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Systems-level neuroscience lacks a formal theoretical structure, relying on argumentation based on experimental findings expressed in the primary literature. Theoretical models may typically be represented as summary diagrams in a paper’s discussion. Within a subject as complex and multifaceted as neuroscience, this lack of formalization leads inevitably to problems of information overload for individual researchers as it is a significant challenge to manage and manipulate large volumes of information from a distributed resource such as the literature and scientists’ own individual records. We present ‘NeuroScholar’, a knowledge base desktop application that specifically targets literature- and laboratory-based information, providing a structured knowledge engineering approach for neuroscience. It provides a general object-oriented data model to encapsulate complex data into entities, and a graph-theoretical approach that represents relations between entities edges between nodes in a graph. The system has frameworks for unit testing, plugins (to embed external applications within NeuroScholar), proxies (to export NeuroScholar’s knowledge management capabilities to external applications) and knowledge acquisition based on questionnaires. Specialized plugins include (a) an annotation mechanism for pdf files (built with Multivalent, a third party library), (b) an electronic laboratory notebook component, (c) an annotation mechanism for vector graphics and (d) NeuARt, a neuroanatomical data viewer based on standard atlases which can also use the proxy framework to act as a standalone neuroanatomical data management tool. The knowledge acquisition subsystem provides an easy way to link free-form document annotation with structured knowledge representations for specific types of experiment. We are applying the system directly in two systems-level neuroscience laboratories, one focused on neuroanatomy, the other on neuroendocrinology. It is anticipated that NeuroScholar may provide a platform for theoretical research in neuroscience by delivering knowledge engineering capabilities directly to experimental scientists to facilitate analysis and communication. ©2005 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

LOGISTICS AND TECHNICAL INFORMATION DIVISION - INFORMATION SYSTEMS SUPPORT

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This paper presents a summary of some features of soft systems methodology—SSM, and of critical systems thinking—CST as they have been experienced from the point of view of the field of applications of information technology. It highlights the manner in which CST completes SSM in the context of the design of computer support in the form of HYPERSYSTEMS, and evidences some problematic aspects of the two approaches that push the practitioner into philosophical issues. One concluding hypothesis is that further developments of systems practice must be sought at the interface between formal science, political ethics, analytic psychology, and religious thought. For tutorial purposes, a great amount of literature is related to these issues.

This paper presents a summary of some features of soft systems methodology—SSM, and of critical systems thinking—CST as they have been experienced from the point of view of the field of applications of information technology. It highlights the manner in which CST completes SSM in the context of the design of computer support in the form of HYPERSYSTEMS, and evidences some problematic aspects of the two approaches that push the practitioner into philosophical issues. One concluding hypothesis is that further developments of systems practice must be sought at the interface between formal science, political ethics, analytic psychology, and religious thought. For tutorial purposes, a great amount of literature is related to these issues.

This paper presents a summary of some features of soft systems methodology—SSM, and of critical systems thinking—CST as they have been experienced from the point of view of the field of applications of information technology. It highlights the manner in which CST completes SSM in the context of the design of computer support in the form of HYPERSYSTEMS, and evidences some problematic aspects of the two approaches that push the practitioner into philosophical issues. One concluding hypothesis is that further developments of systems practice must be sought at the interface between formal science, political ethics, analytic psychology, and religious thought. For tutorial purposes, a great amount of literature is related to these issues.

xiv,330p. : 24 cm

xiv,330p. : 24 cm

In this paper we present a method for reformulating the Recommender Systems problem in an Information Retrieval one. In our tests we have a dataset of users who give ratings for some movies; we hide some values from the dataset, and we try to predict them again using its remaining portion (the so-called "leave-n-out approach"). In order to use an Information Retrieval algorithm, we reformulate this Recommender Systems problem in this way: a user corresponds to a document, a movie corresponds to a term, the active user (whose rating we want to predict) plays the role of the query, and the ratings are used as weigths, in place of the weighting schema of the original IR algorithm. The output is the ranking list of the documents ("users") relevant for the query ("active user"). We use the ratings of these users, weighted according to the rank, to predict the rating of the active user. We carry out the comparison by means of a typical metric, namely the accuracy of the predictions returned by the algorithm, and we compare this to the real ratings from users. In our first tests, we use two different Information Retrieval algorithms: LSPR, a recently proposed model based on Discrete Fourier Transform, and a simple vector space model.

Big Data is becoming a critical component of the Information Systems curriculum. Educators are enhancing gradually the concentration curriculum for Big Data in schools of computer science and information systems. This paper proposes a creative curriculum design for Big Data Analytics for a program at a major metropolitan university. The design emphasizes expanded learning of business, mathematical and statistical, and presentation skills, in projects of teams, in addition to skills in technology. This paper will be beneficial to educators considering improvement of the curriculum for Big Data Analytics and to students desiring a more contemporary program.

Learning is enhanced with repetition, either through more exercises in individual courses, or through the integration of concepts in a capstone experience. A well planned and integrated curriculum can utilize a capstone course, not only to provide a service learning component, but also as an opportunity to refresh students on key discipline topics immediately preceding graduation. This article describes the process used at one university to integrate concepts taught in pre-requisite courses into the capstone experience. In addition, it discusses the need to constantly refine all of the courses to integrate the concepts and learning experiences in both directions. The capstone course must provide repetition and hands-on learning of earlier concepts, and the pre-requisite courses must provide the knowledge to enable a successful capstone experience for students. This is a two way integration up and down the chain of courses and instructors must work together to integrate all of the courses in the discipline to enrich the capstone experience and achieve desired learning objectives.

In recent years greater attention has been paid to develop learning outcomes for academic programs and then to develop methods to assess these learning outcomes. Generally speaking, there are two kinds of outcomes: course outcomes and program outcomes. Assessments of these learning outcomes in institutions of higher education are mandated by the accrediting organizations. This paper describes a methodology used by a Computer Information Systems program in a small undergraduate institution to develop its learning outcomes, to collect assessment data, and to evaluate or assess its course and program outcomes during a ten year period. The data collection and the subsequent data analysis showed the strengths and weaknesses of the program and we were able to address a number of these weaknesses.

In recent years greater attention has been paid to develop learning outcomes for academic programs and then to develop methods to assess these learning outcomes. Generally speaking, there are two kinds of outcomes: course outcomes and program outcomes. Assessments of these learning outcomes in institutions of higher education are mandated by the accrediting organizations. This paper describes a methodology used by a Computer Information Systems program in a small undergraduate institution to develop its learning outcomes, to collect assessment data, and to evaluate or assess its course and program outcomes during a ten year period. The data collection and the subsequent data analysis showed the strengths and weaknesses of the program and we were able to address a number of these weaknesses.

In recent years greater attention has been paid to develop learning outcomes for academic programs and then to develop methods to assess these learning outcomes. Generally speaking, there are two kinds of outcomes: course outcomes and program outcomes. Assessments of these learning outcomes in institutions of higher education are mandated by the accrediting organizations. This paper describes a methodology used by a Computer Information Systems program in a small undergraduate institution to develop its learning outcomes, to collect assessment data, and to evaluate or assess its course and program outcomes during a ten year period. The data collection and the subsequent data analysis showed the strengths and weaknesses of the program and we were able to address a number of these weaknesses.

In recent years greater attention has been paid to develop learning outcomes for academic programs and then to develop methods to assess these learning outcomes. Generally speaking, there are two kinds of outcomes: course outcomes and program outcomes. Assessments of these learning outcomes in institutions of higher education are mandated by the accrediting organizations. This paper describes a methodology used by a Computer Information Systems program in a small undergraduate institution to develop its learning outcomes, to collect assessment data, and to evaluate or assess its course and program outcomes during a ten year period. The data collection and the subsequent data analysis showed the strengths and weaknesses of the program and we were able to address a number of these weaknesses.

Downloaded as part of an archive of Creative Commons-licensed books. See http://2012books.lardbucket.org for more information.

xiii, 306 pages

This research study is based on an application of concepts derived from the Yovits-Ernst Model for a generalized information system. These concepts and their implications are applied to a management decision model for a hypothetical production control problem. The purpose of this investigation is to demonstrate that the theory of the Yovits-Ernst Model can provide a valid analytical base from which a precise quantification of the flow of information through a decision system can be achieved. An additional goal is to formulate and to investigate some of the overall implications that may result from such a quantification. (Author)

The cost of an item of information in a storage system is defined as the sum of an initial cost, a time dependent cost, and a usage cost. Item usage is assumed to follow a simple exponential obsolescence pattern. A decision rule for the economic holding time of an item in storage is derived from the model and based on a policy of minimizing the average cost of usage. Some properties and implications of the rule and policy are discussed. This model is developed in the context of large research libraries but should be applicable to other kinds of information systems. (Author)

Mammographic Computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) systems are an approach for low-cost double reading. Though results to date have been promising, current systems often suffer from unacceptably high false positive rates. Improved methods are needed for optimally setting the system parameters, particularly in the case of statistical models and neural networks which are common elements of most CAD systems. This research project looks to apply principles from information theory to build statistical models for CAD systems. Specifically, we develop a framework for building hierarchical pattern recognizers based on the minimum description length principle (MDL). Under the first year of this project we have developed a framework for building generative hierarchical image probability (HIP) models. Since the HIP framework is a generative model which directly models the probability of the image given the image class, it is well-suited to compression and application of MDL. We have started building HIP architectures using the MDL selection criteria. For example we have used predictive MDL (pMDL) to select the number of segmentation labels at each level of the pyramid. Finally, under our first year's effort, we have also expanded our hierarchical modeling framework to include both microcalcification and mass detection.

This document presents City University of New York LaGuardia Community College's Department of Accounting and Managerial Studies assessment of its accounting and joint accounting/computer information systems programs report, and includes the following items: (1) description of the mission and goals of the Department of Accounting and Managerial Studies; (2) descriptive analysis of the curriculum and delivery of instruction; (3) assessment of the curriculum and delivery of instruction, which is further subdivided into the following categories: national standards, program objectives, course evaluation, and joint accounting/computer information systems option; (4) computer laboratory services report; (5) interviews of employers; (6) surveys of students enrolled in accounting courses; (7) articulation report involving a review of the course in the accounting curriculum and their transferability; (8) grade distribution report for accounting courses; (9) special focus area that looks at department sponsored student activities, including a variety of accounting clubs; (10) summary of the department's human resources, facilities and equipment, fiscal resources, and college-wide services; (11) summary of recommendations and future goals; and (12) appendix of survey instruments (intermediate accounting survey, accounting graduate applicants survey, and content area survey) used in the study and verbatim responses to question on improvement of facilities. (VWC)

This publication introduces electronic document imaging systems and provides guidance for local governments in New York in deciding whether such systems should be adopted for their own records and information management purposes. It advises local governments on how to develop plans for using such technology by discussing its advantages and disadvantages and its relation to records management. Electronic document imaging systems are computer-based systems that capture images of paper documents through a scanner, index them to expedite retrieval, and store them on magnetic, magneto-optical, or optical media, in or near the computer. Electronic document imaging systems are not panaceas, but they can offer many advantages to a local government in terms of space saved, rapid and easy access, and the improvement of delivery, distribution, and security. This overview highlights records management issues such as hardware and software, records retention, disaster planning, authentication, system documentation, security, and legal issues. A glossary of imaging terms explains many common aspects of electronic document imaging. (SLD)

This publication introduces electronic document imaging systems and provides guidance for local governments in New York in deciding whether such systems should be adopted for their own records and information management purposes. It advises local governments on how to develop plans for using such technology by discussing its advantages and disadvantages and its relation to records management. Electronic document imaging systems are computer-based systems that capture images of paper documents through a scanner, index them to expedite retrieval, and store them on magnetic, magneto-optical, or optical media, in or near the computer. Electronic document imaging systems are not panaceas, but they can offer many advantages to a local government in terms of space saved, rapid and easy access, and the improvement of delivery, distribution, and security. This overview highlights records management issues such as hardware and software, records retention, disaster planning, authentication, system documentation, security, and legal issues. A glossary of imaging terms explains many common aspects of electronic document imaging. (SLD)

This publication introduces electronic document imaging systems and provides guidance for local governments in New York in deciding whether such systems should be adopted for their own records and information management purposes. It advises local governments on how to develop plans for using such technology by discussing its advantages and disadvantages and its relation to records management. Electronic document imaging systems are computer-based systems that capture images of paper documents through a scanner, index them to expedite retrieval, and store them on magnetic, magneto-optical, or optical media, in or near the computer. Electronic document imaging systems are not panaceas, but they can offer many advantages to a local government in terms of space saved, rapid and easy access, and the improvement of delivery, distribution, and security. This overview highlights records management issues such as hardware and software, records retention, disaster planning, authentication, system documentation, security, and legal issues. A glossary of imaging terms explains many common aspects of electronic document imaging. (SLD)

viii, 230 p. : 26 cm

viii, 230 p. : 26 cm

viii, 230 p. : 26 cm

viii, 230 p. : 26 cm

viii, 230 p. : 26 cm

viii, 230 p. : 26 cm

viii, 230 p. : 26 cm

viii, 230 p. : 26 cm

This item represents a case in PACER, the U.S. Government's website for federal case data. If you wish to see the entire case, please consult PACER directly.

Measuring the effectiveness of information systems (IS) is an issue that has generated debate and research among academics and practitioners. This thesis consolidates the numerous and various approaches to measuring IS effectiveness into six general schools of thought: user satisfaction, system usage, performance/usefulness, productivity, value analysis and cost-benefit analysis. It then presents a model for examining the various linkages that exist among the IS effectiveness measues. These linkages include: user satisfaction and system usage, system usage and performance, performance and productivity, and productivity and cost justification. This research provides a user a summary of the IS effectiveness literature of the past two decades and a consolidated reference for measuring the effectiveness of information systems.

Forrester High School Information Systems dumped with WikiTeam tools.

This item represents a case in PACER, the U.S. Government's website for federal case data. If you wish to see the entire case, please consult PACER directly.

is331 - Information Systems Projects Management dumped with WikiTeam tools.

USA

Video lectures of course instructors from Spring 2011 offering of HST.184/HST.S14. Instructor(s): Leo Anthony Celi, Peter Szolovits, Hamish Fraser, Ken Paik View the complete course: http://ocw.mit.edu/HST-S14S12 License: Creative Commons BY-NC-SA More information at http://ocw.mit.edu/terms More courses at http://ocw.mit.edu

Video lectures of course instructors from Spring 2011 offering of HST.184/HST.S14. Instructor(s): Leo Anthony Celi, Peter Szolovits, Hamish Fraser, Ken Paik View the complete course: http://ocw.mit.edu/HST-S14S12 License: Creative Commons BY-NC-SA More information at http://ocw.mit.edu/terms More courses at http://ocw.mit.edu

Autonomous systems provide the military with advanced capabilities permitting the execution of increasingly dangerous and difficult missions. A human in the loop is still required to decide how and when to deploy these technologies. The research problem this dissertation addresses is a user’s rejection of new technology in high-risk applications due to a lack of trust in the use of the technology. This is a problem because users’ lack of trust in new technology, designed to support users in high-risk situations, will prevent the use of the technology. The purpose of this dissertation is to investigate the effect of information presented about a new technology as well as the effect of the level of automation offered by the new technology on the perceived trust (i.e., as measured by the perceived usefulness, ease of use, and intent to use). An experiment was conducted that manipulated the level of automation and the presentation of information in three systems. The results indicated that, in high-risk scenarios, it is not possible to develop trust in technology without the system presentation of operational information. The study results also indicated that the level of automation was not a factor in developing technology trust in high-risk scenarios.

This item represents a case in PACER, the U.S. Government's website for federal case data. If you wish to see the entire case, please consult PACER directly.

This item represents a case in PACER, the U.S. Government's website for federal case data. If you wish to see the entire case, please consult PACER directly.

This item represents a case in PACER, the U.S. Government's website for federal case data. If you wish to see the entire case, please consult PACER directly.

This item represents a case in PACER, the U.S. Government's website for federal case data. If you wish to see the entire case, please consult PACER directly.

Markov Random Field models are powerful tools for the study of complex systems. However, little is known about how the interactions between the elements of such systems are encoded, especially from an information-theoretic perspective. In this paper, our goal is to enlight the connection between Fisher information, Shannon entropy, information geometry and the behavior of complex systems modeled by isotropic pairwise Gaussian Markov random fields. We propose analytical expressions to compute local and global versions of these measures using Besag's pseudo-likelihood function, characterizing the system's behavior through its \emph{Fisher curve}, a parametric trajectory accross the information space that provides a geometric representation for the study of complex systems. Computational experiments show how the proposed tools can be useful in extrating relevant information from complex patterns. The obtained results quantify and support our main conclusion, which is: in terms of information, moving towards higher entropy states (A --> B) is different from moving towards lower entropy states (B --> A), since the \emph{Fisher curves} are not the same given a natural orientation (the direction of time).

We study the generic scaling properties of the mutual information between two disjoint intervals, in a class of one-dimensional quantum critical systems described by the c=1 bosonic field theory. A numerical analysis of a spin-chain model reveals that the mutual information is scale-invariant and depends directly on the boson radius. We interpret the results in terms of correlation functions of branch-point twist fields. The present study provides a new way to determine the boson radius, and furthermore demonstrates the power of the mutual information to extract more refined information of conformal field theory than the central charge.

'I. Report and Accounts (1991-92) of the Centre for Railway Information Systems, New Delhi and related papers.,II. Report and Accounts (1993-94) of the Indian Railway Finance Corporation Limited, New Delhi and related papers.,III. Report and Accounts (1993.94) of the Konkan Railway Corporation Limited, New Delhi and related papers.,IV. Notifications of the Ministry of Railways. (15-Feb-1995)' from the RS Debates Digital Library

1Queen Lucia

By E. F. Benson

E. F. Benson was born at Wellington College in Berkshire, where his father, who later went on to become the Archbishop of Canterbury, was the first Headmaster. He wrote 105 books in all.<br /><br />Queen Lucia (first published in 1920) was the first of Benson’s ‘Mapp and Lucia’ novels of which there were six. This first book is a comedy of manners based in the provincial village of Riseholme, where Emmeline Lucas (the Queen Lucia of the title) presides over the social and artistic universe of the gullible residents. Her aide-de-camp in these matters is the somewhat effete Georgie Pillson and the chief competitor for her ‘crown’ is Daisy Quantock. The scandal of the Guru, the psychical goings on with Princess Popoffski and the arrival into the sleepy village of a famous Prima Donna all conspire to threaten her supremacy… </br>(summary by Martin Clifton)

2Miss Mapp

By E. F. Benson

E. F. Benson's Mapp and Lucia series, consists of six novels and three short stories. The novels are: Queen Lucia, Lucia in London, Miss Mapp (including the short story The Male Impersonator), Mapp and Lucia, Lucia's Progress (published as The Worshipful Lucia in the U.S.) and Trouble for Lucia. <br/><br/>The novels feature humorous incidents in the lives of (mainly) upper-middle-class British people in the 1920s and 1930s, vying for social prestige and "one-upmanship" in an atmosphere of extreme cultural snobbery. Most of these works are set in the fictional village of "Tilling", which is based on the village of Rye, Sussex, England. "Mallards", the house with the garden room inhabited by Miss Mapp, and later by Lucia, is based on Lamb House, Benson's own home in Rye. Earlier, the house was the Sussex home of writer Henry James. (Summary adapted from Wikipedia by Karen Merline.)

3Life in a Mediaeval City, Illustrated by York in the XVth Century

By Edwin Benson

A short and gentle overview of mediaeval life in a large city. It lightly covers the class structure of society, local government, guilds, pageantry and punishment. The author has an easy, rhythmic style which leaves the reader wanting to find out more. (Summary by Peter Yearsley)

4Lord of the World

By Robert Hugh Benson

“Mr. Benson sees the world, four or five generations hence, free at last from all minor quarrels, and ranged against itself in two camps, Humanitarianism for those who believe in no divinity but that of man, Catholicism for those who believe in no divinity but that of God.” <BR><BR>This apocalyptic novel from the early 1900's is sometimes deemed one of the first modern dystopias. (Summary from an original London Times review and Wikipedia)

Come Rack! Come Rope! is a historical novel by the English priest and writer Robert Hugh Benson, a convert to Catholicism from Anglicanism. Set in Derbyshire at the time of the Elizabethan persecution of Catholics, when being or harboring a priest was considered treason and was punishable with death, it tells the story of two young lovers who give up their chance of happiness together, choosing instead to face imprisonment and martyrdom, so that "God's will" may be done. <br><br>The book was written nearly nine years after Benson's reception into the Catholic Church. The inspiration for the story comes from Dom Bede Camm's account of the recusant Fitzherbert family in Forgotten Shrines (1910), and from Benson's own visit in 1911 to Padley, home of the Fitzherberts, and scene of part of the novel, in order to preach at the annual pilgrimage there. The title of the book is taken from a letter of Saint Edmund Campion in which, after torture, he assured Catholics that he had revealed "no things of secret, nor would he, come rack, come rope." Most of the characters in the book are historical people; only the hero and heroine, their parents, and some minor characters are fictional. (Summary adapted from Wikipedia)

Robert Hugh Benson was the youngest son of Edward White Benson, the Archbishop of Canterbury and his wife Mary. Benson was was a prolific and popular writer during his time, and in 1903 he became a prominent convert to the Roman Catholic Church from Anglicanism . In 1904 he was ordained a Catholic priest.<br><br>This book is his personal story of his journey to the Catholic faith, containing comparisons between Catholicism and the Anglican religion. (Summary by Maria Therese)

Robert Hugh Benson, who was educated at Eton College and Trinity College, Cambridge, was ordained an Anglican priest in 1895 by his father, the Archbishop of Canterbury. Eight years later, after weighty consideration, Robert Benson converted to Roman Catholicism. In 1904 he was ordained a Roman Catholic priest and took up residence in Cambridge, where he ministered to Roman Catholic students as their unofficial chaplain. In 1911, he was made a monsignor. Despite the brevity of his earthly life, Benson was a prolific writer whose literary productions span the gamut from devotional works, such as The Friendship of Christ, to sacred drama, children's books, apologetic works, historical fiction, and even science fiction.<br><br>The Friendship of Christ, which bears an imprimatur, is based on sermons Benson preached in London and Rome in 1910 and 1911. In the first part of this book, he shows how one enters into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ through the purgative and illuminative ways. In the second part, he discusses several modes in which Christ offers us His friendship here and now, such as in the Eucharist, in the Church, in the priest, in the saint, in the sinner, in the average person, and in the sufferer. In Part III, Benson recalls how Jesus Christ proved the depth of His friendship with us by willingly accepting death on the cross for our sake, and how He raises His friends to everlasting life with Him. (Introduction by dave7)

8Living Alone

By Stella Benson

This is not a real book. It does not deal with real people, nor should it be read by real people. But there are in the world so many real books already written for the benefit of real people, and there are still so many to be written, that I cannot believe that a little alien book such as this, written for the magically-inclined minority, can be considered too assertive a trespasser. -- Stella Benson (author)<br /> <br />Published in 1919, and set in London during the First World War, <i>Living Alone</i> tells of the meeting of a recluse and a witch, then rambles through magic, morality and aerial dogfights on broomsticks. There isn't too much in the way of a plot, but with its curious blend of fantasy and practical detail of a country in war-time, it's a charmingly weird novel that I hope will entertain witches, wizards and muggles alike. -- Cori Samuel (narrator)

9Dodo Wonders

By E. F. Benson

"Dodo Wonders" is the third and last of the "Dodo" novels by E.F. Benson, author of the "Mapp and Lucia" series as well as numerous stand-alone novels and short stories. Dodo was rumored to be based on Lady Margot Asquith; when questioned about it, Lady Asquith reportedly replied that Benson had taken nothing from her for the character of Dodo "except her drawing-room." <br /><br /> "Dodo Wonders" takes Benson's characters, the glittering socialite Lady Dodo Chesterford, her husband, and friends into World War I-era England. The story follows Dodo and her peers through the build-up, outbreak, and catastrophic years of the war. Benson is clever as always in putting his characters in situations where they must either adapt or break and never loses his sense of humor while doing it. "Dodo Wonders" manages to be as cheerful and bubbly as the other novels in the series while retaining a basic sense of sobriety about its subject matter.<br /><br /> Dodo is a charming, vivid heroine with whom it becomes almost a pleasure to move through wartime.

10This Is the End

By Stella Benson

Some books have plots that drive relentlessly toward a conclusion. Others, like "This Is The End", just meander. It is the story of a Family halfheartedly searching for a missing relation who does not want to be found, while just off-stage, World War I is raging on the continent. It is a story about ordinary people trying to live ordinary lives in extraordinary times. The things they do are less important than the ways in which they do them: often comic, occasionally tragic, but always touching and true to life. It reminds us that Poetry and Romance can be found anywhere, hidden beneath the surface of the most commonplace things. (Summary by Peter Eastman)

11Dodo's Daughter

By E. F. Benson

The second in the "Dodo" sequence of novels. (Summary by Crowgirl)

12Dawn of All

By Robert Hugh Benson

In a former book, called "Lord of the World," I attempted to sketch the kind of developments a hundred years hence which, I thought, might reasonably be expected if the present lines of what is called "modern thought" were only prolonged far enough; and I was informed repeatedly that the effect of the book was exceedingly depressing and discouraging to optimistic Christians. In the present book I am attempting -- also in parable form -- not in the least to withdraw anything that I said in the former, but to follow up the other lines instead, and to sketch -- again in parable -- the kind of developments, about sixty years hence which, I think, may reasonably be expected should the opposite process begin, and ancient thought (which has stood the test of centuries, and is, in a very remarkable manner, being "rediscovered" by persons even more modern than modernists) be prolonged instead.<br><br>We are told occasionally by moralists that we live in very critical times, by which they mean that they are not sure whether their own side will win or not. In that sense no times can ever be critical to Catholics, since Catholics are never in any kind of doubt as to whether or no their side will win. But from another point of view every period is a critical period, since every period has within itself the conflict of two irreconcilable forces. It has been for the sake of tracing out the kind of effects that, it seemed to me, each side would experience in turn, should the other, at any rate for a while, become dominant, that I have written these two books. (From the preface of The Dawn of All)

13Swamp Island

By Mildred A. Wirt Benson

Late entry in the Penny Parker teen girl mystery series (1939-47) by one of the early ghostwriters (as Carolyn Keene) of Nancy Drew concerns an escaped embezzler, his revenge on the reporter whose articles helped convict him, and a long missing $50 grand. - Summary by BellonaTimes

14Clock Strikes Thirteen

By Mildred A. Wirt Benson

Penny Parker is a teen-aged sleuth and amateur reporter who has an uncanny knack for uncovering and solving unusual, sometimes bizarre mysteries. The only daughter of widower Anthony Parker, publisher of the "Riverview Star," Penny has been raised to be self-sufficient, outspoken, innovative, and extraordinarily tenacious. Her cheerful, chatty manner belies a shrewd and keenly observant mind. Penny was the creation of Mildred A. Wirt, who was also the author of the original Nancy Drew series (under the pseudonym Carolyn Keene). Wirt became frustrated when she was pushed to "tone down" Nancy Drew and make her less independent and daring. With Penny Parker, Wirt had a freer hand and received full credit. Wirt once said, " 'I always thought Penny Parker was a better Nancy Drew than Nancy is." In "The Clock Strikes Thirteen," Penny is confronted by two mysteries that ultimately converge. First there is the odd extra chime from the Hubell Clock Tower at midnight and the inexplicable replacement of the dedicated old clock tower caretaker by a shiftless friend of a real estate developer. Then there is a series of terrorizing attacks of local farmers, including a barn burning. The attacks appear to be the work of a band of thugs known as the "Night Riders." With the help of her friend Louise, Penny works to solve the dual mystery before an another attack and to save an innocent man from jail. - Summary by Cheryl Adam

15Behind the Green Door

By Mildred A. Wirt Benson

Penny Parker is a teen-aged sleuth and amateur reporter with an uncanny knack for uncovering and solving unusual, sometimes bizarre mysteries. The only daughter of widower Anthony Parker, publisher of the "Riverview Star," Penny has been raised to be self-sufficient, outspoken, innovative, and extraordinarily tenacious. Her cheerful, chatty manner belies a shrewd and keenly observant mind. Penny was the creation of Mildred A. Wirt, who was also the author of the original Nancy Drew series (under the pseudonym Carolyn Keene). Wirt became frustrated when she was pushed to "tone down" Nancy Drew and make her less independent and daring. With Penny Parker, Wirt had a freer hand and received full credit. Wirt once said, " 'I always thought Penny Parker was a better Nancy Drew than Nancy is."<br><br> In BEHIND THE GREEN DOOR, the Parkers' long-planned trip to the Pine Top ski resort for the Christmas holiday is upset when the "Riverview Star" is sued for libel. Publisher Anthony Parker remains behind to deal with the crisis while Penny is sent to Pine Top. There, she encounters multiple mysteries, including an elderly recluse who keeps his granddaughter a prisoner in his remote cabin and the unexplained presence of a reporter from a rival newspaper. Worse, the man suing the "Star" also shows up in Pine Top. Penny's nose for news combined with her penchant for dare-devil skiing soon land her in the middle of a dangerous tangle she must unravel to save both the "Star" and the ski resort. - Summary by Cheryl Adam

16Clue of the Silken Ladder

By Mildred A. Wirt Benson

In THE CLUE OF THE SILKEN LADDER, Penny investigates multiple mysteries. What is the purpose of the singular silken ladder made by the secretive and somewhat sinister old Japanese curio shop owner? How can the "Riverview Star" obtain evidence that a popular troupe of spiritualists really are heartless con artists? Last, who is perpetrating the gravity-defying burglaries that have rocked the town ? Meanwhile, the Parker housekeeper, Mrs. Weems, has come into an inheritance and plans to leave Riverview, much to the Parkers' dismay. Can Penny change her mind? PENNY PARKER is a teen-aged sleuth and amateur reporter with an uncanny knack for uncovering and solving unusual, sometimes bizarre mysteries. The only daughter of widower Anthony Parker, publisher of the "Riverview Star," Penny has been raised to be self-sufficient, outspoken, innovative, and extraordinarily tenacious. Her cheerful, chatty manner belies a shrewd and keenly observant mind. Penny was the creation of Mildred A. Wirt, who was also the author of the original Nancy Drew series (under the pseudonym Carolyn Keene). Wirt became frustrated when she was pushed to "tone down" Nancy Drew and make her less independent and daring. With Penny Parker, Wirt had a freer hand and received full credit. Wirt once said, " 'I always thought Penny Parker was a better Nancy Drew than Nancy is." - Summary by Cheryl Adam

17Wishing Well

By Mildred A. Wirt Benson

PENNY PARKER is a teen-aged sleuth and amateur reporter with an uncanny knack for uncovering and solving unusual, sometimes bizarre mysteries. The only daughter of widower Anthony Parker, publisher of the "Riverview Star," Penny has been raised to be self-sufficient, outspoken, innovative, and extraordinarily tenacious. Her cheerful, chatty manner belies a shrewd and keenly observant mind. Penny was the creation of Mildred A. Wirt, who was also the author of the original Nancy Drew series (under the pseudonym Carolyn Keene). Wirt became frustrated when she was pushed to "tone down" Nancy Drew and make her less independent and daring. With Penny Parker, Wirt had a freer hand and received full credit. Wirt once said, " 'I always thought Penny Parker was a better Nancy Drew than Nancy is." In THE WISHING WELL, the once-grand, now abandoned Marborough Estate and its legendary stone wishing well have become the center of odd happenings. The reclusive owner unexpectedly returns, only to lock herself secretively away in the mansion. Soon after, an ancient stone is unearthed on the estate, upon which is carved a 400-year-old message. Or is it a hoax? Who are the two strangers who repeatedly visit the wishing well in the dead of night? Penny boldly investigates, certain that danger threatens her new friend Rhoda, a gifted, but poverty-stricken artist. - Summary by Cheryl Adam

18Secret Pact

By Mildred A. Wirt Benson

PENNY PARKER is a teen-aged sleuth and amateur reporter with an uncanny knack for uncovering and solving unusual, sometimes bizarre mysteries. The only daughter of widower Anthony Parker, publisher of the "Riverview Star," Penny has been raised to be self-sufficient, outspoken, innovative, and extraordinarily tenacious. Her cheerful, chatty manner belies a shrewd and keenly observant mind. Penny was the creation of Mildred A. Wirt, who was also the author of the original Nancy Drew series (under the pseudonym Carolyn Keene). Wirt became frustrated when she was pushed to "tone down" Nancy Drew and make her less independent and daring. With Penny Parker, Wirt had a freer hand and received full credit. Wirt once said, " 'I always thought Penny Parker was a better Nancy Drew than Nancy is." In THE SECRET PACT, Penny sees a man savagely pushed off a bridge into the river one foggy night. The man is rescued, but his stubborn denial of the attack, combined with the grotesque octopus tattoo he bears on his back, alerts Penny to the possibility of a deeper mystery. When her editor father, reporter friends, and even the highschool newspaper all reject her story about the incident, she takes matters into her own hands. With her friend Louise's help, Penny starts her own local paper, operating out of a formerly abandoned newspaper plant. As new clues emerge to the "Octopus tattoo" mystery, she enlists the help of anyone willing, even persuading Mrs. Weems to go "under cover." Nothing, not even threats and an unexpected tornado, can deter the determined Miss. Parker. - Summary by Cheryl Adam</p>

19Dodo: A Detail of the Day

By E. F. Benson

Fashionably controversial bestseller at the time of appearance (1893), portraying London "society" in the Fin de Siècle. Dodo is a young woman who enjoys belonging to the high society. At the start of the book, she is about to make an advantageous marriage, to a man with money and a title - just what she needs. This audiobook includes Volume 1 & 2 (the complete novel) - Summary by Anna Simon

20Hoofbeats on the Turnpike

By Mildred A. Wirt Benson

Penny Parker is a teen-aged sleuth and amateur reporter with an uncanny knack for uncovering and solving unusual, sometimes bizarre mysteries. The only daughter of widower Anthony Parker, publisher of the "Riverview Star," Penny has been raised to be self-sufficient, outspoken, innovative, and extraordinarily tenacious. Her cheerful, chatty manner belies a shrewd and keenly observant mind. Penny was the creation of Mildred A. Wirt, who was also the author of the original Nancy Drew series (under the pseudonym Carolyn Keene). Wirt became frustrated when she was pushed to "tone down" Nancy Drew and make her less independent and daring. With Penny Parker, Wirt had a freer hand and received full credit. Wirt once said, " 'I always thought Penny Parker was a better Nancy Drew than Nancy is." In HOOFBEATS ON THE TURNPIKE, Penny is drawn to a remote hill community by a tantalizing tale of a headless horseman who ranges the countryside at night. While investigating the bizarre tale, Penny and her best friend Louise Siddell encounter a quirky array of hill folk, including a feisty "granny woman" who is at war with a wealthy landowner. The headless horseman seems to be targeting the landowner, who has ignored repeated warnings that the dam he owns is unsafe. The tale takes an unusually serious turn when the dam breaks, flooding the community. Trapped by the flood, Penny heroically does what she can to help the community and to get the story out to the world. - Summary by Cheryl Adam

21Flash Evans, Camera News Hawk

By Mildred A. Wirt Benson

Jimmy 'Flash' Evans, 17, ace photographer for The Brandale Ledger, tries his hand at the newsreel game in this upbeat, pre-war adventure. The listed author, Frank Bell, was actually the prolific Mildred Wirt Benson, most famous for writing the early Nancy Drew novels under the pseudonym Carolyn Keene. - Summary by Matt Pierard

This 1898 book is the result of a survey of 107 hymn-books. The thirty-two hymns are ranked in order of popularity. The texts in this recording are said only, not sung, along with a few explanatory notes for each hymn (some footnotes, not all, here recorded). The texts are preceded by two essays concerning hymns and their standards. Benson (1855-1930) was an American Presbyterian minister who edited several hymnals. - Summary by David Wales

A collection of fourteen short stories, grouped under the headings of "Blackmailing Stories", "Spook Stories", "Cat Stories", "Crank Stories", and "General Stories". From the preface: "[S]uch readers as are in search merely of the lighter...aspects of life, will be able to avoid like poison so innocent-looking a title as "The Countess of Lowndes Square," for surely they would not find therein the fashionable descriptions of high life which they might reasonably anticipate, but would merely cast the book from them in disgust, when they discovered that one who had been the wife of an Earl, and ought therefore to have known ever so much better, belonged to the most contemptible of the criminal classes." - Summary by Devorah Allen

24By What Authority?

By Robert Hugh Benson

Two wealthy families are neighbors in Elizabethan England; one is staunchly Catholic and the other is devoutly Protestant. The attractive young scions of the families are drawn to each other in friendship and love, but are kept apart by their opposing religions. Life is very difficult for Catholics during those times. They are subject to fines, imprisonment, torture and ignominious death for practicing their faith. On the other hand, for various reasons some Catholics give up their inherited faith, and even betray and persecute their fellow-religionists. As the threads of plot are woven tighter, heroes emerge, sometimes most unexpectedly, as they grapple with theological doubts and conflicts, and undergo extreme suffering and loss. The many characters we meet ring true, whether they are brilliant or superstitious, stalwart or wavering, pious or violent; and it is a great privilege to spend time with such towering historical figures as St. Edmond Campion and Queen Elizabeth herself. Love, history, theology, suspense, and an array of colorful characters are sewn inexorably together in this large and compelling story. (Intro by Carol Pelster)

25Where No Fear Was: A Book About Fear

By Arthur Christopher Benson

Surely all of us know fear, and know the different types of fear we can experience. In this book, Arthur Christopher Benson walks us through these different types, going through a range of different topics, among others childhood fears many of us will remember, to the fears plaguing us in other periods of our lives, the origins of different fears, and essays on what a number of notable authors (of fiction) had to say about the subject. It should be noted that this book is not a scientific study, though written by an eminent scholar. Instead, all of Arthur Christopher Benson's remarkable talents as a story teller are shaping these chapters. - Summary by Carolin

26Missing Formula

By Mildred A. Wirt Benson

Orphan Anne Fairaday faces a life of poverty upon the death of her father. The only thing that can prevent it is finding his latest experiment. She enlisted her new found friend, Madge Sterling, an outdoors girl who has a knack for finding missing things. But they must race against time as there are also several people who will stop at nothing to get it first. (Summary by Mary Escano)

27Light Invisible

By Robert Hugh Benson

Fifteen short ghost stories by the Anglican then Roman Catholic priest, Robert Hugh Benson (1871-1914). The form of the book is of an old English Roman Catholic priest telling stories to his young friend. Benson wrote prolifically in many genres. His horror and ghost fiction are collected in The Light Invisible (1903) and A Mirror of Shalott (1907) - David Wales

Fourteen stories of the strange by the Anglican then Roman Catholic priest, Robert Hugh Benson (1871-1914). The form of the book is of stories told by a gathering of Roman Catholic clergy. Benson wrote prolifically in many genres. His horror and ghost fiction are collected in The Light Invisible (1903) and A Mirror of Shalott (1907) - Summary by David Wales

These stories have been written in the hopes of giving some pleasant qualms to their reader, if by chance, anyone be occupying in their perusal a leisure half-hour before he goes to bed when the night and the house are still, he may perchance cast an occasional glance into the corners and dark places of the room where he sits, to make sure that nothing unusual lurks in the shadow. For this is the avowed object of ghost stories and such tales as deal with the dim unseen forces which occasionally and perturbingly make themselves manifest. The author therefore fervently wishes his readers a few uncomfortable moments. Preface - by E.F. Benson