The farther away from 9/11 we get—and this month marks five years—the farther away is the concern for the capture of Osama bin Laden, the creator of al Qaeda and chief architect of the destruction of the Twin Towers, the attack on the Pentagon, and previous attacks on U.S. embassies, and the USS Cole. That’s why the publication in softcover of Peter L. Bergen’s The Osama bin Laden I know ($15.00, Free Press, imprint of Simon & Schuster) is particularly timely. Bergen is one of the few journalists to have actually met bin Laden and he has written a portrait of the man and the movement to which he brought organization and Islamic fervor. He interviewed over fifty people who knew him and includes numerous al Qaeda documents, all of which add up to invaluable insights and information. To understand the times in which we live, the movement that has set itself the goal of destroying America, this book must be on your reading list.

As Americans debate the issues involving massive illegal immigration, there’s a book that sheds considerable light on the history of immigration, Michael Barone’s The New Americans: How the Melting Pot Can Work Again ($16.95, Regnery Publishing). Now in softcover, Barone provides an interesting look at the major migrations that brought the Irish, Jews, Italians, Asians, and now Latinos to America and how each made major contributions to our culture and economy. To understand the future, one must first understand the past and the U.S. can boast one of the most extraordinary stories of any modern nation.

Americans continue to be divided over right-to-life issues and this is as it should be. They are too important to be ignored. America was, from its beginning, a nation based in moral thought, taking its right to govern from a higher power. Ramesh Ponnuru, the senior editor of the National Review, has written The Party of Death: Democrats, the Media, the Courts, and the Disregard for Human Life ($27.95, Regnery Publishing). He examines all aspects of the issues involving topics ranging from embryonic research to euthanasia for people in a vegetative state, taking particular aim at the Democrat Party and the role the courts, politicians, and the media have played in the decades-long effort to maintain the legal status of abortion and to permit what is often referred to as death with dignity. The author is pro-life and makes a cogent and compelling case for his point of view. End-of-life issues are explored in David Gibbs’ Fighting for Dear Life: The Untold Story of Terri Schiavo and What it Means for All of Us ($19.99, Bethany House). Here again, the moral issues are explored in the context of current law as the author reviews the many court cases that led ultimately to the removal of feeding tubes from a woman who had been in a vegetative state for years. This event galvanized the public for weeks and even led to legislative efforts in Congress, but in the end her death was assisted. Another aspect of the issue is explored in Unplugged: Reclaiming Our Right to Die in America by William Colby ($24.95, Amacom). This book addresses the issues concerning what to do when someone is in a vegetative state. An attorney, Colby represented the family of Nancy Cruzan in the first right-to-die case heard by the U.S. Supreme Court. He draws on a wealth of research, experience, and discussion to illuminate the medical technology involved, the laws, the ethical concerns, and the profoundly personal issues beneath the emotionally charged debate that affects all of us. The book is not one of advocacy, though Colby does share his own conclusions about end-of-life and quality-of-life questions, based on his understanding of the rush of medical advances behind the landmark decisions. He urges readers to talk with their loved ones about how they would like to die, even if they escape the ravages of cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, or a coma that leaves them in a "persistent vegetative state

I am very happy I am not a student in the schools of today where everything has been reduced to a one-size fits-all thanks to the "No Child Left Behind" legislation that governs from coast to coast. What we have now is a system based on testing, testing, testing and that requires students to learn the answers without much time to get any context. That is not education, but it is the trap in which they find themselves. All this is described in The Overachievers: The Secret Lives of Driven Kids by Alexandria Robbins ($24.95, Hyperion) in which the horror that is today’s schools requires students to set aside their interests, passions, and talents to strategize how best to game the system. They need not only get straight A’s, but also to meet politically correct social standards of behavior. This is due to the fact that a record number of youngsters are competing to get into the best universities and colleges, and it is arbitrary scores and statistics that determine their fate. Every decision they make is fraught with anxiety about the future. And the process begins very early for child and parent. (See below for the book on how to improve SAT scores.) Another book parents should read as school begins is The Homework Myth: Why Our Kids Get Too Much of a Bad Thing ($24.00, Da Capo Press) by Alfie Kohn. If you think kids are coming home with more and more homework these days, you’re right. In the early 80s, about a third of 6-to-8 year-olds had to do homework on any given night. Today it’s almost two-thirds. As Kohn points out, there are actually few benefits to offset the disadvantages of loading up a child after a full day in school. You end up with stress, family conflict, lost time for other activities. The latest research demonstrates there are no real academic benefits for the students. However, because of the increase in standardized tests, teachers assign more homework to raise scores, rather than improve learning. The book offers examples of schools that have eliminated conventional forms of homework with excellent results.

Distrusting big business is part of our culture and Tim Carney’s new book, The Big Ripoff: How Big Business and Big Government Steal Your Money ($24.95, Wiley) will confirm your worst fears. We are led to believe that government is a check on business through regulation and taxes, but Carney, an investigative reporter, shows how big business lobbies big government in a partnership that will sometimes amaze you and is guaranteed to anger you. Enron, the now defunct energy company lobbied two presidents to get a global environmental treaty to curb energy use, knowing it would drive up the prices for consumers along with the value of Enron stock. Government at all levels also grants special tax breaks and subsidies. Wal-Mart has benefited, says the author, to the tune of $1 billion. Archer Daniels Midland, the top producer of ethanol, a costly fuel additive, has worked hard to make it a mandatory part of the pump price of gasoline. This is just a small sample of what this interesting, provocative book reveals. Does anyone have to be reminded that regulation always adds to the cost of doing business, tends to keep out new startup companies, and ends up being passed along to the customer?

I confess I have been a great fan of Workman Publishing’s wonderful Page-A-Day® calendars and, since 2007 is right around the corner, it’s time to check them out. They range over a wide variety of topics. I will be using The News Junkies’ Quiz from NPR and giving For Women Who Do Too Much, meditations collected by Anne Wilson Schaef, to someone who fits that description. Then there’s the Stitch’n Bitch: The Knitter’s Calendar by Debbie Stoller ($12.95). Among the unique Gallery calendars, filled with beautiful photography, fashionistas will love Handbags and Shoes, while those who love to travel will love Islands, at $15.95 each. Guys have their calendars, too, such as Golf Holes by Golf Digest and Dream Cars from Car and Driver. There are hilarious calendars for dog and cat lovers. Whether it’s the Page-A-Day® or their 2007 wall calendars, for 365 days of fun and inspiration, check out these and others at www.workman.com.

All parents want to give their children a head start on life and, as I always say in my Bookviews’ segments devoted to children’s and young readers books, if they read aloud to their kids from an early age, they will be helping them in ways whose benefits last a lifetime. More than a million copies of The Read-Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease ($15.00, Penguin Books, softcover) have been sold. It is now in its sixth edition and it explains how reading aloud awakens children’s imaginations and improves their language skills. It shows how to begin and which books to choose. It offers tips on luring children away from the television. And it offers an up-to-date treasury of a thousand books that are great for reading aloud, from picture books to novels. Your move!

I have saved, in a sense, the best for last. Coming in October, it is Talking to God: Portrait of a World at Prayer, edited by John Gattuso, ($39.95, Stone Creek Publications, Milford, NJ) with texts by people ranging from Elie Wiesel to Pope John Paul II, the Dalai Lama to Thomas Merton, Desmond Tutu to Mohandas K. Gandi, and others whose spiritual credentials are known, admired, and respected. Adding to the texts are some stunningly beautiful, mostly full color photos that capture the way all the peoples of the Earth express themselves in prayer. Despite the clash of Islam with all other religions these days, the book affirms the universality of prayer and meditation. Some may spurn religion, but those many more who embrace it know that it enhances life when applied to our need for humility and our faith in a higher power with whom we can connect. As David Steindl-Rast says, "If what is called ‘God’ means in the language of experience the ultimate Source of Meaning, then those moments that quench the thirst of the heart are moments of prayer." Over and over again, you will feel your mind and heart up challenged and uplifted by the insights contained in this extraordinary book. Visit www.stonecreekpublications.com for more information.

Back to Top

Good Advice

Advice is one of the great staples of publishing. Every year countless experts flood the market with advice on every subject imaginable. One of my favorite publishers is Hundreds of Heads, the creation of Mark Bernstein and Yadin Kaufmann, two former lawyers. Bernstein is a graduate of the famed Wharton School of Business and the NYU School of Law. Kaufman is a Harvard Law graduate with degrees from both Harvard and Princeton. Two very smart dudes! Did they write their books? Well, kinda. They realized that advice from lots of people who have learned from their experiences is a step-up on getting it from just one person. Hence, Hundreds of Heads! Recently I received a number of their successful or new titles. How to Survive Your Freshman Year has become a bestseller and I have no doubt this will be the case with How to Survive the Real World for those whose diplomas are gripped in their hot little hands. Perhaps you are sensing that these books focus on common life experiences so it will come as no surprise that there’s also Where to Seat Aunt Edna and 500 Other Great Wedding Tips and You Can Keep the Damn China! And 824 other Great Tips on Dealing with Divorce. In the event all goes well and a blessed event occurs, How to Survive Your Baby’s First Year will prove helpful. And, for the rest of us, there’s How to Lose 9,000 Lbs (or Less) filled with tips from 516 dieters. These books, all softcover, sell for a mere $13.95 each. To learn more about this interesting publishing firm, visit www.hundredsofheads.com.

Net Crimes & Misdemeanors: Outmaneuvering Spammers, Stalkers, and Con Artists by J.A. Hitchcock ($24.95, Information Today, Inc) is now in its second edition and loaded with tips, strategies, and all kinds of information to avoid becoming a victim of the endless variety of criminals and nutcases out there. Learn how to deal with topics ranging from cyberstalkers to banking safely online. This book teaches you how to avoid all kinds of frauds and scams, as well as identity theft. You will learn about the pitfalls of online romances and just one thing after another that will prove invaluable to protecting your privacy, your company, and your computer. The author is a nationally recognized Internet crime and security expert. She’s the real deal, even if some of those tempting Internet offers are not.

For every student in high school, the SAT test looms like a monster in their imagination. So much, they’re told, rides on the score. Well, what if you had six friends who just aced that test helping you to do the same? Up Your Score: The Underground Guide to the SAT, 2007-2008 edition ($11.95, Workman Publishing, softcover) promises to do just that. This edition takes in the addition of an original essay and higher-level math questions, but rock-solid strategies and become an effective test-taker. Moreover, it has entered the digital age to provide a free online diagnostic test, plus the download of 600+ vocabulary words to one’s iPod so you can study them anytime, anywhere. This book is full of excellent advice including ways to lower your stress and how to guess at the right answer instead of leaving a question blank. What are you waiting for? The next SAT test date is October 14^th!

Want to know the good movies from the bad? The definitive source is Leonard Maltin’s Movie Guide 2007 ($20.00, Plume softcover). It’s about two and a half inches thick and filled with listings describing more than 17,000 movies. The new edition includes more than 300 new entries, along with notations on the formats available. Maltin has been producing the tome for over a decade and this is truly one of the best organized and most complete volumes around.

Back to Top

The Topic is Health

We tend to take the miracles of the modern health system for granted. Medical Marvels: The 100 Greatest Advances in Medicine by Dr. Eugene W. Straus, MD, and Alex Straus ($28.00, Prometheus Books) is fascinating reading for anyone with an interest in medical science as it brings to life those dedicated individuals who sought the answers to treat and cure illness. Anyone, indeed, with an interest in history will enjoy this look at men like Galen who related the structure of organs to their functions or Antonie van Leenwenhoek whose microscope revealed the unseen world of microbes. Countless lives have been saved because of these and others who were determined to find the answers that led to we call modern healthcare.

In his first veto of the six years he’s been in office, President Bush responded to a piece of legislation that would authorize federal funding of research on embryonic stem cells for medical purposes. He did not, as many believe, ban stem cell research. For anyone trying to understand the issues, Michael Bellomo has written The Stem Cell Divide: The Facts, the Fiction, and the Fear Driving the Greatest Scientific, Political and Religious Debate of our Time ($24.95, Amacom). The author brings a wealth of information and clarity to bear on the issues involved. This book sheds light on what is known about stem cells and what is happening in research laboratories, biotech firms, and in the policymaking enclaves. The real future of stem cell research lies in the use of adult stem cells and cures have been found and our in the pipeline. In many ways this is an astonishing story of how the factors noted in the book’s title are clashing and competing. "Regardless of who sits in the White House handing down legislation, the genie of stem cell research has been let out of its plastic T-flask," says Bellomo. It will happen, he says, and the only question is when.

For a rock’m, sock’m book that takes on government and the pharmaceutical companies, the one to read is Byron J. Richards’ Fight for Your Health: Exposing the FDA’s Betrayal of America ($17.95, Wellness Resources Books, 71 Amundson Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55439.) "Wall Street, international bankers, President Bush, pharmaceutical companies, new biotech companies, the Rockefeller empire, and the FDA have created a new plan for public health," writes Richards. "It is a grand vision based on profit. It will use the FDA and, as needed, the Department of Homeland Security as the regulatory police force that ensures compliance in the name of public safety." Richards is a man on a mission and he makes a compelling case that the "new public-health plan amounts to a declaration of war on health freedom and the rights of people to receive the health care that is most likely to relieve their problems." The author is a clinical nutritionist and a man on a mission and one wonders whether this book will receive the coverage it needs to reach a wide audience. To learn more, visit www.TruthinWellness.com.

When it’s Cancer: The 10 Essential Steps to Follow After Your Diagnosis by Dr. Toni Berney, PhD, a psychologist, and her husband Dr. Saar Porrath, MD, an oncologist, ($15.95, Rodale, softcover) is the book to have if you or someone close to you has received a diagnosis of cancer. The questions include where to get the best care, what are the treatment options, and how to cope. Ironically, this occurred when Saar developed a rare form of cancer and out of their collective experience they shaped the Personal Cancer Management System, a 10-step program that is the centerpiece of this excellent book. The system guides patients and their loved ones through the maze of physical, psychological, social, logistical, financial, and legal issues that often accompany a cancer diagnosis. The book is filled with worksheets, checklists, and other ways a patient can gather critical information to manage the disease and make informed decisions.

It’s not something anyone wants to talk about, but it is a health problem that affects an estimated 15 million women. Regaining Bladder Control: What Every Woman Needs to Know ($22.00, Prometheus Books) does an excellent job of addressing chronic bladder control problems, noting that this incontinence is highly treatable. Authored by three women, Dr. Rebecca G. Rogers, MD, a urologist, along with Dr. Janet Yagoda Shagam, PhD, a medical and science writer, and Shelley Kleinschmidt, the book discusses how simple exercises and dietary changes can prove helpful, guides readers through the diagnostic process with their physicians, describes an array of treatment options, and contains a wealth of useful information and advice.

The Hidden Gifts of the Introverted Child: Helping Your Child Thrive in an Extroverted World ($14.95, Workman Publishing, softcover) by Dr. Marti Olsen Laney, PsyD, an expert on introverts, believes that they are often misunderstood by parents, siblings, classmates, and teachers. Such children often think there is something wrong with themselves. If you are a parent of such a child, I have no doubt this book will prove helpful because it is filled with insights and good advice. Some children are born "hard wired" toward this approach to life, but they can be help to thrive in a society in which celebrity and other public behavior is applauded. Another book is The Unhappy Child: What Every Parent Needs to Know by Dr. Kenneth N. Condrell, PhD, a child psychologist and family therapist ($18.00, Prometheus Books, softcover). The author teaches parents and mental health professionals the ten most common, yet sometimes not-so-obvious causes of childhood unhappiness and he provides practical solutions. Anyone who works with children will find this book of interest. Chronically unhappy children may be on their way to a full-blown depressive disorder. Books like these are invaluable.

The Father Factor: How Your Father’s Legacy Impacts Your Career by Dr. Stephan B. Poulter, Ph.D, ($18.00, Prometheus Books, softcover) explores another aspect of psychology, the way father’s imprint their personality on their children for good or ill. They can be a super achiever father or a passive one, an absent one or a compassionate, mentoring one. It’s the good or bad luck of the draw, but for people who sense that something is wrong with the way they function in the workplace, this book might just unlock some hidden truths about the impact dear old dad might have had that is holding you back.

According to Dr. Stephanie Moulton Sarkis, millions of adults suffer from Attention Deficit Disorder that causes problems concentrating on a task, affects one’s memory and sense of self-confidence. 10 Simple Solutions to Adult ADD ($12.95, New Harbinger Publications, softcover) is a slim book offering recommendations about what to do if you think you’re a tad too forgetful, lose things too often, and have trouble following a conversation. I am not sure this is a real medical or psychological problem for either children or adults, but the book appears to offer some commonsense advice that might prove helpful.

Many people are choosing to self-publish through the various companies that have created systems to facilitate this. Every so often, one of these books turns out to be well worth the effort. Serendipity, Luck and Wisdom in Research by Patrick J. Hannan ($18.95, iUniverse softcover) will prove very entertaining, particularly for people who work in various fields of science and medicine. The author is a veteran chemist and he has compiled anecdotes and interviews that tell the story behind some of the 20^th century’s most surprising findings such as the accidental discovery of Teflon, how rat poison was used to treat a president, or the improbable route that led to antibiotics to cure tuberculosis. The notion of humorless scientists in laboratories is dispelled by many stories that demonstrate how luck, wisdom, patience and curiosity led to many of the advances of science and medicine that we take for granted. The book is available through Amazon.com or BarnesandNoble.com.

Back to Top

Kid Stuff: Books for Young Readers

With every passing year, I seem to receive more and more remarkable books written for young people from pre-school to the teenagers. September is the traditional "back to school" month, but every month can be a learning experience or just entertainment for any youngster fortunate enough to get the reading habit. It’s up to their parents and older relatives to make this happen by encouraging them with the provision of books and by turning off the TV! Here are some of the best debuting this fall.

What Went Right Today? ($19.99, Buz-land Presentations, Inc., Scotch Plains, NJ) is a combination of words and music, the latter courtesy of the CD that comes with the book. The creation of Joan Buzick, who also supplied the music, and Lindy Judd, with illustrations by James Kevin Sullivan, this book has an audience aged 3 to 8, but everyone will enjoy its message that a positive attitude beats a negative one any time. This is a fun, child-centered and interactive audio-picture book filled with thought-provoking questions, engaging illustrations, and a toe-tapping song that encourages looking at the good things the world and life has to offer. To learn more, visit www.Buz-Land.com. For the very young for whom picture books that mom or dad can read, there’s Itty & Bitty, Friends on the Farm ($15.95, McWitty Press, New York, NY), a sequel to a 2005 book featuring two miniature horses who live on a ranch just outside of Dallas. The story is filled with other animal characters, the prose is easy to grasp, and the artwork is ideal for the very young. You can learn more at www.ittyandbitty.com. This age group, 4 to 8, is also well served with the first of a series of books featuring two adventurous penguins that decide to leave the National Zoo in Washington, D.C. and explore the city. Cha-Cha & Zee Explore Our Nation’s Capital ($16.95, TK Publishing, Gilsum, NH) by Indigo Tyler is filled with photos of the buildings and sometimes takes one inside, all of which include images of the two penguins for a fanciful trip through museums, monuments, and memorials. In addition, the hardcover title has a companion Activity Book in softcover ($6.95) filled with games, quizzes, and pictures to color. Kids will love this and learn stuff too! These two critters are off to San Antonio in their next book. You can check them out at www.ChaChaZee.com.

For folks who love the older, classic children’s stories, August House Publishers have published some stories that have entertained children for a very long time. We can thank Robert D. San Souci and his brother Daniel who teamed up for Sister Tricksters: Rollicking Tales of Clever Females ($19.95) for readers aged 7 to 10. These are mainly texts with a handful of handsome illustrations and include some from the tales of Br’er Rabbit in which girls are the heroines such as Molly Cottontail, Miz Grasshopper and Miz Goose. The author has more than 60 children’s books to his credit, plus the screenplay of the Disney film, Mulan. The old fable of The Little Red Hen is retold by Heather Forest with eye-catching illustrations by Susan Gaber ($16.95). Its ancient lesson is the importance of doing one’s chores. A Balinese folktale, Go to Sleep, Gecko, is retold by Margaret Read MacDonald with some fanciful artwork by Geraldo Valerio ($16.95). Gecko is awakened by fireflies outside his window and goes to a wise old elephant to solve his problem and learns an ecology lesson in the process. This publisher has a wealth of excellent young reader’s books from many cultures. You can learn more about it by visiting www.augusthouse.com.

Among the leading children’s book publishers is Kids Can Press that always has a nice mix of books and this fall is no exception. I especially liked Christmas Eve Magic by Lucie Papineau and Stephanie Poulin($16.95) that is "inspired" by Dicken’s famed story of "A Christmas Carol." Firstly, the artwork illustrating this story is just marvelous. The story is a hilarious tale of Barton, a wealthy pig, who hates Christmas and everything about it. He sulks as he hears caroling singers and is reminded by other aspects of the holiday. Barton gets a visit from a most unusual mouse who takes him on a trip to his past, the present, and the future. I would snap this one up in a hot minute in order to be able to read or give it to a youngster aged 5 to 8. One of my favorite poems is The Cremation of Sam McGee by Robert Service because "there are strange things done in the midnight sun by the men who moil for gold." This is a classic and wonderfully funny story-poem of a prospector in Alaska who hasn’t been warm since he left Tennessee. This version ($17.95) with paintings by Ted Harrison and an introduction by Pierre Berton is perfect for anyone of any age. It should, of course, be read out loud. Two other Kids Can Press books are also worth noting. For kids 8 to 12, there’s Science Detectives: How Scientists Solved Six Real-Life Mysteries ($15.95) that tell the stories behind such breakthroughs as isolating typhoid fever and discovering DNA. The potential scientist in your family may get his or her start with an interesting book like this. For slightly younger readers, aged 5 to 8, The Extinct Files by Wallace Edwards ($17.95) claims that dinosaurs are not extinct or at least that’s what Wally’s science project attempts to prove with some wacky and wonderful "photographs" he produces in the form of the book’s fabulous illustrations. Apparently they have been hiding in plain sight! I highly recommend a visit to www.kidscanpress.com to check out all their new books.

Kane/Miller is another favorite children’s book publisher of mine. They, too, have a grab bag of new books for all ages and many reflect other cultures and nationalities. In fact, Kane/Miller is bringing out a line of Spanish language picture books, "Libros del Mundo". There are over 25 million Hispanics in the United States, the fifth-largest Spanish-speaking country in the world! This is not to say Hispanic Americans should not learn English, but for those who want to encourage their own cultural history, this new line of books will prove very welcome. Meanwhile, for English language readers, aged 2 to 6, there’s Hello Hello and Say Please ($4.95) that combine whimsical art and engaging characters to introduce pre-schoolers to telephone and other useful etiquette. From Japan comes the tale of a witch, a slightly grumpy cat, and one large bucket of singing clams! Singing Shijimi Clams by Naomi Kojima ($15.95) will amuse any child age 4-8. Come to think of it, I enjoyed it too! This is the fourth book by the author who was born in Tokyo, but who spent her childhood in the U.S., graduating from Rhodes College. Happy Birthday Coco by Shoko Nagmatsu with illustrations by Hitomi Sago ($12.95) chronicles a year in the life of a wire fox terrier and will prove a favorite among dog lovers of all ages as Coco explores her world with a new friend. Ideal to be read to the very young. Continuing our international literary travels, those aged 4 to 8, will be entertained by Half of an Elephant from Mexico by the award-winning artist, Gusti (15.95) about an elephant who wakes up to discover a world split in two with half of himself missing! He sets off the look for it, beginning a magical journey filled with discoveries and surprises. India is the backdrop for Kali and the Rat Snake as told by Zai Whitaker with illustrations by Srividya Natarajan ($15.95). Kali’s father is a snake catcher. He’s having trouble making friends at school until a very unwelcome visitor drops in to the classroom, a six-foot long rat snake, and Kali knows just what to do. All of sudden, Kali is very popular! This is a story that demonstrates that "being different" can be overcome. Visit Kane/Miller at www.kanemiller.com to learn more about their many fine children’s books.

I have long been a fan of the children’s books published by National Geographic and this fall’s new books are no exception. Aimed at the older reader among the younger set, say age 8 to 12, they are always handsomely illustrated with art and photos. There is a large selection this fall, but here are a few I’ve seen. Marco Polo: The Boy Who Traveled the Medieval World by Nick McCarty ($17.95) tells the story of this famed traveler from his boyhood in Venice to his visit to Kublai Khan’s palaces in China. When he returned to Italy, the stories of his travels were so extraordinary that people thought he was inventing them! Also from the publisher’s "World History Biographies" is Eleanor of Aquitaine: The Queen Who Rode Off to Battle by Ann Kramer ($17.95), the true story of her life as a queen, a prisoner, and a crusader. Medieval Europe comes to life on its pages. From its "American Documents" series, the last of five books that are set in Colonial times is Hero of the High Seas: John Paul Jones and the American Revolution by Michael L. Cooper ($21.95). There are just too many excellent books to include, so visit www.nationalgeographic.com to learn about all of them.

American Girl is a publisher the parents of girls should definitely check out. Among their new books and play kits for those aged 8 and up are the following: You Can Do It! A Kit to Help You Do Just About Anything ($9.95) by Erin Falligant and Michelle Watkins features bold graphics and inspiring tips on how to reach the goals a girl sets for herself. There’s a full-sized inspirational poster, five sheets of sticks, and six smart cards to keep girls going and feeling strong. Art Starts: Every Page Illustrated by You! ($12.95) by Trula Magruder and Chris David, two of American Girls’ most popular illustrators have joined forces to create projects that ask girls to finish it for them. Projects include book covers, websites, finishing line drawings, and drawing pets, places, and faces. This is a good way to let girls discover their artistic talents. Also in the area of creativity, there’s Pom-pom Pets by Larisa Brodman ($17.95) that comes in a box filled with supplies that include yarns, pretty pipe cleaners, and other craft items to capture the fuzz, feathers, and fur of their favorite animals. To learn about Friends: Making Them & Keeping Them ($9.95) by Patti Kelley Criswell and illustrated by Stacy Paterson, this inter-active little book gives girls the know-how via quizzes, crafts, and thoughtful advice. Lastly, there’s Girl Talk Questions ($7.95) that explores the answers to questions received from girls all over the nation, providing an opportunity for insight into the reader’s life.

There are tons of excellent books available from this publisher and a visit to its website at www.americangirl.com will provide just the right book for your girl.

In the world of fiction for the young, the name Avi is that of a famed Newberry Award-winner who has written more than fifty books! He’s back with Crispin at the Edge of the World ($16.99, Hyperion Books for Children), aimed at those ages 10 to 14. Crispin as a nameless orphan who discovers his name and makes friends with Bear, an enormous, red-bearded juggler, sometimes spy, and everyday philosopher, who adopts him and takes off with him to live their lives as free men in a long-ago time. They are pursued by an evil brotherhood and, when Bear is wounded, Crispin must take over to make decisions about their future together. To find freedom and safety, they must travel to the edge of the world. This is a sequel to Crispin: The Cross of Lead. Once you begin to read Avi, you and your younger reader will be hooked!

I do not want to ignore the teenaged reader and there are three books worth noting. There’s The Strictest School in the World by Howard Whitehouse ($6.95, Kids Can Press softcover) with the occasional illustration by Bill Slavin. This is subtitled "The Mad Misadventures of Emmaline and Rubberbones" and features 14-year-old Emmaline Cayley and her 12-year-old pal, Robert Burns, both of whom want to perfect a flying machine, despite her fear of flying, but before they can, she is sent off to St. Grimelda’s School for Young Ladies to be cured of her unladylike ways. It has a horrifying headmistress, terrifying teachers, and awful food. No one has ever escaped from St. Grimelda’s, but if anyone can, it is Emmaline! I loved it! From Tor for Teens comes a story about superheroes, Chance Fortune and the Outlaws ($17.95, Starscape, hardcover) by Shane Berryhill. This is a fun, snappy read about a high school that trains superheroes and a young teen with an impossible dream. The twist is that Chance doesn’t seem to have superpowers! He is not about to let that stop him from realizing his dream or learning that he possesses qualities that rival even superpowers. He gets a lot of help from his mentor, Captain Fearless, and classmates Psy-Chick, Shocker, Gothika, Space Cadet, Iron Maiden, and Private Justice. The fate of the universe depends on them! This is just plain fun!

Young adult fiction, age 12 and up, now has an old-fashioned, but timely love story by Riley Weston. Before I Go ($21.95, Campfire Press, Los Angeles, CA, hardcover) tells the story of 16-year-old Madison Henry who has been ice-skating as long as she’s been walking. Coached by her mother, Annie, she is on her way to the Olympics. Jack has been her one friend since she was six years old and now, ten years later, Madison is completely oblivious to his deep feelings for her. When an accident alters her life, she is forced to look at it through new eyes and only then does she begin to grasp the sacrifices her mother has made for her and realize Jack’s love. Weston is a very talented writer who is getting the attention of Touchstone Pictures for both her acting and writing skills. I predict she will have a very bright future and that’s good news for all of us. For this same age group, there’s Secret of the Dance by Susan Eileen Walker ($15.00, Keene Publishing softcover). It is an interesting story of two brothers who love dance, but while one goes off to fame in the New York dance world, the other remains behind in a small town to run a restaurant and dance studio with his wife. Their 16-year-old daughter, herself a dancer, is thrilled by her uncle’s sudden return. This produces tension between the two brothers who have grown distant over the years. It’s a well-told, interesting story.

Finally, for those of a spiritual inclination, the growing popularity of Kabbalah, the ancient mystic Jewish teachings, have been providing insights for people of all faiths these days. The 72 Names of God for Kids: A Treasury of Timeless Wisdom by Yahuda Berg with Dev Ross ($14.95, Kabbalah Publishing, Los Angeles, hardcover) is intended to provide younger readers, ages 6 to 12, with the opportunity to build characters, spiritual strength and self-esteem. The book is filled with meditations, lessons, stories, poems and Kabbalistic fables that offer a safe and loving way to face tough and sometimes overwhelming challenges, drawing on insights and stories from the book for adults of the same title. It offers the means to empower themselves by learning how to get rid of negative thoughts, understand what self-esteem means, and to take responsibility for their actions, among many other important life lessons. This is a remarkable text and one from which anyone could benefit.

Back to Top

Novels, Novels, Novels!

A great novel is a wonderful experience and, these days, you can listen to one as well. I was reminded of this when I received To Kill a Mockingbird ($49.95, HarperCollins Audio, 11 CDs) by Harper Lee. The actress, Sissy Spacek, reads this unabridged audio edition. Some books, like "Uncle Tom’s Cabin" have a great influence on public opinion and the same held true a century later when "To Kill a Mockingbird" made its debut. It has since been translated into 40 languages and has sold more than 30 million copies. In addition, it was an Academy Award winning movie. Some regard it to be the best novel of the 20^th century. There’s more good news. This audiobook marks the re-launch of the legendary Caedmon Audio imprint. The Caedmon library has some of the great modern poets and authors of the last century in its collection.

Anonymous Lawyer by Jeremy Blachman ($25.00, Henry Holt & Co) is a debut novel written in the form of a blog. Indeed, the novel takes its life from an actual blog by that name by the author. In the novel, a hiring partner at one of the world’s largest law firms, a brilliant, but ruthless, attorney who has no life but the one spent torturing himself and everyone around him, is revealed in an entertaining look that rips the façade from the practice of corporate law and provides an inside look at the way some people sell their souls to bill $675 an hour. It is both hilarious and fiendish at the same time. Another form of cult life is limned in New Light by Annette Gilson ($23.95, Blue Heron Press, Seattle, WA), a debut novel in which the main character, Beth Martin, experiences a vision. It is disconcerting, but compelling and, at the same time, she meets a neuroscientist researching the vision phenomenon. She accompanies him to a commune called New Light where she meets its charismatic leader, a woman known as The Mother. The commune is devoted to openness to sexual and emotional experimentation. How she experiences this and the decisions she makes regarding her personal responsibility is explored in this interesting look at contemporary American utopian life.

The Man Who Smiled is a Kurt Wallender mystery by Henning Mankell ($24.95, The New Press). The author has thirty-six novels to his credit including nine Kurt Wallender mysteries, a British police inspector, who in this story has killed a man in the line of duty, plunging into a personal and professional crisis. In the year that followed, he had turned to drink and vows to quit the Ystad police force, but a friend who asked him to look into the death of his father is killed, shot three times. Instead of leaving police work behind, he must investigate a formidable suspect, a powerful business tycoon at the head of a multination company engaging in extralegal activities. This is an intricately written piece of fiction, which accounts for why the author has received the Crime Writers’ Association’s Macallan Gold Dagger award and many others. Another excellent police novel is To Serve and Protect by James K. Magee ($15.00, Keene Publishing, Warwick, NY) divides its time between Washington, D.C., and the small town of Goshen, N.Y. as the local police chief, Tom Martin, is drawn into the investigation of a brutal assassination of a U.S. Senator. A mysterious phone call to those behind the killing reveals that a key witness is hiding out in Goshen. The sleepy town is turned upside down when four of its residents are murdered, including Martin’s girlfriend. A vast conspiracy becomes personal as he sets out to avenge her death and the residents he swore to protect. The debuting author of this suspenseful thriller grew up in Goshen, lives there, and is working on his next novel.

It takes a lot of courage and a lot of talent to take on a classic piece of literature and turn it into a new novel, but that’s what Margaret George has done with Helen of Troy ($27.95, Viking). In the past, the author has written novels that were intimate portraits of figures like Henry VIII, Cleopatra, and Mary Magdalene, winning a legion of fans in the process. The mythic Helen of Troy gets a new breath of life in her hands as Helen narrates her own story. Caught in a loveless marriage to Menelaus, she meets the handsome Trojan Prince, Paris, and within days elopes with him, setting in motion the most storied war in history. If you like broad, sweeping, historical novels, this one will prove very entertaining. A very different story uses history as its backdrop in The Priest’s Madonna by Amy Hassinger ($35.00, G.P. Putnam’s Sons) and anyone who has read "The DaVinci Code" will be tempted to pick up this story of the late 19^th century. It tells the story of Marie Denarnaud who becomes the housekeeper and lover of a priest in southern France who funds the reconstruction of his church with the help of a wealthy patron and it well may be that he is being paid to keep secret the truth about a local legend of a woman who claimed to be descended from the bloodline of Jesus and Mary Magdalene. Hassinger blends fact and fiction to tell a lush, romantic story filled with intrigue, faith, doubt, forbidden love, and elicit passion.

Jennifer Gilmore captures a very different kind of history in an excellent novel. Golden Country ($25.00, Scribner, an imprint of Simon and Schuster.) In her debut novel, Gilmore captures the experiences of Jewish immigrants, the Brodskys and the Blooms, as they encounter the American experience from the era of the Depression to the invention of television. This is a multigenerational family epic that follows the struggles of both families, brought together by the marriage of their children. It is a rich and ambitious tapestry of irresistible characters as they pursue the American Dream. With Americans paying attention these days to events in Israel and reacting to the anti-Semitic outburst of a famed movie star, this novel takes on the additional value of providing a window into the experiences of a prominent religious and ethnic group that made great contributions to their adopted country. Chicago is the setting for The Washington Story by Adam Langer ($14.00, Riverhead Books, an imprint of Penguin Putnam, softcover). The author had an impressive debut with "Crossing California" in 2004, garnishing great reviews and awards. His new novel is a sequel, featuring the same characters from the 1970s who now find themselves in the conservative 1980s when Reagan is President. There’s Jill Wasserstorm, a liberal introvert, haunted by the death of her mother, who attends Vasser College where she plunges into student journalism. Her boyfriend, Muley Wills, is a black filmmaker who was abandoned by his Jewish father. He attends art school in Chicago, rooms with a manic cartoonist, Hillel Levy, and becomes obsessed with space flight. There are other comparable characters in what is a kind of extended family. The novel spans the five years between 1982 and 1987 and is framed by the election campaigns of Harold Washington, Chicago’s first black mayor. The novel is a snapshot of America.

Scads of softcover novels arrive monthly so permit me a quick roundup look at the most recent to arrive at Chez Bookviews. Natasha Roit made a reputation for herself as a real-life California Trial Lawyer of the Year in 2004 and, apparently, inside of every lawyer is a novelist waiting to escape. In her case, she has done so with a spellbinder titled The Oregon Project ($14.95, Tapestry Press, Arlington, TX) concerning a district attorney who’s in bed with organized Chinese crime and a complex real estate scam that duped millions of dollars from its victims. You will read this one cover to cover in one sitting. A short, funny novel is Martian Dawn ($14.95, Turtle Point Press, New York) by Michael Friedman about two lead characters involved in the filming of a science fiction movie of the same name as the title. Their lives intersect with a variety of folks that include a cosmonaut and her astronaut boyfriend, a film producer and his therapist, and other characters that will get you through an afternoon on the beach or poolside. It’s good, clever writing. Michael Laser has penned an unconventional love story in Dark & Light ($26.00, The Permanent Press, New York) that brings together two very different people, a male, white, middle-aged divorcee and a young, homeless black woman trying to rid herself of her addictions. In a moment of desperate loneliness, he offers her shelter and she reluctantly accepts. To tell you more would be to spoil it. Kenneth MacLean has written The Mind Keepers ($17.95, New World Press, Middle Island, NY) and if you like suspense combined with the threat of a new weapon that can control individuals and large populations by filling their minds with thoughts that control their actions and can kill them. This is science fiction and murder mystery and the result is a search for the killer that wields this weapon that turns up secret government experiments and has implications for international politics. A former FBI agent is drawn into this dangerous world when his best friend is murdered and, like the concentric rings of a drop of water in a pool, the story reaches out to envelop the readers with a well-drawn cast of characters and an action-packed plot. You will never look at a microwave tower again in the same benign way.

Finally, for anyone who enjoys short stories, two collections have arrived. The Killing Sun ($24.95, Ara Pacis Publishers, Des Plaines, IL) by Thomas Sanfilip demonstrate this poet’s talent for capturing the descriptive moment with twenty short pieces that will please a mature appreciation for good writing. Kudos to James Fisher, the publisher, for nurturing this fine talent. And, while we’re at it, let’s also note Zen Death Poems and Other Stories by Bruce Adam ($19.95) from the same publishing house. This is an eclectic collection of plays, stories, and poetry, each with the author’s humor showing through to entertain as you taste each one as if you were in a pastry shop.

That’s it for September! Don’t forget to visit our Featured Book section for an opportunity to learn about some excellent fiction and non-fiction that may not attract the attention of the mainstream press, but which deserve yours.

Don’t forget, this month MY new book, "Right Answers: Separating Fact from Fantasy", debuts with a collection of short commentaries on all the hot-button issues that jump off the front page or the news channel at you. Confused by it all? Not after you read my book! For an autographed copy, click here.

Back to Top