Xpress Reviews—First Look at New Books

-- Library Journal, 7/29/2008 11:32:00 AM

The week of July 29, 2008

Fiction | Nonfiction

Fiction

Evison, Jonathan. All About Lulu. Soft Skull. 2008. c.344p. ISBN 978-1-59376-196-7. pap. $14.95. F
Verdict: Handled with humor and cleverness, Evison's absorbing debut follows a young man's growing up near L.A. and learning the truth about life, love, and his beautiful stepsister. Recommended for all collections.
Background: Will Miller is the son of larger-than-life Big Bill, a bodybuilder, committed carnivore, and former hippie who is clearly lacking in the parental skills department. When Will’s mother dies tragically, Big Bill marries his grief counselor, Willow, who moves into the all-male household with a daughter about Will’s age. Will and Lulu are very close until Lulu goes to cheerleading camp in Vermont and becomes distant and unresponsive. As Will works on a diary that details his love for Lulu, the narrative traces their lives from the preteen years through high school into college and early adulthood, with Lulu pursuing an ever more self-destructive lifestyle. When things come to a head, Will is finally filled in on Lulu’s story. Big Bill is a funny and strangely sympathetic character, as is Will, Bill’s polar opposite with his literary bent and vegetarian proclivities. The author has a good ear for the quirks of teenage speech and emotion.—Jim Coan, SUNY Coll. at Oneonta Lib.

Raisin, Ross. Out Backward. HarperPerennial. Jul. 2008. c.256p. ISBN 978-0-06-144875-1. pap. $13.95. F
Verdict: Raisin's heavy use of Yorkshire dialect contributes to this novel’s appeal, and the narrator is often quite funny. The themes of gentrification and displacement are relevant to city and rural dwellers alike. Recommended for public and academic libraries.
Background: The title of Raisin’s first novel refers to the way the narrator came into the world, and it’s his mother’s rationale for his behavior. Sam Marsdyke is a teenaged farmer in Yorkshire, England, whose life took a terrible downturn after a sexual incident in high school. Feared and hated by the community, he is treated as an outcast and condemned to an isolated life tending sheep on his dour father’s farm. At the same time, the Yorkshire countryside is being overrun by former city dwellers who have turned the local pub into a wine bar and the sheepdogs into house pets. When a family from London purchases a one-time farmhouse, the clash between town and country becomes a personal issue for Sam, and his friendship with the family’s daughter takes him down a tragic road.—Liorah Golomb, Wichita State Univ. Libs.

Nonfiction

Anderson, A. Flourishing with Food Allergies: Social, Emotional, and Practical Guidance for Families with Young Children. Papoose. Aug. 2008. c.363p. ISBN 978-0-615-18704-4. pap. $24.95. HEALTH
Verdict: Unfortunately, the rambling personal narratives overpower what there is in terms of valid information. A far better choice is Scott H. Sicherer’s Understanding and Managing Your Child’s Food Allergies.
Background: Up to two million children have food allergies and are at the greatest risk of suffering severe reactions (including death). Anderson’s family suffered a major upheaval when her sons were diagnosed with major reactions to dairy, eggs, and chicken. She details her family’s discovery process and the challenges in coping with a radical change in diet and in keeping her sons’ diets safe both in and out of the home. She includes stories from other parents, many in other countries, and provides some myths and facts about food allergies. Some theories about what has caused the apparent rise in food allergies, such as the use of pesticides, antibiotics, and genetically modified food, are voiced. Five interviews with clinicians are included. Anderson provides tips for managing children’s birthday parties, toddler activities, play dates, school, travel, and emergency situations. Some resources are listed.—Janet M. Schneider, James A. Haley Veterans’ Hosp., Tampa

Chapkis, Wendy & Richard J. Webb. Dying To Get High: Marijuana as Medicine. New York Univ. Aug. 2008. c.245p. index. ISBN 978-0-8147-166-3. $70; pap. ISBN 978-0-8147-1667-0. $22. MED
Verdict: The high price of the hardbound version is daunting, but public libraries will benefit from a current, additional viewpoint on this controversial topic. Academic libraries will also gain an interesting analysis of a successful volunteer-driven community. Recommended for all libraries.
Background: From the start, this book makes no secret of the authors' support for legalizing marijuana for medical use. Chapkis (sociology, Univ. Southern Maine) and Webb (communication studies, San Jose State Univ.) employ participant observation to study Wo/Men’s Alliance for Medical Marijuana (WAMM), a long-standing California cooperative. Emphasis here is on the human experience—extensive interviews provide a unique look at the day-to-day issues faced by chronic and terminally ill patients who find relief through the marijuana that is grown and distributed to them at no cost. WAMM’s history, philosophies, and relationship with local officials are also examined. While they do not claim to establish the scientific or medical efficacy of marijuana, the authors clarify many of the issues relating to medical marijuana and how it differs from recreational use.—Tina Neville, Univ. of South Florida at St. Petersburg Lib.

Gornick, Vivian. The Men in My Life. MIT. (Boston Review Bks.) Sept. 2008. c.224p. ISBN 978-0-262-07303-5. $14.95. LIT
Verdict: Critic Gornick is a vigorous and sophisticated thinker. These essays trenchantly explore the inner conflicts of the authors she telescopes, and illustrates how magnificent the literary yield of human frailty can be. Recommended for all academic collections and large public libraries.
Background: This excellent collection of eight critical essays pivots on a cast of male writers cited by Gornick (Fierce Attachments) for the way emotional "disability"—self-consciousness, depression, isolation—is borne out in each author’s work and contributes to an understanding of their social milieu. Among her subjects are literary luminaries H.G. Wells, V.S. Naipaul, Allen Ginsberg, and Randall Jarrell. In an essay on Victorian novelist George Gittings, Gornick brilliantly demonstrates how Gittings’s female characters personify the author’s self-defeating perceptions of his marginalized social status. Another essay on the poet and anthropologist Loren Eisley documents Eisley’s quest to come "up with all that he knew and all that he would not know, and offer it to the reader out of a hard-won understanding that to shape a piece of experience is to hold back the chaos."—Anne Garner, NYPL

Katz, Debra Lynne. Extraordinary Psychic: Proven Techniques To Master Your Natural Psychic Abilities. Llewellyn. Aug. 2008. c.432p. bibliog. ISBN 978-0-7387-1333-5. pap. $17.95. PARAPSYCH
Verdict: Katz's second book in a series on developing clairvoyant abilities extends the ideas found in her previous You Are Psychic. Best suited for followers of that book.
Background: Professional psychic Katz continues her promotion of the concept that everyone has psychic ability. Once again, she gives specific exercises to develop clairvoyance using (the unidentified Bostwick viewing method) symbols (usually a rose), grounding cords, and separation objects. Katz provides comprehensive information about dealing with unfriendly entities one might encounter during a reading, setting boundaries, psychic stage fight, or any number of potential impediments. This time out, she adds interesting tidbits about governmental remote-viewing programs begun as part of the Cold War, details how to do psychic surgery (as well as "regular" psychic healing), and in the final chapter encourages everyone to develop their psychic abilities as a way to beat back the nihilism of living in a world dominated by corporate greed. Whoa. Recommended for public libraries.—Janet Tapper, Western States Chiropractic Coll., Portland, OR

Mendez, Patricia. Easy Entertaining for Beginners: You Can Throw a Fabulous Party, from a Holiday Fiesta to a Romantic Evening for Two. Maple Heights. Aug. 2008. 176p. ISBN 978-0-9799564-0-9. pap. $16.95. HOME ECON
Verdict: Mendez’s book offers many confidence-building ideas for a bargain price. Recommended.
Background: Everyone loves a party, but everyone doesn’t love to host one. It’s not that a party in one’s own home is not appealing, but planning the guest list, the shopping list, and the decor can bring on hyperventilation. Mendez, who teaches cooking classes in California, has compiled 13 complete menus with checklists, time schedules, optional shortcuts, and more. The parties described here are not elaborate, but they are perfect for beginning hosts and hostesses. The easy-to-prepare recipes, though not especially unique, include colorful food and drinks with decorating and mood-setting tips to jump-start the theme. The celebrations offered consist of two children’s parties, those for large and small families, holiday parties, a cocktail party, and casual parties with friends. Party etiquette tips, pitfalls to avoid, and tips to ensure success are listed at the end of each chapter. Fifteen pages of color photos give readers a look at the finished product for many of the recipes.—Ann Weber, Bellarmine Coll. Preparatory Lib., San Jose, CA

Nimoy, Adam. My Incredibly Wonderful, Miserable Life: An Anti-Memoir. Pocket. Jul. 2008. c.304p. photogs. ISBN 978-1-4165-7257-2. $23. AUTOBIOG
Verdict: Star Trek fans will want to know more about growing up the son of Spock, but this isn’t about the iconic actor or the TV show that made him famous. Recommended for those interested in reading about a middle-aged man’s redemption and regrets.
Background: For Adam Nimoy, growing up the son of Star Trek actor Leonard Nimoy was a blessing and a curse. His "anti-memoir" reveals his druggy, passed-out-in-his-own-vomit days when Spock was out of town on a press junket. His failed marriage and how he raised two teenagers alone sober unfold in the AA meetings he attends.—Shin Freedman, Framingham State Coll., MA

Prevention Magazine Eds. Prevention Fiber Up Slim Down Cookbook: A Four-Week Plan To Cut Cravings and Lose Weight. Rodale. Aug. 2008. c.384p. photogs. index. ISBN 978-1-59486-801-6. $21.95. COOKERY
Verdict: This cookbook introduces a feasible weight-loss plan that focuses on fiber-rich foods. For most culinary collections.
Background: The beginning chapters outline the plan and provide a medical overview of the body’s use of fiber. The over 200 recipes are divided into five parts: "Breakfast," "Snacks," "Lunch," "Dinner," and "Bonus Eating." Another chapter provides daily menus that use the recipes (as well as other suggested foods) and includes a nutritional daily summary. While the recipes are designed to increase the amount of fiber the average American eats, they are not dull. For those who often skip breakfast, a number of easy-to-make and take options are provided. The lunches range from easy sandwiches (such as the California Club) to robust salads and soups (including an old favorite, Pasta Fagioli). Dinner might include Lemony Chicken and Olive Tagine or Spicy Beef Baked Penne.—Deborah Lee, Mississippi State Univ. Libs., Starkville

Ramos, Jorge. The Gift of Time: Letters from a Father. Morrow. 2008. 208p. tr. from Spanish by Ezra Fitz. ISBN 978-0-06-135310-9. $14.95. SOC SCI
Verdict: While writing about issues at the forefront for many—including the devastation and hopelessness of war and this country’s teeter-totter immigration policy—Ramos also offers advice on family dynamics, love, separation, and growing up. An affecting work; recommended for public and academic library collections.
Background: Award-winning journalist, longtime Hispanic TV anchorman, and best-selling author Ramos (Dying To Cross: The Worst Immigrant Tragedy in American History) collects 15 letters written to his two children, in which he discusses issues of global scale. Drawing from his experience covering wars and terrorist attacks, his history as a Mexican immigrant fleeing media censorship, and the trials and tribulations of day-to-day life, Ramos offers up sound advice for Paola, Nicolás, and millions of his fans worldwide.—Erin E. Dorney, Rochester, NY

Reardon, Joan. M.F.K. Fisher Among the Pots and Pans: Celebrating Her Kitchens. Univ. of California. Jul. 2008. 182p. illus. ISBN 978-0-520-25555-5. $24.95. COOKERY
Verdict: Recommended for larger public libraries and universities or special collections.
Background: Reardon’s (Poet of the Appetites: The Lives and Loves of M.F.K. Fisher) latest work marks the centennial of the birth of a culinary icon. This deftly told biography focuses on M.F.K. Fisher the cook and reveals the origins of her awareness of the power and pleasure of food. From her first kitchen in France, a tiny but bright five-by-three-foot room, to Last House, where the main room served as a kitchen, dining room, and den, Fisher allowed the places she cooked in to inspire the food she prepared. Many years living in the south of France created a natural affinity for simplicity, and Fisher would often build meals around one vegetable, rounded out with fresh, local bread, cheese, and wine. Recipes mentioned in the text close each chapter, over 25 in all, including Hindu Eggs (a childhood disaster she revisited as an adult), Summer Savory Soup, Vevey Market Mushrooms, and Quail Ragout. Also included are 18 photographs from the family’s private collection and 24 watercolor illustrations commissioned for the book.—Rosemarie Lewis, Broward Cty. Public Schs., Fort Lauderdale, FL

Salamon, Julie. Hospital: Man, Woman, Birth, Death, Plus Red Tape, Bad Behavior, Money, Greed, and Diversity on Steroids. Penguin. 2008. c.355p. index. ISBN 978-1-59420-171-4. $25.95. MED
Verdict: Though the main focus seems to be Maimonides Medical Center's new cancer center, Salamon frequently ambles off course and does not draw strong conclusions. This book would be of strongest interest to those involved in large, urban health systems. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 1/08.]
Background: Salamon, journalist and best-selling author of The Devil's Candy, here investigates the labyrinthine and diverse world of Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn, NY, drawing on a year of unprecedented access to that hospital. Salamon interviewed people throughout the hospital’s medical, nursing, and administrative divisions, as well patients, families, and community leaders. From these interviews, she develops a complex and rich narrative, mixing vignettes, personal portraits, and reporting. Though compelling, the narrative suffers strains similar to those of the hospital: its complexity overwhelms its intentions. The book has 69 individuals identified in the cast of characters and has ten concepts for a subtitle.—Bridget Faricy-Beredo, Cuyahoga Community Coll., Cleveland