Braille Book Review, Vol. 65, No. 5, September-October 1996 Braille Book Review September-October 1996 Volume 65, Number 5 _Braille Book Review_ is published bimonthly and distributed free to blind and physically handicapped individuals who participate in the Library of Congress free reading program. It lists braille magazines and books available through a network of cooperating libraries. The braille edition also lists recorded books, giving abbreviated annotations. News about library services is featured in both editions. 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. These books will continue to be available from your cooperating library and will be listed again in _Braille Books 1995-1996_. 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 or to change your subscription or address, 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 1996 Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 53-31800 ISSN 0006-873X Contents: In Brief Books for Adults Nonfiction Fiction Books for Children Nonfiction Fiction Handcopied Braille--Other Agencies Braille Magazines _In Brief_ _For Younger Readers 1994-1995_ in Braille and Audio Formats _For Younger Readers 1994-1995_ is a catalog listing books produced by NLS for younger readers during 1994 and 1995. The large-print edition lists both braille and recorded books. The braille edition lists braille books only, and the audio-disc edition lists only recorded books. Books are arranged by category, and there are separate sections for books for very young readers, books for young adults, and, in the large-print and braille editions, print/braille books. The large-print edition includes an order form. Readers who ordered _For Younger Readers_ on their annual order forms will automatically receive their copies in the mail. Others may request this catalog from their local cooperating libraries. Be sure to specify the format wanted. An edition listing books in both braille and audio formats is also available through the Internet by accessing LC MARVEL. Datefinder Braille datefinders are available free from NLS. The 2-1/2 by 3- 1/4-inch datefinders give the day of the week on which the first day of the month falls for the months of July 1996 through June 1997. The datefinders also incorporate a signature guide. To receive one or more of these datefinders, contact the NLS Reference Section, National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Washington, DC 20542. _What's New?_ The 1996 edition of _What's New?_ is now available in braille. It describes some of the latest NLS publications and other program developments. Request _What's New?_ from the NLS Reference Section at the address given above. _What's New?_ is also available through the Internet by accessing LC MARVEL. _Magazines in Special Media 1995_ Available in Audio Format _Magazines in Special Media 1995_ is now available on flexible disc and cassette. Part 1 lists NLS-produced magazines, and Part 2 lists magazines available from other sources. Ordering information is given, and a large-print order form for NLS- produced magazines is included. Readers who ordered _Magazines in Special Media 1995_ on their annual order forms will automatically receive their copies in the mail. Others may request this catalog from their local cooperating libraries. Be sure to specify the format wanted. The directory is also available through the Internet by accessing LC MARVEL. Annual Catalog Survey Patrons will soon be able to select and order NLS catalogs and bibliographies that will be issued during 1997. A large-print order form will be mailed to patrons who subscribe to _Talking Book Topics_ this fall. Patrons who subscribe to _Braille Book Review_ will receive a braille order form. The form will give patrons the opportunity to order upcoming publications, such as _Cassette Books 1996_ and _Braille Books 1995-1996_. Catalogs and bibliographies ordered will be sent directly to patrons when the publications are produced. Newsstand The following announcement may be of interest to readers. The National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped reserves the right to publish announcements selectively, as space permits. Items mentioned, however, are not part of the NLS program, and their listing does not imply endorsement. Polio Brochure _Late Effects of Polio--An Overview_ gives a brief description of symptoms that may be experienced by persons who survived polio earlier in life and tells how this postpolio condition is diagnosed. It also offers suggestions for addressing the problem. The short brochure is available in braille from the International Polio Network, 4207 Lindell Boulevard, #110, St. Louis, MO 63108-2915, telephone (314)-534-0475, fax (314) 534-5070, e-mail gini_intl@msn.com Health Information Cassette The Agency for Health Care Policy Research has produced an audio cassette to help consumers make informed decisions about surgery and pain control after surgery. The audiotape contains two booklets, _Be Informed: Questions to Ask Your Doctor before You Have Surgery_ (side one) and _Pain Control after Surgery: A Patient's Guide_ (side two). Free single copies are available by mail from AHCPR Publications Clearinghouse, P.O. Box 8547, Silver Spring, MD 20907 or by calling 800-358-9295. Copies are also available from your cooperating network library. _Books for Adults_ Books listed in this issue of _Braille Book Review_ 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. 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." _Nonfiction_ e: The Story of a Number BR 9883 by Eli Maor 3 volumes The author traces the development of mathematics from the seventeenth century in language accessible to readers with some understanding of the subject. The story begins with John Napier, a Scotsman with many interests, including religion and abstract ideas, that led him to logarithms. Maor then introduces the ideas of calculus based on the number _e_, digressing to add descriptions of the quirks and quarrels of the pioneers in the field. 1994. W.E.B. Du Bois: Biography of a Race, 1868-1919 BR 9885 by David Levering Lewis 10 volumes Scholar, activist, pan-Africanist, W.E.B. Du Bois was a founder of the NAACP and the first black American to receive a doctorate from Harvard. He died an expatriate in Ghana at ninety-five. In this biography, based partly on newly available personal papers, Lewis analyzes the first fifty years of Du Bois's life with the backdrop of race relations and the racial ideologies and conflicts of the period. Pulitzer Prize. 1993. The How-To Handbook for Jewish Living BR 9956 by Kerry M. Olitzky and Ronald H. Isaacs 2 volumes A rabbi and the head of a Hebrew college school of education co-author a guide to common Jewish social and religious practices. Entries give the source of each practice, basic information, and suggestions for further reading. Discusses celebrating holidays, observing Shabbat, and chanting the Torah. Includes instructions for making challah, lighting a memorial candle, dancing the hora, and singing "Hatikvah." 1993. Finding It on the Internet: The Essential Guide to archie, Veronica, Gopher, WAIS, WWW (Including Mosaic), and Other Search and Browsing Tools BR 10054 by Paul Gilster 5 volumes Instructions on effectively accessing the global network's millions of interconnected directories, subdirectories, files, programs, and other data using various navigation tools and techniques. The author discusses the future of Internet searching. 1994. The Craft of Investing BR 10118 by John Train 2 volumes Advice for the private investor from an investment consultant and author of books and articles on finance. Drawing on personal experience and his study of other successful money managers, Train analyzes market cycles and investment styles and advises on topics such as taxes, trusts, financial statements, estate and retirement planning, and prenuptial agreements. Includes a glossary of investment terms. 1994. The Ghost of the Executed Engineer: Technology and the Fall of the Soviet Union BR 10122 by Loren R. Graham 2 volumes American professor of the history of science chronicles the life of civil engineer Peter Palchinsky, who challenged the former Soviet Union's emphasis on technology without regard for economic and human costs. For this the eminent, outspoken Russian was executed, but the corrupt policies he criticized failed as he had predicted. 1993. Into Africa BR 10124 by Craig Packer 3 volumes Minnesota professors Craig Packer and his wife, Anne, have long studied the lions of Africa and for over a decade have spent half of each year in the Serengeti. Here, Packer provides a journal of a seven-week 1991 trip he and three graduate students made to retrieve more data on the lions and to collaborate with Jane Goodall's primate study. His descriptions of this research are interspersed with reminiscences of past adventures. 1994. The First Part of Henry the Sixth BR 10128 by William Shakespeare 2 volumes A three-part historical drama opens with the funeral of King Henry V at Westminster Abbey. The play, based on the fifteenth-century French-English wars, reveals the schemes of military leaders to advance themselves even at the expense of England, often taking advantage of their inexperienced ruler, Henry VI, whose opponent was Joan of Arc. In the final act, the young king considers peace with France and marriage. 1623. Listening BR 10138 by Hannah Merker 2 volumes Merker was the director of library services for the visually and physically handicapped in Suffolk County, New York, when a concussion took away most of her hearing at the age of thirty-nine. She describes her growing realization of the extent of her deafness, and how she discovered the world anew as she learned to "listen" visually, tactilely, and intuitively. 1994. The Simple Truth: Poems BR 10139 by Philip Levine 1 volume In the title poem Levine suggests "some things you know all your life." But little is "simple" in this collection of poetry about the past. These mainly narrative poems mix real-life images like "small red potatoes . . . boiled . . . in their jackets" with life as lived inside the mind, as in "I remember the room . . . how close the moon, how utterly silent the piano." 1994. The Struggle of Blind People for Self-Determination: The Dependency-Rehabilitation Conflict; Empowerment in the Blindness Community BR 10146 by C. Edwin Vaughan 3 volumes The focus of this book is the struggle between people with visual handicaps and people who work to educate and rehabilitate them, with emphasis on those whose experiences with visual handicaps and the rehabilitation system begin early in life. 1993. The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark BR 10149 by William Shakespeare 3 volumes Seventeenth-century tragic drama. A young prince tries to avenge his father's murder. Hamlet's uncle seduced Hamlet's mother, killed Hamlet's father, and usurped Hamlet's claim to the throne. But Hamlet's own melancholic, irresolute temperament inhibits decisive action and contributes to further calamities. This edition includes an introduction to the author and the play, plus an essay with a modern perspective. 1992. The Concubine's Children BR 10153 by Denise Chong 3 volumes At seventeen, May-ying is told she must move from China to Canada to be a concubine for Chan Sam, twenty years her senior. Chan Sam has an At Home wife back in his Chinese village, but no sons. Author Chong, May-ying's granddaughter, explains how May-ying's two eldest daughters were raised in China by the wife, while Chong's mother grew up in Canada. Chong arranged the sisters' eventual first meeting. 1994. _Wallenstein_ and _Mary Stuart_ BR 10197 by Friedrich Schiller 4 volumes The late-eighteenth-century _Wallenstein_ trilogy consists of "Wallenstein's Camp," a short one-act play, followed by "The Piccolomini" and "Wallenstein's Death," each in five acts, dealing with the Thirty Years' War. _Mary Stuart_, completed in 1800, also in five acts, is a tragedy concerning the power struggle between Catholic Mary Stuart of Scotland and her Protestant half sister, Elizabeth I of England. 1800. Angels in America: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes; Part 2, Perestroika BR 10225 by Tony Kushner 1 volume Sequel to _Millennium Approaches (BR 9377)_. Part two, picking up where the angel makes a traumatic entry in the final scene of _Millennium_, stands alone or can be seen as a resolution to _Millennium_. Prior is fighting for his life, but in the end he lectures his friends about what AIDS has done and how the world will go on. Strong language. 1994. Old Songs in a New Cafe BR 10236 by Robert James Waller 1 volume Nineteen essays written since 1983 by Waller, a folksinger and author. The writings include a loving tribute to his wife, thoughts on his daughter leaving home at eighteen, a book signing on a snowy day in St. Ansgar, playing "Wabash Cannonball" for a program with Charles Kuralt, and thoughts on his fiftieth birthday. Bestseller 1994. Beyond All Reason: My Life with Susan Smith BR 10250 by David Smith 2 volumes Smith looks at his life before and after the death of his two sons, Michael and Alex. He explains how he and Susan met and discusses their rocky marriage, their separation, and finally the days leading up to and following the devastating news that his wife had murdered their two sons. Some strong language. Bestseller 1995. The Intelligence of Dogs: A Guide to the Thoughts, Emotions, and Inner Lives of Our Canine Companions BR 10262 by Stanley Coren 3 volumes The author draws on his experience as a psychologist and dog trainer for a brief account of the natural history of dogs and a detailed study of canine intelligence. He examines various breeds for an evaluation of their instinctive and adaptive intelligence and their potential for obedience. 1994. The Buddha BR 10266 by Michael Carrithers 1 volume Biography and development of the philosophy of the Buddha. Born the son of a king, in the sixth century B.C., the Buddha renounced his privileged life to become a homeless wanderer. Relates how he experimented with meditation and self-mortification, developed a belief in the possibility of personal release from suffering through introspection, and founded an order of monks. Discusses the spread of the Buddha's teachings and reasons for their portability. 1983. Undercurrents: A Therapist's Reckoning with Her Own Depression BR 10267 by Martha Manning 2 volumes A harried psychologist is shocked to realize that she meets more of the criteria signifying a major depressive episode than does the patient she is counseling. In fact, as these journal entries show, she has every one of the warning signs. She also describes the steps she takes to recover, including electroconvulsive therapy, over the months that follow. Strong language. 1994. Broadsides from the Other Orders: A Book of Bugs BR 10272 by Sue Hubbell 3 volumes A chatty introduction to the amazing world of bugs. As a beekeeping journalist, Hubbell was often asked to explain bug behavior; the result is these thirteen entomological profiles. For example, bravo bees are also known incorrectly as killer bees, their honey is on most store shelves, and a Bee Regulated Zone was established in Mexico to stop them from entering the United States. 1993. Operating Instructions: A Journal of My Son's First Year BR 10274 by Anne Lamott 2 volumes Novelist Lamott describes the humorous and terrible moments of her son Sam's first year. A recovering alcoholic, ex-addict, and single mother, Lamott had doubts about her parenting skills. A network of loving friends and family helped her through Sam's colicky period and celebrated his achievements. A serious illness in one of these friends made this a bittersweet year. Strong language. 1993. Out of Silence: A Journey into Language BR 10277 by Russell Martin 3 volumes Discussion of language, speech, and autism is interspersed with the story of the author's nephew Ian. Ian became autistic due to an immunization at eighteen months. At eight, using facilitated communication with a laptop computer, Ian demonstrates that he has language skills, he knows he has autism, he is bored with the routines he demands but needs them to stay calm, and he is frustrated by a body that doesn't listen. 1994. Homestead Year: Back to the Land in Suburbia BR 10279 by Judith Moffett 3 volumes Moffett, an assistant professor of English and a science fiction writer, had dreamed of buying some acreage and homesteading. When her five-year plan to do this faltered, she decided to take a year off from work and homestead her suburban one-acre yard in Pennsylvania. She describes her successes and mistakes while raising and slaughtering ducks, raising bees and fish, and growing a large garden. 1995. Breaking Free: An Anthology of Human Rights Poetry BR 10282 selected by Robert Hull 1 volume Most of these poems about the search for human dignity and equality were, or still are, banned in the country in which they were written. In one, people appreciate the right to sort peas and to cup water in their hands. In another, a man's son has been missing since May of the previous year although "they took him just for a few hours." For junior and senior high and older readers. 1994. The Best of Thailand: A Cookbook BR 10283 by Evie Righter 1 volume With both Chinese and Indian influences, Thai food is "of two minds: It can be sweet and soothing, or hot and spicy almost beyond imagination." Important ingredients are fish sauce, fresh chili peppers, coconut milk, and herbs. Includes recipes for four curry pastes and a variety of classic Thai dishes. 1993. Under Fire: The NRA and the Battle for Gun Control BR 10291 by Osha Gray Davidson 3 volumes Davidson provides a brief history of the National Rifle Association (NRA) from its 1871 inception as an institution to teach gun-handling skills to its 1990s status as a powerful lobby. His discussion includes NRA's fights against any type of gun control (which began during the cold war), NRA leadership by Harlon Carter, and the escalating number of privately owned guns. 1993. The Wooden Spoon Cookie Book: Favorite Home-Style Recipes from the Wooden Spoon Kitchen BR 10292 by Marilyn M. Moore 1 volume Includes recipes for drop cookies, bar cookies, shaped cookies, refrigerator cookies, and cutout cookies. Discusses stocking a cookie kitchen, hosting a holiday cookie swap, and involving children in cookie making. 1994. _Fiction_ Silk Hope, NC BR 10115 by Lawrence Naumoff 2 volumes While Frannie is away on a three-day romp with various men, her mother dies. Frannie's sister, Natalie, and her fianc‚, Jake, intensify the blow by informing Frannie they want to sell the farmhouse and surrounding acres. A female ancestor willed the land to stay in the hands of the family's women so they would always have a place to live. To keep her sanctuary, Frannie must somehow manage to buy out Natalie's share. Some strong language. 1994. _Barking Man_ and Other Stories BR 10123 by Madison Smartt Bell 2 volumes A collection of ten short stories showing the struggles of people and other creatures on the fringes of society. A Chinese laboratory mouse uses the _I Ching_ for predicting the future, and the hero of the title story not only barks, but sheds, climbs on the furniture, and bites. 1990. It's Your Misfortune and None of My Own: Code of the West, Book 1 BR 10126 by Stephen Bly 2 volumes Zach Hatcher and Suzanne Cedar have been corresponding for two years and now plan to marry. But as they travel toward one another, they are both mortally wounded. Prison escapee Tap Andrews, who is with Zach when he dies, takes on his identity. Dance hall girl Pepper Paige becomes Suzanne. Neither is Christian as Zach and Suzanne had been, but perhaps they can put aside the past and begin new lives together. 1994. The Raiders BR 10130 by Harold Robbins 3 volumes Twenty years after _The Carpetbaggers (BR 10129)_, wealthy Jonas Cord is still regretting never telling his late father he loved him and never having a son to express his love to. Now, while Cord is on the run from federal marshals who want him to take a business risk by testifying in front of Congress, his wife is divorcing him. Then he learns he has a grown son. Strong language, violence, and explicit descriptions of sex. 1995. American Eyes: New Asian-American Short Stories for Young Adults BR 10180 edited by Lori M. Carlson 1 volume Ten coming-of-age stories about the conflict many Asian American youths experience when they examine their native Korean, Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Filipino heritage with American eyes. Sometimes it is a search for identity, sometimes it is cultural embarrassment, and sometimes it is a generation gap, but in each story something ignites an _Asian_ fire. For junior and senior high readers. 1994. Single Tree BR 10181 by Gary D. Svee 2 volumes Newly arrived in Montana, Samuel Wilders leaves his wife and children in the shade of a single cottonwood tree to search for a horse to buy. Instead, he is confronted by rancher Tolkien and lynched as a rustler. Horrified, Tolkien's young Cree ranch hand, Runs Toward, quits his job. He finds the starving Wilders family and repeats a kindness that he received as a child. Strong language and violence. 1994. Chosen for Death BR 10182 by Kate Clark Flora 2 volumes At her sister Carrie's funeral, Thea Kozak vows to find Carrie's murderer. Adopted as a newborn, twenty-one-year-old Carrie was waitressing in Maine and searching for her birth mother when she was killed. Detective Andre Lemieux seems dedicated to the case but can find no motive for the brutal attack. Hoping to find a lead, Thea retraces Carrie's search. Strong language, violence, and some descriptions of sex. 1994. Children of the Jedi BR 10185 by Barbara Hambly 3 volumes After an old friend tries to murder Han Solo on the jungle world of Ithor, Luke Skywalker sets out for a distant star system to learn the reason for the assassination attempt. Meanwhile Han Solo and Princess Leia investigate the rumor of a lost enclave of Jedi children on the isolated world of Belsavis and come up against an old evil from the days of the Empire. A Star Wars novel. Bestseller 1995. Murder in the Place of Anubis BR 10186 by Lynda S. Robinson 2 volumes Set in ancient Egypt during the reign of fourteen-year-old Pharaoh Tutankhamun. Meren, young also but mature enough to serve as counselor to the king, finds it his duty to learn the truth about a scribe whose body is found in the sacred Place of Anubis with an embalming knife protruding from the neck. Meren is torn between loyalty to the king, respect for the embalming priests, and suspicion of those who would take advantage of the youthful pharaoh. 1994. Walking after Midnight BR 10189 by Karen Robards 3 volumes At 2:00 a.m., Summer McAfee, owner of a janitorial service, is on her knees scrubbing the floor of a funeral home. Suddenly the naked and badly bruised body of a man comes to life, and he takes her hostage. Over the next four days they are on the run, dodging bad cops and a ghost, as the former corpse, a cop working under cover, tries to save himself and Summer. Strong language, some violence, and some explicit descriptions of sex. 1995. A Typical American Town BR 10219 by John Maddox Roberts 2 volumes After being asked to leave the LAPD, Gabe Treloar is heading to a new job in Cleveland when his latest failed suicide attempt lands him in his hometown. An old girlfriend welcomes him back, and he finds a room to rent in his boyhood home. After his landlady encourages him to unload the horrors that led to his job change, she is murdered, and Gabe realizes he is being set up. Strong language, violence, and some explicit descriptions of sex. 1994. The Commodore BR 10224 by Patrick O'Brian 3 volumes As in sixteen previous tales in this series, Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin occupy center stage. Upon their return to England, the seafaring duo face several domestic adjustments. Just as life on land becomes very interesting, Captain Aubrey is ordered to Africa. But the Napoleonic Wars are not over, so another, secret order redirects the commodore to Ireland to intercept the French. Some strong language. 1994. The Hundred Secret Senses BR 10230 by Amy Tan 3 volumes Although Olivia is disappointed and often embarrassed by her Chinese-born half sister, she tolerates Kwan's eccentric, brassy, meddlesome ways and even her incessant discussions with nineteenth-century Chinese ghosts. Olivia is also disappointed with her marriage and its own ghost. Eventually Kwan helps Olivia to understand loyalty and unconditional love. Some violence, some descriptions of sex, and some strong language. Bestseller 1995. The Holy Man BR 10232 by Susan Trott 1 volume Joe is a holy man who lives on a mountaintop with several other monks. During the summer, there is a steady line of people from all walks of life coming up the mountain path to see Joe and to hear his words of wisdom. Each pilgrim comes to Joe with a problem addressing themes such as violence, love, fear, ego, or impatience. 1995. Five Days in Paris BR 10234 by Danielle Steel 2 volumes Peter Haskell, president of a major pharmaceutical company, is in Paris awaiting test results on a drug that could revolutionize cancer care. Olivia Thatcher, who lost her son to cancer, is also in Paris. While Peter's family means everything to him, Olivia feels she no longer knows her husband, a renowned United States senator. One night Peter and Olivia meet, and their lives are changed forever. Some descriptions of sex. Bestseller 1995. The Hanged Man BR 10237 by Francesca Lia Block 1 volume Seventeen-year-old Laurel lives at the top of a canyon in Los Angeles. Waiting in a hospital for her father's death, she meets Jack, who befriends her. Jack also introduces Laurel to a fast-paced lifestyle. Meanwhile, Laurel slowly confronts a lot of strange things going on in her life. Descriptions of sex and some strong language. For high school and older readers. 1994. The Lost World BR 10243 by Michael Crichton 3 volumes This sequel to _Jurassic Park (BR 9345)_ is set six years after the dinosaur island park disaster in which humans fought off genetically engineered replicas of prehistoric animals. One survivor of that attack is now a member of a group who return to the area and meet up with the remaining dinosaurs. Strong language and violence. Bestseller 1995. _Heart Songs_ and Other Stories BR 10249 by E. Annie Proulx 2 volumes Eleven short stories featuring the rites of nature and the rituals of small-town life in rural New England. Proulx's focus includes the blue-collar worker who is affected by the newly rural bourgeoisie; the natives who enjoy hunting and fishing; and the malice, greed, and passion that affect the residents. Strong language and some violence. 1995. Angel Angel BR 10253 by April Stevens 2 volumes Shortly after Augusta Iris's artist husband leaves her for another woman, she crawls into bed and stays there. Her eighteen-year-old son, Henry, finally calls his brother, Mathew, at Harvard for help. Mathew returns home, but neither son is equipped to deal with Augusta's depression. Help comes in the form of Bette Mack, a young woman who makes a profound impact on each of their lives. Strong language. 1995. Billy Bayes BR 10254 by Tom Clarke 2 volumes It was a lucky day for Billy Bayes when Josh Clemens offered him a job on the Rocking J Ranch. Josh has been hard on Billy, but Billy has become an excellent ranch hand. He is even chosen to meet the boss's sister, daughter, and new Arabian stallion at the train station and escort them to the ranch. But Billy faces unforeseen trouble from the minute the horse is led from the train. 1994. The Lasko Tangent BR 10255 by Richard North Patterson 2 volumes U.S. Attorney Christopher Paget is a member of the Economic Crimes Commission in Washington, D.C. He believes that William Lasko, a Korean war hero and close friend of the president, is involved in shady deals and money laundering. Paget's one source of information, Alexander Lehman, has promised to tell all but is killed in a hit-and-run accident before he can. Prequel to _Degree of Guilt (BR 9811)_. Strong language and some violence. 1979. Sleepwalking BR 10263 by Julie Myerson 2 volumes Struggling artist Susan marries successful Alistair but is soon unhappy. Eight months pregnant, her desire to leave him increases when she falls in love with another artist. Meanwhile, Susan's cruel father commits suicide, and his ghost as an unhappy child begins to haunt her. Intertwined with Susan's story is that of her grandmother Queenie, who failed miserably as a mother and wife. Strong language and explicit descriptions of sex. 1994. The Innocents BR 10269 by Richard Barre 2 volumes A flash flood uncovers a small skeleton in the California desert. The remains of six more children are found nearby. Successful restaurateur Ignacio Reyes is horrified to discover one of the children is his own. Benito was given up for adoption to wealthy Americans in 1967 when Reyes was destitute in Mexico. Now Reyes calls in private investigator Wil Hardesty to help avenge the child's death. Strong language and violence. 1995. Mysterious Skin BR 10270 by Scott Heim 2 volumes Little Leaguer Brian Lackey, eight, can't remember the five hours following one of his games, and as the years pass, Brian imagines he was abducted by aliens. Another boy on the baseball team, Neil McCormick, had consented to sexual fondling by their coach. When Brian begins to recollect that his experience was shared by Neil, he tracks down Neil, who is now a prostitute. Strong language, violence, and explicit descriptions of sex. 1995. Papa's Suitcase BR 10271 by Gerhard Kopf 1 volume The narrator, who dubs himself Hemingstein, is a lover of books, especially those by Ernest Hemingway. He is so obsessed with the writer that he embarks on a trip to the places Hemingway visited around the world. Hemingstein hopes to find the suitcase containing all of Hemingway's manuscripts that was lost in Paris in 1922. But is he really traveling around the world or only imagining it? 1994. Both Sides of Time BR 10273 by Caroline B. Cooney 2 volumes Annie wants romance from her boyfriend, Sean, but he's only interested in cars. While visiting his apartment at the crumbling Stratton mansion, Annie wanders through the building, sad that it is to be demolished. Suddenly, she is pulled back a century to 1895 and meets Strat, young heir to the mansion. The period is romantic but not kind to women or immigrant groups, and a murder threatens Annie and her new friends. For junior and senior high readers. 1995. Di and I BR 10276 by Peter Lefcourt 3 volumes Leonard Schecter has been given the opportunity to write the script for a television series about England's royal family. Entranced by Princess Di, he woos her by promising to write an epic poem about her. Leonard and Di are besotted with one another, and Di packs up the two princes and heads to California for a life with Leonard. Strong language. 1994. _Books for Children_ Books listed in this issue of _Braille Book Review_ were recently sent to cooperating libraries. The complete collection contains books by many authors on fiction and nonfiction subjects, including animals, geography, nature, mystery, sports, and others. Contact your cooperating library to learn more about the wide range of books available in the collection. To order books, contact your cooperating library. _Nonfiction_ Thomas Jefferson: A Picture Book Biography BR 9939 by James Cross Giblin 1 volume Born on a farm in Virginia, Thomas Jefferson was quiet and shy as a boy, and he loved to read the books he later inherited from his father. During his adult life, he became famous for writing the Declaration of Independence, serving as third president of the United States, and founding the University of Virginia. Later Jefferson was so poor that he had to sell his books to Congress. PRINT/BRAILLE. For grades K-3. 1994. The First Strawberries: A Cherokee Story BR 9943 retold by Joseph Bruchac 1 volume When the world was new, the Creator made a man and a woman. They were very happy together, until one day the man came home and found his wife picking flowers instead of fixing his dinner. Thus begins the retelling of a tale about why strawberries were created. PRINT/BRAILLE. For preschool-grade 2. 1993. The Girl Who Married the Moon: Tales from Native North America BR 10192 retold by Joseph Bruchac and Gayle Ross 1 volume This sequel to _Flying with the Eagle, Racing the Great Bear (BR 10345)_ focuses on the time a young girl becomes a woman. In Native American cultures, this day is celebrated with song, dance, ritual, and story. Two storytellers have collected tales about women of four Indian nations from four different regions of North America. For grades 5-8. 1994. Black Eagles: African Americans in Aviation BR 10275 by Jim Haskins 1 volume A look at the difficulties faced by black Americans who wanted to become pilots and astronauts. The pioneers discussed include Eugene Bullard, who flew in World War I; Bessie Coleman, who became the first female African American pilot; and Guion Bluford and Mae Jemison, who became the first African American man and woman in space. For grades 5-8. 1995. _Fiction_ The Dragon's Pearl BR 9945 retold by Julie Lawson 1 volume Xiao Sheng and his mother live in China where every morning Xiao Sheng sets off to cut green grass to sell in the village so that he and his mother can have food and fuel. He is a happy boy and is always singing. Then one day the rain stops coming, and the grass begins to die. PRINT/BRAILLE. For grades 2-4. 1993. Brighty of the Grand Canyon BR 10125 by Marguerite Henry 1 volume Brighty, a freedom-loving little burro, befriends a kind old prospector. Brighty watches one day as a vicious stranger kills the old man. Years later, Brighty avenges his friend's death. For grades 4-7. 1953. Little House on Rocky Ridge BR 10160 by Roger Lea MacBride 2 volumes In 1894, following several years of fires and drought, Laura and Almanzo Wilder decide to leave their farm in South Dakota and travel to Missouri where they hope the land will be better. Their daughter Rose describes the trip across the "Big Muddy" river, meeting with Russian families, finding a stray dog that becomes her pet, buying a farm, and holding a barn raising. Prequel to _Little Farm in the Ozarks (BR 10161)_. For grades 3-6. 1993. Little Farm in the Ozarks BR 10161 by Roger Lea MacBride 1 volume In the sequel to _Little House on Rocky Ridge (BR 10160)_, Rose and her parents, Laura and Almanzo Wilder, are still waiting for their apple trees to mature on their new farm in Missouri. When Rose is finally allowed to start school, she is dismayed by the dull lessons and the snooty attitude of the town girls in her third-reader class. But by year's end, Rose has made a school friend. For grades 3-6. 1994. The Dragon and the Thief BR 10188 by Gillian Bradshaw 1 volume Seventeen-year-old Prahotep can't seem to get anything right. He doesn't even make a good thief! When he turns to robbing graves, he thinks he's breaking into an Egyptian pharaoh's tomb, but it's actually the cave of Hathor, a wealthy dragon. Hathor wants to protect her fortune and to find her kin, if any survive. Prahotep agrees to help her, and together they escape up the Nile, followed by an evil magician. For grades 6-9 and older readers. 1991. Almost Famous BR 10235 by David Getz 1 volume Ten-year-old Maxine wants to become a famous inventor and to appear on the Phil Donahue Show. She has already invented two things, but now she wants to invent something that will help her five-year-old brother, who has a heart murmur. When she hears about the Inventions of Children Contest, Maxine enlists the help of her classmate Toni, and together they invent an amazing pillow. For grades 3-6. 1992. I See the Moon BR 10239 by C.B. Christiansen 1 volume Even though her parents are sad when Bitte's fifteen-year-old sister, Kari, becomes pregnant, Bitte, twelve, is looking forward to being an aunt. She plans to teach the baby the things her favorite Aunt Minna taught her. But Kari has shocking news. She is giving the baby up for adoption. Now, twelve years later, Bitte explains to her niece the events surrounding the girl's birth. For grades 5-8. 1994. Danger at the Fair BR 10247 by Peg Kehret 1 volume Visiting the fortune teller at the county fair, Ellen is shocked when the pencil in her own hand begins writing a warning about a "smaller one" being in danger. Thinking it is a message from her late grandfather, Ellen is dismayed to learn that her brother Corey, who came to the fair with his friend, is missing. Meanwhile, Corey is having quite an adventure trying to track down the pickpocket he saw from the top of the ferris wheel. For grades 5-8. 1995. A Blessing in Disguise BR 10248 by Eleanora E. Tate 2 volumes Because her mother is ill with hepatitis and is in a psychiatric hospital, twelve-year-old Zambia Brown is being raised by her uncle and aunt in a small South Carolina town. She longs to leave them and her cousin and join the exciting life of her nightclub-owner father, Snake, and her older half-sisters. It takes a tragedy to make Zambia see her entire family realistically. For grades 6-9. 1995. Under the Blood-Red Sun BR 10261 by Graham Salisbury 2 volumes Tomi is a thirteen-year-old living in Honolulu in 1941. His parents and grandfather are Japanese immigrants, and his best friend, Billy, is white, a _haole_. Much to Tomi's dismay, his grandfather persists in calling himself Japanese and even flying Japan's flag. When the Japanese bomb Pearl Harbor, soldiers accuse Tomi's family of being spies. Even Billy begins treating Tomi differently. Some strong language and some violence. For grades 5-8. 1994. Walk Two Moons BR 10280 by Sharon Creech 2 volumes A year ago, Sal's grieving mother left Sal and her father to visit Idaho and never returned. Sal's father has accepted that his wife is not coming back, but Sal has not. As she and her grandparents travel to Idaho to find her mother, Sal tells them "an extensively strange story" about her new friend Phoebe, whose mother also disappeared. And Sal gets to walk two moons in her mother's moccasins. For grades 3-6 and older readers. Newbery Medal. 1994. Do-Over BR 10281 by Rachel Vail 1 volume Eighth-grader Whitman Levy is very interested in girls but very inexperienced. Amazed that he convinces one to be his girlfriend, Whit inadvertently offends her, and she dumps him. As he daydreams about one girl after another, Whit tries to ignore the friction between his parents. Some strong language. For grades 6-9. 1992. Amelia Bedelia BR 10284 by Peggy Parish 1 volume When Amelia Bedelia shows up for her first day of work as a housekeeper, her new employer, Mrs. Rogers, gives her a list of things to do and drives away. Amelia is puzzled by the instructions but follows them anyway. She dresses the chicken in a little outfit, dusts the furniture with dusting powder, and cuts up the towels to change them. For grades K-3. 1963. Stupid Cupid BR 10295 by Ilene Cooper 1 volume At twelve Maddy Donalson is bigger than her mother, who keeps urging her to diet. Maddy decides that might be a way to attract new student Mickey Torres. Meanwhile, Maddy and her four friends from camp, who get together every holiday, plan a Valentine's party. And Mickey agrees to come! Now if Maddy's plans to fix up a date for her widowed mother work out, everything will be perfect. For grades 3-6. 1995. Handcopied Braille--Other Agencies The following books have been hand transcribed for the library indicated with each entry and are available from that library for circulation throughout the country. Please write or call directly to the library indicated. LLB Lutheran Library for the Blind 1133 South Kirkwood Road St. Louis, MO 63122 314-965-9000, 800-433-3954 Adult Nonfiction Grandparenting: The Agony and the Ecstasy LLB by Jay Kesler 3 volumes Kesler discusses challenges grandparents face: sharing spiritual values with grandchildren, building relationships across the miles, providing emotional support if parents divorce, and knowing when and how to intervene in a crisis. Live Long and Love It! LLB by Win and Charles Arn 2 volumes Tells how to make senior years the best years of your life with courage, humor, health, and faith. Pack Up Your Gloomees in a Great Big Box, Then Sit on the Lid and Laugh! LLB by Barbara Johnson 6 volumes The author expounds on learning not only to endure life but to enjoy it. She tells of her own trials and how she developed her Spatula Ministries, which helps parents cope with child-rearing problems. _Braille Magazines_ The following is a list of braille magazines in the Library of Congress program. Readers may obtain free personal subscriptions to these magazines. For information on the availability of specific magazines, consult the library that sends you braille materials. Asimov's Science Fiction (monthly plus mid-December) Better Homes and Gardens (monthly) Boys' Life (for children and teens, monthly) Braille Book Review (bimonthly) Braille Chess Magazine (British quarterly) Braille Journal of Physiotherapy (British monthly) Braille Music Magazine (British monthly) Braille Variety News (monthly) Children's Digest (for children, 8 issues) Consumers' Research (monthly) Cooking Light (bimonthly [3] and monthly [6]) Fortune (biweekly plus specials) Inside Sports (monthly) Jack and Jill (for children, 8 issues) Journal of Rehabilitation (quarterly) Ladies' Home Journal (monthly) Madam (British monthly) The Musical Mainstream (quarterly) National Geographic (monthly) New Beacon (British monthly) The _New York Times_ Large Type Weekly (weekly) News (NLS quarterly) Parenting (monthly except January and July) PC/Computing (monthly) Playboy (monthly) Poetry (monthly) Popular Communications (monthly) Popular Mechanics (monthly) Popular Music Lead Sheets (irregular) Progress (British monthly) Science News (weekly) Seventeen (for teens, monthly) Update (NLS quarterly) The _Washington Post_ Book World (weekly) The following sports schedules are also available: American Baseball League Schedule National Baseball League Schedule National Basketball Association Schedule National Football League Schedule National Hockey League Schedule *** 8/27/96 (gft)*** Comments to: lcmarvel@loc.gov