Science & Technology

While the world might not need another book on chili peppers, this one is a great addition to the existing choices. Coauthors of The Pepper Garden, DeWitt (owner, Sunbelt Shows; The Chile Pepper Encyclopedia) and Bosland (horticulture, New Mexico State Univ.), discoverer of the world's hottest chili pepper, have compiled an informative and visually appealing resource for all your chili pepper needs. Featuring a plethora of vibrant color photographs and illustrations, this well-written book covers the history, varieties, cultivation, and preserving of chili peppers. Seventy-five pages of recipes such as Dante's Martini from Hell as well as main dishes and even desserts add to the appeal. VERDICT This is a nicely done work that will fit well within any culinary or gardening collection and will appeal to both the novice and the expert gardener. Recommended.—Lisa A. Ennis, Univ. of Alabama at Birmingham Lib.

Easton (A Pattern Garden: The Essential Elements of Garden Making) and photographer Koch are champions of low-maintenance gardening techniques, designs, and routines. Easton's concept is emphatically simple: her tips are intended to lessen the gardener's load but still yield a nourished and fulfilling garden. The goal is to spend less time and energy gardening and more time living with and enjoying the garden. Combining tips on different types of gardening (e.g., ground, container, raised beds), choosing plants, using hardscape, and working with nature, this is about designing a space to enjoy, not agonize over. Including photos, quotes from gardening experts, and a list of resources, Easton also focuses on green gardening and sustainability, which is sure to please progressive gardeners. VERDICT Another well-informed and useful guide that, although focused mostly on the West Coast, contains advice and information on resources that will appeal to gardeners all over the country. Recommended.—Jenny Contakos, Southwest Florida Coll. Lib., Fort Myers

Here, Rauch (horticulture, emeritus, Univ. of Hawaii) and Weissich (director, emeritus, Honolulu Botanical Gardens) address a problem facing cities today: the destruction of the "urban forest" because of expanding cityscapes. Using studies that reveal how only one tree is planted for every four trees lost to urban development, they suggest the trend can be reversed by repopulating developed areas with small trees. Neatly divided into two alphabetical-by-genus sections—regular-sized trees and "tailored small trees," which may be large shrubs selectively pruned to grow into trees—the book covers more than 200 species, subspecies, varieties, cultivars, and hybrids. There are lots of color photographs but only brief descriptions of each tree and almost no planting or care instructions. Regionally specific, the trees included are mainly native to Hawaii, South America, Asia, and Australia. VERDICT Recommended only for readers located in these tropical regions or for libraries with comprehensive gardening collections.—Jenny Contakos, Southwest Florida Coll. Lib., Fort Myers

Accessible for any woman, this guide offers practical, research-based advice on managing perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopause. Edelman, a Massachusetts-based gynecologist with more than 25 years of practice, answers questions as varied as those relating to hormones, general health, hot flashes, sleep, memory loss, mood changes, depression, diet, exercise, health, sex, and contraception; she also offers a balanced view on the pros and cons of hormone-replacement therapy. Edelman focuses on preventive health measures. Emphasizing the importance of establishing a relationship with one's doctor, she recounts helpful personal stories from her own practice. VERDICT This is both a guide through the often confusing stories in the media and a tool for taking control of one's health care.—Jodith Janes, Cleveland Clinic Fdn. Lib.

Twenty-five years ago, Raab, a nurse who has had three high-risk pregnancies, wrote the canonic Getting Pregnant and Staying Pregnant: Overcoming Infertility and High-Risk Pregnancy. With advances in medicine, this new edition, cowritten by Connecticut-based ob-gyn Norwitz, is most welcome. Covering the basics of getting pregnant, prenatal care, high-risk factors, tests, bed rest, and labor and delivery, it also discusses genetics, birth defects, pregnancy loss, and premature babies. In a supportive tone, Raab and Norwitz guide readers through the various care options available. They also include information about domestic violence and trauma during pregnancy; counsel pregnant women on proper seatbelt etiquette; and provide a glossary, an extensive bibliography, and a referral list of American and Canadian support groups and associations. VERDICT An excellent resource for readers interested in pregnancy and health, although the journaling space at the end of each chapter may tempt patrons to write in the book.—Barbara M. Bibel, Oakland P.L.

Alzheimer's disease has had an impact on myriad families, yet few have been as drastically affected as the Reiswigs. Here, Reiswig describes what it is like to grow up in a family plagued by the Alzheimer's gene. Long before Alzheimer's became a household word, the Reiswig family watched one relative after another undergo personality changes and forgetfulness before old age. Initially embarrassed to comment in public and then driven to find answers, the family participated in research studies aimed at locating the genes responsible for early-onset Alzheimer's disease. The story of a family wrought with fear, desperation, grief, shame, self-doubt, and denial is interspersed with brief, jargon-free comments on research relating to the disease. VERDICT Though not a source for the latest treatments or scientific facts, Reiswig's moving account will connect with readers who have been touched by this devastating disease.—Tina Neville, Univ. of South Florida at St. Petersburg Lib.

Surgical oncologist Wallack discovered how frightening the patient's side of the bed looks when a bout of angina led to emergency quadruple bypass surgery. Here, he describes his fear of dying, shock over losing total control of his body, and his feelings of anxiety and stress during recovery. Wallack and his wife, Colby, intersperse tips and suggestions throughout their narrative and include personal observations, coping techniques, and caregiver concerns. They provide an eight-step plan for heart patients to overcome their fears, with advice on establishing healthy sleep patterns, facing physical and emotional pain, resuming normal activities (even sex), managing doctor visits, adjusting diet, returning to work, and tackling new challenges. Included are recipes and information on evaluating doctors and hospitals and finding support resources. VERDICT Wallack and Colby provide excellent answers to common questions in a warm, readable style. For those needing emotional reassurance, this is a valuable title. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 10/1/09.]—Janet M. Schneider, James A. Haley Veterans Hosp., Tampa

The mission of the Italian Academy of Cuisine, founded in 1953, is to preserve the gastronomical heritage of Italy. This translation of its 2005 La Cucina del Bel Paese compiles 2000 recipes representing the history and geography of Italy. Chapters are arranged by traditional Italian courses—appetizers and pizza; soups; pasta, polenta, and rice; fish; meat and poultry; vegetables; cheese dishes; and desserts—and recipes are presented in alphabetical order by the Italian name, with the regional origin included. Some recipes may have different versions based on regional interpretation—barley soup from, e.g., Valle D'Aosta, Lombardia, and Veneto. Although an effort has been made to adapt the recipes for American cooks, some instructions are not very specific—for an almond cake, the recipe suggests using a "baking pan." Others will require some kitchen experience—Lamb Offal with Artichokes instructs cooks to "clean the offal." There are recipes for horsemeat, donkey, eel, goat, rabbit, squid, and tripe. The two indexes are by region and ingredient, but a recipe index would have been a good addition. VERDICT This authoritative compendium surpasses the works of Ada Boni and Marcella Hazan and is sure to become a classic. Enthusiastically recommended for serious cooks.—Christine Bulson, SUNY at Oneonta Lib.

Knife skills are core to formal culinary training, and students spend a great deal of time learning and practicing the proper use and care of knives. Chef Lumb has compiled a useful and visually appealing work that adds to the growing number of titles on this most basic chef skill. In the first part, she covers topics such as safe practices, knife anatomy, caring for knives, and an introduction to core cutting methods. In the second section, she addresses cutting methods for a variety of foods, organized by food type, like fruit, meat and poultry, and even pastries. Each section begins with a useful introduction and includes step-by-step instructions. VERDICT Overall, this is a well-organized, easy-to-use, and nicely illustrated reference that will prove helpful for any aspiring cook. One caveat: it is written for the right-handed cook; lefties may want to try Peter Hertzmann's Knife Skills Illustrated.—Lisa A. Ennis, Univ. of Alabama at Birmingham Lib.

In an era where average life spans are higher and there are more centenarians than ever before, many people invest small fortunes and fantastic hopes in pursuit of prolonged youth. But what's science and what's snake oil? Critser (Fat Land; Generation Rx) is a frequent commentator on modern medicine, known for his rapid-fire prose and glib sense of humor. Whether killer diets, hormone therapy, and/or various biological or mechanical engineering antiaging solutions will dramatically increase longevity is, to date, a matter of speculation, but there's no shortage of enthusiasts for the possibilities. Critser's ribald (occasionally irreverent) tone makes for vivid reading and easy comprehension. VERDICT This is sure to be popular among general readers. A more expansive yet still engaging treatment is Stephen Hall's Merchants of Immortality, and students and academic readers wanting a more technical and theoretical discussion can turn to Mark Benecke's The Dream of Eternal Life.—Gregg Sapp, Evergreen State Lib., Olympia, WA

What is wisdom? Is it the same across cultures and time? Is wisdom too complex a phenomenon for science to investigate? Who in the scientific community has tried? And what does science say about the traits we often associate with wisdom: compassion, humility, patience, and so on? Award-winning science writer Hall (Size Matters; Merchants of Immortality) investigates these questions and more. Somewhat wordy and digressive, with little in-depth analysis, his book is periodically thought-provoking and offers something interesting in each chapter. VERDICT This is worth considering, especially for the general reader interested in what contemporary neuroscience can tell us about wisdom as a psychological and developmental phenomenon and about its associated mental states and behavioral characteristics. Interested readers seeking a challenge may consider a more academic introduction to neuroscience and philosophy such as Philosophy and the Neurosciences: A Reader, edited by William Bechtel and others. [50,000-copy first printing.]—Jonathan Bodnar, Georgia Inst. of Technology Lib. & Information Ctr., Atlanta

An observer of human and animal behavior for over six decades, zoologist Morris (The Naked Ape) has written an elegant book on the natural lives of the chimpanzee, bonobo, orangutan, and gorilla. In fascinating detail, he presents decades of research about their anatomy, diet, social and sexual lives, life stages, intelligence, and communication skills. Bringing this information to life is an extraordinary variety of photos documenting both the magnificence and the fragility of these animals as they eat, sleep, play, fight, and raise families. This eloquent tribute to our closest evolutionary relatives is also Morris's plea for their survival in the wild. Every species of great ape is now so endangered that they could disappear from their natural habitat within a few decades. VERDICT The prolific author writes with provocative insight and a profound appreciation for the natural world. His latest will delight his fans, wildlife enthusiasts, and those who enjoyed Biruté Galdikas's Great Ape Odyssey.—Cynthia Knight, Hunterdon Cty. Lib., Flemington, NJ

As we become a more eco-informed nation, we become a more confused nation—asking questions such as "Is this good for me?" or "What's really in this?" Sandbeck (Green Housekeeping) attempts to answer these questions with a thorough vetting of many of the products we consume or use every day. She systematically investigates each facet of our lives, by chapter—at the table, in the bathroom, with the pets—and describes a number of frightening scenarios where lipstick users and soy drinkers become ill. While positive suggestions are made in each chapter, they vary in how realistic their application might be. Sandbeck seems to be telling us what not to do rather than what to do while encouraging us to ditch our social hang-ups and become a true barbarian. VERDICT The research and information are fascinating although sometimes alarming to the point of inaction. What might be read as a call to action for those choosing a simple life may also be a turnoff for those unable to make the leap to barbarianism.—Jaime Hammond, Naugatuck Valley Community Coll., Waterbury, CT

This distinctive work skillfully puts a human face on the bioethical questions surrounding the HeLa cell line. Henrietta Lacks, an African American mother of five, was undergoing treatment for cancer at Johns Hopkins University in 1951 when tissue samples were removed without her knowledge or permission and used to create HeLa, the first "immortal" cell line. HeLa has been sold around the world and used in countless medical research applications, including the development of the polio vaccine. Science writer Skloot, who worked on this book for ten years, entwines Lacks's biography, the development of the HeLa cell line, and her own story of building a relationship with Lacks's children. Full of dialog and vivid detail, this reads like a novel, but the science behind the story is also deftly handled. VERDICT While there are other titles on this controversy (e.g., Michael Gold's A Conspiracy of Cells: One Woman's Immortal Legacy—and the Medical Scandal It Caused), this is the most compelling account for general readers, especially those interested in questions of medical research ethics. Highly recommended. [See Skloot's essay, p. 126; Prepub Alert, LJ 11/1/09.]—Carla Lee, Univ. of Virginia Lib., Charlottesville

Popularly known for his ruminations on the social pathology of information technology, computer scientist Lanier is immensely concerned that the design patterns of today's omnipresent 2.0 web services are about to be locked in. He argues that technology prophets from many disciplines have us blissfully ignorant of the sacrifices we make when submerging our individual identities into online collectives like Facebook. In addition, the web's early promise in terms of innovation, democracy, and interpersonal communication has not come to be; instead, an online culture has emerged that undermines the foundation of the knowledge economy. Flows of information, Lanier notes, are more important than what is being shared, whole expressions of creativity and arguments are replaced by fragments, and authors are successful by simply reusing the past instead of producing genuinely new works. Still, Lanier is optimistic that it's not too late to move away from cybernetic totalism by taking the "red pill" his book offers—for the web does not design itself, we design it. VERDICT If you can't imagine a world without today's social technologies, this is a must read for 2010. [100,000-copy first printing; see Prepub Alert, LJ 9/1/09.]—James A. Buczynski, Seneca Coll. of Applied Arts & Technology, Toronto