AD 878. Three mysterious figures board a Red Sea sailing vessel, , Dressed as Muslims they are in fact, Jews, far away from their home in Babylon. They are on a secret mission to transport precious cargo, on behalf of a powerful Jewish banking family. Adiva, clearly the leader, is accompanied by her brother and cousin. They seek the kind of adventure unavailable in their homeland. To their surprise, they are not the only passengers. Two Africans are aboard and they have their own reasons to keep to themselves. Adiva first notices the darker skinned man with piercing blue eyes. The attraction is clearly mutual. She is particularly intrigued when she realizes that they speak a form of Hebrew-- only known from the sacred texts-- and not Aramaic, the lingua franca of her world. The answer is startling. Adiva' s new friend, Eldad, explains: He is from the Hebrew tribe of Dan while Saul is from the neighboring tribe of Asher, both missing from history for well over a millennium. Eldad set out from his people determined to unravel the mystery of an ancient book, written in a lost language, which purportedly tells his family' s story back to the time of the Patriarch Abraham. Eldad' s passion to uncover his distant past is matched only by his eagerness to know Adiva better and pursue the magnetism that develops between them. A frightful storm threatens the objectives of both groups, wrecking the ship and marooning them all, with only a few dessert islands around to offer refuge. In a desperate fight for survival, Eldad and Adiva become separated, and while she risks herself attempting to escape from pirates and slavers, he must face cannibals, starvation, and captivity. A clever Jewish family provides the only glimmer of hope for Eldad to be redeemed and brought back to his people. Eldad the Danite is known to us as a historical figure, but only in broad outlines. It was left up to the author, Allen Childs, to brilliantly imagine the details of his adventure, illuminating the rich world and complex cultures that surround Eldad and Adiva. When they reach Adiva' s home, the center of the Jewish world in Baghdad, the rabbis there greet Eldad and his story with skepticism. He holds none of the rabbinic traditions that developed over time. Can Eldad convince them that he is of the same origin as they-- even if his tribe of Dan has been hidden and lost for well over a thousand years? And can he and Adiva find a way to join as one in marriage.

The Last Israelite: A Novel

Literature & Fiction

Childs MD, Allen

Genre Fiction

Bartleby Press

Once a popular print columnist, Meechy Blake has settling in to an uneasy retirement. His dream about a major book exposing the dangers of AI have faded, along with his dwindling back account. He reluctantly accepts a reporting assignment from a webzine A seemingly fluffy travel piece about an obscure canyon called Devil' s Gate.Driving down the coast, Blake takes the opportunity to reestablish contact with a secretive source from the old days-- a retired scientist he nicknamed Dr. Boom-Boom. When Blake tells Boom-Boom where he' s going, the scientist tries to caution him. Blake laughs off the warning. After a few strange encounters, Blake realizes he has become a target. But why-- and by whom?Carefully covering his tracks, Blake sets off on a journey to answer these vexing questions. As Blake' s quest for the truth evolves, certain secrets come to light that may have the reader asking, Is this really just a fantasy-- or is the author revealing some hidden truth?That question is made all the more tantalizing by author Robert Eringer' s enigmatic background in the world of intelligence and espionage-- and his journalistic exposures of that veiled community.

Happenstance

Eringer, Robert

The Jewish View of Abortion: Insights and Faith, Misconception and Reality

History

Barclay, Rabbi Michael

World

Over-sized hardback book (no dust jacket) titled HERMAN PERLMAN, HIS LIFE AND ART. (LL-9)

Herman Perlman, his life and art

Greenspun, Regina

No real damage, very slight signs of age or use. Proof that they are the descendants of Rome, rich history.

Transylvania: History and Reality (English and Romanian Edition)

Milton G. Lehrer

Europe

In 1968, the U.S. Secretary of Labor and his wife purchased a farm in the Capon Valley in Appalachia's foothills, a hundred miles west of Washington, and began taking weekend refuge from political aggravation. Relieved a few months later ("by popular demand" the ex-Secretary puts it) of formal obligation, the Wirtzes found themselves dropping out more and more from capital affairs and becoming increasingly attached to the little community of Yellow Spring, West Virginia, unincorporated. Wirtz, who describes himself as a "congenital scribbler," flirted only briefly with the suggestion of writing about his eight years in the government. He became interested instead in the history of Yellow Spring and the Capon Valley. Most families in the area trace their lines back seven or eight generations, but the Capon Valley hasn't been noticed much and its history is almost entirely homespun and handed down. Capon Valley Sampler pulls together various pieces of this story. One sketch pursues the report that George Washington surveyed here. Another, on the French and Indian War, raises some questions about American apartheid. Wirtz unravels the intriguing story of the Capon Valley's mixed up place in Civil War history, traceable to a ballot box fraud that historians have tried to conceal. The role of religion in the valley focuses on the Hebron Lutheran Church, probably the oldest surviving congregation west of the Blue Ridge, and the tireless service of Methodist circuit rider Francis Asbury. The hero of the piece on Mountain Spirits is Tilbury Orndorff-who may or may not have been a reformed moonshiner. The sketches follow the history of the Davis family, who started living in 1838 in the house the two intruders from Washington bought 130 years later, A fuller picture is drawn of Caudy Davis-school teacher, justice of the peace, miller, state legislator, surveyor-who helped with the research for the Sampler up to the time he died in 1985 at age 99. Wirtz ends with some questioning of whether his adopted and beloved valley can hang on to its rich inheritance of natural beauty and human values. The author has spent quite a bit of his life with pen in hand. But everything before has been written in the course of duty as teacher, government official, arbitrator, and lawyer. The Sampler, he says, has been done for fun. The result is a unique appreciation of a remarkable place and its people.

Capon Valley Sampler: Sketches of Appalachia from George Washington to Caudy Davis

Biographies & Memoirs

Wirtz, Willard

Community & Culture

Alsace-Lorraine has produced one of the world's richest and most varied cuisines. It combines traditional French cooking with surprising and delicious ingredients. Franois Haeringer and his son, Jacques, have captured the flavor of Alsace in the hills outside Washington, D.C., home of L'Auberge Chez Franois, acclaimed "Best Restaurant in Washington" for fifteen straight years by readers of The Washingtonian magazine. 
Now everyone, not only those fortunate enough to dine at Chez Franois, can savor the cuisine of Alsace. Jacques Haeringer has revised and expanded his original cookbook to include some favorite new recipes developed since the previous edition, especially in its selection of pastries and desserts. From subtly blended soups to splendorous desserts his cookbook offers everyone an Alsatian culinary experience. The familiar and the serendipitous take their place side by side. 
In keeping with his tradition of personally overseeing every aspect of preparation, Franois Haeringer has reviewed all the recipes for accuracy. They detail the methods used daily by the Haeringers, but the occasional recipe that may be too time consuming is followed by "Monsieur Franois's hint to the home cook," so that substitutions, variations, and alternate techniques can facilitate cooking without sacrificing flavor.

The Chez Francois Cookbook

Cookbooks, Food & Wine

Jacques E. Haeringer

Cooking Education & Reference

History of the Black Public Schools of Montgomery County, Maryland, 1872-1961

Clarke, Nina H. & Brown, Lillian B.

The centennial of Dwight D. Eisenhower's birth came amid a reappraisal of this American Hero's eight years in the White House. Among the many tributes to President Eisenhower's memory, perhaps the most significant was a Centennial Symposium held at Gettysburg College in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. This extraordinary gathering of former cabinet and staff, journalists and historians met for five days in October 1990 to examine anew the pivotal years of President Eisenhower's leadership. The group offers a unique view of the Eisenhower Presidency, much of it from an "inside" perspective. They vividly disclose how executive policy was shaped and political dilemmas were resolved. THE EISENHOWER LEGACY: Discussions of Presidential Leadership records the highlights of the exciting and sometimes surprising discussions that resulted from the symposium. Throughout their conversations, the participants reveal how President Eisenhower dealt with a wide range of crisis, including the U-2 affair, Senator Joseph McCarthy's hearings, and the confrontation of with Governor Orval Faubus of Arkansas over school desegregation. The many first-hand anecdotes in this volume are often humorous, but more importantly allow the reader an insightful look at President Eisenhower's personality. It is unlikely that such an outstanding and knowledgeable group can again assemble to explore the many facets of the Eisenhower presidency. THE EISENHOWER LEGACY will prove invaluable for any future study of our 34th president.

The Eisenhower Legacy: Discussions of Presidential Leadership

Warshaw, Shirley Anne

Historical

Here is a cheeky, irreverent look at Monaco, and the quirky characters who populate the fairy-tale Principality. A trendy Tex-Mex saloon in the "native" quarter becomes the author's second home as he attempts survival in the world's swankiest neighborhood. The Principality's most eccentric characters cling to Le Texan like algae to a Venice wharf-it is the hub of MONACO COOL. MONACO COOL's breezy style and charming blend of brio, zest and menace make this a wickedly good treat.

Monaco Cool

Humor & Entertainment

Westgate, Robert

Humor

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