Xpress Reviews—First Look at New Books

-- Library Journal, 12/18/2007 11:43:00 AM

Week of December 18, 2007

Fiction | Nonfiction | Audio Reviews

Fiction

Griffin, W.E.B. The Shooters. Putnam. Jan. 2008. c.512p. ISBN 978-0-399-15440-9. $26.95. F

Verdict: A disappointing fourth novel in the prolific and cigar-chomping Griffin’s “Presidential Agent” series featuring Delta Force officer Charley Castillo. For larger collections. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 9/1/07.] Background: South American drug lords have developed the nasty habit of kidnapping FBI and DEA agents and either killing them or turning them into junkies as a warning to the feds to lay off their drug shipments. Enter Castillo and a growing host of companions to stop it and rescue a recently kidnapped agent whose family members are supporters of the president. The novel plods through several political plots and repetitive technical explanations, bad jokes about dogs, questions about whether Charley is a daddy, all without any great urgency to free the agent who is being turned into an addict. Thus, there is precious little action. Far too much of the novel is taken up with retrospectives necessary to explain just who everyone is, and Griffin complicates matters by giving several characters the same name. His historical asides are not especially accurate either (i.e., it was Stauffenberg, not Furstenberg, who tried to kill Hitler).—Robert Conroy, Warren, MI

Mosley, Walter. Diablerie. Bloomsbury, dist. by Macmillan. Jan. 2008. 192p. ISBN 978-1-59691-397-4. $23.95. F

Verdict: Aggressively sexual, Mosley’s latest stand-alone novel (after Killing Johnnie Fry) is a bleak character study. His protagonist is a broken man, not particularly interested in putting himself together again until he’s threatened with murder charges. Purchase only where Mosley’s recent nonseries titles have been popular. Background: Ben Dibbuk sleepwalks through his life as a husband, father, and computer programmer at New York City’s Our Bank. Even his young Russian mistress fails to stir any real passion in him. At a party for his wife Mona’s magazine, Diablerie (a word that can mean either “mischievous”or “evil”), a woman from Ben’s past begins to shake him out of his slumber. Barbara Knowland claims that Ben killed a man in Colorado 20 years earlier. Much of Ben’s hard-drinking early years are a blur, so he cannot be certain of his innocence. Mona’s lover, a fact-checker at her magazine, pressures her to expose Ben’s past. For help in retracing his past, Ben turns to his bank’s security expert, a mysterious ex-military intelligence officer named Cassius Copeland.—Karen Kleckner, Deerfield P.L., IL

Williams, Austin. Crimson Orgy. Borderlands. Jan. 2008. c.273p. ISBN 978-1-880325-81-0. pap. $12.95. F

Verdict: This so-so homage to the horror film genre may appeal to some readers since the 2007 double feature Grindhouse raised interest in exploitation filmmaking; purchase for large horror collections or film buffs only. Background: From the beginning of this first novel by Williams (Straight Whisky: A Living History of Sex, Drugs and Rock ‘n’ Roll on the Sunset Strip), we know the outcome of this mystery. Someone will die during the filming of the ultra-low-budget “grindhouse” film Crimson Orgy. It’s everything leading up to that death that’s unclear. Who will die? Will it be a murder or an accident? Who will be responsible? Williams does a pretty good job of leaving everything up in the air until the last couple of chapters. Each of the dozen peculiar characters holds a grudge against at least one of the others, and MacGuffins such as a severed arm provide additional hooks for the long-held suspense. Perhaps inevitably, the denouement is something of a letdown. Though ostensibly set in 1965, Crimson Orgy seems oddly current. Except for the lack of cell phones, it could happen today.—Karl G. Siewert, MLIS, Tulsa City–Cty. Lib., OK

Nonfiction

Bowden, Jonny. The Most Effective Natural Cures on Earth: The Surprising, Unbiased Truth About What Treatments Work and Why. Fair Winds: Quayside. Jan. 2008. c.360p. photogs. index. ISBN 978-1-59233-291-5. pap. $24.99. HEALTH

Verdict: In this fast-paced world of pill poppers and pill pushers, fitness expert Bowden (Living the Low-Carb Life) provides a welcome, vetted holistic approach encompassing the mind-body connection and natural treatments. Although the book’s organization could be improved by listing each condition alphabetically, the content is useful, and readers can locate topics using the index. Recommended for medium to large public and academic libraries.
Background: In six chapters, Bowden reviews more than 75 specific health concerns and alternative treatments for a variety of topics including cancer, skin disorders, PMS, stress, diabetes, menopause, and depression. Readers learn about alternative and cutting-edge natural remedies, including supplements, herbs, foods, and healthy lifestyle choices, complete with research, a glossary, recommended reading and resources, and indexes. More than 75 attractive full-color photos lend the book a coffee-table tome browsability.—Sarah Myers, Red Feather Lakes Community Lib., CO

Corrigan, Kelly. The Middle Place. Voice: Hyperion. Jan. 2008. c.272p. ISBN 978-1-4013-0336-5. $23.95. HEALTH

Verdict: Corrigan’s cancer memoir is relentlessly upbeat, an optimistic celebration of life, love, and family told from the “middle place,” “that sliver of time when parenthood and childhood overlap.” Highly recommended for all public libraries.
Background: Newspaper columnist Corrigan was a happily married 36-year-old mother of two when she discovered the cancerous lump in her breast. She’s deep into her own treatment—chemo, surgery, and radiation—when she learns that her beloved father has been diagnosed with late-stage cancer as well. Corrigan is poised between the family she came from (made up of her feisty, exuberant father; sensible mother; and two annoying but lovable brothers) and the one that she’s formed with her husband and two lively daughters. Her memoir braids both clans together and cherishes the place where they meet, all the while sharing anecdotes about the funny, sometimes obstreperous, and always tender moments that define a family.—Jeanne Bogino, Learning Resources Ctr., Southern Vermont Coll., Bennington 

Heilbrunn, Jacob. They Knew They Were Right: The Rise of the Neocons. Doubleday. Jan. 2007. c.320p. index. ISBN 978-0-385-51181-0. $26. POL SCI

Verdict: In tracing the development of neoconservatism, former New Republic scribe Heilbrunn explains many theories, philosophies, and disputes. Some readers may be overwhelmed by obscure debates over Marxist doctrine and foreign policy arcana. Still, there may be an audience for the author’s analysis of the current Bush administration. Recommended for academic and large public libraries.
Background: Besides covering core tenets like a strong belief in foreign policy, Heilbrunn tackles the controversial fact that many important neocons are Jewish; in fact, he embraces this point in the book’s early sections via an examination of the backgrounds of neoconservative patriarchs Norman Podhoretz and Irving Kristol, whose struggles as Jewish Americans shaped their thinking in radically unique ways that defined the principles of neoconservative thought.—Dennis Seese, Jefferson-Madison Regional Lib., Charlottesville, VA 

Izzo, John. The Five Secrets You Must Discover Before You Die. Berrett-Koehler, dist. by Ingram. Jan. 2008. c.192p. index. ISBN 978-1-57675-475-7. pap. $15.95. PSYCH

Verdict: In the burgeoning world of self-help books, Izzo’s “five secrets”—“be true to yourself,” “leave no regrets,” “become love,” “live the moment,” and “give more than you take”—aren’t exactly secrets anymore. But his book takes off on the strength of his methodology of surveying “wide elders.” Readers will want to know more about these interviewees and see the accompanying PBS series to air widely in the spring of 2008. Highly recommended for all public libraries.
Background: Izzo, CEO of the consulting and training firm that bears his name, and his staff received recommendations from thousands of people regarding who they went to for advice and who they felt had found happiness and purpose in their lives. From the thousands of “wise elders,” a diverse group of 235 North American people between the ages of 59 and 105 were selected for in-depth interviews about their lives and feelings. From these stories, Izzo culled the common themes that make up the “secrets” to happiness. In order to incorporate the secrets to happiness, he points out that each of us must discern what really matters to us and incorporate it into our lives; he suggests personal questions to ask ourselves to find our personal path to happiness, as well as weekly and daily reflections.—Mary E. Jones, Los Angeles P.L. 

Pleskac, Maggie & Sean Carmichael. Dueling Chefs: A Vegetarian and Meat Lover Debate the Plate. Univ. of Nebraska. (At Table). Dec. 2007. 118p. photogs. index. ISBN 978-0-8032-6043-6. $24.95. COOKERY

Verdict: This cookbook cum vegetarian/carnivorne debategrows old fast. There are many vegetarian and meat recipe collections on the market, from Deborah Madison’s Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone and Martin Picard’s Au Pied de Cochon, so one wonders who the ideal reader is. An optional purchase for public libraries.
Background: Offered up side by side here are 80 vegetarian and meat dish recipes that showcase the skills and beliefs of their respective chefs: vegetarian Pleskac, owner and chef of Maggie’s Vegetarian Café in Lincoln, NE, and carnivore Carmichael, executive chef of Chez Hay catering, also in Lincoln. Each chef annotates his or her recipe—there’s Beef Brisket with Blueberry BBQ Sauce and Jackfruit Pineapple BBQ on a Bun—and no amount of witty banter is spared as each takes on the challenge of pointing out the foibles inherent in the other’s diet.—Shelley Brown, New Westminster P.L., B.C. 

Rimland, Bernard. Dyslogic Syndrome: Why Millions of Kids Are “Hyper,” Attention-Disordered, Learning Disabled, Depressed, Aggressive, Defiant, or Violent—and What We Can Do About It. Jessica Kingsley. Jan. 2008. c.192p. index. ISBN 978-1-84310-877-1. $24.95. PSYCH

Verdict: In this highly readable and potentially groundbreaking study, the late Rimland, the father of modern autism research, presents a well-researched overview of “abnormal reasoning behaviors” in our current society and refutes the notion that these can be cured through psychotherapy and/or drug therapy. In fact, he makes the argument that these do more damage than good. His cogent points and doable “Action Plan” highly recommend this for all academic libraries and large public libraries.
Background: In recent years, terms such as hyperactive, attention-disordered, oppositional, depressed, and bipolar have largely become labels used by parents and educators to describe children whose behavior falls outside established levels of normality. Until the middle part of the 20th century, it was thought that these behaviors were a result of the socialization of the individual, or lack of it, provided usually by the parents. In 1976, John Wacker suggested that these behaviors were a result of an “abnormal reasoning” process. Here, Rimland, former director of the Autism Research Institute and founder of the Autism Society of America, as well as a former colleague of Wacker, builds on this idea, which he coined dyslogic, suggesting a lack of logic, and proclaims that these abnormal behaviors are a result of a combination of biological and environmental factors rather than social ones.—Steve Dixon, Mildred and Louis Resnick Lib., SUNY Delhi 

Roney, Carley & TheKnot.com Eds. The Knot Book of Wedding Lists: The Ultimate Guide to the Perfect Day. Potter, dist. by Crown. Dec. 2007. 208p. illus. ISBN 978-0-307-34193-8. pap. $12.95. HOME ECON

Verdict: This wedding planner can certainly supplement those wedding books with long narratives and lush photos perused by starry-eyed brides, but it can stand alone as a streamlined gem for busy couples. Recommended for public libraries.
Background: Leave it to The Knot.com and its cofounder, Roney (who’s authored several wedding books), to whittle the complex world of wedding planning down to the core organizational element every couple needs: a to-do checklist. The succinct, visual format works well, breaking the seemingly overwhelming task of wedding planning into manageable bits (over 500 to-dos). In typical wedding-book fashion, each chapter is devoted to a specific aspect of the event. Sections begin with a few questions to help readers conceptualize what they want; then couples can quickly go through the related checklist items. For those unfamiliar with a specific task on the checklist, bullet points or brief notes provide details. Throughout, sidebars define vendor jargon, explain contract points, and highlight trends and traditions. The book’s introductory material provides a month-by-month time line, as well as emphasizes that things can be fast-tracked by jumping to certain chapters.—Bonnie Poquette, Milwaukee

Audio Reviews

Barclay, Linwood. No Time for Goodbye. 10 CDs. unabridged. 11 hrs. Brilliance Audio. 2007. ISBN 978-1-4233-4109-3. $102.25. F

Verdict: This is a solid, tightly written mystery read with great skill (and in a number of voices) by Christopher Lane. Barclay takes care to make descriptions of the interactions of the characters, their emotions, their thoughts, and their speech consistent and realistic. Highly recommended for adult fiction/mystery audio collections.
Background: Twenty-five years after Cynthia Bigge awoke to find her entire family (mother, father, and brother) missing, she allows her story to be shown on network TV in the hopes that someone will be able to provide information on them. Now married to Terry Archer and a mother herself, Cynthia is in constant fear that her daughter Grace may be abducted. Terry must try to balance Cyn’s tendencies to follow every lead to her missing family, no matter how tenuous, to imagine strangers watching the house or cruising the neighborhood, with his desire to live a full, normal, and loving family life. Whether the mob killed her family, they were abducted by aliens, or they hated her enough to run away and leave her behind, Cynthia doesn’t know.—Cliff Glaviano, Bowling Green State Univ. Libs., OH

Rothfeder, Jeffrey. McIlhenny’s Gold: How a Louisiana Family Built the Tabasco Empire. 8 CDs. unabridged. 10 hrs. Tantor Audio. 2007. ISBN 978-1-4001-0569-4. $29.99. BUS

Verdict: The solid narration by Norman Dietz maintains listener interest in this insider story of a unique family business that nicely complements Shane K. Bernard’s coffee-table book Tabasco: An Illustrated History. Highly recommended for larger public libraries and university libraries supporting a business and economics curriculum.
Background: Former Business Week editor Rothfeder (Every Drop for Sale) provides a fascinating story of the ubiquitous food condiment Tabasco Sauce and the company that produces it, McIlhenny of Avery Island, LA, and the successful, eccentric family that continues to maintain strong control over the business. In nearly every English language dictionary, the word Tabasco is included as a proprietary term, along with other select trademarks, such as Xerox, Kleenex, Coke, and Band-Aid, and the condiment has appeared on White House dinner tables, gone to war with U.S. soldiers, and been flown into space aboard Skylab, the Space Shuttle. Rothfeder digs deep into the tale of one of the most profitable and oldest U.S. businesses in history, beginning with Edmund McIlhenny’s founding of the company in 1869 on Avery Island, which originally supported a salt mine and a slave-based sugar cane plantation. The author explains how the family continues to emphasize the principles of its success, including the use of only three ingredients in the recipe, the connection of current operations to the company’s past, operating only one factory, and maintaining extremely low overhead.—Dale Farris, Groves, TX

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