The emphasis in college applications on balancing grades and extracurricular activities appears benignly positive at first glance. Yet, as Karabel explains, the top Ivy League schools created this formula in the 1920s because they were uncomfortable with the number of Jewish students accepted when applicants were judged solely on their grades. The search for prospective freshmen with "character" was, with varying explicitness, an effort to maintain the slowly declining Protestant establishment. At one point, Karabel says in this stimulating study of admissions policies, Harvard codified a policy of accepting applicants with weak academic credentials who could better appreciate the school's social opportunities, while Princeton promised to accept any alumnus's son with even the faintest hope of graduation. Karabel, a sociologist who once served on UC-Berkeley's admissions committee, extensively covers the "Jewish problem" at the Big Three colleges, but also tackles the cultural shifts that lowered the barriers

YA. Despite impoverishing his family because of his alcoholism, McCourt's father passed on to his son a gift for superb storytelling. He told him about the great Irish heroes, the old days in Ireland, the people in their Limerick neighborhood, and the world beyond their shores. McCourt writes in the voice of the child?with no self-pity or review of events?and just retells the tales. He recounts his desperately poor early years, living on public assistance and losing three siblings, but manages to make the book funny and uplifting. Stories of trying on his parents' false teeth and his adventures as a post-office delivery boy will have readers laughing out loud. Young people will recognize the truth in these compelling tales; the emotions expressed; the de*ions of teachers, relatives, neighbors; and the casual cruelty adults show toward children. Readers will enjoy the humor and the music in the language. A vivid, wonderfully readable memoir.?Patricia Noonan, Prince William Public Library, VA Copyright 19

Examines the effectsof rapid industrial and technological changes upon the individual,the family, and society.

In a world of managed care and rushed appointments, patientsoften need help obtaining peace of mind regarding their healthconcerns. Now, from the most trusted name in medicalpublishing--the source physicians and pharmacists turn to--THEPDR FAMILY GUIDE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF MEDICAL CARE gives youguidance and information at your fingertips. With a comprehensive,alphabetical listing of common and unusual ailments that afflictboth children and adults--plus a unique index that matches yoursigns and symptoms to possible conditions--this is a reassuringhome health reference you'll turn to again and again. Inside you'llfind:

In Up from Slavery, Washington recounts the story of hislife—from slave to educator. The early sections deal with hisupbringing as a slave and his efforts to get an education.Washington details his transition from student to teacher, andoutlines his own development as an educator and founder of theTuskegee Institute in Alabama. In the final chapters of Up FromSlavery, Washington describes his career as a public speaker andcivil rights activist.

For when you need the facts—not fear—about what food, drinks,activities, and procedures you should avoid during each month ofyour pregnancy. Over the years, Dr. Elisabeth Aron has soothed the worries ofmany soon-to-be moms who have come to her with questions suchas: ? Can I exercise during my first trimester? ? Is canned tuna safe to eat throughout my pregnancy? ? Do self-tanners contain chemicals I should be worriedabout? ? I have to fly for work during my second trimester. Is thissafe? ? Is cookie-dough ice cream safe to eat? ? Can I wear an underwire bra during my pregnancy? ? I’m six months pregnant. Is it alright for me to have aglycolic peel facial? ? Are peanuts safe to eat or will my baby develop a peanutallergy if I eat too many? ? There is a lot of chlorine in my health club’s pool. Is that agood or bad thing? Pregnancy Do's and Don'ts includes hundreds of entries onpossible concerns—from apple cider to zinc and every

Geraldine Brooks is the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of March and Year of Wonders and the nonfiction works Nine Parts of Desire and Foreign Correspondence. Previously, Brooks was a correspondent for The Wall Street Journal in Bosnia, Somalia, and the Middle East. Born and raised in Australia, she lives on Martha's V'meyard with her husband Tony Horwitz, their son Nathaniel, and three dogs.