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A Bibliophile's Chronolog:

1999

 November:
Nebula Awards 33 : The Year's Best Sf and Fantasy Chosen by the Science-Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America by Connie Willis (Editor), Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America
Every story so far a strong contribution to this deservedly praised collection.

October:
Slant by Greg Bear

An interesting science fiction story by an author I haven't read before, with nano monitors, diagnostic toilets, and artificial intelligences that converse with each other.

September:
The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver (paperback), (hardcover), or (audio cassette [UNABRIDGED])

I always like Barbara Kingsolver's prose, compactly, almost poetically, expressing thoughts without interfering with the narrative.

To Learn With Love: A Companion For Suzuki Parents by William and Constance Starr

Even if you're not involved with Suzuki lessons, the philosophy for educating the talent that lies within each individual can be applied to other learning.

A Suzuki Parent's Diary or How I Survived My First 10,000 Twinkles by Carroll Morris

If you are involved with Suzuki lessons, you can relate to a parent's experience surviving all those "Twinkles." So much can be learned aside from music about building character (discipline, work, perseverence, what it takes to succeed in meeting a goal.) Note: If amazon.com does not have these titles, they are usually available from Young Musicians Online, which has a large of selection of similar books, musical instruments, music and recordings.

Futures Imperfect by Connie Willis

Still one of my favorite authors, I have enjoyed everything I have ever read by Connie Willis.

Newton's Cannon by J. Gregory Keyes

A new author I like.

Recommended Reading:
First, Longitude : The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time by Dava Sobel (Paperback) or (Hardcover) captured attention. Now there's The Illustrated Longitude with illustrations by William J. H. Andrewes. 
If you enjoyed 'Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!' : Adventures of a Curious Character (paperback or Audio Cassette), then you'll appreciate Richard Feynman's The Meaning of It All : Thoughts of a Citizen Scientist . 
Recently I re-read Nurtured by Love : The Classic Approach to Talent Education by Shinichi Suzuki & Waltraud Suzuki. Even if you don't know anyone enrolled in a Suzuki Talent Education School, Suzuki offers a sound philosophy for helping to create a noble spirit. 
Does someone on your list speak of Microsoft annoyances? Try these paperback titles from Nutshell: 

Excel 97 Annoyances - Woody Leonhard, et al 
Windows Annoyances - David A. Karp 
Word 97 Annoyances - Woody Leonhard, et al 
For background concerning the anti-trust case against Microsoft, read The Microsoft File : The Secret Case Against Bill Gates by Wendy Goldman Rohm. 
For someone who appreciates Bob Dole's subtle sense of humor, try Great Political Wit : Laughing (Almost) All the Way to the White House (Hardcover)? 
For a real eye-opener, read Compromised : Clinton Bush and the CIA by Terry Reed & John Cummings. 
Or try Aldrich's Unlimited Access : An FBI Agent Inside the Clinton White House, in paperback or hardcover), The Year of the Rat : How Bill Clinton Compromised U.S. Security for Chinese Cash by Edward Timberlake & William C. Triplett, Arkansas Mischief : The Birth of a National Scandal by Jim McDougal, et al. 
Favorite Authors:
Some Personal Favorites: 
  • Marion Zimmer Bradley: 

    • The Mists of Avalon (1987), Mists of Avalon (Audio Cassette, 1995), Lady of Avalon, The Forest House 
  • Barbara Kingsolver: 
  • Betty MacDonald: 
  • Anna Quindlen: 

    • One True Thing (Paperback), One True Thing (Audio Cassette, Anna Linney, Reader) 
    Black and Blue (Hardcover) , Black and Blue (Paperback) , Black and Blue (Audio Cassette) 
    Living Out Loud, Object Lessons 

    Best Selling Favorites: 

  • Tom Clancy 
  • Michael Crighton 
  • John Grisham 
  • Stephen King 
  • Dean Koontz 
  • Larry McMurtry 
    		•
    Calendars:
  • Scott Adams 

    • Cal 2000 Dilbert: 'Scuse me, I have real work to do calendar, M. C. Escher 
    Cal 99 M.C. Escher Evolutions Engagement Calendar, Cal 99 M.C. Escher : Altered States, Cal 99 M.C. Escher, Cal 99 M.C. Escher Calendar, Cal 99 M.C. Escher, Cal 99 M.C. Escher, Cal 99 M.C. Escher 
  • Mary Engelbreit (Illustrator) 

    • Cal 99 Mary Engelbreit's I'm in Charge Here Calendar 
  • Matt Groening 

    • Cal 99 Simpsons Fun Calendar Cal 99 Quotable Homer Calendar 
  • Theoni Pappas 

    • Cal 99 Children's Mathematics Calendar, Cal 99 Mathematics 
  • Cal 99 365 Days of Duct Tape Calendar (Workman Pub Co) 
    		•
    Children's:
  • Frank Asch 
  • Stan and Jan Berenstain 
  • Don Freeman 

    • Corduroy 
  • Russell Hoban 
  • A Bargain for Francis 
  • Bedtime for Francis 
  • Bread and Jam for Francis 
  • Leo Lionni 

    • Swimmy, Frederick 
  • Arnold Lobel 

    • Frog and Toad Are Friends, Frog and Toad Together, Frog and Toad All Year, Days With Frog and Toad, Frog and Toad Audio Collection 
  • James Marshall 

    • Fox and Friends, George and Martha 
  • A. A. Milne 

    • Winnie the Pooh 
  • Maurice Sendak 

    • Where the Wild Things Are 
  • Don and Audrey Wood 
  • Napping House 
  • Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? 
    		•
  • Dr. Seuss 
  • Award Winners 
  • Caldecott Award Winners 
  • Newberry Award Winners 
  • William Allen White Winners 
  • If you're looking for books to get kindergartners ROFL (rolling on the floor laughing), try 

    • Piggie Pie by Margie Palatini, Howard Fine (Illustrator) 
    Building a Family Library:
    These selections have maintained an enduring place on our family's bookshelves: 
  • Ingri and Edgar Parin D'Aulaire's Book of Greek Myths, 
  • Ingri and Edgar Parin D'Aulaire's Book of Greek Myths (Audio Cassette) 
  • King Arthur 
  • Encyclopedia of the Dog 
  • Field Guide to Birds 
  • The Way Things Work 
  • Visual Dictionary 
    • For writers: 
  • 1999 Writers Market 
  • Story 
  • Writing Science Fiction 
    • For building vocabulary or just having fun with words: 
  • Building an Enriched Vocabulary 
  • Mrs. Byrne's Dictionary 
    • Preparing for those standardized tests can help ease nervousness: 
  • SAT Test Preparation 
    		•
    Music:
    Music, Physics and Engineering - Harry Ferdinand Olson (Paperback) 
    Gift to Be Simple - Edward Deming Andrews (Paperback) 
    The Six Brandenburg Concertos : Bwv 1046-1051 (Dover Miniature Scores) - Johann Sebastian Bach (Paperback) 
    Jim Brickman 

    The Gift, The Gift, Picture This, Picture This (Audio CD), By Heart Piano Solos (Audio CD), 
    The Gift : Piano Solos 
    Parenting:
    What's a Smart Woman Like You Doing at Home? by Linda Burton, et al 
    Discovering Motherhood Heidi L. Brennan (Editor), Pamela M. Goresh & Catherine H. Myers (Editor) 
    Staying Home : From Full-Time Professional to Full-Time Parent by Darcie Sanders& Martha M. Bullen (Contributor) 
    The Stay-At-Home Mom by Donna Otto 
    Coming Home to Raise Your Children : A Survival Guide for Moms by Christine Moriarty Field 
    All Mothers Work : A Guilt Free Guide for the Stay at Home Mom by Cindy Ramming 
    Being There : The Benefits of a Stay-At-Home Parent by Isabelle Fox, Norman M. Lobsenz 
    Romance (mostly historical):
    Science Fiction/Fantasy:
    I recently picked up a science fiction recommended reading list compiled by James Gunn at the University of Kansas. Many of these I had already read, thanks to the science fiction class I had taken years ago from John Kessel to fulfill an English requirement. Since that time I continue to read science fiction as time allows, and have added a few of my own favorites. 

    Books: 

    Authors: 

  • Isaac Asimov 
  • Marion Zimmer Bradley 
  • John Brunner 
  • Orson Scott Card 

    • Seventh Son
  • William Gibson 
  • Robert Heinlein 
  • C.M. Kornbluth 
  • Rudy Rucker 
    • White Light (Cortext : Science Fiction That Changed the World) 
  • R. A. Salavatore (Dark Elf Trilogy) 
    • Homeland : Forgotten Realms (Dark Elf Trilogy, Book 1) 
    The Chaos Curse (Forgotten Realms : Fantasy Adventure) 
    The Crystal Shard (Forgotten Realms) 
    Exile (Forgotten Realms, Dark Elf Trilogy, Book 2) 
    The Legacy (Forgotten Realms Fantasy Adventure) 
    Night Masks (Forgotten Realms) 
    Passage to Dawn (Forgotten Realms) 
    Siege of Darkness (Forgotten Realms) 
    Fallen Fortress (Forgotten Realms : Cleric Quintet, Book Four) 
    In Sylvan Shadows; Forgotten Realms Novels, Cleric Quintet, Book 2 (Cleric Quintet Series, vol. 2) Vol 2 
    Starless Night (Forgotten Realms) 
  • Neal Stephenson 
  • Bruce Sterling 
  • Vernor Vinge 
  • Connie Willis 
    		•
    Videos:

    Five Easy Pieces (1970) 

    The Grapes of Wrath (1940) 

    In Harm's Way  The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962) 
    Mathematics:
    Several years ago, I bought Benoit Mandelbrot's Fractal Geometry of Nature when my interest was kindled by a class I attended at a SIGGRAPH conference. Even if you're not interested in the mathematics of fractals, some stunning visuals have been created using this fascinating mathematical construct. Some other important titles exploring the possibilities of fractals: 
    Fractal Horizons : The Future Use of Fractals (Clifford A. Pickover (Editor)) 
    Fractal Image Compression : Theory and Application (Yuval Fisher (Editor)) 
    Fractals and Scaling in Finance : Discontinuity, Concentration, Risk : Selecta (Benoit Mandelbrot) 
    Fractals Everywhere (Michael F. Barnsley, Michael Barnsley) 
    Speaking of math, here are some popular authors whose work I admire: 
  • James Bailey 
    • After Thought : The Computer Challenge to Human Intelligence 
    After Thought : The Computer Challenge to Human Intelligence 
    Fatal Defect : Chasing Killer Computer Bugs 
  • James Gleick 
    • Chaos : Making a New Science 
  • Theoni Pappas:
    Cal 2000 Children's Mathematics;
    Math for Kids : & Other People Too!;
    The Adventures of Penrose the Mathematical Cat : The Mathematical Cat;
    Math Talk : Mathematical Ideas in Poems for Two Voices;
    The Joy of Mathematics;
    Fractals, Googols and Other Mathematical Tales; Theoni Pappas Theoni Pappas Cal 99 Children's Mathematics Calendar, Cal 99 Mathematics, The Adventures of Penrose the Mathematical Cat : The Mathematical Cat, Fractals, Googols and Other Mathematical Tales, The Joy of Mathematics, The Magic of Mathematics : Discovering the Spell of Mathematics, Math for Kids : & Other People Too!, Math Talk : Mathematical Ideas in Poems for Two Voices, Mathematical Scandals, More Joy of Mathematics : Exploring Mathematics All Around You, The Music of Reason : Experience the Beauty of Mathematics Through Quotations, 
  • Ivars Peterson Fatal Defect; Chasing Killer Computer Bugs Islands of Truth : A Mathematical Mystery Cruise Islands of Truth : A Mathematical Mystery Cruise The Jungles of Randomness : A Mathematical Safari Mathematical Tourist : New, Updated Snapshots of Modern Mathematics The Mathematical Tourist : Snapshots of Modern Mathematics Newton's Clock : Chaos in the Solar System Newton's Clock : Chaos in the Solar System 
  • Ian Stewart Another Fine Math You've Got Me Into--, Catastrophe Theory and Its Applications (with Tim Poston), The Collapse of Chaos : Discovering Simplicity in a Complex World (with Jack Cohen), Concepts of Modern Mathematics, 
    • Does God Play Dice? : The Mathematics of Chaos, 
    Fearful Symmetry : Is God a Geometer? (with Martin Golubitsky), 
    Figments of Reality : The Evolution of the Curious Mind (Ian Stewart, Jack Cohen), 
    From Here to Infinity, 
    Life's Other Secret : The New Mathematics of the Living World, 
    Nature's Numbers : The Unreal Reality of Mathematical Imagination, 
    Nature's Numbers : The Unreal Reality of Mathematics, 
    What Is Mathematics? : An Elementary Approach to Ideas and Methods (Richard Courant, et al) 
  • Published by Don Cohen-The Mathman: 
    • Calculus By and For Young People (ages 7, yes 7 and up) by Donald Cohen (reviewed in Scientific American, Dec. '88 + many others. The Japanese translation of this book has been published by Kodansha, out in bookstores in August 1998 and they sold 7,665 in 4 1/3 MONTHS!) 
    Calculus By and For Young People-Worksheets by Donald Cohen 
    Changing Shapes With Matrices by Donald Cohen (This book will be published in Japanese next year, also by Kodansha). 
    For someone who enjoys mathematical diversions: Hexaflexagons and Other Mathematical Diversions : The First Scientific American Book of Puzzles and Games - Martin Gardner 
    Requiring more advanced mathematical understanding: Introduction to Modern Set Theory by Judith Roitman, Complex Analysis by Ian Stewart & David Tall, Singularities and Groups in Bifurcation Theory (Applied Mathematical Sciences, Vol 69) Vol 2 by Martin Golubitsky, et al. 
    Categories for thoughtful gift giving:
    Calendars  Children's  Some Favorite Authors 
    Parenting  Romance (Historical)  Science Fiction/Fantasy 
    Building a Family Library  Music  Videos 
    We welcome your ideas on good books that might fit NotusWorthy Books' recommendation criteria. 
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