Science and Technology

By Staff -- Library Journal, 10/1/2006

Agriculture

In recent years, there has been an increased focus on holistic healthcare and alternatives to traditional treatment options in human medicine. It should come as no surprise, then, that this focus also extends to the area of veterinary care. In Whole Health, author Arora, who applies holistic methods toward the treatment of cats, writes clearly and comprehensively on the subject of cat health. Chapters cover basics (body care, grooming, skin conditions), feeding (requirements, raw diets, safety concerns, supplements, recipes), routine vet care (choosing a vet, vaccinations, spaying/neutering, tests), the treatment of minor ailments (e.g., parasites, litter box issues), and cat behavior. The book concludes with references, resources, and a thorough index. Arora’s well-organized and well-illustrated resource is an excellent introduction to the subject that will not overwhelm the reader.

Whole Pet Diet addresses health concerns in dogs and cats from the preventative nutrition angle. Believing that our pets are what they eat, author Brown maps out an entire program that any pet owner can understand and follow. She assesses your pet’s condition; provides weekly food and exercise tracking charts and a weekly “checkup” guide; discusses vitamins and supplements; and shares many recipes and helpful tips. She concludes with suggestions for further reading and an index. Both authors are knowledgeable in their respective fields and include the usual precautions and disclaimers about following the advice of your veterinarian to ensure that the health and welfare of your pet is not compromised. Both titles are recommended, especially where interest in pets is high.—Edell M. Schaefer, Brookfield P.L., WI

Here is an excellent overview of this mainstay of the old-fashioned perennial garden, the romantic peony. McGeorge (former editor, New Zealand Gardener) and garden and landscape photographer Russell McGeorge (with Pamela McGeorge, Irises) offer a volume that is geared to a North American audience, paying full mind to appropriate planting zones. They provide a historical and cultural overview of this “fattest and most scrumptious of all flowers” and then cover the two main groups, the herbaceous garden peonies and the woody tree peonies, as well as the crosses between them. The text will remind gardeners what exceptionally long-lived and trouble-free plants these are, how broad and subtly diverse their color range is, provide clear pointers for avoiding complications with your plants, and describe how to increase their number through division of rootstock and other methods. The enticing photographs will surely turn the most tentative new planter into a peony enthusiast. While peony titles from Timber Press by Allan Rogers and Martin Page offer more scientific and commercial instruction, this volume makes a lovely offering for general readers in public libraries, keeping us aware of the magnificent and expansive beauty—and easy care—of the peony.—Margaret Heilbrun, Library Journal

Primal therapy enjoyed a vogue in the United States in the 1970s, when Janov’s (director, Primal Ctr., Venice, CA) Primal Scream was a best seller and Beatle John Lennon credited his therapy sessions with the author as the crucial catalyst in unleashing his creativity. However, it was never subjected to clinical studies of its effectiveness (no such studies are listed in Medline for the years 1965–2006), and the current volume is published by a press that specializes in New Age books. Therefore, the first question librarians must ask themselves is whether any current, noncritical book on primal therapy is worthy of purchase. If so, Primal Healing will serve as well as any: written in a popular style, it presents Janov’s basic ideas and is illustrated by case histories. Among the questions Janov poses and answers are, “How do feelings evolve?” “What are the three different levels of consciousness?” and “How are memories formed?” Recommended at librarians’ discretion.—Sarah Boslaugh, BJC HealthCare, St. Louis

While food is ubiquitously available in our country, nutritious food is difficult to find, and it is becoming increasingly hard to discern the nutritious from the junky. This is exactly what Big Food wants, according to public health attorney Simon (Hastings Coll. of the Law, Univ. of California; founder, Ctr. for Informed Food Choices). This exposé of Big Food’s unethical behavior and devious marketing strategies is a convincing call to action. Simon, a vegan, does not offer readers advice on changing their diet. Instead, she proffers tips on how to see through corporate rhetoric that does not match with reality and how to protect children from junk-food marketing. Concerned parents will no doubt find this an especially valuable tool. Appendixes provide a glossary to understanding corporate-speak, a guide to industry front-groups, a breakdown of the myths debunked throughout the book, and resources for those who want to effect change. An essential purchase for public health collections, this book is recommended for public and academic libraries as a follow-up to Eric Schlosser’s Fast Food Nation and Marion Nestle’s Food Politics: How the Food Industry Influences Nutrition and Health.—Mindy Rhiger, St. Paul

Sloan (behavioral medicine, Columbia Univ.) believes the emerging efforts to link religion with medicine could result in “a potentially explosive mixture.” With insightful analyses and logical arguments, he addresses three questions: “Do the efforts to link religion and health represent good science? Do they represent good medicine? Do they represent good religion?” After reviewing the universally accepted requirements of scientific methodology, Sloan reveals the misrepresentations, underlying weaknesses, and undesirability of many studies that suggest “doctors should treat religious activities in the same way they treat health behaviors” and how such efforts demean both religion and medicine. Masking social and moral ideologies in a hard-science wrapping, he posits, creates distortions unwanted in both medicine and religion. This timely, educational, and objective treatise reiterates that science and religion are independent, nonoverlapping domains and that misplaced “scientific” efforts to mix them can have entangling consequences that neither domain has foreseen. Highly recommended as an instructive and informative book for both scientific and humanistic collections.—James Swanton, Harlem Hosp. Lib., New York

Following up her previous books on health (e.g., The Sexy Years), Somers discusses bioidentical hormone replacement therapy as a tool for arresting the aging process. She recounts her own experiences and interviews others, both patients and doctors, who share her enthusiasm. The book is easy to read and may catch the attention of anyone over 35. On closer examination, however, her claims are not strongly substantiated. The so-called scientific explanations seem quite plausible, but solid research is sparse. Moreover, Somers contradicts herself on more than one occasion and makes several errors in fact, claiming, for example, that men’s sexual peak is in middle age. There may well be something to her thesis, but more solid evidence is needed. Recommended only where there is demand.—Susan B. Hagloch, formerly with Tuscarawas Cty. P.L., New Philadelphia, OH

This book by the American Academy of Pediatrics focuses primarily on the physical, sensory, mental, social, and emotional development of babies and children up to five years of age. Pediatrician Altmann, a columnist for Los Angeles Family magazine, provides very detailed descriptions and a month-by-month chain of events for all aspects of development—e.g., the steps in sitting up without support; the stages of reaching, grasping, and holding; and the growth of self-perception. Although this format is great for learning all about one aspect of development, parents cannot look up their child’s age and find all the milestones for that age in one place. Corinne Roberts’s “Johnson’s Child Development” series alternately covers one year or a few months of a child’s development, making age-related inquiries easier to answer. Nevertheless, this well-written book will help parents get basic information about important developmental milestones, developmental concerns, and factors affecting development. Throughout the book, activities, games, and tips help parents enhance their child’s growth. Recommended for large public libraries. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 6/1/06.]—Maryse Breton, Syracuse, NY

Nutritionist, syndicated columnist (the “Dinner Diva”), and cooking personality Ely adds this latest volume in her series (e.g., Saving Dinner the Low-Carb Way) aimed at beginning cooks.The fundamentals of cooking are covered in an easy, colloquial style: topics include choosing utensils, cookware, and knives; stocking a pantry; selecting fruit, meat, and fish; and laying a table. Interspersed throughout are recipes that should accommodate a wide range of tastes. The author particularly focuses on salads, soups, and a variety of one- and two-step meals, as well as recipes that can be quickly assembled with pantry staples. Instructions are clear, and helpful diagrams are included where appropriate. Opinionated and humorous, Ely has succeeded in creating a nonthreatening introduction to cooking that will also assist those who are more experienced in the kitchen. Recommended for public libraries.—Courtney Greene, DePaul Univ. Lib., Chicago

Cooking turkey for Thanksgiving must be one of the biggest challenges to the home chef. A USA Today article notes that in 25 years there have been nearly three million calls to the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line. Ferguson brings 14 years of advice, stories, and recipes to the table. The strength of Talk Turkey is the wide variety of methods Ferguson provides for cooking the bird, from the simple to the unexpected, such as microwaving, boiling or stewing, and using a crockpot. Another chapter troubleshoots various scenarios, e.g., power outages. Interspersed within the advice are questions, many of them humorous, posed to the Talk Line in the past. The recipes featured are very basic (deviled eggs, green bean casserole), and most (or a version of them) can be easily found on the web for free. An optional purchase for public libraries with large cookbook collections.—Kimberly Bartosz, Univ. of Wisconsin-Parkside, Kenosha

Golding (psychology, Univ. of California, San Francisco) is a psychologist in private practice who works with children. Here she writes about sharing picture books with children as a means of acknowledging their feelings, helping them to process their experiences, and promoting empathy, hope, and self-understanding. The author selected more than 500 picture books that, in her opinion, have positive value for promoting children’s development and teaching them coping strategies. The chapters are broken down into nine basic categories of childhood issues. Each chapter has an introduction followed by an A–Z listing of picture books on the chapter’s topic. The 34 topics covered in the book are a good representation of issues; however, injuries/accidents and special needs are not addressed. Listings include publishing information, a description, a suggested age range, the main character’s cultural background, and cultural context. Golding recommends that adults first review the lists and read the books they feel are most appropriate before choosing one for their child. Healing Stories empowers parents to promote development and healing in children through books in a fun, helpful manner. The quality of her selections is excellent. Recommended for public libraries.—Kari Ramstrom, Hennepin Cty. P.L., MN

This is not your usual college admissions book. Rather, it is a parenting book that deals with a highly stressful period in many families’ lives: the college admissions process. Jones (dean of admissions, MIT) considers why this process is so stressful and presents practical tips for parents to guide their teens toward the right college for them, while Ginsburg (pediatrics, Univ. of Pennsylvania Sch. of Medicine) speaks to stress management, e.g., the value of free time, building confidence, and avoiding negativity. Most of Ginsburg’s strategies are valuable for parents in general, not just parents of collegebound teens. Both authors encourage parents to allow their teens to do the admissions work themselves, emphasizing that this is their initiation into adulthood. Finally, in the last two sections, the authors condense the information from the book and orient it toward teens. Somewhat repetitive, the book is perfect for reading a chapter here and there as needed. Parents of college-bound youth will no doubt find it a valuable resource even before their teens start looking at colleges. Suitable for public libraries.—Mindy Rhiger, St. Paul

This is a comprehensive handbook for people who are new to the world of refined dining. Rush, a contributing writer for Cosmopolitan magazine, offers hints on how to handle restaurant staff, proper table manners, how to read a menu (with tips on food in foreign languages), basic wine education, which drinks are appropriate for which course, how to order cheese, as well as where to go for more information. Rush’s writing is clear and concise, with a soupçon of humor, as she ably demonstrates her way around fine eateries. Whether you just got a fantastic job, are trying to impress future in-laws, or perhaps will be traveling to a new city and would like to have a nice meal, this is the book for you! All libraries should order a copy for their shelves.—Jennifer A. Wickes,Garden Plate Magazine, Pine Beach, NJ

Scott-Goodman has written several cookbooks (e.g., The Beach House Cookbook), and Doner, an editor for the magazine Diabetes Focus, has written books on health issues (Hepatitis C Help Book). Together they have crafted this work on diabetic cooking for special occasions that everyone in the family can enjoy. Although there are sample menus (cocktail party, birthday dinner, etc.) included, the majority of recipes are arranged by type (such as side dish, dessert, or main course). The recipes require some familiarity with the kitchen, although the page layout is clean and easy to read. The authors stress the importance of variety in flavors and ingredients, and scattered throughout are tips on eating healthy and incorporating flavors into everyday cooking. An index (unseen by the reviewer) is included as well as nutritional information for diabetics at the end of each recipe. While not essential, this book will be a useful addition to many public libraries.—Virginia Wolter, West Toledo Branch Lib.

In this first solo publishing effort, playwright and comedic actress Sedaris (coauthor, The Book of Liz) shares with readers her collection of quirky, idiosyncratic tips on entertaining garnered from her mom, Girl Scouts, waiting tables, bartending school, and other eclectic sources. Though the lion’s share of the book is devoted to what she calls her “personal jackpot recipes” (for such colorfully named dishes as “Brenda’s Vulgar Barbeque Sauce”), Sedaris also includes creative ideas for themed parties, instructions for wacky craft projects (mostly made out of retired pantyhose), and advice on gift-giving for everyone from nuns, priests, and children to the divorced man in the office and women in early menopause. Bearing in mind that the book’s subtitle refers to substances the author euphemistically calls “party enhancers,” public libraries will no doubt find an audience for this wild and irreverent guide. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 6/15/06.]—Deborah Ebster, Univ. of Central Florida Libs., Orlando

Most of the 1200 recipes in this book were contributed by readers and tested in the Taste of Home kitchen. These are not gourmet recipes but plain, comfort food from America’s heartland. Chapters are arranged by type, beginning with appetizers and beverages and ending with candies, plus a section of “light and tasty” dishes. There is lots of useful information here: a description of ingredients; measuring, chopping, and cooking techniques; storage guidelines; and even examples of table settings for informal and formal meals. Presented in a five-ring binder, with tabs designating the chapters, numerous color photographs enhance the clearly written, uncomplicated recipes. A good basic source reminiscent of cookbooks of the 1960s and 1970s; recommended for libraries that have aspiring cooks, not chefs.—Christine Bulson, SUNY at Oneonta Lib.

The Way To Make Wine is a concise and readable handbook by Warrick, a Northern California winemaker and magazine editor. Focusing on dry table wines, he demystifies winemaking for the amateur vintner with informative chapters on equipping a home winery, supplies needed (grapes, wine yeast), and fermentation. Chapters are laid out in a logical sequence along with sidebars offering good tips. A step-by-step recap of the winemaking process detailed in previous chapters is an added bonus as are the checklists and tables. A list of suppliers and laboratories and a short bibliography are included. Recommended for academic and medium to large public libraries.—Christine Holmes, San Jose State Univ. Lib., CA

Aczel, a visiting scholar at Harvard, mathematician, and author of popular scientific books (Fermat’s Last Theorem), examines the mystique behind the Bourbaki movement. In 1934, a small group of mostly French mathematicians met to reinvent a new math based on a pedagogy of rigorous proofs, clarity, and logical thinking. The group invented a fictitious persona, “Nicolas Bourbaki,” as a pseudonym under which to author their collective work. Presenting the fascinating story behind the publication of over 40 tomes collectively titled Éléments de mathématique, Aczel describes the group’s cultural context, eccentricities, informal rules, and practices of engagement and offers biographical sketches of such influential members as André Weil and Alexandre Grothendieck. Writing in an accessible, conversational style that excludes mathematical proofs, Aczel paints a clear picture of the Bourbaki movement and how it has influenced the way mathematics should be discussed and learned. Suitable for undergraduate libraries and all mathematicians.—Ian Gordon, Brock Univ. Lib., St. Catharines, Ont.

Leading geneticist Carroll (genetics, Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison; Endless Forms Most Beautiful: The New Science of Evo-Devo), an investigator at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, presents new discoveries gathered from DNA evidence that confirm Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution “beyond any reasonable doubt.” Over the last two decades, biologists have mined the DNA record for insights into how species have evolved on the planet. These biologists have proved that every evolutionary change in each individual species involves specific changes in the DNA record that enable species to adapt to diverse habitats and “evolve new lifestyles.” Readers will gain insight into the evolutionary process and expand their knowledge of how the “fittest” species were made, from fish that live in subfreezing water to birds that communicate via ultraviolet colors. According to Carroll, these new discoveries demolish the major arguments against biological evolution as promulgated by antievolutionists. Students and teachers of biology will particularly benefit from his readable treatment of the evolutionary process. An essential addition to every school, public, and academic library. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 6/1/06.]—Victoria Shelton, George Mason Univ. Libs., Manassas, VA

For anyone who’s ever wondered about the physics behind the universe at large, Gribbin (visiting fellow, astronomy, Univ. of Sussex; In Search of Schrödinger’s Cat: Quantum Physics and Reality) has provided a fairly in-depth look at physicists’ current understanding of its beginning (the Big Bang), its evolution to its current state, and its eventual fate. Gribbin makes the distinction between “what we think we know” and “what we think we know” to help the reader understand how physicists have reached the conclusions he’s presenting. Aimed at a somewhat educated audience, the text is nonetheless written for the lay reader, i.e., one who has an interest in both particle physics and astrophysics but has not necessarily studied either. His style makes the subject matter more approachable as he explains the links between the two subdisciplines, namely, how astrophysics can provide insight into and confirmation of the theories in particle physics. An accessible read, Origins of the Future will make a fine addition to any general science collection. Recommended.—Marcia R. Franklin, MS, MLIS, St. Paul

This gorgeous book is the product of Swiss photographer Marent’s passion for exploring rainforests on five continents and over 16 years. His spectacularly beautiful photographs show much about the nature of rainforests and their curious inhabitants, and the accompanying text explains what you are seeing and what it can tell you about these ecosystems. An initial section provides an overview of the various rainforest ecosystems and their characteristics; there is also an appendix describing and mapping the locations of the world’s rainforests. Other chapters address specific themes, such as diversity, survival, life cycles, and social relations of rainforest inhabitants. There are many amazing close-ups of insects, reptiles, birds, and other creatures in their natural habitats, as well as fungi and unusual plants. An accompanying CD provides rainforest sounds from various locations. This book—Marent’s first—is not only beautiful but an excellent source of information. It also shows the amazing diversity of species that makes rainforests unique and valuable. Recommended for all types of libraries.—Marit Taylor, Univ. of Colorado at Denver and Health Sciences Ctr.

Now that there are more than 125 wild California Condors again flying free in three states plus Baja California, this fine book provides a valuable update on North America’s largest bird. In 1987, the last wild condor was captured in California. Thus began a long, arduous, and controversial captive breeding program—but hardly controversial any longer, now that its success is manifest. Without the program, these massive, vulture-like birds would be extinct. Award–winning science journalist Moir provides an informed retelling of an oft-told story. He has interviewed many of the principals, having lived most of his life in condor country, and writes engagingly of the bitter disagreements between proponents and opponents of captive breeding, the political implications of this story, the dangers newly released condors face, their surprising intellect, and the interest and publicity they have garnered. Moir’s useful, annotated appendixes detail condor web sites as well as where to see wild and captive condors. Another worthy recent book is NPR correspondent John Nielsen’s Condor. Highly recommended for the natural history, biology, and ornithology collections of public and academic libraries. (Color insert not seen.)—Henry T. Armistead, formerly with Free Lib. of Philadelphia

Jane Goodall’s discovery in 1960 that chimpanzees in the wild use crude tools meant that ability could no longer be considered a unique and defining characteristic of human beings. Today, as a writer and speaker, she is something akin to a cult icon. As her colleague and former collaborator (Visions of Caliban: On Chimpanzees and People), Peterson had access to a body of personal letters, conversations, and first-person accounts that enabled him to develop an empathy for his subject uncommon in scientific biographies. The picture of Goodall that emerges depicts her complexities—she was a coquettish debutante who became a dedicated ethologist comfortable with living in the wilds; an intuitive and self-educated researcher who later matured into a major scientist and world authority on conservation. Peterson’s book is divided into three sections: “The Naturalist,” “The Scientist,” and “The Activist.” Goodall’s career touches on many social and scientific flashpoints, and by rendering the complex totality of her personality, Peterson suggests the reasons for her popularity and enormous influence. Perhaps a bit overlong, perhaps a bit too adulatory (Goodall granted Peterson full access), nonetheless, this book captures the spirit of a remarkable woman in science; highly recommended for all libraries. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 7/06; see the profile of Peterson in “Fall Editors’ Picks,” LJ 9/1/06, p. 34-39.]—Gregg Sapp, SUNY at Albany Lib.