Dads and Daughters: How to Inspire, Understand and Support Your Daughter When She's Growing Up So Fast, by Joe Kelly, Broadway Books, 2002, $23.95, 255 pp. A book for the father who underestimates the influence he has on his daughter's life.
Dali, edited by Max Gerard, Harry N. Abrams, 1968, 244 pp. This huge volume showcases the art of Salvador Dali. Wrapped in a dust jacket befitting a box of chocolate, it's packed with morsels deserving of a candy wrapper. With 271 illustrations and details, this is Dali as close as you're likely to get to the late Spaniard.
Dear Beatles, edited by Bill Adler, Grosset & Dunlap, 1966, 48 pp. If not for its hardcover edition, Dear Beatles would hardly qualify as a book. Packed into a mere 48 pages are letters from admiring fans of the superstar quartet that recollect a time when innocence wasn't equated with ignorance, pop stars didn't perform publicity seeking wardrobe malfunctions, and lyrics didn't come with consumer warnings. Illustrated by Ernest Marquez.
Death of a Garden Pest, by Ann Ripley, St. Martin's Press, 1996, $22.95, 243 pp. Set in the suburbs of Washington, D.C., Death of a Garden Pest reveals gaping cracks in the facade of a picture-perfect community when up-and-coming gardening mentor Louise Eldridge is implicated in a murder. Written on the heels of her highly successful whodunnit debut Mulch (Crimeline, $7.50), Ripley's brought the Eldridges back, in largely the same role as before: racing against time to clear their good name. Book two of the Louise Eldridge Mystery series.

The Death of Mrs. Westaway, by Ruth Ware, Simon & Schuster, 2018, 368 pp. The Death of Mrs. Westaway is Ruth Ware's meticulously assembled story of mystery and intrigue set in Cornwall, England. From the opening page to the final passage, Ware spins it with care and precision. The characters are fleshed out, taking her time with each. The first half of the book is more a whatdunnit than a whodunnit; besides the protagonist's deception, was there really a crime committed here at all? Ware shows self-restraint with red herrings - although they are there - keeping us guessing and re-guessing in tandem with her characters, until the final page.
Death Valley National Monument: A Pictorial History, by James W. Cornett, Sequoia Communications, 1986, $6.95, 49 pp. James W. Cornett's Death Valley National Monument is chock-full of information on the Monument/National Park, including its geology, vegetation, wildlife and history.

The Democracy Owners' Manual: A Practical Guide to Changing the World, by Jim Schultz, Rutgers University Press, 2002, $22.00, 241 pp. Got change? The Democracy Owner's Manual is a guide for activists who want to influence public policy. Includes helpful strategies toward change and hazards the powers that be will likely lay in its way.

Deserter: Bush's War on Military Families, Veterans, and His Past, by Ian Williams, Nation Books, 2004, $12.95, 235 pp. Williams, UN correspondent for The Nation, describes G. Dubya's presidential service to veterans and servicemen as abysmal. The self-proclaimed "War President" brings home dead Americans from Iraq under the cover of darkness, trumpets his support of the troops while slashing their benefits, and dances around the question of his own military record. War President?

Designing With Light, by J. Michael Gillette, Mayfield Publishing Co., 1978, $8.95, 195 pp. Lighting boards have come a long way since the introduction of computers. What this book lacks in that technology it more than makes up for in plain old honest lighting design. And with most theatres under financed as it is, who needs a book about equipment they can ill afford? Contains lots of photos and diagrams for all you right-brained techies.

Dick: The Man Who is President, by John Nichols, The New Press, 2004, $23.95, 256 pp. In Dick, Washington correspondent for The Nation John Nichols attempts to verify our suspicions that G. Dubya is too dumb to govern. He places the blame for the Iraq war, the fleecing of the middle class to the benefit of corporations and the wealthy, and all other evils in US policy squarely on the shoulders of VP Dick Cheney. When God said "peacemaker" Cheney thought he said "pacemaker" and knocked down a little old lady in his scramble for the post.

Dictionary of Republicanisms, by Katrina Vanden Heuvel, Nation Books, 2005, $14.95, 224 pp. Spin it and they will come: Katrina Vanden Heuvel is the editor for Nation Magazine. In Republicanisms, she publishes her readers' own definitions to oft repeated terms by G. Dubya and his cronies. The result is a funny collection, not without merit. The spin machine is working overtime at RNC headquarters for our support of good sounding - albeit undemocratic - policies (nation building, pre-emptive strike, intelligent design, etc.).

Diet For a Poisoned Planet: How to Choose Safe Foods for You and Your Family - The Twenty-First Century Edition, by David Steinman, Thunder's Mouth Press, 2007, $17.95, 605 pp. Rather than encouraging grass roots activism to clean up our act, this book offers a license for apathy. Steinman rates products on their toxicity levels, providing a handy guide for limiting our personal ingestion of toxins. So if the activists fail at getting things cleaned up, we can snack with the comfort of knowing that while the planet may be poisoned, we're not . . . yet.

The Difference a Day Makes: 365 Ways to Change Your World in Just 24 Hours, by Karen M. Jones, New World Library, 2005, $12.95, 253 pp. Gain peace of mind through action. Jones' big message in The Difference a Day Makes is how much the little stuff counts.

Dirty: A Search for Answers Inside America's Teenage Drug Epidemic, by Meredith Maran, Harper, 2003, $24.95, 311 pp. Meet Mike the speed freak, Zalika the hooker and Tristan the pothead. Their common denominator: they're all teens and could every one of them be the boy/girl next door. In Dirty, Maran examines the teenage world of drugs, looking for answers as to what in American culture propels us to the highest level of drug abuse in the world among teens. Could it be a bankrupt system of values (i.e. mass consumerism and global dominance), flawed statistics, or simply a product of affluence?

Dispatches From the Tenth Circle: The Best of the Onion, edited by Robert Siegel, Three Rivers Press, 2001, $16.00, 174 pp. With tongue-in-cheek billing as "America's Finest News Source," the Onion is satire and mock journalism at its best. There is nothing sacred to these writers as The Best of the Onion proves, poking fun at everything from school shootings to terrorism in order to highlight the absurdity of some of todays issues.

The Dixon Cornbelt League, by W. P. Kinsella, HarperCollins, 1993, $18.00, 180 pp. Kinsella burst onto the scene when a story of his was made into a movie called Field of Dreams. As an author he's infatuated with baseball and mysticism. That's a good thing, because when he writes about them he creates circumstances suitable for the Twilight Zone, and characters befitting Masterpiece Theatre. This volume contains nine such stories.

Dogs: A Startling New Understanding of Canine Origin, Behavior and Evolution, by Raymond and Lorna Coppinger, Scribner, 2001, $18.00, 352 pp. Raymond Coppinger is a biologist dedicated to the study of dogs. He and wife Lorna are experts in canine ethology, which is standing the origin of man's best friend on its head. Long believed early man domesticated wolves for companionship, Coppinger argues the opposite. Canines, he proposes, weren't domesticated by man, but rather, they domesticated themselves to make it easier to obtain food by way of receiving scraps and handouts. It's a revolutionary theory, but not one without a solid basis.

Don't Throw it Out: Recycle, Renew and Reuse to Make Things Last, by Lori Baird, Yankee Publishing, 2007, $17.95, 386 pp. This handy guide goes way beyond recycling. It contains nuggets of wisdom that will get more life out of what you already have.

Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz, by L. Frank Baum, Del Rey, 1979, 221 pp. Whereas the Wizard of Oz was magical, this story's just weird. Dorothy, along with the Wizard, is sucked into the center of the Earth and together they embark on a perilous journey to get back to the surface. A Disneyesque Journey to the Center of the Earth.

Drama For Students: Volume 8 Presenting Analysis, Context and Criticism on Commonly Studied Dramas, edited by David Galens, Gale Group, 2000, $159.00, 309 pp. Drama For Students (Volume 8) amasses fifteen popular plays with critique and analysis. Included in the anthology is a drama called Trifles by Susan Glaspell. Merriam-Webster defines trifle as "something of little value or importance." It also defines it as "talk [done] in a jesting or mocking manner." The action takes place in the gloomy kitchen of an old Iowa farmhouse. The county attorney and sheriff are there to investigate the murder of the home's occupant, Mr. Wright, and they've brought along their wives. The year is 1900. While the authorities mull over the limited amount of hard evidence - a rope - the women's concern centers on the state of the house. The investigation proceeds, and ironically it is the women who uncover - then re-cover - the real evidence.

Drawing Animals, by Norman Adams and Joe Singer, Random House, 1989, $21.99, 160 pp. In this celebratory thirtieth anniversary edition, Adams and Singer lend their expertise to drawing animals. They make it look so easy, you may wonder why you didn't take up animal portraiture before.

Drawing Landscapes in Pencil, by Ferdinand Petrie, Random House, 1979, $21.95, 144 pp. Artist Ferdinand Petrie shares crucial techniques for drawing in pencil. Whether you're a refined artist, a doodler, or something in-between, the fundamentals Petrie lays down will serve as a solid foundation to achieving your aspirations in art. One volume in the Practical Art Books series.

Drawing Portraits, by Douglas Graves, Random House, 1983, $16.95, 144 pp. This volume from the Practical Art Books series, features portrait artist Douglas Graves. His tips on portraiture aim to aid the artist - student or accomplished - in capturing the essence of their subject.

Dreaming War: Blood For Oil and the Cheney-Bush Junta, by Gore Vidal, Thunder's Mouth Press, 2002, $11.95, 197 pp. His second book on American foreign policy since 9-11, in Dreaming War Vidal leads us down the preemptive strike path and uncovers its profiteers. Through a series of essays he asks (and answers) tough questions about the current Administration and reveals why Corporate America loves this particular White House.

The Eagle's Shadow: Why America Fascinates and Infuriates the World, by Mark Hertsgaard, Farrar, Strauss and Giroux, 2002, $23.00, 246 pp. Hertsgaard traveled the world to learn first-hand what non-Americans felt about America. He learned we are loved. He learned we are resented. Mostly though, he learned America is perplexing to the majority of our planets citizens.

Eat More Dirt: Diverting and Instructive Tips for Growing and Tending an Organic Garden, by Ellen Sandbeck, Broadway Books, 2003, $10.95, 208 pp. Sandbeck keeps her garden thriving the natural way and shares her homespun secrets in Eat More Dirt. Her creativity borders on genius; her garden on Eden.

Eating in the Dark: America's Experiment with Genetically Engineered Food, by Kathleen Hart, Pantheon Books, 2002, $25.00, 338 pp. Greenpeace calls them "Frankenfoods." Hart calls them the product of complicity between a profit-centered food industry and the US Food and Drug Administration. What's certain is they're on our grocers' shelves and the parties responsible aren't about to apologize any time soon.

The ECO Guide to Careers That Make a Difference: Environmental Work for a Sustainable World, by the Environmental Careers Organization, Island Press, 2005, $18.95, 400 pp. Feeling green? There are careers available that won't compromise your environmental ideals, and The ECO Guide lists them all.

Ecotopia, by E. Callenbach, Bantam New Age Books, 1975, $13.95, 181 pp. In this utopian classic, Callenbach maps out a world where business interests are balanced evenly against ecology. The twenty-hour work week envisioned by the author sounds as good today as when I first cracked this book in high school.

The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds, by Paul Zindel, Bantam Books, 1976, $1.50, 109 pp. In this two act multi-generational study of the women of the Hunsdorfer clan, Zindel gives a compelling and affectionate account of a family in the depths of dysfunction. It is a toxic atmosphere they live in, yet we're reminded there is hope for them as we witness flowers springing from an environment equally inhospitable.

The Egg and I, by Betty MacDonald, J. B. Lippincott Co., 1945, 278 pp. This is the story that inspired the Maw and Paw Kettle films. Based on her own life experience, MacDonald composed The Egg and I after moving from Seattle (civilization) to an egg farm on the Olympic Peninsula (wilderness). She writes of the folks she gained as neighbors in a tone so affectionate it's easy to forgive her for coming across at times racist.

Egon Schiele, by Jeanette Zwingenberger, Parkstone Press, 2000, $14.95, 117 pp. In Egon Schiele, author Jeanette Zwingenberger depicts turn-of-the-century Austrian artist Schiele as a self-absorbed hedonist with flights of grandeur. For Schiele, the role of the artist was messianic: "I sacrificed for others, for those on whom I took pity, those who were far away or did not see me, the seer." His nudes were a flagrant breach of what was accepted in art at the time. Never pretty, they reflected the horror and anguish of letting curiosity get the best of oneself; the balls-to-the-walls thrill of liberation from social norms. Egon Schiele is a neatly crafted volume, superbly laid out with oodles of illustrations.

Egon Schiele 1890-1918: The Midnight Soul of the Artist, by Reinhard Steiner, Barnes & Noble, 2001, $9.99, 96 pp. In Steiner's book on Egon Schiele, the turn-of-the-century Austrian artist is portrayed as a painter that goes against the norm out of sheer desperation. He hungers for success, thus his painting has a reactive - anti-morality - element to it. His work is informed not by the artist's own experience, but by outside influences of the times: Freud, Nietsche and fellow Austrian artist, Klimt, to name a few. Full-color illustrations abound, laid out in an easily navigable format.
Einstein's Moon: Bell's Theorem and the Curious Quest for Quantum Reality, by F. David Peat, Contemporary Books, 1990, $11.95, 170 pp. Quantum theory is more similar to voodoo than science. In Einstein's Moon, Peat attempts to describe in layperson's terms how Bell's theorem (named for the father of quantum theory, John Bell) works. Basically, things on a subatomic level just happen, no causality involved. Though fascinating, at the end of the day he might have just called it magic and left it at that. Read it to rekindle your sense of wonder.

Emotional Freedom Technique for Animals and Their Humans: Creating a Harmonious Relationship Through Tapping, by Joan Ranquet, The Findhorn Press, 2023, $16.99, 188 pp. Tapping into the same energy meridians utilized by Chinese medicine (acupuncture; acupressure), EFT is an effective tool for restoring health and emotional well-being. Testimonial foreword by Ellie Laks, founder of The Gentle Barn.
Encyclopedia of Living Artists, Ninth Edition, edited by Constance Smith, ArtNetwork, 1995, 95 pp. In this, the ninth edition of the popular encyclopedia, 66 artists are showcased. Begun as a way to promote new artists to artworld professionals, this is more than a mere reference guide. Packed with images and information, it's a beautifully printed book in full-color. Biographies abound. Some delve into the inspiration of the artists; others fall flat.
Encyclopedia of World Travel, Volume 1, edited by Nelson Doubleday and C. Earl Cooley, Doubleday, 1961, 344 pp. In this, Volume 1 of the Encyclopedia of World Travel, the Western Hemisphere is covered. With 22 contributors, it's exhaustive in its coverage of travel destinations available in 1961. Though out of date, it's thoroughly enjoyable to thumb through for the illustrations alone. Foreword by Eric Friedheim.

The Endless Game, by Bryan Forbes, Random House, 1986, $17.95, 296 pp. Forbes weaves an intriguing tale involving members of MI6 (Britains CIA equivalent) in The Endless Game. After one of their own is killed by the KGB, a plot - endless itself - revolving around espionage and political payback unfolds.

Energy Healing for Animals: A Hands-On Guide for Enhancing the Health, Longevity & Happiness of Your Pets, by Joan Ranquet, Sounds True, 2015, $17.99, 280 pp. Joan Ranquet is an animal communicator. That is to say, she speaks to animals - and they to her - through images. Improving an animal's behavior, she has found in over twenty years of practice, is often as simple as visualizing it. She covers all that in her book Communication With All Life: Revelations of an Animal Communicator (Hay House, $16.99). The advantage of animal communication is simple: knowing what's on our animal companions' minds enables us to better care for them. With that in mind, Ranquet wrote Energy Healing For Animals: A Hands-On Guide for Enhancing the Health, Longevity & Happiness of Your Pets.

Energy Healing is well organized. Ranquet gradually introduces the reader to a variety of healing modalities, beginning with an overview of the fundamentals of energy healing. It's part history, part zoology, and part physics. She digs deep into chakras, providing the best introduction to this ancient art of health and balance you're likely to find. Traditional Chinese Medicine and Energetic Systems - basically a map of the conduits, or "meridians" as they're called, that direct the flow of energy in every living thing - are also covered, as is bodywork (chiropractic, water therapy, acupuncture, acupressure, Bowen Technique, massage, myofacial release, Veterinary Orthopedic Manipulation - the list goes on). Great reference tool.

The Essential Chomsky, by Noam Chomsky, New Press, 2008, $16.95, 496 pp. Essentially a collection of what the author and editors consider his most important essays. Lots of most important essays. Chomsky's a prolific writer. I pity the editors who had to go through his work and determine his most important pieces. That said, they rose to the occasion with The Essential Chomsky, a volume containing twenty-five essays and opinion pieces. Not only is Essential Chomsky a necessary collection for understanding the world we live in, it is an essential introduction to the politics of the author; a resurrection in critical thought and observation.

The Essential Crazy Wisdom, by Wes "Scoop" Nisker, Ten Speed Press, 2001, $11.95, 245 pp. Cult classic The Essential Crazy Wisdom is back in this abridged edition. Activist/satirist Scoop Nisker takes a compelling look at wisdom over the ages, delivering a funny, insightful and ultimately wise critique. Crazy.

The Ethical Gourmet: How to Enjoy Great Food that is Humanely Raised, Sustainable, Nonendangered and That Replenishes the Earth, by Jay Weinstein, Broadway Books, 2006, $17.95, 339 pp. Not to be mistaken as a cookbook for bunny-huggers, Weinstein's fare reaches beyond tofu and veggies. His philosophy doesn't limit a meal's ingredients, rather it presses the chef to think about where they came from and make conscientious choices when purchasing them. In the end, Ethical Gourmet is a conventional cookbook with a very long name.

Even More Tales to Give You Goosebumps, by R. L. Stine, Apple, 1996, 125 pp. This book is the third special edition in the Goosebumps series. Aside from special editions, there are over forty regular editions in the series, all by R. L. Stine. This edition contains ten tales which the cover promises will give the reader shivers. Bear in mind these stories are written for ten-year-olds.

Everybody Who Was Anybody: A Biography of Gertrude Stein, by Janet Hobhouse, G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1975, 244 pp. At a young age Gertrude Stein believed she was destined to create the twentieth century. By 1905 she was doing just that. Through the extensive use of personal papers, Hobhouse gives us a glimpse of Stein beyond the highbrow literary and art circles she was famous for.

Everything I know I learned on Acid, by Coco Pekelis, Acid Test Productions, 1996, $12.95, 139 pp. This is a great little book of quotes. Pekelis has collected some of the best and arranged them into themes with mesmerizing titles. Some of the insights offered you'll be glad to know - acid or not.

The Exception to the Rulers: Exposing Oily Politicians, War Profiteers, and the Media That Love Them, by Amy Goodman, Hyperion, 2004, $21.95, 342 pp. Exception to the Rulers is basically a catalog of misdeeds by America's elite. It ought to come in a brown paper bag and be titled Shame.

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