Xpress Reviews—First Look at New Books
-- Library Journal, 11/15/2006
Week of November 14
Nonfiction | Graphic Novels
Nonfiction
Ayers, Jeff. Voyages of Imagination: The Star Trek® Fiction Companion. Pocket: S. & S. Nov. 2006. c.800p. illus. index. ISBN 1-4165-0349-8 [ISBN 978-1-4165-0349-1]. pap. $21. LIT
Ayers (Seattle P.L. and an LJ reviewer) has compiled an annotated bibliography of published fiction set in the Star Trek® universe. It covers novelizations, short story collections, and original fiction based on all five television series and ten movies. In addition to plot synopses of all the books, Ayers includes comments from the authors, which will interest anyone writing and struggling to get published. Some are brief reminiscences, but a few are extended essays about the creation and development of the plot, the editorial process, and subsequent fan reaction. Also featured are a chronology (by "stardate") and a title/author index. Serious fans of the franchise will want to read this book with pen and paper—or PADD, the Star Trek® version of a PDA—in hand. Recommended for libraries that collect science fiction/popular culture or that have a lot of Star Trek® fans among their patrons.—Dan Forrest, Western Kentucky Univ. Libs., Bowling Green, KY
Callahan, Gerald N. Infection: The Uninvited Universe. St. Martin's. Dec. 2006. c.304p. index. ISBN 0-312-34846-0 [ISBN 978-0-312-34846-5]. $24.95.
Gualde, Norbert. Resistance: The Human Struggle Against Infection. Dana, dist. by Univ. of Chicago. Nov. 2006. c.260p. tr. from French by Steven Rendall. ISBN 1-932594-00-0. $25. MED
Microbes are everywhere, and they have a huge impact on our lives. These two volumes provide a good introduction to the history of disease and basic immunology and emphasize that we must not become complacent, as longtime diseases such as malaria, cholera, and tuberculosis continue to prosper. Resistance, a recent translation of a 2003 French work, emphasizes the complexity of microbial/human interactions. Gualde's (immunology, Univ. Victor Segalen of Bordeaux) slim volume eloquently illustrates how the interaction of biology, the environment, technology, politics, commerce, and culture affects the prevalence of infectious disease. The author's discussion of group versus individual immunities is particularly interesting. Although Gualde's book is accessible to lay readers, he does include some relatively complex terminology.
Callahan (immunology, Colorado State Univ.; Faith, Madness and Spontaneous Human Combustion) uses his scientific and literary expertise to weave an eminently readable introduction to microbiology. Infection examines all types of microorganisms: bacteria, viruses, parasites, fungi, and prions. Callahan emphasizes the positive side of microbiology by demonstrating the numerous ways that microbes are beneficial to humans. Yet he doesn't ignore the dark side—he includes useful summaries of diseases that have been in the news recently, like H5N1 avian influenza, SARS, West Nile virus, dengue fever, mad cow disease, and anthrax. While both books are fascinating reads, public libraries on a limited budget will want to choose Callahan's more up-to-date and lay-oriented work. Academic and larger public libraries will benefit by selecting both of these reasonably priced titles.—Tina Neville, Univ. of South Florida at St. Petersburg Lib.
Ehrenreich, Barbara. Dancing in the Streets: A History of Collective Joy. Metropolitan: Holt. Jan. 2007. c.320p. bibliog. index. ISBN 0-8050-5723-4. $26. HIST
Ehrenreich (Nickel and Dimed) has written the best kind of popular history, here mining other scholars' observations on an impressive range of topics to describe and make sense of a complex social and psychological phenomenon: the persisting lure of communal ecstatic activities. From prehistoric times, through ancient Greece, and up to early modern times, men and women routinely engaged in communal ritual—–dancing, singing, and eating together, dressing up in costume—even in the face of official repression. What was the attraction and the value of communal ecstasy? Why is it so often foregone today? Why, for that matter, must love always be dyadic? Can it bind many people together instead? Some of Ehrenreich's material is wrongheaded (dubious hypotheses, some flabby chapters), but much more of it is worth reading. The book would have been stronger had the author conducted research into primary documents rather than simply relied mostly on secondary sources, but the questions she raises fully justify purchasing and reading this delightful and serious book. Recommended. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 9/1/06.]—David Keymer, Modesto, CA
Plisson, Philip (photogs.) & Christian Buchet (text). The Eternal Sea. Abrams. Dec. 2006. 380p. photogs. ISBN 0-8109-3091-9. $55. NAT HIST
This is one huge book—almost as big as the world ocean itself. Eleven by 14 inches and weighing in at about ten pounds, it's definitely coffee-table size, and marine photographer Plisson (The Sea) has used this to his advantage. Each section covers a different aspect of the sea and begins with a gatefold photograph, which measures 28 by 14 inches opened out. Then, after a brief introduction to the topic by Buchet (manager, Marine Research Ctr., Catholic Univ. of Paris), it continues with 16 to 20 double-page pictures. Plisson is the official artist to the French navy and obviously well qualified for his position. His photos are beautiful, and Buchet's text is solid. A nice plus is that each section includes a thumbnail "contents" page for the caption information, which leaves the photos unsullied. The book is unusual in that only one of the photos was taken underwater, unlike most others in this genre (e.g., Norbert Wu's classic Diving the World). Because of its size, The Eternal Sea will be a challenge to shelve and circulate; your patrons will want to live with this beautiful creation, not bring it back after two weeks. However, it is worth the library's effort. Recommended for natural history and photography collections in public libraries.—Margaret Rioux, MBLWHOI Lib., Woods Hole, MA
Riverbend. Baghdad Burning II: More Girl Blog from Iraq. Feminist Pr., dist. by Consortium. 2006. 190p. ISBN 1-55861-529-6 [ISBN 978-1-55861-529-8]. pap. $14.95. INT AFFAIRS
The first volume of Riverbend's blog writings from Iraq, Baghdad Burning, won third prize in the Lettre Ulysses Award for the Art of Reportage in 2005. This second volume picks up in October 2004 and continues through March 2006. Utility service in Baghdad continues to deteriorate, with electricity available only a few hours each day and water off altogether for days at a time, while anti-American feeling among Riverbend's acquaintances continues to increase. Now city residents are less likely to go out for social and family events and are ever watchful for potential explosives and roadblocks. Only occasionally does this blogger vent angry anti-American sentiments. Her longer-term fear is that Iraq's secular population will continue to flee abroad, which would leave the country dominated by radicals. Riverbend's continued blog and her descriptions of how her family and friends are affected by the violence provide a valuable insight into the "Arab street" and how it views the United States. Highly recommended for most collections.—Marcia L. Sprules, Council on Foreign Relations Lib., New York
Tanner, Lee. The Jazz Image: Masters of Jazz Photography. Abrams. Nov. 2006. 176p. photogs. index. ISBN 0-8109-5749-3 [ISBN 978-0-8109-5749-7]. $40. MUSIC
Jazz and photography bring out the best of each other, particularly when jazz is captured by such wonderful photographers as the 27 gathered in this collection. Jazz chronologist Nat Hentoff's introduction and jazz photographer Tanner's preface serve as the launching pad for nearly 150 black-and-white images spanning six decades. The coverage begins in 1937, with Charles Peterson's backstage shot of Louis Armstrong, Bud Freeman, and five others playing for no one but themselves. Between this shot and the last—a 1992 photo by Guy Le Querrec of pianist Randy Weston rehearsing his band in France—Tanner has effectively encompassed a broad swath of expert craftsmen and their interests in a thought-provoking work of honesty and beauty. While not every notable jazz photographer could possibly be included, it would have been nice to feature someone like Patrick Hinely, whose shot of Sonny Rollins warming up before a jazz festival was recently published in Canada's Coda magazine. But that's a minor issue. This superb collection will be pored over and appreciated for years to come. [The book's publication coincides with events in Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco scheduled through January 2007.—Ed.]—William G. Kenz, Minnesota State Univ. Moorhead Lib.
Graphic Novels
Balce, Nicc. Random Encounter. Vol. 1. Viper Comics. 2006. 128p. ISBN 0-9754193-8-2 [ISBN 978-0-9754193-8-0]. pap. $9.95. F
Three slacker friends, one seemingly dead girl, and one random encounter—gamers will recognize the concept right away, and for those who don't get the joke, there are plenty of other things to enjoy. Balce's good-fun tale, started as a webcomic before it was picked up by Viper and published in four issues, pits three friends and a mysterious stranger against alien monsters in a quest to recover the stranger's memory. In many action sequences, surprising heroes appear in unlikely places and battle aliens that are somehow both robotic and organic. Megatokyo's characters Largo, Dom, and Ed and writer and illustrator Bryan Lee O'Malley's Scott Pilgrim would get along swimmingly with Mona, Mica, Migo, and Goggles Girl. Balce's storytelling and pacing can be hit or miss, especially in the first couple of chapters, but things tighten up as the book progresses. The black-and-white rendering of what was black, white, and red in the web comic is manga-influenced, simple, clean, and fun. This volume stands respectably on its own, but there is enough mystery to leave one eager to see what Volume 2 might bring. Without the piercing red blood of the web version, it's easily appropriate for a teen audience. An optional purchase, but it would make a great addition to collections frequented by gamers.—Ruthanne Price, Vaughan P.L.s, Ont.
Bendis, Brian Michael (text) & others (illus.). Ultimate Marvel Team-Up: Ultimate Collection. Marvel. 2006. 448p. ISBN 0-7851-2361-X [ISBN 978-0-7851-2361-3]. pap. $29.99. F
The comics in this collection of 16 issues of the Ultimate Marvel Team-Up series and the Ultimate Spider-Man Super Special came out early in the development of the Ultimate universe, and many of the stories violate what is now considered Ultimate continuity. Spider-Man meets versions of Shang Chi, the Fantastic Four, Doctor Strange, Iron Man, the Punisher, Daredevil, and others, but often not the versions established in later Ultimate books. The artists vary from Matt Wagner to Ted McKeever, from Bill Sienkewicz to Mike Allred, and from Dave Gibbons to Jim Mahfood; the result is visually jarring, and the art ranges from realistic to edgy to cartoony. Bendis was under very few style and subject matter constraints, so the character pairings jump from serious interactions to goofy parodies. There is something for everyone to like but also something for everyone to dislike. One of the highlights is a moving sequence in which Peter Parker elaborates on the concept of heroism in front of his high school classmates, which showcases Bendis's writing at its best. Overall, this collection is best suited to large teen or adult collections with a strong representation of Marvel's Ultimate universe.—Nick Smith, Pasadena P.L., CA
Claremont, Chris & Tony Bedard (text) & Chris Bachalo & Roger Cruz (illus.). Uncanny X-Men—The New Age. Vol. 5: First Forsaken. Marvel. 2006. 120p. ISBN 0-7851-2323-7 [ISBN 978-0-7851-2323-1]. pap. $11.99. F
This volume ties up a long-running subplot involving X-Men team member Psylocke's mysterious return from the dead. It turns out that her brother, the reality-warping lunatic Jamie Braddock, brought her back to use her as a weapon to battle the First Fallen, a being so powerful he threatens the entire universe. This is an acceptable, if somewhat forgettable, superhero story. The first half hypes the villain, only to have the X-Men defeat him within a few pages. Cruz's muddy-style art wonderfully complements Jamie Braddock's whacked-out, reality-shifting abilities, but Cruz is replaced after the first issue by Bachalo, who never captures the frantic energy of the first issue. Despite the change in artists, the illustrations are clean, and new readers will have no problem distinguishing one character from another. While there is no objectionable violence or sexuality, better purchases for your school libraries can be made. Pass, and instead spend your money on one of the three collections of Astonishing X-Men, which is widely regarded as being the best X-title to appear in years.—Michael Powers, John Jermain P.L., Sag Harbor, NY
David, Peter (text) & Mike Wieringo & Roger Cruz (illus.). Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man. Vol. 1: Derailed. Marvel. 2006. 144p. ISBN 0-7851-2216-8 [ISBN 978-0-7851-2216-6]. pap. $14.99. F
A recent story line imbued Spider-Man with new mystical powers and outfitted him with a new costume after his death and rebirth. Veteran writer David reaffirms that Peter Parker is a man of science, not just myth and magic, shifting the focus toward the rich cast of characters in Peter's life. In the first standalone story, David tells the moving tale of a blogger who writes critically of Spider-Man throughout her life, even though he saves her numerous times, only to have a change of heart after speaking with Spider-Man's widow in the future. The second and weakest story follows a Mexican wrestler who reluctantly becomes a superhero and must unmask Spider-Man to escape death. In the final story, time-traveling Hobgoblin from 2211 "derails" Peter's long-dead Uncle Ben from another time line to complicate Peter's life. While confusing at times, the paradoxes and conflicts of this story are interesting and referential to Spider-Man's history. The writing is solid, and Wieringo's art is smooth and reminiscent of past Spider-Man artists like John Romita. Cruz has a slightly rougher style and features fewer background scenes, yet both artists ably convey the characters' emotions. Marked as an all-ages read, this will interest middle and high school–aged readers. Recommended for libraries looking for good, current Spider-Man stories.—Mark Richardson, Cedar Mill Community Lib., Portland, OR
Dysart, Joshua (text) & Sal Velluto & others (illus.). Captain Gravity and the Power of the Vril. Penny Farthing. 2006. 193p. ISBN 0-9719012-8-7 [ISBN 978-0-9719012-8-5]. pap. $19.95. F
In 1940, Joshua Jones is a young black man on the crew of the Hollywood serial Captain Gravity. The beautiful female star, Chase Dubois, knows that Josh is the real Captain G., who flies, levitates his adversaries, and otherwise creatively bends gravity to his will, thanks to his encounter with the mysterious Element 115 in a hidden Mayan ruin. But the Nazis have also discovered Element 115, and as war looms they enlist Chase's German boyfriend, an archaeologist, to help them track down its source—the lost continent of Atlantis. Chase goes along as a U.S. spy, and the smitten Josh follows. Will he save Chase—and the free world—from the clutches of evil? This tale of intrigue and adventure, beautifully produced in full color, has the zip of the vintage serials and Golden Age comics that inspired it, with some racial commentary thrown in. There are enough gorgeous set pieces and imaginative touches (e.g., the Atlantan flying ships, Josh's appealingly retro-futuristic costume) to make up for the generic and occasionally inept drawing (the rendition of Hitler is risible). Nor will the minor anachronisms diminish the fun for the YA crowd, for whom this is most appropriate.—Andrew Moore, Wayland P.L., MA
Frampton, Otis. Oddly Normal. Vol. 1. Viper Comics. 2006. 128p. ISBN 0-9777883-0-X [978-0-9777883-0-9]. pap. $11.95. F
Preteen and half witch, Oddly Normal is a definite outsider. When no one comes to her birthday party, her parents' smiling incomprehension is just too much, and a desperate Oddly wishes they would disappear. At this unfortunate moment, she discovers that she has magical abilities: suddenly, both her parents and her house are gone. To find them, Oddly must travel with her eccentric great aunt to her mother's home, the magical land of Fignation. Once again, Oddly is at the mercy of middle school bullies (and worse), but this time, backed by a crew of misfit friends, Oddly puts up a fight. Although the heroine is only ten, this is a tale for all ages, with its playful dialog, offbeat characters, and energetic plot. Oddly's middle school angst will resonate with current sufferers as well as those who went through it all before. The artwork is appealing, with bold lines, cinematic lighting, and effective changes in perspective. Kids as young as ten could enjoy both the art and story, and there is nothing to offend here, but the nuances of dialog, layout, and literary references make this most suitable for teens and adults looking for some quirky fun. Recommended.—Julia Cox, Penticton P.L., B.C.
Gray, Justin & Jimmy Palmiotti (text) & Khari Evans (illus.). Daughters of the Dragon: Samurai Bullets. Marvel. 2006. 144p. ISBN 0-7851-1944-2 [ISBN 978-0-7851-1944-9]. pap. $15.99. F
This stylish superhero romp features Misty Knight, an ex-cop with a bionic arm, and her partner Colleen Wing, a sword-wielding martial arts expert. Now bounty hunters, the two spend their time battling and rounding up C-list villains who skip bail. These six issues contain a motley cast of evildoers including Humbug, 8-Ball, Freezer Burn, and Whirlwind; cameos by stalwarts Rhino and Razor Fist; and a lengthier visit from Misty's old boyfriend, Danny Rand, a.k.a. Iron Fist. Good guys Tony Stark and the Punisher make brief appearances, and an insidious new villain, Ricadonna, poses a formidable threat. A plethora of subtle and not-so-subtle sexual innuendos fuels excellent scripting by Gray and Palmiotti, and combined with spectacular suggestive art by newcomer Evans, this collection has a humorous, quirky, adult feel. Some violent scenes are scattered throughout, and panels showing Misty in a steamy shower and Colleen unzipping her top to distract her opponent are typical (although no real nudity is depicted) and pay tribute to the flavor and tone of 1970s Silver Age Nightwing stories. With a tip of the hat to blaxploitation films, TV crime shows, buddy flicks, and other pop culture traditions, this bouncy, bubbly adventure delivers on several levels. Recommended for mature young adults and large collections.—Jeff Hunter, Royal Oak, MI
Gray, Justin & Jimmy Palmiotti (text) & Tony Dezuñiga (illus.). Jonah Hex: Face Full of Violence. DC Comics. 2006. 142p. ISBN 1-4012-1095-3 [ISBN 978-1-4012-1095-3]. pap. $12.99. F
DC's iconic gunfighter returns in this relaunch of the classic Western series. After a six-year hiatus, Palmiotti and Gray take Hex back to his gritty and realistic roots and away from the supernatural spin of the previous Vertigo miniseries. Here, Hex the bounty hunter is a terse, jaded man of violence, who knows he's on the way to hell and plans to take as many bad people with him as he can. The artwork and plot lines are reminiscent of classic Western movies, with broad cinematic landscapes, and Hex's own face is drawn very much like a young Clint Eastwood (on the unscarred side). Original Hex cocreator Dezuñiga returns as artist, bringing a refreshing energy with his grimmer, more organic style. The self-contained nature of the six stories makes the series easy to take in, although the plotting is somewhat predictable. The dark gallows humor of Hex from the Vertigo run will be missed; here, the few words he speaks serve to advance the plot instead of reveal his character. Overall, fans of Westerns will enjoy this series, although the intense violence and themes of incest, rape, and child exploitation make it suitable mainly for adult collections.—David Ward, Univ. of Illinois Undergraduate Lib., Urbana
Han, Seungwon. Your Lover. Vol. 1. Netcomics. 2006. 170p. tr. from Korean by Jennifer Park. ISBN 1-60009-190-3 [ISBN 978-1-60009-190-2]. pap. $9.99. F
Marie Jung, the heroine of Han's romance manhwa Your Lover, returns to her foster family in Seoul two years after the sudden death of her fiancé, Woobin, in Paris. The young painter's feelings are confused when she has to live with her late fiancé's look-alike younger brother, Gangbin, who has harbored romantic feelings for her for eight years. The main characters are likable and their conflicted emotions, realistic. The complex familial relationship raises questions (and objections from many of the supporting cast): Would it be right for Marie to start a relationship with her dead fiancé's brother? Are her feelings for Gangbin just a substitute for Woobin? Would Gangbin care? This situation could easily be used for cheap or sleazy humor, but Han keeps the main story line serious. The artwork is beautiful; the sharp noses and glittery eyes are reminiscent of Riyoko Ikeda (The Rose of Versailles). This first volume is for older teens and up; there are conversations about sex but no nudity. Recommended for libraries that have or want to start a collection of manga/manhwa with serious content for older teens and adults.—Kristin Fance, Houston Baptist Univ., TX
Hopkins, David (text) & Brock Rizy (illus.). Emily Edison. Vol. 1. Viper Comics. 2006. 139p. ISBN 0-9777883-2-6 [ISBN 978-0-9777883-2-6]. pap. $12.95. F
Yes, Emily Edison is a superhero. She has to defend the Earth from her evil grandfather's hordes of robots and alien monsters. She can fly, has superstrength, and spends her weekends in another dimension—still, she's just a normal teenager. The creators' enthusiasm for the character is infectious. The tone swings from the cool of a standard teen webcomic to a Ren-and-Stimpy pitch of feverishness while bringing a surprising level of realistic teenage Americana to the character: Emily's parents are divorced, and her family embarrasses her; boys and friends are perplexing; teachers are a bore; and she looks like a freckled athletic teenager—not a fashion icon or a centerfold pinup. The foreword compares the story's playfulness and comic proportions to Saturday morning cartoons, but there are enough sly pop culture references and slapstick insanity to broaden the appeal beyond the preteen market. Fantastic battle poses, exaggerated emotions, and the book's physical dimensions have a manga influence. Add some clever visual decisions (the varying space dimensions have distinct artistic qualities; one borrows the other-worldly color scheme of a film negative) and you have a comic that every age group can appreciate. Highly recommended for all libraries.—Erika Bennett, Inst. of Production and Recording, Minneapolis
Week of November 7
Fiction | Nonfiction
Fiction
Chughtai, Ismat. The Crooked Line. Feminist Pr., dist. by Consortium. 2006. c.336p. tr. from Urdu by Tahira Naqvi. ISBN 1-55861-517-2 [ISBN 978-1-55861-518-2]. $50; pap. ISBN 1-55861-518-0. $16.95. F
A significant Urdu writer of the 20th century who was also active in politics, Chughtai was best known for her controversial short story, "The Quilt" (1942), and wrote plays and screenplays as well. Sparingly autobiographical, this work is set in her native British colonial India (called by the more common Urdu term, Hindustan) and follows the life of a middle-class Muslim girl named Shamman, from her earliest years through her mid-twenties. Told from Shamman's perspective, the narrative is at first impressionistic and slow-going. As Shamman grows up, attends college, and becomes a teacher, her inner conflicts regarding her sexuality as well as the societal struggles she becomes embroiled in draw readers into the world of Hindustan in the early years of World War II. The translation reads well, and the book includes a glossary of Urdu and Hindi terms used in the text. Recommended for public and academic collections with an interest or focus on South Asian or feminist literature.—Martin R. Kalfatovic, Smithsonian Inst. Libs., Washington, DC
Kellerman, Jonathan & Faye Kellerman. Capital Crimes. Ballantine. Nov. 2006. c.304p. ISBN 0-345-46798-1 [ISBN 978-0-345-46798-0]. $24.95. M
In their second joint volume of novellas (after Double Homicide), the Kellermans allow cameo appearances by their series characters Detective Peter Decker (Faye's LAPD hero) and Dr. Alex Delaware (Jonathan's consulting psychologist). In "My Sister's Keeper," the murder of California state legislator Davida Grayson has numerous suspects, including those opposed to her sexual orientation and her advocacy of stem-cell research. With wit and wry humor, a pair of unconventional partners cracks the case. Nashville is the scene of "Music City Breakdown," in which detectives must determine who had the motive and opportunity to murder a hard-living, has-been 1960s icon. While the sleuths on this case are less engaging, the plotting still works until the final chapters, where the culprit's behavior and tone don't fit with this character's first appearance in the story. This is a better collection than the Kellermans' first joint mystery. Both novellas exhibit a strong sense of place, fast plotting, solid character development, and good dialog; the first piece is the stronger of the two. Neither story is definitively attributed to either writer. Recommended for all public libraries. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 8/06.]—Amy Brozio-Andrews, Albany P.L.
Koontz, Dean. Brother Odd. Bantam. Nov. 2006. ISBN 0-553-80480-4 [ISBN 978-0-553-80480-5]. $27. F
As promised at the end of Forever Odd—the second installment of Koontz's Odd Thomas saga—the paranormally prescient main character has now taken himself to a monastery in the hopes of coming to terms with his gifts and finding guidance in how best to use them. Among the memorable new characters Odd meets at St. Bartholomew's is Brother Knuckles, a former gangster who found his way to the spiritual life by reading a children's book that sounds remarkably similar to Kate DiCamillo's The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane. As series followers might expect, Odd soon discovers that along with Elvis's ever-present spirit, the dreaded bodachs (harbingers of violence and death that only Odd can see) have accompanied him to these cloistered surroundings, quickly ending hopes for even a temporary respite. In this volume, Koontz takes Odd's battle against the world's evils to a nearly mythic level, pitting him against Death itself, yet he manages to maintain the lighthearted narrative persona that has most endeared Odd to fans. A significant addition to the series: bravo! [See Prepub Alert, LJ 8/06.]—Nancy McNicol, Ora Mason Branch Lib., West Haven, CT
Nonfiction
Crimlis, Roger & Alwyn W. Turner. Cult Rock Posters: Ten Years of Classic Posters from the Glam, Punk, and New Wave Era. Billboard: Watson-Guptill. 2006. 192p. illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 0-8230-7779-9 [ISBN 978-0-8230-7779-3]. pap. $29.95. MUSIC
The rock poster has been a staple of bedroom décor for several decades now, though at no time was it as essential as during the period covered here (1972–82). Back then, glittering giants and leather-clad aliens walked the earth, and image was as important and subversive as the music. The right poster on your wall meant identity, belonging, and a direct connection with the object of your affection. This book by pop culture aficionados Crimlis and Turner (Biba: The Biba Experience), bursting with sumptuous, full-color poster art, is basically a social history of the underground rock poster, beginning with the era of glam chameleons David Bowie and Marc Bolan, continuing through punk, and ending with New Wave. Cult Rock treats these posters as a very real artistic phenomenon. To that end, designers, photographers, and, yes, subjects, are interviewed as to the process and meaning of it all. Most enlightening are the sidebars, which detail the design elements of each poster. The aesthetic of the rock poster is woefully unmined territory. This oversized, glossy volume stands tall with the best of them (e.g., Paul Grushkin's The Art of Rock and Grushkin and Dennis King's Art of Modern Rock). Recommended for libraries with large popular music and/or graphic design collections.—Matthew Moyer, Jacksonville P.L., FL
Crosby, Molly Caldwell. The American Plague: The Untold Story of Yellow Fever, the Epidemic That Shaped Our History. Berkley: Penguin Group (USA). Nov. 2006. c.368p. bibliog. ISBN 0-425-21202-5 [ISBN 978-0-425-21202-8]. $24.95. MED
Readers may envision yellow fever as a rare disease risked only by the most intrepid of world travelers. Here, freelance journalist Crosby enlightens us with her vivid account of the deadly toll of yellow fever in North America since it first arrived as inadvertent cargo on a 17th-century slave ship. Although there were cases of yellow fever from Massachusetts to Florida, the worst epidemics followed the Mississippi River north from New Orleans, the most devastating in Memphis in 1878. Crosby's gripping stories cover the tragedy of and heroism during the Memphis epidemic, Walter Reed's historic 1901 confirmation of the mosquito's role in yellow fever transmission, and the subsequent mosquito eradication programs that enabled construction of the Panama Canal. A concluding chapter explores the chilling prospects of a return of yellow fever to the North American continent in the 21st century. Though similar in scope to James L. Dickerson's recent Yellow Fever, this book's compelling style and careful research make it an excellent choice for most libraries.—Kathy Arsenault, Univ. of South Florida at St. Petersburg Lib.
Emery, Noemie. Great Expectations: The Troubled Lives of Political Families. Wiley. Dec. 2006. c.256p. index. ISBN 0-471-23489-3. $25.95. BIOG
Journalist Emery (Alexander Hamilton: An Intimate Portrait) gives us the story of America's political dynasties from the Adamses through the Roosevelts, the Kennedys, the Bushes, and the Gores, combining in one book many of the details that separate biographies of these political generations have covered before. This is the tale of children "who devoted their lives to achieving goals set by others," even when those goals were not really suited to their interests or character, e.g., George Washington Adams, Teddy Roosevelt Jr., Ted Kennedy (who inherited the Kennedy political mantle), and even Al Gore, groomed for politics although much of the politician's role did not come naturally to him. (Emery's own evident bias comes out in the length of time she spends on Gore's mistakes). She also covers younger sons, such as George W. Bush, who turned out to shine more brightly than the favored elder sons. This is a highly readable but neither scholarly nor objective account likely to be of value to most medium and large public libraries.—Karen Sutherland, Bartlett P.L., IL
Parsell, T.J. Fish: A Memoir of a Boy in a Man's Prison. Carroll & Graf. Nov. 2006. c.280p. ISBN 0-78671-793-9 [ISBN 978-0-78671-793-4]. $24.95. LAW
Is rape a common occurrence behind prison walls? The answer to this question is vividly provided by Parsell in his memoir, the title of which refers to a term used to describe a first-timer in prison. Parsell was once a young inmate—17 years old—at a maximum-security prison in Michigan, after being sentenced to four and a half to 15 years for attempted robbery. He learned firsthand of the brutality and regularity of prison abuse. He describes how he was drugged and raped by four inmates on his first night in prison. They flipped a coin to see who would "own" him. Afraid for his life, he was obligated to abide by the convict code not to "snitch." Today, Parsell serves as a spokesperson to end prison rape and ensure that prisoners, as much as any other human beings, are kept free from such cruelty. People who promote human rights in a criminal justice context will cite this book for years to come. Lay readers may be shocked by its contents, but it is recommended for all public libraries.—Tim Delaney, SUNY at Oswego
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