Braille Book Review

March-April 2000
Books for Adults--Nonfiction

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.

This page includes Web-Braille links to full-text braille versions of books. Eligible patrons may sign up for Web-Braille through the library that handles their braille magazine subscriptions.

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."

Stonewall Jackson: The Man, the Soldier, the Legend BR 11215
by James I. Robertson
15 volumes
An in-depth portrait of the famed and enigmatic Confederate general. Traces his orphaned childhood in Virginia, his West Point years, and his brilliant leadership in the Civil War. Avers that Jackson so embodied the mystique of the Southern cause, that his untimely death in 1863 marked the turning point of the war. 1997.

Ben and Jerry's Double-Dip: Lead with Your Values and Make Money, Too BR 11726
by Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield
3 volumes
Cohen and Greenfield continue their story begun by Lager in Ben and Jerry's, the Inside Scoop (RC 39204, BR 9763). The two founders of the international ice cream company explain the idea of a value-led business and discuss how the concept can help the company as well as the community. An example is their free cones to persons registering to vote. 1997.

Ex Libris: Confessions of a Common Reader BR 11915
by Anne Fadiman
1 volume
Eighteen essays written over four years reveal the author's bibliomania and compulsive proofreading habit. In "Marrying Libraries," she admits that only after five years of marriage and a child were she and her husband intimate enough to mingle their book collections. In "Insert a Carrot," she describes her family's need to correct misspellings, even on menus. 1998.

Coping with Diabetes BR 11929
by Pat Kelly
1 volume
Describes different types of diabetes and how they are diagnosed. Explains the role of diet, exercise, medication, and monitoring techniques in treating the disease. For junior and senior high and older readers. 1998.

Chocolate for a Woman's Heart: Seventy-seven Stories of Love, Kindness, and Compassion to Nourish Your Soul and Sweeten Your Dreams BR 11933
edited by Kay Allenbaugh
2 volumes
Collection of heartfelt essays by a wide variety of female contributors, including ministers, professional speakers, novelists, and mothers. Topics range from divine intervention to falling in love to overcoming depression. 1998.

Healthy Living with Diabetes BR 11949
by Margot Joan Fromer
3 volumes
The author emphasizes control of lifestyle as key to controlling the disease. Provides practical tips for diet and exercise. Recommends methods of self-monitoring of blood glucose level and following medication instructions correctly. Discusses prevention of health complications. Includes chapters on childhood diabetes and parental responsibilities. 1998.

Cover Letters That Knock 'em Dead BR 11979
by Martin Yate
3 volumes
Explains how to promote yourself on paper in order to obtain job interviews by depicting a strong and positive image. The author gathered the most successful letters to illustrate what makes a great opening missive. Also includes sample rejection, acceptance, resignation, and thank you letters. Additional resources for job information included. 1998.

The Genius of China: Three Thousand Years of Science, Discovery, and Invention BR 11982
by Robert Temple
4 volumes
Reveals the Chinese origins of such "modern" inventions as paper and printing, gunpowder, and the magnetic compass. Temple's eleven topics--including astronomy, engineering, medicine, and warfare--provide historical context and show that more than half of the basic discoveries considered "Western" were developed earlier in China. 1986.

Precursory Physical Science: The Science You Need before Taking Science in School BR 11989
by Thomas A. Boyle
2 volumes
Explains fundamental concepts of physics to help readers better understand the subject. Beginning with the basic notions of length, time, and mass, the author uses operational definitions to develop more complex concepts, such as density, force, and momentum. 1997.

Living Somewhere between Estrogen and Death BR 11990
by Barbara Johnson
2 volumes
Christian humorist believes that laughter is the only cure for old age. Illustrates the problems of aging--among them weight gain, memory loss, and menopause--with jokes and encouragement. 1997.

Stairways to the Stars: Skywatching in Three Great Ancient Cultures BR 12060
by Anthony Aveni
2 volumes
The author offers an interdisciplinary study of astronomy as practiced by preliterate people at Stonehenge, by the more sophisticated Mayans, and by the highly organized Incans. A concluding chapter highlights the turning points in the development of contemporary astronomy. 1997.

Seeing with Music: The Lives of Three Blind African Musicians BR 12061
by Simon Ottenberg
2 volumes
An anthropologist's study of three performers' life experiences as sightless, unmarried, poor men in northern Sierra Leone. Describes their relationship to their music as individuals and as a group. Includes some of their lyrics. 1996.

Mystery and Manners: Occasional Prose BR 12068
by Flannery O'Connor
2 volumes
Fifteen articles and essays, mostly discussing the art of fiction, published by O'Connor in her lifetime or revised from her speech manuscripts. Many pieces are on the study and practice of writing, including "The Nature and Aim of Fiction" and "Writing Short Stories." 1969.

Out of Silence: Selected Poems BR 12075
by Muriel Rukeyser
2 volumes
Selections from previously published collections spanning the years from 1935 to 1978. The editors chose pieces representative of Rukeyser's complete body of work; many celebrate "the strengths and vision of women." 1992.

Once There Was a War BR 12080
by John Steinbeck
2 volumes
Collection of the novelist's realistic, hard-hitting dispatches from the front lines in World War II. Depicts the humor and tragedy of war, and the fear and courage of men and women in combat. 1943.

Report from Part Two BR 12082
by Gwendolyn Brooks
1 volume
A selection of essays and poems about events, people, and travel that were important to Brooks. In "Keziah," she pays loving tribute to her mother. These writings are a continuation of themes found in Report from Part One (RC 47475) (BR 11948). 1996.

Using the Internet, Online Services, and CD-ROMs for Writing Research and Term Papers BR 12083
edited by Charles Harmon
2 volumes
Discusses research techniques for writing papers using print and electronic sources. Describes various online and Internet services. Offers examples on the writing process, such as first drafts, proofreading, and completed term papers as well as citations. For senior high and older readers. 1996.

Acupressure for Everybody: Gentle, Effective Relief for More Than One Hundred Common Ailments BR 12095
by Cathryn Bauer
2 volumes
Explains how to provide relief for various problems including depression, fever, joint pain, insomnia, fatigue, and nausea by using the ancient system of applying self-pressure to the same points on the body used by acupuncturists. 1991.

Aromatherapy: The Complete Guide to Plant and Flower Essences for Health and Beauty BR 12096
by Danièle Ryman
4 volumes
A therapist discusses the benefits of plants and essential oils for therapeutic purposes. An alphabetical listing of these substances describes their characteristics and appropriate uses. Followed by a list of ailments suggesting treatments and referring back to specific names in the main list. Some recipes included. 1991.

As You Like It BR 12100
by William Shakespeare
3 volumes
A pastoral comedy in five acts, set in the court usurped by Duke Frederick and in the forest of Arden, where the rightful duke and his followers live. Based on the First Folio text printed in 1623. Contains explanatory notes and an essay on modern perspective. 1997.

Prozac Diary BR 12105
by Lauren Slater
1 volume
Autobiographical account of Slater's introduction to Prozac when it was first released in 1988 and her subsequent feelings about taking it for ten years. Describes the positive results of the drug and also the unpleasant side effects. Some strong language and some descriptions of sex. 1998.

The Odyssey BR 12113
by Homer
6 volumes
Robert Fagles's 1996 translation of the Greek epic poem credited to Homer. Recounts Odysseus's reliance on his wit and wiliness in his encounters with Poseidon, god of oceans, and other divine and natural forces during his ten-year voyage back to Ithaca after the Trojan War. 1996.

Poems New and Collected, 1957-1997 BR 12119
by Wislawa Szymborska
2 volumes
The lifework of the Polish winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature. One hundred poems were previously published in View with a Grain of Sand (RC 43576), while sixty-four are new translations. Also contains Szymborska's Nobel lecture presented in 1996. 1998.

Hostile Waters BR 12120
by Peter Huchthausen and others
3 volumes
Details the sinking of a Soviet missile submarine, the K-219, off the east coast of the United States in 1986. Chronicles events on the nuclear-powered vessel as it was patrolling near land in the Atlantic Ocean and an accident on board nearly caused a reactor explosion and the release of deadly radiation. 1997.

Smart Questions to Ask Your Financial Advisers BR 12127
by Lynn Brenner
2 volumes
Personal-finance columnist provides eighty questions to ask a professional money manager and background information on key topics of discussion. Covers eight major areas: investing, prenuptial and divorce agreements, buying and selling a house, insurance, job loss, estate planning, taxes, and retirement. Contains tips on selecting financial and legal advisers. 1997.

Sight Unseen BR 12149
by Georgina Kleege
2 volumes
Kleege was diagnosed with macular degeneration at the age of eleven and learned coping mechanisms. In eight essays she describes her experiences as well as the cultural aspects of blindness in language, film, and literature. As an author and professor, Kleege outlines the reading process and her delight in learning braille later in life. 1999.

One Dough Fifty Cookies: Baking Favorite and Festive Cookies in a Snap BR 12161
by Leslie Glover Pendleton
1 volume
Former food editor of Gourmet magazine provides a recipe and instructions for one large master batch of butter cookie dough. Each of the fifty recipes for distinctly flavored cookies that follows calls for one half of the master dough. Covers spritz, icebox, rolled or cutout, drop, and bar forms. 1998.

Great Careers for People Interested in Math and Computers BR 12166
by Peter Richardson and Bob Richardson
1 volume
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.

William Wordsworth: Selected Poetry BR 12169
edited by Stephen Gill and Duncan Wu
3 volumes
Works of the English Romantic, including lyrical poems arranged in order of composition. Also presents portions of Wordsworth's introspective The Prelude, which was written from 1799 to 1805, and a chronology of his life. 1994.

Mending the Torn Fabric: For Those Who Grieve and Those Who Want to Help Them BR 12170
by Sarah Brabant
2 volumes
Describes the process of healing the pain associated with the death of a loved one. Presents guidelines to build self-resourcefulness, inner strength, and an emotional cure. Provides a bibliography, resources for those grieving, suggested readings and videos, and a plan for volunteers who want to help the bereaved. 1996.

The Dreams Our Stuff Is Made Of: How Science Fiction Conquered the World BR 12179
by Thomas M. Disch
3 volumes
The author explores the influence that science fiction writing has had on American culture. He describes how the genre impacts on politics, religion, and daily life, traces the evolution of this style of writing beginning with Edgar Allan Poe, and discusses well-known writers and their works. 1998.

Asphodel, That Greeny Flower and Other Love Poems BR 12208
by William Carlos Williams
1 volume
Selection of twelve love poems written by the American poet between 1930 and 1962. The title piece, addressed to his wife, Floss, seeks a love that will outlast mortal death. An introduction by Herbert Leibowitz provides biographical and literary context. 1994.

Adventures BR 12209
retold by Tana Reiff
1 volume
Five tales of adventure representing different countries. Includes "Tom Thumb" from England, "Sinbad the Sailor" from the Middle East, and "The Quest for the Golden Fleece" from Greece. Grade 1 braille. 1993.

Tales of Wonder BR 12232
retold by Tana Reiff
1 volume
"A tale of wonder is like a good dream--it's not real, but it's fun." Reiff's words introduce these ten tales from Russia, Japan, Norway, Venezuela, Vietnam, India, and elsewhere. Some teach a lesson about the risks of wanting too much. Others portray real-life activities, and some are just fun. Grade 1 braille. 1993.


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