NLS: Talking Book Topics

by Lyle Leverich

read by Conrad Feininger

6 cassettes

A portrait of American playwright Tennessee Williams. Traces his life from a childhood marred by his parents' marital traumas and his beloved sister's mental illness to his early writing successes and later battles with his "blue devils"--addictive behaviors, fear of madness, and homosexuality. 1995.

by William Corbett

read by Jeff Halberstadt

2 cassettes

Thirty years after his physician-father deserted his wife and two grown sons, the author reconstructs events before and since that fateful day in 1965. He searches for the causes of his father's estrangement, examines family relationships, and recounts the emotional aftermath. Strong language. 1997.

by Robertson Davies

read by Phil Regensdorf

3 cassettes

A collection of essays, speeches, and miscellanea from the Canadian novelist and playwright Robertson Davies. In "Canadian Author," an acceptance speech for an award presented in New York, Davies remarks on the differences between Canadian and "American" writers. In "A Chapter of Autobiography," he describes his early education in Ontario. 1996.

by Colleen Dewhurst

read by Celeste Lawson

4 cassettes

Based on a series of informal interviews with Tom Viola, Dewhurst's recollections of her childhood, her love of the theater, and her professional life. The actress died before completing the manuscript, so Viola talked to friends and colleagues to fill in the gaps. Some strong language. 1997.

by Robert V. Remini

read by Ted Stoddard

8 cassettes in 2 containers

A portrait of the legendary political figure and orator who lived from 1782 to 1852 and helped form the young American republic. Traces his New England youth, his career as a member of Congress and secretary of state, and his failed bids for the presidency. Depicts a gifted man who was also subject to arrogance and moral lapses. 1997.

by Aleksandr Fursenko and Timothy Naftali

read by Peg Gill

4 cassettes

Chronicles the 1962 Cuban missile crisis, when the world's two superpowers came to the brink of nuclear war. Using Russian archives opened in the 1990s, this account traces and analyzes events surrounding a confrontation that was, in the authors' view, the most serious of the Cold War. 1997.

by Thomas Lynch

read by John Lescault

2 cassettes

Twelve essays on death and grief and their effect on the living with the insight of a poet who is also a funeral director. In "Words Made Flesh," Lynch recounts the dissolution of a poet's second marriage--the death of love--and the role of a poem in the birth of new love. In "The Golfatorium," he contemplates combining a cemetery with a golf course. 1997.

by Alan Schom

read by Ted Stoddard

8 cassettes in 2 containers

A critical portrait of the legendary ruler of France, whose empire controlled much of Europe. Covers "all aspects of his life," tracing his obscure Corsican youth, his rise to power, his military campaigns, his defeat at Waterloo, and his death in exile in 1821. Violence. 1997.

by Milton Berle

read by Jack Fox

6 cassettes

The thousands of jokes from Berle's sixty years in vaudeville, radio, television, and the movies are arranged alphabetically by more than five hundred subjects. Includes an introduction and a "tricks of the trade" advice section. 1989.

by Stephen Alter

read by Terence Aselford

2 cassettes

Memoir of the son of Presbyterian missionaries, who grew up in northern India with periodic visits to the United States. His recollections of childhood in the 1960s and early 1970s provide scenes from Indian life and describe the difficulties of growing up in two cultures. Covers boyhood and school adventures, ending with his arrival at an American college. 1997.

by Jacques Lusseyran

read by Ted Stoddard

2 cassettes (Reissue)

Lusseyran describes his life up to the age of twenty. Blinded at seven, he was a teenager when the Nazis invaded France. After he joined the Resistance, his group was turned in by informers and imprisoned. He tells of surviving in a German concentration camp until the war's end. Includes an introduction by the editors. 1963.

by Brian Moynahan

read by Gordon Gould

4 cassettes

Portrays the life of the charismatic monk, bibulous lecher, and trusted adviser of Russia's imperial Romanov family. Sought out by the empress to aid her ailing son using spiritual powers, Rasputin rose to a position of official influence, with disastrous results. Strong language and descriptions of sex. 1997.

by Terry Golway

read by Ralph Lowenstein

3 cassettes

Portrait of an exiled Irish nationalist who organized American support for the liberation of his native land. Traces his Dublin youth, his years as a Fenian activist before coming to America in 1871, and his relentless campaign abroad to advance the cause of a free Ireland. 1998.

by David I. Kertzer

read by Frank Coffee

3 cassettes

An account of the 1858 abduction of a six-year-old Jewish boy in Bologna by Papal authorities. The boy had been secretly baptized by a servant girl, and church dogma dictated that he be raised as a Catholic. The author asserts that the resulting furor hastened the collapse of the Vatican's temporal power in Italy. Strong language. 1997.

by K.C. Cole

read by Kimberly Schraf

2 cassettes

Explores mathematics as a tool for understanding nature, solving problems, and discerning knowledge and truth. Delves into such uses as the statistical estimation of risk, the measurement of intelligence, and the application of numerical calculations in public policy decision making. 1998.

by Elizabeth Warnock Fernea

read by Mary Woods

4 cassettes

An American professor of Middle Eastern studies presents the results of a two-year trip researching the status of women in Muslim societies. After conducting interviews in Uzbekistan, Morocco, Kuwait, Turkey, Egypt, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Israel, and Palestinian settlements, she finds that women's rights are interpreted differently in each region. 1998.

by Andrew N. Wilner

read by Kimberly Schraf

2 cassettes

A guide for helping people with epilepsy to understand and manage the disease. Discusses the nature of the disorder; its diagnosis, treatment, and effects; and the challenges that epilepsy presents to those afflicted. 1996.

by David Leeming

read by Mary Kane

2 cassettes

Biography of the African American modernist painter who was born in 1901 in Knoxville, Tennessee, and died in Paris in 1979. Describes his family's religious background, his upbringing in the segregated South, and his later problems with alcoholism and mental illness. Traces his artistic career through Boston, New York, and Paris, where his friends included James Baldwin and Henry Miller. 1998.

by Elena Poniatowska

read by Peter Gil

1 cassette

The well-known Mexican author and journalist presents her essay on Guerrero Viejo, the Mexican colonial town on the Rio Grande that was abandoned and destroyed as the result of a flood-control dam built in the 1950s. Poniatowska speaks of the land, architecture, heritage, and daily life of a historic and proud community sacrificed to twentieth-century progress. Bilingual book in English and Spanish. 1997.

by Liz Tilberis

read by Mary Ann Nichols

3 cassettes

Transplanted Briton Liz Tilberis, editor-in-chief of Harper's Bazaar, describes her battle with ovarian cancer since 1993, played out against the background of a star-studded career and her family life with husband Andrew and their adopted sons. Some strong language. 1998.

by Phyllis Campbell

read by Mimi Bederman

1 cassette

Totally blind since birth, the author tells of growing up on a small Virginia farm and going away to a residential school with her older sister (who is also blind) and becoming a church organist. She describes in loving detail the animals and other friends she meets along the way. 1996.

by Rüdiger Safranski

read by Randy Wieck

4 cassettes

Portrait of a noted twentieth-century philosopher whose work helped inspire the existentialist movement. Traces his youth as a German Catholic seminarian, his service with the Nazi Party, and his later years pondering the question of human alienation in a modern technological world. 1998.

by Gary H. Cassel and others

read by Kerry Cundiff

3 cassettes

Two ophthalmologists and an optometrist provide an "owner's manual for your eyes." They describe vision changes that occur over time and health problems that affect the ability to see. Topics include coping with low vision, eye trauma and emergencies, glaucoma, cataracts, and age-related macular degeneration. 1998.

by Ivan Musicant

read by Bruce Huntey

5 cassettes

A military and diplomatic account of the 1898 Spanish-American War, which established the United States as a global power and marked the beginning of "the American century," in the author's view. Chronicles events leading up to the conflict and describes land and sea battles of the war. 1998.

edited by Michael Dorris and Emilie Buchwald

read by Bill Wallace

2 cassettes

A collection of short essays by fifty-seven authors who reflect on favorite childhood books or the significance of reading. Sherman Alexie recalls that he learned to read with a Superman comic book. Confined to her house by polio, Bapsi Sidhwa discovered "an alternate existence" in books. Contains brief biographical notes on contributors. 1997.

by Adeline Yen Mah

read by Gabriella Cavallero

2 cassettes

The author recalls her childhood in mainland China and Hong Kong. After enduring an abusive upbringing, Mah was able to escape to Great Britain at the age of fourteen to further her studies. Throughout her life, her family relationships continued to torment her. 1997.

edited by Kathryn Rhett

read by Pam Ward

3 cassettes

Anthology of twenty-two pieces by American writers, each articulating a personal crisis. Selected from already published sources for their power to convey such emotional experiences as death, divorce, and suicidal depression. Authors include Jamaica Kincaid, Alan Shapiro, William Styron, and Isabel Allende. 1997.

by John R. Levine and others

read by Steven Carpenter

3 cassettes

Describes what the Internet is and how to use it. Advises on choosing a service, children's use, and shopping online. Explains many aspects such as e-mail, web pages, and netiquette; defines terminology; and answers frequently asked questions. 1998.

by Susannah Clapp

read by Corrie James

2 cassettes

Bruce Chatwin's editor recounts her recollections of the nomadic connoisseur writer who died in 1989 at age forty-eight. She describes Chatwin's personal characteristics and his various endeavors as an art expert, an archaeologist, a journalist, and a world traveler. She interprets his books and offers insights into what it was like to work with him. 1997.

by Marjory Stoneman Douglas

read by MaryBeth Wise

3 cassettes (Reissue)

Fiftieth-anniversary edition of the 1947 history and folklore of a North American region that had been viewed as a swampy "wasteland." This volume includes two new chapters, describing efforts to restore and preserve this valuable source of wildlife and water. 1997.

by Laura Simon

read by Anne Hancock

2 cassettes

Imagined letters between Simon and Thomas Jefferson discuss the gardening cycle from penciled plan to harvest. The author, who lives year-round on Nantucket, needed to communicate with someone who shared her love of horticulture. She chose Jefferson after becoming convinced that he was a genuinely inspired gardener. 1998.

by Daniel J. Boorstin

read by Robert Sams

6 cassettes

In this sequel to The Americans: The Colonial Experience (RC 47246), historian Boorstin covers American history from the Revolution to the Civil War. He discusses Americans' search for a better way of life, discovering themselves and their capabilities, and coming together to establish a better community. 1965.

by Sherry Sontag and others

read by Gregory Gorton

3 cassettes

Accounts of the development of Cold War-era submarine spying on the Soviet Union by Americans. Tales about the people who made it happen, like the naval officer who figured out how to tap underwater communication cables. Includes new information on the mysterious sinking of the USS Scorpion in 1968. Bestseller 1998.

by Laurence Bergreen

read by Bob Moore

5 cassettes

A biography of the jazz trumpeter known as Satchmo who was born in 1901 in New Orleans. Portrays the city's influence on his character and musical development. Relates the details of his career with bands, personal relationships, and reaction to fame. Satchmo's story encompasses a history of jazz in the United States until 1971, the year of his death. Some strong language. 1997.

by James Trefil

read by Kimberly Schraf

2 cassettes

The author, an educator and National Public Radio commentator, presents short essays on scientific topics. He considers questions being researched in the 1990s such as: Is the climate getting warmer? Can humans live forever? What causes cancer? He then summarizes the progress that has been made. For senior high and older readers. 1996.

by Georg Solti

read by Lewis Grenville

2 cassettes

Twentieth-century international conductor traces his musical training in Hungary and career as a pianist and music director. Born in 1912, Solti relates how he survived two world wars in Europe and advanced his musical life despite anti-Semitism. He discusses his interpretation of various composers and his twenty-two years with the Chicago Symphony. 1997.

edited by Claudine Chiawei O'Hearn

read by Mary Kane

2 cassettes

Eighteen writers recount their experiences growing up in two cultures. Garrett Hongo describes the boredom of living in a homogeneous suburb where his children's friends all have the same worldview. Roxane Farmanfarmaian recalls being "rootless"--half-Mormon and half-Muslim--in Europe. Includes brief author biographies. For senior high and older readers. 1998.

by Tony Horwitz

read by Steven Carpenter

3 cassettes

Reviving a childhood passion, journalist Tony Horwitz spends a week with a hardcore Civil War reenactor, traveling to battle sites in the south. Along the way, he learns why many people are still obsessed with the war and how views of the past are often divided along racial lines. Some strong language. 1998.

by John Feinstein

read by Ted Stoddard

4 cassettes

Overview of the nine basketball coaches of the collegiate Atlantic Coast Conference in the late 1990s. Describes their work and their teams and the incredible pressure they endure while trying to achieve the championship title. 1998.

by Donald C. Pfanz

read by Bill Wallace

5 cassettes

Presents a detailed account of Ewell's life and a balanced view of the Confederate general's personality. Discusses his military training and expeditions, including his service in Mexico and the Civil War, and his postwar career as a stock farmer. 1998.

by Michael Ableman

read by Bill Wallace

1 cassette

The author describes the twelve-acre farm called Fairview Gardens, where he has worked for seventeen years. Once a farm among many, Fairview (now surrounded by California suburbia) is a national model for successful urban agriculture and farmland preservation. 1998.

by Andrea Gabbard

read by Jill Ferris

2 cassettes

Explains how breast cancer survivor Laura Evans's return to mountain climbing led to the formation of Expedition Inspiration, a venture for breast cancer survivors. Describes the excursion to Mount Aconcagua in Argentina and discusses the women participating on the two climbing teams and their experiences. 1998.

by Tim Allen

read by Jim Zeiger

2 cassettes

Known for his starring role in the sitcom Home Improvement, Allen humorously describes an unusual weekend. Alone while his wife and daughter have gone camping, he puzzles over "the big questions" brought on by his midlife crisis--while he searches for a missing hood ornament. Strong language. 1996.

by Leo Tolstoy

read by Janis Gray

2 cassettes

This last major work of Tolstoy's contains philosophical and spiritual writings he collected over fifteen years. Each day is arranged by a theme. Includes a name index with brief biographies. 1997.

edited by Deborah H. DeFord

read by Janis Gray

3 cassettes

Advice and reassurance for baby boomers reaching their fifth decade. Includes practical suggestions, medical information, and psychological tidbits in the form of essays and interviews. Introduction by Linda Ellerbee. Some descriptions of sex. 1997.

by Herbert G. Goldman

read by Bruce Huntey

4 cassettes

Born on Rosh Hashanah in 1892 and soon orphaned by his mother's death and father's disappearance, Cantor (born Israel Iskowitz) was raised by his grandmother. Goldman recounts Cantor's life from his days on the streets of New York's Lower East Side through his rise to fame, discussing his days in vaudeville and the movies, his family, and his charitable work. 1997.

by Adrian Sandler

read by Butch Hoover

2 cassettes

A physician explains the birth defect spina bifida and possible associated impairments, and offers advice on promoting good health and optimal development at every stage from childhood through young adulthood. 1997.

by Neal Barnard

read by Randy Atcher

3 cassettes

Physician maintains that specific foods can help alleviate many types of pain while other foods can trigger pain. He outlines recommendations for using diet and supplements to treat such conditions as arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome, migraines, stomachaches, and cancer pain. 1998.

by Myron Arms

read by Butch Hoover

2 cassettes

Nautical adventure aboard a fifty-foot sailing cutter exploring the Arctic Ocean near Labrador. Perturbed by the large quantities of pack ice in the area in the summers of the early 1990s, the author investigates weather patterns and climate changes for explanations. 1998.

by Robert Sullivan

read by Jack Fox

2 cassettes

Just outside New York City, near Newark airport and the New Jersey Turnpike, is a swamp that has become a receptacle for trash in the region, as well as a refuge for wildlife. Describes the area called the Meadowlands, its history, the flora and fauna, and the people who have populated the area since Native American times. 1998.

by Edward Yourdon and Jennifer Yourdon

read by Butch Hoover

3 cassettes

Discusses the computer software problem that will manifest itself on January 1, 2000, and its likely impact on banks, hospitals, utilities, governments, transportation systems, and more. Explains possible consequences of the resulting failures and suggests ways to prepare for shutdowns that could last from two days to ten years. 1998.

by Trevor Owen and Ron Owston

read by Brian Conn

2 cassettes

Emphasizes how high school and undergraduate students can use the Internet for learning. Covers how to express search needs online, the multiple functions of web-based browsers, research strategies on the web, and practical examples of Internet projects. Some strong language. For senior high and older readers. 1998.

by Penny Wise Budoff

read by Carole Jordan Stewart

3 cassettes

Updates Dr. Budoff's 1984 book, No More Hot Flashes, and Other Good News (RC 20041). Explains perimenopause, menopause, estrogen, and osteoporosis, as well as cancers that frequently affect women. Also discusses urinary functions, hysterectomies, vitamins, and alternatives to drugs and surgery. 1998.

by Carol Turkington

read by Patricia McDermott

2 cassettes

Explains the symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of Hepatitis C; the role of the liver in the body; and chronic conditions caused by acute cases of the disease. Includes relevant organizations, web sites, and newsletters. 1998.

by Patrick Glynn

read by Randy Atcher

1 cassette

Chronicles a trend away from atheism and details the correlation between religious commitment, mental health, physical health, and morality. Examines scientific, medical, and psychological studies that corroborate the author's belief in the existence of soul and God. 1997.

by Nina Bawden

read by Mitzi Friedlander

2 cassettes

Memoir of a novelist. Recounts her childhood evacuation from London in World War II; her years at Oxford, where she knew Richard Burton and Margaret Thatcher; and her later life. Relates stories of her family, including the struggles of her schizophrenic son, who committed suicide. For junior and senior high and older readers. 1994.

by Benjamin H. Natelson

read by Butch Hoover

2 cassettes

A physician who directs a chronic fatigue syndrome center discusses different levels of fatigue and possible causes. He then describes treatment options including drug therapy, gentle physical conditioning, and cognitive behavioral therapy. 1998.

by David Lewis Hammarstrom

read by Richard Hauenstein

3 cassettes

Biography of the showman-entrepreneur who folded the tents and moved the circus indoors in 1956. Describes North's flamboyant career and his management style in the context of labor and social issues of the mid-twentieth century. Incorporates several decades of American circus history. 1992.

by David Viscott

read by Randy Atcher

3 cassettes

The author, a psychiatrist, offers a ten-step program that he contends will lead to emotional healing. Discusses mourning, defense mechanisms, personality types, and "toxic" nostalgia. 1996.

by Tom Brokaw

read by Phil Regensdorf

2 cassettes

Recalling his coverage of the fortieth anniversary of D-Day in 1984, reporter Brokaw describes World War II veterans as "the greatest generation any society has produced." Profiles individuals who sacrificed for their country, including Thomas Broderick--who founded the Blinded Veterans Association--and businessman Bob Bush, who lost an eye in a heroic rescue mission. Bestseller 1998.

by Rachel Carson

read by Kimberly Schraf

1 cassette

In this essay first published in 1956, Carson talks about sharing the wonders of nature with a child, as she did with her nephew, beginning before he was two years old. She explains how an adult can teach an appreciation of the beauty of the outdoors, even without a scientific understanding of plants and animals. 1956.

by Michael D. Eisner

read by Terence Aselford

3 cassettes

Eisner provides an account of how a Jewish boy from an affluent Manhattan family rose through the ranks to become Disney's CEO. Discusses his family life, his jobs at ABC and Paramount Pictures, the role he played in getting the position at Disney, and his part in expanding the company. Bestseller 1998.

by Ivan Turgenev

read by Steven Carpenter

2 cassettes

These three stories by the nineteenth-century Russian author are somewhat autobiographical. In "First Love," written in 1860, a father and son fall in love with the same woman. Written in 1872, "Spring Torrents" portrays a middle-aged person looking back on the folly of youth. "A Fire at Sea," written in 1883, tells of Turgenev's personal experience. 1957.

by Richard Timothy Conroy

read by Ted Stoddard

3 cassettes

Memoir of an American who served as vice-consul in Belize for two years in the early 1960s. He admits that his accounts of his experiences and the people he met there have "taken on a life of their own." But he does clearly remember the devastating hurricane of 1961. Some strong language. 1997.

by Kent R. Weeks

read by Gary Telles

3 cassettes

The personal account of an American Egyptologist's discovery and excavation of the largest tomb in the Valley of the Kings. Weeks describes his 1995 entry into a multichambered burial site that some consider the most important archaeological find of the twentieth century. He discusses the new revelations about the sons of Ramesses II, stressing that there is more to be explored. 1998.

by Abba Eban

read by Rick Foucheux

2 cassettes

A former Israeli foreign minister reflects on the world of diplomacy, intrusive media, and highlights of the Cold War era. The author draws upon his vast experience to offer insights into the nature and practice of statecraft, as well as perspectives on international affairs in the 1990s. 1998.

by Caroline Alexander

read by Bill Wallace

2 cassettes

Chronicles the survival of Ernest Shackleton and his crew of twenty-seven men marooned on ice floes off the coast of Antarctica in 1915. Recounts the entrapment and later destruction of their ship, the Endurance, by pack ice and the hardships the men suffered before their rescue in 1916. Bestseller 1998.

by Lauri M. Aesoph

read by Jill Ferris

3 cassettes

The author offers traditional and alternative ways to ease the pain of arthritis. She lists restorative and "stressor" foods and provides hints for better health, citing anecdotes of numerous sufferers who have improved their ability to cope with the condition. 1996.

by John Lewis

read by Jake Williams

5 cassettes

African American congressman discusses the civil rights movement of the 1960s, its struggles, triumphs, leadership, and champions. Lewis, an advocate of nonviolence, acknowledges his devotion to Martin Luther King Jr. and credits the success of the movement to the thousands of working-class blacks who risked their lives confronting southern tyranny. 1998.

by Reeve Lindbergh

read by Pam Ward

2 cassettes

Charles Lindbergh's youngest daughter shares memories of her father and her mother, Anne Morrow Lindbergh. She tells about their strengths and weaknesses as parents and about family occasions with her four older siblings. These reminiscences afford glimpses of the private people behind the celebrity images. 1998.

by John Link

read by Jake Williams

2 cassettes

An oncologist advises women on how to obtain the data they need in order to make an informed choice regarding treatment that is right for them. Examines quality-of-life issues, available drugs and operations, lifestyle choices, and genetic risks. Explains how to work the medical system and essential record-keeping. Gives specific questions to ask the physician of choice. 1998.

by Ana Nogales

read by Gabriella Cavallero

2 cassettes

A popular TV psychologist and newspaper columnist presents case studies to illustrate the common problems that couples from diverse ethnic backgrounds face. Nogales discusses the conflicts that affect Latino-Anglo relationships including attitudes towards family, gender roles, machismo, and other issues that arise from cultural differences. Some descriptions of sex. 1998.

by Jennifer Fisher Bryant

read by Jake Williams

1 cassette

Portrait of a troubled youth's spiritual journey from a life of dissolute pleasure to the ascetic seclusion of a Trappist monastery. Describes his difficult childhood, his conversion to Catholicism, his monastic life, and his years as a writer and social activist. For junior and senior high readers. 1997.

by Steven Carter and Julia Sokol

read by Kristin Allison

3 cassettes

Explores issues and anxieties about individual commitment that prevent people from finding or keeping the love they need. Examines why people may be afraid of a serious ongoing relationship, differentiates between male and female fears, and suggests ways to resolve conflicts. Uses case studies to illustrate problems and solutions. 1993.

by William Pollack

read by Bill Wallace

4 cassettes

A clinical psychologist examines some major challenges that boys face in growing up. Explains the outmoded "Boy Code," which imposes unrealistic expectations on youth and can lead to alienation, aggressive behavior, and other adverse consequences. Proposes a new, healthier behavioral model for young men. 1998.

by William Glasser

read by Bill Wallace

3 cassettes

Psychiatrist asserts that most human problems--including violence, addictions, and abuse--are caused by flawed relationships and by people who presume to know "what is right for us." He advocates "choice theory" as an approach to help people to develop healthy associations and lives. 1998.

by Edward Hasbrouck

read by Jake Williams

5 cassettes

A handbook for the independent, around-the-world traveler. Advises on key aspects of planning international journeys, including choosing destinations, arranging for visas and permits, personal finances, packing, local transportation, safety, and health. 1997.

edited by William J. Bennett

read by Bill Wallace

2 cassettes

Adapted for young adults, excerpts from Our Sacred Honor (RC 46472) illustrate the timeless principles and virtues espoused by the founding fathers of the United States. Included are the U.S. Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, a time line of the American Revolution, and brief biographies. For senior high and older readers. 1998.

by Jonathan Kirsch

read by Fred Major

4 cassettes

A reexamination of what is known about the biblical leader in order to portray him as a real, human person. Focuses on scriptural accounts of his actions, prophecies, and relationship with God to counter some exaggerated historical and artistic interpretations. 1998.

by Peter Richardson and Bob Richardson

read by Gary Tipton

1 cassette

Career advice for students with talent in mathematics and computers. Highlights job options such as an audio engineer, a research analyst, and a computer programmer. For senior high and older readers. 1993.

by Judy Crichton

read by Barbara Pinolini

3 cassettes

A monthly chronicle of life in America during 1900. Recounts a time of transition as the young nation comes to terms with new technologies, an expanding economy, and a growing role in world affairs. Depicts a confident American people facing a new century. 1998.

by Rick Brinkman and Rick Kirschner

read by Barbara Pinolini

2 cassettes

A guide to interacting with people whose behavior patterns try one's patience. Describes and analyzes the "ten most unwanted" character types, offering strategies and communication techniques for dealing with them. Gives advice to help people manage their own difficult behaviors. 1994.

by John Bayley

read by David Palmer

2 cassettes

In this memoir of marriage, Bayley probes the mystique of the beloved. He describes how he fell in love with author Iris Murdoch in 1957 before she published her first book; how courtship evolved into a devoted marriage; and how he still sought her essential self after she developed Alzheimer's disease. 1999.

by Kathleen Norris

read by Martha Harmon Pardee

3 cassettes

Traces the author's conversion through reconciliation with theological terminology. Proposes that belief in a living Christ and the use of ancient words and rituals continually help the church renew itself. Explores the meaning of Christian expressions, concluding that religious language is active and meaningful. 1998.

by Lesley Stahl

read by Pam Ward

4 cassettes

Autobiography of the television journalist. Describes how Stahl began her career in 1972, her emergence into the public eye during the Watergate scandal, her appearances on Face the Nation and 60 Minutes, and her White House reporting during three presidencies. Discusses the evolution of the media; provides glimpses into her personal life. Bestseller 1999.

by Cindy Pervola and Debby Hobgood

read by Kristin Allison

1 cassette

Tips on job hunting address deciding what type of job to apply for, completing applications, preparing for the interview (including choosing what to wear), and the interview itself. What to expect on the first day and the proper way to quit a job are also discussed. For junior and senior high readers. 1998.

by Elaine Landau

read by Jill Ferris

1 cassette

Describes the neurological disorder that is characterized by tics--involuntary movements or sounds. Discusses coping with the syndrome, which becomes apparent in childhood and can range from mild to severe. Profiles of people living with Tourette Syndrome include an athlete, a surgeon, and a musician. For junior and senior high and older readers. 1998.

by Leonard Kriegel

read by Bill Wallace

2 cassettes

Twelve essays in which the author, who contracted polio at age eleven, discusses coming to terms with paralysis of the legs. In the title piece, Kriegel recounts his conversation with a woman whose paraplegic brother learned to fly an airplane--something on Kriegel's wish list when he was younger. Some strong language. 1998.

by Suzanne Skees

read by Martha Harmon Pardee

2 cassettes

A "cynical, worldly" woman recounts her experience of sharing "a bit of life with the last eight Shakers" at Sabbathday Lake farm in Maine. Traces the history of the devout Christian community known for its simplicity, celibacy, and relations with the spirit world. Offers a perspective on the dying sect. 1998.

by Ron Suskind

read by Jake Williams

3 cassettes

The author follows Cedric Jennings, an African American teenager, from a blighted environment in Washington, D.C., to Brown University. Although in the top of his high school class, Cedric at first has neither the educational background nor the social experience to meet the demands of the Ivy League college. Some strong language. 1998.

by Andrew Kaplan

read by Barbara Pinolini

1 cassette

Profiles fourteen workers in jobs that rely on language skills; includes writer, editor, teacher, lexicographer, and press agent. Each worker discusses his or her work and offers advice on pursuing a language-related career. For junior and senior high and older readers. 1991.

compiled by Andrew Kaplan

read by Barbara Pinolini

1 cassette

Profiles fourteen individuals who work with computers in various ways, including software development, hardware research, and engineering. Each discusses his or her job and offers advice on pursuing a computer-related career. For junior and senior high and older readers. 1991.

by Anne Lamott

read by Martha Harmon Pardee

2 cassettes

Lamott first relates her childhood and her vacillation with Christianity, and describes the night of her conversion following an abortion and a week of drugs and alcohol. She then explains how she continues to struggle with the faith that now sustains her. Some strong language. Bestseller 1999.

by Homer H. Hickam

read by John Polk

3 cassettes

Retired NASA engineer reminisces about boyhood in the Sputnik era in West Virginia when his first rocket attempt burned down his mother's garden fence. He and his friends improved their models culminating in winning the 1960 National Science Fair. Movie October Sky is based on this book. 1998.

by Marilyn Reynolds

read by Jeanne Evans

2 cassettes

Emmy enters Hamilton High and begins planning for college and her future despite her unsupportive alcoholic mother. When Emmy's first relationship leads to pregnancy, her life must take a detour, but she's still determined to reach her goals. Some strong language and some explicit descriptions of sex. For junior and senior high readers. 1993.

by Ernest Haycox

read by Don Emmick

2 cassettes

Portland, Oregon, during Civil War days is torn by a battle for control of the Northwest Territory. In order to free their land from slavery, Adam Musick, captain of the riverboat Daisy McGovern, and Lily Barnes, whose father is an agent for Musick, battle with Floyd Ringrose, leader of the Knights of the Golden Circle. Some strong language. 1946.

by Penelope Fitzgerald

read by Cyn Delafield

1 cassette

A middle-aged widow, Florence Green, decides to open a bookstore in a five-hundred-year-old house in her small English town. She makes a noble start but is thwarted by Violet Gamart, who wants to convert "Old House" into an arts center. 1978.

edited by Larry Dark

read by Kristin Allison

4 cassettes

Twenty short stories chosen from American and Canadian magazines. The 1997 winners of the O. Henry Award are: Mary Gordon's "City Life"--first prize, George Saunders's "The Falls"--second, and Lee K. Abbott's "The Talk Talked between Worms"--third. 1997.

by C.S. Forester

read by Graeme Malcolm

2 cassettes

June 1808. Captain Hornblower and his men are aboard the HMS Lydia off the coast of Nicaragua. He has been given several orders to carry out or face a court martial. One of his tasks is to find a water route across Central America, and as a result, he is transporting Lady Wellesley to Panama. Sequel to Hornblower and the Atropos (RC 46119). 1938.

by Eudora Welty

read by Laura Giannarelli

2 cassettes

Eudora Welty's first collection of published short stories. Welty writes of the common people she knew in her native Mississippi. In "A Curtain of Green," a grieving widow isolates herself in her garden; in "Why I Live at the P.O.," the postmistress flees her impossible relatives to live at work. 1941.

by Jon A. Jackson

read by Ray Foushee

2 cassettes

In this sequel to Deadman (RC 38428), detective Fang Mulheisen of the Detroit police is back on the trail of Joe Service and Helen Sedlacek. Joe escapes from a hospital and flees to Salt Lake City where he sends for Helen, who has the money they stole from the mob. Violence, strong language, and explicit descriptions of sex. 1996.

by Haruki Murakami

read by Peter Jay Fernandez

5 cassettes

In Tokyo in 1984, Toru Okada's ordinary life begins to unravel when he quits his job. His wife, Kumiko, sends him to consult a psychic about their lost cat. After complaining that Toru does not really know her, Kumiko disappears. Toru is determined to find her despite her brother's opposition. Some explicit descriptions of sex, some violence, and some strong language. 1997.

by Ian Rankin

read by Steven Crossley

2 cassettes

Five years ago, Edinburgh's Central Hotel burned to the ground, and a body with a bullet hole in it was found in the ashes. Now John Rebus is having a terrible week--his lover has thrown him out, his brother has arrived unannounced, and his deputy is hospitalized in a coma. Then Rebus reads the notes in his deputy's black book and sees a connection. Strong language. 1993.

by Seamus Deane

read by Terry Donnelly

2 cassettes

An Irish boy recalls events in his life, from his childhood in the 1940s until his parents' deaths in 1971. The third child in a large Catholic family in Northern Ireland, he grew up hearing stories about the past and puzzling over family secrets. The most intriguing ones concerned the death of his Uncle Eddie in 1922. Some violence and some strong language. 1996.

by Martin Andersen Nexo

read by George Holmes

2 cassettes

In this Danish classic, sequel to Pelle the Conqueror: Volume 1, Childhood (RC 33640), fifteen-year-old Pelle decides to leave the poverty of farm life for town. As his agrarian community is becoming industrialized, Pelle struggles to fit into the narrow social confines of his new life while working as a shoemaker's apprentice. 1991.

by David Poyer

read by Bruce Huntey

2 cassettes

In this sequel to Bahamas Blue (RC 46795), Galloway lands a job laying underwater cable for DeepTech, a shady oil-rig outfit in the Gulf of Mexico. Sure of his diving skills but plagued by a reputation for hard drinking and getting into trouble, Galloway is happy to be employed. But his boss's reaction to Galloway's report of pipeline corrosion alerts Galloway to danger ahead. Violence and strong language. 1994.

by Walter D. Edmonds

read by Norm Thibeault

4 cassettes (Reissue)

1776. Newlyweds Lana and Gilbert Martin are farmers in New York's Mohawk Valley. When the Revolutionary War starts, some of their neighbors flee to Canada while others join the militia. As the Indian and British attacks continue, the residents must defend themselves while the new government confiscates their food for the soldiers. 1936.

by Richard Wiley

read by Connie Crawford

2 cassettes

Julius Grant survives mauling by a lion and a gunshot wound only to be murdered in his hospital room. While figuring out why, his wife, Nora, discovers that he was smuggling ivory. Nora must deal with her husband's deception, her father's deteriorating mental faculties, and the Kenyan ivory smugglers who want a box buried on her coffee farm. Some violence, some descriptions of sex, and some strong language. 1998.

by Charles Baxter

read by Gary Roan

2 cassettes

Stories about the routines of everyday life--until something unexpected happens. In "Kiss Away," a young girl is warned not to trust her new boyfriend, but she refuses to listen. In "Time Exposure," a neighbor doesn't want to believe that the man upstairs is a child abuser. Some strong language and some descriptions of sex. 1997.

by Cecelia Holland

read by Anne Hancock

2 cassettes

Bookworm Lily Viner, fifteen, has never known a real home because her father drags her along on his unlawful pursuits. When he is killed in a stagecoach robbery, his partner, King, takes Lily under his wing. Their growing fondness for each other almost overshadows his compulsion to stop the westward expansion of the Southern Pacific railroad. Strong language. 1997.

by Régine Deforges

read by Mitzi Friedlander

2 cassettes

In the waning months of 1942, Léa Delmas leaves her father's vineyards for Paris. There Léa continues her work for the Resistance and spends time with her lover, Francois Tavernier, who seems to have a connection with both the Allies and their enemies. Sequel to The Blue Bicycle (RC 24848). Some strong language and some descriptions of sex. 1987.

by Régine Deforges

read by Mitzi Friedlander

3 cassettes

As World War II escalates, Léa copes with the deaths of friends, including Camille, and the ruin of the family's vineyards. Yet she continues working for the Resistance, joins the Red Cross, and travels to Berlin, returning to Paris on the eve of liberation. Sequel to Léa (RC 47076). Some strong language and some descriptions of sex. 1988.

by Anne Perry

read by Terry Hayes Sales

3 cassettes

Victorian policeman Thomas Pitt investigates the death of Unity Bellwood, a scholar of ancient languages who was assisting Reverend Parmenter with writing a book. When Pitt learns Unity was pregnant, he suspects Reverend Parmenter, his son, or a curate living in the house. But when the priest is murdered, Pitt must develop a new theory. As usual, his wife, Charlotte, helps him uncover the guilty party. 1998.

by Heinrich Boll

read by Mitzi Friedlander

3 cassettes (Reissue)

Sardonic "portrait" created by a woman who is living in poverty, pregnant and alone at forty-eight. As a German, she recalls her life during the rise and fall of the Nazi regime. The author was awarded the Nobel Prize for literature. 1973.

by Dorothy Canfield

read by Madelyn Buzzard

4 cassettes

Sylvia Marshall has been raised by her parents in an unconventional but happy manner. Upon starting school, she and her sister Judith begin to learn of the injustices of the world. Longing to belong, Sylvia eventually realizes that she cannot give up her morals in order to conform to society. 1915.

by Tabitha King

read by Carole Jordan Stewart

3 cassettes

A car accident dramatically changes the course of artistic college student Kissy Mellors's future. Besides the immediate horror of seeing a fellow coed struck and killed, Kissy experiences a long-term aftermath with dangerous consequences. Three men related to the tragedy will play crucial roles in her sexual and emotional development. Explicit descriptions of sex, strong language, and some violence. 1997.

by Bill Pronzini

read by David Palmer

2 cassettes

The nameless detective is upset by the suicide of his ex-partner and ex-friend Eberhardt when Ira Erskine hires him to find his missing ex-wife. Erskine claims that his young son is dying of cancer and needs his mother. Nameless tracks down the mother but with dire consequences for Erskine. Back at home, Nameless discovers more surprises about Eberhardt. Strong language and some violence. 1997.

by Glenn Kleier

read by David Hartley-Margolin

4 cassettes

New Year's Eve, 1999. Following a geological explosion that destroys a secret research station in the Negev desert, a young woman appears, claiming to be the messiah for the approaching millennium. Performing miracles and revealing a new testament, Jeza attracts millions of followers. Reporter Jon Feldman senses the story of the ages and begins to investigate. Some violence. 1997.

by Hortense Calisher

read by Gabriella Cavallero

4 cassettes

Collection of seven novellas. "Tale for the Mirror," originally published in 1962, tells of the arrival of Dr. Bhatta, a Hindu "neurologist," at a Hudson River estate and his reception by the local inhabitants. A more experimental novella, "The Man Who Spat Silver," first in print in 1987, features a woman writer in New York City. 1997.

by Charles Sheffield

read by Erik Sandvold

2 cassettes

Joshua, his autistic cousin Dawn, and a group of teenagers are sent to Solferino twenty-seven light years away as part of a colonization effort by Foodlines. Josh is learning about his new environment, adjusting to new companions, and coping with his responsibility for Dawn, whose special gifts become more apparent on Solferino. For senior high and older readers. 1997.

edited by Charles R. Larson

read by Annie Wauters

3 cassettes

Short stories by twenty-six writers from sub-Saharan Africa, published since 1947. Long-established authors such as Amos Tutuola and Chinua Achebe are represented, as well as newer names like Veronique Tadjo and Ben Okri. Contains an overview of the African literary scene by the editor. 1997.

by Nicholas Shakespeare

read by David Cutler

2 cassettes

John Dyer, an English journalist assigned to South America, needs one last story before leaving the country. Denied an interview with the president, he stumbles upon the policeman who captured a notorious left-wing terrorist leader. The policeman, Agustin Rejas, recalls his twelve-year hunt for the rebel and his regrets about the outcome. Some violence and some strong language. 1995.

by Lisa G. Brown

read by Ilona Dulaski

3 cassettes

Colley Rawlins and Lainie Thorne shared a delicate love from childhood, but were torn apart as young adults. As Lainie struggles to keep from losing the Magnolia, the Tennessee hotel that has belonged to her family for years, Colley returns to town and again stirs up her heart. Some violence and some explicit descriptions of sex. 1997.

by Charley Rosen

read by David Elias

2 cassettes

Brooklyn, New York; 1951. Veteran sports reporter Barney Polan uncovers college basketball players taking money from professional gamblers in return for shaving points in hotly contested games. Strong language. 1998.

by David Grossman

read by Anne Hancock

3 cassettes

A week before his bar mitzvah, Nonny Feuerberg is on a train to Haifa--leaving behind his policeman father with Gabriella, a.k.a. Gabi, his father's longtime companion. Once under way, Nonny discovers a letter from his father and Gabi encouraging him to make this journey into an "incredible, hair-raising adventure," and then he is kidnapped. 1994.

by Robin Cook

read by Jeremy Gage

2 cassettes

What looks like a shooting star streaks across the sky, and radios, televisions, and computers explode. When college student Beau Stark finds a small domed object the next morning, he begins to transform. Soon, many of the town's population are subtly and scarily changed. Some violence. 1997.

by David Drake

read by Nanette Savard

4 cassettes

A female wizard, Tenoctris, survives the destruction of the land of Yole caused by the Hooded One (a powerful sorcerer) and arrives onshore one thousand years later. She is rescued by Garric, a seventeen-year-old youth, and accompanies him after he and his sister Sharina embark on separate journeys. Prequel to Queen of Demons (RC 47239). Some violence. 1997.

by David Drake

read by Nanette Savard

4 cassettes

Garric resumes the adventures begun in Lord of the Isles (RC 47238). Now in Erdin, traveling with Cashel and still accompanied by the female wizard Tenoctris, he works on his sword skills. Cashel's sister Ilna (an expert weaver), Sharina, and Liane join the group before Garric continues his quest. Some violence. 1998.

by Sherwood Smith

read by Ilona Dulaski

2 cassettes

Now that King Galdran has been defeated, Count Branaric has become part of the royal court. His sister Countess Meliara prefers to stay at their castle and return it to its former glory. Meliara will eventually go to court, and there she will find herself in a different kind of battle. Sequel to Crown Duel (RC 47240). For junior and senior high readers. 1998.

by Susan Dexter

read by Annie Wauters

3 cassettes

In this sequel to The Prince of Ill Luck (RC 47188), Kessallia's granddaughter, Druyan, has inherited the horse Valadan. As a new widow with no heirs, she could lose the land her husband farmed unless she pays the crop tithes and works the land for a year and a day without remarrying. Kellis, a raider taken prisoner by her late husband, comes to her aid. 1994.

by Angela Thirkell

read by Anne Flosnik

2 cassettes (Reissue)

As the story begun in The Old Bank House (RC 47189) continues, the lives of more residents of Barsetshire are exposed. Scenes include Marling Hall, the Cathedral Close, and Gatherum Castle. Isabel Dale, the heroine, comes into money and marries Lord Silverbridge, thus making it possible for him to stand for political office. 1950.

by Jonathan Kellerman

read by Steven Carpenter

3 cassettes

One night in the park, twelve-year-old, homeless Billy Straight witnesses the murder of the ex-wife of a television star. With detective Petra Connor, the media, bounty hunters, and the murderer on his trail, Billy struggles to survive day by day. Violence, strong language, and some descriptions of sex. Bestseller 1998.

by David Baldacci

read by Faith Potts

3 cassettes

When Rufus Harms, a military prisoner for twenty-five years, suddenly files an appeal to the Supreme Court, his defenders start dying in mysterious accidents. Supreme Court clerk Sara Evans and John Fiske, brother of one of the victims, begin to investigate. Meanwhile, Rufus escapes. Some violence, some strong language, and some descriptions of sex. Bestseller 1998.

by Catherine Lim

read by Laura Giannarelli

3 cassettes

At the age of four, Han is sold to the house of Wu as a bondmaid. She is overcome with grief at being separated from her mother and acts as though she is possessed. But young master Wu is able to calm Han and comes to enjoy her company. A strong and dangerous bond develops between Han and Wu, even though their stations in life should keep them apart. 1995.

by Jeanette Winterson

read by MaryBeth Wise

1 cassette

After a series of failed relationships, the protagonist, unnamed and unidentified by gender, falls in love with Louise, a married woman. Their romantic interlude is interrupted when they learn Louise has cancer. Some strong language and some descriptions of sex. 1992.

by Chuck Hogan

read by Gary Telles

3 cassettes

In the year 2016 virologists Peter Maryk and Stephen Pearse race against time to stop the spread of an organism that has wiped out the town of Plainville, Massachusetts. One resident, Melanie Weir, is immune--as is Maryk. But a carrier is deliberately spreading the virus--killing plants, animals, and insects, as well as humans. Some violence. 1998.

by Mark Richard Zubro

read by Bruce Nelson

2 cassettes

Gay detective Paul Turner and his partner investigate the death of a federal judge responsible for antihomosexual legislation. The body was found in a dumpster near the gay bar where Turner had been celebrating New Year's Eve the night before. Strong language and some descriptions of sex. 1997.

by Bharti Kirchner

read by Laura Giannarelli

3 cassettes

At thirty-five, the successful and cosmopolitan Meena Gossett lives in San Francisco but lacks a loving companion. Through e-mail she contacts her long-lost love, Vishnu, in India. At the same time, she is sorting out her feelings for Antoine, who seems attracted to her despite his engagement to Liv. A trip to Calcutta brings Meena to a fateful decision. 1998.

by Connie Willis

read by David Cutler

4 cassettes

In 2057 Lady Schrapnell endows a time-travel project in return for help in rebuilding Coventry Cathedral. The only object she needs for the newly restored building is the bishop's bird stump. Ned Henry is sent back to 1940 to retrieve it before the church burns, but he arrives a few hours too late--which is just the beginning of his problems. 1997.

by Richard Paul Evans

read by Terence Aselford

2 cassettes

Following his mother's death, Michael Keddington takes a job at a nursing home to pay off his growing debts. He meets the quiet and withdrawn Esther Huish, and as he wins her trust, she encourages him to pursue his relationship with the well-to-do Faye Murrow. Then Michael is accused of murdering a resident. Bestseller 1998.

by Kaye Gibbons

read by Pam Ward

2 cassettes

Emma Garnet recounts her life story spanning the Civil War. She contends with a vexatious father, but is championed by Clarice, a free black housekeeper. Escaping her southern plantation upbringing by marrying a northern doctor, Emma's happiness is cut short by wartime horrors. Some strong language. 1998.

by Miyuki Miyabe

read by Erik Sandvold

2 cassettes

Engaged, Jun Kurisaka and Shoko Sekine are shopping for their new home when Jun learns Shoko has no credit cards. A bank employee, Jun expedites Shoko's application and is shocked to learn she has a bad credit record. Then Shoko disappears. Jun implores his "uncle" Honma, a homicide investigator on medical leave, to help. Neither is ready for what Honma uncovers. 1996.

by John Katzenbach

read by Chuck Benson

4 cassettes

Abnormal psychology professor Jeffrey Clayton is approached by an agent demanding his help in locating a serial killer. Meanwhile Jeffrey's sister, a word game designer, tries to identify who is sending her unsettling messages. The person they are both seeking may be their long-estranged and supposedly dead father. Violence and strong language. 1997.

by Sarah Shankman

read by Mary Woods

2 cassettes

Crime writer Samantha Adams is shocked to receive a letter from her mother--her parents died in a plane crash when Samantha was eight! Is it a cruel joke? Or, if her mother really is alive, why does she need Samantha to come to Santa Fe, and why has she waited thirty-four years to contact her? Strong language and some violence. 1998.

edited by Michele Slung

read by Jim Zeiger

3 cassettes

Short mysteries by such diverse authors as Edith Wharton, John Cheever, Naguib Mahfouz, and Alice Walker. In "Miss Forbes's Summer of Happiness," a governess is killed, apparently in a fit of passion. In "The Johore Murders," someone is eliminating expatriates as they prepare to leave for home. Violence and some strong language. 1997.

by Richard S. Wheeler

read by Chuck Benson

3 cassettes

Denver, Colorado; 1882. Six people of divergent interests seek the realization of their hopes and dreams. Among them are Lorenzo "Magnificent" Carthage, who wins and loses millions in mines before he is thirty; Cornelia Kimbrough, who is determined to escape her marriage to a wealthy, cold man; and Rose Edenderry, an Irish serving girl whose weakness is unsuitable men. 1997.

by Cynthia Felice and Connie Willis

read by Kristin Allison

2 cassettes

It has been fifteen years since Delanna Milleflores left the planet Keramos. Now she has come home only to settle her mother's estate and to sell the property she inherited. But several surprises await Delanna--the sale is delayed, and she learns that she is married to Sonny Tanner, part owner of her land. Some strong language. 1996.

by Ric Lynden Hardman

read by Don Feldheim

2 cassettes

Teenager Wylie Jackson is allowed to go on his first cattle drive as an assistant cook. Due to a series of mishaps, Wylie steals a horse, becomes a vegetarian, and decides to learn doctoring. But with a reward for his return, Wylie cannot escape justice forever. Includes frontier recipes. For senior high and older readers. 1998.

by Patricia Finney

read by John Horton

3 cassettes

As a young princess, Elizabeth I wrote of her affair with Thomas Seymour and of Mary Queen of Scots as the royal heir in a diary. Now queen, Elizabeth must find the stolen journal--identified by an embroidered unicorn with a ruby eye--before her opponents do. Companion to Firedrake's Eye (RC 36531). Some strong language. 1998.

by Heather Graham

read by Jill Fox

2 cassettes

Even though she is contemplating divorce, Julie Radcliff reluctantly agrees to spend Christmas with her husband, Jon, and their three kids at a country inn in Virginia. Once there, the family finds the hosts dressed in Civil War costumes. Regaling in the peaceful environment, the couple soon regain their mutual love. Meanwhile, strange old-fashioned characters appear. 1996.

by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

read by Carole Jordan Stewart

2 cassettes

Jane, a thirty-four-year-old physics professor, wants a baby. Her football-groupie neighbor promises to find a classy hooker for quarterback Cal Bonner's birthday. Jane agrees to pose as the call girl, thinking that a child with an athlete's I.Q. would not be the teased genius she had been. Companion to Dream a Little Dream (RC 45735). Strong language and explicit descriptions of sex. 1997.

by Diane Duane

read by Jill Fox

4 cassettes

In this feline universe, the cat civilization has its own language, Ailurin, and its unique codes of conduct. A team composed of Rhiow--a black female, Saash--a tortoiseshell, and Urruah--a young tabby tomcat, is assigned to patrol Grand Central Station. Maintaining order in the magical gateways leads the cats into confrontations with their adversaries. For senior high and older readers. 1997.

by Isabel Bolton

read by Terry Hayes Sales

3 cassettes

Three portrayals of the lives of wealthy residents of New York City in the post-World War II years. In Do I Wake or Sleep, a socialite meets a refugee from Europe; in The Christmas Tree, a grandmother's holiday is ruined when her beloved homosexual son appears uninvited; and in Many Mansions, an elderly woman reads a manuscript about her life. 1952.

by Michael Cadnum

read by Carol Dines

1 cassette

Bonnie, who wants a medical career in the blindness field, attends a private high school where she excels in diving. During practice, Bonnie receives a head injury that scares her more than she admits. Her world is further shaken when her divorced, arrogant, attorney father is arrested for defrauding clients. For junior and senior high readers. 1998.

by Stephen White

read by Roy Avers

2 cassettes

Fighting the onset of MS-related vision loss, Boulder County deputy district attorney Lauren Crowder may have shot someone while protecting the famous daughter of an assassinated U.S. Surgeon General. Lauren's husband, therapist Alan Gregory, and her attorneys frantically work through the night to solve the convoluted case. Some strong language, some violence, and some explicit descriptions of sex. 1997.

by Margaret Cuthbert

read by Carole Jordan Stewart

3 cassettes

Dr. Rae Duprey is an obstetrician at Berkeley Hills Hospital. Her former lover Bo Michaels now runs a nearby maternity center. When the hospital handles a string of emergency cases originating from the center, Rae begins an investigation that puts both her job and her life at risk. Strong language and some violence. 1998.

by Stef Ann Holm

read by Sharon Murray

3 cassettes

In turn-of-the-century Harmony, Montana, Edwina Huntington has spent her savings on a building to open a deportment school. To her horror, she learns the building was also illegally sold to Tom Wolcott for a sporting goods store. The two work side by side while their differences turn to desire. Some strong language and some explicit descriptions of sex. 1997.

by Judith A. Lansdowne

read by Ann Hodapp

2 cassettes

In Regency England, Camilla Quinn believes romance and marriage would stifle her plans to become an independent authoress. So she is astonished to realize how attracted she is to Jason Fate--especially since she meets him first as he's robbing her and later when he is falsely claiming to be heir to a dukedom. 1997.

by Marcel Montecino

read by Richard Hauenstein

3 cassettes

New York, 1926. Irish gangster Tommy Coyne flees the city after his father is killed during a setup. Disguised as a priest, he arrives in Mexico to join his older brother Frank, a Jesuit. Tommy discovers Mexico is in the midst of a civil war with clergymen the favorite targets of the Federales. Violence, strong language, and descriptions of sex. 1997.

by W.E.B. Griffin

read by Roy Avers

2 cassettes

It is 1942 in this sequel to The Last Heroes (RC 45119), and American intelligence has uncovered a major lode of uranium ore in the Belgian Congo. When two U.S. security agents are air-dropped into the area to extract the ore, they encounter unexpected opposition. Strong language. 1985.

by Penelope Williamson

read by Mitzi Friedlander

3 cassettes

Rhode Island, 1890. Genteel Emma Tremayne's orderly life is changed when mill worker Bria McKenna shows up with her dead son in her arms. Although engaged to the mill owner, Emma sympathizes with Bria, who is dying of consumption. She also finds herself falling in love with Bria's children--and her husband, Shay. Some strong language. 1997.

by Fern Michaels

read by Mitzi Friedlander

3 cassettes

Atlanta, 1957. Grieving over her own children's deaths, wealthy, unbalanced Thea Roland kidnaps a toddler. With her husband's guilt-ridden help, Thea raises the child as her daughter, calling her Jessie. As an adult, the privileged but unhappy Jessie finally learns the truth. Some strong language and some explicit descriptions of sex. 1998.

by Thomas J. Dygard

read by Randy Davidson

1 cassette

When Barton High School's football coach is hospitalized right before the final game of the season, the only one who can replace him is his student manager, Beano Hatton. Beano accepts the responsibility, knowing how much he has learned from the coach in three years. After devising a game plan, Beano's major hurdle is convincing the team to believe in him. For junior and senior high readers. 1993.

by Barbara Block

read by Madelyn Buzzard

2 cassettes

Robin Light, at her pet store, is surprised when a blue-haired teenager asks her for help. Suspected of killing her stepfather, Amy Richmond turns out to be Robin's deceased husband's daughter. While investigating the murder, Robin encounters the world of teenage runaways and drugs. Some violence and some strong language. 1997.

by Don Coldsmith

read by David Palmer

2 cassettes

A young holy man of the Elk-dog People dreams of a horse with unusual markings, as if wearing a "medicine hat." When such a horse is born to his mare, a ritual casting of the bones compels him to undertake a northward quest to determine the meaning of this colt. Although it is a spiritual mission, the trip is fraught with danger. 1997.

by Carol Finch

read by Ann Hodapp

2 cassettes

In 1768, feisty French Micaela Rouchard flees New Orleans to escape an arranged marriage. She stows away on a ship owned by Carolina colonist Lucien Saffire, unwittingly becomes involved in his feud with his grandfather, and again becomes an unwilling bride-to-be. Explicit descriptions of sex and some violence. 1997.

by Mercedes Lackey and Larry Dixon

read by James DeLotel

2 cassettes

Two members of the Silver Gryphons, an elite guard force, receive their first solo assignment to take charge of the remote Outpost Five. Tadrith, the son of Skandranon, and his partner Silverblade, daughter of Amberdrake, have barely started their journey when Tadrith's magic stops working, stranding them in an unknown area. Sequel to The White Gryphon (RC 41578). 1996.

by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins

read by Bob Askey

2 cassettes

As Captain Rayford Steele pilots a plane across the Atlantic, his senior flight attendant, Hattie Durham, gives him the shocking news that half the passengers have disappeared. Before long, he learns that people are missing all over the world. Rayford, his priest, and several others form the Tribulation Force to fight the Antichrist. Prequel to Tribulation Force (RC 47463). 1995.

by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins

read by Bob Askey

2 cassettes

Many of Earth's inhabitants have been taken to Heaven, but those left behind face seven years of tribulation. Some will not survive the coming devastation. Tribulation Force members--Rayford Steele, Chloe Steele, Bruce Barnes, and Buck Williams--do what they can, but even one of them will soon be dead. Sequel to Left Behind (RC 47462). 1996.

by Joan Hess

read by Suzanne Toren

2 cassettes

Bookstore owner Claire Malloy is invited to attend a winter solstice celebration by a customer, Malthea Hendlerson, who is a Druid. Claire arrives at the ceremonial site but soon learns that the Druids' benefactor, Nicholas Chunder, has been murdered. Her boyfriend, police officer Peter Rosen, is out of town, but Claire offers to help find the killer. Some violence. 1997.

by Gilbert Morris

read by Ilona Dulaski

2 cassettes

Shayna Wakefield, seventeen, falls in love with Cathan Morgan. However, their plans to marry are thwarted by her father, Honor, who vows to keep them apart, believing Cathan to be unworthy. Yet circumstances throw Shayna and Cathan together aboard Honor's ship as war with Napoleon breaks out. Sequel to The Song of Princes (RC 47478). 1998.

by Eric Jerome Dickey

read by Ilona Dulaski

2 cassettes

Two sisters, Inda and Valerie, call each other Red and Black because of their skin tones. The sisters find an unlikely friend in a third woman as each attempts to deal with a dead-end relationship and carve out a new life. Strong language and some explicit descriptions of sex. 1996.

by Peter Ho Davies

read by David Cutler

1 cassette

Eight short stories about people in several countries facing predicaments. In the title story, an old man is ostracized by his Welsh village for the accidental death of a young boy with whom he played football. In "Coventry," two unemployed Englishmen spend time drinking and watching football until one of them finds a job. Some strong language. 1997.

by Rick Collignon

read by Nanette Savard

1 cassette

When Ramona is leaving the funeral of her brother and his wife, the wife sits up in the casket to request that Ramona rear their seven-year-old son Jose. Other deceased relatives visit Ramona and bring her the 1924 journal of another ancestor. The living and the dead intermingle in Ramona's life as she tries to figure out what is happening. 1996.

by Jim Lehrer

read by Gregory Gorton

2 cassettes

Retired spy Charlie Henderson lives the good life in West Virginia amid lots of former colleagues. When his old buddy, Joshua Bennett, is nominated to head the CIA, Charlie thinks the confirmation will be easy. But after Bennett receives threats from a senator's aide, Henderson and his pals risk violence to ensure their friend's appointment. 1998.

by Ha Jin

read by Bill Wallace

2 cassettes

Stories about life in a Chinese village during the Cultural Revolution. The clash between traditional values and duty to the Communist Party is an ongoing theme. In "Winds and Clouds over a Funeral," a son must disregard his mother's wish for burial and have her cremated. In "Emperor" wild boys gain popularity and status with each misdeed. Some strong language. Winner of the Flannery O'Connor Award for Short Fiction. 1997.

by Thomas Perry

read by Mary Woods

3 cassettes

Jane used to help people in trouble start over with new identities. Her new husband, Carey, convinced her to stop, but now he needs her help. His mentor, a surgeon, is being falsely accused of murder and believes he will be killed. Meanwhile, someone is posing as Jane--and the impostor isn't out to help anybody. Some violence and some strong language. 1998.

by Jay Amberg

read by Chuck Benson

2 cassettes

Daughter of an NBA star and a television journalist, young Tonya is kidnapped from her gymnastics facility. Her captor uses the media and his computer-hacking skills to taunt her parents, the FBI, the private detectives, and the local police. Strong language and some violence. 1998.

by Susan Wiggs

read by David Hartley-Margolin

2 cassettes

Washington coastline, 1876. Jesse Morgan, mourning the loss of his wife and unborn child, lives a monk's existence at the lighthouse. When beautiful, pregnant Mary Dare is washed ashore after a shipwreck, he tries to avoid her. But Mary needs his help while she waits to deliver her baby. Slowly Jesse rediscovers the joy of life. Some explicit descriptions of sex. 1997.

by Peter LaSalle

read by Jim Zeiger

1 cassette

Short stories and poems centering around the sport of ice hockey. In "Le Rocket Negre," a Quebec teenager is recruited from an orphanage based on his apparent racial identity. In "Wellesley College for Women, 1969," a former hockey player on scholarship to Harvard reminisces about two former girlfriends. 1996.

by Jack Williamson

read by Erik Sandvold

2 cassettes

Space travel to a new colony is Carlos Mondragon's lifelong goal. After traveling illegally from Mexico and arriving at the launch site, Carlos stows away on the last starship of a special project. When the spacecraft lands on a frozen planet, the colonists find evidence that it is still inhabited. Carlos gradually proves himself an asset to the mission. 1997.

by James Alexander Thom

read by Martha Harmon Pardee

3 cassettes (Reissue)

1755. Mary Ingles is twenty-three and expecting her third child when Shawnee Indians ravage her Virginia settlement and take her captive. Mary keeps up her spirits and, after a few months in captivity, escapes to make her way on foot through a thousand miles of wilderness to return to her family. Some violence. 1981.

by Laura Van Wormer

read by Martha Harmon Pardee

3 cassettes

Novelist Libby Winslow is at a low mark in her love life when she is selected to be on a jury. As the jurists become acquainted, Libby is attracted to rugged Alexander McCalley and then broker William Klein, who also seems interested in her. Some violence and some descriptions of sex. 1996.

by Georgette Heyer

read by Jill Ferris

3 cassettes (Reissue)

A psychological tale of a large self-absorbed Cornish family. The murder of one family member causes great consternation--any one of the others might have been the murderer. Some strong language. 1943.

by Thomas J. Dygard

read by Jim Zeiger

1 cassette

Pete Holman, always in trouble, is released from police custody to Coach Wilson on the condition that Pete join the football team. Pete reluctantly agrees, knowing his incorrigible friends will mock him. But, learning he is a natural receiver, he discovers purpose and friendship in being part of the team. For junior and senior high readers. 1996.

by Harry Levy

read by Bob Askey

2 cassettes

Dr. Michael Malone, a physician and medical malpractice lawyer, is accused of murdering his estranged wife. In the midst of the trial, Malone works to settle his own cases. When a client is murdered, Malone connects the deaths and races to find new suspects. Some descriptions of sex, some strong language, and some violence. 1998.

by Linda Ladd

read by Martha Harmon Pardee

2 cassettes

South Carolina, 1764. Trinity Kingston and Lord William Remington had been wed as children by their parents. When the Revolutionary War breaks out, William's mother and sister and Trinity become rebels, while William remains in England loyal to the Crown. But when he returns to the colonies to annul the marriage, the two unexpectedly fall in love. Some explicit descriptions of sex. 1997.

by Booth Tarkington

read by Martha Harmon Pardee

2 cassettes (Reissue)

Alice, a socially ambitious girl from a midwestern lower-middle-class family, hopes to find a rich husband. She makes up stories that lead her family to suffer scandals and push her further from her goal. Winner of the Pulitzer Prize in 1922. 1921.

by Steve Martini

read by Chuck Benson

3 cassettes

Joselyn Cole, a lawyer in the San Juan Islands of Washington state, has lost her wealthy client to a fatal accident. The businessman turns out to have been involved in a Russian-American nuclear smuggling ring. With Joselyn's help, arms inspector Gideon van Ry tries to track down the missing nuclear devices. Some strong language and some violence. 1998.

by Nancy Pickard

read by Madelyn Buzzard

2 cassettes

Jenny Cain, director of the town foundation, is threatened by the murders of three major philanthropists. With her name listed as the next victim, Jenny works with policeman Geof Bushfield, a former classmate, to catch the killer. Some violence and some strong language. 1984.

by Carola Dunn

read by Jill Fox

2 cassettes

When the Honourable Phillip Petrie's car breaks down, American Gloria Arbuckle, in England with her millionaire father, comes to his rescue. Phillip is quite taken with Gloria, and a romance begins. When she is kidnapped, Phillip calls on his childhood friend, Daisy Dalrymple, for help. 1997.

by Peter Abrahams

read by Carole Jordan Stewart

2 cassettes

Francie and Ned are having an affair--meeting once a week in an island cottage. Francie's husband, a brilliant but recently unemployed executive, finds out and plots the perfect revenge. Meanwhile, Francie unknowingly befriends Ned's wife. Strong language, violence, and explicit descriptions of sex. 1998.

by Laura Peyton Roberts

read by Gary Tipton

1 cassette

Eight students at Clearwater Crossing High are assigned to a carnival booth to help raise funds for a schoolmate with leukemia. Although they come from diverse backgrounds and have different interests, they become close friends. Despite religious differences, Leah and Miguel even fall in love. For junior and senior high readers. 1998.

by Dean Koontz

read by Bob Askey

3 cassettes

Christopher Snow, whose affliction makes him unable to tolerate light, investigates the disappearance of children in Moonlight Bay, California. Chris, his friends, and his wonder dog and cat search the abandoned base nearby and discover genetically altered monkeys and others conducting experiments on human subjects. Companion to Fear Nothing (RC 45719). Some violence. Bestseller 1999.

by Elmore Leonard

read by Chuck Benson

2 cassettes

In the sequel to Get Shorty (RC 31976), loan-shark-turned-movie-producer Chili Palmer takes his next plot idea from the events around him--the Russian Mafia, entertainment business goons, and hip-hop gangsta bands. Chili sets out to scam everyone to get his movie made. Violence, strong language, and some descriptions of sex. Bestseller 1999.

by Karen Robards

read by Martha Harmon Pardee

2 cassettes

Lynn Nelson, a Chicago anchorwoman, has planned a ten-day camping trip in Utah to bond with her teenage daughter, Rory. But their fall from a cliff is just the beginning of many nightmares they and their guide, the handsome Jess Feldman, must face. Strong language, some violence, and some explicit descriptions of sex. 1997.

by Lawrence Thornton

read by Gabriella Cavallero

2 cassettes

Dolores Masson, a grandmother in Argentina, seeks the return of her "disappeared" grandsons. She knows that General Guzman gave Roger and Joaquin to a childless couple, Eduardo and Beatriz Ponce, several years ago. Now the boys are teenagers, and she wants them back regardless of the emotional cost. 1997.

by Diane Mott Davidson

read by Martha Harmon Pardee

2 cassettes

Goldy Bear Schulz faces competition from an obnoxious fellow caterer who undercuts her prices. Her kitchen is also torn apart and left unfinished by an unscrupulous contractor who later is found dead in a friend's house. Because her husband, Tom, is suspended from the police force, Goldy investigates. Includes recipes. Some violence. 1998.

by Thomas J. Dygard

read by Erik Sandvold

1 cassette

Four football players at Hillcrest High make a pact to stick together and play at the same college as a "backfield package." But only Joe Mitchell, the quarterback, is recruited by a big-name school and must decide whether to keep his promise or explore all the options. For junior and senior high readers. 1992.

by Jory Sherman

read by David Hartley-Margolin

2 cassettes

Lemuel Hawke is only fifteen when he marries Roberta, but his dream is to be self-sufficient on the land. By 1807, he is farming outside Lexington, Kentucky, when Roberta moves to town leaving Lemuel with a son and a distrust of women. Some violence, some strong language, and some descriptions of sex. Golden Spur Winner. 1991.

by Annabel Davis-Goff

read by Gabriella Cavallero

2 cassettes

In post-war Ireland, young Molly Hassard and her upper-class Anglo-English family live in genteel poverty. In order to change their fortunes, Molly and her cousin Sophie eventually relocate to England. But Molly misses the Irish traditions and longs to return to rekindle her secret love for a fellow countryman. 1997.

by Nora Roberts

read by Ilona Dulaski

2 cassettes

Having arranged marriages for his granddaughters, The MacGregor Brides (RC 45023), Daniel MacGregor now plans for his grandsons. D.C. takes Layna Drake to a charity ball; gambling-boat owner Duncan hires singer Cat Farrell; and Boston lawyer Ian writes a contract for publisher Naomi Brightstone. Some descriptions of sex. 1998.

by Georgia Bockoven

read by Barbara Pinolini

2 cassettes

Now a widow, thirty-two-year-old Julia Huntington plans to sell the Santa Cruz beach house where she and Ken spent many wonderful hours. As she and the summer tenants spend their last weeks at the cottage, each goes through a transition from despair to joy. 1997.

by Robin Jones Gunn

read by Nona Pipes

2 cassettes

When Lauren Phillips and her fiance have a major difference of opinion on their future, they call off their engagement. To help her adjust, her brother buys Lauren a computer and gets her involved in a Christian e-mail group. Lauren begins corresponding with K.C. and finds herself falling in love with a man she has never met. 1996.

by Shulamith Hareven

read by Suzanne Toren

1 cassette

Seven tales by an Israeli woman writer translated from Hebrew. In the title piece, a woman dreams of soldiers taking people away from the opera night after night and her decision to leave at the intermission. In "Love by Telephone," two elderly women are upset by obscene phone calls, and the one who learns who the caller is, wishes she had not. 1992.

by Lilian Jackson Braun

read by Bob Askey

2 cassettes

Qwilleran and his cats Koko and Yum Yum always retreat to his lake cottage in July. Just before they go this year, Qwilleran learns a young hiker has disappeared in that area. Then shortly after their arrival, Koko makes a discovery on the beach that keeps Qwilleran busy. Bestseller 1998.

by Phillip Margolin

read by Chuck Benson

2 cassettes

Judge Richard Quinn's first homicide case proves to be dangerous. State representative Ellen Crease, in the middle of a campaign, shoots and kills a burglar who has just murdered her husband. Soon evidence suggests she hired the guy as a hit man. Strong language, violence, and descriptions of sex. Bestseller 1998.

by Anne Schraff

read by Graci Ragsdale

1 cassette

Profiles the lives of ten distinguished American explorers and aviators. Describes the polar treks of Matthew Henson, Robert Peary, and Richard Byrd; Charles Lindbergh's transatlantic flight; and the space journeys of Neil Armstrong, Sally Ride, and others. For grades 5-8. 1996.

by Laura S. Jeffrey

read by Graci Ragsdale

1 cassette

Profiles the lives of ten American inventors who harnessed technology in creative ways to benefit many lives. Includes laser pioneer Gordon Gould, Kevlar fiber developer Stephanie Kwolek, and Lonnie Johnson, designer of the Super Soaker water gun. For grades 5-8. 1996.

by Mary Ann Fraser

read by Marilyn Gleason

1 cassette

Fraser relates how Major John Wesley Powell and a crew of nine men left the Wyoming Territory to explore the Colorado River and the Grand Canyon in 1869. She uses Powell's journals to depict the dangers and excitement of the three-month journey, in which several men and two boats were lost. For grades 3-6. 1995.

by Diane Stanley

read by Nancy Kronenfeld

1 cassette

Biography of the unschooled peasant girl who inspired the Medieval French army to victories over the English. Stanley provides historical background that led Joan to follow her religious visions and become a soldier. Although burned at the stake as a heretic in 1431, Joan of Arc was canonized by the Catholic Church in 1920. For grades 4-7. 1998.

by Jeff Moss

read by Erik Sandvold

1 cassette

Presents facts and fantasies about dinosaurs and prehistoric times, mostly in poems but also in two short stories and a math quiz. Moss even provides "A (Mostly) Dinosaur Alphabet." For grades 3-6. 1997.

by John Zeaman

read by Terence Aselford

1 cassette

Explores the domestication of dogs from ancient times to the present. Covers history and breeding information, and explains why dogs are man's best friend. Includes a glossary. For grades 4-7. 1998.

by Nick Cook

read by Bob Kuhn

1 cassette

Traces the history and design of roller coasters from the earliest version in Russia in the 1400s to modifications in France and their development in the United States from wooden to steel construction. Explains the physics of roller coaster rides and the effects on the human body. Offers tips for achieving a scarier ride. For grades 3-6. 1998.

by Fred Powledge

read by Lindsay Ellison

1 cassette

Discussion of the origins of medicine from plants or natural products growing in forests around the world. Presents examples of how treatments are developed and tested. Explains how scientists rely on the knowledge of local remedies to manufacture medicines bought in pharmacies. For grades 4-7. 1998.

by Daniel Cohen

read by Terence Aselford

1 cassette

The author explains the historical and religious significance of the year 2000--planned celebrations, the events of the previous millennium change, and how the new date will affect computers. For grades 5-8 and older readers. 1998.

by Ji-li Jiang

read by Margaret Strom

2 cassettes

Jiang recounts her experiences from age twelve through fourteen when Chairman Mao declared the Cultural Revolution in China. The government denounced her family as landowners, forcing her to choose between Communism and her beloved family. She describes the sacrifices, hardships, and suffering of that period. For grades 6-9. 1997.

by Dennis Brindell Fradin

read by Jake Williams

1 cassette

Biography of the Massachusetts colonist who encouraged American independence. Covers his family background, his education at Harvard--where he chose politics as a career, his efforts to rouse the colonists against British injustice, and his role in United States history. For grades 5-8. 1998.

by James Stevenson

read by Erik Sandvold

1 cassette

Thirty-two poems that capture daily life in a small seaside town. Driftwood is scattered along the beach; a picnic table sits empty awaiting the next time it is covered with hot dogs and paper plates. Chelsea the dog awaits her breakfast; an empty crab shell lies dry and hollow on the sand; and in late December, people dig for clams in the mud. For grades 2-4. 1998.

by Beatrice Gormley

read by Don Feldheim

1 cassette

A biography of the creator of the Chronicles of Narnia series. Describes his childhood in Ireland, his education in England, his relationships with family and friends, and his commitment to Christianity. Traces his development as a writer from the years when he and his brother wrote about talking animals in an imaginary realm. For grades 6-9. 1998.

by Will Steger and Jon Bowermaster

read by Norm Thibeault

1 cassette

Recounts Steger's 1995 trip over the North Pole by dogsled and canoe. Steger's journey begins in Siberia with six teammates, thirty-three dogs, and two tons of gear. His journal entries detail daily events, weather conditions, setbacks, dog problems, and human difficulties in successfully mounting the expedition. Grades 4-7. 1997.

by Demi

read by Kristin Allison

1 cassette

An account of Buddha's life from the prophecies before his birth to his physical death at age eighty. Describes his relationships with his parents, wife, and child, and the lifelong jealous rivalry of his cousin Devadatta. Explains how the young man Siddhartha meditated, sought enlightenment, and eventually became Buddha. Includes two of his teaching parables. For grades 4-7. 1996.

by Seymour Simon

read by Kristin Allison

1 cassette

Discusses the migrations--seasonal journeys--of various birds, butterflies, locusts, spiders, and bats. Presents reasons for the move, the influence of the seasons, and how flight is accomplished. Includes brief mention of seeds that are also air travelers. For grades 3-6. 1997.

by Dennis Brindell Fradin

read by Jill Ferris

1 cassette

An account of the nineteenth-century discovery of anesthesia, which revolutionized the practice of medicine. Traces the lives and contributions of four American doctors, each of whom claimed the discovery in a bitter dispute that led to tragic ends for all involved. For grades 6-9. 1996.

by Ivor Baddiel

read by Gary Tipton

1 cassette

Presents a brief background of the game of soccer, followed by information on rules, techniques, formations, and championships. Lists top goalscorers and summarizes achievements of outstanding national teams. Profiles twelve of the greatest players. Traces the history of the FIFA World Cup. Includes a "Test Your Knowledge" quiz. For grades 5-8 and older readers. 1998.

by A.G. Smith

read by Norm Thibeault

1 cassette

A history of how people learned to identify their physical location in the world. Traces the development of maps from birch bark and clay tablets dated 2300 B.C. to the techniques of aerial photography. Follows navigational skills from Eratosthenes's astronomical experiments to the discovery of the compass and the use of satellites. For grades 5-8. 1997.

by Jennifer Owings Dewey

read by Jill Ferris

1 cassette

A mud lover reminisces about her experiences with different kinds of mud. Recalls encounters with Zuni Mudhead dancers and explains the Hopi custom of mudslinging between future in-laws. Discusses wasps' and swallows' home-building activities and the author's construction of an adobe brick oven. For grades 3-6. 1998.

by Eleanor H. Ayer

read by Laura Giannarelli

1 cassette

Traces the life and achievements of the author of David Copperfield, Oliver Twist, A Christmas Carol, A Tale of Two Cities, and Great Expectations. Avers that among the best-known English authors of all time, "Charles Dickens ranks at the top with William Shakespeare." For grades 6-9. 1998.

by Paulette Bourgeois

read by Laura Giannarelli

1 cassette

Legends and facts about Earth's satellite, the Moon. In a question-and-answer format, presents information about the Moon's physical properties and its effect on Earth. Provides a brief account of astronauts landing on the Moon. For grades 2-4. 1995.

by Paulette Bourgeois

read by Laura Giannarelli

1 cassette

Legends and facts about Earth's star, the Sun. In a question-and-answer format, provides information about the seasons, eclipses, sunlight, and the sun's energy. For grades 2-4. 1995.

by Jane Yolen

read by Mimi Bederman

1 cassette

A collection of twelve fantasy stories. Some are modern versions of well-known tales: "Tough Alice" is a variation on Alice in Wonderland, "The Bridge's Complaint" comes from The Three Billygoats Gruff, and "Lost Girls" is based on Peter Pan. Others include characters from a fairy to a sea monster to aliens. For grades 5-8. 1997.

by Jean Van Leeuwen

read by Marilyn Gleason

1 cassette

Eleven-year-old Twig is devastated by her parents' separation. Her mother mopes around the house all day; the laundry is piling up; and the refrigerator is empty. Her older brother is almost never home and stays in his room when he is, and her father has his own apartment, which Twig refuses to visit. Life is difficult--until Grandma Ruthie arrives. For grades 4-7. 1996.

by Patricia C. Wrede

read by Celeste Lawson

2 cassettes

A fantasy collection of ten stories. There are wizards, kings, unicorns, and roses, while some tales have a modern twist. In "Roses by Moonlight," the roses offer glimpses of the future, but Adrian hesitates to choose one. In "Utensile Strength," instead of a sword, there is an enchanted frying pan, which finds its proper owner. For grades 4-7. 1996.

by Jack Gantos

read by Dick Jenkins

1 cassette

A new year in yet another new school finds Jack having problems with his teacher, his handwriting, and the girl he likes on the safety patrol. At home Jack demands a diary like his older sister's and worries about rabies from a dog bite, alligators in the canal, and his father's bad luck with jobs. But Jack is plucky and survives it all. For grades 5-8. 1994.

by Ruth Stiles Gannett

read by Gregory Ricks

1 cassette

Nine-year-old Elmer rescues Boris, a baby flying dragon, from the ferocious animals holding him prisoner on Wild Island. The grateful Boris promises to fly Elmer back home, but Boris needs Elmer's help again before rejoining his dragon family. Tales originally published in 1949-1951. For grades 3-6. 1998.

by Patricia Curtis Pfitsch

read by Anne Mullen

1 cassette

Faith Sutton grows up at Port Henry Lighthouse on Lake Superior in the late 1800s. When her father dies rescuing sailors during a storm, Faith takes pride in keeping the light burning. When the Lighthouse Board sends a new keeper, Faith and her family return to the city. Yet Faith worries about the light, and when her mother's life is endangered, Faith returns to Port Henry. For grades 5-8. 1997.

by Cynthia Voigt

read by Bruce Nelson

2 cassettes

A quiet summer in a new place turns dangerous when not only an Egyptian mummy disappears, but also Althea, daughter of the recently appointed curator of the Egyptian collection. Althea's younger brother, Phineas, wants to solve the case, but more urgently wants to find Althea. Some strong language. For grades 5-8. 1991.

by Kathryn Lasky

read by Cyn Delafield

1 cassette

1860s; Virginia City, Nevada. Twelve-year-old Alice Rose Tucker, the daughter of the local newspaper editor, hates her ugly mining town with its drunks, dance girls, and hired killers. When reporter Samuel Clemens comes to work for her father, Alice Rose finds a sympathetic ear. After she witnesses a murder, Clemens helps her unveil a Confederate conspiracy. For grades 4-7. 1998.

by Dick King-Smith

read by Arnie Warren

1 cassette

After running away from an old folks' home on her seventy-fifth birthday, Henrietta Hickathrift goes to the beach. There she sees a stray dog and writes in the sand, "I am a stray old woman." Her words lead to happy results for both of them. For grades 2-4. 1996.

by Dean Hughes

read by Phil Regensdorf

1 cassette

Ten-year-old Danny Williams's mechanic father brags about his own basketball skills, but never helps Danny, who's playing his first season. Instead his dad drinks and complains about growing up as a Mormon bishop's son. Danny finally admits to his friend Alan's father, a Mormon bishop, that he doesn't think his father loves him. For grades 4-6. 1994.

by Jean Thesman

read by Cyn Delafield

1 cassette

It is the depression, and Quinn's widely admired father, Beau John, has lost his Seattle job and now works on the docks. Quinn and her extended family eagerly await Beau John's weekly visits home. But after overhearing a startling conversation, Quinn sees her father in a different light and begins to fear for his safety. For grades 5-8. 1997.

by Dick King-Smith

read by Janet Daley

1 cassette

Judy's favorite animals are guinea pigs, and she wants to prove how smart they are. When a new baby guinea pig is born, she names him Jenius and begins teaching him tricks. But at school on pets' day, Jenius embarrasses Judy. For grades 2-4. 1996.

by Janell Cannon

read by Terence Aselford

1 cassette

Verdi is a bright yellow baby python with bold stripes that zigzag down his back. He likes his colors and isn't in a hurry to grow up big and green like the older snakes. So Verdi sets off through the forest hoping to find a way to stay the way he is. For grades K-3. 1997.

by Jan Peck

read by Kristin Allison

1 cassette

When Papa Joe plants a carrot, each person in the family wants to make a different carrot dish from it. The carrot grows extra big when sweet Little Isabelle gives it her special attention. Carrot pudding recipe included. Based on a Russian folktale. For grades K-3. 1998.

retold by Anthony L. Manna and Christodoula Mitakidou

read by Gabriella Cavallero

1 cassette

Princess Areti of Greece has many suitors, but she does not like any of them. She creates her own man by mixing together almonds, sugar, and semolina, and praying for forty days and nights. Finally she has a man who is "five-times beautiful and ten-times kind," and she calls him Mr. Semolina-Semolinus. Everything is fine until a wicked queen learns about him. For grades K-3. 1997.

by Betty Horvath

read by Liz Solar

1 cassette

When Emily starts the sixth grade in 1938 in her Missouri school, she gets some big surprises. Her best school friend has moved, and the new teacher is a man. When Emily fibs to him that she writes poetry, her teacher asks her to bring in a poem--every day. For grades 3-6. 1998.

by Beverley Naidoo

read by Bob Moore

1 cassette

Twelve-year-old Sipho decides that he will take his chances on the streets of Johannesburg rather than risk more beatings from his new stepfather. Sipho meets other runaway boys, who teach him the basics of survival. He learns there are worse people than cruel stepfathers, but he also finds reasons to hope for the future. For grades 5-8. 1995.

by T.A. Barron

read by Brian Conn

2 cassettes

The youthful Merlin awakes in the surf with no memory. The healer Branwen claims to be his mother and cares for him, calling him Emrys. He gradually becomes aware of his special powers and determines to find his true identity. Prequel to The Seven Songs of Merlin (RC 47307). For grades 5-8. 1996.

by Harry Mazer

read by Jim Zeiger

1 cassette

Sammy, a twelve-year-old with Down syndrome, leaves his bike unlocked and somebody takes it. Chasing the thief, Sammy becomes lost in the woods. A boy hiding from the authorities finds Sammy, but won't help him get home because he's afraid Sammy will tell. The two boys learn to coexist in the wild. For grades 5-8. 1998.

by Naomi Adler

read by Mary Ann Nichols

1 cassette

A collection of nine folktales. Each features a musical instrument typical of the country where the story is told: a harp from Ireland, a drum from South Africa, and a balalaika from Russia. For grades 3-6. 1997.

by Naomi Shihab Nye

read by Kerry Cundiff

1 cassette

Liyana Abboud lived happily in the United States, her mother's country, until age fourteen. Then her father moves the family to Jerusalem, his home. There she finds a colorful world, where her welcoming Palestinian relatives speak Arabic; even their clothes and food are intriguing. When she meets a Jewish boy, she learns about social tensions in Israel. For grades 5-8. 1997.

by Fred Gipson

read by Jack Fox

1 cassette (Reissue)

1860s Texas. Fourteen-year-old Travis at first resents the big, yellow stray dog that hangs around his home, but he comes to love and depend on him. With his father away on a cattle drive, Travis is the man of the house and looks to Old Yeller for help and protection. For grades 5-8. 1956.

by Kristiana Gregory

read by Jill Fox

1 cassette

In 1847 Hattie is given a diary for her thirteenth birthday. When her family takes a March-to-October journey from Missouri to Oregon, she keeps an account of the dangerous and tedious trip--its hardships and deaths, as well as the joyful events that affect the group. An epilogue follows the lives of fellow travelers up to 1906. For grades 4-7. 1997.

by Adele Griffin

read by John Polk

1 cassette

Rock and his brother Cliff face a father who is a bully and a mother who won't leave the house. Meanwhile, their neighbor Liza is physically abused. After Rock and Cliff help Liza run away, Cliff convinces their mother that they have to leave and seek help. Rock has to decide whether to go or stay. Some violence. For grades 5-8. 1997.

by Jon Scieszka

read by Ray Hagen

1 cassette

Summer vacation is supposed to mean no more reading. But Fred, Sam, and Joe all have to read four books during the summer. Unfortunately Joe has put their reading list inside The Book his uncle gave him for his birthday. Opening it means trouble. Suddenly the boys finds themselves in a world gone "terribly, mixed-uply, summer-reading-listly wrong." For grades 3-6. 1998.

retold by Neil Philip

read by Barbara Rappaport

1 cassette

Once there was a king who married a new bride every night and had her beheaded the next morning. When Sheherazade marries this king, she tells him such wonderful stories that he spares her life each day to hear another. Fifteen of her tales are retold here. For grades 4-7. 1994.

by Lesley Howarth

read by Rick Rohan

1 cassette

MapHead and his father travel from the Subtle World to England in search of MapHead's mother. He hopes to connect with her through entering the school that his human half-brother attends. But learning to act like a normal kid is quite a challenge. For grades 5-8. 1994.

by Dr. Seuss and Jack Prelutsky

read by Kristin Allison

1 cassette

The teachers at Diffendoofer School are different: they teach listening, smelling, laughing, and even yelling. But can their pupils pass the special test to show their school is the best? Also presents the history of this book, begun by Dr. Seuss and completed by Jack Prelutsky. For grades K-3 and older readers. 1998.

by Jean Little

read by Kristin Allison

1 cassette

In the mid-nineteenth century, the Gordon family moves from Scotland to Canada bringing their adopted daughter, Elspet, with them. When Elspet breaks her leg, Granny Ross suggests that Elspet write down her life story to keep occupied. She reflects on her experiences living with different people in various places and how she gradually realized what it means to belong. For grades 4-7. 1997.

by Dr. Seuss

read by Bob Askey

1 cassette (Reissue)

The Grinch, whose heart is two sizes too small, tries to abolish Christmas by stealing all the presents from the people in the valley. For grades K-3. 1957.

by Kevin Henkes

read by Gary Tipton

1 cassette

After the death of his beloved grandmother, ten-year-old Spoon pockets Gram's special deck of solitaire cards as a keepsake. When his grandfather becomes nostalgic and searches for the missing cards, Spoon returns the deck in exchange for another memento with a very special meaning. For grades 4-7. 1997.

by Sid Fleischman

read by Jill Fox

1 cassette

Annyrose's mother is dead, and her brother has left her at a ranch while he hunts for gold. But Annyrose runs away with the outlaw Wakeen. Discovering he is really Joaquín Murieta, the Robin Hood of the California Gold Rush, Annyrose must decide if she can stay with a thief. For grades 3-6. 1998.

by Robert Lawson

read by Brian Conn

1 cassette (Reissue)

In 1745 Amos, a church mouse, leaves his home to find a better place to live. He ends up with Benjamin Franklin and becomes his confidant and traveling companion. When Franklin dies, many writers extol his achievements, but Amos decides to set the record straight with his own accounts. For grades 5-8. 1939.

by Valerie Tripp

read by Pam Ward

1 cassette

Josefina will soon be ten, and her family has several things to celebrate. Josefina begins raising a baby goat and helping her godmother Tía Magdalena--a healer. It looks like Josefina may be a healer, too. Sequel to Josefina's Surprise (RC 45563). For grades 2-4. 1998.

by Valerie Tripp

read by Pam Ward

1 cassette

Josefina and her family, in Santa Fe, await the arrival of wagon trains to trade blankets and mules for goods they need. Patrick O'Toole, a wagon scout, promises to handle the family's transactions, but he suddenly disappears. Sequel to Happy Birthday, Josefina (RC 47678). For grades 2-4. 1998.

by Valerie Tripp

read by Pam Ward

1 cassette

Following the family's fiesta on the Feast of the Three Kings, Tía Dolores announces she must return home. But knowing Tía and her papá love each other, Josefina begins making plans. Sequel to Josefina Saves the Day (RC 47679). For grades 2-4. 1998.

by David Getz

read by Kristin Allison

1 cassette

Maxine's teacher asks her class to look at their homes in a new way and to draw what they see. One classmate surveys his house from a tree and another views hers from the grass. But Maxine boards a space shuttle and experiences the thrills of dressing as an astronaut, lifting off, and viewing Earth from above. For grades K-3. 1997.

by Lensey Namioka

read by Gabriella Cavallero

1 cassette

This sequel to Yang the Youngest and His Terrible Ear (RC 36736) features the third daughter, Mary. Mortified by her mother's social mistakes in front of a new friend, Mary seeks acceptance by taking a kitten from the girl. But Mary has to hide the pet from her family. For grades 3-6. 1995.

by Mary Rodgers

read by Kristin Allison

1 cassette (Reissue)

After thirteen-year-old Annabel Andrews and her mother have a heated argument over freedom and responsibility, Annabel wakes up on a Friday morning and realizes she has turned into her mother. For grades 5-8. 1972.

retold by Geraldine McCaughrean

read by Jim Zeiger

1 cassette

A classic sea adventure. Ishmael recounts the last voyage of the whaling ship Pequod and how the one-legged Captain Ahab is obsessed with finding the white whale Moby Dick. A retelling of Herman Melville's novel originally published in 1851. For grades 5-8. 1996.

by Frances Wilbur

read by Gabriella Cavallero

1 cassette

When lonely thirteen-year-old Cassie finds a large white dog in her backyard, she begins to feed him secretly. She does odd jobs for her neighbors to earn dog-food money. Then she discovers that her pet is really a wolf and determines to save it from capture. For grades 4-7. 1998.

by Patricia Calvert

read by John Stratton

1 cassette

In this sequel to Bigger (RC 39559), thirteen-year-old Tyler Bohannon has learned that his father will not be returning from the Civil War and takes on his new role as head of the household, with help from the Snepp family. The siblings now have "Sooner," the offspring of Bigger--the abused dog Tyler adopted--to keep them company. For grades 4-7 and older readers. 1998.

by Hilary McKay

read by Patricia Kilgarriff

1 cassette

In this sequel to The Exiles at Home (RC 40530), the Conroy sisters--especially Ruth--are dealing with numerous schoolgirl crushes. Big Grandma calls it the family failing and tries to help by inviting a French boy to visit. For grades 4-7. 1996.

por David H. Bangs Jr.

read by leído por Maria Pino

2 cassettes

Una guía práctica para empresas grandes o pequeñas. Presenta paso por paso las reglas para elaborar planes de negocio y propuestos de financiamiento. Incluye ejemplos y hojas de trabajo. (Step-by-step planning guide for businesses both big and small in writing a business plan and a financial proposal. Includes samples and work sheets.) 1997.

por Marcelo Salles Bergés y Chapital

read by leído por Peter Gil

2 cassettes

Un vocabulario actualizado que ofrece más de mil términos y expresiones utilizados en negocios inmobiliarios de Norte, Centro, y Sudamérica. En inglés y español. (An up-to-date bilingual vocabulary that presents more than one thousand terms and expressions used in the real estate industry in North and South America. In English and Spanish.) 1997.

por Pedro Voltes

read by leído por Juan Ramirez

3 cassettes

Un historiador español describe la Guerra de Sucesión del siglo dieciocho en que lucharon los Borbones de Francia contra los Habsburgos de Austria con el fin de ceñirse la Corona española. Voltes apunta los eventos precipitantes de la guerra así como sus batallas y personajes. Es por esta guerra que nace el concepto político de "equilibrio entre potencias." (A Spanish historian describes the eighteenth-century War of the Spanish Succession that pitted the Bourbon dynasty of France against the Austrian Hapsburgs for possession of the Spanish Crown. Voltes details the events leading up to the war and the numerous battles and personages of the conflict that established the concept of the "balance of powers" in modern European politics.) 1990.

por Isabel Allende

read by leído por Maria Pino

3 cassettes

La famosa autora chilena mezcla comida y amor erótico en estos cuentos y anécdotas. Allende afirma que apetito y sexo son los grandes motores de la historia, y reflexiona sobre el papel de sexo y comida en su propria vida así como en diferentes culturas y a través de la historia. Incluye recetas de platos que tienen sabor a afrodisíaco. (Erotic love and food are blended in these reminiscences by the famous Chilean author. Suggesting that appetites for food and sex are the great moving forces of history, Allende reflects on the relationship between the two in different cultures and throughout history. Includes recipes for dishes with aphrodisiac reputations.) 1997.

por Judith Ortiz Cofer

read by leído por Maria Pino

1 cassette

La autora presenta narraciones y poesías que recuerdan la niñez que pasó viajando entre Paterson, New Jersey, y su tierra natal de Puerto Rico. Enfocándose en la mezcla de dos idiomas y dos culturas, Ortiz Cofer narra las experiencias de su vida como niña transformándose en mujer. (In short narrative pieces and poetry, the author recalls her childhood shuttling between Paterson, New Jersey, and her native Puerto Rico. The two cultures and languages crosscut her experiences as a girl moving into womanhood.) 1997.

por Juan Carlos Onetti

read by leído por Juan Ramirez

2 cassettes

Larsen, cincuentón y cínico, llega a trabajar en un astillero de un polvoriento pueblo. Es una empresa ruinosa sin trabajo ni clientes, pero con dos gerentes. En esta fantasmagórico lugar, Larsen conoce a tres mujeres con quienes emprende un devastador viaje espiritual para salvar el astillero y redimir unas ilusiones de su vida. (Cynical, fiftyish Larsen comes to work in a shipyard in a small town. It is a run-down operation with two managers but no work or clients. He meets three women with whom he begins an intense spiritual journey to redeem his life and save the shipyard, an effort that appears to be doomed from the start.) 1961.

por Audra Adams

read by leído por Maria Pino

1 cassette

Después de un encuentro amoroso, Rachel Morgan descubre que ha concebido al hijo de un hombre del que ni siquiera se acordaba. Ahora se ve obligada a enfrentarse a un nuevo futuro con un bebé. Mientras tanto, Reid James, el padre del bebé, no ha olvidado a Rachel, y quiere más que el recuerdo de aquella noche de amor. Pero Rachel es una mujer orgullosa, y convencerle que formara una familia con él no sería una tarea facíl. Contiene descripciones de índole sexual. (After a night of passion with a total stranger, Rachel Morgan discovers she is pregnant, and she knows her life is changed forever. Meanwhile, Reid James, the father of her child, has not forgotten Rachel, and he wants more than the memory of that night of love. But Rachel is a proud woman, and their final union will not be an easy task. Some descriptions of sex.) 1995.