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	9/11 Contradictions: An Open Letter to Congress and the Press by David Ray Griffin If you think that the "official" 9/11 story is phony, you're probably correct. This book presents well documented inconsistencies in that official story, and calls for a truthful, objective investigation (which sadly may be politically impossible).

	A Terrible Anger: The 1934 Waterfront and General Strikes in San Francisco by David F. Selvin A scholarly view of labor history and the genesis of the ILWU in San Francisco during depression times. The shortcomings of the powerful men at the top "pulling the strings" are not glossed over, and sins & crimes of working class folks aren't emphasized.

	A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail by Bill Bryson You will frequently laugh out loud while reading this autobiographical narrative of a partially successful attempt to "through hike" the Appalachian Trail. This is much more than merely a very good outdoors/hiking book!

	Cairo Cats by Lorraine Chittock Artful pictures of ambient cats in their native Cairo, Egypt surroundings

	Califia's Daughters by Leigh Richards Fun, engaging novel. Future fantasy, survivalist, pro-animal

	California A History by Kevin Starr Warts-and-all history, dense but concise and readable, wonderful vocabulary

	California: An Interpretive History by James J Rawls An earlier edition of this book was the text for my California History class at UC Berkeley. As a scholarly (yet concise) work, it is complementary to Prof. Starr's book.

	Cats of Ancient Egypt by Jaromir Malek Readable, engaging academic study of cats' long relationship with ancient Egyptian civilization

	Cats of Lamu by Couffer Firsthand study of cat-human relationships in coastal Kenya, near Somalia

	Company Aytch by Samuel R. Watkins This book was loaned to me by a descendant of the author, and offers insights about the Civil War from the rebel perspective. Understanding is the reward for reading through this well written account of a "grunt" level confederate soldier.

	Cornell Book of Cats by Mordecai Siegal Comprehensive reference on veterinary care of cats.

	Crossing the Rubicon: The Decline of the American Empire at the End of the Age of Oil by Michael C. Ruppert Unlike "9/11 Contradictions", this long and detailed investigative study points toward what Mr. Ruppert views as the most likely set of conspirators for the catastrophic disaster that HAD to be the result of a conspiracy.

	Daughters of the Earth by Carolyn Niethammer Readable study of women's place in various Native American cultures. Scope is objective, and not "sugar-coated". I didn't know that Field Hockey was a favorite sport among Native American women...

	David Copperfield (Penguin Classics) by Charles Dickens A classic novel by a beloved Victorian author... I think back to the characters in Copperfield much more than Great Expectations, which I also read in Jr. High School.

	Eichmann in Jerusalem: A Report on the Banality of Evil (Penguin Classics) by Hannah Arendt The title says it all... An important book for those who attempt to understand the Holocaust.

	Einstein's Cosmos: How Albert Einstein's Vision Transformed Our Understanding of Space and Time (Great Discoveries) by Michio Kaku Readable, exciting biography of Albert Einstein detailing his personal, public/political, and scientific lives. Einstein's famous scientific ideas are understandably explained by author Kaku, who is himself a theoretical physicist.

	Emigrants: The Emigrant Novels Book 1 (The Emigrant Novels / Vilhelm Moberg, Book 1) by Vilhelm Moberg Exciting, detailed, reasonably historically accurate novel tells the story of Scandinavians leaving the homeland and enduring the sea passage to a new life in Minnesota.

	Unto a Good Land (The Emigrants, Book II) by Vilhelm Moberg The story continues with the struggle to survive in a new country, and the changes and rewards that result.

	The Settlers (The Emigrant Novels, Book 3) by Vilhelm Moberg Life in the USA offers new opportunities and different challenges...

	Last Letter Home: The Emigrant Novels Book 4 (The Emigrant Novels / Vilhelm Moberg, Book 4) by Vilhelm Moberg If you read the first three books in the series, you won't be able to stop there!! Author Moberg's entire set of four books are all worth your attention.

	First Lady from Plains by Rosalynn Carter Inside view of the Carter presidential campaign, life in the White House, and events during the Carter administration.

	Fuzzy Thinking: The New Science of Fuzzy Logic by Bart Kosko Not highly rated by Amazon.com reviewers, but nevertheless informative on a general interest level about an arcane, complex, little understood topic. Fuzzy Logic is important, for instance, in the control of Japanese air conditioning units! :-)

	Galileo's Daughter by Dava Sobel Exciting story of Galileo's relationship with his daughters springs a surprise ending on the reader!

	Herbal Cat Care by Randy Kidd An absolutely essential reference for maintaining good health in pet cats.

	Hungry Planet by D'Aluisio and Menzel Wonderful book linking people's eating habits with their lives.

	Irving Stone's Jack London, His Life, Sailor on Horseback (A Biography, and Twenty-Eight Selected Jack London Stories) by Irving Stone Jack London's biography is more interesting to me than any of his fiction! According to history professor Walton Bean at UC Berkeley, Jack London was an Oakland kid from the wrong side of the tracks who "never had a chance"...

	Ishi in Two Worlds: A Biography of the Last Wild Indian in North America by Theodora Kroeber Touching but sad true story of a stone age man thrust into the California society of the early 20th century.

	Jedediah Smith and the Opening of the West (Bison Book) by Dale L. Morgan Readable and inspirational (but detailed and scholarly) story of a true American hero - the first Mountain Man known to reach California overland.

	Joy of Cooking by Irma S. Rombauer The quintessential reference cookbook that every household should possess...

	Kim (Penguin Classics) by Rudyard Kipling Whisk back in time to Victorian ruled India... Besides the literary adventure of this exciting story, it's fascinating to compare the present state of affairs in South Asia.

	Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly by Anthony Bourdain This frank, candid autobiography details the going-ons behind the scenes in restaurant kitchens... It is a worthwhile book on several levels, I think, including food, personal conduct, work, business, and urban life.

	Lawrence and His Laboratory: A History of the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, Volume I (California Studies in the History of Scien by J. L. Heilbron As a graduate of UC Berkeley with relatives who spent careers at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, this history of the institution and its scientific innovations was of major interest when published. I loaned my copy out and need to get it back!

	Legacy of the Cat by Gloria Stephens Survey of the various breeds of cat and detailed explanation of color, body sizes and shapes, and temperament. Magnificent photographs throughout by Tetsu Yamazaki.

	Les Miserables (Enriched Classics) by Victor Hugo This unforgettable French novel was required reading in the English class of the Junior High School I attended in Oakland...

	Life of Pi by Martel Exciting sea story, begins in India, perspective on religion, lots of animal savvy

	Life on the Mississippi (Dover Thrift Editions) by Mark Twain Autobiographical story of Mark Twain's young adult enterprise of becoming a Mississippi River Pilot. As a teenager, I couldn't put this book down... Twain was a very gifted writer.

	Live from Death Row by Mumia Abu-jamal I bought this book to understand Mumia's situation after listening to many of his oral commentaries on the radio airwaves. It's a good book. I gave my copy to a friend from Philadelphia. She almost thought it was toxic, but I hope she read a little of it.

	Longitude by Dava Sobel Fascinating story of the development of vital navigation instruments and techniques.

	Love, Miracles, and Animal Healing by Allen M. Schoen Heartwarming autobiographical story of standard highly disciplined veterinary medicine expanding to embrace and include alternative holistic treatment.

	Machinery's Handbook Large Print Edition (Machinery's Handbook) by Erik Oberg Indispensable workshop reference book with incredible amounts of useful information.

	Moll Flanders (Wordsworth Classics) by Daniel Defoe Daniel Defoe's best work, in my opinion. (Robinson Crusoe, Journal of the Plague Year are others). As an adolescent, I thought this was a pornographic novel until actually reading it... There's a lot of "redeeming social importance" in this frank work.

	Never Cry Wolf : Amazing True Story of Life Among Arctic Wolves by Farley Mowat Canadian naturalist Farley Mowat shares his research on and positive feelings for wolves in the wild. This book changed my thinking about the natural world.

	Oil, Power and Empire: Iraq and the U.S. Global Agenda by Larry Everest The facts behind the US policies toward Iraq up to 2003, gleaned from mainstream sources like NY Times, Wall St Journal, Washington Post, etc...

	Plainsong by Haruf Worthwhile Americana novel: entertaining, meaningful

	Ragtime by E.L. DOCTOROW Novel that gives an impressionistic look at New York society at all levels around the turn of the 20th century. This was where I discovered Emma Goldman...

	Recollections of My Life as a Woman: The New York Years by Diane DiPrima This is a book I haven't read yet, but would like to some day. A couple of author interviews when the book was new and being promoted sparked my interest. Ms. DiPrima is tough, practical, and capable but at the same time she's liberated & unconventional.

	Red Star Over China by Edgar Snow Originally required college reading, I re-acquired my lost copy and read it again. A vital first hand account of the communist revolution in China written by a westerner.

	Roughing It (Enriched Classic Series) by Mark Twain Autobiographical story of Mark Twain's journey west after deserting from the Confederate military kept me turning pages. I rode my bicycle over Tioga Pass in Yosemite to see Mono Lake after reading about it here.

	Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam by Edward Fitzgerald A copy of this book appeared in the living room (perhaps my father brought it home), and I began dipping into it without realizing what it was... My appreciation for this fusion of medieval Persian dissenter with Victorian poet ever grows!

	Shogun by James Clavell Exciting, compelling historical novel set in medieval Japan.

	Somali Cats by Davis Basic monograph on owning a Somali Cat.

	Some Like It Hotter: The Official Cookbook of the Galvanized Gullet (101 Productions (Series).) by Geraldine Duncann Ms. Duncann sells the reader on the notion that a certain small segment of society is strongly attracted to really hot, spicy food. I know that I'm one such person! :-) Lots of good recipes and food advice here, and some good stories as well!

	Steve Jobs, the Journey Is the Reward by

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