Recommended Reads: Locally Produced Books

Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers. -Charles W. Eliot

The Perkins Braille & Talking Book Library produces many audio and braille books that do not get produced by the National Library Service for the Blind & Physically Handicapped. We would like to share with you some of our newest local interest titles that are currently on cassette.

Our future plans will have locally produced titles coming on digital cartridge very soon. We have started converting all of our titles to the new digital flash drive format and we look forward to sharing them with you when they are available for loan.

Recorded cassette (RCM) copies of these books are available from the Perkins Braille & Talking Book Library. Please contact the library to order any of these books.

Non-Fiction Books

The Greatest War Stories Never Told: 100 tales from Military History to Astonish, Bewilder, & Stupefy by Rick Beyer.
RCM 1032
Do you know why Napoleon sold France's vast North American territory? How aerial bombing was invented? What woman almost drove the Romans out of Britain? The bits of world military history collected here include these and 97 other little-known stories.

Never Give Up: My Stroke, My Recovery, and My Return to the NFL by Tedy Bruschi.
RCM 992
Tedy Bruschi, tough captain of the New England Patriots, has inspired football players and fans alike for years. In 2005, he suffered a stroke; just eight months later, he returned to the game. It was a victory larger than any of his three Super Bowl championships. Here he tells his powerful story, and sends an inspiring message to stroke survivors. Some strong language.

Farm to Factory: Women's Letters, 1830-1860 edited by Thomas Dublin.
RCM 1049
Many young women left their homes to work in the mills and factories of New England during the 1800s. In this collection of letters, details of their lives, interests, and hopes provide a first-hand record of that time and place in American history.

Burning Up the Air: Jerry Williams, Talk Radio, and the Life in Between by Steve Elman.
RCM 1008
Jerry Williams pioneered talk radio, first putting listeners on the air in 1957 at Boston's WMEX. By the mid-1980s, he was rallying listeners to repeal a seat belt law and to defeat Michael Dukakis. He became known as the "Dean of Talk Radio." Some strong language.

Roger Williams by Edwin S. Gaustad.
RCM 1060
When rebel Puritan clergyman Roger Williams arrived in New England, he introduced unpopular ideas which appalled leaders there. Religious freedom, separation of church and state, respect for Native Americans, and a free judiciary would prove to be concepts fundamental to American history later; however, in 1631, they were considered heretical goals. After five years of causing turmoil at the Plymouth and Salem settlements, Williams was banished for his views, Within months, he was setting up the much more liberal colony of Rhode Island to implement his ideals.

The Majesty of Your Loving: A Couple's Journey through Alzheimer's by Olivia Hoblitzelle.
RCM 1053
How do we find peace in the face of tremendous challenges? Olivia and Hob Hoblitzelle sought answers to this question when Hob was diagnosed with Alzheimer's. Drawing on their backgrounds in Buddhism, psychology, and literature, they found ways to continue to grow, find meaning, and strengthen their love. Olivia shares their journey and their discoveries, and provides self-help suggestions for others encountering similar challenges

Jackie Oh! by Kitty Kelley.
RCM 1002
Educated at the best schools, Jacqueline Bouvier married John Fitzgerald Kennedy and became the youngest First Lady in United States history. She remodeled the White House and established herself as the epitome of American elegance and good taste in the 1960s. After her husband's tragic death, Jacqueline married Aristotle Onassis, one of the most wealthy men in the world, and went on to rebuild her life.

User Friendly Emerson: Self-Reliance in Simple Words by Bill Montague.
RCM 1100
"Self-Reliance" is among the most important American works of the 19th century but modern readers often find it difficult to understand. This shortened version retains the essay?s timeless wisdom but makes it more accessible for today.

Broadway Down East: An Informal Account of the Plays, Players and Playhouses of Boston from Puritan Times to the Present by Eliot Norton.
RCM 897
A wealth of anecdotes and information about Sarah Bernhardt, John Barrymore, Helen Hayes, the Old Howard, the Majestic, and much more fill this colorful history of Boston theatre from its beginnings to the late 1970s. Norton, "dean of American theatre critics," was the 20th century's leading drama reviewer and theatre expert in Boston and perhaps the entire United States. The book is drawn from a series of lectures he presented.

The Blueprint: How the New England Patriots Beat the System to Create the Last Great NFL Superpower by Christopher Price.
RCM 993
Belichick was hired as head coach and Scott Pioli as VP of Player Personnel, quarterback Tom Brady was drafted, and everything changed. Their focus on team rather than talent led to three Super Bowl victories in four seasons. Price tells the franchise's success story, often from inside the locker room.

The Boston Italians: A Story of Pride, Perseverance, and Paesani, from the Years of the Great Immigration to the Present Day by Stephen Puleo.
RCM 1047
Puleo draws on memoirs, newspapers, and his own family's story to construct a moving history of Italians in Boston's North End community. He accurately and vividly covers the arrival of the first immigrants, the impact of the Depression, experiences in World War II, and the emergence of present-day Italian-Americans.

The Naked Quaker: True Crimes and Controversies from the Courts of Colonial New England by Diane Rapaport.
RCM 1034
Rapaport opens a window on colonial life in New England by using early court records to discover individual stories. These notorious thieves, daring dissidents, romantic rivals and other folks encounter problems much like some reported in newspapers today.

Watching Baseball: Discovering the Game within the Game by Jerry Remy.
RCM 973
Red Sox broadcaster and former major league player Jerry Remy's guide to baseball has been a standard source for years. Here is the 2006 revised and updated edition which includes the story of the Boston Red Sox's historic World Series victory.

Boston's North End: Images and Recollections of an Italian-American Neighborhood by Anthony V. Riccio.
RCM 1044
Elders who have lived in Boston's Italian-American neighborhood for many years reminisce about everything from family life, the Great Molasses Flood, and the Saco and Vanzetti trial, to work, holidays, and the "New Boston." A collection of personal, easy-to-read stories of long ago and now, lovingly taken down word-for-word by the author during many interviews.

A Time to Every Purpose: Letters to a Young Jew by Jonathan D. Sarna.
RCM 1042
A leading American Jewish historian writes gentle letters, each for a Jewish holiday. Using the holiday as a springboard, he discusses major themes of Jewish culture and religion. The letters are friendly and easily understood.  For young adult and adult readers.

A Rose for Mary: The Hunt for the Real Boston Strangler by Casey Sherman.
RCM 974
The Boston Strangler kept the city and its women in panic during the early 1960s. Fourteen months after the youngest victim, Mary Sullivan, was killed, handyman Albert DeSalvo confessed. But no charges were made, and he was murdered in prison. After ten years of research, Mary's nephew presents startling information about the Boston Strangler killings, and argues to reopen the case. Contains some descriptions of sex and violence.

The House of Belonging by David Whyte.
RCM 1067
First published in 1997, White's fourth book of poetry features direct, clear poems in which he explores self discovery and shares his own search.

Around the World on Two Wheels: Annie Londonderry's Extraordinary Ride by Peter Zheutlin.
RCM 1035
Annie Kopchovsky was not your usual Victorian woman! In 1894, when two wealthy merchants bet that a woman could not ride a bike around the world, enterprising Annie took them up on it. Leaving her husband and children at home in Boston, she changed her name, and circled the globe in fifteen months, lecturing and selling advertising en route to fund her liberating adventure.

Fiction Books

White Heat by Cherry Adair.
RCM 1020
Emily Greene had fallen for playboy Max Aries before he dropped out of her life a year ago. Now he has returned to tell her that his father has been murdered and that her own life is in danger from Black Rose, a terror cell. As Emily and Max search Europe for clues to the terrorist plot, their romance flames into passion. Contains some strong language, explicit descriptions of sex and some violence.

Candyfreak: A Journey Through the Chocolate Underbelly of America by Steve Almond.
RCM 1046
Yummmm. The author shares his love of candy, and takes readers along as he tours the country, hunting down today's remaining independent candy-producers. This is a tribute to them, and to the joy of Goo Goo Clusters, Pop-a-Licks, and more. Contains some strong language.

Almost: A Novel by Elizabeth Benedict.
RCM 1083
Forty-something Sophy Chase was starting out on an adventurous new life in New York City when the sudden death of her almost ex-husband pulls her back to the New England resort she left just months before. Both funny and poignant, this is a sharply observed and beautifully written novel.

The Siamese Silver Pendant by Claudette L. Kiely.
RCM 1078
1955. Walden, New Hampshire. Clarissa Lapointe's life seems simple, and full of fun--picnics, sports, music, and people watching. Then, one hot summer night, she and a man meet. Instantly, they become convinced that they are soul mates, and their lives change dramatically. Forty years later, Clarissa writes the story for her soul mate to read before his death.

Consumed in Freedom's Flame: A Novel of Ireland's Struggle for Freedom 1916-1921 by Cathal Liam.
RCM 1073
Resistance to England's centuries-long oppression of Ireland errupted in Dublin's Easter Rising of 1916, and continued for five years more. Young Aran Roe O'Neill joins the rebels, fighting bravely beside such luminaries as Michael Collins and Patrick Pearse, and becoming a part of the romance, heroism, and tragedy of the Irish.

The Tree Sitter by Suzanne Matson.
RCM 1009
Julie Prince is an outstanding student at Wellesley College. She falls in love with Neil, an environmental activist, and follows him to Oregon, where she joins tree-sitters trying to protect the old-growth forest from destruction. Then Neil turns to violent protest. Will Julie follow him again?

Inauspicious Times by Appadurai Muttulingham.
RCM 1059
Indian author Muttulingam explores some of life's little jokes and tragedies in this collection of stories about the human experience. An immigrant father in New England deals with his separation from his daughter. Maimoon, a Somali woman, comes to terms with being sold into a loveless marriage. An immigrant laborer in Canada resourcefully seeks ways to save money. Subtle, often funny stories to savor.

The Sisterhood by Michael Palmer.
RCM 945
Patients are dying in Boston Doctors Hospital. A doctor risks his career and his life to reveal why. A beautiful nurse holds the answer. Contains strong language, some descriptions of sex and some violence.

Murder at the Altar: A Historical Novel by Terry Phillips.
RCM 1089
It is Christmas eve morning in 1933. Internal dissensions within the Armenian Church have led to the unthinkable. This historical thriller centers on the murder of the highest level representative of this denomination within the US: The Armenian Archbishop. Contains some violence.

Deadly Nightshade by Cynthia Riggs.
RCM 1041
Ninety-two-year-old poet Victoria Trumbull witnesses a body being dumped in the harbor of her native island, Martha's Vineyard. Victoria's granddaughter, Elizabeth, and her boss, the harbormaster Domingo, retrieve the body. The three investigate islanders and wealthy visitors alike, but can't prevent another murder. Some violence and some strong language.

Children's Books

Torchlight by Carol Otis Hurst.
RCM 1076
1854 in Westfield, Massachusetts. The town's long-time Yankee residents feel threatened by the influx of Irish immigrants. Yankee Charlotte Hodge befriends one of them, Maggie Nolan. Tensions in town rise until the girls help to calm a violent mob. For Grades 4-7.

Thanks and Have Fun Running the Country: Kids' Letters to President Obama edited by Jory John.
RCM 1088
When Barack Obama was elected president, schoolchildren around the country took pen to paper and told him what was on their minds. Collected here are dozens of their letters, which include everything from warnings about Lincoln's ghost to concerns about the economy and global warming.

Babe Ruth and the Baseball Curse by David A. Kelly.
RCM 1108
Why did the Red Sox go 86 years between World Series victories? Was the team cursed for trading the great Babe Ruth to the Yankees? This spirited account surveys nine decades of rotten luck at Fenway Park and the glorious season of 2004 that changed everything. For Grades 3-6.

Escapade Johnson and Mayhem at Mount Moosilauke by Michael Sullivan.
RCM 1111
In his first adventure, a wisecracking boy who thinks he lives in the most boring town (Sanbornton) in the most boring state (New Hampshire) finds plenty of excitement when he is face-to-face with an angry bear on a mountain top. Grades 3-6.

Escapade Johnson and the Coffee Shop of the Living Dead by Michael Sullivan.
RCM 1117
How does a failed homework strike get Escapade to produce the best living history project ever? The answer lies deep within the Coffee Shop of the Living Dead! For grades 2-4.

On Tide Mill Pond by Melissa Wiley.
RCM 1051
Boston, 1814. Charlotte helps around the house and cares for her baby sister. She loves hearing Mama sing Scottish airs at the loom. Over the course of the year, the Tucker family celebrates Thanksgiving and Christmas, attends a wedding, welcomes Spring, and weathers a hurricane. Charlotte worries about her dear friend Will who is away in the militia. Then the War of 1812 ends, and Will comes home! For Grades 4-7.