Social Sciences

Skotnes (director, Lucy Lloyd Archive Resource & Exhibition Ctr., Univ. of Cape Town) has created a dazzling work of archival reproduction and interpretation. At her institution and other South African archives, she scanned the notebooks, photographs, and papers of Wilhelm Bleek and Lucy Lloyd, two 19th-century colonial scholars bent on documenting the language of the now culturally extinct ¦xam people (also known as Cape San or Bushmen). Bleek and Lloyd transcribed stories, drawings, poems, and recollections from the traumatized last generation of fluent speakers. Skotnes succeeds in her aim to give the reader "something of the experience of being in the archive," offering thoughtful essays by nine experts in linguistics, history, archaeology, and art along with her own introduction. The book is sometimes confusing—the table of contents appears only after 25 pages of introductory illustrations, and lay readers will be challenged to get anthropologically oriented—but the accompanying DVD, with its own comprehensive index of hundreds of scanned images, will please serious scholars and the curious public alike. Highly recommended for all academic and large public libraries.—Lisa Klopfer, Eastern Michigan Univ. Lib., Ypsilanti

In this lively and absorbing biography, Brock deftly captures the consummate snake-oil salesman and gifted entrepreneur John R. Brinkley (1885–1942), in his day America's most famous (albeit uncredentialed) doctor. Not content peddling useless potions to the gullible for decent profits, Brinkley pursued fame and riches and built a wildly successful business transplanting goat testicles into thousands of men and even some women, from the poor to movie stars and politicians, all conned into parting with $750 and risking their lives for a miracle cure for impotence, infertility, or other ailments. Brock (Indiana Gothic) frames Brinkley's show-stopping exploits with a well-drawn portrait of Morris Fishbein, the editor of JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association, who worked for decades to discredit Brinkley, whom he considered the most dangerous quack in the land. Brinkley, the subject of earlier biographies, including R. Alton Lee's recent The Bizarre Careers of John R. Brinkley, masterminded innovative marketing techniques still in use today, ran a close race for governor of Kansas, and built the first "border blaster" high-wattage radio station in Mexico, his influence thus extending even into music and broadcasting in America. Not bad for a serial killer. Recommended for all public libraries. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 10/15/07.]—Donna L. Davey, New York Univ. Lib.

Bzdek (news editor, Washington Post) has written a balanced (if ultimately praising) and thoroughly researched biography of the energetic "gentle lady" from San Francisco and her remarkable political rise. Born into the legendary political D'Alesandro family from Baltimore (her father and brother were both mayors), married to a wealthy and supportive businessman, and mother to five children, Nancy Pelosi, as Speaker of the House, now holds the highest political office ever held by a woman in the United States. The author details Pelosi's 20-year rise through the Democratic ranks in California, up to her current role, when in the first 100 "legislative hours" as speaker she managed to push through most of the legislation she had pledged to pass. The author shows the influences of family, religion, respect, and loyalty as guiding beacons for her success and stamina. Bzdek's is not an academic study of the person two heartbeats away from the presidency, but it details how she is truly an inspiration to other women. Highly recommended for public libraries.—Mary C. Allen, Everett P.L., WA

DePastino (history, Waynesburg Coll., Pittsburgh; Citizen Hobo) offers the first biography of Mauldin, creator of the wildly popular cartoon strip Upfront, which featured ordinary GIs Willie and Joe during World War II. Unflinchingly, the author writes of the New Mexico boy with little education but plenty of talent and drive who joined the Arizona National Guard for rent money and then entered the army's 45th Infantry Division in World War II. Shipped to North Africa, then Italy, he drew about the grinding war for the soldiers' newspaper, Stars and Stripes, from the soldiers' viewpoint. His lifelong distrust of authority and a penchant for deflating egos led to noisy confrontations with powers such as George Patton, who wanted him arrested. Mauldin was awarded the Pulitzer Prize at age 23. After the war, he was a political cartoonist, editorialist, and favorite on the veterans' circuit. In the Sixties, he first supported the Vietnam War, then turned determinedly against it. This biography does not flinch from Mauldin's tumultuous personal life, marked by three wives and serious alcohol use, but does concentrate on his drawing and writing careers. A lively and thoroughly readable account of an American original illustrated with 90 of Mauldin's drawings; recommended for all libraries.—Edwin B. Burgess, U.S. Army Combined Arms Research Lib., Fort Leavenworth, KS

Historian Fox does an admirable job relating the life of Jane Boleyn (née Parker), sister-in-law to Anne Boleyn. Jane was expected to lead the usual life of a noble, but she too ended up a participant in extraordinary historical events. She began her time in Henry VIII's court as a lady-in-waiting to his first wife, Katherine of Aragon, and ultimately would be lady-in-waiting to five of Henry's wives. Fox's detailed descriptions of the extravagance, arrogance, and dangerous political maneuvers of the Tudor court help readers understand how Jane's "addiction" to court life began and led to her downfall. Her infamous reputation as the woman whose accusations aided the executions of her husband, George Boleyn, and his sister Anne is undeserved and was fabricated during the reign of Elizabeth I, according to Fox. But Fox confirms Jane's culpability in aiding Catherine Howard in her extramarital affair, which led to the execution of both women. Family trees of the Parkers, the Boleyns, and the Howards are included along with notes and a bibliography. This would make an exceptional reading group selection. Recommended for academic and public libraries. (Index not seen.) [The finished book will refer readers to a conversation with the author, posted online.—Ed.]—Tonya Briggs, Oberlin Coll. Lib., OH

Most scholars rank FDR as one of the greatest U.S. presidents, second only to Abraham Lincoln, which may well explain why Lincoln and FDR have been the subjects of more books than any other presidents. Yet despite his stature, FDR's image is much less well known than are the granite faces of the Mount Rushmore quartet, and his photographs are published less often than Lincoln's. Even the belated memorial in our nation's capital is shadowed by Lincoln's. For this latest volume in the publisher's series, "Historic Photos of…," with volumes on American cities as well as American figures, Gilmore (coauthor, Historic Photos of Washington, D.C.) seeks to fill the FDR gap with nearly 200 captioned black-and-white photographs from the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Presidential Library. A quarter of the photos deal with FDR's youth (1882–1910), another quarter with his political rise (1911–33), and the final half with his presidency (1933–45). A brief introduction accompanies each section. The captions are somewhat sparse, e.g., not all people are identified. Nonetheless, this album will appeal to FDR enthusiasts and the general public. The absence of an index, notes, and a bibliography make it less useful in academic libraries. Recommended to all public libraries.— William D. Pederson, Louisiana State Univ., Shreveport

It took a flight to the desert after the suicide of her estranged, alcoholic father and a crisis in her marriage before activist Irvine (Making a Difference: Stories of How Our Outdoor Industry and Individuals Are Working To Preserve America's Natural Places) finally accepted herself and the harsh forces that have shaped her life. Nestled amid descriptions of the stark, red-rock desert of the Colorado Plateau, speculation about ancient inhabitants, and reflection on the Mormon migration west is Irvine's own story, which she unfolds gradually while moving seamlessly between past and present. Growing up in Salt Lake City under a cloud because she was a "half-breed"—half Mormon and half Gentile—Irvine suffered from chronic alienation that worsened after she moved to a desolate country of God-fearing Mormons who viewed outsiders, especially environmentalists, with suspicion. In a story at once compelling and exasperating, Irvine is like a fictional heroine bent on self-destruction. Finally, at the height of crisis, an epiphany occurs, and the author reveals what was heretofore hidden—that this is a story of love and reconciliation. This beautifully written work deserves a place among memoirs and Western writings in public and academic libraries.—Maureen J. Delaney-Lehman, Lake Superior State Univ., Sault Ste. Marie, MI

Kamen (All in My Head) here offers a memorial to her friend, the late Chinese American author Chang, who at 29 wrote the critically acclaimed and best-selling The Rape of Nanking. She reveals her complex relationship with Chang as she closely examines her seemingly perfect life. Kamen draws on a storehouse of information: her personal collection of letters, emails, and tapes; Chang's papers, housed at several universities; and interviews with Chang's close friends, acquaintances, and husband, through which she gains a better understanding of the forces that drove Chang. The book clearly serves as a catharsis for Kamen as she works through her grief over Chang's 2004 suicide; indeed, the reader learns as much about Kamen's demons as about Chang's. In the afterword, Kamen proposes a number of actions that can be taken to help prevent other people, especially those of Asian descent, from committing suicide. Though the writing style is very informal, occasionally using some questionable grammar (e.g., the liberal use of like), this poignant, extensively researched book is recommended for academic and public libraries as well as for special collections.—Kathryn R. Bartelt, Univ. of Evansville Libs., IN

John D. MacArthur (1897–1978) is certainly ripe for biographers, but even with access to primary sources and family papers, Kriplen (Dwight Davis: The Man and the Cup) is hard-pressed to flesh out the story of a man both secretive and manipulative. Kriplen chronicles the facts of the billionaire's life in a slightly roundabout style, from his hardscrabble beginnings as son of a mercurial preacher, to his success in the insurance business, to his final years as a Florida real estate developer. Along the way, MacArthur feuded with his family, sued almost everybody he did business with, and embarked on a scandalous second marriage to Catherine T. Hyland, his brother's secretary. The biography delivers the facts, but there is little about MacArthur's personal character other than the conclusions that can be drawn from his behavior. Kriplen devotes a final chapter to the MacArthur Foundation, but even here she doesn't have much to work with because MacArthur was quite detached from his own philanthropy. Although the premise is intriguing, there simply isn't enough material to round out the text and give a sense of the life, which makes the book ultimately unsatisfying. Not recommended.—Elizabeth Morris, Barrington Area Lib., IL

The death of a parent is never easy, but when your mother is the well-known Susan Sontag, is a memoir even necessary? For Rieff (At the Point of a Gun: Democratic Dreams and Armed Intervention), it serves as a clarification of his mother's beliefs, a critique of the medical community, and a brief rest from the survivor's guilt trip. As he says, "I still cannot believe there was nothing I could do to help." Sontag had already survived two bouts of cancer when she was diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome (a form of leukemia) in 2004. The prognosis was not good, but Sontag continued to do whatever she had to do to eke out more time on this earth. It wasn't a matter of denial; it was finding hope in information (mostly via the Internet): "the more you knew, the better your chances of cheating death once more." Rieff has a lyrical way with the terminology of illness and death that makes it seem less frightening. He speaks directly to the reader, for surely we can commiserate. Ultimately, this book presents a son trying to understand his mother's life and death and needing validation that, in the end, he did the right thing. Highly recommended for all libraries.—Bette-Lee Fox, Library Journal

This is one of the best memoirs to come on the scene since Jeanette Walls's The Glass Castle, though the world of Sonnenberg's childhood is as privileged as Walls's was marked by scarcity and want. With her two daughters, Sonnenberg's single mother, Daphne, managed to remain a part of this rarefied environment by the skin of her teeth, thanks to benevolent grandparents and the occasional contributions of a distant father. But while Daphne appeared electrifying and glamorous to the young Susanna, no amount of good fortune could keep her from descending, lie by lie, addiction by addiction, into as disappointing a figure as the father in The Glass Castle. Susanna's progressive disenchantment with her often abusive mother—Daphne introduced her daughter to cocaine and punched her in the stomach repeatedly for seemingly expressing interest in a new boyfriend—is charted with precise, unsparing, and luminous prose. A heartbreaking yet wickedly entertaining portrait of a magically seductive, immensely flawed mother who fails dramatically as a parent and of a daughter who learns to trust and love others despite an orphanlike upbringing marked by disillusion. Highly recommended for all public libraries. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 9/1/07.]—Elizabeth Brinkley, Granite Falls, WA

Biographer and journalist Sebba (Mother Teresa: Beyond the Image) has written a well-researched book on the life of Jennie Jerome Churchill, the wife of Lord Randolph Churchill and mother of Winston Churchill. While recent popular biographies (e.g., Charles Higham's Dark Lady) have dwelt much on her affairs during her marriage, this book focuses more on her domestic role. The author uses Churchill family papers and previous biographies to provide a vivid portrait that gives readers a good understanding of Lady Churchill as both vivacious and intelligent. Sebba quotes Winston Churchill saying of her "Her life was a full one. The wine of life was in her veins." The definitive biography must remain Ralph G. Martin's two-volume Jennie: The Life of Lady Randolph Churchill. While Sebba does use some new sources, she also uses material from Higham for which he himself did not provide attribution. For public libraries wanting a nice supplement to Martin (the preferred title for academic libraries), this will serve as a welcome addition.—Diane Fulkerson, Univ. of West Georgia Lib., Carrollton

Having chronicled the lives of nearly everyone else, 95-year-old Pulitzer Prize winner Terkel (The Good War) now tells his own story. He recalls early days in New York and his move to Chicago at age nine. Personalities such as socialist labor leader Eugene V. Debs, statesman William Jennings Bryan, and lawyer Clarence Darrow emerge as Terkel comments on the politics of the 1920s and 1930s, his liberal tendencies apparent even at a young age. After serving in World War II, he worked as a disk jockey and then had a television variety show called Studs' Place. Most compelling, though, are Terkel's reflections on his activities as a progressive during the McCarthy era, when he was blacklisted and thrown out of work despite his show's popularity. He writes of FBI visits to his home and his struggle to make a living. Throughout these reminiscences, he maintains his sense of humor, interest in the common person, and love for the arts. While at times a little disjointed and jumbled, this memoir provides an insightful and fascinating look at America's last century through the eyes of one of its most astute observers. Recommended for large public libraries.—Nancy R. Ives, SUNY at Geneseo

Live and learn: each of these books may define its topic as leadership, but open the covers and all commonality ends. Behar (former president, Starbucks International) lists ten basic leadership lessons, including building trust, being accountable, taking action, and daring to dream, illustrated by typical corporate anecdotes and "extra shots" of advice throughout. Like many before him, e.g., Joseph Michelli's The Starbucks Experience and Howard Schultz's Pour Your Heart into It, Behar offers a quickly paced, if not original, volume seeking to capitalize on the cultural cachet of Starbucks.

Corporate leadership coach Strelecky (The Why Café) offers another business/inspirational self-help parable, this time about the fictional character Thomas Derale, the "greatest leader in the world," who happens to be dying. His favored employee and disciple learns Derale's final lessons by discovering his own PFE ("purpose for existing," originally defined in The Why Café) and learning to live according to his "Big Five for Life," the five things you want to do before you die. Although the story starts to wear thin before its conclusion, Strelecky makes a heartfelt, if not unique, case that successful leaders are those who encourage others to find fulfillment.

Storytelling is also important for Denning (senior fellow, James MacGregor Burns Leadership Academy, Univ. of Maryland; The Leader's Guide to Storytelling). At times, his treatise reads more like a public-speaking manual than one for "transformational" leaders, i.e., those who inspire positive change through effective communication. Although some readers might feel his emphasis on techniques such as getting your audience's attention, eliciting desire for action, and reinforcing with reasons are too narrowly focused, Denning cohesively links the importance of narrative intelligence and telling stories to leadership success. He follows his own storytelling advice by opening with an account of Al Gore's evolution from 2000 to 2006, as well as by offering clear and compelling explanations and drawing on a wide range of referenced sources. His book includes appendixes containing exercises and a self-test. Behar's and Strelecky's books, solid but not particularly innovative, are recommended only for public libraries seeking to expand their business offerings. Denning's is recommended for public and academic collections owing to its more comprehensive linking of communication to successful leadership.—Sarah Statz Cords, Madison P.L., WI

This business history details the creation and market launches of two distinct perfumes while simultaneously unraveling the mysterious workings of professional perfumers. The carefully crafted story excites the olfactory imagination as well as interest in product creation and branding; for anyone reading it, perfume will never be the same. New York Times perfume critic Burr (Emperor of Scent: A Story of Perfume, Obsession, and the Last Mystery of the Senses) skillfully interweaves accounts of two new perfumes: Lovely, from actress Sarah Jessica Parker and conglomerate Coty, and Un Jardin sur le Nil, a collaboration between elite atelier Hermès and its new in-house perfumer, Jean-Claude Ellena. Because fragrances are a multibillion-dollar industry and often serve as lucrative fashion brand extensions, this book belongs in the libraries of luxury-goods professionals as well as academic business libraries and public libraries. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 10/1/07.]—Caroline Geck, Kean Univ. Lib., Union, NJ

With these profiles of 18 successful hedge fund managers, Bloomberg News reporter Burton sheds light on hedge funds, which are maintained by private investment partnerships using aggressive strategies for higher returns. While she provides personal background information on the managers, her descriptions of the managers' varying investing styles make up the true value of her work. For instance, she explains that the legendary Boone Pickens runs his fund informally but with a focused, long-term view on the energy sector. One unifying theme throughout is that successful hedge funds, no matter what their style, always strive to maintain a moneymaking edge over the market based on analysis, experience, or other techniques. Burton's clearly written work is a fine introduction to hedge funds for both the interested reader and those contemplating a career in this area of investment. Steven Drobny's more cerebral Inside the House of Money is less accessible to general readers, and neither his book nor Burton's provides the drama of James Cramer's classic hedge-fund autobiography, Confessions of a Street Addict. Burton's contribution would be a solid addition to business collections in both public and academic libraries.—Lawrence R. Maxted, Gannon Univ. Lib., Erie, PA

Crutchfield and Grant, cofounders of Who Cares?, a national quarterly journal devoted to community service and social activism, have put together a workable list of the six best practices for nonprofits based on a thorough study of 12 high-impact organizations, from Habitat for Humanity to the National Council of La Raza. The practices they advocate are fairly straightforward (e.g., "inspire evangelists"), if a little short on specific implementations, but the book's real strength is how well it translates business practices and philosophies to the nonprofit sector, in particular by shifting the focus from competition to collaboration. The work suffers a little from a surfeit of jargon, but it's a decent read with sound ideas. Every organization can take something from it, but if your nonprofit isn't on the road to national attention, don't expect to pick up more than a couple of ideas. Recommended for larger business and leadership collections.—Brian Walton, Tampa-Hillsborough P.L., FL

CNBC correspondent Gasparino (Blood on the Street) has written a masterly story of the rise and fall of Richard Grasso, former chair of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). It's a rags-to-riches saga that shows Grasso climbing the corporate ladder from impoverished childhood in Queens, NY, to becoming one of the most powerful men in America. The author provides insight into the evolution of the NYSE before, during, and after Grasso's tenure and focuses on the important point that in addition to being a business, the NYSE is also a regulator, an inherent tension producing frequent conflict during Grasso's era. An especially revealing section is the behind-the-scenes look at how the NYSE deftly responded to the tragic events of 9/11, largely owing to his leadership. Overly ambitious and possessed of both a mercurial disposition and an explosive temper, Grasso was also a brilliant tactician who aimed to modernize the institution he governed, though he resisted going as far as embracing electronic trading. Interestingly, his last great battle was over his own executive compensation, ultimately leading to his downfall. Even with these obvious character flaws, there is no denying that Grasso had a substantial impact on the NYSE, and Gasparino captures all detail quite skillfully in his probing, fast-paced, and hugely entertaining book. Highly recommended for larger business collections.—Richard Drezen, Washington Post/New York City Bureau

This debut entry in the Better Business Bureau's first-ever how-to series will greatly benefit first-time home buyers. The text covers the entire process in step-by-step fashion, from finding a home to closing on it, addressing such important points as working with a real-estate agent, evaluating potential properties, and making an offer. Freelance business and technology writer LaPlante reviews the various types of mortgages and the process of qualifying for one. Especially great is the coverage on choosing a home inspector, interpreting the inspection report, and what to do if a problem is identified. There is also advice for those building a new home and for investment buyers. The text is enhanced with a graphical format that highlights insights and tips on such issues as property taxes, getting out of a deal, special considerations for condominiums, and attending an open house. Recommended for public libraries; those wishing to beef up their home-buying offerings should also consider Ilona Bray and others' Nolo's Essential Guide to Buying Your First Home, which is similar in scope and content and includes a CD-ROM with forms.—Joan Pedzich, Harris Beach PLLC, Rochester, NY

Using newly opened archives in Russia to dispel myths perpetuated by Stalin's enemies and even Stalin himself, Bellamy (military science & doctrine, Cranfield Univ.) transforms our understanding of Hitler's war against the Soviet Union. Essentially, Bellamy argues that Hitler did not dupe Stalin and that the Soviet Union was not caught napping when Germany invaded. Information pours from this extensive book at an astounding rate. Details about the agreement between Stalin and Hitler, for instance, and about Stalin's diplomatic discourses with Churchill and with U.S. envoys make this priority reading for World War II buffs and academics alike. One can follow the "reverse funnel" of German advances into Russia, the same route that Napoléon undertook 130 years earlier. Indeed, Bellamy draws parallels between the Patriotic War (1812) and the Great Patriotic War (1940): hundreds of divisions that overwhelmed the starting gate simply got lost on the ever widening landscape of Russia/the Soviet Union. Bellamy takes every opportunity to explain findings from newly available archives and show how they overturn long-standing theories. Recommended for academic and public libraries where interest in World War II is strong.—Harry Willems, Park City P.L., KS

Berry (ancient history/archaeology, Swansea Univ.; Unpeeling Pompeii) presents an encyclopedic look at one of the most famous natural disasters in human history. Worthy of the title, this book introduces the reader to the many facets of Pompeii's history. Much like the remains of Pompeii itself, this book is a well-organized snapshot of a bygone era. It covers the origins and evolution of the city, the daily life of its residents, the geography of the region, and the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius, as well as a history of the excavation of the site. Easy to read and with full color pictures of the excavation, along with maps, time lines, diagrams, and vivid art reproductions, this book gives a broad and comprehensive introduction to the Pompeian world. Compared with similar books, such as Colin Amery and Brian Curran's The Lost World of Pompeii, Berry's offers both a wider scope and a more thorough look at the subject. With an extensive bibliography and footnotes. Recommended for public and undergraduate libraries; high school libraries should be advised that there is a section on eroticism that contains visually and verbally explicit sexual material.—Elizabeth White, Univ. of Georgia, Athens

This remarkable book documents the life of Junius Wilson (1908–2001), who was committed to a state mental hospital in North Carolina at age 17 following an accusation of attempted rape. Imprisoned there for 76 years without ever having been tried or found guilty of a crime, he was forced to work as a laborer for the State Hospital for the Colored Insane and was eventually castrated. He was never found insane by any medical professional. Wilson was merely poor, black, and deaf in the Jim Crow South. Activist scholars Burch and Joyner use hospital records, legal documents, and oral history interviews to tell Wilson's story. The authors gently demonstrate how, in many ways, his story is also the story of race, bigotry, disability, and mental illness in 20th-century America. Wilson's life is, tragically, a nearly perfect lens through which to examine those themes. Highly recommended for collections with a strong African American history, deaf studies, or disability history emphasis, although its scholarly approach may be a better fit for academic libraries than public libraries.—Rachel Bridgewater, Washington State Univ. Lib, Vancouver

Yale law professor Chua (World on Fire) argues that hyperpowers—those states that possess what Chua calls world-dominant power economically, militarily, and culturally—achieve dominance pursuing policies that do not alienate their subject peoples. Put positively, such hyperpowers practice tolerance. As far as it goes, this is hardly an original observation, and while Chua attempts to offer solid examples from history of how tolerance helps build empires and how intolerance leads to their downfall, she is ultimately unsuccessful. She assures us that she will do her best to resist cherry-picking her facts and then spends the rest of the book doing exactly that. Still, the reader cannot help but admire her honesty: for instance, her reference to British tolerance for Indian religious and cultural diversity is also an example of exploiting ethnic differences in an effort to divide and rule, and Chua does not hesitate to note this. Other instances of evidence offered and then mitigated abound, and Chua's constant qualification of her examples undermines her premise. In the end, the picture Chua presents of the symbiosis between empires and their constituent peoples does not support her argument. A marginal purchase for public libraries. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 6/1/07.]—Richard Fraser, formerly curator of Manuscripts, Coll. of Physicians Lib., Philadelphia

Following the completion of their excellent five-volume "Aviation Century" series in 2006, Dick and photographer Patterson decided to further share their expertise by offering additional studies of some of the century's legendary airplanes. This is their subjective attempt to rank which aircrafts merited inclusion (along with their pilots and designers) among the top 50 Aviation Hall of Famers. Priority choices include the Wright brothers' 1905 Flyer and various World War I fighters. The section covering the interwar period offers several record-breaking machines, while the World War II inductees profiled conclude with Hitler's Messerschmitt 262 jet interceptor. Classic Korean War jets and commercial liners follow. The book's final portions are devoted to aerospace engineer Burt Rutan's futuristic flying creations and combat jets for the 21st century, which incorporate such innovations as stealth technology and fly-by-wire controls. This is much more than a composite rehash of the "Aviation Century" series. The text is new, the team's selections are defensible, and the illustrations (300 color/b&w), sidebars, pilot and aircraft profiles, and human-interest stories are all fresh, appealing, and insightful. Recommended for all aeronautical collections.—John Carver Edwards, Univ. of Georgia Libs.

Recent decades have seen important new findings regarding the Battle of the Little Bighorn. What has been needed next is a clear narrative for scholars and lay readers alike embracing all of the recent research; literary agent Donovan has written just that. First he provides the context of the campaign of 1876 from both the Native American and the U.S. Army perspectives, with the essential background on the major players. Then he presents what he considers the most likely sequence of events of the battle itself, based on archaeological and other research findings, along with the many Native American accounts that have become available and a careful review of the traditional sources. Rather than interrupting his fast-paced narrative with asides on his sources, Donovan wisely places such discussion in the notes, making them available to scholars and serious Custer students. The final quarter of the book is devoted to the aftermath of the battle, particularly the court of inquiry. Donovan shows the extent to which the army and surviving members of the Seventh Cavalry went to put all of the blame on Custer in what today would be called a cover-up. This book is an excellent starting point for those seeking an understanding of the Battle of the Little Bighorn. Highly recommended for public and academic libraries.—Stephen H. Peters, Northern Michigan Univ. Lib., Marquette

As a reporter for the U.S. Army newspaper Stars and Stripes, Ehrenfreund witnessed the trial of top Nazis at Nuremberg after World War II. After decades as a California lawyer and judge, he now combines his observations with secondary sources, especially the memoirs of Robert Jackson, the American prosecutor, and Francis Biddle, the American judge. Ehrenfreund effectively rebuts arguments against the tribunal—that it imposed "victors' justice" and ex post facto laws on the accused. Though he isn't the most agile pen portraitist of the participants, Ehrenfreund clearly presents the story and the legal concepts. The strongest part of his book examines Nuremberg's aftermath. The testimony and documents provided by the Nazis themselves gave history a record of their atrocities that cannot be denied. Nuremberg also established the precedent for holding the butchers of other nations—e.g. Rwanda, the former Yugoslavia—accountable for their crimes, here detailed by Ehrenfreund. An effective history and study of the impact of such powerful procedures on the modern world, this is a good purchase for all libraries.—Michael O. Eshleman, Kings Mills, OH

If a book set out to choose the most disreputable American political episode on which to bestow respectable historical standing, Joe McCarthy's era of influence might serve. The Wisconsin senator's brief ascendancy is all but universally seen as a period of shame. In his massively documented work, longtime conservative journalist and editor Evans (former editor, Indianapolis News; The Theme Is Freedom) argues that "the real Joe McCarthy has vanished into the mists of fable and recycled error, so that it takes the equivalent of a dragnet search to find him." In his dragnet, Evans looks closely at FBI files, congressional hearing transcripts, private papers, and other sources, some only recently available, and concludes that just about everything written on McCarthy from his 1950 Wheeling speech to the 1954 Army-McCarthy hearings is wrong. Evans's McCarthy, while sometimes lacking nuance, was onto a real problem with the issue of Communists in government, one that his critics, contemporary and ever after, have been less concerned about than they have been with disposing of McCarthy. The author charges most prior historians and biographers with having been light on primary research but steeped in conventional wisdom. His crisply written study may daunt some readers owing to length and may not win over most McCarthy critics. But it will certainly send historians to the primary sources and is recommended for academic and larger public libraries.—Bob Nardini, Concord, NH

An avid collector and student of the realia of presidential history, Landau offers up reproductions of hundreds of pieces from his own collection of menus and related artifacts documenting presidential entertaining at the White House, from the first George to the current one. The rich narrative and illustrations result in an opulent and intimate approach to presidential history by a man who has consulted on matters of protocol and entertaining with many presidents. The book is divided into three parts: Washington to Lincoln, Andrew Johnson to McKinley, and Theodore Roosevelt to George W. Bush. Each president receives his own chapter, offering highlights of the dining and the diplomacy that took place hand in hand. The result is an eclectic and novel look at our chief executives and the evolving trends in presidential protocol and politics—not to mention the food! While the book is fascinating and visually appealing—the customized menus for White House dinners have always been special, and here Landau cites their artists, engravers, and printers—its greater appeal will be as a coffee-table offering than a history book: historians will be frustrated by the lack of notes or an index. The book does include a list of suggested further reading, however, as well as a full compilation—apparently the first ever— of all presidential chefs, cooks, chief ushers, and stewards. Recommended for public libraries.—Lisa A. Ennis, Univ. of Alabama at Birmingham Lib., Lister Hill

A number of books have been published lately concerning the Battle of the Meuse-Argonne (September 26-November 11, 1918), but they have been largely soldiers' memoirs (e.g., Horace Baker's Argonne Days in World War I) or broad overviews (e.g., Robert H. Ferrel's America's Deadliest Battle), leaving the epic without the full history it deserves as the final conflict of World War I. American Expeditionary Forces were fully operative in the battle and suffered immense losses. Lengel (history, Univ. of Virginia; General George Washington: A Military Life) delivers a compelling, lucid, and well-organized history juggling multiple narratives and much source material, as is evident from the extensive notes and bibliography. He skillfully keeps control of his subject, letting the momentum build of its own volition. The story of the young United States (compared with Europe) and its inexperienced army of "doughboys," driven by spirit but beleaguered by naïveté, is humbling and relevant—and told here with reverence. The important and bloody victory led to the Armistice but was not without great cost, showing the realities of modern war and transforming a generation of Americans in the process. Recommended for all World War I collections.—Ben Malczewski, Ypsilanti Dist. Lib., MI

As stated in its introduction, this book is neither a biography nor a chronological history of Napoléon. It is an insightful treatise on the emperor's generalship, written by an officer in the British army. Major General Riley (Senior British Military Advisor, United States Central Command; Napoleon and the World War, 1813) opens with an essay on generalship, setting the parameters for Napoléon's achievement and goes on, in successive chapters, to discuss him as a strategist, coalition general, operational commander, and battlefield commander. There follow two chapters on counter-insurgency and logistics, areas that are very often ignored in these studies. Three case studies follow: Napoléon's first campaign in Italy, the conquest of Prussia in 1806, and the Battle of the Nations in 1813. All provide good discussion of Napoléon at those three stages in his career. The final chapter discusses Napoléon's personal qualities as a general and his legacy. The author's assessment is fairly objective: in summary, that Napoléon was an innovative general and the best in the field until the attrition of over a decade of conflict caught up with him. Recommended.—David Lee Poremba, Keiser Univ., Orlando, FL

Breslin (America's Mayor, America's President?: The Strange Career of Rudy Giuliani) presents a personal view of the heyday and decline of the New York Mafia. Its central framework is Burton Kaplan's testimony during the 2006 federal trial of police officers Stephen Caracappa and Louis Eppolito. Kaplan, who worked for the Lucchese organized crime family, cooperated with authorities when he learned that Caracappa and Eppolito would implicate him for murder. The excerpted trial transcript presents a detailed account of kidnapping, money laundering, drug dealing, obstruction of justice, imprisonment, and murder over the course of 50 years. Interspersed with the account of the trial are Breslin's asides and remembrances of organized crime in New York. The narrative features figures such as Paul Castellano, John Gotti, and Joe Massino; even actor Robert De Niro makes a brief appearance. At the trial's end, Caracappa and Eppolito were convicted of kidnapping and conspiracy, while Kaplan was released on bail. This is no scholarly study of the modern Mafia but a longtime observer's lively, well-written memoir of a notorious institution as it passes into history. Breslin fans will certainly enjoy; recommended for all libraries.—Stephen L. Hupp, West Virginia Univ. at Parkersburg Lib.

Delaney, who has been an NBA referee for almost two decades, tells of the nearly three years he spent, while a New Jersey state trooper in the mid-1970s, posing as Bobby Covert, president of a trucking company set up for the sole purpose of observing the Mafia. With the assistance of an informant wise to the ways of the mob, Delaney/Covert so successfully ingratiated himself with a wide array of mobsters that more than 30 were convicted on the basis of information he gathered. Delaney offers a compelling account of a nerve-racking double life in which one slip could result in death, but equally compelling is his recall of his reactions in the operation's aftermath: relief at it ending, giving way to guilt at having ratted on some gangsters with whom he had actually become friends, followed by fear for his life, and then actually missing the rush of doing undercover work. ESPN has bought the movie rights, so there should be ample demand. Recommended for all public libraries.—Jim Burns, Jacksonville P.L., FL

In Astrology for the Soul (1997), Spiller homed in on the north/south axis placements of lunar nodes in natal astrological charts as the key to one's life purpose. Her latest work is a deft return to this focus, revealing how placements of the nodes also affect relationship style and providing dense profiles of the strengths and foibles we can expect to encounter in our romances. Regardless of whether her heartfelt and intuitive interpretations prove accurate for all, the writing is crisp and free of cutesy metaphors, and Spiller mostly refrains from giving clichéd advice. The three sections cover nodal group sign descriptions, the influence of house placement, and the ever-complicated topic of astrological aspects. Spiller has created a web site—www.cosmiclove.com—that, for the cost of an email address, will do all the required calculations for finding your cosmic love connections. Handy if you have web access; if you don't, the last sections are nearly useless. Definitely recommended for public libraries with comprehensive New Age or astrology collections.—Janet Tapper, Western States Chiropractic Coll. Lib., Portland, OR

Four months before President Richard Nixon resigned in 1974, Vice President Ford blurted out to DeFrank, a young Newsweek reporter, that Nixon would be forced out of office. Realizing that he would lose credibility if this remark were made public, Ford grabbed the shocked reporter and made him promise not to quote him until after his (Ford's) death. So began a close personal and professional relationship. DeFrank (Washington bureau chief, New York Daily News; coauthor, with James A. Baker III, The Politics of Diplomacy) and Ford met 30 times from 1991 to soon before Ford's death a year ago, their talks serving as the core of this engaging account. DeFrank remembers Ford as a likable guy and down-to-earth president who actually enjoyed reporters. Ford claimed that the Nixon pardon was his greatest policy achievement, necessary to getting the nation moving again, although it likely cost him the 1976 election. Even his notable political enemies, especially Ronald Reagan and Jimmy Carter, became Ford's personal friends. Ford retained his loyalty and fondness for his two chiefs of staff, Donald Rumsfeld and Dick Cheney, despite his misgivings about the Iraq War. This book radiates the warmth between Ford and DeFrank and contains enough enlightening and gossipy stories to maintain the reader's interest. A fine selection for all public libraries. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 7/07.]—Karl Helicher, Upper Merion Twp. Lib., King of Prussia, PA

"Sometimes we write articles in order to know what to think," says noted semiologist and fabulist Eco. And what a lively thinker he is! In this collection of recent writings that originally appeared mostly as editorials or op-ed pieces, Eco argues his positions with no holds barred, but he accepts that negotiation is a necessity in our multiethnic society in which neighbors differ on critical values: we must analyze "our own superstitions as well as those of others...reject black-and-white crusades and cultivate…the capacity to make distinctions." Like the Enlightenment forebears he admires, Eco preaches that "there is a reasonable way to reason…Even in philosophy you have to pay attention to common sense." This means that "man must negotiate goodwill and mutual respect…[and] subscribe to a social contract." The subjects of these essays roam widely, but common preoccupations emerge: the unwinnable nature of modern-day war, the corrosive effect of the media on domestic politics, the importance of "cultural thinking" in understanding our enemies, and a plea for tolerance across ethnic and religious boundaries. There is also a very funny essay on political correctness. Recommended for all larger collections. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 7/07.]—David Keymer, Modesto, CA

This book is less an objective scholarly study than a fond and accessible appreciation of the Iowa Caucus. Focusing primarily on presidential elections from 1992 to the present, Hull (government, adjunct, Georgetown Univ.) investigates the role of retail politics, Iowa's super-white Midwestern populace, and the influence of the Internet on the caucus's supposedly waning relevance in the face of modern primaries. Hull challenges the idea that the caucus's influence is fading and coins the term e-mentum to describe the financial and popular bounce a trailing candidate can now capitalize on from an early victory in Iowa. He argues that the caucus is still valuable because of the time spent by presidential candidates on the ground, meeting voters face-to-face and engaging in positive campaigning. A hefty chunk of this book is its two appendixes, where Hull's supporting data sets and statistics are arrayed, followed by 13 tables in which he makes his statistical models explicit. Both of these will no doubt warm the hearts of political scientists and statisticians, but the real value of this book is in its making some of the finer points of the presidential electoral process interesting to those who don't know a caucus from a primary or Iowa from Ohio. In short, this is a timely and accessible book recommended for all libraries.—Robert Perret, Southwestern Coll., Winfield, KS

The title of this provocative book refers to the means of gaining access to the prison in Cuba where hundreds of prisoners have been held as a result of their alleged involvement in terrorism. Smith (legal director, Reprieve), a lawyer with experience defending "death cases," has represented many such suspected terrorists. Although the account he wished to render of his involvement in representing these individuals is not possible under current security concerns limiting the dissemination of such information, what Smith did have access to and offers here, if factually correct, represents a damning indictment of the entire process, notably the apparently widespread use of torture by interrogators. The heart of the book consists of detailed accounts of many entirely ordinary individuals who claim to be wholly innocent of any wrongdoing, from a news agency cameraperson to a successful chef. One hopes that the truth behind Smith's accusations will be known one day; the authorities will then have to respond to this author's claims. A fascinating and detailed account of interest to all concerned with liberty, human rights, and constitutional checks and balances.—Gilles Renaud, Ontario Court of Justice, Cornwall

The latest entry in this series lives up to its "biography" conceit. Wheen concisely recounts the birth, life, and legacy of the most challenging and formidable title in Marx's canon—incomplete at three dense volumes, the latter two posthumously published—with penetrating attention to the evolving Zeitgeists that form the subject. Marx's finest traditional biographer, Wheen gazes longer on his man's personal travails than is absolutely necessary, but his overall wit, sharp prose, and passion are altogether riveting. Wheen sees Kapital's first volume, which came out soon after the U.S. Civil War, an ironic, Dickensian masterpiece. Deftly reconciling the "scientific" Marx, whom most readers find culminating in Kapital, with the revolutionary and more recently celebrated humanistic Marx of earlier writings, Wheen argues for the relevance of Kapital's insights, even to ardent free enterprisers, and skewers the abominations of Leninism while avoiding classical anticommunism. Recommended for all academic and flagship public libraries, along with its siblings in this series, which employs a diverse group of well-lettered gadflies (P.J. O'Rourke), popularizing authorities (Karen Armstrong), and academic experts (Janet Browne) to bring renewed attention to imposing masterpieces.—Scott H. Silverman, Bryn Mawr Coll. Lib., PA

Clinical psychologist Dayton (executive editor, Journal of Group Psychotherapy; Trauma and Addiction) provides a superb analysis of and a fresh perspective on how to gain emotional stability after growing up with the trauma of addiction, abuse, and family dysfunction. While sharing her own experience with alcoholic parents, Dayton interweaves extensive neuropsychological research on how trauma chemically alters the brain with findings on how to undo the damage of trauma and reverse the negative effects trauma has on relationships and behavior. Basing her material on clinical data that reveal how emotions impact thinking more than the reverse, Dayton describes "emotional sobriety" as the ability to keep emotions, thoughts, and actions in balance. The numerous succinct chapters range over the impact of relationships on emotional development, how children's emotional stability can be jeopardized when exposed to trauma or abuse, and the impact of high stress, anxiety, depression, anger, grief, and fear. Dayton ends the work with solid information on finding forgiveness, setting up a healing network, and developing emotionally healthy habits. Broader than Janet Woititz's Adult Children of Alcoholics, this guide will help individuals in recovery from a variety of dysfunctional family systems and helping professionals working with that audience. Highly recommended.—Dale Farris, Groves, TX

Iam (Sex and the Perfect Lover: Tao, Tantra, and the Kama Sutra) is a sex therapist and award-winning author of Spanish-language New Age books on sex and romance. A native of Argentina, she resides and practices in Miami, where she relocated after a long-term romance by email led to marriage. She was inspired to write this self-help manual on developing and keeping long-lasting love by the story of her grandparents, who remained faithful during seven wartime years of separation. In easy-to-read chapters beginning with "I Love You," she discusses issues that nurture or hinder relationships, e.g., self-image, trust, jealousy, fear, living together, tenderness, and communication. She then deals with sexuality, covering techniques, fantasies, autoeroticism, erotic games, and sexual energy, though in less detail than she has in previous works. Poems, testimonials from clients, meditations, and visualization exercises appear throughout. The concluding chapter, "I Love You and I Want To Love You for the Rest of My Life," summarizes Iam's practical advice for couples and is worth the price of the book. Recommended for public libraries.—Lucille M. Boone, San Jose P.L., CA

Makari (psychiatry, Weill Medical Coll./Cornell Inst.) writes this history of psychoanalysis armed with clinical experience and deep knowledge of Sigmund Freud, his times, and his philosophic and scientific forbears and contemporaries. Makari shows how Freud's school of thought survived both competition and defection (Alfred Adler and Carl Jung were two notable followers-turned-detractors) and how Freud was able to revise his theories and incorporate new ideas, even those of his opponents. Makari's exegesis is readable, thoughtful, and balanced, but detailed attention to less-well-known personalities and backward jumps in chronology interrupt the narrative flow. And while he recommends biographies by Ernest Jones and Peter Gay, he omits equally valuable works by Paul Roazen (e.g., How Freud Worked) or Louis Breger (e.g., Freud: Darkness in the Midst of Vision). The lack of a bibliography will frustrate scholars, for whom the book is best suited. That said, this new history, which extends Henri F. Ellenberger's classic The Discovery of the Unconscious: The History and Evolution of Dynamic Psychiatry (1970), is essential for large general libraries and collections in psychology and Western culture.—E. James Lieberman, George Washington Univ. Sch. of Medicine, Washington, DC

As the former voice coach of the Royal Shakespeare Company, Rodenburg has worked with such A-list thespians as Helen Mirren and Ian McKellen. Here, she calls on her extensive acting knowledge to teach lay readers how to transform their lives by releasing their internal energy, or "presence." She defines "the second circle" as energy that is focused on a specific object or individual; it allows people to be aware and in the moment. When people are in this second circle, their energy is fully connecting them to the world, and they get energy back from that connection. On the other hand, when people focus on the first circle (inward energy), they are shy and disengaged. The third circle means energy is directed outward, which results in bombastic behavior. Rodenburg claims that her exercises—which involve improving posture, breath, voice, sensory awareness, listening, and clear thinking—can make their practitioners more successful in every aspect of life, from work to dating. Her concept makes sense, but readers may feel they are learning to "act" rather than "be" in the moment. Recommended with reservations for larger public libraries where self-help books are popular.—Mary E. Jones, Los Angeles P.L.

What is it like to experience lucid dreaming or to be hypnotized? Having traveled around the world to experience 12 distinct states of consciousness, Canadian science journalist and radio producer Warren here reports on what they're like and what such experts as neuroscientists, chronobiologists, anthropologists, and monks have learned about them. Much is already known about the aforementioned states of lucid dreaming and hypnotization, but Warren also addresses more obscure conditions, e.g., the Watch, a period of relaxed, middle-of-the-night half-wakefulness achieved by people living in areas of long winter nights and exposed to little or no artificial light. Other conditions, such as hypnogogia, the state of consciousness between wakefulness and sleep, are familiar to most of us at least fleetingly or unheedingly. This entertaining book, complete with Warren's own black-and-white, cartoonlike drawings, manages to convey a good deal about the science of cognition in an easy-to-absorb narrative. Highly recommended for public and undergraduate libraries.—Mary Ann Hughes, Neill P.L., Pullman, WA

Marriage therapist and Oprah regular Weiner Davis, author of the well-received The Sex-Starved Marriage: A Couple's Guide to Boosting Their Marriage Libido, here segues into the less well known half of desire imbalance. After an initial chapter reviewing results from a Redbook magazine sex poll about desire discrepancies, she summarizes reasons and remedies for decreased male desire: physiological issues, personal problems, and couple interaction standoffs. Her menu of solutions spans medical and psychological approaches, relationship counseling, and last-ditch efforts. It's particularly refreshing that she remains positive throughout, focusing on changes women themselves can bring to the couple equation. Her menu is useful, her manner chummily sympathetic, and her resources section excellent. Unfortunately, she fails to define early on both the perceived problem (less frequency, passion, variety, and/or affection?) and what would constitute progress, waiting until Chapter 6. In contrast, Janet Wolfe's dated but useful What To Do When He Has a Headache doesn't skimp on up-front problem assessment. As this is an underrecognized area, both of these books are recommended for public libraries.—Martha Cornog, Philadelphia

Psychiatrist Yalom (emeritus, Stanford Univ. Sch. of Medicine) is noted for his stories (Love's Executioner), novels (When Nietzsche Wept), and writing on group and existential psychotherapy. As the only creatures with foreknowledge of death—what Yalom calls "the mother of all religions"—we humans must find or create meaning within the limits of our existence. Yalom uses examples from therapy sessions, dreams, his own encounters with death, and his exchanges and experiences with his mentors and teachers to engage the reader in a compelling conversation among equals. The chapter titles "The Power of Ideas," "The Awakening Experience," "Overcoming Death Terror Through Connection," and "Advice for Therapists" indicate his approach: viewing death's shadow can save us from despair without the consolation of religion. At 75, Yalom proves to be at the prime of life as a therapist, a writer, and a quotidian soul. For adults and mature teens and likely to be a classic in the area of serious self-help and psychology; an essential library purchase.—E. James Lieberman, George Washington Univ. Sch. of Medicine, Washington, DC

Starbucks jolts awake 40 million customers a week and opens six new stores each day. Its 13,000 (and growing) stores can be found in 39 countries; notable locations include the Guantánamo Bay Naval Base in Cuba and by the Great Wall of China. In the first section of this stimulating account, journalist Clark chronicles the rise of the coffee giant and the mainstreaming of specialty coffee and café culture in America. In the second, he delves deeper into ethical issues surrounding Starbucks, from the plight of coffee growers in developing countries to the issues of cultural homogenization and corporate colonialization as Starbucks expands its operations around the world. Clark dispels as myths most of these gripes against the conglomerate—he argues that mom-and-pop coffee shops are actually helped by Starbucks!—or as inevitable consequences of the company's success. Like John F. Love's McDonald's: Behind the Arches and Mark Pendergrast's For God, Country, and Coca-Cola, this is both history and balanced critique of a company that has become a cultural phenomenon. Recommended for all public libraries.—Jennifer Zarr, NYPL

When Comfort (medicine, Ctr. for AIDS Prevention Studies, Univ. of California, San Francisco) was working at San Quentin State Prison in connection with her academic work, she became intrigued by the number of women who made regular prison visits. Why did they want to maintain a connection with these marginalized men? This work is Comfort's interviews with 50 women whom she calls "quasi-inmates." Her findings should astound readers who might tend to look at these women as lacking in good judgment. Comfort found that once the incarcerated men are getting the health and welfare provisions that prisons provide, the couples actually have more romantic and satisfying relationships than they had in the "free" world. So who cares? Not everyone, but people concerned with prisoners' rights and women's struggles will find much food for thought here. Others should try the chapter called "The Tube," about the part of San Quentin's structure through which visitors pass before getting to the main visiting area. Comfort's description of the transition between the free world and the prison world is a little gem. Recommended for academic and public libraries.—Frances Sandiford, formerly with Green Haven Correctional Facility Lib., Stormville, NY

Award-winning journalist and former Queens resident Copquin explores the fascinating history behind the 99 neighborhoods of Queens in this third installment of Yale's "Neighborhoods of New York City" series (which also includes John B. Manbeck's The Neighborhoods of Brooklyn and The Encyclopedia of New York City, ed. by Kenneth T. Jackson). Copquin's book, with an informative introduction by Jackson, is both a loving tribute to one of the oldest areas of settlement in America and a practical guide for anyone wishing to navigate this most ethnically diverse of U.S. counties. Each section covers a particular neighborhood, in alphabetical order, and includes a map, a neighborhood profile—complete with local bus stops, subway lines, and libraries—and a concise historical background. For example, the entry on Elmhurst, one of the first established towns in Queens, covers the neighborhood by discussing a historical landmark—Elmhurst Hospital was the nation's second public hospital in 1832—and describing Elmhurst's evolution into an area now home to an impressive array of nationalities. Throughout, photographs detail both the past and the present of the county and its many gems. Following the neighborhood entries are an impressively detailed timeline, going from ca. 70000 B.C.E. to 2007, and census statistics, from 2000, for each neighborhood. Recommended for sizable travel and/or history collections in most libraries.—Sybil Kollappallil, Library Journal

The Countrymen Press adds two fine offerings to the world of snow sports in the West. Fine (Canoeing & Kayaking Utah) provides a plethora of information about Alpine, Nordic, and telemark (free-heel) skiing, as well as other winter sports, in Utah. He does so with much bravado as he declares that Utah has the best snow in the world, what the Inuit people of Canada and Alaska might describe as "quvianaqtuvik," their word for heaven. Fine may get some arguments, but many expert skiers and snowshoers agree, particularly about the state's light powder. Fine also argues for skiing and snowshoeing in Utah because all but one of the 13 skiing resorts there are within two hours of the Salt Lake City airport. He gives helpful overall tips for undertaking outdoor recreation at high altitude with strong sun. Then he divides the book into 13 chapters, each addressing the individual resorts, providing contact information and details about accommodations, restaurants, skiing and snowboarding lessons, snow reports, elevation of resort peaks, vertical drop, and the availability of night skiing. He also covers the level of skiing (by athletic ability) to be found at each resort. The volume is full of beautiful color photographs as well as trail maps and a helpful glossary.

Cross-country skiing instructor Hauserman (Monsters in the Woods: Backpacking with Children) has put together a comprehensive guide to Nordic skiing in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of northern California and Nevada. He lists some general safety, etiquette, and clothing tips and, as does Fine, lists 13 resort areas where Nordic skiers can ski a variety of terrain and snow conditions. He talks about lessons and racing availability and lists available resources and contact information, with suggestions for accommodations, restaurants, and shopping. The book contains black-and-white photographs and trail maps. Toward the end, the author lists his top-ten trails and then adds an extremely handy "Resources and Information" section with contact information for additional ski areas, organizations, books and magazines, ski equipment manufacturers, and yoga studios. These two books are welcome additions to the world of winter sports writing for recreational travel sections in public libraries.—Melinda Stivers Leach, Precision Editorial Svcs., Wondervu, CO

Rag on all you want about Los Angeles, but on a clear weekend day there's no better place to be than the seaside city of Santa Monica. No wonder this lovely, funky, quirky place is a top tourist destination for out-of-towners. Following a foreword by crime novelist April Smith, Californian authors Garbee, Nancy Gottesman, Tippy Helper, and Margery L. Schwartz capture the charm of Santa Monica and its six smaller sister cities: Brentwood, Pacific Palisades, Topanga, Malibu, Venice, and Marina del Rey. With humor and a wee bit of tongue in cheek (one section is called "Ain't Life a Beach?"), they describe the factors that make up these Bay cities. For each entry they give a wealth of information: hours of operation, admission fees, web sites, addresses, and phone numbers. Their witty and informative reviews of everything from fancy restaurants to rustic rambles cover the many special things to see. Certainly, this is an essential acquisition for L.A.-area libraries, but considering the high volume of tourists wandering through Venice's chaotic streets, hobnobbing with celebrities in Malibu, or taking a ride on Santa Monica's famous carousel, it will be valuable in any library. Highly recommended.—Joseph L. Carlson, Allan Hancock Coll., Lompoc, CA

Poet and essayist Holm (English, Southwest St. Univ., MN; Eccentric Islands: Travels Real and Imaginary) has written an insightful, often humorous, and occasionally melancholy follow-up to The Heart Can Be Filled Anywhere on Earth, his book on growing up in an Icelandic community in Minneota, MN. Here he explores the country of his ancestors, its rich literary heritage, and the hardscrabble history that drove many Icelanders to the New World. At the same time, he casts a critical eye on life, politics, and religion in the United States. Brimnes, his tiny, isolated cottage only yards from the sea, with no phone or computer, provides a haven in the tradition of Thoreau's Walden Pond and a vantage point from which to view the modern world, which has begun to encroach on his beloved Iceland. Holm's wonderfully clear prose brings to life the dramatic landscape of Iceland and its friendly and independent people. Poems by him and others, including translations of works by Icelandic poets, are sprinkled throughout the text. Holm has produced an enjoyable book that belongs in all public and academic library collections.—Linda M. Kaufmann, Massachusetts Coll. of Liberal Arts Lib., North Adams

Son of the late Sayed Indries Shah, a well-known Sufi leader and story collector, British writer Shah described his relocation to Casablanca with his wife and children in The Caliph's House: A Year in Casablanca. Here, he takes readers on a spellbinding journey from Casablanca to Fez and Marrakech, with emotional flashbacks to a horrific time spent in a Pakistani prison, an ordeal that helped unlock his imagination. His story revolves around an intrepid American who turns up on his family's doorstep in Casablanca because of Shah's previous book. Shah delves into Moroccan society and culture; his experiences will make readers want to trace his footsteps abroad. Although comparisons to Frances Mayes's Under the Tuscan Sun and Peter Mayle's A Year in Provence are obvious, this account is unforgettable because of its author's innate storytelling abilities. Highly recommended for larger armchair travel collections and for collections on the Arab world.—Elizabeth Connor, the Citadel, Military Coll. of South Carolina Lib., Charleston