald City to petition the Wizard. For grades 4-7. 1899.

The Giggler Treatment      RC 51050

by Roddy Doyle

read by Anne Flosnik

1 cassette

The small furry Gigglers' favorite punishment for adults who are unfair to children is to place dog poo in their path. Now the Gigglers are after Mr. Mack and plan to use his family's dog, Rover (who can talk), to supply the poo. But perhaps they are making a mistake. For grades 2-4. 2000.

Marvin Redpost: A Flying Birthday Cake?      RC 51063

by Louis Sachar

read by Rick Rohan

1 cassette

One night Marvin sees what looks like a glowing green birthday cake streaking across the sky. The following Monday an unusual boy named Joe Normal joins Marvin's class at school. The other kids make fun of Joe's odd habits, but Marvin befriends him. For grades 2-4. 1999.

The Mystery of the Purple Pool      RC 51133

by Gertrude Chandler Warner

read by L.J. Ganser

1 cassette

Their grandfather is in New York on a business trip, and the Aldens have come along to do some sightseeing. Instead, they end up investigating mysteries plaguing the hotel--the swimming pool is purple, sugar and salt have switched places in the dining room, and the elevator stops between floors. For grades 3-6. 1994.

Frog and Toad Are Friends      RC 51143

by Arnold Lobel

read by Bob Askey

1 cassette (Reissue)

Five stories about the adventures of two friends, a solemn green frog and a funny brown toad. When Frog is sick in bed looking green, Toad brings him some tea and tells him a story. And when Toad loses his button, Frog helps him find it. For grades K-3. 1970.

The Great Kapok Tree: A Tale of the Amazon Rain Forest      RC 51149

by Lynne Cherry

read by Erik Sandvold

1 cassette

When a man walks into the rain forest and begins to chop down a great kapok tree, all the different animals that live in the tree try to convince him of the importance of sparing their home. For grades K-3 and older readers. 1990.

Owen Foote, Money Man      RC 51158

by Stephanie Greene

read by Erik Sandvold

1 cassette

Eight-year-old Owen needs cash because there is a lot of neat stuff he'd like to buy. But his mother's suggestion of doing chores for a weekly allowance sounds like too much work. Beginning chapter book. Sequel to Owen Foote, Frontiersman (RC 49561). For grades 2-4. 2000.

The Pet Shop Mystery      RC 51169

by Gertrude Chandler Warner

read by L.J. Ganser

1 cassette

When the owner of the Pretty Bird Pet Shop has to take a few days off, she asks the Alden children to help her new employee, Mr. Fowler, take care of the animals. The children soon discover Mr. Fowler is involved in an illegal scheme. For grades 3-6. 1996.

Gathering Blue      RC 51297

by Lois Lowry

read by Michele Schaeffer

1 cassette

When Kira is suddenly orphaned, the neighbors try to expel her because of her lame leg. Kira's talent for embroidery saves her life, but places her under the Council of Guardians, which also controls Thomas, a young woodcarver, and Jo, a little tyke with a wondrous voice. For grades 5-8. 2000.

Foreign Language Books

The following cassette titles are available in the languages designated.

Spanish

Las Grandes Profecías de la Biblia: Treinta y Siete Profecías Cruciales que Nos Afectan Hoy (Major Bible Prophecies: Thirty-seven Crucial Prophecies Affecting Us Today)      RC 50289

por John F. Walvoord

leído por Juan Ramírez

4 cassettes

¿Qué predice la Biblia acerca del fin del mundo? El reconocido experto en profecía bíblica selecciona treinta y siete de las profecías más importantes, y se concentra en explicarlas a la luz de lo que está sucediendo en la actualidad. (What does the Bible predict about the end of the world? A well-known biblical expert presents thirty-seven of the most important prophecies in the Bible, explaining them in light of events taking place in the world toward the end of the twentieth century.) 1995.

To Catch a Star / Alcanzar una Estrella      RC 50414

por Ivette González

leído por various narrators

2 cassettes

Mario Santana se escapó de Cuba para realizar sus sueños. Definitivamente, ser el chófer de Marta Alvarez, una actriz bella, rica y temperamental, no es uno de esos sueños. Pero Mario pronto descubre que hay mucho más con Marta de lo que nadie sospecha. Novela romántica bilingüe en inglés y español. (Mario Santana fled Cuba to seek out a better life. However, working as chauffeur to rich, temperamental actress Marta Alvarez is not exactly his idea of the American dream. But he finds there is more to Marta than he first realized. Bilingual romance. English/Spanish language. 1999.)

Un Día...Tal Vez un Viernes: Una Novela No Muy Seria, pero Eso Sí, Romántica (One Day...Perhaps a Friday: A Novel, Not Very Serious, but Really Romantic)      RC 50711

por Carlos Deupi

leído por Juan Ramírez

2 cassettes

Una novela costumbrista, con un tono lleno de humor y simpatía, que describe las peripecias de la vida cotidiana en los Estados Unidos. El tema culmina cuando el protagonista se reune en el Tango Bar con un antiguo amigo suyo, "el hombre de las mil aventuras," donde recuerdan las aventuras coloridas de su juventud en la Cuba de los años 1950. Lenguaje injurioso y algunas descripciones de índole sexual. (The protagonist observes the humor of daily life at work and afterward as he wends his way to the Tango Bar to reminisce with a friend, the man of a thousand adventures, from his youth in 1950s Cuba. Strong language and some descriptions of sex.) 1991.

Lluvia de Oro (Rain of Gold)      RC 50714

por Víctor Villaseñor

leído por Juan Ramírez

7 cassettes in 2 containers

El autor mexicano-americano narra la historia de tres generaciones de su familia. Los padres del autor vienen de México, pero ahora la familia vive en California. La historia de Villaseñor es la del sueño americano, y de una familia indomable y alimentado por el amor que supera la pobreza y los perjucios en busca del éxito. Contiene descripciones de violencia y lenguaje injurioso. (A real-life saga covering three generations of the author's Mexican American family in California. Portrays a loving and spirited people pursuing the American dream while struggling against poverty and prejudice. Violence and strong language.) 1991.

Now and Always/Para Siempre      RC 50884

por Caridad Scordato

leído por María Pino

3 cassettes

El médico ortopédico Víctor Cienfuegos cree que Carmen González es demasiado joven para servirle como nueva recepcionista. Pero Carmen pronto prueba que sirve muy bien, cuando le presenta a su hermana mayor, Connie, a Víctor. Connie resulta ser un agente del FBI que al sufrir un brazo quebrado recibe tratamiento médico de Víctor, y acaba enamorándose de él. Lenguaje injurioso y descripciones de índole sexual.(Orthopedic surgeon Victor Cienfuegos believes the temporary receptionist sent to his office is too young to be any good. But Carmen Gonzalez quickly proves valuable, especially when her FBI agent sister, Connie, suffers a broken arm and steals Victor's heart. Some explicit descriptions of sex and some strong language. 1999.)

Ricky Martin: Livin' the Crazy Life/Livin' la Vida Loca      RC 50885

por Kristin Sparks

leído por Maria Pino

2 cassettes

Presenta la biografía del popular cantante puertorriqueño, ganador del premio Grammy. Narra la carrera de Ricky como cantante en el joven grupo Menudo, como actor en la telenovela General Hospital y en Broadway, y como caliente cantante solista. Para grados 6 a 9 y lectores mayores. Edición bilingüe en ingés y español. (Biography of the Grammy Award-winning singer from Puerto Rico. Chronicles his career with the boy band Menudo, his acting on the soap opera General Hospital, his stint on Broadway, and his solo debut. For grades 6-9 and older readers. English/Spanish language. 1999.)

Béisbol en los Barrios (Baseball in the Barrio)      RC 50971

por Henry Horenstein

read by leído por Juan Ramírez

1 cassette

Hublado Romero Páez sueña con jugar el béisbol. Es un niño de nueve años que vive en Caracas, Venezuela, y que nos presenta a su familia y amigos--pero sobre todo habla del béisbol, tan popular en su país como en cualquier parte del mundo. Para grados 3 a 6 y lectores mayores. (Hubaldo Romero Páez dreams of playing baseball. The nine-year-old boy, who lives in Caracas, Venezuela, talks about his friends, family, and most of all, baseball, a popular sport in his country. For grades 3-6 and older readers.) 1997.

Sopa de Pollo para el Alma: Relatos que Conmueven el Corazón y Ponen Fuego en el Espíritu (Chicken Soup for the Soul: Stories to Open the Heart and Rekindle the Spirit)      RC 50972

recopilado por Jack Canfield y Mark Victor Hansen

leído por Juan Ramírez

2 cassettes

Presentan relatos, poemas y ejemplos que sirven para animarnos en los momentos más dificiles. Contiene consejos reconfortantes sobre el amor, los niños, la realización de sus sueños, y la superación de obstáculos. Incluye escritos de Bennett Cerf, Art Buchwald, Pablo Casals, y Theodore Roosevelt. (Collection of true stories, poems, and several checklists that readers might use to help them through bad times. The seven sections include love, parenting, living your dream, and overcoming obstacles. They include works by Bennett Cerf, Art Buchwald, Pablo Casals, and Theodore Roosevelt.) 1995.

Morir en la Habana (To Die in Havana)      RC 50973

por Antonio Villa

leído por Juan Ramírez

2 cassettes

Fracasado en su vida personal, un cubano que vive en Nueva York se enreda en una maraña de crimen e intrigas políticas en Cuba. Aquí emprende una odisea de destrucción personal y acaba compartiendo el destino de muchos cubanos bajo el regimen castristra. (After a series of personal failures, a Cuban living in New York is drawn into a web of crime and political intrigue in Cuba. His odyssey of self-destruction leads him to the fate of many of his countrymen under the Castro regime.) 1995.

Sosa: Una Autobiografía (Sosa: An Autobiography)      RC 50974

por Sammy Sosa

leído por Juan Ramírez

2 cassettes

Como jardinero de los Cachorros de Chicago, Sammy Sosa alcanzó fama internacional cuando rompió, con Mark McGwire, la gran marca de jonronear. Ahora, Sosa cuenta su propria historia, su indigente infancia, sus primeros juegos de béisbol, y su ascenso por las ligas menores hasta la descomunal batalla de jonrones en 1998. (Chicago Cubs outfielder Sammy Sosa tells his own story, describing his childhood in the Dominican Republic, his introduction to baseball, his rise through the minor leagues, and the fateful 1998 season. Sosa achieved international fame when he, along with Mark McGwire, broke baseball's long-standing home run record.) 2000.

La Casa en Mango Street (The House on Mango Street)      RC 50975

por Sandra Cisneros

leído por María Pino

1 cassette

Esperanza vive en el barrio puertorriqueño de Chicago. Ella es una muchacha fuera de lo común que observa la vida en un lugar de mucho movimiento donde se habla una mezcla de inglés y español. Esperanza hace frente a la vida contando historias y viñetas acerca de su familia y amigos. La autora también escribió la novela El Arroyo de la Llorona (RC 48077). (These vignettes introduce friends and family of Esperanza, who lives in Chicago's Puerto Rican section. In her transient neighborhood, where people speak a mixture of Spanish and English, the out-of-step Esperanza copes by telling stories. By the author of El Arroyo de la Llorona (RC 48077).) 1994.

Talking Book Magazines

Cassette

For a free subscription to these magazines, contact your cooperating library.

American Heritage (8 issues)

Analog Science Fiction and Fact (11 issues)

Asimov's Science Fiction (11 issues)

The Atlantic Monthly (monthly)

Das Beste aus Reader's Digest (German; 12 issues)

Bon Appétit (monthly)

Buenhogar (Spanish; monthly)

Choice Magazine Listening (on loan from cooperating

libraries, bimonthly)

Consumer Reports (monthly)

Contemporary Sound Track: A Review of Pop, Jazz, Rock, and Country (bimonthly)

Cricket (for children, on one cassette with National

Geographic World, monthly)

Diabetes Forecast (monthly)

Discover (monthly)

Ebony (monthly)

Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine (11 issues)

Foreign Affairs (6 issues)

Good Housekeeping (monthly plus special issues)

Health and Nutrition Newsletters (includes Dr. Andrew

Weil's Self Healing, Healthline, The Johns Hopkins

Medical Letter--Health after Fifty, Mayo Clinic Health Letter, and Nutrition Action Healthletter, monthly)

Journal Français (French; monthly)

Magazine of the Month (monthly)

Money (monthly plus special issues)

The Musical Mainstream (quarterly)

The Nation (47 issues)

National Geographic (monthly)

National Geographic World (for children and teens, on

one cassette with Cricket, monthly)

National Review (25 issues)

New Choices: The Magazine for Your Health, Money & Travel (6 issues)

The New York Times Book Review (weekly)

Outdoor Life (monthly)

People Weekly (weekly plus special issues)

QST (monthly)

Quarterly Music Magazine (quarterly)

Selecciones del Reader's Digest (Spanish; monthly)

Sélections du Reader's Digest (French; monthly)

Smart Computing (monthly)

Spider: The Magazine for Children (monthly)

Sports Illustrated (weekly plus special issues)

Sports Illustrated for Kids (monthly)

Sound & Vision (10 issues)

Talking Book Topics (bimonthly, also contains selections

from NLS News irregularly)

Teen People (10 issues)

Travel Holiday (10 issues)

True West (monthly)

U.S. News and World Report (weekly)

The Writer (12 issues)

Young Adult Magazine of the Month (monthly)


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Posted on 2006-02-24