Social Sciences

Claridge (Norman Rockwell: A Life), a former English professor, has produced what is called the first authoritative biography of the original etiquette expert, Emily Post (1873–1960). Growing up in Baltimore, Manhattan, and exclusive Tuxedo Park, NY, Emily Price observed the habits of the East Coast's elite families but never quite felt that she belonged to this circle. A cold marriage to Edwin Post ended in a scandalous divorce in 1906, whereupon Emily Post turned to writing, including journalism and fiction, to support herself and two sons. In 1922, nearing age 50, Post switched genres. She published Etiquette in Society, in Business, in Politics, and the Home, which became a best seller and spawned many updates and related publications. "Emily Post" came to be synonymous with good manners, a household name because of her appealing message to the middle class that manners and genuine kindness would trump nouveau riche behavior or snobbery. Unfortunately, having spent seven years researching and writing her book, Claridge includes too many tedious details about Post, while her attempts to connect Post's life to contemporary American social history are not in sufficient depth to be successful. However, as this is the first full biography of Post, public libraries may wish to consider purchase anyway.—Kathryn Stewart, the History Factory, Chantilly, VA

Freelance journalist Olmsted has penned thousands of articles in publications from Inc. to Playboy, but he may be best known for his two Guinness World Records—playing two rounds of golf on different continents in one day and playing the longest poker session. Here, he interweaves the stories of his successful attempts with a history of the perennially popular record book, from its genteel genesis in an unsettled dispute regarding the fastest European game bird to its phenomenal endurance and allure as a repository of odd human achievements. Olmsted reintroduces notable record holders familiar to browsers of Guinness world records like "Texas Snakeman" Jackie Bibby, tallest human Robert Wadlow, and prodigious record breaker Ashrita Furman. Guinness garners some criticism for media manipulation and nontransparent inclusion standards, and its record-pursuing fans for foolhardiness and obsession. But, overall, this is an unabashed celebration by an admirer that will be enjoyed by all who find that the image of world's fattest twins Billy and Benny McCrary on their motorcycles springs immediately to mind at the mention of their names. Recommended for public libraries. (Photographs and index not seen.)—Janet Ingraham Dwyer, Worthington Libs., OH

This is the first full-length biography of Hale in several decades. Hanged by the British as a spy, Hale is most famous for the phrase attributed to him, "I only regret that I have but one life to give my country." Phelps (If Looks Could Kill), best known as a true crime author, brings his reporting skills to this history. He does well with the story of Hale's short life and disturbing death after being caught behind enemy lines seeking information on British troop movements. Relying as much as possible on primary sources, Phelps writes of Hale's years at Yale, which he attended in his early teens. He was an excellent athlete, handsome, charming, with a large number of friends. After graduating in 1773, he began life as a teacher, but in those pivotal times, he left teaching for the Connecticut militia. Some of the most powerful parts of this biography are those in the words of Hale's brother, Enoch, who was sent by the family to find out how Nathan died and to bring back his body. This book would serve well as a staple for high school American history students, as well as college readers and all history buffs. Highly recommended for school, undergraduate, and public libraries. [Warner Bros. has optioned the film rights to this book.—Ed.]—Suzanne Lay, Perry H.S., Perry, GA

Sabar, a former political reporter for the Christian Science Monitor, grew up as a typical California kid. His father, a Kurdish Jew, is the foremost scholar of Aramaic, the language of Jesus, which most people think is extinct. The disconnect between his present and his past launched Sabar on a quest to understand the history of Kurdish Jews, who spent 2000 years in northern Iraq until the 1950s, when most of them emigrated to Israel. Interweaving the community's history with his family's stories, Sabar tells of his visits to Iraq and Israel to trace his father's journey from an isolated Kurdish village to UCLA, where at one point he provides Aramaic dialog for The X-Files. Although Sabar ultimately fails to discover the fate of his father's sister, who was kidnapped from their village in the 1930s, he does begin to understand his responsibility to his ancestry. Throughout the narrative, he focuses on identity and community and this central question: "When we carry our languages and stories from one generation to the next, from one country to another, what exactly do we gain?" Written with a reporter's flair for people and places, this is recommended for public libraries.—Diane Harvey, Univ. of Maryland Libs., College Park

No surprise here: a biographer thinks his subject unjustly forgotten and underrated. Samuel Adams, better known now as a beer brand than as the American revolutionary leader he was, is not in the first tier of Founding Fathers. Stoll (managing editor, New York Sun) argues for Adams's key role. He's not wrong. Massachusetts, the hothouse of the Revolution, was the site of the best-remembered moments of rebellion: the Boston Massacre, the Tea Party, Paul Revere's Ride, "the shots heard round the world." Adams had a hand in all, then helped declare independence from England and managed the war that followed. In Massachusetts, he helped write the commonwealth's constitution, which was a model for the U.S. Constitution, then topped his career by succeeding John Hancock as governor in 1793. It's a good story. Stoll has mined primary sources, but his excessive fondness for quoting makes the narrative sag in places, and overall he doesn't convey deep expertise with the 18th century. There are lots of Samuel Adams bios—three others since 1997—and this one is worthy, but optional, for public libraries that don't own one of the others.—Michael O. Eshleman, Kings Mills, OH

Hugh Hefner started Playboy magazine in 1953 using purchased photos of Marilyn Monroe, and including the article "Miss Gold Digger 1953" about women who "manipulate the legal system for alimony." Hefner positioned the magazine as respectable, with articles by celebrated writers, interviews, and advice columns, accompanied with photos of nude models and ads, all combined to help promote a notion of "the good life." And so it was in his publicly lead private life, complete with famous people, naked women (he was allowed to date other people, his girlfriends were not), and a home in the "Playboy mansion." Watts outlines the man and magazine's influence on the country's notions of personal liberation, sexual freedom, and material abundance. Clocking in at over 500 pages, this is not a gossip book but a well-documented biography written with access to Hefner's over 1800 scrapbooks, the company archives, and interviews. Watts finds Hefner comparable to the subjects of his other books about Henry Ford and Walt Disney in that all were major contributors to aspects of the American dream. Recommended for public libraries and cultural studies collections.—Lani Smith, Ohlone Coll. Lib., Newark, CA

Wert's (Sword of Lincoln) biography of Confederate general "Jeb" Stuart is based on new scholarship and untapped manuscript collections. Central is his investigation into Stuart's complex family relationships (including with in-laws, e.g., his father-in-law in the Union army), as well as his interactions with superior officers and subordinates. Wert portrays Stuart as a deeply religious man, abstaining from tobacco and alcohol, yet an inveterate partygoer and suspected womanizer, a vainglorious showman, a good friend but serious enemy in battle, an accomplished courtier and petitioner within Robert E. Lee's inner circle, a Virginian who thought nothing of passing over worthy officers from elsewhere, a brilliant student of arms, a strict disciplinarian, an individual of uncommon battlefield courage and stamina, and a commander who ranks alongside Lee and Jackson. Wert is not averse to noting Stuart's lapses in judgment and vigilance, and his calamitous ride (June 25–July 2, 1863) that denied necessary intelligence to Lee's main army at Gettysburg. Following Jeb's disaster there, Wert's meticulous detailing of Stuart's cavalry actions over the ensuing months seems almost anticlimactic. Finally, the author offers us the many accolades afforded Stuart following his soldier's death at Yellow Tavern in 1864 at age 31 and effectively traces the lives of Stuart's family and comrades following the demise of "the Plumed Knight" or "the Last Cavalier." An impressively researched and masterfully written biography that no serious student of Civil War history should be without; recommended for all Civil War collections and all libraries. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 5/15/08.]—John Carver Edwards, Univ. of Georgia Libs.

One of the longest-running general-interest periodicals, Harper's magazine remains an icon of American publishing, having hosted such authors as Mark Twain, Theodore Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, Norman Mailer, and Seymour Hersh, whose Pulitzer Prize-winning story on the My Lai massacre exemplifies the magazine's dedication to quality writing and informed journalism. In this collection of recent Harper's pieces (2001–07), Wasik (senior editor, Harper's) showcases writers whose first-person dispatches most powerfully convey the experiences of reporters going undercover to get to the truth. There is Wells Tower pretending he is a Republican campaign volunteer in "Bird-Dogging the Bush Vote"; and Jeff Sharlet, who uncovers a secret society of prominent Christian politicians called "The Family" in his "Jesus Plus Nothing." In-depth exposés such as these are noticeably—and unfortunately—absent in most mainstream media. This collection should be read by any student who aspires to the true art of journalism, as well as anyone who wants to learn more about what really goes on in American politics—and society—today. For academic and larger public libraries.—Donna Marie Smith, Palm Beach Cty. Lib. Syst., FL

Mole (It's All Greek to Me!), a business writer, serial entrepreneur, and professional expat, has put together an account of living in Russia that is both funny and informative. His adventures in bringing a baked-potato franchise from South London to Moscow run the gamut from finding the right kind of potatoes (not that easy, apparently) to selecting a name that could be understood by both Russians and foreigners in either Cyrillic or Roman characters. In the midst of all this, readers learn that Mole has been known to wear tutus, has a head too large for standard Russian hats, and was once mugged by musicians when playing in the woods. Mole has even more to say about all the red tape one has to deal with when starting a business in Russia in the early 1990s; unsurprisingly, the Russian mafia also plays a role. Finally, he ends up ditching potatoes and working instead on a joint venture to develop a new type of bioreactor. This entertaining read about the strength of the entrepreneurial spirit, even under extremely difficult circumstances, is recommended.—Susan Hurst, Miami Univ. Libs., Oxford, OH

Recently released from a bad marriage and desperate for a job, Stanfield claimed on her résumé to have a college degree despite having only a high school diploma. With no background check standing in the way, she took a management position and moved up through the ranks, relying on innate human-resources competence. A move to another company compounded her lie: she presented a friend's photocopied college diploma as her own. Accepted as one of the group, Stanfield achieved great success within the firm, eventually managing its largest financial districts and overseeing dozens of staff. But the stress took its toll, leading Stanfield to a new profession (she is now a certified dog trainer) in which a college degree is not required—and to this memoir, in which she comes clean, exposing every inch of her dishonesty, which had extended not only to her coworkers at the time but also to her parents, daughter, and husband ("my own mother thinks I graduated from college"), who hadn't known that she'd lied to advance her career. Stanfield's hypocrisy will dismay readers, and her business success yields no new management tips. However, her observations on living honestly, especially related to her family and to the aftermath of her downfall, will have wide appeal. For large public libraries.—Heidi Senior, Univ. of Portland Lib., OR

A devastating flood hit Florence in 1966, leaving destruction in its wake: millions of books and records and tens of thousands of Renaissance art works were damaged or lost. People died and property was lost, but it was the destruction of Florence's art treasures that drew the attention of the Western world. Volunteer workers—"mud angels"—arrived from all over, but no one knew how to rescue and restore art, including saturated works on paper, on such a massive scale. Clark uses this riveting story to meditate on the communion that exists between artist and viewer and on the mortality of even the greatest art. At the Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale, six million books floated or were buried beneath water and viscous mud. Five of the ten gilded panels on Ghiberti's famous bronze doors were missing; three-quarters of the paint and gesso had flaked off Cimabue's crucifix. Clark combines a painter's eye with his skill as a writer: events come to life under his hand. When David Lees arrived to photograph a center spread for Life magazine, the "mud angels" were drying books and hanging them on clotheslines in the large hall in which they worked: "the book leaves looked like an enormous flock of doves descending." This exceptional work of popular history succeeds on all counts. It will satisfy the most discriminating reader. Enthusiastically recommended for large public and all academic collections.—David Keymer, Modesto, CA

Hayes (English, Univ. of Central Oklahoma; The Road to Monticello: The Life and Mind of Thomas Jefferson) debunks the characterization of revolutionary patriot Patrick Henry ("Give me Liberty, or give me Death!") as essentially an unlearned backwoodsman who happened to have the gift of oratory. Thomas Jefferson, largely responsible for this characterization, repeated by later biographers of Henry, referred to him as "the laziest man in reading I ever knew." Hayes methodically refutes this through a thorough analysis of Henry's books and reading habits. Beyond an examination of a catalog made of Henry's library at his death, which shows a modest collection as, unlike Jefferson and others, Henry was not a book collector, Hayes also uses letters, personal narratives, and other primary sources to reconstruct what can be known of Henry's reading habits. These sources show that Henry was very well read in history, the sciences, law, religion, etc. Hayes also shows that Henry himself contributed to the "backwoodsman" characterization. Always a politician at heart, he played to his audience. Hence, around Jefferson, a great scholar, Henry tended to downplay his scholarly learning in deference, and, when needed, he could give a rousing speech in the vernacular of the local citizenry. Well researched and documented, this engossing read for the bibliophile is recommended for libraries with a special interest in figures of the American Revolution or in early American reading habits.—Robert Flatley, Kutztown Univ., PA

The Crusades, the name given to the series of armed campaigns from 1095 to 1291 C.E. by Western Europeans seeking to capture or recapture the Holy Land from Muslim control, is among the most studied, and popular, topics in medieval European history. Housley (history, University of Leicester; Contesting the Crusades) examines the experience of the Crusades from the point of view of the Europeans who made the journey, drawing on primary sources such as the sermons of the preachers and prelates seeking volunteers, letters home, and the many histories and chronicles written by crusaders. Within sections devoted to specific parts of crusading, such as the calling of a new crusade, the preparations, the journeys by land or sea, the fighting, and the physical and spiritual needs of crusaders, Housley focuses on how each aspect is reflected in the experiences of individuals. The results provide a deeper view into the lives of crusaders than is found in more general Crusades histories. One minor disappointment comes from the lack of comment in the text about the many illustrations provided throughout, though Housley's maps are helpful. Highly recommended for academic libraries.—Lawrence Milliken, Drexel Univ. Lib., Philadelphia

Jarecki (founder, the Eisenhower Project), director of the documentary films Why We Fight and The Trials of Henry Kissinger, here traces the evolution of the military-industrial complex and its often troubling consequences, which include the concentration of power and secrecy in the Executive Branch. Using selective quotes and evidence, Jarecki argues that apparently reasonable defense policies have in fact led to such deleterious results as the creation of the Defense Department and the CIA after World War II. Much of the book rings true, but it's a hard read and the author imputes "imperial presidency" motives to every military policy decision in sight. A large part of the book attacks Bush and a prostrate Congress for mismanagement, proliferation of secrecy, lack of accountability, unconstitutional arrogation of power to the President, and perversion of such arcane military strategy theories as John Boyd's OODA loop (for Observe, Orient, Decide and Act) and the Revolution in Military Affairs (RMA) concept. Not for the lay reader; dedicated military and political enthusiasts will be interested, but only libraries with extensive subject collections need consider.—Edwin B. Burgess, U.S. Army Combined Arms Research Lib., Fort Leavenworth, KS

Jones (American civilization, Brandeis Univ.; Labor of Love; Labor of Sorrow) interweaves the daily lives of ordinary people, political leaders, and powerful landowners into a fascinating narrative of the African American experience in the city of Savannah during the second half of the 19th century. In spite of the Civil War's prominence in the subtitle, the wartime experience of the city takes up less than a third of the book. The rest is given to the years before and after the war. Jones posits that slaves and freedmen created complex social systems that aided their own survival and the survival of the city, that African Americans in Savannah were not merely victims alternately oppressed by southerners and pitied by northerners. Jones relies heavily upon primary sources and succeeds in showing the creative contributions of African Americans facing intense racial hatred. However, the story feels incomplete, leaving one wishing that more primary material existed on the protagonists. Jones assumes a basic familiarity both with the Civil War and with southern society before and after the war, which could lose readers without this familiarity. Nevertheless, this is worthwhile for those with an appreciation of narrative histories of cities and an interest in the Civil War. The extensive selected bibliography will be helpful for those interested in further research. Recommended for public libraries and academic libraries with related collections. (Illustrations and index not seen.)—Michael Farrell, Reformed Theological Seminary. Lib., Oviedo, FL

Nestled in this history of four generations of one of England's richest and most powerful families, Nicolson (God's Secretaries: The Making of the King James Bible) offers up a survey of the sociopolitical climate that led up to the English Civil War. Drawing on primary sources and the publications of the Wiltshire Record Society, he details the complex rise of the Pembroke family from the 1st Earl of Pembroke, a tough and unflinching second son starting out his career in 1526 with a complete lack of capital or social standing, to the 4th Earl, Philip Herbert, who would rebel against the Crown to which his family owed its immense wealth and status. Nicolson goes on to postulate that the 4th Earl, like other parliamentarians of a conservative bent, was only pushed into open rebellion as a reaction to the expanding power of the English monarchs of the 16th and 17th centuries, power that many nobles saw as trampling upon the ancient custom of the manor and, by extension, the health of the country. Recommended for academic libraries.—Tessa L.H. Minchew, Georgia Perimeter Coll., Clarkston

This book is the most complete accounting of the U.S.S. Oklahoma, from her christening in 1914 to her final loss at sea in 1947 after being salvaged from Pearl Harbor and subsequently decommissioned and sold. But it is much more than that. In learning the ship's complete history, the reader gets a glimpse of life in the battleship navy from World War I up to that day of infamy in 1941, including crew accommodations, sailor's education, the expansion of athletics in the navy, and battleship health and safety. The Oklahoma spent 80 days in the war zone during World War I, most of those at anchorage, but following the war, she did participate in the Great Cruise of 1925 and performed exemplary duty evacuating refugees from Spain in 1936. Her story ends tragically at Pearl Harbor—429 of her crew were lost that morning, men whose actions are vividly related through survivor narratives, giving the book character and emotion. Also related here are the innovative techniques used to resurrect the ship and tow her into dry dock. Strongly recommended for all collections.—David Lee Poremba. Keiser U., Orlando, FL

Kosovo. Rwanda. Darfur. The Congo. Just the names of these places conjure the struggle that other nations face when trying to end the slaughter and abuse of people in far-off lands. Though we may think of this concern for human rights as being relatively recent, possibly starting with the Wilson administration, Bass (international affairs, Princeton Univ.) here places the tradition of humanitarian intervention into its 19th-century context in a timely, enlightening, and gripping book. In describing a rich history of morally motivated intervention, largely by the British and the French, Bass challenges the belief that such involvement in the affairs of other nations must, at its core, have imperialistic motivations. The work explores the political and cultural milieus in which humanitarian responses to atrocities in Greece, Syria, Bulgaria, and Armenia arose, especially the role of increasingly free presses in rallying public sentiment. The very best kind of historical writing, Bass's work is lively, moving, deep, and full of insight for today's challenges. Highly recommended for both scholars and history buffs in all libraries.—Rachel Bridgewater, Reed Coll., Portland, OR

Erikson (senior assoc., U.S. policy, Inter-American Dialogue) draws on his vast experience and knowledge of the Caribbean to form a cogent analysis of the geopolitical future of Cuba. Using historical sources and his access to American policymakers, Miami's Cuban American population, and Cuban insiders, he presents remarkable insight into the fate of Cuba after Fidel. Pointing to President Bush's Commission for Assistance to a Free Cuba, established in 2003 and chaired by Colin Powell, the author leaves no doubt that even in light of the Iraq War, Cuba occupies significant foreign policy attention in Washington. More than socialist doctrine, Cuba now reflects a generational divide, as many Cubans are concerned about access to resort hotels in Havana and travel freedoms, as well as Internet access. On the U.S. front, however, Cuba is now on the fringe for most of Miami's Cuban American population, and Erikson sees ongoing discussions about Guantánamo, coast guard activities, and weather forecasting as examples of U.S. cooperation with Cuba. His conclusion? Cuba's future will be decided by Cubans. Highly recommended for all libraries.—Boyd Childress, Auburn Univ. Libs., AL

Especially timely in this presidential election season, this book contains all 55 presidential inaugural addresses, word for word, from George Washington in 1789 through George W. Bush in 2005. Editors Remini (historian, U.S. House of Representatives; Andrew Jackson), and Golway (curator, John Kean Center for American History, Kean Univ.; Washington's General) provide excellent, readable historical context and pertinent facts prior to each address, as well as in an introduction. The supplied context and commentary make the book shine, for example, that Grover Cleveland, for his first address in 1885, recited the entire speech from memory, or that it was the custom, begun by Jefferson, for presidents to step down after two terms, until FDR ran for a third term in 1940 (with the 22nd Amendment preventing it thereafter). A pleasure to read, even for those who don't think they're history buffs; recommended for public and college libraries.—Leigh Mihlrad, Albany Medical Coll. Lib., NY

Despite the centrality of Iran to American security concerns and the heavy coverage Iran receives in Western media, the country remains an enigma to most Americans. This is partly because many people in the United States tend to equate contemporary Iran with its theocracy and/or the vitriolic public pronouncements of its president. However, as journalist Majd's lucidly written book demonstrates, Iran is a complex society with a sizable educated middle class and a youthful population whose cultural sophistication and cosmopolitan outlook have become buried under the avalanche of propaganda emanating from the country's theocratic rulers and U.S. media commentators with a political agenda. Majd, the Western-educated and Western-reared son of a former diplomat during Mohammad Reza Shah's monarchy, is immersed in both the Iranian and the Western cultures and easily navigates between these two domains. Based on his visits to Iran and extensive conversations with Iranians from all walks of life, Majd's witty and captivating book makes it possible for a nonexpert to appreciate the multiple layers of sociocultural factors that define today's Iran. Highly recommended for all public libraries. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 6/1/08.]—Nader Entessar, Univ. of South Alabama, Mobile

In 2007, the Washington Post published articles uncovering the terrible conditions endured by injured veterans at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Now syndicated columnist Schram shows that was not an isolated circumstance, presenting examples of U.S. government mistreatment of veterans since the close of World War I. He cites World War II vets denied benefits for later medical problems caused by their wounds and Vietnam War vets who faced considerable difficulty obtaining benefits for post-traumatic stress disorder and exposure to Agent Orange. Those serving in the Persian Gulf, Afghanistan, and Iraq have encountered similar problems, although both the Defense Department and the Bureau of Veterans Affairs were aware of the situation and presidential, congressional, Government Accounting Office, and other commissions have documented poor service by the Veterans' Administration (VA). Schram shows the atmosphere of distrust that prevails in the agency, the long delays in processing claims, and the rejection of payment of benefits without adequate explanation. He closes with a series of recommendations, the most important being to give veterans the benefit of the doubt when requesting VA benefits. Schram uses government documents as well as his own and previous interviews with veterans and their families, but this is not a systematic, scholarly study, and offers no notes or bibliography. But no other long-term study of this topic is currently available, so it is a valuable contribution. Recommended for all public libraries.—Stephen L. Hupp, West Virginia Univ. Lib., Parkersburg

Journalist Carr exhumes a past life that involved numerous criminal offenses, general mayhem, and lots of cocaine. However, unlike most addiction memoirs, he doesn't start with a "this is how I remember it" disclaimer; rather, the book is based on years of exhaustive research via medical and legal documents and interviews with his former acquaintances, creating a tone of objective reportage. The early chapters are particularly engrossing, as Carr explains how he is trying to reconcile his former, malevolent self with his current, highly successful one as a reporter and columnist for the New York Times. He writes, "My past does not connect to my present. There was That Guy, a dynamo of hilarity and then misery, and then there is This Guy, the one with a family, a house, and a good job." The interviews are fascinating: Carr had a completely different recollection of events than, say, Doolie, a loyal girlfriend whom he repeatedly abused. The epic stories of his years as an addict are both entertaining and deeply disturbing. Aside from small flaws like problems with the time line, this is an original, honest, and incredibly moving contribution to the genre. Highly recommended for all public libraries. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 5/15/08.]—Elizabeth Brinkley, Granite Falls, WA

Medical historian Engel (public & health-care administration, Seton Hall Univ.; Poor People's Medicine: Medicaid and American Charity Care Since 1965; Doctors and Reformers: Discussion and Debate over Health Policy, 1925–1950) writes a blunt epitaph for psychoanalysis in a plainspoken survey of mental health care in the United States over the last century. Among the special topics are child guidance, alcohol, narcotics, and narcissism (therapy as self-indulgence). To make a living, psychiatrists, who are physicians first, have increasingly focused on medication, leaving psychotherapy to psychologists and social workers. Engel explains the need for and the methods of outcome research: it shows that brief cognitive-behavioral treatment with comfortably engaged therapists, along with medication when indicated, wins the laurels. Although Engel discusses religious attitudes to therapy, he gives short shrift to family and couples therapy and pastoral counseling. An authoritative, readable book, this is highly recommended for large general libraries and collections in health and social science.—E. James Lieberman, George Washington Univ. Sch. of Medicine, Washington, DC

Therapist and creativity coach Maisel (Fearless Creating; The Creativity Book) and clinical psychologist Raeburn illustrate how creativity both contributes to addiction and is a tool for recovery. In the first of three sections, entitled "Preparing," the authors begin by expanding upon the biological and other risks for addiction and explore the abuse continuum. The next section, "Working," is devoted to the foundation of recovery, awareness, which can be enhanced through creative talents, and addiction challenges, including an acceptance of the need to change. Finally, in "Living," the authors emphasize that recovery is an ongoing, lifelong process, and they expand upon and reinforce the role played by creativity, which provides an artistic outlet to express the hope, strength, and wholeness of continued recovery. Including an extensive list of resources, this informative, insightful, and valuable book is recommended for large public and academic library collections focusing on addiction and addiction recovery. A related text, Tobi Zausner's When Walls Become Doorways: Creativity and the Transforming Illness, explores the link between creativity, illness, and identity.—Melody Ballard, Pima County P.L., Tucson, AZ

Former science editor Pincott explores the science of attraction based on the latest scientific studies in biology, evolutionary psychology, neuroscience, and the cognitive sciences. Organizing the text into three sections ("Behaviors," "Bodies," and "Brains"), she answers around 100 questions we've all wondered about or asked: What makes a face good-looking? Why do some men smell better to you than others? How might your mom's and dad's ages influence your attractions to older faces? The studies themselves are intriguing, and sometimes it is simply hard to believe that anyone has actually examined, for instance, a "low digit ratio" (which involves which finger is longer—your ring finger or your index finger—and is related to how much prenatal exposure a person has had to the hormone testosterone). It becomes obvious that we are aware of only a small part of what drives our choices when it comes to choosing whom to marry or with whom we have a sexual relationship. What's not quite so obvious is how this information can be used by those looking for a soul mate. This book puts together a tremendous amount of potentially useful information in a well-written, entertaining, and easy-to-understand format. Recommended for all public libraries.—Mary E. Jones, Los Angeles P.L.

Two new books on modern English culture offer starkly different perspectives. Lyall, an American journalist for the New York Times who moved to London more than a decade ago, provides an outsider's view, offering a mixture of first- and secondhand anecdotes along with British history and literature. Not a guide for how to act or what to do to fit in, this book is a view of society that the usually shy British may find exceedingly revealing. But Lyall's perspective will aid an outsider's understanding of the culture of modern Britain. Some of the vignettes may make readers unfamiliar with British culture scratch their heads in wonder or confusion at this highly readable book covering topics from Parliament, food, dental care, and cricket to sex, alcohol abuse, and the love of eccentricity and celebrity. Recommended for anyone wanting an intelligent and amusing American perspective on the world of the British.

English philosopher Baggini (Atheism: A Very Short Introduction; editor, The Philosophers' Magazine) writes about his six-month experiment living the life of the average Britisher. In an attempt to uncover the philosophy and values of his country, he moves to the town of Rotherham, South Yorkshire, which he identified as statistically average for England, and experiences life through activities determined most "average" for his compatriots. Using his experiences and social statistics, Baggini writes about such issues as racism, sexism, politics, gambling, food, and aesthetics. He presents a working-class culture based in conservative communitarianism that favors convenience. Both books are biased—Lyall from an American viewpoint and Baggini from an English one—and each has its own audience. Lyall's book will fit easily into any travel/culture section in the United States; Baggini's will appeal primarily to those looking for a silver lining in modern English life and is recommended only for libraries with a British or devotedly Anglophile audience. [See The Anglo Files in Prepub Alert, LJ 4/1/08.]—Sheila Kasperek, Mansfield Univ. Lib., PA

This arresting book confronts readers, rendering fascinating yet palpably voyeuristic glimpses into the lives and psyches of people whom most would consider "perverts." A staff writer for the New York Times Magazine, Bergner (God of the Rodeo: The Quest for Redemption in Louisiana's Angola Prison; In the Land of Magic Soldiers: A Story of White and Black in West Africa) lures readers into a journey to unanticipated corners of human longing. To this end, Bergner supplies four narratives—interspersed with vignettes featuring sexologists—derived from interviews with his subjects: a foot fetishist, a dominatrix, a pedophile, and a man who craves relationships with female amputees. From these humanizing portraits of sexually aberrant people, readers can gain intimate insight into the realities of "abnormal" sexual desire and its attendant torments. Recommended for university and large public libraries collecting titles such as Richard von Krafft-Ebing's Psychopathia Sexualis: The Case Histories and the various works of Alfred Charles Kinsey.—Lynne F. Maxwell, Villanova Univ. Sch. of Law Lib., PA

Herwitz (humanities, Univ. of Michigan; Aesthetics: Key Concepts in Philosophy) examines some complex explanations for the role of celebrity in popular culture. Referring to numerous examples of celebrity icons (e.g., Marilyn Monroe and Grace Kelly), he pays particular attention to Princess Diana, who embodied many of the divergent facets of an icon in modern society—eliciting high public admiration yet prompting a media obsession with her personal problems and tragedies. Herwitz skillfully analyzes the tightly interwoven components of this pattern, citing relationships to television, film, and escalating consumerism—all playing a role in the building up and tearing down of icons, a process that loses sight of the celebrity as an individual. Herwitz approaches the subject with intelligence and fine scholarship and offers much to think about.

Yet another tantalizing element of the celebrity mystique is glamour—a maddeningly indefinable quality sought by many but seemingly attainable by only a few. Gundle (film & television studies, Warwick Univ.; Bellissima: Feminine Beauty and the Idea of Italy) takes an expansive look at glamour from past to present in a narrative rich with captivating details and commentary. He examines the many categories in which glamour is measured—wealth, sex appeal, beauty, spectacle, daring, urban sophistication, professions, and products. He discusses its arbiters—photographers, major magazines, writers—and some of its diverse symbols through time such as Marie Antoinette, Marlene Dietrich, Gianni Versace, and Princess Diana, setting their historical context and discussing their eccentricities, excesses, and style-setting trends. Gundle sums up glamour as a look, action, or way of life more fascinating and colorful than that of its audience. Both of these books are essential for those with a keen interest in the sociology of popular culture and stardom.—Carol J. Binkowski, Bloomfield, NJ

Freelance journalist Jarvis (The Marriage Sabbatical: The Journey That Brings You Home) explores the lives of 13 women from Ventura, CA, from diverse social, educational, and political backgrounds who together purchased an expensive diamond necklace that was beyond their means individually. Cost: $37,000. Jonell McLain first saw the 16.25 carat necklace in a jeweler's window and came up with the idea for a group purchase. What began as a social experiment about ownership and American consumerism became much larger as the necklace took on a life of its own. The group of women, all over 50, used the necklace to generate attention for various fund-raising activities and to raise social awareness in their community. While Jarvis's prose is a bit sentimental, she does offer an engaging snapshot of what it means to be a middle-aged woman in contemporary America. Underlying the light treatment applied to each of the 13 narratives and mini-biographies that make up this work are the deeper issues of aging, health care, retirement, relationships, divorce, sex, and child rearing. A highly readable book recommended for public libraries and any library with an interest in women's studies or studies on growing older. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 5/1/08.]—Crystal Goldman, Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City

Through conversations over the course of a year with hospital workers, cab drivers, restaurant employees, deckhands, bodega owners, transit workers, homeless outreach service providers, and others who, by choice or necessity, are awake while the rest of us sleep, the authors examine the "social space" of the night. The personal stories capture the peculiar mood of the night shift, from the dangers of working behind a deli counter or the wheel of a taxi when the customers are often drunk and ornery, to the camaraderie of diner and hospital workers who bond together during the dark hours. Almost universally, the night shift workers claim to lack sufficient sleep and suffer health effects from their schedules. Russell Leigh Sharman (anthropology, Brooklyn Coll.; The Tenants of East Harlem) and Cheryl Harris Sharman, a writer and researcher, contextualize the personal anecdotes of their subjects by seamlessly weaving into the narrative pertinent data on the economy, transportation, health, industry, crime, labor, homelessness, immigration, and New York City history. This well-researched volume is illustrated by atmospheric black-and-white photographs. Recommended for public and academic libraries.—Donna L. Davey, NYU Lib.

Weiland (deputy editor, Paris Review) and Wilsey, who coedited The Thinking Fan's Guide to the World Cup, were inspired by the famous WPA guides of the 1930s to bring together this collection of original essays. Each piece here may be smaller in scope than the original WPA state guides, but the overall editorial task is ambitious. Consisting of 50 essays from 50 different authors, including Dave Eggers (Illinois), Anthony Bourdain (New Jersey), S.E. Hinton (Oklahoma), and Jhumpa Lahiri (Rhode Island), this work aims to provide more than mere demographic information about each state (though it does include that). Each also offers a personal, distinct, and often humorous look at the state in question. Particularly inventive are two pieces told in the style of graphic novels, one by Joe Sacco (Oregon) and the other by Alison Bechdel (Vermont). Readers with an interest in the endless variety of attitudes, lifestyles, viewpoints, and experiences to be found across America will enjoy this work. Recommended for public libraries.—Elizabeth L. Winter, Georgia Inst. of Technology, Atlanta

De Blasi (A Thousand Days in Tuscany) has written yet another engaging book about Italy. This time she retells a love story told to her by the mistress of a large villa in the Sicilian mountains. Unlike in her other books, de Blasi herself is only a minor character in this enthralling story of love between a prince and his ward, who meet just prior to World War II. De Blasi writes both of their desire for each other, and their desire to improve life for those around them. With much less focus on food than her previous works, this story focuses on the characters' lives, loves, and motivations, all with a Sicilian backdrop. This is not a traditional travel narrative, but a love story that embraces the culture and character of Sicily. Recommended for public libraries.

Sicily is of course not only a place of romance, but home to its own particular cuisine, distinct from cuisines of the Italian mainland. To help travelers navigate this culinary landscape, Peterson has added one more culture to her extremely useful "Eat Smart" series, this time coauthored with native Sicilian Croce. They provide a culinary history of the island, describing local foods, dishes, recipes, and food markets. The lengthy glossary and menu guide give readers significantly more information than does a general traveler's dictionary. Anyone who loves travel as much for food as for all its other pleasures will find this an invaluable guide to a realm where food is such an important part of the life and culture of the people. Highly recommended for public libraries.—Sheila Kasperek, Mansfield Univ. Lib., PA

Smith (You Can Get Arrested for That: 2 Guys, 25 Dumb Laws, 1 Absurd American Crime Spree) takes a look at some of the loopy celebrations held throughout this quirky, nutty, and unexplainable country. Through the perspective of this young Brit, we can chuckle at ourselves as we see the intense preparations needed to present such momentous events as the Redneck Games, the World's Longest Yard Sale, the Annual Mooning of Amtrak, and the National Basque Festival. Smith and his companion find a lot they don't like about the States (e.g., Los Angeles, Lee Hazlewood songs, the girls of Salt Lake City's Hooters, PT Cruisers), but Smith is generally kind to us befuddled Yanks and presents readers with a humorous coast-to-coast look at communities clinging to celebrations that represent their individuality. Of course, one could Google "weird festivals in England" and find reasons to wonder if it could really be the country that produced Shakespeare. All in all, Smith's insightful, occasionally snarky romp through the weird and wonderful world of small-town America is recommended for public libraries, large and small.—Joseph L. Carlson, Vandenberg Air Force Base Lib., Lompoc, CA