Social Sciences
-- Library Journal, 4/1/2009
This is the gentle, touching story of a traditional Chinese family whose lives were shattered by war and revolution. Chang (political science, emeritus, Univ. of Wisconsin, Oshkosh) tells of constant struggle; of struggling to stay alive through famine, poverty, and being the youngest child (b. 1929), struggling through the traditional Chinese educational system and then war, revolution, and the Communist takeover, struggling to adapt to a new life in Taiwan and the United States, and finally struggling with the reality of returning to China and the family he left behind. Some readers might be put off by Chang's often apologetic and forgiving nature toward those who hurt him (ranging from an abusive father who beat his mother and tried to smother him as a child to friends who spied on him and his family for the Communists), but others will see that his choices are clearly the product of a traditional Confucian background. Luckily, Chang's positive attitude gives the book its heart. Recommended for general readers in history as well as memoir.—Melissa Aho, Univ. of Minnesota Libs., Minneapolis The film Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid first brought Sundance (Harry Longabaugh) to the attention of the American public. While it was based on fact, like most Hollywood films it included just as much fiction in order to tell a good story. Now Ernst (Sundance, My Uncle) presents the results of her excavations into family records and historical archives to bring us Sundance's story from his early days in Pennsylvania to his death in Bolivia. Along the way, we meet the Wild Bunch, the Pinkertons, and Charles Woodcock, the express messenger who was held up twice by the Wild Bunch. Like most outlaws, Sundance was blamed for many more robberies than he actually committed. Ernst corrects the record, showing what Sundance did and did not do and describing his attempts to go straight. She also brings to light his activities in South America and presents convincing evidence that Butch and Sundance were killed in Bolivia. This delightful book is aimed at general readers and American Western history buffs and can be appreciated by specialists as well.—Stephen H. Peters, Northern Michigan Univ. Lib., Marquette As Hannon, a contributor to NPR's All Things Considered, writes of her impoverished childhood in a dysfunctional family in Georgia, her college experiences, and a career in marketing, she touts the core values of love, forgiveness, and gratitude that helped her make her way; she also writes that one needs to conquer fear and whup some ass. Despite the soundness of the values she espouses, the hard-luck story she relates here is nothing more than a series of sound bites—she jumps from one incident to another without much cohesion or continuity, e.g., one chapter starts and ends with Hannon buying school clothes but takes unrelated detours in between. There are some fun chapters on haints (the Southern term for ghosts), but the book feels more like a marketing tool for Hannon than a memoir of substance. Not recommended.—Gina Kaiser, Univ. of the Sciences Lib., Philadelphia Finally, a book that acknowledges the great debt the United States owes to Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais for his service in obtaining American independence from the British during the Revolutionary War. Beaumarchais, always the revolutionary, wanted to champion the great cause: freedom for America, a new nation in the New World founded on the ideas of the Age of Enlightenment. When he died in 1799, the United States had still not satisfied its financial debt to Beaumarchais for arms shipments. Lever, a prolific French author and scholar of 17th- and 18th-century French literature, reveals Beaumarchais to be a man of many talents—playwright, politician, publisher, entrepreneur, spy, and rebel. Today, French professors in the United States may sardonically mention to their students his play, The Marriage of Figaro, without giving Beaumarchais credit for his aid in the Revolutionary War. He lived through the bloody French Revolution and the Reign of Terror and had to resort to many ruses to survive. Lever's revealing biography is recommended for all public and academic libraries.—Bob T. Ivey, Univ. of Memphis This engaging biography examines the life of Olive Oatman, who was 13 years old when Indians attacked her Illinois Mormon family on its journey west; she was subsequently adopted and raised by the Mohave tribe. Mifflin (English, Lehman Coll., CUNY) tells Oatman's story, from the unorthodox religious convictions that led her family west, through her captivity and assimilation into Mohave culture, to her rescue and reassimilation. Mifflin engagingly describes Oatman's ordeal and theorizes about its impact on Oatman herself as well as on popular imagination. The author seeks to correct much of the myth that has sprung up around Oatman, owing partly to a biography written with Oatman's participation during her life. Mifflin takes the position that Oatman was almost fully assimilated into Mohave culture and resisted "rescue," and that her return to mainstream society was a cause of ambivalence, if not anxiety. Though Mifflin sometimes seems a bit eager to make this argument, her book adds nuance to Oatman's story and also humanizes the Mohave who adopted her. Recommended for general readers as well as students and scholars.—Julie Biando Edwards, Maureen & Mike Mansfield Lib., Univ. of Montana, Missoula Romagnoli (d. 2008; A Thousand Bells at Noon: A Roman Reveals the Secrets and Pleasures of His Native City), who was known for his expertise on Italian cuisine, here reflects on his activities in Italy from the late 1930s to the end of World War II. He colorfully describes his own experience of the complexities and ambiguities that were common in relationships among Fascist and anti-Fascist Italians and the Germans, who were alternately their allies and their occupiers. He openly describes his friendships with Mussolini supporters and Germans while he was working as a messenger for the Italian resistance. Although the tone of the memoir is sad, Romagnoli lightens the story with humorous anecdotes and the familiar angst of teenage romance. The narrative becomes especially exciting when Romagnoli flees Rome into the countryside to avoid military service for the puppet government the Germans set up in the north after Italy had officially surrendered to the Allies. This memoir is recommended for the sheer pleasure of reading it.—Michael Farrell, Reformed Theological Seminary Lib., Oviedo, FL In the early second-wave feminism of the 1960s, Helen Gurley Brown made it her mission to argue that "good" girls were independent, hard-working, successful, and perfectly happy not being wives or mothers, instead enjoying casual sex, wearing make-up and high heels, and receiving expensive gifts from their lovers, some of whom may be married to others. Scanlon (gender & women's studies, Bowdoin Coll.), a feminist scholar, has written the first biography of the famous Cosmopolitan editor, whose views were certainly considered unconventional by both general society and the emerging women's liberation movement. As Scanlon's timely book shows, we're likely to be familiar with Brown and her famed "Cosmo girl" through their latter-day embodiment in characters in Mad Men and Sex and the City. Brown's life is a particularly rich, interesting subject, and Scanlon does a good job of recounting her transformation from ambitious working girl to influential promoter of the power of the feminine and, in Scanlon's view, feminist consciousness. Highly recommended.—Theresa Kintz, Wilkes Univ., Wilkes-Barre, PA Communications Early in his memoir, Phelps explains that he wants to show how his religious or moral concerns have informed his journalism. In that respect, his book falls flat: Phelps's recounting of his spiritual journey seems tacked onto what is at heart the story of his life at the New York Times, a narrative that illuminates the pressures that can drive a news story. Phelps, who served as the Times's Washington news editor from 1965 to 1974, has much to say about journalistic ethics and the relationship between editors and reporters. With grace and charm, he navigates the minefield of infighting between the New York and Washington bureaus, and he describes some of the paper's most influential personalities. Of special interest is his treatment of the Watergate scandal, an event that fundamentally altered the role of journalism in America. For Phelps, highly placed in a bureau widely viewed as having been beaten on the story, it's a charged subject. His take on that watershed moment in his craft will be illuminating to readers with an interest in journalism, professionally or otherwise. —Fred Baerkircher, Twinsburg P.L., OH Economics There are lots of books on strategies for playing the actual Parker Brothers game of Monopoly™, but Janik, a realtor, recognized expert, and veteran real estate author, uses the board game's familiar features as an extended metaphor in a guide that advises readers on getting into the real real estate game. She covers the territory in sections titled "Getting In," "Getting Around," and "Getting Out," where she explores how the market works for investing purposes, as well as for buying and selling a family home. Readers will learn how to manage offers and counteroffers, the nature of purchase and sale contracts, the ins and outs of tax sales and foreclosures, and what it takes to be a landlord. Janik uses familiar Monopoly™ icons such as Community Chest and Chance to highlight tips, cautions, and definitions. Her excellent coverage on both hot and cold markets is particularly timely and makes this a recommended title for general readers looking for a good grounding on the subject.—Joan Pedzich, Harris Beach PLLC, Rochester, NY Evolutionary psychologist Miller (The Mating Mind) digs deep into the primal past of humankind to discover the roots of…modern marketing? Actually, his focus is more on the makings of modern consumer culture—of which marketing is, he argues, a dominant force. Since evolutionary psychology seeks to examine how natural selection acts on psychological and mental traits, Miller applies this knowledge to help us understand what actually motivates us to buy. He pokes fun at popular culture and at the things we buy and flaunt to inflate our self-esteem and try to make ourselves more attractive. Personality research can inform the study of consumer behavior, and Miller shows us how having a better understanding of our own personalities will help us avoid the pitfalls of runaway consumerism. After all, millions of years of evolution have honed humans' natural abilities to win friends and mates, so why resort to expensive and ridiculous substitutes for our true identities and personalities? For both lay readers and academics, reading this book should be considered time well "spent."—Carol J. Elsen, Univ. of Wisconsin, Whitewater In-N-Out Burger is a regional hamburger chain (California, Arizona, Nevada, and Utah) with a cult following. The chain is known for its eccentricities—e.g., a secret menu and tiny Bible verses printed on almost everything—but its strangeness contributes to its appeal. In this dense history, Perman (Spies, Inc.: Business Innovation from Israel's Masters of Espionage) follows three generations of the Snyder family as they expand their business from a hot dog stand to a chain found in 200 locations. Perman lays the groundwork for contrasting family-owned In-N-Out with megacorporation McDonald's, but this appealing theme simply disappears. Founder Harry Snyder was simultaneously a fast-food innovator (he invented the two-way speaker box) and a micromanaging Luddite who seemingly succeeded in spite of himself by being in the right place at the right time. As Perman details two more generations of family dysfunction, her dry tone keeps the reader from the more engaging episodes. Interest in this sometimes plodding text will be proportionate to the reader's affinity for the brand. Recommended for local devotees of the chain and for some readers in American popular culture.—Robert Perret, Univ. of Idaho, Moscow Rohatyn (former managing director, Lazard Frères & Co.) retells ten major events in U.S. history from a banker's perspective. He aims both to engender an understanding of how important national leadership has been to the development of our country and to sound a call for national investment in renewing our nation's infrastructure. Organized as a series of case studies, the book explores federally funded undertakings such as the Louisiana Purchase and the Reconstruction Finance Corporation and describes the circumstances through which each came to pass. Rohatyn nicely summarizes quite complex historical events, some of which (e.g., the GI Bill) make a more compelling case than others (e.g., the Homestead Act) for the unequivocal success of federally supported national development endeavors. Ultimately, Rohatyn proposes the creation of a National Infrastructure Bank to guide federal funds for public works projects (roads, bridges, schools, etc.) to go to the most critical needs, then details how such a bank might improve upon current means of distributing federal funds for such projects. Maps would have been beneficial for some chapters. Recommended for all interested readers in U.S. history or current affairs.—Elizabeth L. Winter, Georgia Inst. of Technology, Atlanta In these uncertain times, new graduates and the newly unemployed need to manage their online images to find employment. This outstanding, easy-to-read guide shows millennial job seekers how to promote themselves both online and offline via Schawbel's concept of personal branding, or "how we market ourselves to others." Although he did not create the concept, Schawbel has successfully used e-marketing strategies, including many web 2.0 social networking technologies, such as blogs, wikis, and podcasts, to advance his career. He has also established himself as an authority in assisting others with these goals through his four-step method, i.e., discovering, creating, communicating, and maintaining individuals' personal brands. This enjoyable read is enhanced by gray-shaded informational sidebars, a glossary, and many testimonials about the success of Schawbel's method. Well suited to both students and the general public, this timely title is also recommended for human resource and recruiting professionals.—Caroline Geck, Lib. Media Specialist, Newark Public Schs., NJ In this study of the Alan Greenspan and Ben Bernanke Federal Reserve eras, Overtveldt (director, VKW Metena, Belgium) provides insight into the current financial crisis. He says that Greenspan was generally successful in keeping the economy vibrant and ameliorating financial shocks but that his use of low interest rates and his opposition to financial regulation fostered the growth of the housing and credit bubble. In 2007 the bubble burst, becoming first a liquidity and then a solvency crisis that could lead not simply to a severe recession but to a depression. Overtveldt examines Bernanke's life and economic thinking, especially on the Great Depression, to show he was equipped for this crisis. Though he admits that it is too early to predict success, he praises Bernanke's early recognition of the crisis, his interest-rate cuts, the innovative ways he injected liquidity into the system, and his push for greater transparency and regulation. Overtveldt's serious examination of how we got into this mess and what the Federal Reserve can do to get us out brings clarity to this period of financial chaos. Highly recommended for all interested readers, many of whom will have liked Mark Zandi's Financial Shock.—Lawrence Maxted, Gannon Univ., Erie, PA Education These guides are designed to help college-bound students successfully prepare themselves before they enter the world of higher education. While both books cover similar issues, their structure, scope, and coverage differ greatly. Burtnett (Parent's Guide to the College Admission Process) focuses mainly on the admission process, offering checklists, outlines, and user-friendly qualitative exercises to help students get organized, meet deadlines, and determine which colleges fit their individual objectives. The table of contents separates out student exercises within each chapter, allowing readers to refer quickly to topics most applicable to them. There are FAQs at the end of each chapter with answers from experienced school counselors. Burtnett's concise and objective writing structure provides a realistic insight into what students can expect. This essential guide is highly recommended for all college-bound students and their parents. The guide by Michael McGrath (Decide Better! For a Better Life), who's billed as "a world expert on decision making," and coauthor Christopher McGrath has a much broader scope, covering not only the transition to college but also the issues students face once they matriculate. As a result, the book is not as focused or objective as Burtnett's. In addition, the philosophy is quite different; the authors encourage readers to use a chesslike strategy when making rational decisions, in contrast to Burtnett's self-assessment approach. They also incorporate a lot of introductory buildup before the practical advice, and the quantitative graph exercises are more time-consuming. The book does provide useful outlines, pro and con lists, and explanations of some relevant topics, such as subsidized vs. unsubsidized loans, that are not mentioned by Burtnett. Nevertheless, this title is recommended only for self-help completists. —Karen Long, Farmington P.L., NM History Marian Anderson rose from humble beginnings in Philadelphia to become a world-renowned contralto and one of the most prominent African American women of her time. Arsenault (John Hope Franklin Professor of Southern History, Univ. of South Florida; Freedom Riders: 1961 and the Struggle for Racial Justice) adds to the large body of literature on Anderson with a book focusing on her iconic 1939 Easter concert. Having been denied the right to perform in Constitution Hall because of its white-performers-only policy, Anderson sang for 75,000 people on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. Arsenault writes that this was the "first time anyone in the modern civil rights struggle had invoked the symbol of the Great Emancipator in a direct and compelling way," with Anderson striking a historic blow for civil rights. While readers should be aware of Allan Keiler's more general Marian Anderson or Anderson's own autobiography, My Lord, What a Morning, Arsenault's book is a good one for serious students of the civil rights movement.—Jason Martin, Univ. of Central Florida Libs., Orlando In a riveting display of first-rate scholarship, Benton-Cohen (history, Georgetown Univ.) shows how entangled ideas of race and nation shifted as conditions changed in the place that became Arizona's 6000-square-mile Cochise County. She traces tumultuous interactions among Indians, Mexicans, Europeans, a smattering of Chinese, and a few blacks who grappled to civilize the land, one another, and themselves in the territory acquired from Mexico in the 1853 Gadsden Purchase. To solidify their grasp, Benton-Cohen explains, the increasingly dominant groups used an ideology of a self-constructed Americanness that combined antilabor, industrial capitalism with white supremacy to define the place and its peoples. Her complex story of community creation and cleaving details the hardening of race as a community divider and determiner of the status and norms of class, family, and gender. She unmasks many fictions in the invented political economy touted in the imagined identity of "white Americans." Telling more than local or regional stories, this is essential for all those deeply concerned with U.S. history, race relations, and society.—Thomas J. Davis, Arizona State Univ., Tempe Using a variety of primary sources, Cannato (The Ungovernable City) describes Ellis Island as a place and as an experience for the approximately 12 million immigrants who passed through it from 1892 to 1924. He follows its reincarnation as a detention center for wartime aliens and as a monument and museum, which he admits may celebrate uncritically "ethnic triumphalism" and upward mobility. Cannato writes that understaffing resulted in only perfunctory screening for mental, physical, and moral traits that might have made newcomers public charges, and he disabuses readers of the fallacy that examiners, rather than steamship officials or immigrants bent on assimilation, changed entrants' last names. With a focus on how "actual people created, interpreted, and executed immigration laws," Cannato maintains that regulation, which sometimes degraded into restriction, formed part of Progressive era reform and growing federal involvement to safeguard what was deemed the public interest. This measured book helps to place in perspective discussions—sure to matter to genealogists and those engaged in political discourse—of Ellis Island and the idea of immigration as a privilege rather than a right. Essential reading.—Frederick J. Augustyn Jr., Library of Congress Greene (anthropology, Smithsonian Institution) and Russell Thornton produced The Year the Stars Fell: Lakota Winter Counts at the Smithsonian in 2007, which examined ten Lakota pictorial calendars. With painstaking care, they deciphered the pictographs found on the calendars to provide a fascinating glimpse into centuries of Lakota history and culture. Here, Greene applies the same methodologies used in the aforementioned work to illuminate a pictograph calendar created by noted Kiowa artist Silver Horn. The calendar, in which Silver Horn documented events that took place from 1828 to 1928, is reproduced in full color with detailed descriptions of the documented events. In both works, rarely seen primary Native American resource materials are made available and accessible for audiences as varied as lay readers, students, and researchers. Both volumes are highly recommended for informed readers; those needing works on Native American artists should also consider Greene's Silver Horn: Master Illustrator of the Kiowas.—John Burch, Campbellsville Univ. Lib., KY Henderson (history, Auburn Univ., Montgomery; A Glorious Defeat: Mexico and Its War with the United States) offers a good synthesis for the general reader of what is known about Mexico's wars for independence between 1810 and 1821. He illustrates how the policies and practices of the Spanish colonial authorities led to a stratification of Mexican society, which ultimately brought about demands for political and social reform, and how attitudes and events in Spain influenced Mexican politics, society, and the course of the wars for independence. The royalists, Creoles (Spaniards born in Mexico), castes (those of mixed parentage), and Indians had different objectives, but Henderson keeps it all straight and provides in-depth portraits of the major revolutionary figures, allowing readers to easily follow the changes in fortune and shifting alliances and objectives. Henderson also explains how the wars deepened the divisions that plagued Mexico and set the stage for the turbulent decades to come. Written for the general reader, this accessible overview will also be useful to undergraduates. Highly recommended.—Stephen H. Peters, Northern Michigan Univ. Lib., Marquette Because the war between Ethiopia and the invading Italian fascists on the eve of World War II—the second Italo-Abyssinian War—has been largely forgotten, this debut volume in a new series imported from the UK is a useful resource. Here are interviews with over a dozen surviving Ethiopian men and women who fought as teenagers as part of their country's guerrilla resistance against the Italian forces that had annexed Ethiopia, making it part of Italian East Africa. After more than five years, forces under Emperor Haile Selassie and British commanders finally defeated the Italians. It was the first Allied victory of World War II. Richard Pankhurst's introduction and a detailed chronology give historical context, but the book suffers from the shortcomings of any oral history, especially when memories are collected many decades after the events. In addition, the index is inadequate, not including many of the names of common people and places mentioned in the narratives. Yet although difficult to place within the context of the overall struggle, the statements of the witnesses about their part in battles and skirmishes are exciting to read. For students and informed lay readers.—Joel Neuberg, Santa Rosa Junior Coll. Lib., Santa Rosa, CA British historian Holland (Rubicon: The Last Years of the Roman Empire) has written a big, old-fashioned study of the reemergence of Europe following the disastrous collapse of the Roman Empire. He argues that expectation of Apocalypse at 1000 C.E. (or thereabouts) shaped the course of the era from Charlemagne to the start of the Crusades, i.e., roughly 800–1100 C.E. His vast setting shifts among locations as far-flung as York, Cordoba, Kiev, Constantinople, and Jerusalem. The huge cast includes all the great personalities of the time: popes and emperors, warriors and saints, including Canute, William the Conqueror, Pope Gregory VII, and Emperor Henry IV, along with many lesser prelates and warlords. To hold this diffuse story together, Holland relies with some success on lively, jokey, confident prose. His bloody saga of embryonic European states (and their alliances and conflicts with a power-hungry papacy) rather swamps any Millennial argument: Holland does not persuade the reader that concern about the End of Days played a significant role in the actions of the savage, power-hungry men who began assembling the proto-states of Germany, France, England, and Spain and launched the Crusades, the first pan-European enterprise. This book will appeal to all who enjoy a good history read.—Stewart Desmond, Ph.D., New York One of our more controversial political figures, Andrew Johnson came closer than any other U.S. President to being removed from office through impeachment. This study by Stewart (Summer of 1787: The Men Who Invented the Constitution), a Washington lawyer who has argued against impeachment in Senate proceedings, examines Johnson's rocky relationship with the post-Civil War radical Republicans. He breaks with those historians who have suggested that Johnson followed what would have been Lincoln's path to reconstruct the South, as he discusses the complex impeachment proceedings against Johnson and the effectiveness of the impeachment process in calming political tensions, if not in removing Presidents from office. Readers who wish to broaden their understanding of Lincoln in this anniversary year will do well to select this well-researched work even if their collection already includes such examinations as Howard Mean's narrower The Avenger Takes His Place: Andrew Johnson and the 45 Days That Changed the Nation.—Theresa McDevitt, Indiana Univ. of Pennsylvania Lib. Editors Hellwig (Asian studies, Univ. of British Columbia; In the Shadow of Change: Images of Women in Indonesian Literature) and Tagliacozzo (history & Asian studies, Cornell Univ.; Secret Trades, Porous Borders: Smuggling and States Along a Southeast Asian Frontier, 1865–1915) here introduce the understudied nation of Indonesia. Reading their book is like exploring an eclectic, brightly colored museum—and leaving with a multifaceted understanding of one nation's history and cultures. The book is chronologically organized into ten sections, each beginning with an introduction by the editors and then providing ten to 12 engaging pieces relating to the time period. The primary sources included here are the book's gems; they range from fifth-century stone pillars and writings by travelers throughout many centuries to fiction, newspaper articles, manifestos, and more in the 20th and 21st centuries. Unfortunately, there are a couple of minor drawbacks. First, the introductions do not always provide background on the applicable author's affiliations. Second, both Indonesian words and social science terms need definitions. Finally, future versions of this book would benefit from suggestions for additional reading. Recommended for all students of Asian studies.—Karen Sobel, Univ. of Denver Lib. With the 1889 World's Fair fast approaching, the French wanted a grand monument built to represent the greatness of their republic. The fair's commissioner chose Gustave Eiffel's design for a 1000' tower, but opposition and monetary considerations threatened to prevent the tower's completion in time for the opening day. In addition to a detailed account of the building of the tower, Jonnes (Conquering Gotham: Building Penn Station and Its Tunnels) provides mini-biographies of several notable people of the time, including Buffalo Bill, Annie Oakley, Thomas Edison, and Vincent van Gogh, while vividly detailing the visits of renowned personages to the fairgrounds, dissatisfaction among the exhibiting artists, the attractions and people involved in the 228-acre fair, and sites in other parts of Paris. Much of the book takes readers away from the World's Fair and thus the main focus, but these diversions help clarify the historical context. Recommended for students and informed lay readers.—Donna Shuman, Westerville P.L., OH Kelly (ancient history, Univ. of Cambridge; The Roman Empire: A Very Short Introduction) paints an engaging portrait of Attila the Hun's rise to prominence and places the feared warlord in the context of his own time. The title is something of a misnomer, as Kelly writes of Attila's ability to build his own empire as well as his significant part in the destruction of Rome's empire. As the author explains, Attila was aware that it was not in his best interest to hasten the decline of the Roman Empire because much of his control over his own people and lands was paid for with Roman gold that he received through bribes and raids. Kelly's well-written narrative is founded on extensive research, and he provides informative notes as well as suggestions for further reading. Recommended as an excellent addition to libraries with collections in ancient history, Roman history, European history, or classical studies.—Crystal Goldman, Univ. of Utah Lib., Salt Lake City This book is a perfect gem. None of the 17 essays here has been published previously in book form, and three of them appear here for the first time. Morgan (Sterling Professor Emeritus, Yale; Inventing the People), the winner of just about every major book award, including the Pulitzer, ranges from Christopher Columbus, to the Puritans and sex (which they liked, providing it was in marriage), William Penn, the Anti-Federalists, and historian Perry Miller. Two characteristics that tie the essays together are Morgan's penchant for taking contrarian views of accepted orthodoxies and his admiration for individuals who stood up against authority. His piece on the development of Yale's library in the 18th century demonstrates that books are valuable because they keep alive the memory of dissident voices that otherwise might be drowned out by official, hagiographical versions of a nation's past. His chapter on George Washington and Benjamin Franklin points out that one of the traits that made them great was their ability to say "no" when popular opinion wanted them to act in one way or another. Both specialists and general readers will find this book both authoritative and fun to read. Highly recommended.—Thomas J. Schaeper, St. Bonaventure Univ., NY Raphael (A People's History of the American Revolution; Founding Myths) again attempts to give credit to patriots whose contributions to the nation's founding are not celebrated or even widely known. Stars of this entertaining yet informative account include military bankroller Robert Morris, conservative politician and reluctant rebel Henry Laurens, blacksmith-turned-insurgent Timothy Bigelow, young and eager soldier Joseph Plumb Martin, rabble-rousing country doctor Thomas Young, and Puritan poet-turned-political commentator and historian Mercy Otis Warren. The final key player in this narrative is George Washington, and Raphael manages to put a fresh spin on his overly familiar story. The author relies heavily on primary sources, especially diaries, letters, and Martin's and Warren's published works, to craft a highly readable work of popular history that is sure to be a hit among readers who prefer to look at history from a bottom-up perspective. A worthy complement to Raphael's previous works, this is recommended for American history collections in all public libraries.—Douglas King, Univ. of South Carolina Lib., Columbia Standage's previous book, A History of the World in 6 Glasses, theorized that the titular six drinks were reflections of the eras in which they were created. In this new work, he instead shows how one of humanity's most vital needs (hunger) didn't simply reflect but served as the driving force behind transformative and key events in history. Dividing the vast subject into six general sections (such as food's role in the development of societies and social hierarchies, its impact on population and industrialization, and its uses as a weapon both on the battlefield and off), Standage illustrates each section with historical examples and observations. Some topics, like the spice trade's encouragement of exploration, are fairly obvious choices, but the concise style and inclusion of little-known details keep the material both entertaining and enlightening. Perhaps the most interesting section is the final one, which looks at the ways in which modern agricultural needs have acted as a spur for technological advancement, with Standage providing a summary of the challenges still faced by the green revolution. Recommended for both public and academic libraries.—Kathleen McCallister, Univ. of South Carolina Lib., Columbia Sugarman (Stranger at the Gates: A Summer in Mississippi), a participant in Freedom Summer in Mississippi in 1964–65, where the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) worked for voter registration efforts and community organizing, writes an introspective memoir complete with many of his original illustrations composed that summer. For Sugarman, there are no easy answers to the intricacies shown in movement organizing, state-sanctioned violence, and passionate discourse with the white establishment. This account of Freedom Summer is significant by virtue of the insights into the lives of the youth of the Civil Rights Movement. Many blacks in Mississippi had never worked closely with whites; for students of the North, who had been so isolated from the terror of the South, Freedom Summer represented a fascinating experiment. Many, such as Fannie Lou Hamer, depicted by Sugarman, gave their lives so that all citizens would have the right to vote. This book is a testament to the courageous civil rights workers whose perseverance and courage will inspire all readers.—Jim Hahn, Univ. of Illinois Lib., Urbana A shared interest in movies brought Betty Swallow of London and Helen Bradley of Kansas City, MO, together as correspondents (they met through writing to Picture Play magazine), from 1938 through World War II and until 1950. This volume presents faithful transcriptions of Betty's letters to Helen, which are now in the collections of Westminster College in Fulton, MO. Betty writes with verve, wit, and strong opinions about her work, family, politics, fears, frustrations, leisure-time pursuits, and her abiding love for various stage and screen stars, especially John Gielgud. Her letters are detailed yet conversational; for example, during the Blitz she might describe the terrible air raid the night before but also ask Helen to send a particular movie magazine to boost morale. Betty's writings become not just a portrait of herself, including her strong and disturbing anti-Semitism, but of London life at an extraordinary time. There are a few distracting editorial mistakes, including a failure to understand British slang, but the footnotes about personalities and films no longer popular are helpful. Specialists and general readers will both appreciate this book.—Megan Hahn Fraser, UCLA Lib. Weiss, who has written for such publications as the New York Times and Harper's, chronicles the largely forgotten history of the Woman's Land Army (WLA), a group of women in the United States who left their homes and college dorms in droves to volunteer when American involvement in World War I called young men from the fields to the trenches of Europe. Weiss shows how these "farmerettes" faced an uphill battle, as they were often met with disdain by shorthanded farmers and Washington politicians who did not feel the situation was dire enough to warrant hiring women to do men's work. WLA architects, many of whom earned their stripes in the suffrage movement, developed a blueprint for managing a group anywhere in the United States, and they were able to secure wages—and an eight-hour workday—equal to their male counterparts. The group was disbanded after the war, but the farmerettes helped pave the way for women working during World War II. Weiss effectively chronicles the birth of the WLA movement and the dedicated women behind it. Recommended for both scholarly readers and interested history buffs.—Patti C. McCall, Albany Molecular Research, Inc., NY Wheatcroft (director, Centre for Publishing Studies, Univ. of Stirling, Scotland; Infidels) offers a richly detailed account of the 1683 Ottoman siege of Vienna and subsequent battle with the Hapsburg central European forces. Although focusing on a single military campaign, Wheatcroft draws on decades of his own research on the Hapsburg-Ottoman conflict to provide needed historical context for the events of war. As Wheatcroft aptly states in his introduction, his is in fact a broader study that seeks to understand "Europe's fear of the Turks" within the frame of a specific Ottoman-Hapsburg military clash. Much of Wheatcroft's detail comes from European accounts of life in the Ottoman Empire and first-person descriptions of war, but the inherent bias in these sources is always acknowledged. As a result, Wheatcroft is able to move beyond tales of the "Terrible Turks" to provide a realistic portrayal of Ottoman leadership, a political context for the Hapsburg-Ottoman conflict, and a description of the shifting balance of power between these two dynasties. This is not a work of popular history for the casual reader, but scholars and students of history would benefit greatly from this well-researched account of 17th-century Ottoman-Hapsburg political power.—Veronica Arellano, Univ. of Houston Libs. Political Science Allawi (The Occupation of Iraq) investigates the pathways that led to the deterioration of the Islamic civilization, known for its splendid culture between the eighth and 12th centuries. The inadaptability of Islam to modern life, the author argues, stems from its deep roots in the sacred. To be modern, according to Allawi, is to be liberated from the divine as the sole source of ethics and virtues. Allawi demonstrates that the individual in Islam is not an autonomous entity—a common principle in all religions—rather, its essence is driven from a complete submission to the godly creeds. He notes that the secularization of Muslim societies, which seemed to be on track until the mid-1970s, has shattered, giving way to political Islam. He suggests that the failure of Muslim societies to address the challenges and the threat of fast-growing Western cultural imperialism deepened their crisis. In an analytic, journalistic style, Allawi presents views about modern Islam that are both stimulating and informative. This provocative book is recommended for informed readers.—Sadiq Alkoriji, South Regional Lib., Broward Cty., FL Indonesia is the most populous Islamic country in the world, but Indonesian Islam rests lightly on the nation's rich mixture of Hindu-Buddhist history and culture. Indian-born Dhume, educated in the United States, worked as a mainstream journalist throughout Southeast Asia before moving to Jakarta, Indonesia, in 2000. Intrigued with the displacement of Indonesia's tolerant past by the expanding impact of conservative Islam, he traveled to different regions and interviewed a wide range of Islamists to prepare this book, his guide a young editor committed to building an Islamic community reflecting the challenge facing his country. Dhume conveys his frustration with his companion's mix of kindness and rigidity. He weaves discussion of recent Indonesian history and politics with his confusion over the contrast between the cosmopolitan, hedonist elite and popular culture in Jakarta and the austere intolerance and sometimes violence intrinsic in the push toward Sharia law. Even as he respects the opportunity and discipline that Islamic organizations bring to Indonesians, Dhume despairs over the loss of curiosity and empathy that results. Dhume's lively writing creates an impressionistic array of personalities and settings, but some readers might hope for more structure and balance. Recommended for general readers.—Elizabeth R. Hayford, Associated Coll. of the Midwest, Evanston, IL The phrase culture wars has come to encompass the subjects, persons, and institutions involved in the more polarizing conflicts in American public values of recent decades. In typical discussions of the culture wars, such subject areas as religion, abortion, immigration, and education are well explained and balanced with an emphasis on recent decisions of the Supreme Court. McGough (senior editorial writer, Los Angeles Times) more often simply relates the content and development of antagonistic views in an evenhanded, if pat, presentation. His sketches of persons, foundations, and institutions that furnish the effort, ideas, and resources behind the debates are useful and set this volume apart from others like it. In keeping with the promise of a field guide, McGough includes the mission statements, funding sources, and issues for the most important liberal and conservative foundations. Many authors treat the same areas, but McGough's contribution is a usefully brief research tool.—Zachary T. Irwin, Pennsylvania State Univ., Erie Economist Moyo (former head, Economic Research and Strategy for Sub-Saharan Africa, Goldman Sachs) makes a startling assertion: charitable aid to African nations is not just ineffective—it is worse than no aid. Moyo, who was born and raised in Zambia, joins a small but growing number of observers (including microfinance expert Muhammad Yunnus) who argue that charity from Western nations cripples African governments by fostering dependency and corruption without requiring positive change. Deriding efforts to increase giving by foreign celebrities like U2 singer Bono as out of touch with the real needs of African countries, Moyo instead proposes solutions like new bond markets, microfinancing, and revised property laws. Moyo also singles out commercial investment from the Chinese (rather than general aid) and holds it up as an example for other nations to follow in the future. Whether one agrees or disagrees with Moyo's argument for such capitalist intervention in Africa, this straightforward and readable work should provide some food for thought.—April Younglove, Linfield Coll. Lib., Portland, OR O'Sullivan (history, adjunct, Univ. of San Francisco; Sumner Welles, Postwar Planning, and the Quest for a New World Order) has written a brief interpretive analysis of Colin Powell's public career, focusing on his years as national security advisor under President Reagan, as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under George H.W. Bush and briefly under Bill Clinton, and finally as George W. Bush's secretary of state until 2005. The author argues that Powell's major accomplishment was the so-called Powell Doctrine, which emphasized the use of caution and diplomacy before going to war; when war was necessary, it should be fought with clear objectives, coalition building, and public support. Powell's greatest failure, O'Sullivan states, was his inability to convince President George W. Bush to implement this doctrine in the case of the Iraq War, owing partly to Powell's unwillingness to step outside the chain of command and partly to the ability of Vice President Cheney and Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld to influence the President. O'Sullivan's work will be of interest to all students of Colin Powell's career and all who are looking at George W. Bush's military policies.—A.O. Edmonds, Ball State Univ., Muncie, IN As in his previous books, artist and geographer Paglen (Torture Taxi: On the Trail of the CIA's Rendition Flights) explores the clandestine activities of the U.S. military and the CIA, giving readers a thorough and provocative tour of places that officially do not exist. Paglen has a brisk reporting style and is an engaging storyteller. His journey into what he calls the "black world" of classified locations—from research facilities to secret prisons—this time takes him across the country and around the world. The classified region he describes is shockingly vast, well funded, and not accountable for its activities. At times, Paglen has a subtle touch, allowing the facts he describes gradually to convince the reader of how essentially undemocratic all this secrecy is. Unfortunately, his approach at other times seems unnecessarily theatrical. For example, his description of camping out in a hotel room in Las Vegas to watch planes come and go comes off as a bit gimmicky. Such narrative is likely meant to make the book more readable, but the story Paglen is telling is gripping enough without any stunts. Highly recommended.—Rachel Bridgewater, Reed Coll., OR Rahe (history & political science, Hillsdale Coll.; Republics Ancient and Modern) has actually written two books in one: the first three quarters are a detailed reading of the great 18th- and 19th-century political and social theorists Montesquieu, Rousseau, and Tocqueville on the nature of government, the glue that holds the polity together, and the difficulty maintaining political virtue and, with it, individual freedom, in a democratic republic. The threat to liberty and civic virtue, as Tocqueville saw it, lay in the elimination of intermediate bodies (like townships) that directly involved citizens in governing. Without such intermediate bodies, democracy would drift into soft despotism, with a central government regulating the smallest details of the citizen's life. This part of the book is tightly reasoned, relying on a thoughtful reading of texts that still have great merit for our own age. The final section of the book is an impassioned, occasionally intemperate, but largely successful attempt to describe the malaise gripping democratic governments today, combined with a plea to limit government's intrusion into our lives. (The author quite evidently holds libertarian views.) Many scholars and serious readers will find this essential reading.—David Keymer, Modesto, CA The Obama administration would be wise to consider Schoultz's latest book essential reading. In a massive text, Schoultz (political science, Univ. of North Carolina) tracks the failures of ten U.S. Presidents to come to grips with and understand Cuba and Castro's Cuban Revolution, illuminating this grave and persistent flaw in American diplomacy. Schoultz concludes that American attempts to "uplift" Cuba and Cubans reflect arrogance and ultimately cross the line to ignorance, attitudes he terms delusional. One President after another has approached Cuba with the "parking lot mentality," the belief that the United States could decimate and destroy Cuba at any time. Utilizing an impressive variety of primary and secondary sources (with more than 150 pages of notes), he details Cuban-American relations administration by administration, from assassination attempts on Castro's life to messages displayed to the people at large, always returning to America's lack of respect for Cuban sovereignty and right to self-determination. Ultimately, he proffers advice for how U.S. policy should adapt. This impressive new book is highly recommended; after all, neither nation is going to be moving any time soon.—Boyd Childress, Auburn Univ. Lib., AL Travel & Geography Farrell is best known for his role as B.J. Hunnicutt on M*A*S*H, but off the screen, he has been a political activist, working with several human rights and peace organizations. In May 2008, he set out on a book tour for his autobiography, Just Call Me Mike, which he chronicled in dispatches to the Huffington Post. Those dispatches are gathered together here, along with additional information and resources. Farrell's politics are loud and clear in these vignettes as he frequently refers to the events happening in the late spring and summer of 2008, acquiring ammunition by listening to right-wing talk radio along the long stretches of highway between bookstores and public library readings. The descriptions of the landscapes and cities are evocative, but the flow of the story is frequently disrupted with his tendency to name-drop. The book will likely be appreciated by fans and like-minded activists, but others may be turned off by Farrell's polemics.—Anna Creech, Univ. of Richmond, VA
Chang, David Wen-Wei & Alden R. Carter. The Scholar and the Tiger: A Memoir of Famine and War in Revolutionary China. Rowman & Littlefield. 2009. c.168p. photogs. ISBN 978-0-7425-5761-1. $34.95. AUTOBIOG
Scanlon, Jennifer. Bad Girls Go Everywhere: The Life of Helen Gurley Brown. Oxford Univ. Apr. 2009. c.352p. photogs. index. ISBN 978-0-19-534205-5. $27.95. BIOG
Van Overtveldt, Johan. Bernanke's Test: Ben Bernanke, Alan Greenspan, and the Drama of the Central Banker. Agate. 2009. c.273p. bibliog. index. ISBN 978-1-932841-37-4. $26. ECON
Burtnett, Frank. Bound-for-College Guidebook: A Step-by-Step Guide to Finding and Applying to Colleges. Rowman & Littlefield. 2009. c.120p. ISBN 978-1-57886-992-7. $24.95.
McGrath, Michael E. & Christopher K. McGrath. Decide Better! For College: The Ultimate Guide to Being Accepted and Getting the Most Out of College. Motivation, dist. by Midpoint Trade. Apr. 2009. c.263p. ISBN 978-1-935112-03-7. pap. $14.95. ED
Benton-Cohen, Katherine. Borderline Americans: Racial Division and Labor War in the Arizona Borderlands. Harvard Univ.. Apr. 2009. c.328p. illus. maps. index. ISBN 978-0-674-03277-4. $29.95. HIST
Cannato, Vincent J. American Passage: The History of Ellis Island. Harper: HarperCollins. Jun. 2009. c.496p. illus. index. ISBN 978-0-06-074273-7. $27.99. HIST
Schoultz, Lars. That Infernal Little Cuban Republic: The United States and the Cuban Revolution. Univ. of North Carolina. Apr. 2009. c.768p. index. ISBN 978-0-8078-3260-8. $35. POL SCI
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