The Meadows of Gold by Masudi (Routledge, $48). This is a 10th-century collection of medieval Arab histories. Some are full-fledged and engrossing. Others are sketchy and tantalizing, such as the story of a thief who, challenged to steal something from a guarded house, pretends to be a divine messenger in order to steal the owner. Among Warriors by Pamela Logan (Overlook, $15). So you're an aerospace scientist and a mechanical engineer with a black belt in karate.