Exiled to Siberia

In June 1942, the Rudomin family is arrested by the Russians. They are "capitalists — enemies of the people." Forced from their home and friends in Vilna, Poland, they are herded into crowded cattle cars. Their destination: the endless steppe of Siberia.
For five years, Ester and her family live in exile, weeding potato fields and working in the mines, struggling for enough food and clothing to stay alive. Only the strength of family sustains them and gives them hope for the future.

At the centre of this collection, which includes groups of elegies and love poems, there is a short sonnet sequence that concentrates themes apparent elswehere in the book: individual responsibility for choices; the artist's commitment to his vocation; the vulnerability of all in the face of death.

Do the Windows Open? is a smashing debut by short-story writer Julie Hecht. Bound together by the insight and wit of her neurotic narrator, Hecht's short stories document the mania of the modern day in devastating detail. Hecht's narrator, a forty-something photographer, moves through the world burdened by the mundane and tawdry incidentals of contemporary existence. Taking in fertility clinics, hairpieces, obnoxious speech patterns and omnipresent consumer demographics, nothing escapes her eye or avoids her comment. The intelligence of her judgment negates the inanity of much of what she sees, and her stories become a tragicomic critique of her affluent and stifling social milieu.

Just as Andy Kaufman subverted traditional forms of comedy, so Julie Hecht, with her distinctive brand of wry humor, successfully subverts the traditional form of wry humor, successfully subverts the traditional form of the interview. During 1978 and 1979, Hecht negotiated and met with Kaufman, following him from an appearance at his old high school to his now-legendary Carnegie Hall performance. The author stood her ground in all kinds of ludicrous situations, waiting for the appearance of Kaufman’s real self, as it that self were some kind of Godot. Her determination and writing talent enabled her to uncover the truth behind many of the stories Kaufman made up for the press, and behind his sometimes poignant artistic aspirations. This is a book of bizarre meetings and often hilarious conversations between a great comedian (who hated to be called that) and his perfect foil — a writer of short stories who found the story of Andy Kaufman’s life to be stranger than fiction. It will entertain and enlighten the many fans of both the performer and the author, and through its surprising dialogue and surreal encounters it will shed light on the evolution of postmodern culture.

From the creator of the immensely popular website that coined a catchphrase comes the book that is bound to be the pop-culture sensation of the season.

—Happy Days infamously jumped the shark when Fonzie literally jumped a shark on water skis.

—I Love Lucy jumped the shark when Lucy and Ricky moved to the suburbs.

—The Brady Bunch jumped the shark when Cousin Oliver moved in.

Get it? Not quite? Try these:

Michael Dukakis jumped the shark when he climbed into a tank and put on an oversized helmet. The rock band KISS jumped the shark when they took off the makeup. The Boston Red Sox jumped the shark when they traded Babe Ruth to the Yankees. And poor Kevin Costner jumped the shark, fittingly, with Waterworld.

Jump the Shark is a riotous compendium of the rises—and, more important, the falls—of our most famous contemporary pop icons. From music legends to sports heroes, from talk show hosts to politicians, Jump the Shark is an uproarious catalog of those priceless moments when the magic vanishes, the ratings go south, and the mighty become the fallen. But beware: These shark-infested pages will leave you in stitches and wondering where the insidious fin will pop up next.

Australian pianist David Helfgott is fascinating as both artist and psychological subject; here's his story on both counts as told by his wife, Gillian. Now well known from his movie biography, the critically acclaimed Shine, the book gives a fuller account of his life and struggles to return to playing the piano and living a halfway normal life.

Capturing the spirit of the tropics, Paradise on Ice takes a refreshing dip into the wonderful world of tropical drinks. Choose from 50 bliss-inducing blends of exotic fruits, juices, and liquors, each designed to feel like a vacation in a glass. From margaritas and tropitinis to spirit-free smoothies and refreshing coolers, each creatively mixed concoction is the perfect pleaser for summer patio get-togethers, Caribbean theme parties, poolside lounging, candlelight dinners, or any occasion that simply cries out for an equatorial, coconut-scented escape from reality. Colorful photographs accompany the text, setting just the right mood to encourage readers to put on a Tito Puente CD and swizzle their hips as well as their cocktails.

"Living is like tearing through a museum. Not until later do you really start absorbing what you saw, thinking about it, looking it up in a book and remembering— because you can’t take it all in at once."
—Audrey Hepburn

On many occasions, she was approached to pen her autobiography, the definitive book of Audrey Hepburn, yet she never agreed. A beloved icon who found success as an actress, a mother and an humanitarian, Audrey Hepburn perfected the art of gracious living.

More philosophy than biography, How to Be Lovely revisits the many interviews Audrey gave over the years, allowing us to hear her voice directly on universal topics of concern to women the world over: careers, love lives, motherhood and relationships. Enhanced by rarely seen photographs, behind-the-scenes stories, and insights from the friends who knew her well, How to Be Lovely uncovers the real Audrey, in her own words.

While she would have been the last to say so, Audrey Hepburn was an expert in the art of being a woman. How to Be Lovely imparts whatever wisdom and insight she found along the way to the millions who grew up, or will grow up, wanting to be just like her.

Published to coincide with Audrey Hepburn’s would-be seventy-fifth birthday, How to Be Lovely offers a rare glimpse into the woman behind the mystique and the definitive guide to living genuinely with glamour and grace.

Recipes ... Stain Removal ... First-Aid Basics ... Car Care,..Sewin'Tips ... House Cleaning ... Laundry ... Shopping... Recycling ... Lawn andGarden ... Leftovers ... Computers ... Home Repair ... Breaking BadHabits ... Stretching Closet Space ... Camping ... Entertaining ... KitchenShortcuts ... Grooming ... Ironing Without Ironing ... FoodStorage ... Choosing Fruits and Vegetables ... Wardrobe Hints ... andingenious new uses for Pantyhose and Bleach Bottles!

Nationally Syndicated Newspaper Columnist,HELOISE takes thefrustration and drudgery out of modern homecare with over 2,000helpful time- and money-saving

The Laptop Lunch User's Guide provides great ideas for making creative, healthy lunches that children love. The book features nutritional requirements, strategies for improving lunchtime nutrition, tips for picky eaters, suggestions for smart shopping, quick-reference shopping lists, waste reduction tips, creative lunch menus, and kid-friendly recipes.

There was only one way for Chester to do things - his own way. Wilson did things the same way; they were best friends. From double-knotting their shoes to cutting their sandwiches diagonally, Chester and Wilson were two of a kind.

"They really are two peas in a pod," said Chester's mother.

"Looks like it," said Chester's father.

From morning to night - and in every way - they were inseparable. But then they met Lilly ... and extraordinary things happened to their friendship.

Much to her parents' chagrin, 5-year-old Ruthie has a devoted invisible friend named Jessica. When Ruthie accidentally spills juice, Jessica gladly takes the blame. When Ruthie's parents plan to hire a baby sitter and go to a movie, Jessica gets a tummy ache and needs them to stay home. "There is no Jessica," her parents keep insisting. "But Ruthie knew there was," the author keeps repeating. Kevin Henkes's Popsicle-colored watercolors and detailed pen-and-ink drawings invite us into Ruthie and Jessica's fantasy world. Through his handwritten cartoon dialogue, we are privy to their tender conversations and confidences. When it's time to start kindergarten, Ruthie's father suggests that Jessica stay home. But of course Ruthie brings Jessica anyway. On that fateful day we discover what Ruthie knew all along—there really is a Jessica! Children who believe in imaginary playmates will find their soul mate in Ruthie. And parents who fret over the isolation of an absorbing imaginary life will find comfort in the story's happy ending. All families will appreciate the twists of fate that allow a child's fantasy world to joyfully overlap into the real one. School Library Journal Best Book of the Year, Horn Book Fanfare Honor List, IRA/CBC Children's Choice, American Bookseller Pick of the Lists. (Ages 3 and older) —Gail Hudson

The Caldecott Medal winning book by Kevin Henkes.