### Talking Book Topics March-April 2007 Volume 73, Number 2 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 2007 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 Changed CDAG information Please note that the following information from the Collection Development Advisory Group roster, published in the January-February issues of Braille Book Review and Talking Book Topics, has changed. The new e-mail address of Southern Region representative Chet Avery is cs.avery@comcast.net. Odyssey magazine replaces Teen People The magazine Teen People ceased publication in September 2006. NLS replaced Teen People with Teen Newsweek for one month, but found its format inappropriate for the intended audience. NLS has now replaced Teen Newsweek with Odyssey, a science and space exploration magazine for readers ages ten to sixteen. The following information is reprinted from NLS Flash, November 2006, a newsletter created to bring current information on NLS progress in digital technology to patrons, library staff, and other interested individuals. Flash, November 2006, volume 2, issue 12 Patrons download digital talking books for first time Users confirm that DTB design is on target The pilot for downloadable digital talking books (DTBs) officially launched October 13. In fact, the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS), Library of Congress, recently received its first set of patron surveys from the pilot, and initial feedback was positive. "Until now, our usability tests have primarily focused on the digital player. The current pilot is different in that its emphasis is on testing actual digital books. For the first time, patrons are experiencing the books for themselves and we are excited to see the critical comments they've provided, most of which have been positive," said Frank Kurt Cylke, NLS director. This is good news as NLS seeks to gauge the functionality of the books and make necessary refinements prior to formal launch of the digital program in 2008. The download pilot is the first opportunity patrons have had to assess DTBs at home. Their comments on usability will impact the presentation of digital materials in the future. The pilot will run until the full-scale download program begins in 2007. The pilot's primary goal is to assess such aspects of the usability of digital talking books as the number and placement of navigational markers, audio quality, and the overall reading experience. NLS staff have used their best judgment in making decisions regarding the number and placement of navigational markers, and used scientific analysis in deciding the type of compressed audio used. NLS is now looking to patrons to validate the results. The largest pilot test to date, it includes one hundred patrons from across the country. They were selected based on their interest in the project and their technical expertise. Patrons are currently reviewing a collection of 1,800 books and 12 magazine titles. Download offerings reflect the full NLS collection, comprising approximately 55 percent fiction and 45 percent nonfiction titles. Only titles that were originally recorded in digital audio are included in order to maximize the usefulness of test data. Books initially distributed on cassettes in analog format and converted to digital will eventually be part of the full collection, but they were excluded from the pilot because they do not take full advantage of the DTB navigational potentialities. The collection has been expanded to include additional titles, such as foreign-language and children's books. Participants may also make suggestions as to which titles are added. If the book already exists in digital format, it will be considered for immediate inclusion. If the title is not currently digital, it will be forwarded to the Collection Development Section for consideration. How it works In designing the download system, NLS wanted to ensure that the technology would not interfere with the reading experience itself, so the download process is fairly straightforward and user-friendly. Using their own high- speed Internet connections, participants download their desired titles from a special web site to their computers. From there, the titles are transferred onto commercial flash cards provided by NLS, which are then inserted into the digital talking-book players and read. As NLS's digital talking-book machine will not be ready until 2008, participants are using a commercially available player, on loan for the purpose of the pilot, that has been modified to read NLS digital books. The web site's main page contains a list of links to the books, magazines, and surveys. Patrons may search books by author, title, subject, or date with recently added books noted at the top. Magazines may be searched according to title and issue date. According to research and development officer Neil Bernstein—who is overseeing the download pilot with automation officer Michael Martys, digital contracts coordinator Alice Baker, and chief engineer Michael Katzmann—the web site has been getting great reviews from patrons. Participants appreciate the accessibility and efficiency it brings their reading. Results are in The pilot's success hinges on patron comments. In order to capture as many comments as possible, it is necessary that patrons submit surveys for each book and magazine they read. Surveys contain about ten questions each and exist in different versions for books and magazines. Survey questions focus on title selection; ease, rate, and usefulness of navigation; and ease of downloading and transferring the title to flash cards. Participating patrons are required to read at least one title per month. They must complete one survey before downloading another title. The first batch of patron surveys reveals positive impressions. Most readers reported selecting books based on subjects of interest. Seventy percent reported no problems downloading the book or transferring it to the player. As for the DTB's navigation features, 72 percent of participants favored the number of navigation points, and 77 percent were satisfied they could navigate easily everywhere they pleased. More than 86 percent of users found the ability to navigate useful. Magazine readers expressed similar sentiments. The majority of magazine-reading patrons (83 percent) had no problem downloading or transferring their selection to a card and 43 percent chose the magazine because they liked its topic. Additionally, 62 percent thought the magazine offered the right number of navigation points, and 73 percent considered navigation easy. The increased navigation features offered by magazines are a big draw for patrons. One patron commented, "I've only read one magazine so far—October issue of Money—and its navigation offerings are fantastic! . . . If all the magazines are like this, I am going to become even more of a magazine junkie than I've always been!" "These results appear to confirm that we are approaching the download in an appropriate manner, that development is on the right path," notes Bernstein. "Only when you put this technology into patrons' hands do you really understand how well or poorly it functions." Open forum In addition to surveys, patrons also share their comments on a specially created message board. The board offers participants an open forum for sharing with each other feedback, questions, criticisms, and suggestions about the DTBs and the download experience. It is also NLS's primary vehicle for communicating with participants. The message board has proven quite popular among participants. Patrons posted more than nine hundred messages in the first two months of the project. Postings have covered a range of topics, including audio quality, the flash card, navigation features, web-site design, player functionality, bookmarks, and book requests. Pilot participants have been impressed with the audio quality. One hearing-impaired patron praised the crisp, clear audio quality, commenting that it is a true gift to users. Patrons are finding that navigation makes digital talking books much more useful and enjoyable to read; the ability to jump between book sections facilitates preferred reading styles. "The last nonfiction book I read from this pilot worked great with skipping. It really let me skip forward and back and finish a book, learning what I needed to know, in a fraction of its real time," commented a user. "Looking forward to accessing more and more books with good navigation." 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 study --Distribution flash-cartridge study --Player and flash-cartridge design contract awarded --Distribution-system design contract awarded --Distribution-system design contract Phase I and II --Preliminary design review --Player and flash-cartridge developed --Designed DTB containers and labels --Web-Magazine pilot concluded --Web-Book pilot launched Start 1/12/04–Finish 10/1/08 The following ongoing projects, set to conclude in 2008, are shown with start dates in parenthesis. Digital data management system development (11/1/04) Distribution system implementation (10/1/06) Flash-cartridge production (3/1/07) Flash-cartridge duplication (2/1/07) Manufacture initial lot of DTB containers and labels (8/1/07) 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/businessplan/businessplan2006.html 5 ### _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 Killer Tomatoes: Fifteen Tough Film Dames RC 59428 by Ray Hagen and Laura Wagner read by Ray Hagen 3 cassettes Hollywood leading ladies of the 1930s–1950s identified by the authors as "hot tamales [who] weren't dependent on men to get where they wanted to go." Profiles Lucille Ball, Joan Blondell, Ida Lupino, Jane Russell, Ann Sheridan, Barbara Stanwyck, and others. Foreword by Jane Russell. Narrated by author. 2004. RC 59428 ## The Best American Essays 2004 RC 59431 edited by Louis Menand read by Don Hagen 3 cassettes Twenty-two essays recalling the past. In "America, Look at Your Shame!" James Agee recalls his own experience with racism in 1943. Wayne Koestenbaum revisits his literary coming of age in "My '80s." Kathryn Chetkovich recounts her lover's professional jealousy in "Envy." Some strong language. 2004. RC 59431 ## Total Immersion: The Revolutionary Way to Swim Better, Faster, and Easier RC 59654 by Terry Laughlin read by Derald Breneman 2 cassettes Coach and editor of Fitness Swimmer describes techniques for becoming a more efficient swimmer. Covers training, racing, balance, and moves to learn for fishlike motion through the water. Includes drills, tips, and dry land exercises for strength, suppleness, and slimming. Revised edition. 2004. RC 59654 ## American Evita: Hillary Clinton's Path to Power RC 59657 by Christopher Andersen read by Conrad Feininger 2 cassettes Journalist Andersen, of Bill and Hillary: The Marriage (RC 48856), argues that Bill Clinton and his wife, New York senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, are engaged in a long-term plan to win the presidency for Mrs. Clinton and a Supreme Court position for the former chief executive. Strong language. 2004. RC 59657 ## Popular Mechanics Complete Home How-To RC 59731 by Albert Jackson and David Day read by Richard Hauenstein 9 cassettes in 2 containers Comprehensive do-it-yourself home improvement guide. Detailed instructions explain simple tasks like replacing an electrical switch as well as more involved projects like paving with concrete. Covers plumbing, heating, insulation, home security, windows and doors, roof maintenance, pest infestation, floor and wall coverings, appliance repair, wiring, decorating, and more. 2004. RC 59731 ## The R.A.T. (Real-World Aptitude Test): Preparing Yourself for Leaving Home RC 59861 by Homer E. Moyer Jr. read by Ray Childs 3 cassettes The Real-World Aptitude Test, for young people preparing to live independently, provides questions, answers, and helpful hints on practical knowledge and survival skills. Topics include sex, drugs, etiquette, budget, employment, nutrition, cooking, and emergencies, among others. For senior high and older readers. 2003. RC 59861 ## Bright Boulevards, Bold Dreams: The Story of Black Hollywood RC 59992 by Donald Bogle read by Ray Hagen 3 cassettes Author of Dorothy Dandridge (RC 46289) chronicles social roles of African American actors in the first half of the twentieth century. Outlines the migration of blacks to California and the lives of such movie stars as Lena Horne, Sammy Davis Jr., Hattie McDaniel, and Stepin Fetchit. Some strong language. 2005. RC 59992 ## The Billion Dollar BET: Robert Johnson and the Inside Story of Black Entertainment Television RC 60023 by Brett Pulley read by Chuck Young 2 cassettes Forbes magazine senior editor traces the rise of the world's first African American billionaire, Robert Johnson, founder and chief executive of the Black Entertainment Television (BET) cable network. Describes Johnson's humble background and success in turning a $15,000 bank loan into a billion-dollar media empire. Some strong language. 2004. RC 60023 ## The Greek Way RC 60259 by Edith Hamilton read by Kimberly Schraf 2 cassettes The author of Mythology (RC 20026) explores the accomplishments of Greek intellectual life in the fifth century B.C.E. Discusses customs, philosophy, religion, and art, referencing the era's noted writers—the poet Pindar; dramatists Aeschylus, Euripides, and Sophocles; and historians Herodotus, Thucydides, and Xenophon—with excerpts from classic works. 1930. RC 60259 ## Exuberance: The Passion for Life RC 60260 by Kay Redfield Jamison read by Susan McInerney 2 cassettes Psychiatry professor explores exuberance and its fueling of creative and scientific achievement, citing John Muir's passion for the environment, Wilson Bentley's obsession with snowflakes, and Watson and Crick's discovery of DNA. Discusses hereditary factors, this emotion's influence on human survival, and the dangers of seeking exuberance through drugs. 2004. RC 60260 ## Searching for the Sound: My Life with the Grateful Dead RC 60265 by Phil Lesh read by John Lescault 3 cassettes Bassist for the Grateful Dead, who joined the band in 1965, details the evolution of the group led by Jerry Garcia. Describes the concert tours, fanatic Dead Head fans, and the financial and drug problems that plagued the musicians. Some strong language. Bestseller. 2005. RC 60265 ## Ogden Nash: The Life and Work of America's Laureate of Light Verse RC 60527 by Douglas M. Parker read by Dan Bloom 3 cassettes An authorized biography of the urbane and witty American poet Ogden Nash (1902–1971) based on his published and unpublished writings and interviews with his two daughters. Discusses Nash's work at the New Yorker, his unique humorous perspective on family life, and his attempts at careers beyond poetry. 2005. RC 60527 ## Almost Paradise: The East Hampton Murder of Ted Ammon RC 60537 by Kieran Crowley read by Jake Williams 3 cassettes New York Post reporter details the October 2001 murder of multimillionaire Ted Ammon allegedly by his wife Generosa's blue collar lover, Danny Pelosi. Traces Generosa's troubled childhood, Ted's financial success, and Danny's psychiatric problems—all factors in this author's analysis of the crime. Strong language. 2005. RC 60537 ## American Judaism: A History RC 60567 by Jonathan D. Sarna read by Bill Wallace 4 cassettes Brandeis University professor details 350 years of Judaism in the United States. Sarna portrays American Jews as a people struggling to be both Jewish and American. Addresses their concerns about assimilation, issues of religious adaptation and continuity, and influences from and contributions to a diverse and pluralistic society. 2004. RC 60567 ## Miss Manners' Guide to Excruciatingly Correct Behavior: Freshly Updated RC 60597 by Judith Martin read by Margaret Strom 7 cassettes in 2 containers Miss Manners provides her "gentle readers" a guide to gracious living in the twenty-first century. In addition to etiquette for traditional matters such as introductions, dining, weddings, divorce, death, and dress, she also covers decorum for modern issues including breastfeeding, e-mails, cell phones, answering machines, and the Internet. 2005. RC 60597 ## Seasons in Basilicata: A Year in a Southern Italian Hill Village RC 60617 by David Yeadon read by David Cutler 3 cassettes Describes the seasonal delights and ancient traditions an English-speaking couple enjoys while living in rural Italy. Inspired by Carlo Levi's Christ Stopped at Eboli (RC 39274), they settle in the region, discover the pagan streak Levi wrote about, and experience culinary and scenic pleasures. 2004. RC 60617 ## I'm Just Here for the Food: Food + Heat = Cooking RC 60619 by Alton Brown read by Dan Willems 2 cassettes Host of Food Network's "Good Eats" offers a manual on "how to control the process known as cooking." The book is arranged according to techniques —searing, frying, braising, boiling, and microwaving—with each lesson featuring a master recipe to demonstrate the method. James Beard Foundation Award. 2002. RC 60619 ## Letter from America, 1946–2004 RC 60633 by Alistair Cooke read by Peter Gil 4 cassettes Selected commentaries from among the nearly three thousand written and broadcast by the British-born journalist during his six-decade career in New York City. Cooke's observations about American political and social customs include his encounters with many presidents, friendships with renowned artists, and accounts of landmark events. 2004. RC 60633 ## Talking Back—to Presidents, Dictators, and Assorted Scoundrels RC 60675 by Andrea Mitchell read by Martha Harmon Pardee 3 cassettes Autobiography by veteran NBC political correspondent who was one of the first women in broadcast news. Describes the three decades she spent covering U.S. presidents, foreign heads of state, and wars. Also portrays her social life as the wife of Federal Reserve chairman Alan Greenspan. 2005. RC 60675 ## The Leading Men of MGM RC 60817 by Jane Ellen Wayne read by Mitzi Friedlander 4 cassettes In this companion to The Golden Girls of MGM (RC 56320), the author writes about legendary actors who were under contract to Louis B. Mayer's Hollywood studio. Reveals personal information regarding the affairs and vices of Clark Gable, Peter Lawford, Robert Taylor, and others. Includes filmographies. Strong language. 2004. RC 60817 ## How the North Won: A Military History of the Civil War RC 60825 by Herman Hattaway and Archer Jones read by Robert Sams 7 cassettes in 2 containers Provides a military account of the Civil War "from the viewpoint of the higher commanders on both sides." Emphasizes the war's management and planning rather than specific battles and posits that guerrilla raids and defense won the conflict. The authors offer revisionist theories of Lincoln, Lee, and Grant. 1983. RC 60825 ## Napoleon: A Political Life RC 60869 by Steven Englund read by Anne Flosnik 5 cassettes French historian highlights the political rather than the military or personal leadership of French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte (1769–1821). Charts Napoleon's rise and fall from his Corsican boyhood to his political achievements and final exile. Analyzes Napoleon's ideologies and influences, including the French Revolution. 2004. RC 60869 ## American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer RC 61087 by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin read by Steven Carpenter 5 cassettes Biography of physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer (1904–1967)— "the father of the atomic bomb." Chronicles his New York City upbringing, marriage to Kitty Puening, work on the Manhattan Project, and life after the 1954 Atomic Energy Commission hearings which denied Oppenheimer his security clearance for questioning the ethics of nuclear weapons. 2005. RC 61087 ## Flying Blind RC 61092 by Michael A. Smerconish read by Erik Synnestvedt 2 cassettes Journalist criticizes airline security procedures established by the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Transportation Security Administration. Contends that random screening—which avoids racial or ethnic profiling, particularly of Arab men—may be politically correct but actually jeopardizes the war on terror and passenger safety. Foreword by Senator Arlen Specter. 2004. RC 61092 ## Voltaire in Exile: The Last Years, 1753–78 RC 61093 by Ian Davidson read by Steven Carpenter 2 cassettes Portrait of eighteenth-century French playwright, poet, historian, and philosopher who in 1753 was banished by Louis XV to Geneva. References Voltaire's personal correspondence to detail the twenty-five-year isolation during which he developed ideas of equality and human rights, campaigned against injustice, and penned his satirical masterpiece Candide (RC 31736). 2004. RC 61093 ## One Woman's Army: The Commanding General of Abu Ghraib Tells Her Story RC 61151 by Janis Karpinski read by Bernadette Dunne 2 cassettes General Janis Karpinski, commander of the U.S. military prison in Iraq, provides her personal account of the corruption and failures in the chain of command that permitted prisoner abuse to occur. Discusses her inexperience in running a prison, lack of disciplined guards, and use of private firms. Violence and strong language. 2005. RC 61151 ## Bait and Switch: The (Futile) Pursuit of the American Dream RC 61157 by Barbara Ehrenreich read by Barbara Pinolini 2 cassettes The author who explored blue-collar work in Nickel and Dimed (RC 52291) investigates the plight of unemployed and underemployed white-collar workers. Ehrenreich poses as an educated and experienced person and still suffers job rejection in the corporate world although she says she "did everything right." Bestseller. 2005. RC 61157 ## Symptoms of Withdrawal: A Memoir of Snapshots and Redemption RC 61158 by Christopher Kennedy Lawford read by Michael Russotto 3 cassettes Lawford recounts his life as the son of Patricia Kennedy and movie actor Peter Lawford. Describes experiences with drugs, alcohol, and debauchery followed by twenty years of sobriety. Details his own acting career and relates competitiveness with his Kennedy cousins. Strong language and some explicit descriptions of sex. Bestseller. 2005. RC 61158 ## Yankee Magazine Vinegar, Duct Tape, Milk Jugs, and More: 1,001 Ingenious Ways to Use Common Household Items to Repair, Restore, Revive, or Replace Just About Everything in Your Life RC 61173 by Earl Proulx read by Erik Synnestvedt 3 cassettes Handyman columnist's ideas for saving time, money, and waste. Tips include using vinegar to clear clogged showerheads, hair spray to end static cling, olive oil to clean grease off hands, and more. 1999. RC 61173 ## Persistence Is Power! A Real-World Guide for the Newly Disabled Employee RC 61175 by Jeanne Lazo and Carol J. Amato read by Bob Moore 2 cassettes Provides disabled employees with information about disability insurance, Social Security, and Workers' Compensation. Explains the Americans with Disabilities Act. Offers advice for filing claims and managing paperwork, and provides forms and resources. Addresses emotional, medical, legal, privacy, and monetary issues. 2004. RC 61175 ## The South Beach Diet Quick and Easy Cookbook: Two Hundred Delicious Recipes Ready in Thirty Minutes or Less RC 61176 by Arthur Agatston read by Mark Ashby 2 cassettes Fast cookery for dieters recommended by the Florida cardiologist and author of The South Beach Diet (RC 56409). Includes healthy appetizers, main courses, and desserts that use a minimum number of ingredients and are easy to prepare. 2005. RC 61176 ## Weird U.S.: Your Travel Guide to America's Local Legends and Best-Kept Secrets RC 61177 by Mark Moran and Mark Sceurman read by Steven Carpenter 3 cassettes A collection of seemingly fantastic tales corroborated with actual events and historical data whenever possible. Grouped not by geography but by broad topics including ancient mysteries, unexplained phenomena, bizarre beasts, local heroes and villains, ghosts, and cemeteries. Covers Emily's Bridge in Vermont and the Winchester Mystery House in California. 2004. RC 61177 ## Marriage, a History: From Obedience to Intimacy; or, How Love Conquered Marriage RC 61178 by Stephanie Coontz read by Michele Schaeffer 3 cassettes Traces the evolution of marriage from being an economic institution with rigid rules to the modern Western concept of a union based on love and flexibility. Discusses various social crises through the ages that were precipitated by changes in marriage customs and expectations. 2005. RC 61178 ## The New New Journalism: Conversations with America's Best Nonfiction Writers on Their Craft RC 61180 by Robert S. Boynton read by Steven Carpenter 3 cassettes Professor interviews nineteen writers representing "the continued maturation of American literary journalism"—a "new new" style distinct from the traditions of predecessors from Stephen Crane to Tom Wolfe. Eric Schlosser, Gay Talese, Calvin Trillin, and others reflect on their careers and creative process: finding inspiration, researching, writing, rewriting, and publishing. 2005. RC 61180 ## The Religious History of America RC 61181 by Edwin S. Gaustad and Leigh E. Schmidt read by Michael Scherer 4 cassettes Two professors of religion discuss the cultural, political, and economic influences that helped shape religion in America throughout its history. Topics include the Puritans in New England, separation of church and state, slavery, the growth of the church in the twentieth century, and war's effects on religion. 2002. RC 61181 ## Herding Cats: A Life in Politics RC 61184 by Trent Lott read by Gregory Gorton 2 cassettes Republican senator from Mississippi recalls growing up the son of a sharecropper, attending "Ole Miss" when it became integrated, and succeeding his mentor, Democrat William Colmer, to the House of Representatives in 1972. Highlights his career in both the House and Senate. 2005. RC 61184 ## American Heroines: The Spirited Women Who Shaped Our Country RC 61187 by Kay Bailey Hutchison read by Faith Potts 3 cassettes First female to represent Texas in the U.S. Senate presents pioneering women in American history. Profiles Clara Barton, Mary Cassatt, Amelia Earhart, Margaret Chase Smith, and others. Also includes interviews with contemporary women, such as astronaut Sally Ride, National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice, and journalist Barbara Walters. 2004. RC 61187 ## The Great Arc: The Dramatic Tale of How India Was Mapped and Everest Was Named RC 61208 by John Keay read by Jeremy Gage 2 cassettes History of the arduous and technically difficult nineteenth-century scientific expedition to survey the 1,600-mile length of India and establish its longitude, latitude, and height above sea level. Discusses the roles and personalities of William Lambton, who conceived the idea, and of George Everest, who completed it. 2000. RC 61208 ## The Pontiff in Winter: Triumph and Conflict in the Reign of John Paul II RC 61224 by John Cornwell read by George Holmes 3 cassettes Cambridge scholar and author of Hitler's Pope (RC 49241) analyzes the long reign of Pope John Paul II, the former Karol Wojtyla. Discusses the pope's accomplishments and his views on controversial issues including birth control and abuses by the clergy. Criticizes the centralization of papal power. 2004. RC 61224 ## A Bevy of Beasts RC 61226 by Gerald Durrell read by Steven Crossley 2 cassettes (Reissue) Author recounts with characteristic wit his early years as student keeper at England's Whipsnade Zoo, one of the country's first "open" exhibitions. Describes humorous experiences with animals including a singing bear, a herd of friendly yaks, and a gentle giraffe whose best friend is a goat. 1973. RC 61226 ## The Global Soul: Jet Lag, Shopping Malls, and the Search for Home RC 61234 by Pico Iyer read by Peter Ganim 3 cassettes The author uses his own international background as a starting point for exploring the multicultural phenomena of an increasingly mobile world. As he travels to far-flung cities (including Atlanta for the Olympics), he reflects upon others who commute between cultures and places, probing their psychological makeup and sense of rootlessness. 2000. RC 61234 ## Out of Eden: An Odyssey of Ecological Invasion RC 61253 by Alan Burdick read by Dan Bloom 3 cassettes Journalist investigates how human travel has accelerated the natural process of species migration by inadvertently introducing exotic plants, animals, insects, and diseases into foreign ecosystems. Burdick records his travels by land and sea to hot spots of ecological invasion to assess the impact on native organisms and biodiversity. National Book Award. 2005. RC 61253 ## Education and Rehabilitation for Empowerment RC 61268 by C. Edwin Vaughan and James H. Omvig read by Bob Moore 2 cassettes The authors argue that the history of educational and rehabilitative services for blind people has condoned dependency. Provides an overview of the U.S. rehabilitation system during the twentieth century. Advocates for a positive philosophy toward blindness that includes empowerment, mobility, communication, and "blending in." 2005. RC 61268 ## Yes, Your Parents Are Crazy! A Teen Survival Handbook RC 61269 by Michael J. Bradley read by Erik Synnestvedt 3 cassettes Psychologist and author of Yes, Your Teen Is Crazy! (RC 55891) offers teens advice on dealing with family, school, and peer relationships. Author discusses physical, emotional, and psychological concerns of young adults and includes anecdotes from his practice. Foreword by Clay Aiken. For senior high and older readers. 2004. RC 61269 ## On Hitler's Mountain: Overcoming the Legacy of a Nazi Childhood RC 61273 by Irmgard A. Hunt read by Annie Wauters 2 cassettes Memoir of a German native who grew up during World War II in a Bavarian village near Adolf Hitler's alpine compound. Recalls meeting the dictator, losing her soldier father, and joining the Hitler Youth. Explores her continuing struggle to understand how she, her family, and others tolerated Nazi control. 2005. RC 61273 ## A Thread across the Ocean: The Heroic Story of the Transatlantic Cable RC 61274 by John Steele Gordon read by Steven Carpenter 2 cassettes Chronicles efforts over twelve years to lay more than 2,000 miles of underwater telegraph cable connecting Europe and America, a project seen through to completion in 1866 by U.S. businessman and entrepreneur Cyrus Field. Examines the influences of the Industrial Revolution and England's role in providing technical and financial support. 2002. RC 61274 ## Nelson's Trafalgar: The Battle That Changed the World RC 61276 by Roy Adkins read by David Cutler 3 cassettes First-person accounts portray the October 21, 1805, battle during which Lord Horatio Nelson engaged France and her Spanish allies after Napoleon threatened to invade England. Describes nineteenth-century naval warfare technology and tactics. Explains why the battle, which resulted in Nelson's death, marked the beginning of British empire building. Violence. 2004. RC 61276 ## Crowns: Portraits of Black Women in Church Hats RC 61277 by Michael Cunningham and Craig Marberry read by Mary Kane 1 cassette Social history of the custom of wearing hats to church in accordance with the apostle Paul's edict to cover one's head. Through interviews with African American women of all ages, the authors explore the faith and fashion of black American churches. Foreword by Maya Angelou. 2000. RC 61277 ## Dying to Cross: The Worst Immigrant Tragedy in American History RC 61284 by Jorge Ramos read by Mark Ashby 1 cassette 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 61284 ## Love My Rifle More than You: Young and Female in the U.S. Army RC 61285 by Kayla Williams read by Mary Kane 2 cassettes An army intelligence expert's account of experiences she had while she was posted to various infantry units in Iraq during 2003. Williams describes the terrible conditions the soldiers endured, the boredom, the realities of war, and the sexual dynamics of being a female among males. Violence and strong language. 2005. RC 61285 ## Live Your Best Life: A Treasury of Wisdom, Wit, Advice, Interviews, and Inspiration from O, the Oprah Magazine RC 61289 edited by the Oprah Magazine read by Barbara Pinolini 4 cassettes In articles culled from O, the Oprah Magazine, Oprah offers more than a hundred articles on such topics as diet and exercise, happiness, confidence, spirituality, dating, marriage, sex, and parenthood. Also featured are everyday heroes. Contributors include Dr. Phil, Suze Orman, Harry Connick Jr., and Julie Morgenstern. 2005. RC 61289 ## Barrier-Free Travel: A Nuts and Bolts Guide for Wheelers and Slow-Walkers RC 61293 by Candy Harrington read by Margaret Strom 2 cassettes This edition of Barrier-Free Travel (RC 56626), revised after September 11, 2001, contains updates on access- related rules and regulations and airport security procedures that apply to wheelchair-users and slow walkers. Covers travel with wheeler kids, tips and tools for planning a trip, and expanded sections on cruises and resources. 2005. RC 61293 ## No God but God: The Origins, Evolution, and Future of Islam RC 61297 by Reza Aslan read by Mark Ashby 3 cassettes Professor of Islamic and Middle Eastern studies reconstructs the origins of Islam from the prophet Muhammad's message of moral accountability and social egalitarianism, and its evolution into ideologies of rigid legalism and uncompromising orthodoxy. Discusses Muslims' current struggle to define the future of their faith and argues for reform. 2005. RC 61297 ## Decision at Sea: Five Naval Battles That Shaped American History RC 61299 by Craig L. Symonds read by Robert Sams 3 cassettes Historian illustrates how five pivotal naval battles shaped U.S. history, stimulated the development of new technology, and changed the nature of sea warfare. Analyzes the battles of Lake Erie (1813), Hampton Roads (1862), Manila Bay (1898), Midway (1942), and Operation Praying Mantis (1988). 2005. RC 61299 ## The Imus Ranch: Cooking for Kids and Cowboys RC 61309 by Deirdre Imus read by Barbara Pinolini 2 cassettes Author shares organic, vegetarian, and vegan recipes from her family's environmentally friendly, 4,000-acre New Mexico cattle ranch that hosts children experiencing illness or loss. Offers ideas for soups, sandwiches, sauces and dips, salads, main dishes, desserts, and more. Provides information on egg, dairy, and meat substitutes and healthy living. 2004. RC 61309 ## Wild Ducks Flying Backward: The Short Writings of Tom Robbins RC 61310 by Tom Robbins read by Michael Scherer 2 cassettes A compilation of the novelist Tom Robbins's nonfiction writing—stories, poems, musings, critiques, travel articles, celebrity profiles, and responses to self-posed questions. In "Kissing," Robbins ranks the tradition of osculation as western man's greatest invention. In "Till Lunch Do Us Part," he praises the appeal of a ripe tomato sandwich. 2005. RC 61310 ## The Singularity Is Near: When Humans Transcend Biology RC 61318 by Ray Kurzweil read by Lou Harpenau 5 cassettes Inventor and author of The Age of Spiritual Machines (RC 48260) posits that humankind will merge its biology with nanotechnology and robotics to create a new species. He predicts the result will eliminate aging, pollution, and world hunger. 2005. RC 61318 ## Cobra Two: The Inside Story of the Invasion and Occupation of Iraq RC 61326 by Michael R. Gordon and Bernard E. Trainor read by various narrators 5 cassettes Following their analysis of the First Gulf War in The General's War (RC 41075), Gordon, a New York Times Pentagon correspondent, and Trainor, a three-star general retired from the Marine Corps, chronicle the decisions behind the U.S. military engagement in Iraq. Violence and strong language. 2006. RC 61326 ## The Big Oyster: History on the Half Shell RC 61328 by Mark Kurlansky read by John H. Mayer 2 cassettes Author of Cod (RC 45502) produces a social history of New York City from 1609 to 2005 by examining the rise and fall of oyster harvesting and consumption in the Hudson River area. Describes the desecration of a natural resource. Includes historic recipes. Descriptions of sex, violence, and some strong language. 2006. RC 61328 ## You're Wearing That? Understanding Mothers and Daughters in Conversation RC 61332 by Deborah Tannen read by Cassandra Campbell 2 cassettes Sociolinguist author of You Just Don't Understand (RC 32031) and I Only Say This Because I Love You (RC 53484) analyzes conversations between mothers and grown daughters, explains why their interactions are often tense, and suggests ways to improve both communications and relationships. Anecdotes illustrate how misunderstandings arise. 2006. RC 61332 ## The Great Transformation: The Beginning of Our Religious Traditions RC 61336 by Karen Armstrong read by Karen Armstrong 4 cassettes Chronicles the ninth century B.C.E., during which time four distinct world civilizations developed lasting belief systems: Confucianism and Daoism in China, Hinduism and Buddhism in India, monotheism in Israel, and philosophical rationalism in Greece. Examines spiritual sages—like Buddha, Socrates, Confucius, and Ezekiel—and their commonality concerning the primacy of compassion. 2006. RC 61336 ## Cracking Cases: The Science of Solving Crimes RC 61377 by Henry C. Lee read by Jake Williams 2 cassettes Renowned forensic criminologist reviews five homicide cases that involve a man killing a wife or ex-spouse. Focuses on the science used to find information to solve the crimes. Includes the O.J. Simpson case—for which Dr. Lee worked for the defense—and the "woodchipper" murder case. 2002. RC 61377 ## Scalia Dissents: Writings of the Supreme Court's Wittiest, Most Outspoken Justice RC 61429 edited by Kevin A. Ring read by Peter Johnson 2 cassettes Compilation of rulings by conservative Supreme Court associate justice Antonin Scalia, who was appointed to the bench in 1986. Includes his written opinions on religion, abortion, the ADA, gay rights, capital punishment, free speech, and affirmative action, referencing the U.S. Constitution and its historical interpretations. 2004. RC 61429 ## Finding Mañana: A Memoir of a Cuban Exodus RC 61443 by Mirta Ojito read by Constance Crawford 2 cassettes Award-winning reporter describes her family's flight from Cuba during the 1980 Mariel boatlift when she was sixteen years old. Reminisces about life under a Communist regime and her subsequent integration into American culture. Relates accounts of other refugees and of those who helped them leave the island. 2005. RC 61443 ## The Golden Spruce: A True Story of Myth, Madness, and Greed RC 61482 by John Vaillant read by Anne Hancock 2 cassettes Wilderness writer's account of logger-turned-activist Grant Hadwin, who in 1997 cut down a three-hundred- year-old Sitka spruce sacred to the Haida Indians as a protest against timber company practices. Discusses lumberjacks' perilous work, Native American traditions, Hadwin's obsession to stop irreparable damage to forests, and the consequences of his actions. 2005. RC 61482 ## Worth More Dead: And Other True Cases; Ann Rule's Crime Files RC 61497 by Ann Rule read by Martha Harmon Pardee 2 cassettes Author analyzes five murders and the motives behind them. "Old Man's Darling" is an account of a young woman who couldn't handle her older lover's rejection. "A Desperate Housewife" recounts a woman's disappearance that ended in her husband's murder conviction. Sequel to Kiss Me, Kill Me: And Other True Cases; Ann Rule's Crime Files (RC 59525). Violence. Bestseller. 2005. RC 61497 ## America's Game: The Epic Story of How Pro Football Captured a Nation RC 61512 by Michael MacCambridge read by Bill Wallace 5 cassettes A history of American football concentrating on the development of the National Football League during the last half of the twentieth century. Focuses on the sport's use of television, marketing, racial integration, and innovative leadership to overtake baseball as the dominant spectator sport. Some strong language. 2004. RC 61512 ## Don't Sabotage Your Success! Make Office Politics Work RC 61513 by Karen Ginsburg Wood read by Martha Harmon Pardee 1 cassette Provides tips to enhance workplace relationships and gain professional happiness and success when job performance alone may not guarantee advancement. Author shares her personal career experiences and offers strategies for understanding workplace dynamics, altering negative behavior, and perfecting the art of schmoozing. 2001. RC 61513 ## Into a Paris Quartier: Reine Margot's Chapel and Other Haunts of St.-Germain RC 61522 by Diane Johnson read by Gabriella Cavallero 1 cassette Johnson, a part-time resident of Paris, describes the legendary area in which she lives, St.-Germain-des-Prés, aka the Left Bank. Discusses the neighborhood's four- hundred-year history as the home of four queens, three Musketeers, several kings, and numerous artistic Americans. Details the region's streets, statues, architecture, and offbeat surprises. 2005. RC 61522 ## The Rescue Artist: A True Story of Art, Thieves, and the Hunt for a Missing Masterpiece RC 61523 by Edward Dolnick read by Bill Wallace 2 cassettes Chronicles the 1994 theft and recovery of Edvard Munch's The Scream, a painting valued at seventy-two million dollars. Describes the heist from Norway's National Gallery in Oslo and the subsequent three-month investigation by half-English, half-American undercover detective Charley Hill of Scotland Yard's elite Art and Antiques Unit. Strong language. 2005. RC 61523 ## Turning Memories into Memoirs: A Handbook for Writing Lifestories RC 61546 by Denis Ledoux read by Bill Wallace 2 cassettes Writing coach presents a step-by-step guide for recording a personal or family history. Covers jogging one's memory, conducting interviews and research, discerning fact from fiction, choosing a theme, making it meaningful, and editing a finished product. Includes exercises, sample life stories, and tips on grammar and storytelling techniques. 2003. RC 61546 ## Love Smart: Find the One You Want—Fix the One You Got RC 61563 by Phil McGraw read by Erik Synnestvedt 2 cassettes Nationally syndicated television host offers advice to women on building a committed relationship with a new person or a current partner. Offers "secrets and strategies" for finding the right man including insights into the male perspective, tips for self-improvement, rules of dating etiquette, and ways to overcome stereotypes. Bestseller. 2005. RC 61563 ## An End to Evil: How to Win the War on Terror RC 61579 by David Frum and Richard Perle read by Michael Scherer 2 cassettes Frum, author of The Right Man (RC 55531) and former special assistant to President George W. Bush, and Perle, former Defense Policy Board chairman, examine foreign, domestic, and ideological threats to America. They support Bush administration initiatives like the Patriot Act but identify U.S. military, intelligence, and diplomatic vulnerabilities. 2003. RC 61579 ## Inside the Mind of Scott Peterson RC 61593 by Keith Ablow read by Bob Moore 1 cassette In an attempt to find a scientific explanation, a forensic psychiatrist examines the reasons Scott Peterson would kill his pregnant wife. Posits that Peterson's family history caused his sociopathic personality and that a new lover and impending fatherhood created "the perfect psychological storm" behind the 2002 crime. 2005. RC 61593 ## Revolutionary Wealth: Shaping Tomorrow's Way of Life RC 61608 by Alvin Toffler and Heidi Toffler read by Melissa Edris 3 cassettes Authors of Creating a New Civilization (RC 41142) predict major shiftsin business and society by 2025. Discusses the skills that managers will need as technology, wealth, and culture converge. Considers the crumbling of traditional institutions and the rise of nongovernmental organizations, flexible work schedules, and international dependence. 2006. RC 61608 ## Message in a Bottle: The Making of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome RC 61611 by Janet Golden read by Jill Fox 2 cassettes Social history of fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), the diagnosis of physical and mental birth defects linked to prenatal alcohol exposure. Examines the changing definitions and meanings of FAS from the 1970s to the 1990s as shaped by the medical establishment, the media, politics, and legal and social concerns. 2005. RC 61611 ## Cassette Books, 2004 RC 61614 by National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped read by Lou Harpenau 4 cassettes A catalog of talking books produced on cassette during 2004 for adult and young adult readers. The nonfiction and fiction sections list books by subject categories. Separate listings identify teen selections, Spanish-language books, and bestsellers. 2005. RC 61614 ## Three Billion New Capitalists: The Great Shift of Wealth and Power to the East RC 61625 by Clyde Prestowitz read by Butch Hoover 3 cassettes Author of Rogue Nation (RC 57090) warns of danger to the American economy as eastern countries like China and India compete in the world market. Criticizes U.S. trade and budget deficits, insufficient savings, failing schools, and low investments in research. Cautions that such factors could lead to another depression. 2005. RC 61625 ## For Laci: A Mother's Story of Love, Loss, and Justice RC 61637 by Sharon Rocha read by Margaret Strom 3 cassettes Murder victim's mother describes the ordeal of having her twenty-seven-year-old, seven-months-pregnant daughter, Laci Peterson, vanish on Christmas Eve 2002. Relates her conversations with Laci's husband Scott, detectives, and other parties. Discusses anecdotes about Laci's childhood. Strong language. Bestseller. 2006. RC 61637 ## O RC 61695 by Omari Grandberry read by Bill Quinn 1 cassette Twenty-year-old Omari Grandberry describes his happy childhood in Los Angeles, his conscious decision to avoid street life, and his rise to hip-hop fame as a member of B2K from 2000 to 2004. Analyzes the music business and the band's breakup. Some strong language. For senior high and older readers. 2005. RC 61695 ## Professional Ethics and Etiquette RC 61701 edited by J.G. Ferguson Publishing Company read by Peter Johnson 1 cassette Advice for developing business character and building professional relationships. Urges readers to assess their own personality, values, strengths, and weaknesses to identify areas needing improvement. Offers tips on becoming more responsible, improving time-management and memory skills, balancing life and work, and more. For senior high and older readers. 2004. RC 61701 ## House of War: The Pentagon and the Disastrous Rise of American Power RC 61728 by James Carroll read by Robertson Dean 5 cassettes Chronicle of the U.S. military establishment in the Pentagon, from the building's construction to the institution's rise as a governmental unit. Argues that the bombing of Germany and Japan in World War II, the violence of the Iraq war, and uncontrolled nuclear buildup all illustrate the Pentagon's unrestrained command. 2006. RC 61728 ## Stumbling on Happiness RC 61735 by Daniel Gilbert read by Daniel Gilbert 2 cassettes Harvard psychologist uses anecdotes and scientific research to argue that people cannot predict what will make them happy. Claims that individuals cannot accurately envision their future and are often surprised at how it really turns out. Some descriptions of sex and some strong language. 2006. RC 61735 ## Luckiest Man: The Life and Death of Lou Gehrig RC 61772 by Jonathan Eig read by Jake Williams 3 cassettes Reporter uses archives, interviews, and letters to depict the man he considers the New York Yankee's "greatest" first baseman, Lou Gehrig (1903–1941). Covers Gehrig's upbringing as the only child of German immigrants, his fallout with teammate Babe Ruth, and his optimism while facing death from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. 2005. RC 61772 ## For the Survival of Democracy: Franklin Roosevelt and the World Crisis of the 1930s RC 61774 by Alonzo L. Hamby read by Bill Wallace 4 cassettes History professor recounts U.S. president Franklin Delano Roosevelt's handling of the economic disaster of the Great Depression while totalitarian governments rose in Europe. Compares the American response to the crisis with those of Great Britain and Germany and credits FDR with the survival of democracy. 2004. RC 61774 ## My Year in Iraq: The Struggle to Build a Future of Hope RC 61775 by L. Paul Bremer III read by Bill Wallace 4 cassettes American former diplomat Bremer recounts his work as administrator, from May 2003 until June 2004, of the then newly formed Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq. Bremer contends that more troops were needed after the U.S. invasion, justifies dismantling the Iraqi army, and describes the rivalries between diverse groups. 2006. RC 61775 ## Thomas Jefferson: Author of America RC 61778 by Christopher Hitchens read by Bill Wallace 1 cassette Journalist's concise biography of Thomas Jefferson (1743– 1826), third U.S. president. Posits that Jefferson "designed America" by incorporating the concept of human rights into the Declaration of Independence. Describes the public and private life of this man of contradictions, who was both a freedom advocate and a slaveholder. 2005. RC 61778 ## Alex: The Life of a Child RC 61780 by Frank Deford read by Bill Wallace 2 cassettes (Reissue) Journalist's portrait of his daughter, Alexandra, who was just eight years old when she died in 1980 from cystic fibrosis. He recounts Alexandra's life and passing, finds solace in the joy she brought to their family, and reveals the courage of a young girl facing death. Includes 1997 postscript. 1983. RC 61780 ## Poker Night: Winning at Home, at the Casino, and Beyond RC 61797 by John Vorhaus read by Betty Williams 2 cassettes A renowned poker strategist and commentator offers a guide to all aspects of home poker: hosting a party, understanding variations of the game, recruiting players, establishing house rules, and setting betting limits. Explains what beats what; basic games such as stud, Omaha, and Texas hold 'em; and playing in casinos. 2004. RC 61797 ## Murder on the Rails: The True Story of the Detective Who Unlocked the Shocking Secrets of the Boxcar Serial Killer RC 61798 by William G. Palmini Jr. and Tanya Chalupa read by Jake Williams 2 cassettes Former detective Palmini details the murder investigation that led to the March 1996 apprehension of serial killer Robert Silveria Jr. Silveria, a member of the little-known Freight Train Riders of America gang, is suspected of murdering an untold number of victims across the country. Violence and strong language. 2004. RC 61798 ## Does God Belong in Public Schools? RC 61802 by Kent Greenawalt read by Bill Wallace 2 cassettes Columbia University law professor examines the relationship betweenreligion and the U.S. public school system. Analyses court decisions about constitutional limits. Considers controversies such as sex education, evolution versus creationism, Christmas celebrations, religious clubs, and alternate lifestyles, among others. Reviews the history and purposes of American education programs. 2005. RC 61802 ## Beating Back the Devil: On the Front Lines with the Disease Detectives of the Epidemic Intelligence Service RC 61804 by Maryn McKenna read by Jake Williams 3 cassettes Reporter traces the history of the Atlanta-based Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) from 1951 to 2003. Follows EIS medical professionals as they investigate disease outbreaks caused by polio, West Nile virus, smallpox, AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis, SARS, and biological weapons. 2004. RC 61804 ## VoiceMale: What Husbands Really Think about Their Marriages, Their Wives, Sex, Housework, and Commitment RC 61954 by Neil Chethik read by Bill Wallace 2 cassettes An examination of men's attitudes, behavior, and marriage expectations based on firsthand interviews and a national survey of nearly four hundred husbands. Discusses the male perspective on intimacy, sex, money, career, children, in- laws, and fidelity. Offers advice for better relationships. Some strong language. 2006. RC 61954 ## My Descent into Death: A Second Chance at Life RC 61973 by Howard Storm read by Bill Wallace 1 cassette Former atheist discusses the near-death experience he had while awaiting surgery in a Paris hospital. Storm describes first experiencing darkness and pain, being embraced by a brilliant light, seeing his wounds vanish, and conversing with Jesus and his angels. Foreword by Anne Rice. 2005. RC 61973 ## The Girl He Left Behind: The Life and Times of Libbie Custer RC 61974 by Suzanne Middendorf Arruda read by Kerry Cundiff 1 cassette Traces the life of Elizabeth "Libbie" Custer, who married General George Armstrong Custer during the Civil War. Depicts the nomadic lifestyle of a nineteenth-century military wife, describes George's death at the Little Big Horn, and recounts Libbie's efforts to preserve her husband's reputation. For senior high and older readers. 2004. RC 61974 ## Cassettes Fiction Garden of Beasts: A Novel of Berlin 1936 RC 59230 by Jeffery Deaver read by Michael Kramer 3 cassettes The U.S. Office of Naval Intelligence coerces hit man Paul Schumann to pose as a journalist covering the Berlin Olympics and assassinate a high-ranking Nazi. German spies trail Schumann, who meanwhile becomes involved with his landlady. Some violence and some strong language. 2004. RC 59230 ## Kissing in Technicolor RC 59235 by Jane Mendle read by Victoria Gordon 2 cassettes Charlotte Frost, a New York City grad student, thinks her dreams are coming true when soap opera star Hank Destin not only wants to date her but also agrees to appear in her film project. Tensions on the set force Charlotte to decide on her priorities. Some strong language. 2004. RC 59235 ## Life Goes On: A Harmony Novel RC 59412 by Philip Gulley read by Derald Breneman 2 cassettes A lot happens in quiet Harmony as its Quaker pastor, Sam Gardner, tends his eccentric flock: his house needs constant repair, the "sausage queen" turns out to be vegetarian, the town spinster might finally get hitched, and Sam realizes he has forsaken the gospel. 2004. RC 59412 ## Gates of Eden: Stories RC 59426 by Ethan Coen read by Michael Russotto 2 cassettes Fourteen offbeat and ironic tales involving crime, violence, and other forms of deviant behavior. In the title story a state weights-and-measures inspector is seduced by a Japanese temptress in a blackmail scheme. Descriptions of sex, violence, and strong language. 1998. RC 59426 ## Honey, Baby, Sweetheart RC 59694 by Deb Caletti read by Mimi Bederman 2 cassettes In the summer of her junior year, sixteen-year-old Ruby McQueen and her mother, both nursing broken hearts, help an elderly member of their book club reunite with a lost love. Along the way they gain independence. Some strong language. For senior high and older readers. National Book Award Finalist. 2004. RC 59694 ## Dating Dead Men: Wollie Shelley Novel RC 59695 by Harley Jane Kozak read by Gillian Green 2 cassettes Los Angeles greeting card artist Wollie Shelley, busy with a dating research project, dashes off to visit her institutionalized, schizophrenic brother. She finds a body on the road and fears that her sibling could be involved. As Wollie investigates, a colorful cast of characters gradually enters her life. 2004. RC 59695 ## The Mt. Monadnock Blues RC 59868 by Larry Duberstein read by Derald Breneman 2 cassettes Forty-year-old gay Boston travel agent Tim Bannon raises his niece and nephew after his sister and her husband are killed in a car accident. But a homophobic brother-in-law contests Tim's guardianship and sues to take the children away. Strong language. 2003. RC 59868 ## Prep RC 59891 by Curtis Sittenfeld read by Victoria Gordon 3 cassettes Midwest scholarship student Lee Fiora feels isolated at a New England prep school. She struggles to understand a roommate's suicide attempt, conducts a secret sexual relationship with a popular boy, and alienates the school community through a perceived betrayal. Some explicit descriptions of sex and some strong language. Bestseller. 2005. RC 59891 ## The Mermaid Chair RC 60121 by Sue Monk Kidd read by Colleen Delany 2 cassettes When fortyish Jesse Sullivan returns to Egret Island to reconnect with her failing mother, she doesn't expect to be overwhelmed with passion for a Benedictine monk. Jessie confronts her present confusion while she probes her mother's past. Some descriptions of sex. Bestseller. 2005. RC 60121 ## Dragon's Lair: A Medieval Mystery RC 60184 by Sharon Kay Penman read by Kate Kiley 2 cassettes England, 1193. When ransom money to free her son, Richard Lionheart, from the Holy Roman Emperor disappears and is presumed stolen, Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine sends agent Justin de Quincy to recover the payment. Sequel to Cruel as the Grave (RC 51126). Some descriptions of sex, some violence, and some strong language. 2003. RC 60184 ## Trophy Hunt: A Joe Pickett Novel RC 60195 by C.J. Box read by David Hartley-Margolin 2 cassettes Wyoming game warden Joe Pickett encounters a mysteriously mutilated moose during a fishing trip. When several cattle and two men turn up similarly disfigured, Joe becomes a reluctant member of the governor's special task force to uncover who, or what, is behind the killings. Violence and strong language. 2004. RC 60195 ## Masters of Fantasy RC 60249 edited by Bill Fawcett and Brian Thomsen read by Derald Breneman 4 cassettes Adventure stories related to popular fantasy series and commissioned to introduce some of the bestselling authors of this genre. David Drake (Isles series), Alan Dean Foster (Spellsinger), Mercedes Lackey (Valdemar), Andre Norton (Witchworld), and Mickey Zucker Reichert (Shadamehr) contribute, among others. For senior high and older readers. 2004. RC 60249 ## Alamut RC 60468 by Vladimir Bartol read by Mitzi Friedlander 4 cassettes Slovenian writer's allegory of power and corruption based on the life of eleventh-century political terrorist Hasan ibn Sabbah. Ismaili leader Sabbah plans to take back Persia from its Sunni Turkish occupiers. Avani, a Shiite Muslim, joins the fedayeen, while slave girl Halima is imprisoned in the harem. 2004 translation. 1938. RC 60468 ## The Rose of the World: Fool's Gold, Book 3 RC 60604 by Jude Fisher read by MaryBeth Wise 5 cassettes Mage Rahe's overconfidence has allowed his captives—the Woman, the Man, and the Beast—to escape from Sanctuary. As Rahe plots to recapture them, Rosa Eldi's powers begin to return. Rosa realizes her true identity and works to restore her world, Elda. Sequel to Wild Magic (RC 56905). Explicit descriptions of sex. 2005. RC 60604 ## Cinnamon Kiss: An Easy Rawlins Mystery RC 60638 by Walter Mosley read by Michael Boatman 2 cassettes California, 1960s. To pay for his daughter's expensive medical treatment, Easy Rawlins joins PI Saul Lynx in tracking down a missing wealthy lawyer and his lover Cinnamon. The investigation takes Easy to San Francisco, where he encounters the hippie movement and murder. Strong language and some violence. Bestseller. 2005. RC 60638 ## Cover the Butter RC 60646 by Carrie Kabak read by Martha Harmon Pardee 2 cassettes United Kingdom, 1995. Kate Cadogan Fanshaw returns home to discover her eighteen-year-old son has trashed the house. Infuriated by her husband Rodney's indifference, Kate assesses her life through the sixties, seventies, and eighties and rethinks her current situation. Strong language and some explicit descriptions of sex. 2005. RC 60646 ## The Geographer's Library RC 60653 by Jon Fasman read by Bill Wallace 3 cassettes Small-town Connecticut reporter Paul Tomm is assigned to write the obituary of enigmatic history professor Jaan Pühapäev. Researching, Paul uncovers links to occult objects stolen from a twelfth-century royal geographer and learns that neither Jaan's life nor his death were what they seemed. Strong language and some violence. 2005. RC 60653 ## The Ambassador's Son: A Josh Thurlow Novel, Book 2 RC 60656 by Homer Hickam read by David Hartley-Margolin 3 cassettes Solomon Islands, World War II. Coast Guard captain Josh Thurlow is assigned to find a young marine officer who has apparently deserted. PT boat skipper John Kennedy, son of a former ambassador to Great Britain, aids the daring search. Some descriptions of sex, some violence, and some strong language. 2005. RC 60656 ## The Camel Club RC 60678 by David Baldacci read by Jonathan Davis 3 cassettes Wealthy businessmen and politicians gather at the Camel Club, unaware that their conversations are being monitored. After homeless Oliver Stone witnesses a murder, Secret Service agent Alex Ford interviews him. Ford's subsequent investigation yields information on a potential political assassination. Some violence and some strong language. Bestseller. 2005. RC 60678 ## Shadows of Steel: A Patrick McLanahan Thriller RC 60735 by Dale Brown read by Jim Zeiger 3 cassettes Iran sinks an American spy ship and takes prisoners, determined to control the Persian Gulf with its aircraft carriers. Since the United States military is crippled by budget cuts, Patrick McLanahan and his secret agency plan to respond with a stealth bomber attack. Strong language, some explicit descriptions of sex, and some violence. 1996. RC 60735 ## The Minister's Daughter RC 60759 by Julie Hearn read by Terry Donnelly 2 cassettes England, 1645. To conceal an out-of-wedlock pregnancy, the daughters of the town minister successfully accuse a local healer and her granddaughter of witchcraft. Years later, during the 1692 Salem trials, their lie has unexpected repercussions. For junior and senior high readers. 2005. RC 60759 ## High Plains Tango RC 60763 by Robert James Waller read by Robertson Dean 2 cassettes Carlisle McMillan, carpenter son of photographer Robert Kincaid from The Bridges of Madison County (RC 35861), settles in Salamander, South Dakota. There McMillan renovates his home and falls in love with Susanna Benteen— while he resists the local government's seizure of his land to build a highway. Strong language, some explicit descriptions of sex, and some violence. 2005. RC 60763 ## Migration: Species Imperative, Book 2 RC 61083 by Julie E. Czerneda read by Mary Kane 3 cassettes The formerly peaceful Dhryn aliens have abandoned their home world and set off across space, annihilating every life-form in their path. Fearing the worst, the Interspecies Union summons Pacific Coast salmon research biologist Mackenzie "Mac" Connor to help find a way to stop them. Sequel to Survival (RC 60864). 2005. RC 61083 ## Playing with Boys RC 61100 by Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez read by Laura Giannarelli 3 cassettes Los Angeles. Spanish-language TV star Marcella Bosch dreams of being a big-screen actress, while stay-at-home mom Olivia Flores aspires to be a screenwriter and would-be film producer Alexis Lopez hopes to start a company. Together the thirtyish women forge friendship and Hollywood success. Some descriptions of sex and some strong language. 2004. RC 61100 ## A Fine Passion: A Bastion Club Novel, Book 4 RC 61108 by Stephanie Laurens read by Vanessa Maroney 3 cassettes Baron Jack Warnefleet flees London to avoid marriage to a scheming female. Arriving at his estate he rescues neighbor Lady Clarice Altwood from an unmanageable horse. When Clarice's cousin is accused of espionage, Jack and Clarice work to find the real culprit. Descriptions of sex and some strong language. 2005. RC 61108 ## A Kingsbury Collection: Where Yesterday Lives, When Joy Came to Stay, On Every Side RC 61115 by Karen Kingsbury read by Michele Schaeffer 6 cassettes Three novels in which people recover their faith. In Where Yesterday Lives, reporter Ellen Barrett returns to Michigan for her father's funeral and confronts her past. Jordan Riley, in On Every Side, loses his anger after finding love. In When Joy Came to Stay, Maggie Stovall faces the truth. 1998. RC 61115 ## Immoral RC 61116 by Brian Freeman read by Michael Scherer 3 cassettes Jonathan Stride of the Duluth, Minnesota, police department and his partner Maggie Bei investigate the disappearance of two teenaged girls. The main suspect is murdered during the subsequent trial, but years later further evidence surfaces in Las Vegas. Explicit descriptions of sex, strong language, and some violence. 2005. RC 61116 ## Oh, Play That Thing: The Last Roundup, Book 2 RC 61130 by Roddy Doyle read by Jim Zeiger 3 cassettes Henry Smart, from A Star Called Henry (RC 49579), lands in New York City in 1924 after leaving Ireland, his revolutionary friends, and his family. When mobsters run Henry out of town, he resettles in Chicago, becoming the frontman for Louis Armstrong. Explicit descriptions of sex and strong language. 2004. RC 61130 ## The Covenant RC 61142 by Naomi Ragen read by Gabriella Cavallero 2 cassettes Four teenagers in a Nazi concentration camp—Esther, Maria, Leah, and Ariana—vow to always be there for one another. Decades later when Leah's granddaughter calls from Israel with the news that her husband and daughter have been kidnapped by Hamas, the women put their considerable influence to work. Some violence. 2004. RC 61142 ## Fear the Night RC 61150 by John Lutz read by Scott Brick 3 cassettes A serial killer nicknamed the Night Sniper terrorizes New York City and taunts the police. The madman wants retired detective Vincent Repetto to catch him, so he murders Repetto's friend in order to force his hand. Descriptions of sex, violence, and strong language. 2005. RC 61150 ## A Brief Lunacy RC 61152 by Cynthia Thayer read by various narrators 2 cassettes Maine retirees Carl and Jessie Jensen worry when their institutionalized daughter Sylvie runs away. Meanwhile the lost camper the Jensens allowed into their home is Sylvie's schizophrenic boyfriend Jonah, who becomes increasingly agitated and takes the couple hostage. Under stress, Carl reveals his traumatic wartime experiences. Descriptions of sex, violence, and strong language. 2005. RC 61152 ## Larry Bond's First Team: Angels of Wrath RC 61153 by Larry Bond and Jim Defilice read by Scott Brick 3 cassettes CIA agent Bob Ferguson leads a new team operating outside conventional restrictions to uncover instigators of an Armageddon scenario in Jerusalem. Soon the team is tracking links to the Iraqi resistance, a Syrian arms dealer, fanatical terrorists, and Israel's Mossad. Some violence and some strong language. 2005. RC 61153 ## The Red Hat Society's Acting Their Age RC 61155 by Regina Hale Sutherland read by Staci Snell 2 cassettes Members of the Red Hat Society, a nationwide organization of middle-aged women, extol their age and experience and find love and happiness. Descriptions of sex, strong language, and some violence. 2005. RC 61155 ## Anansi Boys RC 61156 by Neil Gaiman read by Christopher Walker 2 cassettes Fat Charlie considers his father's behavior so embarrassing that even the way he dies in a karaoke bar seems undignified. Then the arrival of a previously unknown brother named Spider, who is so much like their father, turns Charlie's life upside down. Some strong language. Bestseller. 2005. RC 61156 ## Sweetwater Creek RC 61159 by Anne Rivers Siddons read by Kimberly Schraf 3 cassettes Twelve-year-old Emily Parmenter lives on a plantation where her father raises hunting spaniels and her only friends are her dog and the wise black housekeeper. When troubled debutante Lulu Foxworth moves in to recuperate, Emily grows up too fast. Some descriptions of sex and some strong language. Bestseller. 2005. RC 61159 ## Goodnight Nobody RC 61160 by Jennifer Weiner read by Victoria Gordon 2 cassettes Kate Klein, former Manhattan journalist and the mother of three preschool children, is bored with her stale suburban marriage. When Kate discovers the body of neighbor Kitty Cavanaugh, she decides to get some excitement into her life and find the killer. Strong language and some violence. Bestseller. 2005. RC 61160 ## A Test of Faith RC 61170 by Maxine Billings read by Colleen Delany 2 cassettes After unexpectedly losing her husband, Clayton, thirty- five-year-old African American Andrea Hamilton faces yet more challenges. She must raise her five-year-old daughter alone—and she discovers she is pregnant. As her twin sister, Leah, prepares to marry Clayton's brother, Andrea turns to family and faith in her journey through grief. 2005. RC 61170 ## Savage Wilderness RC 61171 by Harold Coyle read by Ted Stoddard 4 cassettes French and Indian War, 1754–1760. British forces and American colonial militias battle the French and their Indian allies for control of frontier territory from Canada to Virginia. Embroiled in the conflict are soldiers, officers, natives, and colonists in- cluding exiled Scottish rebel Ian McPherson, who joins the Virginia Regiment. Violence. 1997. RC 61171 ## Witch Hunt RC 61174 by Ian Rankin read by Annie Wauters 3 cassettes Retired British secret service agent Dominic Elder is called into service after an international female assassin known as "Witch" appears in England. Elder joins Michael Barclay in tracking the woman to a gypsy encampment, where they learn of a possible personal vendetta. Some violence and some strong language. 1993. RC 61174 ## Star Quality RC 61183 by Lori Foster, read by Michele Schaeffer 2 cassettes Three short stories about lovers affected by the light of the moon. In "Once in a Blue Moon," Stan acquires the ability to read minds, including Jenna's naughty one. In "Moonstruck," divorcée Julia's bad luck is about to change. Descriptions of sex and some strong language. 2005. RC 61183 ## Honeymoon Suite RC 61186 by Lynn Michaels read by Colleen Delany 3 cassettes Kansas City. When their family's fortune is stolen, sisters Dory and Jill Lambert vow to save their reputations and estate. Then Chase McKay, chauffeur's-son-turned- millionaire, returns to town and complicates matters. Chase was Dory's childhood crush, but he lusts after Jill. Some explicit descriptions of sex and some strong language. 2005. RC 61186 ## From the Heart RC 61188 by Nora Roberts read by Michele Schaeffer 3 cassettes Three romances written in the 1980s. In Tonight and Always, an anthropologist and the writer for whom she is doing research fall in love. A Matter of Choice involves an antiques dealer, a New York cop, and international smuggling. Explicit descriptions of sex and some strong language. 1983. RC 61188 ## Heart and Soul RC 61189 by Eva Rutland read by Margaret Strom 2 cassettes Randall Enterprises takes over Jill Ferrell's San Francisco advertising company. Scott Randall has a personal interest in the deal—and in Jill. Jill's friend Kris Gilroy, a young African American woman, finds love of her own with Tom Harris, a white man, but fears her family's disapproval. Some strong language. 2005. RC 61189 ## How to Marry a Marquis RC 61190 by Julia Quinn read by Corrie James 2 cassettes While working as a companion to Lady Danbury, Elizabeth finds and reads the book How to Marry a Marquis. Since she needs to support her siblings, Elizabeth proceeds to intrigue and charm Lady Danbury's estate manager, unaware that he is really a marquis. Some explicit descriptions of sex. 1999. RC 61190 ## Match Me if You Can RC 61191 by Susan Elizabeth Phillips read by Faith Potts 3 cassettes After ditzy Annabelle Granger inherits her grandmother's matchmaking business, she convinces sports agent Heath Champion to become her client. Although already working with Portia Powers's agency, Heath agrees he needs additional help in finding a trophy wife. Soon sparks fly. Strong language and some descriptions of sex. 2005. RC 61191 ## Kingdom of the Golden Dragon RC 61217 by Isabel Allende read by Gabriella Cavallero 2 cassettes On their latest International Geographic expedition to the remote Himalayas, Alexander and Nadia team up again to locate a sacred statue of a golden dragon before it is stolen by a greedy outsider. Sequel to City of the Beasts (RC 56606). For senior high and older readers. 2004. RC 61217 ## My Sunshine: The Coulter Family, Book 6 RC 61219 by Catherine Anderson read by Martha Harmon Pardee 2 cassettes Isaiah Coulter's mother is matchmaking for him again, this time with a neighbor whose granddaughter works as a kennel keeper. They hope the couple's mutual love of animals will spark a romance. Sequel to Bright Eyes (RC 59542). Some explicit descriptions of sex and some strong language. 2005. RC 61219 ## The Black Prince RC 61229 by Iris Murdoch read by John Horton 3 cassettes (Reissue) Long divorced and now retired, Bradley Pearson prepares to move to an English seaside cottage to write. But a crisis in the marriage of close friends, Pearson's sudden passion for their daughter, and his own obtuseness lead to an accusation of murder. Some descriptions of sex, some violence, and some strong language. 1973. RC 61229 ## The Twelfth Card: A Lincoln Rhyme Novel RC 61232 by Jeffery Deaver read by Jim Zeiger 3 cassettes After African American teenager Geneva Settle is attacked at a Manhattan library while conducting genealogical research, quadriplegic detective Lincoln Rhyme and his assistant Amelia Sachs investigate. When Geneva continues to be stalked, the evidence ultimately leads to a post- Civil War family secret. Violence and strong language. 2005. RC 61232 ## Wanderer of the Wasteland RC 61240 by Zane Grey read by Richard Davidson 3 cassettes Late 1870s. Adam Larey has reluctantly come west with his brother Guerd. Then a fight between them over a woman turns deadly. Adam flees and for fourteen years wanders through Death Valley until he comes to the realization that he must pay for his crime. 1923. RC 61240 ## Banewreaker: The Sundering, Volume 1 RC 61251 by Jacqueline Carey read by Ray Childs 4 cassettes Seven Shapers fight a war that sunders the world they created. Exiled Shaper Satoris, called Banewreaker, learns of a prophecy that his destruction will heal the land. To thwart a powerful alliance, Satoris sends Tanaros Blacksword to kidnap Cerelinde, Lady of Ellylon, on her wedding day. Some violence. 2004. RC 61251 ## An Obituary for Major Reno RC 61252 by Richard S. Wheeler read by Ray Childs 2 cassettes 1889. Dying of cancer, Marcus Reno—the man held responsible for Custer's 1876 defeat at the Little Bighorn—grants an interview to New York Herald correspondent Joseph Richler in hopes of restoring his honor. Reno's story of treachery, scape-goating, and lost love unfolds alongside his own version of the infamous battle. 2004. RC 61252 ## Islands RC 61254 by Dan Sleigh read by Dan Bloom 6 cassettes A story of the Dutch colony at South Africa's Cape of Good Hope in the late 1600s and early 1700s. Follows the life of Pieternella, a beautiful mixed-heritage woman, and seven men inexorably linked to her life. Translated from the Afrikaans by André Brink. Violence and some strong language. 2002. RC 61254 ## Breaking Point RC 61257 by Suzanne Brockmann read by Geoffrey Centlivre 3 cassettes When FBI agent Max Bhagat learns his ex-lover Gina Vitagliano has been killed in a terrorist bombing, he heads to Germany to identify the body—but it isn't Gina. Gina has been kidnapped, and only wanted expatriate Grady Morant can help. Explicit descriptions of sex, strong language, and some violence. 2005. RC 61257 ## The Love Affair of an English Lord: Boscastle Trilogy, Book 2 RC 61258 by Jillian Hunter read by Martha Harmon Pardee 2 cassettes Chloe Boscastle has been banished to the countryside by her brother Grayson. Her exile turns into adventure when she discovers the supposedly dead Dominic Breckland, the Viscount Stratfield, in her closet. While attempting to find his enemy, they create a little scandal of their own. Explicit descriptions of sex. 2005. RC 61258 ## What's French for "EW"? Emily Williams, Book 3 RC 61264 by Katie Maxwell read by Lindsay Ellison 1 cassette Emily is off to Paris for two weeks to study French and celebrate her seventeenth birthday. And thanks to a mishap before leaving England, Emily must take a school project along. For senior high readers. 2004. RC 61264 ## Estate of Mind: A Den of Antiquity Mystery RC 61265 by Tamar Myers read by Kristin Allison 2 cassettes To please her mother, North Carolina antiques dealer Abigail Timberlake buys an ugly reproduction at a church auction. Underneath the painting she discovers a hidden masterpiece worth millions. Soon Abigail becomes the target of thieves and murderers. Some strong language. 1999. RC 61265 ## The Best-Kept Secret RC 61266 by Kimberla Lawson Roby read by Gail Nelson 2 cassettes The Reverend Curtis Black is starting over again, with a new church and his third wife. He is determined to follow the straight and narrow. This time it is his wife who begins to stray. Sequel to Too Much of a Good Thing(RC 60253). Some descriptions of sex. 2005. RC 61266 ## The Destruction of the Books RC 61270 by Mel Odom read by Anne Flosnik 3 cassettes Librarian Juhg retrieves a wizard's book from a goblin ship and brings it to Grandmagister Edgewick Lamplighter to unravel its secrets, but the book is a trap that could destroy the Great Library. Sequel to The Rover (RC 56430). For junior and senior high readers. 2004. RC 61270 ## Lord of the Libraries RC 61271 by Mel Odom read by Anne Flosnik 3 cassettes The Vault of All Known Knowledge has been destroyed and its caretaker, Grandmagister Edgewick Lamplighter, abducted. Librarian Juhg sets out to rescue his mentor and find the legendary lost Book of Time. Sequel to The Destruction of the Books (RC 61270). For junior and senior high and older readers. 2005. RC 61271 ## The Duke's Ballad: Witch World RC 61275 by Andre Norton and Lyn McConchie read by Mary Kane 2 cassettes Three years after fleeing her evil older brother Kirion, sorcerer to the duke of Kars, witch Aisling returns to her homeland with her younger brother Keelan and feline companion Wind Dancer. Aisling infiltrates court, determined to destroy Kirion and restore peace and prosperity. Sequel to Ciara's Song (RC 51316). 2005. RC 61275 ## Links RC 61281 by Nuruddin Farah read by Mark Ashby 2 cassettes New York professor Jeebleh returns to his native Somalia after two decades to settle his late mother's accounts and pacify her spirit. He discovers a war-torn Mogadiscio run by warlords. To help a friend free his captured niece, Jeebleh struggles with corruption and his own conscience. 2003. RC 61281 ## The Scourge of God RC 61286 by William Dietrich read by Gregory Gorton 3 cassettes Roman Empire, A.D. 449. Attila the Hun is on the verge of attacking Rome and taking Emperor Valentinian III's sister Honoria as his wife. Jonas, a scribe from Constantinople, joins the Roman diplomatic mission to seek peace but instead becomes a hostage. Violence and some strong language. 2005. RC 61286 ## Tyrannosaur Canyon RC 61287 by Douglas Preston read by Ted Stoddard 3 cassettes New Mexico. A prospector who is dying of gunshot wounds gives Tom Broadbent, from The Codex (RC 59287), a notebook revealing the location of a Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton. When the killer kidnaps Tom's wife, Tom discovers information about some missing moon rocks. Some violence and some strong language. 2005. RC 61287 ## Touching Darkness: Midnighters, Volume 2 RC 61290 by Scott Westerfeld read by Mary Kane 2 cassettes As they continue to battle evil creatures living in an hour hidden at midnight, Jessica and her new friends learn about the shadowy past of Bixby, Oklahoma, and uncover a deadly conspiracy that reaches beyond the secret hour. For junior and senior high readers. 2004. RC 61290 ## Shaman's Crossing: The Soldier Son Trilogy, Book 1 RC 61300 by Robin Hobb read by Robert Sams 5 cassettes As a second son of a new noble, Nevare Burvelle is destined to be a soldier. He learns the ways and magic of the Plainspeople before entering the King's Cavalla Academy, an elite military school, where he encounters injustice, discrimination, and foul play. Some violence and some strong language. 2005. RC 61300 ## The Secret on Ararat: Babylon Rising, Book 2 RC 61301 by Tim LaHaye and Bob Phillips read by Michael Scherer 2 cassettes Following Babylon Rising (RC 57737), archaeologist and biblical scholar Michael Murphy ascends Mount Ararat to continue his quest for Noah's ark. Michael's archenemy Methuselah throws obstacles in his path. Flashbacks highlight the ordeal of Noah and his family. Some violence. 2004. RC 61301 ## The Hummingbird's Daughter RC 61312 by Luis Alberto Urrea read by Annie Wauters 3 cassettes Teresita Urrea, illegitimate daughter of a Mexican landowner, learns healing from a medicine woman. After a near-death experience, her powers grow. She preaches self- reliance and is proclaimed a saint by the faithful, who begin an uprising. Based on the life of Saint Teresa de Cabora. Violence and strong language. 2005. RC 61312 ## Prior Bad Acts RC 61320 by Tami Hoag read by Holter Graham 2 cassettes Minneapolis detectives Sam Kovac and Nikki Liska, from Dust to Dust (RC 50847), unwillingly serve as guards to the unpopular judge Carey Moore. When Moore is kidnapped, the two work feverishly to correct their mistake. Violence, strong language and some explicit descriptions of sex. 2006. RC 61320 ## Speak of the Devil RC 61321 by Richard Hawke read by Paul Michael 2 cassettes Fritz Malone, a disgraced cop and son of a former police commissioner, witnesses a killer gun down seven people during the annual New York Thanksgiving Day parade. Malone is mistakenly nabbed but subsequently hired to find the shooter, who has also kidnapped the deputy mayor. Violence, strong language, and some descriptions of sex. 2005. RC 61321 ## Leonardo's Swans RC 61323 by Karen Essex read by Kathe Mazur 3 cassettes In fifteenth-century Italy, Isabella d'Este marries a minor aristocrat while her younger sister Beatrice weds the manipulative future duke of Milan. Isabella encourages the duke's advances in order to become a model for his resident artist, Leonardo da Vinci. 2005. RC 61323 ## The Templar Legacy RC 61331 by Steve Berry read by Paul Michael 3 cassettes Cotton Malone, retired top operative of the U.S. Justice Department, comes to the aid of his former supervisor Stephanie Nelle, who is pursuing the legendary treasure of the Knights Templar. Violence, strong language, and some descriptions of sex. 2006. RC 61331 ## Whale Season RC 61333 by N.M. Kelby read by Marc Cashman 2 cassettes Dr. Ricardo Garcia arrives in Whale Harbor, Florida, on Christmas Eve believing he's Jesus and looking for a card game. The locals, including sheriff Trot Jeeter, his friend and rival Leon, and Carlotta, their mutual love interest, react in different ways. Meanwhile someone is murdering senior citizens. 2006. RC 61333 ## In the Company of the Courtesan RC 61334 by Sarah Dunant read by Stephen Hoye 3 cassettes Renaissance Italy. After Rome is attacked and burned in 1527, courtesan Fiammetta escapes to Venice with her servant Bucino, a dwarf, and a few jewels. Fiammetta recovers with the help of a blind healer called La Draga and resumes her profession amidst treachery. Descriptions of sex, violence and strong language. 2005. RC 61334 ## Gone RC 61335 by Lisa Gardner read by Anna Fields 2 cassettes Private investigator Pierce Quincy's partner—who is also his lover—is missing, as is the child whose case she's been working on. Then her car is found with blood stains. 2006. RC 61335 ## The Good Life RC 61337 by Jay McInerney read by Robertson Dean 3 cassettes Luke McGavock is tired of a hectic life concentrated on making money. Corrine Calloway yearns for an existence outside of mothering twins. On September 11, 2001, both of their spouses die in the attack on the Twin Towers. Explicit descriptions of sex, violence, and strong language. 2006. RC 61337 ## Sea Change: A Jesse Stone Mystery RC 61343 by Robert B. Parker read by Scott Sowers 2 cassettes Paradise, Massachusetts, police chief Jesse Stone investigates the unmourned death of a Florida heiress. Ft. Lauderdale cop Kelly Cruz helps Stone uncover the depraved world of the rich while Stone deals with sobriety and his ex-wife. Descriptions of sex, strong language, and some violence. 2005. RC 61343 ## The Minotaur RC 61345 by Barbara Vine read by Rosalyn Landor 3 cassettes Nurse Kerstin Kvist takes a job caring for a thirty-nine- year-old man with schizophrenia who lives with his widowed mother and three unmarried sisters in a large old manor in the Essex countryside. As family secrets are revealed, Kerstin begins to doubt the man's diagnosis. Descriptions of sex and strong language. 2005. RC 61345 ## The Divide RC 61349 by Nicholas Evans read by David Hartley Margolin 3 cassettes Abbie Cooper, FBI wanted eco-terrorist, is found frozen in Montana. Her parents examine whether their unexpected divorce played a role in Abbie's attraction to the radical Rolf, in her death, and in their son Josh's drug addiction. Strong language, some explicit descriptions of sex, and some violence. Bestseller. 2005. RC 61349 ## I'll Watch the Moon RC 61357 by Ann Tatlock read by Jill Ferris 3 cassettes St. Paul, Minnesota; 1948. When nine-year-old Nova Tierney's older brother Dewey contracts polio, she is quarantined for the summer. Nova and her mother befriend a concentration camp survivor, a tenant at their family boarding house, who helps restore the mother's faith in God. For senior high and older readers. 2003. RC 61357 ## A Changed Man RC 61361 by Francine Prose read by David Hartley-Margolin 3 cassettes Neo-Nazi Vincent Nolan walks into the World Brotherhood Watch headquarters intending to help them work for human rights. Meyer Maslow, the foundation's head and a Holocaust survivor, is skeptical of Vincent's sincerity. As Vincent transforms his life, he also changes those around him. Some strong language. 2005. RC 61361 ## Ramage's Devil: The Lord Ramage Novels, Book 13 RC 61363 by Dudley Pope read by Erik Sandvold 3 cassettes The outbreak of war interrupts Captain Ramage's honeymoon in France. The newlyweds elude capture, but their royalist host is arrested and deported to Devil's Island. Dispatched aboard Calypso, Ramage plots a daring rescue. Sequel to Ramage and the Renegades (RC 61350). Some descriptions of sex and some violence. 1982. RC 61363 ## Across the Wall: A Tale of the Abhorsen and Other Stories RC 61367 by Garth Nix read by Martha Harmon Pardee 2 cassettes A collection of fantasy short stories, including two different takes on the Merlin myth. Also contains a novella that is set in the Old Kingdom and Ancelstierre—the world of the trilogy Sabriel (RC 44682), Lirael (RC 52678), and Abhorsen (RC 55530). Some descriptions of sex. For junior and senior high readers. 2005. RC 61367 ## In the Bleak Midwinter: A Reverend Clare Fergusson Mystery RC 61372 by Julia Spencer-Fleming read by Martha Harmon Pardee 2 cassettes Clare Fergusson, an ex-military pilot and the newly appointed Episcopal priest at St. Alban's Church in an upstate New York village, discovers an abandoned infant on the church steps. After the baby's mother is found murdered, Clare joins police chief Russ Van Alstyne in investigating the case. Strong language. 2002. RC 61372 ## Adored RC 61375 by Tilly Bagshawe read by Martha Harmon Pardee 4 cassettes Siena McMahon's father exiles her to England after her legendary movie star grandfather dies. She is nevertheless determined to restore fame and fortune by returning to Hollywood as a model. But family strife and bad choices jeopardize Siena's plans. Descriptions of sex and strong language. 2005. RC 61375 ## Ramage's Trial: The Lord Ramage Novels, Book 14 RC 61379 by Dudley Pope read by Erik Sandvold 3 cassettes Captain Ramage receives dire news from home: his new wife, Sarah, is missing and presumed captured by the French. A sequence of bizarre events leads Ramage, en route to England, to face a full court martial presided over by his nemesis, Rear-Admiral Goddard. Sequel to Ramage's Devil (RC 61363). Some violence. 1984. RC 61379 ## Tales of the Grand Tour RC 61399 by Ben Bova read by J.P. Linton 3 cassettes Twelve short stories about expanding humanity's habitat through space exploration on Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn and in the asteroid belt. In "Sam and the Flying Dutchman," fickle freight transporter Sam Gunn fails to marry his sweetheart. In "Red Sky at Morning," Mars mission trainee Jamie Waterman encounters Dex Trumball. 2004. RC 61399 ## Smouldering Fire RC 61401 by D.E. Stevenson read by Terry Donnelly 2 cassettes (Reissue) Iain MacAslan rents his Scottish Highland estate to a wealthy Londoner, who brings up a large house party. Among the guests are divorcée Linda Medworth and her young son, Richard. Iain and Linda's burgeoning relationship is interrupted when Linda's abusive ex-husband arrives and threatens to take Richard away. 1938. RC 61401 ## London Refrain: Zion Covenant, Volume 7 RC 61404 by Bodie Thoene and Brock Thoene read by Suzanne Toren 2 cassettes Warsaw, 1939. Eva Weitzman is desperately trying to enter and hide in the British Embassy before Hitler's army reaches the city. Miraculously, a young Jewish woman gives Eva her British passport. But this show of kindness may not save Eva. Sequel to Warsaw Requiem (RC 34906). 1994. RC 61404 ## Peach Cobbler Murder: A Hannah Swensen Mystery RC 61409 by Joanne Fluke read by Kristin Allison 2 cassettes Lake Eden, Minnesota. Hannah Swensen's Cookie Jar has always had a monopoly on the bakery business in town—until southerners Shawna Lee and Vanessa open the Magnolia Blossom Bakery across the street. Then Shawna Lee is discovered dead, and Hannah becomes the prime suspect. Includes recipes. 2005. RC 61409 ## Shroud RC 61410 by John Banville read by Lewis Grenville 2 cassettes Widowed California professor Axel Vander, paralyzed in one leg and blind in one eye, is a survivor of war-torn Europe. He is also a fraud. When a strange woman threatens to expose him, he returns to Europe to confront her—and his hidden truths. Some explicit descriptions of sex and some violence. 2002. RC 61410 ## Nightmare at 20,000 Feet: Horror Stories RC 61412 by Richard Matheson read by Jonathan Davis 3 cassettes Twenty tales of terror originally published in the 1950s and 1960s. In the title piece, an air traveller who is afraid of flying and on the verge of a breakdown tries to show a stewardess the hideous, not-quite-human man he spies on the airplane's wing. Some strong language. 2002. RC 61412 ## The Alpine Pursuit: An Emma Lord Mystery RC 61413 by Mary Daheim read by Barbara Caruso 2 cassettes Washington state. Newspaper editor Emma Lord covers the community college theater performance for the Alpine Advocate. On opening night, a fake shooting scene turns deadly when real bullets are fired and the dean of students is killed. Emma and her part-time lover, sheriff Milo Dodge, investigate. Some strong language. 2004. RC 61413 ## Body Double RC 61421 by Tess Gerritsen read by Gabra Zackman 2 cassettes Boston medical examiner Maura Isles discovers that the dead woman in her driveway is her identical twin. Detective Jane Rizzoli, who is expecting a child, assists officer Rick Ballard and Maura in the investigation, which leads them to a serial killer who targets pregnant women. Violence and strong language. 2004. RC 61421 ## Code Name: Nanny RC 61434 by Christina Skye read by Barbara Caruso 3 cassettes FBI agent Summer Mulcahey poses as a nanny to guard San Francisco assistant district attorney Cara O'Connor and her daughters. Cara, Senator Tate Winslow's fiancée, has received death threats. Unbeknownst to Summer, navy SEAL Gabe Morgan is also undercover. Some explicit descriptions of sex and some strong language. 2004. RC 61434 ## Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Operation Barracuda; a Splinter Cell Adventure RC 61436 by David Michaels read by Ray Childs 2 cassettes Physicist Gregory Jeinsen disappears just as his company develops an unmanned undersea vehicle capable of carrying nuclear weapons. When Gregory is found murdered in Hong Kong, the National Security Agency's Third Echelon sends in top secret operative Sam Fisher. Strong language, some descriptions of sex, and some violence. Bestseller. 2005. RC 61436 ## Godslayer: The Sundering, Volume 2 RC 61438 by Jacqueline Carey read by Ray Childs 3 cassettes Exiled god Satoris, whose dispute with his siblings caused Urulat's sundering, attempts to thwart his prophesied destruction. As the races unite against him, Satoris holds Lady Cerelinde captive in his fortress, where hangsthe dagger Godslayer that alone can end his life. Sequel to Banewreaker (RC 61251). Some violence. 2005. RC 61438 ## My Surrender: The Rose Hunters, Book 3 RC 61440 by Connie Brockway read by Anne Hancock 2 cassettes Bored with her position as a companion, Charlotte Nash welcomes the opportunity to become a go-between for spies transporting information between England and France—even if it ruins her reputation. But can she risk trusting the love of one spy? Sequel to My Pleasure (RC 60021). Explicit descriptions of sex. 2005. RC 61440 ## Julia's Hope RC 61447 by Leisha Kelly read by Anne Hancock 2 cassettes The 1929 market crash left Samuel Wortham, his wife, Julia, and their two children with absolutely nothing. Forced to leave their home in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and take shelter in an abandoned farmhouse in Illinois, they are blessed by the mercy of owner Emma Graham, who offers new hope. 2002. RC 61447 ## Summer Boys RC 61448 by Hailey Abbott read by Anne Hancock 1 cassette Three teenage cousins reunite at their families' summer cottages at the beach. But problems arise when Jamie is rejected by last year's boyfriend, Ella falls for her sister's guy, and Beth sees her best buddy George in a new light. For senior high readers. 2004. RC 61448 ## Lifeguard RC 61488 by James Patterson and Andrew Gross read by Billy Campbell 2 cassettes Palm Beach, Florida, lifeguard Ned Kelly takes part in a mansion art heist to get rich quick. After Ned's friends and lover are killed, he flees to Boston. FBI agent Ellie Shurtleff tracks Ned down but believes that he is innocent. Explicit descriptions of sex, violence, and strong language. Bestseller. 2005. RC 61488 ## A Wedding in December RC 61489 by Anita Shreve read by Linda Emond 2 cassettes Widowed Berkshires innkeeper Nora hosts six of her longtime school friends for a wedding. Forty-three-year-old cancer- striken Bridget, a single mother, is marrying a former lover after a chance encounter reunites them. Old secrets and hurts are divulged and forgiven. Strong language. Bestseller. 2005. RC 61489 ## Mary, Mary: An Alex Cross Mystery RC 61490 by James Patterson read by Peter Jay Fernandez 2 cassettes FBI agent Alex Cross, vacationing with his family at Disneyland, assists the LAPD in solving a murder case.A serial killer who calls herself Mary Smith is targeting Hollywood stars and taunting the newspaper by describing the details of their deaths. Violence and strong language. Bestseller. 2005. RC 61490 ## Saving Fish from Drowning RC 61495 by Amy Tan read by Martha Harmon Pardee 3 cassettes Chinese American art expert Bibi Chen organizes a trip to Burma for her friends. Although Bibi dies beforehand, the group continues with its plans. Bibi watches from the spirit world as the tourists are kidnapped by a native tribe that claims one of them as their savior. Bestseller. 2005. RC 61495 ## In a Wild Wood: Wild Series, Book 2 RC 61499 by Sasha Lord read by Kristin Allison 2 cassettes Matalia McTaver, daughter of Ronin and Kalial, is an independent woman determined to experience the pleasures of the flesh. After a chance encounter, she marries Brogan O'Bannon, who intends to claim the Kirkcaldy fortune. Only his twin brother stands in the way. Explicit descriptions of sex and some violence. 2004. RC 61499 ## Forest of the Pygmies RC 61502 by Isabel Allende read by Gabriella Cavallero 2 cassettes Alexander and his grandmother Kate Cold go on an elephant- led safari in Africa with Nadia Santos and an International Geographic team. A rescue mission in the Pygmies' territory reveals slavery and poaching. Sequel to Kingdom of the Golden Dragon (RC 61217). For junior and senior high readers. 2005. RC 61502 ## Raven's Gate: The Gatekeepers, Book 1 RC 61504 by Anthony Horowitz read by Erik Sandvold 2 cassettes To avoid jail, fourteen-year-old Matt enters a foster program in a remote Yorkshire village. Matt uncovers an evil plot involving witchcraft and finds his destiny inextricably intertwined with the site of an ancient stone circle, Raven's Gate. Some violence. For junior and senior high readers. 2005. RC 61504 ## Marriage Bait RC 61510 by Eva Rutland read by Jill Ferris 1 cassette Insurance firm vice president in charge of operations Scot Harding wants to replace his administrative assistant and offers the job to secretary Lisa Wilson. Initially Lisa refuses, concerned the new position would detract from her quest for a husband. When Lisa finally accepts, Scot can't resist her lure. 1997. RC 61510 ## Birds of a Feather RC 61520 by Victor Canning read by Jim Zeiger 2 cassettes (Reissue) Sir Anthony Swale, wealthy master of a grand seaside estate and collector of rare masterpieces, is also a spy for the Soviets. While Swale is preoccupied with capturing wild falcons, aging British agents Sir John Warboys and Sir Richard Quint enlist veteran gunman Alfie Grey to exterminate Swale. Some descriptions of sex. 1985. RC 61520 ## The Siren Queen: An Ursula Blanchard Mystery RC 61524 by Fiona Buckley read by Kristin Allison 2 cassettes England, 1569. While visiting the Duke of Norfolk to interview potential husbands for her young daughter Meg, Ursula Blanchard uncovers suspicious correspondence between the duke and Mary Stuart of Scotland. Then two murders occur. 2004. RC 61524 ## Do They Wear High Heels in Heaven? RC 61525 by Erica Orloff read by Martha Harmon Pardee 1 cassette Lily Waters, a forty-year-old, divorced New York newspaper columnist is diagnosed with stage-four breast cancer. Contemplating death, Lily arranges for her gay friend Michael to adopt her two teenage children. She also helps Michael find a loving partner. Strong language, some explicit descriptions of sex, and some violence. 2005. RC 61525 ## Maggie by the Book: A Maggie Kelly Mystery RC 61535 by Kasey Michaels read by Kristin Allison 2 cassettes Manhattan author Maggie Kelly attends an annual romance writers' convention with viscount Alexandre Blake, a Regency-era sleuth who came to life in Maggie Needs an Alibi (RC 56795). A killer strikes while police lieutenant Steve Wendell distracts Maggie, forcing Alex to investigate. Some strong language. 2003. RC 61535 ## Marriage Most Scandalous RC 61539 by Johanna Lindsey read by Gabriella Cavallero 2 cassettes Sebastian Townshend, disowned by his family, left England after he unintentionally killed his best friend in a duel. When childhood neighbor Margaret Landor discovers that Sebastian is working as a mercenary in France, she begs him to return to England to save his father's life. Some descriptions of sex. 2005. RC 61539 ## It Sleeps in Me RC 61541 by Kathleen O'Neal Gear read by Gabriella Cavallero 2 cassettes Sora, high chieftess of the Black Falcon Nation, learns from war chief Skinner that her ex-husband, Flint, is dead and that his shadow-soul lives within Skinner. Meanwhile a rival clan requests warriors to defend a jade quarry, but Sora suspects a conspiracy. Explicit descriptions of sex and some violence. 2005. RC 61541 ## Cape Perdido RC 61542 by Marcia Muller read by Martha Harmon Pardee 2 cassettes New York environmental consultant Jessie Domingo travels to a California lumber town where activist Joseph Openshaw fights to stop a greedy corporation from draining the Perdido River. The conflict escalates as arson, a sniper, and a woman's disappearance become linked to a decades-old murder. Strong language and some violence. 2005. RC 61542 ## The Heartbreaker RC 61557 by Carly Phillips read by Martha Harmon Pardee 2 cassettes Chase Chandler, from The Bachelor (RC 54933) and The Playboy (RC 58881), runs the family newspaper in Yorkshire Falls, New York, after his father's death. When Sloane Carlisle comes to town after uncovering a family secret, the two fall in love. Explicit descriptions of sex and some strong language. 2003. RC 61557 ## The Moth RC 61560 by Catherine Cookson read by Gabriella Cavallero 2 cassettes (Reissue) England, 1913. When a violent argument forces Robert Bradley to quit his uncle's carpentry business, he finds work at the estate of young Agnes Thorman. Agnes manages her family's crumbling finances and cares for her eccentric younger sister, Millie. Defying social conventions, Agnes and Robert fall in love. 1986. RC 61560 ## Red Lily: In the Garden, Book 3 RC 61562 by Nora Roberts read by Faith Potts 2 cassettes The ghost of Harper House is still causing problems for friends and coworkers Rosalind, Stella, and especially new mother Hayley. But Hayley, the latest target of the apparition's jealousy, finds herself falling in love. Sequel to Black Rose (RC 60606). Strong language and some explicit descriptions of sex. Bestseller. 2005. RC 61562 ## Holly RC 61564 by Jude Deveraux read by Michele Schaeffer 1 cassette Holly Latham, a restoration architect, has persuaded her parents to purchase a North Carolina plantation she once visited. She hopes to restore Belle Chere, a nearby estate, and marry its owner. But during the summer Holly finds herself drawn to the gardener. Some explicit descriptions of sex. Bestseller. 2003. RC 61564 ## Hangman's Curse: The Veritas Project, Book 1 RC 61565 by Frank Peretti read by Robert Sams 2 cassettes Star athletes at Baker High are rendered insane by an alleged curse of the school's ghosts. Sixteen-year-old twins Elijah and Elisha Springfield and their parents, undercover investigators with the secret Veritas Project, seek to learn the truth. They trust in God for help. For junior and senior high readers. 2001. RC 61565 ## The Sign of the Book: A Cliff Janeway Mystery RC 61567 by John Dunning read by Gregory Gorton 2 cassettes Denver book dealer Cliff Janeway goes to a small Colorado town to help his lover, attorney Erin D'Angelo, defend Erin's estranged friend Laura Marshall, who stands accused of killing her husband. Cliff discovers the victim's unusual book collection and suspects that Laura is hiding the truth. Strong language. 2005. RC 61567 ## Safe Haven: A Hideaway Novel, Book 2 RC 61569 by Hannah Alexander read by Michele Schaeffer 2 cassettes Teenager Fawn Morrison comes to Hideaway, Missouri, as a fugitive because someone killed her lover back in Branson. Karah Lee Fletcher, a doctor in Hideaway's new medical clinic, befriends Fawn. And paramedic Taylor Jackson finds his admiration for Karah turning into something deeper. 2004. RC 61569 ## Looking for Peyton Place RC 61610 by Barbara Delinsky read by Madelyn Buzzard 3 cassettes Thirty-three-year old novelist Annie Barnes returns to her hometown in New Hampshire after her mother mysteriously dies. The locals fear that Annie will denigrate their town, which was the basis for Peyton Place (RC 51035). Instead Annie discovers environmental pollution and falls in love. 2005. RC 61610 ## Death in a Strange Country: A Commissario Guido Brunetti Mystery RC 61683 by Donna Leon read by Peter Ganim 3 cassettes Venetian Commissario Guido Brunetti investigates the murder of Mike Foster, a nearby American military base's public health officer, found floating in toxic water. Later Foster's boss is also killed. Brunetti suspects an environmental cover-up that eventually extends beyond the U.S. military to the Italian government—and even to Brunetti's own father-in-law. 1993. RC 61683 ## Maigret's Rival: An Inspector Maigret Mystery RC 61684 by Georges Simenon read by Gordon Gould 1 cassette Inspector Maigret travels unofficially to a distant village to help a friend's brother-in-law, who is involved in a scandal. It seems Etienne Naud is accused of causing the death of his unmarried daughter's lover. Maigret also spots a former colleague on the train. 1944. RC 61684 ## Mortal Causes: A John Rebus Mystery RC 61688 by Ian Rankin read by Graeme Malcolm 2 cassettes Edinburgh. Inspector John Rebus investigates the case of a gangster's son found murdered in a medieval cellar, an apparent victim of a Northern Ireland-style punishment. Rebus heads to Belfast and uncovers possible connections to drugs, gun trafficking, the IRA, and loyalist paramilitary groups. Violence and strong language. 1994. RC 61688 ## Genevieve RC 61691 by Eric Jerome Dickey read by Bill Quinn 2 cassettes An unnamed African American medical research analyst and his wife, Genevieve Forbes, travel to Alabama for the funeral of Genevieve's grandmother. There the husband begins a torrid affair with Kenya, his wife's sister—or so he believes—that reveals shocking family truths. Explicit descriptions of sex and strong language. 2005. RC 61691 ## The Ranger and Other Stories RC 61692 by Zane Grey read by Richard Davidson 2 cassettes Four westerns. In "The Ranger," a man risks his life to rescue the woman he loves. In "Canyon Walls," a fugitive seeks sanctuary with Mormons. In "Avalanche," a beautiful woman comes between two brothers, and in "From Missouri," a schoolteacher travels west to meet her unknown correspondent. 1960. RC 61692 ## Double Sin and Other Stories: A Hercule Poirot Mystery RC 61693 by Agatha Christie read by Terry Donnelly 2 cassettes Eight eerie short mysteries featuring Hercule Poirot and Miss Jane Marple. In "The Dressmaker's Doll," a toy adopts some rather human—and sinister—traits. In "Sanctuary," a dying man's last word becomes a clue to a crime. Also includes "Wasps' Nest," "The Last Séance," "Greenshaw's Folly," the title piece, and others. 1925. RC 61693 ## Posse from Hell RC 61694 by Clair Huffaker read by Richard Davidson 1 cassette 1881. After causing death and destruction in the town of Paradise, a gang of four hardened criminals take a female hostage. Young marshal Banner Cole can organize a posse of only seven men, but he is determined to pursue the outlaws anyway. Violence and strong language. 1958. RC 61694 ## The Miracle RC 61715 by John L'Heureux read by Jonathan Davis 2 cassettes Early 1970s. Young, vibrant, liberal Father LeBlanc is well liked by his Boston parishioners but not by his superiors. Transferred to a small New Hampshire parish to assist an ailing priest, LeBlanc questions his faith after witnessing a miracle and committing mortal sin. Some descriptions of sex and some strong language. 2002. RC 61715 ## Strange Affair: An Inspector Alan Banks Mystery RC 61722 by Peter Robinson read by George Holmes 3 cassettes Detective Annie Cabbot investigates the case of a young woman found shot to death in a car. The crime scene yields a note bearing Inspector Alan Banks's name and address. Meanwhile an urgent message sends Alan to London to find his estranged brother. Some violence and some strong language. 2005. RC 61722 ## I Say a Little Prayer RC 61729 by E. Lynn Harris read by Mirron E. Willis 2 cassettes Former musician Chauncey Greer quit performing during his teenage years when his bisexuality was exposed. Now, almost forty, he returns to church and is inspired to revive his career. When a fundamentalist preacher plans to speak out against homosexuality, Chauncey takes a stand—and a special friend returns. Explicit descriptions of sex, strong language, and some violence. 2006. RC 61729 ## Killer Dreams RC 61730 by Iris Johansen read by Jennifer Van Dyck 2 cassettes Dream therapist Sophie Dunston and her ten-year-old son are being stalked by a killer who has already attacked her once. Former hit man Jock Gavin employs the unpredictable Matt Royd to protect Sophie and her boy, but the nightmare continues. Descriptions of sex, violence, and strong language. 2006. RC 61730 ## The Man of My Dreams RC 61731 by Curtis Sittenfeld read by Susan Denaker 2 cassettes Fourteen-year-old Hannah Gavener's controlling father ends his marriage, breaking up his family and sending his passive daughter to live with her aunt in Pittsburgh. Throughout high school and college Hannah searches for security and romance, undergoes therapy, and pursues a cousin's cast-off boyfriend. 2006. RC 61731 ## The Death of Achilles: An Erast Fandorin Mystery RC 61733 by Boris Akunin read by Paul Michael 3 cassettes Russia, 1882. Diplomat Erast Fandorin returns to Moscow after six years of travels and adventures abroad. When his friend General Michel "Achilles" Sobolev dies of an apparent heart attack, Erast begins an investigation that leads him to a singer named Wanda. Descriptions of sex, violence, and strong language. 1998. RC 61733 ## The Faithful Spy RC 61737 by Alex Berenson read by Robertson Dean 3 cassettes CIA agent John Wells, long undercover in Afghanistan and Pakistan, is suspected by his handlers of defecting to the other side. Furthermore, Wells began to believe in the tenets of Islam while he lived beside the jihadis. 2006. RC 61737 ## The Cat Who Dropped a Bombshell RC 61762 by Lilian Jackson Braun read by Jim Zeiger 1 cassette Journalist Jim Qwilleran helps plan a knock-out celebration of Pickax City's sesquicentennial. Meanwhile Nathan and Doris Ledfield, a wealthy couple, mysteriously die leaving their greedy nephew to inherit their estate. Siamese cats Koko and Yum Yum help to uncover the truth about the couple's demise. Bestseller. 2006. RC 61762 ## All Night Long RC 61763 by Jayne Ann Krentz read by Kristin Allison 2 cassettes An e-mail from old friend Pamela Webb summons reporter Irene Stenson to the California town where her parents died seventeen years ago in a murder-suicide. But she finds Pamela dead. Ex-marine Luke Danner helps Irene discover what happened to Pamela and to Irene's parents. Some explicit descriptions of sex. Bestseller. 2005. RC 61763 ## Memory in Death: An Eve Dallas Mystery RC 61764 by J.D. Robb read by Martha Harmon Pardee 2 cassettes Lieutenant Eve Dallas's abusive former foster mother, Trudy Lombard, shows up in Eve's office at Christmas-time 2059 and then tries to blackmail Eve's husband, Roarke. When Trudy is later murdered, Eve and Roarke set out to prove their innocence. Explicit descriptions of sex, violence, and strong language. 2006. RC 61764 ## Gilt by Association: A Den of Antiquity Mystery RC 61769 by Tamar Myers read by Kristin Allison 2 cassettes After her divorce, Abigail Timberlake opens an antiques store in Charlotte, North Carolina. When a French armoire arrives with a body in it, the shop becomes a crime scene. Abigail investigates on her own so that she can reopen the business as soon as possible. Some strong language. 1996. RC 61769 ## Across a Wild Sea: Wild Series, Book 3 RC 61770 by Sasha Lord read by Kristin Allison 2 cassettes Blind, beautiful, perceptive Alannah grew up on an isolated island among her beloved horses after she was left to drift out to sea as an infant. But when a storm casts ashore ruthless Scottish sea captain Xanthier O'Bannon, Alannah's entire world changes. Explicit descriptions of sex and some violence. 2005. RC 61770 ## Dreamland Lake RC 61790 by Richard Peck read by Erik Sandvold 1 cassette (Reissue) Teenagers Flip and Brian, best friends, find a dead body while exploring the abandoned Dreamland Lake amusement park. The police believe the corpse was a vagrant who died of natural causes, but the boys suspect otherwise and investigate, changing their lives forever. For junior and senior high readers. 1973. RC 61790 ## Bag Limit: A Posadas County Mystery RC 61792 by Steven F. Havill read by Jim Zeiger 3 cassettes Three days before New Mexico sheriff Bill Gastner's retirement date, a carload of teenagers hits his police vehicle. The nineteen-year-old drunk driver, Matt Baca, tries to escape custody and is accidentally killed. When Matt's father dies suddenly, Gastner suspects a cover-up. Strong language and some violence. 2001. RC 61792 ## The Ming and I: A Den of Antiquity Mystery RC 61801 by Tamar Myers read by Kristin Allison 2 cassettes Charlotte, North Carolina. Den of Antiquity owner Abigail Timberlake refuses to buy an old vase from June Troyan. Shortly thereafter, June dies in a hit-and-run accident. Greg Washburn investigates June's murder and the subsequent disappearance of what proves to be a valuable Ming vase. Some strong language. 1997. RC 61801 ## Twice Buried: A Posadas County Mystery RC 61805 by Steven F. Havill read by Jim Zeiger 2 cassettes New Mexico undersheriff Bill Gastner discovers eighty-six- year-old Anna Hocking dead from an apparent (but suspicious) fall. Soon a realtor's body is found on old- timer Reuben Fuentes's property. Bill thinks Reuben is innocent and summons former deputy Estelle Reyes-Guzman, Reuben's grandniece, for help. Some violence and some strong language. 1994. RC 61805 ## Robbers' Roost RC 61810 by Zane Grey read by Jim Zeiger 2 cassettes (Reissue) Utah, 1870s. A battle takes place between rival outlaw gangs at Robbers' Roost, a canyon hideout in no-man's-land. The only survivors of the shootout are one man, an Englishwoman —and a fortune in cash. 1932. RC 61810 ## The Deception: The Baron Novels, Book 3 RC 61818 by Catherine Coulter read by Kristin Allison 2 cassettes England, 1815. Posing as a widow, half-French Evangeline de Beau- champs visits her late cousin's husband, Richard Chesleigh, duke of Portsmouth. Richard appoints Evangeline his son's nanny, unaware that she is being forced to performa traitorous mission by Napoleon's agents. Some explicit descriptions of sex and some strong language. 1998. RC 61818 ## Curtains for Three: A Nero Wolfe Mystery RC 61820 by Rex Stout read by Jim Zeiger 2 cassettes A trio of short mysteries featuring orchid-growing New York private detective Nero Wolfe and his assistant, Archie Goodwin. Cases involve lovers out to make sure the other isn't a killer, a horseman shot from his saddle, and a frightened female flim-flam artist claiming she spied a murderer. 1994 introduction. 1948. RC 61820 ## Tiles and Tribulations: A Den of Antiquity Mystery RC 61823 by Tamar Myers read by Kristin Allison 2 cassettes C.J., Abigail Timberlake Washburn's friend, hires Madame Woo-Woo to conduct a séance because C.J.'s old Charleston mansion seems to be haunted. When Madame Woo-Woo suddenly dies, Abby and her husband Greg investigate. Some strong language. 2003. RC 61823 ## The Last Dark Place: An Abe Lieberman Mystery RC 61856 by Stuart M. Kaminsky read by Richard Davidson 2 cassettes An assassin is killed in an Arizona airport while handcuffed to policeman Abe Lieberman, who is extraditing him to Chicago. Later, back home, Abe joins partner Bill Hanrahan in investigating a series of rapes and in defusing a potential gang war. Strong language and some violence. 2004. RC 61856 ## Avalon High RC 61870 by Meg Cabot read by Catherine Byers 2 cassettes High school junior Ellie moves to Annapolis, Maryland, with her professor parents who specialize in medieval history. At Avalon High, where several students may be reincarnations of King Arthur and his court, Ellie falls in love. For senior high readers. 2006. RC 61870 ## Inexcusable RC 61879 by Chris Lynch read by Nick Sullivan 1 cassette High school senior and football star Keir believes he's a "good guy" who can do no wrong. When his behavior spins out of control, escalating into date rape on graduation night, Keir is forced to assess his morals. Some strong language. For senior high readers. National Book Award Finalist. 2005. RC 61879 ## Errors and Omissions RC 62140 by Paul Goldstein read by Paul Michael 2 cassettes United Pictures hires alcoholic lawyer Michael Seeley to prove it owns a lucrative film series. Seeley meets United's founder, Polish émigré Mayer Bermann, and film scholar Julia Walsh. Her research leads Seeley from Nazi- occupied Poland and the 1950s blacklisting scandal to a reclusive writer. Descriptions of sex, violence, and strong language. 2006. RC 62140 ## Where Is Janice Gantry? RC 62288 by John D. MacDonald read by Robert Sams 2 cassettes (Reissue) Sam Brice, a divorced automobile appraiser for a Florida Keys insurance company, aids escaped convict Charles Haywood, inadvertently leading to the disappearance of Sam's ex-lover, Janice Gantry. Police believe Charles abducted Janice, but Sam—himself a suspect—investigates on his own. Descriptions of sex and some strong language. 1961. RC 62288 ## ### Books for Children Cassettes Nonfiction Clay RC 59234 read by Laura Giannarelli 1 cassette Step-by-step instructions for using different types of clay and acrylic paints to create original craft projects. Items include a candleholder, a mobile, a puppet, a handprint tile, and a mug. For grades 3-6. 2004. RC 59234 ## I Fall Down RC 59450 by Vicki Cobb read by Russ Weinstein 1 cassette Simple experiments using common household objects introduce the basic concept of gravity and its relationship to weight. For grades K-3. 2004. RC 59450 ## A Kid's Guide to Staying Safe around Water RC 60055 by Maribeth Boelts read by Miriam Wagner 1 cassette Discusses safety tips for swimming in a pool, lake, or ocean. Covers swimming lessons, lifeguards, the buddy system, life jackets, and the importance of knowing water conditions, among other things. For grades K-3. 1997. RC 60055 ## The Groundhog Day Book of Facts and Fun RC 60059 by Wendie Old read by Rick Wiseman 1 cassette Describes the Pennsylvania origins of the February 2 tradition of using a groundhog's shadow to forecast winter's end. Factual chapters discuss the "Reason for Seasons" and groundhog behavior. Includes riddles and directions for planning a Groundhog Day party. For grades 3-6. 2004. RC 60059 ## Daniel Boone RC 60235 by James Daugherty read by Erik Synnestvedt 1 cassette (Reissue) Biography of the legendary frontiersman born in 1734. Describes the call of the West that led Daniel Boone to Kentucky and eventually to Missouri. Discusses his enjoyment of the wilderness, the company of Indians, and pioneering experiences. For grades 4-7 and older readers. Newbery Medal. 1939. RC 60235 ## Empire of Alexander the Great RC 61282 by Debra Skelton and Pamela Dell read by Annie Wauters 1 cassette Presents a military biography of the charismatic commander Alexander the Great (356–323 B.C.E.), who died at age thirty-two. Discusses ways his empire spread Greek culture and social values throughout the Middle East and Europe, initiated world trade, and encouraged intellectual exchange. For grades 6-9. 2005. RC 61282 ## Bites and Stings RC 61294 by Alvin Silverstein, read by Christopher Walker 1 cassette Discusses irritations and injuries from mosquitoes, ticks, bees, snakes, and other sources in the outdoors—as well as pet dogs, cats, and hamsters. Covers the body's reactions to bites and stings and ways to treat them. Gives tips on awareness and prevention. For grades 3-6. 2001. RC 61294 ## The Prairie Builders: Reconstructing America's Lost Grasslands RC 61298 by Sneed B.Collard III read by Margaret Strom 1 cassette Discusses the 1989 creation of a national wildlife refuge in Iowa. Describes the restoration of the native tallgrass prairie that supported elk, deer, pronghorns, bison, wolves, grizzly bears, and birds before Europeans arrived in the 1800s. Explains the project's importance and the progress made since 1989. For grades 4-7. 2005. RC 61298 ## Bill Nye the Science Guy's Great Big Book of Tiny Germs RC 61307 by Bill Nye and Kathleen W. Zoehfeld read by Michael Russotto 1 cassette Scientist from television show explains bacteria, viruses, germs, immune systems, vaccinations, and epidemics. Provides twelve step-by-step experiments that use common household materials to demonstrate the scientific facts discussed in each chapter. For grades 3-6. 2005. RC 61307 ## Ten Thousand Days of Thunder: A History of the Vietnam War RC 61583 by Philip Caputo read by Ted Stoddard 1 cassette Overview of the Vietnam conflict by the Pulitzer Prize- winning former soldier. Presents background information on communism and U.S. involvement in Vietnam. Discusses the war's chief participants and key battles and chronicles the changing political and social climate of 1960s and 1970s America. For grades 6-9 and older readers. 2005. RC 61583 ## Kids' Easy-to-Create Wildlife Habitats for Small Spaces in the City, Suburbs, and Countryside RC 61618 by Emily Stetson read by Jill Fox 1 cassette Encourages children to explore the natural world by providing animals, birds, and insects with food, shelter, and water. Introduces projects with environmental lessons. Provides supply lists and clear instructions for activities like preparing a feast for butterflies and making a compost pile. For grades 3-6. 2004. RC 61618 ## Coping with Asperger Syndrome RC 61786 by Maxine Rosaler read by Jake Williams 1 cassette Overview of a neurological disorder related to autism that affects social behavior. Discusses characteristics and management of the condition as well as theories concerning its causes. For grades 6-9. 2004. RC 61786 ## ER Vets: Life in an Animal Emergency Room RC 61876 by Donna M. Jackson read by L.J. Ganser 1 cassette Discusses veterinary medicine by examining the workings of an emergency room at an animal hospital. Describes pets and owners who come for care and the doctors and vet techs who attend them. Provides tips on pet first aid and a section on grief counseling. For grades 5-8. 2005. RC 61876 ## How Basketball Works RC 61888 by Keltie Thomas read by L.J. Ganser 1 cassette Guide to the origin and history of basketball. Covers equipment, positions, training, stats, and rules. Offers tips, such as how to make a jump shot, and facts, such as changes in shoe design since 1903. Includes anecdotes about Michael Jordan, Sheryl Swoopes, and other legendary players. For grades 5-8. 2005. RC 61888 ## ### Cassettes Fiction Peril in the Bessledorf Parachute Factory: A Bessledorf Hotel Mystery RC 59433 by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor read by Richard Magesis 1 cassette Bernie attempts to marry off his older sister Delores so that he can have her bedroom. But his scheming produces a near disaster at the Bessledorf Parachute Factory, where Delores works. For grades 4-7. 1999. RC 59433 ## Ghost Light on Graveyard Shoal: American Girl History Mysteries RC 59437 by Elizabeth McDavid Jones read by Miriam Wagner 1 cassette Glenn Island, Virginia; 1895. Twelve-year-old Rhoda's father operates a U.S. Lifesaving Station where he risks his life to save people from shipwrecks. Rhoda becomes suspicious that someone is luring boats into treacherous waters in order to salvage their bounty, and she searches for the culprit. For grades 4-7. 2003. RC 59437 ## Bernie Magruder and the Disappearing Bodies: A Bessledorf Hotel Mystery RC 59438 by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor read by Grace Ragsdale 1 cassette Bernie's father may lose his job as manager of the Bessledorf Hotel because of dead bodies that mysteriously appear and disappear. Bernie and his friends investigate the problem. For grades 4-7. 1986. RC 59438 ## The Journal of Otto Peltonen: A Finnish Immigrant RC 59442 by William Durbin read by Dave Corey 1 cassette Fifteen-year-old Otto records in a diary his 1905 journey in steerage with his mother and sisters from Finland to America. He joins his father working in a dreary Minnesota iron mining community and becomes involved in a union fight for better working conditions. For grades 5-8. 2000. RC 59442 ## Winter of the Ice Wizard: Magic Tree House, Book 32 RC 59444 by Mary Pope Osborne read by Gillian Green 1 cassette Jack and Annie travel with Teddy and Kathleen to the snowy Land-behind-the-Clouds to retrieve Merlin's Staff of Strength. But the Ice Wizard has already captured Merlin and Morgan and possesses the staff. The Wizard will only exchange them for his missing eye. For grades 2-4. 2004. RC 59444 ## The Mystery at Skeleton Point: A Boxcar Children Mystery RC 59445 by Gertrude Chandler Warner read by Graci Ragsdale 1 cassette Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny help a relative clean out an old house where the previous owner, a doctor, had collected skeletons. When valuable statues disappear, the children learn of a local myth about a walking skeleton, and they decide to investigate. For grades 3-6. 2002. RC 59445 ## The Journal of Patrick Seamus Flaherty: United States Marine Corps RC 59448 by Ellen Emerson White read by Neil Berman 1 cassette In his journal eighteen-year-old marine enlistee Patrick Flaherty of Boston records his 1967 arrival in Vietnam, the war's brutal conditions, and his participation in the siege of Khe Sanh. For grades 5-8. 2002. RC 59448 ## Goodbye Mousie RC 59452 by Robie H. Harris read by Ligaya Romero 1 cassette A little boy grieves for his dead pet mouse, going through stages of denial, anger, and, finally, acceptance. He helps to bury Mousie and decides to wait before getting another pet. For preschool-grade 2. 2001. RC 59452 ## The Sea of Trolls RC 59623 by Nancy Farmer read by Erik Synnestvedt 3 cassettes After Jack becomes apprenticed to a Druid bard, he and his little sister Lucy are captured by Viking Berserkers. To appease a half-troll queen and save his sister, Jack journeys deep into enemy territory and encounters troll- bears, giant spiders, and dragons. For grades 5-8. 2004. RC 59623 ## The Midnight Mystery: A Boxcar Children Mystery RC 59689 by Gertrude Chandler Warner read by Graci Ragsdale 1 cassette At midnight while the Alden children stay at the old home of a famous artist known for her one-of-a-kind clocks, Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny hear a mysterious tapping sound along with the regular chimes and decide to investigate. For grades 3-6. 2003. RC 59689 ## The Grim Grotto: A Series of Unfortunate Events, Book 11 RC 59697 by Lemony Snicket read by Laura Giannarelli 1 cassette In this sequel to The Slippery Slope (RC 56930), the Baudelaire orphans' adventures include travel by submarine to an underwater cave in search of a particular sugar bowl sought by the evil Count Olaf. For grades 4-7. 2004. RC 59697 ## The Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle Treasury RC 59857 by Betty MacDonald read by Susan McInerney 2 cassettes Three books about the unusual Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle, who lives in an upside-down house in a town where she is every child's friend. She makes chores fun and solves many family problems. Contains "Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle," "Mrs. Piggle- Wiggle's Magic," and "Hello, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle." For grades 3-6. 1947. RC 59857 ## The Wrath of Mulgarath: The Spiderwick Chronicles, Book 5 RC 60022 by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black read by Kimberly Schraf 1 cassette Following The Ironwood Tree (RC 59233), Jared, Simon, and Mallory arrive home to find the house ransacked and Mom missing. Simon's griffin, Byron, catches a hobgoblin, Hogsqueal, who tells them that Mulgarath and his goblins abducted their mother. For grades 2-4. 2004. RC 60022 ## The Witch of Clatteringshaws: The Wolves Chronicles RC 60050 by Joan Aiken read by Jennifer Mendenhall 1 cassette Dido travels to Scotland to relieve reluctant Simon from the burden ofbeing King of England by seeking another heir to the throne. Her friend Piers and Father Sam's cousin Malise, the Witch of Clatteringshaws, help Dido. For grades 5-8. 2005. RC 60050 ## Becoming Naomi León RC 60266 by Pam Muñoz Ryan read by MaryBeth Wise 1 cassette For seven years Naomi and brother Owen lived happily with Gram in her trailer. Gram arranged Owen's surgeries for his physical disabilities and helped Naomi begin to speak again. When their mother reappears, Gram takes the children to Mexico to find their father and their heritage. For grades 4-7. Schneider Family Award. 2004. RC 60266 ## Willow Run RC 60749 by Patricia Reilly Giff read by Laura Giannarelli 1 cassette During World War II, eleven-year-old Meggie moves with her parents to Willow Run, Michigan, where her father has a job in the B-24 bomber factory. Meggie learns about various kinds of bravery from the many people there. Companion to Lily's Crossing (RC 45659). For grades 5-8. 2005. RC 60749 ## Flush RC 60792 by Carl Hiaasen read by Erik Sandvold 2 cassettes The Florida Keys. With their father jailed for sinking a gambling boat, Noah Underwood and his sister Abbey gather evidence that casino owner Dusty Muleman is illegally emptying sewage tanks into coastal waters. They receive help from a former card dealer, a pirate, and Dusty's ex- girlfriend. For grades 5-8. 2005. RC 60792 ## Shackleton's Stowaway RC 61101 by Victoria McKernan read by Gregory Gorton 2 cassettes A fictionalized account of the adventures of eighteen-year- old Perce Blackborow, who stowed away on the 1914 Shackleton Antarctic expedition. After their ship Endurance is crushed by ice, Blackborow survives many hardships including frostbite during the nearly two-year return journey across ice and sea. For grades 5-8. 2005. RC 61101 ## Finding the Forger: A Bianca Balducci Mystery RC 61305 by Libby Sternberg read by Michele Schaeffer 1 cassette Bianca Balducci leads a hectic teenage life worrying about Christmas shopping, boyfriends, and a bad home perm while helping her private investigator sister on an art forgery case—at the Baltimore museum where her friend Sarah works. Sequel to Uncovering Sadie's Secrets (RC 59089). For grades 6-9 and older readers. 2004. RC 61305 ## The Black Jacket Mystery: A Trixie Belden Mystery RC 61508 by Kathryn Kenny read by Jill Ferris 1 cassette Trixie is active in organizing an ice carnival to raise funds for her Mexican pen pal's school library. But when a series of thefts and accidents occur in her neighborhood and a mysterious problem faces local horse groom Bill Regan, Trixie investigates. For grades 4-7. 1961. RC 61508 ## The Whistle, the Grave, and the Ghost RC 61518 by Brad Strickland read by Erik Sandvold 1 cassette On a Boy Scout campout in the Michigan woods, Lewis Barnavelt discovers a grave and a whistle that draws him, his friend Rose Rita Pottinger, and his uncle Jonathan into a battle with evil. Sequel to The Tower at the End of the World (RC 57295). For grades 5-8. 2003. RC 61518 ## The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy RC 61553 by Jeanne Birdsall read by Jill Ferris 2 cassettes A widowed father takes his four daughters, aged four through twelve, and the family dog on a three-week vacation at a Berkshire Mountain estate cottage. The girls make friends with the owner's son, much to his snobbish mother's dismay. For grades 4-7. National Book Award. 2005. RC 61553 ## The Specter from the Magician's Museum: A Lewis Barnavelt Mystery RC 61554 by Brad Strickland read by Erik Sandvold 1 cassette New Zebedee, Michigan; 1950s. Lewis Barnavelt and his friend Rose Rita Pottinger decide to perform a magic act for the school talent show. While researching in a magician's museum, Rose Rita becomes ensnared by an evil spell and it's up to Lewis to free her. For grades 4-7. 1998. RC 61554 ## Far Traveler RC 61686 by Rebecca Tingle read by Lisette Lecat 2 cassettes After the death of her mother, Aethelflaed of Mercia, sixteen-year-old Aelfwyn flees from her uncle King Edward's control. Disguised as a boy, she travels the countryside as a bard until a fateful decision is pressed upon her. Sequel to The Edge on the Sword (RC 53994). For grades 6-9. 2005. RC 61686 ## Heat Wave: Left Behind—The Kids, Book 37 RC 61768 by Jerry B. Jenkins and Tim LaHaye read by Jim Zeiger 1 cassette As the six-year mark of the Tribulation approaches, a heat wave devastates the world. Reunited in Wisconsin, Judd and Vicki grow closer while working together. Then Judd becomes stranded in New Babylon, far from Vicki. Sequel to Ominous Choices (RC 58481). For grades 5-8. 2004. RC 61768 ## The Perils of Love: Left Behind—The Kids, Book 38 RC 61822 by Jerry B. Jenkins and Tim LaHaye read by Jim Zeiger 1 cassette After the Heat Wave (RC 61768), darkness falls on New Babylon, causing suicides. Vicki and Lionel fly to Petra, where Judd joins them and they watch Chloe's statement of faith and televised execution. The Kids celebrate new beginnings with Judd and Vicki's marriage. For grades 5-8. 2004. RC 61822 ## Kailey: An American Girl Today RC 61878 by Amy Goldman Koss read by Gabra Zackman 1 cassette Ten-year-old Kailey and her best pal, Tess, love to ride on bodyboards in a California cove and observe tidal pool creatures. When a developer posts signs for an oceanfront complex, Kailey needs to act fast to save the natural coast from becoming a boat marina. For grades 3-6. 2003. RC 61878 ## The Road to War: Left Behind—The Kids, Book 39 RC 61942 by Jerry B. Jenkins and Tim LaHaye read by Jim Zeiger 1 cassette In Wisconsin, Mark is captured by Global Community members and speaks about God before facing the guillotine. His death saddens the Young Tribulation Force, which is immersed in preparations for the Battle of Armageddon. Sequel to The Perils of Love (RC 61822). For grades 5-8. 2004. RC 61942 ## Triumphant Return: Left Behind—The Kids, Book 40 RC 61977 by Jerry B. Jenkins and Tim LaHaye read by Jim Zeiger 1 cassette While Nicolae Carpathia expects the defeat of the rebels against the Global Community, Judd, Vicki, Lionel, and the rest of the Young Trib Force await the Glorious Appearing— the return of Jesus Christ. Sequel to The Road to War (RC 61942). For grades 5-8. 2004. RC 61977 ## ### Spanish Don Quijote de la Mancha RC 60979 por Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra lído por Juan RamRrez 14 cassettes en 3 cajas (Reedición) Un anciano hidalgo, trastornado por la lectura de libros de caballerías, se nombra caballero andante y, acompañado por su escudero mundano, Sancho Panza, sale en busca de aventuras. Edición del IV Centenario redactado por la Real Academia Española. Incluye notas, ensayos, y otro material analítico. (An aged Spanish gentleman, addled by the idealism of chivalric novels, appoints himself a knight errant and, accompanied by his ignorant but highly practical squire, Sancho Panza, sets out in search of adventure. Royal Spanish Academy's four-hundredth anniversary edition provides notes, prologues, introductions, and other critical material.) 2005. Los Secretos del Código: La Guía No Autorizada a los Misterios detrás de El Código Da Vinci (Secrets of the Code: The Unauthorized Guide to the Mysteries behind The Da Vinci Code) RC 60982 recopilado por Dan Burstein lído por Juan RamRrez 5 cassettes Un compendio de escritos tomados de libros, revistas, ensayos, entrevistas, y páginas de la red que desentrañan los temas religiosos que se hallan en El Código Da Vinci (RC 58957). Los distintos expertos examinan los enigmas del comienzo de la era cristiana, abarcando temas como la relación de Jesús con María Magdalena, la credibilidad de las escrituras bíblicas alternativas, y la existencia de sociedades secretas como los Templarios. (Excerpts from books, web sites, articles, commentaries, and interviews relating to the major religious themes in El Código Da Vinci (RC 58957). Contributing experts offer views on Jesus's relationship with Mary Magdalene, the credibility of alternative scriptures, secret societies like the Knights Templar, and more.) 2004. RC 60982 ## La Reina del Sur (The Queen of the South) RC 60992 por Arturo Pérez-Reverte lído por Juan RamRrez 4 cassettes Un ex-reportero se entrevista con la notoriaTeresa Mendoza, y por sus conversaciones y memorias retrospectivas se pinta la enigmática vida de la joven mujer mexicana que, por sus experiencias con el mundo criminal, se ve corriendo de asesinos y acaba convirtiéndose en una poderosa traficante internacional de drogas. Violencia, lenguaje injurioso, y algunas descripciones explícitas de índole sexual.(An unnamed ex-reporter narrates the enigmatic life of Mexican Teresa Mendoza, on the run from hit men. Her experiences unfolding through fictional interviews and flashbacks, she evolves into a notorious drug smuggler. Violence, strong language, and some explicit descriptions of sex.) 2002. RC 60992 ## La Guerra del Fin del Mundo (The War of the End of the World) RC 60994 por Mario Vargas Llosa lído por MarRa Pino 5 cassettes Novela histórica que se basa en un episodio nacional de Brasil. En las tierras paupérrimas del noreste de ese pais, los pobres, los inhabilitados, y los marginados de la sociedad fundan la ciudad de Canudos, inspirados por un hombre mesiánico y enigmático que llaman "El Consejero." Cuando Canudos rechaza la soberanía de la República, el gobierno manda tropas para detener el movimiento. Contiene descripciones explícitas de índole sexual. (Historical novel based on an actual incident. In northern Brazil the poor, the disabled, and the outcasts of society establish Canudos, a religious utopia inspired by the man they call the Counselor. When Canudos rejects the Brazilian Republic, the government sends in troops. Explicit descriptions of sex.) 1981. RC 60994 ## Ficciones (Fictions) RC 60996 por Jorge Luis Borges lído por Luis Alfonso Omana 2 cassettes El autor argentino presenta dieciséis de sus mejores y primeros cuentos de misterio y de fantasía. Siempre reflejando el distinto estilo laberíntico de Borges, los cuentos incluyen "Las Ruinas Circulares," "La Lotería en Babilonia," "La Biblioteca de Babel," "La Muerte y la Brújula," y "El Sur," el favorito del autor. (Sixteen of the earliest and best-known mystery and fantasy stories of the Argentinian author. Characterized by a distinctive labyrinthian style, the works include "Las Ruinas Circulares," "La Lotería en Babilonia," "La Biblioteca de Babel," "La Muerte y la Brújula," and the author's favorite, "El Sur.") 1941. RC 60996 ## La Tía Julia y el Escribidor (Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter) RC 60999 por Mario Vargas Llosa lído por Juan RamRrez 3 cassettes Novela graciosa y sofisticada que cuenta un episodio de la vida y del amor en Lima durante los años cincuenta. El joven escritor Mario, mientras trabaja en una emisora de radio, se enamora de Julia, su tía divorciada de treinta y dos años. La pasión prohibida produce un escándalo universal. Contiene descripciones de índole sexual y de lenguaje injurioso. (Lima, Peru; 1950s. Ribald, sophisticated tale of life and love. Young Mario, while working at a radio station, falls in love with Julia, his divorced thirty-two-year-old aunt. Their liaison, from fling to romance to marriage, creates a national scandal. Some descriptions of sex and some strong language.) 1977. RC 60999 ## Ensayo sobre la Ceguera (Blindness) RC 61001 por José Saramago lído por MarRa Pino 3 cassettes Sin saber por qué, la gente queda ciega de repente. La mujer de un médico no es afectada, pero finge la cegura para poder quedarse con su esposo. El gobierno aloja a los ciegos en un abandonado hospital de enfermos mentales, y aquí los ciegos se enfrentan a la primitiva voluntad de sobrevivir a cualquier precio. Algunas descripciones de violencia, de lenguaje injurioso, y de índole sexual. (Without cause, people are suddenly becoming blind. A doctor's wife who is spared pretends she is blind to remain with her husband. Quarantined in an abandoned mental hospital, the blinded citizens create a reign of terror. Some descriptions of sex, some violence, and some strong language.) 1995. RC 61001 ## Eragon RC 61002 por Christopher Paolini lído por MarRa Pino 4 cassettes El joven Eragon, de quince años, cría la dragona, Saphira, que sale de una piedra misterioso azul. Juntos, Eragon y Saphira, aprenden la mágia y las artes marciales, y rechazando el servicio al malvado rey Galbatorix, salen en busca de guerreros, elfos, y otros valientes que quieren luchar contra el Imperio. Algunas descripciones de violencia. Para grados 6 a 9 y lectores mayores. (Fifteen- year-old Eragon bonds with the baby Dragon, Saphira, that hatches from a mysterious blue stone. They train in magic and martial arts and, refusing to serve the evil king, sally forth to encounter warriors, dwarves, and others battling the empire. Some violence. For grades 6-9 and older readers.) 2003. RC 61002 ## El Aleph (The Aleph) RC 61008 por Jorge Luis Borges lído por Juan RamRrez 1 cassette El autor argentino ofrece dieciocho cuentos que aplican tratamientos surrealistas, místicos y poéticos a lo humano. En el cuento del título, Borges, trueca en ensayo filosófico la historia de un hombre que encuentra el Aleph, el centro infinito del tiempo y espacio que revela simultáneamente todas las cosas del universo. (Eighteen stories by the Argentinian author who applies surreal, mystical, and poetic treatments to human characters and situations. The title story resembles a philosophical essay on the reaction of a man who encounters the point in space and time that shows all things in the universe simultaneously.) 1949. RC 61008 ## El Club Dumas (The Club Dumas) RC 61011 por Arturo Pérez-Reverte lído por Peter Gil 3 cassettes Lucas Corso, un comprador de libros antiguos, se enreda en una aventura literaria que se enfoca en un capítulo manuscrito de la novela Los Tres Mosqueteros de Alejandro Dumas. El dueño del manuscrito aparece muerto, pero no se sabe si se trata de suicidio o asesino. ¿Y qué papel hace la hermosa viuda del muerto?—que ella también se interesa en libros antiguos. Por fin, Corso viaja de Madrid a París para investigar a fondo el misterio. (A handwritten chapter of Dumas's The Three Musketeers embroils rare-book hunter Lucas Corso in a literary intrigue. The manuscript's owner is found hanged, but was the death suicide or homicide? The beautiful widow has her own interest in rare books. Corso investigates from Madrid to Paris.) 1993. RC 61011 ## Elogio de la Madrastra (In Praise of the Stepmother) RC 61012 por Mario Vargas Llosa lído por Peter Pereyra 1 cassette Don Rigoberto es el fantaseador amante de su esposa, la sensual doña Lucrecia. Lucrecia es tambien la madrasta de Alfonso, el hijo prepubescente de Don Rigoberto. Paradójicamente, la presencia angelical y la anhelante mirada de Alfonso siempre parecen corromper la felicidad erótica de sus padres. Descripciones explícitas de índole sexual. (Don Rigoberto, attentive father of prepubescent Alfonso, has an intense, loving relationship with sensual Doña Lucrecia, the boy's step-mother. Paradoxically, it is Alfonso's angelic presence and penetrating observations that constantly spoil the parents' erotic happiness. Explicit descriptions of sex.) 1988. RC 61012 ## Joseph Ratzinger: Una Biografía (Joseph Ratzinger: A Biography) RC 61013 por Pablo Blanco lído por MarRa Pino 2 cassettes El autor español, filósofo y teológico, presenta una biografía del Cardenal alemán Joseph Ratzinger, publicada poco antes de hacerse Ratzinger el Papa Benedicto XVI en 2005. Abarca la vida y educación teológica de Ratzinger desde su nacimiento en Alemania en 1927 hasta su obra en 2003 como colegial del Vaticano y colega íntimo del Papa Juan Pablo II. (Spanish philosopher and theologian's biography of German cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, published shortly before the cardinal became Pope Benedict XVI in 2005. Covers Ratzinger's life from his birth in 1927 to his tenure as a Vatican leader and close colleague of Pope John Paul II in 2003.) 2004. RC 61013 ## La Región Más Transparente (Where the Air Is Clear) RC 61015 por Carlos Fuentes lído por Juan RamRrez 4 cassettes Novela que pinta las vidas egocéntricas de personas de la clase alta de la Ciudad de México, incluso un millonario ambicioso, un escritor reaccionario, y una mujer advenediza que rechaza su origen humilde. Hay otra persona, el enigmático Ixca Cienfuegos, que observa e intenta destruir este grupo en nombre de la Revolución mexicana. (Novel depicting the self-serving lives of a group of upper-class Mexico City residents, including a self-made millionaire, a writer, and a social climber. Enigmatic Ixca Cienfuegos observes these people and plans to destroy them in the name of the Mexican revolution.) 1958. RC 61015 ## ### 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) Odyssey (9 issues September–May) 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) Travel & Leisure (monthly) True West (monthly) U.S. News and World Report (weekly) The Writer (12 issues) Young Adult Magazine of the Month (monthly)