bookpagedev

Children's & YA

Review

Review by bookpagedev

Before the summer gets underway, before the “What are we going to do today? Can’t we go somewhere fun?” questions begin, get a head start with a travel book for kids. Step into its pages and discover your city, your country, your world . . . and bring your children along. You and your team of young and tireless explorers can travel the world this summer, starting in the nearest city. You will return amazed, with souvenirs, knowledge, and memories garnered from every imaginable place. Open up The Great City Search and meet Mayor Maurice who lives in a city very much like your own. Follow him as he weaves you through its streets, hospitals, parks, and more. Can you spot four workers wearing helmets, two underground trains, and a famous statue along the way? Once every corner of the city has been searched, Mayor Maurice will kindly lead you to the new city pool to cool off. In the spirit of Richard Scarry, Rosie Heywood assists kids in discovering the people and places that comprise the mosaic of city life. Kids can travel this book from beginning to end or pick it up and indulge in just one of the city scenes. After they have mastered the key parts of Mayor Maurice’s city, they’ll be more prepared to leap out into their own.

Reviewed by Anna Claire Straughan.

Before the summer gets underway, before the "What are we going to do today? Can't we go somewhere fun?" questions begin, get a head start with a travel book for kids. Step into its pages and discover your city, your country, your world . .…

Sports

Review

Review by bookpagedev

Those who aren’t up on their game needn’t feel embarrassed. Baseball For Dummies can bring even the most horsehide-impaired up to speed. (But there’s plenty to entertain veteran fans as well.) Joe Morgan, a Hall of Fame second baseman, now an analyst for ESPN games, teams up with Richard Lally for this volume of everything you would want to know about baseball (but were too chagrined to ask). Want detailed instructions on how to play the game yourself? It’s here. So is a study of each major league stadium, with suggestions on where to sit to maximize your chances of catching a foul ball.

For many aficionados, statistics are the lifeblood of their enjoyment, so the authors have included a section on how to calculate those batting percentages and earned run averages.

And lest anyone forget that the pro game is not just played in the U.

S. and Canada, Baseball For Dummies reminds us that there’s a great big baseball world out there, and includes discussion on the sport as it’s played in Asia, Australia, and South America.

Morgan and Lally aren’t shy about offering expert opinion as they select their ten greatest players, past, present, and future; they also choose the records they believe are least likely to be broken and the events that transformed the game. Readers may find these lists subjective, but such arguments are part of the fun, part of what being a fan is all about. The appendix offers a glossary of baseball terms, a plethora of records (always welcome by trivia buffs), and a list of contacts for information on just about every aspect of the game, from T-ball to senior leagues, from professional leagues to team Web sites.

Reviewed by Ron Kaplan.

Those who aren't up on their game needn't feel embarrassed. Baseball For Dummies can bring even the most horsehide-impaired up to speed. (But there's plenty to entertain veteran fans as well.) Joe Morgan, a Hall of Fame second baseman, now an analyst for ESPN games,…

Mystery & SuspenseSuspense

Comeback kid

Review by bookpagedev

Katherine Neville thrilled audiences in 1988 with The Eight, an intense debut novel that drew comparisons to Umberto Eco and became a major bestseller. The book interlaced the stories of two women – Cat Velis, a computer expert in 1972, and Mireille de Remy, a nun – in – training in 1790 – with the legend of a chess set that, when all the pieces are reunited, gives the user unlimited power. Neville has since published two other novels, but never returned to the characters from The Eight. On October 14, fans can read The Fire, a sequel starring Cat’s daughter Alexandra. When her mother goes missing, Alexandra realizes that someone is again in pursuit of the famous chess set. Her search for Cat takes her around the world, and uncovers more details about the chess set’s intriguing history.

Katherine Neville thrilled audiences in 1988 with The Eight, an intense debut novel that drew comparisons to Umberto Eco and became a major bestseller. The book interlaced the stories of two women - Cat Velis, a computer expert in 1972, and Mireille de Remy, a…
Mystery & SuspenseMystery

Review

Review by bookpagedev

Charlie Bradshaw is no Magnum, PI. Magnum is youngish, fit, trim, handsome. Charlie Bradshaw is middle-aged, balding, paunchy. Magnum drives a Ferrari; Charlie drives an aging, somewhat-the-worse-for-wear Mazda. Magnum lives in Honolulu; Charlie lives in Saratoga, a small town in upstate New York. Magnum gets his pick of Hawaii’s bodacious babes; Charlie has only recently moved in with a single mother of two teenage girls.

Charlie used to be a cop, but he had the uncanny knack for opening his mouth at the wrong time, to the wrong people. The chief of police would like nothing better than to yank Charlie’s private investigator license; there has been no love lost between them for years. Charlie’s relatives are all wealthy conservative business-types, pillars of the community; they all look down their noses at Charlie. Required by custom to give him the time of day, they will give him precious little else. So Charlie skates through his life on the thinnest of ice, eking out a living with security work, the occasional investigation, and odd jobs for the criminal element connected with the horseracing for which Saratoga is famous.

Charlie’s best friend is retiree Victor (” . . . call me Vic”) Plotz, a cheerful old codger with an eye for a scam and an easy buck. Vic gets recruited by an old mobster to retrieve a suitcase from Montreal. Upon delivery, the mobster will pay Vic two thousand dollars. If this sounds too good to be true, well, it is. Vic can’t help but tear apart the suitcase to find out just what kind of trouble he may be inviting. In the false bottom of the case he finds money lots of it. Concerned for his continued well-being, Vic calls Charlie. Charlie removes a hundred dollar bill from one of the stacks and checks it out while Vic delivers the balance. The hundred turns out to be counterfeit, and worse yet, the mobster discovers it missing. Hijinks ensue.

Written from the point of view of Vic Plotz, Dobyns’s latest has a different feel from the Charlie Bradshaw novels that precede it: a bit more tongue-in-cheek, the characterizations a little more broadly drawn. Unlike the previous Saratoga novels, in Saratoga Strongbox the central character is Vic, rather than Charlie. (This sort of thing is not without precedent in Dobyns’s work; he is no stranger to unusual perspective. In his excellent Aftershocks and Near Escapes he wrote from the point of view of a six-year-old Chilean girl caught in a massive earthquake in the early 1960s.) It makes for an interesting shift, revisiting the “same old story with a different twist.” Reviewed by Bruce Tierney.

Charlie Bradshaw is no Magnum, PI. Magnum is youngish, fit, trim, handsome. Charlie Bradshaw is middle-aged, balding, paunchy. Magnum drives a Ferrari; Charlie drives an aging, somewhat-the-worse-for-wear Mazda. Magnum lives in Honolulu; Charlie lives in Saratoga, a small town in upstate New York. Magnum gets…

Sports

Review

Review by bookpagedev

In the words of that great philosopher Yogi Berra, “It ain’t over Ôtil it’s over.” So this article can’t conclude without mentioning The Yogi Book. He wants to make one thing perfectly clear. Well, perhaps not perfectly, but he does want to address the misconceptions regarding many of the quotes attributed to him throughout his long and colorful career. Known as “Yogi-isms,” many of these aphorisms have woven themselves into folk-lore stature. Yogi freely admits that some were simply syntactical errors, but if you look under the surface they make a lot of sense.

Take his signature phrase. Viewed in a strictly baseball context, it’s absolutely true. How often has a team been behind late in a game, only to come back from the brink of defeat? From a technical standpoint, it’s accurate as well: a thing is not over until it is over. It’s a phrase worthy of Candide.

Surely there are other ballplayers, as well as us regular folk, who have made similar verbal gaffes, but somehow the amiable Mr. Berra is the leader of the pack.

So whether you’re a “dummy” or a “brain surgeon” regarding baseball, there’s a book out there for whatever your special interest. Step up to the plate, dig in, and enjoy.

Reviewed by Ron Kaplan.

In the words of that great philosopher Yogi Berra, "It ain't over Ôtil it's over." So this article can't conclude without mentioning The Yogi Book. He wants to make one thing perfectly clear. Well, perhaps not perfectly, but he does want to address the misconceptions…

Review

Review by bookpagedev

Calling a Halt to Mindless Change; A Plea for Commonsense Management, by British management consultant John Macdonald, is a much more traditional business book (for one thing, it’s nonfiction). But it still shares with God Is My Broker a skepticism about business fads and one-stop solutions. Macdonald’s beef is with the new-age management movements that have inundated us in recent years. He argues that successful companies are evolutionary, not revolutionary. The good ones don’t turn themselves on their heads to re-engineer. They don’t hand everything over the self-directed teams or quality circles. These and other management movements certainly have some positives to offer. Macdonald’s salient point is that wise managements pick and choose aspects of these trends that seem right for their particular circumstances. They don’t buy into a single program as a panacea. In Macdonald’s words, companies should adapt, not adopt.

He’s particularly down on downsizing. Macdonald writes: “Downsizing is driven by the god of short-term profitability rather than that of process improvement. Its primary focus is on maximum elimination of people rather than long-term delight of customers.” So what does Macdonald suggest? Long-tested concepts that align closely with common sense. He says a company’s management should really live its mission statement (not just write one). He advocates working in a focused, long-term oriented, ethical way. He wants a management that really listens to its customers, that really trains and empowers employees to make important decisions and one that can see farther than the next quarter’s bottom line. These are all noble goals to be sure, but notably easier to agree with than execute in the day-to-day hurly-burly of a large corporation.

Reviewed by Neil Lipschutz.

Calling a Halt to Mindless Change; A Plea for Commonsense Management, by British management consultant John Macdonald, is a much more traditional business book (for one thing, it's nonfiction). But it still shares with God Is My Broker a skepticism about business fads and one-stop…

NonfictionCrafts, Hobbies & Home

Review

Review by bookpagedev

Aunt Agnes’s daughter Nadine married your former neighbor’s son Neville recently. Nadine and Neville, the ambitious newlyweds, are hosting a housewarming party and you’re invited. What housewarming gift comes in a variety of colors, matches every period piece in every room, and can accentuate even the most sparse decor? Why, books, of course! Nadine had to part with Fluffy, her pampered, prize-winning Persian, due to Neville’s allergies. To help ease the pain caused by Fluffy’s absence, why not give her a copy of Cat: Wild Cats and Pampered Pets (Watson Guptill, $19.95, 0823005712). Author Andrew Edney, who is also a veterinarian, includes more than 300 depictions of felines slinking, sleeping, socializing, and so much more! This 400-page oblong book offers a unique addition to a cat lover’s coffee table or library.

What kind of gift is given away, but meant to be returned? Tommy Nelson, a division of Thomas Nelson, Inc., has developed Grandmother’s Memories to Her Grandchild ($12.99, 084995911X) and Grandfather’s Memories to His Grandchild ($12.99, 0849959128) for just such a purpose. These make wonderful keepsakes, especially when completed and given away. Set in journal format against a backdrop of renowned artist Thomas Kinkade’s breathtaking landscapes, headings for each section include Me, My Hometown, Early School Years, My First Romance, etc. Each section is broken into segments, with titles like A time I had to stand up for my beliefs, or Something I want you to remember about me when you are grown up, and space is provided for folks to write their responses. Grandparents with multiple grandchildren, beware you may unwrap several of these! Nadine’s recollections from her wedding are, no doubt, still fresh on her mind. Why not encourage her to laugh about them with This Is Your Day! But Everybody Has An Opinion (Villard, $14.95, 0375502653)? Perfect for newlywed brides or brides-to-be, author Lisa K. Weiss offers humorous tidbits of pre- and post-wedding truisms. Victoria Roberts’s cartoony illustrations complement tongue-in-cheek advice cliches, such as Now that you’re married, it will be easy to fine-tune his wardrobe, and Including your pets in the ceremony can add a warm, cozy touch. A definite garnish to the Emily Post and Amy Vanderbilt books, it is a perfect gift for those who tend to take life (and life’s events) too seriously.

Anne Boleyn is an unlikely target for the tabloids. Chances are even slimmer for a tell-all book about Guy de Maupassant. London writer Mark Bryant, however, has compiled all sorts of entertaining facts about 200 well-known figures in Private Lives: Curious Facts About the Famous and Infamous (Cassell/Sterling Publications, $29.95, 0304343153). For example, did you know that Queen Elizabeth I drank beer for breakfast? Or that Walt Disney wasn’t the first person to draw Mickey Mouse? Private Lives is also available in paperback ($14.95, 0304349232), and makes a wonderful gift for trivia buffs and researchers.

Who said, It is more blessed to give than to receive ? (Well, okay, besides your Gift Gallery helpers!) The quote actually originated with Aristotle but has been paraphrased by others, including Jesus. Anyone who loves to quote, but has difficulty remembering whom they are quoting, will appreciate Random House’s all-new Webster’s Quotationary. Author Leonard Roy Frank has assembled over 20,000 quotations by subject, but makes it easy to locate a quote through cross-referencing as well. Varied profundities from Plato to Oprah make this one of the most comprehensive reference books around. You may want to study it ahead of time and wow Nadine and Neville’s party guests!

Aunt Agnes's daughter Nadine married your former neighbor's son Neville recently. Nadine and Neville, the ambitious newlyweds, are hosting a housewarming party and you're invited. What housewarming gift comes in a variety of colors, matches every period piece in every room, and can accentuate even…

LifestylesFamily & Relationships

Review

Review by bookpagedev

Aunt Agnes’s daughter Nadine married your former neighbor’s son Neville recently. Nadine and Neville, the ambitious newlyweds, are hosting a housewarming party and you’re invited. What housewarming gift comes in a variety of colors, matches every period piece in every room, and can accentuate even the most sparse decor? Why, books, of course! Nadine had to part with Fluffy, her pampered, prize-winning Persian, due to Neville’s allergies. To help ease the pain caused by Fluffy’s absence, why not give her a copy of Cat: Wild Cats and Pampered Pets (Watson Guptill, $19.95, 0823005712). Author Andrew Edney, who is also a veterinarian, includes more than 300 depictions of felines slinking, sleeping, socializing, and so much more! This 400-page oblong book offers a unique addition to a cat lover’s coffee table or library.

What kind of gift is given away, but meant to be returned? Tommy Nelson, a division of Thomas Nelson, Inc., has developed Grandmother’s Memories to Her Grandchild ($12.99, 084995911X) and Grandfather’s Memories to His Grandchild ($12.99, 0849959128) for just such a purpose. These make wonderful keepsakes, especially when completed and given away. Set in journal format against a backdrop of renowned artist Thomas Kinkade’s breathtaking landscapes, headings for each section include Me, My Hometown, Early School Years, My First Romance, etc. Each section is broken into segments, with titles like A time I had to stand up for my beliefs, or Something I want you to remember about me when you are grown up, and space is provided for folks to write their responses. Grandparents with multiple grandchildren, beware you may unwrap several of these! Nadine’s recollections from her wedding are, no doubt, still fresh on her mind. Why not encourage her to laugh about them with This Is Your Day! But Everybody Has An Opinion? Perfect for newlywed brides or brides-to-be, author Lisa K. Weiss offers humorous tidbits of pre- and post-wedding truisms. Victoria Roberts’s cartoony illustrations complement tongue-in-cheek advice cliches, such as Now that you’re married, it will be easy to fine-tune his wardrobe, and Including your pets in the ceremony can add a warm, cozy touch. A definite garnish to the Emily Post and Amy Vanderbilt books, it is a perfect gift for those who tend to take life (and life’s events) too seriously.

Anne Boleyn is an unlikely target for the tabloids. Chances are even slimmer for a tell-all book about Guy de Maupassant. London writer Mark Bryant, however, has compiled all sorts of entertaining facts about 200 well-known figures in Private Lives: Curious Facts About the Famous and Infamous (Cassell/Sterling Publications, $29.95, 0304343153). For example, did you know that Queen Elizabeth I drank beer for breakfast? Or that Walt Disney wasn’t the first person to draw Mickey Mouse? Private Lives is also available in paperback ($14.95, 0304349232), and makes a wonderful gift for trivia buffs and researchers.

Who said, It is more blessed to give than to receive ? (Well, okay, besides your Gift Gallery helpers!) The quote actually originated with Aristotle but has been paraphrased by others, including Jesus. Anyone who loves to quote, but has difficulty remembering whom they are quoting, will appreciate Random House’s all-new Webster’s Quotationary ($45, 0679448500). Author Leonard Roy Frank has assembled over 20,000 quotations by subject, but makes it easy to locate a quote through cross-referencing as well. Varied profundities from Plato to Oprah make this one of the most comprehensive reference books around. You may want to study it ahead of time and wow Nadine and Neville’s party guests!

Aunt Agnes's daughter Nadine married your former neighbor's son Neville recently. Nadine and Neville, the ambitious newlyweds, are hosting a housewarming party and you're invited. What housewarming gift comes in a variety of colors, matches every period piece in every room, and can accentuate even…
Children's & YA

Review

Review by bookpagedev

If you need to calm down the food-frenzied crowd, I highly recommend Frank Asch’s intriguing Cactus Poems (ages 5-9). Asch’s poems about desert flora and fauna, including bobcats, coyotes, “Lizards in Love,” and rattlesnakes are accompanied by breathtaking photography by Ted Levin, whose nature photographs and articles have appeared in National Geographic Traveler and Audubon. Levin also wrote informative nature notes at the end of the book.

Reviewed by Alice Cary.

If you need to calm down the food-frenzied crowd, I highly recommend Frank Asch's intriguing Cactus Poems (ages 5-9). Asch's poems about desert flora and fauna, including bobcats, coyotes, "Lizards in Love," and rattlesnakes are accompanied by breathtaking photography by Ted Levin, whose nature photographs…
Animals

Review

Review by bookpagedev

Aunt Agnes’s daughter Nadine married your former neighbor’s son Neville recently. Nadine and Neville, the ambitious newlyweds, are hosting a housewarming party and you’re invited. What housewarming gift comes in a variety of colors, matches every period piece in every room, and can accentuate even the most sparse decor? Why, books, of course! Nadine had to part with Fluffy, her pampered, prize-winning Persian, due to Neville’s allergies. To help ease the pain caused by Fluffy’s absence, why not give her a copy of Cat: Wild Cats and Pampered Pets. Author Andrew Edney, who is also a veterinarian, includes more than 300 depictions of felines slinking, sleeping, socializing, and so much more! This 400-page oblong book offers a unique addition to a cat lover’s coffee table or library.

What kind of gift is given away, but meant to be returned? Tommy Nelson, a division of Thomas Nelson, Inc., has developed Grandmother’s Memories to Her Grandchild ($12.99, 084995911X) and Grandfather’s Memories to His Grandchild ($12.99, 0849959128) for just such a purpose. These make wonderful keepsakes, especially when completed and given away. Set in journal format against a backdrop of renowned artist Thomas Kinkade’s breathtaking landscapes, headings for each section include Me, My Hometown, Early School Years, My First Romance, etc. Each section is broken into segments, with titles like A time I had to stand up for my beliefs, or Something I want you to remember about me when you are grown up, and space is provided for folks to write their responses. Grandparents with multiple grandchildren, beware you may unwrap several of these! Nadine’s recollections from her wedding are, no doubt, still fresh on her mind. Why not encourage her to laugh about them with This Is Your Day! But Everybody Has An Opinion (Villard, $14.95, 0375502653)? Perfect for newlywed brides or brides-to-be, author Lisa K. Weiss offers humorous tidbits of pre- and post-wedding truisms. Victoria Roberts’s cartoony illustrations complement tongue-in-cheek advice cliches, such as Now that you’re married, it will be easy to fine-tune his wardrobe, and Including your pets in the ceremony can add a warm, cozy touch. A definite garnish to the Emily Post and Amy Vanderbilt books, it is a perfect gift for those who tend to take life (and life’s events) too seriously.

Anne Boleyn is an unlikely target for the tabloids. Chances are even slimmer for a tell-all book about Guy de Maupassant. London writer Mark Bryant, however, has compiled all sorts of entertaining facts about 200 well-known figures in Private Lives: Curious Facts About the Famous and Infamous (Cassell/Sterling Publications, $29.95, 0304343153). For example, did you know that Queen Elizabeth I drank beer for breakfast? Or that Walt Disney wasn’t the first person to draw Mickey Mouse? Private Lives is also available in paperback ($14.95, 0304349232), and makes a wonderful gift for trivia buffs and researchers.

Who said, It is more blessed to give than to receive ? (Well, okay, besides your Gift Gallery helpers!) The quote actually originated with Aristotle but has been paraphrased by others, including Jesus. Anyone who loves to quote, but has difficulty remembering whom they are quoting, will appreciate Random House’s all-new Webster’s Quotationary ($45, 0679448500). Author Leonard Roy Frank has assembled over 20,000 quotations by subject, but makes it easy to locate a quote through cross-referencing as well. Varied profundities from Plato to Oprah make this one of the most comprehensive reference books around. You may want to study it ahead of time and wow Nadine and Neville’s party guests!

Aunt Agnes's daughter Nadine married your former neighbor's son Neville recently. Nadine and Neville, the ambitious newlyweds, are hosting a housewarming party and you're invited. What housewarming gift comes in a variety of colors, matches every period piece in every room, and can accentuate even…

NonfictionPolitics

Review

Review by bookpagedev

George W. versus Al on the bookshelf You can always tell it’s a presidential election year when bookshelves are filled with books by and about individuals who just happen to be running for higher office. As the campaign enters its final frantic weeks, follow the paper trail to your favorite candidate.

The Prince of Tennessee: The Rise of Al Gore by David Maraniss and Ellen Nakashima is a straightforward biography that rises above the baser peculiarities of presidential politics. The balanced portrait it paints of Gore is flecked with colorful anecdotes and revealing insights into his character.

In a book published several months before anyone knew he would be chosen by Gore to be his vice presidential running mate, Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman offers a defense of his chosen profession in the autobiographical In Praise of Public Life, co-written with author Michael D’Orso. The most striking things about this book are the honesty with which Lieberman writes about his first marriage, which ended in divorce, and the obvious passion he feels for the political process, however imperfect it may appear to the outside observer.

Republican presidential candidate George W. Bush has been the subject of several biographies over the past 12 months. One of the most balanced is First Son: George W. Bush and the Bush Family Dynasty. Written by Texas newsman Bill Minutaglio, it offers an in-depth look at the Texas political process that nurtured and challenged the candidate along his rapid journey into national prominence.

Not to be outdone is Bush’s vice presidential running mate, Richard Cheney, whose previously published book, Kings of the Hill: How Nine Powerful Men Changed the Course of American History has been reissued in paperback. Co-written with his wife, Lynne Cheney, the book is less a glimpse into Cheney’s personal politics than it is an examination of nine personalities who had a major impact on American history.

Another good choice for election night reading is editor James M. McPherson’s To the Best of My Ability: The American Presidents, a brilliant collection of fascinating photographs and essays written by the Society of American Historians about the 41 men who have held the nation’s highest office.

George W. versus Al on the bookshelf You can always tell it's a presidential election year when bookshelves are filled with books by and about individuals who just happen to be running for higher office. As the campaign enters its final frantic weeks, follow the…
Children's & YA

Review

Review by bookpagedev

Lillian Morrison’s I Scream, You Scream: A Feast of Food Rhymes (illustrated by Nancy Dunaway, all ages) is full of poems plus tongue twisters, street cries, and mock blessings. Take this little book along the next time you’re eating with a bunch of young middle-graders and the kids will chant: “What’s cookin’, good lookin’?/Whatcha mean, jelly bean?/Don’t give me no lip, potato chip./Shut up, ketchup./I’m the boss, applesauce./It’s your fault, garlic salt.” Reviewed by Alice Cary.

Lillian Morrison's I Scream, You Scream: A Feast of Food Rhymes (illustrated by Nancy Dunaway, all ages) is full of poems plus tongue twisters, street cries, and mock blessings. Take this little book along the next time you're eating with a bunch of young middle-graders…

NonfictionPolitics

Review

Review by bookpagedev

George W. versus Al on the bookshelf You can always tell it’s a presidential election year when bookshelves are filled with books by and about individuals who just happen to be running for higher office. As the campaign enters its final frantic weeks, follow the paper trail to your favorite candidate.

The Prince of Tennessee: The Rise of Al Gore by David Maraniss and Ellen Nakashima is a straightforward biography that rises above the baser peculiarities of presidential politics. The balanced portrait it paints of Gore is flecked with colorful anecdotes and revealing insights into his character.

In a book published several months before anyone knew he would be chosen by Gore to be his vice presidential running mate, Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman offers a defense of his chosen profession in the autobiographical In Praise of Public Life, co-written with author Michael D’Orso. The most striking things about this book are the honesty with which Lieberman writes about his first marriage, which ended in divorce, and the obvious passion he feels for the political process, however imperfect it may appear to the outside observer.

Republican presidential candidate George W. Bush has been the subject of several biographies over the past 12 months. One of the most balanced is First Son: George W. Bush and the Bush Family Dynasty. Written by Texas newsman Bill Minutaglio, it offers an in-depth look at the Texas political process that nurtured and challenged the candidate along his rapid journey into national prominence.

Not to be outdone is Bush’s vice presidential running mate, Richard Cheney, whose previously published book, Kings of the Hill: How Nine Powerful Men Changed the Course of American History has been reissued in paperback. Co-written with his wife, Lynne Cheney, the book is less a glimpse into Cheney’s personal politics than it is an examination of nine personalities who had a major impact on American history.

Another good choice for election night reading is editor James M. McPherson’s To the Best of My Ability: The American Presidents, a brilliant collection of fascinating photographs and essays written by the Society of American Historians about the 41 men who have held the nation’s highest office.

George W. versus Al on the bookshelf You can always tell it's a presidential election year when bookshelves are filled with books by and about individuals who just happen to be running for higher office. As the campaign enters its final frantic weeks, follow the…

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