Braille Book Review, Vol. 71, No. 2, March-April 2002 Braille Book Review March-April 2002 Volume 71, Number 2 _Braille Book Review_ is published bimonthly in large-print, braille, and computer diskette formats and distributed free to blind and physically handicapped individuals who participate in the Library of Congress free reading program. It lists braille magazines and books available through a network of cooperating libraries. The braille edition also lists recorded books, giving abbreviated annotations. News about library services is featured in both editions. The annotated list in this issue is limited to titles recently added to the national collection, which contains thousands of fiction and nonfiction titles, including classics, biographies, gothics, mysteries, and how-to and self-help guides. To learn more about the wide range of books in the national collection, readers may order catalogs and subject bibliographies from cooperating libraries. Librarians can check other resources for titles and answer requests for special materials. Readers can receive _Braille Book Review_ and other information through the Internet by accessing the the NLS home page at http://www.loc.gov/nls. To order books or for subscription changes, contact your local cooperating library. Correspondence regarding editorial matters should be sent to Publications and Media Section, National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress, Washington, DC 20542. Library of Congress, Washington 2002 Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 53-31800 ISSN 0006-873X Contents: In Brief Books for Adults Nonfiction Fiction Books for Children Nonfiction Fiction Braille Magazines In Brief Cassette Magazines For the information of readers interested in magazines in alternative media other than braille, a list of NLS-produced cassette magazines is reprinted here. Like the braille magazines listed in each issue of Braille Book Review following the descriptive listings of new books, the cassette periodicals are available at no charge to eligible readers. For free subscriptions, contact your cooperating library. American Heritage (8 issues) Analog Science Fiction and Fact (11 issues) Asimov's Science Fiction (11 issues) The Atlantic Monthly (11 issues; combined issue July-August) Das Beste aus Reader's Digest (German; 12 issues) Bon Appétit (monthly) Buenhogar (Spanish; monthly) Choice Magazine Listening (on loan from cooperating libraries, bimonthly) Consumer Reports (monthly) Contemporary Sound Track: A Review of Pop, Jazz, Rock, and Country (bimonthly) Cricket (for children, on one cassette with National Geographic World, monthly) Diabetes Forecast (monthly) Discover (monthly) Ebony (monthly) Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine (11 issues) Foreign Affairs (6 issues) Good Housekeeping (monthly plus special issues) Health and Nutrition Newsletters (includes Dr. Andrew Weil's Self Healing, Healthline, The Johns Hopkins Medical Letter--Health after Fifty, Mayo Clinic Health Letter, and Nutrition Action Healthletter, monthly) Journal Français (French; monthly) Magazine of the Month (monthly) Money (monthly plus special issues) The Musical Mainstream (quarterly) The Nation (47 issues) National Geographic (monthly) National Geographic World (for children and teens, on one cassette with Cricket, monthly) National Review (25 issues) New Choices: The Magazine for Your Health, Money & Travel (6 issues) The New York Times Book Review (weekly) Outdoor Life (10 issues; combined issues June-July and December-January) People Weekly (weekly plus special issues) QST (monthly) Quarterly Music Magazine (quarterly) Selecciones del Reader's Digest (Spanish; monthly) Sélections du Reader's Digest (French; monthly) Smart Computing (monthly) Sound & Vision (10 issues) Spider: The Magazine for Children (monthly) Sports Illustrated (weekly plus special issues) Sports Illustrated for Kids (monthly) Talking Book Topics (bimonthly, also contains selections from NLS News irregularly) Teen People (10 issues) Travel Holiday (10 issues) True West (monthly) U.S. News and World Report (weekly) The Writer (12 issues) Young Adult Magazine of the Month (monthly) For a descriptive listing of periodicals in many alternative formats (braille, audiocassette, computer diskette, audio disc, Moon type, large print, electronic braille, and electronic access) readers may wish to consult Magazines in Special Media, a directory produced by the NLS Reference Section. In addition to the magazines in braille and on audiocassette produced by NLS as part of its free reading program, the publication also lists magazines in alternative media from sources other than NLS and its cooperating libraries. Magazines in Special Media is available in large print on request from the Reference Section and online at the NLS web site www.loc.gov/pub/nls/reference/directories/magazines.txt. Newsstand The following announcement may be of interest to readers. The National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped reserves the right to publish announcements selectively, as space permits. Items mentioned, however, are not part of the NLS program, and their listing does not imply endorsement. Seedlings children‡s catalog. Seedlings has published its 2002 catalog of braille books for children. Braille readers may choose from more than 450 low-cost books, including books in braille, print and braille, print-braille with pictures, and a few in uncontracted braille. For a catalog, contact: Seedlings Braille Books for Children, P.O. Box 51924, Livonia, MI 48151-5924; e-mail seedlink@aol.com; web site www.seedlings.org. The following information is reprinted from Talking Book Topics, March-April 2002. Newsstand The following announcement may be of interest to readers. The National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped reserves the right to publish announcements selectively, as space permits. Items mentioned, however, are not part of the NLS program, and their listing does not imply endorsement. Talking Dictionary. Talking Dictionary for Windows is a 250,000-word speech-enabled dictionary/thesaurus designed for visually impaired users. Features include pronunciation, spelling, keyboard assistance, word definitions, synonyms, and a complex phonetic spell-checking system. It can be used with all screen readers, but doesn't require one as it has its own built-in speech engine. The talking dictionary runs on Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows 98SE, Windows Millennium Edition, and Windows 2000. A sound card with speakers is required. The complete downloaded dictionary, including backup CD and one year of upgrades, costs $39.95 and is available from RWF Talking Software. Further information and a free demonstration download may be found at http://www.talkingsoftware.gothere.uk.com/ html/talking_dictionary.html. ### _Books for Adults_ The following books were recently produced for the NLS program. To order books, contact your braille-lending library. _Note:_ For the infomation of the reader, a notice may appear immediately following the book description to indicate occurrences of strong language, explicit descriptions of sex, or violence. The word "some" before any of these terms indicates an occasional or infrequent occurence, as in "some strong language." _Nonfiction_ Before the Wind: The Memoir of an American Sea Captain, 1808-1833. BR 12781. by Charles Tyng. 3 volumes. Charles Tyng's great-great-granddaughter has edited this memoir of his early seafaring years, tracing his career from a first harrowing voyage to China at age thirteen to his own shipboard command in his early twenties. Tyng recounts his adventures at sea, including shipwrecks, mutinies, and pirate attacks, and in exotic ports worldwide. Some violence. 1999. BR 12781. ## >From Dawn to Decadence: 500 Years of Western Cultural Life, 1500 to the Present. BR 12796. by Jacques Barzun. 11 volumes. A description of major achievements in Western art, thought, manners, morals, and religion, from the Protestant Reformation to the late twentieth century. Profiles major figures in cultural and social revolutions, including Luther, Cromwell, Mozart, and Rousseau. Explores evidence of what the author views as a decline in Europe and America. 2000. BR 12796. ## The Beatles Anthology. BR 12804. . 7 volumes. Chronicle of the innovative English rock group comprised of Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Ringo Starr, and John Lennon, from their childhoods in Liverpool until their split in 1970. Based largely on a 1994 television documentary series, the book features interviews with the four musicians and their close associates. Some strong language. Bestseller 2000. BR 12804. ## Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation. BR 12931. by Joseph J. Ellis. 3 volumes. Author of _American Sphinx (RC 44729)_ explains the importance of a few prominent leaders in the development of democracy after the American Revolution. Describes significant contributions to the new nation made by John Adams, Aaron Burr, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and George Washington. Bestseller 2000. BR 12931. ## Life's Delicate Balance: Causes and Prevention of Breast Cancer. BR 12938. by Janette D. Sherman. 3 volumes. Doctor specializing in internal medicine and toxicology discusses various agents--pesticides, industrial chemicals, hormone additives, nuclear radiation, and others--that alter the way cells grow and function. She proposes personal choices and political actions that may reduce the risks of breast cancer and other malignancies. 2000. BR 12938. ## Fresh Air Fiend: Travel Writings, 1985-2000. BR 12967. by Paul Theroux. 4 volumes. Fifteen years of articles and essays that explore the connections between traveling and writing. Recounts camping trips in Maine and visits to European cities, rivers in Africa and China, and Pacific islands. Includes essays on the author's and others' books and on travel writers such as Bruce Chatwin. Some strong language. 2000. BR 12967. ## The Secret Lives of Words. BR 12969. by Paul West. 3 volumes. A word lover pays homage to some four hundred words and explains their derivation. An entertaining exploration of the "double, multiple identity of words" and their convoluted journey into English. Begins with _abacus_ and proceeds through the alphabet to end with _zymurgist_. Some strong language. 2000. BR 12969. ## Retire Early--and Live the Life You Want Now: A Ten-Step Plan for Reinventing Your Retirement. BR 12970. by John F. Wasik. 2 volumes. Includes instructions for balancing spending with what is needed for early retirement, structuring an income stream, choosing and setting up a prosperity plan, creating a private utopia, fully funding investment vehicles, retiring early even with kids at home, and making money last as long as you do. 1999. BR 12970. ## The Black Room at Longwood: Napoleon's Exile on Saint Helena. BR 12982. by Jean-Paul Kauffmann. 2 volumes. Describes Napoleon's place of exile and imprisonment from 1815 until his death in 1821, reflecting on the emperor's state of mind and including portions of his diary. Winner of the Prix Femina and a bestseller in France. Translated by Patricia Clancy. 1999. Bestseller 1999. BR 12982. ## Opposing Viewpoints in Social Issues. BR 13000. edited by William Dudley. 4 volumes. Presents debates on gun control, abortion, affirmative action, alcohol, the death penalty, assisted suicide, genetic engineering, and smoking. Each section includes six essays--three supporting and three opposing the topic. For senior high readers. 2000. BR 13000. ## Zero G: Life and Survival in Space. BR 13264. by Peter Bond. 2 volumes. Examines the experiences of some four hundred people who were astronauts or cosmonauts before 1999. Describes their adaptation to the weightless environment of zero gravity, with no sense of "up" or "down." Details the trials and tribulations, dangers, excitement, and monotony that make up space travel. 1999. BR 13264. ## Leonardo da Vinci. BR 13272. by Sherwin B. Nuland. 1 volume. A professor of surgery examines the Renaissance painter, architect, and engineer, focusing on Leonardo's experimental approach to science and especially his studies of anatomy and physiology. Discusses the contention of the artist's homosexuality and interprets the Mona Lisa portrait. Some descriptions of sex. 2000. BR 13272. ## The Social Lives of Dogs: The Grace of Canine Company. BR 13273. by Elizabeth Marshall Thomas. 2 volumes. In this sequel to the bestselling _The Hidden Life of Dogs (BR 9410)_ the anthropologist-owner of a multitude of pets continues her observations of their behavior. Theorizes that if canines cannot live only with their own kind, they will establish family relationships with humans and other household pets. 2000. BR 13273. ## An Hour before Daylight: Memories of a Rural Boyhood. BR 13279. by Jimmy Carter. 2 volumes. The thirty-ninth president of the United States reminisces about growing up in rural Georgia during the depression. Traces his family genealogy; examines social mores of the segregated South. Describes his experience of daily life in a small close-knit farming community until his appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy. Bestseller 2001. BR 13279. ## In the Wilderness: Coming of Age in Unknown Country. BR 13284. by Kim Barnes. 2 volumes. A poet describes her happy childhood in the Idaho timberlands, where her father was a logger, and her rebellious adolescence after her parents joined a fundamentalist religion. She recalls changes in the environment and in her interior landscape as she matured. Some descriptions of sex and some strong language. 1996. BR 13284. ## _The_ _Diamond Sutra_ and _The Sutra of Hui-Neng_. BR 13285. translated by A.F. Price and Mou-lam Wong. 2 volumes. _The Diamond Sutra_, a sacred Buddhist scripture, passed into written format in the fourth century A.D. Price's English translation of the text was made in 1947. In 1929 Wong made the first English translation of _The Sutra of Hui-Neng_, a T'ang dynasty record of sermons and sayings belonging to the Zen tradition. 1947. BR 13285. ## Midnight Salvage: Poems, 1995-1998. BR 13294. by Adrienne Rich. 1 volume. A collection of fourteen poems concerning the beauty and fragility of life. In "Modotti," Rich evokes the spirit of Tina Modotti, a political activist, revolutionary, and photographer, with this opening line: "Your footprints of light on sensitive paper..." Some descriptions of sex. 1999. BR 13294. ## Open Closed Open: Poems. BR 13300. by Yehuda Amichai. 2 volumes. This collection of personal and cultural history begins and ends with poems in which Israel's leading poet recounts the story of a fragmented stone engraved with the word "Amen" that lies on his desk. Originally written in Hebrew, these poems were translated by Chana Bloch and Chana Kronfeld. 2000. BR 13300. ## The Art of Happiness: A Handbook for Living. BR 13301. by Dalai Lama and Howard C. Cutler. 2 volumes. Following conversations with the Dalai Lama, psychiatrist Cutler presents the Buddhist leader's methods for maintaining happiness. The Dalai Lama believes genuine and lasting inner peace may be attained through trust in the fundamental gentleness and goodness of all human beings, compassion, and a policy of kindness. Bestseller 1998. BR 13301. ## It's Never Too Late to Love a Computer: A Friendly First Guide. BR 13302. by Abby Stokes. 2 volumes. Advises novice computer users on the basics. Covers the parts of a computer (software and hardware), purchasing tips, choosing between the Apple Macintosh and IBM- compatible personal computers (PCs), and experimenting with using e-mail and word processing. Provides a glossary and lists recommended web sites and other resources. 2000. BR 13302. ## How to Read and Why. BR 13309. by Harold Bloom. 2 volumes. Literary critic Bloom presents "samplings" and interpretations of his favorite literary works to affirm the value of engaged reading. Among the authors discussed are short-story masters Turgenev, Hemingway, Borges, and Calvino; poets Whitman, Dickinson, Wordsworth, and Keats; novelists Cervantes, Stendhal, Austen, Proust, Melville, and Pynchon; and playwrights Shakespeare, Ibsen, and Wilde. 2000. BR 13309. ## Medicine's Ten Greatest Discoveries. BR 13311. by Meyer Friedman and Gerald W. Friedland. 3 volumes. Presents ten monumental discoveries that are considered significant in shaping modern medicine. Describes the scientists responsible and others who continued their research as well as the shared traits that made their achievements possible. Includes Edward Jenner and vaccination, Alexander Fleming and antibiotics, and Maurice Wilkins and DNA. 1998. BR 13311. ## The Water in Between: A Journey at Sea. BR 13312. by Kevin Patterson. 3 volumes. Canadian ex-army doctor Patterson recalls a sailing adventure from Vancouver Island to Tahiti with a friend in 1994 and 1995. Describes the four-day gale encountered on his solo return voyage and his fear that a journey meant to distract him from a broken heart might actually end in death. 1999. BR 13312. ## The Renaissance: A Short History. BR 13319. by Paul Johnson. 2 volumes. A brief survey of the Renaissance, including the historic and economic background of the period; its art, literature, and architecture; and its eventual decline. 2000. BR 13319. ## Heroes of the Game: True Baseball Stories. BR 13324. by Terry Egan and others. 1 volume. This companion to _The Good Guys of Baseball (BR 12879)_ highlights nineteen players who exemplify sportsmanship and the love of the game. Includes major leaguer Roberto Clemente, who died on a mercy mission, and Jim Eisenreich, who has Tourette's syndrome. Grade 1 braille. 1992. BR 13324. ## Driving Mr. Albert: A Trip across America with Einstein's Brain. BR 13332. by Michael Paterniti. 2 volumes. As the author chauffeurs Dr. Thomas Harvey and the pickled remains of Einstein's brain from New Jersey to California, he recalls salient facts about the scientific genius, contemplates mysteries of the brain, and ponders the eccentricity of his traveling companion. Some strong language. 2000. BR 13332. ## The Sky Is Not the Limit: Adventures of an Urban Astrophysicist. BR 13333. by Neil de Grasse Tyson. 2 volumes. Memoirs of the director of the Hayden Planetarium in New York City. Describes his deciding at nine to become an astrophysicist and then achieving that goal. Explains Tyson's unique profile not only as a "nerdy kid" and star athlete, but as a black male in America. 2000. BR 13333. ## Millionaire: The Philanderer, Gambler, and Duelist Who Invented Modern Finance. BR 13338. by Janet Gleeson. 2 volumes. Chronicles John Law's Scottish childhood, his years studying economics, and his escape from prison after winning a duel. Recalls his rise to fame for devising the paper currency system of the eighteenth century; explores the impact of Law's financial innovations on banking, credit, and investment practices. 1999. BR 13338. ## Virginia Woolf. BR 13339. by Nigel Nicolson. 1 volume. An affectionate portrait of the British author by a biographer who remembers her from his childhood. Offers Nicolson's interpretation of Woolf's relationship with her half brothers and its effect on her sexuality. Covers her marriage, circle of friends in Bloomsbury, views on feminism, voluminous writings, and intermittent bouts of madness. 2000. BR 13339. ## Rosa Parks. BR 13342. by Douglas Brinkley. 2 volumes. A distinguished historian portrays the woman who became a symbol of freedom by her refusal to give up her Alabama bus seat to a white man in 1955. Brinkley examines her background, what led to her courageous action in the civil rights movement, and the repercussions. 2000. BR 13342. ## The Education of Laura Bridgman: First Deaf and Blind Person to Learn Language. BR 13354. by Ernest Freeberg. 3 volumes. Chronicles the life of Laura Bridgman, who, born into a New Hampshire farm family in 1829, became deaf and blind at the age of two. Freeberg recounts Laura's transformation into a woman who voraciously absorbed the world around her under the tutelage of Dr. Samuel Gridley Howe of the Perkins Institution for the Blind. 2001. BR 13354. ## Buddha. BR 13356. by Karen Armstrong. 2 volumes. A biographical study of the revered religious leader, traditionally thought to have died in India in 483 B.C. Traces the main events of his life, from his renunciation of family through his quest for enlightenment, as evidenced in his teachings. Examines his philosophy for its message to humanity. Bestseller 2001. BR 13356. ## Deadlock: The Inside Story of America's Closest Election. BR 13378. . 3 volumes. _Washington Post_ political journalists describe the 2000 presidential election finale in Florida, detailing the counting techniques, legal maneuvers, and the court battle for the state's electoral votes. Explores the decisions that led Gore to pursue recounts and Bush the Supreme Court. Bestseller 2001. BR 13378. ## ### _Fiction_ Dakota Born: Buffalo Valley Trilogy, Volume 1. BR 12925. by Debbie Macomber. 3 volumes. Buffalo Valley, North Dakota, is a dying town. Lindsay Snyder used to visit her grandmother there, and now she has become the town's only schoolteacher. As Lindsay comes to know the town and its people, she learns she has a serious disadvantage--she's not Dakota-born. Prequel to _Dakota Home (BR 12926)_. 1999. BR 12925. ## The Perfect Elizabeth: A Tale of Two Sisters. BR 12941. by Libby Schmais. 2 volumes. Eliza dislikes her job as a legal secretary. She also worries about her actor boyfriend's fear of commitment. Her confidante is her divorced sister, Bette, who has been diagnosed with a social phobia and is doing academic research on literary references to food. Some descriptions of sex and some strong language. 2000. BR 12941. ## The Smoking Book. BR 12942. by Lesley Stern. 2 volumes. Vignettes on the pleasures and pain of cigarette addiction. "Suspended Forever" is the cherished memory of two sisters growing up in Africa, who secretly purchase cigarettes and then sneak off to try them. In "The Body Has a Mind of Its Own," a woman resorts to some unusual "cures" for smoking. 1999. BR 12942. ## After Lucy. BR 12973. by Daniel Jones. 3 volumes. Three weeks after his wife Lucy dies of cancer, Porter impulsively buys an old camper. Despite disapproval from Lucy's wealthy parents, Porter sets off with his kids-- Kaylie, twelve, and Ben, eight--on a cross-country vacation. Strong language and some explicit descriptions of sex. 2000. BR 12973. ## No Crystal Stair. BR 12974. by Eva Rutland. 3 volumes. Semiautobiographical novel about African American Ann Elizabeth Carter, who grew up in a privileged Atlanta neighborhood. Her way of life changes when she marries Californian Robert Metcalf, a lieutenant with the Tuskegee Airmen. Over the years they face challenges that include a world war and the civil rights movement. Some strong language. 2000. BR 12974. ## The First Time. BR 13257. by Joy Fielding. 3 volumes. Jake, who married Mattie sixteen years ago because she was pregnant, leaves her for his latest mistress. Meanwhile, Mattie experiences odd symptoms and learns she has Lou Gehrig's disease. When Jake insists on moving back in, the couple's relationship slowly changes. Some explicit descriptions of sex and some strong language. 2000. BR 13257. ## _The_ _Cabal_ and Other Stories. BR 13266. by Ellen Gilchrist. 2 volumes. An ironic novella about a psychiatrist is followed by five short stories. In "The Cabal," a group of patients who consulted Dr. Jim Jaspers are confounded when he goes berserk at a funeral and begins spouting their secrets all over town. Some strong language. 2000. BR 13266. ## A Daughter of the Land. BR 13267. by Gene Stratton-Porter. 3 volumes. Kate Bates, the youngest daughter in a large family of rich Indiana farmers, resents the fact that she is not to be educated or given her own land. Kate finally rebels and spends years struggling to achieve her dreams. 1918. BR 13267. ## Murder, with Peacocks. BR 13270. by Donna Andrews. 3 volumes. Meg is knocking herself out trying to be a bridesmaid for the weddings of her brother, mother, and best friend. As she tries to help her ditzy relatives prepare for their various outrageous festivities, one of the guests is murdered, old crimes are uncovered, and she falls in love. 1999. BR 13270. ## The Shining. BR 13271. by Stephen King. 4 volumes. Jack and Wendy Torrance come face-to-face with terror when they become caretakers of a haunted old hotel in the snowy mountains of Colorado. Their five-year-old son, Danny, who appears to have psychic powers, is the first to sense the evil in the building. Violence and strong language. Bestseller 1977. BR 13271. ## The Advocate. BR 13282. by Bill Mesce and Steven G. Szilagyi. 3 volumes. England, 1943. Two American bombers suddenly attack a third plane as well as civilian witnesses on the ground. As Major Harry Voss of the Judge Advocate General's office delves into the incident, he uncovers secrets that the higher-ups want to keep concealed. Some violence and some strong language. 2000. BR 13282. ## Deep Sightings and Rescue Missions: Fiction, Essays, and Conversations. BR 13289. by Toni Cade Bambara. 2 volumes. A collection of Toni Bambara's fiction and nonfiction pieces, gathered by Nobel laureate Toni Morrison after the author's death in 1995. In "How She Came by Her Name," Bambara discusses the evolution of her own name. In "Deep Sight and Rescue Missions," she addresses race and politics. Some strong language. 1996. BR 13289. ## Akhenaten: Dweller in Truth. BR 13296. by Naguib Mahfouz. 1 volume. Years after the death of Akhenaten, the first Egyptian pharaoh to profess monotheism, a young scholar seeks out the recollections of Akhenaten's contemporaries, both friends and enemies. His final interview is with Nefertiti, the former pharaoh's still-faithful wife. Originally published in 1985 by the Egyptian Nobel laureate. 1998. BR 13296. ## Caution, Men in Trees. BR 13303. by Darrell Spencer. 2 volumes. Nine short stories about men and their failings. In "Blood Work," a son, after his second divorce, moves back to his ailing father's house. In "There's Too Much News," a man relocates to the country for his wife's third round of psychotherapy. Some strong language. Flannery O'Connor Award. 2000. BR 13303. ## Wild Decembers. BR 13304. by Edna O'Brien. 2 volumes. When Mick Bugler returns to Cloontha, Ireland, to claim the land he inherits from his uncle, he befriends neighbors Joseph Brennan and his sister Breege. But a disagreement revives a long-standing feud between the families, and tragedy strikes. Strong language. 1999. BR 13304. ## Traveling Light. BR 13305. by Katrina Kittle. 3 volumes. At twenty-six, Summer deals with lives and dreams cut short. An accident ends her promising dancing career, her indecision ruins her future with her lover, and AIDS takes her beloved brother's life. Still she learns that love can transcend many things. Strong language and some descriptions of sex. 2000. BR 13305. ## As We Are Now. BR 13306. by May Sarton. 1 volume. Elderly spinster schoolteacher Caro Spencer is left in a desolate old folks' home by her older brother. As boredom and lack of mental stimulation increase for her, she keeps a journal and plans for the inevitable. 1973. BR 13306. ## Welcome to My Planet: Where English Is Sometimes Spoken. BR 13310. by Shannon Olson. 2 volumes. Protagonist Shannon Olson keeps her sense of humor as she struggles to find happiness during years of therapy sessions, entering and exiting relationships, quitting her dead-end job for graduate school, watching lots of television, and having ongoing conversations with her mother. Descriptions of sex and strong language. 2000. BR 13310. ## The Telling. BR 13313. by Ursula K. Le Guin. 2 volumes. As a trained linguist and literature expert, Sutty feels redundant as an observer on planet Aka, where history in all forms is suppressed. But when she travels as a lone emissary to the remote town of Okzat-Ozkat, she gradually perceives the remnants of a banned culture and religion. 2000. BR 13313. ## Legacy of the Dead: An Inspector Ian Rutledge Mystery. BR 13317. by Charles Todd. 3 volumes. Scotland, 1919. Shellshocked Inspector Ian Rutledge investigates a case involving a murdered woman who had given birth to an illegitimate child. Rutledge discovers that the person accused of the crime is none other than the fiancée of Corporal Hamish MacLeod--the soldier he executed for cowardice during the war. 2000. BR 13317. ## An English Murder. BR 13321. by Louise Doughty. 2 volumes. Alison, a young newspaper reporter, lives in a small English village where nothing ever happens. But then the couple next door is murdered and their teenaged daughter disappears. When someone offers Alison a clue to the girl's whereabouts, she must decide on a course of action. Some strong language. 1998. BR 13321. ## Diamond Dust: Stories. BR 13325. by Anita Desai. 2 volumes. Nine tales by the acclaimed author, set in her homeland of India and in New England, Britain, and Mexico. In the title piece Mrs. Das exclaims that her husband's dog, Diamond, will kill her one day with his rambunctious behavior. But she is not the one who dies. Some strong language. 2000. BR 13325. ## The Wedding Jester. BR 13326. by Steve Stern. 2 volumes. Collection of nine action-packed stories set in Stern's magical Jewish otherworld. In the title story writer Saul Bozoff accompanies his mother to a wedding in the Catskills. His shining moment comes when he exorcises a dybbuk who takes possession of the bride during the ceremony. Some strong language. National Jewish Book Award. 1999. BR 13326. ## The Lucky Gourd Shop. BR 13329. by Joanna Catherine Scott. 2 volumes. Three adopted Korean American teenagers are curious about their roots. What they do not know is that their birth mother had been a foundling raised in a Seoul coffeeshop. After the death of their father, the children's grandmother saved them from starvation by taking them to an orphanage. 2000. BR 13329. ## The Dark Side of the Sun. BR 13334. by Elizabeth Palmer. 3 volumes. England, 1928. Teenager Mary Fox, the governess's daughter, falls in love with the eldest of the privileged Harding children. Then World War II intervenes, and Mary finds work in the London war office. After her mother is killed in an air raid, Mary discovers her secret past. Some descriptions of sex. 1999. BR 13334. ## A Blind Man Can See How Much I Love You: Stories. BR 13335. by Amy Bloom. 1 volume. Eight stories about the survivors of stressful situations. In the title piece, single-mother Jane accompanies her beloved daughter Jessie for a transsexual operation to become the man she's always wanted to be. Some descriptions of sex and some strong language. 2000. BR 13335. ## _Sam the Cat_ and Other Stories. BR 13336. by Matthew Klam. 2 volumes. An O. Henry Award winner presents seven short stories previously published in the _New Yorker_. In the title entry, a young womanizer ruminates on his lifestyle. In "Not This," a man relishes the prospect of donating sperm to his sister-in-law. Some descriptions of sex and some strong language. 2000. BR 13336. ## The Mysterious Affair at Styles: Poirot's First Case. BR 13337. by Agatha Christie. 2 volumes. In Hercule Poirot's first case, the retired Belgian police detective investigates the death of Emily Cavendish, an elderly heiress who, to the distress of her stepchildren, had recently married a fortune hunter. 1920. BR 13337. ## Being Dead. BR 13340. by Jim Crace. 2 volumes. A married couple, both doctors of zoology, are found spread- eagled, murdered, and robbed on a beach--Joseph's hand clasping Celice's ankle, a loving gesture even in death. Descriptions of their bodies' return to the elements are interspersed with the couple's love story beginning on that same sand thirty years before. Some descriptions of sex. 1999. BR 13340. ## Eleanor Hill. BR 13343. by Lisa Williams Kline. 2 volumes. Early 1900s. Twelve-year-old Eleanor Hill is growing up in a small North Carolina fishing village yearning for an education and a fuller life. With the encouragement of a suffragette teacher and her brother, Eleanor finds the courage to leave home and become an independent person. For junior and senior high readers. 1999. BR 13343. ## Burning for Revenge. BR 13344. by John Marsden. 2 volumes. In this sequel to _Darkness, Be My Friend (BR 12596)_ the teen guerilla band members led by Ellie are abandoned in Australia and have to fight their way out of an enemy airfield--destroying it in the process. Some violence and some strong language. For junior and senior high readers. 1997. BR 13344. ## Crazy. BR 13345. by Benjamin Lebert. 1 volume. The German teenage author's sixteen-year-old protagonist is repeating the ninth grade, this time in a remedial boarding school. Benni's roommate welcomes him into a group of friends who easily accept his partial paralysis and introduce him to sex and other wild behavior. Explicit descriptions of sex and strong language. 2000. BR 13345. ## The Name of the World. BR 13346. by Denis Johnson. 1 volume. Fifty-three-year-old professor Michael Reed probes his four- year-long emotional numbness since his wife and young daughter were killed in a car accident. He vaguely hopes that his fascination with college student Flower Cannon, a risqué performance artist, will reignite his feelings. Some strong language. 2000. BR 13346. ## Lone Eagle. BR 13361. by Danielle Steel. 3 volumes. Kate Jamison, seventeen, falls for Joe Allbright, twenty- nine, in 1940. Unwilling to commit to marriage, Joe, a pilot, goes off to war. Kate marries another and has children. Eventually Joe reenters her life, forcing Kate to confront her love for him and his need to fly free. Bestseller 2001. BR 13361. ## Driving Lessons. BR 13364. by Ed McBain. 1 volume. Detective Katie Logan investigates the case of a woman run over by a student driver. Then she discovers that the victim is the wife of the instructor. Some strong language. 1999. BR 13364. ## The Last Lover. BR 13373. by Laura Van Wormer. 2 volumes. In this sequel to _Exposé (BR 12705)_, reporter Sally Harrington becomes a police suspect when her lover, Spencer Hawes, and Hollywood starlet Lilliana Martin both disappear after a party. Then, after visiting Sally, Lilliana's gangster boyfriend is murdered. Explicit descriptions of sex and strong language. 2000. BR 13373. ## _Kissing Tennessee_ and Other Stories from the Stardust Dance. BR 13385. by Kathi Appelt. 1 volume. Eight eighth-grade students attend their graduation dance with different hopes and expectations. All have questions about love and life. Their experiences include crushes, friendships, true romance, siblings, and physical abuse. Some violence. For junior and senior high readers. 2000. BR 13385. ## Death in Holy Orders. BR 13402. by P.D. James. 4 volumes. Young seminarian Ronald Treeves is found dead on the beach near his school. Although an inquest rules the death accidental, his adoptive father, Sir Alred (a wealthy arms manufacturer), receives an anonymous note and insists on a murder investigation by Adam Dalgliesh. Bestseller 2001. BR 13402. ## The Sooterkin. BR 13404. by Tom Gilling. 2 volumes. 1821. Sarah Dyer, a convict in an Australian penal colony, gives birth to her second child, Arthur. Unlike nine-year- old Ned, Arthur has a bizarre appearance--like a seal pup-- and is dubbed sooterkin, or monster. Arthur's family still loves him, and when he disappears Ned sets out to find him, with unexpected results. 1999. BR 13404. ## Tightrope. BR 13406. by Gillian Cross. 2 volumes. Fourteen-year-old Ashley helps her disabled mother after school every day, but by night she is "Cindy," an expert graffiti artist, tagging the walls of the shabby English town where she lives. When someone begins stalking her, Ashley turns to a local gang leader for help. For senior high readers. 1999. BR 13406. ## Facing the Dark. BR 13411. by Michael Harrison. 1 volume. When Simon's father is arrested for murdering a rival taxi cab company owner, Simon begins his own investigation. At the scene of the crime he meets the victim's daughter, Charley. The two soon join forces to solve the mystery. For junior and senior high readers. 1999. BR 13411. ## ### _Books for Children_ The following books were recently produced for the NLS program. To order books, contact your braille-lending library. _Nonfiction_ Ramadan. BR 13084. by Suhaib Hamid Ghazi. 1 volume. Hakeem, a young Muslim boy, relates the story of Ramadan, which is celebrated by all Muslims during the ninth month of their lunar year. He describes the meaning and importance of the holiday, and relates how his family celebrates it by observing the rituals of feasting, fasting, and praying. PRINT/BRAILLE. For grades K-3. 1996. BR 13084. ## Solar Power. BR 13268. by Ian Graham. 1 volume. Explains the concept of solar energy and provides a brief history of its uses from ancient civilizations through modern times. Discusses its advantages and disadvantages, and new developments in the field including solar power in space. For grades 4-7. 1999. BR 13268. ## North America. BR 13269. by April Pulley Sayre. 1 volume. Describes the unique geographical characteristics of the North American continent including its waterways, weather, plants, and animals. Discusses the northern lands of Canada and Alaska, as well as Mexico and its links to Central America and the Caribbean. Also covers the lower forty-eight states. For grades 5-8. 1998. BR 13269. ## Water Power. BR 13286. by Ian Graham. 1 volume. Examines water as a natural resource and its role on the planet Earth. Presents a brief history of people's endeavors to harness water power from mills to steam engines to producing electricity. Discusses a few future possibilities. For grades 4-7. 1999. BR 13286. ## Fossil Fuels. BR 13287. by Ian Graham. 1 volume. Defines fossil fuels--coal, oil, and natural gas--and their origins. Discusses harnessing their power, the difficulties of retrieving and transporting them, and their harmful effect on the environment. Explains the uses of fossil fuels and considers future possibilities for alternative energy sources. For grades 4-7. 1999. BR 13287. ## _Dogs Have the Strangest Friends_ and Other True Stories of Animal Feelings. BR 13308. by Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson. 1 volume. A collection of real-life tales demonstrating that animal behavior expresses emotion and feelings. In "A Gorilla Saves a Young Boy," the author tells about a mother gorilla, Binti-Jua, who carried a fallen three-year-old human boy to zookeepers. For grades 4-7. 2000. BR 13308. ## Too Old for This, Too Young for That! Your Survival Guide for the Middle-School Years. BR 13341. by Harriet S. Mosatche and Karen Unger. 2 volumes. Information, advice, and support for middle schoolers on issues such as communicating with family and friends, setting goals, handling peer pressure, and dealing with physical and emotional changes including body functions and stress. Suitable for parents to read in order to understand their preteens. For grades 6-9 and older readers. 2000. BR 13341. ## Child of the Silent Night. BR 13357. by Edith Fisher Hunter. 1 volume. A biography of Laura Bridgman, born in 1829, blind, deaf, and mute from having scarlet fever at age two. Describes her early years at home and the decision to send her to the Perkins Institute, where Dr. Samuel Gridley Howe taught her to communicate. For grades 4-7. 1963. BR 13357. ## Shaping the Earth. BR 13380. by Dorothy Hinshaw Patent. 1 volume. A brief history of the planet Earth. Discusses its origins some 4.5 billion years ago; the effect of the arrival of life about 3.5 billion years ago and its interaction with geologic forces; and how humans have modified the environment for the past 11,000 years. For grades 5-8. 2000. BR 13380. ## ### _Fiction_ Peg and the Whale. BR 13082. by Kenneth Oppel. 1 volume. Peg has caught pretty much everything that swims. Now almost seven, she wants to go fishing for a whale--even though her father points out it is a mammal. She packs up her rod and reel and signs onto a whaling ship. PRINT/BRAILLE. For grades K-3. 2000. BR 13082. ## Uptown. BR 13088. by Bryan Collier. 1 volume. A young boy points out his favorite places in Harlem from the brownstone houses to the street market, from the Apollo Theater to the barbershop. He remarks on the sounds and rhythms, activities, and people--all that he loves about Harlem, his home. PRINT/BRAILLE. For preschool-grade 2. Coretta Scott King Award. 2000. BR 13088. ## Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type. BR 13089. by Doreen Cronin. 1 volume. When Farmer Brown's cows find a typewriter in the barn, they write the farmer notes making silly demands. When he refuses to give them what they want, they go on strike. Then the hens strike too. PRINT/BRAILLE. For preschool-grade 2. Caldecott Honor. 2000. BR 13089. ## Tomorrowland: Ten Stories about the Future. BR 13288. compiled by Michael Cart. 1 volume. In honor of the new millennium these ten short stories by noted authors describe visions of past and future times. In James Cross Giblin's "Night of the Plague," a young monk in the year 1000 ponders the night sky and the end of the world. For grades 6-9. 1999. BR 13288. ## The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle. BR 13299. by Avi. 2 volumes. In 1832 Charlotte Doyle, thirteen, returning from school in England to join her family in Rhode Island, embarks on a seedy ship with a mad captain and a mutinous crew. Refusing to heed warnings about Captain Jaggery, Charlotte seeks his guidance and approval, only to become his victim. For grades 5-8. Newbery Honor. 1990. BR 13299. ## The Hardy Boys Casefiles. BR 13318. by Franklin W. Dixon. 3 volumes. Three mystery stories featuring brothers Joe and Frank Hardy, entitled _Beyond the Law_, _Spiked!_, and _Open Season_. The boys investigate crooked cops, compete in a deadly volleyball tournament, and struggle to survive a cross-country ski trek. For grades 4-7. 1992. BR 13318. ## Maniac Magee. BR 13320. by Jerry Spinelli. 1 volume (Reissue). A whole year after he ran away, eleven-year-old orphan Jeffrey Magee ends up in a highly segregated community. He lives alternately with blacks and whites, seeing the shared humanity of both. Part tall tale, part realistic fiction, the story explores issues of homelessness, racial prejudice, and illiteracy. For grades 5-8. Newbery Medal. 1990. BR 13320. ## Millions of Cats. BR 13322. by Wanda Gág. 1 volume (Reissue). Once upon a time a very old man set out to find a pretty cat for his lonely wife. Unable to choose only one, he comes home with hundreds and thousands and millions and billions and trillions of cats. But she still wants only one. For grades K-3. 1928. BR 13322. ## Wintering. BR 13347. by William Durbin. 1 volume. Canada, 1801. In this sequel to _The Broken Blade (BR 13349)_ fourteen-year-old Pierre La Page spends his first winter in the wilderness building a trading post and befriending Red Loon, a young Ojibwe warrior. For grades 5- 8. 1999. BR 13347. ## The Broken Blade. BR 13349. by William Durbin. 1 volume. Montreal, Canada, 1800. Thirteen-year-old Pierre La Page has to take his injured father's place as a _voyageur_ on a fur- trading expedition. But can he survive the journey through the wilderness with the rough crew and treacherous waterways? Prequel to _Wintering (BR 13347)_. For grades 5- 8. 1997. BR 13349. ## Why Can't I Fly?. BR 13392. by Rita Golden Gelman. 1 volume. A monkey named Minnie wants to know why she can't fly since she can swing, hang, climb, and jump so high. For grades K- 3. 1976. BR 13392. ## Tucket's Home. BR 13403. by Gary Paulsen. 1 volume. Francis, Lottie, and Billy carry along the Spanish treasure of gold and silver found in _Tucket's Gold (BR 13123)_ as they survive a series of hair-raising adventures while heading west. Francis never doubts that he will find his family again. Some violence. For grades 5-8. 2000. BR 13403. ## Blaze Finds the Trail. BR 13407. by C.W. Anderson. 1 volume. When Billy and his pony, Blaze, go for a long ride in the woods, they become lost. Billy is frightened as a storm approaches because he cannot find the road home. But Blaze knows where Billy wants to go. For grades 2-4. 1950. BR 13407. ## Grimm's Fairy Tales: The Children's Classic Edition. BR 13408. retold by David Borgenicht. 1 volume. Seven folktales collected by the Grimm brothers. Retold here for young readers are "The Frog Prince," "Rumpelstiltskin," "The Fisherman and His Wife," "Hansel and Gretel," "The Musicians of Bremen," "The Brave Little Tailor," and "The Golden Goose." For grades 2-4. 1997. BR 13408. ## ### Braille Magazines The following is a list of braille magazines in the Library of Congress program. Readers may obtain free personal subscriptions to these magazines. For information on the availability of specific magazines, consult the library that send you braille materials. Boys' Life (for children and teens, monthly) Braille Book Review (bimonthly) Braille Chess Magazine (British quarterly) Braille Music Magazine (British monthly) Conundrum (British monthly) Cooking Light (10 issues) ESPN: The Magazine (biweekly) Harper's (literary; monthly) Health Newsletters (includes Harvard Health Letter, Mayo Clinic Health Letter, and University of California at Berkeley Wellness Letter, monthly) Kiplinger's Personal Finance Magazine (monthly) Ladies' Home Journal (monthly) Martha Stewart Living (home and entertaining; 10 issues) Muse (for children; 10 issues) The Musical Mainstream (quarterly) National Geographic (monthly) The New York Times Large Type Weekly (weekly) News (NLS quarterly) Parenting (monthly except January and July) PC World (personal computing; monthly) Playboy (monthly) Poetry (11 issues) Popular Communications (monthly) Popular Mechanics (monthly) Popular Music Lead Sheets (irregular) Rolling Stone (popular culture; 24 issues) Science News (weekly) Seventeen (for teens; monthly) Short Stories (British monthly) Spider: The Magazine for Children (monthly) Stone Soup (children's writings; 5 issues) Update (NLS quarterly) The Washington Post Book World (weekly) The following sports schedules are also available: American Baseball League Schedule National Baseball League Schedule National Basketball Association Schedule National Football League Schedule National Hockey League Schedule Women's National Basketball Association Schedule