Spirit’s monthly roundup of what’s new in books, television, movies, and the Web.

DVD

Tinkerbell
Experience Peter Pan’s pint-sized sidekick in all her CG glory on Oct. 28 in Tinker Bell. In her first starring role, Tink (voiced by Independence Day’s Mae Whitman) shows us her early roots in Pixie Hollow, where every fairy has a special talent. But when she tries to trade in her ‘tinker’ talent, Tink’s four winged girlfriends (voiced by America Ferrera, Raven-Symoné, Kristin Chenoweth, and Lucy Liu) must step in to show her how important she is to Neverland. After the movie, kids can hit up bonus features like a magical guide to Pixie Hollow and four games that test their tinker-fairy skills.

BLOG

Futurismic
THE SETUP:  Gurus and geeks debate science, tech, and the occasional sci-fi short story.   
FORWARD THINKERS:  Futurismic contains a little bit of everything for tech and science lovers. When big news breaks, you can find a blog post or a column dealing with, say, the confirmation of water on Mars. If you just need a quick escape, click the fiction tab and read a short story set in outer space or virtual reality.
BIG IDEAS:  A recently posted item covers efforts in the medical field to reverse aging. Every Friday, readers can also get a roundup of the best free science fiction on the Web. 

HARDCOVER

Hello, Everybody! The Dawn of American Radio
IN A NUTSHELL:  Radio veteran Anthony Rudel takes a look at the early years of his medium, when broadcasting pioneers laid the groundwork for everything we hear now—even Howard Stern.
ACROSS THE DIAL:  As he tracks radio’s evolution from 1920 to 1932, Rudel draws parallels between early programs and today’s broadcasts. Turns out, radio presidential addresses were always that boring: One critic described Warren G. Harding’s speeches as “an army of pompous phrases moving over the landscape in search of an idea.”
NOW HEAR THIS:  Rudel begins his book with a wild tale about a small-town doctor, the publisher of the L.A. Times, and a cure for impotence involving goat glands. And you thought a history of radio would put you to sleep.
GET IT:  Oct. 6

TELEVISION

Life on Mars
Talk about a blast from the past: When he gets hit by a car, NYPD Detective Sam Tyler (Jason O’Mara) hurtles back 35 years to 1973 New York City. As Sam tries to return to 2008—and his girlfriend, played by former Cosby kid Lisa Bonet—he keeps working in the precinct, though he must learn how to solve crimes without 21st-century technology. This remake of the popular British TV show, premiering Oct. 9 on ABC, also features a rough-and-tumble detective and, of course, a hippie neighbor.

PAPERBACK

Face to Face: How To Reclaim the Personal Touch in a Digital World
SYNOPSIS:  How to Work a Room author Susan RoAne offers advice on fostering human connections in today’s tech-driven business world.
TALK TO ME:  RoAne believes modern workers need what she calls “surf and turf” skills: the ability to use the Internet and other technology but also feel comfortable in face-to-face interactions. She provides advice for dealing with things like small talk, business lunches, and office politics. Scattered throughout the book, you’ll also find helpful “Hot Tips,” like keeping a list of the compliments you receive, since you might learn resume-bolstering things about yourself.
GET IT:  Oct. 7

WEBSITE

Cool Tools
THE CLAIM:  “We post things we like and ignore the rest.”
USERS STRIKE BACK:  On this review site, run by Kevin Kelly, editor-at-large for Wired, readers post reviews of their favorite “cool tools,” however they interpret the word. So you can read about everything from software and websites to books and gadgets (“I took a SteriPEN to Africa for three months this summer and the verdict is in: It’s the best water purifier you can carry without a tractor-trailer”). Also on the site, you’ll find helpful user-submitted tips, like making a Frisbee out of a paper bag and using white vinegar to clean your toilet bowl. Handy categories such as “somatics” and “play” help you find detailed reviews of a digital watch that monitors your sleep cycle or a chemistry experiment book your kids can use at home.

MOVIE

Flash of Genius
Windshield wipers go Hollywood on Oct. 3. In this true David-meets-Goliath story, inventor Robert Kearns (played by Greg Kinnear) designs an intermittent windshield wiper in the early ’60s, a feat the engineers on Big Auto’s payroll couldn’t do. But when newly upgraded cars begin rolling off the assembly line, Kearns receives no payment or credit for his invention. That sets off one of history’s most lopsided legal battles, as Kearns drags Ford into court to set the record straight and get paid. Alan Alda and Lauren Graham round out a cast of relative newcomers to tell the true tale.