Arts & Humanities

The site of two pyramids surrounded by cemeteries in use from the Old Kingdom through Roman times, Lisht lies 30 miles from Cairo on the west bank of the Nile. The Metropolitan Museum of Art Egyptian Expedition excavated this site and others from 1906 to 1934 and from 1984 to the present and publishes its findings in an ongoing series. The latest, Volume 28, focuses on the most important tombs at Lisht from the Middle Kingdom. Little remains of the tombs aboveground, but Arnold, curator in the department of Egyptian art at the museum, makes the most of the records from both periods of excavation. His descriptions of the tombs are often captivating and the related visual matter instructive. Architectural fragments for one of the mastabas were discovered in 1932–33, and though they have since been lost, the surviving photographs, notes, and drawings made possible computer drawings that re-create the structure and offer a tantalizing glimpse into the site's past.—Amy Trendler, Ball State Univ. Libs., Muncie, IN

A decadeslong collaboration between publisher William Randolph Hearst and architect Julia Morgan produced the formal terraces, swimming pools, and plants and sculptures that occupy the 120 acres of gardens and 450 square miles of coastland of San Simeon, now a California State Park. Their extensive correspondence reveals a captivating working relationship with shared concerns over every aspect of the enormous project. Hearst Castle historian Kastner's (Hearst Castle: The Biography of a Country House) biography of a man and of an estate is also a social study of the period—the famous and infamous Hollywood figures who peopled the house and its grounds, the lavish lifestyle, and the mythical tales about its owner. The superb photos by Garagliano, photographer at San Simeon since 1994, capture some of the elegant views, the vast array of buildings, and the myriad details. This work of visual delight should whet the appetite for a visit to the real thing.—Paula Frosch, Metropolitan Museum of Art Lib., New York

O'Donnell, a design manager for Johnson & Johnson's global strategic design office, illuminates the ideas and influences of graphic designers by focusing on the sketchbooks that lie behind the computer technology that now dominates the creation of graphic imagery. This book offers a glimpse into the creative process that informs how designers work to develop their ideas. Individuality, experimentation, freedom, and failure are nurtured in the private realm of the sketchbook, while computer technology encourages precision and perfection. Thirty-four international designers from the United States, UK, France, Netherlands, Australia, and Japan, among others, are included. Interviews with the designers and statements about how they work complement the 300 color images of their sketches and notebooks. A list of featured artists along with their addresses and web site information is also included. An excellent source for design students to consult for inspiration and ideas.—Sandra Rothenberg, Framingham State Coll. Lib., MA

Claes Oldenburg, Jasper Johns, Robert Rauschenberg, and Donald Judd—all are iconic names in art history, and each is allowed a chapter's worth of exploration by Shannon (contemporary art history & theory, Univ. of Maryland), who manages to surprise us into remembering that these people were grappling with their environment and working to understand the modern urban landscape. See, for example, the photo of Johns and Rauschenberg in Rauschenberg's home. They look like two young men camped out in a cheap flat somewhere in the present day, smoking, having a drink, and talking philosophy. Yet, they were making great strides in using their art, as Shannon argues, to understand how and why "all that was once directly lived has become mere representation," eventually revealing the "inadequacy of language itself." New York City was disappearing all around them, as faceless monoliths of modern glass and steel replaced treasured places where people had lived and died. Theirs was a time of rapid change, and these themes still persist today.—Nadine Dalton, Speidel Cuyahoga Cty. P.L., Parma, OH

The Princeton University Art Museum has mounted a thought-provoking show of contemporary Chinese art that challenges the meaning of the phrase. Should the digitally manipulated Chinese images bound into traditional Chinese books by New York-born, Beijing-based Michael Cherney be considered contemporary Chinese art? Other artists in the exhibition and this catalog include Zhang Hongtu, an American citizen, raised in China by a devout Muslim family, who paints Chinese landscapes in oil in the mode of Cézanne, and Vannessa Tran, an American of Vietnamese heritage who paints in a style that has nothing to do with China. In this catalog, for each of six artists, a personal statement by the subject is followed by a biographical essay by Silbergeld (Chinese art, Princeton Univ.) and a critical essay from a curator or doctoral student contributor. The high-quality color images of the artworks are complemented by many additional smaller images in the essays to stress comparisons with other artists. Although the catalog is intended for the art and academic world, the writing is clear and accessible to the educated public.—David McClelland, Philadelphia

Accomplished architectural photographer Torrey assembles over 100 color photographs of the stone terraces of Machu Picchu, all carefully executed in reasonably good light over the course of a few days during two trips to the site, one during the summer solstice and a subsequent visit during the winter solstice. Torrey manages to capture a sense of solitude in a fairly cohesive photo-essay with images ranging from majestic views to haunting stone formations—no small feat given the number of people who swarm to this popular tourist spot. Marie Arana (Lima Nights) provides a worthwhile introduction to Machu Picchu in both English and Spanish. In reading the text and looking through the photographs, however, one longs for greater substance, perhaps a little more insight into the lives of those who once peopled this sacred place. It would have been helpful, at a bare minimum, for each of the photographs to be captioned. Still, this can be recommended as a solid introduction to Machu Picchu.—Raymond Bial, First Light Photography, Urbana, IL

This richly illustrated catalog corresponds with an exhibition at Tate Britain of work by Flemish painter Anthony van Dyck that portrays the royal families and members of the court. Both the exhibition and catalog focus specifically on the two periods van Dyck spent in London: his brief visit in 1620 to the court of King James I and his more lengthy visit to serve Charles I, beginning in 1632 and ending almost ten years later with his death in London in 1641. Hearn (curator, 16th- and 17th-century British art, Tate; Nicholas Hilliard) and other distinguished scholars and art historians including Christopher Brown, Diana Dethloff, Emilie Gordenker, Kevin M. Sharpe, Susan Sloman, and Aileen Ribeiro contribute erudite essays. Complete with 200 full-color illustrations, this catalog is pretty enough to sit on any coffee table; the text, endnotes, bibliography, list of works exhibited, "Loans" and "Lenders and Credits" lists, and index make it fit for serious academic inquiry. A great addition to collections focused on early modern England.—Jennifer H. Pollock, Coll. of DAAP Lib., Univ. of Cincinnati

In this latest addition to Kenneth Davis's popular "Don't Know Much About" series, he and daughter Jenny quiz readers about writers, books, Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winners, famous first and last lines, and other literary trivia. The book's scope is broad, with selections ranging from "Children's Classics" to "Beowulf" and "Fictional First Ladies." The Davises provide questions, answers, and a summary paragraph for each category but don't order the material in any predictable way, sandwiching Agatha Christie between Kafka and Melville, a technique that forces each entry to stand in isolation. Some of the questions are true or false; others ask readers to identify a character, book, play, poem, or movie. Meant to make learning about literature entertaining, this guide should refresh memories and may entice readers into exploring some of the books they always meant to check out. However, unlike Kenneth Davis's earlier book on history, objective quizzes about great literature only capture a small dimension of the reading experience. Recommended for large public collections.—Nancy R. Ives, SUNY at Geneseo

Primo Levi (1919–87) is a complex and difficult writer to see fully. His If This Is a Man, The Periodic Table, and The Drowned and the Saved are profound meditations on Auschwitz, but the various formats and viewpoints he used can make it hard to grasp a clear understanding of his work, influence, and importance. Magavern (law, Univ. at Buffalo), who stresses the greatness of Levi, has attempted a short biographic and literary reading of the complete man. The author understands Levi as a heroic witness to Auschwitz and reads his work as redemptive and spiritual. Magavern writes of the importance to Levi of Dante, Homer, and Rabelais and of Levi's desire to be a writer, a family man, and a constructive member of society. For Levi, the Nazi era is a gigantic metaphor for the cruelty of life itself—the world is a prison of shame and guilt redeemed by love, work, and duty. Magavern describes Levi's difficult family relationships and struggles with depression. A good introduction to Levi's life and work.—Gene Shaw, NYPL

While the face of Helen of Troy may have launched a thousand ships, it has inspired equally as many depictions. Maguire (English, Univ. of Oxford; How To Do Things with Shakespeare) is concerned with Helen's "literary afterlife," the different ways she has been portrayed in Western literature, from the eighth century B.C.E. (Homer) to the present (Derek Walcott). She is struck by the paradox that while Helen was the cause of so much action, she is often represented only on the narrative margin. Maguire's approach is thematic rather than chronological, including the ambiguities in Helen's mythical story, her beauty, her abduction, her guilt, her role in the Faust tradition, and her presence in various modern parodies. While largely focusing on a rich array of literary sources—classical, medieval, Renaissance, and modern—she also draws on art and film. Combining wit, learning, and insight, Maguire offers delightful reading both for the specialist and for the serious general reader. Highly recommended.—T.L. Cooksey, Armstrong Atlantic State Univ., Savannah, GA

Poet, playwright, and music critic Baraka (Blues People: Negro Music in White America) delivers another critical work on America's classical music, jazz, in his almost lyrical style of writing. Through previously published essays, reviews, and liner notes, he explores the cultural development of jazz music with respect to African American artists, the minstrel treatment of African American music, and the charged environment of its creation. His encounters with music greats, such as Nina Simone, and actor Bill Cosby pave a road of exploration to how some artists were affected by this treatment. Charged interpretations of how the music evolves into other forms are packaged with artist biographies and trees illustrating how these artists influenced others. Coltrane and Monk are among those discussed, and even Springsteen is found on the fringes of Baraka's commentary. Music lovers as well as anyone interested in African American culture will dig this book; academic libraries will find it suitable for history, music, and sociology programs.—Brian Sherman, McNeese State Univ. Lib., Lake Charles, LA

Gavin (Deep in a Dream: The Long Night of Chet Baker) now turns his incisive gaze toward legendary singer Lena Horne. Gavin captures a lifetime filled with conflict—a woman brought up to be wary of Caucasians who married a Jew; incredibly beautiful but not in the "right" way; outwardly serene and poised with a raging internal anger toward herself and others; a groundbreaking entertainer who never lost her sense of isolation. This biography is at once mesmerizing and tragic, a masterful exploration of an international cultural icon. Moving from a peripatetic childhood to Harlem and the Cotton Club, from the golden age of MGM to early Las Vegas to present-day Manhattan, Horne's journey is brought to vivid life. Recommended reading for not only those who like nonfiction but anyone interested in the Harlem Renaissance, early jazz, MGM musicals, and the burgeoning Civil Rights Movement.—Teri Shiel, Westfield State Coll. Lib., MA

Coming on the heels of Ziegfeld: The Man Who Invented Show Business, this enjoyable biography of the woman who stood by her man through prosperity, infidelity, and financial disaster is an eye-opening look at the actress millions know only as Glinda the Good Witch from The Wizard of Oz. Born to a circus clown father and a stage mother, Burke was a highly acclaimed star on Broadway long before her husband's excesses and the Great Depression forced her to turn to Hollywood to pay off Ziegfeld's debts and make a living. Using primary documentation and recent interviews with those who knew Burke, including her daughter, son-in-law, and grandchildren, Hayter-Menzies (Charlotte Greenwood: The Life and Career of the Comic Star of Vaudeville, Radio and Film) allows us to see the real Billie Burke, "the straight-shooting, straight-talking woman of the world, the absolute opposite of the ditzy typecast" she so often played. The result is the story of a highly talented and courageous, though often insecure, woman who entertained millions during an unparalleled career. Highly recommended for theater, film, and biography collections.—Laura A. Ewald, Greenville Coll. Lib., IL

This new collection of scholarly articles on Bob Dylan proves that there are new angles from which to approach his life, his artistic evolution, and his unmatched influence on music and culture. Dylan is inarguably one of the most dissected and discussed artists, musical or otherwise, of the last half-century, and these 20 distinctive, thoughtful, and erudite essays by, e.g., Greil Marcus and international academics from a variety of disciplines such as linguistics, music theory, and African American studies are all welcome additions. As Sheehy (director & CEO, Plains Art Museum) and Swiss (coeditor, New Media Poetics) explain, the articles here do not attempt to solve the myriad puzzles surrounding Dylan; rather, the book poses familiar questions in a fresh manner. Contributions about how Bobby Zimmerman from rural Minnesota became international cultural icon Bob Dylan, what influences his songwriting, and how his songs are having a global impact will be of strong interest to scholars and fans alike.—Douglas King, Univ. of South Carolina Lib., Columbia

With George-Warren (Grateful Dead 365), Lang, the coproducer and copromoter of the August 1969 Woodstock Music & Art Festival, shares his experiences orchestrating the iconic event. After reminiscing about his childhood, he describes his role in organizing the first Miami Pops Festival and then turns to his idea of a countercultural celebration in upstate New York. The author portrays the people who formed the nucleus of the Woodstock effort as well as his negotiations with artists, promoters, and filmmakers by interspersing quotes from festival personnel and musicians with his narrative. Though Lang's descriptions of outfitting Max Yasgur's farm with portable toilets, plumbing, and electricity become somewhat tiring, his fond memories of the adrenaline rush of multitasking to meet a deadline for several hundred thousand youths energize these pages. He spends the last quarter of the book reliving the three days of music at Woodstock through his and others' stories and anecdotes. Commemorating the 40th anniversary of the most notable rock festival of the 1960s, this book will be enjoyed by both the general public and music fans. —Dave Szatmary, Univ. of Washington, Seattle

This accompaniment to Taylor's documentary film of the same name, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2008, is a peripatetic effort to bring philosophy to the streets. Taylor speaks with today's most influential thinkers in settings that give meaning and inspiration to the discussions. Most notable are Peter Singer's thoughts on ethics and consumption in the middle of busy Fifth Avenue, Michael Hardt's talk of revolution in a rowboat in Central Park, and Slavoj Žižek strolling through a garbage dump while criticizing environmentalism. There are also appearances by Cornel West, Avital Ronell, Kwame Anthony Appiah, Martha Nussbaum, and Judith Butler. Both the book and the film attempt to make philosophy approachable, and the majority of the discussions here do just that. Taylor, for better or worse, refrains from any overarching theme or commentary, although her interactions with these thinkers do go beyond mere interviews to productive philosophical debates. As in life, in the end it is the walks and the fruitful conversations that are important. Recommended for public libraries. [Look for the DVD review in a future issue.—Ed.]—Steven Chabot, Ontario Ministry of Labour, Toronto

Time travelers and battles between people and machines provoke old philosophical questions: Can the past really be changed? How do we differentiate ourselves from machines? Can machines have an inner life? Brown (philosophy & critical thinking, LaGuardia Community Coll.) and Decker (philosophy, Eastern Washington Univ.; coeditor, Star Wars and Philosophy) collect 19 essays by primarily young academics who pursue these questions with entertaining verve and philosophical skill. The Terminator story is about something well intentioned—a defense project—going wrong, but none of the essays here presses this issue to a clear conclusion (readers whose interest is aroused would do well to read Wendell Wallach and Colin Allen's Moral Machines, concerned with actual machines and ones that might soon exist). Among the book's bright spots are contributions from Harry Chotiner and Jennifer Culver that show us something about how the movies work and explore the feminist issues posed by placing Sarah Connor at the center of the story. One essayist, Phillip Seng, addresses the philosophical trouble at the heart of the tale: telling good from evil in politics is hard. This book will earn a place in libraries by presenting serious issues in a way that attracts readers.—Leslie Armour, Dominican Univ. Coll., Ottawa, Ont.

Poet, novelist, and National Book Award-winning YA author Alexie writes "with a ragged and rugged formalism," he says, and has mastered both the metrical dance and fixed forms. A sequence of sonnets finds the Seven Deadly Sins in marriage, for instance; a villanelle begins with Mount Rushmore but eases into a consideration of America's Presidents, complemented by wry and smart footnotes. One series of rhymed tercets in tetrameter is supplemented with footnotes in the same formal pattern, footnotes that have footnotes, by the way. Top that! Well, a sonnet (about comedy) has footnotes presented in seven couplets, then notes on those notes in three quatrains and a final couplet—in essence, a sonnet hat trick. Alexie is keen-witted and sharp-tongued, even occasionally raw, but all in the service of truth: "But don't these fools realize/ That I am always surprised// By the beauty of this life?/ Don't they ever laugh and cry// at the gorgeous absurdities of sex?" Alexie is not always about laughs, not always about sex; there are a lot of serious undercurrents in his poetry, and they are always a pleasure to find. Highly recommended.—Louis McKee, Painted Bride Arts Ctr., Philadelphia

Most books on John Calvin have concentrated on specific aspects of his life or teaching or have approached him from a certain bias. Through the Puritans and their descendants, he influenced much of American history, chiefly by way of his doctrine of predestination. In this 500th year of Calvin's birth, Gordon (Reformation history, Yale Divinity Sch.; The Swiss Reformation) has produced a scholarly yet accessible study that is not hagiography but an honest assessment of a man who had great talent and great faith and also great flaws. While writing from a Reformed perspective, Gordon offers a balanced view. Given Calvin's significance in American church history, this would be an important purchase for all but the smallest libraries and an essential purchase for academic libraries and all larger libraries with theological collections. With a good chapter-by-chapter bibliography.—Augustine J. Curley, Newark Abbey, NJ

Although there are many good books on the history of Jews in America and a smaller subset that focuses on aspects of Orthodox Judaism in contemporary times, no one, until now, has written an overview of how Orthodoxy in America has evolved over the centuries from the first arrivals in the 17th century to the present. This broad overview by Gurock (Libby M. Klaperman Professor of Jewish History, Yeshiva Univ.; Judaism's Encounter with American Sports) is distinctive in examining how Orthodox Jews have coped with the personal, familial, and communal challenges of religious freedom, economic opportunity, and social integration, as well as uncovering historical reactionary tensions to alternative Jewish movements in multicultural and pluralistic America. Gurock raises penetrating questions about the compatibility of modern culture with pious practices and sensitively explores the relationship of feminism to traditional Orthodox Judaism. There are several excellent reference sources on Orthodox Jews in America, e.g., Rabbi Moshe D. Sherman's outstanding Orthodox Judaism in America: A Biographical Dictionary and Sourcebook, to which this is an accessible and illuminating companion; recommended not only for serious readers on the topic but for general readers as well.—David B. Levy, Touro Coll. Women's Seminary Lib., Brooklyn, NY

Articles about research on spirituality and the brain are usually written from the point of view that religious experience can be understood from a purely scientific perspective. Hagerty's (religion correspondent, NPR) book does not have this naturalistic or materialistic tendency. Rather, as both a reporter and a religious person, she seeks insight on spirituality and science while being open to the possibility that spirituality may still have a transcendent component. The book is interesting to read because the author has interviewed many scientists as well as many people who attest to having mystical or near-death experiences. In a way, the reader feels like a participant in Hagerty's own encounter with the various pieces of information and evidence, struggling with her to make sense of it all. Highly recommended.—John Jaeger, Dallas Baptist Univ. Lib.

The poor you will always have with you, says Jesus Christ in the Gospels of Mark and Matthew. In God Knows, Holman (academic research writer & editor, Francois-Xavier Bagnoud Ctr. for Health & Human Rights, Harvard Sch. of Public Health; The Hungry Are Dying) surveys how Christians have historically responded to poverty and discloses her own journey to awareness. The result: a unique fusion of memoir and research. Holman filters each example of Christian reactions to human need and social welfare through three paradigms: sensing need, sharing the world, and embodying the sacred kingdom. Holman's historical analysis of ancient writers (e.g., Gregory of Nazianzus, John Chrysostom) will prove to be didactic for 21st-century social activism and ecumenical approaches to addressing poverty. It will find its appropriate home with students of religion, theology, and social work.

In the River They Swim also addresses the Gordian knot of poverty and features a foreword by Rick Warren, who reminds readers of this sober truth: three billion people live in poverty. Government handouts are not the answer; instead, the "enterprise solutions" offered in these essays are empowering, for they provide knowledge, training, and opportunities for the poor. Contributors speak a combined 20 languages, and they include Rwandan president Paul Kagama, American Express VP David Rabkin, and Malik Fal, who heads Microsoft's Business Marketing and Operations Group, which spans 49 African countries. Contributors share their personal journeys of working in abject conditions, along with their tribulations and successes in implementing enterprise solutions to poverty. In short, this work is a global and holistic approach to a perennial problem, and the message is clarion clear: governments, businesses, and churches must align, collaborate, and innovate to combat destitution. Overall, this eclectic and challenging title is recommended for both students and lay readers.—C. Brian Smith, Arlington Heights Memorial Lib., IL

Wuthnow (director, Ctr. for the Study of Religion, Princeton Univ.; After the Baby Boomers: How Twenty- and Thirty-Somethings Are Shaping the Future of American Religion) examines the American Christianity of today in relation to globalization. Using new surveys, interviews, and recent statistics, he demonstrates that American churches are still highly influential and very interested in global outreach, both in terms of organized humanitarian relief and personal short-term mission trips by small groups from local congregations. He repudiates the recent idea that it is now the non-Western churches that are vibrant and active while American churches are more drawn in and locally focused. As they become more globally oriented, these churches face challenges such as balancing service with spirituality and overcoming the historical legacy of the perceived cultural imperialism of the past; however, expanding opportunities for effective engagement around the world will continue to grow. A well-researched book that challenges many popular assumptions about the demise of the Christian West. Recommended for both students and general readers.—C. Robert Nixon, M.L.S., Lafayette, IN

As a boy, Cauchy wanted to be a veterinarian, but he became a doctor, as well as a skier and mountaineer. He ultimately combined his work and hobbies as part of an emergency response team based in a hospital near Grenoble, France, and became one of the best-known mountain rescue doctors, serving as well as an adviser to films set in the mountains. Here, Cauchy presents an episodic account of rescues in which he participated. Many of these stories are humorous, others are harrowing. The same can be said of interactions between members of the response team and patients. Cauchy also presents scenes from his personal life, including befriending a little girl from Nepal. This is no textbook on a specialized aspect of medicine; rather, the emphasis is on the excitement of flying through the mountains in helicopters to save hapless skiers and climbers trapped in perilous situations. There are enough thrills and spills to attract readers with a taste for true-life medical thrillers and outdoors stories.—Stephen Hupp, West Virginia Univ. Lib., Parkersburg

Leroy "Satchel" Paige is a poster child for the tragedy of segregated baseball. He could have dominated major league pitching but got a chance with the Indians only at the end of his career. Paige could have been the star to break baseball's color line, but Jackie Robinson got first crack as a "safer choice." While there are stacks of biographies about Robinson, this is the first attempt at a full, major biography of Paige. Tye, a journalist, is more noted for his labor histories, such as Rising from the Rails, about black rail porters. However, he's a passionate baseball fan with a strong interest in the history of segregated America. Why has so little been written about Paige? One factor is the difficulty of getting reliable information. Paige was well known for embellishing stories. Tye masterfully weaves primary and oral sources together to create a credible biography of a talkative yet elusive subject. We can hope that his occasional sloppiness when it comes to sports facts (e.g., he refers to Joltin' Joe Dimaggio as "Jumpin'" Joe) will have been corrected for publication because this is an important book about a neglected figure in baseball history. Recommended for all readers in sports as well as 20th-century America.—Randall Schroeder, Ferris State Univ., Big Rapids, MI

Could there have been more on the line when No. 1 ranked Roger Federer attempted but oh-so-narrowly lost to arch nemesis Rafael Nadal in 2008 when he sought to capture a modern-day record sixth consecutive Wimbledon title? Sports Illustrated writer Wertheim provides a comprehensive and thoroughly engaging look back at the nearly five-hour epic center-court contest, excelling at the details that support his claim of "greatest match ever played." The decisive moments in the five-set marathon are expertly retold, and the match statistics box is a welcome addition. Wertheim's informative backstories behind the clash itself and the contrasting personalities of "delicate, brush-stroking impressionist" Federer and "dogged, free-wheeling abstract expressionist" Nadal should convince readers that this drama-filled and high-quality duel of tennis titans gives the historic 1980 Borg-McEnroe final a well-earned run for its money. Recommended for sports and general collections.—Howard Katz, Library Journal