Xpress Reviews—First Look at New Books
-- Library Journal, 8/21/2009 8:02:00 AM
The week ending August 21, 2009
Fiction | Nonfiction
Fiction
Ajvaz, Michal. The Other City. Dalkey Archive. 2009. c.148p. tr. from Czech by Gerald Turner. ISBN 978-1-56478-491-9. pap. $13.95. F
The notion that there’s an alternative reality overlapping the generally accepted reality, especially in a city as well known as Prague, is an intriguing theme for a novel. In Ajvaz’s first work to be translated into English, the narrator discovers an unusual book written in an unintelligible language and embarks on a fantastical quest. He fights deadly creatures, struggles to make sense of a society that no longer demands absolute homogeneity, and has the inevitable epiphany.
Verdict In the tradition of other Czech allegories and fantastical literature, Ajvaz's novel is a challenging and entertaining read. But some readers might find the quest monotonous. The tedium might have been relieved with more humorous scenes, as when the narrator reenters reality in a public bathroom while the attendant reads a magazine.—K.H. Cumiskey, Duke Univ. Libs., Durham, NC
Boaz, Amy. Beat. Permanent. Aug. 2009. c.198p. ISBN 978-1-57962-186-5. $26. F
Frances, the suburban New York wife of an engineer and the mother of two small children, slips the bonds of her staid life and embarks on an affair with Joseph, a Colorado alternative school teacher of Sanskrit poetry and common-law spouse to famous, ferocious Native American poet Arlene Manhunter. When Frances goes on the lam in Paris with her daughter, revelations about Arlene, now missing, emerge. Joseph is imprisoned when he cannot answer for his lover’s whereabouts, and Frances dodges a private investigator sent to bring her home.
Verdict Part thriller, part mystery, heavy on erotic romance and self-discovery, this page-turner from Boaz (A Richer Dust) should find a broad readership.—Ann H. Fisher, Radford P.L., VA
Chaudhuri, Amit. The Immortals. Knopf. Aug. 2009. c.352p. ISBN 978-0-307-27022-1. $25.95. F
In a Bombay, light years removed from the squalor of Slumdog Millionaire, the upwardly mobile Senguptas live in lavish surroundings thanks to the rising fortunes of the patriarch, Apurva. His wife, Mallika, who showed early promise as a classical singer, becomes a student of the renowned musical guru, Shyam Lal, who promises to get her a recording contract. When her son, Nirmalya, also exhibits a gift for music, he, too, falls into Shyam’s orbit. Chaudhuri (Freedom Song) sets this work in the 1980s, just as Western musical influences are beginning to assert themselves in classical Indian music.
Verdict This meditative musical odyssey will resonate with readers seeking a deeper understanding of Indian culture. Warmly recommended.—Barbara Love, Kingston Frontenac P.L., Ont.
Kasischke, Laura. In a Perfect World. Harper Perennial. Aug. 2009. c.336p. ISBN 978-0-06-176611-4. pap. $13.99. F
Former flight attendant Jiselle is starting to adjust to life with her new husband and stepchildren when the stillness of a hot summer day is pierced by adolescent Sara howling at the news that Britney Spears is dead—victim of a deadly flu sweeping the United States. No one has used the word epidemic yet, but Jiselle is easily swayed to become a stay-at-home mom. With her pilot husband detained in Germany, Jiselle struggles with isolation, frequent power outages, and dwindling food supplies—and discovers an inner strength she never could have imagined.
Verdict The writing is occasionally overblown, but the persistent reader is rewarded. Kasischke (The Life Before Her Eyes) has created a dystopia different from Margaret Atwood’s in The Handmaid’s Tale, but one that will also appeal to the serious reader who wants to be challenged.—Debbie Bogenschutz, Cincinnati State Technology & Community Coll. Lib.
Niffenegger, Audrey. Her Fearful Symmetry. Scribner. Sept. 2009. c.416p. ISBN 978-1-4391-6539-3. $26.99. F
Elspeth Noblin has died of cancer and has left her London apartment to her estranged twin sister Edie’s twin daughters, college-aged Julia and Valentina—with the provision that Edie never set foot in the apartment. The twins, unworldly, petite, and blonde (and oddly reminiscent of Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen), claim their inheritance and meet their obsessive-compulsive neighbor, Martin, and Robert, Elspeth’s shy, younger lover, who is writing a book about Highgate Cemetery (Elspeth’s resting place). They eventually encounter Elspeth herself—though not, of course, in the flesh. Things take a sinister turn when their aunt plays a very nasty trick on Valentina that leaves her out of the picture, forever.
Verdict The plot is unrealistic but could have been much more believable; the writing seems touched by the naïveté that radiates from the young twins. A puzzling book, like a Gorey drawing gone really icky. Fantasy lovers and lovers of The Time Traveler’s Wife will want to consider. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 5/1/09.]—Barbara Hoffert, Library Journal
Silver, Eve. Seduced by a Stranger. Zebra: Kensington. Sept. 2009. 344p. ISBN 978-0-8217-8130-2. pap. $6.99. HISTORICAL GOTHIC ROMANCE
A plea for help brings Catherine Weston to remote Cairncroft Abbey, where she finds a terrified young woman, a crumbling estate, and the emotionally guarded, dangerously attractive Gabriel St. Aubyn. Jack the Ripper–style murders, long-buried secrets, family curses, and deeply rooted insanity are only a few of the issues that underlie this beautifully written, highly seductive romance. In true Gothic fashion, it provides an ominous setting, suspect servants, and a chilling mystery with a classic hero-or-villain dilemma.
Verdict Silver (Dark Prince) spins a mesmerizing tale of evil enhanced by a Gothic setting worthy of Daphne du Maurier or Victoria Holt. A pair of inwardly tormented but exceptionally strong protagonists will keep readers enthralled. Silver creates a sensual mood as few others can and may well be setting the standard for the newly revitalized dark, nonparanormal Gothic.—Kristin Ramsdell, California State Univ. Lib., East Bay
Trofimuk, Thomas. Waiting for Columbus. Doubleday. Aug. 2009. c.384p. ISBN 978-0-385-52913-6. $26. F
Christopher Columbus (or someone who claims to be him) is found swimming in the Straight of Gibraltar and admitted to the psychiatric unit of a Seville hospital, where he is held against his will and unable to complete his mission to find a route to the East Indies. As he spins his tale to Nurse Consuela and the attending doctors, he presents himself as a navigator and sailor from the distant past—but one intimate with modern idiom and technology (Queen Isabella consults him by phone). The story he tells mirrors the true details of Columbus’s quest to the Indies, his struggles to secure financial backing, and his numerous romantic entanglements.
Verdict This compelling blend of history and psychology speeds to an emotional conclusion as Columbus, his nurse, and detective Emile draw together to solve the puzzle. Recommended for readers of both literary and popular fiction.—Barbara Love, Kingston Frontenac P.L., Ont.
Xianhui Yang. Woman from Shanghai: Tales of Survival from a Chinese Labor Camp. Pantheon. 2009. c.320p. tr. from Chinese by Wen Huang. ISBN 978-0-307-37768-5. $24.95. SHORT STORIES
Since the 1980s, Chinese writers have bypassed censorship by writing "documentary literature," blurring the lines between fiction and nonfiction. Drawing on 100-plus interviews, Xianhui Yang’s 13 thinly disguised stories chronicle the brutality of the Jiabiangou labor camp in China’s Gobi Desert region. Between 1957 and 1960, some 3000 dissidents were sent to Jiabiangou. When the camp was shut down in 1961 because of mass deaths from starvation, only 500 had survived, through stealing, foraging, and even such horrifying means as culling excretions and harvesting corpses.
Verdict While absolutely necessary as historical testimony, this work is unrelentingly difficult reading and not for the faint-hearted (or faint-stomached). Recommended for readers seriously interested in 20th-century Asian history. Less graphic alternatives include Xinran’s The Good Women of China and China Witness.—Terry Hong, Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Program, Washington, DC
Carstensen, Laura L. A Long Bright Future: An Action Plan for a Lifetime of Happiness, Health, and Financial Security. Broadway. Aug. 2009. c.336p. ISBN 978-0-7679-3012-3. $26. PSYCH
To Carstensen, founding director of the Stanford Center on Longevity, the idea of retiring at 65 is anachronistic. She argues for society to be restructured to accommodate a population that could well be productive into their eighties and clears up misconceptions about aging, countering the "misery myth" with research that reveals that older people are mentally stable, optimistic, and generally happier than younger people. Postponing retirement is crucial to a healthier society: working longer would help our failing social security system and allow us to build substantial retirement incomes. In a world full of anxiety about aging, hers is a new and positive viewpoint.
Verdict Everyone should read and relish this empowering book. Carstensen’s conviction that it’s up to us to build a world in which we can live long, productive, and happy lives is revelatory.—Mary E. Jones, Los Angeles P.L.
Dawson, Jim. The Complete Motherfucker: A History of the Mother of all Dirty Words. Feral House. Aug. 2009. c.180p. ISBN 978-1-932595-41-3. pap. $13. LANG
Dawson (Who Cut the Cheese: A Cultural History of the Far) applies both journalism skills and broad knowledge of modern culture to language in this study of the trajectory of the expletive motherfucker from taboo invective to public swearing. The anecdotes range from African American history and entertainers like Richard Pryor to the novelist Kurt Vonnegut, who experienced a Supreme Court battle over one use of this word. Unfortunately, this humorous survey is too scattered for a serious word history. The brief chapters present no unified theme, and there are no footnotes, sources, or bibliography.
Verdict Censorship of the expletive gets more serious treatment in Christopher Fairman’s Fuck: Word Taboo and Protecting Our First Amendment Liberties. This is an optional purchase at best.—Marianne Orme, Des Plaines P.L., IL
Galloway, Patrick. Warring Clans, Flashing Blades: A Samurai Film Companion. Stone Bridge, dist. by Consortium. 2009. 246p. photogs. bibliog. index. ISBN 978-1-933330-78-5. pap. $19.95. FILM
In this follow-up to his Stray Dogs & Lone Wolves: The Samurai Film Handbook, Galloway writes with panache about his favorite samurai movies of the last 40 years. His language is direct, his opinions strong, and his depth of knowledge considerable. He organizes his small selection by historical period, regardless of their production dates, and synopsizes and analyzes each in his inimitable style. There is also a brief section on major players, an overview of samurai culture, and a glossary of pertinent Japanese words and phrases.
Verdict Because of the personal nature of the selections, this is recommended only for the dedicated fan of samurai films. Those seeking a more scholarly approach would do well to delve into anything by Donald Richie.—Roy Liebman, California State Univ., Los Angeles
Harvard Inst. of Politics. Campaign for President: The Managers Look at 2008. Rowman & Littlefield. (Campaigning American Style). 2009. 252p. photogs. index. ISBN 978-0-7425-7046-7. $49.95; pap. ISBN 978-0-7425-7047-4. $29.95. POL SCI
In December 2008, campaign managers and advisors, political analysts, and journalists convened at the Institute of Politics (John F. Kennedy Sch. of Government, Harvard Univ.) to discuss presidential campaign strategies. This book consists of the transcripts of the sessions, which focused on the candidates’ decisions to run for president, the primaries of each party, and the general election. The participants from the campaigns offered guarded comments and careful disclosure of strategies (stressing the importance of the Internet for communicating with voters and fund raising) and commentary on the process’s increasing dependence on polling analysts. Discussions were lively and provide insight into the workings of primaries and general elections.
Verdict Recommended to scholars and political history buffs interested in firsthand accounts by the people behind the campaigns.—Jill Ortner, SUNY at Buffalo Libs.
Perez, Beto. Zumba: Ditch the Workout, Join the Party! The Zumba Weight Loss Program. Wellness Central. Sept. 2009. c.320p. illus. index. ISBN 978-0-446-54612-6. $24.99 with DVD. HEALTH
This Latin-beat aerobic routine has already begun to be offered by gyms and YMCAs across the country. The book shows the movements and recommends combinations aimed at specific problem areas (demonstrated on the accompanying DVD). As with all such books, it pads itself out with a recommended diet, this one claiming to burn belly and thigh fat, and includes recipes. There is nothing really different about this treatment, but the salsa style is fashionable, and Zumba has received a lot of buzz.
Verdict A must for fad followers, but really nothing special. (DVD not seen.)—Susan B. Hagloch, formerly with Tuscarawas Cty. P.L., New Philadelphia, OH
Pregnancy Day by Day. DK. 2009. 496p. ed. by Maggie Blott. illus. index. ISBN 978-0-7566-5041-4. $40. HEALTH
This 280-day countdown offers a wealth of information about what’s happening inside your body from the first day of your period to conception, birth, and beyond. Each page describes your baby on that day with a photograph and includes other information that may be of interest at that point in pregnancy. Topics on each page are varied; health concerns may be juxtaposed with maternity dresses. Some trivial information is inaccurate (onesies are described as having feet, for example), but these details are easily overlooked. Nonmainstream choices, like cloth diapering and hypnobirthing, are mentioned without judgment, though cosleeping is warned against. The "Labor and Birth" section includes information and a (somewhat dry) birth story for both natural and medicated pain relief.
Verdict This well-designed book will grab the attention of parents-to-be but may spur them to look elsewhere for more details.—Mindy Rhiger, St. Paul, MN
Schlesinger, Andrea Batista. The Death of Why?: The Decline of Questioning and the Future of Democracy. Berrett-Koehler, dist. by Ingram. 2009. c.264p. index. ISBN 978-1-57675-585-3. pap. $16.95. POL SCI
Schlesinger, executive director of the Drum Major Institute for Public Policy, considers the decline of civic consciousness as symptomatic of a general "habit of mind." She adduces much evidence about the diminishing use of "Why?" among American youth and in society at large. From the Internet to the decline of civics education in recent Bush Administration policy, the sources of our indifference move from the philosophical to the explicitly political. There are pedagogical bright spots to suggest methods to revitalize questioning in the classroom and "slow democracy" in public life. Schlesinger helps connect educational theory with the current debate about "social capital" in Robert D. Putnam’s classic, Bowling Alone.
Verdict Schlesinger’s book may attract a wide audience of readers concerned with education, political science, and community organizing. Recommended.—Zachary T. Irwin, Pennsylvania State Univ.–Erie
Spellberg, Brad. Rising Plague: The Global Threat from Deadly Bacteria and Our Dwindling Arsenal To Fight Them. Prometheus. Sept. 2009. c.250p. illus. ISBN 978-1-59-102750-8. $26. HEALTH
Most Americans have heard about the increasing resistance of bacterial infections to antibiotics, but few are aware that we are rapidly facing a different kind of crisis. According to Spellberg (infectious disease researcher/practitioner, UCLA), the development of new antibiotics has declined 75 percent since 1983. While microbes are developing resistance to existing antibiotics, there is a decreasing source of new medications to take their place. Laurie Garrett made a similar plea in her highly regarded The Coming Plague, but the problem continues to worsen.
Verdict Spellberg provides convincing evidence of the complexities of drug development and why we need to find incentives for developing new antibiotics. Avoiding medical jargon, this fast-paced call to action should be read by anyone concerned about our medical future. Highly recommended.—Tina Neville, Univ. of South Florida St. Petersburg Lib.
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