Xpress Reviews-The First Look at New Books
Jun 3, 2010Cleage, Pearl. Till You Hear from Me. One World: Ballantine. 2010. c.304p. ISBN 978-0-345-50637-5. $25. F
African American Literary Award winner Cleage follows her best-selling Seen It All and Done the Rest with this post-2008 presidential election novel. While anxiously waiting for a job offer from the White House, Ida B. Wells Dunbar heads home to Atlanta to visit her father, a civil rights icon who has uncharacteristically bashed President Obama. The plot seems straightforward, but Cleage presents a few surprises for the unsuspecting reader. Her fans will undoubtedly love her unforgettable characters-wise yet loyal Miss Iona, stubborn and perceptive Reverend Dunbar, young and passionate Lu-just as they will appreciate her exquisite insight into various African American perceptions following the unprecedented election. Unfortunately, the story is overshadowed by the themes. The action starts in the second half of the novel, and Cleage's wonderful poeticisms-"She always referred to her husband as my Charlie in a tone that was equal parts affection and ownership"-are too scarce to allow readers to get lost completely in the text.
Verdict This will appeal to lovers of contemporary African American fiction. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 1/10.]-Ashanti White, Univ. of North Carolina, Greensboro
Cohen, Joshua. Witz: The Story of the Last Jew on Earth. Dalkey Archive. 2010. c.824p. ISBN 978-1-56478-588-6. pap. $18.95. F
Young writer Cohen (A Heaven of Others) has certainly outdone himself in this epic, a postapocalyptic whirlwind of a novel that features Benjamin Israelien, the world's final Jewish man. He's born full grown, bearded, and bespectacled into a world where Ellis Island is turned into a concentration camp. Despite the book's length, Cohen doesn't stop to elucidate the how's and whys of the catastrophes. Instead, we get geysers of paragraphs, often pages long and awash in a poetic fearlessness. The last line of each section is often either an unexpected joke or a poignant deferral from one of the many characters. Witz can in fact be translated as "joke," but the humor is of a tough kind. There are no footnotes, but the only real comparison is to David Foster Wallace's Infinite Jest. The punch lines may be off-putting to some readers, but the great lyrical sweeps of Cohen's writing must be applauded.
Verdict Readers who can handle the prodigious style (and consumptive length) of writers like Thomas Pynchon and William Vollmann can add Witz to their literary workout.-Travis Fristoe, Alachua Cty. Lib. Dist., Gainesville, FL
Dare, Tessa. One Dance with a Duke. Ballantine. Jun. 2010. 384p. ISBN 978-0-345-51885-9. pap. $7.99. HISTORICAL ROMANCE
Possessed of nothing more than a brashness sparked by too many years of genteel poverty and one too many escapades by her rapscallion younger brother Jack, Lady Amelia d'Orsay literally grabs Spencer Dumarque, Duke of Morland, for a waltz in order to absolve Jack's £400 debt. Spencer is quite taken aback, even as he refuses Amelia's request. There's more to this enigmatic "Duke of Midnight" than his apparent arrogance and more to this generally self-effacing miss, but the death of a friend that same night and machinations involving a horse and a gentlemen's club bring these two into each other's spheres and into a marriage that neither expected.
Verdict Though Dare's last efforts didn't live up to the potential of her sparkling debut, Goddess of the Hunt, this trilogy-opening title displays her charming and witty style and once again will have readers laughing and crying as her wary protagonists dance around their weaknesses to reveal mutual passion and trust. (Twice Tempted by a Rogue [ISBN 978-0-345-51887-3] is due in July and Three Nights with a Scoundrel [ISBN 978-0-345-51889-7] in August.)-Bette-Lee Fox, Library Journal
Doyle, Larry. Go, Mutants! Ecco: HarperCollins. Jun. 2010. c.386p. ISBN 978-0-06-168655-9. $23.99. F
J!m is a rebel with cause: his girl is dating his archenemy. As a weak member of the alien subclass at Manhattan High School, he's victim to regular humiliations. With a huge blue brain in place of a skull and a tendency to shed body parts, his life is hard enough, but everyone knows that J!m's dad tried to destroy the world before his defeat a few years back. Doyle (I Love You, Beth Cooper) reveals how his alien-filled Earth diverged from history's time line slowly, making early pages somewhat confusing. His ending is abrupt. Verdict None of that matters much: the point is the humor, and Doyle uses his mashup of drive-in monster flicks and 1960s teen culture to launch a barrage of clever satire aimed at high school cruelties, American xenophobia, human mating rituals, and other topics. A demented parade of hilarious secondary characters, classic monsters, and warped historical personages make vivid appearances. Give this to fans of Terry Pratchett, Douglas Adams, or kitchen-sink-and-all TV satires like The Simpsons or Family Guy.-Neil Hollands, Williamsburg Regional Lib., VA
Hall, Tarquin. The Case of the Man Who Died Laughing. S & S. Jun. 2010. c.320p. ISBN 978-1-4165-8369-1. $24. M
On the very day he is predicted to die, Dr. Suresh Jha is struck down, in the midst of a knock-knock joke during the Rajpath Laughing Club meeting, by a towering apparition of the goddess Kali. Since the rationalist Jha was known as "the Guru Buster" and adversary of India's powerful Mararaj Swami, the "supernatural occurence" of his death makes news and intrigues Delhi detective Puri, who sends one of his many operatives to infiltrate Swami's ashram in a well-orchestrated ploy that turns deadly dangerous. But Puri's home life is also never simple: his daughter has just returned home awaiting the birth of twins, and his wife, Rumpi, and irrepressible widowed mother, Mummy-ji, take off on their own to solve an armed robbery at their kitty club. Verdict Puri's intuitive powers are even more evident in the second in Hall's entertaining series (after The Case of the Missing Servant). The detective despairs of his city's worsening conditions and rails against American drivers as he copes with enervating heat and solves murders, while enjoying his native food despite the excess pounds that give him the nickname Chubby. With humor and grace, Hall provides appealing characters, a strong sense of place, a complex plot, and mouth-watering Indian cuisine. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 2/1/10.]—Michele Leber, Arlington, VA
Lindsey, Sara. Tempting the Marquess: A Weston Novel. Signet: NAL: Penguin Group (USA). Jun. 2010. 320p. ISBN 978-0-451-23044-7. pap. $6.99. HISTORICAL ROMANCE
While aiding her sister Izzie in her romantic affairs (Promise Me Tonight), Olivia Weston finds a brooch and a diary in the Scotland home of her Aunt Katherine. She becomes obsessed with Aunt Kate's stepson, Jason Traherne, Marquess of Sheldon, a widower and recluse now living in Wales with his young son. When Aunt Kate takes her daughter, Charlotte, to Jason's home for Christmas, Livvy invites herself along. She and Jason are attracted to each other immediately, but she is young and truly feels she just wants to save him from regrets and loneliness. He is glad he can once more feel lust but declares he'll never marry again. The appearance of his brother-in-law, Charles, whose money troubles figure in the tension between the two men, awakens the heretofore sleeping green-eyed monster. Livvy wants to admit that she knows Jason's history, but she can't seem to find the right way to divulge her own secrets.
Verdict With a bit of cross-dressing and not-quite-successful sleuthing on Livvy's part, these two seemingly mismatched protagonists eventually find their way to love and the truth. Lindsey demonstrates a deft hand with historical romance; this series addition is a fine sophomore effort.—Bette-Lee Fox, Library Journal
Moscow Noir. Akashic. Jun. 2010. c.280p. ed. by Natalia Smirnova & Julia Goumen. ISBN 978-1-936070-06-0. pap. $15.95. M
The "Noir" series now covers 32 world cities, and the Moscow anthology is sure to raise the body count to extreme heights as sex, crime, and gore afflict all the usual suspects. For this newest anthology, the editors, who share top billing at their own literary agency, have signed 14 well-published Russian authors, including headliner Ludmilla Petrushevskaya (There Once Lived a Woman Who Tried To Kill Her Neighbor's Baby: Scary Fairy Tales). Each story, translated into the colloquial argot of the genre by accomplished wordmeisters, packs a wallop of the blackest noir, sometimes with an unexpectedly cheerful ending-a victim finds her tormentor splayed on the ground below her highrise balcony while his briefcase is safely inside her apartment and full of cash. Moscow's grim metro stations and train depots provide suitable concrete backdrops, though the city's 850-year-old history provides plenty of nooks with more interesting ambience as well.
Verdict While not at all in the traditional mode of whodunit, these stories resonate like true crime accounts from the point of view of the perps and those who prey on them. The anthology will find its horrified readers in most large public libraries.—Barbara Conaty, Falls Church VA
Morales, Aaron Michael. Drowning Tucson. Coffee House, dist. by Consortium. 2010. c.330p. ISBN 978-1-56689-240-7. pap. $15.95. F
This new work depicts the hellish lives of several young Hispanic men in a world of gang violence, rape, and murder in Tucson, AZ. First novelist Morales is ambitious in his attempt to portray empathetically multiple characters-men and boys who are put in impossible positions by circumstances of poverty, race, or culture. It's unfortunate that he falls short, since this work has potential for both fans of literary and YA fiction. The novel is a string of over-the-top descriptions, with graphic violence so ridiculous that plot development gets lost and characters' actions become cartoonish.
Verdict Don't waste your time with this when there are so many good books out there waiting to be read.—Shalini Miskelly, Seattle
*Bowman, Leslie & others. Online Learning: A User-Friendly Approach for High School and College Students. Rowman & Littlefield. Jul. 2010. c.116p. ISBN 978-1-60709-747-1. $26.95. ED
Online education programs at the high school, undergraduate, and graduate levels represent one of the fastest growing trends in education today. However, online classes are completely different from any other educational endeavor and require a new set of skills. Bowman, who currently teaches online undergraduate and graduate courses, and her fellow contributors provide an excellent down-to-earth guide for anyone who is thinking about or participating in an online education program. This well-written and understandable book covers some theories of learning styles but focuses on the nuts-and-bolts skills needed to be successful. Each chapter explores a particular aspect of learning online and gives practical advice about how to participate successfully in an online learning environment.
Verdict Bowman and the other contributors have several years' experience helping students learn online, and their perspectives make this a practical and helpful guide to a prevalent and growing practice.-Mark Bay, Univ. of the Cumberlands Lib., Williamsburg, KY
Goodman, Fred. Fortune's Fool: Edgar Bronfman Jr., Warner Music, and an Industry in Crisis. S. & S. Jul. 2010. c.336p. index. ISBN 978-0-7432-6998-8. $28. MUSIC
In the past two years, several books have chronicled the music industry's fight for survival in the Internet age, e.g., standouts Greg Kot's Ripped: How the Wired Generation Revolutionized Music and Steve Knopper's Appetite for Self-Destruction: The Spectacular Crash of the Record Industry in the Digital Age. Goodman (The Mansion on the Hill: Dylan, Young, Geffen, Springsteen, and the Head-on Collision of Rock and Commerce) also addresses this large and unwieldy topic but focuses more narrowly on businessman Edgar Bronfman Jr., heir to the Seagram liquor empire. Bronfman famously lost $3 billion of his family fortune in an ill-conceived purchase of French media giant Vivendi, then regained his wealth and reputation by purchasing the Warner Music Group in 2004. Much of Goodman's narrative deals with the intricacies of Bronfman's entrepreneurial adventures, with peripheral attention paid to the topic of file sharing, Napster, and the general obtuseness and arrogance of the recording industry.
Verdict The writing is crisp and lively, and the subject well researched, with copious footnotes. Recommended for readers interested in the business of music in the 21st century.-Larry Lipkis, Moravian Coll., Bethlehem, PA
Schoolcraft, William, M.D. If at First You Don't Conceive: A Complete Guide to Infertility from One of the Nation's Leading Clinics. Rodale. 2010. c.288p. illus. index. ISBN 978-1-60583-472-81. pap. $21.99. HEALTH
Schoolcraft, a fertility specialist and researcher, draws on his experience as director of the Colorado Center for Reproductive Medicine to offer information and advice to prospective parents. He begins with the basic physiology of the male and female reproductive system, the impact of lifestyle and habits, and major medical causes of infertility. Next he shares advice on selecting a physician and clinic and describes tests and treatments, including donor sperm, egg donor, in vitro fertilization, egg preservation, gestational surrogates, alternative medicine, and genetic testing. The following in-depth chapters offer specific and detailed information on polycystic ovarian syndrome, endometriosis, tubal and uterine challenges, unexplained infertility, miscarriages, and male infertility. The final sections address psychological challenges and working with the fertility team. Each chapter is introduced with a personal story. References, a glossary, and a list of resource organizations would greatly enhance the usefulness of this book.
Verdict A good introduction for both the personal and emotional toll that infertility can cause as well as recent information on fertility treatments. A nice start, but for anyone seeking more detailed descriptions of infertility strategies, Navigating the Land of IF (LJ 6/1/09) is more detailed and comprehensive. (Illustrations not seen.)-Jodith Janes, Alumni Lib., Cleveland Clinic
*steele, jae. Ripe from Around Here: A Vegan Guide to Local and Sustainable Eating (No Matter Where You Live). Arsenal Pulp, dist. by Consortium. Jun. 2010. c.257p. illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 978-1-55152-254-8. pap. $23.95. COOKING
steele (Get It Ripe), a registered holistic nutritionist, prioritizes, first, supporting a balanced vegan diet; second, addressing the nutritional needs of her audience (vegan or not); and, third, seeking ways to meet the first two needs from locally sourced foods. Readers are asked to consider the role of organics in their diets, as well as the treatment of workers who produce the food on their tables. In all senses, steele encourages mindful eating: think of how food gets to us and what it does to our bodies. Her second book complements her first, with seasonal eating recommendations and new recipes. For example, winter is the time to heal the kidneys and eat foods, like almonds and collard greens, that nourish bone health. Though the focus is on fresh, local ingredients, some substitutions and variations are recommended.
Verdict Readers attuned to the local food movement will appreciate steele's approach; her book can also be enjoyed as a straightforward vegan cookbook.-Meagan P. Storey, Virginia Beach
