Xpress Reviews—First Look at New Books

-- Library Journal, 1/30/2009 2:24:00 PM

Fiction | Nonfiction

Fiction

Albanese, Laurie & Laura Morowitz. The Miracles of Prato. Morrow. Feb. 2009. c.384p. ISBN 978-0-06-155834-4. $24.95. F
Verdict: A well-narrated account of the forbidden love between the Renaissance painter-monk Fra Filippo and his model, Lucrezia Buti, served up with hefty portions of political intrigue, Italian-style. Recommended to fans of Tracy Chevalier’s Girl with a Pearl Earring and historical fiction collections.
Background: Albanese (Blue Suburbia) and art historian Morowitz blend fact with fiction in a portrait of Fra Filippo Lippi, whose prayers for an angelic vision are answered in the form of a beautiful young woman who poses for him as he creates an altarpiece for the King of Naples, a gift on which the peace of Italy depends. The book’s portrayal of the artistic process is fascinating, but readers unfamiliar with historic Italy or Catholic Church politics may get somewhat lost. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 9/15/08.]—Jamie Kallio, Thomas Ford Memorial Lib., Western Springs, IL

Banks, Ray. Sucker Punch: A Cal Innes Novel. Harcourt Hougton Mifflin. Feb. 2009. c.256p. ISBN 978-0-15-101323-4. $25. M
Verdict: While Banks has good perceptions and can throw off a punchy line or two, there’s a lot more flash than substance here. The plot is also unfortunately predictable. Still, he is squarely in the ranks of talented contenders. Recommended for larger public libraries. [See Prepub Mystery, LJ 10/1/08.]
Background: A Scottish gofer in a Manchester boxing club, Cal Innes (Saturday’s Child) is delegated to shepherd up-and-coming boxer Liam Wooley to a series of exhibition bouts in the City of Angels, where the atmosphere gets downright noirish. Contrary to the expectations of some, Cal uncovers culture there, but it is the type that might be scraped from the bottom of a petri dish. Clearly out of his depth trying to look out for Liam’s welfare, Cal skitters about LA’s tattered fringes before being reduced to seeking advice from someone he’s met in a bar.—Bob Lunn, Kansas City P.L., MO

Galgut, Damon. The Impostor. Black Cat: Grove. Jan. 2009. c.256p. ISBN 978-0-8021-7053-8. pap. $14. F
Verdict: South African playwright/novelist Galgut delivers a striking story of a white man’s experience in postapartheid South Africa. Recommended for book groups and literary fiction collections.
Background: Similar in style to the author’s 2003 Man Booker Prize finalist, The Good Doctor, this book works as a novel and an allegory, raising moral questions about the human capacity for adaptation. Unsettled and at a loss after losing his job to a young black man, Adam moves from Johannesburg to a dilapidated house in the country outside Cape Town. He plans to write nature poetry but is stymied by the property’s ever-encroaching weeds and writer’s block. Adam begins spending weekends on the estate of a boyhood friend and becomes entangled with the man’s wife and shady business dealings—with shocking consequences.—Laurie A. Cavanaugh, Brockton P.L., MA

Genova, Lisa. Still Alice. Pocket: S. & S. Jan. 2009. c.320p. ISBN 978-1-4391-0281-7. pap. $15.
Verdict: While the characters feel flat and the plot contrived, this first novel contains rich descriptions of the genetic and clinical aspects of Alzheimer’s. Best suited for larger public libraries.
Background: At 50, Alice Howland is enjoying a rewarding career teaching cognitive psychology at Harvard when she receives a life-altering diagnosis of early-onset Alzheimer’s. First-time writer Genova is a neuroscientist with a Ph.D. from Harvard; her background becomes obvious via the details surrounding both the Harvard environs of her protagonist and the disease that creeps into her life. Those seeking a more emotional treatment of the implications of caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s should see the 2006 movie Away from Her, with Julie Christie, directed by Sarah Polley.—Julie Kane, Sweet Briar Coll. Lib., VA

Haskell, John. Out of My Skin. Farrar. Feb. 2009. c.224p. photogs. ISBN 978-0-374-29909-9. $13. F
Verdict: A quirky tale about illusion and reality, identity and authenticity, and the quintessential American urge for reinvention. Recommended for most public libraries.
Background: “I’d come to Los Angeles to be something different,” states Jack, a would-be movie reviewer who takes a magazine assignment profiling celebrity impersonators—specifically a Steve Martin impersonator—and transforms into something of a Steve Martin impersonator himself. In his second novel (after American Purgatorio), Haskell focuses on his relationship with Jane, an ex-dancer, who’s more in love with his Steve Martin persona than his “real” self.—Lawrence Rungren, Merrimack Valley Lib. Consortium, North Andover, MA

Niven, John. Kill Your Friends. Harper Perennial. Jan. 2009. c.352p. ISBN 978-0-06-169061-7. pap. $14.95. F
Verdict: Although hilariously dark and satirical, this debut novel is so heavy on the hard-boiled protagonist’s drinking, drugging, and whoring that it will alienate most readers. Suitable for large public libraries.
Background: Niven, who spent a decade working in the UK music industry, presents us with the unlikable Steven Stelfox—his every action is guided by his endless greed and need for self-aggrandizement (along with healthy doses of alcohol and cocaine). And, these actions lead to shocking and somewhat sickening conclusions. After following Stelfox around for 350 pages, his lack of self-awareness (or any other emotion) might leave readers aching to return to his or her boring “boiler” life (to use one of Stelfox’s favorite slang words).—Deborah Hicks, Univ. of Alberta, Edmonton

Nonfiction

Barrass, Gordon S. The Great Cold War: A Journey Through the Hall of Mirrors. Stanford Security: Stanford Univ. Feb. 2009. c.496p. illus. maps. index. ISBN 978-0-8047-6064-5. $29.95. HIST
Verdict: Personal perspectives skillfully interwoven with historical narrative make this book an essential interpretation of the cold war and one that most libraries should acquire.
Background: As former chief of the Assessments Staff in the Cabinet Office in London, Barass was privy to confidential intelligence that he draws upon in this analysis of the great stakes involved in the contest between East and West. What makes Barrass’s book especially worthwhile—besides his obvious skills as a writer—are the nearly 100 interviews he conducted with many of the principle participants on both sides. His narrative is replete with personal observations from those who were engaged in the day-to-day diplomatic and military work of various governments.—Ed Goedeken, Iowa State Univ. Lib., Ames

Burguiere, Andre. The Annales School: An Intellectual History. Cornell Univ. 2008. c.296p. tr. from French by Jane Marie Todd. bibliog. ISBN 978-0-8014-4665-8. $45. HIST
Verdict: This study of the evolution of the Annales School of historical scholarship will be of interest primarily to scholars of French intellectual history and historiography. Recommended only for specialized academic collections and large research libraries.
Background: During the interwar years in France, the Annales School pioneered a new approach of writing and teaching history, emphasizing interdisciplinarity and understanding the past through the accounts of witnesses. Professor Burguiere, intimately involved with the group’s celebrated journal for decades, revisits the early history of the review, focusing on the leadership of Marc Bloch and Lucien Febvre—and their frequently stormy relationship. Tracing the evolving social and political environment and the groups shifts in focus, he analyzes the impact of such leading Annalistes as Pierre Goubert, Emmanuel Le Roy Ladurie, and Philippe Aries.—Marie Marmo Mullaney, Caldwell Coll., NJ

Carroll, John. The Existential Jesus. Counterpoint. 2009. c.288p. bibliog. index. ISBN 978-1-58243-465-0. pap. $15.95. REL
Verdict: A new translation of the New Testament gospel of Mark supplemented by summaries and commentaries on the original text. Recommended for seminary libraries.
Background: Carroll (sociology, La Trobe Univ., Australia; Ego and Soul) argues that if the Christian church is to survive, it must tell and retell Jesus’s story in new and refreshing ways to keep the legend culturally current. Carroll offers his version of the “existential Jesus”—antichurch, antiestablishment, antifamily, and anticommunity. Unfortunately, the book fails to establish convincingly this nontraditional Jesus; the new translations offer a fresh reading of the gospel but scant new information. When Carroll offers his interpretation of the text, the reader gets the impression that he is speaking from some private source of authentication, but no new sources of information about Jesus are revealed.—James A. Overbeck, Atlanta

DeRamus, Betty. Freedom by Any Means: Con Games, Voodoo Schemes, True Love and Lawsuits on the Underground Railroad. Atria: S. & S. Feb. 2009. c.336p. photogs. bibliog. index. ISBN 978-1-4165-5110-2. $25. HIST
Verdict: Written with verve and panache, this intimate look at African Americans’ efforts to escape slavery is essential for teen collections and will be valuable to any library with an emphasis in African American history.
Background: DeRamus’s book reads like a sensational romance, but it is in fact a sincere account of traveling the Underground Railroad. The author’s style is lyrical and entertaining (if occasionally overblown), but this book might seem repetitive to fans of DeRamus’s previous book, which also covered African Americans fleeing bondage for love or to retain family connections.—Emily-Jane Dawson, Multnomah Cty. Lib., Portland, OR

Hall, M. Clement, M.D. The Fibromyalgia Controversy. Prometheus. Jan. 2009. c.340p. index. ISBN 978-1-59102-681-5. pap. $18.95. HEALTH
Verdict: While several books address the challenges of living with fibromyalgia, e.g., Benjamin Natelson’s Your Symptoms Are Real, Hall’s is a uniquely objective account that surveys diagnosis, treatments, and the controversy surrounding the condition. Recommended for academic and large public libraries.
Background: Between three to six million Americans, mostly women, suffer from fibromyalgia, a syndrome that causes pain and fatigue. Hall (Trauma Surgeon) delivers a balanced view in the book by presenting perspectives of skeptics who doubt whether fibromyalgia is a real medical condition—as well as comprehensive descriptions of the disorder and treatment options. The book contains fictional case studies of women living with fibromyalgia, accounts that add a personal touch but could have been more seamlessly woven into the narrative.—Rebecca Raszewski, Univ. of Illinois at Chicago

Koegel, Lynn Kern & Claire LaZebnik. Growing Up on the Spectrum: A Guide to Life, Love, and Learning for Teens and Young Adults with Autism and Asperger’s. Viking. Mar. 2009. c.370p. index. ISBN 978-0-670-02067-6. $25.95. PSYCH
Verdict: A comprehensive and accessible guide designed to help parents and educators help teens with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) successfully navigate high school, college, and beyond. Highly recommended for public libraries.
Background: In their second collaboration (after Overcoming Autism), Koegel (cofounder & clinical supervisor, Koegel Autism Research & Training Ctr., Univ. of California, Santa Barbara) and LaZebnik, parent of a child with autism, offer chapters addressing friendship, dating, school, employment, and hygiene. Koegel presents strategies to assist teens in mastering skills; LaZebnik’s son and other young adults on the spectrum offer their unique insights. The introduction provides a course on various terms, interventions, and techniques.—Lisa M. Jordan, Johnson Cty. Lib., KS

Marshall, Paul & others. Blind Spot: Why Journalists Don’t Get Religion Right. Oxford Univ. 2008. c.224p. ISBN 978-0-19-537437-7. pap. $19.95. REL
Verdict: This analysis of antireligious bias in journalism will engage readers interested in current affairs and religious issues.
Background: Marshall (senior fellow, Ctr. for Religious Freedom), freelance writer Lela Gilbert, and journalist Roberta Green-Ahmanson argue that reporting on religious issues is frequently marred by the omission of critical details, crude stereotyping, and masking hostility in “objectivity.” The authors share findings of increasing global religious conviction and evidence that “journalists are more secular in outlook than are their readers.” Careful exception is made of those writers who do “get religion,” such as Peter Steinfels of the New York Times and Michael Gerson of the Washington Post, who authored the book’s foreword. The book and its conclusion offer a variety of prescriptions, including a plea for journalistic humility.—Zachary T. Irwin, Penn State Univ.–Erie

Mortimer, Gavin. Chasing Icarus: The Seventeen Days in 1910 That Forever Changed American Aviation. Walker & Co. Mar. 2009. c.320p. photogs. bibliog. ISBN 978-0-8027-1711-5. $26. HIST
Verdict: A singular contribution to early aviation history; recommended not just for major aeronautical collections but for all libraries.
Background: Mortimer (The Great Swim) persuasively argues that three particular aeronautic events in 1910 vouchsafed the primacy of U.S. aviation: Walter Wellman’s failed attempt to cross the Atlantic in his dirigible America; the International Balloon Cup Race, which embarked from St. Louis; and the country’s first international aircraft contest held above the Belmont Park racetrack in New York. The author excels in his lavish depiction of New York City’s society swells, attracted to aerobatic thrills, and of such pilots as the “death-dodger” Charles H. Hamilton and the Wright brothers, memorably portrayed as greedy entrepreneurs. His evocative final chapter outlines the advances in aviation and its cost in lives.—John Carver Edwards, Univ. of Georgia Libs., Cleveland

Ray, Rachael (text) & Tina Rupp (photogs.). Rachael Ray’s Big Orange Book. Potter, dist. by Crown. 2008. 360p. photogs. index. ISBN 978-0-307-38319-8. pap. $24.95. COOKERY
Verdict: Because of the popularity of Ray’s program on the Food Network, this book will surely be in demand by library patrons. Recommended for all libraries.
Background: As on TV, Ray (Rachael Ray: Just in Time!) exudes personality in her rendition of recipes in this collection, using terms such as “sammies” for sandwiches and “EVOO” for extra-virgin olive oil to express her unique self throughout. Her latest book consists of sections on 30-minute meals, vegetarian dinners, kosher meals, and holiday menus. All recipes are straightforward, involving fresh fruits and vegetables, and requiring ingredients that are available in most stores. All corners of the world are represented, with special emphasis on Italian, Mexican, and American cuisine. Ray has also simplified old favorites such as chicken and dumplings by using prepared gnocchi for the dumplings. Colorful full-page photos are generously dispersed throughout.—Ann Weber, Bellarmine Coll. Preparatory Lib., San Jose, CA

Selhub, Eva M., M.D., with Divina Infusino. The Love Response: Your Prescription to Transform Fear, Anger, and Anxiety into Vibrant Health and Well-Being. Ballantine. Jan. 2009. c.256p. index. ISBN 978-0-345-50652-8. $25. HEALTH
Verdict: A compassionate and inspiring approach to managing stress, fear, and anxiety that underscores the connections between mental and physical health. Self-help enthusiasts will appreciate the author’s nurturing tone and ability to synthesize Eastern and Western philosophies. Recommended for all libraries.
Background: Selhub, an integrative health specialist and a senior staff physician at the Benson Henry Institute for Mind/Body Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital, offers practical and nurturing instructions, guided meditations, and imagery to invoke optimum mental states for total physical and spiritual well-being. Citing patient case studies, the author emphasizes the importance of spirituality and psychology in treating chronic health and medical concerns.—Sarah E. Myers, Red Feather Lakes Community Lib., CO

Shorter, Edward. Before Prozac: The Troubled History of Mood Disorders in Psychiatry. Oxford Univ. 2008. c.320p. index. ISBN 978-0-19-536874-1. $29.95. PSYCH
Verdict: A witty foray into the worlds of psychiatry and pharmacology. Essential for most libraries.
Background: Shorter (history of medicine & psychiatry, Univ. of Toronto) has written over 12 books, including A History of Psychiatry and A Historical Dictionary of Psychiatry. This work could not be more timely (or disturbing) considering how the public is being routinely targeted with ads touting expensive new antidepressants. Even physicians may not know that therapeutic efficacy and safety are not supported by the patent system: new drugs are tested against placebos, not against older, cheaper medications that are often as good or better. Shorter offers persuasive evidence that meprobamate (Equanil/Miltown) is an excellent medication though long dismissed, while Prozac is not. Technical material is lightened by lively anecdotes gleaned from interviews with pioneering researchers.—E. James Lieberman, George Washington Univ. Sch. of Medicine, Washington, DC

Spector, Stephen. Evangelicals and Israel: The Story of Christian Zionism. Oxford Univ. 2008. c.384p. bibliog. ISBN 978-0-19-536802-4. $29.95. REL
Verdict: Well researched and well documented, this is a highly nuanced excursion into the social, political, and religious ideologies of American Christians who in one way or another believe in and support Israel. This insightful and well-crafted book deserves the attention of anyone interested in the Middle East, Christian Zionism, or interfaith discussions. Recommended for academic and theological libraries.
Background: Spector (English, Stony Brook Univ.) delivers a much-needed treatment of American Christian Zionism (ACZ), addressing topics ranging from the relationships between Christians and Jews, to the biblical foundations of these relationships (or divisions), to the historical developments of Christian evangelical and fundamentalist theological traditions, as well as the relationship with Islam and Muslims. The book’s latter half deals with criticisms of ACZ and interweaves various religio-political discussions about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which include the policies of George W. Bush.—Anthony J. Elia, JKM Lib., Chicago

Temple, Robert with Olivia Temple. The Sphinx Mystery: The Forgotten Origins of the Sanctuary of Anubis. Inner Traditions. Feb. 2009. c.576p. illus. index. ISBN 978-1-59477-271-9. pap. $24.95. ARCHAEOL
Verdict: An exhaustively researched sojourn into the history of the great Sphinx at Gaza. While the findings are fascinating, general readers might be unwilling to sift through the book’s heft. For libraries as interest warrants.
Background: Temple (The Sirius Mystery: New Scientific Evidence of Alien Contact 5,000 Years Ago) collaborates with his wife in this study that claims that the Sphinx was originally a statue of Anubis, the mortuary god. Only after the statue was defaced was it remade with the body of a lion and the head of a pharaoh, probably Amenemhet II. The Temples present photographs and primary-source accounts of visits to the sphinx as early as Pliny, but their harsh stance against academic Egyptology is self-defeating and useless to most readers.—Joan W. Gartland, Macomb Community Coll. Lib., Warren, MI

Tayler, Jeffrey. Murderers in Mausoleums: Riding the Back Roads of Empire Between Moscow and Beijing. Houghton. 2009. c.320p. maps. ISBN 978-0-618-79991-6. $24. TRAV
Verdict: This cultural walkabout of central Asia offers revealing glimpses of the region’s political and economic significance. Suitable for larger travel collections and libraries serving patrons with an interest in Eurasian studies.
Background: Atlantic Monthly correspondent Tayler (Facing the Congo; River of No Reprieve) chronicles his 7200-mile adventure from Moscow to Beijing, which he started during the summer of 2006. Tayler provides fascinating glimpses of Slavic, Turkic, and Chinese peoples encountered in the rough-and-tumble political and cultural landscapes of Dagestan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Xinjiang (Chinese Turkestan). Traveling by taxi, train, and bus, he interacts with a wildly opinionated cast of characters who are by turns boorish, charming, ethnocentric, worldly, pro-American, anti-American, polite, or profane.—Elizabeth Connor, The Citadel, Military Coll. of South Carolina Lib., Charleston

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