Happy Birthday to Me!, by Valrie M. Selkowe, HarperCollins, 2001, $15.95, 26 pp. This slim volume is the icing on the cake for those not shy about celebrating birthdays. "It's my birthday and I'm proud! Say it loud!" (repeat). Great colorful illustrations by John Sandford. Ages 3 and up.

Harvest for Hope: A Guide to Mindful Eating, by Jane Goodall, Warner Books, 2005, $24.95, 296 pp. Foremost expert on primates, Goodall shares her observations about the most common one: Homo sapien. What she reveals is not cheerful. Over-population has led to our increased reliance on chemicals in food production which has led to less usable land which has led to a higher reliance on chemicals which . . . It's a downward spiral not without a spark of hope. She encourages the reader to make conscientious choices when perusing their local supermarket aisles. In the words of another great scientist, "Never doubt that a group of thoughtful citizens can change the world." -Margaret Mead

The Haunting of Hill House, by F. Andrew Leslie, Dramatists Play Service, 1964, $10.00, 78 pp. Adapted for the stage from the novel by Shirley Jackson, The Haunting of Hill House is a spooky tale in three acts. The star of this play is a house with a sordid past. When a young woman (Eleanor) who's "sensitive" where psychic matters are concerned takes up residence as part of an investigation into strange occurrences at the residence, the old place just gets stranger. By the close of the third act she's exhibiting symptoms of bi-polarity.

Hawaii, by James A. Michener, Fawcett, 1986, $7.99, 1140 pp. Dedicated to all the peoples who came to Hawaii, Michener's account of the rich history of the fiftieth state resonates with a mythology all its own. A classic, with genealogical charts to help the reader keep the characters straight.
Heart of a Nation: Writers and Photographers Inspired by the American Landscape, edited by Charles Kogod and Barbara A. Payne, National Geographic, 2000, 240 pp. A collection of seventeen essays mostly focused on parks, Heart of a Nation: Writers and Photographers Inspired by the American Landscape celebrates the diversity of the North American landscape through words and photos. Each contributor writes about places they know and love.

A Heckuva Job: More of the Bush Administration in Rhyme, by Calvin Trillin, Random House, 2006, $12.95, 116 pp. Trillin, doing what he does best: poking fun at a bungling administration.

Hegemony or Survival, by Noam Chomsky, Metropolitan Books, 2003, $22.00, 278 pp. Everybody's favorite social critic is back with an analysis of the White House's greater mission in Afghanistan and Iraq: Global dominance. For the past fifty years, argues the author, America has become increasingly influential around the planet, and policies like the War on Terrorism and pre-emptive strike are designed not to liberate, but to dominate.

Hell in a Handbasket: Dispatches From the Country Formerly Known as America, by Tom Tomorrow, Penguin, 2006, $14.95, 142 pp. Tomorrow makes it easy for us to laugh at ourselves with this collection of his own political cartoons. In full color.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, by Douglas Adams, Pocket Books, 1981, $3.50, 215 pp. In this, the first book of the Hitchhiker's series, Arthur Dent wakes to find a bulldozer poised to knock his house down. Not that it matters, because Earth is about to be destroyed by undetected aliens somewhere high above the stratosphere. Thus begins Adams' tale, in which he exhibits a terrific ability to twist quantum theory back on itself in such a way as to be hilarious and suspiciously plausible. Even the title of the book itself has a double meaning: it's also the title of a guide - the real star of the series - used extensively by the characters throughout. A book within a book, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is entertaining, quirky and fun.

The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien, Ballantine Books, 1984, $2.95, 287 pp. The Lord of the Rings has a cult-like following. It's fans don't simply read the text and move on; their digestion and study of it is more akin to that of theology students. As a result, this edition of The Hobbit - a prelude to The Rings epic - is published with corrections not found in previous editions. This, the most accurate account to date, chronicles Bilbo Baggins' quest to recover treasure from a fire-breathing dragon. It's the David and Goliath story retooled for fantasy buffs.

Hocus Pocus, by Kurt Vonnegut, G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1990, $18.00, 302 pp. The ingredients of this novel are as follows: A college for learning-disabled rich kids; a prison run by the Japanese (foreign investment has bought America lock, stock and barrel); and a perpetual motion machine. Throw in a warden who's never taken a vacation because he'd just meet more people he didn't like, and you get the wackiest Vonnegut story to date.

Holy War: The Crusades and Their Impact on Today's World, by Karen Armstrong, Vintage Anchor Publishing, 2001, $17.00, 628 pp. In this overview of Middle East wars, Armstrong binds Islamic, Jewish and Christian people together by presenting their conflict in a historical perspective. From the Crusades to modern Palestinian/Israeli relations, it's been the same stick blinding the eyes of all parties engaged in possessing Jerusalem for themselves: that of might making right. You'd think three of the world's largest institutions in the enlightenment business would be a little more forgiving of one another.

The Homeowner's Guide to Renewable Energy: Achieving Energy Independence Through Solar, Wind, Biomass and Hydropower, by Dan Chiras, New Society Publishers, 2006, $27.95, 335 pp. This book offers hope for the energy conscious who feel strapped by America's dependence on oil. Pro-active and practical.

Homme Fatale, by Paul Mayersberg, St. Martin's Press, 1992, $19.95, 292 pp. Two lovers; three murders; one yawn. This is a novel about obsession and crimes of passion. That it's set against an erotically steamy Los Angeles does little for it except detract from an oppressive plot.

Honest American Fare, by Bert Greene, Contemporary Books, 1981, $13.95, 296 pp. Remember those great home-cooked meals before anyone cared about calories? Greene offers a cookbook packed with just that kind of fare. Dishing up lots of meats, sweets and carbs, these recipes are not for the timid.

The Hope: A Guide to Sacred Activism, by Andrew Harvey, Hay House, 2009, $16.95, 227 pp. Raised in India in the Christian faith, Harvey's approach to spirituality is one of inclusion. Influenced by a mix of Eastern mysticism, Western theology and Bell's Theorem, his spiritual path has been a recurring theme of intersecting crossroads. The result: a unique blend of East and West, culminating in the work he calls Sacred Activism. While The Hope was written on the heels of the 2008 financial crisis - the impetus for it - the global situation has, if anything, gotten worse, not better. It is for that smorgasbord of crises that The Hope, in its pursuit of Sacred Activism, continues to be an invaluable tool for anybody seriously engaged in the future of humanity.

Hope in the Dark: Untold Histories, Wild Possibilities, by Rebecca Solnit, Nation Books, 2004, $12.95, 150 pp. Offering examples of movements that have succeeded despite overwhelming odds, Solnit drives home the point of her book: It's darkest just before dawn.

Hope's Edge: The Next Diet for a Small Planet, by Anna and Frances Lappe, Jeremy P. Tarcher/Putnam, 2002, $26.95, 450 pp. A follow-up to the bestselling classic Diet for a Small Planet, Hope's Edge is the story of a mother and daughter's experiences and the dietary choices they lead to. Includes vegetarian recipes by culinary pioneers Alice Waters and Mollie Katzen.

Hostile Takeover: How Big Money and Corruption Conquered our Government - and How We Take it Back, by David Sirota, Crown Publishing, 2006, $24.00, 373 pp. America is a democracy, and as a democracy its citizens can have it the way they want. So goes the premise behind Hostile Takeover. Sirota does his readers a great service in the way he looks at problems. Rather than resting contentedly with a text that exposes America's ills (the 'take' lobby), he examines the losses incurred by the masses as a result of special interests. He contends its time to stop kowtowing to corporations for the benefits they euphemistically bestow on society and call them what they are: Greedy, out-for-themselves, unelected corruptive denizens of Capitol Hill with nary an ounce of foresight for the welfare of the US or the world. Strong words? Sure. But Sirota makes a strong case.

The Hotel New Hampshire, by John Irving, E. P. Dutton, 1981, $15.50, 401 pp. This novel is a romp across the landscapes of family, dreams and hotel management. Written on the heels of The World According to Garp, Irving was at the top of his game when he composed this poignant tale about interpersonal excesses and shortcomings. It is possibly Irving's most entertaining read.

Household Stories, by The Brothers Grimm, Dover Publications, 1963, $3.00, 269 pp. This is an unabridged edition of the works of the Brothers Grimm first published in 1886 by Macmillan and Co. Hardly intended for children, these tales mostly involve characters awakening to the wonders of puberty, written at a time when writing about such things could get a person jailed. Their relegation to the kids' shelf is unfortunate; too many adults overlook this great literature. Illustrated by Walter Crane.

How America Lost Iraq, by Aaron Glantz, Seven Stories Press, 2005, $23.95, 303 pp. In the days immediately following the fall of Baghdad, Glantz - a reporter for Pacifica Radio - arrived in Iraq to a population largely happy to see the Americans. How America Lost Iraq chronicles a series of missteps made by the Bush administration in the weeks, months and now years following the arrival of US troops, effectively turning our presence there into a hotly resisted occupation.

How Everyday Products Make People Sick: Toxins at Home and in the Workplace, by Paul D. Blanc, MD, California Press, 2006, $14.50, 374 pp. The author's name sounds like a fine wine, but a fine wine doesn't leave you frightened of your house.

How Many Bears?, by Cooper Edens, Atheneum, 1994, 28 pp. Set in Little Animal Town, this children's book is a tour of the town's shops. Each store is run by a different animal, and it is the young reader's aim to figure out how many of each animal it takes to keep it operational. Sort of a Where's Waldo with an educational bent, the color illustrations by Marjett Schille make counting and basic math skills engaging and fun.

How to Draw What You See, by Rudy De Reyna, Random House, 1972, $16.95, 176 pp. Accomplished artist Rudy De Reyna brings his know-how to the table in How to Draw What You See. Fundamentals covered include: perspective; relationships to size; vanishing points; and basic shapes in nature (cylinders, globes, cubes, ellipses and pyramids). Practical exercises.

How to Get Happily Published: A Complete and Candid Guide, by Judith Appelbaum and Nancy Evans, New American Library, 1982, $6.95, 271 pp. Here, Evans and Appelbaum put into words what they learned getting themselves published. Though woefully outdated - there was no internet as we know it at the time of its writing - their tips are as good today as they were then. Contains a huge resource section that covers everything from style to money, but the reader would be advised to check the sources for current information.

How to Rig an Election: Confessions of a Republican Operative, by Allen Raymond, Simon & Schuster, 2008, $25.00, 240 pp. A book by one who knows - the author did time for his part in jamming phone banks in the 2002 New Hampshire Senate race - How to Rig an Election lays bare the sneaky little ways politicians cheat their way into office. More troubling than the fact it's going on at all is the wide acceptance it has by the establishment.

How to Succeed in the Christian Life, by R. A. Torrey, Whitaker House, 1984, 119 pp. The basic rule this book adheres to is Birds of a feather flock together. Therefore, if you're a Christian and your friends are not, you've got only two choices: Win them over to your side, or drop them. This only begs the questions, If Christianity is what God wants for everyone, why can't a person succeed in it on its own merits? and Whatever happened to faith? That said, no doubt Torrey's separatist advice does point a Christian toward success, or a Moony, or an Amway distributor, or any number of folks who require their belief system go unchallenged.

How Would a Patriot Act? Defending American Values from a President Run Amok, by Glenn Greenwald, Working Assets Publishing, 2006, $12.00, 146 pp. Working Assets, the long distance phone company that donates 1% to progressive causes, has ventured into the world of publishing with How Would a Patriot Act? Although Greenwald doesn't answer that question precisely, he does lay out a multitude of examples of how a patriot would not act. Unfortunately, the Bush administration fits these descriptions to a tee.

Hubris: The Inside Story of Spin, Scandal, and the Selling of the Iraq War, by Michael Isikoff and David Corn, Crown Publishing, 2006, $25.95, 463 pp. On the surface, the Iraq War is tragic enough. Reporters Isikoff and Corn drive the tragedy home by digging deep into the When, Where, Why and How of it, producing an account that reads like a fictional espionage thriller. Unfortunately, it's all too real.

QUICKIES A : B : C : D-E : F : G : I-K : L : M
N-O : P-Q : R : S : T : U-V : W : X-Z
TOP