Thursday, September 30, 2010

Studio One: Sentence of Death/The Night America Trembled


Studio One: Sentence of Death/The Night America Trembled
[DVD Sentence]

Studio One, sponsored by Westinghouse, offered a wide variety of dramas. Each week families gathered around their black and white television sets and turned the dial to CBS to watch live plays. Many future well-known TV and movie actors appeared in these episodes. This disk contains two shows: Sentence of Death and The Night America Trembled. Sentence of Death is the story of a young man (James Dean) who was in the wrong place at the wrong time. The only thing that saved him from a death sentence was the steadfast insistence of one of the eyewitnesses (Betsy Palmer) that the police had arrested the wrong man. The Night America Trembled is a recreation of the night in 1938 when the radio play, War of the Worlds was broadcast. Edward R Murrow narrated the story. They alternated between showing scenes of the actors working in the radio studio, Ed Asner was one of the actors, and the panicked citizens. Warren Beatty, in one of his earliest roles, was a card-playing college student. James Colburn made his debut in this drama. TV shows such as Studio One are a stroll down memory lane for those of us who crowded around our TV sets during the Golden Age of Television. -- recommended by Donna G. - Virtual Services Department

[Also available in VHS format.]

[ Internet Movie Database entry for Studio One ]

Have you seen this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide web site. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog individually over the course of the entire month.

New Booklist - Graphic Novels!


Graphic Novels -- the adult version of picture books, in which stories are told via a combination of images and words -- have been gaining in popularity every since the groundbreaking Watchmen, by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons, was released in the late 1980s.

But not all of the stories are superheroes, with capes, flying and slam-bam action. Some of the most interesting graphic novels today fall into the general fiction and/or biographies categories.

Glory B., at the downtown library, has compiled a list of recommended Graphic Novels (without Superheroes) for your reading pleasure. Click here to check out her list.

If you're a fan of this genre, or at least have sampled some in the past, what's your favorite Graphic Novel?

Real Murders


Real Murders
by Charlaine Harris

Having been a fan of two of Harris' other series (Sookie Stackhouse and Harper Connelly), and having had the Aurora Teagarden series highly recommended to me by other fans of "cozy" mysteries, I was looking forward to this first volume in Roe's adventures. In the end, I came away with mixed feelings. In Real Murders, small-town librarian Aurora Teagarden is a member of a "book club"-like group that examines "true crime" cases in detail and hypothesizes about potential solutions to unsolved murder cases. When members of that group start showing up dead -- murdered in ways that mimic real-life murder cases -- Aurora begins to investigate, with the help of two beaus...a sturdy but unremarkable burglary detective, and a bestselling mystery author who's just moved to town. I found the first two third's of the novel to be a letdown -- fairly simplistic characterizations and dialog. However, the final third of the book really kicked things into gear and I got a lot more involved in caring about Aurora and her life. For what had been a modern cozy for most of the book, there's a surprisingly violent twist near the end that may shock cozy readers. In the end, despite being initially disappointed, I ended up liking this one and look forward to reading more in the Aurora Teagarden series. [If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try the rest of the Aurora Teagarden series or the Death on Demand series by Carolyn G. Hart.] -- recommended by Scott C. - Bennett Martin Public Library

[Also available in book-on-cd format.]

[ official Aurora Teagarden page on the official Charlaine Harris web site ]

Have you read this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide web site. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog individually over the course of the entire month.

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Planet 51


Planet 51
[DVD j Planet]

This is a very nice animated film about an "alien invasion" with the perspective of humans as the ETs. The stylization and quality are very good and the story, though not overly complicated, is a 'lesson' that should appeal equally well to different ages. Some of the voice actors include Justin "I'm a Mac" Long, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, and Jessica Biel. -- recommended by Becky W.C. - Walt Branch Library

[ Internet Movie Database entry for this film ] [ official Planet 51 web site ]

Have you seen this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide web site. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog individually over the course of the entire month.

New Booktalk Booklist - Food, Glorious Food!


Pam B. (longtime Gere volunteer) presented a new booktalk to the Gere Branch BooksTalk group on September 27, 2010, on a topic near and dear to foodies' hearts -- food and the culinary world.

The list of books from her talk -- Food, Glorious Food -- is now available as a booklist on the BookGuide site.

In all, she covered over 60 different titles, the majority of which are owned by the libraries and are hotlinked in the booklist directly to the libraries online catalog, so that you can check on the availability and locations of each title.

Come check out her list of books!

How We Decide


How We Decide
by Jonah Lehrer [Compact Disc 153.8 Leh]

Freelance writer, Jonah Lehrer moved from the world of writing magazine articles to writing books when he chose to explore how we make decisions. His impetus to examine decision-making came from his inability to decide which cereal to purchase. Lehrer said that he wasted a lot of time in the supermarket aisle trying to choose between apple-cinnamon and honey nut Cherrios. He wanted to learn what went on in his brain as he stood in the store with his hand on the cart staring at the boxes. Lehrer headed off to visit the world of neuroscience where he learned how rational thinking combined with the right amount of emotional input leads to good decisions while decisions made when emotions are silent or overwhelming do not lead to satisfactory results. Lehrer writes in an easy to understand style with many examples from the real world to illustrate his points. [If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try Why We Make Mistakes by Joseph T. Hallinan, Sway by Ori Brafman, and The Upside of Irrationality by Dan Ariely.] -- recommended by Donna G. - Virtual Services Department

[Also available in print format.]

[ official How We Decide and Jonah Lehrer web site ]

Have you read this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide web site. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog individually over the course of the entire month.

Sunday, September 26, 2010

Mongol: The Rise of Genghis Khan


Mongol: The Rise of Genghis Khan
[DVD Mongol]

"Do not scorn a weak cub, he may turn out to be the son of a tiger." -- Mongolian Proverb. Russian director Sergi Bodrov based his Oscar nominated movie on scholarly accounts of the early life of Genghis Khan, who was born as Temudgin between 1155 and 1167. Temudgin's father, a minor khan, was poisoned when Temudgin was a child. After his father's death, Temudgin was kidnapped by Targutai and enslaved. Temudgin endured years of humiliation and hardship before he escaped and sought revenge on his enemies. Temudgin used alliances as well as warfare to unite many of the nomadic tribes of northeast Asia. In 1206, at a gathering of Tartar-Mongols, Temudgin was elected supreme ruler of all of the tribes and he was named Genghis Khan (Lord of the Universe). This epic adventure shows different sides of the man. We meet Temudgin as a child and watch him grow to manhood. We see him as a family man and we watch the bloody battles that he fights and the alliances he forms on his way to becoming the supreme leader of the Mongols. This movie is a visually stunning banquet of scenery, adventure, love, revenge and stoic acceptance of the harsh life on the Mongolian steppe. -- recommended by Donna G. - Virtual Services Department

[ Internet Movie Database entry for this film ] | [ official Mongol web site ]


Have you seen this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide web site. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog individually over the course of the entire month.

Banned Books Week 2010

Readers across the country are encouraged to push the boundaries of their reading this week as we acknowledge the annual celebration of the freedom to read whatever we want that is known as Banned Books Week!

From September 25th through October 2nd, 2010, stop in at your local library to sample some of the controversial (and some of the seemingly innocuous) books that been either banned or challenged in other libraries around the country (or around the world!).

Or, for more information about Banned Books Week, visit the ALA's Banned Books Week resource page (which includes lists of banned and/or challenged books from the past several years), or the Wikipedia page about the annual event. Other resources: BannedBooksWeek.org, Top 10 Most Challenged Books by Year.

What's the most controversial book you've ever read and actually enjoyed? Or, what's your favorite banned or challenged book?

It's Time


It's Time
by Michael Bublé [Compact Disc 781.63 Bub]

Michael Bublé's smooth vocals are highlighted to good effect in this collection of cover songs. Bublé, who can range from "lounge singer" to hipster, does well with his own take on songs made famous by other crooners. Particular stand-outs on this disc include his versions of Feeling Good, Can't Buy Me Love, I've Got You Under My Skin and a duet of Quando, Quando, Quando with Nelly Furtado. Fans of Bublé won't want to miss this one, and it is a fair example of his vocal talents to sample for those who aren't familiar with his work. [If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try pretty much anything else by Bublé (particularly Crazy Love), early Frank Sinatra, or the works of Harry Connick Jr.] -- recommended by Scott C. - Bennett Martin Public Library

[ official Michael Bublé web site ]

Have you listened to this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide web site. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog individually over the course of the entire month.

Saturday, September 25, 2010

Super


Super
by Jim Lehrer

In this novel, author and PBS anchor, Jim Lehrer, turns back the pages of the calendar back to 1956. Train travel has not yet given way to air travel. Lehrer sets this story on the luxury train called the Super Chief, nicknamed "The Train of Stars" because it carried many celebrities from Los Angeles to Chicago. Passengers are pampered on the 39-hour journey between the two cities. On this fateful journey people die under questionable circumstances. Jack Pryor, a detective for the Santa Fe railroad, must find out the facts, while keeping noted passengers such as Clark Gable and Harry Truman alive. Readers who enjoy nostalgic visits to a simpler time will find this book an enjoyable read. Travel was more leisurely, some might even say more civilized. Passengers dined in elegant dining cars as they rolled across the countryside and they stretched out for the night in sleeping cars. [If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie and Strangers on a Train by Patricia Highsmith.] -- recommended by Donna G. - Virtual Services Department

[ publisher's official Super web site ] | [ Wikipedia page for Jim Lehrer ]

Have you read this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide web site. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog individually over the course of the entire month.

Friday, September 17, 2010

Healing Hearts


Healing Hearts: A Memoir of a Female Heart Surgeon
by Kathy Magliato [Biography Magliato]

Magliato is a female heart surgeon also trained to perform heart transplants. This is the story of how she made it through college and medical school, and how she navigates the high-pressure, highly demanding, male-dominated world of surgeons and especially heart-surgeons. She writes frankly about the sexism and sexual harassment she faced, and that all female doctors endure. We meet many of her patients and follow their stories. As expected you will shed a few tears and cheer at the successes. We watch while she juggles family and career while married to a liver transplant surgeon. Included in an appendix are the 'numbers' one should achieve for a healthy heart, and a list of symptoms of a heart attack. While reading this book you'll appreciate your heart more and become motivated to take better care of it. -- recommended by Charlotte K. - Bennett Martin Public Library

[ publisher's official Healing Hearts web site ] | [ official Kathy Magliato web site ]

Have you read this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide web site. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog individually over the course of the entire month.

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Happy 120th Birthday, Agatha Christie!

Agatha Christie's 120th - side BThis week marks the anniversary of Agatha Christie's 120th Birthday [15 September 1890 – 12 January 1976].

Agatha Christie, creator of Hercule Poirot, Miss Marple, Tommy & Tuppence and more, is the best-selling author in the English language...world wide!

Stop in at the Bennett Martin Public Library in downtown Lincoln this week to check out a classic Christie mystery on book or CD, watch an adaptation on DVD or VHS, or read a biography about this most fascinating mystery writer, whose real-life 11-day disappearance in 1926 focused international attention on her troubled marriage!

What is YOUR favorite Agatha Christie novel???

KFOR Book Chat titles for Sep 16 2010


Did you miss this morning's episode of Book Chat on KFOR's Problems & Solutions show, featuring library staff discussing some of their favorite recent reads?

You can find a list of the titles discussed, hotlinked into the libraries online catalog, on the KFOR Book Chat page of BookGuide!

The Hunger Games


The Hunger Games
by Suzanne Collins

We read this for my college adolescent literature class and all fell in love with it. Collins mixes television's "Survivor" with War coverage in this young-adult thriller, sending twenty-four kids to fight to the death in order to win food for life. The story takes place in the USA in the distant future and the country is divided into twelve main districts. Katniss Everdeen, the protagonist, is from the twelfth and poorest district. To show that they're in charge, each year, the government takes twenty-four children (two from each district) and forces them to kill each other all the while being filmed and broadcast all over the twelve districts. The novel follows the story of Katniss trying to stay alive while battling her feelings for a fellow competitor. I was hooked from the beginning and had to force myself to put it down. It's just so different from other young-adult books that it kept me intrigued through to the end. [If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try the sequels - Catching Fire and Mockingjay.] -- recommended by Carrie K. - Bennett Martin Public Library and South Branch

[Also available in downloadable, book-on-cd formats.]

[ publisher's official Hunger Games and Suzanne Collins web site ]

Have you read this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide web site. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog individually over the course of the entire month.

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Uglies (on CD)


Uglies
by Scott Westerfield [Compact Disc j Westerfield]

Several folks had recommended this series to me, so I thought I'd give it a chance as a Book-on-CD. Initially, I felt the first half of this book was quite padded, and I found I really couldn't care about the extremely self-centered main character, Tally. However, once she is blackmailed into being sent into the wilderness to seek out society's rebels, the action and plot became much more fast-paced. Adult readers may find this a rather simplistic tale, but teen (or younger) readers will connect with the primary characters and should get pulled into the plot. [If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try the rest of the Uglies series by Westerfield.] -- recommended by Scott C. - Bennett Martin Public Library

[Also available in print, playaway audio device formats.]

[ official Uglies page on the official Scott Westerfield web site ]


Have you read or listened to this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide web site. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog individually over the course of the entire month

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Earth


Earth
by Disney Nature [DVD j591.568 Ear]

I was a big fan of the Planet Earth series that appeared on the Discovery channel so I was excited to watch Earth. This DVD is packed with footage of some of the world's most stunning animals and locations. People of all ages can enjoy following the story of three animal families as well. Be sure to watch the credits to see how the filmmakers got some of their most difficult shots. I could not help but to be in awe of the skill and patience it took to make this film possible. -- recommended by Alyse S. - Bennett Martin Public Library

[ Internet Movie Database entry for this series ] | [ official Earth web site ]

Have you seen this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide web site. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog individually over the course of the entire month.

Monday, September 13, 2010

Freeze Frame


Freeze Frame
by Peter May

Peter May has an interesting premise for this series. His character, Enzo McLeod is a forensic scientist who made a bet with his friend Roger Raffin. Raffin is a freelance journalist who wrote a book about seven unsolved murders in France. Enzo bet Roger that he could solve all of these cold cases. Enzo tackles one of the crimes in each book. In this, the fourth book in the series, Enzo investigates a twenty-year-old murder. Two decades ago Adam Killian told his daughter-in-law, Jane, that if something happened to him his study was to remain untouched until his son, Peter, arrived home to receive a secret message. Shortly after Adam talked to Jane he was shot and killed in his living room. Peter flew home from Africa when he heard about his father's death. He was killed in a car accident on the way home from the airport. Jane kept her promise to Adam and did not let anyone touch his study until Enzo asked her if he could investigate the crime. She allows him to examine the study to try to decipher the enigmatic message. Besides creating an engaging plot the author paints life on Ile de Groix in broad strokes that gives the reader a sense of the isolation that the residents feel. [If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try the works of Barbara Cleverly or Martin Edwards.] -- recommended by Donna G. - Virtual Services Department

[ official Peter May web site ]

Have you read this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide web site. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog individually over the course of the entire month.

And the winner is...


The title selected for the 2010 One Book - One Lincoln -- by popular public vote -- is Joe Starita's I Am a Man!

To see resources related to the topics and themes of I Am a Man, along with lists of discussion groups and special event programming for this year, visit our 2010 One Book - One Lincoln page.

You can also sign up to be notified by e-mail about all new developments regarding One Book -- One Lincoln. You can become a fan of One Book - One Lincoln on Facebook by "liking" the One Book Facebook group. We also encourage you to stop by the One Book -- One Lincoln Blog, where you can leave comments about the book selections and the entire One Book process in response to posted discussion topics.

Sunday, September 12, 2010

Don't Panic


Don't Panic: The Official Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Companion
by Neil Gaiman [813 AdaYg]

Grab your towel, and whatever you do...Don't Panic! This is the behind-the-scenes history of Douglas Adams' phenomenonally popular Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Partly a biography of Adams' early years, Gaiman traces the origins of the HHGG, including all the variant versions of the property -- radio series, books (originally a trilogy, then expanded by Adams into 5 volumes), television series, stage plays, records, film, computer games. etc. Filled with humor, both riotous and wry, this is a must-read for fans of the series. I would also recommend this to fans of fantasist Gaiman, to see what one of his earliest published works is like. I particularly enjoyed seeing all the fragments from original manuscripts, to see how they differ from what ultimately made it into the published versions. Highly recommended for both fans and non-fans of HHGG alike! [Note: A completely updated version of this book was published in 2005 as Don't Panic: Douglas Adams and the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, which brings readers up-to-date on Adams, through and beyond his 2001 death. Although the libraries don't own this edition, it is available through our InterLibrary Loan service.] [If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try Wish You Were Here: The Official Biography of Douglas Adams by Nick Webb, and, of course, the novels in the HHGG series.] -- recommended by Scott C. - Bennett Martin Public Library

[ Wikipedia page for The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy in its various formats ] | [ douglasadams.com ] | [ BBC's official H2G2 web site ]

Have you read this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide web site. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog individually over the course of the entire month.

Thursday, September 9, 2010

Bride Wars


Bride Wars
[DVD Bride]

As "girlfriend movies" go, this one is fairly enjoyable. Even though there are some silly & outrageous moments, there is also depth and warmth to it. Kate Hudson and Anne Hathaway are an interesting pairing, and Candice Bergen is humorously tart as usual. -- recommended by Becky W.C. - Walt Branch Library

[ Internet Movie Database entry for this film ] | [ official Bride Wars web site ]


Have you seen this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide web site. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog individually over the course of the entire month.

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Murder at Longbourn


Murder at Longbourn
by Tracy Kiely

Tracy Kiely combines allusions to Pride and Prejudice and Agatha Christie with a murder at a Cape Cod B&B to create a witty debut novel. When the book opens Elizabeth Parker has made a New Year's resolution to improve her life. As a result, she has sworn off of fatty foods and she dumped her two-timing boyfriend. The downside to this resolution is that she will welcome in the new year alone. Her prospects brighten when her great-aunt Winnie asks Elizabeth to come to help her host a Murder Mystery Dinner party at her new bed and breakfast. Elizabeth's mood sours when she arrives at the Inn at Longbourn and meets Winnie's other helper, her childhood nemesis, Peter McGowen. New Year's Eve arrives and the stage is set for the "murder". Elizabeth passes around plates of hors d'oeuvres while Peter tends the bar. The acting troupe mingles with the guests. At the appointed time, Winnie turns out the lights so than actor can be stabbed to death. But the actor does not die when the room goes dark. Instead a shot is fired and one of the guests dies. Because only Winnie knew exactly when the lights would go out, the police make her their number one suspect. Elizabeth takes it upon herself to solve the mystery and save her great-aunt from a jail sentence. This is a delightful cozy. I loved the references to Jane Austin and Agatha Christie. The story some interesting twists and turns. I can't say more without giving away the plot. [If you enjoy this, you may also wish to try A Killer Plot by Ellery Adams, The Cold Light of Mourning by Elizabeth J. Duncan, and Holiday Grind by Cleo Coyle.] -- recommended by Donna G. - Virtual Services Department

[ publisher's official Murder at Longbourn web site ] | [ official Tracy Kiely web site ]

Have you read this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide web site. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog individually over the course of the entire month.

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

2010 Hugo Winners announced!


The 2010 Hugo Awards were presented over the Labor Day weekend at Aussiecon 4 in Melbourne, Australia. The Hugos celebrate the best in science fiction and fantasy publishing and media, and are awarded in a variety of categories.

For the complete winners list, check out the official Hugo Awards blog.

For a list of all past novel winners from 2010 dating back to the 1950s, check out the Hugo Winners booklist on BookGuide.

1001 Books You must read Before You Die


1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die
by edited by Peter Boxall [809.3 Box]

This monstrously huge volume (2" thick!), composed from the recommendations of over 100 international literature critics, tries to identify the 1001 books that any true student of world literature should have read during a lifetime's worth of reading. The tome is arranged into sections: pre-1700s, 1700s, 1800s, 1900s and 2000s. Although there are some non-fiction titles included, the vast majority of the 1001 titles listed are fiction. The list is in true chronological order by the included works' publication dates. In addition to titles and authors, for each work included, some statistical data is provided -- the birth and death dates and locations for the author; the original publisher; original book title (if changed); author's full and/or original name (if changed); and any awards for which the work was nominated and/or won. Following this data, each book receives a critical essay from one of the literary critics who recommended its inclusion, providing sometimes dry, sometimes entertaining snippets about the plot, meaning and significance of the work. Most importantly, the critics identify the "appeal factors" for most of the books -- why you would enjoy reading these titles in the first place. As a librarian, in many ways I feel considerably under-read after looking through this list. I've only read 47 of the 1001, and sampled a handful of others. While I doubt I'll get to everything on the list, I've found several to add to my list of must-reads. This isn't a book that's easy to read cover-to-cover, but it's definitely a fun book to browse, especially if you consider yourself "well read." -- recommended by Scott C. - Bennett Martin Public Library

How many of the 1001 have YOU read???

[ The List of 1001 Books on Listology.com -- with reader comments ]

Have you read this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide web site. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog individually over the course of the entire month.

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Ultimate Sailing


Ultimate Sailing
by Sharon Green with Douglas Hunter [797.124 qGre]

I have more than a passing interest in sailing since my husband sails a snipe and I often photograph the regattas in which he competes. Sharon Green fills the book with colorful photos of sailboat races. Green grew up sailing on Ontario's lakes. She combines her love of sailing with her love of photography to produce these stunning images. Green captured her images by riding in chase boats or shooting from a helicopter above these huge yachts. The photos take from helicopters give the viewer a bird's eye view of these massive boats as they tack and jibe around the course. The pictures taken from chase boats convey the drama of ocean racing. She catches the crafts as they plow through large waves, freezing the instant when water splashes over the bow of the sailboat drenching the crew. Glistening drops of salt spray are suspended in mid-air for all eternity. This is a coffee table book that I can look at often because there always some detail that I missed the other times that I paged through it. That happened when I looked at a photo of rigging breaking and crashing to the deck. The first time I looked at the image I saw the crew scrambling to get out of the way. The second time I looked at it I also saw a crewmember being pitched from the back of the boat. -- recommended by Donna G. - Virtual Services Department

[ official Ultimate Sailing web site from Sharon Green ]

Have you read this one? What did you think? Did you find this review helpful?

New reviews appear every month on the Staff Recommendations page of the BookGuide web site. You can visit that page to see them all, or watch them appear here in the BookGuide blog individually over the course of the entire month.