Beryl Epstein

The extraordinary life of Jackie Robinson is illuminated as never before in this full-scale biography by Arnold Rampersad, who was chosen by Jack's widow, Rachel, to tell her husband's story, and was given unprecedented access to his private papers. We are brought closer than we have ever been to the great ballplayer, a man of courage and quality who became a pivotal figure in the areas of race and civil rights. We follow Robinson through World War II, when, in the first wave of racial integration in the armed forces, he was commissioned as an officer, then court-martialed after refusing to move to the back of a bus. After he plays in the Negro National League, we watch the opening of an all-American drama as, late in 1945, Branch Rickey of the Brooklyn Dodgers recognized Jack as the right player to break baseball's color barrier - and the game was forever changed. Jack's never-before-published letters open up his relationship with his family, especially his wife, Rachel, whom he married just as his perilous venture of integrating baseball began. Her memories are a major resource of the narrative as we learn about the severe harassment Robinson endured from teammates and opponents alike; about death threats and exclusion; about joy and remarkable success. We follow his blazing career: 1947, Rookie of the Year; 1949, Most Valuable Player; six pennants in ten seasons, and in 1962, induction into the Hall of Fame. But sports were merely one aspect of his life. We see his business ventures, his leading role in the community, his early support of Martin Luther King Jr., his commitment to the civil rights movement at a crucial stage in its evolution; his controversial associations with Eisenhower, Kennedy, Nixon, Humphrey, Goldwater, Nelson Rockefeller, and Malcolm X.

Describes the activities at several farms where unusual plants or animals are raised.

A photo essay presenting a beagle at work at Kennedy Airport sniffing out contraband fruits and meats that many travelers bring into the country.

A study of power and change in Washington, D.C. during the middle of the twentieth century.

A biography of the 18th century Italian whose experiments with microbes disproved the theory of spontaneous generation and provided a base for the work of future scientists.

A simple explanation of how electricity is generated and how it can be conserved.

Enthralled by the new science of natural history, a famous American painter establishes a museum in his home and organizes a scientific expedition to find and dig up a complete mammoth skeleton.

Focuses on the twenty-season career of Henry Aaron which culminated in the hit that beat Babe Ruth's record.

Describes the celebration of several Japanese festivals including Hi Matsuri, Girls' Day, The One Thousand Person Procession, the Okunchi Festival, and the Peace Festival.

Traces the careers of three baseball stars elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1937.

Suggests simple activities that demonstrate some of the many characteristics and uses of mirrors.

Describes some of the many ways things are held together with string, glue, saliva, nails, and other materials.

Surveys the Sacramento River and Valley history, describing early Indian tribal life, exploration by the Spanish and by American trappers, the influx of settlers brought by the discovery of gold, agricultural problems and growth, and irrigation and flood control projects.

Photographs and brief text relate the life story of the only man to be elected President of the United States four times.

Describes origins of folk festivals and the manner in which they are celebrated in European countries. Includes May Day, Whitsuntide Festivals and Midsummer Harvest Festivals, and stresses the importance of sports in their celebration.