Recent and Recommended Books May 2011

We are pleased to send our recording studio enewsletter to share information about the Perkins Library recording program and listings of recently completed digital audio titles. We will spotlight studio staff and volunteers in each issue and give you descriptions of fiction and nonfiction titles recently completed in the studio.

The book order number for locally produced titles begins with the letters DBM for Digital Book-Massachusetts. When you order titles from the studio, please use the DBM number to expedite receiving the books you wish to read. Contact the Library to order books or to make adjustments in your reader profile at 617-972-7240 or 1-800-852-3133; or by email at library@perkins.org.

Robert Pierson, Studio Director
Perkins Braille & Talking Book Library

Meet our Featured Studio Volunteers

Jean Sherman Kriedberg - Narrator
A retired teacher living in Chelmsford with my husband, Ken, she was encouraged to do narration by her mother, a patron of the Perkins Library. Inspired by the materials and literature available, along with the warmth, constant support, and appreciation of the recording studio staff, Kriedberg feels grateful to have this rewarding opportunity to support the blind and visually impaired community. Her studio narrations include Dedication by Emma McLaughlin (DBM 1023) and Ten Thousand Joys and Ten Thousand Sorrows: A Couple's Journey Through Alzheimer's by Olivia Ames Hoblitzelle (DBM 1053).

Anne Quirk - Reviewer and Studio Writer
Quirk has been in the book business since she graduated from college as a history major and stumbled into a children's book publishing job in New York City. Since then she has worked for big publishers, including HarperCollins and Little, Brown, and small publishers, notably The Horn Book, a Boston-based journal about children's literature, and she is now self-employed. She started volunteering in the Perkins studio in 2009 and enjoys reviewing or ‘proof listening to audio books identifying errors to improve accuracy and quality. she also enjoys writing the annotations or short summaries which appear at the beginning of the book and in the enewsletters. She resides in nearby Belmont with her family.

Non-Fiction Books

All Souls: A Family Story From Southie by Michael Patrick MacDonald
DBM 666
The author grew up in "the best place in the world" - the projects of South Boston. Tragic and comic events fill this story of a proud, poor family surviving in a world of gangs, crime, and prejudice. Some strong language and some violence. Narrated by Ana Maria Quintana.

Born to Play: My Life in the Gameby Dustin Pedroia
DBM 1123
The inspirational story of the Red Sox second baseman --a small man (5 foot 7 inches tall) who defied the naysayers to become the American League's Rookie of the Year in 2007 and its Most Valuable Player in 2008. Narrated by Bette Lavery.

Boston's North End: Images and Recollections of an Italian-American Neighborhood by Anthony V. Riccio
DBM 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 Sacco 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. Narrated by Bette Lavery.

Callgirl: Confessions of an Ivy League Lady of Pleasure by Jeanette Angell
DBM 951
The author had just earned a doctorate in social anthropology and was lecturing part-time when her boyfriend took all of her money and left her. She had to find more work. She passed up low-paying jobs for a more lucrative one as an escort. Here, she explains how she made that decision, and describes what happens to escorts behind closed doors. Contains explicit descriptions of sex. Narrated by Ana Maria Quintana.

Douglass and Lincoln: How a Revolutionary Black Leader and a Reluctant Liberator Struggled to End Slavery and Save the Union by Paul Kendrick and Stephen Kendrick.
DBM 1096
Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln had only three meetings but their influence on each other and on the nation altered the course of slavery and the outcome of the civil war. Drawing on unpublished letters and other neglected sources, the authors recount an epic contest of wills that brought out the greatness in both men. Narrated by Ann Eldridge.

Fat to Skinny Fast and Easy: Eat Great, Lose Weight, and Lower Blood Sugar without Exercise by Doug Varrieur  
DBM 1182
The key to weight loss is understanding the ingredients that create fat and pack on pounds. The author, who dropped 100 pounds at middle-age and has kept them off ever since, exposes the hidden sugar in so much of our diet and provides delicious recipes and meal plans that can help anyone maintain a healthy weight without feeling deprived. Narrated by Doug Varrieur.

Generous Faith: Stories to Inspire Abundant Living by Sister Bridget Haase
DBM 1194
A Collection of stories that give shape and face of three practices: Living in the moment, Trusting in In process. Divine care, and Experiencing God?s presence. The people in these stories ask us to re-examine our own journey and change our perspective. In so doing, we take a second look at our life, and realize that what we have is more than enough for it is, quite simply, most abundant. Narrated by Sam Silverman.

The Gardner Heist: the True Story of the World's Largest Unsolved Art Theft by Ulrich Boser
DBM 1086
In March of 1990 the greatest art theft in history occurred at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston. Ulrich Boser delves deep into the art underworld to help reveal the trail of the still unsolved crime of how over a dozen masterpieces were stolen and the leads on how they can hopefully be recovered. Contains some strong language. Narrated by Bart Morse.

The Greatest Presidential Stories Never Told: 100 Tales from History to Astonish, Bewilder, and Stupefy by Rick Beyer
DBM 1031
Lincoln's duel, Jimmy Carter's UFO sighting, and the president who went skinny-dipping in the Potomac every day are just a few entries in this fascinating compendium of little-known, true stories about United States presidents. Narrated by Jeff Ferrannini.

If Only They Could Speak: Stories about Pets and their People by Nicholas H. Dodman
DBM 1118
The joys and rewards as well as the frustrations and failures of pet ownership are explored by the author who examines the complexities of the human-animal dynamic from both the pet and owners point of view. Narrated by Debby Perugini.

Moving the Chains: Tom Brady and the Pursuit of Everything Else by Charles P. Pierce
DBM 975
Skilled, disciplined, and fortunate, Tom Brady was a sixth-round draft choice who became the youngest quarterback to win a Super Bowl, and the only one to win three while still in his twenties. Here is the story of his climb to the top, and his fight to stay there. Narrated by John Deming.

Red Sox Rule: Terry Francona and Boston's Rise to Dominance by Michael Holley
DBM 1098
With the exclusive cooperation of Red Sox manager Terry Francona, this fascinating volume goes into the clubhouse and deep inside the conference room to reveal the strategies that have made the team a budding dynasty. Some strong language. Narrated by Bruce Lundeen.

Watching Baseball: Discovering the Game Within the Game by Jerry Remy with Corey Sandler.
DBM 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. Approximate reading time: 15 hrs. Narrated by Mark Agney.

Fiction Books

Animal Crackers: Stories by Hannah Tinti
DBM 941
Eleven stories of people and animals. An artist is bothered by a stuffed bear; a young woman is lured by the freedom of monkeys in the trees of Africa; a husband projects his anger onto his wife's pet rooster. Some violence, some descriptions of sex. Narrated by Mark Angney.

Boyos by Richard Marinick
DBM 903
The author grew up running with Boston's gangs during the era of Whitey Bulger. Using authentic, gritty detail, he tells the story of "Wacko" Curran and his brother Kevin, shrewd and brutal soldiers in the Irish mob. When these boyos rebel against paying tribute to mob boss Marty Fallon, they discover that Marty has plans of his own for the upstart Curans. Extreme violence and strong language. Narrated by Greg Massing.

Dedication by Emma McLaughlin
DBM 1023
The authors of The Nanny Diaries (RC 54032) introduce readers to Kate Hollis, who manages to survive the modern world. Kate's ex-boyfriend disappeared on prom night eleven years ago, and has now become a mega star, recording songs about her. Kate decides to confront him when he visits their Vermont hometown. Some sexual content and some strong language. Narrated by Jean Kriedberg.

Flashback by Michael Palmer
DBM 944
An eight-year-old boy remembers every moment of what should have been a simple operation with adequate anesthesia. Now, he lives in terror. The hospital has been making horrible mistakes. Can it be stopped before there is another victim? Time is running out. Contains strong language, and some descriptions of sex. Narrated by David Curtis.

The Ladies' Man by Elinor Lipman
DBM 725
After jilting Adele Dobbin at the altar, Harvey Nash has the audacity to show up and apologize thirty years later. He is just in from the coast where he has reinvented himself as Nash Harvey, composer of jingles. He brings disruption, comedy, and change to the well-ordered lives of Adele and her two sisters. Approximate reading time: 7 hrs, 20 min. Narrated by Ana Maria Quintana.

My Only Story by Monica Wood
DBM 1004
Rita Rosario, a thirtysomething divorcee, and John Reed, a lonely stranger who needs her help, begin to fall in love, When he reveals his story to her, Rita is determined to reconnect him with his young, orphaned niece. But family members intervene, and John begins to grow away from Rita. Meanwhile, Rita's sister comes to stay with her. A compelling family story. Narrated by Yvonne Fuller.

New World Greetings: Inspirational Poetry and Musings for a New World by Mary McManus
DBM 1030
Mary McManus overcame paralytic polio as a young girl, and dealt successfully with post polio syndrome years later. In this collection of inspiring poems, she shares the profound faith and love that has increasingly filled her life. Narrated by Mary McManus.

Children’s Books

Escapade Johnson and the Witches of Belnap County by Michael Sullivan
DBM 1104
When a weird trio of elderly women appear one snowy afternoon in Sanbornton's library, the overactive imaginations of Escapade and his buddies shift into overdrive. Has a coven come to town? Grades 2 to 5. Narrated by Ken Durand.

Flamingos on the Roof by Calef Brown
DBM 1005
29 nonsense poems full of words that are fun to say. Come to the Soggy Circus, meet Tiny Baby Sphinx, and visit Weatherbee's Diner. For grades 2-4. Narrated by Yvonne Fuller.

Honk!: The Story of a Prima Swanerina by Pamela Duncan Edwards
DBM 818
Honk is a swan who loves ballet. When she manages to join the other dancers in a performance of Swan Lake, Honk wins acclaim. For preschool-grade 2. Narrated by Ana Maria Quintana.

Lemon the Duck by Laura Backman
DBM 1192
This book is based on the inspirational true story of Lemon the Pekin Duck, who was born in an elementary school classroom. Neurological issues make Lemon unable to walk, but with the support of a compassionate teacher and her students, Lemon is still able to become one happy duck. For Kindergarten - Grade 2. Narrated by MaryBeth Wise.

Timberrr… by Mary Morton Cowan
DBM 1151
From the seemingly endless woodlands encountered by early European settlers to today's scientifically managed forests, New England has a long and intriguing history with its mighty trees. This lively volume tells the colorful story of logging and illuminates the industry's cultural, economic, and technological contributions to the region. For junior/senior high and older readers. Narrated by Sharon Brecher.