St. Cloud Times from Saint Cloud, Minnesota • Page 41

5C Sunday 901? LIFE Readallaboutit Book details history of VW's Beetle REVIEW LESSONS jj i i i i i i iff- vbir 11 Hitler had a vision for a "people's car" that would extend to Germans the same mobility that Henry Ford's Model gave Americans. The dictator set out to build a network of autobahns and erect a massive factory in a pasture to build what he decreed to be The Strength Through Joy Car. The genius chosen as its designer was Ferdinand Porsche, who was told to produce a prototype by 1935 so that 1 million cars would come off the line within three years. But with Hitler bent on war, the plant's mission shifted to arms production, and output shifted to mines, bazookas, VI flying bombs and jeeplike utility vehicles. Among the surprises in Hiott's comprehensive account is the importance of the plant's location in the British occupation zone to its ultimate success.

Another big "what-if is the 1947 decision by Ford to pass up the chance to acquire Volkswagen. The reason, according to the author, was the plant's proximity to the Best-sellers Local HARDBACK FICTION 1. "The Fault in Our John Green. 2. "Night Rounds," Helene Tursten.

3. "The Survivors," Will Weaver. 4. "The Snow Child," Eowyn Ivey. 5.

"Kill Shot," vlnce Flynn. HARDBACK NONFIOION 1. "Nearing Home: Life, Faith and Finishing Well," Billy Graham. 2. "Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption," Laura Hillenbrand.

3. "Haiti After the Earthquake," Paul Farmer. 4. "North Country: The Making of Minnesota," Mary Lethert Wingerd. 5.

"Cabbages and Roses," Christine Strutt. PAPERBACK TRADE 1. "Shatter," Michael Robo- tham. 2. "The Art of Racing in the Rain," Garth Stein.

3. "The Rainy Season: Haiti Since Duvalier," Amy Wilentz. 4. "Island of Wings," Karin Altenberg. 5.

"Spirit of the Lights," Chuck Frederick. PAPERBACK MASS MARKET 1. "Midnight on the Moon," Mary Pope Osborne. 2. "The Horsemen's Gambit," David B.

Coe. 3. "Kansas Troubles," Earlene Fowler. 4. "In the Dark," Brian Freeman.

5. "A Great Deliverance," Elizabeth A. George. Source: Bookin' It National HARDBACK FICTION 1. "Home Front," Kristin Hannah.

2. "Private: Number 1 Suspect," James Patterson and Maxine Paetro. 3. "Defending Jacob," William Landay. 4.

"Taken," Robert Crais. 5. "Death Comes to Pemberley," P.D. James. HARDBACK NONFICTION 1.

"American Sniper The autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in U.S. Military History," Chris Kyle, Jim DeFelice and Scott McEwen. 2. "Ameritopia: The Unmaking of America," Mark R. Levin.

3. "The End of Illness," by David Agus. 4. "Steve Jobs: A Biography," Walter Isaacson. 5.

"The 17 Day Diet," Johnny Ramone's book coming April 2 NEW YORK (AP) Eight years after he died of prostate cancer, Johnny Ramone's autobiography, "Commando: The Autobiography of Johnny Ramone," is set for release April 2. His widow, Linda, described the book as "kind of his last word that he knew would be out." Johnny Ramone was one of the founding members of the legendary punk band the Ramones. Considered one of the most influential guitarists in rock, he died in 2004 at age 55. HISTORY By Bob Minzesheimer USA Today February is Black History Month, a popular time for novels and nonaction about African-Americans. Here are four new titles for young readers.

'ELLEN'S BROOM' By Kelly Starling Lyons Author Kelly Starling Lyons was researching her family's roots when she came upon a I Mil urc WtTB xaiion lisi of Henry County, Va. As Lyons learned, the end of the Civil War meant that former slaves, living as husband and wife, could have their unions legally recognized by the Freedman's Bureau. That inspired a heartwarming story about how a young girl discovers the symbolic value of a broom. (Slaves once staged weddings using brooms they leap over "into life Daniel Minter's vividly colored block prints are brilliant. TO THE MOUNTAINTOP: MY JOURNEY THROUGH THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT' By Charlayne Hunter-Gault Before she became a writer at The New Yorker and a reporter for The New York Times and PBS, Charlayne Hunter-Gault made news.

In 1961, at age 19, she was one of Dr. Mike Moreno. PAPERBACK MASS MARKET 1. "The Capture of the Earl of Glencrae," Stephanie Laurens. 2.

"Bonnie," Iris Johansen. 3. "Against All Enemies," Tom Clancy with Peter Telep. 4. "Lucky Penny," Catherine Anderson.

5. "The Girl Who Played with Fire," Stieg Larsson. PAPERBACK TRADE 1. "Night Road," Kristin Hannah. DOLLAR SS" Pr Ltfar' Jr iKMirowsiD COMMERCIAL INDUSTRIAL 32p-257-4994 the two black students to desegregate the University of Georgia.

(The same year, she notes, Barack Obama was born.) Her personal account including a brick thrown through her dormitory window adds to the richness of her civil rights history, perfect for middle schoolers. A bonus are its archival newspaper articles and black-and-white photos. Most striking are two from Atlanta, 1960: White-robbed Klan members, marching downtown in broad daylight, and, in police handcuffs, Martin Luther King Jr. -J i fX? 2, i 'WHAT COLOR IS MY WORLD? THE LOST HISTORY OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN INVENTORS' By Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Raymond Obstfeld The two kids at the heart of this playful history are asked to name black scientists. Their only answer: George Washington Carver, "the peanut guy." But a handyman hired to repair their house knows about Henry Sampson, who in 1971 invented the gamma electric cell which converts radiation into electricity, and Lonnie Johnson, a nuclear engineer, who in 1991 created the first Super Soaker.

The text is supplemented by flaps that open to more facts. 2. "The Help," Kathryn Stock-ett. 3. "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close," Jonathan Safran Foer.

4. "Heaven is for Real: A Little Boy's Astounding Story of His Trip to Heaven and Back," Todd Burpo, Sonja Burpo, Colton Burpo and Lynn Vincent. 5. "Bossypants," Tina Fey. Source: Publishers Weekly AVENUE By Jerry Harkavy The Associated Press The Volkswagen Beetle has a unique and colorful history, with principal characters who include the Nazi dictator who personified evil, the legendary designer of Germany's most celebrated race cars and the Jewish advertising executive who pioneered a creative revolution on Madison Avenue.

It's a story whose twists and turns over four decades eventually gave rise to the oddly shaped small car that came to symbolize America's 1960s counterculture and went on to become the world's top-selling car model. Author Andrea Hiott transports readers through the most turbulent decades of the 20th century, from the rise of Adolf Hitler to the Allied victory that left postwar Germany in ruins, to that nation's economic rebirth epitomized by the success of the Volkswagen plant at Wolfsburg. A car enthusiast who never drove an automobile or held a driver's license, Slender bio suits Harrison By Douglass K. Daniel The Associated Press At some point every schoolchild learns that William Henry Harrison was America's briefest president, his death from pneumonia in 1841 coming just a month after a record two-hour inaugural address on a wintry day. For young minds the message is clear: Don't go outside without a warm coat, and don't talk so much.

If you aren't contemplating doctoral studies in American history, what else is there worth knowing? Author Gail Collins ably answers that question with the Harrison entry in Times Books' noteworthy The American Presidents series, a kind of Nutshell Library for adult history buffs. True, Harrison's 31 days in office receive only slightly fewer pages than Franklin D. Roosevelt's 12 years. The point isn't length most books in the series are about 200 pages and Harrison's is about ISO but presenting concise, readable portraits of the presidents to a broad audience. Indeed, the series may be at its best in its effort to make the lives of Harrison, Warren G.

Harding and other lesser presidential lights more accessible and interesting. Collins, a columnist for The New York Times, achieves that goal despite Harrison's oh-so-limited legacy. Her journalistic eye for the significant fact and the engaging anecdote helps guide readers through a life of achievement and occasional I PJ'xt, 'THINKING SMALL' By Andrea Hiott Soviet Bloc at a time when the Cold War was taking shape. As Wolfsburg started turning out Beetles in increasing numbers, Volkswagen sought to market it to American motorists in an era of bigger cars, dazzling chrome and outsize tail fins. To challenge that mindset, they teamed up with Bill Bernbach, whose quirky ad agency launched a campaign that prompted a significant number of car buyers to "Think Small." Hiott's account should appeal to history buffs, car enthusiasts and readers who delight in a fascinating story.

The release of the book coincides with the debut of the 2012 Beetle brought back by popular demand. fetches the purebreds in New York. "I've always been interested in subcultures, little microcosms of American society," says Dean, 38, a New York-based magazine journalist who's written his first book. "I set out thinking dog shows would be one weirdo after another, but it turned out to be a number of remarkable people who just happen to have an obsession." Dean chose Jack because "he was bursting with personality. He was like vibrating on the table." Dean says what viewers have to understand is that the judges are not always picking the best behaved or prettiest dog.

"They're comparing the dog to its ideal. The one closest to perfection." briefs Times staff Character Mira i James, former amateur sleuth and soon-to-be private investigator, inspects a mysterious hunting death. In the process, she uncovers nasty secrets il i i 1 about the town's prominent families. For information, visit www.jesslourey.com. Stephanie Dickrell, entertainment, area cities reporter f-o i 'Show Dog' truth about By Craig Wilson USA Today Want a peek at what it will be like behind the scenes at the Westminster Kennel Club 136th Annual Dog Show on Monday and Tuesday? Look no further than "Show Dog: The Charmed Life and Trying Times of a Near-Perfect Purebred," by Josh Dean.

Think of it as the literary answer to the 2000 movie "Best in Show." Dean followed a purebred Australian Sheperd named Jack on the show circuit as he pursued the title of Champion and enough points to qualify for the Best in Show competition at the granddaddy of them all Westminster at Madison Square Garden Book Compiled by 'NOVEMBER HUNT' A St. Cloud Technical Community College writing professor will launch "November Hunt" at 6 p.m. March 7 at the St. Cloud Barnes Noble. Jess Lourey is the author of seven mysteries.

The book is the seventh in a murder-by-the-month series set in Battle Lake. -i I LIMITED TIME ONLY! kum' EXPIRES 229 12 i RESIDEMTIAl www.restpre-24.coin I rrrn VI (3D Greeting Cards 2 for $1 Aivr Toys vKft Bags Mylar tianoons Party Supplies Health Care Cleaning Grocery Office Supplies Hardware Paper Goods Beauty Supplif Kitchen Supp!" Locally Owned 230 2nd Aunue South Waite Park, MN Riiiht Hi-hind I ujl Slink IIcmi In Mm kit PUce AnnA 32(-2S1-5522.