Xpress Reviews—First Look at New Books

-- Library Journal, 7/22/2008 1:18:00 PM

The week of July 22, 2008

Fiction | Nonfiction

Fiction

Brown, Sandra. Smoke Screen. S. & S. Aug. 2008. c.416p. ISBN 978-1-4165-6306-8. $26.95. F
Verdict: With its exciting plot twists and bubbling sexual tension, this is another contemporary winner from best-selling author and mistress of romantic suspense Brown (Play Dirty). Recommended for all libraries with best-selling commercial fiction collections.
Background: Ambitious Charleston television newswoman Britt Shelley finds herself on the other side of the story when she is wrongly accused of murdering Jay Burgess after waking up next to his corpse. Jay, a police detective, was one of four local heroes who saved several people’s lives in a police station fire five years earlier. Firefighter Raley Gannon was assigned to investigate it, but his probings and career were cut short when he was wrongly accused of killing a woman found dead in his bed. When Raley hears the news about Britt, who happens to be the reporter whose biased coverage helped ruin his reputation, he suspects a connection and seeks her out, hoping she will help uncover the truth that will clear his name—if the people behind the murders don’t kill her first.—Samantha Gust, Niagra Univ. Lib., NY

Murphy, Richard. Confessions of a Contractor. Putnam. Aug. 2008. c.320p. ISBN 978-0-399-15507-9. $24.95. F
Verdict: Before he became a successful screenwriter, Murphy made his living renovating homes in Los Angeles. He must have seen a lot because he has written one juicy, sexy debut. The author’s skills as a screenwriter are evident here—the characters come alive, and the plot just keeps hopping. Contemporary fiction readers will love it. For most popular fiction collections.
Background: "The first thing a woman needs to know about renovating a house or apartment is simple: Do not, under any circumstances, sleep with your contractor." Narrator Henry Sullivan tends to break his golden rule repeatedly. He has a dry wit, impeccable taste, great skill as a contractor, and not much patience for the husbands of his clients. After finishing a job for the "sweet-smelling" Sally Stein, Henry begins an affair with her. But as he starts his next job, he finds his new client, Rebecca Paulson, incredibly enticing and ends up in the middle of an emotional mess when he discovers that the two women were once close friends. Add to this drama the hysterically funny stories of Henry’s Latino workers who pretend not to speak English, and then tell Henry everything the homeowners say when he’s not there.—Beth Gibbs, Davidson, NC

Reichs, Kathy. Devil Bones. Scribner. Aug. 2008. c.320p. ISBN 978-0-7432-9438-6. $25.95. F
Verdict: Tempe Brennan (Bones to Ashes) returns to the States for the 11th episode in the long-running series about the forensic anthropologist who splits her time between Montreal and North Carolina. As always, Reichs mixes intense suspense with scientific inquiry and intriguing ideas. Expect high demand and buy for all popular collections. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 5/1/08.]
Background: Bored and feeling weary about her deteriorating relationships, Tempe is quickly jolted back into action when a plumber accidentally stumbles upon a human skull, bones, and two cauldrons looking suspiciously witchcraft-related. The police call Tempe in to date the bones and make sense of the paraphernalia. Quicker than Tempe can say "I smell a homicide," a headless body washes ashore at a nearby lake. Immediately, the media charges in, and an ultraconservative local politician mounts his bully pulpit to rail against satanic customs. Tempe and two detectives frantically attempt to figure out the connections between alternative worship styles—Santeria, voodoo, and Wiccans—and the assorted body parts. When one of the detectives is fatally shot in front of Tempe, the case almost overwhelms her. Struggling with her demons, Tempe must fight hard to save herself from the snake pit.—Teresa L. Jacobsen, Solano Cty. Lib., Fairfield, CA

Schwarz, Christina. So Long at the Fair. Doubleday. Jul. 2008. c.225p. ISBN 978-0-385-51029-5. $24.95. F
Verdict: If the thirty-something major characters were younger, this melodrama could be an entertaining YA work. As it stand, the latest from the author of the best-selling Drowning Ruth is rather predictable and definitely an optional purchase. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 3/1/08.]
Background: As in her first novel, Schwarz takes us to her native Wisconsin, where she weaves a tale with the usual themes of love, betrayal, adultery, and revenge. Handsome Jon struggles to decide whether to end an affair with a coworker or end his marriage to Ginny, his childhood sweetheart. Jon’s mother tells him that his marriage is doomed because she believes he married Ginny out of guilt. (We learn in a flashback that Jon was in a car accident that permanently disfigured Ginny.) There are a few short scenes from 1963 interspersed in the contemporary story that tell of an event that parallels current events. Unfortunately, these scenes are a bit too short to tie the past successfully to the present.—Lisa Rohrbaugh, New Middletown, OH

Van Lustbader, Eric. First Daughter. Forge: Tor. Aug. 2008. c.400p. ISBN 978-0-7653-2170-1. $25.95. F
Verdict: The course of American history rests on the life or death of one man—the president of the United States—in Van Lustbader’s (The Bourne Betrayal) latest thriller, which adroitly knits a tale of political intrigue with the hero’s struggle against personal demons while searching for truth and justice. Recommended for all fiction collections.
Background: The novel begins on Inauguration Day of President-Elect Edward Carson, whose life hangs in the balance as his daughter, Alli, fingers a vial of anthrax in her pocket. The story then jumps back to Alli’s abduction from her college dorm room. Carson, desperate for someone he can trust with no political agenda, assigns to the case Jack McClure, an ATF agent and the father of his daughter’s deceased friend. McClure faces many obstacles. Foremost is Alli’s kidnapper—a cunning and ruthless psychopath. Equally harmful is the current president, who is using the kidnapping as an opportunity to destroy the terrorist organization E-2 by blaming the crime on them. Can McClure save Alli from the role her kidnapper has set for her to play?—Susan O. Moritz, Montgomery Cty. P.L.s, MD

Nonfiction

Brooks, Michael. 13 Things That Don’t Make Sense: The Most Baffling Scientific Mysteries of Our Time. Doubleday. Jul. 2008. c.256p. index. ISBN 978-0-385-52068-3. $23.95. SCI
Verdict: Some of the topics are more accessible than others, and a background in physics will help in reading certain chapters. However, even when dealing with some of the more difficult topics, the text is liberally sprinkled with biographical and historical context to keep the reader engaged and concrete examples to aid understanding. Recommended for general science collections in public and academic libraries.
Background: Expanding the author’s 2005 article of the same title published in New Scientist (and one of the most forwarded articles in the magazine’s online history), where he was senior features editor, this volume addresses 13 crucial scientific questions involving physics, chemistry, astronomy, biology, and medicine in which there is a minority viewpoint (sometimes only one person) whose current findings challenge the established models. These examples of the hard work of paradigm shift are truly fascinating. Brooks examines the uncomfortable phase that comes before a radical change in scientific thought—or the failure of a proposed model.—Carla H. Lee, Univ. of Virginia Lib., Charlottesville

Chong, Tommy. Cheech & Chong: The Unauthorized Autobiography. Simon Spotlight Entertainment: S. & S. Aug. 2008. c.224p. ISBN 978-1-4169-5345-6. $23.95. FILM
Verdict: This is a typical showbiz autobiography, in which Chong shares with subtle braggadocio occasionally interesting anecdotes featuring famous people. Only hard-core fans will eat this up.
Background: In his second round of memoirs (after the New York Times best-selling The I Chong: Meditations from the Joint), comedian and actor Chong presents rambling stories of life on the road, unsympathetic club managers, being broke, getting stoned, and so on. His accounts of meeting his comedy partner Cheech Marin, writing their first sketches, and breaking into show business will be of interest to fans, but the lackluster prose and unfocused narratives will probably drive away readers with only a passing interest.—John Helling, Bloomfield–Eastern Greene Cty. P.L., IN

Fiore, Toni. Totally Vegetarian: Easy, Fast, Comforting Cooking for Every Kind of Vegetarian. Da Capo Lifelong. Jul. 2008. 273p. photogs. index. ISBN 978-0-7382-1183-1. $27.50. COOKERY
Verdict: Readers familiar with Robin Robertson (Vegan Fire & Spice)and Isa Chandra Moskowitz (coauthor, Veganomicon) will find a similar blend of diversity and ingenuity in Fiore’s work, as most of her recipes are vegan or allow for vegan adaptations. Recommended.
Background: Fiore is a self-trained chef and the host of Delicious TV, a popular public television cooking show. She grew up in Italy and favors a Mediterranean style of cooking. This background informs the numerous recipes here, as does her commitment to using fresh, local, seasonal products. Perfect for the hesitant or novice vegetarian cook, the book delivers a satisfying balance of recipes. Fiore presents vegetarian versions of meat-based classics, along with naturally meatless main and side dishes. The book is appealing for many reasons, the foremost being the author’s casual, personable approach. General information about cooking (ingredients, tools, techniques, etc.) lends the book universal usefulness.—Meagan P. Storey, Virginia Wesleyan Coll., Norfolk

Guinness, Bunny & Jacqueline Knox. Garden Your Way to Health and Fitness: Exercise Plans, Injury Prevention, Ergonomic Designs. Timber. 2008. 215p. photogs. index. ISBN 978-0-88192-881-5. pap. $19.95. GARDENING
Verdict: More than just an exercise manual, this book offers practical advice on designing garden spaces that fit your lifestyle and includes creative ideas for walkways, ornamental gardens, lawns, borders, trees, hedges, and fruit, vegetable, and herb gardens. Liberally illustrated with photographs of both stunning gardens and exercise sequences, the book is a source of inspiration for both personal fitness and garden design. Recommended for public libraries and gardening collections.
Background: Garden designer Guinness (columnist, Sunday Telegraph; Family Gardens) and Knox, a physiotherapist and Pilates expert, both British, offer practical advice for using gardening as an alternative to the gym. The authors show how the digging, lifting, twisting, and stretching inherent in gardening, when undertaken mindfully using the principles of Pilates, comprise an effective workout and stress reducer with significant health benefits. Body balancing warm-ups, outdoor exercise routines, and postgardening stretches are paired with tips on avoiding injuries and choosing and using gardening tools.—Donna L. Davey, Tamiment Lib., New York Univ.

Lin-Liu, Jen. Serve the People: A Stir-Fried Journey Through China. Harcourt. Jul. 2008. 336p. ISBN 978-0-15-101291-6. $24. COOKERY
Verdict: Filled with stories of the author’s life in China, this book is a quick and enjoyable read that people will not want to put down. Recommended for public and large academic libraries.
Background: Journalist, freelance writer, and cooking school founder Lin-Liu, a Chinese American now living in Beijing, gives readers a front row seat to her adventurous journey through the Hualian Cooking School on her way to becoming a Chinese chef. Along the way, she begins taking private lessons from Chairman Wang, a cook who grew up during China’s Cultural Revolution, to learn how to cook, chop, and even shop before passing the national cooking exam and becoming an intern at several restaurants. The memoir is peppered with recipes for classic Chinese dishes such as sweet-and-sour pork and drunken chicken, as well as some more unusual dishes like candied apples.—Nicole Mitchell, Univ. of Alabama Lib., Birmingham

Levitin, Daniel J. The World in Six Songs: How the Musical Brain Created Human Nature. Dutton. Aug. 2008. c.336p. index. ISBN 978-0-525-95073-8. $25.95. PSYCH
Verdict: With protean musical reach and intellectual grasp, Levitin strides past academic boundaries, a Pied Piper celebrating diversity within community, in this exploration of music, emotion, and the brain. For all adult libraries. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 4/1/08.]
Background: In this follow-up to his New York Times best-selling This Is Your Brain on Music, musician-turned-neuroscientist Levitin explores our cerebral mansion, its history and beauty, wiring and acoustics. The tour, though silent on the page, enhances one’s appreciation of music while explaining its evolutionary roots and continuing importance. Levitin sets out and then improvises on six themes: friendship, joy, comfort, knowledge, religion, and love. Unlike light, he points out, sound reaches us in the dark, around corners and opacities, and seems to originate inside our heads. "Early musicians...may have been better able to communicate emotionally, diffuse confrontation, and ease interpersonal tensions." Also they can "encode important survival information in songs." Now with a freer, more personal voice, Levitin provides an exemplary mix of scientist and artist, student and teacher, performer and listener.—E. James Lieberman, George Washington Univ., Washington, DC

Nemzoff, Ruth. Don’t Bite Your Tongue: How To Foster Rewarding Relationships with Your Adult Children. Palgrave Macmillan. Aug. 2008. c.256p. bibliog. index. ISBN 978-0-230-60518-3. pap. $14.95. CHILD REARING
Verdict: A large audience, primarily baby boomers and older, will enjoy and learn something about how parents and grown children can get along better in what have happily become for most of us our long lives together. Recommended for public libraries.
Background: In her first book, Nemzoff, currently a resident scholar at Brandeis University’s Women’s Studies Research Center, puts her expertise about family dynamics and advice about "adult children" on paper. Much has been written about the changing nature of the American family, but this book’s introductory remark says it all: "The American family is growing vertically and shrinking horizontally." Nemzoff addresses the balancing act between intimacy and independence in the new family task she calls "second-stage parenting." This highly readable, rather folksy self-help work covers the sticky subjects of money, grandparenting, weddings, and refilling the nest.—Fran Mentch, Cleveland State Univ. Lib.

Randazzo, Matthew. Ring of Hell: The Story of Chris Benoit & the Fall of the Pro Wrestling Industry. Phoenix. Jul. 2008. c.278p. bibliog. ISBN 978-1-59777-579-3. $25.95. SPORTS
Verdict: One cannot deny the number of wrestlers who have died prematurely, so while Randazzo’s work must be looked at with a discerning eye, it should not be dismissed. Recommended for larger public libraries.
Background: Most of us consider professional wrestling rather campy, but if one iota of what Randazzo says is true, it is not to be chortled over and dismissed. This is a sport in which unscrupulous promoters force their chattels to wrestle with severe injuries after first encouraging them to pump themselves full of steroids so that they might look acceptably menacing. The punishment is real, even if the outcome has been predetermined. So it was with Chris Benoit, who became much better known for murdering his wife and son and then hanging himself than for being a wrestling champion. The operative word, though, is if. Randazzo, whose previous works have dealt with the mafia, draws much of his material from unnamed sources and from statements and biographies of wrestlers, all of whom have their axes to grind, and he has a disconcerting habit of lacing his text with profanity, even when not quoting others.—Jim Burns, Jacksonville P.L., FL

Rayner, Jay. The Man Who Ate the World: In Search of the Perfect Dinner. Holt. Jul. 2008. 288p. ISBN 978-0-8050-8669-0. $25. COOKERY
Verdict: Expertly seasoned with an acerbic sense of humor and served up with culinary insight, this book is highly recommended for public library collections.
Background: When award-winning British food journalist, culinary critic, and novelist Rayner began to doubt the value of his restaurant reviews, he decided to challenge himself by spending a year searching for the "perfect" dinner. He not only wanted to find a great meal, but he also hoped to test a few other culinary theories, including one that says globalization is ruining the art of cooking. From Los Angeles to Moscow to Tokyo, Rayner clocked up the frequent flyer miles as he ate in some of the most celebrated, Michelin-starred temples to haute cuisine as well as some truly remarkable (yet less famous) restaurants. His deliciously entertaining experiences with meals both exquisite and awful are a delight.—John Charles, Scottsdale P.L., AZ

Rev Run & Justine Simmons with Chris Morrow. Take Back Your Family: A Challenge to America’s Parents. Gotham: Penguin Group (USA). Aug. 2008. c.341p. ISBN 978-1-5924-0381-3. $25. CHILD REARING
Verdict: The authors manage to destroy the lip service they pay to love and cuddles by relating questionable parenting behavior (e.g., Justine’s screaming and Rev Run’s retaliatory destruction of his son’s PDA). Neil Bernstein and Brooke Lea Foster’s There When He Needs You: How To Be an Available, Involved, and Emotionally Connected Father to Your Son is a much better choice.
Background: What’s one-third of pioneering rap group Run DMC been up to since 1986’s "Walk this Way"? After his career peaked, Rev Run turned his attention to his wife and six kids, became a reverend in a much-criticized ministry, and landed an MTV reality show. As a team, Justine and Rev Run (God, Can You Hear Me?) write from palatial digs (with "an indoor basketball court, a recording studio, a movie room, a hot tub..."). There, while Rev Run reflects on his years of "drugs and drinking and running around," the two hypocritically and vaguely encourage readers to "take back" their families from materialistic and negative forces.—Douglas C. Lord, Connecticut State Lib., Hartford

Rock and Roll Cage Match: Music’s Greatest Rivalries, Decided. Three Rivers: Crown. Aug. 2008. c.288p. ed. by Sean Manning. illus. ISBN 978-0-307-39627-3. pap. $13.95. MUSIC
Verdict: This collection of original essays is a mix of reverently personal and laugh-out-loud funny takes on seminal figures of popular music. Humorous and provocative, it will be a welcome addition in any public or high school library.
Background: Manning, who previously edited the collection The Show I’ll Never Forget: 50 Writers Relive Their Most Memorable Concertgoing Experience, has produced an immensely entertaining book guaranteed to start more arguments than it settles. There are the obvious comparisons: former LA Weekly deputy editor Joe Donnelly weighs in on John Lennon vs. Paul McCartney, and music critic Jim DeRogatis tackles Blur vs. Oasis. Reverential additions include singer-songwriter Laura Cantrell on Patsy Cline vs. Kitty Wells and film editor and critic Dennis Lim on Ennio Morricone vs. Bernard Herrmann. And, finally, the downright bizarre competitions appear, too, as comedian Michael Showalter compares Hall & Oates to Simon & Garfunkel.—Bill Baars, Lake Oswego P.L., OR