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NLS: Talking Book Topics

November-December 2002

Contents

In Brief

Publications Survey

Patrons will soon be able to select and order NLS catalogs that will be issued in 2003 and 2004. A large-print order form will be mailed to individuals who subscribe to Talking Book Topics. The form will provide an opportunity to choose upcoming publications such as Cassette Books 2003, Cassette Books 2004, and Braille Books 2001-2002, which will be sent directly to patrons when they are produced.

Information for Travelers

A new reference circular, Information for Travelers with Physical or Visual Disabilities (2002) has been produced and is available in large print and online at <www.loc.gov/nls/reference/ circulars/travelers.html>.

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 Serpent's Tongue: Prose, Poetry, and Art of the New Mexico Pueblos      RC 45970
edited by Nancy Wood

read by Bill Wallace

2 cassettes

Anthology of folktales, poems, memoirs, and historical pieces chronicling five hundred years of Pueblo Indian culture. The authors range from conquistadores to anthropologists to the Native Americans themselves. For junior and senior high and older readers. 1997.

The Fearless Flier's Handbook: Learning to Beat the Fear of Flying with the Experts from the Qantas Clinic      RC 50440
by Debbie Seaman

read by Candy Shannon

2 cassettes

A 1994 graduate of the Australian Fearless Flying clinic interviews aviation experts and fellow alumni to provide tips on overcoming anxiety during flights. Topics include bad weather, jet maintenance, and air traffic control. Explains how huge planes manage to stay up in the air. 1998.

William M. Kunstler: The Most Hated Lawyer in America      RC 50561
by David J. Langum

read by Don Feldheim

4 cassettes

Biography of the controversial radical lawyer who took on cases that no one else wanted. Among those he defended were Black Panthers, Vietnam War protesters, the Attica prison insurgents, and American Indian Movement members, as well as mobsters. Analyzes Kunstler's major trials and looks at his exuberant personal life. 1999.

Ray Charles: Man and Music      RC 50564
by Michael Lydon

read by Lindsay Ellison

4 cassettes

Traces Charles's life from his youth in Greenville, Florida. Recalls his vision loss in early childhood, his years at the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind, his mother's death, and his rise to fame as a musician, performer, and businessman. Describes his lifelong friendships with Quincy Jones, David Newman, and Leroy Cooper. 1998.

Tupperware: The Promise of Plastic in 1950s America      RC 50566
by Alison J. Clarke

read by Jeremy Gage

2 cassettes

A cultural history of Tupperware that "explores the processes by which objects of mass consumption are appropriated as meaningful artifacts of everyday life...and why some objects come to matter more than others do." Discusses the designs of inventor Earl Tupper and the Tupperware home parties concept developed by Brownie Wise. 1999.

All the President's Men      RC 50574
by Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward

read by Dan Bloom

3 cassettes (Reissue)

Two Pulitzer Prize-winning Washington Post reporters chronicle their investigation of the Watergate scandal, which began as a burglary of the Democratic National Committee Headquarters on June 17, 1972. They explain the events that precipitated their first suspicions and led them to ascertain the truth. Some strong language. Bestseller 1974.

Chasing Monarchs: Migrating with the Butterflies of Passage      RC 50575
by Robert Michael Pyle

read by Dan Bloom

3 cassettes

The author recounts tracking the annual monarch butterfly migration from British Columbia to Mexico. He describes their behavior during this mass movement in an anecdotal natural history journal, while trailing them the length of North America. Contains scientific facts, humorous reminiscences, and vivid observations of his trip. 1999.

Tha Doggfather: The Times, Trials, and Hardcore Truths of Snoop Dogg      RC 50580
by Snoop Dogg

read by Don Feldheim

2 cassettes

Autobiography by rap star Snoop Dogg, describing his youth in a Los Angeles ghetto and his strong belief in God. Recounts his success in the music field during the early 1990s, the murder of his friend Tupac Shakur, and his own trouble with the law. Strong language and some violence. 1999.

Days of Infamy: Military Blunders of the Twentieth Century      RC 50582
by Michael Coffey

read by Len Mailloux

2 cassettes

In this companion to the History Channel's television series, incidents of military and political blundering are analyzed along with their consequences. Includes the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, whose driver had gotten lost in Sarajevo; the 1944 plot to kill Adolf Hitler; the 1968 Vietnamese Tet Offensive; and the Bay of Pigs. 1999.

The Emperors of Chocolate: Inside the Secret World of Hershey and Mars      RC 50762
by Joël Glenn Brenner

read by Conrad Feininger

3 cassettes

Behind-the-scenes examination of two rivals in the secretive chocolate industry. History of the business empires and the dictators who built them: Forrest Mars Sr. and Milton Hershey. Discusses the production of chocolate, its financial market, and social customs associated with it. 1999.

Coming Up Roses: The Broadway Musical in the 1950s      RC 50764
by Ethan Mordden

read by Ray Hagen

2 cassettes

Discusses how the musical theater of the 1950s was revolutionized by the development of the long-playing record, which enabled the quick production of original-cast recordings. Musical comedies dominated the era with shows such as Guys and Dolls, The Music Man, and Can-Can. 1998.

The Renaissance: A Short History      RC 51256
by Paul Johnson

read by Miriam Wagner

2 cassettes

A brief survey of the Renaissance, including the historic and economic background of the period; its art, literature, and architecture; and its eventual decline. 2000.

Muhammad Ali: The World's Champion      RC 51330
by John Tessitore

read by Chuck Young

1 cassette

Biography of the champion boxer, tracing his childhood, athletic career, religious conversion, and charitable activities. Born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr., Ali rose to fame by winning a gold medal in the 1960 Olympics, but later was criticized for his refusal to serve in Vietnam. For junior and senior high readers. 1998.

Seeing through Places: Reflections on Geography and Identity      RC 51346
by Mary Gordon

read by Susan McInerney

2 cassettes

Eight autobiographical pieces contemplating some of the places the author has lived and their influence on her emotional and physical well-being. Gordon explores her childhood reactions to being a visitor in her grandmother's house and then moving in to stay; she also describes her favorite residence, on Cape Cod. 2000.

License to Steal: The Secret World of Wall Street and the Systematic Plundering of the American Investor      RC 51500
by Anonymous and Timothy Harper

read by John Lescault

2 cassettes

An inside view of Wall Street investment firms of the 1990s, illustrating how brokers often mislead their clients and abuse their trust. Using the device of a fictitious salesman, Burtelsohn, the authors suggest that portfolio managers are motivated solely to earn profits for themselves, rather than investors. 1999.

TulipoMania: The Story of the World's Most Coveted Flower and the Extraordinary Passions It Aroused      RC 51515
by Mike Dash

read by Corrie James

2 cassettes

Natural and economic history of the tulip, from its origins in Central Asia to its phenomenal popularity in seventeenth-century Europe. Examines the craze for tulip bulbs in the Netherlands in the 1630s--when a rare bulb fetched a higher price than a masterpiece by Rembrandt--and the repercussions when the futures market crashed. 1999.

June 8, 2004: Venus in Transit      RC 51527
by Eli Maor

read by Mark Ashby

1 cassette

In anticipation of the 2004 passage of Venus across the sun--among the rarest of astronomical events--mathematician Maor records the history of the five previously observed transits of Venus, as the phenomenon is technically called, in 1639, 1761, 1769, 1874, and 1882. 2000.

Marian Anderson: A Singer's Journey      RC 51536
by Allan Keiler

read by John Hammock

5 cassettes

Biography of the African American contralto who began singing as a child in Philadelphia. Anderson toured in America before sojourning in Europe during 1928 for more opportunities. She became renowned for her 1939 Easter concert at the Lincoln Memorial after being denied Constitution Hall by the Daughters of the American Revolution. 2000.

Tyrannosaurus Sue: The Extraordinary Saga of the Largest, Most Fought Over T. rex Ever Found      RC 51544
by Steve Fiffer

read by Gary Telles

2 cassettes

A lawyer/journalist recounts the 1990 discovery by Sue Hendrickson of the 90-percent-complete T. rex specimen and the subsequent battle for possession by multiple claimants. Explores the scientific and legal aspects of the case that culminated in a 1997 auction at Sotheby's in which Chicago's Field Museum offered the winning bid. 2000.

Down Syndrome      RC 51596
by Salvatore Tocci

read by Jacinda Bronaugh

1 cassette

Facts versus misconceptions about Down syndrome. Chapters focus on successive stages in the lives of people with this condition, from infancy through adulthood; family relationships; and future prospects based on genetic research. For junior and senior high readers. 2000.

In Search of the Golden Frog      RC 51745
by Marty Crump

read by Nanette Savard

3 cassettes

A field biologist chronicles three decades of her life spent researching reptiles and amphibians in South and Central America. Discusses the natural history, population decline, and reproduction systems of several species--especially the golden toad of Costa Rica. Documents the region's diverse landscapes, traditions, and culture. 2000.

Bobos in Paradise: The New Upper Class and How They Got There      RC 51755
by David Brooks

read by Michael Scherer

2 cassettes

The author's view of a late-twentieth-century American elite, a highly educated meritocracy that incorporates bohemian and bourgeois elements of popular culture from the 1960s and 1980s. These "bobos" often demand a high income and, at the same time, pursue free-spirited ideals, seeking both material and spiritual fulfillment. Bestseller 2000.

Buddha      RC 51841
by Karen Armstrong

read by Jennifer Mendenhall

2 cassettes

A biographical study of the revered religious leader, traditionally thought to have died in India in 483 B.C. Traces the main events of his life, from his renunciation of family through his quest for enlightenment, as evidenced in his teachings. Examines his philosophy for its message to humanity. Bestseller 2001.

Squandering Aimlessly: My Adventures in the American Marketplace      RC 51842
by David Brancaccio

read by Gary Telles

3 cassettes

The host of Marketplace--Public Radio International's business news hour--provides insights into common concerns about money. Explores various ways people say they would handle an unexpected financial windfall; examples include real estate investment, a shopping spree, and casino gambling. Also presents advice on coping with the social impacts of sudden wealth. 2000.

How to Be Born Again      RC 51855
by Billy Graham

read by Don Nelson

2 cassettes (Reissue)

Veteran Christian evangelist explains the phrase "born again" as a biblical message that dates back two thousand years. Outlines the steps that can lead to a personal and religious turnabout. 1977.

Shackleton's Forgotten Men: The Untold Tragedy of the Endurance Epic      RC 51969
by Lennard Bickel

read by Anne Flosnik

2 cassettes

In 1915 Shackleton's expedition was marooned in ice on one side of Antarctica. Meanwhile, on the other side a small team of men and dogs persevered to supply food depots for Shackleton's expected transcontinental crossing. Relates the attendant tragedies of the 2,000-mile sledge journey to fulfill an obligation of honor. 2000.

True Summit: What Really Happened on the Legendary Ascent of Annapurna      RC 51971
by David Roberts

read by Ted Stoddard

2 cassettes

Relying on differing accounts of the climbers, Roberts chronicles the 1950 ascent by Herzog, Lachenal, Rebuffat, and others to the summit of Annapurna, the world's tenth highest mountain. Asserts that the team was equally responsible for the success, though only Herzog received accolades for the great French mountaineering venture. 2000.

Red Grange and the Rise of Modern Football      RC 51972
by John M. Carroll

read by Michael Consoli

2 cassettes

Highlights the career and influence of football's first superstar, Red Grange (1903-1991), beginning with the famous 1924 Illinois-Michigan collegiate game. Grange, the first player to have an agent when he signed with George Halas's Chicago Bears, continued to promote the sport as a broadcaster and coach after his playing days. 1999.

The Alex Studies: Cognitive and Communicative Abilities of Grey Parrots      RC 51983
by Irene Maxine Pepperberg

read by Colleen Delany

5 cassettes

After twenty years spent researching large-brained, highly social parrots, a science professor concludes that a male African Grey named Alex has a vocabulary of about 100 words; has learned to identify objects, categorize, and employ terms of reference; and has mastered such concepts as absence and relative size. 1999.

Collected Poems in English      RC 51984
by Joseph Brodsky

read by Steven Carpenter

3 cassettes

A collection of all the poems by Brodsky (1940-1996) that appeared in book form in English during his lifetime. Includes mainly translations but also poems composed in English by the Russian-born Nobel Prize winner who served as Poet Laureate of the United States in 1991 and 1992. 2000.

The New Lifetime Legal Guide      RC 52091
by Steven Mitchell Sack

read by Butch Hoover

4 cassettes

Sack--a practicing attorney, author, and lecturer--addresses the legal needs of a typical family by offering "a lawyer's wisdom and experience . . . whatever your concern or problem." He presents hundreds of strategies for dealing with issues such as abuse, civil rights, consumer transactions, employment, cohabitation, and wills. 1998.

Absolute Power: The Legacy of Corruption in the Clinton-Reno Justice Department      RC 52167
by David Limbaugh

read by Gregory Gorton

2 cassettes

A polemical account of the Justice Department under President Bill Clinton. In support of his charges of bias and corruption against Clinton-appointed attorney general Janet Reno, Limbaugh introduces evidence from the Waco disaster, the White House travel agency scandal, the Elian Gonzalez case, and the tobacco company prosecutions. Bestseller 2001.

The Book of Psalms      RC 52186

read by Ted Stoddard

1 cassette

Complete and unabridged collection of the 150 psalms from the King James version of the Bible. 1993.

Liberators: Latin America's Struggle for Independence, 1810-1830      RC 52315
by Robert Harvey

read by Peter Gil

5 cassettes

Describes early nineteenth-century struggles to achieve independence from Spain and Portugal in South America. Portrays the life and times of seven "liberators," including Simón Bolívar, Bernardo O'Higgins, José de San Martín, Emperor Pedro I, Augustín de Itúrbide, Francisco de Miranda, and Admiral Lord Cochrane. Assesses their continuing legacies. 2000.

The Broadview Anthology of Victorian Poetry and Poetic Theory      RC 52409

read by George Holmes

8 cassettes in 2 containers

Large selection of poems from major nineteenth-century English poets, including women; representative pieces from lesser-known poets; and essays on poetic theory. Among those presented, in roughly chronological order, are Hemans, Landon, the Brownings, Tennyson, Lear, Brontë, Arnold, the Rossettis, Swinburne, Hardy, Hopkins, Field, Meynell, Wilde, Kipling, Johnson, and Mew. 2000.

Jazz: A History of America's Music      RC 52433
by Geoffrey C. Ward

read by Peter Jay Fernandez

5 cassettes

In this companion to Ken Burns's ten-part PBS documentary, Ward discusses the history of jazz in the context of twentieth-century American history. His stories of the men and women who created this American art form include such greats as Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman, Dave Brubeck, and Ella Fitzgerald. 2000.

Einstein in Love: A Scientific Romance      RC 52487
by Dennis Overbye

read by Fred Major

4 cassettes

A biographical portrait of the Nobel Prize-winning physicist, focusing on his productive, youthful years in the first two decades of the 1900s. Provides a detailed treatment of Einstein's romantic and family affairs while discussing his scientific theories. Based on correspondence and documents that became available in the 1990s. 2000.

Comfort Me with Apples: More Adventures at the Table      RC 52508
by Ruth Reichl

read by Madelyn Buzzard

2 cassettes

Reichl discusses her decision to become a restaurant critic and the events that followed. She recounts the near disaster of her first on-the-job dinner, meetings with renowned food writers, world travels, an affair with a famous editor, and two marriages. Includes recipes. Sequel to Tender at the Bone RC 46069). Bestseller 2001.

The Greatest Threat: Iraq, Weapons of Mass Destruction, and the Crisis of Global Security      RC 52515
by Richard Butler

read by David Myers

2 cassettes

Former director of a United Nations commission established after the Gulf War to prevent Iraq from creating arsenals of mass destruction argues that nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons threaten civilization. Butler also details the commission's failed efforts to stop Saddam Hussein's military development. 2000.

Hormone Deception: How Everyday Foods and Products Are Disrupting Your Hormones--and How to Protect Yourself and Your Family      RC 52520
by D. Lindsey Berkson

read by Erin Jones

3 cassettes

Practical advice on avoiding exposure to man-made, hormone-disrupting chemicals and on self-detoxification. Discusses selecting the safest foods and products; safeguarding the home, room by room; and protecting children's health and intelligence. 2000.

The Pushcart Prize XXV: Best of the Small Presses, 2001      RC 52528
edited by Bill Henderson

read by Fred Major

4 cassettes

This twenty-fifth anniversary edition collects seventy-four works from fifty-four literary presses. Contains a broad selection of poetry, an essay by Nobel laureate Seamus Heaney, and stories by Kathleen Hill, Bonnie Jo Campbell, Joyce Carol Oates, and Eudora Welty. Strong language and some descriptions of sex. 2001.

The Arrogance of Power: The Secret World of Richard Nixon      RC 52529
by Anthony Summers

read by Richard Hauenstein

6 cassettes

Scathing study of the thirty-seventh U.S. president based on interviews with his psychiatrist and contemporaries. Suggests that Nixon's flawed character, love of intrigue, and money led to criminal behavior that began in California and continued through Watergate. Strong language. 2000.

A Brief History of the Future: From Radio Days to Internet Years in a Lifetime      RC 52531
by John Naughton

read by Randy Davidson

3 cassettes

Traces the history, growth, and development of the Internet from the massive computers of the 1930s and 1940s to the high-tech, high-speed machines of the 1990s. Honors its heroes and reviews their achievements in developing the World Wide Web, crediting the U.S. Defense Department with creating the first electronic networks. 2000.

Mayo Clinic Heart Book: The Ultimate Guide to Heart Health      RC 52570

read by Kerry Cundiff

4 cassettes

Guide to the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of various types of cardiovascular disease. Describes the human heart, its function, and potential problems. Offers suggestions for dealing with the risks of coronary artery disease and recognizing its symptoms. Includes information on medications and tests, rehabilitation, and emergency care. 2000.

Losing the Race: Self-Sabotage in Black America      RC 52632
by John H. McWhorter

read by Bob Moore

3 cassettes

African American professor rejects the idea that white racism is the main obstacle to success. Outlines the three beliefs he says prevent black achievement: victimology, separatism, and anti-intellectualism. Also discusses affirmative action, ebonics, and suggestions for the future. Some strong language. 2000.

The Mystery of Capital: Why Capitalism Triumphs in the West and Fails Everywhere Else      RC 52633
by Hernando de Soto

read by Michael Consoli

2 cassettes

The author explains capitalism's failure in developing countries and offers a practical plan for transforming weak economies. Observing that citizens of these nations often lack registered titles to their property, he argues that governments must establish legally integrated systems of ownership and markets to convert work and savings to capital and reward individual enterprise. 2000.

Rejuvenate! (It's Never Too Late)      RC 52657
by Eartha Kitt

read by Yolande Bavan

1 cassette

Award-winning performer shares tips that have helped her maintain a vital mind and body. Recalling incidents from her seventy-four years of varied and vigorous experiences, Kitt discusses the benefits of deep breathing, exercise, sensible eating habits, and avoiding materialistic clutter. Bestseller 2001.

Mary Wollstonecraft: A Revolutionary Life      RC 52729
by Janet Todd

read by Patricia Kilgarriff

5 cassettes

A biography of the spirited eighteenth-century English writer and feminist. Discusses the origins of her strong-willed, independent thinking, the writings it engendered, and the scandals of her unconventional behavior. Places her published writings in historical context and examines her intellectual legacy. 2000.

Joan of Arc: Her Story      RC 52731
by Régine Pernoud and Marie Véronique Clin

read by Suzanne Toren

4 cassettes

The historically documented life of the unschooled young French woman Joan of Arc (1412-1431), who led military troops to victory while still a teenager. Includes details of her imprisonment and execution for heresy at nineteen and the nullification trial decades after her death that reversed the earlier decision. 1986.

Freedom's Daughters: The Unsung Heroines of the Civil Rights Movement from 1830 to 1970      RC 52736
by Lynne Olson

read by Gail Nelson

4 cassettes

A journalist highlights women's contributions to the struggle for civil rights in the United States. Beginning with the antislavery movements of the South, through the Civil Rights era, to contemporary feminist issues, Olson describes the works of both black and white women who fought for freedom and equality. 2001.

You Will Dream New Dreams: Inspiring Personal Stories by Parents of Children with Disabilities      RC 52795
edited by Stanley D. Klein and Kim Schive

read by Kerry Cundiff

2 cassettes

More than sixty essays by parents who are raising physically or mentally handicapped children. Includes advice, anecdotes, and words of wisdom. Lists state and national resource centers. Introduction by former U.S. attorney general Dick Thornburgh. 2001.

An All-Consuming Century: Why Commercialism Won in Modern America      RC 52804
by Gary Cross

read by John Richardson

3 cassettes

Traces the development and triumph of American consumerism in the twentieth century. Focuses on the introduction of Ford's "Model T" cars, the impact of amusement parks, the advent of department stores, radio and promotion of domesticity, and altered consumption patterns on the fast-food model. Argues that commercialism will continue to shape the nation's culture. 2000.

Double Fold: Libraries and the Assault on Paper      RC 52808
by Nicholson Baker

read by Fred Major

3 cassettes

Novelist and library activist Baker opposes the library practice of microfilming and then discarding old printed materials. He argues against the purported brittle-paper crisis and pleads for retaining old books and newspapers to be perused in their original format. 2001.

The Signers of the Declaration of Independence      RC 52815
by Robert G. Ferris and Richard E. Morris

read by Randy Atcher

2 cassettes

Brief biographies of each of the fifty-six patriots who signed the American Declaration of Independence and were subsequently branded as traitors to the English crown. Includes text, summary, and historical background of the 1776 document. 1973.

How to Expand and Upgrade PCs      RC 52822
by Preston Gralla

read by Richard Hauenstein

2 cassettes

Explains how and why to change a personal computer's hardware to increase its speed, memory, or hard-drive capacity. Teaches how to add digital cameras, printers, scanners, cable modems, drives, and other technology. Lists needed tools. 2001.

The Best American Science Writing, 2000      RC 52825
edited by James Gleick

read by Tom Burch

3 cassettes

Nineteen articles ranging across topics in cutting-edge scientific inquiry from astronomy and cognition to visual perception, evolutionary theory, and the study of ants. Opens with "When Doctors Make Mistakes" by Atul Gawande, explaining the complexity of a heart-wrenching problem. Other contributors include Douglas R. Hofstadter, Oliver Sacks, and Stephen Jay Gould. 2000.

A History of the Wife      RC 52826
by Marilyn Yalom

read by Kerry Cundiff

3 cassettes

Stanford University cultural scholar presents the evolution of European and American women's experience of marriage. Examines the Judeo-Christian marital tradition and the changing role of the wife from biblical times to the twenty-first century. Discusses the impact of the depression era and World War II on the institution. 2001.

Credit Card Nation: The Consequences of America's Addiction to Credit      RC 52827
by Robert D. Manning

read by Butch Hoover

4 cassettes

Robert Manning, an economist and sociologist, examines the damaging social, economic, and political consequences of America's increasing dependence on credit cards and its culture of debt. Using personal interviews, he focuses on the nation's attitudes toward investments. He argues that reliance on loans will lead to financial ruin, hardship, and moral decadence. 2000.

The Invisible Heart: Economics and Family Values      RC 52832
by Nancy Folbre

read by Carol Dines

2 cassettes

An economist examines the provision of care for children and elderly and disabled people in a competitive market society. Folbre observes that with many women working outside the home, the personal care system evolved in an earlier era has been eroded. She proposes measures for balancing economic self-interest and social welfare. 2001.

Beer and Circus: How Big-Time College Sports Is Crippling Undergraduate Education      RC 52838
by Murray Sperber

read by Bruce Huntey

3 cassettes

Chronicles the development of the American university system, the undergraduate subculture, and sports programs within higher education. Argues that greater prominence in athletics means less money spent on academic concerns. Describes corporate sponsorship conflicts and how enrollment often soars following a school's appearance on national television. 2000.

The Two-Ocean War: A Short History of the United States Navy in the Second World War      RC 52841
by Samuel Eliot Morison

read by Lou Harpenau

4 cassettes

Describes the major sea battles and campaigns of World War II, beginning with the unexpected attack on Pearl Harbor and the subsequent struggle in the Pacific. Traces naval operations in the Mediterranean and the Atlantic, including U-boat attacks on the eastern seaboard of the United States. 1963.

Sundays Down South: A Pastor's Stories      RC 52845
by James O. Chatham

read by Randy Atcher

2 cassettes

A Presbyterian Church pastor presents a collection of stories from parishes in Virginia, Mississippi, North Carolina, and Kentucky that portray the culture and values of the South. Addressing daily life, these accounts depict heroism and tragedy, ingenuity and vanity. Some descriptions of sex, some violence, and some strong language. 1999.

Rattling the Cage: Toward Legal Rights for Animals      RC 52849
by Steven M. Wise

read by Tom Burch

3 cassettes

Argues strongly that the best way to end cruelty to animals in the name of laboratory research would be to extend their rights under the law. Reviews legal treatment of nonhumans since ancient times, examines scientific evidence of similarities between apes and people, and proposes "personhood" status for chimpanzees. 2000.

The Korean War, 1950-53      RC 52853
by Brian Catchpole

read by Lou Harpenau

3 cassettes

History of the Korean War--the first war waged by the United Nations--written from a British perspective. Describes the air, sea, and land battles; the conditions of the prisoners of war; propaganda and public opinion; the contributions of the Commonwealth nations; the armistice; and results of the conflict. 2000.

The Sacred Willow: Four Generations in the Life of a Vietnamese Family      RC 52856
by Duong Van Mai Elliott

read by Jill Fox

4 cassettes

Elliott offers a portrait of the Duong clan of northern Vietnam, from their service as high-ranking mandarins in the imperial court to their dispersal as boat people at the end of the Vietnam War. She discusses social, cultural, and political events that affected her extended family over four generations. 1999.

Swing It! The Andrews Sisters Story      RC 52861
by John Sforza

read by Sharon Murray

3 cassettes

Chronicles the career of the Andrews Sisters from Minneapolis--Patty, Maxene, and LaVerne--who epitomize the big-band era of the 1940s. The versatile trio sang together for three decades, recorded more than six hundred songs, and made seventeen movies despite their sibling squabbles. Includes a discography and a filmography. 2000.

Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing      RC 52863
by Ted Conover

read by Tom Burch

3 cassettes

A journalist's account of one year spent as a corrections officer in New York State. Conover's fascination with prisons led him to become a guard. He describes his training and his year on the job, with its moments of horror and grace. Includes a brief history of Sing Sing. Strong language and some violence. 2000.

The Power of Gold: The History of an Obsession      RC 52864
by Peter L. Bernstein

read by Gary Tipton

3 cassettes

A social and cultural analysis of gold's two main interdependent functions as adornment and money. Begins with the magical and religious attributes of gold and proceeds to the historical transformation of gold into money. Recounts tales of men obsessed with this precious metal and shows how it has shaped human destiny. 2000.

The Guide to Living with HIV Infection: Developed at the Johns Hopkins AIDS Clinic      RC 52878
by John G. Bartlett and Ann K. Finkbeiner

read by John Polk

4 cassettes

A definitive guide for patients and their families in dealing with HIV infection. Offers practical medical, emotional, and financial advice as well as social and legal guidance. Includes information on available research, drugs, and tests. 2001.

The Road to Wealth: A Comprehensive Guide to Your Money; Everything You Need to Know in Good and Bad Times      RC 52889
by Suze Orman

read by Martha Harmon Pardee

5 cassettes

Orman states that everyone should create a strong financial foundation and that "money is not stagnant; it is ever-changing. It means different things...at different points in our lives." She discusses debt management, home ownership, insurance, college funds, retirement planning, stocks and bonds, and wills and trusts. Bestseller 2001.

Justice: Crimes, Trials, and Punishments      RC 52897
by Dominick Dunne

read by Rick Foucheux

3 cassettes

Articles originally published in Vanity Fair about the celebrity trials the author covered. He describes the cases of his daughter's murderer, John Sweeney; O.J. Simpson; the Menendez brothers; and Claus von Bülow. Highlights failings of the legal system, concluding that the rich are tried differently. Strong language. Bestseller 2001.

Vikings: The North Atlantic Saga      RC 52941
edited by William W. Fitzhugh and Elisabeth I. Ward

read by Catherine Byers

5 cassettes

In celebration of the 1,000-year anniversary of the arrival of the Vikings in North America, the Smithsonian Institution provides a history of these explorers, emphasizing their territorial expansionist aims. Uses information from manuscripts and oral tradition and data from archaeological sites and natural science. Preface by Hillary Rodham Clinton. 2000.

China's Imperial Past: An Introduction to Chinese History and Culture      RC 52942
by Charles O. Hucker

read by Peter Johnson

4 cassettes

A history of China from the earliest civilization to 1850. Describes the society, government, philosophy, literature, and art under the different dynasties. 1975.

The Columbia Guide to Modern Chinese History      RC 52943
by R. Keith Schoppa

read by Ralph Lowenstein

4 cassettes

A history of China from 1780 to 2000, outlining its transition from a traditional society to a world power. Includes the consequences of Western imperialism, early twentieth-century cultural upheavals, continuing social transformation, and economic disasters. 2000.

Notes from the Hyena's Belly: An Ethiopian Boyhood      RC 52944
by Nega Mezlekia

read by Ken Kliban

2 cassettes

The author relates stories and myths from his youth in Jigiga, Ethiopia. Mezlekia recalls that, as the nation's feudalism gave way to Marxism, he found himself in a revolutionary student cell and later became a teenage guerrilla. He survived imprisonment, famine, turmoil, and near execution by a firing squad. Governor General's Award. 2000.

Fragments: The Collected Wisdom of Heraclitus      RC 52946
by Heraclitus of Ephesus

read by Ken Kliban

1 cassette

Free verse translation by poet Brooks Haxton of the surviving sayings and thoughts of the ancient Greek philosopher Heraclitus of Ephesus. One familiar fragment as rendered by Haxton reads: "The river/ where you set/ your foot just now/ is gone--/ those waters/ giving way to this,/ now this." 2001.

Prime Time: The African American Woman's Complete Guide to Midlife Health and Wellness      RC 52954
by Marilyn Hughes Gaston and Gayle K. Porter

read by Annie Wauters

4 cassettes

A physician and a clinical psychologist give advice on dealing with medical problems that commonly afflict African American women in middle age, including heart disease, stroke, cancer, and diabetes. They also discuss psychological issues such as stress, depression, and negative attitudes that can affect one's health. 2001.

The Change before the Change: Everything You Need to Know to Stay Healthy in the Decade before Menopause      RC 52957
by Laura E. Corio and Linda G. Kahn

read by Mary Kane

3 cassettes

A physician explains the physical changes that occur in women prior to menopause during the period called "perimenopause." Details symptoms, body functions, and treatments--including medical and herbal--that are available and may help women make a comfortable transition to their next stage of life. 2000.

American Chica: Two Worlds, One Childhood      RC 52964
by Marie Arana

read by MaryBeth Wise

2 cassettes

Editor of the Washington Post Book World recounts her bicultural upbringing in South America in the 1950s as the daughter of a Peruvian engineer married to a blonde American musician. She reminisces about coming to terms with her dual heritage. 2001.

Women Sailors and Sailors' Women: An Untold Maritime History      RC 52969
by David Cordingly

read by Corrie James

3 cassettes

A maritime scholar's account, structured in the form of a voyage, of women in British and American seafaring life during the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. He discusses women's roles in port, on shipboard, and in lighthouse keeping. Some descriptions of sex. 2001.

The Ape and the Sushi Master: Cultural Reflections by a Primatologist      RC 52970
by Frans de Waal

read by Ted Stoddard

3 cassettes

A primate-behavior expert argues that human culture is not unique but merely more advanced than cultures found in other species. Drawing on his years of research, de Waal proposes that apes exercise learned, as opposed to instinctual, patterns of behavior. Also explores human attitudes toward animals. 2001.

Heavier than Heaven: A Biography of Kurt Cobain      RC 53015
by Charles R. Cross

read by Robert O'Keefe

3 cassettes

Music journalist draws on interviews and diaries to trace the life and untimely death of the Seattle musician. Investigates Cobain's unhappy teen years, success with his band Nirvana, heroin addiction, marriage to fellow rocker Courtney Love, and 1994 suicide at age twenty-seven. Strong language, some descriptions of sex, and some violence. Bestseller 2001.

The Dance of Connection: How to Talk to Someone When You're Mad, Hurt, Scared, Frustrated, Insulted, Betrayed, or Desperate      RC 53023
by Harriet Lerner

read by Carol Dines

2 cassettes

Psychologist and author of The Dance of Anger RC 27934) and other popular titles explains how to communicate with loved ones. Uses anecdotes from her own and her patients' lives to illustrate how to change one's behavior. 2001.

Swimming past 50      RC 53029
by Mel Goldstein and Dave Tanner

read by Kerry Cundiff

2 cassettes

Tips and techniques for the older swimmer. Includes training programs and the basics of the sport as well as information about the aging process. Offers sample workouts and advice on the prevention of injuries. 1999.

A Passion to Win      RC 53031
by Sumner Redstone

read by Jack Fox

2 cassettes

Media magnate Redstone describes his career--begun in his father's drive-in movie business--including his acquisitions of Blockbuster, CBS, Paramount, Simon and Schuster, and Viacom. He intersperses his account with discussions of his childhood, years at Harvard, and military service as a cryptanalyst. Some strong language. Bestseller 2001.

Germs: Biological Weapons and America's Secret War      RC 53041
by Judith Miller and others

read by Butch Hoover

3 cassettes

Three journalists from the New York Times discuss germ warfare and the real and rising threat it poses to the United States. They examine scientific advances in bio-weapons and the expertise now available in Iran, Iraq, and North Korea. They use biographical and historical examples to clarify the issue. Bestseller 2001.

Jack: Straight from the Gut      RC 53044
by Jack Welch

read by Jack Fox

3 cassettes

Autobiography by the CEO of General Electric for almost twenty years describes his life and his moves up the company ladder. Explains his management system, which led to his company's phenomenal stock growth. Bestseller 2001.

Fire      RC 53047
by Sebastian Junger

read by Brian Conn

2 cassettes

Magazine articles that the author of The Perfect Storm RC 44751) wrote between 1992 and 2001 about "people confronting situations that could easily destroy them." Includes a deadly Colorado forest fire in 1994, Kosovo in 1998, and Afghanistan in 2001. Some violence and some strong language. Bestseller 2001.

Call Me Crazy      RC 53048
by Anne Heche

read by Carol Dines

2 cassettes

Memoir of thirty-one-year-old celebrity actress. Covers her abused childhood, therapy sessions, career, and success. Describes her lesbian affair with comedienne Ellen DeGeneres and her bout of insanity. Some descriptions of sex and some strong language. 2001.

Strong Women Eat Well: Nutritional Strategies for a Healthy Body and Mind      RC 53052
by Miriam E. Nelson

read by Patricia McDermott

2 cassettes

Discusses nutrition and its scientific basis--including the national guidelines presented in the Food Guide Pyramid. Promotes consumption of water, whole grains, and fresh fruits and vegetables. Explains how to read labels on packaged foods. Contains fifty healthy and easy-to-prepare recipes. Companion to Strong Women, Strong Bones RC 51016). 2001.

Maimonides Reader      RC 53060
by Moses Maimonides

read by Robert Blumenfeld

4 cassettes

Major texts by the medieval Jewish philosopher, physician, and rabbi Maimonides (1135-1204), born Moses ben Maimon in Islamic Spain. Includes selections from the Mishneh Torah, the Guide of the Perplexed, the Book of Commandments, letters, and other writings. Introduction and commentary by Isadore Twersky. 1972.

Natasha: The Biography of Natalie Wood      RC 53065
by Suzanne Finstad

read by Margaret Strom

4 cassettes

Depicts the personal and professional life of film star Natalie Wood, the daughter of an unstable Russian stage mother. Describes the psychological pressures that shaped the child actress, her two marriages to Robert Wagner, and her successful career on screen until her untimely death in 1981. Some strong language. Bestseller 2001.

Crossing Over: The Stories behind the Stories      RC 53070
by John Edward

read by Terence Aselford

2 cassettes

Reminiscences of psychic medium and television show host. Discusses how to communicate with those who have died and passed on to an afterlife, or "crossed over." Edward recounts incidents in which he claims to have encountered spirits that help the living. By the author of One Last Time RC 52165). Some strong language. Bestseller 2001.

Richard Wright: The Life and Times      RC 53071
by Hazel Rowley

read by Bob Moore

5 cassettes

Interweaving journals, letters, and personal recollections, biographer Rowley illuminates the important African American novelist's life, work, and ideas. Portrays Wright as a self-taught intellectual, an independent thinker, and an outspoken critic of racism. Examines his relationships with other writers, such as Ralph Ellison and Langston Hughes. Bestseller 2001.

Midnight Diaries      RC 53077
by Boris Yeltsin

read by Mark Ashby

3 cassettes

In this sequel to The Struggle for Russia RC 39258), the former Russian president describes his last four years in office, which ended with his 1999 resignation. Recalls the economic crisis, political infighting, Chechen wars, and his relationships with other world leaders. Also discusses his personal life and Vladimir Putin's rise to power. 2000.

A River Running West: The Life of John Wesley Powell      RC 53101
by Donald Worster

read by Ted Stoddard

6 cassettes

Biography of the nineteenth-century American explorer of the Colorado River and the Grand Canyon. Re-creates the adventures of Powell's expeditions and evaluates his contributions as a land and water conservationist and an interpreter of the West. Sets Powell's life in the political and historical context of American westward expansion. 2001.

A Pitcher's Story: Innings with David Cone      RC 53103
by Roger Angell

read by Erik Synnestvedt

2 cassettes

Baseball chronicler Roger Angell examines the life and career of David Cone, a pitcher who has played with four different major league ball clubs. Discusses pitching technique, mental preparation, and Cone's adjustment to fame and fortune as well as his disappointing 2000 season with the Yankees. 2001.

Time Lord: Sir Sandford Fleming and the Creation of Standard Time      RC 53104
by Clark Blaise

read by Vanessa Maroney

2 cassettes

Discusses concepts of time and the Scottish-born Canadian who conceived the standardization of world time into twenty-four zones. Concludes with the Prime Meridian Conference in Washington, D.C., in 1884. Explains Fleming's reasoning and the importance of worldwide acceptance of his proposals. 2000.

The Santa Fe Trail: Its History, Legends, and Lore      RC 53106
by David Dary

read by Erik Synnestvedt

3 cassettes

Traces the development and decline of the nine-hundred-mile trade route that linked Franklin, Missouri, with Santa Fe, New Mexico. Examines its cultural and political heritage from the arrival of the Spanish settlers in the New World through its replacement by the railroad. Relates personal experiences of travelers. 2000.

You're Fifty--Now What? Investing for the Second Half of Your Life      RC 53108
by Charles R. Schwab

read by Bob Moore

2 cassettes

An international brokerage firm's founder and chairman offers older investors and retirees information on basic personal finance, including retirement budgets, pension programs, insurance, mutual funds, estate planning, and charitable giving. Advises investors to modify their strategy and goals as they mature. 2001.

On Killing: The Psychological Cost of Learning to Kill in War and Society      RC 53109
by Dave Grossman

read by Rick Rohan

3 cassettes

A psychologist and former army officer examines the specific nature of the act of killing and its social and psychological implications and repercussions. Compares modern military combat training to conditioning children through media and video-game violence. Some descriptions of sex, some violence, and some strong language. 1996.

Mauve: How One Man Invented a Color That Changed the World      RC 53110
by Simon Garfield

read by Corrie James

2 cassettes

Biography of William Henry Perkin (1838-1907), the British chemist who discovered the artificial dye mauve. Explains how Perkin at age eighteen produced the first aniline dye derived from coal. Discusses his subsequent fame and his importance as an inspiration for chemical advances in medicine, perfumery, food, explosives, and photography. 2001.

Bing Crosby: A Pocketful of Dreams; the Early Years, 1903-1940      RC 53111
by Gary Giddins

read by Robert Sams

6 cassettes

Author of Visions of Jazz RC 48253) chronicles the life and times of Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby--a Jesuit-educated Irish American whose career coincided with the growth of the sound recording technology that fostered his extraordinary popularity. Examines Crosby's family history and work up to World War II. Includes discography and filmography. Some strong language. 2001.

The Crusades through Arab Eyes      RC 53135
by Amin Maalouf

read by Robert Blumenfeld

2 cassettes

The Arab viewpoint of two centuries--1100 to 1300--of fighting the Frankish wars (Crusades). Considers these wars as a turning point in Muslim history that still affects relations between the West and the Arab world. Based on the testimony of Arab historians and contemporary chroniclers of the era. 1984.

Shamans through Time: 500 Years on the Path to Knowledge      RC 53138
edited by Jeremy Narby and Francis Huxley

read by John Horton

2 cassettes

More than sixty selections by anthropologists, psychologists, missionaries, and travelers explore the world of shamans--the spiritual practitioners and healers who have been found in tribal cultures around the world. Contributions range from accounts by sixteenth-century European explorers in the New World to ethnographic analyses by twentieth-century thinkers such as Claude Lévi-Strauss. 2001.

Shooting the Moon: The True Story of an American Manhunt Unlike Any Other, Ever      RC 53139
by David Harris

read by Bill Wallace

3 cassettes

An account of the investigation and arrest of Panamanian dictator General Manuel Noriega on drug trafficking charges in 1989. Explains the roles of the Iran-Contra scandal, the Medellín cocaine cartel, and the Nicaraguan Sandinista government leading to the invasion of Panama by American forces. Strong language. 2001.

Staying Tuned: A Life in Journalism      RC 53140
by Daniel Schorr

read by Frank Coffee

3 cassettes

Octogenarian news analyst for National Public Radio recounts his sixty-plus years in journalism. Recalls his New York boyhood as the child of Jewish immigrants, his quarter century with CBS beginning in 1953, and his joining Ted Turner to develop CNN. Reflects on changing technology and standards in the news industry. Some strong language. 2001.

Networth: Successful Investing in the Companies That Will Prevail through Internet Booms and Busts (They're Not Always the Ones You Expect)      RC 53141
by Stephen E. Frank

read by Bill Wallace

2 cassettes

Internet correspondent for the Wall Street Journal and CNBC explains investing in the dot-com economy. Discusses how the Internet works, evaluates different business models, and advises weaving "Internet-related investments through investment portfolios," always with a long-term approach. 2001.

The Inextinguishable Symphony: A True Story of Music and Love in Nazi Germany      RC 53146
by Martin Goldsmith

read by Bill Wallace

3 cassettes

National Public Radio commentator describes the lives of his parents, Günther Goldschmidt and Rosemarie Gumpert. Until their emigration in 1941, the two survived as concert musicians in Nazi Germany by performing in the Culture Association of German Jews--"the Kubu"--a showcase Hitler established for the outside world. 2000.

Familiar Spirits: A Memoir of James Merrill and David Jackson      RC 53148
by Alison Lurie

read by Jill Ferris

1 cassette

Novelist Alison Lurie reminisces about meeting American poet James Merrill (1926-1995) in his youth and becoming friends with him and his companion, David Jackson. Discusses their homosexuality, the importance of the Ouija board in their relationship, and their problems as they aged. 2001.

A Man Called Intrepid: The Secret War      RC 53149
by William Stevenson

read by Bill Wallace

4 cassettes (Reissue)

Stevenson, a war correspondent, chronicles the British Security Coordination, an international intelligence operation, and its chief, Bill Stephenson, code-named "Intrepid." The author describes how Intrepid guarded communications between Winston Churchill and Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1940 and directed a network of spies in Nazi-occupied territories. Some violence. Bestseller 1976.

This House Has Fallen: Midnight in Nigeria      RC 53150
by Karl Maier

read by John Horton

2 cassettes

Explores political, social, and economic conditions in the troubled West African nation of Nigeria. Profiles its enormous potential and prospects, and explains how corruption, fractious ethnic and religious groups, and poverty threaten to divide the tenth most populous and sixth largest oil-producing country in the world. 2000.

An Unexpected Light: Travels in Afghanistan      RC 53152
by Jason Elliot

read by Ken Kliban

4 cassettes

An exploration of Afghanistan--its physical beauty, hospitality, religious variations, and long history. Elliot recounts events from his first visit at nineteen in 1986 traveling with anti-Soviet mujahedin and another journey ten years later when the Taliban forces were building power. 1999.

The Essential Haiku: Versions of Basho, Buson, and Issa      RC 53154
edited by Robert Hass

read by Gordon Gould

2 cassettes

Introduction to three masters of the Japanese haiku tradition. Biographical sketches of each poet are followed by representative selections of his work. 1994.

Saving Milly: Love, Politics, and Parkinson's Disease      RC 53158
by Morton Kondracke

read by Jim Zeiger

2 cassettes

Journalist recounts his vibrant wife's decline following the onset of the incurable, degenerative disease called Parkinson's. Describes their marriage in 1967, their volatile partnership, the first hand tremors in 1987 leading to the diagnosis, and the years of irreversible deterioration. Explains his transformation into a caregiver and activist for disease research. 2001.

The Great Investment: Faith, Family, and Finance      RC 53159
by T.D. Jakes

read by Bill Wallace

2 cassettes

Jakes, pastor of a Dallas, Texas, Protestant assembly and best-selling author, proposes specific business and Christian principles that will help people maintain a balanced and successful life. He emphasizes the importance of basic financial planning, beginning with budgeting, in achieving one's ultimate personal fulfillment. 2000.

Humanity: A Moral History of the Twentieth Century      RC 53163
by Jonathan Glover

read by Bill Wallace

4 cassettes

An ethicist surveys twentieth-century atrocities committed against society--among them the massacres of World War I, the Holocaust, and Rwanda's ethnic cleansing. Explains how the perpetrators employ ideological and racial justifications for their crimes and, to deter future cruelties, proposes greater emphasis on respect and sympathy. 1999.

The Mummy Congress: Science, Obsession, and the Everlasting Dead      RC 53164
by Heather Pringle

read by Suzanne Toren

2 cassettes

After attending a World Congress on Mummy Studies in Arica, Chile, journalist Pringle visits mummy experts worldwide. She discusses what ancient corpses--from Egypt, Denmark, Italy, China, Japan, and elsewhere--reveal to the living scientists who probe, dissect, and collect them. 2001.

The Myth of Maturity: What Teenagers Need from Parents to Become Adults      RC 53165
by Terri Apter

read by Jill Ferris

2 cassettes

Uses case studies to describe the age group called "thresholders"--young people ages eighteen to twenty-four--and the problems they encounter while growing up. Warns parents that their children still need emotional support and offers suggestions for both generations in dealing with stress, money, relationships, college, and jobs. Some strong language. 2001.

The Hidden Face of God: How Science Reveals the Ultimate Truth      RC 53166
by Gerald L. Schroeder

read by Bill Wallace

2 cassettes

Using research in biology, chemistry, physics, and neuroscience, a physicist argues that the origins of life and the universe point to a universal wisdom. Interpreting the organization of organic life and the complexities encoded in DNA, Schroeder reasons that life's direction and purpose provide positive reasons for faith. 2001.

One Drop of Blood: The American Misadventure of Race      RC 53168
by Scott L. Malcomson

read by Jake Williams

5 cassettes

Explores the notions of race--black, white, and Indian--in America and its historical development from attempted assimilation to separatism to inclusion. Malcomson explains the intricate relationships between the three ethnicities, concluding with his own experiences in his hometown of Oakland, California. 2000.

It's True! It's True!      RC 53200
by Kurt Angle

read by Ray Foushee

2 cassettes

Autobiography by the 1996 Olympic gold medal-winning wrestler. He describes growing up in Pittsburgh in a blue-collar family and becoming a World Champion in 1995. He discusses joining Vince McMahon's World Wrestling Federation, becoming a televised antihero. Some strong language. Bestseller 2001.

No Apparent Danger: The True Story of Volcanic Disaster at Galeras and Nevado del Ruiz      RC 53203
by Victoria Bruce

read by Carol Dines

2 cassettes

Geologist and science writer Bruce depicts two devastating volcano eruptions in Colombia: Nevado del Ruiz in 1985, which destroyed a city of 23,000, and Galeras in 1993. Linking these two events, Bruce examines the science of predicting volcanic activity and expedition leader Stanley Williams's role in the Galeras tragedy. Some strong language. 2001.

The Children's Civil War      RC 53209
by James Marten

read by Mitzi Friedlander

3 cassettes

Chronicles the hardships of the Civil War on a generation of young Americans--Yankees, Confederates, and slaves. Uses anecdotes, oral histories, diaries, and memoirs to describe how the fighting affected--either directly or through fear for loved ones--the third of the populace who were children during the 1860s. Some strong language. 1998.

The Tandem Book      RC 53213
by Angel Rodriguez and Carla Black

read by Gary Tipton

1 cassette

A guide to buying, riding, and maintaining a bicycle built for two. Includes information on the history of the bike and on touring, traveling, racing, and pedaling with children. 1997.

Life Skills 101: A Practical Guide to Leaving Home and Living on Your Own      RC 53215
by Tina Pestalozzi

read by Patricia McDermott

1 cassette

Advice for the transition to living single. Covers entering the work world, handling business and financial matters, setting up living space, organizing the basics, choosing between eating at home or dining out, being a "savvy consumer," and staying connected to people and the community. For senior high and older readers. 2001.

Carolina Ghost Woods: Poems      RC 53229
by Judy Jordan

read by Ann Hodapp

1 cassette

Beauty of language transcends themes of death, grief, and privation set in southern landscape. This debut collection of poetry also won the 1999 Walt Whitman Award. National Book Critics Circle Award. 2000.

How I Play Golf      RC 53289
by Tiger Woods

read by Steven Carpenter

1 cassette

The twenty-five-year-old champion explains his mental and physical approaches to winning. Woods analyzes every aspect of the game from putting to choosing the right club. Explains the fundamentals of his movements and techniques and how to work a course. Includes useful tips from other players. Bestseller 2001.

The No Spin Zone: Confrontations with the Powerful and Famous in America      RC 53298
by Bill O'Reilly

read by Terence Aselford

1 cassette

Television commentator continues his criticism of American society begun in The O'Reilly Factor RC 51053). Includes his views on George W. Bush, Hillary Clinton, Jesse Jackson, pedophiles, sex, violence, capital punishment, taxes, drugs, and more. Afterword by author James Ellroy. Some strong language. Bestseller 2001.

Twin Towers: The Life of New York City's World Trade Center      RC 53309
by Angus Kress Gillespie

read by Margaret Strom

2 cassettes

A history of the World Trade Center, written before the destruction of the twin towers on September 11, 2001. Recounts how the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey first conceived of the complex and how the plans were executed. Includes an account of a day in the center's life. Bestseller 1999.

An Open Heart: Practicing Compassion in Everyday Life      RC 53311
by Dalai Lama

read by Ted Stoddard

1 cassette

Companion to The Art of Happiness RC 47827) provides the Dalai Lama's teachings to introduce the core of Buddhism. Weaves together his spiritual guidelines for everyday living with two ancient Buddhist texts. Contains text of the Dalai Lama's 1999 New York address. Bestseller 2001.

Gielgud: A Theatrical Life      RC 53319
by Jonathan Croall

read by Anne Flosnik

5 cassettes

Biography of the esteemed British actor, director, and writer John Gielgud (1904-2000). Describes his life and times, including his family's theatrical background, his knighthood and the subsequent homosexual scandal in 1953, his ventures on Broadway and in Hollywood, and his numerous radio and television appearances. Some strong language. 2000.

A Negro Explorer at the North Pole: The Autobiography of Matthew Henson      RC 53320
by Matthew Henson

read by Bob Moore

1 cassette

Henson (1866-1955) describes his trip to the North Pole in 1909 with friend and mentor Robert Peary. Henson knew the Inuit language and became critical to the expedition's success. Originally published in 1912, with a foreword by Peary and an introduction by Booker T. Washington. New introduction by S. Allen Counter. 2001.

The Best Spiritual Writing, 2001      RC 53321
edited by Philip Zaleski

read by Mary Kane

2 cassettes

Anthology of poems and prose pieces about faith, love, prayer, and divinity representing Christian, Jewish, Native American, and Buddhist traditions. Contains Valerie Martin's biographical essay "Being Saint Francis" and Floyd Skloot's poem "The Yoga Exercise" about a graceful woman in the yogic "heron" posture. 2001.

Twentynine Palms: A True Story of Murder, Marines, and the Mojave      RC 53327
by Deanne Stillman

read by Mary Kane

2 cassettes

Account of a violent crime, its origins, and its aftermath. In 1991 Marine lance corporal Valentine Underwood raped and murdered two young women in California's Mojave desert. Stillman examines the abusive culture the victims inhabited and the Marine code of silence. Violence, strong language, and some explicit descriptions of sex. 2001.

The Hole in the Universe: How Scientists Peered over the Edge of Emptiness and Found Everything      RC 53328
by K.C. Cole

read by Margaret Strom

2 cassettes

Science columnist for the Los Angeles Times elucidates the mysterious concept of nothingness. Discusses the Big Bang, black holes, string theory, vacuums, and zero while tracing their scientific history and the theories of experts in the field--from Isaac Newton to Albert Einstein and Stephen Hawking. 2001.

The Cases That Haunt Us: From Jack the Ripper to JonBenet Ramsey, the FBI's Legendary Mindhunter Sheds Light on the Mysteries That Won't Go Away      RC 53329
by John Douglas and Mark Olshaker

read by Steven Carpenter

3 cassettes

The authors of Mindhunter RC 43669) analyze notorious crimes of the past in an effort to pinpoint the perpetrator of each deadly deed. Cases include the Lindbergh kidnapping, Lizzie Borden, the Boston Strangler, the Black Dahlia, and Lawrencia ("Bambi") Bembenek. 2000.

The Best American Poetry, 2001      RC 53333
edited by Robert Hass

read by Kimberly Schraf

2 cassettes

Broad cross section of traditional and innovative poetry published in 2000 in periodicals. Includes posthumous poems by Elizabeth Bishop and James Schuyler, and new pieces by John Ashbery, Anne Carson, Billy Collins, Louise Glück, Donald Hall, Yusef Komunyakaa, Robert Pinsky, Adrienne Rich, and many others. Some strong language. 2001.

Five Days in London: May 1940      RC 53336
by John Lukacs

read by Vanessa Maroney

2 cassettes

A historian's detailed discussion of the critical days in May 1940 when British prime minister Winston Churchill persuaded his war cabinet to continue the war against Hitler, even as the disheartening evacuation from Dunkirk was in progress. Avers that this was the turning point in the Allied effort. 1999.

Son of a Grifter: The Twisted Tale of Sante and Kenny Kimes, the Most Notorious Con Artists in America; a Memoir by the Other Son      RC 53341
by Kent Walker

read by Christopher Walker

4 cassettes

The elder son of Sante Kimes, a con artist and murderess, recalls growing up in a criminal household with a sociopath mother. Sante and the author's half-brother, Kenny, were arrested for the murder of wealthy Irene Silverman. Strong language. 2001.

The Best American Science Writing, 2001      RC 53343
edited by Timothy Ferris

read by Michael Scherer

3 cassettes

Twenty-three articles explore science's ever-expanding role in human life. Richard Preston describes the race to decode the human genome, Joel Achenbach speculates about extraterrestrial life, John Terborgh reflects on wild animals showing emotional attachments to people, and Helen Epstein discusses AIDS in South Africa. 2001.

Healing Your Grieving Heart for Teens: One Hundred Practical Ideas      RC 53344
by Alan D. Wolfelt

read by Barbara Pinolini

1 cassette

Offers suggestions for teenagers who are coping with grief while mourning the passing of a loved one. Advice includes finding an adult to confide in, keeping a journal, and accepting grieving as a natural process. For junior and senior high readers. 2001.

The Plumber: The True Story of How One Good Man Helped Destroy the Entire Philadelphia Mafia      RC 53353
by Joseph Salerno and Stephen J. Rivele

read by Rick Rohan

2 cassettes

The author explains how he, a plumber by trade, became caught in the nightmare world of the Philadelphia Mafia. He describes the violent underworld and tells how witnessing a brutal murder changed his life. He details the hardships he endured in the Federal Witness Protection Program. Strong language and some violence. 1990.

Perfectly Still: A Journey through the Heart of Loss to Love      RC 53356
by Patricia B. Moran

read by Martha Harmon Pardee

1 cassette

Moran, a teacher at Oregon State University, discusses the spiritual insight she has gained into human emotions while helping two people very close to her, who are dying. One is a former student with leukemia. The other is her mother, who has a brain tumor. 2000.

The Virgin of Bennington      RC 53358
by Kathleen Norris

read by Martha Harmon Pardee

2 cassettes

American poet and memoirist describes her coming-of-age years in the 1960s at a women's college in Vermont and at her first job with the Academy of American Poets in New York City in the 1970s. Norris's memoir recalls lifestyle choices, friendships, and people who influenced her career. 2001.

When the Cheering Stopped: The Last Years of Woodrow Wilson      RC 53360
by Gene Smith

read by Bill Wallace

2 cassettes

Details the last months of U.S. president Woodrow Wilson's second term in office (1919-1921), when he was physically incapacitated and isolated by his physician and second wife, Edith. His forced retreat from political life undermined America's full support of the League of Nations. Continues with the Wilsons' retirement in Washington. 1964.

The Case against Hillary Clinton      RC 53362
by Peggy Noonan

read by Martha Harmon Pardee

1 cassette

Polemic on the character of the former first lady by Reagan speechwriter and author of What I Saw at the Revolution RC 30709) and other works. Alleging that Senator Clinton feels entitled to power, Noonan summarizes her involvement in a number of scandals. Some strong language. Bestseller 2000.

Pearl's Secret: A Black Man's Search for His White Family      RC 53363
by Neil Henry

read by Jake Williams

2 cassettes

Memoir by an African American professor who researched his family's mixed-race genealogy. Tracing familiar oral history, he eventually locates and contacts his Caucasian great-great-grandfather's family. Henry describes the Beaumont branch, his reunion with distant relatives, and his experiences with racism. Some strong language. 2001.

When Character Was King: A Story of Ronald Reagan      RC 53364
by Peggy Noonan

read by Martha Harmon Pardee

3 cassettes

Former special assistant to President Ronald Reagan asserts that his greatness lay in his character. Includes anecdotes from those who knew the president well; analyzes his career as a film star, a union representative, and a politician; and discusses the factors that influenced him. Some strong language. Bestseller 2001.

Brown v. Board of Education: A Civil Rights Milestone and Its Troubled Legacy      RC 53365
by James T. Patterson

read by Jake Williams

2 cassettes

Examines the 1954 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that overturned state-sponsored racial segregation in America's public schools. Explores the decision's context, the subsequent progress of social equality, and events that have surrounded efforts to implement the court's guidelines. 2001.

The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook: Dating and Sex      RC 53624
by Joshua Piven and others

read by Barbara Pinolini

1 cassette

Suggestions for coping with romantic and not-so-romantic situations. Tips on finding a suitable mate--from initial attraction through the perils of dating, undressing, sleeping with, or leaving someone special. Advice on survival behavior in bars, restaurants, bedrooms, and airplane lavatories. Some descriptions of sex. Bestseller 2001.

Cassettes Fiction

Dreamer      RC 49957
by Charles Johnson

read by Chuck Young

2 cassettes

During the tense summer of 1966 in Chicago, Martin Luther King Jr. and his followers are trying to quell outbreaks of violence. Matthew Bishop introduces King to Chaym Smith, who could easily pass as King's double. Their struggle against racial prejudice and social upheaval is presented from Bishop's point of view. 1998.

Blues Dancing      RC 50254
by Diane McKinney-Whetstone

read by Tracy Mickens-Hundley

2 cassettes

1990s Philadelphia. Twenty years ago, Verdi, daughter of a prosperous southern minister, was turned on to drugs by Johnson, a black student leader at college. She was rescued by Professor Rowe, who left his wife for Verdi. But now Johnson is back in town. Strong language and some violence. 1999.

The Claudine Novels      RC 50562
by Colette

read by Anne Hancock

5 cassettes

The first four works by the twentieth-century French author: Claudine at School, Claudine in Paris, Claudine Married, and Claudine and Annie. They portray a country girl born in France in 1884 and how she grows up to become a sensuous woman. Some descriptions of sex. 1962.

Unnatural Causes      RC 50572
by Leah Ruth Robinson

read by Joni Siani

2 cassettes

Dr. Evelyn Sutcliffe's friend and hospital coworker is preparing dinner for her when he falls ill from poisonous mushrooms found in the anonymous gift basket Evelyn received. Horrified when her friend dies, Evelyn wonders if she was the intended victim and if the killer was her lover's stalker. Strong language and some violence. 1999.

For the Relief of Unbearable Urges      RC 50583
by Nathan Englander

read by Dan Bloom

2 cassettes

Nine tales that depict protagonists caught up in difficult circumstances in which the strictures of their Orthodox Judaism clash with life in the modern world. In the title story, when a wife spurns her husband's amorous advances, he finds extramarital relief that leads to a painful problem. 1999.

The Sweet Forever      RC 50641
by George P. Pelecanos

read by Chuck Young

2 cassettes

In the mid-1980s, a car crash in front of a Washington, D.C., record store puts the owner and his manager in the middle of a cocaine-related power struggle involving crooked cops, teen gangs, and a missing bag of drug money. Strong language, violence, and some explicit descriptions of sex. 1998.

Sermons and Soda-Water      RC 50753
by John O'Hara

read by Conrad Feininger

2 cassettes

Three novellas in which reporter Jim Malloy describes American social mores around the 1930s. In The Girl on the Baggage Truck he narrowly avoids becoming the plaything of an aging actress. Imagine Kissing Pete deals with an adulterous marriage, and in We're Friends Again Malloy reflects on money and sex. 1960.

The Morning After      RC 51112
by Suzanne Forster

read by MaryBeth Wise

2 cassettes

Shortly after Temple Banning moves to California, she awakens alone in a honeymoon suite with a marriage license listing a husband she's never met. Fearing amnesia from a previous bout with a deadly virus, Temple reluctantly turns to mysterious Mark Challis for help. Some explicit descriptions of sex and some violence. 2000.

A Shelter of Hope: Westward Chronicles, Volume 1      RC 51115
by Tracie Peterson

read by Gillian Green

2 cassettes

Wyoming Territory, 1890. Raised by an abusive father since the age of ten, seventeen-year-old Simone Dumas finds herself in an even worse situation; she believes she has killed a man. Simone escapes to Chicago, where she meets Jeffery O'Donnell, who offers her hope and love. 1998.

The Ladies of Covington Send Their Love      RC 51224
by Joan Medlicott

read by Terry Hayes Sales

3 cassettes

Three widowed roommates leave their Pennsylvania boardinghouse for the North Carolina mountains to look at a dilapidated farmhouse one of them has inherited. Against the wishes of their children and landlady, the women move in and soon find their lives dramatically changed--for the better. 2000.

Buscadero      RC 51257
by Bill Brooks

read by Gary Roan

2 cassettes

When Texas law catches up with Johnny Montana and his paramour Katie Swensen, he is ordered returned to Arkansas for trial. Texas Ranger Pete Winter is assigned to escort them. But there are others also looking for Montana, and Texas Ranger Henry Dollar must find them first. Violence. 1993.

Hot Springs      RC 51332
by Stephen Hunter

read by Jeremy Gage

4 cassettes

Prequel to A Time to Hunt RC 47031) and other stories featuring sharpshooter Bob Lee Swagger. When Bob Lee's hardened marine sergeant father returns from World War II, he is offered a job helping to clean up Hot Springs, Arkansas--a Mafia town full of casinos, whorehouses, and corruption. Violence and strong language. Bestseller 2000.

Death from the Woods      RC 51535
by Brigitte Aubert

read by Corrie James

2 cassettes

Elise is left a blind and mute quadriplegic after a terrorist attack, but she can still think and hear. When she becomes the confidant of a little girl who knows the identity of a serial child killer, Elise becomes a target herself. Winner of the French Grand Prix de Litérature. Strong language and some violence. 1996.

The Rainy Season      RC 51548
by James P. Blaylock

read by Conrad Feininger

2 cassettes

When Phil Ainsworth accepts the guardianship of his ten-year-old niece, Betsy, he has no idea of what the future holds. He has been getting eerie sensations in the house he inherited, but when Betsy arrives, she has the ability to sense the past and hear the voices of the dead. 1999.

The Same Embrace      RC 51549
by Michael Lowenthal

read by Bruce Nelson

2 cassettes

Twenty-four-year-old twins choose different paths toward self-realization: Jacob loudly proclaims his gay activism in Boston, while Jonathan searches for meaning as an Orthodox Jew in a Jerusalem yeshiva. Their estrangement ends when they face their grandmother's medical crisis. Some explicit descriptions of sex and some strong language. 1998.

The Shaman's Bones: A Shaman Mystery      RC 51725
by James D. Doss

read by David Hartley-Margolin

3 cassettes

Shaman Daisy Perika asks her Ute lawman nephew, Charlie Moon, to call Scott Parris, the Granite Creek chief of police. She informs them of her dream foretelling the imminent, violent deaths of people starting to the north. Parris, knowing her powers, takes her warning seriously and cancels his vacation. 1997.

The Green      RC 51736
by Troon McAllister

read by Steven Carpenter

2 cassettes

Alan Bellamy, the U.S. Ryder Cup team captain who is desperate to find a twelfth player, settles on south Floridian hustler and amazing golfer Eddie Caminetti. The selection leads to unforeseen and humorous consequences. Strong language. 1999.

Backwater      RC 51739
by Joan Bauer

read by Michele Schaeffer

1 cassette

Sixteen-year-old Ivy Breedlove feels out of place in her family of opinionated attorneys. While helping an elderly relative compile a family history, Ivy sees similarities between herself and a reclusive aunt who lives in the Adirondacks. Ivy sets out to find her mysterious aunt. For junior and senior high readers. 1999.

Blue Angel      RC 51756
by Francine Prose

read by Kimberly Schraf

3 cassettes

A happily married, middle-aged professor of creative writing at an expensive but obscure New England college falls for a talented, exotic-looking student. With sexual harassment a big topic on campus, what is the professor doing undressed in the girl's dormitory room? Some descriptions of sex and some strong language. Bestseller 2000.

The Edge      RC 51863
by Ben Bo

read by Don Nelson

1 cassette

Outsider Declan Murray finds trouble with the wrong crowd and is sent by the courts to work in Glacier National Park. Once there, he immerses himself in snowboarding, but takes one too many chances on the slopes. For junior and senior high readers. 1998.

Stonebreaker's Ridge: A Western Story      RC 51869
by Ray Hogan

read by Mimi Bederman

1 cassette

Ex-bounty hunter, Jim Ryan, returns home to ranch his family's spread. But he is soon accused of killing a neighbor, his sweetheart's father. Jim finds himself on the wrong side of the law while trying to uncover the truth. Some violence. 2000.

Be the One      RC 51986
by April Smith

read by Barbara Pinolini

2 cassettes

Los Angeles Dodgers baseball scout Cassidy Sanderson becomes concerned when her latest rookie is blackmailed over an incident in his native Dominican Republic. Meanwhile, Cassidy's new lover, developer Joe Galinis, appears to be involved in turning Cassidy into another convenient target. Some descriptions of sex, some violence, and some strong language. 2000.

Sister of My Heart      RC 52038
by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni

read by Jill Fox

2 cassettes

Soulmates Sudha and Anju are cousins raised in the same Calcutta household by their widowed mothers. Beautiful Sudha is burdened by family secrets, while ambitious Anju wants an education. But both are forced by economics into arranged marriages. Eventually they reunite in America. Some descriptions of sex and some strong language. 1999.

The Sacred Shore: Song of Acadia, Book 2      RC 52083
by Janette Oke and T. Davis Bunn

read by Annie Wauters

2 cassettes

In The Meeting Place RC 49353), eighteenth-century friends Catherine and Louise switched babies so Louise's French daughter could receive medical care--an action with far-reaching consequences when the French were suddenly expelled from Acadia. Nicole, now eighteen, learns of her true identity and hears that an English nobleman is searching for her. 2000.

Resort to Murder: A Henrie O Mystery      RC 52104
by Carolyn Hart

read by Cyn Delafield

2 cassettes

Retired journalist Henrie O travels to Bermuda to support her grandchildren Diana and Neal when their father remarries a wealthy widow--beautiful, flirtatious Connor Bailey. Henrie investigates when the hotel is plagued with ghosts and murders and the wedding guests become endangered. Some violence and some strong language. Bestseller 2001.

The Map of Love      RC 52254
by Ahdaf Soueif

read by Jill Fox

4 cassettes

Dashing Pasha Sharif courts British widow Anna nearly a century before American journalist Isabel falls in love with courtly conductor Omar. A trunkful of family journals and letters link the pairs of lovers as they surmount cultural obstacles in Egypt. Booker Prize Finalist. 1999.

King Kelson's Bride      RC 52255
by Katherine Kurtz

read by Gary Tipton

4 cassettes

The fragile peace between Torenth and Gwynedd is threatened, making it imperative that King Kelson of Gwynedd take a bride and produce an heir. Having already lost two brides, one in death and the other through treachery, Kelson's only wish now is to find a woman who also has Deryni blood. 2000.

The PMS Outlaws      RC 52266
by Sharyn McCrumb

read by Madelyn Buzzard

2 cassettes

While forensic anthropologist Elizabeth MacPherson is hospitalized for depression over the disappearance and presumed death of her husband, her attorney brother, Bill, buys a mansion with an unwanted elderly resident. Bill's partner, meanwhile, is trying to find an escaped convict and her female lawyer who target lustful men to rob and humiliate. 2000.

The China Bride      RC 52269
by Mary Jo Putney

read by Mitzi Friedlander

3 cassettes

Macao, China; 1832. On his last adventure before returning home, Kyle Renbourne marries Scottish-Chinese orphan Troth Montgomery. Believing Kyle has been executed, Troth journeys to England to inform his twin, Dominic. But suddenly Kyle resurfaces. Sequel to The Wild Child RC 49450). Some explicit descriptions of sex and some strong language. 2000.

Hit List      RC 52270
by Lawrence Block

read by Roy Avers

2 cassettes

Hit man Keller lives an orderly life. He gets his assignments from humorous Dot, works on his stamp collection between jobs, and conscientiously serves on a jury. His routine is disrupted when Keller realizes someone is trying to kill him. Sequel to Hit Man RC 49625). Some violence and some strong language. 2000.

Face of the Rising Sun: The First Americans, Volume 9      RC 52295
by William Sarabande

read by John Polk

4 cassettes

The Ice Age is ending, and Warakan, now a man, longs for peace and companionship. Yet he still harbors a desire for vengeance. As possessor of the sacred stone, he will soon fulfill his destiny. Sequel to Shadow of the Watching Star RC 52294). Violence and some explicit descriptions of sex. 1996.

Time beyond Beginning: The First Americans, Volume 10      RC 52296
by William Sarabande

read by John Polk

3 cassettes

Ne'gauni, deserted as a child and left to die, was raised by the last two members of the Forest People. Now a hardened warrior, he begins a dangerous journey to fulfill a prophecy. Sequel to Face of the Rising Sun RC 52295). Violence and some explicit descriptions of sex. 1998.

Demonology: Stories      RC 52304
by Rick Moody

read by Christopher Walker

2 cassettes

Thirteen tales of people possessed in some way, several written in experimental form. The title story, the last in the collection, is a heartfelt elegy for a sister who died unexpectedly while putting her two young children to bed. Strong language and some descriptions of sex. Bestseller 2000.

Blackwater Spirits      RC 52318
by Miriam Grace Monfredo

read by Laura Giannarelli

3 cassettes

Seneca Falls, 1857. New in town, female doctor Neva Cardoza is up to her elbows in corpses. Meanwhile librarian Glynis Tryon investigates these mysterious deaths. When half-Iroquois Jacques Sundown is accused of murder, Glynis joins constable Cullen Stuart in the struggle to discern the truth. 1995.

The Year of the Intern      RC 52472
by Robin Cook

read by Gary Tipton

2 cassettes

Follows a year in the life of an idealistic hospital intern. During that time, Dr. Peters becomes a psychologically aberrant but fully accredited doctor. The new physicians criticize both the treatment they receive and the American Medical Association, and advocate changing the system. Some strong language. 1972.

The Collected Stories of Arthur C. Clarke      RC 52509
by Arthur C. Clarke

read by John Polk

9 cassettes in 2 containers

Contains all of the renowned science fiction author's short pieces written during a nearly seventy-year span. The more-than-one-hundred entries include "The Sentinel," "The Hammer of God," and "Guardian Angel." 2000.

Norwegian Wood      RC 52525
by Haruki Murakami

read by Bruce Huntey

2 cassettes

Toru Watanabe is overcome by sadness when he hears the Beatles' song "Norwegian Wood." It evokes the events of that long-ago autumn of 1969 when he made love to Naoko, the girlfriend of his best friend, Kizuki, who had committed suicide two years before. Explicit descriptions of sex and some strong language. 2000.

Julie and Romeo      RC 52577
by Jeanne Ray

read by Laura Giannarelli

2 cassettes

Sixty-year-old divorcée Julie Roseman runs into fellow florist Romeo Cacciamani at a seminar. Though their families perpetuate a mysterious, long-standing feud, Julie finds the widowed Romeo nonetheless appealing. As their romance develops, the couple hide from their horrified children and Romeo's bitter mother. Some descriptions of sex and some strong language. 2000.

Murder, She Meowed      RC 52586
by Rita Mae Brown and Sneaky Pie Brown

read by Laura Giannarelli

2 cassettes

Postmistress Harry of Crozet, Virginia, investigates the murder of two jockeys after the steeplechase races at Montpelier, James Madison's former estate. But it is her pets--feline Mrs. Murphy and corgi Tee Tucker--who uncover the clues. Some violence and some strong language. 1996.

Through a Gold Eagle: A Glynis Tryon Mystery      RC 52587
by Miriam Grace Monfredo

read by Laura Giannarelli

3 cassettes

Seneca Falls, New York; 1859. Librarian Glynis Tryon witnesses a murder aboard the train carrying her and her niece home. But the victim has left a packet of evidence with Glynis that leads to a counterfeiting scheme involving abolitionist John Brown. And more murders occur before the culprits are caught. 1996.

The Bastard: The Kent Family Chronicles, Vol. 1      RC 52646
by John Jakes

read by Bob Askey

4 cassettes (Reissue)

Saga about Phillipe Charboneau, the half-French illegitimate son of an English nobleman. Denied his inheritance, he changes his name to "Philip Kent" and flees to Boston in 1772 to begin a new life. Followed by The Rebels RC 52647). Some descriptions of sex and some strong language. 1974.

The Lecturer's Tale      RC 52656
by James Hynes

read by Gregory Gorton

3 cassettes

Vitriolic satire of academic life. Minnesota English professor Nelson Humboldt was once a rising star but has now been relegated to teaching composition. When a freak accident results in the severance and reattachment of a finger, Nelson discovers he has acquired some magical powers. Strong language and some descriptions of sex. 2001.

While Other People Sleep      RC 52670
by Marcia Muller

read by Martha Harmon Pardee

2 cassettes

Someone is impersonating San Francisco private investigator Sharon McCone, destroying her reputation and her credit as well as harassing her family. McCone is determined to track down this culprit who breaks into her house and takes lovers in her name. Some strong language. 1998.

War Woman: A Novel of the Real People      RC 52728
by Robert J. Conley

read by Gabriella Cavallero

3 cassettes

In 1580 when Whirlwind, a Cherokee maiden, is sixteen, she compels her twin brother and five others to join her on a dangerous trip to Florida to trade with the Spaniards. On this tragic journey she proves her leadership abilities and is renamed War Woman. Violence. 1997.

The River Where Blood Is Born      RC 52737
by Sandra Jackson-Opoku

read by Robin Miles

4 cassettes

The voice of Ananse, African folklore's storyteller-trickster, traces the lives and fates of generations of black women, spanning almost three centuries and journeying from Africa through the Caribbean and America. A prophecy points to the ninth daughter in the lineage, whose sense of unfulfillment prompts her return to Africa. ALA Black Caucus Award. 1997.

Beyond the Reef: Richard Bolitho Novels, Volume 19      RC 52770
by Alexander Kent

read by Jim Zeiger

3 cassettes

1808. Napoleon is threatening the Caribbean, and Vice Admiral Sir Richard Bolitho devises battle plans. But before he can implement them, he and his lover, Lady Catherine Somervell, are shipwrecked and given up for dead. Sequel to The Only Victor RC 49933). 1992.

Sun Dance: Sam Keaton; Legends of Laramie, Book 3      RC 52776
by Sigmund Brouwer

read by Jim Zeiger

2 cassettes

Wyoming Territory, 1875. Marshal Sam Keaton must figure out why there is a dead man in his office and why his expedition through Sioux lands is such a disaster. He struggles with alcoholism and strengthens his faith while solving these mysteries. Sequel to Moon Basket RC 40217). Some violence. 2000.

Plain Truth      RC 52800
by Jodi Picoult

read by Erin Jones

3 cassettes

When Philadelphia attorney Ellie Hathaway retreats to her aunt's house in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, she's drawn into an unusual case--an Amish girl accused of murdering her newborn after a hidden pregnancy. Ellie calls former beau, psychiatrist John Cooper, to help the troubled defendant. Some explicit descriptions of sex and some strong language. 2000.

In a Heartbeat      RC 52806
by Elizabeth Adler

read by John Polk

2 cassettes

New York millionaire Ed Vincent is shot and seriously wounded. Drifting in and out of consciousness, Ed desperately wants to protect his lover, single mother Mel Merrydew. While investigating, NYPD detective Marco Camelia also falls for Mel. Meanwhile, Mel uncovers Ed's past. Some descriptions of sex, some violence, and some strong language. 2000.

Headwind      RC 52810
by John J. Nance

read by Alec Volz

3 cassettes

When an international warrant threatens former American president John Harris, commercial jet pilot Craig Dayton defiantly takes off with Harris on board. While airborne, Harris arranges assistance from disbarred judge Jay Reinhart and a group of World War II veterans. 2001.

Mimi's Ghost      RC 52823
by Tim Parks

read by Richard Hauenstein

2 cassettes

In this dark-humor continuation of Juggling the Stars RC 36393), Morris has eluded arrest after murdering Mimi, his first wife, and is now married to her sister, Paola. But with the voluptuous Mimi's ghost whispering incitements, Morris finds killing ever easier. Some descriptions of sex and some strong language. 1995.

Raven Mocker      RC 52835
by Don Coldsmith

read by Jack Fox

2 cassettes

Medicine woman Snakewater keeps to herself in a Cherokee village in the early 1800s. Because of her advanced age, the people begin to fear she is a Raven Mocker--one who can suck the breath and years of life from a dying person. Snakewater must flee the village and make a new start. 2001.

Jupiter      RC 52839
by Ben Bova

read by Richard Hauenstein

3 cassettes

Astrophysicist Grant Archer wants to do research work on the Moon. But the New Morality, Earth's conservative theocratic ruling coalition, has other plans for him. When they order him to spy on scientists who are suspected of a covert subversive research agenda on Jupiter, Archer's loyalties are put to the test. 2001.

Portrait of an Artist, as an Old Man      RC 52846
by Joseph Heller

read by Fred Major

1 cassette

Pota, a novelist whose first book many years ago made him a legendary figure, seeks a subject for his final work. A possible title, A Sexual Biography of My Wife, elicits laughter from his wife and agent. Strong language and some descriptions of sex. 2000.

Larque on the Wing      RC 52847
by Nancy Springer

read by Ann Hodapp

2 cassettes

Forty-year-old Larque Harootunian is a painter who has the ability to produce doppelgangers--ghostly apparitions of herself and others. Approaching a midlife crisis, she eventually "splits" into three different people--each representing conflicting facets of her own personality--as she "steps into" the magical world of Popular Street. Some strong language and some descriptions of sex. 1994.

Harry Gold      RC 52848
by Millicent Dillon

read by Roy Avers

2 cassettes

Fictionalized biography of Harry Gold, a Jewish American chemist who became a Soviet spy. Recounts his early life in depression-era Philadelphia and tells how the loss of a job led him to accept another that set him on the path to becoming a spy who would have connections with Klaus Fuchs and the Rosenbergs. 2000.

The Edge of Town      RC 52852
by Dorothy Garlock

read by Erin Jones

2 cassettes

Missouri, 1922. Farm girl Julie Jones has taken care of her siblings since her mother's death. When Evan Johnson, a veteran and son of the town drunk, returns home, they fall in love. But each has secrets. Some descriptions of sex, some violence, and some strong language. 2001.

The Stories of J.F. Powers      RC 52855
by J.F. Powers

read by Roy Avers

3 cassettes

Three collections of Powers's short stories from 1947, 1956, and 1975 are presented together. Many concern the daily preoccupations of priests in the Midwest, as in "A Losing Game," in which the new curate, Father Fabre, maneuvers with the senior pastor for a typing table. 1975.

Jane Austen's Charlotte: Her Fragment of a Last Novel, Completed      RC 52858
by Julia Barrett

read by Janis Gray

2 cassettes

Young Miss Charlotte Heywood from the country visits the Parker family at the seaside town Sanditon. A mutual attraction develops between Charlotte and her host's brother, Sidney Parker, while the Parker brothers attempt to promote Sanditon as a popular resort. 2000.

The Angel on the Roof: The Stories of Russell Banks      RC 52865
by Russell Banks

read by Bruce Huntey

3 cassettes

Thirty-one short stories dealing mainly with domestic life by the author of Cloudsplitter RC 45966) and others. In "The Visit" a man returns to one of his childhood homes to remember his abusive, alcoholic father and the last year that he lived with the family. Some violence and some strong language. 2000.

The Songcatcher: A Ballad Novel      RC 52905
by Sharyn McCrumb

read by Kimberly Schraf

3 cassettes

Folksinger Lark McCourry is preparing to record an album and wants to locate a song she vaguely remembers from childhood. The story of Lark's search is interwoven with the stories of her ancestor Malcolm McCourry, who learned the song from a sailor on his way to America in 1751, and the generations between. 2001.

Open Season      RC 52910
by Linda Howard

read by Ann Hodapp

2 cassettes

Daisy Minor awakens on her thirty-fourth birthday and decides she needs her own place, a new wardrobe, a new look, and a husband. While making her transformation, she unknowingly witnesses a murder--placing her life in danger. Explicit descriptions of sex, strong language, and some violence. 2001.

Total Recall: A V.I. Warshawski Novel      RC 52911
by Sara Paretsky

read by Mitzi Friedlander

3 cassettes

Pursuing two seemingly unrelated cases, the private eye explores insurance fraud and probes the past to help her mentor, Dr. Lotty Herschel. Lotty is being stalked by a man who claims he's a child survivor of the Holocaust--and a relative. V.I. investigates whether he is an imposter. Bestseller 2001.

Kingdom of Cages      RC 52912
by Sarah Zettel

read by Erin Jones

4 cassettes

With humanity facing extinction, Helice and her daughters, Chena and Teal, take refuge on the planet Pandora, a near match to Earth. Instead of safety, however, they find terror. Some violence and some strong language. For senior high and older readers. 2001.

American Gods      RC 52917
by Neil Gaiman

read by Fred Major

4 cassettes

On his way to his wife's funeral, ex-convict Shadow meets the mysterious Mr. Wednesday, who has an uncanny knowledge of Shadow's life. Accepting Wednesday's job offer throws Shadow into a supernatural world where ancient gods abound. Explicit descriptions of sex, violence, and strong language. 2001.

Just Imagine      RC 52918
by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

read by Erin Jones

2 cassettes

When Kit Weston, eighteen, learns Baron Cain has inherited the South Carolina plantation where she grew up, she travels to New York City to kill him. Working as Cain's stable "boy," she gets her chance to try. Then she learns Cain is her guardian. Explicit descriptions of sex and strong language. 2001.

Black House      RC 52919
by Stephen King and Peter Straub

read by David Hartley-Margolin

5 cassettes

Some twenty years after The Talisman RC 21209), retired homicide detective Jack Sawyer tries to help rural Wisconsin police solve a series of brutal murders. Gradually Jack is drawn back to the parallel universe that he had forgotten. Some violence and some strong language. Bestseller 2001.

After the Plague: Stories      RC 52920
by T. Coraghessan Boyle

read by Barry Bernson

2 cassettes

Sixteen short stories about human interactions, many imbued with wry humor. The title piece conveys a survivor's fears upon encountering a few other remaining people after a worldwide epidemic and has a surprise ending. Some descriptions of sex and some strong language. Bestseller 2001.

The Runelords: The Sum of All Men      RC 52921
by David Farland

read by Richard Hauenstein

4 cassettes

Raj Ahten, ruler of Indhopal, seeks to bring all humanity under his rule by destroying and slaughtering indiscriminately. Meanwhile, Gaborn Val Orden fulfills a two-thousand-year-old prophecy by becoming the Earth King who can unleash the Earth's forces. Followed by Brotherhood of the Wolf RC 52922). Some violence. 1998.

River of Blue Fire: Otherland, Volume 2      RC 52925
by Tad Williams

read by Erik Sandvold

6 cassettes

The band of virtual explorers who entered Otherland are now trapped by the Grail Brotherhood. Unable to go off-line and leave, they follow a river looking for an escape. Instead, they find more and more bizarre landscapes. Sequel to City of Golden Shadow RC 52924). Violence and strong language. 1998.

Money, Money, Money: A Novel of the 87th Precinct      RC 52928
by Ed McBain

read by Ray Foushee

2 cassettes

A lion almost kills Detective Steve Carella when he tries to remove a woman's body from the zoo den. Carella and Fat Ollie Weeks uncover drug smugglers, counterfeit money, hit women, and Arab terrorists while pursuing the case. They also face off with the Treasury Department. Violence and strong language. 2001.

Expendable      RC 52936
by James Alan Gardner

read by Barbara Caruso

2 cassettes

Officially a member of the Explorer Corps, Festina Ramos recognizes that unofficially she is "expendable." Her elite military company is not expected to return from its missions. Now Festina's new assignment is a trip to the planet Melaquin, but she plans to survive. Some strong language. 1997.

Ascending      RC 52937
by James Alan Gardner

read by Barbara Caruso

3 cassettes

A friend of Festina Ramos, Oar, tells her own story in this sequel to Expendable RC 52936). Although Oar's transparent body is indestructible, her mind will become catatonic at age fifty, and she is now forty-nine. Oar has much to accomplish before she hibernates. Some strong language. 2001.

Midnight Bride      RC 52939
by Susan Carroll

read by Martha Harmon Pardee

3 cassettes

The St. Leger family saga continues as Lance's twin, Val, struggles to accept his fate of having to live a solitary life. Yet young Kate hopes to change his mind with sorcery. Sequel to The Night Drifter RC 52938). Some descriptions of sex, some violence, and some strong language. 2001.

Lost River      RC 52945
by Paxton Riddle

read by Suzanne Toren

3 cassettes

Tale of the Oregon Modoc tribe's relocation to an Oklahoma reservation in the 1860s. Winema--married to a white miner--tries to help negotiate a peaceful settlement between the two cultures. But betrayals occur on both sides, leading to bloodshed. Some descriptions of sex, some violence, and some strong language. 1999.

From Where the Sun Now Stands      RC 52947
by Will Henry

read by L.J. Ganser

2 cassettes

A young Nez Perce warrior, Chief Joseph's nephew, chronicles the treaty violations that forced his people on a trek from Oregon to Montana. The tribe's doomed campaign for freedom culminates in Chief Joseph's vow to "fight no more forever" in his 1877 surrender speech. Some violence and some strong language. Spur Award. 1960.

Typee: A Peep at Polynesian Life, Omoo: A Narrative of Adventures in the South Seas, Mardi: And a Voyage Thither      RC 52958
by Herman Melville

read by Michael Scherer

8 cassettes in 2 containers

Three of Melville's early novels, set in Polynesia in the South Seas and based on his sailing experiences. Typee (1846) contrasts idyllic island living with restrictive western manners. The sequel, Omoo (1847), pursues this theme in Tahiti, while Mardi (1849) tells of an allegorical voyage. 1849.

The Jungle      RC 52961
by Upton Sinclair

read by Annie Wauters

3 cassettes (Reissue)

Grim account of the deplorable conditions in the Chicago meatpacking industry around 1900, as seen through the eyes of Lithuanian immigrant Jurgis Rudkus. When first published, the novel aroused the indignation of the American public and forced government investigations that led to the passage of pure food legislation. 1985 introduction. Some violence. 1906.

The Good Body      RC 52962
by Bill Gaston

read by Gregory Gorton

2 cassettes

Former hockey player Bob Bonaduce returns home to Fredericton, New Brunswick, after a twenty-year absence to become reacquainted with his son, Jason, and wife, Leah. He enrolls in Jason's college but doesn't tell anyone he is newly diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Some strong language. 2000.

Jester's Fortune: An Alan Lewrie Naval Adventure      RC 53005
by Dewey Lambdin

read by Bruce Huntey

3 cassettes

In 1796, Naval Commander Alan Lewrie's ship is part of a British squadron patrolling the Adriatic Sea against Napoleon's forces. They battle Balkan pirates and rescue an English widow and her child from enemy soldiers. Sequel to A King's Commander RC 47586). Violence, strong language, and some descriptions of sex. 1999.

The Good German      RC 53016
by Joseph Kanon

read by John Horton

3 cassettes

Reporter Jake Geismar returns to Berlin after the fall of the Nazis to cover the Potsdam Conference and to find former lover, Lena. While there, he discovers an American soldier's body. Sensing a big story, he follows a path revealing war crimes. Explicit descriptions of sex, violence, and strong language. 2001.

A Bend in the Road      RC 53017
by Nicholas Sparks

read by Jim Zeiger

2 cassettes

New Bern, North Carolina. Deputy Sheriff Miles Ryan is still mourning the loss of his wife two years earlier in a hit-and-run accident. Sarah Andrews, his son's teacher, is coping with a nasty divorce. Miles and Sarah fall in love, but their future is shattered when a secret is uncovered. Some strong language. 2001.

Firefly Beach      RC 53025
by Luanne Rice

read by Jill Fox

3 cassettes

Sisters Caroline, Clea, and Skye return to their family homestead to visit when Joe Connor, an individual connected to their troubled past, arrives. He is the son of the man who committed suicide in front of the family three decades ago. And it was their father's fault. Some strong language. Bestseller 2001.

Blood on the Divide: The First Mountain Man, Volume 2      RC 53030
by William W. Johnstone

read by John Polk

2 cassettes

1838. The Pardee brothers, along with renegade Indians expelled from various tribes, live by raiding and killing settlers traveling in wagons along the Oregon Trail. Mountain man Preacher learns of their schemes and sets out to defeat them. Sequel to Journey of the Mountain Man RC 30046). Violence and strong language. 1992.

The Third Option      RC 53036
by Vince Flynn

read by Jack Fox

3 cassettes

CIA agent Mitch Rapp, last seen in Transfer of Power RC 50675), is sent on a mission to Germany to assassinate a businessman selling arms to Saddam Hussein. When the couple assisting Rapp try to kill him, he goes undercover to investigate political intrigue. Some violence and some strong language. Bestseller 2000.

Mercy      RC 53042
by Julie Garwood

read by Mitzi Friedlander

3 cassettes

Dr. Michelle Renard saves the life of federal attorney Theo Buchanan in New Orleans before returning home to the bayou. Theo decides to thank her in person and discovers that she is being harassed and threatened by unknown locals. Some explicit descriptions of sex, some violence, and some strong language. 2001.

Plantation: A Lowcountry Tale      RC 53043
by Dorothea Benton Frank

read by Ann Hodapp

3 cassettes

New Yorker Caroline Levine swore she would never return home to South Carolina. Then her brother Trip calls begging her to come see about Mother. Caroline, finding a person who is the same yet greatly changed, learns what it means to come home. Strong language and some explicit descriptions of sex. Bestseller 2001.

The Secret Ingredient Murders: A Eugenia Potter Mystery      RC 53049
by Nancy Pickard

read by Mitzi Friedlander

2 cassettes

Genia Potter leaves her Arizona ranch to help counsel her teenaged great-niece and nephew in Devon, Rhode Island. There she teams up with an aspiring cookbook writer to host a dinner for cooking aficionados, only to find him murdered the night of the party. Her troubled great-nephew is the prime suspect. 2001.

Envy      RC 53050
by Sandra Brown

read by Richard Hauenstein

3 cassettes

Publisher Maris Matherly-Reed is so intrigued by the story line of a manuscript that she travels from New York to Georgia to meet the author. Her actions set in motion the uncovering of a rivalry between friends that sent one to prison and made the other famous. Strong language, some descriptions of sex, and some violence. Bestseller 2001.

The Marble Mask      RC 53054
by Archer Mayor

read by John Polk

2 cassettes

Detective Joe Gunther has just joined the new Vermont Bureau of Investigation when the police discover the fifty-year-old frozen corpse of a French-Canadian mob leader on Mount Mansfield near Stowe. No one knows why the gangster's disappearance went unnoticed. Gunther is handed the puzzle. Some violence and some strong language. 2000.

Long Time No See      RC 53058
by Susan Isaacs

read by Norma Lana

2 cassettes

Despite her policeman lover's admonitions, amateur sleuth Judith Singer searches for clues to the murder of a neighbor. Courtney Logan disappeared on Halloween night, and now in May her body has been found in her own pool. Sequel to Compromising Positions RC 11629). Strong language and some descriptions of sex. Bestseller 2001.

A Deadly Shade of Gold      RC 53062
by John D. MacDonald

read by Richard Davidson

3 cassettes (Reissue)

The death of his friend Sam Taggart takes Florida private detective Travis McGee to Mexico to find the murderer. The only evidence in the case is a priceless pre-Columbian gold statuette. Some strong language. 1965.

Shock      RC 53066
by Robin Cook

read by Faith Potts

2 cassettes

Harvard coeds Deborah Cochrane and Joanna Meissner fund a stay in Venice for academic pursuits by donating ova to the Wingate Infertility Clinic. Later Joanna, seeking to learn what happened to her gametes, convinces Deborah to help her investigate. They don't like their findings. Some strong language. Bestseller 2001.

Flight      RC 53076
by Jan Burke

read by Gregory Gorton

3 cassettes

Ten years after police detective Philip Lefebvre was suspected of killing a teenager--the only witness to a multiple murder--and destroying crucial evidence, the missing lawman's body is discovered. Reporter Irene Kelly's husband, homicide investigator Frank Harriman, reopens the old case and uncovers a conspiracy. Violence and strong language. 2001.

The Hunted      RC 53079
by Alan Jacobson

read by Gregory Gorton

3 cassettes

When psychologist Lauren Chambers's husband, Michael, fails to return from a ski trip, she enlists the help of private investigator Nick Bradley. It appears that Michael was injured, has amnesia, and has been told by the FBI that he's an undercover agent. Violence and strong language. 2001.

Soldier X      RC 53080
by Don Wulffson

read by Mark Ashby

1 cassette

In 1944, bilingual sixteen-year-old Erik Brandt, whose grandparents are Russian, is conscripted into the German army and sent to the eastern front. He is caught behind enemy lines and exchanges uniforms with a dead Russian soldier. But can he fake his identity for long? Violence. For senior high and older readers. 2001.

Black Sunday      RC 53082
by Thomas Harris

read by Annie Wauters

2 cassettes (Reissue)

To protest American policies in the Middle East, a fanatical terrorist group plots the annihilation of 80,000 Super Bowl spectators. Their prime weapon is Michael Lander, a deranged ex-navy pilot seeking revenge, and his handler--beautiful assassin Dahlia Iyad. Some explicit descriptions of sex, some violence, and some strong language. 1975.

A River Runs through It and Other Stories      RC 53083
by Norman Maclean

read by Rick Foucheux

2 cassettes (Reissue)

The author of Young Men and Fire RC 35639) re-creates his early years in Montana. In "A River Runs through It" he reminisces about fly fishing with his brother and father in the 1930s. Other stories deal with summer jobs in logging and fighting fires. Some strong language. 1976.

The Fountainhead      RC 53087
by Ayn Rand

read by Steven Carpenter

6 cassettes (Reissue)

Although he is expelled from school, Howard Roark is determined to succeed as an architect, rejecting the conventional path of his friend Peter Keating and the wiles of his destructive lover Dominique Francon. Some descriptions of sex. 1943.

Celia Garth: A Story of Charleston in the Revolution      RC 53091
by Gwen Bristow

read by Nanette Savard

3 cassettes

Twenty-year-old Celia Garth is a dressmaker in Charleston, South Carolina, when the Revolutionary War breaks out. She sides with the patriots, helping Francis Marion by providing him with information obtained from her Tory customers. 1959.

Snow Mountain Passage      RC 53093
by James D. Houston

read by Michael Scherer

2 cassettes

Fictionalized account of the horrific ordeals of the California-bound Donner Party, stranded in the Sierra Nevada in the winter of 1846, including their desperate resort to cannibalism. The tale of James Reed, expelled from the group and subsequently a rescue-party organizer, is interspersed with childhood recollections provided decades later by his elderly daughter. 2001.

More than Memory      RC 53094
by Dorothy Garlock

read by Margaret Strom

2 cassettes

In 1949, Nelda Hansen, pregnant with Lute Hanson's child, was forced by her father to marry Lute and divorce him almost immediately. Now, nine years later, Nelda returns to Iowa where she and Lute grew up, and where Lute still lives. Strong language and some explicit descriptions of sex. 2001.

Touching Spirit Bear      RC 53095
by Ben Mikaelsen

read by Gregory Gorton

2 cassettes

To avoid prison after viciously attacking a classmate, fifteen-year-old Cole agrees to a Native American tradition for healing--one year alone on a remote Alaskan island. There Cole confronts a huge white Spirit Bear that changes his life. Some violence. For junior and senior high readers. 2001.

Ex-Libris      RC 53097
by Ross King

read by David Cutler

3 cassettes

London, 1660. Bookseller Isaac Inchbold is commissioned by impoverished widow Alethea Greatorex, daughter of the late Sir Ambrose Plessington, to locate a palimpsest stolen by Cromwell's soldiers during the civil war. The mild-mannered merchant is thus thrust into a world of political intrigue, treachery, and murder. 1998.

Fair Blows the Wind      RC 53098
by Louis L'Amour

read by Christopher Walker

2 cassettes (Reissue)

In this colonial adventure, Irish-born Tatton Chantry, shipwrecked on the North Carolina coast, encounters Spanish profiteers and a lovely Peruvian lady. To win their treasure and her heart, Chantry takes on the pirates and savage Indians. 1978.

The Makioka Sisters      RC 53099
by Junichiro Tanizaki

read by Mary Kane

4 cassettes

Four sisters struggle to adhere to formal traditions as their prestigious Osaka family declines between 1936 and 1941. Familial bonds disintegrate while they try to survive poverty, preserve the family name, and find a husband for the third sister, Yukiko. First published in Japan in 1943. Includes an introduction, bibliography, and chronology of Tanizaki's life. 1993.

American West: Twenty New Stories from the Western Writers of America      RC 53107
edited by Loren D. Estleman

read by Gregory Gorton

2 cassettes

Twenty nontraditional western tales. "The Guardians," a story by Don Coldsmith, is based on a historical incident in which Native Americans are not attackers but protectors. In "A Piano at Dead Man's Crossing," Johnny D. Boggs writes a moving narrative from the perspective of a piano. Some strong language. 2001.

More than a Mistress      RC 53118
by Mary Balogh

read by Kristin Allison

2 cassettes

Jane Ingleby came to Regency-era London to escape scheming relatives. Walking through Hyde Park, she happens upon a duel. Her screams result in the duke of Tresham's being shot and Jane's becoming his nurse for three weeks. Later she is given three options for her future. Some explicit descriptions of sex and some strong language. 2000.

No Man's Mistress      RC 53119
by Mary Balogh

read by Kristin Allison

2 cassettes

Viola Thornhill is happy being the mistress of Pinewood Manor, an estate left to her by the earl of Bamber. But her contentment is shattered when Lord Ferdinand Dudley arrives, claiming to be the new owner. Sequel to More than a Mistress RC 53118). Some explicit descriptions of sex and some strong language. 2001.

Honey: Shooting Stars, Volume 4      RC 53121
by V.C. Andrews

read by Kristin Allison

1 cassette

Honey has grown up on a farm run by her fanatically religious grandfather. She has a remarkable talent for playing the violin, and her teacher has paired her up with a brilliant pianist. Her grandfather, however, opposes the relationship. Sequel to Rose RC 53120). Bestseller 2001.

Seduction in Death      RC 53132
by J.D. Robb

read by Martha Harmon Pardee

2 cassettes

New York City lieutenant Eve Dallas investigates serial killings of single women, who are first targeted in a chat room and later overpowered with a date-rape drug during their first encounters with the killer or killers. Violence, strong language, and some explicit descriptions of sex. Bestseller 2001.

Time and Again      RC 53136
by Nora Roberts

read by David Hartley-Margolin

3 cassettes

In Time Was, Caleb Hornblower leaves Philadelphia in the twenty-third century, crash lands in Oregon in the twenty-first century, and falls in love with his rescuer, Liberty. In Times Change, his brother Jacob arrives hoping to convince Caleb to return home. Instead, Jacob is smitten by Liberty's sister. Descriptions of sex and some strong language. Bestseller 2001.

Desecration: Antichrist Takes the Throne      RC 53137
by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins

read by Bob Askey

2 cassettes

Rayford Steele and members of the Tribulation Force prepare to rescue God's chosen people. Meanwhile, followers of Nicolae Carpathia gather at the temple, where they plan to take the mark in Nicolae's presence--and where Nicolae plans to declare himself God. Sequel to The Mark RC 51272). Bestseller 2001.

Dune: House Corrino; Prelude to Dune, Volume 3      RC 53145
by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson

read by J.P. Linton

4 cassettes

This sequel to Dune: House Harkonnen RC 50949) concludes the series of prequels to Dune RC 44126). Padishah emperor Shaddam IV of the House of Corrino tries to gain absolute power by creating a synthetic spice known as amal--a substitute for melange, the spice found only on Dune. Bestseller 2001.

Secret Sanction      RC 53151
by Brian Haig

read by Chuck Benson

3 cassettes

Army lawyer Major Sean Drummond is assigned to investigate the massacre of thirty-five Serbs by a U.S. Special Forces team in Kosovo. Drummond and defense attorney Captain Lisa Morrow interrogate the Green Berets and uncover secret missions, a mutiny, and conspiracies that lead to murder. Violence and strong language. 2001.

Evan Can Wait: A Constable Evans Mystery      RC 53153
by Rhys Bowen

read by Graeme Malcolm

2 cassettes

Constable Evan Evans discovers that his girlfriend's ex-husband is part of a group of documentary filmmakers, in Llanfair, Wales, to extricate a German bomber from the lake. Then a crew member, investigating the theory that invaluable art was hidden in the mine shafts during the war, is murdered. 2001.

Daughter of the Forest: The Sevenwaters Trilogy, Book 1      RC 53155
by Juliet Marillier

read by Gabriella Cavallero

4 cassettes

Lord Colum of Sevenwaters has six talented sons--Liam, Diarmid, twins Cormack and Conor, Finbar, and Padriac. But it is his seventh child and only daughter, Sorcha, who can restore his sons to humanity after Colum's new wife, Oonagh, changes them into swans. Some descriptions of sex and some violence. 2000.

Double-Cross: A Western Story      RC 53173
by Stephen Overholser

read by Chuck Benson

2 cassettes

Cowboy Matt MacLeod enters the Denver jail on an errand. He notices an accused murderer who could pass for his twin. The unknown man is due to hang at noon the next day. Matt, however, cannot let the man die without an explanation. Some strong language. 2001.

In My Wildest Dreams      RC 53202
by Christina Dodd

read by Jill Fox

2 cassettes

Victorian England. Celeste, the gardener's daughter, always wanted to marry Ellery, the youngest son of the Throckmorton family. After her schooling, she returns as governess to Garrick Throckmorton's children. To make sure Celeste does not interfere with Ellery's impending nuptials, Garrick puts himself in an unplanned position. Explicit descriptions of sex. Bestseller 2001.

Midnight Bayou      RC 53204
by Nora Roberts

read by Erin Jones

2 cassettes

Declan Fitzgerald, tired of being a Boston lawyer, buys Manet Hall near New Orleans with plans to restore the old plantation. But he does not expect to find his house haunted by rape, murder, and betrayal. Strong language, some explicit descriptions of sex, and some violence. Bestseller 2001.

Revenge of the Mountain Man      RC 53205
by William W. Johnstone

read by John Polk

2 cassettes

Colorado, 1880. Smoke Jensen, gunslinger turned rancher, vows revenge on the three men who shot his pregnant second wife. After sending Sally home to New Hampshire, he tracks down the shooters and discovers that they have a twenty-year-old grudge against him. Some violence and some strong language. 1988.

A Soldier's Duty      RC 53206
by Thomas E. Ricks

read by Jack Fox

2 cassettes

New lovers, majors Cindy Sherman and Bud Lewis, have just arrived at the Pentagon when the president sends troops to Afghanistan. The "Sons of Liberty," a secret military organization, questions the move and plans a coup against the unpopular commander in chief. Violence, strong language, and some explicit descriptions of sex. 2001.

The Light of Day      RC 53207
by Eric Ambler

read by Barry Bernson

2 cassettes (Reissue)

Arthur Simpson, a petty thief and con man caught stealing traveler's checks from a hotel room, finds himself with no choice but to follow his "victim's" orders. If he refuses, he may be arrested by the Turkish or Greek police. Either way, he becomes involved in an international conspiracy. Some strong language. 1962.

Force 12      RC 53208
by James Thayer

read by Jack Fox

2 cassettes

Computer billionaire Rex Wyman designs a yacht to sail strictly by computer. His programmer girlfriend Gwen Weld joins him to cross the Pacific, but once in the Bering Sea they realize that a virus is sabotaging the system. Gwen e-mails Jess McKay, an Alaska National Guard captain, for help. 2001.

The Whistling Toilets      RC 53211
by Randy Powell

read by John Polk

1 cassette

Sixteen-year-old Stan spends the summer helping his childhood friend--fifteen-year-old tennis champion Ginny--overcome her career slump. He also coaches inner-city Seattle kids while Ginny decides whether she wants to assume a normal teenage life. For senior high readers. 1996.

Be My Valentine      RC 53218
by Sheila Rabe

read by Ann Hodapp

2 cassettes

When her boyfriend refuses to commit, Shelby takes the advice of her mother, romance writer Diana Valentine, and invents another guy to make him jealous. The only problem is that she picks a common name, David Jones, for the fictitious rival, with a real person attached to it--someone she falls in love with. 2001.

Hooking Up      RC 53223
by Tom Wolfe

read by Barry Bernson

2 cassettes

Collection of essays on a wide range of cultural topics and the novella "Ambush at Fort Bragg." In "My Three Stooges," Wolfe retaliates against hostile reviews of his novel A Man in Full RC 47041). In "Hooking Up," America at the turn of the millennium is observed. 2000.

The Coming      RC 53234
by Joe Haldeman

read by Jill Fox

2 cassettes

Florida, 2054. When astronomy professor Dr. Aurora Bell receives a message indicating the approach of aliens, she estimates that they will reach Earth on New Year's Day. As the day approaches, politicians, religious leaders, and mobsters are all drawn in to the frenzy of anticipation, drowning out Bell's pleas for reason. Strong language. 2000.

The Mitford Snowmen: A Christmas Story      RC 53292
by Jan Karon

read by Michele Schaeffer

1 cassette

The townspeople of Mitford hold a spontaneous snowman-building contest. Bestseller 2001.

The Kiss      RC 53294
by Danielle Steel

read by Martha Harmon Pardee

2 cassettes

Isabelle Forrester, wife of a Paris banker and mother of an extremely ill son, and Bill Robinson, a married Washington power broker, have had a telephone friendship for years. When they finally meet in London, their relationship begins to change. Then they are involved in a deadly crash. Some strong language. Bestseller 2001.

Aunt Dimity: Detective      RC 53303
by Nancy Atherton

read by Michele Schaeffer

1 cassette

American Lori Willis lives in Finch, an English town in the Cotswolds, with her husband and young twins. When newcomer Prunella Hooper is found murdered, Lori investigates with the help of her Aunt Dimity's ghost--while the villagers hide secrets. 2001.

Casual Rex      RC 53313
by Eric Garcia

read by Robert Sams

3 cassettes

In this sequel to Anonymous Rex RC 51606), private Los Angeles detectives Vincent Rubio and Ernie Watson--dinosaurs masquerading as humans--take on a case involving a cult. Some dinos want to discontinue their human disguises and assert their natural superiority, and some are murdered. Strong language and some violence. 2001.

Don't Tell Anyone      RC 53322
by Frederick Busch

read by Michele Schaeffer

2 cassettes

Short stories and a novella concerning families and betrayal. In "Heads," a widowed mother watches her daughter--a law school student who was raped--fall apart. In "Still the Same Old Story," a teenage daughter suffers as a result of her parents' infidelities. Explicit descriptions of sex and strong language. 2000.

Murder One      RC 53350
by William Bernhardt

read by Gregory Gorton

3 cassettes

Tulsa attorney Ben Kincaid, last seen in Silent Justice RC 51283), frees--on a technicality--nineteen-year-old stripper Keri from serving time for killing her cop boyfriend. The police force retaliates against his law office, jeopardizing colleague Christina McCall's life. Violence, strong language, and some descriptions of sex. 2001.

Sugar      RC 53355
by Bernice L. McFadden

read by Michele Schaeffer

2 cassettes

When prostitute Sugar Lacey inherits a house in Bigelow, Arkansas, in 1955, the other African American women ostracize her. Churchgoing neighbor Pearl Taylor, however, befriends Sugar because she looks like Pearl's murdered daughter. Eventually they share secrets. Explicit descriptions of sex, violence, and strong language. 2000.

From the Dust Returned: A Family Remembrance      RC 53357
by Ray Bradbury

read by David Hartley-Margolin

1 cassette

Ten-year-old Timothy, a mortal foundling and the family historian, relates the story of the gala homecoming of the far-flung, time-defying Elliott clan to their mysterious, ramshackle Illinois mansion. Among the company are slumbering telepathic shape-shifter Cecy and bat-winged Uncle Einar. Bestseller 2001.

Royal Summons      RC 53359
by Elizabeth Cadell

read by Kristin Allison

2 cassettes (Reissue)

Ellen Berg, whose mother died when she was three, has grown up in Arizona. On her father's death, Ellen inherits a fifteenth-century English manor house through her maternal lineage. Arriving in England, she finds a lovely mansion, a formidable aunt, and a handsome young archaeologist. 1972.

All about Passion      RC 53361
by Stephanie Laurens

read by Kristin Allison

3 cassettes

Gyles Rawlings, the thirty-five-year-old earl of Chillingworth, has decided to take a wife. He wants a lady of suitable birth and breeding to provide him with heirs. He chooses Francesca Rawlings and believes he is meeting her in her garden. But a surprise awaits him at the altar. Explicit descriptions of sex. Bestseller 2001.

Brazen Virtue      RC 53372
by Nora Roberts

read by Martha Harmon Pardee

2 cassettes

Mystery writer Grace McCabe comes to Washington, D.C., to visit her sister, Kathleen, hoping for rest and a sisterly bond. But everything changes when Kathleen, who works at night as a phone-sex operator, is strangled to death. Violence, strong language, and some descriptions of sex. Bestseller 1988.

Locked Inside      RC 53395
by Nancy Werlin

read by Kristin Allison

2 cassettes

Filthy-rich orphan Marnie Skyedottir, daughter of a dead New Age singer, lives at boarding school with only an anonymous computer buddy, "Elf," for a friend. When she is kidnapped during spring break, Elf is her sole hope for rescue. Some violence. For senior high readers. 2000.

The Bastard King      RC 53535
by Jean Plaidy

read by Anne Flosnik

3 cassettes

The story of William the Conqueror, the illegitimate son of the Duke of Normandy, and his rise to power. William successfully invades England in 1066, claiming the promised throne. But treachery and unrest continue. Prequel to The Lion of Justice RC 40330). 1974.

Forever Free      RC 53546
by Joe Haldeman

read by Rick Rohan

2 cassettes

Man, a race of clones, exiles humans, including veteran Mandella, to the snow-covered planet Middle Finger after the Forever War. Mandella revolts against being a genetic resource for Man, rallying his cohorts to begin humanity anew. Sequel to The Forever War RC 48659). 1999.

Violets Are Blue      RC 53565
by James Patterson

read by Chuck Benson

2 cassettes

Detective Dr. Alex Cross continues to be tormented by calls from the elusive "Mastermind" killer while assisting an FBI investigation of nationwide ritualistic vampire murders. Sequel to Roses Are Red RC 51270). Violence, strong language, and some descriptions of sex. Bestseller 2001.

Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage: Stories      RC 53585
by Alice Munro

read by Martha Harmon Pardee

2 cassettes

Nine short stories exploring conflicting emotions and introspection. In "What Is Remembered," a woman reminisces about an impulsive tryst with a stranger early in her married days and how that memory became a treasured fantasy sustaining her through a humdrum existence. Some strong language. Bestseller 2001.

Falling Angels      RC 53613
by Tracy Chevalier

read by Anne Flosnik

2 cassettes

The day after Queen Victoria's death, two five-year-olds meet beside their families' cemetery plots. Maude is skeptical and analytic, Lavinia romantic and sentimental. Maude's mother rebels against a claustrophobic marriage to become a suffragist, but at great personal cost. Their voices and many others in counterpoint reveal a society in crisis. Bestseller 2001.

Embers      RC 53619
by Sándor Márai

read by Anne Flosnik

1 cassette

Hungary, 1940. The old general, Henrik, entertains his closest childhood friend, whom he has not seen in forty-one years. As he talks and questions Konrad, a complex history of friendship, passion, and betrayal is untangled. First published in Budapest in 1942. Translated by Carol Brown Janeway. Bestseller 2001.

Daddy's Little Girl      RC 53709
by Mary Higgins Clark

read by Martha Harmon Pardee

2 cassettes

Reporter Ellie Cavanaugh of Atlanta returns to Westchester County, New York, to protest the parole of wealthy heir Rob Westerfield, convicted of murdering her teenaged sister twenty-two years ago. Even as Ellie reopens the case and starts a web site, she experiences some doubts. Then someone threatens her life. Bestseller 2002.

The Shelters of Stone      RC 53756
by Jean M. Auel

read by Martha Harmon Pardee

6 cassettes

Continues the saga of prehistoric society from The Plains of Passage RC 31965). Ayla and Jondalar, with their two horses and a wolf, arrive at the caves of the Zelandonii--Jondalar's people--and receive a mixed welcome. Ayla, as an outsider with strange customs, strives to win acceptance. Some explicit descriptions of sex. Bestseller 2002.

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

Native American Chiefs and Warriors      RC 50573
by Stuart A. Kallen

read by Lindsay Ellison

1 cassette

Discusses the lives of five influential Native American chiefs: King Philip, a Wampanoag from the 1600s; Chief Pontiac, an Ottawa born in the 1720s; Geronimo, an Apache born in 1829; Crazy Horse, an Oglala Sioux born in 1841; and Wilma Mankiller, a Cherokee born in 1945. For grades 6-9. 1999.

Tiger Woods      RC 51056
by William C. Durbin

read by Chuck Young

1 cassette

Describes the career of Tiger Woods, who in 1997 became the youngest golfer in history to win the Masters Tournament. Explores his parents' role in his success and the talent and competitiveness he always exhibited for the sport. Includes a glossary. For grades 5-8 and older readers. 2000.

Advertising: Information or Manipulation?      RC 51111
by Nancy Day

read by Candy Shannon

1 cassette

Discusses how advertising has developed, how companies use it to entice consumers, and how it affects various markets, especially young people. Includes information about advertising in disguise--in infomercials, movies, and music videos, and even on PBS. For grades 6-9. 1999.

Auto Racing: A History of Fast Cars and Fearless Drivers      RC 51188
by Mark Stewart

read by Russ Weinstein

2 cassettes

Discusses the origins, evolution, historic milestones, and key personalities of automobile racing. Recalls the first motor race in France, in 1887. Although there was only one entry, the event signaled the beginning of an extremely popular spectator sport. Describes the first American race, in 1895--in the snow. For grades 5-8. 1998.

Hockey: A History of the Fastest Game on Ice      RC 51189
by Mark Stewart

read by John Fulks

1 cassette

A history of the game from its origins almost 3,000 years ago through its evolution into a popular pastime in Canada. Discusses the organization of league play, the establishment of the Stanley Cup, and some of the most famous players and teams. For grades 5-8 and older readers. 1998.

Everything You Need to Know about Cerebral Palsy      RC 51258
by Dion Pincus

read by Graci Ragsdale Miller

1 cassette

Presents facts concerning cerebral palsy (CP)--the most common lifelong physical disability in the United States--and refutes some myths. Discusses different forms of the disorder, its causes, and treatments. Uses case studies to portray how young people deal with this condition. For grades 4-7. 2000.

Black Hands, White Sails: The Story of African American Whalers      RC 51501
by Patricia C. McKissack and Fredrick L. McKissack

read by Chuck Young

1 cassette

A history of African American whalers between 1730 and 1880, describing their contribution to the whaling industry and their role in the abolition movement. Due to limited job opportunities, both free blacks and runaway slaves worked as sailors despite the low pay and savage conditions. For grades 6-9. Coretta Scott King Honor Book. 1999.

Scientific American Inventions from Outer Space: Everyday Uses for NASA Technology      RC 51546
by David Baker

read by Candy Shannon

1 cassette

Details products, services, and inventions that are available to the public because of forty years of successful research by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Includes keyboards for disabled workers, home water filters, the shock-absorbing soles of running shoes, and other achievements. For grades 6-9. 2000.

The Impeachment of William Jefferson Clinton      RC 51583
by Daniel Cohen

read by Miriam Wagner

1 cassette

Examines the events leading up to the impeachment of President Clinton, including the Whitewater investigation, the media coverage, and the grand jury proceedings, and describes the impeachment process by the Senate. Also analyzes the legacy and ramifications of this scandal. For grades 6-9 and older readers. 2000.

Geology Rocks! Fifty Hands-On Activities to Explore the Earth      RC 51590
by Cindy Blobaum

read by Margaret Strom

1 cassette

Explores basic facts about geology using activities and experiments with familiar household items. One experiment calls for removing chips intact from a chocolate chip cookie to learn about mining; another for floating graham crackers on peanut butter to understand plate tectonics. Safety precautions are included. For grades 4-7. 1999.

Native Americans of the Southeast      RC 52373
by Christina M. Girod

read by Bill Wallace

1 cassette

Discusses the original inhabitants of what is now the southeastern United States, including the Choctaw, Chickasaw, Cherokee, Calusa, Timucua, Catawba, Natchez, Creek, and Seminole tribes. Covers their history, social customs, culture, and religion. Relates their decline after their forced removal to reservations farther west. For grades 6-9 and older readers. 2001.

Native Americans of the Great Lakes      RC 52413
by Stuart A. Kallen

read by Bill Wallace

1 cassette

Examines the history and customs of the Algonquian and the Six Nations of the Iroquois tribes found in the Great Lakes region of Canada and the United States. Discusses housing, hunting practices, religion, child rearing, and armed conflicts. For grades 6-9 and older readers. 2000.

Charles Dickens: The Man Who Had Great Expectations      RC 53061
by Diane Stanley and Peter Vennema

read by Gordon Gould

1 cassette

Follows the life and writing career of Charles Dickens, the famous nineteenth-century English novelist whose works include David Copperfield RC 22325), Oliver Twist RC 22868), and A Christmas Carol RC 43546). Describes his advocacy for needy children. For grades 4-7. 1993.

Hurry Freedom: African Americans in Gold Rush California      RC 53156
by Jerry Stanley

read by Jake Williams

1 cassette

Recounts the history of African Americans in California during the gold rush of the nineteenth century. Focuses on the life and work of Mifflin Gibbs, a prosperous businessman, who lobbied to pass bills that would improve the living standards of black Californians. For grades 5-8 and older readers. 2000.

American Computer Pioneers      RC 53199
by Mary Northrup

read by John Richardson

1 cassette

Profiles ten people who helped develop computers. Includes Steve Jobs, who dropped out of college and helped create Apple Computer, Inc., in his garage in 1976; Bill Gates, who wrote his first program when he was thirteen; and Rear Admiral Grace Hopper, who invented technical languages for the navy. For grades 6-9. 1998.

Loco for Lizards      RC 53222
by Jim Cherry

read by Bruce Huntey

1 cassette

Explores the popularity of lizards in film, music, art, and advertising. Discusses the natural history of these reptiles: what they are, what they do, how they live, and the myths and folklore surrounding them. For grades 6-9. 2000.

Kittens Today: A Complete and Up-to-Date Guide      RC 53226
by Greg Ovechka

read by Gary Tipton

1 cassette

Discusses the appeal of cats and the advantages of having more than one. Provides information on various breeds and how to select a cat for oneself. Includes tips on preparing a home for a kitten, what to feed it, and how to maintain its health. For grades 5-8 and older readers. 1996.

Physics Projects for Young Scientists      RC 53232
by Richard C. Adams and Peter H. Goodwin

read by Butch Hoover

1 cassette

Explains how to conduct simple experiments exploring the science of physics. Projects address the study of mechanics; temperature and pressure; properties of matter; vibrations, electricity, and magnetism; and building an ammeter. For grades 6-9. 2000.

Heartsongs      RC 53296
by Mattie J.T. Stepanek

read by Norma Lana

1 cassette

A collection of poems by a boy who has a rare form of muscular dystrophy. He expresses his belief in celebrating the gifts of life every day and encourages everyone to listen to the special song inside his or her heart. For grades 3-6 and older readers. 2001.

Journey through Heartsongs      RC 53299
by Mattie J.T. Stepanek

read by Norma Lana

1 cassette

This second collection of poems expands on the themes of faith and hope found in Heartsongs RC 53296). In "I Could... If They Would," Mattie shares his dreams of what he would do if a cure were discovered for his rare disease. For grades 3-6 and older readers. 2001.

Coretta Scott King      RC 53335
by Lisa Renee Rhodes

read by John Hammock

1 cassette

A biography of Coretta Scott King, political activist and widow of Martin Luther King Jr., the slain civil rights leader. Discusses her childhood in rural Alabama, her marriage, and her crusade to keep her husband's message of peace and equality alive after his murder in 1968. For grades 6-9. 1998.

Cassettes Fiction

Little House in the Big Woods      RC 50921
by Laura Ingalls Wilder

read by Laura Giannarelli

1 cassette (Reissue)

Wisconsin, 1871. The Ingalls family experiences pioneer life in a little log house, miles from any settlement. They feel safe and secure despite blizzards, wolves, and the loneliness of the big woods. Prequel to Little House on the Prairie RC 50922). For grades 4-7 and older readers. 1932.

The Time Bike      RC 51255
by Jane Langton

read by Mimi Bederman

1 cassette

After his beloved brand-new bike is stolen, Eddy receives an old-fashioned bicycle from an uncle in India. Eddy's disappointment vanishes when he realizes the vintage two-wheeler is capable of transporting him back in time. Companion to The Fragile Flag RC 22755) and others. For grades 4-7. 2000.

The Heart Calls Home      RC 51261
by Joyce Hansen

read by Mimi Bederman

1 cassette

South Carolina, 1860s. In this sequel to Out from This Place RC 31802), former slave Obi Booker returns home during Reconstruction and searches for Easter, his future bride. But it is years before he learns of her whereabouts. For grades 5-8. 1999.

Kit's Wilderness      RC 51741
by David Almond

read by David Cutler

1 cassette

When Kit Watson is thirteen, his family moves to the old mining town of Stoneygate to be with his grandfather. Kit finds a strange connection between his grandfather's tales of the mines, ghosts of old, and the eerie game called "Death," which takes Kit down into the pit. For grades 6-9. Michael L. Printz Award. 1999.

The Year of Miss Agnes      RC 51865
by Kirkpatrick Hill

read by Marilyn Gleason

1 cassette

Ten-year-old Athapascan Indian Frederika relates the story of a special teacher who comes to her Alaskan village in 1948. Miss Agnes makes education interesting for everyone in the one-room schoolhouse, including Fred's twelve-year-old deaf sister, Bokko, who learns sign language for the first time. For grades 3-6. 2000.

Friedrich      RC 52668
by Hans Peter Richter

read by Erik Sandvold

1 cassette

A young German recounts the fate of his best friend, Friedrich, a Jew, during the Nazi regime. Reflects on the dehumanization of Friedrich's family and his death after being forbidden to enter an air-raid shelter. For grades 6-9. 1961.

Prairie School      RC 52740
by Avi

read by Norma Lana

1 cassette

When Aunt Dora, a schoolteacher, comes to visit Noah's family in 1880, nine-year-old Noah feels no need to read or write. But Aunt Dora changes his mind by expanding his world while he pushes her wheelchair across the prairie. For grades 2-4. 2001.

First Test: Protector of the Small, Book 1      RC 52767
by Tamora Pierce

read by Lisette Lecat

2 cassettes

Ten-year-old Keladry is dismayed that she must pass a year's probation to be the first female page in Tortall. But her desire to become a knight and protect people is so strong that Kel accepts the condition. Followed by Page RC 52768). For grades 5-8. 1999.

Hemlock Hill Hideaway      RC 53022
by Carrie Bender

read by Kerry Cundiff

1 cassette

The Petersheims of Whispering Brook buy a farm for young Omar and send his sister Nancy to keep house for him. The Amish siblings are joined by the mischievous abandoned child Dannie, who adopts a coon and continues to cause problems. Sequel to Chestnut Ridge Acres RC 46800). For grades 4-7. 2000.

Taggerung: A Tale from Redwall      RC 53037
by Brian Jacques

read by Brian Conn

3 cassettes

The clan of Sawney Rath kidnap an otter born at Redwall Abbey because he bears the special mark of Taggerung, the warrior hero. But Tagg refuses to kill, rebelling against his adoptive tribe and seeking his true heritage. For grades 5-8. Bestseller 2001.

Racing the Sun      RC 53089
by Paul Pitts

read by Mark Ashby

1 cassette

The fact that he's an American Indian isn't something Brandon Rogers publicizes. His father abandoned his Navajo ways back in college. But when his grandfather moves in with the family, twelve-year-old Brandon slowly learns to appreciate his heritage. For grades 5-8. 1988.

The Color of My Words      RC 53096
by Lynn Joseph

read by MaryBeth Wise

1 cassette

Ana, a twelve-year-old writer living in the Dominican Republic, depends on her older brother to enhance her talents--until the life-changing events on her thirteenth birthday. For grades 4-7. 2000.

The Vanishings: Left Behind--the Kids, Volume 1      RC 53122
by Jerry B. Jenkins and Tim LaHaye

read by Jim Zeiger

1 cassette

Judd, Vicki, Lionel, and Ryan are friends. They have not found Christ, although their families are Christians and attend church regularly. When people around them start disappearing, the four band together to fight the evil forces threatening them. Followed by Second Chance RC 53123). For grades 5-8. 1998.

Second Chance: Left Behind--the Kids, Volume 2      RC 53123
by Jerry B. Jenkins and Tim LaHaye

read by Jim Zeiger

1 cassette

Now Judd, Vicki, Lionel, and Ryan are facing the decision of whether or not to accept Christ and his forgiveness. Lionel, confronting the possibility that his Uncle André may try to kill himself, rushes to Chicago to save him. Sequel to The Vanishings RC 53122). For grades 5-8. 1998.

Nobody Knew What to Do: A Story about Bullying      RC 53157
by Becky Ray McCain

read by Erik Sandvold

1 cassette

When some bullies keep picking on Ray at school, Ray's classmate takes on the responsibility for stopping the action. He tells a trusted teacher what is happening to Ray and the adults get involved. For grades K-3. 2001.

Aria of the Sea      RC 53214
by Dia Calhoun

read by Ann Hodapp

2 cassettes

In a magical kingdom by the sea, talented thirteen-year-old commoner Cerinthe wins a place in the School of the Royal Dancers. She ignores her gift for healing until a life-threatening accident occurs. Then Cerinthe realizes she must decide which career to follow to truly be herself. For grades 6-9. 2000.

How Tía Lola Came to (Visit) Stay      RC 53326
by Julia Alvarez

read by Kimberly Schraf

1 cassette

Nine-year-old New Yorker Miguel and his sister Juanita move to Vermont with their mother after their parents divorce. Struggling to fit in, Miguel is embarrassed when his Spanish-speaking aunt from the Dominican Republic comes to live with them. For grades 4-7. 2001.

The Ninth Jewel of the Mughal Crown: The Birbal Tales from the Oral Traditions of India      RC 53367
by James Moseley

read by Yolande Bavan

1 cassette

A collection of short stories about the Indian emperor Akbar and his clever adviser, Birbal. In "Birbal and the Crows" Birbal impresses Akbar by outwitting a jealous man who asks how many crows exactly are in a certain city. For grades 3-6. 2001.

Planning the Impossible      RC 53394
by Mavis Jukes

read by Martha Harmon Pardee

1 cassette

In this companion to Expecting the Unexpected RC 49204), California sixth-grader River is concerned about her sex education class, her mother's pregnancy, and the nasty flirt who tries to break up budding friendships. For grades 6-9. 1999.

Junie B., First Grader (at Last!)      RC 53656
by Barbara Park

read by Michele Schaeffer

1 cassette

Junie B. is not happy the first days of first grade. She feels left out because her old friends are making new friends. And worst of all, Junie B. needs to wear glasses. For grades K-3. 2001.

Foreign Language Books

The following cassette titles are available in the languages designated.

Spanish

Redoble por Rancas (Drums for Rancas)      RC 52884

por Manuel Scorza

leído por Juan Ramírez

2 cassettes

Una historia basada en eventos verídicos que narra la persecución y matanza de los indios peruanos desde 1950 a 1962 en la parte central de los Andes. El autor mismo fue perseguido y desterrado, y en su narrativa emplea los nombres verdaderos de los participantes. Lenguaje injurioso. (Based on actual incidents, a tale about the persecution and massacre of Peruvian Indians in the Central Andes from 1950 to 1962. Scorza, who was persecuted and exiled, uses the real names of his characters. Some strong language.) 1970.

Diez Comedias del Siglo de Oro (Ten Plays of the Golden Age): An Annotated Omnibus of Ten Complete Plays by the Most Representative Spanish Dramatists of the Golden Age      RC 52886
recopilado por José Martel y Hymen Alpern

leído por Juan Ramírez

7 cassettes en 2 envases

Presentan diez comedias de dramaturgos famosos de España del siglo diecisiete. Incluyen La Numancia de Cervantes, Fuenteovejuna de Lope de Vega, El Burlador de Sevilla de Molina, Las Mocedades del Cid de Castro y La Vida Es Sueño de Calderón de la Barca. Presentan las comedias en español con introducción y notas biográficas y bibliográficas en inglés. (Ten seventeenth-century Spanish plays by major playwrights, including Cervantes, Molina, Castro, and Calderón. Includes introductory, biographical, and bibliographical information in English and the plays in Spanish.) 1968.

Diez Negritos (And Then There Were None)      RC 52972
por Agatha Christie

leído por María Pino

2 cassettes

Diez personas de varias suertes se encuentran los convidados de una aislada casa señorial. Se ignoran de quién es el hospedero escondido que empieza a asesinarles, uno tras uno. (Ten oddly assorted people find themselves the houseguests of an invisible host who slowly begins killing them one by one.) 1997.

Allí Donde el Mar Recuerda (A Place Where the Sea Remembers)      RC 52973
por Sandra Benítez

leído por María Pino

1 cassette

En Santiago, México, Candelario está alegre con su nuevo trabajo como ensaladero. Al aprender que su joven cuñada, Marta, fue violada y que ahora quiere un aborto, Candelario promete adoptar el bebe de ella. Pero, inesperadamente Candelario pierde su trabajo y su propria mujer se encuentra embarazada, haciéndole abandonar su promesa. (Candelario is pleased with his promotion to salad-maker in Santiago, Mexico. When he learns that his wife's young sister, Marta, was raped and is planning an abortion, he grandly offers to adopt the baby. But when Candelario loses his job and his wife becomes pregnant, he reneges on his promise.) 1996.

El Misterioso Caso de Styles (The Mysterious Affair at Styles)      RC 52974
por Agatha Christie

leído por Juan Ramírez

2 cassettes

El primer caso del famoso detective belga, Hercule Poirot. Poirot sale de su jubilación para investigar la muerte sospechosa de Emily Cavendish, una heredera matronal que, a pesar de los deseos de sus hijastros, se casó con un cazador de dotes. (In Hercule Poirot's first case the retired Belgian police detective investigates the death of Emily Cavendish, an elderly heiress, who, to the distress of her stepchildren, had recently married a fortune hunter.) 1920.

Retrato en Sepia (Portrait in Sepia)      RC 52976
por Isabel Allende

leído por María Pino

3 cassettes

Aurora del Valle, la nieta de Eliza Sommer, sigue la saga familiar que se reveló en Hija de la Fortuna RC 48792). Aurora, quien nació entre trauma y escándalo en el Chinatown de San Francisco, narra su educación y niñez con la abuela Paulina del Valle, su regreso a Chile y su matrimonio con Diego Domíngez. Contiene algunas descripciones explícitas de índole sexual. [Eliza Sommers's granddaughter, Aurora del Valle, continues the saga begun in Hija de la Fortuna RC 48792). Del Valle recounts the scandal surrounding her birth in San Francisco's Chinatown, her upbringing by her paternal grandmother, her return to Chile, and her marriage to Diego Domínguez. Some explicit descriptions of sex.] 2001.

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 (11 issues; combined issue July-August)

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

Bon App,tit (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)

The New York Times Book Review (weekly)

Outdoor Life (10 issues; combined issues June-July, December- January)

People Weekly (weekly plus special issues)

QST (monthly)

Quarterly Music Magazine (quarterly)

Selecciones del Reader's Digest (Spanish; monthly)

Selections du Reader's Digest (French; monthly)

Smart Computing (monthly)

Sound & Vision (10 issues)

Spider: The Magazine for Children (monthly)

Sports Illustrated (weekly plus special issues)

Sports Illustrated for Kids (monthly)

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