Social Sciences

This American edition of Father Jean Bernard's recollections of his experiences as a political prisoner in Dachau from May 1941 to August 1942 was first published serially in the Luxemburger Wort in 1945 and coincides now with the release of the movie adaptation (The Ninth Day). The text consists of snippets of memories, creating a disjointed result. There are a series of impressions but no connection to the greater time period or event. Overall, the book sheds minimal light on the experiences of priests in Dachau. The larger problem, however, is Robert Royal's introduction, which makes no distinction between internment for political reasons and for reasons of ethnicity, a distinction that mattered especially with regard to Father Bernard, who might never have been released had he been a Jew or a Gypsy. Further, the introduction presents the memoir as proof that the Catholic Church was opposed to and suffered under Hitler when the historical facts do not support this stance. As the volume does not contribute to the study of World War II or the Holocaust, it is an optional addition to libraries.—Melissa Johnson, George Mason Univ. Lib., Fairfax, VA

Borchert, a long-serving "assistant librarian" in a suburban California public library, offers a wry miscellany of real-life sketches of the public library frontlines. While some patrons make full use of the library's bounty, Borchert, who had a knockabout career before he became a family man, skewers those who connive to avoid fines or order library staff to do their bidding. A believer in public service but not slavish service, the author sometimes becomes the enforcer while staying within the bounds of civil service rules. Most of his colleagues are dedicated, but then there is the religiously sheltered page who goes ballistic when students spew rap profanities. Although the library can be a hangout for teens and a place to stash kids, Borchert and colleagues smile when a cast-out teenager finds a haven in the library and blossoms. Borchert, it seems, did too. He reveals that he has resisted entreaties from colleagues to get his LIS degree—"Higher education had scarred me for life"—but maintains a faith in the institution where he works: "I think a free library is an outrageous perk." For all public libraries. [See online Q&A with Borchert at www.libraryjournal.com/borchert; forthcoming in May 2008 is the release of Scott Douglas's Quiet, Please; Douglas is the author of "Dispatches from a Public Librarian" on McSweeneys.net.—Ed.]—Norman Oder, Library Journal

In this unabashedly revisionist biography, Fowler (Latin American studies, Univ. of St. Andrews, Scotland; Mexico in the Age of Proposals, 1821-1853) presents Santa Anna not as a politician but as a soldier and landowner, willing to bring order out of the chaos of political factionalism and to defend Mexico against internal revolts and foreign invasions. Fowler explodes the myth that Santa Anna alone should be held responsible for losing half of his country to the United States, clearly demonstrating that Santa Anna never recognized Texas's independence and showing that during the Mexican War, hobbled by factionalism, lack of resources, and his own mistakes, Santa Anna's plans had no chance of succeeding. Fowler also pays great attention to Santa Anna's relationship with his home province of Veracruz, showing how his strength there was a major factor in his return to power after he was seemingly out of public life forever. Drawing on archives in Mexico, Spain, Britain, and Texas as well as published sources, Fowler supplies a much-needed corrective to existing impressions of Santa Anna with this balanced and well-written work. Highly recommended for all libraries.—Stephen H. Peters, Northern Michigan Univ. Lib., Marquette

Naftali (director, Nixon Presidential Lib.; Blind Spot: The Secret History of American Counterterrorism) focuses specifically on Bush senior's time in the Oval Office, covering his earlier life and career in only about 60 pages. He argues that the 41st president deserves credit for successfully navigating U.S. foreign policy through the difficult times of the Soviet Union's collapse, the reunification of Germany, and Iraq's invasion of Kuwait, which led to the Gulf War. On the domestic front, however, Bush inherited problems that led to his being denied a second term, viz. the cost of repairing the savings and loan debacle, which contributed to the economic downturn of the early 1990s and the divisions that were forming in his Republican Party over issues like abortion. While informative, this book does not offer new insights or provide as satisfying an explanation for what motivated Bush as did Tom Wicker's George Herbert Walker Bush. Also, those needing a more traditional biography should consider Peter Schweizer and Rochelle Schweizer's The Bushes: Portrait of a Dynasty. Public libraries owning Wicker's book need not add this one to their collections unless a large budget or high demand calls for it.—Thomas J. Baldino, Wilkes Univ., Wilkes-Barre, PA

Zhou Enlai had one of the longest careers of any world statesman. He came to national prominence in 1919 as part of China's antiimperialist May Fourth Movement, lived to welcome Richard Nixon to Beijing in 1972, and died in 1976. Yet Zhou has been an enigma, known (mainly through the opaque public record) as the balance to Mao's radicalism. This study aims to change this perception. A former contributor to the official Biography of Zhou Enlai and staffer at the Chinese Communist Party Central Research Office for Documentation (restricted party archives), Wenqian Gao had access to files of interviews, gossip, memos, and internal compilations, which he smuggled out of China and used to write this explosive biography. Ultimately, Wenqian Gao damns the man who said yes to power and toadied to Mao's whims rather than sought to mitigate them. Unauthorized but authoritative, this smooth translation (originally published in Chinese in Hong Kong in 2003) is highly recommended for all libraries as one of the most important books on China in years.—Charles W. Hayford, Northwestern Univ., Evanston, IL

Christian self-help author Youngs's (Living the Ten Commandments in New Times: A Book for Teens) insightful biography, more of Millard than of Millard and Linda, includes a detailed history of Habitat for Humanity International. Millard became an entrepreneur in his youth, excelling in various sales endeavors; he and Linda were millionaires before they were 30. Youngs relates the spiritual and marital crises that followed and how the Fullers gave away their wealth and shifted their goals to loving God by serving humanity. Eventually, this calling resulted in the formation of the world's largest nonprofit home-building organization with the goal to end the blight of low-income housing and homelessness worldwide. Youngs devotes nearly one-third of the book to the conflicts between the Fullers and Habitat's board and to the firing of Millard in 2005. Spending so much time on these issues may seem biased, but this book is not a mere polemic; it is an informed look at two philanthropists and their revolutionary work. The parts about Millard's faith will resonate with Christian readers. Recommended for spiritual living or philanthropy sections in most public libraries. [The author is a friend of the Fullers.—Ed.]—Erica L. Foley, Flint P.L., MI

When it comes to houses, size matters. But square footage is just one of many dimensions over which American homeowners obsess. Financial writer McGinn peeks through the hedge to discover more about our infatuation with houses. One major factor he identifies is the changing demographics and economics of home ownership. More than two-thirds of Americans are homeowners today and with home values escalating rapidly since 2000, homes have evolved from nests into nest eggs. Beyond the capital involved, houses have always been viewed as status symbols, so there's a tremendous amount of emotion invested in them. McGinn points to the rise of the Home & Garden Television network and shows like PBS's This Old House as reflections of our fascination with home ownership. He interviews realtors, contractors, architects, prospective home buyers, and home owners nationwide in various stages of building or renovating to get the real deal on why we're so hopelessly hooked on our homes. Despite the deflating housing market bubble, this book will make good use of prime real estate in public library business collections.—Carol J. Elsen, Univ. of Wisconsin, Whitewater

Shell and Moussa (codirectors, Strategic Persuasion Workshop, Wharton Sch., Univ. of Pennsylvania) collaborate here to teach the art of persuading people in a way that is mutually beneficial, accomplished with the use of rhetoric and an understanding of the other person's problems. WOO is an acronym for "Winning Others Over." The title is a reference to (and play on) Sun Tzu's The Art of War, which takes a very different position: people are adversaries and a position of superiority is required to negotiate a favorable outcome. The Art of WOO is one of many books written to aid businesspeople in being more persuasive. Dale Carnegie's classic How To Win Friends & Influence People remains a standard for salespeople to this day. Alan Kelly's recent The Elements of Influence likewise has the tone of a war strategist who understands modern media as an aid in selling ideas. This book is gentler and more cerebral, and of course relevant in ways that Carnegie's 70-year-old book cannot be. Students of rhetoric, language arts, and marketing would all benefit from this book, so libraries of all sizes should consider purchasing.—Stephen Turner, Turner & Assocs., San Francisco

It is difficult to open a magazine without reading of "digital natives," those who were born into a world of ubiquitous technology. Political scientists Harwood (Univ. of North Florida) and Asal (SUNY at Albany) present a snapshot of these digital natives through interviews with them and their teachers. They also offer controversial ideas about how to educate this group, positing that to prepare students for the larger world, "perhaps cell phones…should enter the traditional classroom, facilitating the integration of new technologies throughout the school." But even adults have trouble paying attention when they can surf the web; why would educators want to offer children such distractions? Harwood and Asal state that "access to a computer, without Internet connectivity is not…a powerful educational tool," ignoring the importance of spreadsheets, flowcharts, statistical packages, and other computer resources not requiring Internet connectivity. This overemphasis on the web is naive at best. Neither author seems to have expertise in educational technology or policy, which may explain their somewhat shallow (though interesting) views on modern educational technology. An optional purchase for academic libraries.—Marcy L. Brown, Envision Research, Delmont, PA

In his provocative study Alexander (How Wars Are Won) posits that the Civil War was a "near thing." The skill of the South's field commanders far exceeded that of their Union counterparts, but there were tactical differences among the Confederate Army's top leadership: Jefferson Davis endorsed a defensive struggle to bring on war weariness in the North; Robert E. Lee sought to challenge the federal armies directly, and this resulted in bloody engagements of attrition; and Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson (who couldn't dictate) proposed an offensive war on Northern civilian targets, while fighting from defensive positions of strength. The stubborn Lee, for once, allowed Jackson to apply his philosophy of warfare at Chancellorsville, and the outcome was a victory. Regrettably, with Jackson lost after that battle, Lee reverted to trying to batter his adversaries into submission. At Gettysburg he lost a third of his army. The strength of this work is that it encourages historiographical controversy. Alexander's contentions regarding Davis and Lee are largely fair. But some, including this reviewer, may insist that it was Lee's defeat at Antietam on September 17, 1862 that sealed the South's fate. In turn, that battle prompted Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation, which gave the war a higher calling. Recommended for all libraries.—John Carver Edwards, Univ. of Georgia Libs., Athens

Freelancer Ashenburg is drawn to mining universal cultural experiences, although her previous book, The Mourner's Dance: What We Do When People Die, had more sober subject matter than this irony-laden, "greatest hits" sampling of Western hygienic history. The Greeks bathed for their gods, contemporary Americans are wallowing in long showers. In between these temporal poles a lot of filth accumulated, providing fertile base for endemic lice. Indeed, the appalling sanitary conditions of medieval Europe—persisting into the 19th century—made each individual a fine host for the Plague-bearing fleas that jumped from rodent to human. Ashenburg piles one delightful (delight in the grotty being a taste decidedly more for some than others) anecdote upon another. It turns out, for instance, that Louis XIV may have been the Sun King but not because he exposed his skin to air (or water). A final strength of this not particularly analytical history is the concluding chapters' demonstration of the triumphant intersection of technology (e.g. Procter & Gamble's serendipitous discovery of how to mass-produce bar soap) and the rise of the advertising industry and its key distribution vehicle, the middle-class-aimed illustrated journals. Recommended.—Scott H. Silverman, Bryn Mawr Coll. Lib., PA

In the foreword to this spectacular book, novelist Anchee Min (The Last Empress) notes that the non-Chinese contributing writers (including Bailey of the Ctr. of Chinese Research, Univ. of British Columbia) and photographers (Christopher Pillitz and Chester Ong) have captured the essence of a country: "I thought I knew China but the perspective here amazed me." The book artistically and logically presents more than 700 specially commissioned photographs in five sections. In "Landscape," stupendous pictures are each accompanied by a quotation, several facts, and a map designating location. "History" covers events both great and small and includes a time line. The candid pictures in "People," focusing on everyone from a retired teacher to a cricket seller, supply telling details. "Culture" demonstrates the ways of thought at the root of Chinese culture. "Architecture" introduces a country of contrasts, from the sixth century's Suspended in the Air Monastery to Shanghai's ultramodern Jin Mao Tower. Those who fear that modernization will destroy tradition should note that China's resilience—which has proven itself over 4000 years—has not yet let it happen! Recommended for all high school and public library collections, whether small or extensive.—Susan G. Baird, Chicago

Renowned historian and new president of Harvard University Faust grapples with the meaning of death in the Civil War as no scholar has done before. The reality of death defined the Civil War for most Americans more than the promise of freedom, she says. Death touched many aspects of life then, including assurances that loved ones died "the good death," with faith that would bring them to God's embrace, new ideas of heaven as a place of reunion, campaigns to recover bodies for burial, new methods of embalming, means of statistically tracking numbers of deaths, and the creation of cemeteries. Faust follows the bodies from battlefield to grave, backing up her claims with prodigious research. Beautifully written, honest, and penetrating, Faust's book about "the work of death" in fact brings death to life. Anyone wanting to understand the "real war" and its transcendent meaning must face the facts Faust arrays before us. Only then is it possible to know how the republic that suffered so much death gained the means of civic and even psychic renewal through remembrance. Essential.—Randall M. Miller, Saint Joseph's Univ., Philadelphia

Did President Eisenhower really meet with outer space aliens in 1954? That's just one of the many rumors, allegations, and stories in this chronological assessment by noted British UFO journalist (and professional violinist) Good. Like Richard Dolan's UFOs and the National Security State: Chronology of a Cover-up, 1941–1973, the book focuses on military encounters (ground, air, and sea) with UFOs, and the reactions—both secret and public—to them. This is not an in-depth story of governmental investigations; the CIA and FBI get little mention. Many of the incidents covered (mostly involving airplanes) have been covered previously, and Good admits to updating material from his earlier books, including Above Top Secret: The World Wide U.F.O. Cover-up. Of most interest are incidents from the pre-Roswell (1947) era and those outside the United States. Good uses previously classified governmental memos, along with new interviews and statements from various officials and others. True believers will love this book; others should read it with open but skeptical minds. For public libraries.—Daniel K. Blewett, The Coll. of DuPage Lib., Glen Ellyn, IL

It is a tribute to Harris's skill as a writer that his book produces in the reader a sense of loss. Wisely, Harris does not attempt to give us an exhaustive history of Constantinople; instead he concentrates on the city as it was in 1200 C.E. The year is not a random choice. In 1204, a Crusader army sacked the city, triggering its descent into depopulation and ruin. But the city that the Crusaders despoiled was unsurpassed in its splendor. For centuries, Roman emperors and courtiers underwrote grand projects, constructing magnificently adorned buildings. Harris describes the physical highlights of the city, and from there launches brief expositions into politics, religion, and trade. The layout and decor of the Byzantine imperial palace, for example, leads to an exploration of dynastic politics; an examination of religious beliefs follows a description of the city's churches. Harris concludes with a brief overview of Constantinople's last years as the Byzantine capital up to its fall to an Ottoman Turkish army in 1453. A readable, informative, and vivid book, offering an evocative picture of the city in the context of the culture that produced it. Highly recommended.—Richard Fraser, Coll. of Physicians of Philadelphia

Pulitzer Prize winner Neely (history, Pennsylvania State Univ.; The Fate of Liberty: Abraham Lincoln and Civil Liberties) has written a scholarly but readable study of what is often described as America's most destructive war. Neely considers the war's destructiveness in a comparative context and considers the war's reputation for brutality to be one not earned in context. He first looks at the Mexican War, skillfully explaining the differences and similarities in soldiers' behaviors in that conflict and the Civil War. Then he looks at Confederate Gen. Sterling Price's 1864 invasion of Missouri, describing Confederate guerrilla tactics. The year 1864 is also his focus for Gen. Philip Sheridan's "scorched earth" policy in Virginia, in fact more controlled than the brutal massacres of Indians on the Great Plains. Neely also analyzes the sometimes exaggerated descriptions of battles printed in newspapers of the day. Using numerous sources, he effectively covers a complex subject in this credible study that asks us to take a new look at this war. Highly recommended for most collections for its scholarship, analysis, and contribution to Civil War literature.—David Alperstein, Queens Borough P.L., Jamaica, NY

Pulitzer Prize winner Rhodes (Ctr. for International Security and Cooperation, Stanford Univ.) completes his third volume of works related to the Cold War nuclear buildup (following The Making of the Atomic Bomb and Dark Sun: The Making of the Hydrogen Bomb). Combining a riveting narrative with historical data, his work reads like a novel but chronicles the truth of the U.S. and Soviet Union buildup and ultimate takedown of nuclear arms. Detailing the professional careers of Mikhail Gorbachev, Ronald Reagan, and many other Soviet and American officials, Rhodes takes us to the pivotal Reykjavík Summit in 1986 and the ensuing drama, leading ultimately to the end of the arms buildup and the end of the Cold War détente between the two superpowers. This historical record, drawing upon many firsthand accounts and interviews, details pivotal events in world history and should be necessary reading for anyone interested in 20th-century history. Recommended, particularly for academic libraries, but also for larger public libraries.—Jenny Emanuel, Univ. of Central Missouri, Warrensburg

Terrorism comes in many forms, but when it comes from clear skies it is especially horrifying. Stansky (history, emeritus, Stanford Univ.; Sassoon: The Worlds of Philip and Sybil) focuses on a single day in British history: September 7, 1940, the day the Germans began systematically bombing London, an ordeal that would last for several months and cost the lives of over 28,000 Londoners. But despite the trauma of this daily onslaught, the citizens of London quietly persevered, calmly heading to their bomb shelters when the sirens began and trying to live their lives as normally as possible. Stansky recounts the numerous acts of courage and tenacity displayed by Londoners beginning on that first awful day. He even draws comparisons between this event and 9/11. The book can be read in conjunction with Margaret Gaskin's Blitz: The Story of December 29, 1940 for a full picture of life in Britain in the last months of 1940. For all collections.—Ed Goedeken, Iowa State Univ. Lib., Ames

This is a fascinating study of the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN)—the South Vietnamese army—during America's involvement in the Vietnam War. Historian Wiest (Rolling Thunder in a Gentle Land: The Vietnam War Revisited) focuses on two ARVN officers, Tran Ngoc Hue and Pham Van Dinh, and their parallel but ultimately divergent paths as successful young officers who demonstrated extraordinary courage and tactical skill, painting them as symbolizing the best hope for victory against the Communists. However, they both believed that South Vietnam was doomed to lose the war. Hue continued to fight, was captured by the North Vietnamese in 1971, and spent years in virtual poverty until he migrated to the United States, where he was perceived as a hero. Dinh, hoping to save the lives of his men, surrendered to Communist forces in 1972, defected to their side, and was seen as a traitor by most South Vietnamese émigrés. Wiest argues that had American strategy focused more on enabling the arvin and had U.S. troops not been withdrawn so quickly, the war might have been won. This well-written, compassionate study is a major contribution to most libraries.—A.O. Edmonds, Ball State Univ., Muncie, IN

A companion volume to a BBC documentary series coming to PBS in 2008, this "traveler's eye view" of Indian history provides an excellent introduction to the subject. Author and TV presenter Wood (In Search of England: Journeys into the English Past), a frequent visitor to the subcontinent, traverses "tens of thousands of miles and tens of thousands of years." In his account, discoveries of recent years, e.g., the excavations in Mehrgarh, Pakistan, of a site dating back to 7000 B.C.E., shed new light on Indian history. Artifacts found in Turkmenistan are similar to those used in Vedic rites; a recently uncovered inscription in Afghanistan throws new light on the Kushan kings. The M130 gene of early man is present in the DNA of an entire village in southern India. The book covers most of the major empires (including the Dravidian empires of southern India) and emperors, as well as founders of world religions such as the Buddha. A highly enjoyable book on Indian history, this is recommended for general audiences.—Ravi Shenoy, Naperville P.L., IL

Gould (Dept. of Administration of Justice, George Mason Univ.; Speak No Evil: The Triumph of Hate Speech Regulation) has written a thoughtful and disturbing account of his founding in 2003 of the Innocence Commission for Virginia (ICVA) to investigate wrongful convictions. While DNA testing has brought attention to the issue of justice-system errors, Gould shows many legal issues, regarding mistaken identification, that still remain, including suggestive identification procedures by police, failure to obtain forensic evidence, and prosecutors' failure to provide information to the defense. After describing the history of innocence investigations, Gould calmly dissects 11 cases from the ICVA files to illustrate some tragic errors in the criminal justice system. The book benefits from the use of trial testimony and detailed case descriptions, and the section on federal and state procedures for requesting post-conviction relief, model police identification procedures, and recommendations for prosecutors is especially useful. Though similar, Barry Scheck, Peter Neufeld, and Jim Dwyer's Actual Innocence: Five Days to Execution, and Other Dispatches from the Wrongly Convicted takes a more sensational approach and concentrates on the use of DNA evidence. Written for the general public, Gould's book has important lessons for attorneys and policymakers as well. Recommended for all collections.—Harry Charles, St. Louis

McGinniss (Fatal Vision) has produced another page-turning true-crime blockbuster. This surreal story of successful investment banker Robert Kissel and his compulsive-shopper wife Nancy living the seemingly perfect "expat" life in Hong Kong with their three children features plenty of money, sex, and greed. In 2003, Nancy and the kids spent time in Vermont during the SARS scare in Hong Kong. Rob suspected that she was having an affair there with a stereo installer, which he confirmed via a hired detective. He ordered her and the kids back to Hong Kong and then suspected that Nancy was poisoning him. His body was found soon after. Nancy was tried and convicted of his murder in Hong Kong, where she awaits appeal. Family squabbles ensued over custody of the children and their $20 million trust fund. In a bizarre subsequent chapter to this story, Rob's brother Andrew was found murdered in his home shortly after his own wife and kids had moved out. McGinniss had access to many sources, including a confidante to both Robert and Nancy, several family members, and a private detective. While the book's title may refer to the Kissel family's approach to life, it could also be the cry of McGinniss fans who love his way with such stories. Destined for the best-seller list, this is highly recommended for public libraries. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 7/07; see also the Behind the Book on Never Enough, p. 72.]—Karen Sandlin Silverman, Ctr. for Applied Research, Philadelphia

Even though Herbert Hoover's FBI usually gets the credit for chasing the Mafia, it was the Treasury Department's Narcotics Bureau that spent the 1960s quietly collecting information on known members of the Cosa Nostra. Only 50 copies of the resulting dossier were ever printed; the little-known government document provided Robert F. Kennedy with valuable ammunition in his war on the Mafia once he became attorney general. Now the dossier is being published, and it is a gold mine for organized crime buffs and crime writers. More than 800 criminals are profiled in a plain, "just the facts" manner, one to a page. In short, this is a facsimile of the original compilation. Each profile includes name, nicknames, haunts, criminal associates, criminal history, and "modus operandi." Most include a mug shot. Among the dry facts are fascinating tidbits on an array of characters: e.g., two cousins with identical names, identified as "One Eye" and "Two Eye" for obvious reasons; a mobster whose criminal files disappeared from the Chicago Police Department; and a family that retired from the Mafia to go into the cheese business. This excellent resource belongs in both public and academic libraries.—Deirdre Bray Root, Middletown P.L., OH

Extremist Islam today, says Harris, represents the revival of earlier fanatical movements—the Crusades, Hitler's Nazis, Stalinist Russia. Harris (Civilization and Its Enemies: The Next Stage of History) defines a fanatic as "someone who is willing to make a sacrifice in his own self-interest for something outside himself." All such zealous movements, fueled by righteous belief in a cause or an idea, directly threaten the integrity of Western rationalism and reason, he says. He intends here to challenge as ill-conceived Western culture's efforts to grapple with fanatical Islam. Accessible in thought and language, his work presents compelling historical, intellectual, and political arguments. The author contends, for example, that the West is experiencing a leadership crisis because political parties, rather than popular acclaim, supply potential candidates. Harris's thesis is that "an exaggerated and hopelessly unrealistic overestimation of the power of reason alone to settle differences and prevent conflict" amounts to a "suicide of reason," exemplified by the U.S. invasion of Iraq and America's desire to export liberal democracy to the Islamic world. Though his defense of Iran's President Ahmadinejad is more than a bit troubling, this is a thought-provoking and insightful book sure to challenge debate. Recommended.—Sandra Collins, Byzantine Catholic Seminary Lib., Pittsburgh

In this eloquent defense of liberalism, New York Times op-ed columnist Krugman (economics; Princeton Univ.; The Great Unraveling) drafts a blueprint for progressive political change. His central theme is that current liberals are actually politically conservative because they want to preserve and expand upon the effective policies of Roosevelt's New Deal. Conversely, the Republican Party, in his view, has today been taken over by "movement conservatives" whose chief goal is to dismantle the New Deal. Arguing that trends are shifting in favor of liberal and progressive approaches to governing, Krugman provides a perceptive critique of why Clinton's 1993 health insurance proposal failed and how liberals can avoid the same mistakes. His themes are similar to those expressed by Douglas Massey in Return of the "L" Word and Robert Reich in Reason, but Krugman is better able to explain his views to a general readership. The book will be in great demand in both public and academic libraries and may even lead some readers to Krugman's more scholarly writings. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 6/1/07.]—Thomas A. Karel, Franklin & Marshall Coll. Lib., Lancaster, PA

Mills (journalism, Boston Univ.) has for many years worked with his university's Afghan Media Project. He conducted a series of exclusive interviews with Afghan president Hamid Karzai in order to help Karzai with his autobiography, Letter from Kabul. When Karzai backed out of that publication project, Wiley approached Mills to present the material himself in the context of Afghanistan's struggles during the 20-plus years of Karzai's political life. Mills focuses on the government's official actions, paying less attention to several dissident groups just below the radar. His book, and his discussions with Karzai, make very clear both the difficult issues confronting the Afghan people and Mills's opinion that the West should continue to support the current government. Libraries wanting a more complete current history of Afghanistan, rather than only through the Karzai filter, should consider Gilles Dorronsoro's Revolution Unending: Afghanistan, 1979 to the Present. Mills's book will be useful for larger collections.—Marcia L. Sprules, Council on Foreign Relations Lib., New York

Continuing themes of his previous books (e.g., The Unconquerable World; The Fate of the Earth), Schell presents a history of the nuclear age since the earliest days of the Cold War. Today, he says, the issue of nuclear armament is complicated by the possibility of weapons or their component materials, falling into the hands of terrorist organizations. He provides a thorough background to developments in the 15-year post-Cold War period, examining why total disarmament of nuclear weapons did not occur, and describing how he feels the Bush administration has used the 9/11 terrorist attacks to justify a change in U.S. philosophy regarding use of nuclear force. Schell advocates elimination of nuclear weapons by global agreement to solve current global tensions over nuclear proliferation and expansion. Drawing extensively on details of the 1986 Reykjavík summit, he shows why there are no longer clear reasons to maintain nuclear arsenals and points out their serious risks to humankind. As in his previous books, however, he sometimes overlooks the realities that will probably prevent his optimistic solution from coming to fruition. Recommended for academic libraries and public libraries with large current events collections. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 5/1/07.]—Jill Ortner, SUNY at Buffalo Libs.

As we keep good company with ourselves, so we restore our capacity to live passionately. This, according to best-selling author and Buddhist teacher Boorstein (It's Easier Than You Think: The Buddhist Way to Happiness), who believes we should kindly but keenly pay attention to our inner confusion, our feeling of off-centeredness. Boorstein shares her own experiences and provides a warm, practical discussion of three key concepts: wise effort, wise mind, and wise concentration. She also addresses cultivating equanimity through compassion, appreciation, and especially through self-befriending. Of particular impact is the story wherein workshop participants are asked to give individual reactions to an unfortunate situation. We come to see that each of us responds differently to difficulties, using one of the five major emotions—desire, anger, fatigue, worry, or doubt—more than the others. The chapter about composure as the support for sadness could have been expanded for the reader more easily to identify how grief affects spiritual concentration. Recommended for large public library collections that bridge the gap between psychology and religion.—Lisa Liquori, MLS, Syracuse, NY

In this memoir of a dysfunctional upbringing, Bridge, a Harvard Law School graduate, successfully employs the technique of first presenting an event of the near present, then going back in time to disclose the details of his childhood. As he relates in the prolog, he was involved as a lawyer in a case against an Alabama facility housing teenagers in state care who, though they were not juvenile delinquents, were being treated as such. Knowing that Bridge managed to rise above his unfortunate childhood helps the reader cope with the narration that follows. Bridge first lived with his grandmother until the age of five, while his parents were in prison for check fraud; then he spent two years with his mentally deranged mother before landing for 11 years in foster care, where he endured meanness and loneliness. He kept to himself at school and excelled at his schoolwork, entirely unbeknown to either his foster parents or the foster-care system until, at the age of 18, Bridge won a college scholarship. He went on to attend law school, was a Fulbright Scholar, and later became the CEO/general counsel of the Alliance for Children's Rights. An inspiring account recommended for high school and public libraries.—Dorris Douglass, Williamson Cty. P.L., Franklin, TN

In this memoir of life with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), Taylor offers readers an inside look at how he gets along on a daily basis as well as a guide for people in the same situation. He is a recent high school graduate, and part of the allure of his account is in finding out how someone with ADHD managed to write a book in the first place. Each chapter covers specific issues such as being bullied, getting organized, and feeling isolated. After relating a personal experience and his handling of it, Taylor advises readers on what to do should they find themselves in the same place. He also shares his perspective on coping with ADHD and speaks to what can be learned. The foreword by Lara Honos-Webb (The Gift of ADHD: How To Transform Your Child's Problems into Strengths) supports Taylor's central theme that while ADHD needs to be recognized and treated, it does not entirely define a person, whose strengths should be recognized. Students struggling with ADHD and their parents will benefit from the author's insights. Recommended for public and high school libraries.—Lisa M. Jordan, Johnson Cty. Lib., KS

Rubin tells it like it is. A sociologist, psychotherapist, author (Families on the Fault Line), and octogenarian, she is very smart and very angry—and highly readable—as she uses both scholarly and popular references to describe how, despite the media's bombardment of messages to the contrary, 60 today is most assuredly not the new 40—Botox, Viagra, and plastic surgery notwithstanding. The elderly in our society are disdained, dismissed, and oppressed, and the current generation of baby boomers about to turn 60 is, she says, in for a very rude awakening. Our bodies and brains, Rubin observes, "seem to have a mind and timetable of their own that remains outside our control." Hours of rigorous exercise and the most carefully followed diet will not change the irrefutable facts of decline and death. Rather than perceiving aging as a disease that must be conquered, Rubin encourages us to accept its inevitability and to plan accordingly. Although one wishes that the author applied the same verve and wit that she shows in this clear-sighted wake-up call to a fuller discussion of how American society might change its notions about aging, this is still recommended for all libraries.—Ellen D. Gilbert, Princeton, NJ

This engaging book probes the impact of two traumatic historical events, the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Oklahoma City bombing, from a novel perspective. Sturken seeks to illuminate the transformation of the secular into the sacred, and the intersection of two cultures: that of mourning and that of consumerism. Like an archaeologist, Sturken (culture & communications, NYU) digs deep to uncover the symbolism contained in our material response to politically motivated violence. She offers a sophisticated and insightful analysis of what the treatment of the actual sites, now ruins, and the cultural production of souvenirs say about the psyche of the American consumer-citizen. The book is full of images exemplifying how the construction of post-tragedy national identity draws upon our notions of collective innocence, incorporating material culture in the quest for certainty and comfort in an uncertain and uncomfortable world. For example, our fear is soothed by the public presence of the Teddy Bear and the Stars and Stripes. With the terrorist as iconoclast, the memorial and the souvenir come to the emotional rescue. Readers will be fascinated by the social and political commentary buried in Sturken's appraisal of kitsch. A thought-provoking work; highly recommended.—Theresa Kintz, Wilkes Univ., Wilkes-Barre, PA

The highlighting of these 100 very different destinations acquaints visitors with the diversity of Canada's landscape, as well as the vast array of potential experiences. Concise descriptions and engaging photography of superior quality by photographer Fischer (Classic Boats of the Thousand Islands) make this guide a rewarding journey in itself. The reader can consider the thrills of dog sledding in the Northwest Territories or kayaking among killer whales off British Columbia. The book encourages visiting such renowned Canadian events as the Quebec Winter Carnival—stay at the Quebec City Ice Hotel—or Alberta's Head-Smashed-in Buffalo Jump or its Calgary Stampede. In an attractive format, the work features Canada's startling natural phenomena and the inimitable charm of its people. Potential tourists are given the enviable choice of dozens of absorbing locales, while armchair travelers can immerse themselves in the luxury of seeing it all. This is an informative and visually rich indulgence that awakens the wanderlust in us all. Recommended.—Jo-Anne Mary Benson, Osgoode, Ont.