Xpress Reviews—First Look at New Books

-- Library Journal, 6/19/2009 12:55:00 PM

The week of June 19, 2009

Fiction | Nonfiction

Fiction

Anderson, Kevin J. The Edge of the World. Orbit: Hachette. (Terra Incognita, Bk. 1.) Jun. 2009. c.624p. ISBN 978-0-316-00418-3. pap. $14.99. FANTASY
This sprawling epic marks sf author Anderson’s ("Saga of Seven Suns" series; Enemies & Allies) fantasy debut. This first volume of a trilogy follows the clash of two powerful nations, Tierra and Uraba, and the fate of their leaders and citizens through 15 years of fighting and exploration.
Verdict There are some similarities to Ursula Le Guin’s "Earthsea" series and Harry Harrison’s "The Hammer and the Cross" books, but this novel is not derivative. While the themes are adult, young adults will also find much to enjoy. The related music CD, Beyond the Horizon, may also be of interest. Highly recommended for epic fantasy fans.—Sara Tompson, Univ. of Southern California, Los Angeles

Satyal, Rakesh. Blue Boy. Kensington. 2009. c.352p. ISBN 978-0-7582-3136-9. pap. $15. F
The life of a sixth-grade misfit is difficult—but for Kiran Sharma, the only son of Indian immigrants living in a Cincinnati suburb, life is particularly challenging: he is slight, intellectually gifted, and more interested in ballet, dolls, and his mother’s makeup than in sports and girls. One day, he has a revelation: he is the latest reincarnation of the Hindu god Krishna. The ensuing sequences describing how Kiran tries to adopt the god’s characteristics will have readers laughing—even as they empathize with the humiliations he suffers at the hands of his classmates, teachers, and family.
Verdict This sensitive debut novel captures every nuance of an 11-year-old’s agony at discovering his differences and moving toward gradual self-acceptance. Sure to appeal to readers who enjoy such coming-of-age, gay, and immigrant fiction as Junot Diaz's The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao or Jeffrey Eugenides's Middlesex.—Andrea Kempf, Johnson Cty. Community Coll. Lib., Overland Park, KS

Buggey, Tom. Seeing Is Believing: Video Self-Modeling for People with Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities. Woodbine. 2009. c.125p. ISBN 978-1-890627-88-1. index. pap. $19.95. CHILD REARING
Buggey (Sisken Ctr. for Child & Family Research) champions the potential of video self-modeling (VSM) to teach new skills to people with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), as well as other developmental disorders. VSM requires a parent or teacher to film a person with autism doing a specific skill correctly. The individual may then watch the video to see himself or herself modeling the task in the desired manner. While the process may sound complex, Buggey offers step-by-step pointers on filming and editing. Also included are an overview of the research behind VSM, a task analysis, an FAQ section, references, and a glossary. 
Verdict A comprehensive and accessible introduction to VSM for parents, educators, and those with ASD.—Lisa M. Jordan, Johnson Cty. Lib., KS

David, Sami S. & Jill Blakeway. Making Babies: A Proven 3-Month Program for Maximum Fertility. Little, Brown. Aug. 2009. c.384p. illus. index. ISBN 978-0-316-02450-1. $25.99. HEALTH
Millions of American women seek fertility treatments every year. These treatments are difficult to endure and can have adverse effects on health. David, a reproductive endocrinologist, and Blakeway, a licensed acupuncturist and certified herbalist, present a program of integrating lifestyle changes with traditional and alternative therapies to achieve pregnancy with minimal use of assisted-reproductive technology (ART). They explain the mechanics of conception and its impediments, outlining five fertility types, common fertility problems and solutions, and a three-month program that they posit will lead to pregnancy. In a final section, the authors discuss when and how to use ART if necessary. An appendix includes a resource list and instructions for using a basal temperature chart. 
Verdict This is a helpful, supportive book that provides viable options for couples who are trying to conceive.—Barbara M. Bibel, Oakland P.L.

Fornatale, Pete. Back to the Garden: The Story of Woodstock. Touchstone: S. & S. Jun. 2009. c.336p. index. ISBN 978-1-4165-9119-1. $24.99. MUSIC
Fornatale, an award-winning broadcaster in New York, has compiled an oral history of the 1969 Woodstock Festival to commemorate its 40th anniversary. He organizes the book into short chapters about each artist who performed, beginning with Richie Havens, who jump-started the festival on Friday, August 15, and ending with the iconic performance of Jimi Hendrix on the following Monday morning.
Verdict Interweaving his own commentary with interviews of performers, concert organizers, and rock critics, Fornatale profiles the 32 Woodstock artists but does not unearth much new information. He seems content to chronicle the spirit of the festival, adding to the legend rather than offering a fresh interpretation of events.—Dave Szatmary, Univ. of Washington, Seattle

Majumdar, Simon. Eat My Globe: One Year To Go Everywhere and Eat Everything. Free Pr: S. & S. 2009. c.320p. ISBN 978-1-4165-7602-0. $26. COOKERY
This mélange of travelog, foodie memoir, and midlife crisis narrative takes readers on a globe-trotting adventure accompanied by the author’s outsized personality. Tiring of his upwardly mobile London lifestyle, Majumdar, known for his blogs (Dos Hermanos and Eat My Globe), quit his publishing job and hit the road in search of good food. Opinionated, brash, and—one suspects—prone to exaggeration for the sake of a good story, Majumdar alternates between self-aggrandizement and self-deprecation. 
Verdict Less acerbic than other writers in the genre, Majumdar spins a fun yarn. Odds are, you won’t be on the fence about whether you like him or his book—you’ll know after the first chapter.—Courtney Greene, DePaul Univ. Lib., Chicago

Minich, Deanna M. An A-Z Guide to Food Additives: Never Eat What You Can't Pronounce. Conari: Red Wheel/Weiser. Aug. 2009. c.160p. bibliog. ISBN 978-1-57324-403-9. pap. $9.95. HEALTH
Minich (Chakra Foods for Optimum Health) offers a useful guide to introduce consumers to the ever-increasing number of food additives. A proponent of foods that are (or are close to) unprocessed, whole, and in their natural state, she lists additives with their safety ratings and describes what each is used for, where it is typically found, and whether it is a known allergen. Minich does not feel that all additives are bad; agar, for example, may even be nutritious (others, like calcium bromate, should be avoided at all costs). 
Verdict Minich’s helpful and far-ranging explanation of additives includes a list of terminology consumers should learn as well as lists of the top food coloring and flavoring agents and artificial sweeteners. Highly recommended.—Rachel M. Minkin, Lansing Community Coll., MI

Reid, T.R. The Healing of America: A Global Quest for Better, Cheaper, and Fairer Health Care. Penguin Pr: Penguin Group (USA). Sept. 2009. c.288p. index. ISBN 978-1-59420-234-6. $25.95. HEALTH
Even though the United States spends more on health care than any other nation, 20,000 Americans die each year as a result of having little or no health insurance. Washington Post correspondent Reid (The United States of Europe) surveys European and Asian systems that range from single payer to pay-as-you-go, describing how the systems evolved and enumerating their pros and cons. Refuting standard myths about European health care, he demonstrates that there is no monolithic "socialized medicine": most countries provide a basic health package paid for through nonprofit insurance, with supplemental private coverage also available. Reid makes a forceful case that if the United States makes a commitment to universal health care, these countries offer invaluable blueprints.
Verdict Reid’s concise—and surprisingly humorous—study is recommended to anyone following the ongoing debate over health-care reform.—Dick Maxwell, Porter Adventist Hosp. Lib., Denver

Soon, Edwin. Pairing Wine with Asian Food. Monsoon, dist. by Tuttle. Jun. 2009. 64p. photogs. index. ISBN 978-981-05-9213-4. pap. $18.95. BEVERAGES
Ever wonder which wine would go with dim sum or Peking duck? Oenologist Soon offers a straightforward guide to matching wine with Asian dishes. He covers the major cuisines of Asia, highlighting common dishes with useful charts and checklists. An interesting section centers around such ingredients as kimchi and fermented soybean and their effect on the palate’s ability to appreciate a wine. Particularly useful is a one-page chart that brings together cooking method, flavors, dishes, and wines. The text is accompanied by some 30 color photographs of typical Asian dishes. 
Verdict Soon covers a lot of ground but does a commendable job of presenting just enough detail to ensure that readers will find the perfect wine to highlight the subtle and complex flavors of Asian foods.—Christine Holmes, San Jose State Univ. Lib., CA

Thomas, Pamela. Fatherless Daughters: Turning the Pain of Loss into the Power of Forgiveness.
S. & S. Aug. 2009. c.368p. bibliog. index. ISBN 978-0-7432-0557-3. $26. PSYCH
Thomas, a Sesame Workshop children’s book editor and coauthor of Ain't Nothin' as Sweet as My Baby: The Story of Hank Williams' Lost Daughter, uses her personal story to explore female perspectives on losing a father to death, divorce, or abandonment. She argues that the loss of a father—especially during a woman’s formative years—has long-term repercussions; interviews with more than 100 women attest to the impact from initial trauma to developmental implications. 
Verdict Thomas’s exclusive focus on white, privileged baby boomers, coupled with her lack of formal training, makes this book feel like a chat with a dear friend—comforting, but not terrifically useful. But without many alternatives beyond Laraine Herring’s Lost Fathers, Elyce Wakerman’s Father Loss, and a few evangelical titles, some readers might find this book useful.—Shawna Thorup, Fayetteville P.L., AR

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