Books listed in this issue of Braille Book Review were recently sent to cooperating libraries. The complete collection contains books by many authors on fiction and nonfiction subjects, including biographies, classics, gothics, mysteries, romances, and others. Contact your cooperating library to learn more about the wide range of books available in the collection.
To order books, contact your cooperating library.
Note: For the information of the reader, a notice may appear immediately following the book description to indicate occurrences of strong language, explicit descriptions of sex, or violence. The word "some" before any of these terms indicates an occasional or infrequent occurrence, as in "some strong language."
The Return of Sherlock Holmes BR 10568
by Arthur Conan Doyle
4 volumes
Ten years after the fictional death of Sherlock Holmes, Doyle
bows to public pressure and breathes new life into his creation.
Using incidents from his own life, Doyle provides thirteen
adventures for his amateur detective and Holmes's frequently
baffled colleague, Dr. Watson. Includes a chronology of Doyle's
work and an introduction by editor Richard Lancelyn Green. 1993.
Blue Italian BR 10722
by Rita Ciresi
3 volumes
Hospital social worker Rosa Salvatore thinks her husband is
fatigued from having an affair while teaching night school,
working at the Legal Council, and studying for the bar exam. She
learns that, instead, at thirty-one Gary has cancer. Rosa
reflects on their flawed courtship and three-year marriage.
Strong language and some explicit descriptions of sex. 1996.
The Garlic Ballads BR 10775
by Yan Mo
3 volumes
A tale of oppression and revolt in rural China. When a glutted
garlic market in 1987 forces farmers to let their crop rot in
the fields, the farmers rise in revolt against the Communist
government. The resulting official retribution brings together
three prisoners who reveal the hardships they have suffered.
Strong language and violence. 1995.
A Separate Peace BR 10776
by John Knowles
2 volumes
The rivalry in the friendship of two roommates at a New
Hampshire boarding school during the summer session of 1942 is
dramatized by a crippling accident that leads to further
tragedy. Some strong language. 1987.
It Can't Happen Here BR 10789
by Sinclair Lewis
3 volumes
Inspired by events that were unfolding in Europe, this 1935
cautionary tale portrays America descending into
totalitarianism. In 1936, the newly elected president determines
that extreme measures are needed for dealing with the liberal
press and with certain groups in society. His actions bring
horrifying results. 1993.
Selected Stories BR 10819
by Alice Munro
6 volumes
Twenty-eight short stories first published from 1961 through
1994 by the renowned Canadian writer. Lake Huron's small towns
and farms provide the setting for stories that feature elaborate
personalities in seemingly ordinary circumstances. Includes
"Dance of the Happy Shades," "The Beggar
Maid," "The Progress of Love," and
"Vandals." 1996.
The Whispering Wall BR 10821
by Patricia Carlon
2 volumes
Middle-aged widow Sarah Oatland is paralyzed and mute from a
stroke. Although her doctor, home nurse, and greedy niece
Gwenyth don't realize it, Sarah is awake and cognizant, and she
can hear through the wall at her headboard. When Gwenyth rents
out Sarah's lower rooms, Sarah is horrified to hear the tenants
plotting a murder. 1969.
Diana: The Goddess Who Hunts Alone BR 10822
by Carlos Fuentes
2 volumes
A fictionalized account of a Mexican writer's love affair with
an American film actress in 1970, a time of social and political
turmoil. Their passionate interlude ends tragically with the
woman's suicide when her reputation is ruined by government
slander. Strong language and descriptions of sex. 1995.
Don't Call It Night BR 10823
by Amos Oz
2 volumes
A story set in a small Israeli town about the waning
relationship of a stolid middle-aged engineer and his vibrant
younger lover, a schoolteacher. After one of her students dies
in a drug-related incident and the teacher becomes chief
advocate for a drug rehab clinic, her new role tests the limits
of the couple's bond. 1994.
They White Deery and Other Stories Told by the
Lenape BR 10825
edited by John Bierhorst
1 volume
Native American tales of the Lenape people, who were indigenous
to New Jersey and its bordering states. The legends tell of
magic dogs, lost children, and heroes. The title story depicts a
white deer that can give game to hunters or can protect game by
killing the hunters. For junior and senior high readers. 1995.
Don't Think Twice BR 10829
by Ruth Pennebaker
2 volumes
In 1967, Anne Harper is shocked to be living in a home for unwed
pregnant teenagers. She has always been studious and shy. At
first Anne thinks of the baby as a tumor and her housemates as
idiots, but her mood gradually changes. Strong language and some
explicit descriptions of sex. For junior and senior high
readers. 1996.
Dance Real Slow BR 10830
by Michael Grant Jaffe
2 volumes
When his wife runs off to see the world, small-town lawyer
Gordon Nash is left to care for their four-year-old son. Nash
contends with the trials of fatherhood and develops a special
relationship with his son. After two years, Nash's wife
reappears and upsets the life that he has built. Strong language
and descriptions of sex. 1996.
The Diablo Grant BR 10832
by James M. Reasoner
2 volumes
In this sequel to Stark's Justice (BR 9708), Juan
Espina, the town drunk of a New Mexico territory settlement,
claims historical rights to nearby ranch property and has an
ancient land grant to prove it. The dispute goes before Judge
Stark, who rules for Espina, thus unleashing chaos in the
frontier town. 1994.
Tales of Mystery and Imagination BR 10839
by Edgar Allan Poe
6 volumes
Forty-six popular tales including "The Tell-Tale
Heart," "The Premature Burial," "The Black
Cat," "The Pit and the Pendulum," "The
Murders in the Rue Morgue," "The Fall of the House of
Usher," "The Masque of the Red Death," "The
Oblong Box," and "The Purloined Letter." Some
violence. 1993.
Pushing the Bear: A Novel of the Trail of Tears BR
10845
by Diane Glancy
2 volumes
A tale based on the 1838 forced migration of some thirteen
thousand Cherokee from their southeastern homeland to Oklahoma.
The story follows the journey of a young woman and her family as
they face cruelty, cold, and hunger in their struggle to survive
the torturous Trail of Tears. Violence. 1996.
Same Place, Same Things BR 10847
by Tim Gautreaux
2 volumes
Twelve tales about working-class people and Cajun culture in
rural Louisiana. In "Returnings," set in 1967, a woman
is startled when a Vietnamese aviator lands his helicopter on
her farm. The hapless pilot, a trainee from an American military
base, has lost his way. Obligingly, the Cajun woman guides him
home to his airfield. 1996.
"G" Is for Gumshoe: A Kinsey Millhone Mystery BR
10854
by Sue Grafton
2 volumes
Kinsey Millhone has just taken the job of locating Irene Gersh's
mother, Agnes, who has not been heard from for six months. Then
Kinsey learns there is a contract out on her own life. As she
pursues Agnes, Kinsey works under the watchful and romantically
interested eye of security expert Robert Dietz. Strong language.
Bestseller 1990.
A Difficult Truce BR 10857
by Joan Wolf
2 volumes
Niall MacCarthy, the earl of Clancarthy, is dead. He was the
last survivor of the great chiefs of old Ireland, and the
Catholics would have risen to follow him and become a nation
again. Can his nineteen-year-old daughter Christina take his
place as head of the clan? Dreams are dashed when enemies
capture Christina. Her only hope lies in her marriage to Charles
Standish, duke of Dacre. But she must not allow herself to fall
in love with him. 1981.
A Dog's Life BR 10858
by Peter Mayle
1 volume
The author presents the autobiography of the "mutt"
Boy, who was abandoned at an early age by his mother, mistreated
by his master, and eventually adopted by the Mayles family. Boy
tells how he learned to please and manipulate "the
management" and mixes a lighthearted account of his
adventures with advice on dealing with the human species.
Bestseller 1995.
The Time of the Vampires BR 10868
edited by P.N. Elrod and Martin H. Greenberg
3 volumes
Eighteen stories of vampires down through history, from ancient
Greece to the modern day. Some are tales of terror, while others
seem poignant and even humorous. In the opening story, the
undead spirit of a slain Athenian soldier returns to convince
Socrates of death's horror and to guide him into the
netherworld. Violence. 1996.
The Red Pony BR 10887
by John Steinbeck
1 volume
In this story, originally written in 1933, Jody Tiflin is only
ten years old when he receives the red pony as a gift. As Jody
matures, his experiences with horses, an old ranchhand, and the
birth of a colt teach him about the interconnections between
life and death. 1994.
Beyond Providence BR 10889
by Steven Schnur
2 volumes
Twelve-year-old Nathan Burns lives with his family on a
struggling Hudson River sheep farm. Life is hard, and his
brother Eric and Pa are always fighting. In fact, their fighting
drove Mama away. When Eric leaves, too, Nathan's cousin Kitty
comes to help out and brings love back into the family. For
junior and senior high readers. 1996.
Tales from Watership Downy BR 10905
by Richard Adams
2 volumes
Twenty-four years after writing Watership Down (BR
2514), Adams now offers nineteen short stories about the
lives of the rabbits since they defeated General Woundwort. Many
of the stories focus on the hero El-ahriarah, and all deal with
the theme of the human enemy versus the animal. 1996.
Wrestling Sturbridge BR 10908
by Rich Wallace
1 volume
In the small town of Sturbridge, Pennsylvania, high school
wrestling is a big deal. Ben, a senior, wants to become state
champion, but he will have to beat out at least one of his three
higher-ranked best friends to do it. For junior and senior high
readers. 1996.
Trouble No More: Stories BR 10917
by Anthony Grooms
2 volumes
Twelve stories reflecting poignant episodes of life for African
Americans during the civil rights era. In "Sweet
Milton," Milton, confined to a mental institution, thinks
he is the devil. In "Hollow and Far Away," an African
American family experiences the terror of being stopped by white
police. Some strong language and some violence. 1995.
Mr. Ives' Christmas BR 10918
by Oscar Hijuelos
2 volumes
Abandoned as an infant, Edward Ives is adopted into a devout
home, studies art, finds work in advertising, marries, and
raises a family. When his teenage son is murdered on a city
street, Ives faces a spiritual crisis that tests his faith in
the meaning of life itself. Strong language. 1995.
No One Noticed the Cat BR 10919
by Anne McCaffrey
1 volume
The venerable Mangan, regent of Esphania, dies, ceding the
throne to Prince Jamas and bequeathing his wisdom to his cat,
Niffy. When Jamas becomes the target of usurpers and falls
deeply in love, Niffy protects him from harm and guides him on a
true path. 1996.
The Long Season of Rain BR 10921
by Helen Kim
2 volumes
Eleven-year-old Junehee Lee lives a secure life in Seoul with
her mother and three sisters, as her father is often away on
business travel. Then her world begins to change when her family
adopts an orphan boy and Junehee comes to realize that she will
someday marry and leave home. For junior and senior high
readers. 1996.
Eight Stories BR 10963
by Dylan Thomas
1 volume
Eight short stories by the noted Welsh writer and poet. Includes
"The End of the River," "The School for
Witches," "The Peaches," "Just like Little
Dogs," "Old Garbo," "One Warm
Saturday," "Plenty of Furniture," and "The
Followers." 1954.
The Cat Who Tailed a Thief BR 10979
by Lilian Jackson Braun
2 volumes
A rash of petty thievery, newcomers in Pickax, a wedding, and a
couple of murders Down Below keep Qwilleran, who has bought a
condo for the winter, and his cats, KoKo and Yum Yum, busy
during the holiday season. Bestseller 1997.
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