Good biographies of Daniel Boone abound, the recent ones being Michael Lofaro's Daniel Boone: An American Life and Robert Morgan's Boone: A Biography, so Brown, a lawyer whose ancestors knew Boone quite well, sees no need to tread familiar biographical territory. Instead, he explores Boone's role in transforming the United States from a collection of English Colonies on the Atlantic seaboard to a young republic that stretched to the Rocky Mountains and how Boone illustrates the fluidity and conflicting loyalties of the frontier. As part of this exploration, Brown examines Boone's complex relationships with American Indians and looks at Boone's work as a surveyor, pronouncing him competent, and showing how conflicting land claims and surveys made it almost impossible for Boone to realize anything but trouble from the land he acquired in Kentucky. By taking a different approach to Boone and carefully basing his judgments on primary sources, Brown has produced a well-written book that nicely complements the earlier biographies. Thus it belongs in most academic and public libraries.—Stephen H. Peters, Northern Michigan Univ. Lib., Marquette

Draitser's (Russian, Hunter Coll.; Making War, Not Love: Gender and Sexuality in Russian Humor) Soviet childhood in his mid-20th-century Odessa community was heavily influenced by the harsh realities of rampant anti-Semitism and the resulting struggles of his family to preserve their religious and cultural heritage under repressive conditions. In this minutely observed and evocatively written memoir, he skillfully draws on the often compelling life stories of his grandparents and other relatives to weave a sprawling tale that ably depicts the harrowing history of Jews in Soviet-controlled Ukraine. With touches of humor and remembering his precocious earlier self, Draitser analyzes his growing boyhood awareness of his Jewish identity and his difficult struggles to come to terms with his place in a Soviet society where to have a Jewish name or to speak Yiddish was to become a target of ridicule. With a few overly cerebral and dense historical and linguistic tangents, this work will likely appeal most to serious readers or scholars interested in Soviet or Jewish history. Recommended for larger public and academic libraries.—Ingrid Levin, Salve Regina Univ. Lib., Newport, RI

Umrigar's fictional works (Bombay Time; The Space Between Us; If Today Be Sweet) evoke nostalgia for a particular moment in India: the postcolonial but still preliberalization 1960s and 1970s, the period of Umrigar's childhood in Bombay. Persuasively re-creating voices and scenes, this memoir (first published in India in 2004) could almost be read as another novel. Umrigar builds a literary bridge between personal and historical truths. As she traces her over-the-top Parsi family life, complete with sadistic mother and Anglophile convent school against the backdrop of Bob Dylan ("the biggest influence on my life") and disillusionment, Umrigar is narrating not just her personal heartache but also that of a global middle-class cohort. American readers may not understand the Indian political context, but the underlying chords in this story about growing up and going away will certainly resonate. Recommended for all large public libraries as well as academic libraries that collect women's memoirs.—Lisa Klopfer, Eastern Michigan Univ. Lib., Ypsilanti

Zellner's memoir focuses on his experiences as a civil rights activist from 1960 to 1967. He tells a story that is sometimes horrific, always interesting, and ultimately inspirational about a white Southerner's commitment to racial justice. Born and raised in the Deep South, Zellner was profoundly influenced by his father, a Methodist minister who rejected his own Ku Klux Klan ties and encouraged his son in his growing interest in the civil rights movement. In the 1960s, Zellner became a member and ultimately a field secretary of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and participated in numerous demonstrations attacking racial discrimination. He was arrested, jailed, beaten—often savagely—shot at by police, and almost killed. Yet he remained committed to the cause of racial justice and the organizing needed to achieve it. In 1967, he and his activist wife, Dottie, were kicked out of SNCC owing to a decision to remove all whites from the organization, which he understood but was saddened by. Written with Curry (Silver Rights: The Story of the Carter Family's Brace Decision To Send Their Children to an All-White School and Claim Their Civil Rights), this powerful portrait of a courageous man is highly recommended for all but the smallest libraries.—Anthony O. Edmonds, Ball State Univ., Muncie, IN

Ellis, an author and former financial consultant, tells the story of how Goldman Sachs evolved from a sole proprietorship in the 1870s to today's global financial juggernaut. He works in profiles of dozens of the company's leaders, humorous anecdotes, and riveting details of financial crises. He tells how the firm has managed to meld teamwork with competition, a caring culture with high work standards, and making a profit with upholding its reputation. Always focused on recruiting the best people, Goldman Sachs, he explains, has used its intellectual capital to find and exploit widely divergent financial opportunities. From investment banking to arbitrage, from asset management to proprietary trading, it has cultivated success. While Ellis does not ignore some of the firm's unsavory episodes (e.g., insider trading accusations or its dalliance with the late master manipulator Robert Maxwell), he presents the accomplishments of Goldman Sachs as generally praiseworthy. His work is both an insightful company history and an enlightening view of the financial services industry. It is essential for all academic and larger public library business collections.—Lawrence Maxted, Gannon Univ., Erie, PA

Former attorney Gregory sent questionnaires to more than 750 individuals in his quest to provide "real-world insight" on a wide variety of careers in health care, engineering, law, education, sales, and more. The result is an extremely readable guide, with chapters detailing the history, educational requirements, and salaries for specific jobs. The real genius of the book is the verbatim inclusion of survey responses to questions such as "Would you do it all over again?" The respondents' words help paint a vivid picture of each profession, and, as several responses to each question are provided, the bigger picture emerges as it seldom does in career guides. Although the list of careers covered seems random (doctors are not included because the author found doctors so busy "they rarely had time to participate"), the 24 job titles that are listed are fully explored. Gregory has compiled an invaluable resource combining tangible and intangible information about the wider work world. Highly recommended for all public libraries and secondary school libraries.—Sarah Statz Cords, Madison P.L., WI

Kusnet (Speaking American), former head speechwriter for President Clinton, examines employee unhappiness by discussing strikes at Boeing, Microsoft, and Northwest Hospital during the mid-1990s. Kusnet's position is that when it comes to job satisfaction, we Americans are "closely divided within ourselves." He uses the strikes to illustrate that while many love their work, they've become resentful of their treatment. He provides overviews of growing dissatisfaction, strikes, and resolutions, with plenty of quotations from involved parties. Unfortunately, he includes no examples of change effected by means other than a union, so nonunion workers looking for suggestions here will be disappointed. Still, the writing is accessible, the subject timely, and there's not much published about the labor situations at Boeing and Microsoft. Libraries with a strong organized labor collection would be well served by adding this title.—Brian Walton, Tampa-Hillsborough P.L., Tampa, FL

Mahajan (McCombs Sch. of Business, Univ. of Texas, Austin) here revisits The 86 Percent Solution: How To Succeed in the Biggest Marketing Opportunity of the 21st Century, a book he coauthored with Kamini Banga, advocating that there is a ripe market in the 86 percent of the earth's population located in the Third World, a demographic largely ignored by modern companies. Now he specifically addresses Africa, noting that there are 900 million potential consumers who fall into two broad groups. The "Black Diamond" group consists of 500 million Africans who are newly at or near a middle-class income. The other group is made up of the destitute who, the author points out, must still buy staples like rice, soap, and cooking oil. The first group is ready for traditional consumer purchases such as televisions, refrigerators, and automobiles. The second is primed to have small profits leveraged through modern organization and distribution methods. The author concludes that Africa today is where China and India, now attractive markets, were 20 years ago. Unfortunately, Mahajan relies primarily on anecdotal evidence, asking the reader to accept inductive leaps that aren't clearly supported by the text. Possibly appropriate for institutions with large undergraduate marketing programs.—Robert Perret, Southwestern Coll. Lib., Winfield, KS

"Never, never ever give up" is the underlying theme of this account by one of the founders of McArthurGlen Europe. He writes of introducing the American concept of a cut-price designer fashion outlet to Europe. Murphy began this business in 1992 and along the way encountered many hurdles, including the French prime minister declaring a moratorium on all new retail development, delays in getting the venture off the ground, and dealing with extortion attempts in France. Murphy also discusses the intriguing people he met, such as members of the British royal family, describing a rather harrowing account of the queen's visit to McArthurGlen in England. His entertaining and fascinating story illustrates the pitfalls and rewards of building a highly successful enterprise in Europe. Murphy advises would-be American entrepreneurs in an international setting to "bring your American optimism with you, bring your drive, bring your 'can-do' attitude, but leave your hubris behind. Stick to your principles but put them in context." Highly recommended to both academic and public libraries.—Lucy Heckman, St. John's Univ. Lib., Jamaica, NY

Information Technology (IT) refers to the people, processes, hardware, and software that determine the flow of information within an organization. Companies today can achieve competitive advantages only by ensuring that their IT strategies align with their overall business strategies and propel their businesses forward. The task of formulating technology plans is a complex endeavor, however, and it is further complicated by the tendency of ineffective IT strategies, including badly timed implementations, to jeopardize current and future income and opportunities and hamper the viability of new entrepreneurships. Rhoads (business, Kutztown Univ.), president and CEO of a technology consulting firm, uses stories from her experiences and quirky language—e.g., "pounce like a panther," "the hedgehog concept," and the "bleeding edge"—to stress the importance of executives continually reexamining their IT strategies, and she provides them with practical guidance and methods to minimize risks and maximize benefits. This book is an essential read for business professionals at all levels and can be used as a textbook alternative for an introduction to the management of technology in academic business programs.—Caroline Geck, MLS, MBA, Somerset, NJ

Stross ("Digital Domain" columnist, New York Times; The Wizard of Menlo Park: How Thomas Alva Edison Invented the Modern World) here gives us an outstanding business history of Google from its humble beginnings through the dot-com era to current times. Although the term Google often elicits good vibes from individuals of all ages, genders, and lifestyles worldwide, Stross shows how Google's current goals are not entirely altruistic. In fact, Google is a formidable business enterprise that uses its vast advertising revenues to achieve market share and to attain advantage over competitors, such as Facebook, Yahoo!, and Microsoft. Google's underlying strength lies in the proprietary software algorithm behind its search engine that becomes smarter when users click to web page results. Google is venturing in many new directions to accomplish the founders' goal of organizing the planet's information, but its initiatives are usually hit or miss, and its current emphasis is on automated processes that are easily "scalable" rather than investments that rely on human capital. Stross explains all of this in a balanced portrait, including criticisms concerning copyright, privacy, and other ethical issues. Therefore, his book is recommended for all business collections, both public and academic.—Caroline Geck, MLS, MBA, Somerset, NJ

In his engaging memoir, Martin (history, emeritus, former president, Randolph-Macon Coll.) examines a number of experiences uncommon to 61-year-old college presidents. On a sabbatical after horrific treatments for cancer, he enrolled as a freshman at St. John's College in Maryland, studied classics, joined the crew team, prepared for a major race, and learned to connect with his 18-year-old classmates. He notes the follies of the students, as well as his own, and offers perceptive and affectionate insights into the challenges of growing up in today's complicated world. Education is his profession, and as he carefully observes the impact of the Great Books curriculum at St. John's, he sees the relevance of the Greek classics to our own time, from family relations, to the arrogance of leaders in wartime, to the value of truth and justice. He reaffirms his conviction that the liberal arts and sciences, with their emphasis on learning how to reason logically and morally, to think analytically, and to live as good citizens, are the most effective preparation for life as well as for multiple careers. In leaving his comfortable life as a successful college president, he shows that it is possible even in one's sixties to learn something new and to envision the future. Highly recommended for general libraries.—Elizabeth R. Hayford, Evanston, IL

The Millmans, financial journalists and homeschooling parents to six children, share their story and their ideas in this education memoir. They begin by describing their experiences with traditional schools and their reasons for opting for homeschooling. Then they detail their evolving theories of family, education, and learning from the past two decades. This philosophical journey will be especially interesting to readers with little exposure to homeschooling, as it explores the myriad styles, groups, and structures of homeschoolers—and shows that such a self-organized and unregulated world can offer success to students. Homeschooling families will appreciate the chapter about college admissions, which includes tips from admissions officers about perceptions of homeschoolers within admissions offices and college faculties. The Millmans also offer their own extensive admissions advice, based on their experiences of sending their three daughters to college. Some readers may take offense at parts of this work, e.g., the strong opposition to traditional schools and the attempts to debunk stereotypes by devaluing the religious doctrines and rigid structures that some homeschooling families consider essential. Recommended for larger public libraries.—Erica L. Foley, Clinton-Macomb P.L., Clinton Twp., MI

In a book timed to coincide with the 70th anniversary of Kristallnacht, Bard (director, Jewish Virtual Lib.) interweaves a variety of survivor oral histories into a unique perspective on that tragic event—unique in that the overwhelming majority of these accounts are from people who were teens or preteens in 1938. Telling the story from a child's perspective makes for compelling reading, and Bard's main strength is letting the victims speak with minimal contextual information. This is also one of the book's weaknesses, however, for the transition from Bard's historical context into the survivor accounts does not always flow smoothly. It is also not clear if the intended audience is young adults or general readers because of the sometimes too simplistic context. When discussing the U.S. response to Kristallnacht and Nazism, for example, he acknowledges the role of anti-Semitism and the Great Depression in restricting U.S. immigration, remarking that FDR "could have done far more." Since the issue of FDR's role is subject to intense, polemical debate today, Bard should have acknowledged the controversial nature of the issues. Recommended for school libraries and some specialized collections.—Frederic Krome, Univ. of Cincinnati Clermont Coll.

Chen's memoir, by turns lovely and dismaying, intertwines family and Chinese history from the early 1900s to today. While it ranges over its time period in the same way as Jung Chang's Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China, Chen introduces a different cast of remarkable personalities and a different balance of sympathy and blame for China's long revolution. Chen came from a prosperous Shanghai family, but in 1950 she rebelled against them to go to the countryside in a land reform work team, an experience she described almost 30 years ago in her "autobiographical novel," The Dragon's Village. Her future husband, Jack Chen, was welcomed back from abroad by Mao's new government because of the contributions of his father, Eugene Chen, a Chinese from Trinidad who became Sun Yat-sen's foreign minister in the 1920s. The love she and her husband developed and how they navigated the political rapids in the Cultural Revolution are only the last episodes in her inside view of China's revolution as experienced by a family of striking and influential personalities. Recommended for public libraries and research libraries with collections on China.—Charles W. Hayford, Northwestern Univ., Evanston, IL

Fromkin (international relations, history & law, Boston Univ.; Europe's Last Summer: Who Started the Great War in 1914?) is exceptionally well qualified to tell the story of Theodore Roosevelt and King Edward VII, who both came into positions of power in 1901, albeit with a difference. As Americans tend to confuse their presidents and get absolutely lost among British monarchs, Fromkin first provides readers with the essential Victorian background. In large part because of Victoria's dominance as the longest-serving British monarch, her oldest son, the future Edward VII, became an aging playboy. Yet he was a playboy with a serious side, more open to the world than his mother, ultimately emerging as a "people's king." Fromkin argues that both Roosevelt and Edward were in part "self-invented" characters who ultimately came to share world views. The bad guy in this narrative is the future Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany, Edward's nephew. Born with a withered arm, he has long been described as trying to make up for that with other expressions of power. Fromkin brings to light the Morocco Crisis of 1905–06 to show, ironically, that it was a prudish president and a playboy king who joined forces then and effectively established an alliance against Germany. A joy to read, this book will appeal to Roosevelt and royalist readers alike. Highly recommended for general and academic libraries. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 5/15/08.]—William D. Pederson, Louisiana State Univ., Shreveport

Equal parts company history, family history, and country history, this is a history of Cuba as filtered through a tall rum and Coke. Gjelten, a noted NPR correspondent, follows the Bacardi family tree back to Facundo Bacardi, who started the rum business in 1862. From there the tumultuous stories of Cuba and Bacardi are intertwined, through the Cuban revolution in 1868, the Spanish American War in 1898, Prohibition in the United States in the 1920s, Batista's coup in 1952, and finally Fidel Castro's takeover in 1958. After the Bay of Pigs in 1961, Bacardi property in Cuba was seized and production was moved to Mexico and other locations. The all-important Bacardi trademark stayed with the family, enabling them to use brand leverage to strengthen U.S. and European sales and thus make up for their loss of income and property in Cuba. By 1983, Bacardi accounted for two-thirds of the world's rum sales. With the passing of power from Fidel, Bacardi may yet return to its homeland. Overall, Gjelten has concocted an interesting combination of corporate and political history. Purchase where there is interest.—Susan Hurst, Miami Univ. of Ohio Libs., Oxford

This multigenerational saga traces mixed-race bloodlines that American history has long refused fully to acknowledge. Blending biography, genealogy, and history, Gordon-Reed (history, Rutgers Univ.; law, New York Law Sch.; Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings: An American Controversy) brings to life the family from which Sally Hemings (1773–1835) came and the family that she and Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826) created. Sally bore five surviving children for the man who penned the Declaration of Independence and later became the new nation's third president. In a three-part, 30-chapter tour de force through voluminous primary and secondary sources, including Jefferson family correspondence, Gordon-Reed reconstructs not simply the private life and estate of an American demigod but reveals much of the characteristic structure and style of early Virginia society and the slavery that made possible much of the Old Dominion's position and pleasure. Moreover, she ushers forth slaves from the usual shadows of historical obscurity to show them as individuals and families with multifaceted lives. This is a masterpiece brimming with decades of dedicated research and dexterous writing. It is essential for any collection on U.S. history, Colonial America, Virginia, slavery, or miscegenation. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 5/1/08.]—Thomas J. Davis, Arizona State Univ., Tempe, AZ

In three generations, the Borgia family earned a notoriety that shows no sign of waning after 500 years. Popular and prolific historian Hibbert (The Days of the French Revolution) follows Spaniard Rodrigo Borgia (1431–1503) who, starting as vice chancellor of the Holy See to his uncle, Pope Calixtus III, rose through the ranks of papal offices to become the nepotistic Pope Alexander VI, who legitimized his mistress's children to share with them his papal power, most prominently the promiscuous Lucrezia and her syphilitic brother Cesare, the model for Machiavelli's The Prince. For the Borgias, family loyalty outweighed allegiance to church or state. Hibbert's Borgias live up to their reputation for murder, rape, adultery, and greed. At the death of Alexander, the Borgias ceased to play a role of significance; Italy was glad to be rid of them. Readers expecting a larger discussion of Renaissance morality or the Borgia's impact on the Reformation will not find it in this straightforward, carefully researched narrative. But Hibbert's unsensationalized account of sensational material makes a fascinating read. Recommended for all public and college libraries.—Stewart Desmond, Madison Square Park Conservancy, New York

On April 30, 1871, a group made up of Arizona civilians, Tohono O'odham, and Mexicans slaughtered approximately 150 sleeping Apache, most of whom were women and children. Through this atrocity, dubbed the Camp Grant Massacre, Jacoby (history, Brown Univ.; Crimes Against Nature: Squatters, Poachers, Thieves, and the Hidden History of American Conservation) explores the role of violence in shaping the settlement of the southwestern portion of the present-day United States. He traces the history of the four groups involved in the massacre to show how both real and perceived grievances against the Apache led such ethnically and culturally diverse peoples as Americans, Mexicans, and Tohono O'odham to set aside their differences and turn to unmitigated barbarity. This deftly constructed historical work demonstrates that what appears to have been a minor event can in fact illuminate important historical truths that should not be forgotten. Jacoby's superbly researched monograph is highly recommended for public and academic libraries.—John Burch, Campbellsville Univ. Lib., KY

Jardine's latest isn't as much about the English plundering of the Dutch as it is about both countries' development of common tastes and interests over the course of the tumultuous 17th century. Jardine (Centenary Professor of Renaissance Studies, Queen Mary, Univ. of London; The Awful End of Prince William the Silent) first deals with the Glorious Revolution of 1688, when Dutch William of Orange ousted James II of England, forcing him into permanent exile and becoming King William III of England (of William and Mary). The rest of this engaging book—and very good history it is—examines the web of connections that brought together and reinforced a common Anglo-Dutch high culture—in the arts, music, architecture, landscaping and gardening, and science—in countries united by religion but still warring over empire. In the rich cultural dialog that preceded the Glorious Revolution, the key Dutch figure for more than 50 years was Constantijn Huygens, adviser to the stadtholders, diplomat and distinguished patron of the arts. When he died in 1687, his son Constantijn Jr. succeeded him as William III's adviser. Another of his sons, Christiaan, was a distinguished scientist. Jardine understands and appreciates her sources, and she writes exceptionally lively history. A pleasure to read, this book is enthusiastically recommended for large public collections and all academic libraries.—David Keymer, Modesto, CA

Chatterton and Kohler, the two wreck explorers introduced in Robert Kurson's Shadow Divers, became interested in the few remaining questions about the Titanic's sinking. Beyond the well-known story, controversy over the exact details remains, e.g., whether the ship sank in one piece or two and why it went down so fast. These intrepid divers rented a Russian ship with two deep-diving minisubs and found a couple of large pieces of the hull, previously unnoticed. From the torn steel, they arrived at some conclusions that added modestly to the generally accepted story, mainly regarding the flexing of the hull and the expansion joints. To confirm their suspicions, they then dove on one of the Titanic's two sister ships, the Britannic, which was sunk by a mine in World War I. Matsen (Descent: The Heroic Discovery of the Abyss) incorporates much intimate detail about the builders of the ship, reconstructing conversations from 1912 via secondary sources. Dedicated Titanic enthusiasts will be interested, but only libraries with extensive marine collections need consider. [A film adaptation of Shadow Divers is in the works for a 2009 release; see Prepub Alert, LJ 6/15/08.]—Edwin B. Burgess, U.S. Army Combined Arms Research Lib., Fort Leavenworth, KS

Historian and noted Andrew Jackson biographer Remini (history & humanities, emeritus, Univ. of Illinois, Chicago; historian, U.S. House of Representatives) provides the entire story of the United States, from the earliest migrations to the current day, in an accessible but brief narrative. The book covers no new historical ground, and historians will likely lament the lack of notes and a bibliography. Remini only provides "suggested readings" that curiously lack much recent historical scholarship, especially social histories. Where Remini excels is in his relation of the past to our present, e.g., his allusion to John Adams's admonishment to avoid going "abroad in search of monsters to destroy" in reference to the current situation in Iraq. This work will not replace existing U.S. history textbooks or narratives, but for readers in search of a refresher course outside of the classroom, Remini provides the essential facts in an easy-to-read manner. It is hoped that the advance reading copy's more than usual number of typographical errors will be corrected in the finished book. Suitable for public libraries.—Mike Miller, Austin P.L., TX

Roberts, an avid mountain climber and chronicler of epic adventures (On the Ridge Between Life and Death) dissects the events that precipitated the journeying of Mormon pioneers to Utah, between 1856 and 1860, lugging their goods in fragile handcarts, a process that resulted in multiple catastrophes along the Mormon Trail. Through letters, articles, and diary entries, Roberts makes a strong case for his argument, assigning responsibility for the handcarts on Brigham Young himself. Roberts spends an inordinate number of pages on the minutiae of Mormon church history and his own retracing of the pioneers' overland voyage in order to understand the hardships. However, his vivid prose truly brings to life the dangers and deprivations these immigrants suffered along their perilous cross-country trek. Though this is not a scholarly work, its extensive bibliography lends credence to Roberts's research. Yet several other works have been penned on the handcart scheme, e.g., LeRoy R. Hafen and Anne W. Hafen's Handcarts to Zion, so the sole addition to the discussion here is assigning blame for the tragedy to Brigham Young. Recommended mainly for public libraries or any library that has a comprehensive collection on pioneer or Mormon history.—Crystal Goldman, Univ. of Utah Lib., Salt Lake City

Rudel (Classical Music Top 40), past programmer and now consultant for radio networks, effectively presents the lives of the diverse pioneers of radio from the Teens, Twenties, and Thirties. For several decades, the culturally transformative medium of the radio was the only source for the very latest updates on politics and sports (thus arguably the prototype for 24/7 TV and the Internet) and was also the most accessible medium for drama, comedy, music, and advertising. Tracing radio's evolution from the telegraph to wireless's broadcast communication, Rudel asserts that American radio blossomed owing to the relatively light governmental regulation of Commerce Secretary Herbert Hoover. Arranged around such figures as Aimee Semple McPherson, Father Charles Coughlin, crooner Rudy Vallee (who inaugurated radio's variety format), and the quack Dr. John Brinkley—not to mention David Sarnoff of RCA, Sam "Roxy" Rothafel (whose radio column is the source of this book's title), and a panoply of players from the golden age of sports—Rudel's book is an enjoyable read, benefiting from the author's extensive use of newspaper columns and a bibliography incorporating both web and print sources. While illustrations of some of the colorful radio pioneers would have further enhanced the text, the book will appeal to pop culture enthusiasts and is recommended for all public libraries.—Frederick J. Augustyn Jr., Library of Congress

Anthony "Gaspipe" Casso, head of the Lucchese crime family, was one of the last "old-school" Mafiosi. A shrewd businessman, a gifted thief, and an ice-cold killer, he controlled a loyal army and a group of dirty cops and FBI agents—he called them his "crystal ball" because they gave him advance notice of raids and arrests. But after he himself was arrested in 1993, he rocked the law enforcement world by turning informant. Crime author Carlo (The Ice Man) lived next door to the Casso family in Brooklyn as a boy. From prison where he is serving multiple life sentences, Casso has told Carlo his life story, revealing details never divulged before. Carlo paints this feared and revered Mafia boss in a generous light, emphasizing his roles as loving husband, devoted father, and generous and trustworthy friend over those of ruthless mob boss. The writing is workmanlike at best, rife with clichés and occasionally repetitive. However, because the story is enthralling and constitutes an important record of the last days of the great Mafia families, this book is essential for public libraries. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 3/15/08.]—Deirdre Bray Root, Middletown P.L.

John Marshall shaped the Supreme Court from its beginnings as a lawyer during Virginia's constitutional ratification process and later as its chief justice on the power of judicial review. Goldstone (Dark Bargain: Slavery, Profits, and the Struggle for the Constitution) proposes that the "myth" of judicial review is that it is not spelled out anywhere in the Constitution, yet the concept has been embraced by strict constructionalists who interpret the law based solely on the Constitution's text. Goldstone says that Marshall's decision in Marbury v. Madison, obliging the Jefferson administration to deliver the previous president's judicial appointment to William Marbury, enhanced the court's power by giving it the authority to say what the law is, an essential function of the courts. Goldstone builds suspense by beginning with the furious 1787 Constitutional Convention debates over the court's jurisdiction and power. He continues with the political battles that marked the beginning of the Supreme Court and ends with the events leading up to Marbury v. Madison. He lays out a remarkably detailed history and argument in favor of Marshall's decision, which set the precedent for judicial review. This is an excellent book on a complex subject. Recommended for all libraries.—Becky Kennedy, Atlanta-Fulton P.L., Atlanta

In the case of Hamdan v. Rumsfeld (2006), the Supreme Court ruled that military tribunals established by the U.S. government to try its Guantánamo Bay detainees were unconstitutional. Mahler (New York Times magazine; Ladies and Gentlemen, The Bronx Is Burning) bases this book largely on interviews with the two principal defense attorneys, Neal Katyal, a Georgetown University constitutional law professor, and Charles Swift, of the U.S. Navy's Judge Advocate General's Corps. Mahler does an excellent job of presenting the complex legal issues surrounding the case in a highly readable manner, but at the book's heart are his characterizations of Katyal and Swift and their relationship with each another, with their families, with the military, and with their client, Salim Hamdan, a Yemeni man captured in 2001, as they worked passionately, and against high odds, to win the case. While the book is a great read, its impact may be diluted because the further fate of the military tribunals, and of Hamdan himself, remains unclear, matters of decision in subsequent litigation. Highly recommended for all law, public, and academic libraries. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 4/15/08.]—Bob Nardini, Nashville

Tribe (constitutional law, Harvard) a leading constitutional scholar, carefully argues that the text of the Constitution is silent on many of the most fundamental questions of constitutional law. He argues that these questions are addressed through underlying principles that create an "invisible constitution." He shows that these principles apply to a range of topics from the earliest constitutional interpretation to present controversies. Tribe defines the terrain of the invisible Constitution by exploring beyond the document's text and offering a half-dozen models to determine this "invisible" architecture. It is this architecture that provides the rationale for including foundational principles behind the written text when arriving at new interpretations of constitutional meaning. Tribe argues that these foundational principles create strong bonds that underlie the textual guarantees, which lead to answers on relevant questions that the written Constitution cannot provide. His original views here are carefully distinguished from the ideas of an "unwritten Constitution." His provocative analysis and arguments will challenge readers' understanding of constitutional provisions. Strongly recommended for all academic libraries.—Steven Puro, St. Louis Univ., MO

Part adventure travelog and part historical narrative, this book chronicles Daily Telegraph correspondent Butcher's intrepid journey across the heart of the Congo. As the Telegraph's African bureau chief, Butcher sought to appease his growing obsession with this troubled African nation by retracing H.M. Stanley's famous 1874 mapping expedition of the Congo River. Thus ensued an amazing 44-day adventure through some of the Congo's most dangerous regions, many untraveled in decades. Thankfully, the text offers more than just a solitary explorer's romp and reflection through Africa. Although at times caught up in his personal struggles with loneliness, disease, and fatigue, Butcher does manage to accomplish a greater good. He shares the stories of ordinary people, aid workers, and missionaries all desperately trying to subsist in a country lacking the fundamentals of law and order. It is in these moments that his book shines. What Butcher's tale lacks in political analysis is redeemed by the honesty of his writing and his genuine attempt to bring international interest to the Congo and the struggles of its citizens. Recommended for large public libraries and academic libraries with African studies, geography, or travel collections.—Veronica Arellano, Univ. of Houston Libs., TX

Most of the books spawned by the U.S. invasion of Iraq have focused on political developments, policy, and military experiences in the process of invading and then stabilizing that country. This highly readable book by the Wall Street Journal's deputy bureau chief for the Middle East and Africa delves into the war's impact on the daily life of ordinary Iraqis. Fassihi, an Iranian American, goes beyond the megaheadlines and sterile discussion so prevalent in much reporting about Iraq and brings to life the trials and tribulations that the Iraqi people endure every day, showing that they are the unsung heroes of the calamitous conflict. Fassihi's reporting is informed by meaningful interactions with Iraqis and her keen personal observations on the impact of the continuing occupation of that country. An additional interesting feature is the author's September 2004 email to her family and friends, later distributed widely by various bloggers, in which Fassihi vividly explains the deteriorating conditions in Iraq and the dangers faced by journalists covering the war. Recommended for all public libraries.—Nader Entessar, Univ. of South Alabama, Mobile

Since the end of the Cold War, China has replaced Russia as America's number one intelligence threat, leading in 1998 to the formation of the Congressional Select Committee on U.S. National Security and Military/Commercial Concerns with the People's Republic of China. Hoffman, who served on the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, tells the story of Larry Wu-Tai Chin (1918–86), who spent over 30 years working as a translator for the CIA in China, passing along to the People's Republic many items of political and military value that were supposedly read at the top levels in Beijing. The really interesting parts of this tale are the operational details, the story of the secret dance leading up to Nixon's playing the China card, and the probable damage that was done to American agents in the PRC. Chin was a successful spy because he was patient and attentive to detail—as well as lucky, until he was arrested in the mid-1980s during a string of spy scandals. He committed suicide after being convicted in February 1986. This easy-to-read book is suitable for the historical espionage collections of public and academic libraries. With end notes and a bibliography; photos would have been a nice addition. (Index not seen.)—Daniel K. Blewett, Coll. of DuPage Lib., Glen Ellyn, IL

Will the United States be attacked with nuclear weapons? If you're looking for a definitive answer, you won't find it here. Jenkins (RAND Corp.; Unconquerable Nation; Countering al Qaeda), an expert on terrorism, focuses here on nuclear terror. Nuclear terrorism is about events; it is about possibilities and fear. Although abstract, it has an impact on policymakers' views. After covering standard terrorism topics like history and motives, Jenkins does something distinct: he introduces an imaginary scenario where the reader becomes the president of the United States, facing a nuclear attack on American soil by unknown forces and making potentially far-reaching decisions based on limited and possibly incorrect information. Jenkins discusses possible choices and gives tangible suggestions for what could be done. Among many books on the topic (e.g., Michael Levi's On Nuclear Terrorism), Jenkins's stands out for his expertise and his particular method. Recommended heartily for all public and academic libraries.—Krista Bush, Univ. of New Haven Lib., West Haven, CT

Muñoz, currently Chile's ambassador to the United Nations, is both a diplomat and a scholar. While Augusto Pinochet was president of Chile from 1973 to 1990, Muñoz (Democracy Rising: Assessing the Global Challenges ) was active in left-wing dissident groups. This memoir of his political life chronicles dissent and protest for 17 years, in reaction to many incidents of arrest, torture—and killings—of the brutal Pinochet regime's opponents. The detailed stories with names, dates, and fates paint a bleak picture of life under an authoritarian ruler. Muñoz's sources are news accounts, interviews, and extensive personal contacts; the result is a detailed and horrifying narrative. President Pinochet's economic reforms, especially privatized pension accounts, received much U.S. praise at the time but are covered here only briefly. The author feels that their benefits, unequally distributed across income levels, were outweighed by the evil in the political realm. Muñoz includes briefer coverage of the multiple attempts to try Pinochet for crimes against humanity before he died in 2006. Recommended for collections on Latin America.—Marcia L. Sprules, Council on Foreign Relations Lib., New York

Almost half a century after Theodore White's The Making of the President, 1960, Pietrusza (1920: The Year of the Six Presidents) raises the bar with his winning and provocative chronicle. The political giants who battled for the 1960 presidency—and the closeness of the election—make for exciting narratives. The author writes respectfully of the three hopefuls but is not starstruck by any of them. Here, JFK is portrayed at times as a slacker who would not let politics get in the way of adultery. Richard Nixon was different from Kennedy, much less by his politics than by his lack of charm. Johnson, the indefatigable vote getter, was a champion of the lower class or a crude wheeler-dealer, depending on what the situation called for. Also prominently featured are Joe Kennedy, the family patriarch, and presidential and vice presidential hopefuls Nelson Rockefeller, Hubert Humphrey, and Adlai Stevenson. Pietrusza concludes with a thought worth pondering: Why was the election so close when Nixon did so much wrong (ignoring Martin Luther King Jr., choosing the patrician Henry Cabot Lodge as his running mate, not receiving support from President Eisenhower) while Kennedy did almost everything right (choosing the loyal LBJ as his vice-presidential running mate, winning the primaries, appearing healthy, gaining the black vote while retaining the white South)? The answer: there was something about JFK that the voters of 1960 simply did not like. Highly recommended for public and academic libraries.—Karl Helicher, Upper Merion Twp. Lib., King of Prussia, PA

Fast, a novelist as well as a professor of social work (Yeshiva Univ.), explores the psychological roots of school violence through in-depth case studies of six young shooters, including Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold of Columbine High. While the author hypothesizes that all of the shooters see their acts as cleansing and elevating rituals, he shows that there is no single underlying situation—parental neglect or low IQ, for example—that invariably led these young people into difficulty. Most of these teens felt alienated from their peers, although some seem to have been goaded into action by groups of aggressive so-called friends who pushed them to commit violent acts. The case studies are compelling; fans of true crime will like the book as pure narrative, while parents and educators will appreciate the suggestions for identifying potentially violent students. This is a good companion to Katherine S. Newman and others' Rampage: The Social Roots of School Shootings, which explores the same situations from a sociological viewpoint. Recommended for all academic and most public libraries.—Mary Ann Hughes, Neill P.L., Pullman, WA

Death is a painful experience for all who are left behind. Yet in the case of suicide, sorrow is often intensified by lingering stigma, guilt, resentment, and other conflicting emotions. Fox, a registered psychiatric nurse and social worker, and Roldan, a teacher and social work student, bring a special sensitivity to this work since both lost parents to suicide. Drawing on their personal experience and interviews with 57 other survivors, they analyze in Part 1 how such a loss affects different age groups. For example, adolescents tend to resist mourning and focus on a return to normalcy. The authors suggest which actions may be helpful or hurtful to survivors. Part 2 addresses practical issues and concerns from the need for help "cleaning up" after a suicide to how to find a therapist/support group. Finally, the authors discuss recovery issues, explaining the stages of the grieving process, the role of religion, forgiveness, and nonjudgmental reports of appearances and dream encounters with lost loved ones. The book ends on a hopeful note, showing that survivors' lives aren't automatically shattered by such a heartbreaking experience. A candid yet compassionate approach to a difficult topic, this book is strongly recommended for grief counseling collections.—Antoinette Brinkman, MLS, Evansville, IN

Even the best divorces are upheavals, messing up finances, routines, and emotions; this supportive primer totally aces helping readers clarify whether to go through with it. Social worker Gadoua notes the steps in the process of deciding, which range from passively considering to actively leaving. Instructive real-life examples show the dynamics of deteriorating marriages with both happy and unhappy endings. Gadoua also explains the difference between staying in a bad marriage out of fear vs. confidently leaving it with expectations of future happiness. Chapters encourage readers to optimize their attitudes and approaches in order to "best influence" their partners and themselves, and workbooklike sections raise issues to ponder. Clear advice seems elementary but not simplistic, e.g., "you can always choose how to interpret the events in your life. Your feelings about an event are one thing; how you interpret them is quite another." This is an excellent resource with a consistently respectful tone; coupled with a guide like Nolo's Essential Guide to Divorce, it will make readers feel better equipped to handle a tough decision. Highly recommended for all public libraries and family support collections.—Douglas C. Lord, Connecticut State Lib., Hartford

If autism had a rock star, it would be Grandin. Diagnosed with autism when little was known about the condition, Grandin went on to earn a Ph.D., become an expert on the humane treatment of livestock, and write prominent autobiographical works on autism (e.g., Thinking in Pictures). This collection of articles from Autism Asperger's Digest that draw heavily from her own life provides snippets of her views on the condition. The columns are organized by theme, each with a new introductory section written by Grandin. Notable sections include labels and diagnoses, education (especially harnessing a child's special talent), and the social world of autism. She distinguishes nicely traits from autism vs. those that are unacceptable from any child. While the book has a great deal to offer, it suffers from repetition across chapters. These articles do not present information in an in-depth manner, but they provide a nice overview from a prominent member of the autism community. A book like this might be more accessible to readers than some of the meatier volumes on autism. Recommended for public libraries.—Corey Seeman, Kresge Business Administration Lib., Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor

A San Francisco-based spoken word artist, poet, and performer, Sinister developed a drinking problem as a teenager. When he decided to get sober, he took the traditional, faith-based 12-step group approach despite his fears about losing his creative muse and his issues with higher-power mythology (he's an atheist). The risk paid off, and for six years he's been clean. Here, he shares his journey through his addiction and recovery, detailing how he managed to integrate the 12-step philosophies into his own beliefs. He frankly reveals how he was initially afraid of embracing the techniques while motivating others to join him in their own efforts to get clean. The author's advice to addicts is soundly rooted in recovery practice, but he also debunks the oft-repeated excuses that prevent addicts from getting up from their malaise and getting involved in recovery. Sinister gives readers with similar beliefs a practical, meaningful alternative to the dogma of recovery. His iconoclastic approach to addiction recovery will make a valuable addition to the growing works in this field. Highly recommended for university libraries supporting the helping professions and larger public libraries.—Dale Farris, Groves, TX

Describing scandal as "the quintessential social event," Adut (sociology, Univ. of Texas, Austin) uses this book to consider a wide range of titillating events throughout history. His attempt to cover so much ground—from Oscar Wilde to Monica Lewinsky, from the French judiciary system to Watergate—may or may not work against him. In casting such a wide net and including controversies from the often quite disparate worlds of politics, art, and social mores, the author gives us a good overview of many infamous episodes in history, but his effort to be so all-encompassing may make this a less compelling read than something like Lanny J. Davis's Scandal: How "Gotcha" Politics Is Destroying America, which focuses on this country's claim to snarkiness in just the last half-century or so. While a fulsome bibliography marks this book as a truly scholarly effort, the author's ponderous tone ("I expound on this point") and frequent statements of the obvious ("no publicity, no scandal") are not particularly helpful. Recommended, with reservations, for academic and special libraries.—Ellen D. Gilbert, Princeton, NJ

Several fine books have examined gay life in the South, e.g., Out in the South, edited by Carlos L. Dews and Carolyn Leste Law, but none from an exclusively African American perspective. Johnson (African & American studies & performance studies, Northwestern Univ.; Appropriating Blackness) seeks to rectify this circumstance for African American gays (not lesbians) with this anthology of oral histories. The 63 men from 15 states were interviewed over a two-year period. They range in age from 19 to 93 and are urban and rural, closeted and flamboyant. In a culture dominated by political and social conservatism and Christian fundamentalism, these men represent a rich subculture that has thrived despite the layers of homophobia and the legacy of racial segregation that lurk just beneath surface gentility. Interjecting apt questions only occasionally, the author allows his subjects to speak for themselves, which they do articulately, colloquially (a glossary is included), and graphically. This very good book might have been even better if the number of subjects had been pared down by about a third. Regardless, academic, special, and large public libraries with GLBT and African American studies collections will want a copy of this compelling portrait.—Richard J. Violette, Special Libs. Cataloging, Victoria, B.C.

This book provides glimpses into the distinct experiences of today's Asian Americans—specifically Asian Pacific Americans—as they struggle to find their place in the United States, where now over 12 million of them live. Lee's (communications, William Paterson Univ.) first collection of Asian American oral histories was published in 1992, so this collection constitutes a sequel of sorts, albeit with different interviewees. The first-person chapters relate the experiences of students, politicians, individuals adopted into Caucasian families, musicians, lawyers, business owners, and homosexuals, all of whom discuss their lives, arrival and assimilation, when applicable, and their coming-of-age and their social and professional experiences. The world and the Asian American experience have changed a lot since 1992. A delightful and important book that opens a window into the lives of a vital segment of American society. Highly recommended for all public and college libraries.—Melissa Aho, Univ. of Minnesota Lib., Minneapolis

Palfrey (law & executive director, Berkmam Ctr. for Internet & Society, Harvard Law Sch.) and Gasser (law & director, Research Ctr. for Information Law, Univ. of Saint Gallen) offer a concerned evaluation of the challenges facing the generation known as digital natives who have grown up immersed in the use of and dependence upon information technology. This book is significant in its prompting of readers to consider that these young men and women are charting new territory and facing challenges that are distinctly unique to their era. This book is a wake-up call and a how-to guide for being a parent or teacher in an era that defies easy understanding. The authors propose circuitous partnerships of digital natives with parents, teachers, mentors, trusted social utilities, and law enforcement that serve as a means to produce a shift in understanding of digital-era challenges, e.g., the potential daily threats it poses to our privacy, safety, identity, and innovation. Ultimately, the book is an accessible survey of many of these as-yet-unsolved Internet dilemmas of our time and is well executed given the immense task of synthesizing the vast corpus of social science concerns relating to the Internet. Recommended especially for public libraries.—Jim Hahn, Univ. of Illinois Lib., Urbana

Lee, a retired U.S. diplomat and former federal agent for the U.S. State Department who formed the security consulting firm Sleeping Bear Risk Solutions, enumerates the risks to which travelers are exposed today and serves up a combination of common sense and cautionary tales that covers everything from volcanic eruptions to hostage incidents. He uses his more than 32 years of experience in diverse cultures to urge readers to understand the threats, anticipate problems, and know what to do when they arise. There are sections on doing business abroad, understanding visas and passports, things to consider before departure, and coping with airport procedures. Lee provides concrete suggestions for avoiding victimization by street crimes and a detailed section of safety advice for expatriates. Compact enough for readers to borrow for a trip, this book belongs in most travel collections.—Joan Pedzich, Harris Beach PLLC, Rochester, NY