Open Court

Library Bookwatch, August, 2005

Open Court

315--5th Street, Peru, IL 61354-0300

www.opencourtbooks.com

By 2004 the International Baccalaureate programs had reached 116 countries around the world, fueled by U.S. promotion rapid growth, and a lasting influence on American educational standards and assessment policies. Jay Mathews & Ian Hill's Supertest: How The International Baccalaureate Can Strengthen Our Schools (0812695771 $29.95) deftly assesses the statistics about the Baccalaureate, including its impact on student chances for success in college and life. Chapters provide a history of the IB, its increasing introduction in American school systems, and how it makes a difference in the transition to college. Sounds like dry reading: but the concurrent story of one American high school that adopted the IB adds a personal flavor and human interest touch to the statistics and discussions. Timothy Shanahan edits Philosophy 9/11: Thinking About The War On Terrorism (0812695828, $29.95), a philosophical examination of the issues involved in classifying and combating terrorism as opposed to other kinds of violence. Philosophical scholars specializing in terrorist-related topics provide essays examining some of the founding ideas of the ethics of a 'just war' and its applications to how terrorism is handled.