NFB-NEWSLINE available to NLS patrons
As a result of a federal grant, NFB-NEWSLINE became available nationwide on March 1, 2002, offering telephone access to audio versions of newspapers and other timely information. NFB created the service to allow people who are unable to read conventional print to have access to newspapers and other time-sensitive materials as promptly as their sighted colleagues, friends, and family members. A centralized system using modern telecommunications technology, high-speed computers, and synthetic speech rapidly distributes the newspaper contents and other data in a format usable by blind individuals. NLS patrons who would like to initiate service may notify their cooperating library of their interest. The library will insure that the patron's name and address are forwarded to NFB, which will in turn contact the patron with an identification number, security code, and telephone access information.
NFB-NEWSLINE is available twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Daily papers provided include USA Today, the Chicago Tribune, the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, and the Wall Street Journal, among many others. NFB-NEWSLINE's goal is to provide at least two papers from each state. Other menu selections will include announcements and library newsletters.
Registered readers access NFB-NEWSLINE through a toll-free number from anywhere in the continental United States and Puerto Rico, using a touch-tone phone. After entering their ID number and security code on the keypad, readers are guided through easy-to-use menu options and navigation instructions.
For more information, visit the NFB web site at <www.nfb.org> or call (410) 659-9314.
Updated financial aid guide available
The U.S. Department of Education now has available an updated audio recording on compact disc of the Student Aid Audio Guide 2002-2003, giving information on federal student aid for visually impaired students. Through a simulated conversation between a counselor and a student, the audio guide provides information on postsecondary student financial assistance. Students who would like to request a copy of the guide at no cost should contact the Federal Student Aid Information Center toll-free at 1-800-433-3243.
Friends of Libraries teams with NLS to support Mystic Seaport access
Friends of Libraries for Blind and Physically Handicapped Individuals in North America, Inc., has joined with National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped in support of expanded outreach and accessibility initiatives for visitors who are blind, visually impaired, or disabled to Mystic Seaport, the distinguished living maritime museum in southeastern Connecticut.
Mystic Seaport is more than just a one-building museum. It is a superb collection of historic ships, period homes and businesses, a children's museum, a planetarium, and galleries set on a spectacular seventeen-acre waterfront site.
The Seaport is organized into three main areas of activity:
--Real craftsmen practice traditional skills as they maintain the museum's fleet of historic ships and boats in the Seaport's unique preservation shipyard;
--Living interpreters introduce visitors to the everyday life of a nineteenth-century coastal New England community of trade shops, homes, and ships;
--Magnificent exhibit galleries display maritime art, ship models, figureheads, scrimshaw, audio-visual programs, and more.
The historic ships and buildings, gravel roads, and stone sidewalks that create Mystic Seaport's nineteenth-century atmosphere sometimes present barriers for visitors with disabilities. The experienced staff are working hard to provide easy access wherever possible and tailor their presentations and demonstrations to the special needs of all visitors.
The Seaport publishes a brochure, "Guide to Access," that provides detailed information on the accessibility factors for each of the museum's forty-nine buildings, standing exhibits, ships, and other attractions. The brochure includes information on the type of entrance and the level of accessibility--graded as accessible to all visitors, of limited access, or of difficult access.
The Education Department of Mystic Seaport Museum offers a range of programs for groups. The programs can be designed to meet a variety of needs.
--Highlight tours. These are ninety-minute guided tours that can be general in nature with visits to featured exhibits, or with a specific focus selected, such as whaling, fishing, and nineteenth-century coastal community life.
--Outreach programs. Arrangements can be made for museum teachers, chanty singers, and costumed role players to present one-hour programs that may include singing, storytelling, and objects from the past.
Please write or call Mystic Seaport Museum for more information and reservations for these and other programs.
Mystic Seaport Museum
P.O. Box 6000
75 Greenmanville Ave.
Mystic, CT 06355-0990
(203) 572-0711
TDD (203) 572-5319
Visit Mystic Seaport's informative and entertaining web site for more information, including accessibility details, membership information, directions, lodging, and more, at <www.mysticseaport.org/>.
Free Seaport library pass. The National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped is a member of Mystic Seaport's association of public libraries, and as such is able to offer patrons use of a free one-day library pass. The pass entitles two adults and their children or grandchildren under 18 to free admission to Mystic Seaport on the day of the week specified on the pass. The pass will be sent to you by express delivery. After your visit, you will be asked to return the pass using a prepaid envelope. The pass is available throughout the year except for the months of July and August. Late spring and early fall are ideal times for a visit to Mystic.
NLS patrons in Connecticut should contact the Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Rocky Hill, Connecticut; patrons in Rhode Island should contact Talking Books Plus, in Providence, Rhode Island; and patrons in Massachusetts should contact the Braille and Talking Book Library in Watertown, Massachusetts, to arrange for their pass. Residents of all other states should contact NLS directly. Write
Mystic Pass Coordinator
Publications and Media Section
NLS/BPH
Library of Congress
Washington, DC 20542
or e-mail <eore@loc.gov>. Include your name, address, telephone number, and the date and day of the week you wish to visit the Seaport.
Books listed in this issue of Talking Book Topics were recently sent to cooperating libraries. The complete collection contains books by many authors on fiction and nonfiction subjects, including biographies, classics, gothics, mysteries, romances, and others. Contact your cooperating library to learn more about the wide range of books available in the collection.
Cassette books are labeled with the code RC and play at 15/16 ips. To order books, fill out the order form and send it to your cooperating library.
Note: For the information of the reader, a notice may appear immediately following the book description to indicate occurrences of strong language, explicit descriptions of sex, or violence. The word "some" before any of these terms indicates an occasional or infrequent occurrence, as in "some strong language."
by Shepard Krech
read by Bill Wallace
2 cassettes
Reassesses the image of Native Americans as Noble Savages who lived harmoniously with nature. Examines anthropological and historical evidence to determine whether this image is fact or myth. Discusses the issue of environmental awareness as a modern concept. 1999.
by Jeff Johnson
read by Candy Shannon
1 cassette
Describes nineteen careers in the music field, with qualifications and duties for each job. Includes promotion, publicity, marketing, distribution, publishing, songwriting, and more. Profiles singers Mariah Carey, Gloria Estefan, Donna Summer, and Ace of Base. For junior and senior high and older readers. 1997.
by Adrianne Blue
read by Susan McInerney
2 cassettes
Drawing on the work of researchers, novelists, poets, and movie stars to illustrate her ideas, a journalist examines the physical act of kissing and explores the importance of the kiss from infancy through adulthood. Explicit descriptions of sex. 1996.
by Matthew Spender
read by Ted Stoddard
4 cassettes
Biography of the twentieth-century modern painter. Provides a factual account of Gorky's tormented life, separating it from the "myths" fabricated by the painter himself. Discusses Gorky's rise through the New York art scene in the 1920s and 1930s and his suicide in 1948. 1999.
by Ethan Mordden
read by Ray Hagen
3 cassettes
Discusses the shift in the focus of 1940s musicals from comedy routines to plays and identifies some defining features of the new form. The emergent musical productions and their original-cast recordings found a permanent place in our society, with many of the shows still being performed in the 1990s. 1999.
by Jane Fletcher Geniesse
read by Suzanne Toren
3 cassettes
A biography of the romantic and intrepid travel writer. Describes her love of learning, travel, and adventure--she learned Arabic and ventured into the Middle East at a time when unmarried women usually stayed home. Recalls how her fame grew after the 1934 publication of her first book. 1999.
edited by Robert Torricelli and Andrew Carroll
read by Bill Wallace
5 cassettes
A United States senator from New Jersey chronicles more than 150 speeches, sermons, radio broadcasts, eulogies, and public tributes from the twentieth century to illustrate the soul of America. Includes statements by Martin Luther King Jr., Helen Keller, Lou Gehrig, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Robert Kennedy, and others. 1999.
by Lee Allen
read by Rick Rohan
2 cassettes
Collection of anecdotes and trivia about baseball players from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, relating their everyday lives, how they played the game, and what became of them after their professional careers. Contains myths and legends including the contentious history of Casey at the Bat. 1955.
by Richard M. Sudhalter
read by Richard Hauenstein
8 cassettes in 2 containers
Sudhalter celebrates the contributions of white musicians to the formation of jazz, some of whom he claims have been unjustly neglected by historians. He discusses Bix Beiderbecke, Benny Goodman, the Dorsey Brothers, Bud Freeman, and Artie Shaw, along with great black innovators such as Louis Armstrong, Lester Young, and Duke Ellington. 1999.
by Fred S. Kleiner and Christin J. Mamiya
read by Bruce Huntey
13 cassettes in 3 containers
This eleventh edition of Helen Gardner's work, originally published in 1926, is an authoritative introduction to the history of world art, from the artistic legacies of the Stone Age and ancient civilizations through the emergence of postmodernism in the later twentieth century. 2000.
by Isaac Asimov
read by Lou Harpenau
8 cassettes in 2 containers
A discussion and interpretation of scriptural verses in the context of historical, geographical, and biographical knowledge about biblical times. Emphasizes secular aspects of these passages as a history of civilization over four thousand years rather than spiritual beliefs or tenets of faith. 1981.
by David S. Katz and Richard H. Popkin
read by Bill Wallace
2 cassettes
A survey of apocalyptic religious movements since the European Renaissance. Explores the development and social impact of ideas about the return of a messiah or the end of humanity through the Reformation, Thirty Years' War, and Enlightenment. Examines such twentieth-century groups as the Aryan Nation and Branch Davidians of Waco, Texas. 1998.
by Matthew Boyden
read by Gordon Gould
4 cassettes
Biography of German composer and conductor Richard Strauss (1864-1949). Examines the cultural background of his formative years, the development of his musical career, and his collaboration with Hitler's government. Discusses his achievements, including the composition of the operas Salome, Elektra, and Der Rosenkavalier. 1999.
by Ravi Shankar
read by Lewis Grenville
3 cassettes
Memoirs of the classical sitar player from India who became popular in the United States in the 1960s. Recalls important events and people who influenced him or vice versa. Discusses his professional growth and details from his private life, and explains the history and principles of Indian music. 1997.
by Helen Keller
read by Peg Gilleland
1 cassette
Quotations from speeches, letters, articles, and interviews by the author, lecturer, and humanitarian who became deaf-blind at nineteen months of age. Topics include the senses, faith, women in society, human nature, war and peace, education, happiness, friendship and love, and triumph over adversity. Includes a chronology of Keller's life from 1880 to 1968. 2000.
by Kuki Gallmann
read by Lisette Lecat
3 cassettes
Memoir by an Italian woman whose childhood dream of living in Africa comes true when she moves there with her future husband, following a car accident in Italy. They establish a ranch home in Kenya where Kuki is determined to stay, even after two devastating personal tragedies. Bestseller 1991.
edited by Tim Flannery
read by Phil Regensdorf
1 cassette
Autobiographical account of a Scotsman's twenty-five years at sea during the late eighteenth century. Nicol (1755-1825) twice sailed around the globe; fought against American and French revolutionaries; and traveled to China, Australia, and the West Indies. On one voyage, he married his true love--a convict girl being transported to Australia. 1997.
by Richard N. Ostling and Joan K. Ostling
read by Ted Stoddard
4 cassettes
Expanding on a cover story that originally appeared in Time magazine, the authors offer a brief history of the Mormon church and examine the community's "unique beliefs and penchant for secrecy, its lifestyle and finances, its place in the religious and secular world...and its growth and prospects for the future." 1999.
by Maria Hinojosa
read by Jacinda Bronaugh
2 cassettes
Self-portrait focusing on motherhood by a Mexican American journalist who succumbed to the modern American woman's quest to "have it all": career, marriage, and children. In vibrant prose laced with Spanish phrases, Hinojosa describes her fulfillment as the wife of a Dominican painter and the mother of their son Raul and daughter Yurema. 1999.
by Fred Anderson
read by Bill Wallace
6 cassettes
Interpretive chronicle of the Seven Years' (French and Indian) War, its origins, and its aftermath. Posits that this conflict dramatically reshaped the destinies of North America and Europe. Traces the roles of George Washington and participant Native Americans and tells the stories of individual settlers, land speculators, and politicians. 2000.
by Laurie Garrett
read by Kerry Cundiff
7 cassettes in 2 containers
Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Coming Plague (RC 41165) analyzes what she views as the worldwide failure of public health systems. Uses the examples of pneumonic plague in India, Ebola virus in Zaire, and class disparity in America, as well as the threat of biowar, to support her call for reform. 2000.
by Arthur M. Schlesinger
read by Fred Major
5 cassettes
First volume of the Pulitzer Prize winner's memoirs; traces his midwestern childhood, years at Harvard and Cambridge, overseas assignments with the Office of Strategic Services, and rise to fame as an author, historian, and commentator. Explores the development of his political views and his contributions to American thought. Bestseller 2000.
by Richard H. Shultz
read by Butch Hoover
3 cassettes
Shultz, an international politics professor, examines the successes and failures of the Special Operations Group's campaign. He uses declassified top-secret Pentagon documents and interviews of both military and civilian officials who managed America's secret war against North Vietnam. Suggests covert activities for the twenty-first century. 1999.
by Sterling Seagrave and Peggy Seagrave
read by Lou Harpenau
3 cassettes
Authors of The Marcos Dynasty (RC 29555) and The Soong Dynasty (RC 21527) scrutinize Japan's royal family, gauge the extent of their complicity in World War II, and investigate alleged postwar collusion with General Douglas MacArthur in rebuilding the country. The Seagraves claim many Japanese business and political leaders are embroiled in corruption. 1999.
by Julia Child and Jacques Pépin
read by Mitzi Friedlander
4 cassettes
In this companion to the PBS series, Julia and Jacques share their cooking secrets. With each recipe, both cooks (who don't always agree) express their own thoughts on ingredients, methods of preparation, and balancing of flavors. Covers appetizers, soups, salads, vegetables, seafood, meats, and desserts. 1999.
by Susan Ackerman
read by Colleen Delany
3 cassettes
Author looks at six types of female roles in the biblical book of Judges, analyzing their impact on events and Israelite history. She includes Deborah, Jael, Delilah, Sisera's mother, and Manoah's wife in her discussion of nurturers, matrons, military heroes, prostitutes, mourners, and barren women. 1998.
edited by Leslie Pickering Francis and Anita Silvers
read by Rick Rohan
5 cassettes
Essays by leading philosophers, legal scholars, and political theorists--many with backgrounds in bioethics or in disability studies--examine critical issues concerning the conceptual, philosophical, political, and legal foundations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) passed in 1990. 2000.
by Demitri F. Papolos and Janice Papolos
read by Madelyn Buzzard
3 cassettes
Explores the complexities of early onset bipolar disorder and the difficulties of making an accurate diagnosis. Discusses origins of the condition, treatment, and medications. Advises the family on coping techniques and practical issues, such as insurance. 1999.
by Jorge Luis Borges
read by Robert Blumenfeld
5 cassettes
Some 161 essays, book reviews, film criticisms, lectures, and prologues by the Argentine writer well-known in Latin America for his prolific output of nonfiction. Twenty-six of these pieces were produced between 1956, after Borges became blind, and 1986, when he died. National Book Critics Circle Award. 1999.
by Thea Halo
read by Suzanne Toren
2 cassettes
Biography of the author's mother, a Pontic Greek from Turkey whose people were forcibly expelled during an ethnic cleansing of Christians in 1920. After being sold into marriage at fifteen, Sano immigrates to America but returns decades later to find her roots. Some violence. 2000.
by Efraim Karsh and Inari Karsh
Two Middle East historians reexamine nineteenth-century politics of the area to refute the popular "clash of civilizations" interpretation. Instead, they perceive a pattern of pragmatic cooperation and conflict between the Middle East and the West. To substantiate their claims, they cite examples of rulers using European powers. 1999.
by Ann Wroe
read by Mary Kane
3 cassettes
Biographical reconstruction of the life of Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor of Judaea who succumbs to pressure to condemn Jesus of Nazareth. Pilate's family background, upbringing, military career, administrative training, and years living in Rome all contribute to the preparation for his role in Christ's trial. 1999.
by Frances Kiernan
read by Michele Schaeffer
6 cassettes
Chronicles the controversial American writer's life in an unconventional biography--a combination of narrative, interviews with people who knew her, and quotes from McCarthy's own writings. Comments on her domestic dramas--including her stormy marriage to Edmund Wilson--her 1963 bestseller The Group (RC 10307), and her legal battle with Lillian Hellman. Some explicit descriptions of sex. Bestseller 2000.
by David Roberts
read by Rick Foucheux
2 cassettes
Highlights the adventures and private lives of two western explorers, including their most infamous trips--an 1842 expedition to Wyoming, the "Conquest of California" in 1845-1846, a disastrous trek in 1848-1849 that ended in cannibalism, and Carson's 1863-1864 roundup of Native American tribes. 2000.
by Betty Friedan
read by Margaret Strom
3 cassettes
Memoir by the author of the 1963 work The Feminine Mystique (RC 7901), who was fundamental in establishing the National Organization for Women. Reminisces about her childhood in Peoria, antisemitism, her abusive husband, motherhood, and other notable activists. Some descriptions of sex. 2000.
by Nicholas Shakespeare
read by Vanessa Maroney
6 cassettes
A biography of the enigmatic British adventurer and writer who died of AIDS in 1989. Describes his career at Sotheby's, where he met his American wife; his wanderlust; his homosexual affairs; and his success as a writer, beginning with In Patagonia (RC 14867). Some descriptions of sex and some strong language. 1999.
by Arthur J. Singer
read by Mark Ashby
2 cassettes
Biography of legendary broadcaster and salesman Arthur Godfrey (1903-1983), whose network radio shows were the most well-known during the 1940s and 1950s. Godfrey later successfully made the transition to television with his show Talent Scouts. Discusses his personal life and the incidents that led to his downfall. 2000.
edited by Nicolás Kanellos
read by Peter Gil
2 cassettes
Collection of thirty-six literary works celebrating the Christmas season, derived from the cultures of Mexican, Puerto Rican, and other Hispanic groups who migrated to the United States. Includes the play Los Pastores from Mexico, a sixteenth-century dramatization of Christ's birth. Many entries are presented in both English and Spanish languages. 2000.
by Charles M. Robinson
read by Terence Aselford
3 cassettes
Covers the early history of the Texas Rangers from the formation of the first frontier defense company in 1823. Traces the eras of Mexican rule, the Republic of Texas, the Civil War, and conflicts with Native Americans and outlaws through the end of the classic Ranger service in the 1930s. 2000.
by Charles P. Henry
read by Michele Schaeffer
3 cassettes
Analyzes the life and career of Ralph Bunche, the first black Nobel Laureate and a world-renowned statesman. Explains that as director of the United Nations Trusteeship Division, he established and administered the institution's first peacekeeping forces. Examines the demands made on him by various groups because of his race. 1999.
by Arlyn J. Roffman
read by Jill Ferris
3 cassettes
Suggestions for adults on coping with learning disabilities and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Uses case studies to illustrate how to contend with daily life, including employment, dating, parenthood, intimacy, and mental health. Offers strategies for transitioning from high school. 2000.
by Ben Yagoda
read by Frank Coffee
4 cassettes
A well-researched critical history of the magazine's first seventy-five years. Discusses its contents--the form of the magazine and how it evolved--and the magazine's role in American cultural life under the leadership of Harold Ross and then William Shawn. A brief epilogue covers the years after 1987. 2000.
by Linda Hussa
read by Kristin Allison
2 cassettes
Biography of Nevada rancher Lige Langston (1908-1987), whose ropes and rawhide braids are displayed in the Smithsonian Institution. Features a personal history, as well as remembrances by friends and relatives. Includes descriptions of desert land and events that occurred there throughout the twentieth century. 1999.
by Alvin M. Josephy
read by Bob Askey
3 cassettes
The twentieth-century reminiscences of an award-winning author and advocate for American Indians. Josephy, a native Easterner and nephew of book publisher Alfred A. Knopf, ultimately attained a dreamed-for ranch in Oregon. He describes his various career paths along the way as well as his experiences in World War II. 2000.
by Desmond Mpilo Tutu
read by Jake Williams
2 cassettes
Nobel Peace Prize winner Desmond Tutu, retired Archbishop of Cape Town, South Africa, discusses the importance of probing his nation's past, including misdeeds committed under apartheid. Reflects on his life and the work of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in the 1990s; advocates a policy of combined remembrance and forgiveness. 1999.
by Leroy TeCube
read by Jake Williams
2 cassettes
The author recalls being a twenty-one-year-old infantry recruit in Vietnam from January 1968 to January 1969. As an Apache, he brings to bear a different cultural perspective from that of most American GIs, and he explains how his background helped to prepare him for being a soldier. 1999.
by Titus Maccius Plautus
read by George Holmes
2 cassettes
A collection of four plays, translated by Erich Segal, from the best-known playwright of ancient Rome, Titus Maccius Plautus (254-184 B.C.). The plays feature boisterous comedy, abundant word play, commonplace settings, and brisk song-and-dance routines. 1996.
by Tom Clancy
read by Ralph Lowenstein
4 cassettes
Describes an elite fighting unit of the army--the 82nd Airborne Division--including its personnel, technology, and mission. Also presents two short stories creating scenarios illustrating the fighting capacity of the unit. From the author of Carrier (RC 49536) and Fighter Wing (RC 42130), among others. 1997.
by Antoine de Baecque and Serge Toubiana
read by Dennis Rooney
4 cassettes
Biography of the French filmmaker who won an Oscar in 1974 for Day for Night. Discusses his dark childhood, his passion for the cinema, his romances with some leading ladies, and his early death from a brain tumor. 1999.
by Robin Wright
read by Yolande Bavan
3 cassettes
Journalist and author of In the Name of God (RC 32222) and other works on the Middle East describes changes in Iran since the 1979 revolution and the 1989 death of Ayatollah Khomeini. She examines the social and cultural progress that is transforming the country into an Islamic democracy. 2000.
by Christiane Northrup
read by Anne Flosnik
5 cassettes
The author of Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom (RC 48380) examines female menopause in the context of a mind-body connection. Discusses hormone replacement therapy, herbal treatments, diet and exercise, sex, osteoporosis, heart disease, and other physical changes and emotional issues, including stress and depression. Bestseller 2001.
by Peter Baker
read by Butch Hoover
4 cassettes
Journalist details the role of congressmen and White House staff in the late-1990s effort to remove the American president from office for high crimes and misdemeanors. Discusses the political and cultural clashes that led to the attempt and implications for future chief executives. Some strong language. Bestseller 2000.
by Barbara Wallraff
read by Kerry Cundiff
2 cassettes
A columnist and senior editor at the Atlantic Monthly tackles English-language style and usage issues raised by readers. In essays organized by topic, she addresses grammar and vocabulary problems with humor and tact. She strongly encourages rewriting for clarity and provides much practical and specific advice. 2000.
by Lynda Madaras
read by Gary Tipton
2 cassettes
Provides an overview of puberty and discusses changes that take place in a boy's shape, size, reproductive organs, sexuality, hygiene requirements, and health concerns. Also discusses puberty in girls. Updated edition of RC 24373. For junior and senior high and older readers. 2000.
by Robert D. Ballard
read by Butch Hoover
2 cassettes
Ballard draws on some thirty years of personal experience on marine expeditions to retrace the steps of pioneers who first explored the ocean depths. He conveys the excitement of scientific discovery and tells how deep-sea craft required for visiting the bottom of the ocean were developed. 2000.
by Sara Jane Boyers
read by Erin Jones
1 cassette
Explains the concept of a democracy, the history of voting rights in America, the election process including the electoral college, and the importance of becoming an informed citizen. Encourages teens to participate in their community and to become politically active. For junior and senior high and older readers. 2000.
by Donald L. Barlett and James B. Steele
read by Randy Atcher
2 cassettes
Two Pulitzer Prize-winning writers describe the fraud and inequities they perceive in the American tax system. They argue that tax laws should be revised and simplified, maintaining that a double standard applied to citizens in different income brackets allows the rich to evade responsibility for their fair share. 2000.
by Lynda Madaras
read by Sharon Murray
2 cassettes
Provides an overview of puberty and discusses changes that take place in a girl's shape, size, reproductive organs, menstrual cycle, and sexuality. Also discusses puberty in boys. Updated edition of RC 30633. For junior and senior high and older readers. 2000.
by Jim Hightower
read by Jack Fox
3 cassettes
Radio talk show host seriocomically dissects American politics, including the 2000 presidential race, and finds much lacking. Exhorts people to demand change by eliminating corporate influence on the parties and taking control locally. Fumes against globalization, lobbyists, and the sameness of Democrats and Republicans. 2000.
by Ian Wilmut and others
read by Butch Hoover
3 cassettes
A science writer and the two researchers who cloned the sheep known as Dolly trace the history of cell biology and embryology and explain the hypotheses and experiments that led to the birth. Explores potential impacts in agriculture and medicine, as well as moral and political implications. 2000.
by Gilbert Waldbauer
read by Butch Hoover
2 cassettes
A professor of entomology examines how the basic needs of insects are served by group living. Covers such topics as the insects' defense against predators, their coping with adverse weather, procuring food, and mating. Also discusses the formation of cooperating groups by insects of two or more species. 2000.
by Patricia T. Kelly
read by Patricia McDermott
2 cassettes
A medical geneticist provides tools and information to help women assess breast cancer risks, explains how to plan a breast health-care program, and discusses the emotional impact of the topic. Covers genetic testing, benign breast disease, heredity factors, understanding statistics, and navigating the medical system. 2000.
by Brenda Fowler
read by Richard Hauenstein
3 cassettes
A journalist reports the major archeological discovery of a five-thousand-year-old corpse with a cache of artifacts on the Austrian-Italian border. Discusses the mixture of scientific research and conjecture surrounding this find and the political squabble over ownership. 2000.
by Peter J. D'Adamo
read by Kerry Cundiff
3 cassettes
The doctor/author of the bestselling Eat Right 4 Your Type (RC 46076) explains how to set up a nutritional program based on your blood type. 1998.
by Yale Solomon
read by Butch Hoover
1 cassette
The author is an ophthalmologist specializing in macular degeneration who was diagnosed with the condition in one eye in 1990 and the other eye in 1997. He uses this combination of experiences to provide detailed information, advice, and reassurance in this guide for others with the disease. 2000.
by Georgia Witkin
read by Ann Hodapp
2 cassettes
Explains how women experience stress differently from men and provides techniques and problem-solving skills to reduce it. Includes examples of dealing with family life (including teenagers and mates), common work problems, sexual difficulties, and aging--along with other unavoidable everyday tensions. 2000.
by Kristen Iversen
read by Mitzi Friedlander
3 cassettes
A biography of Margaret Tobin Brown (1867-1932), the Denver society matron who survived the sinking of the Titanic in 1912. Reconstructs events on the ship and in the lifeboats. Separates fact from fiction in portraying "Molly" as a real person and renowned human-rights activist. 1999.
by Bernd Heinrich
read by Fred Major
3 cassettes
A biologist's study of raven behavior and the apparent motivations for the birds' adaptive responses. Based on personal observation, his experiences raising young ravens taken from the wild, and numerous field experiments, Heinrich blends science with informed speculation about the intelligence of the species. 1999.
by Pam Johnson-Bennett
read by Ann Hodapp
3 cassettes
A behaviorist presents a step-by-step guide, using behavior modification and play therapy, to help cat owners build an acceptable relationship with their pets. Suggests that understanding a feline's instincts may promote positive conduct. Provides advice on grooming, traveling, and stopping aggression and destructive chewing. 2000.
by Kenneth Conboy and Dale Andradé
read by Lou Harpenau
3 cassettes
Examines America's covert operations in North Vietnam, which were initiated by the CIA in 1960 and expanded by the Defense Department in 1964. Concludes that the commandos who infiltrated enemy lines were captured, killed, or returned with false information, because of their own deficient knowledge and their opponent's vigilance. 2000.
by Mark Mazower
read by Ken Kliban
2 cassettes
The author of Dark Continent: Europe's Twentieth Century (RC 49031) reassesses the area of southeastern Europe known as the Balkans. Explains how centuries of peaceful coexistence between diverse religious and cultural populations exploded into nationalist violence following the breakup of the Ottoman empire. 2000.
by Beatrice Forbes Manz
read by Peter Johnson
2 cassettes
Traces the life and times of Tamerlane, a fourteenth-century nomadic conqueror who used the power of his personality to rule over the ruins of the Mongol Empire in central Asia. Discusses the successful merging of ancient traditions and political developments that led to his success. 1989.
edited by Carolyn Dunn and Carol Comfort
read by Catherine Byers
2 cassettes
A collection of prose pieces and poems, often retelling traditional tales in a twentieth-century context. Authors include women of American Indian descent--Joy Harjo, Linda Hogan, Louise Erdrich, and others. Many selections rely on the animal world and nature for themes or settings. 1999.
by William J. Duiker
read by Peter Johnson
6 cassettes
Sympathetic biography of Vietnamese Communist leader known as Ho Chi Minh (1890-1969), who led the revolutionary movement against Japanese, French, and American dominance in Southeast Asia until his death six years before the Vietnam War ended. Interprets Ho's lifelong quest for national independence and social and economic justice. 2000.
by Ann Rule
read by Kristin Allison
3 cassettes
Collection of ten cases that focus on victims betrayed by killers who made pledges they never intended to honor. In the title piece, a young wife disappears and years pass before her parents and the police can find evidence that points toward her controlling husband. Some violence. Bestseller 2001.
by Paul Begala
read by Jim Zeiger
1 cassette
Partisan criticism of President George W. Bush by a Democratic party political advisor, using quotations from Bush's speeches during his Texas governorship and the 2000 presidential campaign. Examines Bush's record in Texas on such issues as education, the environment, gun control, the death penalty, and taxes. Some strong language. Bestseller 2000.
by Larry Elder
read by Jake Williams
3 cassettes
Conservative African American talk-show host deplores the victimization of blacks based on race and analyzes myths that he suggests are perpetuated by politicians in order to retain power. Also blames liberal media and black leaders for creating artificial problems rather than addressing serious issues like illegitimacy. Some strong language. Bestseller 2000.
by George Dawson and Richard Glaubman
read by Bob Askey
2 cassettes
A 101-year-old laborer who learned to read at age 98 chronicles his life in the South and provides a personal retrospective on the African American past. In collaboration with a history teacher, Dawson recalls significant developments of the twentieth century, including the advent of two world wars. 2000.
by Helen Zia
read by Robin Miles
3 cassettes
Chinese American writer describes the history and potential of the large diverse Asian population in the United States. Explains how fragmented, isolated ethnic groups--motivated by hate crimes and stereotyping--transformed themselves into a new political power. Some strong language. 2000.
by Darden Asbury Pyron
read by Lewis Grenville
5 cassettes
portrays the life of Midwestern musical prodigy Wladziu Valentino Liberace (1919-1987), assessing his influence on American culture. Traces the pianist's childhood, career development, and artistic achievements. Discusses his homosexuality, his lovers, the lawsuits, and his AIDS-related death. 2000.
by Shana Alexander
read by Catherine Byers
2 cassettes
A journalist chronicles her growing interest in elephants beginning with her coverage of an elephant's first live birth in captivity in 1962. She combines personal anecdotes with historical and scientific facts to explore the relationship between elephants and humans. Discusses poaching and the possible extinction of the species. 2000.
by Paul Gervais
read by Ken Kliban
2 cassettes
When the author moved with his friend Gil from California to an Italian villa in 1982, he knew little about gardening. He writes of becoming a knowledgeable gardener and transforming an old, half-abandoned garden into an acclaimed stop on a horticultural tour. Some strong language. 2000.
by Quincy Troupe
read by Peter Jay Fernandez
1 cassette
Troupe documents his close relationship with jazz great Miles Davis, who, even before they met, was a role model for the author and his friends. Portrays the trumpeter as "irascible, contemptuous, brutally honest, and extremely bad-tempered...also insecure...and proud of being black." Companion to Miles: The Autobiography (RC 33198). Strong language. 2000.
by George Orwell
read by John Horton
2 cassettes
Autobiographical account of time spent living in the slums and working-class neighborhoods of London and Paris, in sympathy with the poor. Orwell describes dressing like a beggar and having menial jobs; portrays the characters and conditions he encountered on the streets and in a charity hospital. 1933.
by Anne Edwards
read by Lisette Lecat
3 cassettes
Recounts the Spencer family history and examines how Diana's unhappy childhood affected her adult life. Discusses the princess's relationships with her family, her discovery of Charles's infidelity--before their marriage, her position within the troubled House of Windsor, her divorce, her life afterward, and her untimely death. 1999.
by Mary Karr
read by Martha Harmon Pardee
2 cassettes
Karr continues where she left off in The Liars' Club: A Memoir (RC 41154)--as an adolescent growing up in the 1970s. She describes experimenting with sex and drugs in her small Texas town and leaving home for California. Strong language and some explicit descriptions of sex. 2000.
by Esther Black Elk DeSersa and others
read by Bill Wallace
1 cassette
This companion to Black Elk Speaks (RC 22552) records the reminiscences of his granddaughters and family members concerning the Oglala Lakota holy man Black Elk and his son Ben. The family recall their years growing up on Pine Ridge Reservation, their traditions, and how Black Elk's legacy still affects them. 2000.
by Walter Payton
read by Jake Williams
2 cassettes
Record-breaking NFL football player Walter "Sweetness" Payton, who died of liver cancer in 1999, discusses growing up in Mississippi, attending college, and staying positive through cancer treatment. Supplemented with anecdotes from his friends, family, and colleagues recalling his work ethic, his humor, and his generosity. 2000.
by Lisa Jardine
read by Robert O'Keefe
2 cassettes
Explores the forces in the late seventeenth century that laid the foundations for modern scientific thought and practices. Traces the development of such key discoveries as precise time measurement, enhanced astronomical observation, selective animal and plant breeding, advanced techniques in navigation, chemical substance analysis, and the mathematics of naturally occurring curves. 1999.
by Warren Christopher
read by Butch Hoover
2 cassettes
Memoir by secretary of state in the Clinton administration, who began his legal career as a law clerk for Supreme Court justice William O. Douglas in 1949. Christopher describes his life in public service, which included roles in the Johnson and Carter administrations, and discusses the numerous crises he's witnessed. Bestseller 2001.
by Roger Kahn
read by Roy Avers
2 cassettes
Author of The Boys of Summer (RC 16430) discusses the psychology and physics of baseball pitching, as well as some of the major personalities immortalized in the history of the sport. 2000.
by Isadore Valenti
read by Randy Atcher
2 cassettes
War memoir by soldier who grew up in the coal mining country of western Pennsylvania. Recalled into the army in 1941, Valenti became a medic and saw action in Africa, Italy, France, Germany, and Austria. He experienced the end of the war at Hitler's chalet in the Alps. 1998.
by Aphrodite Jones
read by Jill Fox
2 cassettes
Cincinnati, 1996. Heart surgeon Darryl Sutorius is found dead. His new wife, Dante--whom the doctor met through a dating service--is under suspicion. As police investigate, they learn of the widow's four previous husbands and her own family's fears. Strong language and some descriptions of sex. 1998.
by Robert B. Reich
read by Lou Harpenau
2 cassettes
Scholar and former labor secretary examines the technologically advanced economy and its effects on Americans' lives. Explains how communication, transportation, and information technologies offer individuals growth opportunities but endanger traditional community and family structures as smaller, flexible companies replace the stable large corporations that have heretofore provided steady jobs and dependable benefits. Bestseller 2000.
by Sonia Choquette
read by Patricia McDermott
2 cassettes
Using examples drawn from her students and clients, a teacher interprets spiritual laws and suggests applications. Proposes nine creative principles for achieving miracles, joy, a sense of abundance, security, and peace. Reflects on Jesus' and Buddha's influences in her life. Provides a step-by-step approach to experiencing God's love. 1997.
by James Alan McPherson
read by Barry Bernson
2 cassettes
Essays on the Pulitzer Prize winner's pursuits, from the segregated South to Morris Brown College, Harvard Law School, the University of Virginia, and the Iowa Writers' Workshop. Reflects on his love for his daughter, the experiences of Americans, life's sorrows and delights, and works by other authors. Some strong language. 2000.
by Grace Halloran
read by Janis Gray
2 cassettes
Recounts the life of Californian Grace Halloran, who was diagnosed at age twenty-three with retinitis pigmentosa, a genetic eye disorder leading to blindness. Learning that her newborn son could also become blind, Halloran dedicated her life to discovering ways to preserve and strengthen sight. 1993.
by Edward P. Stafford
read by Jack Fox
4 cassettes
History of the battles fought in the Pacific by this naval aircraft carrier and its crew during World War II. Reports on participation at Santa Cruz, Kwajalein, Philippine Sea, Leyte Gulf, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa, among other sites. 1962.
by Jay Winik
read by Roy Avers
3 cassettes
In April 1865, as the war ends, the Confederate capital--Richmond--lies in ruins, Generals Robert E. Lee and Joe Johnston surrender their armies, and President Abraham Lincoln is assassinated. Remarkably, the author contends, the nation survives. Analyzes the reasons for the unusually successful conclusion to a republic's civil war. Bestseller 2001.
by Marcia J. Scherer
read by John Hammock
2 cassettes
Provides an overview of the issues surrounding people with disabilities and assistive technology. Discusses how the equipment affects the individual and how to successfully match them. Uses vignettes to describe those who use devices and those who tried and abandoned them. 2000.
by Maurizio Viroli
read by David Elias
2 cassettes
Biography of the Italian Renaissance statesman Niccolò Machiavelli (1469-1527), a native of Florence and author of The Prince (RC 39689). Discusses his life amid turbulent times, his political beliefs, and his ultimate fall from power, as well as the near-universal misunderstanding of his philosophy. 2000.
by John Evangelist Walsh
read by Corrie James
2 cassettes
Chronicle of the last hundred days of John Keats's life, when the twenty-five-year-old English poet fought, and then succumbed to, consumption. Examines his unrealized ambitions, his views on religion, and the nature of the disease that killed him. Postulates that the composer's love for Fanny Brawne inspired his literary works. 1999.
by Elizabeth D. Leonard
read by Faith Potts
2 cassettes
Chronicle of women who served in the Union and Confederate armies in the field during the Civil War, either as spies, "mascots," or disguised as men. Explores the motivation behind the women's actions, the practical aspects involved, and the consequences of discovery. Also looks at earlier examples from the Revolutionary War. 1999.
by David Stafford
read by Bill Wallace
3 cassettes
Explores the relationship between the United States president Franklin Roosevelt and the British prime minister Winston Churchill before and during the Second World War. Explains how the two leaders shared intelligence secrets, bribed Spain to remain neutral, and trusted each other despite conflicting postwar national interests. 1999.
by Doug Stanton
read by Bob Moore
2 cassettes
Recounts the events of July 30, 1945, when a Japanese submarine torpedoed the USS Indianapolis, and the subsequent failure of the navy to begin a timely rescue of its crew. Relates the survivors' tales of the ordeal and the tragic destiny of its captain years later. Bestseller 2001.
by Edmund White
read by Robert Blumenfeld
1 cassette
Novelist, critic, and biographer White, who moved to Paris in 1983, describes his wanderings through the city's arrondissements, including districts congenial to writers, African Americans, Jews, artists, gays and lesbians, and royalists. A flâneur is someone who strolls about a city with no specific purpose, yet is attuned to its history and character. Bestseller 2001.
edited by Quinton Hosford Dixie and Cornel West
read by Bill Wallace
2 cassettes
Essays compiled in honor of scholar and preacher James Melvin Washington explore a theological belief system based on African American religious experiences and American culture. Encourages people to pursue spiritual unification and to transcend the social, economic, and racial identities that divide them. 1999.
by Tracy Hogg
read by Anne Flosnik
2 cassettes
A neonatal nurse advocates methods for parents to gain insights into their baby's needs. E.A.S.Y. is Hogg's acronym for a recommended structured routine of Eating, Activity, Sleeping, and time for You; S.L.O.W. is a reminder to Stop, Listen, Observe, and evaluate What's up with the infant. Bestseller 2001.
by William Craig
read by Mark Ashby
3 cassettes
Historical account of a pivotal World War II battle: the 1943 surrender of the elite German Sixth Army to the Russians at Stalingrad. Describes the incredible march of the German army across southern Russia and the equally amazing victory of the Soviet army. Bestseller 1973.
by Ric Edelman
read by Rick Rohan
2 cassettes
After studying the practices of thousands of financially successful Americans, a renowned financial advisor reveals eight fundamental strategies these investors share. The techniques for attaining wealth include turning a mortgage into a wealth-enhancing program and maximizing employer-sponsored retirement plans. Bestseller 2000.
by John Edward
read by Terence Aselford
2 cassettes
Author Edward, who claims to possess psychic powers, discusses the discovery and development of his ability to communicate with the dead. He advises others who may wish to tune in to their own special abilities and includes numerous accounts of his experiences as a medium. Bestseller 1998.
by Lou Michel and Dan Herbeck
read by Gary Telles
4 cassettes
Account of the bombing of the federal building in Oklahoma City by Timothy McVeigh on April 19, 1995. In addition to prison interviews with McVeigh, the authors document his childhood, military career, and drifter lifestyle in an attempt to fathom his motives and personality. Some strong language. Bestseller 2001.
by Debbie Ford
read by Kimberly Schraf
2 cassettes
A guidebook with exercises that encourages readers to uncover their shortcomings through a process of self-discovery and transform them to hidden strengths. Ford maintains that most people try to mask the thoughts, feelings, and aspects of their behavior that they feel are socially unacceptable, rather than striving to develop harmonious self-acceptance. Some strong language. Bestseller 1998.
by Pierre Nubar
read by Christopher Walker
1 cassette
Memoir of a blind Frenchman, who came to the United States in 1953. Nubar recalls his years in an orphanage in Marseilles, coming to America seeking medical treatment for his deteriorating eyesight, and how a policeman from his past changed his fortune. 2000.
by Peter Mayle
read by David Cutler
2 cassettes
Mayle describes how he was introduced to the pleasures of French culinary art at age nineteen. Living in the French countryside, he explores the small, out-of-the-way restaurants and local village markets. He participates in annual festivals and eats in three-star Michelin restaurants, all the while writing about his appreciation of French food. Bestseller 2001.
by Ted Koppel
read by Gregory Gorton
2 cassettes
Koppel presents in journal form "snapshots of the twentieth century's final year, and some memories and observations it triggered." He includes well-known public events, such as Clinton's impeachment and the war in Kosovo, but he also reflects on his childhood in England and offers glimpses into his family's private life. 2000.
by Peter Bowerman
read by Christopher Walker
2 cassettes
Provides a step-by-step guide to building a successful freelance writing career. Maintains that anyone can become a financially independent writer in a short period of time. Surveys the variety of projects that are outsourced by corporations and offers marketing and customer-service strategies. Includes samples of promotional materials. 2000.
by Stanley Kunitz
read by Rick Rohan
2 cassettes
A compilation of essays about and interviews with the twentieth-century American poet, editor, teacher, and translator. Many are by young poets who studied with Kunitz, providing insights into both his private and public concerns. Includes an appendix of discussed poems. 1993.
by Cathy Scott
read by Bob Moore
2 cassettes
Describes the rivalry between East and West Coast "gangsta" rap musicians that leads to murder. Chronicles the life of rap artist Biggie Smalls and his successful career under the guidance of Sean "Puffy" Combs. Smalls was murdered a few months after rival Tupac Shakur. Strong language and some violence. 2000.
by Mort Rosenblum
read by Ted Stoddard
3 cassettes
American journalist Rosenblum, who moved to France in 1977 and stayed on, describes the people and cuisines of his adopted country. He recounts his extensive travels, his visits with the locals to learn about their finest regional specialities, and his conversations about the appalling rise of fast-food restaurants. 2000.
by Alan Gurney
read by Mark Ashby
3 cassettes
Discusses the competing American, British, and French sailing expeditions in the 1830s to the then still unexplored continent of Antarctica. Explains the background of the national rivalries and depicts the personalities of the major figures involved. 2000.
by Jerry M. Linenger
read by Steven Carpenter
2 cassettes
An American astronaut's personal account of his 1997 mission on the deteriorating Russian space station. Covers his training, his stay on the Mir, and his reactions upon returning to Earth. He vividly describes surviving a near-fatal fire and the physically hazardous conditions and psychological difficulties endured with good humor and ingenuity. 2000.
read by Brian Conn
1 cassette
Describes the fatal last race of the legendary NASCAR driver on February 18, 2001, during the Daytona 500. Eleven articles briefly trace Earnhardt's life and highlights of his long and successful career--including seven Winston Cups--as well as his legacy. Bestseller
by Cheryl Richardson
read by Kerry Cundiff
1 cassette
Author of Take Time for Your Life (RC 50519) offers week-by-week suggestions for setting priorities, redefining success, and taking action to make necessary changes. Topics include financial, emotional, and physical adjustments that can lead to greater contentment and personal growth. Lists web sites, contacts, and additional resources. Bestseller 2000.
by Dave Longaberger
read by John Polk
2 cassettes
Longaberger (1934-1999), who did not graduate from high school until he was twenty-one because he stuttered and had epilepsy and a learning disorder, explains how he created a $700 million business that began by selling his father's handmade baskets in 1973. Includes the eighteen management principles he practiced in his company. Bestseller 1999.
by Willie Morris
read by Jack Fox
1 cassette
Mississippi author of My Dog Skip (RC 41612) recalls how he had to overcome his fear of cats when his beloved fiancée wanted one. On Christmas Eve, the family took in a stray who later had kittens--one with two different eye colors. 1999.
by George Carlin
read by Gregory Gorton
2 cassettes
The comedian, who also wrote Brain Droppings (RC 44750), continues with a collection of zany one-liners, observations on modern life, and loony lists. Strong language and some explicit descriptions of sex. Bestseller 2001.
by Bruce H. Wilkinson
read by Bob Moore
1 cassette
The founder of Walk Thru the Bible Ministries discusses the prayer of Jabez from 1 Chronicles 4:9-10. Wilkinson addresses each line of the petition, supporting his conclusions with anecdotes. He encourages readers to ask God to bless them daily to ensure that they receive his best. Bestseller 2000.
by Bruce Wilkinson
read by Bob Moore
1 cassette
In this sequel to The Prayer of Jabez (RC 52284), Wilkinson encourages individuals to make the best use of God's blessings. Citing verses from the biblical John 15, he illustrates four levels of "fruit bearing" through which people can move to reach their full potential in God. Bestseller 2001.
by Deborah Stipek and Kathy Seal
read by Barbara Pinolini
2 cassettes
Strategies that parents can employ to instill a lifelong love of learning in their children from infancy to elementary school age. Suggests ways to increase self-motivation without the need of bribery and excessive praise. Also includes information on selecting a school. Bestseller 2001.
by Jeanette A. Griver and Michele W. Vodrey
read by Barbara Pinolini
1 cassette
Authors advocate the use of "operational analysis"--a formula designed to help people solve problems. Rather than looking at a situation in general terms, they suggest categorizing it in measurable dimensions: who, what, when, where, how, why, and costs. Provides a ten-step guide to using this technique for troubleshooting. Bestseller 2000.
by Joel Kotkin
read by John Hammock
2 cassettes
Analyzes how the technology economy has enabled businesses to move away from their traditional bases and relocate to aesthetically pleasing communities the author calls "nerdistans" and "Valhallas." Examines residential and commercial landscapes and possible future scenarios. Bestseller 2000.
by Mark Bowden
read by Mark Ashby
2 cassettes
The author of Black Hawk Down (RC 48028) chronicles the crimes of Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar, his Medellín cocaine cartel, and his influence on his country. Describes Escobar's imprisonment, escape, enemies, and the American involvement with death squads that sought revenge. Violence and strong language. Bestseller 2001.
by Pamela R. Lessing
read by Renee Dutton-O'Hara
2 cassettes
Provides step-by-step instructions for beginners with iMac computers for using e-mail, the Internet, word processing, compact disks (CDs), and computer games. Also includes prepurchasing advice. 2000.
by Bill Gutman
read by Gregory Gorton
3 cassettes
Biography of the professional football coach who went to three Super Bowls and won two before retiring in 1999. Traces Bill Parcells's career with the New York Giants, the New York Jets, and the New England Patriots--along with the faults and attributes of the "guy from Jersey." 2000.
edited by Charles Osgood
read by Peter Gil
1 cassette
Radio and television anchorman edits and introduces a collection of essays, jokes, and poems from the Second World War. Includes "A Dictionary of American Military Slang 1941-1944"; spoofs featuring Artie Greengroin, Pfc.; and selections from Yank magazine and the Reader's Digest's regular "Humor in Uniform" feature. Some strong language. 2001.
by Ahmed Rashid
read by Ken Kliban
3 cassettes
Journalist with twenty years of experience covering Afghanistan discusses the origin and rise of the Taliban and its fundamentalist interpretations of Islam, especially regarding gender and drugs. Explains the importance of Afghanistan's energy resources for the region and the country's problems with smuggling, civil war, and lack of social services. 2000.
by Simon Reeve
read by Ralph Lowenstein
3 cassettes
British journalist traces the capture of Pakistan-born Muslim extremist Ramzi Yousef, who masterminded the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center, among other crimes. Examines Yousef's relationship to Osama bin Laden, the creation of the al Qaeda terrorist network, and the dangers of jihad against the West. 1999.
by Michael Griffin
read by Roy Avers
3 cassettes
Analyzes the nature of politics and tribal rivalries in Afghanistan when the U.S.S.R. retreated in 1989 and the Muslim fundamentalists assumed power. Summarizes the rise of the Taliban rulers through the 2000 bombing of the USS Cole in Yemen. Discusses American failure to recognize the threat of Osama bin Ladin's network. 2001.
by J.R.R. Tolkien
read by Carole Jordan Stewart
2 cassettes (Reissue)
The wandering wizard Gandalf recruits Bilbo Baggins, a Hobbit, to be the fourteenth member of an
expedition. Hobbits prefer comfort to adventures, but Bilbo joins the quest and encounters many perils, including a dragon. For junior and senior high readers. 1966.
by George P. Pelecanos
read by Conrad Feininger
2 cassettes
Nick Stefanos, alcoholic Washington, D.C., bartender, is also a private investigator. While on a bender, he ends up in a park and witnesses a murder. The police seem uninterested in a dead black teenager, so Nick delves into the drug and porno underworld with the help of another PI, Jack LaDuke. Strong language and violence. 1995.
by Alexander Kent
read by Jim Zeiger
3 cassettes (Reissue)
In a bold attempt to forestall Napoleon's war effort, newly promoted Commodore Bolitho and his squadron engage ships of the French and Spanish fleets in gallant and bloody sea encounters. Sequel to The Flag Captain (RC 49927). 1974.
by Alexander Kent
read by Jim Zeiger
2 cassettes (Reissue)
In 1800, Richard Bolitho, one of His Majesty's ablest seamen, is appointed rear admiral and assumes command of his own squadron. As war spreads from Europe to the Baltic, he realizes that his experiences have ill-prepared him for the intricate world of power politics. Sequel to Signal--Close Action! (RC 49928). 1978.
by Alexander Kent
read by Jim Zeiger
2 cassettes (Reissue)
1801. Rear Admiral Richard Bolitho has come home to marry Belinda Laidlaw, but aged Admiral Beauchamp needs him at sea to help show Britain's strength and determination against the French. Thus, Bolitho finds himself torn between public duty and personal desires. Sequel to The Inshore Squadron (RC 49929). 1981.
by Alexander Kent
read by Jim Zeiger
2 cassettes
1803. The newly knighted and now Vice Admiral Sir Richard Bolitho sets sail for the Mediterranean aboard the Argonaute, which he captured from French Admiral Jobert--now his sworn enemy. But Bolitho also has some personal concerns that require his attention. Sequel to Success to the Brave (RC 20529). 1986.
by Temple Bailey
read by Margaret Strom
2 cassettes
The Ballard siblings, Mary, Constance, and Barry, live in an old house in Washington, D.C. With Constance getting married, their aunts, Isabelle and Frances, want Mary to close up the house. However, Mary feels responsible for Barry, so she has taken the bold step of renting the Tower Room to a gentleman. 1914.
by Thomas Wolfe
read by L.J. Ganser
5 cassettes (Reissue)
Bitter and nostalgic, Wolfe's sequel to The Web and the Rock (RC 50278) continues the story of George Webber, now a successful novelist but unsuccessful lover. He returns home to old Catawba, only to be sadly disillusioned by the discovery that everything he once loved there no longer exists. 1934.
by Fyodor Dostoevsky
read by Ken Kliban
8 cassettes in 2 containers
The melodramatic tale of Fyodor Karamazov and his sons: Alyosha, Dmitri, Ivan, and the illegitimate Smerdyakov. The death of the father and conflicts of faith are key themes in this panorama of nineteenth-century Russia. Acclaimed 1990 translation by Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky of the 1879-1880 original Russian publication. 1992.
by Jacqueline Susann
read by Kimberly Schraf
4 cassettes (Reissue)
New York City, 1945. Three beautiful young women--Anne, Neely, and Jennifer--become best friends as each seeks success in the world of show business. Their dependence on pills, referred to as dolls, becomes their way of coping with life. Explicit descriptions of sex. 1966.
by Gerald Hammond
read by Phil Regensdorf
2 cassettes
Scottish kennel owner John Cunningham is suspected in the murder of one of his assistant's boyfriends, as Cunningham had refused to be blackmailed by the deceased. Somehow, the crime is connected with a gun-shy dog that Cunningham was forced to sell the previous year. 1998.
by Elaine Alberro
read by various narrators
2 cassettes
Elena García va a celebrar la fiesta de cumplir quince años, pero su acompañate está enfermo. El padre de ella arregla una substitución, y Antonio del Valle llega a ser la pareja de Elena durante la fiesta. Los dos jóvenes se enamoran. Sin embargo, Elena pertenece a la aristocracia cubana, y sus padres insisten que termine el romance con Antonio, que es el hijo ilegítimo de una limpiadora. Ocho años más tarde, Elena y Antonio se encuentran otra vez. Y se dan cuenta que nada ha cambiado entre ellos. Contiene descripciones de índole sexual y lenguaje injurioso. Edición bilingüe en español e inglés. [When Elena Garcia's escort for her quinceañera becomes ill, her father's cleaning lady's illegitimate son Antonio fills in. They fall in love, but Elena's parents (descendants of Cuban aristocracy) object to the match. Eight years later, however, perspectives change. Some explicit descriptions of sex and some strong language. Bilingual edition in English and Spanish.] 1999.
by Anne C. LeMieux
read by Gary Roan
1 cassette
Eighth-grader Jason is failing algebra. His father is on his case, and the twin brother of the girl Jason likes is his worst enemy. Jason tries to cheat his way out of a bad grade, but his schemes begin to catch up with him. For junior and senior high readers. 2000.
by Harry Turtledove
read by John Polk
5 cassettes
In this sequel to Into the Darkness (RC 51005), warfare involving magical battles and airborne dragons engulfs the world. The Algarvian army encounters fierce resistance from its longtime foes as it sweeps across the country of Forthweg. When members of the Kaunian race are shipped off to "camps," few suspect the real purpose. 2000.
by Harry Turtledove
read by Roy Avers
5 cassettes
This sequel to Colonization: Second Contact (RC 49668), which occurs twenty years after alien Lizards invade Earth, finds humans still resisting domination. Members of both species are being cross-raised, the Third Reich remains a menace, and the addicting ginger trade continues. Violence, strong language, and some descriptions of sex. 2000.
by Nomi Eve
read by Suzanne Toren
2 cassettes
A multigenerational saga of a Jewish family whose story begins in 1837, when Esther and Yochanan immigrate to Palestine, and ends in America in the 1990s. The storyteller interweaves the tale of her father, the orchard man, with her family's history of love, fulfillment, and loss. Explicit descriptions of sex. 2000.
by Jane Austen
read by Jennifer Mendenhall
2 cassettes (Reissue)
Austen's last novel is a temperate comedy of manners. At twenty-seven, a woman regrets that, persuaded by her elders, she had broken her engagement to the navy captain she loved at nineteen. When she and her father are forced to rent their family home and move to Bath, she meets her former love again. 1816.
by Peter Danielson
read by John Horton
2 cassettes
Once more the Teller of Tales is called upon to recount a story from the days of King David. Here he tells of how David, aided by the young soldier Sunu, attempts to take over Jerusalem. Sequel to The Shining King (RC 51108). Violence, strong language, and some descriptions of sex. 1995.
by L.E. Modesitt
read by Kristin Allison
4 cassettes
Anna, an Iowa State University music instructor, is magically transported to the medieval world of Erde, where songs create spells and music is the source of power. Her vocal talents make her a powerful sorceress and a villain's target. Prequel to The Spellsong War (RC 51114). For senior high and older readers. 1997.
by William W. Johnstone
read by Jack Fox
2 cassettes
Falcon MacCallister continues his trek around the country seeking to avenge his wife's murder. After a stop in Tombstone, Arizona, he is confronted by the horrors of conflict with Apache Indians and vows revenge. Sequel to Song of Eagles (RC 51173). Violence and strong language. 1999.
by Rhys Davies
read by Barbara Caruso
2 cassettes
Small-town West Wales, 1960s. When Rhonwen learns that her sixty-year-old husband, Adda, has been carrying on an affair, she decides to make herself a widow--and succeeds. But visions of a ram with red horns prevent her from enjoying her new life, and she confronts her husband's mistress. 1996.
by Joyce Carol Oates
read by Laura Giannarelli
3 cassettes
Twenty-seven psychological horror tales that delve into "the waking nightmares of life." In the title story a wayward girl is invited to the sumptuous home of the trial judge who had suspended her sentence. There she discovers the ulterior motive for his magnanimity. Strong language and some descriptions of sex. 1998.
by Kinky Friedman
read by Gary Telles
2 cassettes
Private detective Kinky Friedman is fed up with the falling ceiling plaster caused by Winnie Katz's lesbian dance troupe upstairs. But when Winnie receives a death threat, Kinky and his gang, the "Village Irregulars," gear up to find the perpetrator. Strong language and some violence. 1999.
by William Stuart Long
read by Roy Avers
3 cassettes
In this sequel to The Nationalists (RC 35500) the children of the original Australian colonists pursue their dreams. At center stage is Tolo Mason and his wife, Java, who comb the outback in search of gold, but find danger among the aborigines. Violence, strong language, and some descriptions of sex. 1990.
by Alistair Boyle
read by Roy Avers
1 cassette
Private investigator Gil Yates, alias mild-mannered Malvin Stark, is retained by a widow to investigate her husband's disappearance. Apparently boater Les Quincy hired five beautiful girls in Hawaii to sail--and share his bunk--with him, but they returned to shore without him. 1999.
by Marion Chesney
read by Gillian Green
2 cassettes
Lady Margery Quennell, twenty-three, is beside herself upon learning that her father is selling their family estate, Chelmswood, to pay the mounting debts incurred in keeping his new wife happy. But Margery's schemes to find a suitable husband do not go as planned. 1980.
by Max Hennessy
read by David Cutler
2 cassettes (Reissue)
The bold adventures of midshipman Kelly Maguire of the Royal Navy during World War I. He begins the war aboard an obsolete battle cruiser and is captured by the Turks after Gallipoli. Escaping, Maguire is later involved in the Battle of Jutland. Some violence and some strong language. 1977.
by Sir Walter Scott
read by George Holmes
6 cassettes
Young Harry Bertram, heir to the Ellangowan estate, is kidnapped and sent away from England by an unscrupulous lawyer who covets the property. Years later, when Harry returns to England after military service in India, he is recognized by an old gypsy woman and learns the secret of his past. 1814.
by Stephen Harrigan
read by David Hartley-Margolin
4 cassettes
Saga of the legendary mission in the Mexican territory called Texas in 1835-1836. Incorporates the fictional characters of Edmund McGowan, a traveling botanist; widow Mary Mott, a San Antonio innkeeper; and her sixteen-year-old son Terrell, with historical personalities. Some descriptions of sex and some strong language. 2000.
by Nelson Algren
read by Barry Bernson
4 cassettes
The underworld of Chicago's West Side in the late 1940s is portrayed through Frankie Machine--a poker dealer with a "golden arm" and morphine-addicted hustler with a bad conscience. Complete text followed by critical essays. Some strong language. National Book Award. 1949.
by Philip R. Craig
read by Ray Foushee
2 cassettes
Retired Boston policeman J.W. Jackson is hired by slumlord Ben Krane to investigate arson. While Jackson has little desire to help the despicable real estate broker prosper, he suspects that an unidentified body found in the latest fire is that of a friend. Some strong language. 2000.
by Gar Anthony Haywood
read by Roy Avers
2 cassettes
Private investigator Aaron Gunner, last seen in Not Long for This World (RC 35086), is hired by the father of gangsta rap star C.E. Digga Jones to investigate his death--supposedly a suicide. Gunner's other job entails guarding African American right-wing radio announcer Sparkle Johnson. Violence and strong language. 1999.
by John Le Carré
read by David Hartley-Margolin
4 cassettes
After his young wife Tessa's murder in Kenya, British diplomat Justin Quayle investigates her death and the disappearance of her African colleague. He eventually discovers that Tessa had uncovered a scheme involving a multinational pharmaceutical company that unethically tests drugs on the local populace. Strong language. Bestseller 2001.
by Kay Hooper
read by Laura Giannarelli
2 cassettes
Psychic sheriff Miranda Knight moves to Tennessee, hoping to heal from her shattered relationship with FBI agent Noah Bishop. But when two teenagers are found tortured to death, another has disappeared, and her own sister is endangered, Miranda calls Noah for help. Companion to Hiding in the Shadows (RC51472). Violence and strong language. Bestseller 2000.
by Anne George
read by Cyn Delafield
2 cassettes
Matron sisters Mary Alice and Patricia Anne track their cousin Luke's wife of forty years and her lover, a snake-handling preacher, to a church. When they arrive, they not only discover a woman's body but learn the preacher has also been murdered. Luke's wife, however, is still missing. Some strong language. 2000.
by Howard Bahr
read by Ted Stoddard
4 cassettes
Cumberland, Mississippi; 1865. Forty-year-old former professor Gawain Harper arrives home from the war to his sweetheart, Morgan Rhea, and finds the town in the grip of poverty, hunger, and hatred. Then his future father-in-law demands that Harper avenge the murder of another daughter. Some violence and some strong language. 2000.
by Alistair MacLean
read by David Cutler
4 cassettes
Two classic World War II adventures. In The Guns of Navarone, a British sabotage team must destroy Nazi weapons so that a small Greek island can be evacuated. In Force 10 from Navarone, three allied spies are assigned an impossible mission in Yugoslavia. Some violence and some strong language. 1968.
by Florence Ladd
read by Mary Kane
2 cassettes
Sarah, a married Harvard student of African literature, travels to Senegal in the 1960s to learn more about the writer Mangane. Later divorced, she weds Mangane and raises their two sons in the country she loves. But her work on women's rights brings violence that shakes her world. ALA/Black Caucus Award. 1996.
by Tananarive Due
read by Bob Moore
4 cassettes
Sarah Breedlove, orphaned at age seven, strives to overcome her poverty-stricken childhood in 1860s and 1870s Louisiana. She establishes her own laundry business, develops a line of hair-care products, turns her kitchen into a beauty parlor, and becomes Madame C.J. Walker--America's first black female millionaire. Based on research by Alex Haley. 2000.
by Henry Porter
read by Corrie James
3 cassettes
Arriving in London from Boston, Con Lindow becomes a bombing victim. When the British police learn Lindow is an Irish national, he becomes a chief suspect. He teams up with an out-of-favor policeman to find the real bomber--the only way to prove Lindow's innocence. Some descriptions of sex and some strong language. 2000.
by Brendan O'Carroll
read by Terry Donnelly
1 cassette
Dublin, 1970. Agnes's brood of seven--whom she calls the "chisellers"--are a few years older than in The Mammy (RC 51680) and are causing her more heartache. But Mark, the eldest, makes a bold move at the furniture factory and finds his dream girl. Strong language and some descriptions of sex. 1995.
by Brendan O'Carroll
read by Terry Donnelly
1 cassette
Dublin, 1980. In this sequel to The Chisellers (RC 51681) Agnes is forty-seven when Mark announces the birth of her new grandson and calls her "Granny." Agnes feels old for the first time, but manages to stay at the center of her family's activities. Strong language. 1996.
by Mervyn Peake
read by Kristin Allison
9 cassettes in 2 containers
Titus Groan (1946) introduces Titus, who at age two becomes the seventy-seventh earl of Gormenghast, a ritual-ridden castle full of Dickensian characters. Gormenghast (1950) follows Titus as he overcomes a power-seeking kitchen boy, then flees the castle. Titus Alone (1959) relates his experiences beyond the castle walls. Some violence. 1959.
by Bill Mesce and Steven G. Szilagyi
read by L.J. Ganser
2 cassettes
England, 1943. Two American bombers suddenly attack a third plane as well as civilian witnesses on the ground. As Major Harry Voss of the Judge Advocate General's office delves into the incident, he uncovers secrets that the higher-ups want to keep concealed. Some violence and some strong language. 2000.
by James D. Doss
read by David Hartley-Margolin
3 cassettes
Ute policeman Charlie Moon investigates a disappearance associated with a paleontological dig excavating mammoth bones. Meanwhile, his aunt Daisy Perika, a shaman, is involved with an older, related injustice dealing with the supernatural. 1999.
by Lawrence Watt-Evans
read by Chuck Benson
2 cassettes
In this sequel to Out of This World (RC 44629), Pel Brown is still trapped in the Galactic Empire with several other inhabitants from Earth. But he will not be allowed to return home until he destroys Shadow--the evil ruler of the magical realm of Faerie. Some violence and some strong language. 1995.
by Stephen Coonts
read by Chuck Benson
3 cassettes
Admiral Jake Grafton is sent to Hong Kong to discover whether his old buddy "Tiger" Cole, the consul general, is involved in anticommunist plots and banking scandals. But Jake's wife, Callie, is abducted. Amidst civil unrest, Grafton has to ferret out her location. Some violence and some strong language. 2000.
by Anne McCaffrey
read by Martha Harmon Pardee
3 cassettes
Thanks to AIVAS, which has allowed Pern inhabitants to alter the orbit of Red Star and eliminate the Thread, Pern is now undergoing its last Threadfall. Therefore, dragonriders must find new occupations. But before they do, Pern endures a new threat. Follows Dragonseye (RC 44828). 2001.
by Charles Sheffield
read by Gregory Gorton
3 cassettes
In this sequel to The Mind Pool (RC 51877), humans are under quarantine by Stellar Authority for killing other intelligent forms of life. However, Authority ships sent out to investigate distant time links in the galaxy have disappeared, and it is humans who are best qualified to rescue them. Some violence. Bestseller 2001.
by Mercedes Lackey
read by Erin Jones
2 cassettes
Orphaned Dr. Maya Witherspoon, fleeing danger in India, establishes a medical practice in her London home in 1909. Surrounded by seven animal friends and trusted Indian servants, Maya is tutored in magic by an English master who also senses the malevolent forces directed against her by a vengeful Hindu enemy. 2001.
by Deborah Smith
read by Madelyn Buzzard
3 cassettes
The lives of two very different families are entangled when a Georgia college commissions a New York artist to create a sculpture in the 1960s. Years afterwards, the sculptor's son comes to claim the scrap-metal bear and encounters a woman to whom a peculiar destiny has drawn him since childhood. Strong language. 2001.
by Robert B. Parker
read by Ray Foushee
2 cassettes
Young Mary Lou Buckman hires Spenser to investigate a local outlaw, the Preacher, and his gang for the murder of her husband in Potshot, Arizona. The gang has the town and its lawmen intimidated, so Spenser calls in some cohorts to help him. Some violence and some strong language. Bestseller 2001.
by Larry Brown
read by Jill Fox
4 cassettes
Uneducated, naive teenager Fay runs away from her abusive migrant family near Oxford, Mississippi. She lives first with a state trooper, then a stripper, and later a drug dealer. Now pregnant, Fay is followed by murder and mayhem wherever she goes. Explicit descriptions of sex, violence, and strong language. 2000.
by Catherine Anderson
read by Ann Hodapp
2 cassettes
Joe Lakota and Marilee Nelson, friends since childhood, loved each other deeply. But a devastating event that Marilee refused to share with Joe caused a separation. Now, ten years later, divorced, and with a four-year-old son, Joe returns to their hometown hoping for reconciliation. Strong language and some explicit descriptions of sex. 2000.
by Brian Freemantle
read by Fred Major
3 cassettes
The frozen corpses of two officers in World War II uniforms--one American and one English--and a Russian woman are discovered in Siberia. The British agent in Moscow, Charlie Muffin, is assigned to the case. But not everyone wants the past revealed. Strong language and some violence. 2000.
by Richard Slotkin
read by Jack Fox
3 cassettes
A historian fictionalizes Lincoln's early years. Young Abe struggles with his beloved mother's death and his disapproving father. His education is shortened by the family's need for money. Leaving home, he travels the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers to New Orleans, where he encounters slavery and frontier life. 2000.
by Dan Brown
read by Jack Fox
3 cassettes
Professor of religious iconology Robert Langdon is called to the Vatican to investigate the murder of a physicist by the brotherhood of the Illuminati, a secret medieval society. Joining Langdon is the victim's beautiful daughter, Vittoria, and scientists from CERN, a Swedish research facility. Some violence and some strong language. 2000.
by Eva Rutland
read by Erin Jones
1 cassette
Two days before her wedding, Judy Taylor tells her parents she doesn't want to marry Ben Cruz. Ben secretly leaves town on their wedding day. Fortunately, best man Jake Mason rescues Judy from a horrible scene at the church and soon finds himself feeling very comfortable with her. 1998.
by Liz Nickles
read by Ann Hodapp
1 cassette
After giving her college valedictory speech, twenty-one-year-old Nicki faints, then is diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor. Refusing to spend her remaining months hospitalized, Nicki vacations in Greece with friends. There she falls in love, but decides not to inform her beau of her condition. Strong language. For senior high readers. 1999.
by Faith Baldwin
read by Mitzi Friedlander
2 cassettes
Josephine Bruce was born and raised at Blue Horizons, an estate in south Florida. But now she works there as the social secretary to the new owner, Mrs. Bobbie Rivers. Josephine's life is further complicated when Mrs. Rivers's son and stepson fall in love with her. 1941.
by Karl Ackerman
read by Gary Tipton
2 cassettes
Will has just become a successful Washington, D.C., literary agent when he meets the perfect girlfriend in thirty-nine-year-old attorney Annie. The problem is that Annie wants a baby right away. Will resists until he receives a letter in the mail from his daughter--a daughter he never knew existed. Some descriptions of sex. 2000.
by Saul Bellow
read by Richard Hauenstein
2 cassettes
Asa Leventhal is alone in New York while his wife is away. Seeking relief from a New York heat wave one evening in the park, he is approached by a stranger who accuses him of ruining his life. As the relationship between the antagonists deepens, Leventhal's fragile sense of self-worth starts to crumble. 1947.
by Josephine Humphreys
read by Jill Fox
3 cassettes
The hardworking Indian residents of Scuffletown, North Carolina, struggle to survive as the Civil War is ending. Teenager Rhoda Strong, daughter of a Scotsman and a Lumbee mother, relates the circumstances surrounding the community's demand for an end to the fighting, even if it means a Union victory. Some descriptions of sex. 2000.
by Dean Wesley Smith
read by Fred Major
1 cassette
Jay and Elle of the secret Men in Black organization charged with defending Earth against aliens are locked in a battle with the Zahurians, a race of plants that has invaded the planet to devour animal and human flesh. Some violence and some strong language. For junior and senior high readers. 1999.
by Edwin Howard Simmons
read by Chris Parente
3 cassettes
Marine reserve captain George Bayard is mobilized when the Korean War breaks out and ends up in the front lines of battle at Seoul, Inchon, and the Chosin Reservoir. After being wounded, Bayard faces the choice of going home or returning to his command. Violence, strong language, and some descriptions of sex. 2000.
by Richard Marcinko and John Weisman
read by Roy Avers
2 cassettes
The Rogue Warrior's latest job finds him loaded down with seventy pounds of equipment, swimming toward an oil rig in the Caspian Sea where workers have been taken hostage. His mission: uncover the reasons behind attempts to destabilize Azerbaijan. Sequel to Rogue Warrior: SEAL Force Alpha (RC 46901). Violence and strong language. 2000.
by William W. Johnstone
read by Jack Fox
2 cassettes
Falcon MacCallister has concluded that he no longer needs to avenge his wife's murder. Now in 1881, as he travels across the Oklahoma Panhandle, he has a different mission--to ensure the building of the new railway. Sequel to Cry of Eagles (RC 51174). Strong language and some violence. 2000.
by Helen DeWitt
read by Catherine Byers
3 cassettes
Single mother Sibylla is concerned about the lack of a male role model for her six-year-old language-prodigy son, Ludo. To compensate, she repeatedly shows him the Japanese film Seven Samurai. After years of viewing the video, Ludo begins interviewing brilliant candidates to be his father. 2000.
