The Origin of Species BR 12412
by Charles Darwin
5 volumes (Reissue)
The nineteenth-century English scientist's theory of evolution,
in which he uses the findings of anatomy, geology, embryology,
and paleontology to support his explanation of natural selection
and survival of the fittest. 1859.
Shallow Grave in Trinity County BR 12442
by Harry Farrell
4 volumes
In April of 1955, Berkeley junior high student Stephanie Bryan
disappeared on her way home from school. California journalist
Farrell describes the events that happened after her purse was
found in the basement of a young Alameda couple. The husband,
Burton Abbott, was soon accused of her murder. 1997.
Space and the American Imagination BR 12481
by Howard E. McCurdy
4 volumes
Discusses the development of the U.S. space program in response
to public interest spurred by writers of science and science
fiction. Examines impacts of popular pressures and cultural
ideals in shaping policy decisions that led to the creation of
the national space venture; explores the resulting discrepancies
between expectations and reality. 1997.
Pillsbury Fast and Healthy Cookbook: 350 Easy Recipes for
Every Day BR 12485
by Pillsbury Company
5 volumes
A collection of recipes with nutritional information, tips on
cooking and storage, advice about ingredients, and suggestions
for making meals varied and interesting. Preparation times are
generally less than thirty minutes. 1998.
The Myth of Continents: A Critique of Metageography BR
12489
by Martin W. Lewis and Karen E. Wigen
4 volumes
An examination of how traditional geographical divisions of the
world into continents, nation-states, and the supracontinental
blocks of East and West reflect parochial attitudes such as
Eurocentrism. Proposes that an increasingly integrated world
needs a new geographical depiction. 1997.
She Came to Live Out Loud: An Inspiring Family Journey through
Illness, Loss, and Grief BR 12498
by Myra MacPherson
4 volumes
The author describes her experiences with a dynamic Maryland
woman during the last twenty months of her struggle to survive
breast cancer. Portrays Anna Johannessen's family and friends and
their efforts to care for her until her death at age forty-five
in 1997. Some strong language. 1999.
Holy Hunger: A Memoir of Desire BR 12499
by Margaret Bullitt-Jonas
2 volumes
An Episcopal priest describes her addiction to food and her
struggle to overcome it. Growing up with an alcoholic father and
an emotionally reclusive mother, Bullitt-Jonas became a
compulsive overeater. She eventually recovered with the help of
Overeaters Anonymous. 1998.
Play Winning Checkers: Official American Mensa Game Book BR
12569
by Robert Pike
1 volume
Explains the basic rules and moves in the multigenerational,
interactive game of checkers. Intended for beginners and
experienced players who want to improve their performance.
Provides guidance for conducting tournaments. Also offers
variations on the standard American game. For junior and senior
high and older readers. 1999.
Alice Medrich's Cookies and Brownies BR 12574
by Alice Medrich
1 volume
The author of Chocolate and the Art of Low-fat Desserts (BR
10421) now provides recipes for shortbread, butter cookies,
chocolate cookies, cookie classics, biscotti, brownies, and bars.
She also instructs on techniques for decorating cookies and
making sandwich cookies, and discusses ingredients and equipment.
1999.
Beowulf BR 12591
by Seamus Heaney
3 volumes
Nobel laureate Heaney presents a bilingual edition of the tenth-
century Anglo-Saxon epic, which includes the original poem in Old
English along with his new modern English verse translation. The
poem chronicles the feats of Scandinavian warrior Beowulf, who
battles with monsters and brings wisdom to leadership. Whitbread
Award. Bestseller 2000.
I May Be Some Time: Ice and the English Imagination BR
12612
by Francis Spufford
4 volumes
A cultural examination of the British male obsession with polar
exploration as evidenced in literary works. Provides some
historical background about famous expeditions but concentrates
on motivation: the allure of the vast unknown. Includes some
commentary on the wives' feelings. 1997.
Seamus Heaney BR 12626
by Helen Vendler
2 volumes
A guide to understanding the works of the Irish poet who won the
Nobel Prize for Literature in 1995. Explains the background and
evolution of his poetry from Death of a Naturalist in 1966
through The Spirit Level in 1996. 1998.
The Bird Catcher: Poems BR 12632
by Marie Ponsot
1 volume
A collection of fifty-two poems, some of which were previously
published in periodicals. Grouped under four headings, each
bearing the title of a poem in that section: "For My Old Self";
"Separate, in the Swim"; "The Split Image of Attention"; and
"Explorers Cry Out Unheard." Nat'l Book Critics Circle Award.
1998.
Ten Commandments: Poems BR 12639
by J.D. McClatchy
1 volume
Ten three-poem sets arranged to correspond to the biblical
precepts in the decalogue. In "My Mammogram," when a middle-aged
man's breast exam shows no cancer but an excess of estrogen, he
experiences "the end of life as I've known it, that is to say--
testosterone sported like a power tie." 1998.
About This Life: Journeys on the Threshold of Memory BR
12641
by Barry Lopez
2 volumes
Autobiographical essays reflecting on the travels, adventures,
and memories lodged in Lopez's mind that contributed to his
becoming a writer. He explores faraway lands, islands, and seas;
makes trips within the United States; and ponders the connections
to his interior world. 1998.
Vain Empires: Poems BR 12649
by William Logan
1 volume
Thirty-one poems on disparate topics, many of which depict
historical figures and events, from Pliny the Elder to Keats in
India. The work "Van Gogh in the Pulpit" issues a harsh
pronouncement on sin, penance, and self-abasement. 1998.
Saving Molly: A Research Veterinarian's Choices BR
12652
by James Mahoney
2 volumes
A veterinarian recounts his rescue of Molly, a diseased and
debilitated runt puppy, an experience that would "crystallize
thirty years of rumination about my life with animals." Discusses
the sensitive issue of using animals in medical research, in
which the author has had years of practice. 1998.
Green Hills of Africa BR 12659
by Ernest Hemingway
2 volumes (Reissue)
Account of an African big-game-hunting expedition in 1933 that
included Hemingway and his wife, Pauline. Describes their
adventures on the Serengeti Plain near Mount Kilimanjaro. 1935.
1898: The Birth of the American Century BR 12671
by David Traxel
4 volumes
A narrative on the pivotal year of 1898 in United States history,
during which the country changed from a rural, isolated society
into a major world player. Discusses the Spanish-American War as
well as union uprisings, racial conflict, advances in technology
and advertising, and the last Native American battle. 1998.
Letter to a Man in the Fire: Does God Exist and Does He Care?
BR 12677
by Reynolds Price
1 volume
An essay based on the cancer-survivor author's response to a
terminally ill medical student's query regarding the existence
and nature of God. Drawing from religious traditions, philosophy,
literature, art, and personal experience, the author offers a
compelling and inspiring argument for the existence of a caring
and providential Creator. 1999.
Why Read the Classics? BR 12678
by Italo Calvino
3 volumes
The title essay presents the author's fourteen-point definition
of the literary term "classic." The following thirty-five pieces
comment on his personal choices: "the writers, poets, and
scientific authors who had meant the most to him, at different
stages of his life." 1999.
Passage to Juneau: A Sea and Its Meanings BR 12680
by Jonathan Raban
4 volumes
Raban chronicles his 1990s trip up the Inside Passage from
Seattle, Washington, to Juneau, Alaska, in a ketch (the boat's
main attraction was its built-in bookcases). He had set out to
retrace George Vancouver's 1792 route and to meditate on the lure
of the sea, but instead his journey became one of personal
introspection. 1999.
Working on God BR 12683
by Winifred Gallagher
3 volumes
A neoagnostic journalist chronicles her research into the state
of American religion at the close of the twentieth century. Her
spiritual quest delved into the Christian, Jewish, and Buddhist
traditions. She describes finding a millennial religion that is
more practical, personal, eclectic, and democratic than
traditional faiths. 1999.
America's Library: The Story of the Library of Congress, 1800-
2000 BR 12707
by James Conaway
3 volumes
A history of this cultural institution--often considered the
world's greatest library--and the thirteen Librarians of Congress
who guided its development. Discusses its transformation from
modest legislative resource to the vast national library of the
United States. Describes some of the variety found in its diverse
collection of over 115 million items. 2000.
Brother Frank BR 12710
by Frank Minucci and William Hoffman
2 volumes
Inspirational memoir of a drug-addicted career criminal, who at
age forty-one reformed his life following a near-death experience
and religious epiphany. Recounts his early years as an abused
child and delinquent teen, his lawless adulthood, his redemption,
and his work as a Christian minister. Some violence. 1998.
Lost at Sea: An American Tragedy BR 12712
by Patrick Dillon
2 volumes
Recounts how in 1983, two boats from a fishing fleet out of
Anacortes, Washington, simultaneously capsized off the coast of
Alaska, without giving distress signals. Describes the extensive
investigation into the mysterious incident and explains why
crabbing had become "the nation's deadliest occupation." Some
strong language. 1998.
A Few Thousand Words about Love BR 12714
edited by Mickey Pearlman
2 volumes
Seventeen stories on the themes of love and intimacy as they are
variously shared with family, friends, and romantic lovers.
"First Love" tells of a college coed's infatuation with a
classmate. When her dream of being alone with him finally comes
true, she finds the moment disconcerting. 1998.
Bots: The Origin of New Species BR 12715
by Andrew Leonard
3 volumes
Explains the nature, origins, and functions of bots, the computer
software versions of mechanical robots. Bots range from simple
log-on scripts to intelligent, autonomous characters that roam
cyberspace performing complex services. Predicts that future bots
will make computer use effortless and enjoyable. 1997.
Brown v. Board of Education: Equal Schooling for
All BR 13039
by Harvey Fireside and Sarah Betsy Fuller
1 volume
Discusses the 1954 Supreme Court case that dealt with school
segregation and ended the policy of maintaining separate
institutions by race. Discusses the historical background,
conditions in Kansas that prompted the legal challenge, and the
nationwide impact of the decision. For junior and senior high
readers. 1994.
Miranda v. Arizona: Rights of the Accused BR
13044
by Gail Blasser Riley
1 volume
Details the 1966 U.S. Supreme Court decision to overturn the
Arizona conviction of Ernesto Miranda for kidnapping and rape.
The ruling was based on the fact that Miranda was not advised of
his right to an attorney before being questioned about the crime.
For junior and senior high readers. 1994.
Epperson v. Arkansas: The Evolution-Creationism
Debate BR 13049
by Jonathan L. Thorndike
1 volume
Examines the 1968 Supreme Court case that dealt with the question
of whether teaching creationism rather than evolution in Arkansas
schools was acceptable. Also discusses the history and theories
behind the conflict. For junior and senior high readers. 1999.
Reflecting the Flame BR 13150
edited by Marc Maurer
1 volume
Nine stories recounting how blind adults are creating a past upon
which blind children can build their futures. A lawyer gains a
better understanding of her blindness while learning how to open
a milk carton, and a man discusses how to deal with things done
mainly for visual effect. 1999.
Against the Pollution of the I: Selected Writings BR
13161
by Jacques Lusseyran
1 volume
Six biographical essays explore the nature of blindness and
attitudes toward it. Lusseyran's "I" refers to an inner light, or
"radiance," that he discovered after losing his eyesight at age
eight. Describes incarceration and survival in Buchenwald;
suggests that "disabilities, losses, griefs, and failings" are
gifts that can lead to joy. 1999.
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