Best Reference 2006

Reading reference sources, whether on paper or on the screen, often leads to enlightened thinking, especially for your patrons. In an earlier age, enlightened monarchs surrounded themselves with leading intellectuals and patronized the arts. Today, we have the advantage of the world's collected wisdom at our fingertips in the form of outstanding reference sources, both in print and online. Here are some of the gems gleaned from this year's best sources:

Some battles have seen tens of thousands killed for no tactical or strategic gain. A few like Trafalgar or Waterloo changed the course of history. Between 1754 and 1829, our forefathers built a new American nation where none had existed before. The American Revolution was unlike any other and not the result of internal tensions. In the years following World War II, the United States saw itself as the leader of the free world and by 2000 had troops in more than 40 countries. In 1850, American men had a life expectancy of 37.23 years; by 1997, it was 73.60 years. About 2.4 billion people still do not have access to basic sanitation, while 80 percent of diseases in two-thirds of the world are caused by poor water.

While the American novel has been around for more than 200 years, only recently has it become a world-class genre. Bob Dylan's “Desolation Row” is now part of the American poetry canon. Children's literature flowered in the 19th century and is now a global phenomenon. Graphic novels are the comic books of the first decade of this century. People are loving parrots to death; a third of all species are now threatened or endangered. Grapefruit flowers have been taken to reduce insomnia.

As one commentator noted, certain encyclopedias receive canonical status in the field. Two landmark publications appeared this year that involved the collective energies of talented groups of scholars and editors and seem likely candidates. The second edition of the Encyclopaedia Judaica is a greatly expanded and more accessible revision of the 1972 edition. The millennial edition of Cambridge's Historical Statistics of the United States, with its 37,000 annual times series, is the new numerical history of the country. Finally, of the notable individual achievements, librarian Fred Shapiro's The Yale Book of Quotations stands out, as does this quote from Holly Near's 1981 song “Foolish Nation”: “Why do we kill people who are killing people to show that killing people is wrong.”

The past year has revealed a number of web-based resources with particularly rich content combined with overall excellent delivery. For the coming year, we are looking forward to seeing innovative collaborations among publishers and content providers, as well as interfaces that truly help researchers mine a host of online resources effectively. That means we'll be on the lookout for those products that eclipse their own identity with branding iconography.

The African American Experience. Greenwood. www.greenwood.com

E The design of this outstanding database covering African American life and culture sets a new standard in electronic publishing for attractive accessibility. Highly recommended for school and public libraries for its extraordinary combination of content and design. Academic libraries should consider purchasing as well, although the product doesn't offer as much in-depth research as the competing Oxford African American Studies Center (see p. 55). (E-Views & Reviews, LJ 11/15/06)

Archer, J. Clark & others. Historical Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections, 1788–2004.CQ Pr. 164p. maps. bibliog. index. ISBN 1-56802-955-1 [ISBN 978-1-56802-955-9]. $150.

Just glancing at the 2000 presidential election maps makes you wonder how Al Gore won the popular vote since Bush won a huge majority of counties. Closer inspection reveals that Gore actually won the most densely populated counties. Put together by the fertile minds of four leading geographers, this atlas maps election results for over 3000 U.S. counties in every presidential election since 1788, examining candidates and issues in each of the 55 elections.

The Cambridge Dictionary of Classical Civilization. Cambridge Univ. 966p. ed. by Graham Shipley & others. illus. maps. ISBN 978-0-521-48313-1. $180.

Covering everything from debt (a trap for the poor) to homosexuality to papyrus, this worthy companion to the older and larger Oxford Classical Dictionary focuses on social, economic, and cultural issues of classical Greek city-states and the Roman Republic and Empire. Given the impressive number of printable illustrations, maps, and dynastic charts, this may even become the first choice for visually oriented students.

Celtic Culture. 5 vols. ABC-CLIO. 2128p. ed. by John C. Koch. illus. maps. bibliog. index. ISBN 1-85109-440-7 [ISBN 978-1-85109-440-0]. $485.

Designed as an accessible but comprehensive overview of Celtic studies, this fascinating encyclopedia is part of a major research project underway at the University of Wales. The more than 1500 entries from over 300 scholars range in length from 100 to 10,000 words, describing Celtic civilizations of Ireland, Britain, and Brittany, from ancient to present, other Celts in Europe and Turkey, and the Celtic diaspora into the Americas and Australia. [Ebook ISBN 978-1-85109-445-5. $605; both formats: $850.]

Country Insight. Euromonitor International. www.euromonitor.com

E Aimed at nonbusiness researchers, this online tool analyzes large datasets for various countries and describes market dynamics and global socioeconomic trends shaping world economies. Owing to its superb design, impressive content, and useful graphics, this is one of the best databases of its kind. Enthusiastically recommended for those supporting interdisciplinary research requiring statistics and data. (E-Views & Reviews, LJ 3/1/06)

Current Issues: Reference Shelf Plus. Wilson. www.wilson.com

E This web-based collection of full-text articles, citations, and web links derived from predetermined searches in WilsonWeb databases uses what Wilson calls a “visual interface” to organize and access the material. It covers topics ranging from the American family, doping in sports, and elder care to global climate change, the global war on terrorism, and world music. A best e-buy of the year. (E-Views & Reviews, LJ 1/07)

Dictionary of Medical Biography. 5 vols. Greenwood. 1415p. ed. by W.F. & Helen Bynum. illus. index. ISBN 0-313-32877-3 [ISBN 978-0-313-32877-0]. $749.95.

This exemplary resource, assembled with the help of almost 400 contributors, comprises biographies of well over 1000 individuals from the medical field, along with a series of essays describing medical traditions around the world. While major figures like Galen, Pasteur, and Nightingale are included, so, too, is Vladimir Negovskii, a Ukranian who pioneered the use of cardiac massage in resuscitation. [Ebook ISBN 978-1-56750-983-0. $824.95.] (LJ 4/1/07)

Encyclopaedia Judaica. 2d ed. 22 vols. Thomson Gale. 18,000p. ed. by Fred Skolnik & Michael Berenbaum. illus. maps. bibliog. index. ISBN 0-02-865948-1 [ISBN 978-0-02-865948-0]. $1,995.

This revision of the 1972 print set is a landmark achievement, boasting 21,000 articles by an international team of scholars. Some 2600 articles are new to this edition, while 12,000 other articles have been revised and 30,000 bibliographical listings added. Winner of this year's Dartmouth Medal, this U.S.–Israeli collaboration seems likely to become the seminal reference for all things Jewish. [The online version, available at www.encyclopaediajudaica.com, is scheduled for review in LJ 5/1/07.]

Encyclopedia of Appalachia. Univ. of Tennessee. 1832p. ed. by Rudy Abramson & Jean Haskell. illus. index. ISBN 1-57233-456-8 [ISBN 978-1-57233-456-4]. $79.95.

Is it Ap-pa-LATCH-a or Ap-pa-LAY-cha? And just what is Appalachia? This resource goes beyond the stereotypical images of hillbillies and poverty to describe the landscape, people, economy, and traditions of the region. More than 1000 contributors have written 2000 entries under five major subject headings. From moon pies in Chattanooga to the music of Bill Monroe, this is a wonderful tour de force of all things Appalachian. (LJ 5/15/06)

Encyclopedia of Governance. 2 vols. Sage. 1097p. ed. by Mark Bevir. index. ISBN 1-4129-0579-6 [ISBN 978-1-4129-0579-4]. $275.

Changes over the last quarter of the 20th century have led to a shift from bureaucracy to markets and networks and an emphasis on global reform that addresses issues like poverty, HIV, and sustainable environments. An international cast of 230 experts here describe topics ranging from global governance (the “various and collected ways in which life on this planet is managed”) to ethical consumerism. An engaging reading for the new millennium. [Available online through Sage eReference as well as Gale Virtual Reference Library.]

Encyclopedia of Holidays and Celebrations. 3 vols. Facts On File. 1852p. ed. by Matthew Dennis. illus. index. ISBN 0-8160-6235-8 [ISBN 978-0-8160-6235-5]. $275.

Holidays give shape and meaning to everyday existence. Over time, people have used special days to celebrate, commemorate, or trace passages within their lives. Certain to become the choice resource for any “holiday” question, this set teaches us, for instance, that Chinese New Year in Hong Kong is celebrated on the second new moon after the winter solstice and that a Jamaican rite of passage can involve elaborate funerals designed to give the spirit a final farewell.

Encyclopedia of India. 4 vols. Scribner Reference: Gale Group. 1530p. ed. by Stanley Wolpert. illus. maps. bibliog. index. ISBN 0-684-31350-2 [ISBN 978-0-684-31350-4]. $499.

With a population of 1.3 billion and per capita incomes growing at a rate of 3.8 percent annually since 1980, India is poised to become one of the economic giants of the century. Historian Wolpert has assembled an outstanding cast of 200 contributors to write 580 articles describing the history of one of the world's oldest civilizations—it gave us Buddhism, Hinduism, and ancient philosophies like yoga and Vedanta. [Available online through Gale Virtual Reference Library.] (LJ 5/1/06)

Encyclopedia of North Carolina.Univ. of North Carolina. 1314p. ed. by William S. Powell. illus. maps. index. ISBN 0-8078-3071-2 [ISBN 978-0-8078-3071-0]. $65.

The state motto, Esse Quam Videri, Latin for “to be rather than to seem,” sums up this wonderful new state reference source inspired by librarian-historian Powell, who sent the first entry list to the University of North Carolina Press in the now distant 1991. With over 2000 A–Z entries written by 550 contributors, this is the ultimate ready-reference to the state. [An online edition is in the works.]

Encyclopedia of Philosophy. 2d ed. 10 vols. Macmillan Reference: Gale. 7799p. ed. by Donald M. Borchert. index. ISBN 0-02-865780-2 [ISBN 978-0-02-865780-6]. $1,025.

While preserving many entries from the 1967 edition, this version adds 450 items on new topics and 300 newly authored versions of prior topics. New subfields like feminist philosophy and applied ethics are covered, as is the philosophy of love and sex in an excellent article by Alan Soble. The “just war theory” entry should be required reading for all politicians. [Available online through Gale Virtual Reference Library.] (LJ 8/06)

The Encyclopedia of the American Revolutionary War. 5 vols. ABC-CLIO. 1776p. ed. by Gregory Fremont-Barnes & Richard A. Ryerson. index. ISBN 1-85109-408-3 [ISBN 978-1-85109-408-0]. $485.

Viewing the American Revolution as the first step in dismantling European imperialism, this work centers around three key subjects: British imperial policy, the character of the political societies, and the nature of the Republican polities created at the time. Spain's participation, frequently ignored, gets needed attention, as do legends, diseases, and even art. [Ebook ISBN 978-1-85109-413-4. $605; both formats: $850.] (LJ 1/07)

The Encyclopedia of the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. 3 vols. Thomson Gale. 1284p. ed. by Gregory Fremont-Barnes. illus. maps. bibliog. index. ISBN 1-85109-646-9 [ISBN 978-1-85109-646-6]. $285.

“It was an age,” writes historian Fremont-Barnes, “when soldiers resplendent in ornate uniforms still stood shoulder to shoulder in firing lines” and “when empires could be vanquished in a few short months only to rise again.” Written by 90 international specialists, the 800 entries assembled here describe the period from 1792 to Napoleon's abdication and the Treaty of Paris of 1815. An era this pivotal deserves a reference source this good.

Encyclopedia of the New American Nation. 3 vols. Scribner Reference: Gale Group. 1578p. ed. by Paul Finkelman. illus. maps. index. ISBN 0-684-31346-4 [ISBN 978-0-684-31346-7]. $345.

With this majestic compilation of close to 700 entries, Scribner completes its set of four encyclopedias covering American history. Encompassing the years from 1754 to 1829, this set includes essays on asylums, class, health and disease, humor, an intriguing article on male friendships, and a series of articles describing how virtually every facet of women's lives changed. Fertile reading for any student of early American history. [Available online through Gale Virtual Reference Library.]

Encyclopedia of World Poverty. 3 vols. Sage. 1507p. ed. by Mehmet Odekon. illus. index. ISBN 1-4129-1807-3 [ISBN 978-1-4129-1807-7]. $395.

Defining poverty as deprivation from basic capabilities, rights, and freedoms, editor Odekon has engaged 100 international scholars to write 800 articles on topics like antipoverty organizations, causes of poverty, economics of poverty, and poverty relief initiatives. With 2.4 billion people lacking access to basic sanitation, finding causes for poverty certainly seems easier than finding solutions. [Available online through Sage eReference as well as Gale Virtual Reference Library.] (LJ 10/1/06)

The Facts On File Companion to the American Novel. 3 vols. Facts On File. 1519p. ed. by Abby H.P. Werlock. illus. index. ISBN 0-8160-4528-3 [ISBN 978-0-8160-4528-0]. $195.

Comments like “librarians and libraries make all research and scholarship possible” will attract the profession to this wonderful compilation, and its quality will keep librarians and users coming back. With original biographical overviews of 450 authors and scholarly essays on 500 novels, this can be a useful antidote to incessant searches on Google. While Faulkner's Absalom, Absalom gets detailed treatment, so does Michael Cunningham's The Hours and Terry McMillan's Waiting To Exhale. (LJ 10/1/06)

Forshaw, Joseph M. & Frank Knight (illus.). Parrots of the World: An Identification Guide.Princeton Univ. 172p. illus. index. ISBN 0-691-09251-6 [ISBN 978-0-691-09251-5]. $65.

In a September 5, 2006, interview for the New York Times, Forshaw, the world's leading expert on parrots, said he hoped this book would give conservationists new tools for fighting the traffic in wild birds. With a heritage going back 70 million years, parrots have been popular as pets since the time of Alexander the Great because, says Forshaw, they're “clever, beautiful, affectionate and loyal.” Here he describes 350 species in homes, zoos, and the wild.

The Greenwood Encyclopedia of World Folklore and Folklife. 4 vols. Greenwood. 1896p. ed. by William M. Clements. illus. maps. bibliog. index. ISBN 0-313-32847-1 [ISBN 978-0-313-32847-3]. $449.95.

Folklore entered the English language in 1846. Since then, folklorists have been assessing the cultural material that exists in every society. Some 200 scholars here describe 170 cultural groups as different as the Xavante in Brazil are from the Kadazandusun in Malaysia, detailing sociocultural features, belief systems, verbal and musical arts, and the impact of modernization. An outstanding set that enriches our knowledge of world cultures. [Available online through World Folklore and Folklife database (see p. 55).] (LJ 4/1/06)

The Grove Encyclopedia of Decorative Arts. 2 vols. Oxford Univ. 1201p. ed. by Gordon Campbell. illus. index. ISBN 0-19-518948-5 [ISBN 978-0-19-518948-3]. $250.

Decorative arts as distinct from fine arts emerged in the 18th century. While the latter focused on pleasure, the former included crafts like ceramics, glassware, weaving, and interior decoration. Renaissance specialist Campbell has culled hundreds of entries from the 34-volume Dictionary of Art (1996) and added more than 1000 new ones covering everything from designers to manufacturers to craftsmen. [Available online through Grove Art Online database as well as Oxford Digital Reference Shelf.] (LJ 12/06)

Historical Statistics of the United States. 5 vols. Cambridge Univ. 4641p. ed. by Susan B. Carter & others. maps. index. ISBN 0-521-81791-9 [ISBN 978-0-521-81791-2]. $990.

Scholars and laypersons alike can rejoice in this new millennial edition of what's remained the standard for quantitative indicators of American history since 1975. With the explosion of historical data series since 1970, the original two volumes have now grown to five, and 12 new topics have been added. Eighty scholars spent 11 years producing this magnum opus—and it was worth the wait! [Electronic edition is available through www.cambridge.org.] (LJ 6/1/06)

Hospitality and Tourism Index with Full Text. EBSCO. www.epnet.com

E This product is an essential acquisition for academic libraries serving researchers in the field of hospitality and tourism. Full text, much of it in full-color PDF format, is provided for over 200 journals. But beware those full-color PDFs: the first article on the Razzzburger (“a ring of raspberries on white-chocolate ganache sandwiched between rose-water-scented almond macaroons”) included a full-color photograph of the dessert, artistically plated in all its high-calorie glory. (E-Views & Reviews, LJ 2/15/06)

Hughes, Geoffrey. An Encyclopedia of Swearing.M.E. Sharpe. 573p. illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 0-7656-1231-3 [ISBN 978-0-7656-1231-1]. $110.

If you think you've been hearing the “f-word” a lot more lately, you're right! As English scholar Hughes notes, “today four-letter words are in the dictionary, on the street and used increasingly in the media.” In 256 intriguing entries, he explores topics like animal terms, history of insults, categories of profanity, and even the use of the word by noted authors like Swift and Twain.

Jaques, Tony. Dictionary of Battles and Sieges. 3 vols. Greenwood. 1354p. bibliog. index. ISBN 0-313-33537-0 [ISBN 978-0-313-33537-2]. $299.95.

New Zealander Jaques has rendered a great service to history by compiling the most detailed list of battles worldwide ever published. Defining a battle as a clash between organized forces of combatants, he notes that some have been epic engagements lasting weeks and involving millions while others were frontier skirmishes. Entries for the 8500 battles listed include name and date of the battle, name of the war, context, commanders, and outcome. [Ebook ISBN 978-0-313-02799-4. $329.95.]

Literary Reference Center. EBSCO. www.epnet.com

E This beautifully conceived and realizedproduct, with extraordinary content and powerful navigability, is for literary researchers from high schoolers to postgraduates. A search for Jane Austen, for example, gives 920 results and can be further narrowed in myriad ways. It also yields 30 articles about film adaptations of Austen books, all but one of them in full text. (E-Views & Reviews, LJ 10/1/06)

Lyle, Susanna. Fruits & Nuts.Timber. 480p. illus. index. ISBN 978-0-88192-759-7. $59.95.

Timber Press's reputation for producing beautiful works in the fields of gardening and horticulture will be enhanced by this guide to 300 species of temperate and subtropical fruit and nut plants. Lyle, a specialist in horticulture, has a particular interest in the health benefits of these plants. Thus we learn that the fruit of asimoya trees (American pawpaw) is delicious when eaten fresh, presents a rich source of vitamins, and can even be used as a laxative.

Marquis Who's Who on the Web. Marquis Who's Who. www.marquiswhoswho.com

E This product has been designed, implemented, and improved over time and iterations to the point where it is near perfect. One can easily spend hours shamelessly doing fun, information-gathering searches for folks like Louisa May Alcott, George Washington Carver, César Chávez, Jane Colden, Benjamin Franklin, Althea Gibson, Martina Navratilova, and Yoshiko Yoshimura. Recommended with gusto for all libraries. (E-Views & Reviews, LJ 11/1/06)

Marshall, Stephen A. Insects: Their Natural History and Diversity. Firefly. 718p. illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 1-55297-900-8 [ISBN 978-1-55297-900-6]. $95.

Canadian entomologist Marshall, who lives on a “bug rich” property near Elora, Ont., began gathering materials for what would become this book back in 1982 for a year-long course in entomology at the University of Guelph. With the focus on common families of North American insects, the book illustrates, through 4000 color photos, typical behaviors and key characteristics of major insect groups and their basic biology. (LJ 9/15/06)

MideastWire.com. www.mideastwire.com

E This is not a slickly designed, high-concept e-product. Rather, it is a highly practicable means of delivering valuable content in a remarkably timely way. No other source can deliver content from this region this quickly. That it is able to do so at the prices charged is astonishing. Essential for libraries serving researchers in global and Middle Eastern politics, economics, and culture. (E-Views & Reviews, LJ 8/06)

Oxford African American Studies Center. Oxford Univ. www.oxford.com

E There's not enough space to extol this product's virtues sufficiently. The Feature of the Month is front and center, commanding attention. The debut feature highlights the Civil Rights Movement, with an image of an African American child at a civil rights rally, and also includes a featured essay, a powerful photo essay, a selection of related featured articles, and an extensive group of primary source documents and commentaries. Simply remarkable. (E-Views & Reviews, LJ 7/06)

The Oxford Book of American Poetry.Oxford Univ. 1132p. ed. by David Lehman. ISBN 0-19-516251-X [ISBN 978-0-19-516251-6]. $35.

To celebrate the first new edition since 1976 of the Oxford Book of American Poetry, poet, critic, and editor Lehman gave a lecture at New York University on April 3, 2006, entitled “American Poetry and the Impulse To Make It New.” With the enviable goal of establishing a wider and more inclusive canon, he has increased the number of poets covered from 78 to 210. The coverage begins with Ann Bradstreet's “The Prologue” and ends with John Yau's “Domestic Bliss.”

Oxford Encyclopedia of Children's Literature. 4 vols. Oxford Univ. 1875p. ed. by Jack Zipes. illus. index. ISBN 0-19-514656-5 [ISBN 978-0-19-514656-1]. $495.

Two editorial boards, eight associate editors, and more than 800 contributors labored for five years to produce this masterwork on a literature that, to quote the editor, “is so mature, diverse and complex, that it is almost impossible to define.” Some 3200 signed entries describe every aspect of children's literature from the medieval period to today, when children's literature reigns as the most profitable branch of the trade publishing industry. [Available online through Oxford Digital Reference Shelf.] (LJ 6/15/06)

Pendergast, Tom & Sara Pendergast. UXL Graphic Novelists. 3 vols. Thomson Gale. 634p. illus. index. ISBN 1-4144-0440-9 [ISBN 978-1-4144-0440-0]. $181.

Attendees at recent book conventions where publishers of graphic novels have grown from a few booths to whole aisles won't be surprised to learn that the Nielsen BookScan reports that the genre grew 35 percent from 2004 to 2005. While few agree on a definition (“long comic books” seems to come closest), most trace its beginnings to Will Eisner's A Contract with God (1978). To help us better understand this burgeoning field, this book profiles 75 notables in the creation of graphic novels.

Postwar America. 4 vols. M.E. Sharpe. 1686p. ed. by James Ciment. illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 0-7656-8067-X [ISBN 978-0-7656-8067-9]. $399.

Despite a tripling of the GNP in the United States in the six decades after World War II, inequality persisted, as did new concerns for the environment. Still, it was a very heady time, and great strides were made in issues of race, gender, and sexual orientation. Jeans became fashionable, Avon called, MTV was born, and nothing transformed our society more than the computer. Covering this period through 550 thorough entries, this set focuses on everything from arts to women's issues. (LJ 4/1/07)

Schirmer Encyclopedia of Film. 4 vols. Schirmer Reference: Gale. 2126p. ed. by Barry Keith Grant. illus. index. ISBN 0-02-865792-6 [ISBN 978-0-02-865792-2]. $425.

In 200 lengthy articles, 150 leading film scholars here describe every aspect of cinema as an art, entertainment, and industry. Enhancing these are 200 sidebars profiling important figures in film history, from MGM's costume designer Adrian Greenburg to French film director Jean Renoir. [Available online through Gale Virtual Reference Library.] (LJ 4/1/07)

State of the Union.CQ Pr. 1185p. ed. by Deborah Kalb & others. ISBN 0-87289-433-9 [ISBN 978-0-87289-433-4]. $140.

On January 24, 2007, USA Today reported that “Bush pitches last-ditch Iraq plan to increasingly hostile Congress, public” in his state-of-the-union address. This volume includes over 100 full-text addresses delivered by Presidents from 1913 to 2006 and comes complete with prefatory notes for context. Where Jimmy Carter emphasized national energy policy in 1981, Bill Clinton spoke of balancing the budget and campaign finance reform in 1997.

World Book Online Reference Center. World Book. www.worldbook.com

E It's tough to imagine anyone over the age of two-and-a-half who couldn't use some part of this accessible resource. It is even more impressive in the Research Libraries module, which offers a host of primary sources, statistics, literature across the ages, science and math articles, and more. While we all remember fondly the printed World Book of our childhood, we should regard this e-version with fervent awe. Indispensable for all libraries. (E-Views & Reviews, LJ 12/06)

World Folklore and Folklife. Greenwood. www.greenwood.com

E The design of this file is outstanding. The content is useful and substantial. The price is affordable to many. But, most significantly, this file gathers into one place diverse material on folklore that researchers have had to hunt for in years past. Strongly recommended for all collections serving students and researchers in the arts, humanities, sciences, and social sciences. (E-Views & Reviews, LJ 2/1/07)

Yale Book of Quotations.Yale Univ. 1067p. ed. by Fred R. Shapiro. index. ISBN 0-300-10798-6 [ISBN 978-0-300-10798-2]. $50.

Does your library need another book of quotations? Yes, if it's as good as this one! This user-friendly guide to more than 12,000 quotations, edited by Yale law librarian Shapiro, teems with memorable quotations such as, for example, J.P. Donleavy's “When you don't have any money, the problem is food, when you have money, it's sex. When you have both, it's health.” (LJ 10/15/06)