Social Sciences

By Staff -- Library Journal, 5/15/2007

Biography

Clay (documentary producer, BBC: Princess to Queen) has written a truly ambitious biography of not one but three significant men. King George V of England, Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany, and Tsar Nicholas II of Russia (familiarly known as Georgie, Willy, and Nicky) were more than just the leaders of three of the most powerful countries in the world in the early 20th century—they were cousins who had grown up together, played together, and attended family functions together. Queen Victoria, as grandmother to Georgie and Willy and grandmother through marriage to Nicky, is here depicted as the strong matriarch linking the three together. Clay expertly weaves the story of the boys' lives up to World War I, using diary entries and letters written by members of this extended royal family and their acquaintances (many of these documents were made newly available for this publication). With remarkable expertise, she provides an intimate look inside the lives of these boys as they grew into manhood and became king, kaiser, and tsar, bringing new pleasures and details to a well-known subject. Highly recommended for both public and academic libraries.—Susanne Markgren, SUNY Purchase Lib.

In this disturbing, well-crafted tale of overcoming tragic events, Whitbread Award-winning poet Burnside (The Asylum Dance) recounts the childhood abuse he suffered from his father. Readers become acquainted with the fractured, challenging relationship between a father and a son, wherein the younger became a victim of the elder's self-hatred. Burnside's father had a violent temper that kept his spouse and son living in constant fear. To cope with the impact of this anger, the author used drugs and drank to the point of heavy addiction. It wasn't until the death of his father at age 62 that Burnside began to recover. This book demonstrates the resilience of the human spirit; the writing is upsetting, gripping, and startling. Recommended for public libraries.—Susan McClellan, Avalon Lib., Pittsburgh

The Richard Nixon portrayed by Drew (former Washington correspondent, The New Yorker; Washington Journal: The Events of 1973–74) is not the progressive but flawed leader of Joan Hoff's Nixon Reconsidered and Stephen Ambrose's three-volume Nixon biography. Instead, Nixon is an "improbable" president, introverted and paranoid. Concise, informative, and clearly written, this brief political biography shares qualities with the other volumes in the "American Presidents" series. Drew pays little attention to Nixon's traumatic childhood and his fast, ruthless rise from House member to senator to vice president. Most of the book describes Nixon's foreign policies and his political death in Watergate. Drew credits Nixon for the U.S. détente with the former Soviet Union, the opening of China, and his environmental policies. However, his failure to end the Vietnam War in 1969, which would have spared the lives of 20,000 Americans and hundreds of thousands of Southeast Asians, and his need to destroy his enemies made him an unfit president, claims Drew. A discussion of Operation Wizard, Nixon's successful attempt to rehabilitate his post-Watergate reputation, concludes this excellent Nixon overview. Recommended for all public libraries.—Karl Helicher, Upper Merion Twp. Lib., King of Prussia, PA

Since its publication in India last year, this memoir by a Bengali woman has been celebrated among the South Asian establishment as a redemptive tale of a girl born into hardship and violence who survives through her own stoicism and good luck. The condescending reception in India (a housemaid who can write! a window into the world of our servants!) will have many American readers cringing. Americans will also be baffled by the lack of any social context, which leaves it up to the reader to guess whether any particular act is culturally meaningful or idiosyncratic. The offhand use of Bengali or Hindi terms for kin as well as for furniture and foods will puzzle those who do not know a thakur from a thali. For readers with knowledge of South Asia, this book will serve as a reminder that the majority of Indian women still struggle against poverty and injustice. For the rest, it will confuse more than edify. Recommended for public libraries with a South Asian readership or strong collections in women's memoirs.—Lisa Klopfer, Eastern Michigan Univ. Lib., Ypsilanti

Imagine a scenario in which a wife can see her husband only on specific days, only after she has passed through a security system. This is the case with Kinsella (West Coast correspondent, Publishers Weekly), who as a literary agent on an assignment to check out an inmate's book met and later married a man incarcerated at Pelican Bay in northern California. The book tells how she, recently divorced, and Rory Mehan, convicted of murdering a man while in a drug-induced state, found both solace and love in each other's company. Along the way, the author gives a glimpse into this growing subculture of women who marry men in prison. When writing about her relationship with Rory, Kinsella often promises more than she provides, but when she talks about the hurdles of visiting a maximum-security prison and her life in limbo between visits, she is at her best. For contrast, one might want to read Asha Bandele's The Prisoner's Wife: A Memoir, which is a somewhat more passionate treatment of the same subject. For public and academic libraries. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 2/15/07.]—Frances Sandiford, formerly with Green Haven Correctional Facility Lib., Stormville, NY

This collection of 18 newly published essays, originally delivered as papers at the Lincoln Forum, brings together a who's who of Lincoln scholars working in several areas of scholarly concern and general public interest. The essays explore topics as varied as Lincoln's political faith, civic religion, speeches, use of religious language, emancipation policy, ideas on popular sovereignty, relations with generals and admirals, civil liberties, pardoning practice, the Lincolns' religious experiences, the Confederate connection to Lincoln's assassination, and Lincoln's image. They are uniformly insightful, informed, and interesting, and they reveal the many dimensions of Lincoln as man and myth, the character and functions of Lincoln as war leader, and his enduring significance in word and action. Any student of Lincoln and his era will want this book as a primer on why Lincoln still matters and as a prime means of exploring old themes and discovering new ones. All librarians, in preparing for the bicentennial of Lincoln's birth in 2009, would do well to make this book available. Highly recommended for academic and public libraries.—Randall M. Miller, Saint Joseph's Univ., Philadelphia

Melton (history, Liberty Univ.) has written the first full-length biography of Gen. Henry W. Slocum (1827–94) in nearly a century. He covers Slocum's full life, which encompassed the military, the law, and civic works. He was born in upstate New York, roomed with Philip Sheridan as a West Point cadet, and ultimately became one of the youngest major generals in the Civil War. During that conflict, he served under many famous commanders (e.g., William Tecumseh Sherman) and fought in major battles, e.g., Bull Run, Gettysburg, Vicksburg, and campaigns in the Carolinas and Georgia. It was his indecision and the "slow March" of the corps he commanded the first day at Gettysburg that earned him the nickname "Slow Come." Melton delves into Slocum's inactions at Gettysburg and tries to explain them as Slocum himself did and others have done since. Slocum returned to a practice of law after the war and then moved from Syracuse to Brooklyn, where he oversaw civic projects, ultimately including the Brooklyn Bridge. This concise portrait of a man who certainly led a varied life is scholarly in tone yet readable. Both lay readers and researchers will find it useful. Public and academic libraries should consider it, especially for New York history and Civil War collections.—David Alperstein, Queens Borough P.L., Jamaica, NY

The 2006 Pulitzer Prize winner for feature writing, Sheeler (Rocky Mountain News; contributor, Life on the Death Beat: A Handbook for Obituary Writers) has been writing obituaries for more than ten years, and here he has collected 42 of them. The results are part history and sociology, part nonfiction literature and journalism. These life stories break the traditional obit mold: a chronological listing of the key events in the life of a notable person. Sheeler's focus is on everyday people who lived outwardly unremarkable lives. Each brief biography/obit is literary and erudite, with anecdotes that range from the humorous tale of a woman who outlived her own tombstone to the heartbreaking story of the death of a couple in a plane crash. All the deceased illustrate the author's principle that ordinary people we pass on the street each day have a story that can teach others something about how to live. Sheeler's prose lifts these unknowns into the realm of the remarkable. The book contains more published obits than found in Marilyn Johnson's The Dead Beat and more obits of lesser-known personalities than found in the Times of London's Great Lives: A Century in Obituaries, edited by Ian Brunskill. Highly recommended for all public libraries.—Dale Farris, Groves, TX

Cohen and Rabin have hit the nail on the head with this thorough, well-written, step-by-step relaunch guide for stay-at-home moms. Both Harvard MBA relaunchers themselves, they explore the role career plays in the quality of life for professional women by going beyond the mere dollars and cents. Readers are guided on their way with the "Re-launch Readiness Quiz" to help identify motivating factors and the "Job Building Block" exercise to explore new career directions. The increasing availability of flexible work options and the newfound interest of employers are presented. The trade-offs and downsides of working motherhood are also honestly explored, as are many inspirational stories of successful relaunchers, such as Sandra Day O'Connor. A listing of resources, recommended reading, and sample résumés are provided. One of only a few books for the millions of professional women/mothers who are not working for pay; highly recommended for public libraries.—Tracy Mohaidheen, M.L.I.S., West Bloomfield, MI

In its new "Best Practices" series, currently made up of eight titles by five different authors, Collins has succeeded on two levels, for these slim and tall (4 by 8") paperbacks function well not only as stand-alone titles but also as part of the larger series devoted to better business management and communication. Management and human resources personnel are the target audience (although Communicating Effectively and Time Management would be useful for all professionals). Each book contains four or five quick chapters (e.g., Achieving Goals outlines "Goal-Setting Basics," "Developing Goals That Work," "The Manager's Role in Setting Goals," "Managing Goals," and "Evaluating Goal Achievement"), followed by an "Off and Running" summary, a comprehensive list of recommended readings (primarily HarperCollins business titles), and an index. Each book is attractively designed and offers a variety of sidebars, including "Self-Assessment Quizzes," "Case Files," "Power Points" (specific tips), "Quotes" (many from well-known business people), "Do's & Don'ts," and "Red Flags." The authors are mainly business journalists: Silverstein is a business writer and management consultant, Shwiff a business editor at the New Jersey Daily Record, Hoover the author or coauthor of 12 previous management books, Schienle a principal with Greer Marketing Communications, and Kranz a freelance journalist and speaker. These books could work well as introductory or refresher texts and are designed to fit into suit pockets and carry-ons. Unfortunately, this size raises challenges for libraries, from labeling and shelving to their staying in the collection. Nonetheless, the practical information and valuable recommended reads make these volumes a worthy purchase for both public and academic libraries.—Sarah Statz Cords, Madison P.L., WI

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to turn your hobby into a career, to get paid to do what you would do for free? Piven (The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook) profiles ten individuals who have done just that. From the dangerous (e.g., Navy SEAL; drug enforcement agent) to the humorous (stand-up comedian; clown), these jobs all have one thing in common: they are great escapes from the 9-5 world. Instead of a cubicle or corner office, these intrepid individuals report to raging river rapids, remote African villages, or the top of Mount Elbrus, the highest point in all of Europe. This book does not supply a 12-step plan to finding the ideal job; however, it does offer insight into the lives of individuals who have created jobs for themselves in unique and interesting ways. None of these individuals gets rich, but all are richly rewarded. In the tradition of Studs Turkel's Working, this book gives readers a voyeuristic view of the life and work of well-delineated individuals. Recommended for all public libraries.—Jennifer Zarr, NYPL

As the Civil War raged and brought into question the fate of the nation, Abraham Lincoln called for a new birth of freedom. Where did his vision come from, and was it realized in the decades following the war? In this beautifully written, brilliantly reasoned volume, Burton (history & sociology, Univ. of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign; In My Father's House Are Many Mansions ) takes the reader from the Second Great Awakening and the reform it spawned, through the tumultuous Civil War years, to the triumph of capital and racism in the Gilded Age in a brisk and engaging overview of most of the 19th century. Burton includes specific voices of the poor, women, war resisters, immigrants, and minorities, a feature that makes his history distinct and intriguing. Source notes lacking in the book are available at a web site, but the volume includes an extensive bibliographic essay. Recommended for all academic and public libraries, even those that already own James M. McPherson's classic Battle Cry of Freedom. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 2/15/07.]—Theresa McDevitt, Stapleton Lib., Indiana Univ. of Pennsylvania

In 1922, Lenin drew up a list of 160-plus academics, writers, scientists, and philosophers whom he wanted deported, to return on pain of death. Charges ranged from idling to plotting against the government, but as Chamberlain (Motherland: A Philosophical History of Russia) makes clear, "the…real charge…was that they would never come round to a Bolshevik way of thinking." The exiles traveled west, and the curtain came down on independent thought in Russia, not to be lifted for 70 years. Philosopher Nikolay Berdyaev; Roman Jakobson, founder of structuralist linguistics; sociologist Pitirim Sorokin; political theorist Alexandre Kojève; historian of science Alexander Koyre; the Nabokovs; and Nobel laureate Ivan Bunin—what a loss to Russia! Most lived the rest of their lives scarred by their severance from native soil. In Prague, Berlin, and Paris, they talked and argued: revolution versus gradualism, poetry and literature, religion (always religion), materialism versus idealism. If doubts linger as to Lenin's contribution to repression, even though Stalin thought up the system by himself, this book should put them to rest. It is a felicitous joining of literary grace and historical intelligence, augmented by Chamberlain's sympathetic understanding of Russian religious and philosophical thinking. Enthusiastically recommended for academic collections and larger general libraries.—David Keymer, Modesto, CA

In her monographic debut, Cockayne (Open Univ., UK) removes the facade of the beautiful 17th century to restore to readers the breadth—and depth—of the awful during the Renaissance and Age of Reason in England, almost two centuries extending from the heyday of Shakespeare to Wren, from the imported talents of Rubens and Handel and straight through the homegrown deveBlopment of the novel. Life for most, she reminds us, was nasty and brutish, and even aristocrats were a putrid bunch. Cockayne rediscovers an all too organic food supply; excreta-wallowing pigs kept in conditions living down to their reputations; and such routine perils negotiated by pedestrians as falling into unmarked pits, down unrailed cellar steps, and into waste piles or being run down by horses or carriages. Mixing her prodigious research into a multisensory textual dish that is addictively disgusting in all its particulars, Cockayne has produced a lively, witty, and provocatively illustrated history that is only slightly flawed in that what results perhaps inevitably reads more as a comprehensive sampler of ills than a thoroughly integrated narrative of horror. Recommended for all humanities collections.—Scott H. Silverman, Bryn Mawr Coll., PA

In this excellent work of social history, Diamond (French history, Univ. of Bath) writes about the massive population displacement that followed the fall of France in the spring and summer of 1940. Using journals, memoirs, diaries, and oral interviews along with published accounts, she tells a gripping human story of the chaos, confusion, and traumas of this period, when upwards of four million people left their homes and fled south. While some refugees later became very well known (e.g., Simone de Beauvoir, Roland Dorgelès, and Georges Sadoul), this is a tale of ordinary people and their harrowing stories. Diamond explains why women, children, and the elderly predominated among the refugees and how social class affected the nature of their ordeal. She tries to understand what motivated individuals to evacuate rather than remain and details their bouts with heat, starvation, and dehydration in an atmosphere of incredible insecurity and fear. The strength of the text is its clear attempt to explain how the events of this period were both understood and experienced by those at the time. An important story that has never before been told in English; highly recommended.—Marie Marmo Mullaney, Caldwell Coll., NJ

The Ninth Amendment reads, "The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people." In his fascinating book, Farber (constitutional law, Univ. of California, Berkeley; The First Amendment), who served as clerk to Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stephens, argues that this amendment can and should be used to protect the natural rights not spelled out in the Constitution because that is precisely what the framers intended. Farber argues that the Ninth Amendment was instrumental to the framers' concept of a democracy because they recognized that rights were not created by laws but were endowed to "man" by the Creator. Modern justices, he says, have misunderstood the framers' intent and their concept of natural law, focusing instead on the text of the Constitution and its enumerated rights. The author reinforces his argument by discussing modern legal issues involving natural rights, including the contentious issues over the right to die and reproductive rights. This thought-provoking book is recommended for all libraries.—Becky Kennedy, Atlanta-Fulton P.L., GA

Derived from a series of six lectures that Feeney (Latin, Princeton Univ.; Literature and Religion at Rome) gave in 2004 as the Sather Lecturer at the University of California, Berkeley, this book brings to vibrant life what could be considered a dry subject. Feeney examines how the Roman notion of time changed as the Roman Empire expanded and absorbed different groups in the Mediterranean basin 2000 years ago. For example, the Romans adopted key events in Greek history, including the Trojan War, into their own myths about the founding of Rome. Feeney also investigates frames of reference created by the Romans for thinking about time, such as the Julian calendar. Readers looking for more of an emphasis on the ancient Greek component of the intersection of Roman and Greek notions of time may want to read Robert Hannah's Greek and Roman Calendars: Constructions of Time in the Classical World. Given the narrowness of the topic, this admirable title is recommended for academic libraries only.—Sean Michael Fleming, Lebanon P.L., NH

The visible feud between RFK and President Johnson meant that there was less focus on the bad blood between RFK and J. Edgar Hoover. Longtime Kennedy watcher Hersh (The Old Boys: The American Elite and the Origins of the CIA) offers an exhaustive—and at times exhausting—rendition of the latter conflict. Here, we see a ruthless RFK in pursuit of organized crime, as long as the investigations did not reveal ties between the mob and his father, Joseph Kennedy. However, also revealed is the RFK who pursued an end to the Vietnam War, promoted civil rights legislation, and left a legacy of important anticrime legislation. J. Edgar Hoover is depicted as an eccentric autocrat who believed the Left was destroying America and would do anything to bring down its leaders, especially Martin Luther King. Yet the reader is also shown a Hoover who stood up to Nixon's scheme to short-circuit the legal system and who, as charged by LBJ, used the FBI to defeat the 1960s Ku Klux Klan. Although the narrative is slowed by Hersh's inclusion of so many stories, it does keep the reader engrossed. Recommended for all public libraries.—Karl Helicher, Upper Merion Twp. Lib., King of Prussia, PA

To offer a new approach to Queen Victoria, King (The Court of the Last Tsar) focuses on one important year in her reign—the 1897 Diamond Jubilee. Although he initially establishes context by focusing on the changes that occurred during Victoria's life, he spends perhaps too much time describing the minutiae of the royal household's daily workings. Thankfully, humorous anecdotes from primary sources, such as those describing courtiers' lack of love for Balmoral Castle, the queen's beloved Scottish home, enlighten the accounting. The queen's callous treatment of her sons, selfish demands on her daughters, and relationships with servants—not to mention coverage of family scandals and the lives of other royals—does seem inevitably comparable to the present royal family. Photos show the various royal domiciles, as well as family members; a brief appendix names various members of the royal household. For libraries with large English history collections. (Index not seen.)—B. Allison Gray, John Jermain Memorial Lib., Sag Harbor, NY

Scottish-born Linklater (Measuring America) delivers a readable story of how borders helped shape America. He refutes Frederick Jackson Turner's famous thesis that the frontier gave us a dislike for direct control and government dependence. Instead, he effectively argues that without literal boundaries, our history would be much more treacherous. For most of the book, Linklater discusses surveyor Andrew Ellicott's role in setting state and territory borders so that at first, land speculators could sell land for high profits. The federal government then used Ellicott's border-setting services in its own land-selling administration, followed by the creation of counties, sheriffs, courts, and taxes. The author points out that settlers wanted a territory that had a legal apparatus so that they could put down land claims. Also, the administration of vast territory, Linklater argues, strengthened the role of the federal government. This book, addressing little-known history, will appeal to general readers, while students can use it to research the other side of Turner's thesis. Highly recommended for both public and college libraries.—Bryan Craig, MLS, Nellysford, VA

An Emmy Award-winning filmmaker and contributing author to photographic books, MacQuarrie (From the Andes to the Amazon) now offers a thorough exploration of Incan history, from first contact with Europeans in 1526 to the rediscovery of buried Incan historical artifacts to 2005. The story of the downfall and rediscovery of the Incan Empire is revealed by following the footsteps of influential individuals in the history of interactions between the Incan civilization and Europeans. For example, MacQuarrie begins with an account of explorers rediscovering the abandoned Incan city of Machu Picchu in 1911. Repeatedly, he uses correspondence between Europeans exploring the Incan civilization and their contacts in Europe to demonstrate perceptions held of Incan people during the time period. Throughout, numerous illustrations and maps enhance MacQuarrie's insights. This highly detailed, extremely readable work is appropriate for academic and larger public libraries.—Kristin Whitehair, Kansas State Univ., Manhattan

Shlaes (syndicated columnist, Bloomberg; The Greedy Hand: How Taxes Drive Americans Crazy and What To Do About It) attempts to demonstrate that the policies and programs created by Herbert Hoover and FDR during the Great Depression failed to help their intended beneficiaries. Her research is drawn primarily from autobiographies of individuals who worked for Hoover and FDR as well as newspaper and magazine articles from the period. The author does not dwell on the sense of hope that FDR gave to Americans—as documented in the hundreds of thousands of letters from which Shlaes does not quote that they wrote to FDR in response to his fireside chats. That said, the book is an engaging retelling of the Great Depression and the New Deal, but it does not provide new information via any new scholarly approaches to primary sources. Therefore, it is not truly revisionist in its seeking to reinterpret from a more 21st-century conservative angle the era as one that did not have a savior in the form of our only four-term president. The book may be of interest to public and academic libraries needing additional accounts of the era.—Diane Fulkerson, Univ. of West Georgia Lib., Carrollton, GA

A few members of the Verney family may have been dry as toast, but taken as a whole, they were anything but boring. They were also inveterate pack rats, saving letters, leases, contracts, all manner of paper trails. Two 17th-century Verneys, Sir Ralph (1613–96) and his son John (1640–1717), were the real archivists, and their efforts resulted in what may be one of the largest and most comprehensive private collections of correspondence in the Western world. The Verneys as captured in these records were soldiers and merchants, parliamentarians and royalists, pillars of society and unrepentant scoundrels. The family descendants granted former National Trust consultant Tinniswood (His Invention So Fertile: A Life of Christopher Wren) unparalleled access to the archive, and this access has produced a captivating albeit densely written narrative history. Assuming that the reader has a cursory knowledge of the major events of that era in Britain, Tinniswood spends more time on the Verneys' lives than the tumult of revolution and restoration surrounding them. Coupled with the fact that many generations of the family favored the names Ralph, Edmund, and Mary for their offspring, this can make the book a challenging read. Yet Tinniswood's uncomplicated style and easy wit overcome these obstacles. Recommended for academic and public libraries.—Tessa L.H. Minchew, Georgia Perimeter Coll., Clarkston, GA

Italian investigative journalists Bonini and D'Avanzo (La Repùblica, Rome) broke the "Nigergate" story involving the false intelligence about Niger-supplied uranium to Iraq, which the Bush administration used to justify its war. Their book on the same subject can be described only as "true spy." With its descriptions of clothing and scenery, story arcs, jumps among players, and thrillerlike pace, it reads like a novel, but the many footnotes and endnotes make clear that this is nonfiction about current events. Nonetheless, spy fiction fans will be drawn into the compelling true story, while students will find this a more than palatable read on the Nigergate scandal. More serious investigators may wish to go back to the original news stories (those by these authors would be in Italian, of course), as there is a dearth of books about Nigergate. But this is an excellent fit for public libraries with current events or espionage devotees; academic libraries will have to balance its popular tone against their need for complete coverage of the current war.—Robert Perret, Univ. of Wyoming Lib., Laramie

What do women want from their president? Former New York Times reporter Henneberger (political editor, HuffingtonPost.com) traveled the country over a period of 18 months to learn why Democrats lost ground with women voters in the 2004 elections, noting that President Bush received more blue-collar and college-educated women's votes in 2004 than he did in 2000. Having spoken with more than 200 women from different backgrounds and 20 different states, she here reports on 15 of her interview sessions. Readers will learn that the Iraq war was often a concern but that "values" issues related to abortion, social programs vs. individual responsibility, and immigration and employment opportunities dominated discussions. Unfortunately, she conducted her last interview in June 2006, before Democrats regained control of Congress, so readers are left to wonder whether these issues still outweigh objection to the war. Based on her study, Henneberger concludes that Democrats can win the White House in 2008 by recapturing the votes of disaffected women—if they nominate a candidate who respects middle-class values, listens well, and is comfortable talking about faith. Recommended for public libraries with strong current events and political studies collections.—Jill Ortner, SUNY at Buffalo Libs.

In his highly readable epistolary narrative, Orbach (Middle East expert, U.S. Dept. of State) records his experiences as a graduate student in the Middle East (he travels to Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Palestine, Israel, and Turkey) on the eve of the Iraq war. Orbach is dedicated to representing positively the American point of view, even as the area becomes increasingly unstable. When we first meet him, he is a thoughtful and idealistic American student, a Jew, with a degree in Middle Eastern studies and a knowledge of Arabic and an interest in business. As he studies free trade in Amman, Jordan, and travels throughout the region, he struggles to understand and explain the different points of view that he encounters. When in the West Bank with Palestinians, he does ultimately decide to enter Israel: he is rushed through customs, while his non-Jewish traveling companions are interrogated. The value of Orbach's book is as much in his firsthand account of a volatile region as in his descriptions of discussions with the ordinary people around him. At its heart, this is an optimistic work, one that informs Americans about the everyday problems experienced by Arabs and Israelis, one that promotes the idea of real dialog in and with the Middle East. Suitable for general readers.—April Younglove, Linfield Coll., Portland Campus Lib., OR

Armstrong, who has written a number of books on holistic education (e.g., The Myth of the A.D.D. Child), now takes on the entire life span, claiming to be the first psychologist to do so. This may be true, considering that he views prebirth and postdeath as distinct stages (the basic 12 are birth, infancy, early childhood, middle childhood, late childhood, adolescence, early adulthood, midlife, mature adulthood, late adulthood, and death and dying). Within each stage, the information is fairly standard, with a heavy overlay of Eastern religion. This shouldn't be too surprising owing to the author's statement that "the major premise of the book is that there are two fundamental forces operating upon us as we journey through life: the biological and the spiritual." While that may or may not be true, it certainly isn't psychology as a scientific discipline. George Valliant's books (Adaptation to Life; Aging Well) remain the most solid and interesting work on the adult life cycle, though Armstrong's book will likely find an enthusiastic audience among New Agers. Recommended only for large public libraries serving that demographic.—Mary Ann Hughes, Neill P.L., Pullman, WA

In this collection of 28 personal essays edited by de la Cruz ("Au Pairs" series) and Dolby (The Trouble Boy)—a straight woman and a gay man who are friends—the first offerings, "Shop Girls" and "Fag Hags: The Laughter, the Tears, the Marabou," set the tone. Here, readers will not find an examination of nuance in complex relationships that are assumed to be nonsexual but can potentially generate jealousy when one finds a boyfriend; instead, the book conveys and celebrates different manifestations of straight woman/gay man bonds. Only a few dig deeper and satisfy: in "Family Albums," for instance, play director Philip Himberg writes of his high school sweetheart's later volunteering to bear a child for him and his partner and of taking a baby from the arms of someone he loved. Other contributors include Simon Doonan (Confessions of a Window Dresser), Sex and the City producer Cindy Chupack, and Gigi Levangie Grazer (The Starter Wife). Readers who would appreciate this book have their own sweet stories of shopping and parties, of meeting a wonderful friend and cultivating a lifelong relationship, but the few substantial entries cannot carry the collection. An optional purchase.—Anna Katterjohn, Library Journal

To Mooney (coauthor, Learning Outside the Lines), riding a short bus represented his embarrassment and anger at being different because of dyslexia and ADHD. Growing up, he tried to hide behind a normal facade, but after graduating from Brown University with honors and "harbor[ing] aspirations of becoming an after-school special," he made a conscious decision to get back on the short bus: he outfitted one for a four-month, cross-country trip in which he visited others labeled "different," including Cookie, a six-foot-five cross-dressing Maine artist who was diagnosed as mentally retarded as a child, and Jeff, founder of a monthly group of mathematicians from the University of California at Davis. In the course of his adventures, Mooney explores our society's definition of normal and why we are determined to "fix" those who are deemed different. In the tradition of other on-the-road sagas, this is angry, funny, and bittersweet, although somewhat in need of tightening. The Short Bus should provoke many discussions and is recommended for public libraries. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 2/1/07.]—Elizabeth Safford, Nevins Memorial Lib., Methuen, MA

To expand her perimeters, Niesslein (founding coeditor, Brain, Child: The Magazine for Thinking Mothers) embarked on a two-year experiment in self-improvement, delving into every realm of her life in search of happiness and fulfillment. She followed the advice of our culture's many so-called self-help experts—e.g., television personality Dr. Phil, pediatrician William Sears, holistic health authority Dr. Andrew Weil. The areas on which she chose to focus were her house, her finances, her health, motherhood, marriage, community, and spirituality. Here, she summarizes and evaluates the experiment, imparting informative self-help schemes while exposing their realistic outcomes. For covering such a broad range of topics, the book is amazingly in-depth yet entertaining with its fresh humor. A worthy read, for there is always room for improvement in our daily lives; recommended for public libraries.—Dorris Douglass, Williamson Cty. P.L., Franklin, TN

Composed by a star-studded team of scientists and practitioners, this powerful book is the best self-help title to arrive since David Burns's seminal Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy. Williams (clinical psychology & Wellcome Principal Research Fellow, Oxford Univ.), John Teasdale (fellow, British Acad. & the Acad. of Medical Sciences), and Zindel Segal (Morgan Firestone Chair in Psychotherapy, Univ. of Toronto) previously collaborated on Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression, a well-received text for mental health professionals. Add to the mix Jon Kabat-Zinn (medicine, emeritus, Univ. of Massachusetts Medical Sch.), a luminary in his own right (Wherever You Go, There You Are: Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life), and the result is a useful lay reader's guide to incorporating mindfulness techniques in everyday life. Providing a realistic eight-week program, this wonderful guide and its accompanying CD offer invaluable practical strategies for banishing depression and regaining one's life. Highly recommended for all public and academic library collections.—Lynne Maxwell, Villanova Univ. Sch. of Law Lib., PA

Think you know all there is to know about the Columbine school massacre (4/20/1999)? Think again. Larkin (Suburban Youth in Cultural Crisis) covers known and little-known details, aiming to answer why Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold went on their shooting rampage. One of the primary explanations that arose soon after the shootings was that the boys had been bullied. Larkin discusses "The Predators," a group of jocks who strolled the school hallways looking for victims. Harris, Klebold, and others were constantly taunted with epithets, shoved against and into lockers, and had bottles and other objects thrown at them. According to students Larkin interviewed, several of the athletes who participated in the bullying were "deep Christians," or evangelicals, part of a religious elitism that existed among the student population and outside the school. Larkin also tackles how phenomena such as youth counterculture, "angry white men," and celebrity deaths could have factored into the shootings. Some will say that Columbine doesn't need any more scrutinizing. But after the recent Virginia Tech shootings, people will be looking for more insights into youth who feel ostracized and ways to help them avoid feeling so alienated in the first place. There is an audience for this book, which should be considered by public and academic libraries.—Terry Christner, Hutchinson P.L., KS

In her first book, journalist Mead (The New Yorker) takes on bridal traditions, the $160-billion-dollar wedding industry, and our cultural expectations of weddings and marriage. Beginning with the "bridezilla" phenomenon, Mead examines how a bride's expectations and dreams are often shaped and expanded by vendors and consultants seeking merely to capture her dollars. From there, she digs deeper into sociological issues, including the ways that a lack of religious or ethnic customs leaves many brides desperate for "traditionalesque" experiences that vendors create and the modern belief that a fairy tale wedding leads to a happy marriage. Mead's criticism of the wedding industry and American culture at large can be scathing, but her humorous style removes any bitterness from her analysis. From the no-longer-virginal white dress to the tangible memories of pictures and DVDs, from gift registries to individualized ceremonies, Mead examines the recent history and purpose of American weddings and how consultants, brides and grooms, and communities imbue them with personalized style and meaning. An insightful look at one of the remaining rites of modern America; recommended for both public and academic libraries.—Erica L. Foley, Flint P.L., MI

The essence of the human spirit has always been a great topic for philosophers. The Greeks called it daimon; Freud dubbed it the id. For Mercogliano, the director of an inner-city alternative school, it is "inner wildness," and children naturally possess it. Unfortunately, the author argues, this autodetermination has been eroding since the end of the 19th century, when the structured school system was developed and child labor was abolished. At the same time, the creation of adolescence pushed back adulthood and resulted in the need for more organized activities. To boot, technologies like video games, cell phones, and the Internet have further domesticated childhood by offering mindless stimulations and submitting youth to a superficial and marketed view of adulthood. Mercogliano well supports his analysis with references to great psychologists and researchers in the field of child development. His biases can be irritating—e.g., his negative views of conventional education—yet this book will ultimately provoke discussion among parents about what is taken for granted in children's lives today. Recommended for academic libraries and large child development collections in public libraries.—Maryse Breton, Onondaga Cty. P.L., Syracuse, NY

Wolk, a senior writer for Entertainment Weekly, admits that he is "an extreme nostalgist." He dreams of his carefree, summer camp days when he was a youth and wishes to relive those fondest memories of childhood. At age 34, suffering from an early mid-life crisis, just weeks prior to his wedding day, he decides to become a counselor at Camp Eastwind, the same camp he attended as a camper and where he was a counselor from 1980 to 1988. Wolk describes in great detail the joys and challenges of being a thirtysomething counselor who is faced with more challenges than the difficulty posed by a small bunk bed (the author is more than six feet tall). For those who have fantasized about returning to a childhood place that once brought them great joy, this book will first entice, then disappoint, as the descriptions of the day-to-day events can be boring. An optional purchase for public libraries.—Tim Delaney, SUNY at Oswego

By Deborah Bigelow, Director, Leonia P.L., NJ

Drawing on her own suffering following her son's suicide and the experiences of hundreds of others who have lived through the tragic deaths of loved ones, singer/songwriter and author Collins (Singing Lessons) offers a path through the fire of pain. She uses the device of seven "T's" to organize her message, advising readers to tell the truth, allow themselves to trust, get therapy, continue to treasure their loved one, keep trying to thrive, treat themselves with loving kindness, and transcend by living a life of joy, abundance, and forgiveness. Her message is from the heart and will resonate with everyone who has experienced a terrible loss. Recommended for all libraries.

In an absolutely riveting manner, criminal behavior specialists Cooper and King delve into the mind-sets of predatory criminals and suggest simple lifestyle techniques to help reduce the risk of victimization. Drawing on investigative research, case studies, and interviews with victims and criminals, the authors illustrate why particular people are targeted and how a predator chooses his approach, assault technique, and weapon. They cover crimes against children and the elderly, sexual assault, kidnapping, and domestic violence. While readers may get knots in their stomachs, they are bound to find information that will help them live safer lives. Highly recommended for all libraries.

Inspired by 16th-century Italian philosopher Niccolò Machiavelli, Crawford (White House columnist, Congressional Quarterly Inc.; Attack the Messenger: How Politicians Turn You Against the Media) outlines 25 ways to make oneself heard in a world of ambition, power, and control. Modeling his book after a course in self-defense, he offers advice such as "never postpone inevitable conflict," "never seek a favor that could cost too much to return," and "use your enemies well." What might sound like a harsh and pessimistic view of humanity is, according to Crawford, the reality of everyday life. His illustrative use of current situations elucidates the political arena and brings home his message. Recommended for all libraries.

Starting with the premise that men don't listen to women because they can get away with it, family therapist Dolan-Del Vecchio discusses how gender, race, sexual orientation, and money form the foundation for power in personal relationships as well as in the world arena. According to him, the concept of patriarchy, along with its associated behaviors—e.g., holding women responsible for child care, laundry, and the relationship—is one reason many marriages are in trouble. The author describes what fairness in a relationship looks like and offers steps toward its achievement. While most examples relate to heterosexual couples, several relate to gay couples as well. Highly likely to draw in only women readers but recommended for most libraries.

Flatter, who holds a black belt in Aikido, cuts through the mental clutter, guiding readers toward the attainment of their physical and mental life goals. Through a series of questions designed to promote self-reflection, he encourages readers to take an inventory of their habits, develop awareness, and consider both a "stop doing" and a "start doing" list. Short sections within each chapter make for speedy reading and easy application. Sprinkled throughout are pertinent quotes from philosophers, sports coaches, and world leaders. A bonus section titled "The Art of Verbal Aikido" offers helpful tips for communicating at work and at home. While readers of all ages will find the book useful, it will ring truest to twenty- and thirtysomethings. Recommended for libraries catering to that demographic.

Clinical psychologist Hartman writes for the many women who will date a separated or divorced man in their lifetime. She discusses the myriad challenges that come with a relationship of this type, e.g., a divorcé's financial obligations, his relationships with his ex and children, and his unresolved emotional issues surrounding the divorce. She also warns readers against men who want to hide the relationship, have nonessential contact with their exes, or allow their children to disrespect their new significant other. Suggested rules for dating include taking things slowly; keeping one's own life, friends, and activities; and accepting the relationship's limitations. Forewarned is forearmed. An excellent choice for any public library.

Here, two men share different views of singlehood. A newspaper columnist and single father of four, Husband offers a series of lighthearted commentaries about the real stuff of which single lives are made, such as the intrigue of a potential partner who can read street signs from several blocks away, is tall enough to reach the top shelf, or has a green thumb. He further describes the different kinds of rejection—fixable and unfixable—and the many rituals of dating.

Independent filmmaker and actor Schaeffer, on the other hand, talks about the single life in memoir format, recounting his exploits with women from grade school to the present. In considerably graphic language, he reveals the baser side of males through his own life—his sports obsessions, hookups with sex workers, and drug, food, and sex binges. Obviously, these books will appeal to different populations, but the raunchy tone of Schaeffer's makes it a poor choice for library purchase. Fun but not essential, Husband's is recommended for most public libraries.

While motherhood may be the most important job in the world, it's also an incredibly difficult one, demanding a woman's heart, soul, time, and focus. Both of these books aim to help moms reclaim that sense of self that can easily erode in the face of their work. Professional life coaches Jay and Kovarick (cofounders, Empowered Motherhood) instruct mothers-to-be on detailing personal visions and models of motherhood. Work sheets and fill-in-the-blank lists abound, as do helpful lessons such as showing gratitude in all things, asking for one's wants, and remembering there are always choices.

Work/life balance coach Trudeau addresses mothers of babies and small children with a month-by-month approach whereby a new mother can concentrate on one theme at a time. Topics include caring for oneself, developing a personal support system, learning that good is good enough, and reclaiming adventure in life. Readers will feel soothed, comforted, and empowered. While both books overlap in content, the former requires a diligent commitment while the latter supplies a retreat. Trudeau's is preferred and recommended for most public libraries.

OutPersonals.com writer Mauro uses his decade of experience in the gay online dating arena to advise men on every aspect of the venture, from how—and how not—to compose a successful profile and photo selection to how to set up an actual encounter and differentiate between the pursuit of love and the pursuit of hot sex. He encourages taking responsibility for one's presence online as well as in person, incorporating boxed "Reality Checks" into the text. He also describes how to deal with different types of chat-line regulars (e.g., The Whiiiiiner, The Sniper, The Hustler) and covers the basics of phone sex. Neither tawdry nor coarse, this would be most helpful for anyone considering participation in the online gay world; recommended for most libraries.

This is life coach/radio host Moran's (Younger by the Day: 365 Ways To Rejuvenate Your Body and Revitalize Your Spirit) five-step plan for ridding oneself of emptiness and developing a viable inner life. According to Moran, eating less, working harder, and being friendlier will not alleviate misery. Instead of looking into the refrigerator or going to the mall, she suggests readers use her strategies to help them enrich and value their own lives by saving money, eating healthy food, and being the kind of person to whom someone would want to come home. A valuable message, and one well said; recommended for public libraries.

In writer/filmmaker Poch's hilarious guidebook geared toward girlfriends, fiancées, and wives, she offers helpful advice on all aspects of coping with in-laws—the first meeting, the holidays, the weddings, the arrival of babies (or not), and the day they decide to move next door. Poch, whose own in-laws live in another state, bases much of her information on interviews with women who have succeeded in reclaiming holidays, avoiding clashes with nasty sisters-in-law, and confronting the passive-aggressive mothers-in-law. She includes translation charts for understanding curses and compliments in a partner's family's native tongue, and she throws in games like "Mother-In-Law MadLibs" just for fun. Every woman who has ever dealt with a partner's family will appreciate the humor and empathy in this book. Recommended for all public libraries.

Just for fun comes this imaginative little guide offering suggestions for simple, fancy, energetic, or romantic ways for couples to enjoy each other's company. Sussman (Love Your Sex Life!: The Busy Girl's Guide to Getting Busy) gives couples annotated lists of movies to see and books to read as well as menus of sensuous foods to eat together in bed. She covers activities for the whole family and has ideas to save the day should kids get sick at the last minute. Suggestions off the beaten path include renting a rowboat for a DIY dinner cruise and doing a paint-by-numbers scene by a lake. The romantic and more erotic suggestions sprinkled throughout are a bonus. Highly recommended for all libraries.