Social Sciences

To coincide with the 60th anniversary of Israel's founding, journalist Burkett (So Many Enemies, So Little Time) offers a fascinating examination of Golda Meir's public and private selves and her devotion to the creation and defense of the Jewish state. She also assesses Golda's hard-nosed leadership style. Though most of Israel's heavyweights, including David Ben-Gurion, respected Meir, many felt that she was not the right choice to be Israel's prime minister. But she had a load of self-confidence, was a brilliant orator, and proved to be conscientious, determined, dependable, and more than capable. Burkett maintains that the complex and formidable Golda saw the world only in black and white, cajoling friends and foes into agreeing with what she thought was right for the welfare of Israel. For over 50 years, about 30 of them as prime minister, she nearly always prevailed. As Burkett shows, her personal life was another story. She cast her husband and two children into secondary positions, paying them little attention and causing her marriage to wither away. An eye-opening account of a legendary world leader that academic and public libraries will want to buy.—Lisa Nussbaum, Buffalo, NY

A former member of the Gambino crime family, Ferrante here relates his remarkable transformation from mobster to scholar. Ferrante made good money as a mobster and had a supportive network looking after him, but he was eventually caught by the FBI and sentenced to prison. Disgusted by the feral quality of prison life, Ferrante began to question what kind of person he was becoming. So he asked a friend on the outside to send him some books, thus beginning an exploration into such subjects as literature, history, law, and religion. Successfully appealing his conviction, Ferrante earned his parole after eight and a half years. Here, he tells his story with immediacy and candor, employing a prose style that underscores his authenticity; in straightforward language, he spares us none of his life's unflattering details. But while Ferrante's example is inspiring, we may have reached Mafia-story saturation (after The Godfather series and The Sopranos), especially considering tight library budgets. Recommended with some reservation for large public libraries.—Nancy R. Ives, SUNY at Geneseo

Eccentric British artist Horsley has written an autobiography that reads like fiction. Horsley, who lives in London's Soho, has done and seen everything in the world. He grew up at High Hall in Hull with his alcoholic mother; his stepfather, a cult leader dressed in orange; and his father, a crippled millionaire. The book's opening pages indicate what readers can expect; notes Horsley, "Mother had been drunk during her entire pregnancy." Searching for happiness, meaning, and a good outfit, Horsley got married, engaged in numerous affairs, and eventually descended into heroin and crack addiction. In the end, he declares to his readers, "I've suffered for my art, now it's your turn." Horsley's book is unabashedly unashamed and brutally honest. Each page is exciting to read, full of thought-provoking avowals like this one: "It was hard for Satan alone to mislead the whole world, so he appointed priests and prostitutes in different locations." Strongly recommended for all public libraries.—Bob T. Ivey, Univ. of Memphis

Morgan (English, Miami Univ.; Place Matters) provides a comprehensive examination of Anna Leonowens (1834–1915) whose own memoirs, The English Governess at the Siamese Court and The Romance of the Harem, gained wide attention through Margaret Landon's 1944 fictionalized account, Anna and the King of Siam, and the theatrical, musical, and film versions that followed. Morgan's research yields the details of Anna's full and long life, delving into her roots as a child of the British in India and the power of a personality driven to reinvent itself several times over, only to be reinvented again by Landon and the condescending clichés of The King and I. While Morgan recognizes that Leonowens's memoirs are "preposterous" and "sentimental," she defines their writer as a self-made woman who overcame circumstances of birth, class, gender, and place and is worthy of study. A fascinating, scholarly work, this is suitable for Victorian history or women's studies collections in academic libraries.—Faye Harkins, Murray State Univ. Lib., KY

In this work, published in Canada in 2006, CBC reporter Off (The Lion, the Fox and the Eagle: A Story of Generals and Justice in Rwanda and Yugoslavia) explores the dark and bitter stories behind the history of chocolate production, now a multibillion-dollar world industry. She first provides background on Europe's introduction to Central America's cacao tree and its adaptation of recipes to increase the appeal to European consumers. The history that follows, in which chocolate became a common part of North American and European diets, is filled with household names like Hershey and Cadbury and such multinational conglomerates as Archer Daniel Mills and Cargill. Citing the work of investigative journalists, Off hones in on today's cocoa producers, who face a perpetual shortage of labor. Journalists have uncovered use of child labor (possibly slave labor) in Africa; one of them, investigating child slavery in the Ivory Coast, has been missing since 2004. Off's investigative account will make readers think twice as they bite into that next piece of chocolate. Certainly suitable for both public and academic libraries.—Kristin Whitehair, Univ. of Kansas Medical Ctr., Lawrence

The coauthors (associate dean and research associate, respectively, Harvard Business Sch.) assert that the two-party system has naturally emerged out of the U.S. Constitution's subtle bias toward majority rule while discouraging voter participation. They argue that parliamentary structures are more representative of a range of different constituencies and thus encourage greater participation; democracy can be improved by using the discipline of marketing, with new voters treated as prospective customers. Active participatory democracies—which equate to market share—would be the result. This may be one of the first books to bring these ideas together from a business perspective, but it does not convincingly synthesize politics and marketing. The missing link is the role of free markets as a driver of both. For those interested in the theme of democratization, Larry Diamond's recent The Spirit of Democracy provides a substantive analysis of the connections between democracy and economics, particularly in relation to oil, and Amartya Sen's Development as Freedom also studies voter participation as a function of economic development. Though its themes won't be new to business readers, this unusual challenge to conventional wisdom could be useful for political science and sociology students and, as an example of interdisciplinary thinking, is appropriate for college libraries.—Stephen Turner, Turner & Assocs., San Francisco

Whether your local housing market is cooling off or freezing up, this book is sure to offer your readers a little hope. Although the title sounds like a late-night infomercial, the contents are surprisingly concise and straightforward. With unwavering optimism, Remley (Make Millions Selling Real Estate), a successful industry veteran and columnist for Realty Times and Broker Agent News, attempts to outline every avenue available to today's seller, including pricing, promotion, incentives, and staging. He also offers tips on evaluating offers and managing transactions. Many useful technical details, i.e., price points and database aggregators, are also fundamentally introduced. The author demonstrates a particular knack for delivering unhappy news—as when your house is overpriced—in a gentle and earnest way. He includes pertinent data and cites useful web sites throughout. Geared toward the "For Sale by Owner" demographic, his book lacks any real evaluation criteria or advice on dealing with real estate agents. This title looks to be a forerunner on the subject of selling in a down market. Recommended for all libraries.—Tracy Mohaidheen, M.L.I.S., West Bloomfield, MI

After World War II, as the Cold War began poisoning international relationships, the United States had to figure out what its postwar role would be. Its greatest army had largely disbanded, an unpopular President was still struggling to articulate a world policy, and a newly nuclear-armed foe, recently an ally, was occupying half of Europe. Cherny (The Next Deal), a former speechwriter for Al Gore, spends much of this book explaining how postwar Berlin became a crisis point and the reaction of the Western Allies to the Soviet threat and blockade of West Berlin. In immense, mind-deadening detail, he recounts the successes of the Berlin Airlift (June 1948–May 1949) in response to the Soviet blockade. He covers its management by Gen. William Tunner, who had run the great Chinese airlift in the final year of World War II, as well as the experiences and concerns of some of the pilots and the technical problems that arose. The political story is interwoven with the story of Secretary of Defense James Forrestal's mental and physical collapse, the disagreements between George Marshall and Truman, and the ambivalence of the American public. Recommended for subject collections, particularly where related resources are available.—Edwin B. Burgess, U.S. Army Combined Arms Research Lib., Fort Leavenworth, KS

Experienced pilot/writer Corsetti begins with two airline CEOs eager to capitalize on a burgeoning leisure travel market. A small Caribbean company, ALM, hoped to establish a route between St. Maarten and New York but, lacking long-distance planes, reached an agreement with Overseas National Airways (ONA) to provide the planes (DC-9s) and crews. Regular service, on a route acknowledged to be perilously close to the maximum range of the planes, commenced in January 1970 without the planned installation of auxiliary fuel tanks. On May 2, 1970, ALM 980 departed New York for St. Maarten with 57 passengers and a crew of six. Shrouded in rain squalls, the flight was diverted to San Juan, Puerto Rico, but an erroneous report of a break in the weather over St. Maarten caused the captain, his plane low on fuel, to make the tragic decision to return and land at St. Maarten. After three blown landing attempts, the plane had to ditch 35 miles from shore, and 23 of the passengers and crew perished. This well-researched, fast-paced study vividly re-creates the chain of errors that resulted in the catastrophe, the harrowing rescue missions, and the mixed effects of the tragedy on the subsequent lives of the crew, survivors, and rescuers. Recommended for all aeronautical collections and major libraries.—John Carver Edwards, Univ. of Georgia Libs., Cleveland

British professor de Bolla (cultural studies, Kings Coll., Cambridge Univ.; Art Matters) looks at the origins of the American holiday, the development of the symbols surrounding it (e.g., Betsy Ross, the Liberty Bell, Uncle Sam), and how the holiday has evolved and been publicly celebrated over the years. The book shows general readers (there is nothing here for informed readers or scholars) that many of the legends of the Fourth do not hold up to inquiry. He likens the veneration of objects and stories associated with the holiday to veneration of religious relics: the truth is often blurred or ignored in deference to the significance of the message. For example, he shows that the actual date has little meaning in reality, with members of the Second Continental Congress simply agreeing to have the Declaration of Independence printed on July 4. They then moved on to other business. The famous engrossed vellum version in the National Archives was signed on July 19th. De Bolla examines other mysteries as well, such as whether Jefferson plagiarized part of the Declaration. Although much of the material has been covered before, this short volume serves as "one-stop shopping" for the subject and will appeal to new history buffs and general readers in public libraries.—Robert Flatley, Kutztown Univ., PA

Historians often debate the degree to which ordinary Germans supported the Nazi regime. Fritzsche (history, Univ. of Illinois) redirects the question by asking, How did people adapt to the Nazi regime? His fascinating book reveals how many Germans internalized Nazi doctrines in a variety of ways, for example, by investigating their own genealogy to demonstrate to Nazi bureaucrats their Aryan bona fides. Perhaps the most compelling aspects of this study are the parallel stories of how Jews and non-Jews viewed World War II. For German Jews, the story was one of descent into destruction, with only a pitiful few voices heard after 1943. For gentiles, knowledge about the annihilation of German and European Jewry was widespread, although the actual details were sketchy. Fritzsche's book demolishes the myth of contemporary ignorance about the Shoah and the artificial divide between the apolitical Wehrmacht and the evil SS. As the aerial bombing campaign destroyed German cities, the citizenry transformed their status as perpetrators and beneficiaries of Nazi policy into that of victims, thereby quelling postwar confrontation with reality for more than a generation. Fritzsche's book demonstrates that there are still numerous areas of the Nazi era in which historians may delve. Highly recommended.—Frederic Krome, Univ. of Cincinnati Clermont Coll.

L. Patrick Gray III, acting director of the FBI from May 1972 to April 1973, resigned rather than go through confirmation hearings with no support from Nixon's White House. He had no chance of keeping his job once it was clear that he would not lie about Watergate to protect the beleaguered President. John Ehrlichman, Nixon's chief domestic adviser, also sandbagged Gray, ordering him to destroy incriminating documents from Watergate burglar Howard Hunt. Furthermore, Mark Felt, the self-acknowledged Deep Throat, believed that he should have been appointed FBI director and led a clique of the late J. Edgar Hoover's surviving loyalists, who opposed Gray. After resigning, Gray spent years clearing his name from charges related to Watergate. Here he shows his contempt for Nixon, H.R. Haldeman, John Dean, and Mark Felt in no uncertain terms. His son (founder, Gray's Sporting Journal) wrote the final chapters following his father's death in 2005. Relying on his father's carefully maintained records, Ed Gray faults Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein's All the President's Men as more fiction than fact and concludes intriguingly that Mark Felt was not the only Deep Throat. Overall, this is a fast-paced, sometimes chilling insider's account of the desperate attempt to save a corrupt administration, without regard to whose lives were destroyed. Recommended for all public libraries.—Karl Helicher, Upper Merion Twp. Lib., King of Prussia, PA

Most of the work by acclaimed British historian and former newspaper editor Hastings has focused on World War II in Europe (e.g., Overlord: D-Day and the Battle for Normandy), but here he tackles the Pacific theater. Using American, Soviet, Chinese, Japanese, and Australian sources, he offers a succinct and well-written account of the final stage of the war against Japan. Hastings glosses over some of the more familiar parts of the conflict, e.g., Iwo Jima, Leyte Gulf, and Okinawa, relying only on secondary sources. But he makes up for it with a thorough assessment of the Soviet campaign in Manchuria and the "lagging" Australian role in the Pacific. Some readers will question his modifying Japanese accounts to fit them into Western vernacular. Overall, this book works best not as a standalone but as an excellent addition to the existing historiography of the Pacific War. It should be added to academic and public libraries as both the serious scholar and casual World War II history enthusiast will be interested. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 11/1/07.]—Antonio Thompson, Austin Peay State Univ., TN

This posthumously published monograph by the founding chair of the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian broadly surveys the history of the Nez Perce, whose homeland once encompassed portions of present-day Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. The text focuses on the relations with citizens of the United States following the Lewis and Clark expedition. Particularly poignant are the accounts of how tribal leaders were divided during treaty negotiations, as some advocated accommodating the desires of the United States by moving to reservations while others were determined to preserve their sovereignty at all costs. Josephy (The Indian Heritage of America) deftly situates Chief Joseph within this leadership struggle to demonstrate that while he was a respected tribal leader, he was not the "Indian Napoleon" that he was mythologized to be by white society. By contextualizing Chief Joseph properly, Josephy illuminates other Nez Perce leaders whose efforts have been largely ignored. Although Josephy's history concludes in the 1960s, the introduction by Jeremy FiveCrows (publications editor, Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission) vibrantly brings the Nez Perce story to the present. This well-written monograph is recommended for public and academic libraries.—John Burch, Campbellsville Univ. Lib., KY

A Jewish East Ender by origin, Judt (Postwar: A History of Europe Since 1945) is the finest, but not least controversial, working historian of 20th-century and current-day Europe. This amorphous collection spans a dozen years of book reviews and essays, each provocative and the least successful still brilliant. A man of liberal and tolerant views, Judt is very hard on Marxism—of all stripes—and on Israel, a land where he once resided and that he palpably loves. That he appears to have been blacklisted from contributing to one influential journal—the New Republic—and targeted for opprobrium by the Anti-Defamation League has not kept him from criticizing official Israeli actions across its 60 years of existence. The essays included here on the Middle East should be read by anyone who cares seriously about the region. Judt is equally penetrating on the current dismal state of industrial England and France, the legacy of Primo Levi, the health of the European Union, and Romania, to mention a few highlights. Unlike many fellow public intellectuals who have anthologized their work, Judt concludes each piece with a follow-up on how it was received and whether he has had second thoughts (which is rare, even for pieces written before 9/11 about Western encounters with Islam). These simple updates provide a genuine value-add. Recommended for serious public affairs collections.—Scott H. Silverman, Bryn Mawr Coll., PA

This book joins a plethora of similar titles that include Eleanor Flexner's 1959 classic Century of Struggle and notable recent works such as Judith Wellman's The Road to Seneca Falls and Lori Ginzberg's Untidy Origins. While it covers familiar ground, it reflects current scholarship and provides a balanced assessment of the early woman's rights movement and its leaders. McMillen (history, Davidson Coll.) describes the birth of the movement at the 1848 Seneca Falls, NY, convention, its growth over the next decade, and the post—Civil War dissention that split the movement into two competing national organizations, the National Woman Suffrage Association (NWSA) and the American Woman's Suffrage Association (AWSA). She highlights the lives of four leaders—Lucretia Mott, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony, and Lucy Stone—but does not neglect the many other individuals who played noteworthy roles. The book concludes with the reunification of NWSA and AWSA in 1890 as a second generation of women took up the banner for suffrage and equal rights. The result is a useful text for undergraduate history and women's studies courses; general readers will also find it accessible and informative. Recommended for academic and public libraries.—Linda V. Carlisle, Southern Illinois Univ., Edwardsville

On April 5, 1976, an antibusing rally in Boston grew violent when African American lawyer Ted Landsmark was attacked by some of the protesters. News photographer Stanley Forman captured the ruckus on film; one photo gained international attention and is the subject of this revelatory study by Masur (history, CUNY; 1831: Year of Eclipse). A teenage boy aims an American flag at Landsmark, who appears to be restrained by another man while a mob in the background looks on. We learn that the photo is not quite what it appears to be: the teenager was swinging the flag, not charging with it, and the man holding Landsmark was actually helping him to his feet. But as a powerful image it effectively stalled Boston's antibusing movement. Masur writes descriptively about the photo while creating an ethnographic history of 1970s Boston, with diversions into the political and cultural uses of the American flag and the history of photojournalism in the United States. He also describes the aftermath of the photo's front-page publication. There was a retaliatory attack on a white man and a possibly related courthouse bombing but no widespread violence; Forman won his second Pulitzer Prize but also received death threats. Ultimately, there was forgiveness and reconciliation among the parties involved. A compelling story; highly recommended for all high school, public, and academic libraries.—Thomas A. Karel, Franklin & Marshall Coll. Lib., Lancaster, PA

At 9:30 on the morning of All Saints Day on November 1, 1755, mass had barely begun in Lisbon, capital city of the most pious country in Christendom, when an earthquake hit, the worst in Europe in modern times. It flattened buildings and killed thousands. Three successive tsunamis followed, wreaking further havoc. Citywide fires, untended because so many had fled, completed the devastation. Estimates are that between 15,000 and 60,000 people died. Destruction on such a scale raised questions: churchmen blamed it on man's sinfulness; skeptics like Voltaire questioned the idea of a benevolent God or, indeed, a god of any kind. When the rhetoric was done, the city still had to be rebuilt. Journalist Shrady (Tilt: A Skewed History of the Tower of Pisa) offers a modestly edifying read, telling the story of a little-explored incident in history, around which he discusses Lisbon's history since the Carthaginians, the stultifying effects of Portuguese religious intolerance, and, in the most interesting part of the book, the efforts of the king of Portugal's minister, the Marquis of Pombal, to rebuild the city (a success) and move Portugal out of the religious Dark Ages (a failure). Recommended for large public collections.—David Keymer, Univ. of California, Merced

Cemeteries, graveyards, burial grounds, memorial parks: whatever we call them, these honored places for the dead can bring out emotions in all of us. After an initial exploration of the impact of ethnicity, class, gender, race, and historical events on burial practices, Marilyn Yalom (A History of the Wife) looks at cemeteries across the country as a means of surveying and understanding our past. While geographically based chapters can lead to some cemeteries being covered simply because they are near others, the results generally provide fascinating insights via such topics as the repatriation of Native American remains, New Orleans cemeteries in the aftermath of Katrina, slave burials, and the changing face of immigration. Over 60 stunning black-and-white photographs by Reid S. Yalom (Colonial Noir: Photographs from Mexico) enhance the work. Chapters on military cemeteries and new trends in funerals, including pet cemeteries, green burials, and cremation, round out the volume. Although the subjects, and the author's ideas, have received fuller treatment elsewhere, she has assembled a book that touches upon all of the topics in a manner appropriate for casual readers. Recommended for public libraries.—Dan Harms, SUNY at Cortland Memorial Lib., NY

Dershowitz (Harvard Law Sch.; America on Trial) here examines the status of our Fifth Amendment rights protecting us from self-incrimination in the wake of 9/11 and the war on terror. Using the 2003 Supreme Court decision Chavez v. Martinez as a springboard, he looks at how the Court has recently interpreted the amendment. Chavez v. Martinez originated as a civil case in which Martinez, a suspect, sued Benjamin Chavez, a police officer, for interrogation techniques that Martinez said violated his right to remain silent. The Court ruled for Chavez, saying in part that Martinez's right to remain silent had not been violated because the incriminating statements obtained by interrogation were not used against him in court, a decision that could imply that various types of questioning are now allowed under some circumstances. After examining the Court's logic in its decision, Dershowitz outlines the history of the right to remain silent, finding its roots in ancient Jewish law and later in Magna Carta. In the closing chapters, he argues that this right is being undermined by our transformation from a "deterrent" state to a "preventative" one and concludes that our justice system must be adapted for the preventative state. An excellent book; best suited for academic libraries, but public libraries will want to consider it because of the author's popularity.—Becky Kennedy, Atlanta-Fulton P.L., GA

Egypt has long played a pivotal role in the Arab world's cultural and political development. Today, one out of four Arabs is an Egyptian. Furthermore, Egypt is crucial to Washington's strategic goals in the Middle East. However, as journalist Bradley (Saudi Arabia Exposed) demonstrates, Egypt suffers from a host of sociopolitical and economic problems that are undermining the government's stability. In this highly readable and thoughtful volume, Bradley provides a devastating critique of Egypt's current dictatorial government. He traces the evolution of Egypt's authoritarianism from the end of the monarchy in 1952 (and the emergence of Nasserism) to the Mubarak regime. His fluency in Egyptian Arabic allows him to see Egypt and its myriad social problems through the eyes of ordinary people who are the real victims of the pervasive corruption, torture, and other degradation of life in that country. In addition, as Bradley clarifies, its pro-Western dictatorship makes Egypt Washington's favored destination for the practice of "rendition," which sends individuals overseas to be tortured. This book is aimed at the general reader, but scholars would also benefit from the author's keen insight. Recommended for academic and public libraries.—Nader Entessar, Univ. of South Alabama, Mobile

Griffin began her "social autobiography" with A Chorus of Stones: The Private Life of War (1992), which was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize, and continued with What Her Body Thought. She now delivers a third volume, in which autobiographical fragments blend with reflections on the lives of Thomas Jefferson, Ralph Waldo Emerson, John Muir, Jelly Roll Morton, and other Americans and with diary entries recording Griffin's thoughts on current events such as Hurricane Katrina and the Iraq War. She aims to trace intersections between the growth of a sense of freedom in individuals and the evolution of democratic consciousness in the nation. "It is the inner states that generate and are generated by democracy that interest me," she writes. Griffin, also a poet and playwright, has written many books, and no doubt her latest will find its readers. Yet those who have not encountered Griffin may consider many passages, such as "I was more in touch with myself than ever before," self-absorbed and trite. Optional for public and academic libraries.—Bob Nardini, Concord, NH

Those tired of reading about the 2008 presidential candidates may wish to turn to these books by U.S. politicians expressing varying degrees of separation—even alienation— from current party dogma. Hagel, senior Republican senator from Nebraska, is popular in his home state, but he has faced attacks from fellow Republicans for his outspoken objection to the Iraq War and the Bush administration's foreign policy. His book with eclectic journalist Kaminsky (American Waters: Flyfishing Journeys of a Native Son) is a thoughtful and provocative assessment of current U.S. policy and loss of stature in the eyes of our allies. Hagel evaluates U.S. diplomatic relations and stresses the need for consensus building and collaboration with other countries' leaders. He expresses dismay at the current divisive, partisan political climate and rejects the position that criticism of the Republican administration is disloyal or unpatriotic. A former business owner, he also discusses economic issues and tax policy, expressing a more conventional, business-oriented Republican philosophy.

Specter, the centrist Republican senator from Pennsylvania, ventures in his book with attorney Scaturro (The Supreme Court's Retreat from Reconstruction) to theorize that the stress he suffered as he fought with more conservative Republicans to obtain the Senate Judiciary chairmanship—his comments on the nomination process for Supreme Court justices were interpreted by some fellow party members as a challenge to Bush's authority—as well as the stress of strenuous primary and general election campaigns may have contributed to his contracting Hodgkin's disease. He details his determination to maintain a normal work (and workout) routine during his successful chemotherapy treatment and also provides extensive behind-the-scenes reports on the actual approval processes for Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Samuel Alito.

Former Minnesota governor Ventura is the ultimate political outsider, and he couldn't be happier in that role. His book, with environmental journalist Russell, is a combination memoir and call-to-rally as he and his wife travel across the West and down the Baja Peninsula. All his dislike for the two-party system and the media and his distrust of government, the CIA, and the military-industrial complex are displayed in an engaging, sometimes humorous, assessment of his experiences as governor. He reminisces about his trip to Cuba, where he met Castro, and he proposes solutions to environmental, economic, and foreign-policy problems facing the world today. In the epilog he holds out the possibility that he may open a third-party campaign for President this year. All three books offer insights and thoughtful perspectives on current U.S. political issues and are recommended for public libraries. —Jill Ortner, SUNY at Buffalo Libs.

What's so funny about democracy? Here, Peterson (American studies, Univ. of Iowa) takes on the big three late-night comedians—Jay Leno, David Letterman, and Conan O'Brian—and critiques their approach to current American politics. Classifying all three comedians as pseudosatirical and safe, he contrasts their humor with the genuinely satirical, political, edgy brand of cable television's John Stewart, Steven Colbert, and Bill Maher. Although he focuses on the current climate of comedy and politics, Peterson does take a historical approach, introducing us to Artemus Ward and Petroleum V. Nasby, 19th-century pseudonymous print equivalents of Jay Leno and Steven Colbert. This book takes an insightful look at the increasingly complex media landscape, where "legitimate" cable and network journalists, cable-news pundits, and TV comedians all fall under the same category of "infotainment" and political leaders and celebrities alike are both ridiculed and revered. He also raises the question whether late-night comedians have a moral role to play as individuals who reach a mass audience with their jibes. Especially timely now that the election season is underway, this book is strongly recommended for large public and academic libraries.—Jennifer Zarr, NYPL

This work focuses on the evolution of political parties, power, and ideology in independent Israel, which has its 60th birthday in May. Shindler (Israeli & modern Jewish studies, Univ. of London) emphasizes the ongoing search for security for the new state, providing a solid, detailed overview of the growth of the Zionist vision and six decades of Israeli development through the intifada and the Lebanese war in 2006. While Israel became a populous, prosperous, and militarily dominant nation, peace with its neighbors remained elusive. Progress toward peace was undermined both by the increasing strength of right-wing nationalist and religious parties in Israel and corruption, disorganization, and emerging Islamist militancy among Palestinians. The hopes raised by negotiations through the 1990s were eroded by increasing violence. Shindler provides a rich portrait of the shifting party configurations and alliances, along with vibrant sketches of key political leaders. He assumes that his readers have a general knowledge of Israeli history, enabling them to follow his careful political and ideological analysis. An important, up-to-date volume for serious readers in both general and academic libraries.—Elizabeth R. Hayford, Evanston, IL

In 2005 and 2006, Tripp (American history, adjunct, Holyoke Community Coll.) took down oral accounts from 30 U.S. military veterans, men and women from diverse races and cultural backgrounds who have returned from service in the Middle East. Most were stationed in Iraq or Kuwait and served in the enlisted ranks of all branches of the military, both active duty and reserve, and now attend classes at Holyoke Community College or the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. In the transcribed stories, Tripp does not question the subjects but allows them to talk in open-ended fashion about what they felt was most important about their experience. While this approach allows veterans to express unrestricted and undirected opinions about the war and their contributions, the pieces can be dense and nonlinear. Fortunately, a time table of the war, maps, and a glossary of military terms help keep readers on track. Despite the lack of geographic diversity among the interview subjects, the reader can assume that they share commonalities with all American veterans as they readjust to civilian life, where their wartime struggles and experiences are often overlooked, underappreciated, and/or misunderstood. Suitable for larger public libraries.—Jenny Seftas, East Cty. Regional Lib., Lehigh Acres, FL

Why don't books have accurate titles? You'd think this one would be about the evident influence of the 43rd president, acknowledged by members of both parties as having wrought major change. Instead, Bancroft Prize winner Wilentz (history, Princeton Univ.; The Rise of American Democracy) presents an extended survey of the past 30 years of Washington politics, writing from left of center as a liberal Democrat. Thus, in his treatment of the 1980s, Reagan gets a lot of blame and none of the credit. Wilentz judges the scandals and accusations of Reagan's administration harshly but is dismissive of those of the Clinton administration. By his own admission, he conducted no interviews for this book on recent history, and he offers no new insights. Worse, he makes these decades boring, notwithstanding their being filled with the kinds of events and personalities that should make history appealing. The results are more like a textbook that dutifully covers all the bases. Only the extended critical bibliographic essay, surveying the vast literature of the period, makes it worth consideration by larger libraries. Richard Reeves's President Reagan: The Triumph of Imagination is a first-rate, albeit more narrowly focused, alternative. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 1/08.]—Michael O. Eshleman, Kings Mills, OH

Anyone interested in the present and future course of American politics should read this insightful work, which could be titled Millennial Takeover. According to interdisciplinary analysis by Winograd (Marshal Sch. of Business, Univ. of Southern California), a former adviser to Al Gore, and Hais (former vice president, entertainment research, Frank N. Magid Assoc.), as we enter this critical 2008 election year we find ourselves on the cusp of another political transformation and realignment wrought by technological and demographic revolutions. The epicenter of this power earthquake is the Millennial generation, those born between 1982 and 2003. Armed with numbers, new attitudes and values, and "netroots" (MySpace, YouTube, Facebook) technology, the Millennials have the potential to revitalize citizenship, civic engagement, political alliances, the two major political parties, and, more broadly, American culture. Their impact may well start with the 2008 presidential election. With sound analysis, the authors persuasively contend that the prospect of Millennials going viral (using their numbers, values, commitments, and sociopolitical networking to effect change and demand new political leadership) must not be underestimated. If their conclusions are accurate, 2008 will be remembered as a turning point in American politics. Highly recommended.—Stephen K. Shaw, Northwest Nazarene Univ., Nampa, ID

Blanco, the author of Please Stop Laughing at Me, is back—full of herself, proud of all she has become, anxious to share her story with the world, and ever mindful of her terrible life as a bullied teenager. Readers familiar with her earlier book will remember how she obsessed about not being in the popular crowd, had breast surgery at 16, drove her dad's company car to school, and, again, worried incessantly about being unpopular. In this sequel, Blanco recounts her (mostly pro bono) speaking engagements all over the country, her one-on-ones with downtrodden students, and her phenomenal success at getting her message heard. "I feel proud I was able to overcome my fears," she writes; "I…was wanting a normal life…not jetting from exotic location to exotic location hobnobbing with the powerful and elite all day." Had Blanco shared solid, usable advice for bullying situations (e.g., don't ignore it; teasing should not be regarded as a normal part of growing up), parts of this book could have been valuable. And if she were to write with correct grammar, it could have been readable. However, like her previous book, this one is only about Blanco. Please stop being so impressed with yourself, Jodee! Not recommended.—Linda Beck, Indian Valley P.L., Telford, PA

Psychologist Linn (Consuming Kids: The Hostile Takeover of Childhood) brings a unique perspective to her plea for more play in the world. She is also an accomplished puppeteer who appeared frequently on the Mister Rogers' Neighborhood program, as well as on the Today Show and Good Morning America. In this intriguing book, which spans various disciplines (e.g., psychology, marketing, philosophy), Linn argues that the contemporary reliance on media and toys based on media stifles children's imaginations and ability to cope with the world as life progresses. She uses her insights to work as a play therapist with children who have been hospitalized with serious conditions or whose parents are gravely ill. Accordingly, she is able to identify and help resolve psychological issues as children interact with her puppet. This is a welcome addition to such books as D.W. Winnicott's Playing and Reality, Bruno Bettleheim's The Uses of Enchantment, and Mihaly Csiksznentmihaly's Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience. Highly recommended for all academic libraries.—Lynne F. Maxwell, Villanova Univ. Sch. of Law Lib., PA

Birds of a feather flock together, and that's not always a good thing, according to journalist and blogger Bishop in this timely, highly readable discussion of American neighborhoods and the implications of who lives in them. Writing with sociologist and statistician Cushing, Bishop looks at the "geodemographic segmentation" of America: like-minded people clumping together by age, income, education, religion, ethnicity, occupation, housing types, and family status in communities across the nation (e.g., Lubbock, TX, as opposed to Cambridge, MA), listening to and discussing only the news that suits them. This circumstance, Bishop says, accounts for the "landslide" effect (think Blue and Red states), by which candidates from either party win by enormous margins within counties owing to the "us vs. them" mentality that has taken over American politics in the last 30 years. This social polarization is, of course, only too evident in both houses of Congress; it is hard to imagine, from today's vantage point, that in 1965 half the Republicans in the Senate voted for President Lyndon Johnson's Medicare bill. Highly recommended for all libraries.—Ellen D. Gilbert, Princeton, NJ

A former gang member who is now wheelchair-bound after being shot and paralyzed in a gang dispute, Juette, here joined by Berger (sociology, Univ. of Wisconsin, Whitewater), offers an informative ethnography on both gang life and wheelchair basketball. In the introduction, Berger describes how the handicapped have historically been victims of prejudice and discrimination and sometimes even relegated to "freak shows"; this perception changed only with the rise of the "medical model" of disability. Now, those wheelchair bound can still pursue and enjoy sporting activities, including wheelchair basketball. Juette describes how he was "recruited" into gang life on Chicago's Southside. His accounts of gang life alone would recommend his book as a worthy assigned text by those who teach courses on the sociology of deviance and gangs. Those who teach sport sociology courses would also find merit in the firsthand accounts of participation in the National Wheelchair Basketball Association (NWBA), which was founded in 1949. In short, this book has something to offer to both academics and lay readers. Recommended for academic and all public libraries.—Tim Delaney, SUNY at Oswego

Winter (coauthor, with Fernando Henrique Cardoso, The Accidental President of Brazil) writes a compelling tale of his days in Argentina, living through the turbulent economic crisis between 2000 and 2004—and dancing in a run-down tango hall in Buenos Aires. What would compel a 22 year old, who just graduated from college, to move to South America with no job and only a month or two of savings? Winter's main thoughts were to "eat steak and have an adventure and meet beautiful women." The tango was, actually, furthest from his mind. But running out of money and lonely, he came upon the Niño Bien tango hall and became hooked on the dance. He recounts meeting a slew of interesting locals who not only danced the tango but lived it: men with nicknames like El Tigre and El Dandy. These men take him under their wings. He also falls heavily for his tango instructor, Mariela. With a global economy demanding more on-the-ground economics reporters, Winter got a job as such for Reuters. He weaves a balanced account of recent Argentine history in between descriptions of late nights drinking and dancing. This is essential for tango enthusiasts and an excellent pick for anyone interested in Argentina. Recommended for large public libraries.—Lee Arnold, Historical Soc. of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia