Xpress Reviews--The First Look at New Books
Aug 5, 2010Week ending August 6, 2010
Fiction | Nonfiction
Fiction
Peacock, Justin. Blind Man's Alley. Doubleday. Aug. 2010. c.480p. ISBN 978-0-385-53106-1. $25.95. F
Duncan Riley is a young lawyer on the fast track to partnership at a top law firm in New York City; that is, if he does what he's told. That becomes difficult when his pro bono eviction case turns into a murder rap and the managing partner wants him to plead it out. Rafael Nazario is accused of murdering the security guard who turned him in for smoking pot, the basis of his housing project eviction. Duncan's firm's biggest client is behind the conversion of the housing project to a mixed-use property, but that doesn't seem to cause any conflict of interest. Duncan is convinced his client is innocent, and a reporter feeds him information that will help his case, if he is allowed to try it. It starts looking like the firm's biggest client is more involved than Duncan originally realized, creating additional pressure and some interesting twists.
Verdict While not as strong as Peacock's Edgar Award–nominated debut, A Cure for Night, nonetheless this is good legal fiction with carefully crafted characters and deliberate pacing. Should appeal to fans of John Grisham or John Lescroart.—Stacy Alesi, Palm Beach Cty. Lib. Syst., Boca Raton, FL
Sanderson, Brandon. The Way of Kings. Tor. (Stormlight Archive, Bk. 1). Aug. 2010. c.1008p. ISBN 978-0-7653-2635-5. $27.99. FANTASY
Centuries have passed since the Radiant Knights protected the world of Roshar from the evil of the Desolation. Their heroic deeds have long been overshadowed by stories of their betrayal, which in turn have faded into myth. The nation of Alethkar has been mired in a war to avenge the assassination of its king. The system of power used by the Radiant Knights is largely misunderstood and untapped, and yet an ancient evil stirs. Sanderson, the author of Elantris and the "Mistborn Trilogy," once again creates an interesting world with a novel system of magic, but the best part of this series launch is the compelling, complex story of Dalinar, Kaladin, and Shallan as they struggle through emotional, physical, and moral challenges.
Verdict Sanderson is a master of hooking the reader in the first few pages, and once again he doesn't disappoint. Fans and lovers of epoch fantasy will find the ending satisfying, yet will eagerly await the next volume. [Sanderson was the novelist chosen to complete A Memory of Light, the final volume of Robert Jordon's "The Wheel of Time" series.—Ed.]—William Baer, Georgia Inst. of Technology, Atlanta
Nonfiction
Campo, Riku. Best in Beauty: An Ultimate Guide to Makeup and Skin Care Techniques, Tools, and Products. Atria: S. & S. Sept. 2010. c.304p. photogs. ISBN 978-1-4391-4825-9. pap. $24.99. PERSONAL GROOMING
International makeup artist Campo offers a step-by-step guide to skin care and makeup application, including a brief chapter on cosmetics for men. Accompanying photos of models illustrate techniques for creating a plethora of looks to suit every age, mood, era, and occasion. Whether it's international flair, modern retro, glamorous, or daytime or evening wear, women will find a makeup style to suit their needs. Campo also shows how to work with hues—colorful and nude, warm and cool, matte and metallic—to create desired effects. Contributing beauty experts explain basic essentials for skin, hair, nails, and nutrition. The information is straightforward and at times in a Q&A format for quick and easy referencing.
Verdict Don't be fooled by the book's unassuming cover. Though not as comprehensive and glossy as Bobbi Brown Living Beauty, it contains ample information to help beauty seekers put their best face forward. This go-to guide for the everyday woman is a solid if not essential purchase.—Ajoke Kokodoko, Oakland P.L.
Clark, Melissa. In the Kitchen with a Good Appetite: 150 Recipes and Stories About the Food You Love. Hyperion. Sept. 2010. c.464p. photogs. bibliog. index. ISBN 978-1-4013-2376-9. $27.50. COOKING
Food writer and James Beard award winner Clark (Chef, Interrupted: Delicious Chefs′ Recipes That You Can Actually Make at Home) presents a collection of recipes and stories pulled from her New York Times column, "A Good Appetite." Her approach is one of improvisation and seasonality; she explains how she created each recipe, what inspired her, and how it changed as she added or subtracted ingredients. Her chipper style includes perhaps too much information about her friends and family, but the food sounds great. Bold ingredients in dishes like Shrimp for a Small Kitchen (Shrimp with Capers, Lemons, and Feta) and the use of herbs and techniques like roasting maximize flavor for the effort expended. While unafraid of exotic ingredients and advanced techniques, Clark offers easy substitutions and focuses on putting dinner on the table rather than an obsessive search for authenticity.
Verdict Fans of the column will be pleased to have a collection to consult instead of pages torn from the paper or printed from the web, while new readers will find the recipes accessible and hunger inducing. [Three-city tour.]—Devon Thomas, DevIndexing, Chelsea, MI
Coltrane on Coltrane: The John Coltrane Interviews. Lawrence Hill: Chicago Review, dist. by IPG. Sept. 2010. c.336p. ed. by Chris DeVito. illus. index. ISBN 978-1-56976-287-5. $26.95. MUSIC
DeVito, coauthor of the award-winning discography/chronology/commentary The John Coltrane Reference, expands upon his previous work with this fascinating and important compendium of the jazz icon's own words. He comprehensively compiles all the known interviews of Coltrane, some familiar and others previously unpublished or published only in French, Japanese, or British journals. He also includes articles and liner notes that quote the tenor sax giant extensively, a few of Coltrane's personal writings, and reminiscences from a childhood friend. He arranges the material in chronological order, allowing readers to see clearly the evolution of Coltrane's music from his chordal sheets of sound to his modal period to his free explorations. Through these gripping and revealing interviews, Coltrane comes alive as a serious, compulsive innovator who desperately wanted to communicate his philosophical underpinnings and feelings to his audience.
Verdict Though many solid books have been written about Coltrane—from J.C. Thomas's Chasin' the Trane (1975) to Ben Ratliff's recent Coltrane—this compilation of source materials provides an intimate view of the man and his music. Certainly one of the best music books of the year.—Dave Szatmary, Univ. of Washington, Seattle
Crouch, Andy. Great American Craft Beer: A Guide to the Nation's Finest Beers and Breweries. Running Pr. Aug. 2010. 320p. illus. index. ISBN 978-0-7624-3811-2. $22.95. BEVERAGES
Crouch, who has written on beer regionally in The Good Beer Guide to New England, presents an accessible book on craft beer in America. Similar to Timothy Harper's The Good Beer Book and Ben Myers' Best American Beers, Crouch's book gives the beer enthusiast a history of beer as well as a grounding in beer brewing and styles. Rather than an exhaustive treatment, this is a guide to available beer styles via a selection of choice examples of each. In an easy manner, Crouch discusses each beer, noting the flavor accents, color, aroma, and feel. He also includes a list of great beer bars and tips on beer selection.
Verdict In recent years, beer in America has become more diversified as the craft beer movement has gained momentum, and Crouch gives the beer lover great suggestions to explore.—Ginny Wolter, Toledo–Lucas Cty. P.L.
Ward, Peter D. The Flooded Earth: Our Future in a World Without Ice Caps. Basic Bks: Perseus. 2010. c.272p. index. ISBN 978-0-465-00949-7. $25.95. SCI
Ward (biology, Univ. of Washington; Rare Earth, Out of Thin Air) paints a nightmarish portrait of what is likely to happen when sea levels rise owing to melting ice caps. As Greenland and Antarctica become free of ice, this portends dire predictions for cities situated near water. More frightening are the societal implications that accompany the level of devastation that such a dramatic rise in sea level would engender. Countries would have to decide which cities they could afford to support and try to save; Ward speculates that the U.S. government would have to abandon some "island" cities, such as Miami and New Orleans, in favor of metropolises like New York. This, of course, is based upon the economic projections that would precede this level of catastrophe. Written in a readable prose style that is understandable to lay readers, these scenarios are chilling, yet ring with the possibility of actually coming true. Ward also outlines steps we should be taking now to mitigate the worst of the disasters that could likely result.
Verdict Highly recommended for anyone interested in the potentially calamitous ramifications of global warming.—Gloria Maxwell, Metropolitan Community Coll.–Penn Valley, Kansas City, MO
Wilentz, Sean. Bob Dylan in America. Doubleday. Sept. 2010. c.400p. photogs. discog. bibliog. index. ISBN 978-0-385-52988-4. $28.95. MUSIC
In this ambitious and impressive study, Wilentz (history, Princeton Univ.; The Rise of American Democracy) combines cultural historical analysis with a fan's love of Dylan's music. He documents influences on Dylan from the music of Aaron Copland to the writings of the Beats, especially Allen Ginsberg. On another level, Wilentz provides a chronological overview of Dylan's development as a writer, singer, and ever-changing cultural force. He details the early morning recording sessions that produced the album Blonde on Blonde, Dylan's relationship with evangelical Christianity, and his recent burst of creativity. Wilentz's long historical discourses on specific songs are joys. He bluntly addresses the charges of plagiarism that have been leveled at Dylan throughout his career and sees Dylan as "an alchemist, taking common materials and creating new art." Scholars will appreciate the learned narrative bibliography and the meticulously researched notes for each chapter. There is something for everybody in these pages.
Verdict This is the most important work on Dylan since Christopher Ricks's Dylan's Visions of Sin and an illuminating cultural history of the United States after World War II. Highly recommended. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 5/1/10.]—Thomas A. Karel, Franklin & Marshall Coll. Lib., Lancaster, PA
