Redd Reference Publishing

FEATURE ARTICLES APPEARED IN MAJOR SCI-FI AND BOOK REVIEW PUBLICATIONS

 

New "Anatomy of Wonder" Guides Readers Through Sci-Fi World

New Providence, NJ -- To guide libraries, readers, and science fiction fans to the most historically significant science fiction from its emergence four hundred years ago to the "cyberpunk" authors of today -- R.R. Bowker has published "ANATOMY OF WONDER", an 874-page reference to books, films, magazines, comic books, art and science fiction organizations.
Approximately 30% of all original fiction published each year are science fiction, fantasy and horror books. Science fiction as a genre has influenced society, and many times, even predicted the future. The laptop computers, portable phones and videoconferencing used in the Star Trek television series three decades ago are commonplace today.

"We live in a science fiction world," says Neil Barron, editor of "ANATOMY OF WONDER." "Science fiction allows us to imagine all kinds of futures, while knowing that doomsday hasn't arrived yet."

Some 2,100 works of fiction and more than 800 works of non-fiction are critiqued in ANATOMY OF WONDER. The new, completely revised fourth edition of ANATOMY OF WONDER, the first in 7 years, now contains:
-Reviews of new "cyberpunk" books
-Listings of the best sci-fi films and television shows
-Descriptions of sci-fi organizations
-Guides to sci-fi poetry, magazines, comic books, illustrations, art and books on tape

"ANATOMY OF WONDER covers science fiction classics written by Asimov, Heinlein, and Clarke, as well as today's hot cyberpunk authors, like William Gibson and Bruce Sterling," says Barron.

The book also includes special sections on the top science fiction films and television shows such as "The Twilight Zone", "Star Trek" and "E.T." and an overview of science fiction from the earliest times to the late 20th century.

What Science Fiction Teaches Us
In the section on "Teaching Science Fiction", ANATOMY OF WONDER covers how science fiction is used in the classroom. Recurring themes of how science fiction characters deal with other races have served as educational tools for exploring human values and creating alternative visions of society. Evil aliens and deviant civilizations teach about the nature and meaning of being human and allow us to explore the implications of science and technology.

ANATOMY OF WONDER provides clear evidence that many of the futuristic fantasies of early science fiction are no longer far fetched. Data highways now cross the earth, along which travel information sent via fax, phone, or computer. Genetic engineering, organ transplants, virtual reality, artificial intelligence, computer viruses, and data microstorage are now a part of modern life. ANATOMY OF WONDER ($52.00) is the most in-depth and accessible science fiction guide of its kind. The book is available at bookstores or by calling toll-free 1-800-521-8110. R.R. Bowker, a Reed Reference Publishing Company, has been providing bibliographic and reference materials to libraries and booksellers since 1872.

 

THIS TITLE GENERATED GREAT INTEREST AMONG MULTICULTURAL MEDIA

R.R. Bowker Publishes New Multicultural Reference

 

New Providence, NJ -- Until the 1980s, very few multicultural and ethnic literary books existed. Today, the rise of interest in multicultural titles is a product of changing times. Adult readers, booksellers, teachers, librarians and publishers seeking significant books that represent diverse groups and cultures can now turn to a new reference published by R.R. Bowker, entitled Global Voices, Global Visions.

Global Voices, Global Visions is a one-volume guide that lists over 1,700 multicultural titles geared to an adult readership, featuring the principal minority groups in the United States, as well as all the regions of the world. This new collection compiled by Lyn Miller-Lachmann, author of the Denali Press Award winning Our Family, Our Friends, Our World, includes significant and recommended works of multicultural fiction and nonfiction, drama, poetry, biography, and autobiography. Some 27 distinguished librarians, academicians and subject specialists, representing many of the cultural groups included in the book, bring their experiences and expertise in the selection of titles in each chapter.

"Multicultural works of literature, nonfiction, and biography reveal what happens when cultures meet and clash, or when people from one culture try to survive within another," explains Miller-Lachmann. "Readers who are interested in learning more about a particular group or culture will find Global Voices, Global Visions to be extremely helpful in locating descriptions of books that meet their needs."

Significant Multicultural Works
Works cited in Global Voices, Global Visions represent well written books that portray the culture honestly and authentically. It includes books that are accessible to readers with varying backgrounds and sophistication, and offers perspectives of women, men, and members of religious minorities within a given culture.

Each chapter features:
- A map to help the reader locate the country or region.
- An overview of the region and culture, highlighting major events and themes.
- Annotations divided into three groups: fiction, drama, and poetry; nonfiction; and biography.
- Descriptions of each book, its place in the literature, possible uses and audiences, and related works.
- Cross-references to other chapters where relevant.

Global Voices, Global Visions may be used by librarians as an acquisitions tool or by readers planning to travel to another country who are seeking more in-depth information about that country's history, culture, and current situation than is available in the popular travel guides. Titles in Global Voices, Global Visions will appeal to college and high school educators looking for materials to incorporate into their curriculum. Written in an accessible, nontechnical manner, this book can be used directly by individual adult and older teenage readers to identify books that will deepen their awareness of their cultural heritage, as well as by those who wish to explore cultures unlike their own.

Global Voices, Global Visions: A Core Collection of Multicultural Books is available this fall from R.R. Bowker. For more information or to order, call (800)521-8110. R.R. Bowker, a Reed Reference Publishing Company, has been providing bibliographic and reference materials to libraries and booksellers since 1872. Lyn Miller-Lachmann, a former reference librarian is now editor-in-chief of Multicultural Review magazine.