Xpress Reviews-First Look at New Books
-- Library Journal, 01/15/2010
The week of January 15, 2010
Fiction | Nonfiction | Graphic Novels
Fiction
Camilleri, Andrea. The Wings of the Sphinx: An Inspector Montalbano Mystery. Penguin. Jan. 2010. c.240p. tr. from Italian by Stephen Sartarelli. ISBN 978-0-14-311660-8. pap. $14. M
A tattoo of a sphinx moth on the left shoulder of the victim is the only lead Sicilian Inspector Salvo Montalbano (August Heat) has when the nude body of a young woman, shot in the face, is found in a dump. His investigation leads to the discovery of several other young women with the same tattoo, all from the same town in Russia and connected to the politically sensitive Benevolence, a Catholic association purportedly doing good deeds and saving souls. At the same time, the shrewish wife of a rich businessman is nagging Montalbano to find her husband, kidnapped from his home under strange circumstances. And the inspector himself is at a crossroads with his longtime lover, Livia. VERDICT Montalbano, now 56, is still able to enjoy a good lunch at his favorite trattoria as he sniffs out deception and corruption. But he is increasingly bothered by violence, particularly toward the young, as he ponders what the future holds for him. Another strong entry in this well-wrought, internationally popular series. —Michele Leber, Arlington, VA
Hall, James W. Silencer. Minotaur: St. Martin’s. Jan. 2010. c.304p. ISBN 978-0-312-35959-1. $24.99. M
Thorn shows no sign of changing his laid-back, loner ways in Hall’s (Hell’s Bay; Magic City) fine 11th novel featuring his laconic hero. When Thorn’s girlfriend, Rusty, finds a deal that will help him spend some of his vast fortune while saving a large tract of land in central Florida from development, he jumps at the opportunity. Unfortunately for Thorn, his willingness to be a good guy soon puts him in a sinkhole, literally—he’s tossed in by thugs working for developers anxious to prevent the land from going to Thorn. As Rusty and old friend Sugarman try to help Thorn and save the deal, they endanger themselves. Verdict Thorn is among the most likable heroes in crime fiction. There is a fair amount of action that fans expect, but the story really revolves around Hall’s outstanding characterization of Thorn, Rusty, and Sugarman. Sure to please fans of the series, this is another winner. [Library marketing campaign; see Prepub Mystery, LJ 9/1/09.] —Craig Shufelt, Fort McMurray P.L., A.B.
Mengiste, Maaza. Beneath the Lion’s Gaze. Norton. Jan. 2010. c.384p. ISBN 978-0-393-07176-4. $24.95. F
Mengiste’s debut novel follows the lives of a family of four in violent prewar Ethiopia in 1974. A recent New York University graduate, Mengiste was voted a "new literary idol" by New York magazine and garnered a Pushcart Prize nomination. Her honors do not belie her skill, for this book is stunning. In graphic descriptions and masterly prose, Mengiste sculpts her characters to reflect different aspects of the revolution, from Dawit, who spouts Marxism, to Hailu, a doctor who must deal with the brutal realities of revolution.
VERDICT Although the depictions of brutality are extensive, they are also realistic and captivating, helping place the book into a small cadre of Ethiopian fiction, including Abraham Verghese’s Cutting the Stone and Camilla Gibb’s Sweetness in the Belly. Fans of historical adult fiction will approve. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 9/1/09.] —Shalini Miskelly, Highline Community Coll., Des Moines, WA
Pattison, Eliot. Eye of the Raven. Counterpoint. Jan. 2010. c.400p. ISBN 978-1-58243-566-4. $26. M
In this sequel to Bone Rattler, Duncan McCallum flees into the Pennsylvania wilderness in 1760 to escape a bounty placed on his head by the powerful Lord Ramsay after McCallum’s Indian companion, Conawago, is implicated in the gruesome and bizarre killing of a British officer: the victim is found nailed to a tree with a clockwork gear driven into his chest. McCallum resolves to solve the crime in order to free his Indian mentor. Further deaths quickly follow, however, and the crime becomes tied up with treaty negotiations between the Colonies and the Indian tribes.
VERDICT The Edgar Award–winning Pattison (The Skull Mantra) accomplishes the difficult feat of sustaining a dense and intricate plot without letting the pace of the narrative flag. His latest mystery should appeal to fans of both historical fiction and mysteries, as well as to readers interested in Native American culture. Highly recommended. —Douglas Southard, Sharon, MA
Pierson, DC. The Boy Who Couldn’t Sleep and Never Had To. Vintage: Random. Feb. 2010. c.240p. ISBN 978-0-307-47461-2. pap. $14. F
Welcome to Darren Bennett’s world. Living with an absentee father and a hapless thug of an older brother, Darren spends most of his high school time drawing and dreaming of creating a science fiction movie series. His sketches become the catalyst for a friendship with Eric Lederer, the titular boy. The two outsiders, fueled by overactive imaginations and too many energy drinks, fill their days and nights with Yerum Battlebeasts and Tllnar Defenders. It’s a safe, if not entirely sane, world until it overlaps with the drama club and the alluring Christine. Darren gets his first girlfriend only to lose her to Eric, and this pulls both friends into a vortex of confusion, panic, and heroics.
VERDICT Pierson turns the coming-of-age novel on its head, throws in sketches, and offers a lively debut that should attract 16-year-olds and those who would understand them.—Jan Blodgett, Davidson Coll., NC
Slavnikova, Olga. 2017. Overlook, dist. by Penguin Group (USA). Mar. 2010. c.416p. tr. from Russian by Marian Schwartz. ISBN 978-1-59020-309-5. $26.95. F
Set in Russia in 2017, the 100th anniversary of the Russian Revolution, this winner of the Russian Booker Prize is advertised as a spy thriller, but it is not. Though contemporary Russia offers writers ample material, Slavnikova (A Butterfly Magnified to the Size of a Dog) chose surrealism over realism and employed a meandering plot that results in a narrative too cerebral to be a page-turner. Here, she depicts the adventures of Krylov, a miner of precious gems in the Riphean Mountains, and his relationships with Tanya and Tamara, a lover and an ex-wife, respectively, whom readers will have trouble telling apart. VERDICT Although mountain spirits occasionally appear, this is no gripping thriller. Recommended only for select readers with a strong interest in contemporary Russian literature.—Leslie Patterson, Brown Univ. Lib., Providence, RI
Ugresic, Dubravka. Baba Yaga Laid an Egg. Grove. (Myths). Feb. 2010. c.336p. tr. from Croation by Ellen Elias-Bursac. ISBN 978-0-8021-1927-8. $23. F
"What about us? We carry on while the meaning of life may slip from our hold, the purpose of a tale is to be told." In this entry of Grove’s "The Myths" series (which contemporizes classical myths), Croatian novelist, essayist, and literary scholar Ugresic tells tales of Baba Yaga, a witch living in a house astride gigantic chicken legs. Baba’s story is made up of three parts: a writer dealing with an ailing, removed mother, a group of women at a longevity and health spa, and an academic folklorist’s interpretation of the previous stories. This is no dull academic exercise—Ugresic’s style is eminently readable, and the novel is as ambitious as it is rewarding. Her strong feminist outlook transforms the otherwise over-the-top scenarios of priapic masseuses, American health gurus, and suicidal retirees engaged in malapropism. "We carry on. While life like a seal wallows in glee, the tale sails off to the open sea."
VERDICT Readers unafraid of the fantastic will find many surprising riches in Ugresic’s work. —Travis Fristoe, Alachua Cty. Lib. Dist., Gainesville, FL
Cohodas, Nadine. Princess Noire: The Tumultuous Reign of Nina Simone. Pantheon. Feb. 2010. c.464p. illus. bibliog. index. discog. ISBN 978-0-375-42401-4. $30. MUSIC
With newly discovered source material, Cohodas (Queen: The Life and Music of Dinah Washington) chronicles the transformation of child prodigy Eunice Waymon into jazz artist Nina Simone. Simone began her childhood as a classically trained pianist in what seemed like a racial vacuum in North Carolina. She learned, however, that the world didn’t turn a blind eye to color. Racial injustice was the first of many problems for Simone, which included record industry malpractice and mental illness. Simone’s intense interactions with her audience branded her with a high-tempered reputation that made her difficult to watch as well as work with. VERDICT Whereas David Brun-Lambert, in his recent Nina Simone, focuses on the events that created the brilliant but angry singer, Cohodas demonstrates what it was like to be in her wake. Music lovers will want a taste of this supersized ego; both books are complementary and recommended. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 10/15/09.] —Brian Sherman, McNeese State Univ. Lib., Lake Charles, LA
Gawande, Atul, M.D. The Checklist Manifesto: How To Get Things Right. Metropolitan: Holt. 2009. c.224p. ISBN 978-0-8050-9174-8. $24.50. MED
According to the latest World Health Organization international classification of diseases, some 6000 drugs and 4000 medical and surgical procedures are now available to clinicians to manage more than 13,000 diseases and syndromes. Delivering the benefits of all this specialized training and knowledge correctly, safely, and reliably has not been easy. As in his earlier works Complications and Better, Gawande's recurring themes here are the complexity and the imperfections of modern medicine, as well as the ever-present need to strive to do better. He fixes readers' attention on gripping medical stories while building the case for a manageable, sophisticated and yet simple solution to the human, sometimes life-threatening fallibilities that on occasion bring near disaster or worse to a sugical procedure. His answer to tense medical situations where unpredictability reigns: the checklist. In stories from fields as diverse as medicine, aviation, and construction, Gawande persuasively aruges how a diligently applied, studiously produced checklist strategy saves lives. In the last chapter, he shares how the checklist prevented a loss in one of his own surgeries. VERDICT The author's many fans will enjoy revisiting his leitmotiv of improving human endeavor. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 9/15/09.] —James Swanton, Harlem Hosp. Lib., New York
The Greek Poets: Homer to the Present. Norton. 2009. c.704p. ed. by Peter Constantine & others. maps. ISBN 978-0-393-06083-6. $39.95. LIT
Looking at the available anthologies of Greek poetry in translation, it is easy for the general reader to suppose that Greek literature stopped with the ancients, with the possible exception of C.P. Cavafy. This new collection, edited by poet and translator Constantine and a number of other poet-translators, including James Merrill, W.S. Merwin, and Anne Carson, rectifies this error. The only alternative is the dual-language Penguin Book of Greek Verse (1971), sadly dated and out of print. This collection includes a rich selection from the ancients but also a deep sampling of poets from the Byzantine period down to contemporary poets of the Generation of 70, including Nasos Vayenas and Jenny Mastoraki.
VERDICT A valuable resource for scholars interested in the continuities of classical through modern Greek literature, those readers committed to world literature, and those who love good poetry. —T.L. Cooksey, Armstrong Atlantic State Univ., Savannah, GA
Griffin, Dan. A Man's Way Through the Twelve Steps. Hazelden. 2009. c.294p. ISBN 978-1-59285-724-1. pap. $14.95. PSYCH
Twelve-steppers have a lot to offer us; their earthy take on life and their philosophy of acceptance is healing. Griffin’s work is directed primarily at that audience who is looking to recover from alcoholism and wants to examine their lives based on the meaning of masculinity. It is part of a curriculum that the author and Stephanie Covington developed as a companion to Covington’s work A Woman’s Way Through the Twelve Steps. As such, this is more of a course supplement than a stand-alone self-help book. VERDICT A work with a small targeted audience. For a broader treatment, readers should try Richard Sandor’s Thinking Simply About Addiction. Or better yet, go back to the roots of Alcoholics Anonymous and read its founding document, The Big Book, available on the AA web site. —Fran Mentch. Cleveland State Univ., OH
Hansen, James. Storms of My Grandchildren: The Truth About the Coming Climate Castastrophe and Our Last Chance To Save Humanity. Bloomsbury, dist. by Macmillan. 2009. c.320p. illus. index. ISBN 978-1-60819-200-7. $25. SCI
Hansen has been researching climate changes over the last 30 years and is considered an expert and the most prominent scientist in this country on the subject of global warming. His predictions for climate change have consistently been proven true. Here, he focuses on proving that global warming is occurring more rapidly than previously thought and that politicians are more concerned about supporting policies that please their special interest groups. Hansen vehemently recommends phasing out all coal usage and drastically reducing carbon monoxide in our atmosphere.
VERDICT Going against current thinking, this book is sure to garner strong reactions. It's a compelling, readable wake-up call that will appeal to those who have read Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth and anyone interested in the current global warming crisis and looking for ways that individuals can make a difference. —Gloria Maxwell, Metropolitan Community Coll., Kansas City, MO
Hodgson, Godfrey. Martin Luther King. Univ. of Michigan. Jan. 2010. c.264p. photogs. index. ISBN 978-0-472-07128-9. $60; pap.ISBN 978-0-472-05128-1. $22.95. BIOG
Martin Luther King has been the subject of many lengthy and richly detailed accounts, such as Taylor Branch’s three-volume "America in the King Years" series and David Garrow’s Bearing the Cross: Martin Luther King and the Christian Leadership Conference. Hodgson (The Myth of American Exceptionalism), one of Great Britain’s keenest observers of American politics, here offers a most welcome brief account of King and his times. Hodgson is best at describing King’s adult life as a series of struggles: leading the Civil Rights Movement from the 1955 Montgomery bus boycott through the 1968 Memphis sanitation workers’ strike; confronting turmoil within the Civil Rights Movement among King’s Southern Christian Leadership Conference, the radical Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, and the more conservative NAACP and Urban League; and fearing assassination as a daily threat, battling Presidents Kennedy and Johnson over legislation, and his philandering that could have destroyed the nonviolent movement. VERDICT This excellent, short biography is ideal for high school and college students and for general readers who want a concise overview of King’s life and legacy. —Karl Helicher, Upper Merion Twp. Lib., King of Prussia, PA
McCalman, Max & David Gibbons. Mastering Cheese: Lessons for Connoisseurship from a Maître Fromager. Clarkson Potter: Crown Pub. Group. 2009. c.384p. illus. ISBN 978-0-307-40648-4. $40. COOKING
Following Liz Thorpe’s The Cheese Chronicles, McCalman, former fromager of the acclaimed New York City restaurant Picholine, and James Beard Award winner Gibbons offer a more comprehensive overview of cheese: making it, selecting and purchasing it, serving and tasting it, pairing it with wine or beer, and even just thinking about it as a foodstuff and cultural marker. Though a reader might devour this luscious volume from end to end, its chapters are well designed for plunging into in any order and according to interest. What is written in each is underscored by the excellent feature of a suggested cheese tasting. McCalman, meanwhile, has his own cheese preferences and unabashedly shares them. Readers will acquire new names of cheese types and producers to keep an eye out for. VERDICT Lavish illustrations and fascinating sidebars enhance the wealth of information here; attractive, approachable, encyclopedic—a worthy purchase. —Peter Hepburn, Univ. of Illinois at Chicago
Roizen, Michael F., M.D., & Mehmet C. Oz, M.D., (text) & Gary Hallgren (illus.) You: Having a Baby; The Owner's Manual to a Happy and Healthy Pregnancy. Free Pr: S. & S. 2009. c.416p. illus. ISBN 978-1-4165-7236-7. $26.99. HEALTH
The latest "owner's manual" from Roizen and Oz takes on pregnancy with its usual casual yet informative style. In over 400 pages, they cover everything a mother-to-be and her partner (assumed to be male) might want to know, from biology basics to nutrition and recipes. Among the highlights is the section on the baby's brain development as it relates to the senses, which is sure to fascinate readers curious about what their newborn will and won't have the ability to experience. Also of note are the "YOU Tool" sections, which give practical advice on choosing a care provider, guidelines on medications and other toxins, and recipes for a "Lifestyle 180." The appendix on vaccinations is particularly useful, as it begins by pointing out that even among the authorship team there exists disagreement and proceeds to give a very balanced overview of the controversy. Each author discloses what choices they made regarding vaccines for their children and why. VERDICT Among pregnancy overviews, this book stands out as a middle ground between the prosy What To Expect style and the chatty Girlfriend's Guide style. —Mindy Rhiger, St. Paul, MN
Scammell, Michael. Koestler: The Literary and Political Odyssey of a Twentieth-Century Skeptic. Random. 2009. c.720p. index. ISBN 978-0-394-57630-5. $40. LIT
Arthur Koestler led a fascinating life, witnessing an astounding number of important events during his lifetime, like World Wars I and II, the Spanish Civil War, and the birth of Israel. In addition to partaking in these events, Koestler wrote extensively, both in fictional and in nonfictional genres, on all of his experiences. A self-described Casanova of causes, Koestler had wide-ranging interests, and his writings and experiences provide Scammell, best known for his highly acclaimed biography of Solzhenitsyn, with a wealth of material. Scammell’s depth of research is apparent throughout; not only does he use Koestler’s own writings, but he also employs other sources found in Koestler’s personal archives. This additional research stops Scammell from simply rerepresenting Koestler’s own image of himself and allows him to present an unflinching portrait of a fascinating man. VERDICT A well-researched biography of one of the 20th century’s most interesting personalities. Essential for academic audiences and a great read for history buffs and fans of Koestler’s work. —Deborah Hicks, Univ. of Alberta Lib., Edmonton
Siles, Madonna. Eureka!: Memories and Motivations. Third Step. Feb. 2010. c.216p. illus. ISBN 978-0-9825518-0-6. pap. $17.95. HEALTH
About six years ago, Siles’s good friend Eve suffered and survived a brain aneurysm with significant brain damage. Frustrated with the lack of support and practical advice in the medical establishment, Siles (now a certified professional coach) worked intensively with Eve for the next two years, a time that she wrote about in Brain, Heal Thyself. Since then, Eve (now 65), has made even greater strides, and in her new book, Siles describes the "emotion-based, motivational strategy"—which she named Eureka!—that she developed to help recover and restore Eve’s mind, body, and spirit as well as her own. The strategy (which Siles admits is "not very scientific") is based partly on the 12-step program and partly on motivational techniques Siles used in her advertising career. She stresses the role of the subconscious mind as a storage center for healing memories and the keeper of belief and value systems. And she recommends a daily relaxation program for the caregiver. VERDICT While most medical professionals prefer evidence-based procedures, this book will inspire and motivate friends and family members who are caring for stroke or brain-injury patients and give them practical tips on improving the lives and abilities of the patients as well as coping with being a caregiver. —Marcia Welsh, Dartmouth Coll., Hanover, NH
Sisters: An Anthology. Paris, dist. by Consortium. 2009. c.304p. ed. by Jan Freeman & others. ISBN 978-1-930464-12-4. pap. $21.95. LIT
As editor Freeman (Blue Structure) notes in her introduction to this compact volume, the goal is "to give readers a taste of work by contemporary and modern women writers who have explored the pivotal role that sisters play in each other’s lives." More than 40 authors reflect on their lives with sisters through fiction, essays, poetry, and drama. Naturally, such a varied group of writers exhibits many different styles and viewpoints; however, the pieces are universally well written and compelling. For example, in "Don’t Tell Mother," Wendy Wasserstein relates the successes of her older sister, Sandra, as she conquers the corporate world. Beverly Jensen portrays the violent emotion of Avis in "Idella’s Dress" with the wrenching reaction to her sister’s physical transformation from girl to young woman. And, in "Docks," Jeanne Leiby reveals the anguish of Stel as she watches her young, small, fragile sister Lila in a dangerous situation.
VERDICT Readers interested in women’s studies, women’s history, and contemporary literature will enjoy this book. —Kathryn R. Bartelt, Univ. of Evansville, IN
Stancliffe, David. The Lion Companion to Church Architecture. Lion UK, dist. by Trafalgar Square. Feb. 2010. 288p. illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 978-0-7459-5190-4. $39.95. ARCHITECTURE
Most books on church architecture focus on the technical details of church construction and history. Stancliffe, the Bishop of Salisbury since 1993 and the author of numerous books about prayer and worship, also covers those areas here but through the distinct lens of Christian belief. Stancliffe describes sacred spaces from a biblical perspective and within the context of Christian worship, including interior and exterior photographs of churches primarily located in England or western Europe. The images are used to bolster descriptions in the text and are thus more instructive than artistic. Also included are sections dedicated to Romanesque, Gothic, and Gothic Revival architectural styles as well as chapters on the ways the Renaissance and Reformation had an impact on the building of churches. VERDICT Best for patrons interested in knowing how the Christian faith has influenced church architecture. —Valerie Nye, Coll. of Santa Fe, NM
Whitbourne, Susan Krauss. The Search for Fulfillment: Revolutionary New Research That Reveals the Secret to Long-Term Happiness. Ballantine. Jan. 2010. c.224p. ISBN 978-0-345-49999-8. $25. PSYCH
A leading researcher in adult psychological development, Whitbourne (Univ. of Massachussetts, Amherst) conducted a 40-year longitudinal study of the baby boomer generation. At ten-year intervals, Whitbourne’s subjects, originally a cohort of college students, answered questions on happiness, success, achievement, and attitude. The results challenge the popular idea of stages or passages in adulthood, concluding it’s possible to change direction and find fulfillment and happiness at any point in life. Success did not correlate with happiness; some of the most successful respondents questioned their accomplishments. Others made changes after getting sidetracked or showed resilience after major crises. Whitbourne identifies five pathways, illustrating each with case studies from her research participants. VERDICT For readers who follow adult development studies and were fascinated by Gail Sheehy’s Passages; baby boomers and the middle-aged would also this book insightful and perhaps life-changing. —Lucille M. Boone, San Jose P.L., CA
Dahl, Ken. Monsters. www.secretacres.com. 2009. c.208p. ISBN 978-0-9799609-4-9. pap. $18. GRAPHIC NOVELS
This is definitely the most entertaining book you’ll ever read about herpes. Dahl (Welcome to the Dahl House) takes us on a harrowing but humorous journey from discovery through horror, denial, shame, guilt, and finally acceptance. Ken has no idea he may be infected—until he finds he has given herpes to his girlfriend. It feels like a death sentence: not only the end of this relationship, but any relationship. Things finally change for Ken when he opens up to a partner, actually gets tested, and receives some accurate information about herpes. Expressive and often explosive black-and-white art creates well-defined characters and brings Ken’s interior world to life (the monstrous talking sores that follow Ken around are particularly effective as his inner voice of doom and misery). VERDICT Recommended for mature teens and adults. Although the frank sexual discussion (and images) may not be suitable for every high school library, this is both a strong story about the human dimensions of a virus that affects millions and an accessible treatment of important information. —Julia Cox, Penticton P.L., B.C.
Takahashi, Rumiko. Rin-Ne: Vol. 1. Viz Media. 2009. c.200p. ISBN 978-1-4215-3485-5. pap. $9.99. GRAPHIC NOVELS
High schooler Sakura Mamiya can see and hear ghosts. She meets a mysterious classmate, Rinne Rokudo, who is half human and half shinigami (death god). Although Mamiya has no special powers to fight or exorcise ghosts, she joins Rinne in his task to help lost souls pass on to the other world. Takahashi, the creator of such blockbusters as Inuyasha and Ranma ½, delivers another engrossing saga full of adventure and light comedy. The clean, accomplished lines of Takahashi’s signature art style complement the whimsical, character driven story. Rather than a grandiose save-the-universe-from-destruction plot, Takahashi tempers the paranormal elements and the cute, quirky, supernatural creatures with a resolute Rinne, who is trying to do his job, supported by the dependable Mamiya. VERDICT Rated for older teens, the delightful Rin-Ne is less horror-based than Clamp’s xxxHolic and less violent than the shinigami world of Tite Kubo’s Bleach. —June Shimonishi, Torrance P.L., CA
Willingham, Bill (text) & others (illus.). Fables: The Deluxe Edition. Vertigo: DC Comics. 2009. 264p. illus. ISBN 978-1-4012-2427-1. $29.99. GRAPHIC NOVELS
Collecting the first two trade paperbacks of the award-winning "Fables" series as well as additional material, this first volume in the "Deluxe Edition" series is the perfect introduction for newcomers. Full of mythology and humor, Willingham's tales take an existing set of characters (e.g., Snow White and the Big Bad Wolf) and put a modern day spin on them. Forced out of their home world by an ongoing war, the fables now live in various areas in New York. The stories unravel page by page, and this rhthym gives the tales a classic mystery feeling. The characters are the real stars of the show, with each contributing her or his own wit and wisdom. Verdict Excellent artwork by Lan Medina, Mark Buckingham, Steve Leialoha, and Craig Hamilton and well-thought-out stories will entice even those who usually don't read graphic novels. Longtime fans of the series will enjoy the supplemental material. Essential for graphic novel collections. —Justin Hoenke, Cape May Cty. Lib., NJ
