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Happy Fourth of July! Although I tend to be a bit skeptical about most self-help books, I was pleasantly surprised as I read Rosemary Cunningham’s collection entitled Fifty Ways to Feed Your Soul ($14.95, Red Wheel, Boston, MA). Its recommendations, contributions by those who have found they work, have been proven to bring some peace and serenity into your life. They are refreshingly direct, simple, and not preachy. It’s a small book that can fit into one hand, but loaded with good ideas. If you are experiencing some emotional or other disturbances in your life or know someone who is, this book will prove helpful. The ceremonies for the opening of the National World War II memorial reminded everyone of the sacrifices Americans made to defeat totalitarian threats to liberty more than a half century ago. Getting the memorial built was a battle in itself and Their Last Battle: The Fight for the National World War II Memorial by Nicholaus Mills ($26.00, Basic Books) tells that story behind the politics, architecture, engineering, and construction of the memorial that now adorns the Washington Mall. Many will be surprised that memorials for both the Korean and Vietnam conflicts preceded the WWII memorial and that it took two decades to finally honor "the greatest generation." This is a fascinating account of that struggle.
Do you suffer from fear of flying or know someone who does? The folks that came up with Chicken Soup for the Soul, Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hanson, have teamed up with Capt. Ron Nielsen and Tim Piering to produce a booklet and CD, The Fearless FlightKit, ($24.95) that is designed to eliminate those fears before you even buy the ticket. Studies have shown that anywhere from 20 to 60 million people suffer from "aviophobia", the fear of flying and, for those whom this is really serious, it can be complete debilitating. The unique audio program combines prose, poetry, music and voices to sooth the soul and the text of the booklet will complete the process. For more information, visit www.fearless-flight.com. If you’re thinking of moving to Florida or just want to learn more about it for a visit, you should pick up a copy of the Florida Almanac 2004-2005 (Pelican Publishing Co., Gretna, LA). It is a 500-page, definitive guide to the Sunshine State, filled with information on every aspect of life there, from its climate to its state parks, wildlife, hospitals, educational system, media, and government. Et cetera! Not far off the coast of Florida lays Cuba, a nation that has been in the evil grip of the Communist dictator, Fidel Castro. Unvanquished: Cuba’s Resistance to Fidel Castro, by Enrique Encinosa ($26.00, Pure Play Press, Los Angeles) provides a comprehensive history of the struggle Cubans have waged against their government for the last forty-five years. Told for the most part through the voices of the people, one can hope that this book will inform the way we think about the Cuban regime and hasten its end. Among the topics covered is US foreign policy concerning Latin America, the link between Castro’s regime and Islamic extremists, and what could happen when Castro dies or is deposed. Surely, one of the most sorry chapters in US policy was the return of the boy, Elian Gonzalez, by the previous administration. This book is a significant contribution to understanding why the US should not tolerate such a regime so close to our shores. Thinking about retirement? Check out The New Retirement: The Ultimate Guide to the Rest of Your Life by Jan Cullinane and Cathy Fitzgerald ($19.95, Rodale). Life after 65 has changed considerably and this book is jammed-packed with information that will help you select the lifestyle you want. It is filled with advice on all the issues you will have to deal with. If you are beginning to look at those years when you will be called a senior citizen or know someone who is, then pick up a copy of The Savvy Senior ($13.95, Hyperion) billed as "The ultimate guide to health, family, and finances for senior citizens. Author, Jim Miller, has the answers to questions about Social Security Benefits, Medicare, estate and retirement planning, senior housing options, programs, services and discounts, and much more. Books like this ease the transition and are a tremendous bargain. Another transition some men must face is divorce. A Man’s Guide to a Civilized Divorce by Dr. Sam Margulies, Ph.D., J.D., ($24.95, Rodale) lives up to its title, offering a proper model for divorce that avoids the "go to war or get taken to the cleaners" approach which helps neither party to the divorce get through it without great suffering. A renowned divorce negotiator and mediator, the author provides a step-by-step program to the process from the initiation to the final papers.
Barry Parker probably knows as much or more about Albert Einstein than anyone else today. He has written a trilogy, Einstein’s Brainchild, Einstein’s Passions, and now Albert Einstein’s Vision ($28.00, Prometheus Books). Einstein’s name has become a synonym for genius and deservedly so. Einstein brought creativity to science and this interesting book explores his prolific output of far-reaching ideas and contributions that complement his famed theory of relativity. Einstein inspired many physicists to think about concepts such as black holes, curved space, worm holes, gravity waves, to quantum theory and beyond. Written in lucid prose, this book will please anyone with an interest in these areas of science. Hardly light reading, but surely important reading, Social Security and Its Discontents ($29.95, Cato Books) examines the fact that Social Security is facing irreversible demographic and fiscal pressures that threaten future retirement benefits for today’s young workers. In 2008, the first members of the baby boom generation will become eligible to receive benefits and, within 14 years, the number of beneficiaries will turn the program’s financial surplus into a deficit. Edited by Michael D. Tanner, some of the nation’s experts on what is required to reform the system have been brought together in this book. This book is directed at policy makers, but will prove of interest to anyone who is alarmed at the impending bankruptcy of the Social Security system. On the much lighter side of life, have you ever wondered about how cartoonist Scott Adams became so successful? What inspired Garry Trudeau to become a cartoonist? What was Walt Disney’s advice for aspiring animators? All this and more can be found in the 35 years of profiles from industry’s leading insider magazine, Cartoonist. Now these and many other colorful stories and sage advice can be found in Cartoon Success Secrets ($24.95, Andrews McMeel Publishing). Jud Hurd, the veteran editor of the magazine, has collected a tribute to 35 years of its profiles and anyone with an interest in this art will want to read this book. Here’s a tip of the hat to Harry E. Gilleland, Jr. who has put together Poetry for the Common Man ($12.50, Lulu Press), a collection of "storeoms" and poems inspired from everyday life. You will find all the universal themes captured in his work. Easy to read, there are tales of nature, tales of fantasy, accounts of tragic events, family, and, of course, love. These hybrid story-poems will prove a new experience for most readers and they will also prove to be both entertaining and enlightening. A professor of microbiology, the author resides in Shreveport, Louisiana, and is gaining a following on the Internet. To learn more, visit www.lulu.com/harry. I’m Not the Boss, I Just Work Here by Howard Jonas, founder and chairman of IDT Corporation (Leviathan Press, 17 Warren Road, Suite 16A, Baltimore, MD 21208) expresses his philosophy that the roadmap for a successful and profitable business can be found in the Old Testament. Applying its principles of morality and fairness has worked for the author. A born entrepreneur, Jonas began making money at the age of 14 and never looked back. After receiving a degree in economics from Harvard University and he founded a publishing firm in 1979. In August 1990, he founded IDT, offering extremely low international telecommunications rates. His book is not about business per se. It is about the conduct of one’s life consistent with spiritual values. As such, it is truly inspirational. Though employment rates are improving, if you are unemployed, knowing how to maximize your changes of getting employed is very important. Outwitting the Job Market by Chandra Prasad ($13.95, Lyons Press, an imprint of Globe Pequot Press, softcover) will prove very helpful. Whether you’re just starting out looking for your first job or whether you have years of experience, this book is packed with practical step-by-step advice and effective strategies. All the basics of creating a good resume and cover letter, to learning how to respond to human resources personnel, recruiters and others are included. If you are out of work or looking for a new, better job, get this book!
Never Quit! The Ups and Downs of Running a Family Business by Donna M. Gray ($19.95, Veda Communications, Fresno, CA) will prove very helpful as it is filled with all kinds of examples, insights, and practical management strategies. The author is the president of a successful company and has won many awards for her business acumen. She promised her son, who died at 33, she would write this book. Now you too can learn how she has triumphed over personal and business ups and downs as she shares her experience and expertise. Don’t Think Pink by Lisa Johnson and Andrea Learned ($23.00, Amacom) takes a look at the fact that purchases by women now total trillions of dollars annually, accounting for an estimated 80% of all consumer expenditures. Reaching this vast market should be considered the number one priority for most businesses. The authors help marketers see their brands through a woman’s eyes, unlocking the secrets to developing products, services, and marketing strategies that will truly resonate with female buyers. This is a serious book about serious money and why understanding the ways women make buying decisions is critical to success. Another Amacom book will prove helpful to anyone who knows their fears are interfering with their success. Face It: Recognizing and Conquering the Hidden Fear that Drives All Conflict at Work ($21.95) is just out this month. Art Horn, its author, profiles how worriers, controllers, attention-seekers, victims, and fakes are all typical examples of people who let different kinds of fear keep them from achieving their real potential and how they are the root of much conflict within any organization, negatively affecting the productivity that requires teamwork. This book will help the reader assess their own behaviors as well as those of coworkers and then offers solutions to replace fear and mistrust with mutual respect and shared commitment to common goals. Knowing how to get the best out of people is the subject of Douglas K. Silsbee’s new book, The Mindful Coach: Seven Roles for Helping People Grow ($18.95, Ivy River Press). Written for managers, executives, as well as educators and clergy, it describes the process by which one becomes more self-aware as a guide, how to use a coaching model to develop motivation and share responsibility, various strategies, and just about everything one needs to know to be a successful coach. Children’s Health, Education & Fun Reading A number of books have been published of late on the topic of children’s health and growth. As the Grand Uncle of little Jessica Caruba who will celebrate her first birthday in September, I found Look Who’s Talking! ($12.00, Meadowbrook Press) an interesting book on how to enhance a child’s language development right from birth. Written by speech therapist Laura Dyer, the book covers all aspects of speech development from pre-verbal signals to the most common language problems and how to address them. All new parents wait to hear the first words spoken, but this book provides value information about recognizing those first efforts toward language and how to make the most of them. How to Manage Your Child’s Life-Threatening Food Allergies by Linda Marienhoff Coss ($16.95, Plumtree Press, Lake Forest, CA) is a comprehensive, detailed reference manual for parents of children who have potentially fatal food allergies. It is filled with information on how to keep their children safe and alive in a world that offers all manner of tempting food choices. Topics include preparing for and treating allergic reactions, purchasing and cooking food, making the home a safe haven, creating a safe school environment, dining in restaurants, traveling and more. Food allergies affect an estimated six million children, so there’s a chance you know someone whose child is subject to this. If so, tell them about this book. Helping Children with Autism Learn: Treatment Approaches for Parents and Professionals by Dr. Bryna Siegel, Ph.D. ($30.00, Oxford University Press) is hardly light reading, but for parents and others who must deal with an autistic child, I think this book is "must" reading. It contains a lot of information, clearly written and easily understood. For parents of children with this mysterious affliction, it offers a lot of hope and educational professionals will greatly benefit as well.
One of the powerhouses of publishing is American Girl of Middleton, Wisconsin. In June, they introduced a number of new back-to-school books that are sure to please the American girl in your life. For the youngest reader, they have a Hopscotch Hill School imprint that includes Teasing Trouble and Good Sport Gwen, both by Valerie Tripp and illustrated by Joy Allen ($3.99 each) that entertain while importing useful life lessons. For girls age 8 and up, there’s A Smart Girl’s Guide to Starting Middle School ($9.95) filled with good advice on a whole range of new things to master in order to make that transition. There’s also Math Smarts ($8.95), filled with trips, tricks, and secrets to make math more fun. Arithmetic just got easier with School Book ($7.95) that has the tables, plus a lot of other intriguing things to do. And there’s a School Smarts Planner ($9.95). It too has all kinds of facts and advice, plus space to write in events during the school calendar year. Finally, there’s What Would You Do? ($8.95) that poses a number of situations and asks the reader to select a solution to them. These are all great learning tools and a lot of fun for the pre-teen. I was pleased to share news of a series of books in November that began with Frosty: The Adventures of a Morgan House, published by Willow Bend Publishing (22A Mill Village Road, South Deerfield, MA 01373) and written by Ellen F. Feld. The second in the series, Blackjack: Dreaming of a Morgan Horse ($9.95) is now available. It has been selected as a winner of the "Children’s Choices for 2004" by The Children’s Book Council. A third in the series, The High-Flying Morgan Horse, will debut in the fall. In the meantime the second book, which now has a revised text, will delight young readers of around nine years and up. Girls especially love horses and this story of a Heather Richardson tells of her discovery that the horse she has been dreaming about actually exists. She learns how to ride, but Heather must find a way to save Blackjack from a cruel trainer before it is too late. You can learn more about the series by visiting www.willowbendpublishing.com. A boy and his dog are featured in Forever Friends: The Story of Ally and Rob ($14.95, PublishAmerica, PO Box 151, Frederick, MD 21705) by Barbara Chase Rowan. Ideal for young readers, 12 and up, the author weaves back and forth between the present and the past as 15-year-old Rob writes an English paper telling about the life of his Doberman, Ally. Intertwined with this is a subplot of Rob’s adventures with his friends, two mysterious strangers, and something hidden in a case. There’s a crime to be solved, but this story also tells the reader that love does not die when a pet dies. This is often the first taste of tragedy for a young person, but it also teaches that such a loss is part of the cycle of life. This is a wonderfully written story that I’d recommend to anyone. You can visit the Publish America website to order the book. An interesting aspect of children’s books is that many are published by smaller houses outside of the main publishing centers like New York. Kimberling City, Missouri, for example, is home to the River Road Press and I recently received two delightful books for the pre-school (age 3) and early-reader set (up to 8). Miller the Green Caterpillar marks the debut of Darrell House ($16.95). Told in verse, it is a tale of determination, vision and belief that sometimes wishes do come true. Illustrated by Patti Argoff, Miller wants to fly and in time weaves a cocoon emerging as a butterfly. The Path Winds Home is written by Janie DeVos and illustrated by Nancy Marsh ($16.95). It is the second picture book by the author and tells in rhyme the story of three animals, a rabbit, skunk, and bear, who are different from their peers. Together they discover their differences make them unique and are ultimately welcomed back by their forest friends. A good story for those aged 2 to 8 years.
For anyone who enjoys a thriller, pick up Jonathan Nasaw’s Twenty-Seven Bones ($25.00, Atria Books, an imprint of Simon and Schuster). When a former colleague, the police chief on the Virgin Islands asks for help, retired FBI Special Agent, E.L. Pender, agrees to "vacation" there to find a killer. What follows is a string of murders with each of the bodies mutilated in the same way; the right hand has been cut off. Despite what locals think, the real murderers are a cunning husband and wife team of archeologists who believe that, if they breathe their victims last breath they will live forever. This is one scary book! Nasaw is the author of The Girls He Adored and is definitely vying to be among the top, new authors of psychological thrillers. Also from Atria, Translations of Beauty by Mia Yun ($23.00) that follows her widely acclaimed novel, House of the Winds. It is the story of twin sisters bound by their heritage, separated by dramatic differences, and struggling to find common ground. The reader follows them from their childhood in South Korea, to growing up in Queens, New York, and explores the way a terrible childhood accident disfigured one of the sisters for life and how the other experiences the guilt of having been spared. On a trip to Italy together at age 28, the long past joys and heartaches are stirred, testing their relationship. A look at the culture of Korean immigrants is the bonus this novel provides, along with a moving story. Another story of an immigrant’s struggle is The Fifth Sun by Mary Helen Lagasse ($15.00, Curbstone Press). Drawing on her own background of Latino heritage and her home, New Orleans, the author has written an inspiring story of a young Mexican woman who leaves her village to work as a maid in that city. This fast paced novel followers her through marriage, the struggle to raise her children, her deportation, and her attempt to cross the river to be united with them again. This story accurately and movingly reflects the Mexican-American experience and does so through a character you will root for from beginning to end.
Sharon Ewell Foster gifts us with a delightful, modern fairytale, Ain’t No Mountain, the story of a Black urban princess in search of her true purpose in life ($12.99, Bethany House, softcover). She is aided on this journey by a middle-aged, self-proclaimed hip-hop mamma and along the way she meets an African prince who isn’t having any of it. These three are searching for truth, true love, and happiness in a land called Baltimore. Combining humor and spiritual understanding, the reader receives the gift of a wonderful story from a truly gifted writer. From the same publisher comes Together is All We Need by Michael Phillips, the fourth in a series of softcover books ($12.99 each) around the theme of two southern girls who have lost their families in the Civil War, one the daughter of a plantation owner and the other the daughter of a slave. How they achieve trust and survive for a better day. Phillips has written three dozen books with sales totaling more than four million copies. Visit www.bethanyhouse.com to learn more about this series and their other books. The interest in the fantasy genre seems to be growing and one of the most active publishers is Wizards of the Coast that nurtures some of the best authors. Moreover, this publisher maintains different series such as "Ragon Lance" that feature on-going stories within it. Two of the latest from this series are Time of the Twins (Dragonlance Legends, Volume I) by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman, and The Minotaur Wars: Tides of Blood (Volume II) by Richard A. Knaak. Both priced at $24.95. From the Forgotten Realms series, there’s Ed Greenwood’s Elminster’s Daughter (25.95) in which a crafty thief begins to wonder about the man who abandoned her as a child. When she discovers he is the powerful and dangerous "mage", the Elminster of Shadowdale, she decides, against her best instincts, to forge a relationship with him. These powerfully written novels will more than satisfy readers who want to escape to the fanciful worlds described, the daring and the dangers. Larry Niven has won both Hugo and Nebula Awards for his science fiction and is well known for his Ringworld series. He adds to that series with Ringworld’s Children $24.95, Tor/Tom Doherty Associates). Ringworld is an engineering achievement, a flat band three million times the surface of the Earth that is home to millions of inhabitants, not all of whom are human. In this story, explorer Louis Wu, an Earth-born human who was part of the first expedition to Ringworld, become enmeshed in interplanetary and interspecies intrigue as war, and a powerful new weapon, threaten to tear Ringworld apart forever. The future of Ringworld lies in its children, three non-humans who must play a dangerous game to save its population. The combination of incredible science and nonstop action marks this fourth installment of the saga. This novel will please new fans and old alike. My Life with Corpses by Wylene Dunbar ($24.00, Harcourt, Inc.) is more than a tad bizarre, but in a way that some may find appealing. Its narrator, known only as Oz, was raised on a Kansas farm by a family of corpses. Okay, I said it was weird. She was rescued by an iconoclastic neighbor, Winfield Evan Stark, who is also long dead. Oz has strayed far away from her childhood home, but now Mr. Stark’s grave has turned up empty and in it has been found a copy of Oz’s early narrative of her early life. Oz, now a professor of philosophy, returns to help find his body, hoping to receive a message she knows he is trying to send her. This novel could be called an intellectual exercise, but it is also poignant and funny at time. Penguin Books continues to turn out affordable, softcover novels every month. Here are six that offer ample entertainment. The Company You Keep by Neil Gordon ($14.00) tells the story of one of the last Vietnam-era fugitives still wanted on a murder charge from a robbery gone wrong in 1974. When Jason Sinai encounters a young newspaper reporter in search of a story, he decided to abandon years of safe underground life for a search of his own, traveling across America and deep into his past. This is a sweeping America saga about sacrifice that evokes that time of strife when political ideals and family loyalties were sharply strained and sometimes broken. Without Mercy by Renate Dorrestein ($14.00) is a chilling, tightly written story of a teenager’s tragic murder, the marriage it threatens to destroy, and the fragility of everyday happiness. Phinus and Franka Vermeer’s marriage and their teenage son, Jem, suffers a terrible blow when Jem is murdered and the novel explores its impact on the couple as they try to mend their once "perfect" relationship.
Brooke Stevens is in softcover with Kissing Your Ex ($12.95, New American Library), a story of rediscovering lost love. Three years after her devastating divorce from Jack, Maddy Green has almost recovered as the story begins. They had been together for fifteen years, married for ten, and very much in love before things fell apart. She had begun her life anew and is dating her the owner of the ad agency for which she works. A new marriage beckons, but she begins to receive packages, notes, photos and reminders of the past from Jack. Will she seek to restore that lost love? Will she marry the new love of her life? With the wedding only days away, Jack makes a final plea for her to meet him. The final decision will keep you guessing until the last page. Also from NAL comes Idlewild by Nick Sagan ($12.95), a debut novel set in the near future. The son of famed astronomer and novelist, Carl Sagan, the author grew up immersed in the wonder of scientific exploration. As an adult, he has applied his unique experience and vivid imagination to science fiction, working in Hollywood where he has been a screenwriter. The narrator of this story is a rebellious 17-year-old named Halloween who regains consciousness after an accident has left him without his memory. Equally disturbing is the certainty that he is somehow responsible for the death of someone named Lazarus and, in turn, someone is trying to hurt him. As his memory returns, we learn of a place called Idlewild where he and other gifted students are hooked up to virtual reality equipment and chemical drips. This is a very strange world for the reader, but one that is increasingly intriguing as you search for the truth while the main character struggles to save his life. Yet another NAL softcover is The Other Woman by Eric Jerome Dickey ($12.95) who has eight other novels to his credit. In this one, a contemporary couple is trying to keep their marriage together despite the fact that he works nights and she works days. Stolen phone calls from work and occasional bedroom encounters are leaving them feeling emptier and more alone. When she finds out her husband is having an affair, she begins her own. The dynamics of marriage are explored here intelligently and with compassion. Elsewhere in the Land of Parrots by Jim Paul ($13.00, Harcourt) is a very strange and intriguing story of a recluse who writes meaningless poetry to great acclaim. He rarely ventures outside, but a gift from his father, a wild parrot, puts an end to that. Its jungle shriek, fierce eyes, and a beak that wreaks havoc drives David Huntington to toss it out the window and then, worried for it, to follow it out in the world trying to find it. His search leads him first to Telegraph Hill and then onto South America by rumors of an ancient flock that lives in the mangrove swamps. There he meets the lovely, levelheaded Fern, an American scientist. Will he retreat or follow the parrot’s call? Granted, wild parrots are normally not the driving engine of a story, but this one turns into a magical love story. The perfect summer book and, strictly for the gals, The Summer of Us by Holly Chamberlin ($12.95, Kensington) invites readers along to explore the lives of three women, all on the brink of turning thirty, in a "Sex and the City" story who are about to take the plunge into love, lust, and letting it all hang out in Martha’s Vineyard. It’s filled with cold margaritas, hot guys, and hilarious adventures.
Fans of Tom Clancy will welcome word that his "Op-Center" series has just published Call to Treason by Jeff Rovin ($7.99, Berkley Publishing, member of the Penguin Group) and it’s a fast-paced story of a cut in the Op-Center’s budget that makes Gen. Mike Rodgers available for a job as military advisor to a senator making a run for the presidency as the head of his own third party. The problem is there’s a growing body count involved with this campaign. If you like fiction that seems to reflect what is happening in the real world, this one will prove worth reading. If you have a taste for sensuous stories, Cravings ($7.50, Berkeley Publishing) serves up four novellas by Laurell K. Hamilton, Mary Janice Davidson, Eileen Wilks, and Rebecca York, each of which tells the stories of women and men whose appetites are not just about mere food and drink. This is steamy stuff in the genre of paranormal romance. Your move! That’s it for July! Don’t forget to visit our Featured Books section to discover some of the most unique books available today. Take a few minutes to learn about books that reflect the vast diversity of talent and knowledge that can enhance your life. |
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Contact: Alan Caruba |
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John Brignell has devoted his life to the art of measurement in science and engineering, teaching initially at the City University of London and later the University of Southampton where, for twenty years, he was Professor of Industrial Instrumentation. He has a raft of awards and fellowships, but what caught my attention was his dedication to debunking the many environmental, food, energy, and other hoaxes intended to influence our lives through legislation and other mandates. His website, 
Gerald Durrell, a naturalist, gained fame with a hilarious memoir of his eccentric childhood in the sun-drenched, thyme-scented island of Corfu. When his parents could no longer endure the damp, gray English weather, they sold their home and moved to a sunny Greek isle. My Family and Other Animals ($14.00. Penguin Books) was originally intended to embrace the natural history of the island, but ended up as a thoroughly delightful account of Durrell’s family experiences that included a ceaseless procession of puppies, toads, scorpions, glow worms, octopuses, and butterflies that took up life with them. His sequel, Birds, Beasts, and Relatives ($14.00) has also been published. Originally published in 1969, these two books have long been out of print, so bravo to Penguin for making them to a generation of readers who may have missed out on them the first time around.
Three softcover books offer a lot of insight and good advice. They are each published by Portfolio, an imprint of the Penguin Group, In these troubled times, fighting a war against the perpetrators of international terrorism, it is useful to look back at the way previous leaders dealt with the challenges of their times. Indeed, We Shall Not Fail: The Inspiring Leadership of Winston Churchill by Celia Sandys and Jonathan Littman ($14.00) does just that, revealing those attributes of Churchill that sustained him through World War II and inspired others to fight the Nazi menace. Churchill’s legacy is captured in this book and it is well worth reading. In the corporate world, knowing how to avoid problems is as important as solving them. Why Smart Executives Fail by Sydney Finkelstein ($15.00) is subtitled "And what you can learn from their mistakes." The author is a professor of management at Dartmouth’s Tuck School of Business and he has made a study, based on hundreds of interviews, of those factors that are the root cause of failures that can sometimes bring a company to collapse. This is a look at people as much as the conduct of business. A third, interesting book from the same publisher is The Wal-Mart Triumph by Robert Slater ($12.00). In February 2003, Wal-Mart became the first company to rank #1 on both the Fortune 500 and Fortune Most Admired lists. It would be #1 on the Fortune 500 in 2004. This is said to be the first book to explain the achievements of its current leadership, its enormous growth, its low-pricing models, its global teamwork, and the company’s battle to improve its reputation.
Ron Clark has written The Excellent 11 ($19.95, Hyperion) about the qualities teachers and parents can use to motivate, inspire and educate children. His previous book, The Essential 55, was on The New York Times bestseller list and it is little wonder that parents who are serious about insuring their children get the best education wanted to read it. They will want to read this new book too. An award-winning teacher, Clark takes notice of those qualities that greatly enhance the learning experience by energizing both the home and the school as learning environments. Today’s schools are, too often, failing children, some of whom either quit school early or others who emerge from school barely able to read their diplomas. Dedicated parents and teachers can insure that children do not fall prey to the obstacles to true learning that are built into the current system. John Holt takes a different approach. In his new book, Instead of Education ($15.95, Sentient Publications, Boulder, CO) Holt says that parents must save their children from schools of all kinds because they kill creativity and do a bad job teaching even the basics. In short, this is a book about home schooling, one of the fastest growing trends in the nation. Why? Because the entire educational system in America has been steadily "dumbed down" since the 1960s. Holt has been a voice of common sense since the 1960s when his first book, How Children Fail, pointed out that you cannot force children to learn anything. Schools, since then, have been straight jackets into which both teachers and students are strapped by mandatory testing and, for seven million children, mind-altering drugs various "educators" decided these children needed. His new book is packed with great ideas and examples of how to create learning opportunities and environments outside of the established educational structure. This is an important book that every parent should read.
All around the nation there are some really terrific regional publishers. In Maine, there’s Down East Books of Camden whose titles reflect life there that includes cookbooks, Maine history, and happily a number of wonderful children’s books. Among the new titles are Susan Williams Beckhorn’s Sarey by Lantern Light ($9.95) about a little girl with a reading problem whose parents decide to move to far northern Maine and live in a woods cabin without electricity or plumbing while they build a modern home. Timid at first, Sarey discovers a trackless forest, wild animals, and a new school where she conquers her dyslexia. A good story for those 10 years and older. The younger reader will enjoy A Cub Explores by Pamela Love, beautifully illustrated by Shannon Sycks ($15.95). It is about a day in the life of a black bear that’s grand from start to finish. Andre the Famous Harbor Seal by Frank Hodgkins, illustrated by Yetti Frenkel, ($16.95) tells the true story of Rockport’s Harry Goodridge and a harbor seal with whom he formed a friendship. The two became inseparable and Andre was the delight of visitors. Miss Renee’s Mice Go to an Exhibition by Elizabeth Stokes Hoffman, illustrated by Dawn Peterson ($15.95) is a fun story about mice who pester Miss Renee to take them along to a miniatures show and who agree to behave themselves with mixed results. A fable of a competition between a Maine mountain and the ocean is told by Lynn Plourde and illustrated by Jim Sollers ($15.95). This fanciful tale is about vanity and why trying to impress others is far less important than sharing. For more information about these and other titles, visit 
Eric Dezenhall occasionally shows up on Fox News and elsewhere as a widely quoted public relations expert, a specialist in crisis management whose Washington, DC firm handles some very major clients. Heis also the author of two previous novels, both of which I read and enjoyed. Now comes his third, Shakedown Beach ($24.95, Thomas Dunne Books, an imprint of St. Martin’s Press). The story draws heavily on the author’s background and expertise, and involves a New Jersey Governor, a family values Republican with fantasies of being President someday and a very big secret who is Miss Little Egg Harbor Township, currently residing in a seedy Atlantic City motel waiting to become the next First Lady, if she will just lay low during election season. Two other characters, one who digs up the truth about the Governor and the other, a pollster who was raised by a mobster grandfather flesh out the story of political intrigue that includes murder, corruption, and sexual depravity. The object is duck, dodge and spin the truth until November’s election day. 
Among Penguin’s latest softcover novels are those that are a part of a series, such as the Inspector Montalbano Mysteries. Voice of the Violin ($11.00) is by Andrea Camilleri, an Italian publishing phenomenon whose novels are bestsellers in Italy and Germany, and which have sold more than four million copies throughout Europe. Her main character is a classic detective who has been called in to solve the murder of a young woman found naked and strangled in her own bed, apparently in the act of lovemaking. There are plenty of suspects; her aging husband, a famous doctor, a lover from Bologna, and even a good friend, Anna, a teacher whose considerable charm is not lost on Montalbano. This is delightful, intriguing reading that is ideal poolside or on the beach. Another series is the "Moosepath League", the creation of Van Reid. In Mrs. Roberto or the Widowy Worries of the Moosepath League ($14.00) is about a trio of folks who become concerned for the welfare of Mrs. Roberto who may be in danger. The intrepid group is determined to snatch her from peril. This is classic small town Americana captured with great Yankee wit and panache that combined kindness, courage and comedy. In short, it is a wonderful yarn. 
Among the paperbacks available, check out Dead Certain by Mariah Stewart ($6.99, Ballantine, a division of Random House) involving three men with revenge on their minds and murder in their hearts. This is avery complex novel about a young woman who was attacked a year and a half earlier and regained her life by becoming an advocate for self-defense who has trained in the martial arts. When her business partner is found murdered, she becomes one of the short list of suspects but, when another of her colleagues is found murdered, it become obvious that someone else is the culprit. And she is a target. I am dead certain you will not put this one down until the last page.