Social Sciences

Those seeking tales of serial killers à la Hannibal Lecter will be disappointed in these books, as both authors favor in-depth examinations of cannibalism across a wide variety of cultures. Likewise, both discredit the conclusions of William Arens's The Man-Eating Myth, instead asserting that cannibalism has been a very real human practice around the globe. Travis-Henikoff (coauthor, Star Food Revisited), a scholar of paleoanthropology, covers the phenomenon's many raisons d'être, from survival to politically motivated terror. Her perspective as a gastronomist helps to situate cannibalism within a wide range of global culinary practices from the Amazon to the American Southwest to Polynesia. Some sections, e.g., those on archaeological dating and on the Inquisition, could have been shorter, but the book's range is impressive.

Raffaele (Smithsonian magazine) focuses on cannibalism in a few particular regions: New Guinea, the Ganges basin, Tonga, and Uganda. He meets with cannibals, the locals who condemn them, and descendents of other known cannibals. His beautiful descriptions of life among these cultures show that cannibalism is a local belief that, unlike the rapidly changing landscape, is still going strong in some places. Unlike Travis-Henikoff, Raffaele maintains that cannibalism not related to survival is an "evil" act, yet his portraits of cannibals show their essential humanity. Both books are highly recommended for public libraries; endnotes and a bibliography additionally recommend Travis-Henikoff.—Dan Harms, SUNY at Cortland

Garfinkel, a Toronto-based poet and playwright, slowly unfolds a story that might make a good play. The narrative's pace mirrors the author's ambivalent mind. What is he ambivalent about? His religious schooling, his faith, his girlfriend Judith, and traveling to Israel. The story takes off when Garfinkel meets an exotic Palestinian woman named Rana at a Toronto movie theater. This friendship compels him to travel to Israel to find a house Rana had mentioned where Jews and Palestinians supposedly live together in harmony. The shift of time and place, sometimes within the same paragraph, makes for confusing reading, even when the author connects what he learned in synagogue school with the realities and dangers encountered in Israel. Dissonant phrases abound (e.g., "stale herring," "neat-freak God"). This work is more of a scrapbook (including a letter about global warming that his grandfather wrote to Boris Yeltsin in 1998) than a memoir. A spiritual journey best suited to libraries that collect works about Jewish-Arab relations.—Elizabeth Connor, The Citadel, Military Coll. of South Carolina, Lib., Charleston

In what will surely be the definitive work on the subject, Hayes (English, Univ. of Central Oklahoma; The Oxford Companion to Early American Literature) presents a scrupulously researched examination of the reading habits and thinking of our third President, effectively a biography of Thomas Jefferson's intellect over the course of his life. More than any previous researcher, Hayes has consulted the marginalia that Jefferson penned in the books that he owned, from his childhood favorites in the vernacular to authors such as Cicero, whom he read in the original Latin, and contemporaries like Joseph Priestley. Chronologically, Hayes discusses Jefferson's personal libraries: the one that was mostly destroyed by fire at Shadwell in 1770, the one he sold to the Library of Congress, the one he sold to James Madison, his vacation library at Poplar Forest, and his retirement library. The author's admiration for Jefferson is evident. Although Jefferson's public career has always been granted close examination, Hayes demonstrates that Jefferson's life of the mind also merits the close study provided here. Highly recommended for academic libraries and large public libraries.—Thomas J. Schaeper, St. Bonaventure Univ., NY

How can anyone survive a life of poverty, crime, drug and alcohol addiction, and physical abuse yet not grow into a bitter adult? Here is a memoir showing just that. For Johnson, now 38, life growing up with four siblings in an English village was far from idyllic. His mother was a religious nut; his father, an alcoholic who regularly beat his wife and kids, even shoving the author's head into the fireplace one time. To deal with these realities, Johnson turned to alcohol, then drugs like crack and heroin. There was rehab, falling off the wagon, homelessness, petty crimes to pay for drugs, jail time, and then more rehab. Johnson's memoir is brutal in its intensity and graphic, awful detail; only at the end (the year 2000) does he emerge addiction-free. An easy-to-recommend genre bridging the gap between readers of nonfiction and fiction, memoirs are extremely popular in public libraries, and this one is especially gripping. Johnson has come a long way since his early days: he now works as a special adviser to Prince Charles. Readers may be curious for more about his current life, so stay tuned.—Linda Beck, Indian Valley P.L., Telford, PA

After years of interviewing others, Walters tells her own story. She goes back to her grandparents in New York City, then imparts much about her father, producer and nightclub owner Lou Walters (most famously founder of the Latin Quarter), as well as her homemaker mother and her developmentally disabled sister. Walters uses the theme of "auditioning" as she narrates her move from school to school and then into her career. Eventually, she describes her years in television journalism and her many famous interviews, including every President and First Lady since Richard and Pat Nixon, every major world leader, and countless celebrities. Walters also discusses her three marriages and her daughter, named for her sister. Her juggling of career and family—and the resulting guilt—is another major theme. Readers will get the inside scoop on some famous rumors, e.g., regarding Walters's relationships with Roy M. Cohn, Edward W. Brooke, and Fidel Castro; her role in the Iran-Contra affair; and the many cohost changes on The View. Throughout, she maintains her typically professional, informed, and elegantly casual style, with occasional bits of humor and irony. Although this memoir is quite long, it is sure to delight celebrity and news junkies and Walters's fans. Recommended for all public libraries.—Erica L. Foley, Clinton-Macomb P.L., Clinton Twp., MI

Kern, executive producer for training at National Public Radio (NPR), here consolidates into one volume the training provided to NPR employees. Kern quotes hosts (e.g., Robert Siegel), reporters (e.g., Larry Abramson), and NPR editors and producers to expound on audio journalism as specifically practiced at NPR. Sound reporting, from idea development to the finished news story or interview, gets the full treatment. Kern stresses that radio is a unique environment that dictates a writing style suited to the ear and that may therefore be contrary to print conventions. Along with the reporters and producers, he dissects actual broadcast segments to demonstrate why they were or were not successful. While Steve Warren's Radio: The Book (4th ed.) offers tips on how to get a job in radio, this work describes the interconnected avocations involved in bringing sound reporting to life. Recommended for high school, public, and undergraduate libraries.—Regina M. Beard, Kansas State Univ., Manhattan

This book, part memoir and part how-to, promotes the idea that writing helps us capture our past in order to live more meaningfully in the present. Thomas, author of the memoir Three Dog Life, daughter of physician and essayist Lewis Thomas, and a writing teacher, offers glimpses of her own life as she encourages readers to write about theirs. She devotes a chapter to the benefits of memoir writing, then offers suggestions on how to make writing a habit. One way is to carry a notebook so that one can constantly write down thoughts and activities. In the chapter on memory, she explores some of her own, revealing details about her husband's car crash and resulting traumatic brain injury. Also, she points out the role of scent in recalling past events. In her case, the characteristic medicinal smell of Noxema brings back memories of her adolescence. The overall effect is motivation and inspiration. She makes memoir writing seem a worthwhile, achievable goal by introducing thought-provoking exercises such as "Write two pages about what you no longer find funny" and "What waits in ambush?" This first volume in the "Arts of Living" series from AARP will appeal to would-be writers and those wishing to encourage their own creativity and live more intensely. Recommended for large public collections.—Nancy R. Ives, SUNY at Geneseo

Some folks think that Silicon Valley went bust along with the dot.com meltdown of 2000, but Business Week columnist Lacy begs to differ. Here, she explores the new terrain of Web 2.0 coming out of a resurgent Silicon Valley, profiling notable Internet entrepreneurs Max Levchin (cofounder, PayPal) and Mark Zuckerberg (founder, Facebook), as well as others. Her explanation of the Web 2.0 evolution uses the concept of the digitization of identity whereby users of social-networking sites, web-based communities, and blogs actively and willingly share their personal data as they contribute and collaborate with others on the web. (Amazingly, her discussion omits any mention of privacy concerns.) In this second-generation web environment, Lacy writes, businesses are cheaper to run, easier to operate, and more immediately profitable than ever before. Although Lacy's writing style is occasionally gossipy, her observations on the future of technology—especially involving Silicon Valley—are engaging and smart. While the jury is still out on whether Web 2.0 will prove to be just another Internet bubble, Lacy's assessment of it is resoundingly positive. Recommended for larger nonfiction collections.—Richard Drezen, Washington Post, New York City Bureau

Authors Osono, Norihiko Shimizu, and Hirotaka Takeuchi—all business professors at Hitotsubashi University, Japan—here provide a detailed look at the principles underlying the long-term success of car giant Toyota. They begin by identifying Toyota's central "driving" forces—expansion, impossible goals, experimentation, local customization, integration, founders' philosophies, "nerve system," and "up-and-in human resource management"—and then use case studies of Lexus, Scion, Tundra, and other Toyota brands to show how the company's principles apply to day-to-day management and operations. The contradictory nature of the forces described—some focused on expansion, others on integration—form the framework for the authors' subsequent analysis of the company. A final chapter demonstrates the applicability of Toyota's approach to other types of businesses. Heavily footnoted and studded with graphs and charts, this insider's view of one of the world's leading manufacturers is somewhat academic in tone yet has enough anecdotes to make it interesting. Purchase for academic libraries with business or manufacturing/engineering programs.—Susan Hurst, Miami Univ. Lib., Oxford, OH

Thomas Friedman's The World Is Flat synthesized academic work on globalization into a book for everyone. Now Steingart (Washington, DC, correspondent, Der Spiegel) examines the dark side of globalization for a similarly broad audience. Forcefully, he hammers home his thesis that globalization comes with many negatives and dangers. He warns that nations like India and China are aggressively setting the stage for a redistribution of wealth from the West to Asia. He explains that they and other Asian nations have gradually come to dominate first manufacturing and then services and will soon dominate research and development. He says that U.S. and European jobs lost to Asia are not being replaced with comparable ones: workers in general are losing their economic power as Asian businesses exploit their own glut of low-cost, easily controlled labor. Steingart cautions that in addition to economic strength, these Asian nations are building up their military might not unlike the European powers did before World War I. Ultimately, he provides a glimmer of hope with suggestions for how the West can regain its economic vitality. His cautionary work is deeply thoughtful, accessible to all, and highly recommended for all libraries. [This edition has additional material not in the original German one.—Ed.]—Lawrence R. Maxted, Gannon Univ., Erie, PA

In 1880, an ill-fated French expedition headed across the Sahara to investigate the possibility of building a railroad across the desert for the quick exportation of salt, gold, and ivory to Europe. The expedition turned into a massacre of the French by the native Tuareg. These "lords of the desert" were a rather ruthless lot that robbed, starved, and tricked many strangers, or invaders, as a means of survival in one of the harshest climates on Earth. At first seeming to be sincere guides on the expedition, they double-crossed the French, leading them into traps, dead ends, and hostile areas. Asher (Khartoum) has written an impressively detailed account of this expedition, using firsthand sources such as French Foreign Legion reports and letters and narratives by French survivors (a dozen of the 100 or so men managed to survive the 1000-km trek back north after being attacked). This well-told story is recommended for high school and public library collections on Africa and on European incursions there. (Maps not seen.)—James Thorsen, Madison Cty. Schs., Weaverville, NC

The Ford Model T was not just another famous brand; its introduction 100 years ago led to major sociological and demographic shifts. As the first affordable automobile, it brought transportation to the masses, enabling them to be newly mobile. But Henry Ford's manufacturing this car in mass quantity at an affordable price also revolutionized approaches to manufacturing all sorts of goods. Ford's credo of mass production included the five-dollar workday at a time when most line workers took home fewer than four. Using period photos and company archival material, Casey (curator of transportation, Henry Ford Museum) traces the car's history, discussing design, production, sales distribution, and the experience of driving a Model T. The car incorporated such features as a one-piece cylinder block with a separate head and a flexible suspension that are still in use today. The author also analyzes Ford, the man, and how his personal worldview shaped the car and its production. Casey here mixes scholarly research with his passion as a true enthusiast and, more important, provides a sociological study of both Ford factory workers and Ford motorists during the early driving years of the 20th century. Recommended for larger public libraries and academic libraries with strong transportation history collections.—Eric C. Shoaf, Brown Univ. Lib., Providence, RI

Beginning with Robert F. Kennedy's own account of the Cuban Missile Crisis, Thirteen Days, a steady stream of books and articles has sought to explain how this incredible episode came to be—and how it (thankfully) didn't end with a mushroom cloud. Building on the existing mountain of writings, Washington Post reporter Dobbs (Down with Big Brother: The Fall of the Soviet Empire) has produced a remarkably well-written and detailed account of the weeklong drama in 1962. He draws on a large number of previously untapped American, Soviet, and Cuban primary and secondary sources and sets his exacting narrative within the broad historical context of Soviet-American relations. Even those who think they know everything about this event will learn new stories and gain further insight into the thinking of the major participants—both in Washington and in Moscow. This first-rate book belongs very prominently on the groaning shelf of earlier titles devoted to our first (and let us hope our last) nuclear crisis. Highly recommended. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 2/1/08.]—Ed Goedeken, Iowa State Univ. Lib., Ames

Felzenberg (political science, Univ. of Pennsylvania; Governor Tom Kean) attacks the historians' rankings of U.S. Presidents conducted by Arthur M. Schlesinger Sr. (1948, 1962) and by Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr. (1996). The author argues that these rankings used no precise criteria, were never entirely explained, and relied on experts who tended to be politically liberal. Felzenberg's approach is sound. He attempts to rectify the situation by newly systematizing such rankings into six different categories, e.g., character, vision, competence, economic soundness, the protection and expansion of liberties, and handling of defense and foreign policy. These categories and his in-depth discussions of their meaning, together with his selected top-, middle-, and bottom-ranked Presidents for each category, are the book's strength. Unfortunately, Craig's execution is flawed; like his predecessors, he gives no explanation of how he used these categories to obtain his own rankings of selected Presidents, and some Presidents are neither ranked nor discussed. But his criteria remain sound and carefully considered, and their consistent application would add depth to the ever-popular practice of ranking our Presidents. For public and academic libraries.—Bryan Craig, MLS, Nellysford, VA

The age-old concept of fierce Comanche warriors as a military impediment to the conquest of the Spanish American Southwest has a long and influential history (e.g., Rupert Norval Richardson's The Comanche Barrier to South Plains Settlement). Hämäläinen (history, Univ. of California, Santa Barbara; ed., When Disease Makes History: Epidemics and Great Historical Turning Points) succeeds in introducing a new perspective on Southwestern history, mastering Spanish and Mexican historic resources to tell of a horse- and bison-based Comanche empire, Comanchería. He shows that the expansion and maintenance of Comanche range and trade networks between 1700 and 1875 occurred at the expense of other Indian nations and Spanish, Mexican, Texan, and American interests. Writing from intertwined ethnohistoric and Eurocentric views, the author credits this pastoral empire with New Spain/Mexico's steep loss of influence on the northern borderlands before the actual Mexican War of 1846–48 and argues that an appreciation of Comanche influence is needed to fully understand the history of the Southwest and Great Plains. Enthusiastically recommended for academic and public libraries.—Nathan E. Bender, Univ. of Idaho, Moscow

The China-Burma-India (CBI) theater of operations has been called the "forgotten theater of World War II." Koerner (contributing editor, Wired) takes pains to bring to light an obscure and unusual story from this theater. As a member of one of the U.S. Army's segregated construction units, Herman Perry was exposed to the full force of degrading racism directed at African Americans serving their country. Along with thousands of other black soldiers, Perry was relegated to brutal manual labor on the ill-fated Ledo Road, which snaked through the Burmese jungle. His story could only end badly after he killed his superior officer, a white man. Perry fled to the jungle and lived for a time with the area's indigenous people, but following an intense manhunt and several escapes, he was handed over to the army's harsh—and racist—criminal justice system. Koerner provides plenty of colorful digressions and offers an impressive account of the unsung accomplishments of the U.S. Army's segregated units. But the awkward yet florid prose never strikes a consistent tone, making this a disappointing read.—Elizabeth Morris, Barrington Area Lib., IL

The common perception of the Spanish conquest of Mexico is that a handful of men led by Hernán Cortés landed and, with the help of European technology, overcame the Aztec Empire. Levy (English, Washington State Univ.; American Legend: The Real-Life Adventures of David Crockett) reminds us that it was a protracted struggle in which the Spaniards came very close to being wiped out. It was only Cortés's tactics and his ability to form alliances with other native peoples, who wished to be free of Aztec hegemony, that saved the Spaniards. Drawing heavily on both Spanish and Aztec sources, as well as major secondary works, Levy gives a straightforward telling of the entire story, stressing the military strategy, diplomatic initiatives, and personal relationship between Cortés and Aztec emperor Montezuma. For those seeking more detail, his notes provide copious references to William Prescott's monumental The History of the Conquest of Mexico (1843) and Hugh Thomas's authoritative and comprehensive Conquest: Cortés, Montezuma and the Fall of Old Mexico, as well as to other works. This well-written book is a good starting point for those seeking to understand the conquest of Mexico. Highly recommended for both public and academic libraries.—Stephen H. Peters, Northern Michigan Univ. Lib., Marquette

A fascinating look at Havana, visually rich with hundreds of photos and other unique images, this addition to the literature on one of the world's urban architectural treasures is authored by an architectural historian. Moruzzi's fluid text embellishes the illustrations, drawn mostly from his own collection. Havana enjoys a captivating history, and the legacy of gambling, hotels, drugs, sex, and nightlife makes for an unparalleled reading experience. Moruzzi emphasizes the building boom of the 1950s, when American mob characters benefited from President Fulgencio Batista's corrupt regime and tourists flocked to the enchanted island a mere 90 miles from America, helped by airlines and cruise lines offering tour packages to Havana. The vivid descriptions of casinos and hotels, many still standing, bring a lost era to life. This attractive book is written for a popular audience but is highly recommended for academic as well as public libraries.—Boyd Childress, Auburn Univ. Lib., AL

This fourth volume in "The Penguin Library of American Indian History" focuses on the Iroquois Confederacy, whose influence on the colonial frontier has often been credited to its military prowess. Shannon (history, Gettysburg Coll.; Indians and Colonists at the Crossroads of Empire: The Albany Congress of 1754) explores the confederacy's diplomatic history to demonstrate that much of the Iroquois's power derived from the ability of the confederacy member nations to deftly capitalize on the French and British colonial rivalry by means of negotiations with both parties that strengthened the confederacy militarily and economically. The defeat of France in the French and Indian War began the decline of the power wielded by the Iroquois, as they lost the ability to play the interests of one European country against those of the other. Their sovereignty was also adversely affected as they were suddenly dependent solely on the British to provide them with goods, which the Iroquois needed for both subsistence and trade. Written for the lay reader, this excellent monograph is highly recommended for public and undergraduate libraries.—John Burch, Campbellsville Univ. Lib., KY

Readers will remember Rwanda for its horrific genocide in 1994; they may be less aware of the country's recovery over the past 14 years. Paul Kagame, long a powerful figure and now Rwanda's president, has been instrumental in that recovery process, claims Kinzer (All the Shah's Men), a wide-ranging bureau chief for the New York Times. Kagame grew up in a refugee camp in Uganda, served as an intelligence officer in its army, and founded the Rwanda Patriotic Front, which supports the right of refugees to return to Rwanda. After assuming political office, Kagame first directed a reconciliation process for all citizens and, since 2000, has emphasized economic development. His authoritarian style draws sharp criticism from human rights organizations, and Western economic development experts question his programs. Kinzer presents him in the most favorable light possible while not overlooking troubling actions, such as his sending troops into Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo) to support rebels there. Based on interviews with Kagame, ordinary citizens, and many others who have worked with Kagame at some time, the book is a nuanced portrait of a complex figure in morally ambiguous times. Recommended for all collections supporting an interest in Africa.—Marcia L. Sprules, Council on Foreign Relations Lib., New York

Only seven U.S. public officials have been impeached (defined as an indictment returned by the House, which may then lead to a trial before the Senate) and convicted under the Constitution. Bancroft Prize winner Kyvig (history, Northern Illinois Univ.; Explicit and Authentic Acts: Amending the U.S. Constitution, 1776–1995) discusses the revival of this procedure in recent decades. After briefly covering earlier efforts, Kyvig examines the John Birch Society's crusade against Chief Justice Earl Warren. Most impeachments are judicial—every successful one has removed a judge—but what qualifies as impeachable? "Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors," says the Constitution. "Whatever a majority of the House" says, according to Gerald Ford when he pursued William O. Douglas. Sometimes it's not mysterious, as with three judges impeached in the 1980s, two of whom were in federal prison when removed. But what of cases like President Bill Clinton? Did his acts rise to "high Crimes and Misdemeanors"? While the Clinton case is well documented elsewhere, most of Kyvig's stories are not; some are almost unknown. Kyvig is that rarity, an academic who can write well and accessibly. Scholarly, thorough, immensely readable, and highly recommended for all libraries.—Michael O. Eshleman, Kings Mills, OH

This collection of essays by the eminent journalist includes pieces that he wrote between 1986 and 2007. Organized around the topics of service, history, politics, media, and religion, the book is at once a warning about the undermining of our democratic ideals and a record of the author's life in public service. Moyers (Listening to America) has been a participant or observer of most major events in U.S. history since he joined Lyndon Johnson's presidential campaign staff in 1960. Unlike many such players, he never became cynical or simplistic; he only grew into a keener and more penetrating critic of public life. These pieces all demonstrate his love of democracy, attachment to the truth, and unflinching habit of speaking truth to power. Furthermore, these essays are fine examples of how to write clearly and convincingly yet with a welcome understatement, a thoughtfulness that seems, ironically, to date even the most recent of these pieces. In our day of instant Internet news and sound-bite journalism; long, contemplative essays harken to times long gone. Recommended for undergraduate and larger public libraries.—Duncan Stewart, Univ. of Iowa Libs., Iowa City

The brainchild of Siceloff, creator and executive producer of the award-winning television newsmagazine NOW on PBS, and documentary producer Maloney, the 12 stories in Your America were originally featured on NOW. Each profiles an ordinary person who is making a difference in his or her community. To each participant Siceloff and Maloney posed the question, "How do you get started if you want to make a difference in America?" The responses are open, honest, inspiring, and even heartbreaking testimonials that cover a range of social issues across the political, social, and economic spectrum. From the grieving mother who took on the U.S. Army, to the teacher bringing algebra to minority schoolchildren, to immigrant farmworkers fighting back against big business, each chapter provides a case study on how grassroots efforts really can make a difference. This is a small book that can inspire big ideas. Suitable for all public libraries.—Jenny Seftas, East Cty. Regional Lib., Lehigh Acres, FL

The World Tribunal on Iraq (WTI), self-described as a kind of people's court, juried by writers and activists (e.g., Arundhati Roy) who were deeply concerned over the war in Iraq—that is, strictly speaking it does not possess the objectivity of a court—convened global sessions from 2003 to 2005, in response to a mass media that it felt was not sufficiently covering the ramifications and results of the war. The WTI itself received little mass media coverage. Thus this haunting book is much needed to provide the WTI's array of first-rate analyses on the legal, moral, political, environmental, and socioeconomic implications of the Iraq War. Based on presentations made by the impressive number of scholars and activists at the WTI, whose culminating session was in Istanbul in 2005, the book provides a definitive compendium of assessments not frequently encountered in mainstream discussion of the Iraq War. The WTI, which was inspired by the Bertrand Russell Tribunal on Vietnam, recorded war crimes committed against the Iraqi people and placed them in the context of broader crimes against humanity. Highly recommended for comprehensive coverage of the Iraq War in all academic and public libraries.—Nader Entessar, Univ. of South Alabama, Mobile

Gosling's (psychology, Univ. of Texas) first book will captivate those who like the CBS drama Criminal Minds or the works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. In it, he examines how we use space—be it a dorm room, a house, a desk, or an office cubicle—to project as well as to protect our identities. Gosling contends that all humans leave behind "psychological footprints" and "behavioral residue" in their abodes. Throughout, he uses the "Big Five" model of personality, often remembered by the mnemonic OCEAN—Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism—as his interpretive framework. Upon finishing this book, readers will surely pay more attention to their and others' cars, tattoos, posters, MP3 playlists, and books for what they can intentionally or unintentionally reveal about the psyche. Gosling's work, reminiscent of Martha Stout's The Sociopath Next Door in its vivid, true-to-life portraits of people and places, is a unique blend of scholarly research and accessible vignettes. Expect future books from this young scholar, whose storytelling skills prove he's capable of bridging the gap between ivory-tower dwellers and street denizens. Recommended for academic as well as public libraries.—C. Brian Smith, Arlington Heights Memorial Lib., IL

Photography professor Brodsky (Carnegie Mellon Univ.; Knowing Stephanie) has gathered a touching and compelling montage of stories and photographs in a coffee-table-sized book with a notably dismal title. One hopes the title won't discourage timid readers from placing the book in plain sight because it provides short, sharp, authentic first-person narratives—and accompanying photos—exploring what it feels like to suffer from depression and other mental illnesses. Each vignette presents a distinctive story, whether it reveals the ecstasies and abysses of bipolarity or the devastation wrought by the suicide of a close friend. This book cannot really be compared to other works—the reviewer has never seen another like it—and its unique qualities would make it an excellent addition to the collections of large public and university libraries, including those that specialize in acquiring art books.—Lynne F. Maxwell, Villanova Univ. Sch. of Law Lib., PA

Ripley, a Time reporter who has covered Hurricane Katrina and other catastrophes and whose article "How To Get Out Alive" inspired this book, offers an elementary discussion of disaster and survival, drawing on both survivors' personal accounts and scientific studies that reveal how the human brain functions under duress. She shows how individuals and groups react when such disasters as shipwrecks, fires, terrorist attacks, and tsunamis occur, detailing the traits survivors demonstrate that help them respond effectively. Ripley identifies what she has found to be typical stages of emotional response that occur through the course of a disaster—including denial, delay, risk, fear, panic, paralysis, and heroism—and investigates their effects on individual responses to disaster. She also touches on why disaster, though it strikes developed and undeveloped nations alike, tends to have a higher death toll in underdeveloped nations. Offering tips on how we can boost our odds, her self-help approach to survival will attract readers. Recommended for public libraries.—Candice Kail, Carnegie-Mellon Univ., Pittsburgh

These two working life memoirs seek to capitalize on the popularity of books like Barbara Ehrenreich's Nickel and Dimed and Anthony Bourdain's Kitchen Confidential but fall somewhat short of the mark. Alexander, a former marine officer and advertising executive, left his high-powered career in his early forties owing to client-contact burnout to become a minimum-wage pizza delivery driver, ice cream scooper, medical tech, construction site cleanup guy, fast-food worker, and cowboy. While he describes the jobs adequately, at times even humorously, he offers no analysis of the experiment or descriptions of its impact on his financial bottom line. What final insights he does list are too specific to be broadly applicable (tip your pizza guy at least five bucks and be polite to ER staff); his closing recommendation to become a big fish in a little pond and find work as a consultant will be valuable only to other career executives who have built strong portfolios and contacts.

The Waiter (real name unknown) unfolds his story along more stereotypical memoir lines, mixing anecdotes from his near-decade of waiting tables with stories from his personal life. The author first found an audience at his blog WaiterRant.net, and although the book starts much too harshly (in tone and language), it eventually settles into an engaging and funny narrative that leaves the reader with a sense of the dignity that can be found in performing any job, even one as prone to customer abuse and lack of respect as food service. Alexander's title is not recommended, although a blurb from Stephen Colbert may deliver some readers; Waiter Rant is recommended for larger public libraries and those seeking to add depth to their memoir collections.—Sarah Statz Cords, Madison P.L., WI

These two thoughtful, well-written books both decry the sorry state of literacy in this country and its myriad implications. Bauerlein (English, Emory Univ.), former director of research and analysis at the National Endowment for the Arts, is no stranger to the evidence of the decline of reading in America and its cultural consequences in our society. He focuses on the "new attitude, this brazen disregard of…books and reading" among young people. Journalist Jackson is more inclusive in her devastating account of how all of us—not just students—have lost the capacity to pay sustained attention to anything longer than a PowerPoint presentation, claiming that she sees "stunning similarities between past dark ages and our own era." Much of Bauerlein's book is reminiscent of Allan Bloom's The Closing of the American Mind, and readers will probably take similar issue with some of Bauerlein's elitist pretensions (e.g., that kids read Harry Potter because other kids read it, not because they like it). These are well-informed and well-argued books, however, and both are highly recommended for all libraries.—Ellen Gilbert, Princeton, NJ

This rather quirky book is likely to interest only the most serious Francophiles. Part travelog, part guidebook, part history, it can most accurately be described as a journey through the mind of its author, a prolific British writer (1945: The War That Never Ended) who now lives in France. Imaginatively and creatively conceived, the book takes us on a trip through the Paris Métro, making 12 carefully selected "stops." Each stop, and its environs, is described historically, architecturally, and geographically. Dallas gives close attention to how the environs fared or changed in the grip of political crises such as the Revolution, German Occupation, or Cold War years. More central to the author's purpose, however, are his lengthy ruminations on characters or individuals associated with each spot. Vincent de Paul, Anaïs Nin, André Gide, and Jean-Paul Sartre all find a place here. The chapter on legendary cemetery Père Lachaise, for example, leads to musings on Oscar Wilde, the Dreyfus affair, and the interconnections the author has found between them. Readers who are well acquainted with the geography of Paris may find this work fascinating, but its idiosyncratic focus, abrupt ending, and absence of a conclusion will make it a difficult read for most.—Marie Marmo Mullaney, Caldwell Coll., N.J.

While most zoo visitors focus only on the entertainment factor—walking in parklike settings, viewing animal antics, and perhaps watching staged shows and exhibitions—Nyhuis (The Zoo Book) and animal photographer Wassner make a case for the broader and more important contributions of zoos, including education, environmental research, and breeding programs for captive animals. The authors, who have been visiting zoos worldwide since childhood, have now produced this substantial guide to 60 zoos they consider the best. Written for the general traveler, introductory chapters concisely present background information on the origin of zoos, maximizing the zoo experience, animal viewing and photography tips, and zoo manners, especially for children. Another chapter covers some of the more distinctive animals kept in captivity—e.g., bearded pigs, clouded leopards, and gharials—and the best places to go to see them. The heart of the book lies in the individual zoo reviews, grouped by region. Extensive entries, much more comprehensive than in traditional travel guides, include standard information (hours, admission, and directions) and feature exhibits not to be missed. The appendixes list best zoo exhibits by type (e.g., pachyderm, gorilla), and two comprehensive indexes list zoos by state and subject. Essential for zoo fans; libraries will want circulating and reference copies. Highly recommended.—Edell M. Schaefer, Brookfield P.L., WI

Dutch journalist van Bergeijk's idea for making a nice profit—buying an old used car in Amsterdam and reselling it for profit in the Third World—turned into an adventure worth more than the few hundred dollars the transaction eventually netted him. He hatched the plot while he was attending a friend's wedding in West Africa and hailed a cab, a Mercedes 190D, sporting a Dutch soccer-team decal. Was the driver a fan? No; in fact, the cab had spent the first part of its life in the Netherlands. After purchasing a rusted-out 1988 Mercedes 190D for himself, van Bergeijk toured the Mercedes factory, sought the wisdom of drivers who had successfully crossed the Sahara, and stocked up on maps, guidebooks, and other materials—including a bar of soap and a pair of pantyhose. He was assured these were necessary for shepherding his car across the desert. This account of his adventures combines the musings of Robert M. Pirsig's Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, historic African travel writing, and the excitement of the Dakar rally. Recommended for medium to large public libraries.—Susan Belsky, Oshkosh P.L., WI