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By Richard Sumrall

[DEC. 22, 2004]  Check out these new titles if you're in the "need to know":

"Great Grilled Cheese: 50 Innovative Recipes for Stovetop, Grill, and Sandwich Maker." Laura Werlin, Stewart, Tabori, and Chang, 2004, 136 pages.

So you've always thought that a grilled cheese sandwich is nothing more than bread and cheese? According to food journalist Laura Werlin, think again. In her new book, "Great Grilled Cheese," she offers delicious new recipes to liven up this traditional American favorite. Dividing her chapters into "Classic," "Almost Classic," "Modern," "Seasonal," "Quesadillas" and "Sweet," Werlin provides the step-by-step instructions and the ingredients to prepare a tasty treat. Different methods of cooking the sandwiches are also included (stovetop, sandwich maker or gas grill).

Now you can create new favorites for the family and delight them with sandwiches such as the "Apple, Ham, and Cheddar on Sourdough" or the "Grilled Brie with Apricot Jam." As she says in the book, "This is not your mother's grilled cheese sandwich."

* * *

"The Legend of John Wilkes Booth: Myth, Memory and a Mummy." C. Wyatt Evans, University of Kansas Press, 2004, 269 pages.

Although John Wilkes Booth is acknowledged by history as the assassin of Abraham Lincoln, many myths, half-truths and falsehoods continue to follow this nefarious act. One of the more bizarre myths involves a sideshow attraction that purported to be the mummified remains of Booth himself. The implication is that Booth did not die in a shootout in Garrett's barn while eluding federal troops but rather lived as a fugitive for almost 30 years.

History professor C. Wyatt Evans has written a fascinating new book on this subject and the incredible myth surrounding the mummy. In "The Legend of John Wilkes Booth," Professor Booth demonstrates the reluctance of some Americans to come to terms with the reality of Lincoln's assassination and instead use the "Booth mummy" to romanticize or even distort their understanding of Booth's true actions and ultimate fate. In his exhaustive work, Evans "sheds new light on our complex attitudes toward heroes and villains, our need to mythologize tragedies, and our unwillingness to let go of myths, however absurd."

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"How to Do Everything with Your BlackBerry." Curt Simmons, McGraw Hill/Osborne, 2004, 347 pages.

"Imagine a world where information is always at your fingertips." Now that dream is a reality with the BlackBerry, an extraordinary futuristic device that allows users to multitask in ways that were unheard of a few years ago. More than a PDA (personal data assistant) the BlackBerry serves as a calendar, project manager, Internet and e-mail device, address book, memo pad, and component with your PC. Such a tool in the hands of someone unskilled in using the BlackBerry could be overwhelming.

Author and technology trainer Curt Simmons has taken the confusion out of exploiting the full range of functions contained in this device. Starting with "Discover the many uses of the BlackBerry" and "Explore the BlackBerry's features," Simmons describes each of the BlackBerry's abilities in an easy-to-follow, chapter-by-chapter presentation. From shortcut solutions to downloading programs, this book has it all for the BlackBerry user.

* * *

"A Man's Guide to a Civilized Divorce." Sam Margulies, Rodale, 2004, 338 pages.

According to mediation expert Dr. Sam Margulies, "All too often, men lack the proper model when it comes to divorce. Men are told that it is either ‘go to war' or ‘get taken to the cleaners.'" This doesn't have to be the case; in fact, a man can keep his honor and dignity during this painful process without having to wage an unnecessary battle with his spouse. In his new book, "A Man's Guide to a Civilized Divorce," Margulies carefully explains the process of a successful and less stressful divorce procedure.

Discussing the decision to divorce and how to manage the initial phase of this process, he presents readers with an overview of divorce law, the ways to avoid the legal pitfalls, mediation and negotiation, and settling issues related to children, property and new relationships.

One of the book's most insightful chapters is "Should I Move Out?" The first sentence says, "One of the simplest but most difficult realities of divorce is that someone has to move."

This book is highly recommended for any man currently going through or contemplating a divorce procedure.

[Richard Sumrall, Lincoln Public Library District]

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