Xpress Reviews—First Look at New Books

Week of February 19, 2008

Fiction | Nonfiction

Fiction

Gottlieb, Eli. Now You See Him. Morrow. Feb. 2008. c.272p. ISBN 978-0-06-128464-9. $23.95. F
Verdict: Gottlieb’s second novel (after the award-winning The Boy Who Went Away) starts ploddingly but picks up momentum, building to a thrilling climax. Large fiction collections will want to purchase.
Background: This interior novel is told entirely from the perspective of a middle-aged man in crisis. Six months ago, Nick Framingham’s best childhood friend, the famous writer Rob Castor, murdered his girlfriend before killing himself, an event that shakes up the upstate New York village where they both grew up and where Nick still lives. Although he and Rob had drifted apart as adults, their youthful friendship was seminal for the nerdy Nick, who endured a cold and strained home life. Rob had been the popular kid and a leader, as close as a brother to Nick. After Rob’s death, Nick becomes obsessed with his old friend, his world starts to unravel, and by the story’s end, both Nick and the reader are treated to amazing revelations.—Nancy Fontaine, Dartmouth Coll. Lib, Hanover, NH

Nonfiction

Bondy, Andy & Lori Frost. Autism 24/7: A Family Guide to Learning at Home and in the Community. Woodbine. (Topics in Autism). Apr. 2008. c.192p. photogs. index. ISBN 978-1-890627-53-9. pap. $19.95. PSYCH
Verdict: The authors’ examples are appropriate for a wide range of children and adults with autistic spectrum disorders. Disability studies collections will benefit from this accessible primer.
Background: This latest entry in Woodbine’s excellent series helps parents of children with autistic spectrum disorders (ASD) overcome everday challenges (e.g., getting dressed, tooth brushing, behaving in public). Bondy has more than 35 years’ experience working with adults and children on the spectrum, and Frost is a certified speech/language pathologist; their latest collaboration (see also A Picture’s Worth) draws on Bondy’s pyramid approach that emphasizes interaction and functional communication, a frequent deficit among children and adults with ASD. Particularly useful topics include verbal prompting to encourage conversation, breaking down activities into component tasks, and using reinforcing actions to reward good behavior. The authors also discuss the danger of becoming reliant on prompts and cues.—Corey Seeman, Kresge Business Administration Lib., Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor

Hendrickx, Sarah. Love, Sex & Long-Term Relationships: What People with Asperger Syndrome Really Really Want. Jessica Kingsley. Feb. 2008. c.144p. bibliog. index. ISBN 978-1-84310-605-0. pap. $19.95. PSYCH
Verdict: Although narrowly focused, this book takes on an important, previously unexplored topic. Nuanced autism collections should definitely purchase.
Background: Hendrickx is a UK-based trainer and mentor for adults with Asperger’s syndrome (AS). Together with her partner, who has AS, she wrote Asperger Syndrome—A Love Story in 2007. Here, she draws on results from a survey she conducted of 36 men and four women on the autistic spectrum and 27 neurotypical women romantically involved with men and women on that spectrum. The subjects, whose thoughts and advice she here shares, are frank and do not sugarcoat the difficulties that can arise in these relationships. Hendrickx’s study shows that, contrary to popular perception, people with AS are involved in relationships and do get married. She concludes that "the key to satisfactory sex and a happy relationship seems to be acceptance, patience, understanding, and an appreciation of the uniqueness of AS in a partner."—Elizabeth Safford, Nevins Memorial Lib., Methuen, MA

Marcus, Gary. Kluge: The Haphazard Construction of the Human Mind. Houghton. Apr. 2008. c.224p. index. ISBN 978-0-618-87964-9. $24. PSYCH
Verdict: Wit and scientific reasoning combine effectively in this argument against perfect minds; no doubt, however, certain segments of the general population will not buy into Marcus’s ideas for political, ideological, or religious reasons. Academic and large public libraries will make fitting homes. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 12/07.]
Background: A definition of the word kluge—"A clumsy or inelegant solution to a problem"—appears on the cover of this book and sets its potentially controversial tone. Marcus (psychology, NYU; editor, The Norton Psychology Reader) theorizes that the human mind is not the "exquisitely formed jewel" it is often purported to be. Instead, he reasons that although the human brain has evolved over millions of years, it is still haphazard, clumsy, and inefficient. He provides excellent scientific rationale and plenty of examples to prove as much.—Steve Dixon, Mildred and Louis Resnick Lib., SUNY at Delhi

Miller, Neil Z. Vaccine Safety Manual for Concerned Families and Health Practitioners. New Atlantean, dist. by Midpoint Trade Bks. Apr. 2008. c.560p. index. ISBN 978-188121735-0. $21.95. HEALTH
Verdict: This polemic of twisted, out-of-context quotes is not the best way to investigate the legitimate concerns about vaccines. Skip in favor of Robert Sears’s balanced The Vaccine Book.
Background: Miller, who has written a number of books on vaccines, adds to his oeuvre with this extensive treatise on why people shouldn’t get vaccines. Individual chapters address scores of different immunizations, from old ones like smallpox and polio to new ones including the human papilloma virus/cervical cancer shot. Each chapter features extensive footnotes citing many legitimate medical sources. Although a disclaimer states that this book does not argue for or against vaccines, some of Miller’s references, e.g., the "CDC and their acquiescent media pawns," are indicative of writing that is obviously antivaccine. He is also the director of the Thinktwice Global Vaccine Institute.—Elizabeth Williams, Washoe Cty. Lib. Syst., Reno, NV

Popcak, Gregory K. Holy Sex!: A Catholic Guide to Toe-Curling, Mind-Blowing Infallible Loving. Crossroad, dist. by National Bk. Network. Apr. 2008. c.352p. ISBN 978-0-8245-2471-5. pap. $14.95. PSYCH
Verdict: Popcak writes with playful directness, and his approach should appeal to conservative Catholics of all ages. See also Gordon Hilsman’s more theoretical Intimate Spirituality: The Catholic Way of Love and Sex and, for non-Catholics, Douglas Rosenau’s A Celebration of Sex.
Background: Conservative Christian sex manuals first appeared in the 1960s as the new openness about sex led religiously minded professionals to create guidebooks for the increasingly curious faithful. From the beginning, these guides stressed that married sexuality reflects God’s love for humankind and should be a joyfully spiritual as well as physical experience. Here, psychotherapist Popcak brings a Roman Catholic perspective, holding not only that sex is fully sensual and fully spiritual but also that components of Catholic sacraments symbolize and celebrate the "fruitful marital union between Christ, the Bridegroom, and the Church, His Bride." About half the text centers on reorganizing beliefs and attitudes around this concept of Catholic-sanctified, unifying, and creative sexuality as distinguished from noxious "eroticism." The remainder goes into how-tos, emphasizing mutual orgasm and giving broad permission for variation so long as ejaculations happen vaginally.—Martha Cornog, Philadelphia

Watson, Brenda with Leonard Smith, M.D. The Detox Strategy: Vibrant Health in 5 Easy Steps. Free Pr: S. & S. Mar. 2008. c.303p. index. ISBN 978-1-4165-7253-4. $26. HEALTH
Verdict: Many detoxification books are available, but Waton’s stands out for being well researched and providing sound living choices above and beyond a simple detox program. A companion PBS program of the same name will surely result in demand.
Background: Watson previously wrote the best sellers Renew Your Life and The Fiber35 Diet; in her powerful new resource, she shows readers how to flush out toxins and achieve optimal health. Her R.E.N.E.W. program calls for reducing one’s exposure to toxins, eliminating existing toxins, nourishing cells to support their structure and ability to detoxify, energizing via exercise and relaxation, and practicing wellness. Besides showing readers how to carry out her program, she explains how toxins negatively impact a person’s health and that government regulations do not sufficiently protect people from toxins.—Sarah Myers, Red Feather Lakes Community Lib., CO

See last week's Xpress Reviews