Xpress Reviews—First Look at New Books
-- Library Journal, 10/01/2005
MYSTERIES IN BRIEF | NONFICTION
MYSTERIES IN BRIEF
Doss, James D. Shadow Man: A Charlie Moon Mystery. Minotaur: St. Martin's. Oct. 2005. c.336p. ISBN 0-312-34053-2. $23.95. M
Orthodontist Manfred Blinkoe swears he was the intended target of the bullet that killed a prosecuting attorney because immediately before the incident he saw his own danger-warning doppelgänger. He hires Ute tribal investigator Charlie Moon (The Witch's Tongue) to find the look-alike, but before Moon can succeed, Blinkoe is indeed murdered. For all series fans. Doss lives in New Mexico.
Heley, Veronica. Murder by Committee: An Ellie Quicke Mystery. Severn House. Oct. 2005. c.252p. ISBN 0-7278-6282-0. $28.95. M
Series heroine Ellie (Murder by Accident) tackles a pile of problems. In addition to a sick, elderly aunt, a financially perturbed daughter, and a cousin mixed up in a shady deal, she must deal with a nasty tycoon who believes he's the target of a killer. Genuine British satisfaction. Henley lives in West London.
Langton, Jane. Steeplechase: A Homer Kelly Mystery. Minotaur: St. Martin's. Nov. 2005. c.320p. ISBN 0-312-30195-2. $24.95. M
The term steeplechase here has nothing to do with horses; instead, Harvard professor Homer Kelly (The Deserter) and wife are looking for a lost church. The plot alternates between events in 1868 Nashoba, MA, and the present, centering on a crippled Civil War veteran and a giant chestnut tree. An imaginative story, supplemented with photographs illustrations. Langton lives in Lincoln, MA.
Meier, Leslie. New Year's Eve Murder: A Lucy Stone Mystery. Kensington. Nov. 2005. c.256p. ISBN 0-7582-0699-2. $22. M
Small-town series sleuth Lucy Stone (Star Spangled Murder) wins a mother-daughter makeover in Manhattan in a magazine promotion during the postholiday shopping rush. They are much impressed with the magazine until its fashion editor suspiciously sickens and dies. When her daughter exhibits similar symptoms, Lucy goes on the offensive. Solid series fun. Meier lives on Cape Cod, MA.
Pearce, Michael. A Dead Man in Istanbul. Carroll & Graf. Oct. 2005. c.208p. ISBN 0-7867-1597-9. $25. M
As this atmospheric historical series continues (A Dead Man in Trieste), special British investigator Seymour looks into the murder of the Second Secretary of the British Embassy in Istanbul. The time is tumultuous (1908) as the Ottoman Empire falls, and many look for war. Recommended.
Sims, Elizabeth. Easy Street: A Lillian Byrd Crime Story. Alyson, dist. by Consortium. Oct. 2005. c.246p. ISBN 1-55583-926-6. pap. $13.95. M
In order to make ends meet, the ever-penurious Lillian (Lucky Stiff) agrees to help a friend remodel her house. Complications arise, however, when a street person whom Lillian takes along is murdered in the boathouse. Quirky heroine, quaint plot. Sims, a Lambda Award winner, lives in Port Angeles, WA.
Dylan, Bob with text by Robert Santelli. The Bob Dylan Scrapbook, 1956–1966. S. & S. Sept. 2005. 64p. photogs. ISBN 0-7432-2828-6 [ISBN 978-0-7432-2828-2]. $45 with CD. MUSICAfter the publication of Chronicle, the first volume of Dylan's autobiography, and a host of books about his poetry (Christopher Ricks's Dylan's Visions of Sin) and songs (Greil Marcus's Like a Rolling Stone: Bob Dylan at the Crossroads), one would think that the mystical aura surrounding the bard from Hibbing, MN, would have lifted. That's hardly the case, of course, and fans can continue their investigations with this companion volume to Martin Scorsese's documentary, No Direction Home: Bob Dylan. Dylan's formative years are viewed via rare photographs, interviews, reproductions of handwritten lyrics, and a variety of removable objects—concert tickets, album cover facsimiles, and flyers for the film Don't Look Back. As with a book of this type, rare photos abound, and many show Dylan smiling widely or laughing in the studio with other musicians, a side of the artist not often seen. Santelli, who has edited several music books and works for Seattle's Experience Music Project, contributes a narrative taking readers from Dylan's Minnesota years to his New York sojourn, from his first album, Bob Dylan, to the groundbreaking Blonde on Blonde. There is also a CD of early interviews and outtakes from No Direction Home. While some of this information is available elsewhere in the vast Dylanology, the scrapbook captures Dylan's significance through the cultural artifacts associated with him. Most libraries will want to add this to their collections, even though the pull-out material is likely to disappear quickly.—Henry L. Carrigan Jr., Lancaster, PA
Gansler, Laura Leedy. The Mysterious Private Thompson: The Double Life of Sarah Emma Edmonds, Civil War Soldier. Free Pr: S. & S. 2005. 320p. illus. photogs. index. ISBN 0-7432-4280-7. $25. BIOG
Gansler (coauthor, Class Action: The Story of Lois Jenson and the Landmark Case That Changed Sexual Harassment Law) attempts to explore the enigma that was Sarah Emma Edmonds (1841–98), a woman who, in a time in which it was highly scandalous, decided to live her life disguised as a man and who ended up fighting for the Union cause in the Civil War. Born into a farming family in New Brunswick, Canada, Edmonds was a disappointment to her father, who was hoping for a healthy son. She left home at 17 and embarked on a life disguised as a man, Frank Thompson, first as a book salesman, finally as a Union soldier. Gansler takes the reader through Edmonds's early life but does not provide a clear picture as to what motivated her actions and decisions. She uses Edmonds's journals and those of others but does little to answer the major questions in the book: why did Edmonds impersonate a man? Did she really serve as a Union spy? What were her reasons for deserting the army in 1863? Who was this woman? This is the first full-length book on Edmonds, and it will be used as a basis for further study. Recommended for academic and university libraries. For a more general treatment of the subject, read Elizabeth D. Leonard's All the Daring of a Soldier: Women of the Civil War Armies.—Teri Shiel, Broome Cty. P.L., Binghamton, NY
Hester, Elliott. Adventures of a Continental Drifter: An Around-the-World Excursion into Weirdness, Danger, Lust, and the Perils of Street Food. St. Martin's. 2005. c.320p. ISBN 0-312-31241-5. $23.95. TRAV
Hester (Plane Insanity) had had it with his flight attendant job after 9/11. So when a rude vegetarian on a flight to Barbados shouted at him to "get away" after she didn't get her meatless meal, he took her advice, sold his worldly possessions, and set off on a round-the-globe adventure. One year, six continents, and 22 countries later, he's survived to tell the tale here. Starting in Miami and more or less heading west, Hester recounts his mishaps (and triumphs) along the way. Where to begin: with frisky Finns in a sauna, intestinal explosions in India, a sex scam in Russia, or a backed-up toilet in Argentina? Or how about with Hester rustling cattle in French Polynesia, playing power Scrabble in Sydney, or clubbing a trout to death in Estonia? This compelling, highly readable book is recommended for large public libraries.—Lee Arnold, Historical Soc. of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
Kaplan, Robert D. Imperial Grunts: The American Military on the Ground. Random. Sept. 2005. c.432p. maps. index. ISBN 1-4000-6132-6. $27.95. INT AFFAIRS
Journalist Kaplan, author of his own unique brand of geopolitical travel books (e.g., Balkan Ghosts), has written the first of two projected volumes on the American soldiers tasked with serving their country in the far-flung outposts of empire. This volume covers his experiences with troops in Yemen, Colombia, Mongolia, the Philippines, Afghanistan, Africa, and Iraq—areas of the world not covered in the nightly news but that nonetheless play a vital role in American foreign policy. Kaplan believes that a global American empire is a reality, that in recent years we have moved toward the apogee of that empire, and that we could soon see the beginning of a decline, much like Great Britain did in the early 20th century. The frustration of the soldiers with politicians in Washington and with the limitations placed on their work is as palatable as their pride in what they have accomplished in difficult circumstances. Kaplan allows their voices to come through unfettered, limiting himself to brief moments of the unabashed awe in which he holds these individuals. A highly readable, well-observed, and enjoyable work; recommended for all libraries. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 5/1/05.]—Brian DeLuca, Dover P.L., DE
Minden, Eliza Gaynor. The Ballet Companion: A Dancer's Guide to the Technique, Traditions, and Joys of Ballet. Fireside: S. & S. Oct. 2005. c.352p. illus. index. ISBN 0-7432-6407-X. $29.95. DANCE
Minden, president of a leading dancewear company and a dancer herself, has written a handy guidebook for young dancers that covers topics ranging from selecting a school to securing one's hair into a bun to staying healthy and free of injury. Often illustrated with a drawing or a photograph, each topic is addressed in a concise narrative that reads like a to-do list. More than 100 photographs of dancers Maria Riccetto and Benjamin Millepied demonstrating basic positions and orientations supplement the text. Understanding that all young dancers will be enriched by the history of ballet and its great dancers, Minden intersperses the practical information with historical snapshots in a feature called "Tour de Force." Readers are more likely to consult this book as a quick reference than read it from cover to cover; indeed, its design and arrangement suit that use particularly well in the last chapter, "Ballet Literacy," which lists "must-see" ballets, a glossary, and a historical time line. Recommended for public libraries.—Joan Stahl, Univ. of Maryland, College Park, MD
Of Women and Horses: More Expressions of the Magical Bond. Bowtie. 2005. 192p. ed. by GaWaNi Pony Boy. photogs. ISBN 1-931993-35-1. $39.95. PETS
GaWaNi Pony Boy, a well-known and respected horse trainer, offers his second essay collection about women's special relationships with horses. Horsewomen like Alexandra Layos, a 17-year-old junior editor for the show horse magazine Saddle & Bridle, and artists such as Pat Roberts, whose sculptures can be found in the collections of England's royal family, contribute writing and often art. Unfortunately, the book's organization is confusing. If the reader were interested in connecting an essayist to her art, it would take quite a bit of searching and perhaps a magnifying glass to find the name of the artist on her work; it would have also been more useful had the author organized the biographical paragraphs to precede the author's essay rather than follow at the end of the book. Still, readers who enjoyed Mary D. Midkiff's She Flies Without Wings: How Horses Touch a Woman's Soul and Linda Kohanov's The Tao of Equus: A Woman's Journey of Healing and Transformation Through the Way of the Horse will like this book. Recommended for medium and large public libraries.—Patsy E. Gray, Huntsville P.L., AL
Segell, Michael. The Devil's Horn: The Story of the Saxophone, from Noisy Novelty to King of Cool. Farrar. Oct. 2005. c.320p. illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 0-374-15938-6 [ISBN 978-0-374-15938-2]. $24. FILM
The traumatic birth of the saxophone from the fervent mind and acoustical craftsmanship of Adolphe Sax in Belgium and, later, in Paris; the instrument's role in connecting Brussels and scattered bits of Europe to, of all places, Elkhart, IN; and its having changed the face and sound of music throughout the world make up the meat of this thrilling biography. Among those key accomplishments, Daily News editor Segell serves up plenty of political machination and skullduggery, including an indictment of the instrument by a pope, proclamations of support from European heads of state, and lifelong legal haggling and battles with its inventor. Military bands, composers and orchestras, American elementary and secondary school music programs at the turn of the 20th century, recordings, and musicians all played a part in making the saxophone—including the soprano, alto, tenor, baritone, and sopranino—the ubiquitous music maker of today. A most fascinating, 160-year adventure for all but the most discriminatingly snooty public and academic libraries.—William Kenz, Minnesota State Univ. Lib., Moorhead
Simon, John. John Simon on Theater: Criticism, 1974–2003. Applause. 2005. c.832p. ISBN 1-55783-505-5. $32.95. Simon, John. John Simon on Film: Criticism, 1982–2001. Applause. 2005. c.672p. ISBN 1-55783-507-1. $29.95. Simon, John. John Simon on Music: Criticism, 1979–2005. c.456p. ISBN 1-55783-506-3. $27.95.
ea. vol: Applause. 2005. index. THEATER
These volumes contain selected reviews and essays, thus impressing readers with the incredible output of critic John Simon, who turned 80 in May. Culled from sources like The New York Review of Books, Opera News, the National Review, and the New Leader, the writings are arranged chronologically, so a comprehensive index will be required for these titles to be helpful to the researcher (not available at the time of review). While individuals have and will continue to argue with Simon's opinions and analyses, one cannot disagree that the man could write well, knew how to make his points, and took no prisoners. The following examples illustrate a peerless phrase maker: "No justification or apology is tendered, however, for [Arthur] Miller's dreadful writing, for his pompousness, pretentiousness, and formlessness, for his actionless wordiness, and for the dismalness of those endless words. For the insult to the intelligence that is After the Fall, there is indeed no forgiveness"; "There is not a song here that is—never mind memorable—a song"; and lastly, "Even standing, he dances with his facial expressions: when he starts moving, Burge burgeons, flowers, erupts, and conquers." These three volumes provide endless pleasurable reading to lovers of theater, music, and film—and will often infuriate those who disagree with Simon's statements. Highly recommended for performing arts collections in large public and academic libraries.—Susan L. Peters, Univ. of Texas, Galveston
Biggar, Trisha. Dressing A Galaxy: The Costumes of Star Wars. 215p. ISBN 0-8109-6567-4. $50.
Knoll, John. Creating the Worlds of Star Wars: 365 Days. 744p. ISBN 0-8109-5936-4. illus. $29.95.
ea. vol: Abrams. Oct. 2005. illus. FILM
For diehard Star Wars junkies, Knoll’s Creating the Worlds of Star Wars: 365 Days and Biggar’s Dressing a Galaxy: The Costumes of Star Wars can be summed up succinctly in two words: Oh mama! Knoll, visual effects supervisor at Star Wars’ creator George Lucas’s FX shop, Industrial Light and Magic, takes fans on a light-speed tour of the complete saga through 1000 color and monochrome pix (many unique to this title) with captions. 365 Days confirms what fans long have suspected—and hoped—that there are many never-before-seen original trilogy (OT) pix still squirreled away in Uncle George’s archives. While the book chronicles all six episodes, it’s the absolute killer OT material (e.g., Millennium Falcon, X-Wing, and Y-Wing cockpits; Kenobi hut interior; and McQuarrie concept Vader armor) that will have fanboys pouncing on this one like Jawas on a junk pile and wishing a year were longer. As if it didn’t already rock the Kasbah, this book also includes a CD-ROM sporting manipulable 360° panoramic pix and video clips. All that for $30 makes it this year’s must have Star Wars title. Biggar’s Dressing essentially is a gallery exhibiting her work as the prequel films’ wardrobe designer. Typical of Abrams, the 300+ costume photos are superb, and Biggar provides details on the concepts behind and materials used to elaborately outfit Jedis, Siths, princesses, and politicians (note to the publisher: a similar treatment for the OT films’ costumes would be much appreciated). The book offers a preface by Lucas and is capped with a wonderful six-page index of thumbnail photos of the costumes from the entire series. To legions worldwide for whom Star Wars is a religion, there is no such thing as too much information or too many insider pix, making 365 Days and Dressing a Galaxy warmly welcomed.—Michael Rogers, LJ
Baréma, Jean. The Test: Living in the Shadow of Huntington's Disease. Franklin Square: Harper's Magazine. Oct. 2005. c.160p. ISBN 1-879957-57-4. pap. $14.95. HEALTH
Journalist Baréma offers a glimpse into the terror and upheaval that Huntington's disease and the process of identifying its gene can unleash. Should he take the test that will reveal whether he shares the fate of his suffering mother and siblings? Is he on the lucky half of the 50-50 odds? For five years, Baréma whipsaws among Xanax-induced calm, monk-instilled hope, depression, and his memories of his mother's last days; he alienates tyrannical supervisors, greater appreciates his patient and supportive wife, and wonders if "people always fall in love with their doctor." At last, he decides to proceed with the test. By the end of this engrossing and disturbing account, more suspense memoir than medical account, readers are as anxious as Baréma to know the result. Originally published in France to high acclaim, this short, fast-paced read is highly recommended for medical and hospital libraries; public library patrons will also appreciate it.—Cleo Pappas, La Grange Memorial Hosp. Lib., IL
Emerson, Ken. Always Magic in the Air: The Bomp and Brilliance of the Brill Building Era. Viking. Oct. 2005. c.320p. bibliog. index. ISBN 0-670-03456-8. $25.95. MUSIC
Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller; Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman; Burt Bacharach and Hal David; Neil Sedaka and Howard Greenfield; Carole King and Gerry Goffin; Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil; and Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich. Collectively, these songwriters were responsible for some of the most recognizable songs of the mid-20th century, including Elvis Presley's "Jailhouse Rock" and Dionne Warwick's "Walk on By." Emerson (Doo-Dah!: Stephen Foster and the Rise of American Popular Culture) offers a group biography of these talents who were associated with the Brill Building, the equally famous property at 1650 Broadway, and other nearby addresses in Manhattan, paying particular attention to the cultural and historical context. He claims that his subjects were largely responsible for steering rock into the American mainstream, even though as a group they were quite eclectic. While championing the music and achievements of the "Brill sound," he notes the music's artistic unevenness and critics (including Paul Simon and Bob Dylan). This fascinating, anecdote-filled portrait is an important contribution to understanding a seminal period in American popular culture; recommended for all libraries.—Bruce R. Schueneman, Texas A&M Univ. Lib., Kingsville
Garr, Teri with Henriette Mantel. Speedbumps: Flooring it Through Hollywood. Hudson Street. Nov. 2005. c.224p. ISBN 1-59463-007-0. $23.95. FILM
Garr, who perfected the loopy but loveable wife/girlfriend in such films as Mr. Mom, Oh, God!, and Tootsie, may surprise fans with this candid memoir that belies her image. The daughter of show biz parents (Dad was a comic, Mom a Rockette), Garr led a peripatetic childhood, starting as a dancer in musical road shows and on TV's Shindig. After many one-liners and commercials, she landed roles in The Conversation and Young Frankenstein. All went according to plan despite nagging physical problems that would come and go. After 20 years of tests and treatments, she was finally diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS). According to Garr, she was able to hide her symptoms until gossiping friends "outed" her, and her career ended. Now she travels the United States raising awareness about MS. Film students and celebrity watchers will soak up her frank assessments of co-stars and clear picture of what it takes to succeed in Hollywood. Those with MS and their loved ones will also find support. Recommended for all libraries.—Rosellen Brewer, Sno-Isle Libs., Marysville, WA
Karpinski, Janis with Steven Strasser. One Woman's Army: The Commanding General of Abu Ghraib Tells Her Story. Miramax: Hyperion. Sept. 2005. c.336p. photogs. ISBN 1-4013-5247-2. $24.95. AUTOBIOG
With former Newsweek editor Strasser (editor, The Abu Ghraib Investigations), Karpinski traces her military career and points out the challenges that women faced within the old-boy network. In 1977, just as the all-volunteer military was taking off, Karpinski left teaching and joined the army to begin training as an officer. Over the next 25 years, she advanced by taking on unusual, challenging assignments and continually attempting to compete with men on their level. Eventually, she left active duty for the U.S. Army Reserve and accepted an assignment in the United Arab Emirates to develop a military school for women. Nearly half of Karpinski's book, however, is devoted to her stint as the commanding general of Abu Ghraib. There are careful descriptions of conditions in Iraq and the challenges that the Army Reserve Military Police units faced in rebuilding the prisons and guarding the prisoners; Karpinski also clearly establishes her difficulties working with a badly broken chain of command. Her memoir convincingly demonstrates that Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez and his staff made her the scapegoat for the Abu Ghraib scandal because she was a reservist and a woman. Recommended for public and academic libraries.—Jill Ortner, SUNY at Buffalo Libs.
Markova, Dawna. The SMART Parenting Revolution: A Powerful New Approach to Unleashing Your Child's Potential. Ballantine. 2005. c.240p. ISBN 0-345-48245-X. $23.95. CHILD REARING
Markova is known for her writing on learning and perception and as the co-creator of Random Acts of Kindness. In her latest book, she observes that parents usually focus on correcting their children's mistakes and suggests an alternative strategy: focusing on building up kids' unique assets, which will instill a strong sense of self-worth and life purpose. Parents and children are encouraged to explore five categories of personal assets denoted by the mnemonic device "SMART": S is for success, the child's accomplishments; M for mind patterns, what helps the child concentrate and make decisions; A for attractions, the things that interest your child; R for resources, the people, places, and tools available for support; and T for thinking talents, innate ways of thinking at which the child excels and can develop into excellence. While her strategies to guide parents in helping their children reach their full potential make sense and should be easy to follow, Markova does not offer any hard research to back her methods. Readers may be more comfortable with books like Marian Diamond and Janet Hopson's Magic Trees of the Mind. For larger parenting collections.—Walter J. Cegelka, St. Thomas Univ., Miami
Redmond, Geoffrey. The Hormonally Vulnerable Woman. ReganBks: HarperCollins. Sept. 2005. 480p. ISBN 0-06-082553-7. $25.95. HEALTH
Hormones regulate essential body functions like metabolism, the sleep-wake cycle, and reproduction; as long as they stay in balance, everything works well. Women, however, are very susceptible to what endocrinologist Redmond (director, Hormone Ctr. of New York) calls "hormonal vulnerability"—more than 42 million women between the ages of 35 and 55, in fact, suffer from this condition, exhibiting symptoms of mood swings, hair loss, acne, and sexual dysfunction. While many physicians ignore or dismiss these cases upon finding no abnormalities, Redmond recommends a blend of traditional (birth control pills) and alternative (herbs) therapies, stressing that the treatment must be tailored to the individual. (For the record, he recommends using the lowest possible dose of natural estrogen when necessary.) Redmond's caring attitude and moderate approach will appeal to many women; recommended for women's health and consumer health collections.—Barbara M. Bibel, Oakland P.L., CA
SportingNews Eds. SportingNews Selects Pro Football's Greatest Quarterbacks. Sporting News. Sept. 2005. c.224p. photogs. ISBN 0-89204-819-0 [ISBN 978-0-89204-819-9]. $24.95. SPORTS
Who is the greatest NFL quarterback? A difficult question to answer, but this book, produced by the editors of SportingNews, does a fine job providing the information necessary to make that call. It is full of history and seasoned opinions as to what constitutes a great quarterback. The first chapter is titled "How to Define Greatness," and it's important to start here to dispel the mindset that only quarterbacks who play in a Super Bowl can be considered great. The next section is a conversation with five longtime NFL personnel directors who discuss the perfect quarterback. The main part of the book is a listing of the top 50 quarterbacks, with entries including photographs, career history, and statistics of the quarterback featured. A useful segment at the end lists the top five quarterbacks by team. Football fans will enjoy deciding whether they agree with the editors' choices. An excellent addition to any football collection; it was produced with four different cover versions: Johnny Unitas, Joe Montana, Roger Staubach, and Brett Favre.—Kimberley Robles-Smith, California State Univ. Lib., Fresno
