Recently released books

The following is a list of some recently released books that have crossed our desks.

"KERPLUNK!" by Patrick F. McManus, Simon & Schuster, $13 (paperback)

"Kerplunk!" is a collection of short stories, all of which first appeared in Outdoor Life. Well-known humorist McManus recounts the exploits and foibles of people who appreciate an unproductive afternoon spent fly fishing, even if the fish aren't biting.

"MR. CAVENDISH, I PRESUME," by Julia Quinn, Avon Books, $7.99 (paperback)

A follow-up to Quinn's earlier book, "Lost Duke of Wyndham." Thomas Cavendish finds himself in danger of losing his title, his heritage and his love to the a highwayman with an uncanny resemblance to the deceased Duke John Wyndham, whom the dowager duchess adamantly insists is the true heir to the estate.

"TURNING BACK THE CLOCK: Hot Wars and Media Populism," by Umberto Eco, Harvest, 384 pages, $15 (paperback)

A collection of articles and speeches written between 200 and 2005. Umberto Eco examines a wide range of phenomena, from Harry Potter and the Tower of Babel to talk shows and the "Da Vinci Code" under the premise that history is going backwards. In the second part of the book, he writes about media populism and the commitment to be "disagreeable" about it.

"A MATTER OF JUSTICE: Eisenhower and the Beginning of the Civil Rights Revolution," by David A. Nichols, Simon & Schuster, $16

A look at Eisenhower and civil rights. Nichols replaces the mildly racist president that historians have traditionally portrayed with an Eisenhower who was fully engaged in the legal fight for civil rights for African Americans in the 1950s. Eisenhower introduced and pushed through Congress the first civil rights legislation in 82 years, completed the integration of the armed forces, desegregated the District of Columbia, and made judicial appointments that advanced the cause of civil rights longer after his term ended. Nichols is the first historian to mine the archives of the Eisenhower Presidential Library for documents pertaining to civil rights.

"THANKSGIVING: The True Story," by Penny Colman, Henry Holt and Company, $18.95

A review of the origins and celebrations associated with the holiday. Colman uses poetry, folk songs, newspaper clippings and interviews to shed new light on our traditional ideas of the first Thanksgiving. Although written for ages 10-16, it may be interesting to anyone interested in American traditions.

"PAUL OF DUNE," by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson, Tor Books, $27.95