Braille Book Review

Books for Adults The following books were recently produced for the NLS program. To order books, contact your braille-lending library. Note: For the information of the reader, a notice may appear immediately following the book description to indicate occurrences of strong language, explicit descriptions of sex, or violence. The word "some" before any of these terms indicates an occasional or infrequent occurence, as in "some strong language." Nonfiction

Lyrics, 1962-2001 BR 15916
by Bob Dylan
4 volumes
Compilation of song lyrics from twenty-eight albums by the influential and sometimes cryptic singer-songwriter. Ranges from his first album, Bob Dylan (1962), through 2001's Love and Theft, with some additional material. 2004.

Extreme Weather: A Guide and Record Book BR 15936
by Christopher C. Burt
5 volumes
Meteorologist surveys the nature and history of extreme weather phenomena in the United States and abroad. Offers concise explanations of such climatic events as droughts, floods, thunderstorms, hail, tornadoes, hurricanes, and fog. Provides temperature and precipitation records for more than three hundred U.S. cities dating back to the 1800s. 2004.

Strength and Honor: The Life of Dolley Madison BR 15950
by Richard N. C“té
4 volumes
Uses primary sources to document the life of first lady Dolley Madison (1768-1849), from her Quaker youth to her death in genteel poverty. Traces the genealogy of her maternal family. Highlights her marriage to James Madison and roles as White House hostess and heroine of the War of 1812. 2005.

The Book Lover's Cookbook: Recipes Inspired by Celebrated Works of Literature and the Passages That Feature Them BR 15954
by Shaunda Kennedy Wenger and Janet Kay Jensen
3 volumes
Nearly two hundred recipes cooked up, served, or mentioned in novels and works of nonfiction, interspersed with anecdotes about writers and writing. Includes "Behold! Ichabod's Slapjacks," John Grisham's "Good Life Veal Piccata," and "Mr. Wonka's Strawberry- Flavored Chocolate-Coated Fudge." 2003.

Bringing Up Baby: Three Steps to Making Good Decisions in Your Child's First Years BR 15961
by Claire Lerner and Amy Laura Dombro
2 volumes
Professionals in childhood development offer a three-step program to help stressed parents develop self-awareness, tune into the child's needs, and make responsive and sound decisions. They advise parents to analyze themselves, to realize that each youngster is unique, and to expect no "cookie-cutter" solutions. 2005.

Beyond the Stony Mountains: Nature in the American West from Lewis and Clark to Today BR 15965
by Daniel B. Botkin
3 volumes
Ecologist retraces the footsteps of early-nineteenth-century explorers Lewis and Clark and compares the natural history they documented to its condition in the early twenty-first century. Describes environmental changes including the damming of rivers and the disappearance of ecosystems and wildlife species. 2004.

I Remember: Eighty Years of Black Entertainment, Big Bands, and the Blues; an Autobiography by Jazz Trombonist and Blues Singer Clyde E.B. Bernhardt BR 15967
by Clyde E.B. Bernhardt
3 volumes
African American musician's recollections of his jazz and blues career that began in the 1920s. Describes his American and European tours with such prominent entertainers as Ella Fitzgerald, Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, and others. Some strong language. 1986.

Splendid Solution: Jonas Salk and the Conquest of Polio BR 15973
by Jeffrey Kluger
4 volumes
This history of the 1950s battle to develop a polio vaccine focuses on Jonas Salk's successful dead-virus inoculation. Discusses social effects of infantile paralysis from 1916 to mid century, the controversy over live-virus vaccines, Walter Winchell's public denouncement of Dr. Salk, and Salk's 1954 vindication. 2004.

Love in the Lead: The Miracle of the Seeing Eye Dog BR 15981
by Peter Brock Putnam
2 volumes
History of The Seeing Eye organization of Morristown, New Jersey, founded in 1929 for the education of blind individuals and guide dogs. Second edition adds information to the 1979 original on developments in the breeding, raising, and training of seeing eye dogs. 1997. 1997.

What i f It's Not Alzheimer's? A Caregiver's Guide to Dementia BR 16076
edited by Lisa Radin and Gary Radin
3 volumes
Manual by medical professionals and caregivers on attending to patients with progressive, neurodegenerative brain disorders known as frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Doctors explain medical facts, research, and therapeutic and rehabilitation interventions. Caregivers discuss managing daily aid, socialization, nursing homes, and financial and legal concerns. 2003.

The Essential Neruda: Selected Poems BR 16083
by Pablo Neruda
2 volumes
Fifty verses by Nobel Prize-winning Chilean poet Pablo Neruda (1904-1973), spanning the breadth of his style, themes, and periods. Collaborative effort of scholars, translators, and poets includes selections from major works published between 1924 and 1964 and posthumously. Edited with an introduction by Mark Eisner. In English and Spanish. [Presenta cincuenta poemas del famoso poeta chileno (1904-1973) ganador del Premio Nobel. Los poemas, seleccionados y redactados por poetas, escolares y traductores, reflejan el estilo y los temas de toda la obra de Neruda que sale entre1924 y 1964, incluso dos obras póstumas. Edición bilingüe con introducción en inglés y los poemas en español e inglés.] 2004.

Caring for Your Parents: The Complete AARP Guide BR 16115
by Hugh Delehanty and Elinor Ginzler
3 volumes
AARP's advice for middle-aged people on assisting one's aging parents. Subjects include communicating about issues, advocating on health and legal care, determining financial status, finding caregivers and suitable living arrangements, and, eventually, letting go and grieving. Includes resources. Foreword by Mary Pipher. 2005.

My Soul Looks Back in Wonder: Voices of the Civil Rights Experience BR 16117
by Juan Williams
2 volumes
Thirty-three oral histories of individuals transformed by the civil rights movement. Includes memoirs of African Americans struggling for integration and activists fighting for the rights of Latinos, Asians, gays, and people with disabilities. Foreword by David Halberstam. Afterword by Marian Wright Edelman. Strong language. 2004.

Pope Benedict XVI: A Biography of Joseph Ratzinger BR 16163
by John L. Allen
4 volumes
Biography of the German pope, born Joseph Ratzinger in 1927. Journalist for the National Catholic Reporter traces Ratzinger's rise to prominence as a cardinal during the Second Vatican Council. Uses documents to outline the pope's conservative theological views on controversial subjects. First published as Cardinal Ratzinger. 2000. 2000.

John Jay: Founding Father BR 16167
by Walter Stahr
6 volumes
Biography of American diplomat and coauthor of The Federalist Papers (RC 26691). Chronicles Jay's personal life and political life that included stints as president of the Continental Congress, chief justice of the Supreme Court, secretary for foreign affairs, governor of New York, and president of the American Bible Society. 2005.

Man with Farm Seeks Woman with Tractor: The Best and Worst Personal Ads of All Time BR 16179
by Laura Schaefer
1 volume
Writer for an online matchmaking web site presents personal advertisements spanning three centuries by men and women seeking romantic connections. Some postings from U.S. and U.K. publications and the Internet are included "for their humor, their uniqueness, or their poignancy" while others, she admits, "are just plain strange." 2005.

A Briefer History of Time BR 16183
by Stephen Hawking and Leonard Mlodinow
2 volumes
An updated and more accessible version of A Brief History of Time (RC 26996). Emphasizes the concept of a dynamic cosmos, incorporating scientific knowledge from research and space exploration--by the Hubble Space telescope and satellites--not available in the 1988 publication. 2005.

Being Perfect BR 16185
by Anna Quindlen
1 volume
Brief essay in which Quindlen advises individuals to give up seeking perfection and work on realizing their uniqueness. Recommends that one look inside, see one's true self, and listen to the small voice that says it is never too late to pursue fulfillment. 2005.

Dr. Fisher's Life on the Ark: Green Alligators, Bushman, and Other "Hare-Raising Tales" from America's Most Popular Zoo and around the World BR 16188
by Lester E. Fisher
2 volumes
Retired veterinarian and director of Chicago's Lincoln Park Zoo recalls safari adventures in India, Papua New Guinea, Africa, and Iceland. Describes personal encounters with wildlife, such as pulling a jaguar's tooth, crawling under an elephant's belly to avoid injury, and chasing an escaped gorilla. 2005.

The Power of a Positive Teen BR 16195
by Karol Ladd and others
2 volumes
A Christian mother and her two daughters turn to the Scriptures for guidance on growing up. Focusing on principles of confidence, responsibility, relationships, faith, attitude, courage, and integrity they demonstrate ways teens can make positive choices in their lives. Includes Bible passages. For senior high and older readers. 2005.

Mexifornia: A State of Becoming BR 16198
by Victor Davis Hanson
2 volumes
Classics professor and fifth-generation California farmer cautions that illegal immigration will lead to social collapse in the American Southwest and calls for reforms. Decries the plight of Mexican laborers, their lack of assimilation, the drain on U.S. social services, and other problems generated by misguided political policies. 2003.

Saint Augustine's Conversion: Confessiones, Book 8 BR 16202
translated by Garry Wills
1 volume
Book eight of Augustine's fourth-century Confessiones, the work's most cited and well-known volume, recalls his conversion in the garden. Explores the nature of religious conversion. Translation and commentary by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Garry Wills. 2004.

Runaway American Dream: Listening to Bruce Springsteen BR 16203
by Jimmy Guterman
2 volumes
Seven essays analyze the music of New Jersey rock musician Bruce Springsteen. Presents a song-by-song comparison of recordings and concert tours from the 1970s through 2004. Discusses band members, lovers and wives, and the commercial enterprises of the singer. 2005.

Revised Standards and Guidelines of Service for the Library of Congress Network of Libraries for the Blind and Physically Handicapped BR 16204
by Association of Specialized and Cooperativ
1 volume
Describes service standards that apply to Library of Congress network libraries for blind and physically handicapped individuals. Offers guidelines for direct patron contact, lending, outreach, and production of web sites and reading materials. Also addresses consultants, volunteers, administration, budgeting, policies and procedures, reports, and research and development. 2005.

Wrestling Strength: Dare to Excel BR 16212
by Matt Brzycki
1 volume
Professional athletic trainer explains basic training for wrestlers including the order of exercise, free weights, weight machines, the number of sets, and recovery time. Discusses nutrition, diets, and fads. Includes resources. For senior high and older readers. 2004.

Replaceable You: Engineering the Body in Postwar America BR 16264
by David Serlin
3 volumes
Discusses the impact of medical developments--hormone treatments, plastic surgery, prosthetic devices, and sexual reassignment--on the human body and national psyche in 1950s America. Presents a sociocultural analysis of the postwar era using case studies of war veteran amputees, female survivors of Hiroshima, a transgendered GI, and a lesbian entertainer. 2004.

A Treasury of Deception: Liars, Misleaders, Hoodwinkers, and the Extraordinary True Stories of History's Greatest Hoaxes, Fakes, and Frauds BR 16268
by Michael Farquhar
2 volumes
Compendium of cons throughout history. Describes charlatans such as Nostradamus, misrepresentations perpetrated by the media, wartime ruses, state-sponsored deceptions, scientific and literary frauds, lies that have had catastrophic consequences, royal impersonators, and great escapes. 2005.

Happiness: The Science behind Your Smile BR 16269
by Daniel Nettle
2 volumes
British psychologist explores the science of hedonics--the study of pleasure. Reviews past research, addresses the basics of human nature, the brain, and emotions, and discusses the concept, levels, and attainment of happiness. 2005.

How to Avoid Falling: A Guide for Active Aging and Independence BR 16281
by Eric Fredrikson
1 volume
Accident avoidance specialist offers a guide to preventing falls- -the leading cause of injuries to U.S. seniors. Provides information on fall-proofing the home; negotiating stairs; avoiding hazards such as escalators, uneven sidewalks, and ice; choosing a cane or walker; and recovering after a fall. Includes exercises and useful web sites. 2004.

One Hundred Great Poems of the Twentieth Century BR 16292
edited by Mark Strand
2 volumes
Pulitzer Prize winner and former poet laureate of the United States Mark Strand presents poems that he has "continued to feel strongly about over the years." Most were written by poets born before 1927 and represent Europe and North and South America. 2005.

Fast Food My Way BR 16295
by Jacques Pépin
2 volumes
French-born and -trained chef offers recipes for simple cuisine that is not necessarily fast to prepare, but requires little work. Pépin admits to unhesitatingly turning to convenience foods, with which he creates easy yet elegant dishes. Includes menu suggestions and recipes from appetizers to main dishes and desserts. 2004.

Education and Rehabilitation for Empowerment BR 16367
by C. Edwin Vaughan and James H. Omvig
2 volumes
The authors argue that the history of educational and rehabilitative services for blind people has condoned dependency. Provides an overview of the U.S. rehabilitation system during the twentieth century. Advocates for a positive philosophy toward blindness that includes empowerment, mobility, communication, and "blending in." 2005.


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