Social Sciences

By Staff -- Library Journal, 04/01/2007

Biography

The Melungeons are a multiracial Appalachian population group saddled with obscure origins and unkind mythologizing from without. Novelist Alther (Kinflicks), herself a child of Appalachian east Tennessee, first encountered Melungeons as the freakish, child-nabbing monsters of a babysitter's threat. Later in life, her grandmother's evasiveness regarding Virginia relatives sparked Alther's interest in exploring her lineage. This lively, engaging volume describes the resulting pursuit. Part breezy memoir, part genealogical mystery tour, and part anthropological exploration, it shuttles readers between Kingsport, TN, and Burlington, VT; on fact-finding and self-finding missions to England, France, Portugal, Spain, and Turkey (the last three on a single trip by sailing across the Atlantic!); and to Beaufort, SC, the Outer Banks of North Carolina, and a years-long crisscrossing of the American Southeast. The journey is a delight, full of Alther's arch observations on folks and folkways both contemporary and historical. Readers will learn about the Lost Colony of Roanoke Island, NC; DNA testing; snake handling; the descendants of Pocahontas; and quite a lot about Melungeons. In our increasingly multiracial society, Kinfolks should be of more than just regional interest. Recommended for public libraries.—Janet Ingraham Dwyer, Worthington Libs., OH

Chai's (My Lucky Face) parents never believed themselves to be unusual. Her father, a young scholar new to California, fell in love with her mother, a local painter, on first sight. That he was the son of educated Chinese immigrants and she was the daughter of Irish Catholics was immaterial—until, after spending time on both coasts, they landed in rural South Dakota. Once the locals started harassing them (e.g., trespassing on the family farm killing pets and seeking to attack Chai's younger brother), the Chais realized that they weren't ordinary Americans after all. Easily labeled a coming-of-age story or a narrative about racial tensions in 1960s America, this memoir—whose title employs the Hawaiian word for mixed—is truly an homage to a loving marriage. Only the strongest kind of love could survive the crucible of a community hoping for a family's failure. Highly recommended for all libraries with large memoir and Asian collections.—Pam Kingsbury, UNA, Florence, AL

This biography of the long-lived (1620–1708) English polymath should prove the lasting interpretive study of the well-born landscape enthusiast, architectural schemer, and founding member of the Royal Society. A friend of a more famous fellow diarist, Evelyn apparently led a far more chaste, humorless, and glitch-free existence than his more congenial contemporary, Samuel Pepys. Darley, a distinguished architectural historian, often emphasizes Evelyn's prolific if low-profile political involvements. Alas, he missed out on the most dramatic political upheavals of his era, the Civil Wars, because he was abroad. Evelyn was around, however, for London's Great Fire and competed against Christopher Wren in the planning to rebuild the city. What makes Evelyn most relevant 300 years after his death are his Cassandrian antipollution tract, Fumifugium, and his general evocation of the pastoral. But those environmental sensibilities do not confer Evelyn transcendental status. A thorough examination of a subject accessible only to a few, this is recommended primarily for serious humanities collections.—Scott H. Silverman, Bryn Mawr Coll., PA

Haile's memoir traces her family's emigration from Ethiopia to the United States in the mid-1970s, a journey that led to her return 25 years later. The author's father was an academic who served in the Ethiopian parliament after the coup that toppled Emperor Haile Selassie. However, he was persecuted under the new regime, which forced him and his family (Haile was 11 years old at the time) to flee to the United States and eventually to central Minnesota. The book is chiefly about Haile's return to Ethiopia, as she attempts to reconcile and process the harsh realities and issues that still plague the country and her relatives who continue to live there. This engaging read provides a compelling face to the story of Ethiopia today, a country of 75 million people and with an immigrant representation across the United States. The book is also a good companion piece to Barak Obama's Dreams of My Father, which also explores African family history. Haile, a graduate of Harvard Law School living in New York City, includes a helpful glossary of Ethiopian words and phrases and notable historic figures. Recommended for public or academic libraries with strong African history or biography collections.—Joslyn Jones, Oak Park P.L., IL

In this flawed work about one of American history's most fascinating characters, Isenberg (history, Univ. of Tulsa; Sex and Citizenship in Antebellum America), an unabashed Aaron Burr apologist, attempts to restore her subject's reputation by investigating his political and personal conduct. She examines three major episodes in Burr's long, turbulent, and ultimately tragic life: his failed bid for the 1800 presidency, his escalating hostility toward Alexander Hamilton that culminated in the duel that ruined Burr's once-promising political career, and his trial for treason that ended in acquittal but forced him into exile. Burr is portrayed as an innocent victim of unsubstantiated slander, gossip, and enmity throughout his career as an attorney, a U.S. senator from New York, and vice president. It is an unconvincing and highly subjective portrait that raises more questions than it answers. Roger G. Kennedy's Burr, Hamilton, and Jefferson: A Study in Character is a superior title for general readers that provides objective analysis of Burr's political machinations and personal behavior. Milton Lomask's two-volume biography of Burr, now o.p., is the more scholarly work that libraries should possess. Not recommended.—Douglas King, Univ. of South Carolina Lib., Columbia

In December 1972, prolific letter writer Mitchell, a divorced African American mother of seven living in poverty in Connecticut, made a New Year's resolution to keep a journal. Here is that diary, her perspective from over 30 years ago. She discusses workaday concerns, including the price of groceries, her children's education, and her anxiety about her daughter's early motherhood. But she doesn't avoid more complex, intellectual matters, e.g., her frustrations with everyday racism, the question of "liberated" womanhood, and her analysis of books she is reading. What's missing is an introductory essay situating the diary historically and socially, to help the stories of one woman's life make a larger statement about the concerns she faced. There is an introduction and a foreword (each written by one of Mitchell's children; the book is published by a company associated with her son who wrote the introduction), which acquaint readers only with Mitchell's immediate circumstances. An epilog explains that Mitchell died in 1975. A good addition to libraries with a focus on African American social history; an optional purchase for other libraries.—Emily-Jane Dawson, Multnomah Cty. Lib., Portland, OR

Nissenson has written a flattering biography of the socialite who owned the New York Post for nearly 40 years from 1939 to 1976. Dorothy Schiff transformed the newspaper, first from a broadsheet to a tabloid, then as a supporter of New Deal liberalism. In addition to reviewing Schiff's early life as part of the prominent banking family and the Depression's effect on them, Nissenson covers Schiff's purchase of control of the Post and her gradual assumption of oversight. Most notably, she hired a number of liberal editors and writers, and the newspaper went on to break many stories about government corruption, helping to bring down Joseph McCarthy during the Red Scare of the 1950s. The book equally reviews Schiff's personal life and how she used her own associations with politicians to help her newspaper. Nissenson's sympathetic portrayal makes the book somewhat unexciting, but given its interesting review of the period and Schiff's importance to the era, this will be of interest to larger public libraries.—Joel W. Tscherne, Cleveland P.L.

Austrian-born Harvard economist Joseph Schumpeter (1883–1950) was a proponent of dynamic capitalism, arguing that economic progress under capitalism stems from innovation-driven and entrepreneurial enterprises continuously superseding static businesses in what he termed "creative destruction." Schumpeter's ideas are most pertinent today when innovative companies like Toyota, Google, Apple, and Genentech operate in an ever-changing, highly competitive global marketplace. In this biography, Pulitzer Prize winner McCraw neatly divides his emphasis between Schumpeter's professional and personal life. He portrays his subject as a somewhat self-absorbed insatiable scholar not entirely comfortable with his contemporaries, which might explain marriages and affairs with much older and younger women, as well as his affinity with students and often-strained relations with colleagues of his own generation. McGraw lucidly addresses Schumpeter's economic theories through an examination of his letters, lectures, addresses, articles, and major works: The Theory of Economic Development; Business Cycles; Capitalism, Socialism and Democracy; and History of Economic Analysis. McCraw's insightful and highly readable biography is essential for all but the smallest academic and public library business collections.—Lawrence R. Maxted, Gannon Univ. Lib., Erie, PA

This book serves as an auspicious reminder of how recognizable the UPS brand has become not only in the United States but throughout the world since its founding 100 years ago. A UPS employee for 35 years, Niemann (Baja Legends) relates how in 1907 Jim Casey, the son of Irish immigrants, "conceived the American Messenger Company, which eventually became the United Parcel Service." Over the decades, UPS built itself up from a small local delivery business into a powerhouse responsible for "the browning of America" largely owing to its unique corporate culture fostering intense loyalty and hard work in a labor force motivated by employee ownership. Unfortunately, the book features almost too much data about UPS for the reader to digest at times—who knew, for instance, that UPS had the ninth-largest airline in the world? No matter. It's almost incomprehensible to imagine a world today without "Big Brown" doing what it does so well. Fortunately, Niemann has succeeded admirably in telling the story behind this phenomenon. Recommended for larger public libraries with business collections.—Richard Drezen, Washington Post, New York City Bureau.

In this massive, compulsively readable legal study of JFK's assassination, Bugliosi (former L.A. county deputy district attorney; Helter Skelter: The True Story of the Manson Murders) claims that Oswald killed Kennedy and that the Warren Commission was right when it concluded that Oswald acted alone. There is a book-length section on Oswald, as well as hundreds of pages in which Bugliosi debunks both reasonable and outlandish conspiracy theories involving the CIA, the FBI, organized crime, Fidel Castro, Oliver Stone's film JFK, and even some extraterrestrials. No doubt, credible scholars of such significant contrary works as Max Holland (The Kennedy Assassination Tapes) and Gerald McKnight (Breach of Trust: How the Warren Commission Failed the Nation and Why) will have much to say in response. Using his impressive skills as an attorney, Bugliosi concludes that although he cannot prove beyond all doubt that there was no conspiracy, he has demonstrated Oswald's guilt beyond all reasonable doubt. Still, a legally sound verdict is not a historical verdict: the final historical conclusion may never be reached. However, this is an essential buy for all large public libraries—and for the price of two copies of Harry Potter, all other public libraries should buy as demand warrants. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 1/07.]—Karl Helicher, Upper Merion Twp. Lib., King of Prussia, PA

This book concludes Burleigh's two-volume work studying the "clash of religion and politics" in Europe beginning with the French Revolution. Here, he discusses the nearly 90 years since the end of World War I. The author (distinguished visiting fellow, Hoover Inst., Stanford Univ.; The Third Reich) commands a remarkable depth of sources and writes in a style that will infuriate those who believe religion and politics should be more comprehensible than they actually are. At one level, the book is a chronicle of alliances and struggles between systems of belief that sought the mass allegiance of 20th-century Europe. It is also a masterful, if truncated, collection of personality sketches, and Burleigh, while seldom at a loss for explaining behavior, sometimes merely acknowledges contradiction. For example, after a running biography of Pope Pius XII that convincingly demonstrates his opposition to fascism and anti-Semitism, he discusses without explanation the pope's "incredible" audience with the criminally Fascist Croatian leader Ante Pavlevic. There are other drawbacks: this is a book about Europe that gives only passing attention to Latin America's "liberation theology" or to the United States after 9/11, in spite of its subtitle's reference to the war on terror. Nevertheless, it can be recommended to all academic and larger public libraries.—Zachary T. Irwin, Sch. of Humanities and Social Science, Pennsylvania State Univ., Erie

Since the 1970s, scholars have produced a significant number of monographs on Native American history and prehistory. Recognizing that these were written primarily for an academic audience, "The Penguin Library of American Indian History" series has been inaugurated to allow leading scholars in the field to share their expertise with a lay audience. Calloway (history & Native American studies, Dartmouth Coll.; One Vast Winter Count: The Native American West Before Lewis and Clark) examines the history of the Shawnee people from the 18th century through their repeated removals by the U.S. government during the 19th century. Particularly poignant is Calloway's description of the development and eventual collapse of the pan-Indian religious revitalization movement led by the Shawnee brothers Tenskwatawa, also known as the Shawnee Prophet, and Tecumseh.

Renowned scholars on the ethnohistory of southeastern native peoples and coauthors of The Columbia Guide to American Indians of the Southeast, Perdue and Green have produced an excellent overview of the removal of the Cherokee people to Oklahoma from their homelands in southern Appalachia. They pay special attention to the development of the U.S. government's policies concerning the removal of native peoples from lands desired by white settlers. Although the story contained here is tragic, it is also a testament to the resilience of the Cherokee people. Both of these volumes are highly recommended to public and school libraries. Based on the quality of these initial volumes, libraries might also want to consider seriously putting the series on standing order.—John Burch, Campbellsville Univ. Lib., KY

Sensational subtitles notwithstanding, Henry Morgan (c.1635-88) was a legal bearer of English commissions to engage in commerce raiding against Spanish shipping in the southern Caribbean. As both of these works make clear, his exploits were extensions of conflict in Europe, not mere outlawry. Talty (Mulatto America) follows Morgan's career from his origins in Wales to his death as a corpulent, respectable planter in Jamaica. On the other hand, real piracy was rife in the Americas during the 17th century, and the line between privateer (i.e., Morgan) and pirate depended on where one stood. Talty tells a stirring tale, often using an imaginary crewman, Roderick, who sails with Morgan, fights for loot, drinks it away, and generally exemplifies the rough-and-ready ethos of the richest and most sinful city in the Americas, Port Royal, Jamaica, whose destruction by earthquake and tsunami in 1692 is given a chapter.

Earle (economic history, emeritus, Univ. of London; The Pirate Wars) tells largely the same tale using many of the same sources although far more scrupulously and with no recourse to imaginary characters. His story is a little more academic in tone but manages to imbue the remarkable events with a considerable degree of immediacy. He dwells little on Morgan's biography and stops with his sack of Panama in 1671. Both authors refer to the remarkably democratic relationships among the "Brethren" (a term applicable to both privateers and pirates), in which leaders were elected and shares paid out on the basis of negotiated qualifications (grenadiers were paid extra for each bomb they threw; loss of limb was to be compensated). Given the recent pirate buzz, public libraries might be well advised to buy both. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 12/06, for Talty's book.]—Edwin B. Burgess, U.S. Army Combined Arms Research Lib., Fort Leavenworth, KS

In this sweeping narrative, Eby (English, retired, Univ. of Michigan) provides an almost day-by-day account of that truly distinctive combat unit, the Abraham Lincoln Battalion. Its 2800 American volunteers fought in many of the key engagements of the Spanish Civil War. Eby first wrote about the battalion in Between the Bullet and the Lie (1969), but he felt compelled to return to the subject when the thawing of the Cold War led to the opening of Soviet archival material on the Lincoln Battalion. In exchange for material support, the Spanish Republic allowed Stalin's regime to control all international units (including the Lincolns) through the commissar system. Invariably, the commissars were incompetent party hacks whom the Lincolns called the "comic stars." Although the majority of the American volunteers were members of the Communist Party, they learned to despise these minions of Stalin. Eby conveys this enmity and condemns most histories that depict the Lincolns as pro-leftist (e.g., Peter Carroll's The Odyssey of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade). Given its use of the Soviet archives, this is an essential choice for all Spanish Civil War collections and a good optional selection for public libraries.—Jim Doyle, Sara Hightower Regional Lib., Rome, GA

This two-volume set is the product of the third Fields of Conflict Conference held in 2004. The chapters are derived from and/or report verbatim the papers delivered at the conference. As such, they display the characteristics, good and bad, that one would expect of conference papers. The dry, predominantly academic style will not suit everyone's taste, and readers will find their level of interest fluctuating as subjects and authors change across the many centuries covered. The volumes are generously illustrated with maps and charts, but often the images are too small to be of any real use. Each chapter covers an aspect of military archaeology, usually the excavation of a battle site, but there are exceptions, such as an account of the excavation of one of the "Great Escape" tunnels dug during World War II at Stalag Luft III. Contributors (both faculty and contract archaeologists) address various issues, such as the alteration of battlefields through centuries of subsequent land use, the utility and limitations of written sources, and the role of archaeology in solving historical mysteries. Some of this is insightful and informative, but some of the excavation projects described do not appear to have unearthed anything terribly worthwhile for study. Suitable for graduate libraries.—Richard Fraser, MILS, Philadelphia

In this second compelling volume of Friedländer's history of the Holocaust (see its predecessor, Nazi Germany and the Jews: Volume 1: The Years of Persecution, 1933–1939), the author (history, Univ. of California, Los Angeles) takes into account recent scholarship on the Holocaust but avoids bogging down in the intentionalist/functionalist historiographic debate. He succeeds at integrating the analysis of the decision-making processes of Hitler and his coterie with stories of how individuals were affected by these decisions. The narrative largely conveys the voices of the victims clearly, and while Friedländer might be criticized for an overreliance on published memoirs, it is interesting to see how Victor Klemperer's story, already made famous by his published diary, is woven into the general history of the war years. Perhaps the most disturbing aspect of the story is the manner in which the Nazi regime relied on the consent and participation of the masses to carry out its activities. That orders for deportation and eventual extermination were being issued into the spring of 1945 demonstrates how the Nazi war against the Jews was not merely obsessive but existential. Recommended for all libraries. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 12/06.]—Frederic Krome, Jacob Rader Marcus Ctr. of the American Jewish Archives, Cincinnati

The year following any major military conflict should usher in an era of peace; however, the conclusion of World War I did not lead to a calm time on the American home front. In this chronicle of 1919, Hagedorn (Beyond the River: The Untold Story of the Heroes of the Underground Railroad) uses vignettes detailing the activities of key individuals (both prominent and otherwise) to describe the year's major current events. Two major themes become apparent: for most Americans, the end of the war brought with it a fear of Bolshevik influence. It is through this theme that readers are introduced to a young J. Edgar Hoover managing the Justice Department's domestic intelligence network, which investigated subversive activities. Hagedorn also highlights the racial tensions of the period (including many lynchings) by noting in detail the work of African American leaders such as W.E.B. DuBois. This excellent, accessible book is recommended for public and academic libraries.—Michael LaMagna, Cabrini Coll. Lib., Radnor, PA

The past decade has seen the publication of several books (mostly specialized studies) on the Mexican War. Wheelan (Jefferson's War), a former reporter, and Henderson (history, Auburn Univ.) draw on these works as well as period newspapers, memoirs, diaries, and government documents to assess the war from different perspectives. Wheelan integrates detailed accounts of the military campaigns with the political actions and decisions in Washington, DC, and Mexico City, as politics influenced military decisions in both capitals. He devotes more space to the strong antiwar movement than any previous comprehensive account and shows how Manifest Destiny as expressed by the Mexican War led to the reopening of the slavery question and paved the way for the Civil War.

Henderson approaches the war from the Mexican viewpoint, looking at the intense factionalism and political turmoil in that country as well as the legacy of Spanish colonialism and the independence movement to explain how and why Mexico went to war against the United States in 1846. He shows how Spanish colonial policies and the manner in which Mexico gained its independence intensified the stratification of Mexican society and how the desire to retain Texas influenced politicians of all factions. All of this not only kept Mexico weak and unstable but would lead to a devastating civil war in 1858. Wheelan's well-written account complements such military histories as K. Jack Bauer's The Mexican War, 1846–1848 and John S.D. Eisenhower's So Far From God. Written primarily for lay readers and undergraduates it will also serve as a good overview for advanced students and specialists. A Glorious Defeat fills a gap in the literature and will be appreciated by all of these groups. Both are recommended for all public and academic libraries.—Stephen H. Peters, Northern Michigan Univ. Lib., Marquette

New York City cab drivers have been depicted as streetwise, loquacious, lonely, petty nocturnal criminals or accomplices, amateur psychologists or philosophers, and repositories of folk wisdom. In this social history of the icons—published to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the introduction of meter-equipped, gas-powered vehicles in the Big Apple—Hodges (history, Peking Univ., Colgate Univ.; Anna May Wong) combines an academician's assiduous use of archival sources with the penchants of a popular culture enthusiast (and former cabbie). He studies drivers' relationships with the city government, employers and unions, customers, and other cabbies. Readers will learn about the succession from Irish, Jewish, and Italian to today's largely South Asian (especially Muslim) and Russian drivers; women cabbies during World War II; the vehicular transfer from Checkers to Crown Victorias; the class-ridden transition from owner-drivers to fleet (lease) drivers; and the evolution of "gypsy," or nonmedallion (without permit), cars. He utilizes cabbie interviews, articles from New York newspapers, hackers' memoirs that began appearing in the 1920s, and doctoral dissertations on hacking (indicating the academy's interest in this topic); he credits Biju Mathew's Taxi!. Hodges's story will be a pleasure for both scholarly and general interest readers. Highly recommended.—Frederick J. Augustyn Jr., Library of Congress

The experience of Polish Christians under Nazi occupation is sometimes referred to as "the forgotten Holocaust" because nearly one-third of the general population died during the war years. Although numerous wartime journals and postwar memoirs by Polish Jews have been published, this account by Lanckoronska (1898–2002), an art history professor and member of the Polish nobility (she was a countess), adds to the smaller body of literature in English on the gentile experience. Her account of working with the Polish resistance and of her imprisonment in the Ravensbrück concentration camp for women was written directly after the war but not published until 50 years later, in its original Polish. Translated for a British edition in 2005, the book is compelling reading, especially as it reveals the parallel, and sometimes intersecting, worlds of Polish Christians and Jews. One of the more interesting sections details Lanckoronska's postwar effort to help convict a Nazi official for the murder of Polish university professors. Unfortunately, Lanckoronska's upper-class experience may not have been typical, and her memoir suffers from the usual problems of recollection, as when she depicts herself as emotionally calm during encounters with Nazi officials. Recommended for specialized collections.—Frederic Krome, Jacob Rader Marcus Ctr. of the American Jewish Archives, Cincinnati

The standard multivolume history of China has long been the magisterial, exhaustive Cambridge History of China. Now Harvard University Press has announced a six-volume series that will cover the rise, development, and decline of dynastic China from the second century B.C.E. through the early 20th century in an up-to-date, compact, and approachable way. This opening volume by Lewis (Kwoh-Ting Lo Professor of Chinese culture, Stanford Univ.) foretells that the series will become the new gold standard, as the author explains in clear and telling detail how the Qin dynasty ruthlessly defeated a succession of rivals to unify briefly what we now call China in 221 B.C.E. We then see how the succeeding Han dynasty (206 B.C.E.-220 C.E.) combined social engineering and political savvy to institutionalize control and form a "classical" era parallel to the Greeks and Romans in the West. Han imperial structures, including religion, literature, and law, were quite different from what evolved out of them, but Lewis convincingly argues that later societies cannot be understood without understanding this classical foundation. Highly recommended for all libraries.—Charles W. Hayford, Northwestern Univ., Evanston, IL

In a crowded field of books on the Civil War era, Nelson (Steel Drivin' Man) and Sheriff (The Artificial River: The Erie Canal and the Paradox of Progress, 1817–1862), historians at the College of William and Mary, give us something new—an engaging, informed portrait of two peoples at war, with an emphasis on how common soldiers and noncombatants adjusted to and were changed by the war. The authors spend more time in recruiting halls, military camps, hospitals, and prisons than in battle to observe what moved men to war and some to flee it, as well as how the physical and emotional demands of living away from home affected their sense of self and their national identity. At the same time, they discuss how the war came home to civilians, with the raids of armies and partisans, the demands of mobilization, the death and dismemberment of soldiers, the erosion of slavery, and the promise of freedom. They are especially good at linking the experience of, and expectations about, the war with Americans' ambitions and interests in the West. Their vivid descriptions of disease and destruction will remind readers that war was hell even as it was also an instrument of social change. The new social historians' interest in "the people" gets its full due in this readable, reliable, and remarkably relevant book. Highly recommended for university and large public libraries.—Randall M. Miller, Saint Joseph's Univ., Philadelphia

The granddaughter of writer Vita Sackville-West, Nicolson offers an engaging story covering just four summer months in 1911. English society was living large; there seemed no end to its extravagances. Meanwhile—and as always—the lower classes struggled, and the war loomed. Nicolson concentrates on specific persons representing different social strata and adds a great deal of humor to describe some of the period's eccentricities. Among the figures she includes are Winston Churchill (then home secretary), the scandalous Lady Diana Manners, and Queen Mary. Nicolson had access to many primary sources, some never before seen by the public. In a satisfying epilog, she tracks the fates of the personalities on whom she focuses. A best seller in Britain (and deservedly so), this quick, enjoyable read shows the inevitability of the decline of the aristocracy by blending serious history, quirky details, and an all-encompassing portrait of English society. Recommended. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 1/07.]—B. Allison Gray, John Jermain Memorial Lib., Sag Harbor, NY

From 1580 to1650 in Europe, between 50,000 and 80,000 people were executed as witches in response to public hysteria. Today, says retired Canadian civil servant Rapley (A Case of Witchcraft), "the witch has been replaced by the terrorist." The author points out that even though the 700 prisoners at Guantánamo Bay have been interned for three years, only four have been charged with terrorism. No case has yet reached a tribunal; no trial is in sight. He notes that the witch craze, the Dreyfus affair involving an Alsation Jew in 1890s France, the trials of the black Scottsboro boys in the 1930s South, and the Guilford Four and Maguire Seven (IRA terrorists of 1970s England) display a common pattern: hysteria leads to punishment; out-groups are targeted and legal protections ignored. In this provocative book, history is the lens to view the alarming abridgement of civil liberties in our America. Terrorism threatens us, but in confronting this threat, we run the risk of losing what is unique to being American, the protection of the individual from arbitrary incursions of the government. Recommended for all libraries.—David Keymer, Modesto, CA

If you read only one pyramid book this year, read archaeologist Romer's, a winner both in size and in substance. Romer (Ancient Lives: The Story of the Pharaoh's Tombmakers) does a fabulous job of breaking down our preconceived notions of the Great Pyramid (completed c.2500 B.C.E.). He reexamines all the old ideas, myths, and legends and washes away years of misinterpretation and misinformation. For example, he reassesses the scarce evidence about King Khufu (a.k.a. Cheops to the Greeks) and presents a revised profile of the pyramid workers' lives, families, and culture. He delves into the Great Pyramid's plan (he stipulates that there was one consistent plan throughout its building), materials, construction, shafts, ramps, burial chamber, and grand gallery. Scholarly yet written for a general audience, this title will be coveted in all public and academic libraries. Highly recommended.—Melissa Aho, Metropolitan State Univ., St. Paul, MN

Aylward, a Chinese language, literature, and philosophy scholar, delivers a clear, readable, and informative direct translation of the document that codified (in 1740, during the Qing dynasty) 2000 years of Chinese philosophy and science regarding the arts of scheduling and positioning known as Chinese astrology and feng shui, respectively. Part 1 explains the importance of Chinese cosmology to the culture and social fabric of China and Asia at large. Aylward excels at making concepts such as yin/yang; the Five Processes, with its series of life cycles; and the Sexagenary Stem-Branch cycle and their correlations accessible to the Western mind. It is in Part 2, the actual translation of the Imperial Guide, that the average reader might get bogged down. Chinese cosmology and the system of directions for placement make up a highly complex, interconnected system that basically takes its practitioners years of rigorous study to learn and understand well enough to use for divination or auspicious placement and scheduling. The student of this text will require more than one pass. Recommended for both larger public libraries and academic libraries with Asian studies departments.—Janet Tapper, Western States Chiropractic Coll. Lib., Portland, OR

In this compelling study, Irons (political science, emeritus, Univ. of California, San Diego; Courage of Their Convictions) presents five distinct court cases that have divided communities in America's growing religious wars. These involved the 1989 challenge of a 43' Latin cross in the middle of a 170-acre park in San Diego; the 1995 recital of prayers at a high school football game in Santa Fe, TX; the 1999 display of the Ten Commandments in Kentucky courthouses and on the State Capitol grounds in Austin, TX; the 2000 challenge to the words under God in an Elk Grove, CA, public school recital of the Pledge of Allegiance; and the 2004 Dover, PA, challenge of the school board's statement supporting intelligent design. Presented along with the history of cases are stories of people on both sides of the issue presenting differing values and beliefs. Irons also skillfully lays the historical foundation of religious freedom in the founding of America, the 1947 Establishment Clause ruling, and political and social factors in America's religious wars. As each case unfolds, the reader is able to celebrate the willingness of ordinary citizens to take a stand for their beliefs and the nation's judicial process. Recommended for most collections.—L. Kriz, West Des Moines Lib., IA

Following the deposing of Saddam Hussein, Allawi returned to Iraq after years of exile and served as minister of trade for the Interim Governing Council and as minister of finance in the Transitional Government (2003–2006). His insider account of the transition in Iraq paints the American plan and its leadership in a thoroughly unfavorable light. Allawi is critical first of the American planners for their lack of understanding of Iraqi culture, the abysmal state of the economy after years of sanctions, and their failure to consider rifts within the larger Islamic culture. Then he condemns the implementation, as the leaders insisted on sticking to a time line that disregarded changing circumstances. Thoughtful and well documented, Allawi's interpretations markedly differ from public statements made by the American leadership as well as the take offered in My Year in Iraq by Paul Bremer, the first leader of the Coalition Provisional Authority. The extensive detail and the generally gloomy tone may deter casual browsers, but the book is recommended for thoughtful followers of the news.—Marcia L. Sprules, Council on Foreign Relations Lib., New York

As the field of 2008 presidential candidates expands, there is much discussion about their leadership credentials. This timely book provides historical examples of presidential leadership in the face of adversity as well as raises the stakes for today's candidates by implicitly suggesting criteria against which each may be judged. Beschloss (The Conquerors), a popular historian and TV commentator, offers nine vignettes, each about a critical problem facing the nation, and how the president prevailed over this adversity. While one may quibble with the choice of presidents—Washington, John Adams, Jackson, Lincoln, Teddy and Franklin Roosevelt, Truman, JFK, and Reagan—there is no denying that the challenge each faced was difficult, if not perilous. From Washington's battle to have the Jay Treaty accepted, Lincoln's fight for the emancipation of slaves, Truman's efforts for U.S. recognition of the state of Israel, to Reagan's struggle to normalize relations with the crumbling Soviet regime, each story demonstrates that successful presidential leadership requires conviction about one's values and a willingness to sacrifice one's political career to succeed. Reminiscent of JFK's Profiles in Courage, this well-written, carefully researched work deserves a wide audience. Recommended for all libraries. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 1/07.]—Thomas J. Baldino, Wilkes Univ., Wilkes-Barre, PA

The best part of Kaufman's book is his critical analysis of alternatives, in U.S. grand strategy, to the Bush doctrine, whose "moral democratic realism" entails the prudent application of American power to replace dangerous regimes in the Middle East. Kaufman (public policy, Pepperdine Univ.; Henry M. Jackson: A Life in Politics) reviews a continuum of alternatives, from isolationism, as advocated today by Pat Buchanan; to neorealism, supported by academics such as John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt; to classical realism, whose proponents include Brent Scowcroft and Lawrence Eagleberger; to the liberal multilateralism of "John Kerry and virtually every Democratic presidential nominee since 1968." When the book went to press last October, Kaufman judged current war casualties historically acceptable, in light, for example, of our 4000 dead in the Philippines after the Spanish American War, and he saw George Bush as heir to Ronald Reagan, whose application of moral democratic realism won the Cold War. He has since written an epilog and turned critical of the administration while concluding, "I have not yet lost hope that the President will remain faithful to the Bush Doctrine." Obviously, the jury is still out on both the president and the doctrine. Only for large political science collections.—Bob Nardini, Concord, NH

These two memoirs of soldiers who deserted the U.S. Army after serving in Iraq tell similar stories. Each man enlisted primarily for economic reasons but felt a commitment to serve his country and do what the army ordered. Each man accepted the job of fighting terrorism in Iraq and bringing freedom and democracy to Iraqis. Once in Iraq, each was dismayed, however, by the poor preparation, inadequate armor, and pointless tactics that led to American casualties and the abuse of Iraqis. Both report the arbitrary arrest of Iraqi males, mistreatment of prisoners, and destruction and theft of Iraqi property. Each concluded that Iraqis rightly came to despise Americans as brutal oppressors, not liberators. Faced with their own moral code of right and wrong and unwilling to continue to commit what they considered to be war crimes, each deserted.

Mejía worked against the war for several months, surrendered, was court-martialed, and served a year in prison. Key went underground and fled to Canada seeking asylum. The different backgrounds of the two men make the books complementary. Mejía had emigrated from Central America to Florida in 1994; his family had a modest income, but a background of political activism and social engagement enables him to write in a more analytical framework. Key describes his upbringing in a poor, abusive rural Oklahoma family and tells a simpler but equally moving story. Libraries should order both of these engaging and powerful books. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 11/15/06, for Key's book.]—Elizabeth R. Hayford, formerly with Associated Colls. of the Midwest, Evanston, IL

In her second book (after The Pharmacist's Mate), Fusselman shares her various thoughts about life, including our learning through everyday robotic repetition, as symbolized by the figure eights she made as a child when taking ice-skating lessons and as exemplified by her current child-reading tasks. Other subjects she covers are motorcycle riding in Manhattan, speaking to celebrities on the streets of New York, and "hands-on healing," or biodynamic craniosacral therapy. The format is similar to that of her previous work, with Fusselman randomly jumping from topic to topic. Her style requires some adjustment on the part of patrons, who may be left with the overwhelming sense that reading this work on the paradoxes of repetition and freedom is like looking at a crazy quilt. Recommended for larger public libraries.—Dorris Douglass, Williamson Cty. P.L., Franklin, TN

With autism diagnoses at an all-time high, this updated second edition will be invaluable to parents searching for relevant information. Harris and Weiss, both directors of the Douglass Developmental Disabilities Center at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, know firsthand the importance of early intervention in autism. The current research they provide highlights the effectiveness of Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention, an autism treatment program based on Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) for preschoolers with autism. Deciding to use ABA with a child requires research and reflection; this book will assist parents in creating and implementing an ABA program in their home and in selecting instructors and professional consultants. It will also help them evaluate public school programs and the pros and cons of a home-based vs. a center-based program. Most helpful are the personal anecdotes from parents detailing their experiences with autism and ABA. Any parent of a newly diagnosed toddler or preschooler would benefit from the information here when considering his or her child's treatment program. Highly recommended for public libraries, even those owning the first edition.—Lisa M. Jordan, Johnson Cty. Lib., KS

New York psychotherapist Levenkron (Anatomy of Anorexia) collaborates with his therapist wife, Abby, to produce this lucid, accessible account of primary issues encountered by female sexual abuse victims. Writing for therapists and lay readers alike, he features numerous case histories unpacking the ways in which sexual trauma undermines victims' capacity to live full and fulfilling lives. In addition to exposing the debilitating effects of trauma so that victims can understand the origins of their behavior, he addresses the needs of psychotherapists, offering therapeutic insights and strategies. This powerful book is a welcome addition to a body of literature including Ellen Bass and Laura Davis's The Courage To Heal: A Guide for Women Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse and Sheri Oz and Sarah-Jane Ogiers's Overcoming Childhood Sexual Trauma: A Guide to Breaking Through the Wall of Fear for Practitioners and Survivors. Strongly recommended for all public and university library collections.—Lynne F. Maxwell, Villanova Univ. Sch. of Law Lib., PA

Following in the steps of writers like Patricia Evans (The Verbally Abusive Relationship), psychotherapist Stern addresses gaslighting—emotional abuse and manipulation among family members, coworkers, friends, and lovers. The "gaslight effect" refers to the classic 1944 film Gaslight, in which a wife, eager for her abusive husband's approval, allows her self-esteem to be sabotaged to the point she believes she is losing her mind. The gaslighter, who may be male or female, though usually male in a romantic relationship, insists on being right and is always the winner; he may not be an intimidator but may threaten or be perceived as threatening. The gaslightee excuses and eventually feels responsible for the gaslighter's manipulative behavior. Focusing on gaslightees, Stern presents a three-stage model of gaslighting leading from disbelief through defense to depression, illustrated with examples taken from her clinical work. She describes types of gaslighters and shows gaslightees how to identify situations and feelings indicating that gaslighting may be happening. Her advice and strategies for "turning off the gas," making decisions for staying or leaving, and keeping future relationships "gaslight free" are practical and sound, emphasizing improving self-esteem and visualizing outcomes. Sidebars give scenarios, scripts, and indicators. Strongly recommended for self-help collections in public libraries.—Lucille M. Boone, San Jose P.L., CA

More than a history of Jewish motherhood, this book offers a fresh perspective on Jewish history, women's history, and the history of popular culture that is both informative and entertaining. Antler (American Jewish history & culture, Brandeis Univ.; The Journey Home: How Jewish Women Shaped Modern America) traces the formation and evolution of the Jewish mother stereotype across the 20th and 21st centuries through a unique analysis of popular culture, including song, theater, comedy, film, and literature. Once a symbol of tenacity and nurturance, the image of Jewish mothers was radically transformed into one of nagging, whining, guilt-producing maternal intrusiveness. It continues to change as modern, middle-class "intensive" mothering becomes more and more like the ever-present and overprotective stereotypical Jewish mother behavior. Antler provides a distinctive look at the formation of the stereotype as well as at the benevolent and loving traits of Jewish mothers. Readers will finish the book with a fuller and more nuanced understanding of the history of the Jewish mother—and mothers in general. Recommended for larger public libraries and all academic libraries.—Wendy Wendt, Marshall-Lyon Cty. Lib., MN

In this research-based book, Vanity Fair journalist and working mother of two Bennetts explores media reports—e.g., John Waggoner's 2006 USA Today article "Growing Family on One Income"—on the "opt-out generation," i.e., those career women who have left the work force to raise their children full-time. Drawing on interviews with females of various ages and ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds, she discusses some of the more immediate consequences facing women who put their careers on hold to attend to family. She further considers the long-term impact such a decision can have on them and their families, emphasizing the role of economics in, e.g., the loss of income/medical benefits and reduced contributions to retirement funds. And in examining the reasons many women find themselves in the position of stay-at-home mom, she addresses the media's glamorization of the "opt-out" scenario. This well-written book takes an unbiased look at women's roles and the effects of stay-at-home motherhood. It may be helpful to anyone considering career and family choices and is strongly recommended for public and academic libraries.—Anita N. Jennings, Newport News P.L.s, VA

Sports Illustrated senior writer Hoffer (A Savage Business: The Comeback and Comedown of Mike Tyson) explores an industry on which Americans spend more annually than on higher education. In fact, the cost of this habit rivals our expenditures on fast food. Offering insight into the world of gambling, Hoffer includes interviews with gambling industry insiders and reports his personal sampling of various types of gambling. Detailing Las Vegas casinos, underground poker in Utah, online gambling, dog fights, and sports betting, he illuminates this vast, lurking, and at times secretive world. Beyond simply describing gambling activities, he examines what attraction gambling holds to individuals. He also combines statistical data about gambling with the stories of individuals. For example, he describes the online gambling enterprise operated by a single owner with substantial yearly profits, then goes on to compare online gambling profits generally with the profits of Harrah's casinos. This highly readable and informative work provides commentary on U.S. culture and the role of gambling in this larger context. Appropriate for public and academic libraries.—Kristin Whitehair, Kansas State Univ., Manhattan

Holden—British journalist and author of many books, including biographies of Prince Charles, Princess Diana, and William Shakespeare—follows his seminal Big Deal: One Year as a Professional Poker Player with this companion. To see how the Internet and televised poker have changed the game since his first book in 1990, Holden lived poker for a year, participating in tournaments across the world, including the 2005 World Series of Poker in Las Vegas. Details of his games are mixed with well-written commentary on the history of poker and poker players, Internet poker, and televised poker. Though potentially overly detailed for some, especially those who do not know poker well, it provides an excellent level of insight and history of the game; the glossary is especially helpful. Among his conclusions, he notes a general trend of younger winners (in their early twenties) owing to the Internet's reach and the growing show-biz aspect of poker from celebrity participation and market placement of scantily clad women. Suitable for all public libraries.—Leigh Mihlrad, Albert Einstein Coll. of Medicine of Yeshiva Univ., Bronx, NY

Jackson (American culture, Univ. of Buffalo; Late Friends) here explores the "stories" behind true stories, urban legends, myths, and outright lies. He wants to know how these stories bind people together and what they mean to us. To that end, he offers a close reading of the making of a good story: its ownership, shape, focus, economy, truth, and ending. "Stories exist in performance," Jackson asserts, and his book reads like a long tale filled with rich characters and many personal encounters. He dissects examples from such masterful storytellers as Homer and Faulkner and considers oral narratives told within his own family as well as by his famous friends (e.g., Stephen Spender) and by politicians (e.g., John Kerry, Chuck Schumer). Jackson is at his most compelling, however, when he tackles "public stories" that have acquired mythlike status. His best examples are the O.J. Simpson trial (and O.J.'s story) and the story of Bob Dylan's legendary electric performance at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival. This fascinating book will cause readers to reassess old stories and to be wary of new ones. Highly recommended for academic libraries.—Thomas A. Karel, Franklin & Marshall Coll. Lib., Lancaster, PA

Bernick, a freelance writer, moved to Mexico with her husband and two small children for 18 months to experience living abroad. Here, she recounts for others wishing to follow her example that sojourn and provides practical information encompassing finances, planning, schools, communications, and healthcare. Additionally, vignettes of others who have taken their families abroad are included and supply additional perspectives on the experience. Bernick isn't the first to tackle the topic—see also David Elliot Cohen's One Year Off and Melissa Brayer Hess and Patricia Linderman's The Expert Expatriate—but this guide is unique in focusing on those on a tight budget and on families moving to another country temporarily to experience the culture and learn the language. Bernick's writing style makes readers feel that they're getting advice from a good friend, and she includes an excellent annotated list of resources. Recommended for all public libraries with travel collections.—Louise Feldmann, Colorado State Univ. Lib., Fort Collins

The routes taken by these two authors merge only briefly along the Silk Road. Geddes (Letters for Managua) hangs his multiple journeys upon the possibility that a Buddhist monk from Afghanistan by the name of Huishen traveled to China and then across the Pacific Ocean to America in 458 C.E., before returning to China 40 years later. There is no record of the route he might have taken, which leaves Geddes to roam about central Asia visiting historical and religious sites Huishen may have seen before entering eastern China. A later journey takes Geddes to Mexico and Central America. His writing is lively and best when describing the chaotic state of affairs that have boiled over onto the surrounding region from Afghanistan. This is not an easy area in which to travel, and Geddes approaches it mostly with courage and good humor. He does not make a convincing case for, or shed any new light on, the purported travels of Huishen.

Thubron (Lost Heart of Asia), whose writings have established him as an expert on central Asia, here retraces some of his earlier journeys while taking many new ones. His travels took him west from Xian in China's Shaanxi Province through Kyrgyzstan and the historic cities of Samarkand and Bukhara; a brief dip into Afghanistan led to Iran before he ended up at Antakya on the Mediterranean coast of Turkey. Thubron writes of the recent imbalances in the region owing to the collapse of the Soviet Union, the westward expansion of the Chinese, and the growing restlessness of the followers of the various sects of Islam. His journey was interrupted once by fighting, and he faced additional difficulties during the SARS outbreak in the early 2000s. He travels hard but with remarkably little bragging or complaining. He understands the region well, and his writings are an important contribution to a West that hardly even knows the basic geography, let alone these cultures and sources of conflict. Geddes entertains, while Thubron both entertains and instructs. If libraries can select only one of these books, it should be Thubron's.—Harold M. Otness, formerly of Southern Oregon Univ. Lib., Ashland

The routes taken by these two authors merge only briefly along the Silk Road. Geddes (Letters for Managua) hangs his multiple journeys upon the possibility that a Buddhist monk from Afghanistan by the name of Huishen traveled to China and then across the Pacific Ocean to America in 458 C.E., before returning to China 40 years later. There is no record of the route he might have taken, which leaves Geddes to roam about central Asia visiting historical and religious sites Huishen may have seen before entering eastern China. A later journey takes Geddes to Mexico and Central America. His writing is lively and best when describing the chaotic state of affairs that have boiled over onto the surrounding region from Afghanistan. This is not an easy area in which to travel, and Geddes approaches it mostly with courage and good humor. He does not make a convincing case for, or shed any new light on, the purported travels of Huishen.

Thubron (Lost Heart of Asia), whose writings have established him as an expert on central Asia, here retraces some of his earlier journeys while taking many new ones. His travels took him west from Xian in China's Shaanxi Province through Kyrgyzstan and the historic cities of Samarkand and Bukhara; a brief dip into Afghanistan led to Iran before he ended up at Antakya on the Mediterranean coast of Turkey. Thubron writes of the recent imbalances in the region owing to the collapse of the Soviet Union, the westward expansion of the Chinese, and the growing restlessness of the followers of the various sects of Islam. His journey was interrupted once by fighting, and he faced additional difficulties during the SARS outbreak in the early 2000s. He travels hard but with remarkably little bragging or complaining. He understands the region well, and his writings are an important contribution to a West that hardly even knows the basic geography, let alone these cultures and sources of conflict. Geddes entertains, while Thubron both entertains and instructs. If libraries can select only one of these books, it should be Thubron's.—Harold M. Otness, formerly of Southern Oregon Univ. Lib., Ashland

The Longs (Markets of Provence) turn their attention to Paris in this handy little guidebook. While most general travel guides list the major Parisian markets, like the famous Marché aux Fleurs and Marché aux Puces de Clignancourt, this guide details all the markets in the city selling food, antiques, books, crafts, and more. Entries provide the standard information for all markets, such as location, days and hours of operation, and nearest Metro stop, as well as the authors' recommendations and detailed descriptions of the articles offered for sale, including specialty items. For travelers with limited time, suggested itineraries list markets by geographic area and open days, which allows the reader to find, for example, a flea market on the Right Bank that is open on Mondays. There are other shopping guides to Paris, such as the volume in Suzy Gershman's "Born To Shop" series, and the Longs' reference this and other titles in a helpful bibliography, but travelers wanting to experience Paris by strolling its markets with the locals will find this guide invaluable. Recommended for public libraries, especially those with larger travel sections.—Rita Simmons, Sterling Heights P.L., MI

Venice inspired Titian, Tintoretto, and Canaletto, not to mention Turner, Whistler, and Sargent. Ruskin wrote about it, Henry James set two novels there, Browning loved it, and Wagner's and Ezra Pound's remains passed through by gondola en route to final resting places. In the 18th century, carnival would last six months and end for new festivities to begin. Venice has given us the platform shoe, Titian-colored hair, the mirror, public quarantines, and diplomatic missions, and though other cities claim it, perhaps also double-entry bookkeeping. Other cities may have advanced human progress more, but Venice's crowning achievement, as Martin (a.k.a. Miss Manners) notes in her latest, is an attitude: "In Venice, you are not peering into the past; you are standing in it.…Its beauty is innocent of understatement, a triumph of the conviction that there is no such thing as too much gold, brocade, and curlicued marble." Neither travel guide nor memoir, this paean to Venice is diverting enough, but Martin flits across topics too quickly to enlighten. Her observations are usually interesting, frequently enlightening, and always amusing, though at times too fey. Recommended with reservations for large public collections. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 10/1/06.]—David Keymer. Modesto, CA

Tucker and his wife, Jill Eikenberry, best known for their roles as Stuart Markowitz and Ann Kelsey in the TV series L.A. Law, were between acting jobs when they discovered a home they loved in Italy's Umbrian countryside. They purchased and renovated the 350-year-old cottage and live there part-time, exploring their newly adopted country when not on acting jobs in the United States. Tucker details their adventures with the culture, people, language, and especially the food of their new home. As in other books of this ilk—there are numerous others on American couples purchasing and renovating a home in Italy and falling in love with the land and the food—the author extols the virtues of rural Italian life and culture, struggles to fit into the community, and finds joy in the people and experiences he encounters. While not unique, this work is quite readable and will be enjoyed by readers who like the expat-in-Italy genre. Recommended for travel collections in public libraries.—Sheila Kasperek, Mansfield Univ. Lib., PA