Playaway Catalog

Instructions for Use

November 2006

The Accidental by Ali Smith
PL 1002
Unabridged. Amber arrives uninvited at the Smarts' summer rental, where writer Eve and her adulterous second husband Michael live with Eve's twelve-year-old daughter and seventeen-year-old son. Explicit descriptions of sex and strong language.

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
PL 1032
Unabridged. Tom Sawyer's friend Huck Finn explains the reasons he is running away from home and recounts his exploits floating down the Mississippi River on a raft with Jim, an escaped slave. Some strong language. 1884.

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
PL 1066
Unabridged. The escapades of schoolboy Tom Sawyer, who lives with his Aunt Polly in a small Missouri town on the Mississippi River. 1876.

Alice in Wonderland and
Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll
PL 1003
Unabridged. Extraordinary things happen to Alice when she follows a white rabbit into a hole and encounters the Cheshire Cat, the Queen of Hearts, and other strange characters. In her second adventure Alice climbs through a mirror into a reverse image land. For grades 4-7 and older readers.

Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman
PL 1004
Unabridged. Fat Charlie considers his father's behavior so embarrassing that even the way he dies in a karaoke bar seems undignified. Bestseller.

Around the World in Eighty Days by Jules Verne
PL 1005
Unabridged. Phileas Fogg is certain that he can travel the world in eighty days. 1872.

The Autobiography of Santa Claus by Jeff Guinn
PL 1006
Unabridged. Historical facts combined with legends of Saint Nicholas.

Beach Road by James Patterson
PL 1007
Unabridged. Attorney Tom Dunleavy defends African American high school basketball player Dante Halleyville against murder charges in the wealthy beach community of East Hampton. Strong language, some descriptions of sex, and some violence. Bestseller.

Black Beauty by Anna Sewell
PL 1008
Unabridged. Black Beauty, a fine stallion, tells of his suffering as he is sold from one cruel master to another. For grades 4-7. 1877.

A Briefer History of Time by Stephen Hawking
PL 1009
Unabridged. Emphasizes the concept of a dynamic cosmos, incorporating scientific knowledge from research and space exploration by the Hubble Space telescope and satellites.

The Broker by John Grisham
PL 1010
Abridged. The CIA pressures lame-duck president Arthur Morgan into releasing jailed lobbyist Joel Backman, who obtained stolen satellite software six years before. Some violence and some strong language. Bestseller.

Busting Vegas by Ben Mezrich
PL 1011
Abridged. The story of an MIT math genius and his friends who made $200,000 playing the blackjack tables in Las Vegas.

The Call of the Wild by Jack London
PL 1012
Unabridged. Buck, a St. Bernard, is stolen and trained to be a sled dog in the Alaska gold fields. First published in 1903.

The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer
PL 1013
Unabridged. During the annual April pilgrimage to Thomas a Becket's shrine at Canterbury, the travelers stop at the Tabard Inn, where their host suggests a story-telling contest. Created in fourteenth-century England.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and
Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator by Roald Dahl
PL 1014
Unabridged. Charlie Bucket's tour of Mr. Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory sends him on adventures beyond his wildest dreams. And the sequel to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. For grades 4-7.

Classic 100 Poems by various authors
PL 1015
Unabridged. 100 of the most anthologized poems in English, based on the ninth edition of The Columbia Granger’s Index to Poetry.

The Collected Stories and Poems by Edgar Allan Poe
PL 1022
Unabridged. Thirteen stories and poems including “The Raven,” “The Tell-Tale Heart,” “The Black Cat,” and “The Pit and the Pendulum.”

The Crack in the Edge of the World by Simon Winchester
PL 1017
Unabridged. In 1906, San Francisco was hit by an earthquake lasting little more than a minute which wrecked 490 blocks and effectively destroyed the gold rush capital.

The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
PL 1018
Unabridged. Professor Robert Langdon investigates the crime scene of the Louvre's murdered curator. Some violence and some strong language. Bestseller.

Dead Famous by Carol O'Connell
PL 1019
Unabridged. A serial killer, egged on by a "shock jock" radio DJ, targets members of a disbanded jury. Violence and strong language.

Digging to America by Anne Tyler
PL 1020
Two families--the middle-class American Donaldsons and the Iranian American Yazdans--meet at the airport when their adopted daughters arrive from Korea.

Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim by David Sedaris
PL 1021
Unabridged. Memorable episodes from the author's life including trick-or-treating, vacationing with his family, finding work, and living in Paris. Strong language and some descriptions of sex. Bestseller.

The Eldest by Christopher Paolini
PL 1023
Unabridged. Fantasy. The land of Alagaesia is suffering under the Empire of the wicked Galbatorix, and Eragon and his dragon Saphira, last of the Riders, are the only hope.

The Execution by Ram Charan and Larry Bossidy
PL 1024
Unabridged. A consultant and a CEO team up to offer insight and practical advice on implementing decisions to build success in business.

Eye Contact by Cammie McGovern
PL 1025
Unabridged. A nine-year-old autistic boy, Adam, witnesses the murder of a classmate.

Fall on Your Knees by Ann-Marie MacDonald
PL 1026
Abridged. Materia is thirteen when she elopes with the eighteen-year-old piano tuner, James. The next generation suffers incest and rape.

The Fifth Horseman by James Patterson
PL 1000
Unabridged. Bestseller. President Qaddafi of Libya has, through theft and threats, used French secrets to create a three-megaton hydrogen bomb. Some strong language and some descriptions of sex.

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
PL 1027
Unabridged. A monster, endowed with life by a young scientist named Frankenstein, turns on his creator. Originally published in 1818.

Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress Free Productivity by David Allen
PL 1028
Abridged. A productivity trainer and consultant offers a crash course in basic time management and personal organization.

A Girl Named Zippy by Haven Kimmel
PL 1029
Unabridged. Memoir of growing up in the late 1960s and 1970s in a mid-American hamlet of three hundred people.

The Greatest Stories of All Time from the King James Version of the Bible
PL 1030
Unabridged. Six Old Testament stories and ten New Testament stories.

The Horse and His Boy by C.S. Lewis
PL 1043
Unabridged. A talking horse and his boy escape from a barbaric army marching to attack the land of Narnia. For grades 4-7 and older readers. Fifth story in the Chronicles of Narnia.

The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle
PL 1058
Unabridged. Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson solve the crime relating to the curse on the House of the Baskervilles. 1901.

How Mrs. Claus Saved Christmas by Jeff Guinn
PL 1031
Unabridged. In 1620 Mrs. Claus chooses to stay in England, where the first signs of a dangerous threat to Yuletide cheer are in evidence.

The Iliad by Homer
PL 1033
Unabridged. A translation of the Greek epic poem written during the eighth century B.C. recounting Achilles' withdrawal from the Trojan War with disastrous results. Translator is not credited.

In the Company of the Courtesan by Sarah Dunant
PL 1034
Abridged. After Rome is attacked and burned in 1527, courtesan Flammetta escapes to Venice with her servant Bucino, a dwarf, and a few jewels.

The Killing Rain by Barry Eisler
PL 1035
Unabridged. John Rain's latest employer, Israeli intelligence, has sent him and his longtime associate, Dox, to Manila to kill weapons dealer Manheim Levi.

Learn Anywhere! French Language by Henry N. Raymond
PL 1036
Unabridged. Beginning conversational French.

Learn Anywhere! German Language by Henry N. Raymond
PL 1037
Unabridged. Beginning conversational German.

Learn Anywhere! Italian Language by Henry N. Raymond
PL 1038
Unabridged. Beginning conversational Italian.

Learn Anywhere! Spanish Language by Henry N. Raymond
PL 1039
Unabridged. Beginning conversational Spanish.

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
PL 1044
Unabridged. Four English children find their way through a huge wardrobe in an old house to the mysterious land of Narnia, which is suffering under the spell of the White Witch. For grades 4-7 and older readers. First story in the Chronicles of Narnia.

Manhunt: the 12 Day Chase for Lincoln’s Killer by James L. Swanson
PL 1040
Abridged. 12 days in the life of John Wilkes Booth after his assassination of Abraham Lincoln.

Marley and Me by Josh Grogan
PL 1041
Abridged. A columnist for the Philadelphia Inquirer reminisces about the untrainable Labrador retriever that he and his wife acquired as Florida newlyweds.

The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Christie
PL 1042
Unabridged. In Hercule Poirot's first case, the retired Belgian police detective investigates the death of Emily Cavendish, an elderly heiress, who, to the distress of her stepchildren, has married a fortune hunter. 1920.

The Number: A Completely Different Way to Think about the Rest of Your Life by Lee Eisenberg
PL 1045
Abridged. Former Esquire magazine editor examines financial plans and strategies for ensuring security and comfort in retirement. Strong language.

The Odyssey by Homer
PL 1046
Unabridged. A translation of the Greek epic poem written during the eighth century B.C. recounting he adventures of Odysseus during his ten-year journey home to Ithaca after the Trojan War. Translator is not credited.

Open House by Elizabeth Berg
PL 1047
Unabridged. Abandoned at forty-two, Samantha must make a new life for herself and her eleven-year-old son. Some descriptions of sex and some strong language.

Peter Pan by James Barrie
PL 1048
Unabridged. Siblings Wendy, John, and Michael fly to Never-Never-Land with Peter, the boy who refuses to grow up. Grades 5-8. 1911.

Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux
PL 1049
Unabridged. A demented musician hides in the labyrinth of the Paris Opera House.

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
PL 1050
Unabridged. A classic novel of social customs in late eighteenth-century England. 1813.

The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For? by Rick Warren
PL 1051
Unabridged. A Christian minister guides readers toward the answer to one of life's most important questions. Bestseller.

The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane
PL 1052
Unabridged. Henry Fleming, a young country boy, enlists in the Union army during the Civil War. 1895.

Rich Dad, Poor Dad and
Rich Dad’s Prophecy by Robert T. Kiyosaki & Sharon L. Lechter
PL 1053
Unabridged. Making your money work for you by mastering financial literacy and taking charge. Bestseller. Followed by advice to baby boomers now facing retirement.

A River Runs Through It and Other Stories by Norman Maclean
PL 1054
Abridged. Reminiscences about fly fishing in the 1930s. Other stories deal with summer jobs in logging and firefighting. Some strong language.

Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe
PL 1055
A shipwrecked sailor spends 28 years on an uninhabited island near the Orinoco River. 1719.

The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne
PL 1056
Unabridged. Hester Prynne is forced to wear a scarlet letter "A" for adultery. 1850.

The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People and
The Eighth Habit: From Effectiveness to Greatness by Stephen Covey
PL 1001
Unabridged. Seven habits that effective people practice including, put first things first, and think win/win. And an eighth habit: finding one's own voice and inspiring others to find theirs.

Shakespeare's Sonnets and
Tales from Shakespeare by William Shakespeare
PL 1057
154 sonnets and an introduction to the plots of 20 plays.

A Short History of Nearly Everything and
A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson
PL 1059
Abridged. Science from the basics to the complex. And the adventures and misadventures of two totally unfit hikers on the Appalachian Trail. Some strong language.

Stories From the Jungle Books by Rudyard Kipling
PL 1060
Unabridged. Short stories about the animals of India and the life of Mowgli the jungle boy. 1895.

Superman on Radio by The Smithsonian
PL 1061
Unabridged. The first 27 radio broadcasts of The Adventures of Superman. 1940.

A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
PL 1062
Unabridged. A classic novel of the French Revolution, focusing on the lives of two lookalikes, the woman they both love, and a rancorous old woman who is knitting as the guillotine drops on the aristocracy. 1859.

Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns Goodwin
PL 1063
Pulitzer Prize-winner illustrates the political acumen of Abraham Lincoln.

The Time Machine and Other Stories by H.G. Wells
PL 1064
Unabridged. The Time Traveler constructs a machine that will enable him to travel backward or forward in time. And other stories. 1895.

The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
PL 1065
Unabridged. Henry De Tamble, a dashing librarian at the famous Newberry Library in Chicago, finds himself unavoidably whisked around in time.

Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson
PL 1067
Unabridged. Young Jim Hawkins finds a treasure map. 1881.

True Stories of Survival: Rescue and Storm by various authors
PL 1068
Adventure tales.

True Stories of Survival at Sea: Deep Blue and Rough Water by various authors
PL 1069
Adventure tales.

The Truth (with Jokes) by Al Franken
PL 1070
Unabridged. Political satirist condemns conservative politicians. Some strong language.

Twain's Humor: Collected Stories by Mark Twain
PL 1071
Unabridged. Ten classic stories including The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County.

Where God Was Born and
Walking the Bible by Bruce Feiler
PL 1072
A reinterpretation of Joshua's conquest of the Promised Land, David and Goliath, the capture of Jericho, and the prophets. And the children's version of the same book.

Winning by Jack Welch
PL 1073
Unabridged. Describes an organization's crucial cultural values and highlights business topics such as crisis management, differentiation, competition, budgeting, quality control, and mergers.

Winter House by Carol O'Connell
PL 1074
Unabridged. NYPD Detective Mallory and her partner are called to Winter House to investigate a simple case of an intruder killed by someone he was trying to rob.

The Wizard of Oz by Frank Baum
PL 1075
Unabridged. Dorothy meets the Tin Woodsman, the Cowardly Lion, and the Scarecrow then travels to the Emerald City. 1900.

The World's Shortest Stories by various authors
PL 1016
Unabridged. A variety of stories just 55 words long.

Worst Case Scenario Handbook and Bonus Handbook for Travel by Joshua Piven
PL 1076
Be prepared for the worst: know how to deliver a baby or jump from a moving car and other dire scenarios.

Wuthering Heights by Charlotte Bronte
PL 1077
Unabridged. In the wild moors of Yorkshire, Heathcliff, a foundling raised in the Earnshaw home, passionately loves Catherine. 1849.

You: The Owners Manual by Michael Roizen and Mehmet
PL 1078
Abridged. Anti-aging guru Roizen and celebrated heart surgeon Oz combine their popular approaches to patient-centered care in this assessment of how much, or more to the point, how little, readers know about their bodies.