NLS: Talking Book Topics

by John Dunning

read by Ray Hagen

16 cassettes in 3 containers

An alphabetical presentation of more than 1,500 radio shows from the 1920s to the 1960s. Each listing describes the type of program, provides a history with starting and ending dates, and includes the persons involved. Includes Amos 'n' Andy, Fibber McGee and Molly, One Man's Family, The Lone Ranger, and Jack Armstrong, the All American Boy. 1998.

by Sally Cline

read by MaryBeth Wise

4 cassettes

Using material from the diaries and memoirs of Hall's lovers, Cline shows Hall's importance as a poet and novelist in lesbian cultural history. She discusses Hall's youth and her family relationships, describes her romances with women such as Una Troubridge, and shows how the three names Hall used formed her public and private personae. 1997.

by Ben Sonder

read by Don Emmick

1 cassette

Chronicles the teaching of evolution versus biblical creationism, tracing the roots of the controversy to the nineteenth-century writings of Charles Darwin and the 1920s Scopes trial. Presents religious objections to the scientific theory of man's origins and summarizes the debate through the 1990s. For junior and senior high readers. 1999.

by Loretta LaRoche

read by Miriam Wagner

1 cassette

Motivational speaker and stress management consultant featured on PBS outlines how to achieve peace and harmony by bringing laughter into every situation. Offers tips on eliminating stress and turning it into an opportunity for resiliency and humor. 1998.

by Gillian Gill

read by Jacinda Bronaugh

7 cassettes in 2 containers

Historical biography of the nineteenth-century founder of Christian Science, emphasizing the roots of the movement. Explores Eddy's work, the legal challenges she faced, and her three marriages and other relationships. Using materials from church archives, the author places Eddy in the context of Victorian life and its stifling effect on women. 1998.

by Robert K. Massie

read by Bill Wallace

5 cassettes (Reissue)

Evokes the final years of the Romanov dynasty in Imperial Russia. Discusses the hemophilia of the Tsarevich Alexis as a pivotal factor in the personal and political lives of his parents, the influence of the Siberian mystagogue Rasputin, the subsequent revolution, and the courage of the Tsar's family. 1967.

by Dale L. Walker

read by Jake Williams

2 cassettes

History of California from its colonization by Spain to its annexation by the United States. Relates how the concept of Manifest Destiny applied to the West Coast and how three men--John Charles Frémont, Robert Field Stockton, and Stephen Watts Kearny--led the takeover of the Bear Flag state. 1999.

by John Keay

read by Gordon Gould

5 cassettes

A five-thousand-year overview of the subcontinent from the Harappan people in the Indus Valley around 3000 B.C. to the nineteenth-century takeover by the British Raj. Presents a chronology of cultural and political developments that shaped the twentieth-century nations of Pakistan, Bangladesh, and India. 2000.

by John Colapinto

read by Bruce Nelson

2 cassettes

Describes the traumatic life of Canadian David Reimer, who was born an identical twin in 1965. After a botched circumcision left him without a penis, he was castrated, raised as a girl, given hormones, and falsely publicized as a great success. Miserable at fourteen, David reverted to being male. Some strong language. 2000.

by Alyn Shipton

read by Jake Williams

4 cassettes

Biography of gifted trumpeter, jazz great, and musical ambassador John Birks Gillespie (1917-1993). Discusses his rise from poverty to become an outstanding entertainer, bandleader, and master of bebop, Afro-Cuban jazz, and bossanova. Includes details about his offstage life and the complexities of his character. 1999.

by David M. Kennedy

read by Bill Wallace

8 cassettes in 2 containers

Surveys a period of crises, fears, and insecurities in American history. Includes the post-World War I years of poverty, the Great Depression and its subsequent social unrest, Herbert Hoover's attempts at economic reform, Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal, isolationism, and the United States' entry into World War II. Pulitzer Prize. 1999.

by Philippe Wamba

read by Ralph Lowenstein

4 cassettes

A Harvard graduate and journalist, born to an American mother and a Congolese father, examines his roots and explores the centuries of shared history, common interests, and mutual goals of African Americans and Africans. He recalls challenges his parents faced, explains misconceptions between the two cultures, and advocates unity between them. 1999.

by Og Mandino

read by Janet Daley

1 cassette (Reissue)

Fictionalized biblical story of Zacchaeus, who--despite humble beginnings and physical handicaps--became the epitome of the successful man. During the narrative, Zacchaeus develops his philosophy for achieving life goals and lays down his ten commandments to guide the individual along the way. 1981.

read by Ray Hagen

5 cassettes

Chronicle of the innovative English rock group comprising Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Ringo Starr, and John Lennon, from their childhoods in Liverpool until their split in 1970. Based largely on a 1994 television documentary series, the book features interviews with the four musicians and their close associates. Some strong language. Bestseller 2000.

by Cathleen Medwick

read by Lisette Lecat

3 cassettes

Biography of Saint Teresa of Avila, the sixteenth-century Spanish mystic and reformer of the Carmelite order. Offers a twentieth-century perspective on her writings and reputation; chronicles the life of the dedicated nun whose canonization in 1622 has sparked controversy ever since. 1999.

by Arthur C. Clarke

read by Roy Avers

4 cassettes

Over one hundred essays and reviews covering six decades by the author of 2001: A Space Odyssey (RC 19164). Includes pieces about rockets, flying saucers, visits to the Moon, and working with director Stanley Kubrick, along with predictions and prophecies for the twenty-first century. An annotation precedes each article. 1999.

by Niall Ferguson

read by Anne Flosnik

7 cassettes in 2 containers

Traces the family's ascent from Frankfurt's inner-city poverty to unprecedented economic success by the mid-nineteenth century. Recalls household strategies for maintaining unity and spirituality; chronicles the Rothschilds' role in designing the international bond market and in improving communications among financial institutions. Prequel to The House of Rothschild: The World's Banker, 1849-1999 (RC 51093). 1998.

by Peter James and Nick Thorpe

read by Bob Moore

5 cassettes

A writer on ancient history and an archaeologist present thirty-six historical enigmas, including the Star of Bethlehem, the lost continent of Atlantis, Robin Hood, and the legend of Dracula. The authors analyze the mystery surrounding these people, places, and events, and use scientific data to help explain them. 1999.

by Sarah Blaffer Hrdy

read by Mary Kane

6 cassettes

A mother, wife, and anthropology professor at the University of California, Davis, draws from her own discipline, as well as history, literature, psychology, and primatology, to examine the distinct biological and genetic elements that constitute maternal instincts. Discusses such issues as infanticide, a mother's attachment and associated guilt, and the father-figure role. 1999.

by Karen Armstrong

read by Robert Blumenfeld

4 cassettes

Armstrong, from A History of God (RC 38536), looks into how and why religious fundamentalist groups have come into existence. She concentrates on Protestants in the United States, Jews in Israel, and Muslims in Egypt and concludes that fear of modernity has stimulated the growth of fundamentalism. 2000.

by Della Reese

read by Saidah Arrika Ekulona

3 cassettes

Autobiography by the singer, television actress, and devout lifelong Christian. Born Deloreese Patricia Early in a Detroit ghetto, she describes her childhood and early career as a gospel singer and offers gratitude to the "angels" who helped her throughout her life, both professionally and personally. Some strong language. 1997.

by Samuel G. Freedman

read by Jake Williams

3 cassettes

Covering the years from 1960 to 2000, Freedman explores differences among American Jews concerning their own identity and attitudes toward Israel. Compares and contrasts answers to the question "Who is a Jew?" within Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform communities. Discusses conflicts between modernism and traditionalism on gender-related issues. 2000.

by Daniel Mark Epstein

read by Jake Williams

4 cassettes

Biography of the popular singer and jazz pianist. Covers the background, upbringing, and lifestyle of the inventive musician whose career started in Chicago in the 1930s. An entertainer and not a political activist, he nonetheless broke the color line in Las Vegas in the 1950s. 1999.

by Eric M. Bergerud

read by Peter Johnson

7 cassettes in 2 containers

In this companion to Touched with Fire: The Land War in the South Pacific (RC 43849), the author analyzes the air war between Japan and the Allies during the pivotal years from 1942 to 1944. Discusses the unique characteristics of aerial combat and the weaknesses inherent in the Japanese military complex. 2000.

by Stanley Weintraub

read by Ralph Lowenstein

4 cassettes

Historian, veteran, and author--The Last Great Victory (RC 42696) among others--relates the tactics and mistakes of General Douglas MacArthur's command in the early months of the Korean War. Describes events that led up to his dismissal for insubordination by President Harry Truman in April 1951. 2000.

by Steven Pinker

read by Dennis Rooney

3 cassettes

A cognitive scientist illuminates the nature of language by exploring the formation of tenses. Pinker maintains verbs are processed in two distinct ways: either by the strict application of rules or by less predictable associative means. He discusses the acquisition and operation of these processes and which parts of the brain govern them. 1999.

by James Parakilas

read by Robert O'Keefe

3 cassettes

Essays by editor Parakilas and fourteen other scholars and musicians on aspects of the social and cultural history of the piano, from its invention by Bartolomeo Cristofori in the 1700s to its key role in the modern entertainment industry. 1999.

by Jack Hurst

read by Randy Atcher

4 cassettes

Biography of a Confederate officer renowned for his skill as a cavalryman. Describes Forrest's transitions from frontiersman and slave trader to military leader and, later, to founder of the Ku Klux Klan. Continues into the years when he ordered the dissolution of the organization. Some violence. 1993.

by Mel Gussow

read by Fred Major

4 cassettes

A portrait of the award-winning twentieth-century American playwright. Examines his personal life--as an adopted child, a homosexual, and an alcoholic--and his professional career in the theater. Discusses his major works, including Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (RC 22921) and Three Tall Women (RC 44679), and the actors in these productions. 1999.

edited by William Dudley

read by Jack Fox

3 cassettes

Presents debates on gun control, abortion, affirmative action, alcohol, the death penalty, assisted suicide, genetic engineering, and smoking. Each section includes six essays--three supporting and three opposing the topic. For senior high readers. 2000.

by William R. Polk

read by John Polk

4 cassettes

The author traces his family history in America beginning with the first colonist in 1680. Follows his ancestors through the Revolution, the Polk presidency, both sides of the Civil War, and into the twentieth century. Includes anecdotes of soldiers, Indian hostages, land speculators, cattle barons, socialites, and a murdered journalist. 2000.

by Myriam Anissimov

read by Peter Gil

4 cassettes

Biography of the Italian chemist and writer Primo Levi (1919-1987). Recalls his sense of duty as a survivor of a Nazi extermination camp to bear witness to the horror of the Holocaust. Describes his Jewish childhood under fascism, his lifelong devotion to family, and his eventual suicide. 1998.

by Howard I. Kushner

read by Gregory Gorton

3 cassettes

Traces the categorization and treatment of the medical syndrome since it was first described by Gilles de la Tourette in 1885. Discusses the involuntary motor movements and vocal tics exhibited by patients, and explains why the condition is now classified as an organic disorder. Strong language. 1999.

by Edward W. Said

read by Rick Foucheux

3 cassettes

Fifty essays examining the effects of the peace process on the Middle East by a leading spokesman for the Palestinians, previously published in journals and newspapers between 1995 and 1999. In "On Visiting Wadie," Said describes a visit to his American son, who was working in the West Bank. 2000.

by Ian Gibson

read by Mark Ashby

6 cassettes

Biography of the twentieth-century surrealist Spanish painter. Gibson describes Dalí's escapades in Europe, New York, and Hollywood. Explores his confused sexual relationships with poet García Lorca and others, and the role of the painter's superstitious wife, Gala. Examines Dalí's major accomplishments, all achieved before age forty; summarizes events preceding his death in 1989. 1997.

by Philip Gourevitch

read by Anne Hancock

3 cassettes

An American journalist's attempt to fathom the 1994 ethnic slaughter in Rwanda. Explains how the Hutu majority's pursuit of a new order led to the massacre of more than 800,000 people of the Tutsi minority, and explores the political and psychological consequences of these atrocities. Some violence. National Book Critics Circle Award. 1998.

by Sarah Bradford

read by Martha Harmon Pardee

5 cassettes

British author of Princess Grace (RC 21082) and Elizabeth (RC 51345) describes the life of the former first lady. Assesses her relationships with the various men in her life, her role in the White House, her chronic obsession with money, and her later days in New York. Bestseller 2000.

by Helen Epstein

read by Suzanne Toren

3 cassettes

After the death of her mother, who had survived Nazi concentration camps, the author traveled to central Europe to do research on her maternal family forebears in Vienna and Prague. Describes the lives of Czech Jewish women in the nineteenth century, the German invasion in 1939, and being displaced after liberation. 1997.

by Karl Evanzz

read by Robert O'Keefe

4 cassettes

Recalls Muhammad's Georgia childhood, when he was traumatized by racism; his move to Detroit, where he was anointed "messenger of God"; his rise to power as the Nation of Islam's co-founder; and his downfall--allegedly from corruption and womanizing. Attributes the sect's growth to lynchings, segregation, and poverty; explores its impact among African Americans. 1999.

by Mike Douglas

read by L.J. Ganser

2 cassettes

The host of the former long-running Mike Douglas Show considers himself "the world's luckiest fan." He provides highlights from over two decades of chatting with celebrities, including Ray Charles, Princess Grace, John Wayne, Fred Astaire, and John Lennon. His only bitter note is how Westinghouse replaced him in 1981. 2000.

by Pierre Ayçoberry

read by Ken Kliban

3 cassettes

Examines the actions of German individuals, groups, businesses, and other organizations under Nazism; explores the varied responses to Hitler's regime. Strasbourg professor argues that from 1933 to 1945 Germans were either victims or accomplices of the Third Reich and its corruption, oppression, and atrocities. 1999.

by Jim Wight

read by George Holmes

3 cassettes

Biography of Yorkshire veterinarian and author James Alfred Wight, better known as James Herriot, by his son and colleague. Recounts Herriot's childhood and the career upon which his popular stories were based. Wight portrays his father as a modest family man who was determined not to let celebrity interfere with his life. 1999.

by Jean Froissart

read by Frank Coffee

3 cassettes

Fifteenth-century writer chronicles military developments in the first seven decades of the Hundred Years' War between France and England. Describes social trends and political background, as well as the pageantry and outcomes of major battles. Modern translation by Geoffrey Brereton. 1968.

by Marie Brenner

read by Catherine Byers

2 cassettes

Highlights ten women of the twentieth century who were determined to "move up in the world" despite many obstacles. Includes Kitty Carlisle Hart, Constance Baker Motley, Marietta Tree, Diana Trilling, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Kay Thompson, Clare Boothe Luce, Luise Rainer, Pamela Harriman, and the author's mother. Some strong language. 2000.

by Thomas A. Bass

read by John Richardson

3 cassettes

Asserts that the Prediction Company, established by two physicists, used chaos theory to analyze trends in foreign exchange and interest rates and to invest in stock and commodity markets. Explores the basic hypothesis that order can be found in disorder; examines its implications for predicting the future based on patterns in the past. 1999.

by Thomas Fleming

read by Butch Hoover

3 cassettes

Chronicles the political and personal rivalry between Burr, Thomas Jefferson's vice president (and political enemy), and Hamilton, the Federalist lawyer from New York, culminating in their duel on July 11, 1804. Uses first-person accounts to trace the course of the feud and to document the personal qualities of the two men. 1999.

by G. Wayne Miller

read by Randy Davidson

2 cassettes

Discusses the life and work of Dr. C. Walton Lillehei, who helped develop open-heart surgery while working for the University Hospital in Minneapolis. For his initial attempts during the 1950s, Lillehei devised a cross-circulation technique--hooking the patient up to another human's circulatory system. Describes many of his early cases. 2000.

by Claudia Roth Pierpont

read by Mitzi Friedlander

3 cassettes

portraits of literary women combine biography, history, and criticism. Essays on Olive Schreiner, Gertrude Stein, Anaïs Nin, and Mae West focus on the theme of sexual freedom; essays on Margaret Mitchell, Zora Neale Hurston, and Eudora Welty focus on race; and essays on Marina Tsvetaeva, Ayn Rand, Doris Lessing, Hannah Arendt, and Mary McCarthy focus on politics. 2000.

edited by David H. Levy

read by Butch Hoover

4 cassettes

Leading scientists discuss the size, origin, and age of the universe in articles commissioned by Scientific American. Includes, among others, Albert Einstein on gravitation, David Levy and Eugene and Carolyn Shoemaker on the comet named for them, and Stephen Jay Gould on evolution. 2000.

by Robert V. Remini

read by Mitzi Friedlander

2 cassettes

Chronicles America's first great military victory, at the close of the War of 1812. On January 8, 1815, Andrew Jackson and his army of frontiersmen, freedmen, Indians, pirates, and townspeople defeated Wellington's army, unifying the country. Remini is the author of a three-volume biography of Jackson (RC 12557, RC 22359, RC 22360). 1999.

by Richard "Goose" Gossage

read by Jack Fox

2 cassettes

Humorous autobiography of a professional relief pitcher who played with the 1978 world-champion Yankees as well as the San Diego Padres and several other teams over the course of twenty-two seasons. Shares anecdotes about his life in the major leagues, including antics with other players. Some strong language. 2000.

by Sherwin B. Nuland

read by Barry Bernson

2 cassettes

Explores the roles of superstition, religion, and medicine through western history in advancing the understanding of human internal organs, specifically the stomach, liver, spleen, heart, and uterus. Includes case studies from the author's own experiences as a surgeon. 2000.

by Wilmer L. Jones

read by Kerry Cundiff

3 cassettes

Biographies of seven men from each side of the Civil War, highlighting their lives after the conflict. Also provides information on the fall of Richmond, the surrender at Appomattox, and Reconstruction. Includes, among others, Robert E. Lee, Jefferson Davis, Nathan Bedford Forrest, George Custer, George McClellan, Ulysses Grant, and Andrew Johnson. 2000.

by Suzanne Braun Levine

read by Kerry Cundiff

2 cassettes

A journalist relies on interviews with a cross section of fathers in the United States to explore the rewards and challenges facing men as parents in the twenty-first century--the combined pursuit of success on the job, intimacy with close relatives, and time for friends. Views the workplace as more family-friendly for women. 2000.

by Anne E. Russon

read by Janis Gray

2 cassettes

Scientific observations gathered over a ten-year period in Borneo provide insights into orangutan behavior and intelligence. The author examines the great ape's solitary lifestyle, eating habits, tool use, maternal instincts, and mimicry of humans. Discusses the diminishing natural habitat of orangutans living in the wild. 2000.

by McKay Jenkins

read by Brian Conn

2 cassettes

Relates how five young mountaineers died in an avalanche while attempting a winter ascent on Mount Cleveland in Glacier National Park in 1969. Their story is interspersed with facts about the history and causes of avalanches. 2000.

by John Robert Greene

read by John Richardson

2 cassettes

An account of the president from 1988 to 1992, presenting both his strengths and weaknesses. Considers the administration's inheritance of Ronald Reagan's "voodoo economics," domestic agenda, and foreign policy. Discusses the success of the Persian Gulf War and Bush's lost bid for reelection. 2000.

by Randall Robinson

read by Bob Moore

2 cassettes

The founder and president of TransAfrica argues for reparations for African Americans and Africans because of slavery and racial injustice in the United States. Illustrates the impact of discrimination and reveals slavery's legacy in the social and economic conditions of minorities. Suggests educational reforms and development in black communities. Bestseller 2000.

by Simon Schama

read by George Holmes

3 cassettes

A history of the island nation from prehistoric times to the death of Queen Elizabeth I, highlighting technological and social change. Describes the early tribes, the Roman occupation, the Norman conquest, the Wars of the Roses, and the Reformation. Accompanies the History Channel television series. Bestseller 2000.

by Joseph J. Ellis

read by Annie Wauters

3 cassettes

Author of American Sphinx (RC 44729) explains the importance of a few prominent leaders in the development of democracy after the American Revolution. Describes significant contributions to the new nation made by John Adams, Aaron Burr, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and George Washington. Bestseller 2000.

by Paul Hollander

read by Steven Carpenter

3 cassettes

To examine the human factor in the failure of communism, the sociologist-author analyzed autobiographical writings and conducted fifty interviews in Russia, Slovenia, Romania, Czechoslovakia, and Hungary with former party functionaries and intellectuals, as well as dissidents. He focuses on twenty-two important political figures across different generations. 1999.

by Colin Thubron

read by Michael Scherer

2 cassettes

As a British traveler crosses the vast territory of Siberia on a shoestring budget, he portrays the natural beauty of the land and characteristics of the people he encounters. Describes cultural variations from the village of Pokrovskoe, where Rasputin was born, to Yakutsk, a town of ice and twilight. 1999.

by Martin Booth

read by Corrie James

3 cassettes

Biography of the Scottish author best known for his fictional detective, Sherlock Holmes. Discusses various aspects of this Victorian gentleman's life and interests. Knighted for patriotism, Arthur Conan Doyle (1859-1930) was a medical doctor, war correspondent, cricket player, political activist, family man, and a devout spiritualist. 1997.

edited by David Remnick

read by Kimberly Schraf

6 cassettes

The editor has selected twenty-five biographical pieces representative of the form's development over the seventy-five-year history of the magazine. The first is Joseph Mitchell's "Mr. Hunter's Grave" from 1956, Remnick's personal favorite. Others include portraits of Mikhail Baryshnikov, Floyd Patterson, Marlon Brando, Richard Pryor, and Roseanne Barr. Some strong language. 2000.

by Witold Rybczynski

read by Gary Telles

4 cassettes

Landscape architect Olmsted (1822-1903) was responsible for such creations as New York's Central Park and the grounds of the U.S. Capitol, the National Zoological Park in Washington, D.C., and Asheville's Biltmore estate. Rybczynski discusses Olmsted's various roles as world traveler, cofounder of the Nation, gold-mine manager in California, abolitionist, and landscaper. 1999.

by Edwin P. Hoyt

read by Michael Consoli

2 cassettes

Examines the first successful U.S. amphibious operations in World War II, as American forces moved through the Pacific arena toward Japan, capturing the Mariana and Marshall Islands. Portrays the commanding officers and describes the battle perspectives of both the Americans and the Japanese. 1980.

by William Shakespeare

read by Fred Major

3 cassettes (Reissue)

First performed in 1598, this comedy in five acts concerns two pairs of lovers. Before Hero and Claudio can find happiness together, they must sort out the complications of Don John's false accusations. Meanwhile, Beatrice and Benedick match wits and fall in love. Includes notes and explanatory essays. 1995.

by Shirley MacNulty

read by Patricia McDermott

2 cassettes

Half the book covers the basics of knitting--selecting yarn and tools and reviewing stitches, techniques, and tips--and the instructions for four projects. The second part discusses how to sell finished products and includes a mini-course in crafts-business basics. Contains personal anecdotes about knitters who profit from their hobby. 1999.

by Jerri Nielsen

read by Jill Fox

3 cassettes

Former emergency room doctor records her ordeal with breast cancer during an eleven-month stay in Antarctica. Describes the dilemma she faced as the only medical officer for the forty-one members of the research team. Recalls the camaraderie that developed amid the extreme conditions of the 1999 polar winter. Bestseller 2001.

by Eric Schlosser

read by Randy Atcher

3 cassettes

An exposé of the fast-food industry, revealing its dubious production techniques, marketing strategies, and exploitation of workers. Deplores the industry's indifference to health problems it has fostered (obesity, food-borne disease) and criticizes its role in the spread of global corporate culture. Suggests solutions to the "McDonaldization of America." Bestseller 2001.

by Jay McGraw

read by Gary Tipton

1 cassette

The author, a college student and son of the author of bestselling Life Strategies (RC 47962), advises teens on how to achieve personal goals and avoid behavior that blocks pathways to success. Presents ten "life laws" and tips for implementing them. For senior high and older readers. Bestseller 2000.

by Jimmy Carter

read by Ted Stoddard

2 cassettes

The thirty-ninth president of the United States reminisces about growing up in rural Georgia during the depression. Traces his family genealogy; examines social mores of the segregated South. Describes his experience of daily life in a small, close-knit farming community until his appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy. Bestseller 2001.

by Diana Preston

read by Peter Johnson

3 cassettes

Reconstruction of the 1900 uprising in which a Chinese cult, supported by the Empress Dowager, killed many thousands of Christian converts and laid siege to the foreign legations in Peking and Tientsin. The insurrection and its aftermath permanently altered the dynamics of China's foreign relations. Some explicit descriptions of sex and some violence. 1999.

edited by Arnold Krupat and Brian Swann

read by Catherine Byers

3 cassettes

In this follow-up to I Tell You Now (RC 28155), twenty-six authors reflect on their ethnicity and how it relates to their writing. Presented in alphabetical order--from Sherman Alexie to Ofelia Zepeda--each writer explores personal experiences, self-identity, and artistic development. Some strong language. 2000.

by Gene Kranz

read by Steven Carpenter

3 cassettes

Memoir of a flight director for NASA's mission control, providing an insider's perspective on the space program from the 1960s Mercury days to the final Apollo mission. Kranz recalls the highlights of his career and explains his role in bringing the three Apollo 13 astronauts back safely to Earth. 2000.

by John A. Hostetler

read by Mark Ashby

3 cassettes

In this revised and updated classic ethnography, the author recalls the history of the Amish in America since their arrival from Germany in the eighteenth century. Surveys social customs, mores, and relationships to the outside world; assesses trends in population, land use, and attitudes toward government. 1993.

by Susan Schmidt and Michael Weisskopf

read by Ted Stoddard

2 cassettes

Account of independent counsel Ken Starr's impeachment prosecution of U.S. president Bill Clinton in the late 1990s. Explores the hostile relations between Starr and the Justice Department and the role of prosecution witness Linda Tripp. Some strong language. 2000.

by Maury Allen

read by Robert Sams

3 cassettes

Sportswriter reminisces about the New York Yankee baseball organization under the ownership of Cleveland industrialist George Steinbrenner. Includes anecdotes of notable players such as Reggie Jackson, Donnie Mattingly, and Darryl Strawberry as well as managers Joe Torre and Billy Martin (who was fired five times). Some strong language. 2000.

by J.R. McNeill

read by Michael Scherer

4 cassettes

Highlights the ecological course of the twentieth century, asserting that our fossil-fuel-based civilization disrupts the stability of the earth. Considers how human population growth has affected the planet's atmosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere and how politics and economics influence the state of the natural world. 2000.

by Rob Nixon

read by Rick Foucheux

2 cassettes

The ostrich is the constant in these memories of growing up in South Africa and later of commercial farming in Arizona. Besides recounting the role of the ostrich in his personal life, Nixon traces how society's whims influenced the raising of these unusual birds. 1999.

by Richard Galli

read by Rick Foucheux

1 cassette

Chronicles eleven days in 1998 that began on the fourth of July, when the author's seventeen-year-old son, Jeffrey, suffered a broken neck after diving into a backyard pool. Describes reviving Jeffrey, learning he is a quadriplegic, and struggling with the question of ending his life support. 2000.

by Molly Baker

read by Margaret Strom

3 cassettes

Illustrates how decisions are made in allocating mutual funds; cites examples from a year spent observing the day-to-day activities of one investment manager in a successful firm. Describes buying and selling initial public offerings, technology stocks, and shares of rapidly expanding organizations. 2000.

by Harold Bloom

read by Steven Carpenter

2 cassettes

Literary critic Bloom presents "samplings" and interpretations of his favorite literary works to affirm the value of engaged reading. Among the authors discussed are short-story masters Turgenev, Hemingway, Borges, and Calvino; poets Whitman, Dickinson, Wordsworth, and Keats; novelists Cervantes, Stendhal, Austen, Proust, Melville, and Pynchon; and playwrights Shakespeare, Ibsen, and Wilde. 2000.

by David N. Atkinson

read by Bob Moore

2 cassettes

Using biographies, judicial papers, and interviews, a law professor provides a historical treatment of U.S. Supreme Court justices' deaths, resignations, and retirements. Explains that judges, who have lifetime tenure, sometimes hold their posts longer than physically or mentally capable. Argues pros and cons of mandating retirement age for jurists. 1999.

by Leigh Keno and Leslie Keno

read by Steven Carpenter

2 cassettes

In alternating voices, Leigh, a New York antiques dealer, and Leslie, a director at Sotheby's in New York, relate stories about their passion for American antique furniture. The twin brothers, perhaps best known for their appearances on television's Antiques Roadshow, discuss the thrill of the hunt, from flea markets to auction houses. Bestseller 2000.

by Iyanla Vanzant

read by Margaret Strom

3 cassettes

Daily words, thoughts, and actions for those seeking spiritual development and a more fulfilling sense of self. Asserts that meditation and service to God will create positive changes in life's circumstances. Presents three elements of commitment: openness, willingness, and readiness. Encourages readers to practice acts of love, forgiveness, and faith. Bestseller 2000.

by Julia Butterfly Hill

read by Jacinda Bronaugh

2 cassettes

The author writes of the more than two years she spent living high in a thousand-year-old California redwood tree called Luna. Her "treesit" was to protest Luna's slated destruction in an environmentally destructive clear-cutting. In December 1999 Hill, age twenty-five, descended after an agreement was reached to preserve Luna and surrounding trees. 2000.

by Warner Shedd

read by Gary Telles

3 cassettes

Distinguishes myths and misconceptions from authentic animal traits and behaviors for thirty familiar North American species. Presents facts and anecdotes about the beaver, muskrat, flying squirrel, porcupine, opossum, armadillo, crow and raven, raccoon, coyote, wolf, black bear, bison, and others, collected during the author's career as a naturalist. 2000.

by Frank T. Vertosick

read by Christopher Walker

2 cassettes

A neurosurgeon uses case studies to describe various pain syndromes, their physiology, and current and historical treatment options. Case studies include patients suffering with pain from arthritis, cancer, childbirth, migraines, disc rupture, leprosy, trigeminal neuralgia, and phantom limb and carpal tunnel syndromes. Explores pain as a necessary defense mechanism. 2000.

by Stephen G. Michaud and Hugh Aynesworth

read by Steven Carpenter

3 cassettes

Using interviews of convicted psychopathic serial killer Ted Bundy--executed in 1989 for the heinous murders of more than twenty women--investigative reporters demystify his aberrant and ritual criminal behavior. Revised edition features an introduction by former FBI profiler Roy Hazelwood. Violence and strong language. 1999.

by James D. Watson

read by Mark Ashby

2 cassettes

The 1962 Nobel Prize winner for medicine and physiology relates how he, cowinner Francis Crick, and their collaborators hit upon the "double helix" model of the DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) molecule, the fundamental genetic material. Critical edition includes overview of the scientific and historical setting, perspectives of collaborators, reviews, and original papers. 1980.

by Kim Barnes

read by Kimberly Schraf

2 cassettes

A poet from Idaho frankly recounts her sexual experimentation and her rebellion against her Pentecostal parents. Briefly covers her early childhood, her leaving home at the end of high school, and her disillusionment with early lovers. Some descriptions of sex, some violence, and some strong language. 2000.

by Patti Dickinson

read by Chuck Benson

2 cassettes

In 1945, Oklahoma rancher Rolla Goodnight bet his friend Jimmy Wakely, a singing cowboy star, that Rolla's grandson could ride 1,500 miles in less than fifty days to Hollywood, California. The author recounts twenty-year-old Jerry Van Meter's grueling trek on horseback across mountains and deserts to his destination. 1999.

by Jefferson Cowie

read by Ralph Lowenstein

3 cassettes

Asserts that America's continued loss of high-paying industrial jobs to lower-wage areas is a long-occurring phenomenon. Describes how RCA shifted its electronics operation several times over a seventy-year period. Pursuing management control, cheap labor, and maximized profit, the company made three moves, starting at Camden, New Jersey, and ending in Juarez, Mexico. 1999.

by James Carroll

read by Robert O'Keefe

6 cassettes

Former Catholic priest offers an investigative review of the Catholic Church's hostility to Judaism. Carroll places anti-Semitism at the core of Christianity and observes the dire consequences of anti-Jewish sentiment at the service of political interests, from Constantine to Hitler. Carroll also relates his personal crisis of faith, provoked by the Church's doctrines. Bestseller 2001.

by Nick Tosches

read by Jake Williams

2 cassettes

Traces the life and mysterious death of boxer Sonny Liston, the former world heavyweight champion who defeated Floyd Patterson but was later beaten by Cassius Clay (Muhammad Ali). Investigates Liston's family in Arkansas, his introduction to the sport in prison, and his career ties to the mob. Strong language and some violence. 2000.

by Jennifer Rozines Roy

read by Gary Tipton

1 cassette

Discusses the social and psychological aspects of dating and breaking up, as well as the elements of a healthy romantic relationship. Offers advice on surviving emotionally and obtaining help from others. For junior and senior high readers. 2000.

by Richard F. Newcomb

read by Butch Hoover

2 cassettes

Originally published in 1958. Newcomb describes the ordeal faced by survivors of the U.S.S. Indianapolis, which was sunk by a Japanese torpedo in 1945. He also recounts the court-martial of the ship's captain, Charles McVay. In an afterword, journalist Peter Maas describes later research that cleared McVay of all charges. Bestseller 2001.

by Jennifer Lauck

read by Jill Fox

3 cassettes

Lauck recalls her childhood determination to survive despite the tragedies she endured. While very young, she cared for her chronically ill mother. Then she faced being uprooted from her extended family, her mother's death, shocking news about her ancestral heritage, and an emotionally abusive stepmother. Strong language. Bestseller 2000.

by David Gergen

read by Gary Tipton

3 cassettes

An advisor to U.S. presidents Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, and Bill Clinton assesses their leadership styles and their triumphs and failures. Outlines seven qualities he deems essential for a successful commander-in-chief. Bestseller 2000.

by Barbara T. Mates

read by Kerry Cundiff

2 cassettes

Advice for librarians and others on ways to improve disabled persons' access to electronic resources, including computers and the Internet. Provides information about screen readers, braille displays, voice-recognition systems, and hearing-assistance devices. Lists web sites, vendors, manufacturers, consultants, and libraries with special programs. 2000.

by Greg Mitchell

read by Randy Davidson

2 cassettes

The author chronicles the highs and lows of coaching his preteen's baseball team during two diverse seasons in Nyack, New York. Explores the father/son relationship and the phenomenon of "Little League Rage," in which competitive parents physically and verbally assault players and officials. 2000.

by Marvin Olasky

read by Randy Atcher

2 cassettes

The author summarizes the principles of compassionate conservatism as he observes how faith-based organizations work among the poor. Also describes the tools needed by these antipoverty programs to succeed and gives suggestions for implementing them. Foreword by President George W. Bush. 2000.

by Judy Muller

read by Sharon Murray

1 cassette

A veteran radio and television correspondent describes her career as a journalist and single mother, juggling schedules to raise two daughters. Recalls starting out as one of the few women in the business and discusses some of the stories she covered, including the O.J. Simpson trial and the Columbine High School shootings. 2000.

by Abby Stokes

read by Madelyn Buzzard

2 cassettes

Advises novice computer users on the basics. Covers the parts of a computer (software and hardware), purchasing tips, choosing between the Apple Macintosh and IBM-compatible personal computers (PCs), and experimenting with using e-mail and word processing. Provides a glossary, and lists recommended web sites and other resources. 2000.

by Tom Behan

read by Fred Major

2 cassettes

Biography of the Italian actor and playwright who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1997. Three chapters follow a generally chronological order to form a political biography. Other chapters focus on three of Fo's most famous plays. 2000.

by Robert Spector

read by John Richardson

2 cassettes

Overview of Amazon.com's development and unique business practices, drawn from interviews with investors and early employees. Explores the career and organizational objectives of the founder and chief executive, Jeff Bezos. Explains how the online bookseller became a model for Internet commerce and expanded into other product lines. 2000.

edited by Alan Lightman

read by Fred Major

2 cassettes

Twenty-one pieces of nonfiction exploring an issue or theme important to each writer. In "The Singer Solution to World Poverty," ethicist Peter Singer appeals to the altruistic spirit, while in "Heroin/e," Cheryl Strayed intermingles thoughts about a death eased by morphine and a life altered by heroin addiction. 2000.

by P.K. McBride

read by Jill Fox

1 cassette

Gives a new computer owner easy instructions on using Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition, including information on video and multimedia use. Also teaches how to organize disks, customize the system, network, and cope with crashes. 2001.

by Joanie Laurer

read by Nanette Savard

1 cassette

Autobiography of woman wrestler Joanie Laurer, known in the ring as Chyna. Relates her upbringing and education and describes the various jobs she held until she decided to become a pro wrestler. Details her training before she was hired by Vince McMahon of the World Wrestling Federation. Strong language. Bestseller 2000.

by George W. Bush

read by Bill Wallace

2 cassettes

Autobiography of George W. Bush written during his campaign for president. Recalls his childhood in Texas, education, military service, business career, and political life. Describes his philosophy of "compassionate conservatism" and his hopes for the future. Bestseller 1999.

by Larry McMurtry

read by Bob Askey

2 cassettes

Motivated solely by the urge to be on the move, the author of Lonesome Dove (RC 22959) describes his solitary drives down the interstates. Along the way he reminisces about his life, acquaintances, books, likes and dislikes, and the many images of the roads he travels. 2000.

by John C. Culver and John Hyde

read by Robert Sams

6 cassettes

Biography of 1948 Progressive Party presidential candidate Henry A. Wallace (1888-1965) of Iowa, who was a noted agriculturalist, economist, author, and businessman. Before his unsuccessful third-party bid for the presidency, Wallace served as secretary of agriculture, secretary of commerce, and one of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's vice presidents. 2000.

by Joshua Piven and David Borgenicht

read by Christopher Walker

1 cassette

Guide to safety skills for dealing with anything from minor mishaps to dangerous situations. Explains how to control a runaway camel; escape from a car trunk; navigate a minefield; and survive a scorpion sting, a fall onto subway tracks, and a volcanic eruption. Includes strategies for planning ahead. Bestseller 2001.

by Rick Bass

read by Michael Kramer

4 cassettes

Recounts the struggle between Old Dudley, a veteran oil driller, his daughter Mel, a naturalist, and two geologists whom Dudley has hired to drill for oil in Montana's Swan Valley. Both men are Dudley's protégés, and each will become Mel's lover. Some strong language and some violence. 1998.

by Alexander Kent

read by Jim Zeiger

3 cassettes (Reissue)

Richard Bolitho takes command of the frigate Phalarope, whose crew is discredited by a near mutiny and suspected cowardice, and sails to the West Indies during the final years of the American Revolution. The crew is welded into an effective cadre during a battle with French forces. Sequel to Sloop of War (RC 49767). 1968.

by Alexander Kent

read by Jim Zeiger

2 cassettes (Reissue)

In 1789 Captain Richard Bolitho is aboard the frigate Tempest in the South Pacific, where he is to protect English shipping lanes from seagoing enemies. At the same time he must contain a growing mutiny aboard his own ship. Sequel to Command a King's Ship (RC 49769). 1976.

by Alexander Kent

read by Jim Zeiger

3 cassettes (Reissue)

1793. Richard Bolitho, who now commands the ship Hyperion, proceeds from Gibraltar to join Lord Hood's British naval operation against Revolutionary France at Toulon. But the mission goes awry and Hyperion becomes trapped by enemy forces. Sequel to With All Dispatch (RC 37864). 1969.

by Alexander Kent

read by Jim Zeiger

3 cassettes (Reissue)

1794. England is at war with Revolutionary France when Richard Bolitho sets sail aboard the Hyperion with his untrained and undermanned crew for blockade duty off the enemy coast. His egotistical superior, Commodore Pelham-Martin, jeopardizes the operations of the entire fleet. Sequel to Form Line of Battle! (RC 49925). 1970.

by Alexander Kent

read by Jim Zeiger

3 cassettes (Reissue)

Richard Bolitho is now serving as flag captain to a hard, stubborn admiral during the English offensive in the Mediterranean against buccaneers and Napoleon-directed French domination. Sequel to Enemy in Sight! (RC 49926). 1971.

by Joan Lowery Nixon

read by Marilyn Gleason

1 cassette

When wealthy Douglas Merson is shot and seriously injured, detectives discover he's been keeping a file for years on high school student Kristi Evans. Intrigued that Merson, like herself, is an artist, Kristi is determined to find out why this stranger is watching her. For junior and senior high readers. 1999.

by Ruth Rendell

read by Graeme Malcolm

3 cassettes

Inspector Reginald Wexford investigates the disappearance of two teenage girls, the abduction of a three-year-old, and the release of a pedophile into a tough neighborhood. Wexford's daughter Sylvia, a social worker, soon educates him about the world of abused women and their children. Strong language and some violence. 1999.

by Jane Austen

read by Jennifer Mendenhall

3 cassettes (Reissue)

A classic novel of social customs in late eighteenth-century England. Depicts the personality clash between Elizabeth Bennet, one of five daughters of a country gentleman, and prosperous, aristocratic landowner Fitzwilliam Darcy, which eventually develops into courtship. 1813.

by Martin Amis

read by Fred Major

2 cassettes

In these nine stories Amis often views life with an inverted or unusual vision. In "Career Move," poems, rather than prose, have become the subject matter of films. And in "Straight Fiction," homosexuality, rather than heterosexuality, has become the norm. Some descriptions of sex and some strong language. 1999.

by Elizabeth Peters

read by Barbara Rappaport

3 cassettes

Amelia Peabody and her extended family, including her niece Lia and Lia's new husband, David, are headed to Egypt for the 1911 archaeological season. But their expedition is overshadowed by the accusation that David has been selling forged antiquities. Amelia's son, Ramses, strives to clear David as numerous bodies turn up. 1999.

edited by Thomas J. Lyon

read by Erik Sandvold

4 cassettes

More than forty selections, most written by twentieth-century authors such as Robinson Jeffers, John Steinbeck, Jack Schaefer, N. Scott Momaday, Edward Abbey, Wallace Stegner, Gary Snyder, Louis L'Amour, Rick Bass, William Kittredge, Denise Chávez, Amy Tan, and Sam Shepard. Includes chronology of events and suggested reading. Strong language and some violence. 1999.

by Andrew Miller

read by David Hartley-Margolin

2 cassettes

An eighteenth-century English surgeon is renowned for his medical prowess, but his inability to feel pain or empathy brands him as a man without a soul. He undergoes an excruciating transformation before coming to experience human emotions. Impac Dublin Literary Award. 1997.

by Barry Unsworth

read by David Hartley-Margolin

2 cassettes

London, 1997. Young Charles Cleasby loves playing chess, but his father redirects him on a path that leads the boy to become obsessed with Lord Nelson. Believing his life parallels Nelson's, Charles reenacts his battles, starts to write his biography, and gradually comes to regard his hero as a flawed human being. 1999.

by Karen Stolz

read by Peg Gilleland

1 cassette

Vignettes of growing up in small-town Texas, with regional recipes included. In 1962 Roxanne, a baseball-playing tomboy, learns how to bake for the pie contest and encounters racial prejudice for the first time. In high school she is embarrassed by her mother's pregnancy. And tragedy strikes the family. 2000.

by Anne Rice

read by David Hartley-Margolin

3 cassettes

One of the most dangerous yet trusted vampires, David Talbot, recounts his involvement with Merrick, an octoroon descendent of the Mayfair Witches, and tells what happens when he asks her to call up the ghost of a monster child. Some violence and some strong language. Bestseller 2000.

by Raymond E. Feist

read by Gary Tipton

2 cassettes

In this sequel to Krondor: The Betrayal (RC 50912), Prince Arutha asks Squire James to investigate the many assassinations plaguing Midkemia's capital city of Krondor. James uncovers a nightmare of corruption and deceit that threatens to destroy Krondor if he cannot prevent one last murder. 1999.

by Charles Sheffield

read by Richard Hauenstein

3 cassettes

Sky City space colony, 2053. As an international team constructs a protective shield for Earth against an impending particle storm, a series of mysterious murders disrupts the project. Dr. Oliver Guest--the convicted serial killer from Aftermath (RC 50923)--is blackmailed into tracking the killer. But personal ambition also threatens the enterprise. 1999.

by Irving Shulman

read by Celeste Lawson

1 cassette

A novelization of the Broadway musical. Sweet and innocent Maria, whose brother Bernardo is leader of the Puerto Rican gang the Sharks, falls in love with Tony, former head of the rival Jets. Inevitably, tragedy occurs. Some violence and some strong language. For senior high and older readers. 1961.

by Michael Chabon

read by Jim Zeiger

5 cassettes

1939. An eighteen-year-old artist and magician flees Czechoslovakia for his cousin's New York home. With their love of legend and fantasy, the boys launch a superhero comic book series. The golden age of comic art is at hand, but so are the horrors of global war. Some descriptions of sex and some strong language. Bestseller 2000.

by Katharine Kerr

read by Kristin Allison

3 cassettes

In this sequel to The Red Wyvern (RC 48144) centuries have passed since the Civil Wars. Now the evil sorceress Raena is plotting to destroy Rhodry Maelwaedd, her enemy through many lifetimes. As Rhodry struggles to save his land and loved ones, he is aided by his guardian dragon, Arzosah. 1999.

by Harry Turtledove

read by John Polk

5 cassettes

When Alardo, Duke of Bari, dies leaving no sons, his nation is absorbed by the kingdom of Algarve, which lost the territory in the Six Years' War. But this move violates a treaty, and because of numerous alliances among surrounding countries, conflict erupts. Prequel to Darkness Descending (RC 51006). Some violence. 1999.

by Jane Yolen

read by Madelyn Buzzard

2 cassettes

In this companion to White Jenna (RC 35256) the warrior queen's adoptive daughter, the one-armed Scillia, is heir to the realm of the Dales. But Jemson, Jenna's firstborn son, who was raised in the enemy kingdom, covets the throne for himself, and bloodshed ensues. Some violence. 1998.

by Robert Olen Butler

read by Bruce Nelson

2 cassettes

A friendly extraterrestrial, whose English is laced with TV slogans, has a mission to complete on New Year's Eve 1999. Searching for the best way to present a message to humankind, he consults with twelve people on a bus he beams up to his spaceship. Some strong language. 2000.

by Elizabeth Peters

read by Barbara Rappaport

4 cassettes

In the winter of 1914-15, the extended Peabody Emerson family returns to Egypt for further archaeological excavation, even as World War I reaches the Middle East. Amid the turmoil, Sethos, the master criminal and Amelia's nemesis, reappears. Bestseller 2000.

by Catherine Cookson

read by Anne Mullen

2 cassettes (Reissue)

Barbara, the hering-impaired ward of Miss Anna Brigmore, may not have the Mallen streak in her hair, but she is still willful and hot-tempered. When jealousy causes Barbara to push her rival, Sarah, into a pit full of sharp, rusted machinery, the consequences alter both girls' lives. 1973.

by Alan Furst

read by Chuck Benson

2 cassettes

France, 1941. Inept spy Jean Casson returns to a desolate Paris after an unsuccessful love affair. But he is once again recruited to work for the Resistance and falls in love with a Jewish woman. Sequel to The World at Night (RC 46730). Some descriptions of sex, some violence, and some strong language. 1999.

by Patricia Kennealy-Morrison

read by George Holmes

3 cassettes

The story of Brendan of Fanad, whose father was a lord of the Gael and his mother a lady of the magic High Danaan race. Brendan weds Etain of the Sidhe, a Danaan, and fulfills his destiny to lead her people on the Great Voyage to the stars. 1998.

by Gene Wolfe

read by John Horton

3 cassettes

In this sequel to the series the Book of the Long Sun, mill owner Horn agrees that the inhabitants of the Planet Blue are sinking into savagery. He sets off with others to find Patera Silk aboard the interstellar ship Whorl and convince him to become their leader. Some violence. 1999.

by Daniel Defoe

read by Barbara Caruso

3 cassettes (Reissue)

Moral tale set in seventeenth-century England and Virginia recounts the crimes and misfortunes of a lusty and strong-willed woman. Among Moll's five marriages was one, unwitting, to her own brother. After years as a thief and a prostitute, she attains great wealth, and spends her old age comfortably repenting her youthful excesses. 1722.

by Colleen McCullough

read by Martha Harmon Pardee

4 cassettes (Reissue)

Saga of the Australian Cleary family set in a vast sheep station. Central characters are Meggie and the one man she truly loves--priest Ralph de Bricassart. Some explicit descriptions of sex and some strong language. 1977.

by Edna Ferber

read by Martha Harmon Pardee

3 cassettes (Reissue)

Following a whirlwind romance, bookish bluestocking Leslie Lynnton of Virginia marries Texas cattle baron Bick Benedict and moves to his ranch. There she has trouble adapting to the strange customs of the wealthy westerners, as well as to the exploitation of their Mexican help. Bestseller 1952.

by Colin Dexter

read by Graeme Malcolm

2 cassettes

Although Chief Inspector Morse is suffering from complications of diabetes, his supervisor assigns him to the year-old murder case of a promiscuous, middle-aged nurse. His assistant Sergeant Lewis soon becomes suspicious of Morse's handling of the case and begins to mistrust him. Subtitled "The Final Inspector Morse Novel." 1999.

by Claire Delacroix

read by Gabriella Cavallero

2 cassettes

Twice widowed, her estate lost, and her daughter dreading an arranged marriage, Eglantine flees to the wilds of Scotland in hopes of finding love matches for her girls. But she must also deal with a clan chieftain who wants her land--and her. Some explicit descriptions of sex and some violence. 2000.

by William W. Johnstone

read by Jack Fox

2 cassettes

Falcon MacCallister is in New Mexico territory visiting a family friend and meets Billy Bonney, aka Billy the Kid. When a cattle dispute erupts, pitting rancher against rancher, Falcon and Billy become involved in the Lincoln County War. Sequel to Rage of Eagles (RC 51172). Violence and strong language. 1999.

by A. Sivanandan

read by Yolande Bavan

4 cassettes

Narrative of oppression endured by three generations of Sri Lankan men, from the 1920s to the 1980s, set against the backdrop of colonial rule followed by ethnic fighting. Teacher Rajan tells of his civil-servant father and then of his own life and that of his activist stepson. Some violence. 1997.

by Joaquim Maria Machado de Assis

read by Robert Blumenfeld

2 cassettes

In this companion to The Posthumous Memoirs of Brás Cubas (RC 47272), eccentric philosopher Quincas Borba dies, leaving his vast fortune and his dog--perhaps his reincarnation--to an unsophisticated young man who cared for him. But danger and madness lurk within the gift of sudden wealth. First published in Brazil in 1891. 1998.

by Patrick Chamoiseau

read by Frank Coffee

2 cassettes

Recounts the life and times of Pipi Soleil, down-and-out king of the wheelbarrow market porters in Fort-de-France, Martinique. Tells of his supernatural conception, his loves, his longings, his coworkers and friends, and the vibrant everyday life of the central marketplace. Some descriptions of sex, some violence, and some strong language. 1999.

by Janice Harayda

read by Celeste Lawson

2 cassettes

Lily left her New York journalism career when recruited by her Ohio hometown paper and is engaged to marry wealthy attorney Mark. When Lily suddenly realizes she'd rather be single in New York, she must wait for Mark to finish a trial in California before breaking up with him. 1999.

by Joan Hess

read by Madelyn Buzzard

2 cassettes

The natives fear the encroachment of pornography when a computer lab is established at the Maggody, Arkansas, high school. Sure enough, police chief Arly Hanks finds herself battling smut, and then an unwed teenage mother is murdered. Some violence. 2000.

by Norman Mailer

read by Dick Jenkins

1 cassette

First-person account of the story of Jesus and the gospels from his own point of view. Reveals his human side, including his doubts and his passions. Recounts his life and times, his ministry, and his conflict with the devil. 1997.

by James Patterson

read by Chuck Benson

2 cassettes

Picking up where Pop Goes the Weasel (RC 48868) left off, detective Alex Cross tries to convince girlfriend Christine to marry him. Meanwhile he becomes involved in a complex case with a perfectionist bank robber and terrorist called "Mastermind." Some descriptions of sex and some strong language. Bestseller 2000.

by Taylor Caldwell

read by Nanette Savard

5 cassettes (Reissue)

Even in her childhood, people close to Aspasia recognized her intelligence and her chances for becoming a magnificent courtesan. Aspasia pursues her destiny to Athens, where she encourages her lover, statesman and orator Pericles, to establish a true democracy there. Some explicit descriptions of sex and some violence. 1974.

by David Liss

read by David Cutler

3 cassettes

London, 1719. Benjamin Weaver, a Jewish ex-boxer who makes his living as a detective, investigates the death of a businessman. Weaver's father, who had been a stockjobber, was also recently murdered. Eventually, Weaver uncovers a violent cabal of financiers whose actions lead to a stock market crash. Some violence. 2000.

by Max Hennessy

read by David Cutler

2 cassettes (Reissue)

This sequel to Lion at Sea (RC 51322) pursues the adventures of three former classmates in their careers with the Royal Navy following World War I. Marriage to his lifelong sweetheart still eludes Kelly Maguire, but exciting assignments in Constantinople, Russia, and China lead to other amorous encounters. Some strong language. 1978.

by William McIlvanney

read by Graeme Malcolm

2 cassettes

Scottish police detective Jack Laidlaw investigates the mysterious death of a vagrant. An aristocrat's daughter and a mysterious young college student are implicated in the crime; Laidlaw's search leads him through the Glasgow underworld, where a mob war is brewing. Some violence and some strong language. 1983.

by Ruth Rendell

read by Graeme Malcolm

1 cassette

Chief Inspector Wexford and his assistant, Mike Burden, are called in to investigate the disappearance of a second child from the village. Burden, recently widowed, complicates the case by falling in love with the missing youth's mother. Soon after, the first child's body is discovered. Some violence. 1971.

by Win Blevins

read by Jim Zeiger

3 cassettes

After Joseph Blue Crow plunges into a destructive midlife crisis, he rediscovers his Lakota roots through a vision quest. As his spirit journeys back one hundred years to 1890 and the massacre of his people at Wounded Knee, he regains his spiritual orientation. Strong language and some explicit descriptions of sex. 1999.

by Johnny D. Boggs

read by David Hartley-Margolin

1 cassette

New Mexico Territory, 1886. Jack Mackinnon spends his wedding day reflecting on his adventurous past. Along with fellow South Carolinian Dr. Ten Keough, Jack had joined the Texas Rangers. Their daring exploits were to become immortalized in the dime novels of Miss Robin Hunter. Some violence. 1999.

by Reginald Hill

read by George Holmes

3 cassettes

After Chief Inspector Peter Pascoe's wife, Ellie, is almost abducted, Detective Superintendent Andy Dalziel suspects the attempt is linked with an active police case. But Detective Constable Shirley Novello, who is guarding Ellie, traces the cause to Ellie's membership in a radical feminist group. Some violence. 1999.

by Judith Merkle Riley

read by Barbara Caruso

3 cassettes

France, 1556. A tale of politics, intrigue, and prophecy. The Queen of France, a dabbler in sorcery, wants to get rid of her husband's mistress. The head of the Master of All Desires may help her, but it could also unleash disaster for France. Some descriptions of sex. 1999.

by Rhys Bowen

read by Graeme Malcolm

2 cassettes

Constable Evan Evans and the village of Llanfair, Wales, welcome the summer stay of world-renowned opera star Ifor Llewellyn--until his drinking and argumentative behavior become evident. When Llewellyn is discovered murdered, Evans delves into the singer's past while local ladies vie for the constable's attention. Some violence. 1999.

by Stephen King

read by Chuck Benson

3 cassettes (Reissue)

Jack and Wendy Torrance come face-to-face with terror when they become caretakers of a haunted old hotel in the snowy mountains of Colorado. Their five-year-old son Danny, who appears to have psychic powers, is the first to sense the evil in the building. Violence and strong language. Bestseller 1977.

edited by John Jakes

read by Bob Askey

5 cassettes

Thirty western short stories from the twentieth century. Includes work by Louis L'Amour, Jack London, Elmer Kelton, Luke Short, Max Brand, and Zane Grey. Introduction by John Jakes. Some violence. 2000.

by Lisa Goldstein

read by Suzanne Toren

1 cassette

Tale of confrontation between tradition and change in an East European village on the edge of World War II. Kicsi, a young girl, witnesses the duel of beliefs and wills between the local rabbi and Vörös, the red-haired stranger who warns of approaching evil. For senior high and older readers. American Book Award. 1982.

by Clive Egleton

read by Graeme Malcolm

2 cassettes

London. A murdered woman is discovered to be impersonating SIS agent Peter Ashton's wife, Harriet, an ex-operative. The intelligence agency then discovers that their personnel files have been compromised. As Ashton investigates, he uncovers a sinister Pakistan/Indian plot involving anthrax. Some violence and some strong language. 1999.

by R.A. Salvatore

read by Erik Sandvold

2 cassettes

Elf Drizzt Do'Urden has no desire to leave his companions at Mithril Hall, where they mourn the death of a dear comrade. But Drizzt knows he must return to the Underdark, for only there can he learn what perils threaten his friends. Prequel to Siege of Darkness (RC 40730). 1993.

by Jerome Preisler

read by Bob Askey

3 cassettes

2001. Roger Gordian, UpLink International, finds his life on the line and the fate of the world in his hands. Gordian comes down with a lethal virus, which Harlan DeVane, a criminal mastermind, has developed and is spreading around the world. Some violence and some strong language. Bestseller 2000.

by Rhys Bowen

read by Graeme Malcolm

1 cassette

An arsonist strikes in the northern Welsh village of Llanfair, attacking properties owned by foreigners. Madame Yvette's newly opened French restaurant is the latest target, but this time a man dies. Constable Evan Evans becomes saddled with outside police interference in his investigation. Some violence. 2000.

by Steve Perry

read by Chuck Benson

2 cassettes

June 2011. Net Force commander Alex Michaels's personal life is in turmoil. Yet he must turn his attention to stopping someone from illegally accessing information on an atmospheric weapon that can drive people mad. Sequel to Tom Clancy's Net Force: Night Moves (RC 50399). Strong language and some violence. Bestseller 2000.

by George R.R. Martin

read by Roy Avers

8 cassettes in 2 containers

King Joffrey of House Lannister now sits on the Iron Throne in the land of Seven Kingdoms. But there are still others who vie for power in a tale of treachery, greed, and ambition. Sequel to A Clash of Kings (RC 49913). Some descriptions of sex, some violence, and some strong language. Bestseller 2000.

by Les Roberts

read by John Polk

2 cassettes

As Cleveland private investigator Milan Jacovich is being hired by a toy manufacturer to uncover an industrial spy, he notices an elderly Native American--who is later murdered. Curiosity leads Jacovich to become involved in a pro bono case of infant kidnapping--and additional murders. Strong language and some violence. 2000.

by Gregory Benford

read by Erin Jones

2 cassettes

A commercial firm sponsors humanity's first expedition to the Red Planet. On January 11, 2018, astronaut Julia spots a filmy white mist issuing from a thermal vent. Excitement over the possibility of Martian life is countered by a series of accidents. And there is no NASA backup. Strong language. 1999.

by Kate Wilhelm

read by Madelyn Buzzard

3 cassettes

While defending Lara Jessup--now accused of murdering her much older husband--Oregon attorney Barbara Holloway unearths clues about the disappearance of the victim's son many years ago. Other new evidence in several unsolved murders implicates a local judge who is being considered for a Supreme Court appointment. Some strong language. 2000.

by Sarah Zettel

read by Erin Jones

3 cassettes

At the crucial juncture when Dr. Helen Failia learns that funding is being withdrawn for Venera, her permanent research colony for Venus, an alien artifact is found on the planet's surface. The ensuing human contact with extraterrestrial life forms yields repercussions that are far from benign. 2000.

by Arthur C. Clarke and Stephen Baxter

read by Roy Avers

2 cassettes

Industrialist Hiram Patterson develops the WormCam, a new technology capable of vision-spectrum imaging that ends personal privacy. But the WormCam can do more; harnessing the power of wormholes, it can see into the past. This is the story of the creators of this machinery and what humans decide to do with it. 2000.

by Tim Binding

read by Richard Hauenstein

3 cassettes

1943. Major Lentsch heads the German occupation force on the British Channel island of Guernsey. Lentsch is in love with Isobel, the ex-girlfriend of Inspector Ned Luscombe. When Isobel is murdered the men form an uneasy alliance to investigate the crime. Some descriptions of sex, some violence, and some strong language. 1998.

by Bill Bragg and R.C. House

read by Jack Fox

2 cassettes

Fictionalized account of Captain "Toy" Drumm and his platoon's 1845 assignment to report on Mexican strength in the newly annexed Texas. Drumm's attempt to avoid confrontation fails and his troops are soon surrounded. Strong language and some violence. 1992.

by James Bradley

read by Ann Hodapp

2 cassettes

Having searched in vain for her twin brother in Hong Kong, photographer Anna Frasier returns to Sydney. She enters a love affair with Seth LaMarque, a blind paleontologist, who comforts and guides her as she confronts her past. Some descriptions of sex, some violence, and some strong language. 1999.

by Harry Turtledove

read by Richard Hauenstein

3 cassettes

Although the gods and their priests still rule, men are beginning to forge metal and to trade between their cities. When merchant's son Sharur and thief Habbazu capture a cup that holds the gods' power, Sharur bargains for more commerce and freedom. 1998.

by John Douglas and Mark Olshaker

read by Fred Major

2 cassettes

FBI profiler Jake Donovan, recently fired for political reasons, is recalled to investigate the suicide of the director. Along with other ex-agents--including sexy Katie McManus--Donovan assembles a special team that uncovers blackmail, deceit, and treachery within the bureau. Violence, strong language, and some descriptions of sex. 1999.

by Robert A. Heinlein

read by Fred Major

2 cassettes

A futuristic story involving race issues. When Hugh Farnham's bomb shelter is catapulted two thousand years into the future, he encounters a new world order. Farnham and the white race, who are blamed for a disastrous war, are expected to be slaves. Some strong language. 1964.

by Lisa Tawn Bergren and others

read by Janis Gray

2 cassettes

Four romantic tales in which loyalty and faith lead to love. In "Tarnished Silver" a New Yorker falls for a rural preacher. In "Twice in a Blue Moon" a widow and widower rekindle their relationship. "Texas Two-Step" reconciles a divorcing young couple. And "The Boy Next Door" depicts neighborly romance. 1999.

by Barbara Jean Hicks

read by Suzanne Weintraub

2 cassettes

Thirty-five-year-old Bonny is still anguished five years after her husband, Timothy, left her. Shocked when her ex returns to their small town to win her back, Bonny begins dating men from a personal ad placed by her nieces. Her faith finally convinces her to listen to Timothy's story. 2000.

by Xingjian Gao

read by David Hartley-Margolin

4 cassettes

A semi-autobiographical, philosophical novel by the Chinese Nobel laureate. The protagonist, in reprieve from death, wanders through the Chinese landscape in search of Lingshan (Soul Mountain), describing his spiritual and physical quests. Some descriptions of sex and some strong language. Bestseller 2000.

by Michael Connelly

read by Roy Avers

2 cassettes

Retired FBI agent Terry McCaleb, from Blood Work (RC 45883), is recovering from a heart transplant, when the LAPD requests his assistance in a torture-murder case. His main suspect becomes detective Harry Bosch, from Angels Flight (RC 47526), who is in court testifying against a deranged movie director. Violence and strong language. Bestseller 2001.

by Brad Meltzer

read by Gregory Gorton

3 cassettes

When young White House attorney Michael Garrick takes the president's daredevil daughter Nora on a first date, they see Michael's married boss leave a gay bar and make a money drop. Michael endures nightmarish consequences--including becoming a murder suspect. Strong language and some violence. Bestseller 2001.

by Kay Hooper

read by Laura Giannarelli

2 cassettes

Psychic Cassie Neill fails to prevent a murder in Los Angeles and flees to North Carolina. Once there, however, a stalker invades her mind. No one believes her until a body is found. Then she becomes a suspect. Companion to Hiding in the Shadows (RC 51472). Violence and strong language. Bestseller 2000.

by Colin Harrison

read by Gregory Gorton

3 cassettes

Ruthless millionaire businessman and ex-Vietnam POW Charlie Ravich is fighting to save his company, while he advertises for someone to have his baby. He meets con artist Christina Welles--just out of jail and hiding from the mob. Soon all the players converge. Explicit descriptions of sex, violence, and strong language. 2000.

by Lucha Corpi

read by Barbara Pinolini

2 cassettes

Detective Gloria Damasco witnesses the attempted murder of the Black Widow, a woman who had served time for killing her husband. Damasco's investigation of the incident leads her to Mexico, where she learns of the widow's connection with Doña Marina from the time of the conquistador Cortés. 1999.

by Peter Nichols

read by Christopher Walker

2 cassettes

Schenck, a wealthy industrialist and aspiring big-game hunter, and Boden, a seaman who has lost his boat, wife, job, and reputation, launch an Arctic hunting expedition that no experienced seaman would undertake. Their depression-era adventures include a perilous voyage and a clash of cultures. Some descriptions of sex, some violence, and some strong language. 1999.

by Christine Andreae

read by Margaret Strom

3 cassettes

When the Forest Service assigns Mattie McCulloch to direct her first fire operation, her son Jim is one of the troops. A member of her command secretly commits arson to kill a female firefighter; then Mattie finds Jim's name on the fatality list. Explicit descriptions of sex, violence, and strong language. 2000.

by Gary Paulsen

read by Rick Rohan

1 cassette

After giving up his career as a lawman, Al Murphy starts a new life as a rancher with his lover, Midge. But when he returns from a trip to town to find Midge murdered and his herd gone, grief-stricken Murphy once again becomes a manhunter. Violence and strong language. 1989.

by Craig Lesley

read by Michael Russotto

3 cassettes

College instructor Clark Woods is a foster parent to Wade, a young native Alaskan boy with fetal alcohol syndrome, who is a relative of Clark's ex-wife. As the years pass and Wade exhibits increasingly troubling behavior, Clark realizes his love is not enough. Strong language and some violence. 2000.

by Amanda Quick

read by Corrie James

2 cassettes

Madeline Deveridge, known as the Wicked Widow, is thought by many to have killed her husband and to also be mad. But Madeline and her aunt are being haunted, so the widow calls upon the only person who can help--Artemis Hunt, a master of Vanza. Some descriptions of sex. Bestseller 2000.

by Melany Neilson

read by Nanette Savard

2 cassettes

Fannie has grown up in segregated Mississippi, runs the Persia Café, and is married to her high school sweetheart, Will Leary. In the summer of 1962, her perceptions of her hometown and her husband are altered when she discovers the body of a murdered African American youth, Earnest March. Some strong language. 2001.

by Amy Tan

read by Martha Harmon Pardee

2 cassettes

San Francisco writer Ruth Young discovers a memoir by her Chinese mother, LuLing, while she is dealing with LuLing's failing memory. After deciphering the Chinese calligraphy, Ruth gains insight into her family heritage, which improves her relationship with her mother. Some strong language. Bestseller 2001.

by Terry McMillan

read by Myra Luevetia Taylor

3 cassettes

Driven apart by infidelity and addiction, the Price family resolves to reunite through love and forgiveness. When Viola survives a severe asthma attack, her husband and four adult children rally around to support her recovery. But problems arise as their basic philosophical differences emerge. Strong language. Bestseller 2001.

by Jack Higgins

read by Chuck Benson

2 cassettes

Wealthy Arab-English earl Paul Rashid and his family declare revenge on U.S. president Jake Cazalet after their mother is accidentally killed by a double agent. But counterterrorist and ex-IRA gunman Sean Dillon stands in the way. Companion to The White House Connection (RC 48434). Some violence. Bestseller 2001.

by Manil Suri

read by Yolande Bavan

2 cassettes

Lowly servant Vishnu lies dying on the landing that has been his space in a Bombay apartment building, drifting through memories and thoughts of immortality. Meanwhile the everyday dramas of the residents swirl around him: wives' squabbles, religious misunderstandings, and an ill-conceived elopement. Bestseller 2001.

by Jeffery Deaver

read by Fred Major

2 cassettes

A charismatic psychiatrist cleverly manipulates teenager Megan McCall and her divorced parents, kidnapping Megan and hiding her in an abandoned mental hospital. Her disappearance brings her parents together, but the doctor continues to wreak vengeance on her father. Strong language and some violence. 2000.

by Robert Wilson

read by Robert Blumenfeld

3 cassettes

Prize-winning British mystery traces the murder of a promiscuous teenager in 1990s Portugal to a Nazi officer's smuggling activities during World War II. Inspector José Coelho is assigned the case that leads him to an unusual conclusion. Violence, strong language, and some explicit descriptions of sex. Golden Dagger/Best Crime Novel. 1999.

by Liza Dalby

read by Catherine Byers

3 cassettes

A fictional reminiscence by the eleventh-century Japanese female author of The Tale of Genji (RC 14167), Murasaki Shikibu. She records her love of beauty and poetry, her arranged marriage, service at court--its ceremonies and traditions--and why she wrote her novel. Some descriptions of sex. 2000.

by Richard Paul Evans

read by Terence Aselford

1 cassette

Ogden, Utah; 1989. In this sequel to The Locket (RC 47309), Michael Keddington and Faye Murrow decide to elope before Faye leaves for medical school in Maryland. But they are deluged with troubles--disapproving parents, work demands, deaths, and more--that try their marriage. Bestseller 2000.

by Michael Dibdin

read by Peter Gil

2 cassettes

Italian detective Aurelio Zen is sent to Sicily to spy on the anti-Mafia operations of the state police for which his adopted daughter Carla is installing a computer system. Zen is totally demoralized after two sudden deaths in his family. Some violence and some strong language. 1999.

by Gene Wolfe

read by Gary Telles

3 cassettes

Fifteen stories of science fiction, fantasy, and horror first published between 1990 and 1997. In "Bed and Breakfast" a traveler warns an unexpected woman guest to be careful of the demons who frequent the inn near Hell, not realizing that she herself might be a fiend. 2000.

by Eric Garcia

read by Robert Sams

3 cassettes

L.A. shamus Vincent Rubio is a loser--few clients, his car repossessed, and basil addiction. He's also a dinosaur--literally--one of thousands who still inhabit the earth disguised as humans. Investigating arson at a dino nightclub, Vincent stumbles on an interspecies breeding conspiracy. Strong language and some violence. 2000.

by Robert A. Heinlein

read by Michael Scherer

3 cassettes

Eight fantasy stories from the 1940s and 1950s. Real-world characters are challenged by inexplicable events in "Magic, Inc.," "And He Built a Crooked House," "They," "Waldo," "The Unpleasant Profession of Jonathan Hoag," "Our Fair City," "The Man Who Traveled in Elephants," and "All You Zombies." 1999.

by Frank Bird Linderman

read by Robert Sams

2 cassettes

Henry Plummer arrives in the Montana territories and is eventually elected sheriff. But the Masons organize a vigilante group to investigate the murders and robberies of miners in the region and soon suspect the lawman. Based on a true story. Foreword by the author's granddaughter. Some violence and some strong language. 1920.

by Mary Balogh

read by Vanessa Maroney

2 cassettes

Governess Elizabeth Rossiter is shocked to discover that a guest at a nearby manor house is none other than her secret ex-husband Robert Denning, the current marquess of Hetherington. The two had eloped six years before but separated after two days. Now Elizabeth both loves and hates him. 1985.

by John Jakes

read by Annie Wauters

4 cassettes

During the Civil War, as Lon Price is gathering military intelligence for the Pinkerton agency, he arrests Confederate sympathizer Margaret Miller. Meanwhile, actress Hanna Siegel, disguised as a Union soldier, is captured by Confederate major Fred Dasher. Some explicit descriptions of sex, some violence, and some strong language. 2000.

by Dan Cushman

read by Gregory Gorton

2 cassettes

Montana Territory, 1880s. Billy Buttons is accused of murdering a slick businessman who wants his family's land. But instead of fleeing, Billy and his brother Clyde ride into town to surrender. Billy hires T.F. Boe, the best criminal attorney in the West. Some descriptions of sex, some violence, and some strong language. 1998.

by Michael McGarrity

read by Gregory Gorton

2 cassettes

New Mexico state cop Kevin Kerney returns to his boyhood neighborhood to investigate a murderous rampage along a stretch of highway. The sixth victim is wealthy judge Vernon Langsford, whose family had previously lost two other members. Strong language, some descriptions of sex, and some violence. 2000.

by V.C. Andrews

read by Kristin Allison

2 cassettes

When Rain returns to America for Grandmother Hudson's funeral, she learns she has inherited most of her grandparent's estate. Then Rain is badly injured in an accident and her relatives attempt to take over the estate. Sequel to Lightning Strikes (RC 50929). Some explicit descriptions of sex and some strong language. Bestseller 2000.

by V.C. Andrews

read by Kristin Allison

2 cassettes

This sequel to Eye of the Storm (RC 51648) focuses on Summer, sixteen-year-old daughter of Rain and Austin. Summer thinks of Uncle Roy's stepson, Harley, as a brother, but after she is date-raped--and she and Harley search for his real father--their relationship changes. Some explicit descriptions of sex and some strong language. Bestseller 2001.

by Gloria Alvarez

read by María Pino

2 cassettes

por fin, el geólogo Patricia Martínez tiene la oportunidad de irse en una expedición al Desierto Solitario en una parte remota de Texas. Pero su guía va a ser Daniel Rivera el hombre a quien Patricia años atras le robó el corazón y luego se lo rompió sin ninguna explicación. Y ahora los dos van a estar solos en el desierto. Descripciones de índole sexual y de lenguaje injurioso. Edición bilingüe en inglés y español.(Archaeologist Patricia Martínez is