### Talking Book Topics May-June 2006 Volume 72, Number 3 National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped _Talking Book Topics_ is published bimonthly in large-print, cassette, and computer diskette formats and distributed free to blind and physically handicapped individuals who participate in the Library of Congress free reading program. It lists recorded books and magazines available through a network of cooperating libraries and covers news of developments and activities in library services. The annotated list in this issue is limited to titles recently added to the national collection, which contains thousands of fiction and nonfiction titles, including classics, biographies, gothics, mysteries, and how-to and self-help guides. To learn more about the wide range of books in the national collection, readers may order catalogs and subject bibliographies from cooperating libraries. Librarians can check other resources for titles and answer requests for special materials. To order books, contact your local cooperating library. Correspondence regarding editorial matters should be sent to: Publications and Media Section, National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress, Washington, DC 20542 Library of Congress, Washington 2006 Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 60-46157 ISSN 0039-9183 Contents: In Brief Books for Adults Cassettes--Nonfiction Cassettes--Fiction Books for Children Cassettes--Nonfiction Cassettes--Fiction Foreign Language Books Spanish Talking Book Magazines ### In Brief The following information is reprinted from two issues of NLS Flash, a newsletter created to bring current information on NLS progress in digital technology to patrons, library staff, and other interested individuals. Flash, February 2006, volume 2, issue 3 Internet download to deliver reading to patrons We live in a digital world. Information, products, and services are only a quick surf, click, and download away, thanks to the Internet. Download access will soon be available to patrons of the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS), Library of Congress. In late spring, NLS will launch a pilot program to test the functionality of online download for its books and magazines. Results from the pilot will help shape the program for its official 2007 debut. "Online download will optimize our service to patrons. It's an alternative way to access the collection," says Frank Kurt Cylke, NLS director. "It offers patrons faster, more flexible access and offers them greater choice in defining their own reading experience. We're excited to be able to offer downloadable books and magazines as part of our program." NLS staff will use the pilot results to examine various elements of the online option. In addition to reviewing the realities of online download, NLS also seeks clarity on patrons' experience with digital talking-book (DTB) technology. Users will be surveyed regularly throughout the pilot, and their feedback will help NLS tailor the program. Three NLS staff are steering this test-drive of online technology. NLS research and development officer Neil Bernstein manages the overall project. Michael Martys, automation officer, supervises all technical aspects of the pilot including the creation and operation of the download web site and the preparation of DTBs. Alice Baker, assistant head, Production Control Section, serves as project coordinator. She oversees the involvement of several NLS sections on various operational elements, such as book and magazine production and collection development. This is NLS's most advanced online download pilot to date, involving one hundred patrons the largest tester group so far and a collection of one thousand books and magazines. It is the first time patrons are testing downloadable books. Using a high-speed Internet connection, participants will be able to download their desired title from the NLS web site to their computers. From there, the title must be transferred onto a flash cartridge, which is then read using a digital talking-book player. The books and magazines will be encrypted so that they may only be accessed using NLS-provided players. "The pilot's success will ultimately be measured by the number and quality of comments we receive from patrons," says Bernstein. "User input is essential to building a program that suits various needs and preferences." As NLS's digital talking-book machine (DTBM) will not be available until 2008, pilot participants will receive a commercially available player adapted to read DTBs. NLS will also provide each participant with a flash cartridge. To ensure the process is easy, patrons will receive training materials and technical support. "This project will offer us a sneak preview of how a larger segment of patrons interacts with the technology," noted Bernstein. "Since the player will resemble NLS's final product, we will be able to obtain keen insight into usability." Patron benefits The advantages of online download are many. Access to titles will be faster within minutes, instead of days and new titles will be available online before they reach libraries. Independence is another hallmark of online download. Participants will have greater control over their reading processes: they will be free to select titles, which they may download and read at their convenience. Patrons also have the freedom to collect their favorite reading materials. Once downloaded, a title is essentially theirs to keep. There are no return restrictions associated with the book or magazine, so readers may essentially build their own personal libraries. Countdown to launch Much must be done before project launch. Getting the job done in time will require expert multitasking. Work is simultaneously focused on three major areas of development: patron selection, collection development, and DTB preparation. Pilot participants have been selected based on specific criteria. Testers will be skilled in computer use, so that they may readily learn the new technical tasks that will be required for this Internet-based mode. In addition, they must have a high-speed Internet connection as well as proper software and hardware systems. It is also important that participants be genuinely interested in the project and committed to seeing it through. The more engaged participants are, the better the insights will be. Because the project is research-driven, there will be a degree of rigor. Participants must be willing to read regularly and complete a series of surveys on such issues as title collection, usability, program features, and personal preferences. The NLS Collection Development Section is building a rich and varied pilot collection that patrons will find useful and appealing. It will feature a mix of fiction and nonfiction, bestsellers and classics, and works in specific genres. More complex titles with higher navigation capabilities, such as computer books and cookbooks, will also be added because they offer another level of insight into usability. "Six months into the program, we expect to add 1,500 more titles to the collection," says Baker. DTB preparation is perhaps the most labor-intensive task ahead. Digital audio files for each title must be prepared in a format suitable for download. Michael Martys's team must first develop a computer system that will do the work. Once the system is in place, it will take the computers roughly seven weeks, running day and night, to finish the conversion. At this time, security protocol will be added to the DTBs so that the books can only be read using an NLS player. The project team understands the significance of the pilot and is excited to move forward. "Download is the wave of the future," says Baker. Bernstein, Martys, and Baker are eager to fine- tune this service so that patrons can soon enjoy new opportunities in talking-book reading. Flash, March 2006, volume 2, issue 4 Updated strategic business plan affirms conversion progress and future direction Since issuing its Strategic Business Plan for the Implementation of Digital Systems in December 2003, the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS), Library of Congress, has come a long way in establishing a digital system. Even so, a significant amount of work remains. NLS will issue shortly an updated Business Plan that reviews progress to date and maps out the road ahead. The report shows that the transition strategy remains solid, sensible, and on schedule as the transformation heads toward the finish line. "In the relatively short period of time since transition work began, we have accomplished much," says Frank Kurt Cylke, NLS director. "Steady progress in a number of key projects is an indication that our strategy is sound and that the transition is on target." A fluid and flexible strategy has helped the transition project stay on course. "The updated Business Plan affirms that the decisions we made regarding the transition in 2003 are still viable," observes Michael Moodie, NLS deputy director. "Having built in flexibility, we are able to apply our learning to the entire process and update the plan accordingly. This is critically important as we plan another busy year of transition preparation." Strategy focuses on four key areas Considerable effort recently has been aimed at paving the way to a smooth transition that will affect patrons only minimally. NLS's transition strategy has focused on advancing as many pieces of the project as possible until flash technology becomes affordable in 2008. Once NLS purchases the technology, all facets of the transition will be operative within three to five years. In the past two years, there has been considerable movement in the following key implementation areas: selection of the medium, development of the digital talking-book (DTB) master collection and Internet delivery process, and design of the products. Accomplishments in each of these areas' timelines help the transition stay on track. The accomplishments highlighted in the updated plan were preceded by considerable work. "Ultimately, the updated plan will be useful not only as a barometer of our progress, but also as a resource to help patrons and librarians stay informed regarding the program's evolution," says Moodie. Flash decision In December 2004, NLS affirmed flash memory as its technology of choice for the next- generation talking book. After serious consideration of various technologies, such as the CD-ROM and miniature hard drive, NLS determined that only flash met its strict requirements. NLS favors the cartridge's user-friendliness, durability, reusability, and portability. Another winning asset is its efficient duplication, which will be beneficial to both large-scale producers and network librarians duplicating local materials. Master development At the same time, NLS has moved to develop a DTB master collection. DTB masters consist of digital audio files that are combined with navigation and security files to make the DTB playable on the new machine. NLS will spend the next two years building the base collection of twenty-thousand masters, the cornerstone of the initial DTB offering. Titles will include ten thousand "born digital" books new titles produced directly in a digital format and ten thousand existing analog titles that are converted to digital format. To achieve its conversion goal over the next few years, NLS will continue to produce roughly two thousand "born digital" titles and to convert approximately 1,500 to 1,600 existing analog titles to digital annually. Download on the future Staying on the cutting edge of technology, NLS is also looking to the Internet as an additional content-delivery system for the future. NLS's goal is to offer its patrons digital books through Internet download in 2007. This mode of delivery will enhance the accessibility and flexibility of the service, offering patrons with appropriate skills and equipment both instant access to their favorite titles and use of NLS DTBs prior to the 2008 launch. Since January 2004, NLS has been actively engaged in a magazine pilot program to test the functionality of Internet delivery. The pilot project has already yielded useful information for implementation planning. NLS plans to expand the number of magazines and to add books as well. The expanded pilot program is set to launch early this year. Design for success The design of the digital talking-book machine (DTBM) and the mailing cartridge is the fourth key area of strategic focus in the digital transition. Each product has advanced considerably since initial design work began in March 2005. Following multiple patron usability tests and a series of refinements, prototypes have been developed. NLS is currently engaged in the second stage of product development. Design and engineering refinements will continue well into this phase, culminating in early 2007 with the development of specifications and preproduction prototypes for beta testing. Manufacturing contracts are slated for later in 2007 with full production beginning in 2008. Cost efficiency As progress was made across the four strategic areas of focus, maintaining cost efficiency was a key goal throughout the Strategic Business Plan and a central selling point of flash technology. In addition to examining program progress, the updated plan takes a closer look at how digital cost savings should impact the network libraries and NLS. For instance, network libraries should experience savings, as costs for both DTB and player operations will be lower. Estimates suggest that regional libraries could cumulatively save more than $7 million per year in book operations and more than $2 million per year in machine operations. Overall, compared to the current system, NLS expects to save approximately $3 million annually under the digital program. Digital Talking Book (DTB) Milestones Completed -Defined and prioritized DTB features -Coordinated development and publication of Specifications for the Digital Talking Book (ANSI/NISO Z39.86) -Simulated a DTB player using personal computer -Developed a computer-based, life-cycle cost analysis (LCC) model for the NLS system and for candidate digital systems -Developed computer software for DTB production and presentation -Developed software to test conformance of players and DTBs with the ANSI/NISO standard -User survey -Player transition -Distribution medium study -Player and medium design contract awarded -Distribution system design contract awarded -Distribution system design contract Phase I Start 1/12/04 Finish 10/1/08 The following ongoing projects, set to conclude in 2008, are shown with start dates in parentheses. Web-Magazine pilot (1/12/04) Digital data management system development (11/1/04) Player and medium development (3/1/05) Design DTB containers and labels (6/1/05) Web-Book pilot (6/1/05) Distribution system design and transition planning Phase II (9/19/05) Prepare DTBs for distribution (10/1/05) Manufacture initial lot of DTB containers and labels (9/1/06) Distribution system implementation (10/1/06) Circulation systems implementation (10/1/06) Media production (3/1/07) Media duplication (5/1/07) Full player production (9/1/07) For information on the NLS digital project contact: Jean M. Moss Digital Projects Coordinator jemo@loc.gov Fax: (202) 707-1690 To view the Strategic Business Plan on the Web visit: www.loc.gov/nls/businessplan2003.html To view the Flash newsletters on the Web visit: www.loc.gov/nls/newsletters/flash/archive.html ____________________________________________________________ Newsstand The following announcement may be of interest to readers. The National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped reserves the right to publish announcements selectively, as space permits. Items mentioned, however, are not part of the NLS program, and their listing does not imply endorsement. National Medicare handbook available in alternative formats The Department of Health and Human Services Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services handbook Medicare and You 2006 is now available in alternative formats and Spanish. To receive a copy of the handbook on audiocassette, in braille, or in large print, call 1-800-633-4227 or visit www.medicare.gov online. TTY users should call 1-877-486-2048. All formats except braille are available in Spanish. ### _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, contact 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 Everything You Need to Know about Credit Cards and Fiscal Responsibility RC 57690 by Meg Green read by Gracie Ragsdale Miller 1 cassette Explains the basics of using credit cards including pitfalls to avoid and the legal reponsibilities involved. For senior high and older readers. 2001. RC 57690 ## Healing and Hope: Six Women from the Betty Ford Center Share Their Powerful Journeys of Addiction and Recovery RC 57691 by Betty Ford read by Miriam Wagner 2 cassettes Former first lady Betty Ford, who founded a nonprofit addiction recovery facility in 1982, profiles six women and their battles against substance abuse. Ford chronicles their lives before and after treatment while commenting on addiction, the healing process, and her own personal recovery. 2003. RC 57691 ## Poets of World War II RC 58733 edited by Harvey Shapiro read by Kimberly Schraf 2 cassettes Anthology of over one hundred poems depicting the sights, sounds, and emotions of World War II by sixty-two notable American poets, most of whom served in the military. Selections include Randall Jarrell's famous "The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner," as well as work by Ezra Pound, Howard Nemerov, and others. 2003. RC 58733 ## Madame de Pompadour: A Life RC 58807 by Evelyne Lever read by Laura Giannarelli 3 cassettes Life and times of Jeanne-Antoinette Poisson who rose from humble beginnings to become in 1745 at age twenty-four the official mistress of Louis XV, a position envied even by the queen of France. Keeping Louis happy meant manipulating his heart as well as his political and cultural world. 2002. RC 58807 ## Salvation: Black People and Love RC 58808 by Bell Hooks read by Tracy Mickens-Hundley 2 cassettes Feminist scholar continues her study, begun in All about Love: New Visions (RC 53589), examining the meaning of love in the African American community. Discusses the legacy of slavery, relationships, other writers, the impact of sexual liberation, and social prob-lems and their links to love. 2001. RC 58808 ## Home Run RC 58812 edited by George Plimpton read by Eric Synnestvedt 2 cassettes An anthology of writings about baseball's peak moment. Includes an excerpt from Bernard Malamud's The Natural (RC 58059) and from works by Paul Gallico, John Updike, Red Smith, Roger Angell, and others. The editor, who also contributes, introduces each of eighteen selections. 2001. RC 58812 ## KISS and Make-Up RC 58819 by Gene Simmons read by John Lescault 2 cassettes Memoir by singer who founded the world-famous rock band KISS in 1973. Simmons describes his early childhood in Israel, his move to Queens at age eight, and his development as a musician. Reminisces about his love affairs with Cher and Diana Ross, among others. Explicit descriptions of sex and some strong language. 2001. RC 58819 ## Our Mothers' War: American Women at Home and at the Front during World War II RC 58820 by Emily Yellin read by Susan McInerney 4 cassettes Journalist's chronicle of World War II's "other American soldiers," women from various backgrounds who filled nontraditional roles during wartime. Depicts women factory workers, frontline nurses, spies, and pilots. Also discusses the experiences of African American and Japanese American women. 2004. RC 58820 ## Martial Arts for People with Disabilities RC 58849 by Chris McNab read by Dave Corey 1 cassette Instructions, tips, drills, and combat and self-defense techniques for individuals with upper-limb, lower-limb, and\or sensory and learning disabilities. Provides guidelines for selecting training programs and portrays athletes with acute disabilities who have succeeded in martial arts. For junior and senior high and older readers. 2003. RC 58849 ## Private Eyelashes: Radio's Lady Detectives RC 58854 by Jack French read by Nicola Daval 2 cassettes History of well-known female crime solvers such as Nora Charles, Pam North, Della Street, and Patsy Bowen, who made appearances on old-time radio detective and mystery programs. Provides an overview of their shows and chronicles their development in films, pulp fiction, and comic books. 2004. RC 58854 ## Profiles in Courage RC 58855 by John F. Kennedy read by Don Hagen 2 cassettes (Reissue) Biographical sketches of historic statesmen who demonstrated great political courage at crucial moments in U.S. history. Includes John Quincy Adams, Daniel Webster, and others. Written by Senator Kennedy while convalescing from the effects of war wounds. 2003 introduction by Caroline Kennedy; 1964 foreword by Robert F. Kennedy. Pulitzer Prize. 1955. RC 58855 ## ¡Cubanísimo! The Vintage Book of Contemporary Cuban Literature RC 59037 edited by read by Gabriella Cavallero 3 cassettes Anthology of stories, poems, essays, and excerpts from diaries and novels celebrating the multicultural essence of Cuban identity. Contains writings by José Martí, Alejo Carpentier, José Lezama Lima, Ana Menéndez, and others. Some explicit descriptions of sex and some strong language. 2002. edited by ## Pushkin: A Biography RC 59077 by T.J. Binyon read by Mark Ashby 5 cassettes Prizewinning biography of classic Russian poet Aleksandr Pushkin (1799 1837). Portrays a man of great talent and wit who also indulged in debauchery, gambling, and womanizing. Discusses Pushkin's exile for writing seditious verses, his marriage, his jealousy, and the duel that caused his untimely death. 2002. RC 59077 ## Powder Burn: Arson, Money, and Mystery on Vail Mountain RC 59158 by Daniel Glick read by Ray Childs 2 cassettes Journalist relates his investigation of the still-unsolved arson fires that ravaged Vail, Colorado, in October 1998. Glick's probe into political, social, and economic problems of the ski resort town, owned and controlled by a Wall Street investment firm, illustrates the continuing debate over growth and development throughout the West. Some strong language. 2001. RC 59158 ## The Newman's Own Organics Guide to a Good Life: Simple Measures That Benefit You and the Place You Live RC 59166 by Nell Newman read by Kristin Allison 2 cassettes Actor Paul Newman's daughter, a human ecologist, offers practical advice for living an environmentally conscientious life. Gives consumer-focused guidance on buying organic foods, reducing home energy demands, using biodegradable cleaners, and other conservation strategies. Includes a resource directory of publications, retailers, and advocacy groups. 2003. RC 59166 ## Charles Darwin: Voyaging; Biography of Charles Darwin, Volume 1 RC 59259 by Janet Browne read by Anne Flosnik 6 cassettes First of a two-volume biography revisits the naturalist's (1809-1882) privileged childhood, his five-year odyssey on the H.M.S. Beagle, and his marriage. Shows how observation and collection of biological specimens led Darwin to his theories on evolution and natural selection. Followed by Charles Darwin: The Power of Place (RC 59280). 1995. RC 59259 ## Will in the World: How Shakespeare Became Shakespeare RC 59294 by Stephen Greenblatt read by Bill Wallace 3 cassettes Harvard cultural historian analyzes William Shakespeare's works and speculates on the influences that shaped his creative accomplishments. Examines key events in the playwright's life such as his father's business failure and his son's death and evokes the turbulent world of Elizabethan politics and theater. National Book Award Finalist. Bestseller. 2004. RC 59294 ## Lord Byron: The Major Works RC 59312 by George Gordon Byron read by George Holmes 8 cassettes in 2 containers Authoritative edition of the nineteenth-century Romantic's poetry and prose. Provides the complete texts of Childe Harold's Pilgrimage, Don Juan, Manfred, Cain, and many shorter poems. Includes a selection from his letters and extracts from his journals. Introduction by Jerome J. McGann. 1986. RC 59312 ## In the Little World: A True Story of Dwarfs, Love, and Trouble RC 59313 by John H. Richardson read by Jim Zeiger 2 cassettes Reporter's assignment to cover the Little People of America convention leads him to develop relationships with a group of dwarfs. He reveals intimate portraits of these men and women, including their reactions to his writing. Explores genetic factors and cultural stereotypes surrounding dwarfism. Some strong language. 2001. RC 59313 ## Scarne's New Complete Guide to Gambling RC 59360 by John Scarne read by Butch Hoover 7 cassettes in 2 containers Expert gambling consultant interweaves anecdotes with descriptions of the gaming industry. He explains games of chance, lotteries, official rules, correct odds and house percentages, play strategy, sporting events, and swindling schemes. He reviews and analyzes the mathematics and science of wagering and private betting propositions. 1974. RC 59360 ## The Race to Save the Lord God Bird RC 59406 by Phillip Hoose read by Dan Bloom 2 cassettes Chronicles the history and habitat of the ivory-billed woodpecker, or "Lord God bird," in the United States and its gradual extinction due to logging and other environmental disasters. Discusses the necessity of preserving endangered species and their homes. For senior high and older readers. 2004. RC 59406 ## The Doughboys: The Story of the AEF, 1917-1918 RC 59413 by Laurence Stallings read by Ray Childs 4 cassettes World War I combat veteran chronicles the experiences of the American Expeditionary Force, raw recruits sent to France in 1917 commanded by major general John J. Pershing. Describes a doughboy's tactics and character: "what he was, how he looked, and with what arms and over what fields he fought." 1963. RC 59413 ## The New Retirement: The Ultimate Guide to the Rest of Your Life RC 59414 by Jan Cullinane and Cathy Fitzgerald read by Dan Bloom 4 cassettes Two retirement-seminar instructors outline financial, emotional, and physical factors to consider before taking the retirement leap. Discusses making a successful transition and, for those who want to relocate, recommends desirable places both inside and outside the United States. Provides an overview of financial planning and includes retiree anecdotes. 2004. RC 59414 ## The O'Reilly Factor for Kids: A Survival Guide for America's Families RC 59422 by Bill O'Reilly and Charles Flowers read by Don Feldheim 1 cassette Conservative television talk-show host and author of The O'Reilly Factor (RC 51053), along with a former teacher, offer a "survival guide" for young people. Topics range from school and friendship to sex, drinking, and bullies. Advises on facing challenges and making correct choices. For junior and senior high readers. 2004. RC 59422 ## Monarch of Deadman Bay: The Life and Death of a Kodiak Bear RC 59487 by Roger A. Caras read by Michael Russotto 1 cassette A study of Kodiak Island, Alaska, and the species of brown bear unique to the region. Follows a single male, Monarch, who becomes a mankiller. Surveys his environment, notes the habits of his kind, and relates the ongoing struggle between primordial carnivore and man. 1969. RC 59487 ## The Original Marvelettes: Motown's Mystery Girl Group RC 59497 by Marc Taylor read by David Toney 2 cassettes Traces the career of the vocal ensemble the Marvelettes, who signed with Motown Records in 1961 and gave the black-owned company its first number-one pop single. Describes the Michigan singers, their successes, and their eventual waning popularity. Also discusses business practices of Motown's golden age. Some strong language. 2004. RC 59497 ## The New Strong-Willed Child: Birth through Adolescence RC 59507 by James Dobson read by Erik Synnestvedt 2 cassettes Christian radio and television psychologist revises his 1978 parenting book to offer updated advice on raising difficult children. Profiles several families to illustrate successful methods for specific concerns, including attention deficit disorder. Discusses discipline, spanking, sibling rivalry, and other common issues. 2004. RC 59507 ## The Road to Serfdom RC 59508 by F.A. Hayek read by Mark Ashby 2 cassettes Fiftieth-anniversary edition of Nobel Prize-winning economist's treatise on individual liberty versus government authority, originally written in response to the rise of socialism and Nazi Germany. Hayek (1899-1992), a libertarian proponent of economic, political, and social freedom, warns against government control of production. A 1994 introduction by Milton Friedman. 1944. RC 59508 ## The Perricone Promise: Look Younger, Live Longer in Three Easy Steps RC 59524 by Nicholas Perricone read by Bill Wallace 2 cassettes Dermatologist of The Perricone Prescription (RC 54931) offers a method for looking younger in just twenty-eight days using a special diet, nutritional food supplements, and anti-aging topicals. Credits the power of protein-like substances in the body called peptides and neuropeptides. Includes four-week diet plan with recipes. Bestseller. 2004. RC 59524 ## The Fall of Baghdad RC 59526 by Jon Lee Anderson read by Bill Wallace 3 cassettes Eyewitness account of the March 2003 American-led invasion of Iraq that toppled Saddam Hussein. Anderson reports on the devastation from bombardments, the casualties incurred, the collapse of law and order, and Iraqi responses to the chaos. Violence. 2004. RC 59526 ## Judging Thomas: The Life and Times of Clarence Thomas RC 59529 by Ken Foskett read by Jake Williams 3 cassettes Biography of the African American Supreme Court justice. Journalist Foskett describes Thomas's impoverished Georgia childhood, Yale Law School matriculation, legal career, conservative views, and 1991 appointment to the court by fellow Republican, President George H.W. Bush. Also examines controversies that surround the jurist. Strong language. 2004. RC 59529 ## Black Earth: A Journey through Russia after the Fall RC 59530 by Andrew Meier read by Ken Kliban 4 cassettes Former Time magazine Moscow correspondent who witnessed the final years of the U.S.S.R. tours post-communist Russia. The reflective journey leads to distant corners of the empire, where Meier speaks with Politburo veterans, Gulag survivors, oligarchs, philosophers, and ordinary citizens struggling to survive amid the ruins of the Soviet experiment. 2003. RC 59530 ## Discourse on Free Will RC 59537 by Desiderius Erasmus and Martin Luther read by Peter Johnson 1 cassette Two works, from the early years of the Protestant Reformation in Europe, setting out opposing positions on freedom of the will. In "The Free Will," Erasmus argues his Christian humanist position against Luther's predestination doctrine in "The Bondage of the Will." 1524. RC 59537 ## Still Life with Bombers: Israel in the Age of Terrorism RC 59551 by David Horovitz read by Bill Wallace 3 cassettes Journalist's appraisal of the second Intifada focuses on the violent period between July 2000 and January 2003 after peace talks collapsed at Camp David. Details the horrors suffered by both Palestinians and Israelis and describes the everyday lives of terrorists and victims. Violence. 2004. RC 59551 ## The Art of War RC 59556 by Sun-tzu read by Gordon Gould 2 cassettes Master Sun's two-thousand-year-old advice on war strategy appears twice: first by itself and then interspersed with commentary, mostly by Chinese scholars, attesting to the text's philosophical relevance to modern culture. Translation and introduction by Oxford scholar John Minford. 2002. RC 59556 ## Character Matters: How to Help Our Children Develop Good Judgment, Integrity, and Other Essential Virtues RC 59578 by Thomas Lickona read by Jack Fox 2 cassettes Psychologist, educator, and author of Raising Good Children (RC 20122) offers more than one hundred strategies for teachers and parents to help kids build character. Explains how to create a community promoting the "ten essential virtues," including wisdom and humility, as the foundation for a productive, fulfilling life. 2004. RC 59578 ## Ben Hogan: An American Life RC 59579 by James Dodson read by Barry Bernson 4 cassettes Chronicles the public and private life of famous, enigmatic golfer. Relates the impact of a childhood trauma on Hogan's record-setting career, describes his near-miraculous comeback after a debilitating 1949 car crash, and exposes his hidden shame and self-doubt. Includes anecdotes of the era's other great players. 2004. RC 59579 ## Testosterone Inc.: Tales of CEOs Gone Wild RC 59580 by Christopher Byron read by Roy Avers 3 cassettes Author of bestselling Martha Inc. (RC 54450) charts the rise and fall of four "celebrity" CEOs: General Electric's Jack Welch, Revlon's Ronald Perelman, Sunbeam's Albert Dunlap, and Tyco's Dennis Kozlowski. Exposes their serial womanizing and career power plays, attributing such extreme male behavior to the influence of hormones. Some strong language. 2004. RC 59580 ## Door in the Mountain: New and Collected Poems, 1965 2003 RC 59592 by Jean Valentine read by Jill Fox 1 cassette Gathers all of Valentine's previously published work together with more than seventy new poems. Her subjects include mysticism and experience, personal turmoil, and political unrest. Strong language. National Book Award. 2004. RC 59592 ## Arc of Justice: A Saga of Race, Civil Rights, and Murder in the Jazz Age RC 59602 by Kevin Boyle read by Lou Harpenau 3 cassettes Historian Boyle uses the 1925 case of African American doctor Ossian Sweet, who shot a white man while defending his house against a racist mob, to explore race relations in jazz-era America. Portrays the sensation-alized murder trial and Clarence Darrow's legal tactics. Strong language. National Book Award. 2004. RC 59602 ## Higher Ground: Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Curtis Mayfield, and the Rise and Fall of American Soul RC 59603 by Craig Werner read by Dan Willems 3 cassettes Professor of African American culture traces the interconnectedness of soul music, spirituality, and the civil rights movement during the 1960s and 1970s. In the process he relates the personal narratives of Wonder, Franklin, and Mayfield, leading artists of the period. 2004. RC 59603 ## Fix It before It Breaks: Seasonal Checklist Guide to Home Maintenance RC 59610 by Terry Kennedy read by Butch Hoover 2 cassettes Builder recommends that homeowners develop a maintenance program and address building problems before they become major concerns. Discusses common issues with foundations, doors and windows, siding, roofs, electrical systems, landscaping, and other areas and ways to deal with them. Includes resources. 2004. RC 59610 ## The Best American Recipes 2004-2005 RC 59614 edited by Fran McCullough and Molly Stevens read by Kerry Cundiff 2 cassettes More than 150 recipes from cookbook editors, reviewers, and show hosts. Includes easy-to-prepare starter courses, elegant breakfast menus, quick midweek suppers, vegetarian main dishes, and festive holiday repasts. Also provides tips from the editors' home kitchens. 2004. RC 59614 ## Harlem Stomp! A Cultural History of the Harlem Renaissance RC 59615 by Laban Carrick Hill read by Fred Major 1 cassette Describes the explosion of creativity that occurred in early twentieth-century Harlem when many African Americans moved north. Discusses the artistic, intellectual, literary, and political contributions of such figures as W.E.B. Du Bois, Langston Hughes, and musicians of the Jazz Age. Some strong language. For junior and senior high readers. 2003. RC 59615 ## Benjamin Rush: Patriot and Physician RC 59631 by Alyn Brodsky read by Dan Bloom 3 cassettes Biography of American founding father Rush (1746-1813). Using Rush's voluminous letters and essays, portrays him as one of his generation's most accomplished physicians and medical teachers, and as an activist with progressive views on slavery, religion, independence, and education particularly of women. Claims Rush's mental health and medical theories alienated his contemporaries. 2004. RC 59631 ## The Ride of My Life RC 59639 by Mat Hoffman read by L.J. Ganser 2 cassettes BMX stunt rider describes his daredevil childhood and lifelong love for bicycles, culminating in the production of his own commercial line. Discusses stunts he invented, competitions, world records, injuries, becoming a celebrity, and his unwavering enthusiasm for this sport. Strong language. For junior and senior high readers. 2002. RC 59639 ## Steam: The Untold Story of America's First Great Invention RC 59641 by Andrea Sutcliffe read by Dan Bloom 2 cassettes History of the invention of the steamboat. Covers the competition between James Rumsey and John Fitch to launch a steam-powered boat in the 1790s, long before Robert Fulton's reputed invention in 1806. Highlights the politics involved and the importance of the steamboat to the development of the American West. 2004. RC 59641 ## Disney War RC 59700 by James B. Stewart read by Lou Harpenau 5 cassettes Analyzes the rise and fall of Michael Eisner, forced to retire after twenty-one years as Disney corporation CEO. Uses interviews and company documents to describe conflicts in the corporate boardroom with Roy Disney, Michael Ovitz, Jeffrey Katzenberg, Steve Jobs, and others. Some strong language. Bestseller. 2005. RC 59700 ## Shadow War: The Untold Story of How Bush Is Winning the War on Terror RC 59704 by Richard Miniter read by Roy Avers 2 cassettes Investigative reporter and author of Losing bin Laden (RC 58139) outlines the U.S. government's success in dismantling Al Qaeda cells and preventing additional homeland attacks in the three years following 2001. Discusses Osama bin Laden's hiding place, a presidential assassination plot, and the 2004 Madrid train bombing. Bestseller. 2004. RC 59704 ## Exquisite Little Knits: Knitting with Luxurious Specialty Yarns RC 59707 by Laurie Kimmelstiel and Iris Schreier read by Kerry Cundiff 1 cassette Forty quick-to-knit scarves, hats, purses, stoles, shawls, and even a pair of gauntlets. Organized by fiber type: cashmere, qiviut, eyelash, fur, silk, lattice, mohair, angora, suede, ribbon, wool, and sequins. Provides information on these various yarns and rates each project by skill level. 2004. RC 59707 ## The Genesis Question: Scientific Advances and the Accuracy of Genesis RC 59708 by Hugh Ross read by Butch Hoover 2 cassettes Creationist, astronomy doctorate, director of Reasons to Believe, and talk show host provides a blueprint for understanding the factual and spiritual content of Genesis 1 11. Argues that established scientific findings substantiate God's hand in the miracles of creation, water cycles, plant development, humanity's origin, and long biblical lifespans. 2001. RC 59708 ## Talking to the Dead: Kate and Maggie Fox and the Rise of Spiritualism RC 59714 by Barbara Weisberg read by Mitzi Friedlander 3 cassettes Chronicles the lives of Margaretta and Catherine Fox, nineteenth-century sisters whose claims that they could communicate with the dead precipitated modern Spiritualism. Examines the sisters' assertions and probes social, religious, economic, and political forces that helped shape the movement. 2004. RC 59714 ## Bicycle: The History RC 59716 by David V. Herlihy read by Butch Hoover 3 cassettes Traces the international evolution of the bicycle from the nineteenth-century "mechanical horse" to early twenty-first- century engineering marvels. Discusses how the bicycle captured the popular imagination, influenced social customs, and led to other technological developments. 2004. RC 59716 ## Earth: An Intimate History RC 59717 by Richard Fortey read by Bruce Huntey 4 cassettes British paleontologist discusses how the science of plate tectonics has changed the way we understand the landscape. Fortey explores the ways Earth's constantly shifting geological underpinnings have impacted the natural and human history of such places as Mount Vesuvius, Hawaii, the Alps, Newfoundland, India, and the Grand Canyon. 2004. RC 59717 ## Rammer Jammer Yellow Hammer: A Journey into the Heart of Fan Mania RC 59719 by Warren St. John read by John Polk 2 cassettes New York Times reporter explores the world of extreme sports mania by joining a caravan of die-hard football fans following the Alabama Crimson Tide. Examines the culture and characters of the RV community, crowd psychology, and "the human obsession with contests." Strong language. 2004. RC 59719 ## Vanity, Vitality, and Virility: The Science behind the Products You Love to Buy RC 59727 by John Emsley read by Alec Volz 2 cassettes British scientist debunks common fears about chemistry by explaining how chemicals improve our lives. Discusses the role of chemicals in cos-metics, food, sex, hygiene, mental health, and other areas. Some descriptions of sex. 2004. RC 59727 ## Bloody Sundays: Inside the Dazzling, Rough-and-Tumble World of the NFL RC 59728 by Mike Freeman read by Alec Volz 3 cassettes New York Times sports reporter offers an inside look at the National Football League. Focuses on Buccaneers coach Jon Gruden, Cowboys running back Emmitt Smith, Giants defensive end Michael Strahan, and the Eagles front office. Explores underground including gay societies, "thug" life, and the physical ruin some players experience. Strong language. 2003. RC 59728 ## Learning Disabilities: The Ultimate Teen Guide; It Happened to Me RC 59729 by Penny Hutchins Paquette and Cheryl Gerson Tuttle read by Carol Dines 2 cassettes Summary of the most common learning disabilities, including dyscalculia, dysgraphia, dyslexia, and attention deficit disorder, and ways they're diagnosed. Offers suggestions on overcoming these difficulties in school by the use of assistive devices, individualized education plans (IEPs), and special education services. For senior high and older readers. 2003. RC 59729 ## Mortgages 101: Quick Answers to Over 250 Critical Questions about Your Home Loan RC 59734 by David Reed read by Kerry Cundiff 2 cassettes Loan officer describes how to negotiate the "mortgage maze" and obtain the best financing to purchase a home. Discusses finance fundamentals, credit scores, insurance, refinancing, and loans as well as interest rates, closing costs, and finding the right lender. Includes a chapter on use of the Internet. 2004. RC 59734 ## A New Christianity for a New World: Why Traditional Faith Is Dying and How a New Faith Is Being Born RC 59744 by John Shelby Spong read by Jack Fox 2 cassettes Retired Episcopal bishop, author, and leading spokesman for liberal religion explores the emergence and shape of postmodern Christianity. He proposes that Christianity be centered around justice, love, and vision, recognizing God as the "ground of being" rather than as a divine entity separate from humanity. 2001. RC 59744 ## The Battle of Salamis: The Naval Encounter That Saved Greece and Western Civilization RC 59746 by Barry Strauss read by Roy Avers 2 cassettes Classics professor outlines the momentous 480 B.C. naval battle in which the Greeks repelled the Persian forces under King Xerxes. Analyzes the political and military strategies of the Athenian commander Themistocles, the participation of the Greek playwright Aeschylus, and the role of the female commander Artemisia. 2004. RC 59746 ## Judaism: A Very Short Introduction RC 59749 by Norman Solomon read by Carol Dines 1 cassette Concise explanation of Jewish teachings and practices and their integration into daily life. Examines the development and evolution of Judaism, its festivals, prayers, and customs, the Torah, various sects, and spiritual leaders. Discusses twentieth-century issues such as the Holocaust and the establishment of Israel. Includes suggestions for further reading. 1996. RC 59749 ## A Survival Guide for Buying a Home RC 59751 by Sid Davis read by Kerry Cundiff 2 cassettes Real estate agent offers advice on all aspects of purchasing a home, whether a single family house, co-op, condo, manufactured, or mobile home. Includes a chapter on selling and information on mortgages, tax shelters, insurance, and the "fifteen costliest mistakes home buyers make." 2004. RC 59751 ## A Perversion of Justice: A Southern Tragedy of Murder, Lies, and Innocence Betrayed RC 59752 by Kathryn Medico and Mollye Barrows read by Carol Dines 3 cassettes Analyzes the murder case against two Florida brothers, twelve- and thirteen-year-olds Alex and Derek King, who confessed to killing their father in 2001. Chronicles the investigation that led police to convicted pedophile Ricky Chavis and the discovery of his role in the horrific crime. Some descriptions of sex. 2004. RC 59752 ## The Neanderthal's Necklace: In Search of the First Thinkers RC 59766 by Juan Luis Arsuaga read by Mark Ashby 2 cassettes Spanish paleoanthropologist who co-directs excavations at Sierra de Atapuerca describes the demise of Europe's brute-strength Neanderthals as the more cunning, toolmaking Cro-Magnon immigrants began to thrive on the Iberian peninsula 40,000 years ago. Speculates on the role of ecosystems, adaptability, creative intelligence, and symbolic rituals in human evolution. 2001. RC 59766 ## Grant and Twain: The Story of a Friendship That Changed America RC 59775 by Mark Perry read by Robert Sams 2 cassettes Describes the mutually beneficial re-lationship that developed in 1884 as Mark Twain, finishing The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (RC 57349), persuaded former president and Union general Ulysses S. Grant to write his Personal Memoirs (RC 24377). Discusses each man's quest for fame in the context of Gilded Age America. 2004. RC 59775 ## American Taboo: A Murder in the Peace Corps RC 59776 by Philip Weiss read by Steven Carpenter 3 cassettes Journalist reconstructs the 1976 murder of twenty-three- year-old teacher Deborah Gardner, whom a fellow Peace Corps volunteer stabbed to death in the South Pacific island kingdom of Tonga. Exposes how the cover-up by U.S. government and Corps officials set her killer free. Some violence and some strong language. 2004. RC 59776 ## The Holy Grail: Imagination and Belief RC 59777 by Richard Barber read by David Cutler 4 cassettes Author of Penguin Guide to Medieval Europe (RC 23799) and Knight and Chivalry (RC 29779) explores the myths and legends of the Holy Grail, beginning in the Middle Ages. Studies the origins and symbolism of the Grail in Christian literature. Considers cults, conspiracy theories, and popular culture. 2004. RC 59777 ## Masters of Chaos: The Secret History of the Special Forces RC 59784 by Linda Robinson read by Mary Kane 3 cassettes Journalist recounts missions carried out by U.S. Army Special Forces (the "green berets") in several world venues since Vietnam, particularly Afghanistan and the Persian Gulf. Based on copious interviews, official documentation, and the author's presence with the forces in Iraq. Discusses training and methods. Violence and some strong language. 2004. RC 59784 ## A Deadly Secret: The Strange Disappearance of Kathie Durst RC 59794 by Matt Birkbeck read by Christopher Walker 2 cassettes Investigative reporter recounts the 1982 disappearance of Kathie Durst and the ensuing inquiry through 2002 into whether she was killed by her husband, Robert Durst, heir to a billion dollar empire. Birkbeck centers his account around the work of New York state police investigator Joe Becerra. Strong language. 2002. RC 59794 ## Iron Coffins: A Personal Account of the German U-Boat Battles of World War II RC 59796 by Herbert A. Werner read by Mark Ashby 3 cassettes Veteran German submarine commander reconstructs the sights, sounds, and foul atmosphere that were inside U-boats employed from 1941 to 1945. Details terrifying battles in the Atlantic from the Axis perspective and describes the crews' hardships and determination, their obsolete equipment, and the final chaos of the fleet's destruction. 1969. RC 59796 ## Murder Machine: A True Story of Murder, Madness, and the Mafia RC 59806 by Gene Mustain and Jerry Capeci read by Steven Carpenter 3 cassettes Reporters follow up Mob Star(RC 29345) with an expos‚ of Mafia hit man Roy DeMeo and his cohorts. Using official documents and interviews, the authors detail the gang's background, criminal activities in the 1970s, and prosecution in the 1980s. Violence and strong language. 1992. RC 59806 ## Braided Creek: A Conversation in Poetry RC 59814 by Jim Harrison and Ted Kooser read by Mark Ashby 1 cassette More than three hundred original short poems exchanged by longtime friends, poet laureate Kooser and novelist and poet Harrison. After Kooser was diagnosed with cancer, they continued their correspondence, declining to say who wrote which poems. Their topics include the natural world, time, aging, and the poetic process. 2003. RC 59814 ## Luther: The Life and Longing of Luther Vandross RC 59837 by Craig Seymour read by Jake Williams 3 cassettes Biography of Grammy Award-winning rhythm and blues singer/songwriter/producer Luther Vandross. Follows his career from the 1970s through a devastating stroke in 2003 at age fifty-one. Chronicles the entertainer's feuds and friendships with other performers including Anita Baker, Gladys Knight, and En Vogue. Some strong language. 2004. RC 59837 ## I Can't Believe You Went through My Stuff! How to Give Your Teens the Privacy They Crave and the Guidance They Need RC 59863 by Peter L. Sheras read by Dan Bloom 2 cassettes Clinical psychologist treating adolescents recommends giving teenagers certain freedoms so they can learn from their mistakes. Discusses changes that occur in puberty. Uses anecdotes to illustrate applying rules and boundaries, communicating effectively, and spotting trouble. 2004. RC 59863 ## In the Dark RC 59866 by Ruth Stone read by Anne Hancock 1 cassette More than one hundred poems by the National Book Award-winning author of In the Next Galaxy (RC 57465). Stone, who was born in 1915, writes of aging and her loss of vision in "Accepting" and "Floaters." Other verses explore science, politics, art, history, and the minutia of everyday life. 2004. RC 59866 ## Motherland: Beyond the Holocaust; a Mother-Daughter Journey to Reclaim the Past RC 59898 by Fern Schumer Chapman read by Kimberly Schraf 2 cassettes Both a memoir of the author's mother, a Jewish escapee from 1938 Germany, and a journal of the mother and daughter's visit to Stockstadt am Rhein. Relates how they confronted an emotion-al legacy of wartime loss and survival, and how the younger woman learned about her heritage. National Jewish Book Award finalist. 2000. RC 59898 ## Tori Amos, Piece by Piece: A Portrait of the Artist Her Thoughts, Her Conversations RC 59918 by Tori Amos and Ann Powers read by Colleen Delany 3 cassettes Singer-songwriter Amos pairs with music critic Powers in a collection of essays, conversations, and observations from musicians and friends to reveal the singer's personality and spiri-tuality. Details Amos's early years as a child prodigy, her career, and her life in the music business. Some strong language. 2005. RC 59918 ## Washington's General: Nathanael Greene and the Triumph of the American Revolution RC 59920 by Terry Golway read by Robert Sams 3 cassettes Biography of American Revolutionary War commander Nathanael Greene (1742-1786), who was born a Rhode Island Quaker but chose to fight for independence. Details his career as George Washington's quartermaster general and his appointment as leader of the southern theater. Outlines how Greene forced the British to concede at Yorktown. 2005. RC 59920 ## Too Close to the Falls RC 59929 by Catherine Gildiner read by Kimberly Schraf 3 cassettes Memoir of Gildiner's unconventional 1950s childhood in a New York small town near Niagara Falls. Gildiner recalls Catholic school and delivering prescriptions with Roy, a black employee at her father's pharmacy. Describes eccentric customers and other memorable adults. Some explicit descriptions of sex and some strong language. 1999. RC 59929 ## Poems of the Masters: China's Classic Anthology of T'ang and Sung Dynasty Verse RC 60013 translated by Red Pine read by Gordon Gould 2 cassettes More than two hundred often quoted poems from China's Golden Age of Poetry: the Middle Kingdom's T'ang (A.D. 618-906) and Sung (A.D. 960-1278) dynasties. Traditional verses laconically memorialize rituals, events, and personal moments by conveying the subtleties of human feelings and relationships. Background of both poet and poem prefaces each selection. 2003. RC 60013 ## Rick Steves' Easy Access Europe RC 60017 by Rick Steves and Ken Plattner read by Ralph Lowenstein 5 cassettes Guide for travelers with limited mobility. Focusing on Amsterdam, Bruges, London, Paris, and the Rhine, provides general tips and accessibility ratings for major attractions, hotels, and restaurants. Includes "Roll or Stroll" tours of historic neighborhoods and advice from travelers with physical challenges. 2004. RC 60017 ## Across the Sabbath River: In Search of a Lost Tribe of Israel RC 60019 by Hillel Halkin read by Ken Kliban 4 cassettes Journalist relates his 1998 journey to remote sections of China, Thailand, and India in search of remnants of the biblical Israelites who disappeared in the eighth century B.C.E. Halkin accompanies lost-tribes hunter Rabbi Eliahu Avichail to investigate claims that an isolated people on the Burma-Bangladesh border are descendants of the exiles. 2002. RC 60019 ## Secrets and Mysteries of the World RC 60123 by Sylvia Browne read by Madelyn Buzzard 2 cassettes Psychic and author of Prophecy (RC 58676) interprets some of the world's most enigmatic places, phenomena, and objects. Using scientific sources, her spirit guide, and her own clairvoyance, Browne offers explanations for Atlantis, Stonehenge, the Sphinx, crop circles, spontaneous human combustion, the Shroud of Turin, and more. Bestseller. 2005. RC 60123 ## Favre RC 60140 by Brett Favre and Bonita Favre read by Bruce Huntey 1 cassette Quarterback Brett Favre describes his career with the National Football League's Green Bay Packers, which began in 1992. Gives a play-by-play account of his most exciting games. Also includes chapters by broadcaster Terry Bradshaw, reporter Mark Bowden, and family members. Some strong language. Bestseller. 2004. RC 60140 ## Rise, Let Us Be on Our Way RC 60191 by John Paul II read by Kristoffer Tabori 1 cassette Pope John Paul II (1920-2005) recalls his years of service as bishop and archbishop and his 1978 election as the first Polish pope. He describes Communist efforts to suppress the church in Poland and offers his thoughts on the state of the world and on an open style of ministry. 2004. RC 60191 ## Your Child's Hearing Loss: What Parents Need to Know RC 60222 by Debby Waldman read by Jill Ferris 2 cassettes Parents' guide for recognizing and assessing a hard-of- hearing child and choosing between hearing aids and cochlear implantation. Discusses proper care of devices, family adjustment, and child advocacy. Summarizes research and includes information from professionals and personal accounts from parents. 2005. RC 60222 ## The Lady and the Panda: The True Adventures of the First American Explorer to Bring Back China's Most Exotic Animal RC 60516 by Vicki Constantine Croke read by Lorna Raver 2 cassettes Account of bohemian Manhattan socialite Ruth Harkness, who traveled to China in 1936 to fulfill her late husband's mission to bring a giant panda to America. Describes her difficulties in capturing the cub, Su-Lin, and the struggle to keep him alive. 2005. RC 60516 ## Cassettes Fiction The Bridge RC 57774 by Doug Marlette read by Erik Sandvold 4 cassettes Abruptly fired from a New York City newspaper, political cartoonist Pick Cantrell returns to his home state of North Carolina with his wife and son. In the old mill town of Eno, Pick uncovers his family's prominent role in a bloody textile strike in 1934. Strong language and some violence. 2001. RC 57774 ## The Hound in the Left-Hand Corner RC 58548 by Giles Waterfield read by Jennifer Mendenhall 2 cassettes Follows one outrageous day in the life of brilliant but troubled British museum director Auberon Booth as he prepares for an exhibition grand opening. The centerpiece, Gainsborough's portrait of Lady St. John attired as Puck, incites chaos among staff and guests while frazzled Auberon tries to keep peace. 2002. RC 58548 ## The Winter Queen RC 58580 by Boris Akunin read by Michael Kramer 2 cassettes Moscow, 1876. Twenty-year-old novice detective Erast Fandorin investigates the case of university student Pyotr Kokorin, who committed suicide and inexplicably left his fortune to an English philanthropist. After witnessing another violent act, Fandorin suspects espionage and travels across Europe to London to test his hypothesis. Violence. 1998. RC 58580 ## Private Sector: A Sean Drummond Mystery RC 58585 by Brian Haig read by David Hartley-Margolin 3 cassettes JAG attorney major Sean Drummond is loaned to a D.C. law firm for a year. After a serial murderer kills successful young women including captain Lisa Morrow, army lawyer from Secret Sanction (RC 53151), Drummond investigates the killings. Violence and strong language. 2003. RC 58585 ## True Confessions of a Heartless Girl RC 58723 by Martha Brooks read by Mary Beth Wise 1 cassette When pregnant seventeen-year-old runaway Noreen arrives in Pembina Lake, Manitoba, she is taken in by caf‚ owner and single mom Lynda. Lynda and other ladies in town try to help the troubled teen while solving their own problems. Strong language. For senior high readers. 2003. RC 58723 ## Hard Revolution RC 58809 by George Pelecanos read by Chuck Young 2 cassettes Washington, D.C., 1968. Rookie police officer Derek Strange encounters racism and violence on the job, just as his brother Dennis turns to drugs and crime. The riots following Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination test Derek's resolve. Violence, strong language, and some descriptions of sex. 2004. RC 58809 ## Murder on the Leviathan RC 58813 by Boris Akunin read by Michael Kramer 2 cassettes Paris, 1878. An eccentric antiquarian is murdered and a priceless Indian shawl is missing. Detective Gauche deduces from clues at the scene that the killer will depart on the steamship Leviathan. Russian diplomat Erast Fandorin from The Winter Queen (RC 58580) assists the investigation on board. Some violence. 2004. RC 58813 ## 2001: A Space Odyssey RC 58814 by Arthur C. Clarke read by Michael Kramer 2 cassettes (Reissue) On a voyage into the unexplored universe, the spacecraft Discovery hurtles its human passengers through time toward a confrontation with an unknown, powerful intelligence. Written for the production of a science fiction film of the same name. 1968. RC 58814 ## Rumble, Young Man, Rumble RC 58821 by Benjamin Cavell read by Chuck Young 1 cassette Tense male protagonists in this debut collection of nine stories reveal a darker side of masculinity, complete with raw instincts, sexual insecurities, and potential for violence. Includes "Balls, Balls, Balls" a glimpse into the mind of a musclehead, "Killing Time," and "Evolution." Strong language, some explicit descriptions of sex, and some violence. 2003. RC 58821 ## Royally Jacked RC 58843 by Niki Burnham read by Mimi Bederman 1 cassette When her parents divorce, fifteen-year-old Valerie accompanies her dad to his new overseas job working for the royal family of a small European country. Valerie thinks she made a mistake until she meets Prince George and falls in love. For senior high readers. 2004. RC 58843 ## Time of the Wolves: Western Stories RC 58845 by Marcia Muller read by Cyn Delafield 2 cassettes Ten short stories set in the West. In the title piece, which won the Spur Award, Alma fights for survival against wolves and discovers strength through fear. In "Sisters," Lydia befriends Curious Cat, forming a bond based on loneliness. In "The Lost Coast," Sharon McCone investigates a murder. 2003. RC 58845 ## The Cat's Pajamas: Stories RC 59018 by Ray Bradbury read by Michael Russotto 1 cassette Selection of short stories written since the 1940s. Newlyweds confront a derelict mansion, two cat-lovers fight over a stray, space travelers encounter a world of giant spiders, and drunken senators gambling at an Indian casino lose the United States. Strong language and some violence. 2004. RC 59018 ## The Year's Best Fantasy and Horror: Seventeenth Annual Collection RC 59030 edited by Ellen Datlow, Kelly Link, and Gavin J.Grant read by Martha Harmon Pardee 7 cassettes in 2 containers More than forty stories and poems, from fairy tales to gothic horror, by Stephen King, Michael Swanwick, Ursula K. Le Guin, Neil Gaiman, and others. Editors' overview of the genre's 2003 output includes comics, anime, manga, film, and television. Some descriptions of sex, some violence, and some strong language. 2003. RC 59030 ## The Egyptian RC 59063 by Mika Waltari read by Gordon Gould 4 cassettes (Reissue) Ancient Egypt. Elderly Sinuhe, former physician to the controversial pharaoh Akhnaton, recalls his own life and career amidst the religious and political upheavals surrounding the reign of his ruler. Tells how Akhnaton's attempts to depose ancient gods led to his death and Sinuhe's exile. Translated by Naomi Walford. Some descriptions of sex. 1949. RC 59063 ## Pocahontas RC 59124 by Joseph Bruchac read by Geoffrey Centlivre 1 cassette Jamestown Colony, 1607. Alternating narratives of Pocahontas, a Powhatan chief's daughter, and captain John Smith reveal the alliance between Smith and his fellow English settlers and the native Indian population. Portrays the cultural misunderstandings that arose during their encounters. For junior and senior high readers. 2003. RC 59124 ## After RC 59132 by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor read by Richard Davidson 3 cassettes Fifty-six-year-old Harry Gill's one goal after his wife's death is to survive the first year by learning how to be a widower. He copes with a shocking revelation about his marriage, an attraction to his new houseguest, and his adult children's dramas. Some explicit descriptions of sex and some strong language. 2003. RC 59132 ## Children of the Star RC 59218 by Sylvia Engdahl read by John Polk 6 cassettes Science fiction trilogy: This Star Shall Abide, Beyond the Tomorrow Mountains, and The Doors of the Universe. Follows the trials and tribulations of teenage rebel Noren, who chafes under society's caste system. Once accused of heresy, Noren becomes a scholar and saves his people. For senior high readers. 1972. RC 59218 ## The Road to Armageddon RC 59243 by Larry Collins read by Michael Russotto 3 cassettes Disgraced CIA operative Jim Duffy is summoned back to the agency when reports surface that Iranian terrorists may have acquired Soviet nuclear weapons. Duffy's search for answers leads him to London, where he questions the beautiful widow of a recently assassinated Mideast businessman. Violence and strong language. 2003. RC 59243 ## The Big Nowhere RC 59258 by James Ellroy read by Steven Carpenter 3 cassettes Deputy sheriff Danny Upshaw, D.A. investigator Mal Considine, and detective, fixer, errand boy, and hatchet man Buzz Meeks come together in 1950s Hollywood. The anticommunist atmosphere, a series of brutal mutilation killings, ambition, personal loss, and buried demons define the nightmare of these men. Explicit descriptions of sex, violence, and strong language. 1988. RC 59258 ## The Pathfinder; or, The Inland Sea: A Leatherstocking Tale RC 59262 by James Fenimore Cooper read by Michael Scherer 4 cassettes (Reissue) Upstate New York, French and Indian War. Frontiersman Natty Bumppo, nicknamed Leatherstocking, lives near Lake Ontario. He falls in love with Mabel Dunham, a sergeant's daughter, and wants to settle down to raise a family. Meanwhile, treachery abounds among the native and European combatants. 1840. RC 59262 ## The Confusion: The Baroque Cycle, Volume 2 RC 59272 by Neal Stephenson read by Robert Sams 7 cassettes in 2 containers This sequel to Quicksilver (RC 57054) continues farcical seventeenth-century adventures. "Half-Cocked" Jack Shaf-toe, recovered from the pox, is plotting to escape from a Turkish warship. French countess Eliza, a sometime-spy, is once again caught up in international intrigue. Some descriptions of sex, some violence, and some strong language. 2004. RC 59272 ## First Touch RC 59286 by Sandra Kitt, Francis Ray,and Eboni Snoe read by Mary Beth Wise 5 cassettes Three novels by African American romance writers. In Eboni Snoe's Beguiled, unemployed Raquel imper-sonates a missing heiress for just one night and is abducted by a handsome fortune hunter. Also includes Francis Ray's Forever Yours and Sandra Kitt's Serenade. Explicit descriptions of sex, some violence, and some strong language. 2004. RC 59286 ## Black Wind: A Dirk Pitt Novel RC 59292 by Clive Cussler and Dirk Cussler read by Jim Zeiger 3 cassettes Six decades after a Japanese submarine sank off the coast of Washington state, an invisible wave of death strikes the Aleutian Islands. Marine scientists Summer and Dirk Pitt Jr. investigate, encountering a plot to launch a chimeric biological weapon against America. Some violence and some strong language. Bestseller. 2004. RC 59292 ## The Prince and the Pauper RC 59303 by Mark Twain read by Erik Sandvold 2 cassettes (Reissue) The future Edward VI of England and a young pauper agree to trade places for a few days. The pauper becomes king, and he finds it quite insufferable. Meanwhile, the prince is roaming the street in tatters. People and circumstances almost make the role reversal permanent. For junior and senior high and older readers. 1882. RC 59303 ## Empress Orchid RC 59317 by Anchee Min read by Martha Harmon Pardee 3 cassettes Ch'ing Dynasty. Chosen to be a concubine, strong and controversial Orchid becomes Emperor Hsien Feng's lover, confidant, and wife and bears him a son. After Feng's death, Orchid struggles to overcome traditional male dominance ruling as empress of China until her son reaches maturity. Some explicit descriptions of sex. 2004. RC 59317 ## Heartlight: Truth Jourdemayne and Winter Musgrave, Book 4 RC 59384 by Marion Zimmer Bradley read by Madelyn Buzzard 4 cassettes Soldier of the light Colin MacLaren, introduced in Ghostlight (RC 42783), returns to America from battling forces of darkness in Europe during World War II. But evil resurfaces in America, and Colin, aided by psychic Claire Moffat, must fight again, face his nemesis, and find his successor. Some violence. 1998. RC 59384 ## Any Place I Hang My Hat RC 59400 by Susan Isaacs read by Anne Hancock 3 cassettes While covering the presidential campaign of Oregon senator Thomas Bowles, political reporter Amy Lincoln encounters a young man who claims to be the candidate's illegitimate son. As she pursues the story, Amy is spurred to investigate her own disorderly childhood. Strong language. 2004. RC 59400 ## The Defiant Hero RC 59409 by Suzanne Brockmann read by Constance Crawford 3 cassettes Meg Moore, Kazbekistani embassy translator, receives a ransom demand for her daughter and grandmother from terrorists. In desperation, she turns for help to former lover, Navy SEAL John Nilsson. They risk careers and lives in a dramatic rescue effort. Strong language, some descriptions of sex, and some violence. 2001. RC 59409 ## Mesmerized RC 59415 by Candace Camp read by Anne Hancock 2 cassettes England, 1876. Since claiming his deceased brother's title and estate, Stephen St. Leger has watched an unscrupulous psychic manipulate his mother. To expose the fraud, Stephen hires clairvoyant Olivia Moreland. Murder, lost treasure, and ghosts bring Stephen and Olivia closer. Some explicit descriptions of sex and some violence. 2003. RC 59415 ## Falling Awake RC 59416 by Jayne Ann Krentz read by Lindsay Ellison 2 cassettes Dream analyst Isabel Wright, whose work helps solve crimes, loses her job when her boss's son takes over the company. Government agent and former dream subject Ellis Cutler recruits Isabel for his agency, where she can continue investigating cases and fall in love. Some violence and some strong language. 2004. RC 59416 ## Lie Still: A Novel of Suspense RC 59423 by David Farris read by Dan Bloom 3 cassettes In a small-town Arizona hospital, Dr. Malcolm Ishmail is perplexed when a thirteen-year-old asthmatic patient inexplicably dies from cardiac arrest. Lacking clues, Ishmail wonders whether his former lover a brain surgeon he reported for incompetence has somehow plotted revenge to wreck his career. Strong language and some explicit descriptions of sex. 2003. RC 59423 ## The Last Crossing RC 59471 by Guy Vanderhaeghe read by Robert Sams 3 cassettes 1870s. Tracing lost brother Simon, Charles and Addington Gaunt leave London for dusty U.S.-Canadian trading posts, where they assemble a search party that includes a journalist, a suspected murderer, a vengeful beauty, a Blackfoot/Scot guide, and a saloon keeper each confronting separate demons. Strong language, some explicit descriptions of sex, and some violence. 2002. RC 59471 ## Eleven Days: A Novel of the Heartland; A Carl Houseman Mystery RC 59474 by Donald Harstad read by Gregory Gorton 2 cassettes Responding to a 911 emergency call, small-town Iowa deputy sheriff Carl Houseman finds a mutilated body at a farmhouse the first of four apparent satanic ritual killings. With a suspect list possibly including the town's pastor, Carl's investigation soon uncovers dirty little secrets hidden in the community. Violence and strong language. 1998. RC 59474 ## Cruel Justice: A Ben Kincaid Novel RC 59488 by William Bernhardt read by Gregory Gorton 3 cassettes Mentally retarded African American teenager Leeman Hayes was accused of murder ten years ago. As Leeman's trial nears and attorney Ben Kincaid prepares his defense, a ten-year-old boy essential to the case is targeted by a child molester and disappears. Violence, some descriptions of sex, and some strong language. 1996. RC 59488 ## Until You: Friarsgate Inheritance, Book 2 RC 59491 by Bertrice Small read by Gabriella Cavallero 3 cassettes English lady Rosamund Bolton falls in love with Scottish earl Patrick Leslie. Their romance deepens, along with the threat of war between their countries, so Patrick and Rosamund assume a dangerous mission that tests their passions. Sequel to Rosamund (RC 55518). Strong language and some explicit descriptions of sex. 2003. RC 59491 ## Aloft RC 59492 by Chang-rae Lee read by Steven Carpenter 2 cassettes Jerry Battle, a fifty-something widower and retired landscaper, is naturally lazy-hearted. Escaping feelings, confrontation, parenthood, and relationships, he retreats to his private airplane. Tragedy forces Jerry to address the fleshy realities of his life his grown children, dependent father, and former lover. Some descriptions of sex and some strong language. 2004. RC 59492 ## Flashpoint RC 59515 by Suzanne Brockmann read by Michael Scherer 3 cassettes Dismissing memories of their passionate one night stand, computer specialist Tess Bailey and fellow agent James Nash collaborate to recover a missing laptop containing Al Qaeda secrets. Posing as married relief workers in Kazbekistan, the professionals face compromising situations. Strong language, some explicit descriptions of sex, and some violence. 2004. RC 59515 ## Runaway: Stories RC 59521 by Alice Munro read by Jill Ferris 2 cassettes Eight short stories about women of all ages and circumstances. In "Runaway," Carla, though willing, is incapable of leaving her husband. In three connected stories, "Chance," "Soon," and "Silence," Juliet falls for an older man, returns as a young mother, and rescues her daughter from a cult. Bestseller. 2004. RC 59521 ## A Salty Piece of Land RC 59523 by Jimmy Buffett read by Jim Zeiger 3 cassettes Tully Mars recounts his transformation from cowboy to lighthouse keeper, fleeing a Wyoming poodle ranch for warm ocean swells. On his psychedelic odyssey Tully encounters many colorful characters, including 101-year-old ship captain Cleopatra High-bourne, who employs him to restore a lighthouse on Cayo Loco. Strong language. 2004. RC 59523 ## Heir to the Glimmering World RC 59528 by Cynthia Ozick read by Martha Harmon Pardee 2 cassettes Bronx, 1930s. Shy orphan Rose Meadows enters household service with the German-refugee Mitwissers, who are uprooted by harsh treatment from Berlin luxury. Rose witnesses the family's struggles as the patriarch, an obsessed Hebrew scholar, his depressed scientist wife, and five unruly children depend for survival upon an unstable sponsor. 2004. RC 59528 ## We Speak No Treason RC 59535 by Rosemary Hawley Jarman read by Martha Harmon Pardee 4 cassettes (Reissue) Fifteenth-century England. The life of enigmatic Richard III unfolds through the eyes of loyal members of his court. A nun (once the king's mistress), an aging jester, and a young knight awaiting execution relate their experiences with the king. Some violence. 1971. RC 59535 ## Man's Fate (La Condition Humaine) RC 59540 by Andr‚ Malraux read by Robert Blumenfeld 2 cassettes Shanghai, 1925. Chinese National Liberation Movement terrorist Ch'en Ta Erh wrestles internally with an assassination assignment. Meanwhile insurrection leader Kyo Gisors faces danger and betrayal while his wife, May, a German doctor, struggles to accept her husband's destiny. First published in France. Some descriptions of sex and some violence. 1934. RC 59540 ## Key to Forever: Draycott Abbey RC 59543 by Christina Skye read by Martha Harmon Pardee 2 cassettes A night of passion with British earl Alexei Cameron haunts Joanna Russell, tour guide and antique-weapons expert. Later she needs his help to solve a mystery and lift an ancient curse. Sequel to Bride of the Mist (RC 45317). Some explicit descriptions of sex and some strong language. 1997. RC 59543 ## The Firefly RC 59548 by P.T. Deutermann read by Jim Zeiger 4 cassettes Before the upcoming presidential inauguration, retired but reactivated secret service agent "Swamp" Morgan investigates arson at a Washington, D.C., cosmetic surgery clinic serving mys-terious foreigners late at night. An unknown patient undergoing an identity change survives the fire but disappears. Morgan fears an imminent terrorist bombing. Violence and some strong language. 2003. RC 59548 ## These Old Shades RC 59553 by Georgette Heyer read by Martha Harmon Pardee 2 cassettes (Reissue) Justin Alastair, cold hearted duke of Avon, plucks a delicately handsome waif from the Paris streets to become his page. But discovering L‚on to be L‚onie, enemy comte de Saint-Vire's baseborn daughter, Alastair plots to have L‚onie claim her birthright and destroy Saint-Vire. 2003 foreword by Stephanie Laurens. 1926. RC 59553 ## Naked in Death: An Eve Dallas Mystery RC 59555 by J.D. Robb read by Martha Harmon Pardee 2 cassettes Veteran New York police lieutenant Eve Dallas investigates the brutal rape and murder of hooker Sharon DeBlass, granddaughter of a powerful U.S. senator. Her attraction to prime suspect Irish billionaire Roarke envelops Eve as the case becomes a serial killing. Violence, strong language, and some explicit descriptions of sex. 1995. RC 59555 ## Tanequil: High Druid of Shannara, Book 2 RC 59566 by Terry Brooks read by Gary Tipton 3 cassettes Sequel to Jarka Ruus (RC 56906). Pen Ohmsford searches for his aunt Grianne, the rightful high druid. The same corrupt druids who entrapped Grianne in a malevolent netherland send assassins for Pen. The ancient tanequil, an intelligent tree, can help Pen but demands a sacrifice in return. Some violence. 2004. RC 59566 ## The Best American Short Stories, 2004: Selected from U.S. and Canadian Magazines RC 59574 selected by Lorrie Moore read by John Polk 4 cassettes Twenty short stories, many from the New Yorker. Stuart Dybek's "Breasts" animates a mythic Chicago gangster while Annie Proulx's "What Kind of Furniture Would Jesus Pick?" portrays a rancher facing the twenty-first century. Paula Fox's "Grace" explores the pet-human relationship. Strong language and some descriptions of sex. 2004. RC 59574 ## The Practical Heart: Four Novellas RC 59583 by Allan Gurganus read by Fred Major 3 cassettes Stories about the fictional 1950s town of Falls, North Carolina, by the author of Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All (RC 30984). Includes "Pres-ervation News," memoirs of a house preservationist dying of AIDS, and "He's One, Too," recounting a boy's homosexual awakening. Strong language and some explicit descriptions of sex. 1993. RC 59583 ## Dumping Billy RC 59593 by Olivia Goldsmith read by Erin Jones 2 cassettes Women dated and dumped by Brooklyn bartender Billy marry the next man they go out with. Thirty-one-year-old therapist Kate tries to enliven her friend Bina's failing relationship by setting Bina up with Billy, but Kate falls for Billy herself. Some explicit descriptions of sex and some strong language. 2004. RC 59593 ## Wedded Bliss RC 59598 by Barbara Metzger read by Erin Jones 2 cassettes Widower Robert Rothmore, accomplished earl but inept father, requires a mother for his children. Alissa Henning, a struggling young widow, needs a provider for her own children. Robert proposes marrying to solve both problems, but Alissa resists a standard marriage of convenience. Some explicit descriptions of sex. 2004. RC 59598 ## The White Dragon: In Fire Forged, Part 1 RC 59599 by Laura Resnick read by Richard Hauenstein 5 cassettes For centuries, the Silerians awaited the prophesied warrior Josarian the Firebringer to unite feuding clans and oust foreign conquerors. But Josarian is killed before the rebellion ends, leaving his brother to defeat rival Kiloran, a tyrannical waterlord, and bring freedom. Violence and some descriptions of sex. 2003. RC 59599 ## Marque and Reprisal: Vatta's War, Book 2 RC 59600 by Elizabeth Moon read by Erin Jones 3 cassettes Kylara Vatta, who sought a mili-tary career in Trading in Danger (RC 57103), finds unexpected action when her family, their company, and their home are attacked. Ky, joined by her cousin Stella, teenaged boy Tony, and business spy Rafe, survives to defend her ship and hunt the elusive enemy. 2004. RC 59600 ## Prairie Nocturne RC 59606 by Ivan Doig read by Fred Major 3 cassettes Montana voice instructor Susan Duff of Dancing at the Rascal Fair (RC 26646) is visited unexpectedly in 1924 by her former lover, Wesley Williamson, and asked to teach his African American chauffeur, Monty, to sing. When Monty goes on tour, Wes reveals his true motives. Some descriptions of sex and some violence. 2003. RC 59606 ## Cube Route: Xanth RC 59607 by Piers Anthony read by Sharon Murray 2 cassettes Twenty-year-old Cube's wish to be beautiful takes her to the Good Magician Humfrey. But rather than granting Cube's request, the wizard requires that she find a magical path. Follow-ing this route could lead Cube through danger, excitement, and transformation to her heart's desire. For senior high and older readers. 2003. RC 59607 ## The Foxes of Harrow RC 59612 by Frank Yerby read by Jack Fox 4 cassettes (Reissue) New Orleans, 1825. Irish gambler Stephen Fox builds his plantation, Harrow, with luck and determination. Through the years he lords over servants, his aristocratic wife, his sister-in-law, and a voluptuous quadroon until the Civil War forces him to enlist in the Confederate army. Some descriptions of sex and some violence. 1946. RC 59612 ## Defense for the Devil: A Barbara Holloway Mystery RC 59613 by Kate Wilhelm read by Madelyn Buzzard 3 cassettes When her estranged ex-husband, Mitch Arno, unexpectedly returns to town with a suitcase full of money, innkeeper and mother-of-two Maggie Folsum hires Oregon attorney Barbara Holloway. Then Mitch is found murdered, his brother is wrongfully accused, and Barbara's unpaid child support claim becomes a murder investigation. Some strong language. 1999. RC 59613 ## A Credible Threat: A Jeri Howard Mystery RC 59616 by Janet Dawson read by Erin Jones 2 cassettes California PI Jeri Howard's former stepdaughter, Vicki, calls for help when she and her housemates become victims of vandalism and disturbing phone calls. Jeri suspects a spurned ex-boyfriend, but after a pipe bomb crashes through a window, Jeri links the case to an eight-year-old unsolved murder. Strong language and some violence. 1996. RC 59616 ## The Case of the Howling Dog: A Perry Mason Mystery RC 59617 by Erle Stanley Gardner read by Jack Fox 2 cassettes Arthur Cartright consults attorney Perry Mason about bequeathing property to neighbor Clinton Foley's wife, but also wants to file a complaint about Clinton's noisy dog. Questioning the client's sanity, Perry visits Clinton's home. First he discovers Clinton's wife is missing; then he finds Clinton's corpse. 1934. RC 59617 ## Deception RC 59624 by Denise Mina read by David Hartley-Margolin 2 cassettes Scotland, 1998. Thirty-year-old psychiatrist Susie Harriot is convicted of murdering Andrew Gow, a paroled serial killer. Her husband sifts through her papers, seeking to overturn her conviction and restore their idyllic family life but discovers her secrets and moves inexorably to a shocking conclusion. Strong language and some descriptions of sex. 2003. RC 59624 ## Polaris RC 59625 by Jack McDevitt read by Ray Childs 3 cassettes Antiques dealer Alex Benedict has acquired artifacts from the luxury space yacht Polaris, found abandoned sixty years before, its crew and passengers mysteriously vanished during an interstellar cruise. When an attempt is made on his life, Benedict takes drastic measures to learn what happened long ago. Some strong language. 2004. RC 59625 ## The Oathbound: Vows and Honor, Book 1 RC 59626 by Mercedes Lackey read by Anne Hancock 2 cassettes After her entire clan is slaughtered, the nomadic Tarma becomes an elite swordswoman and vows revenge on the murderers. Sorceress Kethry, born into nobility, becomes the bearer of a magical sword that draws her to Tarma, whom she joins in a fight against evil. 1998. RC 59626 ## Mystic Warrior: The Bronze Canticles, Book 1 RC 59628 by Tracy Hickman and Laura Hickman read by Kristin Allison 3 cassettes Human, goblin, and faerie worlds slowly converge through dreams. Newlywed blacksmith Galen Arvad is imprisoned when deemed insane because he has nightmares of a winged woman. Goblin engineer Mimic and faery-seeker Dwynwyn are determined to unravel their similar strange visions. Some violence. 2004. RC 59628 ## Pyro RC 59632 by Earl Emerson read by Ray Childs 2 cassettes An arsonist plaguing Seattle now targets lieutenant Paul Wollf. Paul and his fellow firefighters, including a female rookie, battle blazes pitting Paul against the pyromaniac who may have caused his father's death twenty-five years ago. Strong language, some descriptions of sex, and some violence. 2004. RC 59632 ## Alice in Jeopardy RC 59635 by Ed McBain read by Anne Hancock 2 cassettes Young Florida widow Alice Glendenning struggles to raise her daughter and mute son following their father's drowning. When the kids are abducted from their school, the kidnappers demand Alice's nonexistent insurance money. Bungling law enforcement agencies force Alice to act alone. Strong language and some explicit descriptions of sex. 2005. RC 59635 ## Pushcart Prize XXIX: Best of the Small Presses, 2005 RC 59636 edited by Bill Henderson read by Suzanne Toren 4 cassettes Sixty short stories, essays, and poems from literary magazines and small presses across the United States. Authors include Patricia Monaghan, Benjamin Scott Grossberg, Chana Bloch, Jeffrey Harrison, and Andrei Codrescu. Strong language and some descriptions of sex. 2005. RC 59636 ## Golden Lies RC 59642 by Barbara Freethy read by Constance Crawford 2 cassettes San Francisco. For Riley McAllister and his grandmother, antiques dealer David Hathaway appraises an ancient Chinese bronze dragon found in her attic. When David is attacked and the relic stolen, David's daughter Paige joins Riley on a search uncovering scandals in both families. Some explicit descriptions of sex. 2004. RC 59642 ## Once Bitten: A Melanie Travis Mystery RC 59702 by Laurien Berenson read by Megan Burnett 2 cassettes Poodle owner Melanie Travis's soon-to-be sister-in-law, Bertie, hires former dog handler Sara Bentley as her wedding planner. When Sara mysteriously vanishes, the bride gives Melanie a choice: either help plan the nuptials or find Sara. But then they learn that Sara's cottage burned down exposing a young woman's charred remains. 2001. RC 59702 ## Reunion RC 59703 by Nora Roberts read by Madelyn Buzzard 3 cassettes Two couples discover love is better the second time around. In Once More with Feeling, Raven and Brand join forces again to compose a musical score. In Treasures Lost, Treasures Found, Kate hires Ky to help her search for sunken gold. Explicit descriptions of sex. Bestseller. 1983. RC 59703 ## Entombed: An Alexandra Cooper Novel RC 59712 by Linda Fairstein read by Jill Fox 2 cassettes Manhattan. The Silk Stocking Rapist resurfaces. Meanwhile, workers demolishing Edgar Allan Poe's former home discover a female skeleton. Sex crimes prosecutor Alexandra Cooper from The Kills (RC 58014) links the serial rapist, the remains, and Poe's classic tales. Violence, some descriptions of sex, and some strong language. 2005. RC 59712 ## Falcon Saga RC 59713 by Francis Ray read by Madelyn Buzzard 5 cassettes Three romance novels by award-winning African American author: Includes Only Hers, Break Every Rule, and Heart of the Falcon, in which production engineer Madelyn Taggart tries to convince family friend and businessman Daniel Falcon to open his heart to love. Some explicit descriptions of sex. 2004. RC 59713 ## Best in Show: A Melanie Travis Mystery RC 59718 by Laurien Berenson read by Megan Burnett 2 cassettes At the Poodle Club of America's National Specialty dog show, Melanie Travis's formidable Aunt Peg volunteers Melanie to help two elderly sisters with the raffle. When one is murdered, Melanie investigates an assortment of suspects including rival dog owners, a nasty handler, and a dubious pet psychic. 2003. RC 59718 ## Fiddler's Green; or, A Wedding, a Ball, and the Singular Adventure of Sundry Moss: Moosepath League Chronicles RC 59723 by Van Reid read by Mitzi Friedlander 3 cassettes Maine, 1897. Misadventures of the Moosepath League continue: residents anticipate chairman Tobias Walton's marriage to Phileda McCannon and Mrs. Morrell's annual June ball. Meanwhile, Tobias's aide-de-camp, Sundry Moss, ventures into a bizarre backwoods feud and meets an optimistic sailor searching for a paradise known as Fiddler's Green. 2004. RC 59723 ## Elegy for a Lost Star: The Symphony of Ages, Volume 5 RC 59724 by Elizabeth Haydon read by Erin Jones 3 cassettes Woman-turned-dragon Anwyn, freed from a three-year deathlike trance, seeks revenge. While King Achmed of the Firbolg rebuilds his home, protecting the kingdom and the Earthchild, assassins make dark plans and leaders good and evil sow seeds of chaos. Sequel to Requiem for the Sun (RC 54985). 2004. RC 59724 ## Preacher's Justice: The First Mountain Man, Book 10 RC 59726 by William W. Johnstone read by John Polk 2 cassettes Facing fraud charges, Philadelphia banker Theodore Epson arranges to kill his St. Louis accuser, brothel owner Jennie, the only woman mountain man Preacher ever loved. When Preacher finds out, he seeks justice. Sequel to Preacher's Peace (RC 57088). Some explicit descriptions of sex, some violence, and some strong language. 2004. RC 59726 ## Savage Season: A Hap and Leonard Mystery RC 59733 by Joe R. Lansdale read by Alec Volz 1 cassette Trudy, ex-wife of East Texas rose-field worker Hap Collins, offers him and his friend Leonard two hundred thousand dollars to recover a stolen fortune from a sunken boat. Trouble arises from gang members wanting more than their share. Violence, strong language, and some explicit descriptions of sex. 1989. RC 59733 ## The Hard Detective: A Harriet Martens Mystery RC 59739 by H.R.F. Keating read by Mitzi Friedlander 2 cassettes When two police officers are found murdered in swift succession, detective chief inspector Harriet Martens, a.k.a. the "Hard Detective," believes the deaths are related. A third killing confirms her suspicions: the perpetrator patterns his crimes after a verse from the book of Exodus. Some strong language. 2000. RC 59739 ## Fear of Frying: A Jane Jeffry Mystery RC 59741 by Jill Churchill read by Jill Fox 1 cassette A Wisconsin trip becomes a murder investigation after Jane and her friend Shelley discover the body of local car dealer Sam Claypool at their campsite. When the sheriff arrives, the body is gone. Sam turns up alive the next day only to be found dead again. Some strong language. 1997. RC 59741 ## The Immortal Highlander: The Highlander Series, Book 6 RC 59747 by Karen Marie Moning read by Mitzi Friedlander 2 cassettes Gabrielle O'Callaghan's ability to see both the mortal and the faery worlds makes her especially vulnerable to the seductive charms of Adam Black, who is on a quest to regain his immortality. Sequel to The Dark Highlander (RC 55859). Explicit descriptions of sex and some strong language. 2004. RC 59747 ## A Christmas Visitor RC 59753 by Anne Perry read by Mitzi Friedlander 1 cassette Henry Rathbone, from the William Monk series, is summoned to the Lake District during the Christmas holidays to support his goddaughter Antonia when her husband, Judah Dreghorn, dies accidentally. Rathbone discovers that the incident may have been intentional. 2004. RC 59753 ## The Case of the Stuttering Bishop: A Perry Mason Mystery RC 59757 by Erle Stanley Gardner read by Jack Fox 2 cassettes Attorney Perry Mason suspects the authenticity of bishop William Mallory, who is seeking legal services on behalf of Julia Branner. Julia plans to expose as an imposter a young woman claiming to be her long-lost daughter and heir. Then matters take a devilish turn. 1936. RC 59757 ## The Skeleton in the Closet RC 59762 by M.C. Beaton read by Vanessa Maroney 2 cassettes English waiter Fellworth Dolphin unexpectedly inherits a small fortune after his mother's death. To avoid overbearing relatives, he pretends he's engaged to his coworker, Maggie, who helps him probe the source of his new wealth and uncover his father's shady past. Some descriptions of sex and some violence. 2001. RC 59762 ## The News from Paraguay RC 59770 by Lily Tuck read by Laura Giannarelli 2 cassettes Paris, 1854. Francisco Lopez, Paraguay's future dictator, falls in love with Irish courtesan Ella Lynch. Following him to South America, Ella embraces her lover's doomed imperialistic dreams, but remains a stranger in a foreign land. Some explicit descriptions of sex, some violence, and some strong language. National Book Award. 2004. RC 59770 ## In the Night Room RC 59771 by Peter Straub read by Faith Potts 2 cassettes Timothy Underhill sees his nine-year-old sister's ghost, while Willy Bryce Patrick believes that her dead daughter is held in an abandoned warehouse. Teaming up to chase a murderous spirit, Timothy and Willy fall in love, seduced by the powers of imagination. Strong language and some explicit descriptions of sex. 2004. RC 59771 ## Gotham Diaries RC 59772 by Tonya Lewis Lee and Crystal McCrary Anthony read by Margaret Strom 2 cassettes In the New York African American bourgeois scene, gay realtor Manny Marks and penniless socialite Tandy Brooks scheme to defraud millionaire couple Ed and Lauren Thomas. Idealistic Lauren endures scandal and her husband's extramarital affairs to survive. Strong language and some explicit descriptions of sex. 2004. RC 59772 ## Coalescent: Destiny's Children Trilogy, Book 1 RC 59780 by Stephen Baxter read by David Cutler 4 cassettes Forty-five-year-old software developer George Poole learns that a twin sister he never knew existed is being raised by the Order an ancient human-hive cult dominated by a queen. Entering this underground society, he discovers genetically superior humans who plan to leave their realm. Strong language and some descriptions of sex. 2004. RC 59780 ## Conviction RC 59781 by Richard North Patterson read by Annie Wauters 4 cassettes Attorney Christopher Paget from The Lasko Tangent (RC 41088) and his wife, Terri, reexamine a fifteen-year-old rape and murder case involving a nine-year-old Cambodian girl. Rennell Price, convicted for the crime, is headed to California's death chamber when Terri questions his guilt. Strong language and some violence. Bestseller. 2005. RC 59781 ## The O. Henry Prize Stories 2005 RC 59783 edited by Laura Furman read by Faith Potts 4 cassettes Twenty O. Henry Prize-winning short stories set in places as various as Kentucky, Australia, India, and Brazil. In Sherman Alexie's "What You Pawn I Will Redeem," a homeless Native American tries to reclaim his grandmother's dance regalia. Some strong language. 2005. RC 59783 ## Love Will Find a Way RC 59789 by Barbara Freethy read by Victoria Gordon 2 cassettes Six months after architect Gary Tanner's death, his insurance company refuses payment to widow Rachel, claiming Gary committed suicide. Rachel turns for help to Dylan Prescott, Gary's best friend and partner. While seeking the truth, the two become romantically involved. Some explicit descriptions of sex and some strong language. 2002. RC 59789 ## 'Til Death Do Us Part: A Bailey Weggins Mystery RC 59800 by Kate White read by Barbara Pinolini 2 cassettes New York crime reporter Bailey Weggins receives an urgent call from Ashley Hanes, a fellow bridesmaid in catering diva Peyton Cross's Connecticut wedding. Ashley is distraught over two other bridal party members' deaths. When Ashley dies, too, Bailey knows it's no coincidence. Some violence and some strong language. 2004. RC 59800 ## Chanda's Secrets RC 59802 by Allan Stratton read by Laura Giannarelli 2 cassettes Sub-Saharan Africa, early twenty-first century. The very word "AIDS" causes panic in sixteen-year-old Chanda Kabelo's community. But when her mother catches the disease, Chanda defies local conventions to bring her home to die. Some descriptions of sex, some violence, and some strong language. For senior high readers. Printz Honor Book. 2004. RC 59802 ## Woodlands: The Glenbrooke Series, Book 7 RC 59809 by Robin Jones Gunn read by Margaret Strom 2 cassettes Twenty-seven-year-old Leah Hudson has always cared for and given to others but now suddenly lands on the receiving end. She wins a cruise to Alaska and unexpectedly inherits property with conditions attached. She finds her once peaceful life romantically complicated by Seth Edwards, the great-nephew of her benefactor. 2000. RC 59809 ## Death of a Nationalist RC 59811 by Rebecca Pawel read by Peter Gil 2 cassettes 1939. In war-torn Madrid, where Republicans have surrendered to Nationalists, guardsman sergeant Tejada investigates the street killing of his best friend. A woman who was near the body is unjustly executed, so her lover demands revenge while Tejada seeks the truth about both deaths. Some strong language. Edgar Award. 2003. RC 59811 ## Chainfire: The Sword of Truth, Book 9 RC 59819 by Terry Goodkind read by Nick Sullivan 5 cassettes Wounded in battle, Lord Richard Rahl awakens to discover his wife, Kahlan, missing. Worse yet, no one claims to know her or acknowledge that he was even married. Uncertain of Kahlan's fate, Richard sets out to find her. Sequel to Naked Empire (RC 56503). Some violence. Bestseller. 2005. RC 59819 ## Survivor in Death: An Eve Dallas Mystery RC 59821 by J.D. Robb read by Martha Harmon Pardee 2 cassettes New York, 2059. Lieutenant Eve Dallas hides nine-year-old Nixie Swisher in her own secure mansion after the child witnessed her family's massacre. Eve seeks the killer while her husband Roarke and butler Summerset guard Nixie. Violence, strong language, and some explicit descriptions of sex. Bestseller. 2005. RC 59821 ## Ramage: The Lord Ramage Novels, Book 1 RC 59824 by Dudley Pope read by Erik Sandvold 2 cassettes 1796. Young English lieutenant Nicholas Ramage finds himself in command of the sinking frigate Sibella after his senior officers are killed in battle. Ramage escapes and continues his mission to rescue some stranded Italian nobles from Napoleon's fast approaching army. Some violence. 1965. RC 59824 ## Sun Dance: Skye's West RC 59833 by Richard S. Wheeler read by David Hartley-Margolin 2 cassettes Oregon Trail. A band of Lakota Sioux attacks New Yorker Cornelius Brann and his family, kidnapping eighteen-year-old Hester. When the army won't help, Con turns to Barnaby Skye, who risks his life by infiltrating the natives' ritual Sun Dance. Some descriptions of sex, some violence, and some strong language. 1992. RC 59833 ## A Stranger Is Watching RC 59841 by Mary Higgins Clark read by Martha Harmon Pardee 2 cassettes (Reissue) Manhattan. Steve Peterson eagerly awaits the execution of Ronald Thompson, the man convicted of the brutal murder of Steve's wife, Nina. But days before the scheduled event, Steve's journalist girlfriend, Sharon, and his six-year-old asthmatic son, Neil, are kidnapped, possibly by the actual killer. Violence and some strong language. 1977. RC 59841 ## Star Wars: A Clone Wars Novel; Jedi Trial RC 59850 by David Sherman and Dan Cragg read by Erik Sandvold 2 cassettes Apprentice Anakin Skywalker, already passed over for promotion to full-fledged Jedi knight, eagerly accepts the assignment of reclaiming the plan-et Praesitlyn for the Republic. The upstart Separatists have captured the key intergalactic communications center. Skywalker joins Nejaa Halcyon and a small army of clones to secure the territory. 2004. RC 59850 ## The Santa Fe Trail: Trail Drive Series, Book 10 RC 59852 by Ralph Compton read by Jim Zeiger 2 cassettes Missouri, 1869. With the cattle market flooded and no grazing land, trail boss "Woody" Miles, Gavin McCord, and other cowboys accept an offer to drive their longhorns to Englishman Gladstone Pitkin's New Mexico ranch. In tow are Pitkin's lovely daughters and a hapless gambler with a dangerous past. Some violence. 1997. RC 59852 ## Ramage and the Drumbeat: The Lord Ramage Novels, Book 2 RC 59853 by Dudley Pope read by Erik Sandvold 2 cassettes Lieutenant Ramage enjoys his first official command aboard the Kathleen with orders to deliver important personages to Gibraltar, including the lovely Marchesa di Volterra, then support Lord Nelson in battle. While underway the impetuous Ramage disobeys orders and captures a Spanish ship. Sequel to Ramage (RC 59824). Some violence. 1967. RC 59853 ## Rumble Tumble: A Hap and Leonard Mystery RC 59859 by Joe R. Lansdale read by John Haag 2 cassettes Texas strip club bouncer Hap Collins and his gay African American friend Leonard Pine hit the highway to Oklahoma City to rescue from prostitution the wayward daughter of Hap's girlfriend, Brett. En route they encounter new friends and dangerous enemies. Violence, strong language, and some explicit descriptions of sex. 1998. RC 59859 ## Pushkin and the Queen of Spades RC 59862 by Alice Randall read by Gail Nelson 3 cassettes African American professor Windsor Armstrong is upset when her son Pushkin X, a professional football player, becomes engaged to a white lap dancer from Russia. Windsor writes to Pushkin of her painful past and reveals his father's identity. Strong language and some explicit descriptions of sex. 2004. RC 59862 ## A Caress of Twilight RC 59892 by Laurell K. Hamilton read by Annie Wauters 3 cassettes Part-human faerie princess and investigator Meredith NicEssus needs to conceive an heir to win the throne over sadistic Prince Cel. While Meredith tries to ensure the crown, a killer stalks Los Angeles. Sequel to A Kiss of Shadows (RC 59461). Explicit descriptions of sex, violence, and some strong language. 2002. RC 59892 ## Conspiracies: A Repairman Jack Mystery RC 59902 by F. Paul Wilson read by Mary Kane 2 cassettes Repairman Jack reluctantly investigates the disappearance of Melanie Ehler, a leading conspiracy theorist. Jack delves into Melanie's world by attending a conference for believers in UFOs, crop circles, alien abductions, and Satanic cults. He finds that nothing is what it appears to be. Violence and strong language. 2000. RC 59902 ## The Serpents Trail: A Maxie and Stretch Mystery RC 59904 by Sue Henry read by Faith Potts 2 cassettes Colorado. Sixty-three-year-old Nora McNabb from Dead North (RC 53499) and her dog Stretch arrive from Alaska to help sick friend Sarah Nunamaker. But Sarah's mysterious murder at the hospital means Nora must sort out her friend's secrets and search for a killer. 2004. RC 59904 ## Savannah; or, A Gift for Mr. Lincoln RC 59905 by John Jakes read by Faith Potts 2 cassettes Georgia, November 1864. As General Sherman marches toward Savannah, widowed Sara Lester and her twelve-year-old daughter Hattie are forced from their rice plantation. They find refuge in Savannah with Aunt Vee. There they endure the dangers of wartime, including the invasion of their house, yet they also find romance. 2004. RC 59905 ## The Real Deal RC 59912 by Fern Michaels read by Michele Schaeffer 2 cassettes Self-sufficient FBI agent Quinn Starr left the bureau after a thwarted affair with her boss. When the same man asks her to return and guard the first lady, Quinn uncovers a plot to undermine the president. Strong language and some explicit descriptions of sex. 2004. RC 59912 ## Blind Curve RC 59915 by Annie Solomon read by Michele Schaeffer 2 cassettes Detective Danny Sinofsky loses his sight in an undercover operation. Martha Crowe, who worshipped Danny in high school, becomes his mobility instructor. When Danny and Martha are sent to a safe house for protection, they fall in love. Violence, strong language, and some explicit descriptions of sex. 2005. RC 59915 ## Philly Stakes: An Amanda Pepper Mystery RC 59932 by Gillian Roberts read by Annie Wauters 2 cassettes Amanda Pepper proposes that her moody, spoiled tenth-grade Philadelphia prep school class cook and serve a holiday meal in a soup kitchen. With the involvement of parent Sandy Clausen, her lesson in humanity becomes a catered gourmet affair for sixty homeless people, uppercrust parents, and a murderer. 1989. RC 59932 ## Over My Dead Body RC 59934 by Claire Lorrimer read by Corrie James 2 cassettes Ian and Migs Peters relocate from London to a placid Kent countryside community of ten households on a dead-end lane. Controversy surfaces over a plan to modernize the road. As tensions and personal ambitions rise, so does the neighborhood death toll. 2003. RC 59934 ## Only You, Sierra: Sierra Jensen, Book 1 RC 59936 by Robin Jones Gunn read by Margaret Strom 1 cassette Sixteen-year-old Sierra returns from a missionary tour in Europe to a new home in Portland, Oregon, where her family has moved. Changing schools in her junior year is hard, but Sierra struggles to make new friends. For junior and senior high readers. 1995. RC 59936 ## The Rottweiler RC 59943 by Ruth Rendell read by Corrie James 3 cassettes Police discover that a serial killer is placing "trophies" from his victims in an antiques shop. Inez, the owner, and her diverse tenants above the shop become suspects. Detective Crippen investigates the renters' backgrounds while the murders continue. Some violence and some strong language. 2003. RC 59943 ## The Killing Club RC 59953 by Michael Malone read by Kristin Allison 2 cassettes Twenty-nine-year-old policewoman Jamie Ferrara investigates her former high school club after some members are murdered in her small New Jersey hometown. The club's misfits devised ways of killing their enemies, but now it's happening to them. Strong language. Bestseller. 2005. RC 59953 ## Another Way to Dance RC 59963 by Martha Southgate read by Gabriella Cavallero 1 cassette Fourteen-year-old African American Vicki spends the summer at New York City's prestigious School of American Ballet. She experiences subtle racism and lack of self-confidence but overcomes her problems with hard work, an exciting first crush, and faith in God. Some strong language. For junior and senior high readers. 1996. RC 59963 ## Crossing California RC 59969 by Adam Langer read by Martha Harmon Pardee 4 cassettes Chicago, 1979 1981. Depicts the Rovner, Wills, and Wasserstrom families living on either side of California Avenue, a road separating upper-middle-class and working-class Jewish neighborhoods. Parents and their teenage children experience distress and transitions during the larger upheaval of the Iranian hostage crisis. Strong language and some explicit descriptions of sex. 2004. RC 59969 ## This Calder Sky: The Calder Saga, Volume 3 RC 59990 by Janet Dailey read by Martha Harmon Pardee 3 cassettes (Reissue) Twenty-two-year-old Chase Calder, heir to Montana's Calder empire, longs for headstrong Maggie O'Rourke, whose father, however, steals Calder cattle. When Chase helps dispense justice, there are ramifications for years to come. Sequel to Stands a Calder Man (RC 59825). Explicit descriptions of sex, strong language, and some violence. 1981. RC 59990 ## Velocity RC 60001 by Dean Koontz read by Michael Hayden 2 cassettes A cryptic note left on bartender Bill Wile's windshield leads to murder. It gives him a choice: tell the police and have an elderly lady die, or not tell the police and cause a schoolteacher's death. After a teacher is murdered, Bill finds another note. Descriptions of sex, violence, and strong language. 2005. RC 60001 ## The Triumph of the Sun RC 60002 by Wilbur Smith read by John Lee 4 cassettes A holy war breaks out in the Sudan as the local population rebels against Egyptian occupiers. The British in-tervene and attempt to rescue their stranded citizens in Khartoum. Businessman Ryder Courtney, Captain Penrod Ballantyne, and consul David Benbrook and his daughters are among those trapped. Explicit descriptions of sex, violence, and strong language. 2005. RC 60002 ## Last Witness RC 60004 by Jilliane Hoffman read by Martha Harmon Pardee 2 cassettes In this sequel to Retribution (RC 57811), Miami assistant state attorney C.J. Townsend is horrified to find policeman Victor Chavez tortured to death. Chavez helped Townsend convict serial killer William Bantling, but additional murders point to Bantling's continued involvement. Violence, strong language, and some explicit descriptions of sex. 2005. RC 60004 ## At Hell's Gate: A Conrad Voort Mystery RC 60067 by Ethan Black read by Christopher Walker 2 cassettes New York City detective Conrad Voort and his fianc‚e are kayaking the East River's treacherous "Hell's Gate" when they spot a floating body. Before Voort can investigate fully, thugs apprehend him and threaten to kill his family. Violence, strong language, and some explicit descriptions of sex. 2004. RC 60067 ## In Your Dreams: Sierra Jensen, Book 2 RC 60078 by Robin Jones Gunn read by Margaret Strom 1 cassette While adjusting to a new high school, Sierra helps to take care of her ailing grandmother. The girl struggles to find a job and some new friends but puts her faith in God to make everything work out. For junior and senior high readers. 1996. RC 60078 ## The Calhouns: Suzanna and Megan RC 60084 by Nora Roberts read by Michele Schaeffer 3 cassettes This companion to The Calhouns: Catherine, Amanda, and Lilah (RC 59759) focuses on eldest sister Suzanna and sister-in-law Megan as each falls in love. The family remains determined to save their ancestral home while they continue to search for the emerald necklace. Explicit descriptions of sex. Bestseller. 2005. RC 60084 ## Wildflowers: The Glenbrooke Series, Book 8 RC 60094 by Robin Jones Gunn read by Margaret Strom 2 cassettes Glenbrooke's Wildflower Caf‚ owner Genevieve Ahrens faces traumatizing challenges: the precious caf‚ burns down and her marriage suffers as she weathers her international pilot husband's long absences. With the help of her daughters and friends, Genevieve finds an unexpected love and recovers her dreams. 2001. RC 60094 ## Now You See Him RC 60097 by Stella Cameron read by Michele Schaeffer 2 cassettes New Orleans. Within hours of an icepick murder, news breaks that convict Charles Penn has escaped from prison. Bookstore owner Ellie Byron, who witnessed the crime that put Penn behind bars, fears becoming a target of retribution and a suspect in the latest killing, too. Descriptions of sex and strong language. 2004. RC 60097 ## Murder at the Powderhorn Ranch: A Murder, She Wrote Mystery RC 60113 by Donald Bain read by Margaret Strom 2 cassettes Taking a break from flying lessons, Jessica Fletcher heads for a holiday in Colorado to visit old friends from Cabot Cove. Also staying at the ranch are the Morrison family and the Molloys, who Jessica realizes are at odds with one another. Then Paul Molloy is found murdered. 1999. RC 60113 ## Don't You Wish: Sierra Jensen, Book 3 RC 60115 by Robin Jones Gunn read by Margaret Strom 1 cassette Sierra is thrilled to be going to California over Easter vacation to visit Christy Miller and other missionary friends. When older sister Tawni unfortunately tags along, Sierra's jealousy almost ruins the trip. For junior and senior high readers. 1996. RC 60115 ## No Ordinary Groom: Spies and Lovers Trilogy, Book 1 RC 60120 by Gayle Callen read by Corrie James 2 cassettes London, 1844. Jane Whittington wants to travel abroad, but her father has betrothed her to a "fop," William, Lord Chadwick. They feel an attraction to each other, but William hides a secret that could jeopardize their future. Some explicit descriptions of sex. 2004. RC 60120 ## The Chrysanthemum Palace RC 60124 by Bruce Wagner read by Alec Volz 2 cassettes Los Angeles. Bertram "Bertie" Krohn, thirty-something son of television's Starwatch creator, chronicles the descent of actress Clea Fremantle (Bertie's childhood crush) and Thad Michelet (Clea's former lover). While shooting Starwatch, Bertie helplessly observes the costars growing closer with tragic results. Strong language and some descriptions of sex. Bestseller. 2005. RC 60124 ## Kansas Gambler: The Baynes Clan, Book 6 RC 60135 by John S. McCord read by John Polk 2 cassettes 1871. Rod Silvana, a dandy and cardsharp, is secretly dismayed when his father sends him to drive Texas cattle to Kansas. But rustlers Rod runs into learn that his refined appearances are deceptive because they're taking on Darnell Baynes's nephew. Sequel to Nevada Tough (RC 45602). Some violence. 1997. RC 60135 ## Honeymoon RC 60185 by James Patterson and Howard Roughan read by Hope Davis 2 cassettes While tracing terrorist funding, FBI agent John O'Hara accidentally stumbles across a beautiful woman diverting laundered money to the Cayman Islands. Nora Sinclair murders husbands and a fianc‚ to amass millions, but O'Hara is determined to stop her. Strong language, some descriptions of sex, and some violence. Bestseller. 2005. RC 60185 ## London Bridges: An Alex Cross Mystery RC 60187 by James Patterson read by various narrators 2 cassettes Terrorists led by "the Wolf" destroy a Nevada town and threaten to blow up bridges in London, New York, Frankfurt, and Washington unless their impossible demands are met. FBI agent Alex Cross joins the investigation when his arch nemesis "the Weasel" aids the enemy. Violence and strong language. Bestseller. 2004. RC 60187 ## True Believer RC 60188 by Nicholas Sparks read by David Aaron Baker 2 cassettes New York journalist Jeremy Marsh travels to North Carolina to investigate the appearance of ghostly lights in an old cemetery. Meanwhile Boone Creek town librarian Lexie Darnell believes her happiness lies there with those she loves. When Jeremy and Lexie meet, they begin to question their future plans. Bestseller. 2005. RC 60188 ## Gods in Alabama RC 60189 by Joshilyn Jackson read by Catherine Taber 2 cassettes Lena Fleet leaves Alabama after high school intending never to return. But ten years later in Chicago her African American boyfriend insists on meeting her racist family. Then a former schoolmate tries to find a mutual friend Lena has already murdered. Strong language and some explicit descriptions of sex. 2005. RC 60189 ## The Ice Queen RC 60190 by Alice Hoffman read by Nancy Travis 2 cassettes A librarian who feels detached from others casually wishes to be struck by lightning. When her idle request becomes reality, she seeks out another lightning survivor, Lazarus Jones, who was dead for forty minutes but came back to life. Some strong language. 2005. RC 60190 ## Close Your Eyes: Sierra Jensen, Book 4 RC 60274 by Robin Jones Gunn read by Margaret Strom 1 cassette Sierra is volunteering at a homeless shelter when Paul, a college guy she met when she was a missionary in Europe, comes to coach the kids. Meanwhile her school friend Randy may also be romantically interested in her. For junior and senior high readers. 1996. RC 60274 ## Mine Are Spectacular! RC 60515 by Janice Kaplan and Lynn Schnurnberger read by Susan Denaker 2 cassettes New York suburbanites struggle with their relationships. Forty-something caterer Sara moves into her fianc‚ Branford's house and contends with his ex-wife and teenage daughter. Dermatologist Kate has an affair with a married man, while pregnant Berni relocates from the West Coast to embrace motherhood. 2005. RC 60515 ## Denial: A Lew Fonesca Mystery RC 60519 by Stuart M. Kaminsky read by Scott Brick 2 cassettes Sarasota process server Lew Fonesca investigates two cases: a nursing home resident who thinks she may have witnessed a murder and a hit-and-run driver who killed a fourteen-year- old boy. Fonesca struggles with the memory of his wife's death while he pursues the culprits. Strong language and some violence. 2005. RC 60519 ## Appaloosa RC 60764 by Robert B. Parker read by Titus Welliver 1 cassette Appaloosa. Marshal Virgil Cole and deputy Everett Hitch convict outlaw rancher Randall Bragg of murder. Bragg escapes prison while Cole falls for beautiful but malevolent Allie. Years later Bragg returns with a presidential pardon, and Cole is torn between right and wrong. Descriptions of sex, violence, and strong language. 2005. RC 60764 ## Books for Children Cassettes Nonfiction Goldilocks and the Three Bears RC 57685 retold by Jim Aylesworth read by Kimberly Schraf 1 cassette In a rendition of the classic fairy tale, Goldilocks is a good girl but sometimes forgets what her mother tells her to do. When she ventures into the woods and wanders into a stranger's house she regrets not obeying the rules. PRINT/BRAILLE. For preschool-grade 2. 2003. RC 57685 ## Raising La Belle RC 57689 by Mark G. Mitchell read by Gary Roan 1 cassette Account of the 1995-1996 discovery and excavation of the sunken La Belle, the prized ship of seventeenth-century French explorer Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle, off the Texas coast. Includes historical information on Fort St. Louis, a French settlement in Texas founded by La Salle and destroyed by massacre in 1688. For grades 5-8. 2002. RC 57689 ## Mightier Than the Sword: World Folktales for Strong Boys RC 57692 retold by Jane Yolen read by Gary Roan 1 cassette Collection of fourteen stories from around the world about boys who solve their problems not with force but with brains and other virtues. Includes tales from Afghanistan, China, Israel, and Ireland, among other countries. Companion to Not One Damsel in Distress (RC 52273). For grades 3-6. 2003. RC 57692 ## Touching the Sky: The Flying Adventures of Wilbur and Orville Wright RC 57858 by Louise Borden and Trish Marx read by Graci Ragsdale Miller 1 cassette Biographies of the Wright brothers and a description of their extraordinary achievements, mostly two events in September 1909. As Wilbur Wright dazzled New Yorkers with a spectacular flying demonstration, Orville set amazing flight records at an exhibition in Germany. Includes an aviation timeline. For grades 2-4. 2003. RC 57858 ## In the Goal with . . . Briana Scurry RC 57867 by Matt Christopher read by Neil Berman 1 cassette A biography of the former goalkeeper on the U.S. women's national soccer team who earned the nickname "The Rock." Describes Scurry's sports career through the end of the 1999 season. For grades 4-7. 2000. RC 57867 ## Autumnblings: Poems and Paintings RC 58222 by Douglas Florian read by Cyn Delafield 1 cassette A collection of twenty-nine short poems that convey the essence of fall. For grades K-3. 2003. RC 58222 ## A Look at Mercury RC 58228 by Ray Spangenburg and Kit Moser read by Dave Corey 1 cassette Describes the discovery of Mercury, the planet closest to the Sun. Highlights the Mariner 10 mission of 1974-1975 and includes a timeline of major developments in Mercury's exploration and study. Features contributing scientists and includes a glossary. For grades 5-8. 2003. RC 58228 ## A Look at Earth RC 58232 by John Tabak read by Richard Magesis 1 cassette An in-depth look at Earth's composition and environment including the oceans, the atmosphere, and its layers and interior. Provides a timeline of major developments in exploration and study of our planet. Also includes a glossary. For grades 5-8. 2003. RC 58232 ## Galloping across the USA: Horses in American Life RC 58234 by Martin W. Sandler read by Peter Lavezzoli 1 cassette Chronicles the role of horses in the United States beginning with their reintroduction, after extinction from the Americas, to native peoples by Spanish explorers. Relates how the animals enabled settlers to develop the land, moved pioneers westward, and provided transportation in cities. Includes historical time line. For grades 4-7. 2003. RC 58234 ## Straphanging in the USA: Trolleys and Subways in American Life RC 58237 by Martin W. Sandler read by Mimi Bederman 1 cassette Explores the development of different modes of mass transportation in American cities from horse drawn vehicles to trolleys and subways. Discusses moving great numbers of people to jobs and places of leisure as well as the problem of congestion. For grades 4-7. 2003. RC 58237 ## Things Will Never Be the Same RC 58815 by Tomie De Paola read by Bruce Nelson 1 cassette Tomie begins a new diary in January 1941 that records special events at home and at school and ends with his mother's reaction to the radio broadcast in December about the attack on Pearl Harbor. Sequel to What a Year (RC 55408). For grades 2-4. 2003. RC 58815 ## Baseball's Boneheads, Bad Boys, and Just Plain Crazy Guys RC 58852 by George Sullivan read by Neil Berman 1 cassette Profiles professional baseball players known for their quirky superstitions, pranks, and outrageous or illegal play. For grades 6-9. 2003. RC 58852 ## Celebrations: Holidays of the United States of America and Mexico/Celebraciones: Días Feriados de los Estados Unidos y México RC 59493 by Nancy María Grande Tabor read by María Pino 1 cassette Beginning with New Year's Day, presents holidays of the United States in chronological order with corresponding Mexican festivals mentioned by date. Discusses differences and similarities in celebrations and includes facts about cultural and political history. Bilingual English and Spanish edition. For grades K-3. (Empezando con la celebración del año nuevo, se presentan descripciones de los días feriados de Estados Unidos y los días feriados que corresponden en México. Describe en qué difieren o se parecen los días feriados de ambos paises, y presenta datos culturales y políticos de cada celebración. Edición bilingüe en inglés y español. Para grados K a 3.) 2004. RC 59493 ## Privacy vs. Security: Your Rights in Conflict RC 59495 by Ron Fridell read by Michael Russotto 1 cassette Contrasts an individual's desire and right to privacy with the need for safety and national security in an age of increased terrorism. Discusses laws and technological developments. Covers students' rights at school, identity theft, and protecting personal information. For grades 6-9. 2004. RC 59495 ## Can It Rain Cats and Dogs? Questions and Answers about Weather RC 59637 by Melvin Berger and Gilda Berger read by Lindsay Ellison 1 cassette Answers such questions as these: What makes the weather? Does air have weight? How big are hailstones? and What is El Niño? Explains the effects of sun, air, and wind; the creation of rain, snow, and hail; and wild weather like thunderstorms, hurricanes, and tornadoes. For grades 3-6. 1999. RC 59637 ## The Helen Oxenbury Nursery Collection RC 59645 retold by Helen Oxenbury read by Anne Hancock 1 cassette Classic nursery rhymes and favorite stories from Europe: "Little Red Riding Hood," "The Turnip," "The Little Red Hen," "The Three Billy Goats Gruff," "Henny-Penny," "Goldilocks and the Three Bears," and "The Three Little Pigs." For grades K-3. 1986. RC 59645 ## Ferdinand Magellan and the Discovery of the World Ocean RC 59709 by Rebecca Stefoff read by John Polk 1 cassette Biography of the sixteenth-century Portuguese sea captain who commanded the first expedition that sailed around the world, thus proving the Earth was round. Introductory essay by astronaut Michael Collins. For grades 5-8. 1990. RC 59709 ## Panama RC 59765 by David M. Armstrong read by Mark Ashby 1 cassette Discusses the geography, politics, people, and culture of the Central American country. Chronicles its history from sixteenth-century Spanish discovery to 1903 independence from Colombia and the twenty-first century. Details the 1914 completion of the Panama Canal. For grades 6-9 and older readers. 2005. RC 59765 ## Guatemala RC 59773 by Kevin Delgado read by Mark Ashby 1 cassette Discusses the geography, people, and culture of the northernmost Central American country. Chronicles Guatemala's history, including the Mayan civilization, Spanish colonization, 1847 emergence as an independent state, and the twenty-first century. Examines ethnic groups, traditions, and religions. Addresses modern challenges. For grades 6-9 and older readers. 2005. RC 59773 ## Rickie and Henri: A True Story RC 59804 by Jane Goodall read by Corrie James 1 cassette When hunters shoot Rickie's mother in Central Africa, the orphaned infant chimpanzee is rescued by a businessman. But he leaves on a trip, so Rickie turns to Henri, the family dog, for comfort. For grades K-3. 2004. RC 59804 ## The Bremen Town Musicians and Other Animal Tales from Grimm RC 59870 retold by Doris Orgel read by Constance Crawford 1 cassette Six folktales about furry and feathered creatures. The title piece tells of older, unwanted animals who travel toward the city, planning to be musicians. On the way they trick a house full of robbers. Includes a biographical note on the Brothers Grimm. For grades K-3 and older readers. 2004. RC 59870 ## The Ancient Romans RC 59897 by Allison Lassieur read by Laura Giannarelli 1 cassette Introduction to the people who lived in Rome about two thousand years ago. Presents the rulers, scholars, soldiers, architects, engineers, workers, and slaves. Discusses Rome's government, religion, achievements, cultural attitudes including women's status, and legacy. For grades 5-8. 2004. RC 59897 ## Search for the Golden Moon Bear: Science and Adventure in the Asian Tropics RC 59945 by Sy Montgomery read by Laura Giannarelli 1 cassette Account of a biologist's expedition to Southeast Asia to locate a mysterious honey-colored bear, possibly a new species. Relates visiting mountain jungles and remote marketplaces, examining sun bears and moon bears, and gathering hairs for DNA clues to the golden bear's evolution. For grades 5-8. 2004. RC 59945 ## The Woods Scientist RC 60071 by Stephen R. Swinburne read by Laura Giannarelli 1 cassette Fourth-generation forester Sue Morse shares her knowledge and love of some of the creatures that inhabit America's woodlands. Discusses the bear, lynx, bobcat, and deer among other wildlife and explains the environmental vulnerability of their living space. For grades 4-7. 2002. RC 60071 ## What the Moon Is Like RC 60126 by Franklyn M. Branley read by Erin Jones 1 cassette Describes Earth's moon. Discusses the astronauts who have been to the moon's surface and what they found when they walked there. Includes learning activities. For grades K-3. 1986. RC 60126 ## Money Sense for Kids! RC 60127 by Hollis Page Harman read by Richard Hauenstein 1 cassette Explains the nature of money, the different ways in which it can be represented, and how it can be saved or invested. Discusses mutual funds, the stock market, banks, and inflation. Includes games and activities. For grades 4-7. 2004. RC 60127 ## Next Stop Neptune: Experiencing the Solar System RC 60147 by Alvin Jenkins read by Bruce Huntey 1 cassette The author, an astronomer, explains the relative sizes of our Sun's planets, comparing the Sun to a basketball and making Earth pea-sized. Describes the solar system's planets and moons in order of increasing distance from the Sun. For grades 3-6. 2004. RC 60147 ## Cassettes Fiction Saving the Planet and Stuff RC 57533 by Gail Gauthier read by Peter Lavezzoli 1 cassette When Michael's summer job falls through, his grandparents suggest working for their friends' environmental magazine, the Earth's Wife, in Vermont. So Michael, an average mall-loving sixteen-year-old, suddenly moves into 1960s hippie/vegetarian culture, much to his dismay. But office politics quickly become the bigger issue. For grades 6-9. 2003. RC 57533 ## Whistler in the Dark RC 57688 by Kathleen Ernst read by Cyn Delafield 1 cassette In 1867 twelve-year-old Emma and her widowed mother move from Chicago to a tiny mining town in the Colorado Territory to start a newspaper. Someone, however, wants them to fail. For grades 4-7. 2002. RC 57688 ## Boxes for Katje RC 57855 by Candace Fleming read by Cyn Delafield 1 cassette Katje, a young Dutch girl, writes to her new American friend Rosie to thank her for the care package she sent after World War II. Katje receives increasingly larger boxes as Rosie's Indiana hometown chips in to help. For grades 2-4. 2003. RC 57855 ## The Key Collection RC 57863 by Andrea Cheng read by Neil Berman 1 cassette Ten-year-old Jimmy is upset when his grandmother, who has always lived next door to him in Ohio, moves to San Francisco. But with the help of his family he adjusts and even takes a trip to visit her. For grades 3-6. 2003. RC 57863 ## Gregory, the Terrible Eater RC 58217 by Mitchell Sharmat read by Ligaya Romero 1 cassette (Reissue) Gregory's parents worry about their son because he is no ordinary goat. Instead of enjoying tin cans, rugs, and bottle caps, Gregory dreams of pigging out on such "junk food" as bread and butter, eggs, fruits, and vegetables. For preschool-grade 2. 1980. RC 58217 ## The Journal of Jesse Smoke: A Cherokee Boy RC 58221 by Joseph Bruchac read by Gary Roan 1 cassette Tennessee, 1837. Sixteen-year-old Cherokee Jesse Smoke keeps a journal of stories about his people. He describes the Trail of Tears, the forced removal and excruciating journey of the Cherokee tribe as they relocate from their ancestral lands to a reservation in the West. For grades 4-7. 2001. RC 58221 ## Summer of the Sea Serpent: Magic Tree House, Book 31 RC 58226 by Mary Pope Osborne read by Gillian Green 1 cassette The magician Merlin sends Jack and Annie back into time where they are reunited with boy sorcerer Teddy. The children are transformed into selkies, or seal people, then dive into a cave and discover an old sword. For grades 2-4. 2004. RC 58226 ## Milkweed RC 58804 by Jerry Spinelli read by Ray Hagen 1 cassette Orphaned "Misha" is too young and naive to understand events when the Nazis invade Poland. He joins other Jewish boys and steals food to survive in the war-torn Warsaw ghetto as the daily horrors become part of ordinary life. For grades 6-9 and older readers. 2003. RC 58804 ## The Meanest Doll in the World RC 58811 by Ann M. Martin and Laura Godwin read by Susan McInerney 1 cassette After their adventures in The Doll People (RC 52750), antique Annabelle and plastic Tiffany are accidentally taken to a strange house where they meet Mean Mimi. Mimi terrorizes all the dolls until the newcomers convince them to resist her. Angry, Mimi follows in hot pursuit when Annabelle and Tiffany return home. 2003. RC 58811 ## Little Women RC 58830 by Louisa May Alcott read by Laura Giannarelli 4 cassettes (Reissue) Recounts the lives of the four March sisters quick-tempered Jo, who is restless for freedom; Beth, who loves her home and family; Meg, who longs for pretty clothes; and self-absorbed Amy. Includes 1989 introduction by Elaine Showalter. For grades 6-9 and older readers. 1868. RC 58830 ## My Diary from Here to There/Mi Diario de Aquí Hasta All  RC 58948 by Amada Irma Pérez read by María Pino 1 cassette A young girl describes her feelings as her family decides to leave their home in Mexico and look for work in the United States. The father, an American citizen, travels ahead and then sends for Amada, her five mischievous brothers, and their mother. In English and Spanish. For grades 2-4. (Una niña describe sus sentimientos cuando su familia decide dejar su hogar en México y buscar trabajo en los Estados Unidos. El padre de la familia, un ciudadano de Estados Unidos, parte primero y después hace venir a Amada, a sus cinco hermanos traviesos, y a su madre. Edición bilingüe en inglés y español. Para grados 2 a 4.) 2002. RC 58948 ## Three Rotten Eggs: The Hamlet Chronicles RC 59418 by Gregory Maguire read by Liz Solar 1 cassette The students of Miss Earth's class in Hamlet, Vermont, experience an eventful spring when they become involved with a bullying new student, a competitive egg hunt, and genetically altered chicks. For grades 3-6. 2002. RC 59418 ## Charlie Bone and the Invisible Boy: Children of the Red King, Book 3 RC 59425 by Jenny Nimmo read by Anne Hancock 2 cassettes Following Charlie Bone and the Time Twister (RC 59403), Charlie and friends unite to rescue Ollie, an invisible boy forced to live in the attic at Bloor's Academy. Belle, a mysterious new student who stays with Charlie's aunts, thwarts the plan. For grades 5-8. 2004. RC 59425 ## Peter Pan RC 59430 by J.M. Barrie read by Conrad Feininger 1 cassette (Reissue) Siblings Wendy, John, and Michael fly to Neverland with Peter, the boy who refuses to grow up. Unabridged. For grades 5-8. 1911. RC 59430 ## Xochitl and the Flowers/Xóchitl, la Niña de las Flores RC 59484 by Jorge Argueta read by Mar¡a Pino 1 cassette After moving to San Francisco from El Salvador, Xochitl and her mother sell flowers around the neighborhood. When her father rents an apartment with a big junk-filled yard, their new friends help the family create the garden of their dreams. English and Spanish text. For grades K-3. (Al trasladarse de El Salvador a San Francisco, California, Xóchitl y su madre venden flores en la vecindad. Cuando su padre alquila un apartamento con patio grande aún llena de basura, sus nuevos amigos les ayudan crear el jardín de sus sueños. Edición bilingüe en inglés y español. Para grados K a 3.) 2003. RC 59484 ## King of the Middle March: Arthur Trilogy, Book 3 RC 59541 by Kevin Crossley-Holland read by Erik Sandvold 2 cassettes In this sequel to At the Crossing-Places (RC 55036), sixteen-year-old Arthur de Caldicot witnesses in his seeing stone the horrors of the Fourth Crusade in Venice and Zara, as well as the downfall of King Arthur's court. For grades 5-8. 2003. RC 59541 ## Child of the Dark Prophecy: The Great Tree of Avalon, Book 1 RC 59576 by T.A. Barron read by Megan Burnett 3 cassettes In accordance with prophecy, Avalon's existence is threatened in the year that the stars stop shining. Revelations identify both the dark child fated to destroy Avalon and the wizard Merlin's own true heir, who can save it. For grades 6-9. 2004. RC 59576 ## Cécile: Gates of Gold; Girls of Many Lands RC 59629 by Mary Casanova read by Anne Hancock 1 cassette 1711. Twelve-year-old peasant girl Cécile has the good luck of becoming a servant to King Louis XIV's sister-in-law at the palace of Versailles. Cécile experiences the complications and precarious nature of court life but is rewarded after helping heal a young prince. For grades 6-9. 2002. RC 59629 ## An Orange for Frankie RC 59655 by Patricia Polacco read by Constance Crawford 1 cassette Frankie and his eight brothers and sisters learn lessons about giving, family, and tradition during a snowy Michigan Christmas long ago. For grades 3-6 and older readers. 2004. RC 59655 ## Burying the Sun RC 59764 by Gloria Whelan read by Anne Flosnik 1 cassette 1941. Marya and Georgi from The Impossible Journey (RC 56433) and their mother are living in Leningrad when the German army lays siege to the city. Marya helps spirit out priceless artwork, her mother goes to nurse soldiers, and Georgi struggles to survive. For grades 5-8 and older readers. 2004. RC 59764 ## Unexpected Magic: Collected Stories RC 59774 by Diana Wynne Jones read by Barbara Pinolini 3 cassettes Fifteen short stories about werewolves, a sinister fool, a talking cat, and a science fiction writer. In the concluding novella, "Everard's Ride," young people set out for an island but find they have traveled in time. For grades 6-9 and older readers. 2004. RC 59774 ## Airborn RC 59792 by Kenneth Oppel read by Robert Sams 2 cassettes Teenaged Kate is a first-class passenger on the same airship where Matt is cabin boy. When the airship is captured by pirates then crashes on a remote island, Matt puts aside helping Kate search for legendary flying creatures to focus on survival. For grades 6-9. Printz Honor Book. 2004. RC 59792 ## The Schwa Was Here RC 59803 by Neal Shusterman read by Erik Synnestvedt 2 cassettes Brooklyn eighth-grader Antsy befriends the Schwa, an "invisible-ish" boy who goes unnoticed by nearly everyone. Their friendship is strained when both develop a crush on the same girl, who is blind, and when Antsy reveals how the Schwa's mother disappeared. For grades 6-9. 2004. RC 59803 ## Space Race: Ormingat Trilogy, Book 1 RC 59831 by Sylvia Waugh read by Erik Sandvold 2 cassettes After five years in England, eleven-year-old Thomas and his father, Patrick, are separated on their way to the spaceship that will return them to the planet Ormingat. Thomas waits in a hospital while Patrick, now miniaturized, struggles to rescue him. For grades 4-7. 2000. RC 59831 ## I Am the Turkey RC 59832 by Michele Sobel Spirn read by Barbara Caruso 1 cassette Mark does not look forward to being the turkey in his second grade class's Thanksgiving play, but at the performance he ends up saving the day. Easy chapter book. For grades K-3. 2004. RC 59832 ## The Unseen RC 59864 by Zilpha Keatley Snyder read by Anne Hancock 1 cassette When twelve-year-old Xandra finds a magical feather, she unlocks a usually unseen world filled with both cuddly creatures and malicious monsters. Through experiences in this new reality, she learns a great deal about herself and the family in which she has felt like an outsider. For grades 5-8. 2004. RC 59864 ## Spring Pearl: The Last Flower RC 59869 by Laurence Yep read by Anne Hancock 1 cassette Canton, China. Twelve-year-old orphan Spring Pearl lives in the home of her father's rich merchant friend. There she is mocked for being able to read, write, and speak English. But her resourcefulness and knowledge help save her adopted family during the 1857 Opium War. For grades 6-9. 2002. RC 59869 ## Kira-Kira RC 59896 by Cynthia Kadohata read by Laura Giannarelli 1 cassette Georgia, 1950s. Katie's close-knit Japanese American family puts up a brave front when Katie's older sister Lynn is diagnosed with a terminal illness. The family even goes into debt to buy a house, hoping Lynn's health will improve there. For grades 6-9. Newbery Medal. 2004. RC 59896 ## Bras and Broomsticks RC 59913 by Sarah Mlynowski read by Victoria Gordon 2 cassettes Fourteen-year-old Rachel lives in New York City with her younger sister Miri, who is a witch just like their mother. Rachel wants Miri to use her newfound powers to make Rachel |popular at school and to stop their divorced father's wedding. For grades 6-9. 2005. RC 59913 ## Faerie Wars RC 59916 by Herbie Brennan read by Vanessa Maroney 3 cassettes On the same day Henry learns his parents may divorce, he also meets faerie prince Pyrgus Malvae. Pyrgus makes his way to Mr. Fogarty's garden while escaping his enemies, the Faeries of the Night. Now he needs Henry's help. Some violence and some strong language. For grades 6-9. 2003. RC 59916 ## The Ravenmaster's Secret: Escape from the Tower of London RC 59947 by Elvira Woodruff read by Anne Flosnik 1 cassette In 1735, when Forrest Harper is eleven years old, he makes his first life-and-death decision. If he helps the Scottish prisoner Maddy Stewart escape from the Tower of London, he will endanger himself, his ravenmaster father, and the rest of his family. For grades 4-7. 2003. RC 59947 ## Judy Moody Gets Famous! RC 60100 by Megan McDonald read by Michele Schaeffer 1 cassette When her third-grade classmate, Jessica, gets her picture in the newspaper for winning a spelling bee, Judy wants to be famous too. She discovers that doing something for others without trying to be famous is the best way to feel good about herself. For grades 2-4. 2001. RC 60100 ## Iris and Walter and Cousin Howie RC 60125 by Elissa Haden Guest read by Erin Jones 1 cassette Walter's favorite cousin comes to visit, but Iris is disappointed when Howie does not turn out to be so friendly after all. Beginning chapter book. For grades K-3. 2003. RC 60125 ## Spanish Mi Diario de Aquí Hasta All /My Diary from Here to There RC 58948 por Amada Irma Pérez leído por María Pino 1 cassette Una niña describe sus sentimientos cuando su familia decide dejar su hogar en México y buscar trabajo en los Estados Unidos. El padre de la familia, un ciudadano de Estados Unidos, parte primero y después hace venir a Amada, a sus cinco hermanos traviesos, y a su madre. Edición bilingüe en inglés y español. Para grados 2 a 4. (A young girl describes her feelings as her family decides to leave their home in Mexico and look for work in the United States. The father, an American citizen, travels ahead and then sends for Amada, her five mischievous brothers, and their mother. In English and Spanish. For grades 2-4.) 2002. RC 58948 ## Compañero: Vida y Muerte del Che Guevara (Compa¤ero: Life and Death of Che Guevara) RC 58970 por Jorge G. Castañeda leído por Juan Ramírez 5 cassettes Biografía del famoso revolucionario de América Latina. Sigue la vida de Che desde su niñez en la clase media argentina y desde sus estudios en medicina hasta su papel en la revolución cubana de Fidel Castro en 1958. Tambien sigue la obra de Che en la rebelión africana del Congo, culminando con su muerte en 1967 a manos del ejército boliviano. (Biography of famed Latin American revolutionary leader Che Guevara. Traces his restless, privileged youth in the Argentine middle class. Also addresses his medical education, critical role in Fidel Castro's 1958 Cuban revolution, involvement in Africa's Congo rebellion, and death at the hands of Bolivian forces in 1967.) 1997. RC 58970 ## La Ola Latina: Cómo los Hispanos Elegir n al Próximo Presidente de los Estados Unidos (The Latin Wave: How Hispanics Will Elect the Next President of the United States) RC 58973 por Jorge Ramos leído por Juan Ramírez 3 cassettes Los hispanos ya son la minoría más grande de los Estados Unidos. El reconocido escritor y periodista latino-americano explora el impresionante crecimiento de la población hispana y analiza cómo los hispanos están transformando la economía, la cultura, y la politica de toda la nación. (Latin American writer and journalist explores the rapid growth of the Hispanic population in the United States, now its largest minority. He also analyzes how Hispanics are transforming the country's economic, cultural, and political landscape.) 2004. RC 58973 ## La Atrevida: El Ultimo Capítulo de la Historia de Gloria Trevi y el Escándalo Que Fascinó al Mundo (Girl Trouble: The True Saga of Superstar Gloria Trevi and the Teenage Sex Cult That Stunned the World) RC 58975 por Christopher McDougall leído por Juan Ramírez 3 cassettes La verdadera historia de la superestrella Gloria Trevi y de su productor Sergio Andrade que, al realizar la fama internacional, acabaron de ser acusados de operar una escuela de talento que en realidad era una operación de esclavas sexuales, encargada de torturar e indoctinar a las mismas niñas que querían ser como su ídolo Gloria Trevi. Descripciones de índole sexual, de violencia y de lenguaje injurioso. (Recounts Mexican singer Gloria Trevi's rise to fame and subsequent fall amid accusations of fronting for a sex-slave operation. Details Trevi's and her manager Sergio Andrade's alleged crimes, including recruiting girls for underage sex and brainwashing and torturing them. Descriptions of sex, violence, and strong language.) 2004. RC 58975 ## La Dama, la Cocinera, y la Cortesana (The Lady, the Chef, and the Courtesan) RC 58981 por Marisol leído por María Pino 2 cassettes Pilar, una mujer moderna quien vive en Chicago, se sorprende a leer secretos en los diarios de su abuela venezolana. Pilar aprende rituales, reglas y recetas para ser la perfecta mujer. Pero aún más importante, aprende a escuchar su corazón. Contiene descripciones de índole sexual. (Pilar, a modern woman living in Chicago, uncovers surprising secrets from her Venezuelan grandmother's diaries. Pilar reads about customs, rules, and recipes for being the perfect woman. But even more important, she learns to follow her heart. Some descriptions of sex.) 2004. RC 58981 ## El Fuego de Changó (Chango's Fire) RC 58983 por Ernesto Quiñonez leído por Luis Omana 2 cassettes En el barrio de Spanish Harlem, Julio Santana gana la vida quemando edificios que algunos poderosos inversionistas quieren hacer desaparecer para cobrar el dinero de seguro. Por esta carrera de fraude Julio mantiene bien a sus padres, y a la vez conoce a mucha gente del barrio una pastora para ilegales, un respetado y sabio santero, un vecino loco, y la recien llegada Helen, una mujer blanquita con quien Julio se enamora. Contiene descripciones de índole sexual. (Spanish Harlem. Julio Santana supports his parents and an upwardly mobile lifestyle by setting fires for insurance scams. His various neighbors include a pastor for illegals, a Santeria priest, the local crazy, and Anglo newcomer Helen, with whom he falls in love. Some descriptions of sex.) 2004. RC 58983 ## La Conquista (The Conquest) RC 58984 por Yxta Maya Murray leído por María Pino 2 cassettes Sara Rosario González, de treinta años, trabaja en el museo Getty como restauradora de libros raros. Se obsesiona por un manuscrito del siglo XVI que pinta la historia de una princesa azteca esclavizada y enviada a Europa por Cortés. Mientras tanto, su querido Karl se aburre de esperarla y piensa casarse con otra. (Thirty-year-old Sara Rosario González, a rare book restorer at the Getty Museum, becomes obsessed with a sixteenth-century folio depicting the life of an Aztec princess enslaved and sent to Europe by Cortez. Meanwhile Sara's fiancé Karl, is tired of waiting for her and may marry another woman.) 2002. RC 58984 ## Henry Huggins RC 58985 por Beverly Cleary leído por Luis Alfonso Omana 1 cassette Hasta el tercer grado, muy poco le suced¡a a Henry aparte de la operación de las amígdalas y del brazo roto. Pero una tarde mientras chupa un helado, Henry se encuentra con un perro flaco que busca comida y casa. Para grados 3 a 6. (A tonsillectomy and a broken arm are the most exciting things in Henry Huggins's life until a hungry old mutt begs for Henry's ice cream cone and a home. For grades 3-6.) 1950. RC 58985 ## Xóchitl, la Niña de las Flores/Xochitl and the Flowers RC 59484 por Jorge Argueta leído por María Pino 1 cassette Al trasladarse de El Salvador a San Francisco, California, Xóchitl y su madre venden flores en la vecindad. Cuando su padre alquila un apartamento con patio grande aún llena de basura, sus nuevos amigos les ayudan crear el jardín de sus sueños. Edición bilingüe en inglés y español. Para grados K a 3. (After moving to San Francisco from El Salvador, Xochitl and her mother sell flowers around the neighborhood. When her father rents an apartment with a big junk-filled yard, their new friends help the family create the garden of their dreams. English and Spanish text. For grades K-3.) 2003. RC 59484 ## Celebraciones: Días Feriados de los Estados Unidos y México/Celebrations: Holidays of the United States of America and Mexico RC 59493 por Nancy María Grande Tabor leído por María Pino 1 cassette Empezando con la celebración del año nuevo, se presentan descripciones de los días feriados de Estados Unidos y los días feriados que corresponden en México. Describe en qué difieren o se parecen los días feriados de ambos paises, y presenta datos culturales y políticos de cada celebración. Edición bilingüe en inglés y español. Para grados K a 3. (Beginning with New Year's Day, presents holidays of the United States in chronological order with corresponding Mexican festivals mentioned by date. Discusses differences and similarities in celebrations and includes facts about cultural and political history. Bilingual English and Spanish edition. For grades K-3.) 2004. RC 59493 ## Vuelo a la Libertad (Flight to Freedom) RC 60951 por Ana Veciana-Suarez leído por María Pino 1 cassette Yara, una cubana de trece años, confía en su diario los eventos en La Habana, Cuba, en 1967 por los cuales sus familiares se ven obligados a huir a Miami, Florida. Yara explica las dificultades mudándose y adaptándose a la vida en los Estados Unidos que para ella es un pais extranjero. Para grados 6 a 9 y lectores mayores. (Writing in her diary, thirteen-year-old Yara explains the reasons her family flees Havana, Cuba, for Miami, Florida, in 1967. Yara also tells about the difficulties of adjusting to new customs in a foreign place, the United States. For grades 6-9 and older readers.) 2002. RC 60951 ## Terapia (Blake's Therapy) RC 60952 por Ariel Dorfman leído por Juan Ramírez 2 cassettes Graham Blake, el jefe de la compañia Clean Earth, sufre un crisis nervioso y busca psicoterapia del Dr. Carl Tolgate. Pero el tratamiento extraño y erótico que sigue, confunde las percep-ciones de la realidad. (Stressed-out Clean Earth CEO Graham Blake seeks psychotherapeutic help from Dr. Carl Tolgate. But the unusual and voyeuristic treatment eventually confuses Blake's entire sense of reality.) 2001. RC 60952 ## ¡Lo Encontramos debajo del Fregadero! Escalofríos (It Came from beneath the Sink: Goosebumps) RC 60955 por R.L. Stine leído por María Pino 1 cassette Kat y su familia est n contentos en la nueva casa, pero empiezan a pasar cosas malas con la familia cuando Kat descubre una esponja rara debajo del fregadero--¡una esponja pulsante y con ojos! Desde entonces Kat se pregunta si la familia jamás vuelve a ser feliz. Para grados 3 a 6. (Kat is happy when her family moves into a new house, until she finds an odd pulsing sponge with eyes under the sink. Then bad things start to happen and Kat wonders if her family will ever be happy again. For grades 3-6.) 1995. RC 60955 ## Diario de un Mojado (Diary of an Undocumented Immigrant) RC 60956 por Ramón "Tianguis" Pérez leído por Juan Ramírez 2 cassettes Pérez presenta su testimonio sobre la vida del inmigrante ilegal. Cuenta cómo cruzó la frontera entre México y los Estados Unidos con coyote en 1979 y cómo se decepcionó con el sueño americano. Describe las indignidades que suportó buscando empleo de obrero sin hablar inglés en Texas, California, y Oregon. (Pérez recounts his first illegal crossing from Mexico to the United States in 1979 and his disillusionment in failing to achieve the American dream. Describes the hardships and indignities of being a non-English-speaking wetback moving from one unskilled, low-paying job to another in Texas, California, and Oregon.) 2003. RC 60956 ## El Abominable Hombre de las Nieves en Pasadena: Escalofr¡os (The Abominable Snowman of Pasadena: Goosebumps) RC 60957 por R.L. Stine leído por María Pino 1 cassette A los doce años de edad, Jordan ha pasado toda su vida en el caluroso clima de Pasadena en California donde nunca nieve. Pues Jordan y su hermana Nicole son entusiasmados de acompañar a su padre para Alaska sin saber que su misión de fotografiar al abominable hombre de las nieves les pondría en peligro. Para grados 4 a 7. (Twelve-year-old Jordan lives in sweltering Pasadena, California, and has never seen snow. So Jordan and his sister Nicole get excited about going to Alaska with their father little suspecting that his assignment to track and photograph the abominable snowman will involve them. For grades 4-7.) 1996. RC 60957 ## Cómo Cuidar y Tener Contento al Esposo (The Proper Care and Feeding of Husbands) RC 60958 por Laura C. Schlessinger leído por María Pino 2 cassettes La autora de muchos bestsellers da consejos a las mujeres sobre el cuidado de sus esposos con el fin de conseguir matrimonios felices. Mediante varios ejemplos, la "Doctora Laura" de la radio afirma que "si un hombre recibe comunicación directa, respeto, aprecio, alimento y buen amor, har  cualquier cosa que la mujer quiera." (Bestselling author offers advice to women about the proper care of husbands for a strong marriage. Radio's "Dr. Laura" uses real-life examples and solutions to demonstrate her viewpoint that men need only "direct communication, re-spect, appreciation, food, and good loving" to be happy in a relationship.) 2005. RC 60958 ## El Muchacho que Bateaba Sólo Jonrones (The Kid Who Only Hit Homers) RC 60962 por Matt Christopher leído por Luis Omana 1 cassette Sylvester Coddmyer III sabe que no juega bien el béisbol y que no va a incorporarse en el equipo de los Cardenales. Pero en este momento llega un extranjero misterioso, George Baruth, quien le enseña batear un jonrón cada vez que va al bate. Para grados 3 a 6. (Sylvester Coddmyer III is such a bad baseball player that he decides not to try out for the Cardinals team. That is, until mysterious stranger George Baruth teaches him how to hit home runs every time he comes up to bat. For grades 3-6.) 1978. RC 60962 ## Morir en el Intento: La Peor Tragedia de Inmigrantes en la Historia de los Estados Unidos (Dying to Cross: The Worst Immigrant Tragedy in the History of the United States) RC 60966 por Jorge Ramos leído por Juan Ramírez 2 cassettes El periodista Ramos informe sobre la trágica muerte de ilegales que en 2003 intentaron viajar en camión a Houston, Texas. Describe cómo los traficantes de ilegales dejaron morir de asfixia y calor insoportable a diecinueve de los sesenta y tres personas que se escondían en la parte atrás del camión. A través de entrevistas con sobrevientes y an lisis del juicio, Ramos relata porque se murieron tantas personas, incluso un niño, que solo buscaban una vida mejor. (Emmy Award-winning journalist recounts the 2003 smuggling of illegal aliens across the Mexico-Texas border that resulted in the deaths of nineteen people locked inside a truck. Using survivor interviews and courtroom data, Ramos reconstructs the experiences of those who paid human traffickers to enter the United States.) 2005. RC 60966 ## Dios en el Ritz: La Atracción del Infinito (God at the Ritz: Attraction to Infinity) RC 60968 por Lorenzo Albacete leído por Juan Ramírez 1 cassette Motivado por su colaboración en 1997 con el progama de PBS Frontline sobre el papa Juan Pablo II, Monseñor Albacete ofrece comentario sobre el papel de la religión en la cultura contempor nea. Habla de la vida depués de la muerte, el bien y el mal, la ciencia y la fe, la religión y la política, además de otros temas. (Prompted by participation in a 1997 Frontline PBS program on Pope John Paul II, Monsignor Albacete comments on the role of religion in contemporary culture. Discusses life after death, good and evil, science and faith, and religion and politics, among other topics.) 2002. RC 60968 ## ## ### 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 Appétit (monthly) Buenhogar (Spanish; monthly) Choice Magazine Listening (on loan from cooperating libraries, bimonthly) Consumer Reports (monthly) Contemporary Sound Track: A Review of Pop, Jazz, Rock, and Country (bimonthly) Cricket (for children, on one cassette with National Geographic Kids, 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, The Johns Hopkins Medical Letter--Health after Fifty, Mayo Clinic Health Letter, and Nutrition Action Healthletter, monthly) Horticulture (6 issues) 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 Kids (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) Sélections 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 & Leisure (monthly) True West (monthly) U.S. News and World Report (weekly) The Writer (12 issues) Young Adult Magazine of the Month (monthly)