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."
A Study in Scarlet BR 10561
by Arthur Conan Doyle
3 volumes
Published in 1887 when Doyle was twenty-five, this, his first
book, introduces the characters of Sherlock Holmes and Dr.
Watson. Holmes tackles a gruesome case that begins with the
murder of a girl and her lover in Utah, spreads to the capital
cities of Europe, and reaches a fatal climax in England.
Includes an introduction by editor Owen Dudley Edwards and a
chronology of Doyle's work. 1993.
The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes BR 10563
by Arthur Conan Doyle
4 volumes
Follows the Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (BR 10562).
Doyle offers eleven more tales of Holmes and Dr. Watson,
including Holmes's meeting with Moriarty, the Napoleon of crime.
In a final note, Doyle explains Holmes's demise. Includes a
chronology of Doyle's work and an introduction by editor
Christopher Roden. 1993.
The Hound of the Baskervilles: Another Adventure of Sherlock
Holmes BR 10565
by Arthur Conan Doyle
1 volume
The evil of Sir Hugo, master of the lonely Baskerville manor on
the moors, began the curse of the Baskervilles in the
seventeenth century. Now, generations later, the legendary hound
howls and Sir Charles Baskerville dies. Sherlock Holmes and Dr.
Watson move in to solve the crime. Includes an introduction by
editor W.W. Robson and Doyle's chronology. 1993.
Seventeenth Summer BR 10584
by Maureen Daly
2 volumes
A woman recalls her seventeenth summer when she lived in a small
Wisconsin town in the leisurely days before World War II and
fell in love for the first time. 1942.
The Garden Where the Brass Band Played BR 10591
by S. Vestdijk
3 volumes
As this Dutch novel begins, Nol, the central character, is a
small boy who is exposed to the joys of music. As a judge's son,
Nol enjoys a privileged life, but he is not immune to
disappointments and hard-earned lessons ranging from resentment
of an older brother to rejection by the girl he loves. 1950.
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn BR 10687
by Mark Twain
3 volumes
A comprehensive edition of Twain's 1885 tale about a boy who
runs away from home and floats down the Mississippi on a raft
with an escaping slave. Includes four episodes originally
deleted from the first edition, an introduction by Twain
biographer Justin Kaplan, and an addendum of explanatory and
interpretive notes. Strong language. 1996.
Pride of Lions BR 10690
by Morgan Llywelyn
3 volumes
In this sequel to Lion of Ireland (BR 4971), Donough,
Brian Boru's son, vies for his father's crown after the latter's
death in 1014. Plotting against Donough, however, is his
formidable mother, Gormlaith, who was exiled by Boru. And
Donough must choose between his bride, Neassa, and Cera the
druid, of whom the church staunchly disapproves. Some
descriptions of sex. 1996.
The Lighthouse at the End of the World BR 10691
by Stephen Marlowe
3 volumes
An experimental work combining biographical fiction, fantasy,
and history. An impoverished Edgar Allan Poe sets out on a quest
to recover an enchanted relic that his brother had secreted from
a South Sea island. Poe enters a phantasmagorical realm, where
he confronts his tragic past and encounters a gallery of
characters of his own creation. 1995.
The Dragon and the Djinn BR 10692
by Gordon R. Dickson
3 volumes
In this sequel to The Dragon, the Earl, and the Troll (BR
10530), the Dragon Knight and his friend, Sir Brian, venture
to the Holy Land in search of the father of Brian's betrothed.
But the quest becomes a dangerous odyssey as they encounter
pirates, sea giants, and the wizardly Djinn. 1996.
Who Brings Forth the Wind: The Kensington Chronicles, Volume
3 BR 10698
by Lori Wick
3 volumes
Having grown up in the country, Stacy Daniels is hesitant to go
to London. But at her family's urging, Stacy goes and is quickly
caught up in the social season of 1853. A chance meeting with
Lord Tanner Richardson soon brings happiness and then turmoil
into her life. Sequel to Wings of the Morning (BR 9604).
1994.
The Knight and the Dove: The Kensington Chronicles, Volume 4
BR 10699
by Lori Wick
3 volumes
King Henry VIII has ordered a marriage between Bracken of
Hawkings Crest and a daughter of Lord Vincent of Stone Lake.
When Marigold refuses, Vincent offers his youngest, Megan. She
and Bracken get off to a shaky start, but matters worsen when
Marigold learns Bracken is to become a duke. Sequel to Who
Brings Forth the Wind (BR 10698). 1995.
Cowboy Angst BR 10707
by Jasen Emmons
2 volumes
When Dennis McCance comes home to Prairie View, Montana, he must
break the news to his family that he has dropped out of law
school. Their anger and dismay are compounded by learning of his
alternate career choice: that of a drummer in a country music
band. Strong language, violence, and explicit descriptions of
sex. 1995.
Flash Fiction: Very Short Stories BR 10708
edited by James Thomas and others
2 volumes
What these selections by Margaret Atwood, John Updike, and
seventy others have in common is their brevity--most consisting
of 250 to 750 words. One story breezes through a couple's entire
marriage from meeting to retirement. Others are magical--a woman
learns origami and turns all the apologies she constantly
receives into folded shapes. Grade 1 braille. Strong language
and some descriptions of sex. 1992.
The Love Letter BR 10710
by Cathleen Schine
2 volumes
Helen MacFarquhar is a flirtatious bookshop owner and divorced
mother in her forties whose well-ordered life is disrupted by an
anonymous love letter. She becomes consumed with finding the
author, which leads to a secret affair with Johnny, her
twenty-year-old summer employee. Some strong language. 1995.
Zod Wallop BR 10718
by William Browning Spencer
2 volumes
Fictional Harry Gainesborough writes Zod Wallop while
being treated in a psychiatric hospital following the death of
his daughter Amy. The book becomes a bestseller, and a producer
wants to make it into a movie. Also, another patient at the
hospital, who has read the book, wants to bring the characters
to life. Strong language and some descriptions of sex. 1995.
Veronica BR 10719
by Nicholas Christopher
2 volumes
A tale of magic and illusion. Leo falls in with the mysterious
and beautiful Veronica, who needs him to contact her vanished
magician father. She leads the compliant Leo on a mystical and
spiritual quest through time and space. Explicit descriptions of
sex. 1996.
Entertaining Angels BR 10721
by Marita van der Vyver
2 volumes
South African prize-winner about Griet, a thirty-year-old woman
dealing with miscarriage and divorce. With her quirky sense of
humor and feminist viewpoint, she survives by rewriting fairy
tales with contemporary settings. Adam, a golden, angelic hunk,
appears to fulfill her emerging fantasies. Explicit descriptions
of sex and some strong language. 1994.
Musical Moment and Other Stories BR 10725
by Yehoshua Kenaz
2 volumes
Four stories of a young Israeli boy's coming-of-age in the 1940s
and 1950s. In "The Three-Legged Chicken," the narrator
recalls the day of his grandfather's funeral and the men who
flocked to see the spectacle of a deformed chicken. In
"Henrik's Secret," the narrator wants to know why
someone is "bad friends" with him. 1995.
Mumbo Jumbo BR 10734
by Ishmael Reed
2 volumes
Experimental novel combining form and substance. The people's
movement of Jes' Grew comes from nowhere and spreads everywhere,
rivaling the efforts of the Harlem Renaissance and causing
consternation in the Harding cabinet. This imaginary cultural
phenomenon appears in many voices that, like jazz elements,
interact with a prevailing theme. Strong language and explicit
descriptions of sex. 1972.
Deep River BR 10737
by Shusaku Endo
2 volumes
Novel of spiritual questioning by award-winning Japanese author.
Four Japanese travelers visit the Ganges River in India, where
they confront the dramas of their lives. The river has symbolic
significance, especially evoking the convergence of the
Buddhist, Christian, and Hindu religions. 1994.
A House Divided: Good Earth Trilogy, Volume 3 BR
10743
by Pearl S. Buck
3 volumes
In this sequel to The Sons (BR 9578), Wang Yuan, son of
Wang the Tiger, returns home after six years abroad to find his
native China in the midst of a peasant rebellion. While his
sister dishonors the family with her premarital pregnancy, and
his warlord father stubbornly adheres to traditional ways, Wang
Yuan tries to restore peace to his family. 1930.
Krik? Krak! BR 10749
by Edwidge Danticat
1 volume
Ten short stories that reflect, to some degree, the violence and
despair of the author's native Haiti. "Children of the
Sea" is an exchange of letters, never sent, between a young
woman and her lover, who is aboard a leaky boat en route to
Miami. "Nineteen Thirty-Seven" describes the harsh
treatment of a Haitian woman imprisoned for witchcraft. 1995.
Dover: The Collected Short Stories BR 10750
by Joyce Porter
2 volumes
Eleven stories published in Ellery Queen's Mystery
Magazine between 1968 and 1985. Vulgar British Chief
Inspector Dover fits his investigations around his more
important activities: eating, drinking, smoking, sleeping, and
going to the bathroom. Includes a foreword on Porter's work by
writer Robert Barnard and an afterword by Porter's brother.
1995.
Manhattan Transfer BR 10761
by John E. Stith
3 volumes
Without warning, all of Manhattan is swept into space by an
alien force and encased in a giant bubble. The trapped humans
soon discover that their city is but one of many that have been
kidnapped. A small group devises a way to escape and attempts to
communicate with people in other bubbles. Some strong language.
1993.
Be I Whole BR 10765
by Gita Brown
2 volumes
Sizway, an herbalist and member of a community of black gypsies
known as the Ki, marries Papa Job, a bellboy, in the 1950s. They
settle down in Ohio to raise a family, but after the death of a
child, Papa Job turns to gambling and alcohol. Sizway then seeks
help from the Ki community to bring the family back together.
1995.
The Fatigue Artist BR 10766
by Lynne Sharon Schwartz
3 volumes
At age forty, Laura, a New York writer, is beset by lethargy and
other mysterious physical symptoms. She suspects these are
reactions to her husband's tragic death and her current,
desultory love affair. When medical approaches yield no help,
Laura seeks and finds relief in a journey of self-discovery.
1995.
Spirit Seeker BR 10777
by Joan Lowery Nixon
2 volumes
Holly Campbell is furious with her police detective father. Once
again he is working late, missing an anniversary celebration
with her mother. But when Mr. Campbell does arrive, he has some
shocking news: Holly's boyfriend may be a suspect in the murder
of his parents. For junior and senior high readers. 1995.
Tears of a Tiger BR 10779
by Sharon M. Draper
1 volume
Andy Jackson is consumed with guilt when his drinking causes an
accident that kills his best friend, Robert Washington, a star
athlete. Journal entries, letters, homework assignments,
newspaper articles, and conversations tell the tragic story of
Andy's inability to deal with his depression. For junior and
senior high readers. 1994.
Stress BR 10783
by Loren D. Estleman
2 volumes
It is New Year's Eve 1972 when a Detroit cop moonlighting at a
posh party shoots and kills three intruders. On the case is
officer Charlie Battle, who knows the department is protecting
its own yet doggedly pursues the truth up to the startling
courtroom climax. Companion to Edsel (BR 10156). Strong
language and descriptions of sex. 1996.
Love's Children BR 10786
by Judith Chernaik
2 volumes
The stories of four women surrounding romantic poet Percy Bysshe
Shelley in 1816 and 1817. Fictional journals and letters tell of
the loves and lives of Shelley's first wife, Harriet Westbrook;
his second wife, Mary Godwin; her half-sister, Fanny Godwin; and
Mary and Fanny's stepsister, Clare Clairmont. 1991.
Three NBs of Julian Drew BR 10787
by James M. Deem
1 volume
Julian Drew's notebooks are his lifeline to survival since the
death of his mother and the subsequent abusive treatment from
his cruel stepmother and his indifferent father. While forced to
endure isolation and starvation in his room, Julian uses cryptic
codes and veiled terminology in his journals. For junior and
senior high readers. 1994.
Flash Fire BR 10790
by Caroline B. Cooney
1 volume
The teenagers living in a wealthy California canyon neighborhood
are aware of fires raging nearby, but have been told they're not
in any danger. Suddenly that all changes, and, without any
adults to take charge, they must try to save themselves, their
siblings, and their pets. For junior and senior high readers.
1995.
The Best of O. Henry BR 10794
by O. Henry
2 volumes
Twenty-six short stories, originally published in the New
York World newspaper, about city life in the early 1900s.
Includes such well-known tales as "Gift of the Magi"
and less familiar ones, such as "Memories of a Yellow
Dog." While their themes vary, the stories share O. Henry's
incisive humor, irony, and pathos. 1978.
The Lost Son BR 10795
by Brent Spencer
2 volumes
It's been six months since Ellen left Redmond, her live-in lover
of twelve years. Feeling guilty about also leaving her
sixteen-year-old son, Nick, Ellen is on her way back to explain
and find closure. Meanwhile, Nick and Redmond are waging a
silent war against each other. As each of the three reflects on
what led to this point, Redmond's abusive father reappears.
Strong language, some violence, and some explicit descriptions
of sex. 1995.
Smithereens BR 10798
by Susan Taylor Chehak
2 volumes
Sixteen-year-old May Caldwell lives a dull life with her Iowa
family, waiting for something to happen. And happen it does with
the unexpected arrival of Frances (Frankie) Crane, a slightly
older girl from Appalachia whom the family has financially
sponsored. Amoral and vibrant, Frankie unlocks the latent
wildness in May's troubled psyche. Strong language and
descriptions of sex. 1995.
Hometown BR 10799
by Marsha Qualey
3 volumes
Sixteen-year-old street kid Border Baker is unhappy when his
divorced father moves the two from Albuquerque to his small
Minnesota hometown. Border's father dodged the draft during the
Vietnam War, and now with the Gulf War heating up and patriotism
surging, Border must bear the brunt of the town's animosity
toward his father. Some strong language. For junior and senior
high readers. 1995.
A Fate Totally Worse than Death BR 10800
by Paul Fleischman
1 volume
The Huns are a group of very rich students at Cliffside High
School. Earlier three Hun girls arranged the death of an
outsider who tried to date a Hun. Now Helga, a new girl, is
showing interest in a Hun boy. But as the girls make their plans
for Helga, their bodies start aging rapidly. For junior and
senior high readers. 1995.
Taking It BR 10802
by Michael Cadnum
1 volume
Anna Charles, seventeen, runs away to her brother's house,
leaving behind her wealthy well-known father, her newly married
mother, her confused feelings about her stepfather, and the
latest in a string of shoplifting accusations. For junior and
senior high readers. 1995.
The Other Side of Silence BR 10803
by Margaret Mahy
1 volume
Twelve-year-old Hero of New Zealand is the middle child in a
family of prodigies. Hero, who has chosen not to talk to anyone,
lives in two worlds. Her outward world is the one at home, but
her true life is the one she experiences up in a tree and with
her neighbor Miss Credence, whose house guards a shocking
secret. For junior and senior high readers. 1995.
Out of Time BR 10804
by Caroline B. Cooney
2 volumes
In this sequel to Both Sides of Time (BR 10273), 1990s
Annie Lockwood once again travels through time to see the
friends she made in 1895. The young man she loves, Strat, has
been institutionalized because of his description of Annie. She
is his only chance for escape. For junior and senior high
readers. 1996.
The Squared Circle BR 10805
by James Bennett
2 volumes
Despite his mediocre grades, high school all-American basketball
star Sonny Youngblood wins a full college scholarship. Achieving
national celebrity, he soon comes under official scrutiny and
begins to reexamine his priorities. Strong language and
violence. For junior and senior high readers. 1995.
The Patch of Blue BR 10806
by Grace Livingston Hill
2 volumes
For Chris Walton, life is great. He is part of a warm and loving
family, and in a few weeks he will return for his senior year in
college with a brand new car. But his world is turned upside
down when his bank-president father must close the bank. Chris
soon learns that one person in town understands his new
circumstances. 1932.
From the Notebooks of Melanin Sun BR 10808
by Jacqueline Woodson
1 volume
For the most part, thirteen-year-old Melanin Sun is happy living
with his single mother, hanging out with his friends, and
dreaming about a girl. But when forced to come to terms with
differences in sexual preferences and race, Melanin Sun turns to
his journal, where he records thoughts he can't speak out loud.
For junior and senior high readers. Coretta Scott King Award.
1995.
Daisy Miller BR 10809
by Henry James
1 volume
First published in 1878, this short story tells how Daisy, an
American girl, is ostracized for going sightseeing in Rome with
a man but without a chaperone. 1878.
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