Xpress Reviews—First Look at New Books

-- Library Journal, 9/9/2008 3:45:00 PM

The week of September 9, 2008

Fiction | Nonfiction | Audio | Classic Returns

Fiction

Rhodes, Jewell Parker. Yellow Moon. Atria: S. & S. 2008. c.304p. ISBN 978-1-4165-3710-6. $24. F
Verdict: Blending African American folklore and voodoo with rich descriptions of modern-day musical culture in New Orleans, Rhodes (Voodoo Dreams; Voodoo Season) crafts a unique tale that will find a place in large public libraries that cater to fans of magic realism and mystery. However, readers should proceed with caution as they may find it difficult to overlook the abruptness of the author’s writing style. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 4/15/08.]
Background: As a descendant of Marie Laveau—colonial-era voodoo practitioner—Dr. Marie Levant is fully prepared to deal with the mysterious, otherworldly figure that is draining the blood and memories of residents of her precious New Orleans. When she isn't patching up the city’s poor at Charity Hospital, Marie unwinds at a popular jazz club and cares for her pet, Kind Dog, and her adopted daughter, Marie-Claire. All of the people and things she loves are threatened if she cannot defeat said menace. With the help of practical detective Daniel Parks, her ragtag following, and a growing band of newly turned ghosts only she can see, Marie must call upon the spirit of her namesake to help her destroy the wamimomo (African vampire) that harkens back to her legendary ancestor and stave off the attacks that are becoming increasingly more personal.—Natasha Grant, New York

Roy, Allyson. Aphrodisiac. Berkley Sensation: Penguin Group (USA). Sept. 2008. c.368p. ISBN 978-0-425-22323-9. pap. $7.99. F
Verdict: This debut romantic thriller from a husband-and-wife team features a smart, sassy heroine, an urban setting, and a humorous tone. Although a bit formulaic, it is likely to appeal to fans of Janet Evanovich and Jennifer Crusie. Recommended for large public libraries.
Background: Sex therapist Saylor Oz is determined to figure out what really happened to her old friend, brilliant perfumier Gwen Applebee. She knows Gwen didn’t really kill herself, despite the enigmatic suicide note she left behind. When Saylor discovers a secret message hidden in Gwen’s note, she and her feisty sidekick, Binnie, set off on the trail of Gwen’s killer. They have less than a week before the murderer comes after them, but Saylor still finds time to indulge in a hot flirtation with a lusty local boxer. Although it’s unfortunate that one of the book’s chief mysteries is given away by the title, the twists and turns of Saylor’s adventures make for an entertaining beach read.—Jeanne Bogino, New Lebanon Lib., NY

Nonfiction

Cheever, Susan. Desire: Where Sex Meets Addiction. S & S. Oct. 2008. c.174p. bibliog. ISBN 978-1-41653-792-2. $23. PSYCH
Verdict: Cheever’s literary talents lend value to her fragmented analysis and self-portrait, yielding a thoughtful and readable—if optional—purchase for large collections where her other books (e.g., My Name Is Bill; Note Found in a Bottle) are popular. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 6/15/08.]
Background: This literary memoir-cum-meditation revolves around sex addiction, touching on definitions, causes, cures, theories, and conjectures. Ultimately, Cheever raises more questions than she answers, about both sex addiction and her own life. But perhaps that’s a positive as well as a negative. The title itself gives lie to the concept: desire does not always go lockstep with addiction. Moreover, as she notes, sex and love are not illegal: when you tell friends you are in love, they smile on you. In fact, a real split exists among therapy professionals about whether and which sex behaviors could be called "addiction," which is part of the reason for the four different 12-step sex addiction groups the book mentions without explanation.—Martha Cornog, Philadelphia

China: A Traveler's Literary Companion. Whereabouts, dist. by Publishers Group West. 2008. 231p. ed. by Kirk A. Denton. ISBN 978-1-883513-23-8. pap. $14.95. LIT
Verdict: Alai’s Tibetan fisherman in "Fish!" ignores cultural norms and casts his fishing rod where his culture traditionally forbids it, hooking abundant returns. So do readers of this anthology. Recommended for all libraries.
Background: The seismic shifts in China’s economic, political, and social climate over the last century reverberate in this varied collection of contemporary Chinese fiction, the volume in the publisher's series (see also Italy, Mexico). Written between 1921 and 2003, the 12 pieces probe the direction this swiftly tilting planet of a nation is hurtling—and the aftershocks such movement leaves in its wake. Organized geographically by region, the stories telescope the modern Chinese citizen and explore notions of place from Xinjiang to Zhezhang, the effects of the displacement of social values in a market economy, and nostalgia for China’s past in an increasingly modern and unrecognizable landscape. "Maijin, Baozi, and the White Kid" offers a modern take on a tragic Miao/ Tuija folktale. The dreamy vignette "Sealed Off" imagines an unlikely courtship between two strangers in a stalled Shanghai tram car, where the claustrophobic conditions lend the illusion of freedom to a romance otherwise fraught with obstacles.—Anne Garner, NYPL

Duberman, Martin. Radical Acts: Collected Political Plays. New Pr, dist. by Norton. Sept. 2008. c.320p. ISBN 978-1-59558-407-6. pap. $18.95. DRAMA
Verdict: Biographer, novelist, and essayist Duberman (The Worlds of Lincoln Kirstein; Haymarket) here presents four plays that dramatize historical events and vary in their ability to hold the reader’s attention. Not an essential purchase for public libraries. It may be of moderate interest to college and university libraries for political science or sociology departments rather than theater collections.
Background: "In White America," an ensemble readers’ theater piece, Duberman arranges excerpts from primary sources to present black-white race relations from the 18th century to the mid-1960s. "Mother Earth" is the story of Emma Goldman’s exile from America, her arrival in the Soviet Union, and her disenchantment with Lenin’s particular brand of dictatorship. The history is engrossing, but its dramatic representation feels like chunks of court testimony. "Posing Naked," centering on Newton Arvin, a Smith College professor victimized for his homosexuality by the FBI in 1960, is dramatized in a sympathetic and engaging way and feels the most immediate of this collection. "Visions of Kerouac" is the true story of the rampaging lusts and loves of your favorite wacky Beat poets.—Larry Schwartz, Minnesota State Univ. Lib., Moorhead

Harman, Patricia. The Blue Cotton Gown: A Midwife's Memoir. Beacon, dist. by Houghton. Oct. 2008. c.288p. ISBN 978-0-8070-7289-9. $24.95. MED
Verdict: Harman comes across as a wonderful, empathic friend and listener, and the stories she tells here, intertwined with her own life story, are personal and moving. A vivid and detailed picture of the health-care system in the United States today, from the perspective of one caring, intelligent, and hard-working professional. Highly recommended for public and medical libraries.
Background: Nurse-midwives don't just deliver babies—they can provide primary care to women of all ages, including gynecological exams, family-planning advice, and prenatal and neonatal care as well as assistance in labor and delivery. Harman, a certified nurse-midwife, works in a small medical practice with her physician husband in rural West Virginia, and after the practice had to stop delivering babies because of exorbitant insurance costs, she found herself counselling teenaged girls, abused women, poor women, and women with all kinds of health problems and personal concerns, referring them to other medical or social work specialists when needed. This memoir covers a year in her life as a nurse-midwife, wife, mother of three grown sons, and woman beset by her own health, emotional, marital, and financial problems.—Marcia Welsh, Dartmouth Coll. Libs., Hanover, NH

Harris, Colette & Theresa Cheung. The Ultimate PCOS Handbook: Lose Weight, Boost Fertility, Clear Skin and Restore Self-Esteem. Conari: Red Wheel/Weiser. Sept. 2008. 406p. index. ISBN 978-1-57324-371-1. pap. $19.95. HEALTH
Verdict: Chapter notes, resources (web sites and organizations), resources for further reading (without dates), and an index give access to research, but a commercial web site is the major source recommended for information about the glycemic index. There is no glossary, and some of the web sites listed are inaccessible. Accompanying illustrations for the exercises suggested would have been helpful. Not recommended.
Background: One of several new books on polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), this guide to managing the disease is designed for women experiencing the common symptoms of weight gain, acne, and low fertility. The authors’ personal experiences with PCOS informs their presentation, but a decidedly British slant (and terminology) may frustrate Americans looking for remedies available in the United States. In three parts, the book explains PCOS (assisted by the book’s only illustration) and gives strategies for coping with both the physical symptoms and the psychological aspects. —Lois K. Merry, Keene State Coll., NH

Hollander, Michael. Helping Teens Who Cut: Understanding and Ending Self-Injury. Guilford. 2008. c.204p. index. ISBN 978-1-59385-705-9. $38; pap. ISBN 978-1-59385-426-3. $14.95. PSYCH
Verdict: A reassuring, well-written resource for parents seeking answers, information, and help for a child who self-injures through cutting. While parents of teens who cut is the intended audience, teachers, health-care practitioners, and parents of teens in general may also benefit from the information and sound advice Hollander presents.
Background: There is an abundance of information available on cutting behavior, but most of it targets teens or professionals. Hollander, director of Adolescent Services at a renowned psychiatric facility in Massachusetts, has filled a void in the literature by offering this resource specifically for parents. In a sympathetic tone, he acknowledges the emotions and difficulty both parents and teens may face as they struggle to understand and overcome the injurious behavior. Hollander offers practical advice to help parents better understand and communicate more effectively with their child. He clearly explains what is known about cutting behavior, addresses it causes, and identifies effective treatment options.—Susan E. Thomas, Schurz Lib., Indiana Univ. South Bend

Krishnan, Shobha S., M.D. The HPV Vaccine Controversy: Sex, Cancer, God, and Politics. Praeger. Oct. 2008. c.240p. index. ISBN 978-0-313-35011-5. $39.95. HEALTH
Verdict: Dense with scientific explanation, Krishnan's book seems an unlikely read for most parents and teenagers, even those interested in the topic. It is full of useful information, e.g., which states require insurance companies to pay for the vaccine, but lay readers would have to jump around to hit the high points. Recommended for academic/medical libraries and comprehensive collections at public libraries.
Background: Gardasil and Cervarix (awaiting FDA approval) are both vaccines that prevent infection with certain strains of human papillomavirus (HPV) that can cause cervical, penile, and other cancers. Currently recommended by the Centers for Disease Control for use in girls and young women, they have been controversial because of the method of transmission. Some parents have balked at giving their 11 year olds a vaccine for a sexually transmitted disease. Gynecologist Krishnan (Barnard Coll. Health Svcs., Columbia Univ.) provides admirable and balanced coverage of the controversy and science involved. She discusses her own decision to have her daughter vaccinated and whether or not she believes it promotes promiscuity.—Elizabeth Williams, Washoe Cty. Lib. Syst., Reno, NV

Seaman, Barbara & Laura Eldridge. The No-Nonsense Guide to Menopause: A Comprehensive Resource with Simple, Unbiased Advice on Managing This Important Life Stage. S. & S. 2008. c.496p. index. ISBN 978-0-7432-7678-8. $26.95. HEALTH
Verdict: Seaman's final book provides a base from which to review the controversies that have played out regarding the potential side effects of hormone therapies. However, readers may find this information—presented in the book's first half—of greater interest than the second half, which focuses on tangentially related wellness topics. Overall, a good reference for those who wish to know more about menopause and recommended for consumer health and public library collections.
Background: A seminal author in women’s health (e.g., The Doctors' Case Against the Pill, 1969), Seaman worked with Eldridge to pen one of her last works prior to her death from lung cancer earlier this year. Bringing the same skepticism that she did to the area of reproductive health, Seaman here aims to provide women with information about a common but often misunderstood process undergone by women throughout the ages—menopause. Readers get the history necessary to understand the process and the controversies associated with the process, not to mention an in-depth review of treatments, remedies, and research results to date.—Lori Gluckman Winterfeldt, VA New York Harbor Healthcare Syst., Manhattan Campus Lib.

Worth, David. The Citizen Kane Crash Course on Cinematography: A Wildly Fictional Account of How Orson Welles Learned Everything About the Art of Cinematography in Half an Hour. Or Was It a Weekend? Michael Wiese. Sept. 2008. c.132p. illus. filmog. ISBN 978-1-932907-46-9. pap. $19.95. FILM
Verdict: This heavily illustrated book is a fictionalized dialog between cinematographer Gregg Toland and Orson Welles. Unfortunately, it is in many ways a prurient, misogynistic flight of fancy that teaches little if anything about cinematography. Not recommended.
Background: There is an apocryphal story that Toland approached Welles when he was newly arrived in Hollywood and taught the enfant terrible of stage and radio everything he needed to know about cinematography in half an hour. Accomplished and prolific cinematographer Worth here spins that dialog out over a debauched weekend. He seems far more interested in the drinking and fornicating habits of his characters (always with the caveat that they had imported whiskey and expensive whores) than their filmmaking challenges and talents or individual character. Talk of lenses and film are at best incidental to descriptions of prostitutes hired for their resemblance to stars of the day. The conceit of this imaginary encounter and a love of bad old Hollywood get in the way of his conveying real information.—Christian Zabriskie, Queens P.L., New York

Audio

Shaffer, Mary Ann & Annie Barrows. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. 7 CDs. library ed. unabridged. 8 hrs. Books on Tape. Aug. 2008. ISBN 978-1-4159-5440-9. $80; retail ed. Random House Audio. ISBN 978-0-7393-6843-5. $34.95; digital download. ISBN 978-0-7393-6844-2. $68. F
Verdict: A talented roster of five narrators spirits to life this celebrated epistolary novel with distinct, animated performances, helping confirm the obvious: this book was destined for audio.
Background: When former bookseller/librarian Shaffer fell ill while writing her debut novel, she asked her niece, children’s book author Barrows, to help her complete her tale of love, literature, and ingenuity set on the island of Guernsey and in London shortly after World War II. Shaffer died in February, just six months before her book, which garnered early buzz as a galley at this year’s Book Expo America, was published in hardcover by Dial Press. It’s since received a starred review, enjoyed an extended stay atop the New York Times Best Sellers list, and gotten optioned for film. Expect no less of this audio edition, in which readers Paul Boehmer (Moby-Dick), English actresses Rosalyn Landor and Juliet Mills, and Susan Duerden and John Lee, who previously co-narrated The Tenth Gift, lend nuance, depth, and crackle to an already multidimensional, not-to-miss tale.—Raya Kuzyk, Library Journal



Classic Returns

Kerouac, Jack. The Dharma Bums: 50th Anniversary Edition. Viking. 2008. 187p. ISBN 978-0-670-01993-9. $24.95. F
Kerouac followed up the 1957 smash On the Road with this novel. Though not as successful as Road, Bums introduced Buddhism and its ideas to the Beats, many of whom began following its traditions. This edition sports Ann Douglas’s intro to the 2006 Penguin Classics paperback. Viking also is releasing a hardback of Jack’s Wake Up: A Life of Buddha (see below).—Mike Rogers, LJ/LJX

Kerouac, Jack. Wake Up: A Life of the Buddha. Viking. Sept. 2008. 146p. ISBN 978-0-670-01957-1. $24.95. REL
Though raised a devout Catholic, Kerouac became entranced by Buddhism after discovering Dwight Goddard’s A Buddhist Bible in a public library. This offers for the first time in book form Jack’s take on the Buddha’s life and principle teachings.—Mike Rogers, LJ/LJX

Porter, Katherine Anne. Collected Stories and Other Writings. Library of America. Oct. 2008. 1093p. ISBN 978-1-59853-029-2. $40. F
The Library of America welcomes its newest member. This combines Porter’s short stories collections—Flowering Judas and Other Stories; Pale Horse, Pale Rider; and The Leaning Tower and Other Stories—with a large dose of her short prose (reviews, criticism, essays, travel pieces, and more) that has long been unavailable. A ton of great stuff!—Mike Rogers, LJ/LJX

Silverberg, Robert. Son of Man. PYR: Prometheus. 2008. 225p. ISBN 978-1-59102-646-4. pap. $14. SF
Silverberg’s 1971 novel follows a man named Clay, who is propelled into the future to find an Earth where the human race has evolved into several species with different names who collectively call themselves "Sons of Man." Clay takes up with the dominant Skimmers for a journey that makes him ponder what it means to be human.—Mike Rogers, LJ/LJX

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