Arts & Humanities

Beyond numerous works on Marc Chagall's windows at Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center and several on Frank Lloyd Wright's leaded glass windows, few titles address the 20th-century exponents of stained glass. Here, Altet (former director, National Art Museum of Catalonia) does a commendable job tracing the narrative, visual, and technical development of the craft from the 11th century to the present. His selection of windows is thoughtful and inclusive (although there are oddly few U.S. examples) and spans well-known works (e.g., the windows of Reims Cathedral) and less famous ones (e.g., those in Barcelona's Church of Hogares Mundet). The 246 superbly printed, luminous, full-page photographs are the real pleasure here; the captions, however, keyed to thumbnail images, are difficult to locate, often incomplete, and occasionally incorrect (e.g., John Wellborn Root, not Frank Lloyd Wright, designed the skylight for the lobby of the Rookery Building in Chicago). Recommended for larger architecture and decorative arts collections.—Paul Glassman, Long Island Univ. Lib., Brooklyn, NY

This beautiful coffee-table book is the first to explore the universe of Asian furniture. Moss, who has lived in India, Malaysia, and Hong Kong and has published many books on Asian history, arts, and culture, here draws examples of Asian furniture from various collections, organizing them first by country (China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Thailand, Tibet, and the Philippines), then by type (e.g., chairs, armoires, tables, and chests). Each country's section begins with an introductory essay on the history and development of furniture in that country written by an expert on the respective indigenous crafts. More than 450 color photographs show pieces dating mainly from the 18th through the 20th centuries; a Western influence is obvious. This work is best suited to collectors and as a source of inspiration for designers and students. Serious researchers, however, will find it less useful for its lack of references to the literature on Asian furniture. Therefore, it is recommended to libraries that serve art collectors and buy materials pertaining to connoisseurship and collecting.—Martha Smith, Elmira Coll. Lib., NY

Eminent French photographer Atget devotedly photographed the French capital and surrounding area from the late 19th century up until 1927. This compendium of the photographer's oeuvre during the belle époque is an enchanting catalog of the city's streets, parks, neighborhoods, shops, and, only occasionally, its people. As if this were not already feast enough for the eyes, during the late 1990s photographer Rauschenberg, son of artist Robert Rauschenberg, covered the same ground to update these sites for a photographer's view of the modern Paris. This volume features 76 pairs of images—Atget across from Rauschenberg—in rich duotones that you'll want to reach out and touch. Sometimes the paired images look almost identical; other times, the "updating" is more apparent. Maps are included to help readers find their way around the city, while essays by Clark Worswick and Alison Nordstrom provide a context and Rosamond Bernier writes an epilog. Recommended for larger photography collections.—Edward Cone, New York

The works of 17th-century Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer have been much discussed and debated since their rediscovery in the 19th century. Here, two Vermeer scholars (Blankert and the late John Michael Montias) and a French artist (Gilles Aillaud) update and revise the text of a book originally published in Holland in 1975. In the four essays accessible to the nonspecialist and examining Vermeer's life and work, topics under discussion are preceded by clearly defined headlines. Full-color illustrations appear throughout. The essay "Vermeer and His Public" disputes the notion that Vermeer was a "neglected genius" in his lifetime. Other sections include a complete catalog with full provenance and color thumbnail reproductions of each of Vermeer's paintings; a full listing of all known documents pertaining to Vermeer and his family; a "Critical Anthology" consisting of excerpts from 19th- and 20th-century writings by, e.g., Marcel Proust referencing the artist; and a traditional chronology. The comprehensive inclusion of all the basic particulars related to the artist and his paintings gives the work extensive reference value. It can be pleasantly read cover to cover by art lovers, art students, and specialists alike. Highly recommended for most art book collections.—Ellen Bates, New York

Renowned art historian and curator Celant (Guggenheim Museum) presents an exhaustive retrospective catalog (1969–2006) of the work of prominent and controversial German artist Anselm Kiefer (b. 1945). Not only exhaustive but also exhausting at over ten pounds, this is one heavy book. Anselm Kiefer reflects the artist's prodigious, ambitious, and somewhat ambiguous oeuvre. Whether works on paper, paintings, or increasingly complex sculptural installations, Kiefer's art deals with intense aspects of human experience and historical memory, including his native country's fascist past. Sumptuous reproductions abound (300 full color), elucidating the artwork's haptic, collaged surfaces. After taking in Celant's dense introductory essay (which could use paragraph breaks) and the book's 11 interviews, one may wonder what more could—or should—be said, especially considering previous monographs. With an extensive bibliography; owing to the prohibitive price, this is recommended solely for art collections.—Prudence Peiffer, Washington, DC

While 1945 seems like the genuine end of an artistic era, it is odd to begin a consideration of modern art in 1900, as this would omit the 1880s and 1890s, universally seen as the moment of artistic change. Nonetheless, this is where Crepaldi, a director at an Italian auction house, begins his survey. Each of the more than 430 reproductions he presents, which include masterworks of all levels of recognition, many from Italian collections, is accompanied by brief stylistic and biographical notes; introductions averaging two pages long begin each chapter. While Crepaldi includes the art of standard masters like Picasso and Matisse (with some notable omissions, e.g., Arschile Gorky), he also features the work of less well-known artists such as Fernand Knopff and Mario Sironi. He focuses on European painting but also gives a nod to U.S. and Latin American painting as well as architecture and motion pictures. The striking graphic design distinguishes the book from others covering modern art. Suitable for public and academic libraries.—Kathryn Wekselman, M.Ln., Cincinnati, OH

Dynamic and spectacular best describe this exquisitely illustrated work of American master glassmaker and artist extraordinaire Dan Dailey. The wide range and diverse three-dimensional creations of imaginative vases, vessels, conversations, wall reliefs, lamps, tables, and murals are displayed in their full glory. Dailey's themes focus on both figural and sculptural realism and depict human and animal characterizations influenced from ancient art to art deco and modernism. The conversation with Tina Oldknow (curator of modern glass, Corning Museum, NY) focuses on the insights of Dailey's inspiration and visual poetic qualities along with his personal emotions from irony and cynicism to the humorous and whimsical. The vast portion of the volume includes notable examples of the glassworks spanning Dailey's career from the 1970s to the present. The book concludes with a few personal remarks of the artist, an extensive biographical chronology, a list of articles and writings, commissioned works, and an index to the works included in the volume. A delightful and colorful survey, this should be a useful addition to public and academic libraries focusing on modern and decorative arts. Highly recommended.—Stephen Allan Patrick, East Tennessee State Univ. Libs., Johnson City

This wonderful catalog accompanies an exhibition at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City, MO, and is intended as a prequel to the previously published An American Century of Photography: From Dry-Plate to Digital. It contains more than 600 significant images from the Hallmark Photographic Collection, all reproduced with exceptional quality in tritone and color. The museum's curator of photography, Davis (An American Century of Photography) provides a comprehensive text that is both scholarly and readable. The catalog documents an exciting period of photographic history expressed by technical innovation as well as changing social, political, and natural landscapes. It includes meticulously researched catalog notes by assistant curator Jane L. Aspinwall. The volume is indexed with bibliographic citations within the catalog entries. An important acquisition for academic and larger public libraries with an interest in America's cultural history.—Nancy B. Turner, Syracuse Univ. Lib., NY

A first reaction to this book might be, "Oh please, parking garages?" Yes, parking garages. Henley, principal of Buschow Henley, an award-winning architecture firm in London, does a first-rate job of bringing us a broad, nearly global view of their architecture. Surprisingly, the basic features —levels of asphalt, painted stripes, structural support, and the camouflaging of all these elements for the purposes of public display—can bring out an incredible range of design solutions, most in cast concrete. Chapter 1, "The Plasticity of Concrete," is certainly appropriate, as the featured substance takes on shapes that are linear, curvaceous, and much more. A designer's imagination can turn a parking garage's wrapper into a ventilated object of whimsy, a monolith, a silo, a cylinder, or any other geometric container. This is truly the first comprehensive study of the topic available for mass distribution. Henley is thorough, he chooses his examples and visuals carefully, and the text gives readers just enough to engage in an informed conversation on the topic. Highly recommended.—David Bryant, New Canaan Lib., CT

Howard (Dr. Kimball and Mr. Jefferson: Rediscovering the Founding Fathers of American Architecture), a prolific and popular architecture writer specializing in Colonial and early American historic preservation, teams up with veteran architecture photographer Straus (Wright for Wright) to offer a sumptuously illustrated American history primer—cum—historic house tour. From stately Monticello to the more humble John Jay Homestead, Howard walks us through 40 18th-century houses that sheltered some 50 Founding Fathers, including many signers of the Declaration of Independence and key figures in the Revolutionary War and early republic. A pleasantly flowing text interweaves historic events, details of daily life, personal anecdotes, and architectural insights into descriptions of the homes built and occupied by the era's upper social stratum. An attractive but optional purchase for libraries, this handsome volume would make a welcome gift book for active history buffs—Howard appends a "Visitor Information" directory of the profiled houses, all of which have been restored or rebuilt and are open to the public.—David Soltész, Cuyahoga Cty. P.L., Parma, OH

Leopold and Pichler have authored a dozen books between them; the former is the founder and director of the Leopold Museum in Vienna, while the latter is an Austrian art historian. They are two of the 11 contributors who provide commentary, context, and analysis in this impressive volume on Koloman Moser, an artistic polymath who was at once a painter, an educator, a furniture designer, and a designer of public projects such as postage stamps, banknotes, and church windows. He also cofounded the Vienna Workshop, a design "school" that sought to simplify and elevate elegance in Viennese home furnishings. In seven sections, the gamut of Moser's career is explored: "The Early Years"; "The Secessionist"; "The Weiner Werkstatte [the Vienna Workshop]"; "For Church and State"; "Painting"; "The Stage Artist"; and "Biography and Family." The 350 color and black-and-white illustrations are well described throughout. Highly representative of Moser's output and influence, this volume is strongly recommended as both a career retrospective and an exploration of a time and an artistic period.—Alex Hartmann, Delgado Community Coll., West Bank, New Orleans

This is the catalogue raisonné to the recent major exhibition "Age of Rembrandt: Dutch Paintings in the Metropolitan Museum of Art", which marked a compromise between the 400th birthday of the Dutch artist Rembrandt van Rijn (1606–69) and the centennial of the Hudson-Fulton celebration in 1909 commemorating Henry Hudson's sail up the Hudson River in 1609 and Robert Fulton's same trip by steamboat in 1807. Featured here for the first time is the museum's entire, extraordinary collection of 228 Dutch paintings dating from 1600 to 1800. Begun in 1871 when the museum purchased 174 European paintings consisting largely of Dutch landscapes, portraits, and genre scenes, the collection came to reflect the tastes of Gilded Age benefactors like J.P. Morgan, Henry Havemeyer, and Benjamin Altman, including portraits by the 17th-century Dutch masters Rembrandt, Frans Hals, and Johannes Vermeer. During the 20th century, additional gifts and purchases added more depth to the collection. Curator Liedtke discusses each masterwork at great length, ultimately producing a work that is encyclopedic in scope, beautifully illustrated, and extremely well documented. Strongly recommended for academic, public, and special art research collections.—Cheryl Ann Lajos, Free Lib. of Philadelphia

Frank O. Gehry is arguably one of America's most important contemporary architects. His designs resemble sculpture as much as architecture and include such buildings as the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, the Guggenheim Bilbao in Spain, and the Millennium Park Bandstand in Chicago. Here, Mathewson (XXSmall Houses) reviews Gehry's windows, furniture, and his use of natural light, as well as highlights specific buildings and includes hundreds of artfully composed color photographs of Gehry's interior and exterior projects. This is not, however, the definitive book on Gehry's work. It has sparse sections of text and lacks an index, Gehry's own voice is notably missing, and there are no detailed comments about Gehry's creative process, his influences, criticism, or problems encountered in design and construction. It will instead be of interest to patrons wanting a quick overview of Gehry's work, those interested in investigating images of the many angles of his structures, and those who appreciate architectural photography. Recommended for public libraries with architecture and photography collections.—Valerie Nye, Coll. of Santa Fe, NM

This volume is essentially a catalog of modern houses and a jumping-off point for readers inspired to look elsewhere for more information on the selected designs. Mathewson (XXSmall Houses), founder of Mathewson Architektur Berlin (an institute for building and research in architecture), profiles 200 houses from six continents, devoting to each house two or four pages of photographs, a plan, and one or two brief paragraphs of text. The result is a tantalizing glimpse of the featured houses rather than a substantive exploration of 21st-century residential architecture. Descriptive captions for the photographs and labels for the plans would have been helpful in deciphering the complex layout of many of the houses. There are a number of recent publications on modern houses in specific geographic areas that provide more detail, including Paul Barrenche's Pacific Modern and Dominic Bradbury's Mediterranean Modern. Buy where there is interest in international architect-designed houses; a marginal purchase for other collections.—Amy Trendler, Ball State Univ. Libs., Muncie, IN

This book memorializes the work of Philip Meggs (1942–2002), who helped to identify graphic design as a profession through his teaching at Virginia Commonwealth University, his writing, and his work as a designer. His enduring A History of Graphic Design is widely known as the standard and, for decades, the only comprehensive history of graphic design. Meggs comprises pieces of his own work, including reprinted journal articles, lecture notes, and photographic reproductions of his sketchbooks, paintings, and photographs. The collection of writing here presents a good picture of Meggs's analysis of design history and visions for the future; for example, notes on a lecture about Marshall McLuhan discuss the role of mass media expanding the scope of visual communication. Furthermore, in a 1989 article from Print, Meggs predicts the role of desktop publishing technology as a tool for the mass production of bad design. Essays by several of Meggs's colleagues and family members emphasize his dedication to his work and also his courage when faced with leukemia. Recommended for academic libraries that support design curricula.—Eric Linderman, Euclid P.L., OH

This thick and well-constructed survey of abstract painting in Canada from the 1920s to the present comes complete with notes smartly arranged by chapter and 200 vibrant color images. Nasgaard (art history, Florida State Univ.), who has published prolifically in the field of modern and contemporary art, covers a lot of territory here as he illuminates 85-plus years of the art, lives, and careers of many well-known and less famous Canadian abstract expressionists, through all the art movement's phases. He conducts art historical analyses of their works and reveals how their art has been analyzed and received by other art historians and the masses alike. As with any good survey text, this work sets out to cover a big topic broadly (abstract painting in Canada) rather than provide readers with an in-depth study of any one particular person, period, or subtopic. Readable yet comprehensive, it is highly recommended for arts libraries or special collections with a modern, contemporary, and/or Canadian art focus.—Jennifer H. Pollock, Yale Ctr. for British Art Lib., New Haven, CT

Recording detailed aspects of the Great Migration of East Africa's Greater Serengeti Ecosystem, this volume brings the reader closer to the animals and scenery at the heart of that natural wonder. The genius of award-winning photographers Anup Shah and Manoj Shah's (The Circle of Life: Wildlife on the African Savannah) work lies not only in the undeniable brilliance of their images and the beauty of their reproductions, but also in the fluid and informative nature of the accompanying text. Each picture is annotated, identifying the animals and eloquently connecting them to the colossal phenomenon of which they are a part. Buffalos, sleeping lions, the well-adapted and ever-present wildebeest, a lonely gazelle, hyenas ferociously devouring their catch, jackals, vultures, ostriches, a secretary bird, dung bees, the majestic landscape—all these and more are part of an indelible feast for nature lovers' eyes. Beautifully photographed and magnificently executed; highly recommended for all public libraries.—Edward K. Owusu-Ansah, Kingsborough Community Coll. Lib., CUNY

Stuart Davis (1892–1964), protégé of Ashcan School avatars Robert Henri and John Sloan, is widely regarded as one of America's most influential modernists. His personalized and jazzy take on Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque's cubism is often credited with auguring the preeminence of abstraction as New York became a true art capital in the years following World War II. Influences of the French avant-garde notwithstanding, Davis usually focused his gaze on urban American settings and incorporated vibrantly colored motifs from advertising and popular music in a very flat picture plane. In this veritable museum-in-a-box set, the artist's 1,749 known works are fully cataloged and described in an impeccably scholarly manner. Organized first by medium, then chronologically, all of his work is here, from Davis's juvenilia in notebooks to his massive public murals. The first volume's nearly 400 pages are devoted to lengthy biocritical essays, chronologies, and references, including fascinating graphical analyses of compositional correlations between various works in the oeuvre. In terms of its definitiveness, this volume cannot be surpassed. As art historical erudition, it is a triumph well worth its price; for large art collections and university libraries.—Douglas F. Smith, Berkeley P.L., CA

This chronologically organized follow-up to Phaidon's A-to-Z The Art Book (1994) presents 1000 works in all media from the last 30,000 years. As in The Art Book, each entry—from "cave" to "Koons"—receives a full-page treatment: a silhouetted color photograph of varying quality and color fidelity, some 200 words of unsigned text, brief caption information, and a date. Nearly all the artworks are paintings or sculptures (a few are decorative arts items), but the Phaidon editors give no explanation of the selection criteria; the cultural net is worldwide but, again, not elucidated. The visual juxtapositions that the chronology creates can be interesting, but the paucity of information on individual objects and the lack of any discussion of relationships among the objects illustrated leave readers on their own. Hugh Honour and John Fleming's A World History of Art is more useful in providing a point of view that places each individual artwork in an editorial framework. Overall, this publication is most suitable for the gift-book market, and at 13 pounds, it will require a very sturdy coffee table.—Jack Perry Brown, Art Inst. of Chicago Libs.

In North America, reinforced concrete construction is considered too expensive for individual houses. This may be changing as wood-frame homes reveal their vulnerability to extreme seismic and weather events. Insulating concrete forms (ICF) are a recent building innovation. Cheaper than wooden forms, they remain around the concrete after it is poured; their walls can be covered with siding or stucco. The author, an expert on ICF, makes a case for building new homes with insulated concrete floors and perimeter walls, arguing that ICF homes are strong, rot-proof, termite-proof, and fire-resistant; they offer superior temperature and sound insulation and may qualify for government grants, tax credits, or lower insurance rates to boot. The text, though clear, is presented in a Q&A format that becomes tiresome after a few chapters. The color illustrations, luckily, are helpful. Recommended for public libraries in regions subject to earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, or tornados.—David R. Conn, Surrey P.L., B.C.

This collaboration with the Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation was published in conjunction with an exhibition at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York. It collects approximately 300 black-and-white Polaroids—many never before seen—that Mapplethorpe took between 1970 and 1975 and includes an exploratory essay by Wolf (Ed Ruscha and Photography), an adjunct curator at the Whitney. Mapplethorpe was influenced by the social, sexual, political, and drug revolution of the Sixties and Seventies as well as by his family's Catholicism. His utilization of Polaroids and sexually explicit photography made him stand out in a time of rebellion and self-expression, but he was also known for his still lifes, portraits (e.g., of musician Patti Smith and photo collector Sam Wagstaff), and observations of everyday life. As these images attest, that body of his work exudes a sensitivity and demonstrates a use of composition and light that speaks to the viewer beyond what is obvious. A catalog of graphic elegance, beautifully presented and recommended to specialty and art libraries.—Karen MacMurray, South Piedmont Community Coll. Lib., Polkton, NC

John Burgess Wilson (1917–93), later known as Anthony Burgess, famed novelist, book reviewer, TV critic, translator, script writer, performer, cultural critic, and composer, was told by his part-time cinema piano player father, speaking of musical invention, "Find middle C and you have found everything." It could be argued, after reading this splendid, well-researched biography, that Burgess never found middle C in his life. He did find many varied achievements, despite the fact that he was creative with the truth, drank and smoked excessively, and was sexually promiscuous. (So was his wife, Lynne, yet their marriage endured until her death.) Plagued by religious doubts, Burgess was influenced early on by James Joyce, as well as Pound, Hopkins, Eliot, and Dylan Thomas. His language-loving fiction concerned itself with original sin, the corruption of human flesh, acts of wickedness, and man's capacity for evil, somewhat alleviated by melancholy, introspection, and dark humor. These characteristics can be found in different measure in his most recognized work, the violence-oriented A Clockwork Orange. What is clear from this biography is that Burgess was rebelling against authority—religious, institutional, cultural—unrepentant, dutiful to his cause until the end of his life. Recommended for large public and academic libraries.—Robert Kelly, Fort Wayne Community Schs., IN

In this work that is strictly neither biography nor literary criticism, Bodenheimer (English, Boston Coll.; The Politics of Story in Victorian Social Fiction) shows she clearly knows Dickens. Her intention is to examine the relationships between the famed Victorian novelist's inner life, as revealed primarily through his letters, and his fictional characters and the worlds in which they live. One chapter certain to draw interest is "Memory," in which Bodenheimer sees the psychological effects of Dickens's childhood memories of the blacking warehouse as manifested in his writings decades after the experience itself. However, she fails to establish her conclusion convincingly: that Dickens's genius was his ability to create both the conscious and the unconscious minds of his characters. Of interest to those who are already aficionados of Dickens but unlikely to increase their numbers; appropriate for academic libraries.—Anthony Pucci, Notre Dame High Sch., Elmira, NY

Place, idea, and contested symbol, as essayist Phillip Lopate allows in his introduction, Brooklyn harbors a new generation of writers, who offer a good variety of essays on places and people they know. Russian émigré Lara Vapnyar recalls the Russian "parody" of Brighton Beach; John Burnham Schwartz brings his father back to no-longer-Jewish Brownsville; Ethiopian-born Dinaw Mengestu revels in polyglot Kensington; and Lawrence Osborne finds commonality between waterfront Red Hook and his former stomping grounds in Bangkok. Several pieces are miniatures—e.g., Emily Barton on her seltzer man—while Colin Harrison is one of a few with a broader canvas, describing how youth baseball has taken him and his son around the borough. There's almost nothing about black and Caribbean Brooklyn and not enough about the borough's ongoing transformation, though gentrification is a recurring theme. Novelist Jonathan Lethem, almost a professional Brooklynite, offers a hybrid piece titled "Ruckus Flatbush," offering sardonic insider wordplay, then reflecting on his role fighting "shockingly bad" redevelopment; Vijay Seshadri, assaying changes in his neighborhood of Carroll Gardens, once mostly Italian and Hispanic, acknowledges "the commonplace but nonetheless sharp recognition that I only began cherishing it when I understood it was disappearing." Walt Whitman, source of the book's title, might agree. For essay collections, especially where New York is of interest.—Norman Oder, Library Journal

This book, part of the print-on-demand publisher's "Valancourt Classics" series of "unjustly forgotten literary masterpieces," contains the text of the 1894 Methuen first edition of Round the Red Lamp, Doyle's ill-received collection of medically themed short stories, as well as his nonfiction medical writing and three additional stories reprinted verbatim from the periodicals in which they first appeared. Editor Darby, author of the admirable A Surgical Temptation: The Demonization of the Foreskin and the Rise of Circumcision in Britain, contributes a fine introduction and some helpful but brief notes to the individual pieces. Readers hoping for a glimpse of Holmes and Watson—or just some above-average Victorian fiction—will be disappointed: 221B Baker Street fails to make an appearance, and as Darby notes in his introduction, "There is nothing in Round the Red Lamp that stands out as fiction." The best of the bunch is the highly disturbing "The Case of Lady Sannox," in which a sadistic husband goads the surgeon sleeping with his wife into mutilating her lower lip with a scalpel. While this is not a book likely to be read for pleasure, it should have value to those studying Victorian literature or the history of modern medicine. Academic libraries should consider purchasing it.—William D. Walsh, Georgia State Univ., Atlanta

Published in conjunction with an exhibit of the same name, this handsome volume celebrates the 50th anniversary of On the Road and the New York Public Library's acquisition of Jack Kerouac's archive. Drawing on journals, diaries, and early drafts, Gewirtz, the curator of NYPL's Berg Collection, traces the long and intricate process that led, first to the 1951 scroll version of On the Road (included in the exhibit), and, finally, to the heavily edited book Viking issued in 1957. Much more than an exhibition catalog, this work provides a useful introduction to the Beat Generation, as well as chapters on Kerouac's early life, writings, and influences; his struggle to reconcile Buddhism and Roman Catholicism; and his ideas on literature and creativity. The text is enhanced by over 125 illustrations, many in color, ranging from photographs by Allen Ginsberg to reproductions of Kerouac's artwork. The reproductions of manuscript pages are clear and very readable. This work performs a valuable service for Beat Generation scholars and will, no doubt, entice some to delve deeper into Kerouac's archive. Highly recommended.—William Gargan, Brooklyn Coll. Lib., CUNY

Known to most modern readers of American fiction as the author of "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" and "Rip Van Winkle," Washington Irving (1783–1859) has been passed down to us as the rather stodgy father of American letters. Here, Jones, who identifies himself as a "speechwriter, ghostwriter, and policy analyst for two U.S. senators," sheds the sharp light of modern scholarship on this traditionally hallowed but imperfectly known man to reveal a complex and sympathetic human being. Leaving literary criticism to academics, Jones instead focuses on Irving's remorseless efforts to be liked, his ultimately abortive relationships with a string of eligible young women, and his attraction to young men and (Jones believes) likely homosexuality. In Jones's description of all these relationships, set against an early American cultural and political world full of tantalizingly unfamiliar historical figures, a warm and patient, grieving and theatrical, generous and loving Irving takes on a distinctly human form. Despite the absence of an index and the occasional intrusion of some clumsy writing, this most recent portrait of the startlingly flawed and conflicted literary figure is recommended for all public and academic libraries.—Charles C. Nash, formerly with Cottey Coll., Nevada, MO

In this delightfully rich book, Ostler, an Oxford-educated classicist with a Ph.D. in linguistics from MIT, thoroughly tackles the deep and complex history of the Latin language. He delves into the matrix of antique languages (Greek, Etruscan, Oscan) to uncover the context and relationships that a nascent and burgeoning Latin had with the multiplicity of Mediterranean languages existing at that time. In four parts, Ostler covers the origins and development of Latin in the Roman world, Latin's "taking over the church," its medieval continuation and fracturing into vernaculars, and a nuanced rebirth in the Renaissance and its legacy in the contemporary world. Incredibly well documented, with examples from antiquity to the modern era (such as Giuseppe Peano's "Latino sine flexione"—uninflected Latin as a world language), this may overexpose non-Latinists to great quantities of Latin prose and linguistic explanations, but for interested students, teachers, and scholars, it is a fabulous text. Recommended for public and academic libraries.—Anthony J. Elia, JKM Theological Lib., Chicago

Novelist and biographer Perrick's interest in Sheila Wingfield (1906–92) began when she read the poet's "crackly-fresh, taut and simple" work in a crumpled newspaper. Wingfield's poetry as a whole, Perrick maintains in this informative and thoughtful investigation of the writer's life, is "sturdy and robust," "both accessible and mysterious," and she laments its relative obscurity. Drawing from Wingfield's letters, diaries, papers, and memoirs and with the cooperation of two of Wingfield's children and her financial and literary advisers, Perrick examines Wingfield's relationships with her father, who opposed her desire to be a poet, and her husband, a member of the Irish aristocracy. She also examines Wingfield's continual and vehement denial of her Jewish ancestry as well as her struggle with overwhelming physical pain and substance abuse. Perrick's informal style hinders neither her careful analysis of selected poems nor her useful insight into what drove Wingfield to live her life as she did. She concludes that Wingfield was "an extraordinary woman and a poet in urgent need of rediscovery." This work, recommended for academic and public libraries, should help accomplish just that.—Kathryn R. Bartelt, Univ. of Evansville Libs., IN

Radiant light, sun, and ancestral light are the central metaphors shining through this latest biography of Zora Neale Hurston, author of Their Eyes Were Watching God (1937). Plant (Africana studies, Univ. of South Florida; Every Tub Must Sit on Its Own Bottom: The Philosophy and Politics of Zora Neale Hurston) adds new dimension to the body of biographical literature already published, earnestly portraying Hurston's vitality and spirituality, characteristics that enabled her to achieve innumerable accomplishments after a life at odds growing up in the Jim Crow South. The tenacious Hurston suffered familial abandonment, successive homelessness, intractable poverty, public humiliation, and eventual isolation. Yet she was a furnace of self-empowerment and forged alliances with such fellow notable writers as Fanny Hurst and Langston Hughes. Plant's well-documented portrayal of Hurston the woman, the anthropologist, the folklorist, the dramatist, the novelist, and the bona fide Voodoo Queen draws from and builds on established Hurston studies, the writer's 1942 autobiography, Dust Tracks on a Road; and newly discovered material. Among the extras are statements from college students on Hurston's ongoing influence and extensive notes. An inspiring read recommended for all libraries.—Katharine A. Webb, Ohio State Univ. Libs., Columbus

What is "experience"? In this anthology edited by Janes, a former English teacher and AARP communications officer, it is varied and open to wide interpretation. His selections of passages from various works of fiction, poetry, and memoir—all previously published, most within the past five years—by a variety of notable authors (e.g., Mary Oliver, Alice Munro, Richard Russo, Julia Alvarez) focus on diverse topics. Rita Dove comments on discoveries made at a public library in the 1960s, Amy Tan reflects on the meaning of beauty, and Jane Juska shares her delightful late-life adventures in sexuality. Beyond the writers' ages (all are over 50), the unifying element of the collection is difficult to pinpoint, but perhaps that is the point: experience is unique to the individual. That some of the selections are from works of fiction and poetry complicates matters somewhat: Are these the experiences of the author or of the characters the author has imagined? This may not matter at all to readers intrigued by the idea behind the collection. Interesting biographical summaries follow each entry. Recommended for large public libraries.—Stacy Russo, Chapman Univ. Libs., Orange, CA

A woman of many talents, poet, oral historian, essayist, photographer, and activist Randall has written over 100 books, so it is no surprise that her latest essay collection reads more like a memoir. This is especially evident in her prose, including the opening piece, "Memory of Samothrace," which offers an intimate explanation of the spark that lit Randall's incredible journey: "I remember these outings with all the thrill of a young child discovering the wonders of other cultures, of art." Her poetry paints beautiful photographs of civilizations that have suffered at the hands of European cultures and the remnants of what could have been. In the moving "The Language in My Blood," Randall shows the cycle of discrimination that she works to eliminate: "But that little blond-haired boy speaks Spanish like a native...she turned to her companion. They laughed." The inclusion of her photographs of stone ruins in South America adds a sense of humanity to Randall's honest words. Recommended for all libraries.—Ashanti White, Atlanta

Rechy, whose first novel, City of Men (1963), exposed and poeticized the underworld of the gay hustler, here offers us his lyrical yet ferociously naturalistic autobiography. He writes of growing up a poor Mexican American in 1930s El Paso, TX, acknowledges the teachers and friends who encouraged him to expand his horizons, and tells of early sexual encounters that troubled him. His nascent intellectual life was interrupted by the Korean War draft, and it was as a miserable GI in Europe that he came to terms with his sexual orientation. On his return to civilian life in 1953, he spent the 1950s and 1960s in New York, El Paso, Los Angeles, and San Francisco tormented by his obsessive need to hustle for both money and excitement. Rechy lived a most unusual existence whose central motive was his effort to grow beyond the world of his Latino family without completely losing its love and support. For specialized and adult collections, due to some explicit content. (Photos not seen.) [Rechy is the first novelist to receive PEN-USA West's Lifetime Achievement Award.—Ed.]—Shelley Cox, formerly with Southern Illinois Univ. Lib., Carbondale

Artists and playwrights have the responsibility of reporting and exposing the lies that accompany terrible things humans do to one another. Theater, notes editor Skloot (The Theatre of the Holocaust) in his introduction, is itself a strategy to prevent genocide. Playwright Rogers, whose Madagascar won two awards, and Erik Ehn in Maria Kizito (in Skloot's anthology) each write about the Rwandan massacres; The Overwhelming is the more conventional of the pair. The stage action is more literal, though the setting is defined by the lighting, a common feature of these five plays (which could all be nicely produced in the barest of black-box theaters). It tells of things beyond imagination and successfully brings the audience into its time and (nether)world; its two hours' traffic is as monstrous as any Restoration tragedy. Ehn's piece—a true story of Benedictine nuns complicit in the deaths of thousands of refugees seeking shelter in their convent—demands a more expressionistic production. Two of the other plays in Skloot's volume—Lorne Shirinian's Exile in the Cradle and Catherine Filloux's Silence of God—would be hard to produce outside of a large urban area or a widely diverse campus, simply because of the demands of casting. Exile is less about the actual events surrounding the Armenian-Turkish horror and more about how the greater Armenian diaspora today responds to it. Silence conjures up Pol Pot and the ruination of Cambodia. Its four actors take on 16 roles, and many shifts of scene and characters make it less striking than the other plays in the collection. Kitty Felde's A Patch of Earth mixes actual trial transcripts with re-creations in its depiction of the Bosnian-Serbian-Croatian conflict. Studying these plays would benefit political science and history departments, as well as theater departments. Both titles are recommended for large academic and public libraries. [The U.S. premiere of The Overwhelming ran off-Broadway October-December 2007.—Ed.]—Larry Schwartz, Minnesota State Univ. Lib., Moorhead

Beaton (modern Greek & Byzantine history, language & literature, King's Coll., London; George Seferis, Waiting for the Angel: A Biography) translates, edits, and introduces Seferis's (1900–71) prose, poems, and sketches to present the Nobel prize winner's account of his life in exile during and after the three-and-a-half-year German occupation of his homeland of Greece. In simply written journal entries covering the years 1941–44 and 1953–56, Seferis describes the difficulties of work and the anxieties of daily life as a diplomat being whisked from post to post to serve in Amman, Cairo, Cyprus, Damascus, Jerusalem, and other locations throughout the region. We see these places as Seferis saw them then, e.g., through hotel windows while awaiting the next frantic move in the night, on darkened trains, and we are touched by his observations of the oppressive nature of rivers and the liberating inspiration of the sea—although he makes exception with the Dead Sea. Recommended for large public and academic libraries.—David L. Reynolds, Cleveland P.L.

Page Stegner (English, emeritus, Univ. of California, Santa Cruz; Winning the Wild West) is the son of Wallace Stegner (Remembering Laughter, 1937; The Big Rock Candy Mountain, 1943; The Sense of Place, 1986). While the elder Stegner wrote many introductions to collections of others' correspondence, this is the only collection of his own letters. Arranged by topic and chronology, the writings allow the reader to see Stegner through his many interests and influences, ranging over his youth in the 1930s, when he struggled with troubled parents and falling in love; the 1980s and 1990s, as he became the thoughtful elder statesman writing to Stewart (Mo) Udall about a film on Robert Frost; his son critiquing his writing; and, finally, Ansel Adams about the Reagan administration's attitude toward environmental protection. This collection of letters is a real labor of love and a gift to anyone remotely fond of Stegner. Recommended for public and academic libraries, especially those with Western literature programs.—Felicity D. Walsh, Emory Univ., Decatur, GA

This critical study of contemporary Irish American women writers, the first of its kind, offers a literary history of Irish America in the 20th century from a feminist perspective. Divided into the sections "Women in Irish American Society," "Religion and Ethics," "Oral Traditions," "Sexuality," and "Feminism, Culture and Critique," the essays (with notes) cover 12 authors: Mary McCarthy, Maureen Howard, Maeve Brennan, Elizabeth Cullinan, Alice McDermott, Tess Gallagher, Joyce Carol Oates, Jean McGarry, Mary McGarry Morris, Eileen Myles, Mary Gordon, and Erin McGraw. Recurrent themes include the Irish love of language, the influence of the Catholic Church, and preoccupation with guilt, family life, and traditional women's roles. Editors Ebest (English, Univ. of Missouri, St. Louis; Reconciling Catholicism and Feminism?: Personal Reflections on Tradition and Change) and McInerney (education, Chicago State Univ.) are among the authors of these scholarly and insightful essays. Recommended for academic and larger public libraries.—Denise J. Stankovics, Rockville P.L., Vernon, CT

Legendary director Alfred Hitchcock has been the subject of scholars, students, authors, and fans alike. Here, Schmenner and Granof, film curator and associate curator, respectively, at the Mary and Leigh Block Museum of Art (Northwestern Univ.), offer a unique approach to Hitchcock's films and themes. This exhibition catalog features four original essays written by cinema and art scholars and a film critic, each of which concentrates on a particular component of Hitchcock's films. Much of the book adopts an art historical perspective, covering Hitchcock's use of drawings and storyboards to map out film sequences and create visual effects as well as how paintings are employed in the films to create atmosphere and further plotlines. The final two sections discuss themes of confessionals and other religious aspects and Hitchcock's publicity and self-marketing. While the essays are quite stimulating, the academic, textbook style may not appeal to general readers. The illustrations are Hitchcock's own drawings and boards used in his films. Recommended for academic libraries and special collections.—Rosalind Dayen, South Regional Lib., Broward Cty., FL

Joan Crawford (née Lucille Le Sueur and known as Billie Cassin) had become a star by the end of the 1920s. Although she was the very definition of a screen diva, she never completely succeeded in being respected as an actress, even after winning a 1945 Academy Award. Later, the publication of the infamous book Mommie Dearest by her adopted daughter was a blow from which her reputation never recovered. Chandler, who has done similar books on Bette Davis (The Girl Who Walked Home Alone) and Ingrid Bergman (Ingrid), among others, had access to Crawford toward the end of her life. She recorded the star's own words and those of a few people who knew her, including her first husband, Douglas Fairbanks Jr. This is not actually a biography but a series of interviews that should be titled Crawford on Crawford. There is no effort to bring an objective viewpoint to the subject, and the star remains as much of a mystery as ever. Recommended only for all-inclusive cinema collections.—Roy Liebman, Los Angeles P.L.

An 11-year veteran dancer for the New York City Ballet, Froman here documents life in the corps de ballet in a photo-album and diarylike format. Presenting a day in the life of the dancers, he takes readers through the stages of warming up, class, physical therapy, rehearsals, preparation, and, of course, the show. Froman confides, "I can hear the sound of cracking hips and knees. It's just the beginning of another day of rehearsals with the show looming at eight o'clock." He communicates the intimate perspective of an experienced dancer ("I just wasn't expecting to feel so old this quickly") while offering a private backstage view. His vivid descriptions and photos submerge readers into the atmosphere. An engaging point of view and an attractive layout make this an entertaining read. YAs may also find it a good introduction to the dance world as a possible career. Recommended for all libraries.—Barbara Kundanis, Longmont P.L., CO

Hamilton (American history, Birkbeck Coll., Univ. of London; When I'm Bad, I'm Better: Mae West, Sex, and American Entertainment) writes about several key ethnomusicologists and record fanatics who documented what they considered uncorrupted, raw blues and extolled blues singers as primitive outsiders. She begins in the early 20th century with Howard Odum and Dorothy Scarborough, who confirmed their racial stereotypes through the study of African American spirituals and blues, and she ends with James McKune and his band of record collectors, the Blues Mafia, who searched for untainted country blues discs and helped ignite the 1960s folk blues revival. Although Hamilton provides an excellent examination of the way preconceptions surfaced in her subjects' definitions of the blues, she does not fully address the motivation of these chroniclers—in part, it was the emotional intensity of the country blues that mesmerized them. She also conflates Delta blues with country blues and New Orleans jazz and doesn't place Delta blues in the larger musical context of the growth of rock 'n' roll. Recommended as a compelling if limited addition on early blues that will appeal mostly to academics and blues fanatics.—Dave Szatmary, Univ. of Washington, Seattle

This sequel to My First Movie (2001) follows the same format of interviews with notable directors about the making of their first films, featuring an eclectic mix of American and international filmmakers, including Richard Linklater (Slacker), Sam Mendes (American Beauty), and Alejandro González Iñárritu (Amores perros). The lively and in-depth interviews are conducted once again by British documentarian Lowenstein. Each artist's journey to create his or her first major work makes for engrossing reading for fellow filmmakers and casual movie buffs alike. Monty Python alum Terry Gilliam discusses the difficulties of completing his fantastic Jabberwocky on a limited budget; Richard Kelly talks about his belief in his script for the now cult classic Donnie Darko. The conversations range from the overall artistic vision of each director to technical aspects to the nuts and bolts of financing a movie. The mix of older and newer, major and minor films and directors makes the collection a real winner. Including short biographies of each director, this is recommended for larger public libraries and all academic film collections.—Dave Valencia, Seattle P.L.

After a biographical introduction to the composer/lyricist of Guys and Dolls, The Most Happy Fella, and How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Riis (Joseph Negler Professor of Music, Univ. of Colorado) examines Frank Loesser's music, devoting single chapters to the composer's great works and covering lesser-known musicals like Greenwillow, Pleasures and Palaces, and Señior Discretion Himself. For Guys and Dolls, Riis includes sections on Damon Runyon (whose stories inspired the musical), other precursors like George Bernard Shaw's Major Barbara, the book, the songs, critical reaction, and revivals. The final chapter examines the legacy of Loesser and offers fertile comments on the sources of his aesthetic. With musical examples, excerpts from lyrics, and detailed examinations of individual songs, Riis's book is not primarily a biography, and it does not replace Susan Loesser's A Most Remarkable Fella: Frank Loesser and the Guys and Dolls in His Life; A Portrait by His Daughter. But this discerning and valuable study is recommended for all libraries, particularly in light of the dearth of published sources concerning Loesser.—Bruce R. Schueneman, Texas A&M Univ. Lib., Kingsville

The late 19th and early 20th century was a time of increased activity in trade unions. Employees in a variety of industries sought improved working conditions and protection against job loss. However, within the theatrical field, unions were slower to organize, largely because of the nature of the profession with performers continually on the road. Here, Segrave (Women Swindlers in America, 1860–1920; Ticket Scalping: An American History, 1850–2005) offers a comprehensive history and analysis of two major theatrical unions of the time, the White Rats Actors' Union of America, which operated on behalf of vaudeville performers, and the Actors' Equity Association, which supported actors on the legitimate stage. He provides details of abuses suffered by performers that gave rise to their unions, then unfolds the stories of these groups, chronicling their major players, platforms, strikes, successes, and failures. Segrave also comparatively analyzes the overall impact of these unions and their decidedly different fates. This is a well-researched book written with clarity and depth; a valuable addition to large theater history and social science collections.—Carol J. Binkowski, Bloomfield, NJ

This beautiful coffee-table book for reggae music fans features text by Steffens (founding editor, The Beat magazine) and a lavish layout from photo editor Simon (coauthor, Reggae Bloodlines). As colorful as the almost 50-year history of reggae music, it is filled with fun little pockets of poster facsimiles, recording memorabilia, a music CD, postcards, stickers, and other odds and ends from Steffens's extensive and renowned archive. There is not a great deal of text in the eight chapters, but what's there hits a lot of the high points, covering major artists through the twists and turns that reggae music and Jamaican popular culture have taken over the years. Because of the format and included items (removable pieces that can be easily lost or stolen), this book is probably too fragile for general circulation. If it could be included in protected, noncirculating library settings, it would be an excellent addition to any reggae history collection as well as a prize for fans of the music.—Bill Walker, Stockton-San Joaquin Cty. P.L., Manteca, CA

Veteran biographer Tracy (Ellen: The Real Story of Ellen DeGeneres; Imus: America's Cowboy) pieces together an entertaining if not very enlightening portrait of one of today's most popular comedic performers. Sacha Baron Cohen's childhood and college days are covered, but the majority of the book focuses on his quick rise to stardom after his debut on British television. There is excellent coverage of the making of Da Ali G Show and the film Borat; however, those expecting an exposé of Cohen will be disappointed. This is less a biography of the man than the story of his career. As is the case with other unauthorized biographies, this one features little input from the subject himself, and comments from those close to him seem culled from previous interviews. Because of the privacy with which Cohen conducts his life, interviews with his family or current friends would be welcome and necessary to provide insight. This may find some readers among the pop culture crowd, but it's not recommended for most libraries.—Craig Shufelt, Fort McMurray P.L., Alta.

There seem to be two types of celebrity memoirs: the juicy, tell-all variety (e.g., Rosie O'Donnell's Celebrity Detox) and the ones that are meant to impart wisdom (e.g., Kirk Douglas's Let's Face It). Turner's is the latter. Though she talks about her life growing up around the world and her struggles as an actress, her memoir is much more about what she has learned from life. And what the reader discovers is that Turner has, euphemistically speaking, a healthy ego about her looks and talent; that she struggled valiantly and silently against intense rheumatoid arthritis; that she thinks it's important for a woman to have a good voice (literally); and that she fervently believes in the importance of service and activism. She is one strong woman and likable in her confidence, and for celebrity bio lovers who are looking for the gossip, she does share some fun tidbits about her films: she didn't like working with Nicolas Cage in Peggy Sue Got Married, and she and Burt Reynolds are "sworn enemies." For all public libraries.—Rosellen Brewer, Sno-Isle Libs., Marysville, WA

Hollywood has long found success through the remake, but what is noteworthy about recent American remakes is how many of the original films are Asian. From modern horror masterpieces and exceptional works of groundbreaking animation to emotional, dramatic statements and powerful stories of political struggle, Asian cinema has produced the most dynamic and varied body of filmmaking in the last 20 years. Vick, currently on staff at the Smithsonian Institution and the only full-time Asian film programmer in any American museum, offers his expertise in this field guide to Asian cinema. Omitting a fair number of films as a matter of necessity, he provides a wonderful overview, focusing predominantly on the last 20 years. China, Japan, and India laid the foundations of Asian film, but Vick equally covers the strong presence of Korean, Iranian, and Taiwanese cinema. This useful guide to a rapidly expanding world of filmmaking is highly recommended for all academic and public libraries.—Peter Thornell, Hingham P.L., MA

Twentieth-century theologian K.E. Løgstrup (The Ethical Demand, 1971) presents philosophers as well as theologians with the provocative assertion that the ethical and the moral are not coterminous and posits the human condition as necessarily occurring within the context of society, not in spite of others. This essay collection featuring 11 contributors (including Hans Fink and Alasdair MacIntyre, who edited a new translation of The Ethical Demand in 1997) supplies a fittingly interrelated context: each author not only references Løgstrup and his concepts but also addresses the critical responses he has engendered from one or more of the cocontributors here. The complete volume, then, works as a functional discussion rather than a series of discrete pieces. For the most part, the authors write less densely than does their inspirational source, so the volume serves well both as an introduction and as a companion to reading Løgstrup directly. For academic collections.—Francisca Goldsmith, Halifax P.L.s, N.S.

Translated and edited with an introduction by philosophy professors Look (Univ. of Kentucky) and Rutherford (Univ. of California, San Diego), these 71 letters between German philosopher Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz and Jesuit theologian Bartholomew Des Bosses—spanning 1706 to 1716, the year of Leibniz's death—account for nearly half of the correspondence between them. The letters appear both in their original Latin and in graceful translations on opposite pages for ready comparison; few have ever before been translated into English. Look and Rutherford's 80-page introduction sets them in context and will clarify for scholars and students studying these letters the intellectual, religious, and schematic issues of the day: transubstantiation, Jansenism, and Leibniz's own measuring and remeasuring of his thought as at turns either a metaphysics of idealism or one of realism. Essential for university collections and large public libraries alike.—Francisca Goldsmith, Halifax P.L.s, N.S.

Smith is a formerly devout Christian who abandoned his religion to become an atheist. His nonbelief began in high school when a question about predestination—the idea that God has foreordained all things—struck him as wrong because it denies free will. Here, he examines Christian thinking in general and the Old and New Testaments of the Bible in detail, finding that they all lack in credibility. This treatment is informal throughout, reading as though Smith sat down one day and decided to write about anything and everything that related to events in his life that led him to change from belief to nonbelief. Although interesting in that regard, the book does not stand up in terms of depth; there is a vast, scholarly literature on Christianity, religion, and atheism that is, for the most part, ignored here; in that sense, it reads like the typical submission of an undergraduate. Smith's main argument (never fully or satisfactorily worked out) is that religion is not—and cannot be—correct because it runs counter to reason. Not recommended.—Leon H. Brody, Falls Church, VA

In this tender Arabic/English collection, Mattawa carefully renders over 160 selected poems from al-Massri's A Red Cherry on a White-Tiled Floor and I Look to You. Clear, direct, and conversational in tone, these short works peer through the window of love and examine private passion. "What/beautiful crime/have I committed?" one lover asks, then replies with ardor, "I enjoyed/a body." Poems focus on physicality (touches, kisses, burning caresses) and lust ("With my delicious fruit/I light/the way leading to me"); here readers will find seduction, courtship, lonely hearts ("Melancholy,/a crazed cow,/devours/the green and dry/shoots of my ecstasy"), and failing marriages ("a man and a woman,/boredom their third companion"). Al-Massri's characters experience the duality of love. Women feast in their ecstasy, then later carry with them the pungent "smell of regret," while once potent men suddenly find themselves disquieted and "wound up in illusions." This translation introduces American audiences to an important new voice in Syrian poetry. Recommended for all libraries.—Miriam Tuliao, NYPL

Life's tragedies do not often result in stellar poetry, but this powerfully felt collection is the exception. Bang (Louise in Love) captures the complexity and courage of surviving the death of a child, an adult child, an imperfect child. The grief is multilayered, palpable. In this rendition of living in pain, in absence, in an altered reality, the reader never questions the authenticity of the work. As in the poems of Paul Celan, the shards of the self are split and broken again through mirrors, mathematics, and, most of all, music. In the opening work, "A Sonata for Four Hands," the poet asks, How does the heart stop? On what moment's turning? And this unanswerable question seems to travel under each subsequent piece like a shadow chorus. The book documents the year following the death of the poet's son, but don't look for any sentimental platitudes or sugar-coated meditations on motherhood here. Instead, anyone who has ever experienced heartbreak of wrenching proportions will appreciate how the ineffable shows up on the page and makes us consider our lives anew. This is a book of exceptional grace and strength; it belongs in every library. Highly recommended.—Susan Rich, Highline Coll., Des Moines, WA

Anthologies of modern Russian writing are always welcome, especially in a bilingual edition, and this collection of works by 44 contemporary poets is no exception. Ranging from the "post-Soviet irony of Igor Irteniev to the fresh voices of poets…just beginning to make themselves heard," this work offers a comprehensive survey of the poetry scene in today's Russia. All of the poets included here were born after 1945, so the collection as a whole represents a movement beyond the two wartime generations that long dominated Russian literature—a movement that enters into a distinct conversation with Russian literary history and models and that coexists—sometimes uneasily—alongside them. As one of the editors states, "Innovation and experimentation in poetry do not automatically challenge traditional forms," and it is how these new poets are able to draw upon and orient themselves with respect to Russian poetic traditions that gives this collection such vitality. Though the use of white space and small fonts sometimes makes it difficult to distinguish different poems and authors, this anthology is generally well designed and offers something new to both public and academic libraries collecting poetry and Russian literature.—A.S. Popowich, Univ. of Manitoba, Winnipeg

In her foreword, Alicia Ostriker compares the late Iranian poet Farrokhzad's work to that of tortured geniuses Anna Akhmatova, Sylvia Plath, and Dahlia Ravikovitch. There's only one problem: the poems actually earning this comparison don't emerge until the book's last third, which totally confuses the reader. As they are here translated, the early poems contain very little energy. Instead, they present a modesty, or passivity, that one often finds in traditional Arabic poetry and that at times borders on cliché: e.g., "O kind friend, if you visit my house/bring me a lamp, cut me a window,/so I can gaze at the swarming alley of the fortunate." By contrast, in the posthumous poems, the window "plunges to the heart of the earth/and opens to the vast unceasing love in blue." Slim though it is, this volume makes every attempt to be thorough: it includes a lengthy biographical essay, a translator's note, an overview of Iran's political poetry scene, and a vocabulary list. Published on the 40th anniversary of Farrokhzad's death and translated for the first time into English, this work is essential for academic and feminist collections. Still, one hopes for a better future translation.—Rochelle Ratner, formerly with Soho Weekly News, New York

Once the source of national identity and possibility that inspired Walt Whitman and Jack Kerouac, the American road has become domesticated, even routine. But Gudding's latest book (after his inventive and irreverent 2002 debut, A Defense of Poetry) repurposes the linear progression of highway signs, roadkill, and fast-food joints into a medium for multivalent self-discovery. "When driving long distances a person enters a kind of snakedance psychosis," he writes, and this journal-in-verse, composed during 26 round trips he took between Illinois and Rhode Island—visiting his beloved young daughter and estranged spouse—brims with spontaneous meditations that range from scatological to eschatological, personal to political, comedic (e.g., "Billboards/are the palm trees of Indiana") to heartbreaking (e.g., "Clio was so sad/her hair & face small/as if she'd swallowed herself"). Omnidirectional in its attentions, the book nevertheless attains fugal coherence through repeated themes and rhetorical structures. It's a long, often wild, and sometimes uncomfortable ride, but when the head and heart sharing the driving are as imaginative as Gudding's, the road brings many surprises. Recommended.—Fred Muratori, Cornell Univ. Lib., Ithaca, NY

Poet and visual artist Tardos, whose visual texts have been exhibited in venues like New York City's Museum of Modern Art and the Venice Biennale (Fluxus Pavillion), met Mac Low in 1975; the two subsequently lived and worked together from 1978 until his death in 2004. In this landmark collection, Tardos brings together poetry, performance pieces, "traditional" verse, prose poems, and other poetical texts from Mac Low's entire career. The works date from 1937, beginning with "Thing of Beauty," his first poem, until the last works before his death. Mac Low is widely acknowledged as one of the major figures in 20th-century American poetry, comparable to such giants as Robert Creeley and Allen Ginsberg, with much of his work ranging into the spheres of music, dance, theater, performance, and the visual arts. This is an important volume that integrates various art forms while showcasing Mac Low's extraordinary range; a balanced arrangement of early, middle, and late work, as well as his tremendous enthusiasm. Recommended for all libraries with specialties in literature, poetry, and art.—Kathleen A. Welton, Chicago

Not only has Simic recently been appointed the 15th poet laureate of the United States, but he has also received the Pulitzer Prize for poetry, a MacArthur Fellowship, and the Academy of American Poets' Wallace Stevens Award. Spanning about 20 years, from Simic's first book, Unending Blues (1986), to his latest, My Noiseless Entourage (2005), this collection represents some of Simic's best-loved poems. A pastiche bringing together disparate elements from Simic's childhood in Belgrade, Yugoslavia, to his adulthood in New Hampshire, these haunting poems look at the indifference to spiritual values that characterizes contemporary life. With borrowings from novels, children's books, and other poems, this book is reminiscent of art by Maurice Sendak. Like Sendak, Simic is adept at probing the emotional texture of dark moments. Playful, ironic, eerie, and dreamlike, the poems are accessible, although they have a surrealistic bent. As the poet roots into the unconscious mind, toys talk and ghosts appear, yet, surprisingly, the poems feel grounded because of Simic's eye for the evocative and just-right image. Highly recommended for all libraries.—Diane Scharper, Towson Univ., MD

"Who thought this up, this reservoir/of sorrow, tang of chrome, taste of cedar?" asks Smith. "I first learned to spit and whisper/through a one-octave mini-twitter/from a Cracker Jacks box. Blow, harder,/Freddie said, then showed me." In this new collection, Smith (Brightwood) celebrates his first blues, his first harmonica, and the lore and the lure of his South. The title refers to more than the music, the outsider art. It also references history, both personal and public; landscapes; and the intangibles of culture. Dividing the book into three sections, Smith considers the painful story of racial intolerance, investigates the curious people and circumstances surrounding John Wilkes Booth, and explores the roots of traditional music. In narratives and lyrics both, with a wonderful ear and a feel for crisp, clean language, Smith brings life to a rich childhood and its setting: "Dog days, flat heat, the sky tight/as a Holiness tambourine. I am walking the road/gouged out to make way for Saddle Ridge Acres/and mourning the slaughter of timber,/but someone down the bulldozed slope/is striking true notes like fireflies in the August air." Highly recommended.—Louis McKee, Painted Bride Arts Ctr., Philadelphia

As the democratic West seeks to defend its ideals against religious and secular fundamentalism and to export these democratic values to underdeveloped nations, Cardinal Pell argues that it weakens its own political and social architecture by becoming more secular and divorced from the Christian values upon which it was founded. Drawing heavily from the work of Pope John Paul II, the archbishop of Sydney, Australia, warns against the idea of supporting human rights by separating these rights from both the natural law and from the innate human dignity that is Christianity's core contribution to political thought. It is the secularists' "primacy of conscience," he writes, that conflicts with the Christian "primacy of Truth" and that poses the greatest threat to modern democracies. Not only is Christianity compatible with modern science and political thought, his thinking follows, but it is essential to obtaining a complete understanding of both those fields. Though some of his views on specific issues may inspire debate, readers of any political or religious background should enjoy this erudite and unabashedly rational exploration of the role of religion in all aspects of modern life. Recommended for all libraries.—Shedrick Pittman-Hassett, Phil Johnson Historic Archives & Research Lib., Dallas

As secretary for 40 years to Karol Wojtyla (Pope John Paul II), Cardinal Dziwisz was privy to many of his thoughts and actions. This memorable account colorfully describes thoughts and stories that offer a firsthand glimpse into the pope's life and his papacy. While it is not a substitute for Wojtyla's own writings, its richly artistic canvas offers a context that makes it easier to appreciate biographies such as Witness to Hope or comprehensive summaries like John Paul II For Dummies. Rich in emotional and psychological detail, this book well covers the Polish and the papal years. Not concerned with critics of his life or thought, Wojtyla is portrayed as a man with depth, sincerity, and a sense of mystery. Recommended for public libraries of all sizes; libraries with a limited budget and seeking to add two or three central works that convey a timeless sense of the man would do well to add this title.—Leroy Hommerding, Fort Myers Beach P.L. Dist., FL

Skeptical answers to the question of what can be historically known about Jesus of Nazareth have elicited from evangelical authors a plethora of responses. This one, by biblical scholar Eddy (Bethel Univ.) and megachurch pastor Boyd (Woodland Hills Church, Maplewood, MN), is certainly among the best. It is accurate, up-to-date, grounded in a critical but fair understanding of its opponents' positions, and thoroughly situated within the academic literature (the authors have also produced Lord or Legend?: Wrestling with the Jesus Dilemma, for a general readership). Eddy and Boyd understand and accept the value of critical biblical studies, and they avoid much of the defensiveness that characterizes the genre, e.g., as seen in Michael J. Wilkins and J.P. Moreland's Jesus Under Fire: Modern Scholarship Reinvents the Historical Jesus. Philosophically, the authors do not question the metaphysical usefulness of a naturalist/supernaturalist dichotomy, and their treatment of deconstruction is shallow. However, they are on firmer footing in biblical studies, offering compelling, nuanced critiques of tradition-critical readings of the Gospels and helpful surveys of relevant external and archaeological data. Highly recommended for all academic libraries.—Steve Young, McHenry Cty. Coll., Crystal Lake, IL

Garrison, editor for The Wittenberg Door (referred to by some as the Mad magazine of religion) and a Yale Divinity School graduate, presents an artful and compelling confrontation between the beliefs of the commonsense Christian and the positions of leading atheistic advocates. In 13 clearly written chapters, she wittily attacks the positions, statements, and practices dominant in atheistic movements as well as those of certain self-proclaimed Christians of righteousness. Masterfully and articulately engaging dueling worldviews, she again—after Red and Blue God, Black and Blue Church and Rising from the Ashes: Rethinking Church—proves herself a skilled writer. The text contains an interesting time line of atheistic history, an interview with Hemant Mehta, aka the Friendly Atheist, and an extensive notes section. Recommended for libraries collecting Christian apologetic material.—John-Leonard Berg, Univ. of Wisconsin Lib., Platteville

Krivak tells the unusual story of his journey toward and eventual turning away from ordination in the Society of Jesus. The requirements for becoming a priest of the Jesuit order are lengthy, spanning nearly a decade, and we follow Krivak each step of the way, from his beginnings as a novice through periods of service, travel, and scholasticism. Biblical passages and the theology of Ignatius Loyola, the 16th-century founder of the Jesuits, abound, as do words of wisdom from various of Krivak's advisers—many of them are beautiful words, indeed. We feel his very real struggle as he continually seeks to decide whether the Jesuit path is his true calling, and we know his deep friendships and his problems with other members of the order. At times, Krivak's anger, frustration, and pettiness come through as well. But in the end, this is a story of one man's search for his true calling, and, as such, it is highly recommended for all readers who feel called to a religious life, whether as clergy or laity.—Eric Norton, McMillan Memorial Lib., Wisconsin Rapids

MacDonald (The Life God Blesses), a pastor for more than 40 years, has written a fast-paced and fictitious account based on his personal experiences, or, a how-to book with a twist. He writes of people who feel their congregation has been hijacked by those believing praise bands, PowerPoint presentations, and megachurches are the wave of the future. These local attempts at becoming more relevant to younger generations (and to those who have lost their way in life), MacDonald writes, need some direction if they don't want to lose members of the older generations. A practical guide for churches whose numbers are depleting, the book contains exciting and practical ideas that could be implemented by any Christian church or group. Paradigm shifts, postmodernism, belonging vs. believing, music, and generative teams as necessary for church growth are just some of the themes covered. The personal stories within the overall story are very poignant, and most Christian readers should find them relevant. Recommended for academic and public libraries.—Gary P. Gillum, formerly with Brigham Young Univ., Provo, UT

McClory (journalism, emeritus, Northwestern Univ.), who resigned from the priesthood in 1970, has published numerous articles (in the National Catholic Reporter, the Chicago Tribune, U.S. Catholic, and elsewhere) and several books on contemporary social issues debated within the Roman Catholic Church. Here, he handily documents lay movements developed since the 1960s and Vatican II to transition within the church from the traditional top-down leadership model toward a system of collaborative decision making. He recalls historical church councils and cites authorities such as Cyprian, third-century bishop of Carthage, who urged decisions to be made with the consent of the people, and 19th-century philosopher John Henry Cardinal Newman, who stressed the need for incorporating the sense and agreement of the faithful in matters of doctrine. He further documents the consequences of papal emphasis on ecumenism and the principle of subsidiarity, the growth of lay influence, and priest abuse scandals. Overall, McClory feels the time is now for a more democratized church. Recommended for public, academic, and religious collections.—Anna M. Donnelly, St. John's Univ. Lib., Jamaica, NY

Few scholars today could have attempted what Marty has done here; few combine Marty's broad scholarship and long experience with his accessible style: Swiss Roman Catholic theologian Hans Küng is Marty's match and more in intellectual reach, but he is too dense a writer for general readership; Paul Johnson's History of Christianity is comparable but tendentious and now dated. Marty's Christian World attempts, in fewer than 250 pages, to offer a worldwide history of Christianity from its beginnings to the present day, not overlooking, as many do, Africa, Latin America, and Asia. As a beginner's introduction, it can hardly be bettered, although some will feel the abbreviated discussion of theological change and cultural influence. Readers of a scholarly bent will grieve the lack of footnotes and a bibliography, but Marty's work will serve many church groups and classrooms well. Highly recommended.—Graham Christian, formerly with Andover-Harvard Theological Lib., Cambridge, MA

Interest in the Gospel of Judas was sparked in early 2006 with the National Geographic Society's preliminary translation of the newly discovered text, which appeared to show that Judas was Jesus's hero and friend, not his betrayer. Meyer (Chapman Univ.), a highly respected scholar of Gnosticism, presents yet another book on Judas. The advantages of this one include a fresh (if tentative) translation of the gospel, a comparison among conflicting references to Judas in the New Testament, references to traitors and the betrayed in the Hebrew Scriptures and other ancient texts, a long list of Gnostic texts mentioning Judas, and translations of other relevant documents. The bounty of material Meyer here excerpts—chiefly and in addition to the gospel, the Gnostic texts Dialogue of the Savior, The Concept of Our Great Power, and Round Dance of the Cross—shows readers that, indeed, early Christianity engaged a wide variety of ideas and stories. Recommended for all libraries.—James A. Overbeck, Atlanta-Fulton P.L.

Yet another author attempting to capitalize on the popularity of The Da Vinci Code, Wallace-Murphy (Rex Deus: The True Mystery of Rennes-le-Château and the Dynasty of Jesus) here details his own version of Christian history. As he sees it, Rex Deus—a network of families descending from Jesus's union with Mary Magdalene—secretly keeps the flame of Jesus's true (but suppressed) teachings alive by means of Gothic architecture, tarot cards, freemasonry, and the Holy Grail myth. He further posits that the Knights Templar was the "overt arm of the hidden Rex Deus group." He traces the development of the Knights Templar from its beginnings as protector of Holy Land pilgrims after the First Crusade through charges of heresy and its subsequent fall from grace. Several of the author's assertions conflict with accepted scholarship; e.g., the general consensus among scholars is that Jesus remained unmarried and celibate. Suitable for public libraries, but balance with such works as Bart D. Ehrman's Truth and Fiction in The Da Vinci Code: A Historian Reveals What We Really Know About Jesus, Mary Magdalene, and Constantine. —Nancy E. Adams, Harrisburg Area Community Coll. Lib., PA

New York Times best-selling author and Pulitzer Prize winner Wills (history, emeritus, Northwestern Univ.; What Jesus Meant) provides another splendid book for the educated general public. Here, he analyzes the four Gospels of Mark, Matthew, Luke, and John, insisting that the church deliberately "gives us four different takes on the central mystery" of Christ, which remains inexhaustible. He observes that Mark emphasizes Jesus's role as sufferer; Matthew systematically presents his teachings; Luke stresses the healing aspects of his mission; and John keeps always in mind his divinity. Wills also explains the parallelism between biblical Jewish and Christian Scripture and the use of symbolic language in the Gospels to reveal the meaning of biblical events, e.g., God's theophany to Moses in Exodus 33 and the Resurrected Christ's theophany to two disciples in Emmaus. Wills dedicates his book to the memory of the great 20th-century biblical scholar Raymond Brown, on whose work he relies extensively. Highly recommended for public, seminary, and undergraduate academic libraries. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 10/15/07.]—Carolyn M. Craft, formerly with Longwood Univ., Farmville, VA

Fleming, a senior writer for ESPN The Magazine, recounts the tale of the league-leading Pottsville Maroons, whose suspension from the National Football League (NFL) in the closing weeks of the 1925 season resulted in their losing their claim to the pro football championship. Pottsville's first-year team had beaten all comers and signed on to a potentially lucrative exhibition game against a University of Notre Dame All-Star team to be played in Philadelphia. The NFL, however, forbade the Maroons from participating in that game for territorial reason; when the Maroons played anyway, they were expelled from the league. This well-written book breathes life into dead players and other principals in the drama who may be long forgotten but whose stories illustrate just how much the origins of professional football differ from the contemporary game. Fleming makes a good argument for the Maroons' title rights and restoration, but he exaggerates a bit regarding the all-time nature of their greatness and their impact in establishing the viability of the NFL. The controversy has continued on into the 21st century, with the NFL reexamining the case as recently as 2003. Recommended for all libraries. [Fortress Features has acquired film rights to the book.—Ed.]—John Maxymuk, Rutgers Univ. Lib., Camden, NJ

While its Chinese roots go deep, mah-jongg was an early 20th-century phenomenon that enjoyed popularity throughout Asia and in the West as well. There are many baffling variations of the game, depending on where it is played. The Japanese have developed automatic mixing tables, while the National Mah Jongg League has standardized the rules for play in America, where the game is experiencing somewhat of a revival.

Mah-jongg instructor Rep, a Dutchman (his book is translated from Dutch), casts a wide net to provide general background on the game and explain how it is played today and has in the past been played around the world. He tells us, e.g., that many of the mah-jongg tiles used in the 1920s were carved and decorated in China on cow bones imported from American slaughterhouses. Contrarily, Sandberg, a mah-jongg instructor who teaches in the Los Angeles area, focuses on play in this country. Both books are clearly written and well illustrated with numerous examples. Rep's serves a broader range of interests and so would therefore be best for libraries limited to buying only one of these books, but any American public library serving a community with active mah-jongg groups will want Sandberg's as well.—Harold M. Otness, formerly with Southern Oregon Univ. Lib., Ashland