Ring: The Story of a Frontier Dog
by Walter McCaleb
(AudioVision Books) CDs-$29.95
Here's an authentic tale of frontier life that was written in 1921, when the memory of that way of life was still very much alive. The twist? It's told from the point of view of a dog. It's a tale with interesting insight into frontier life, with the dog, Ring, accompanying his young masters on hunting trips, riding in horse-drawn carriages and warming himself in front of the fire. The publisher recommends this for ages 10 and up, but it's appropriate for kids of all ages, and might be fun to listen to with a young child. It's sure to start discussions about what life was really like back then.
Angels & Demons
by Dan Brown
(Simon & Schuster Audio)Cassettes-$26 CDs-$30
Dan Brown's breakthrough novel was this year's The DaVinci Code, and since he's now making waves with that one, Simon & Schuster Audio has released his prior novel, featuring symbologist Robert Langdon's first adventure, here trying to decipher ancient texts involving the Catholic church. You can see from this book how Brown worked up to his bestselling puzzler, since the formula is all laid out here, too. Why didn't this one become popular first? It does, after all, have all the elements-a secret society, a race against time to unravel numerous mysteries, a bomb, a romance, and hints at deep significance.
Healing Back Pain: The Mind-Body Connection
by John E. Sarno
(Audio Renaissance) Cassette-$17.95
John Sarno promises permanent elimination of back pain without drugs or surgery. Sounds like a concept we can all get behind, except Sarno focuses exclusively on one cause of back pain, repressed emotions. According to Sarno, the mind tricks you into not facing repressed emotion by making you focus on pain in the body. When this realization sinks in the trick doesn't work any more, and there's no need for the pain. He sites many case histories and has a legion of followers, but obviously his approach isn't for everyone. Might be worth exploring if you're looking for back pain relief.
