Xpress Reviews—First Look at New Books, July 15, 2011
Jul 14, 2011Week ending July 15, 2011
Fiction | Nonfiction | Graphic Novels
FICTION
Martin, George R.R. A Dance with Dragons. Bantam. (Song of Ice & Fire, Bk. 5). Jul. 2011. c.1040p. ISBN 9780553801477. $35. FANTASY
The war of the kings has left Westeros battered, bloody, and without leadership. Self-proclaimed King Stannis still seeks the Iron Throne but must gather new supporters in his efforts to win back his brother's kingdom. Jon Snow, newly chosen Lord Commander of the Wall, battles the undead, diminishing stores, and his own personal loyalties. The remaining Stark children are scattered to the winds, each believing the others dead or lost forever. Across the sea, Queen Daenerys Targaryen maintains a tenuous hold on her conquered lands. In Martin's long-awaited fifth title in his projected seven-book series, fans will be relieved to pick up the action with favorite characters missing from the previous book (A Feast for Crows), including Snow, Tyrion Lannister, Theon Greyjoy, and Bran Stark. As the action moves forward and the time lines between the two books begin to meld, it becomes clear that if battle and blood cannot win the throne and unite the realm, perhaps the war will be won through marriage, magic, and faith. Readers must remember, though, no character is safe, no outcome is assured, and Winter is coming!
Verdict Nearly six years after A Feast for Crows was released, this new volume has a huge and hungry audience. With the added interest sparked by the HBO series Game of Thrones and the breadth of the material, expect high demand for the entire series as new readers start from the beginning and longstanding fans refresh their memories. [With a 350,000-copy first printing.]—Jennifer Beach, Cumberland Cty. PL, VA
NONFICTION
Adler, Dennis. Guns of the Civil War. Zenith. 2011. 352p. illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780760339718. $40. HIST
To seek to publish a book on such a broad aspect of the Civil War as its guns is certainly ambitious. There were so many different firearms used in the war that no book can contain information on every single type. Adler (Guns of the American West), an expert on this topic, presents this as a thoroughgoing overview. It is a commendable volume, with abundant color photographs of the many varieties and brands of guns known to have been used. Adler gained access to the inventories of some of the most prolific Civil War gun collectors, as can be seen in the great photographs. In his text he explains the history behind the weaponry, while relevant images with descriptive captions are present on nearly every page. Chapters cover handguns of the Union, longarms, Confederate arms, foreign arms, and modern reproductions and replicas.
Verdict There is no shortage of existing books on Civil War firearms, but Adler's is a beautiful addition. It should be welcome in all Civil War and firearm history collections as the sesquicentennial years of the war increase interest.—Matthew J. Wayman, Penn State Schuylkill Lib.
Allyn, Pam. Your Child's Writing Life: How To Inspire Confidence, Creativity, and Skill at Every Age. Avery: Penguin Group (USA). Aug. 2011. c.240p. index. ISBN 9781583334393. pap. $17. ED
Allyn (What To Read When: The Books and Stories To Read with Your Child-and All the Best Times To Read Them) encourages parents to nurture their children's writing abilities and uses research footnotes and her experiences as a writing instructor to demonstrate the importance of integrating writing into children's lives. She then delves into five "WRITE keys" to help children foster a lifelong love of writing—"Word power" (sharing words), "Reading life" (reading out loud), "Identity," "Time," and "Environment." Subsequent chapters discuss different developmental writing stages (including what parents should expect at every level), tips on how to motivate reluctant writers, a reading list of children's books, and various activities to try (separated by age group).
Verdict Allyn's scope is a bit unclear and her how-to strategies sometimes get lost among biographical anecdotes. While the book advertises that it is the first of its kind, others with a similar theme (e.g., Jennifer Hallissy's The Write Start) are available. Recommended but not essential for parents who want to encourage their children to write.—Karen McCoy, Northern Arizona Univ. Lib., Flagstaff
American Diabetes Association Complete Guide to Diabetes: The Ultimate Home Reference from the Diabetes Experts. 5th ed. American Diabetes Assn. 2011. c.498p. illus. index. ISBN 9781580403306. pap. $22.95. HEALTH
The American Diabetes Association intends this volume to be the authoritative resource for learning about the latest advances in diabetes research and treatment. This fifth edition is similar to the previous version, but it has a slightly different format. It has a greater number of chapters, which are shorter than the broader chapters of the previous edition and more focused on specific aspects of diabetes. The chapters are grouped into eight sections. New chapters cover women's and men's health and the effects of diabetes on mental health. There are updates on health insurance, the latest blood glucose technology, and a new section on continuous blood glucose monitors. In addition to the basic chapters on Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes and gestational diabetes, a new section called "Life with Diabetes" contains chapters on coping with diabetes, family life, children with diabetes, and dealing with diabetes at work, at school, or when traveling. Definition boxes for technical terms are located within the chapters, along with more facts and diabetes-related tips. The last section, "Resources," includes sample forms and organizational information set up by topic.
Verdict Although the list of organizations in the "Resources" section is comprehensive, additional resources—such as books or magazines for those seeking further details on topics such as diabetes-friendly recipes or exercise—are not listed. Still, this authoritative book will again serve as the go-to volume for anyone who needs information about diabetes. The content is well organized and easy to read for general users.—Rebecca Raszewski, Univ. of Illinois Lib. at Chicago
Ansell, David A., M.D. County: Life, Death and Politics at Chicago's Public Hospital. Academy Chicago. 2011. c.256p. photogs. bibliog. ISBN 9780897336208. $29.95. HEALTH
Ansell (chief medical officer, Rush Univ. Medical Ctr.) spent his medical residency and much of his early professional career at Cook County Hospital, historically Chicago's public hospital for low-income and uninsured patients. He weaves strands of memoir and policy analysis into a heartfelt account of the hospital's challenges, failures, and successes over three decades, from the Civil Rights Movement to the AIDS crisis, in the process educating and moving the reader to both anger and compassion. His gift for describing the connections between social forces and medical care, coupled with the vivid patient stories interspersed with trenchant critiques of the politics of health care, makes this work stand out.
Verdict Ansell skillfully humanizes questions of health-care policy by describing real-life scenarios. Those who enjoyed such books as Richard Selzer's Letters to a Young Doctor will find this book an education for both the mind and the heart.—A.W. Klink, Duke Univ., NC
Brumback, Gary. The Devil's Marriage: Break Up the Corpocracy or Leave Democracy in the Lurch. AuthorHouse. 2011. 263p. index. ISBN 9781456712594. $25.74; pap. ISBN 9781456712600. $15.19. POL SCI
In a book specially dedicated to Ralph Nader, Brumback decries corporate control of politics and advocates activism and "real" democracy to dislodge corporate domination of our government. Corporations have represented the devil in radical cosmology even before the U.S. Supreme Court enshrined corporate personhood with its 1886 decision that gave corporations constitutional rights as "persons." Brumback recounts corporate corruption of our democracy from corporate media control to corporate straightjackets on politicians. He then calls for radical activism, breaking corporate power by prosecution of corporate crimes, and even a "United States Chamber of Democracy" as a counterweight to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
Verdict Unfortunately, many potentially sympathetic readers are likely to find that Brumback's hyperbolic language and his oft-repeated calls for grandiose organizations and redoubled activism undermine his sound argument that corporate America has too much power. Thus his stirring indictment of corporate power in America will be of most interest to those who are already in agreement with him; he's less likely to win any converts. For armchair radicals and anticorporate activists.—Duncan Stewart, Univ. of Iowa Libs., Iowa City
Forrest, Ana T. Fierce Medicine: Breakthrough Practices To Heal the Body and Ignite the Spirit. HarperOne: HarperCollins. 2011. c.288p. photogs. ISBN 9780061864247. $25.99. HEALTH
Forrest, creator of Forrest Yoga, offers a distinctive and powerful guide to spiritual, physical, and emotional well-being in this work, which is part memoir (it begins with the author's early childhood trauma at the hands of her abusive mother) and part yoga instruction book. Forrest integrates her own life experiences, spiritual practices, and Native American teachings into a blueprint for achieving mindfulness and healing. Unlike yoga books that focus solely on physical fitness and breathing exercises, this one also provides sound and attainable practices for holistic living. Forrest guides readers through meditations, journaling, and asanas that mend the body and nourish the soul. Ultimately, readers learn how to become their own healers and connect with their authentic selves or spirit.
Verdict This is an empowering read for those struggling with the effects of abuse or addiction or simply dealing with everyday stress. With unapologetic directness and compassion, Forrest compels the reader to evolve to a higher self. Highly recommended.—Ajoke Kokodoko, Oakland P.L.
Hendricks, Shellee & Russell Reich. Notes on Teaching: A Short Guide to an Essential Skill. RCR Creative. Jul. 2011. c.160p. index. ISBN 9780972425544. $19.95. ED
Teaching is the focus of the latest in the "Notes on" series from RCR Creative Press. Reich, who coauthored Notes on Directing and Notes on Cooking, joins international educator Hendricks for this edition. Together, they offer 184 tips on teaching, ranging from the basic ("Know your subject") to the more obscure ("The teaching isn't in the answers. It's in the immersion in the question, the conversation, the journey to the answer"). These notes are meant to be read in a variety of ways—from start to finish, randomly as one has time, or jumping from one note to another as reference points.
Verdict This work is probably best for beginning teachers, as those who've been around for any length of time will undoubtedly already be aware of these recommendations. But even veteran educators may stumble upon new ideas or find reinforcement of their current methods of teaching.—Terry Christner, Hutchinson P.L., KS
Jacobs, Sally H. The Other Barack: The Bold and Reckless Life of President Obama's Father. PublicAffairs: Perseus. Jul. 2011. 336p. photogs. bibliog. index. ISBN 9781586487935. $27.99. BIOG
In her first book, Jacobs (Boston Globe), a George Polk Award-winning journalist, presents a concise and engrossing story of the man President Obama hardly knew. Barack Obama Sr. (1936–82) was a brilliant but flawed man whose arrogance, drinking, and womanizing prevented his reaching the heights for which he had seemed destined. Jacobs interviewed many of Obama Sr.'s family and acquaintances in Africa and elsewhere to chart vividly his life, from a Kenyan childhood as a member of the Luo tribe, through his academic glory years at the University of Hawaii, to his pursuit of a Ph.D. in economics at Harvard (he specialized in the economics of developing countries), and, lastly, to his return to postcolonial Kenya. Sadly, his being fired from three good jobs, an abusive third marriage (his second marriage, to President Obama's mother, and their son are covered simply as a part of Barack Sr.'s full story), and his death in a car crash after heavy drinking were the fate of this once highly regarded economist of seemingly unlimited potential.
Verdict All general readers, especially those who were captivated by President Obama's Dreams from My Father and those who enjoyed Janny Scott's A Singular Woman: The Untold Story of Barack Obama's Mother, will be fascinated.—Karl Helicher, Upper Merion Twp. Lib., King of Prussia, PA
Keithley, Joe. Talk – Action = 0: An Illustrated History of D.O.A. Arsenal Pulp, dist. by Consortium. Jul. 2011. 304p. illus. discog. ISBN 9781551523965. pap. $27.95. MUSIC
You have to love a punk rock book full of pictures. While words work well to tell a band's story, illustrations of DIY concert posters, scribbled set lists, and candid photos from the van capture and frame the zeitgeist that was partially defined by those images. That's why this history of the Canadian hard-core punk band D.O.A. feels so right. It reads like D.O.A. founder Keithley crammed his band's essence into a few hundred pages collaged with posters, photos, artwork, and, of course, his "I was there" perspective on the group that's often credited with providing the DNA of hard-core punk rock. Could the collection have a more thorough history with more outside voices? Sure. But as Keithley's diary-like entries provide context for D.O.A.'s punk rock propaganda, a desire for more words isn't likely what you'll feel after setting the book down. You'll want to revolt or at least to listen to some music about revolution.
Verdict This history's scrapbook approach is like D.O.A.'s music—vital and virile—and free of the academic bullshit that dulls too many punk rock chronicles.—Robert Morast, Fargo, ND
McCarthy, Mick & Patricia Ahern. In Search of the Missing: Working with Search and Rescue Dogs. Mercier, dist. by Dufour. Jul. 2011. c.285p. photogs. ISBN 9781856356916. pap. $25.95. SCI
McCarthy, founder of several Search and Rescue (SAR) organizations in Ireland and the man who helped introduce bloodhounds into such operations there, tells how his friendship with a dog as a lonely boy led to a lifelong passion for training dogs for the critical work of finding missing persons. He describes the vigorous training procedures for dogs and their handlers and the various grueling certification tests that qualify the teams to search on mountains, over rivers, and through bogs and forests at any time of the day or night and in all weather conditions. He recounts several of the cases he took on with his dogs: searches for a missing child, a confused old man, and drowning victims. He is brutally honest when he describes how his obsession for SAR work took over and affected his personal life.
Verdict Patrons who found Susannah Charleson's The Scent of the Missing informative and enjoyable will find that McCarthy's book contains much of the same information regarding training, qualification, and searches but with a European slant.—Florence Scarinci, Nassau Community Coll. Lib., Garden City, NY
McCloskey, Jane. Robert McCloskey: A Private Life in Words and Pictures. Seapoint, dist. by National Bk. Network. Jul. 2011. 200p. illus. index. ISBN 9780978689964. $24.95. LIT
One of children's literature's most enduringly beloved figures, Robert McCloskey created a classic body of work, including Make Way for Ducklings and Homer Price. Although his books concerned places and people he knew, McCloskey (1914–2003) was a very private man. His younger daughter Jane here provides a glimpse into McCloskey's life from her perspective, and although the book's title indicates her book is solely about her father, the book is firstly about Jane's life growing up as McCloskey's child. Readers might expect a more straightforward biography, but the daughter's conversational story won't disappoint. She provides her own insight not only into her father but into the singular childhood of a girl with remarkable literary parentage (her maternal grandmother, Ruth Sawyer, was also a Newbery Award-winning author). McCloskey also includes a wealth of heretofore unseen illustrations and paintings from Robert McCloskey's private stash. The book is presented in a coffee-table format, giving the art its due and with text in a readable font.
Verdict Appropriate both for gift giving and for library art, memoir, or illustration collections. Grown-ups who fondly recall McCloskey's work will salivate over the artwork here and will appreciate this affectionate view of his life.—Audrey Snowden, Orrington P.L., ME
Magner, Mike. Poisoned Legacy: The Human Cost of BP's Rise to Power. St. Martin's. 2011. 432p. index. ISBN 9780312554941. $27.99. SCI
Journalist Magner spent almost a decade researching BP's darker side and here brings to light multiple cover-ups, cases of corporate bullying, lawsuits, and accidents, many of which were avoidable. Separately, each event seems merely an unfortunate occurrence, but when they are listed together, it becomes apparent how, in the name of "progress," a corporation can turn a blind eye to misdoings and mislead the public in the process. A number of books on the Deepwater Horizon disaster have recently come out, but this work focuses more on the deleterious effects of BP's disasters and cleanup efforts on various individuals over the past few decades.
Verdict While the book is well researched and informative, at times the language used to describe incidents in BP's history is noticeably biased, tainting the narrative's objectivity. However, given the scale of the disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, one can understand the victims' frustration as well as the author's. [See Prepub Alert, 11/8/10.]—Kyrille Goldbeck, Virginia Polytechnic Inst. & State Univ. Lib., Blacksburg
Morton, James. The First Detective: The Life and Revolutionary Times of Vidocq; Criminal, Spy and Private Eye. Overlook, dist. by Penguin Group (USA). 2011. c.272p. bibliog. index. ISBN 9781590206386. $27.95. HIST
Morton (former editor, Criminal Lawyer; Gangland) has chosen a fascinating subject here, but, unfortunately, his rendition is not a top-notch work. Eugène-François Vidocq (1775-1857) started life a criminal but morphed into a police informer and then a police officer. He established and led the first modern plain-clothed police force, France's Sûreté. In 1833, he founded a private detective agency, 17 years before Allan Pinkerton founded the first one stateside. His colorful life drew such authors as Balzac, Eugène Sue, Victor Hugo, and Wilkie Collins to look to his character and stories for their own fiction. His formidable energy and ingenuity made him a good man to have on one's side; yet to this day it is difficult to know for sure which side he was on. As a detective, he masqueraded as men—and women—of all ages and classes, and he championed the latest techniques, including fingerprinting and phrenology.
Verdict Sadly, the entertaining aspects of this book are owing to Vidocq's life and not to Morton's writing, which is mediocre due to his poor control of digressions that slow down the narrative and a tendency to add imagined details to the known facts (to create mood, rather than to mislead). Although a so-so book, it may appeal to some fans of popular history.—David Keymer. Modesto, CA
Osband, Kent. Pandora's Risk: Uncertainty at the Core of Finance. Columbia Univ. Jul. 2011. c.272p. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780231151726. $49.95. BUS
In his preface, economist Osband (Iceberg Risk) imagines himself conversing with Pandora and Prometheus, who implore him to write a book about the risks Pandora unleashed on the world. Osband replies that he would have to write two books, one for the layperson and one for the expert. The mythic beings convince him to combine the two, creating a book of two minds, in which the reader is expected "to have a sound grounding in economic history, finance theory, and statistics [and to] enjoy mathematical modeling." His basic thesis: that it's impossible to calculate every financial risk, and uncertainty is therefore a central component of financial markets. Rather than knowledge centers, financial markets are learning environments that continually err and learn from their errors. Recognizing the centrality of error to finance, Osband argues, can lead to better regulation.
Verdict Osband shunts most of the complicated mathematics to an appendix, but what remains is still quite academic; the book's true audience is finance graduate students and practitioners.—Heidi Senior, Univ. of Portland Lib., OR
Smith, Shaun & Andy Milligan. Bold: How To Be Brave in Business and Win. Kogan Page, dist. by Ingram. 2011. 336p. illus. ISBN 9780749463441. pap. $26.95. BUS
Brand consultants Smith and Milligan (Uncommon Practice: People Who Deliver a Great Brand Experience; See, Feel, Think, Do: The Power of Instinct in Business) write that for companies to succeed, they must "engage, entertain and educate their audiences." With their book's eye-catching cover design and full-color interior, they seem to be following their own advice. They profile 14 companies chosen for meeting criteria such as having a customer "fandom," delivering a "genuinely remarkable" experience, and "significantly differentiating" themselves with brand positioning. Each profile begins with a company overview and an explanation of how it fits the authors' concept of boldness. The chapters include interviews with CEOs and other employees the authors consider influential in creating and maintaining their companies' brand individuality. Each profile ends with a section called "bold lessons," in which the authors highlight practices mentioned in the interviews that have led to the firms' success. The book also includes a survey for use in assessing how one's own organization measures up on the boldness scale.
Verdict Designed to be read online, Bold will appeal to those in MBA and commerce programs as well as fans of titles on corporate leadership.—Sara Holder, McGill Univ. Lib., Montreal
Stolzenburg, William. Rat Island: Predators in Paradise and the World's Greatest Wildlife Rescue. Bloomsbury, dist. by Macmillan. 2011. 288p. bibliog. index. ISBN 9781608191031. $26. SCI
Ecology writer Stolzenburg (Where the Wild Things Were) highlights patterns of endangerment and extinction caused by the introduction of continental mammals (especially rats, feral cats, and stoats) into fragile island ecosystems. He offers a solid historical background on the topic and effectively conveys the complicated nature of balancing a disrupted island ecosystem. As signs of an emerging revolution in conservation, he cites the efforts of organizations like the Island Conservancy to restore such species as New Zealand's kakapo (a flightless parrot-like bird) and the least auk of the Aleutians using lethal eradication measures.
Verdict The book may have been stronger had it addressed means of preventing the establishment of invasive species, as well as some successful nonlethal population control initiatives. (For example, in Environmental Ethics: An Anthology, Andrew Light takes a position similar to Stolzenburg's but also supports advances in biotechnology to develop infertility viruses as a method of population control.) This book will appeal to those with an interest in conservation, although some may not agree with the approach advocated by Stolzenburg.—Ryan Nayler, Univ. of Toronto Lib.
GRAPHIC NOVELS
Morrison, Grant (text) & Cameron Stewart & others (illus.). Batman & Robin: Batman vs. Robin. Vol. 2. deluxe ed. DC. 2010. 168p. illus. ISBN 9781401228330. $24.99. F
Casual Batman fans playing catch-up with Morrison's story lines will find their heads spinning with this ingenious series. Bruce Wayne is reportedly dead. His partner, Dick Grayson, has assumed the identity of Batman and seeks to unravel Wayne's disappearance. Wayne's son, Damian, now in the guise of Robin, aids Grayson in the search. Devoted to the path of lawfulness, Damian maintains a conflicting relationship with his mother, Talia al Ghul, who preserved his life with an advanced spine replacement. The substitute Batman duo are assisted abroad by British counterparts Knight and Squire as well as Batgirl, who is separately pursuing a "religion of sin." Along the Ley Lines of England, in an underground Lazarus Pit, the reanimation of a body presumed to be Wayne's tests the mettle of the alliance. As events progress, Talia al Ghul's gift to her son proves an insidious means to control him.
Verdict Identities, friendships, and longstanding grudges are repeatedly tested in this complex and engaging volume. The top-notch art and color are reason enough to acquire; no collection is complete without Morrison's newest work.-John Gehner, Urbana Free Lib., IL
Thompson, Craig (text) & (illus.). Habibi. Pantheon. Sept. 2011. c.672p. ISBN 9780375424144. $35. F
Swirling story and swirling Arabic calligraphy interweave in Thompson's masterly follow-up to his multi-award-winning Blankets (2003). Child bride Dolola is sold by her impoverished parents in the Middle East to a clumsy but well-meaning older man who teaches her to read and write. When slavers kill her husband and kidnap her, she manages to escape carrying the dark-skinned baby of another captive. She finds refuge in an abandoned ship stranded in the desert, where she raises little Zam to adolescence, telling him stories and teaching him literacy. Further adventures separate them but reunite them later. As escaped harem prostitute and escaped eunuch, they forge an intimate bond and move into the future. ("Habibi" means "my beloved.") Hopping back and forth in time through an epic landscape encompassing desert, harem, urban slums, and modern industrial clutter, the plot draws on and includes stories stemming from Islam, Judaism, and Christianity that evoke universal themes.
Verdict The exquisite beauty and deep magic of this Arabian Nights-style love story cannot be overstated. More mature and psychologically nuanced than Blankets, it's a sure bet for as many awards. With extensive nudity and sexual themes, it is highly recommended for adult collections.—Martha Cornog, Philadelphia
Trillo, Carlos (text) & Eduardo Risso (illus.). Vampire Boy. Dark Horse. 2010. c.480p. tr. from Spanish by Zeljko Medic. illus. ISBN 9781595825629. pap. $24.99. F
Argentine comic book writer Trillo recently died at age 68, leaving an impressive body of work begun when he was 20. This volume, illustrated by Risso (100 Bullets), collects issues 1–14 of the series. The story opens in ancient Egypt, but what begins as a dispute between the son of Pharaoh Khufu and Khufu's concubine Ahmasi evolves into a blood-feud that spans centuries. When a plague strikes, only the boy and his wicked nemesis remain—transformed into vampiric immortals, healed and strengthened by the sun. Though Ahmasi appeals to the boy to rule with her, he spurns her invitation, choosing to strike out alone. Ages wax and wane, and the two characters repeatedly clash in the hopes of destroying the other. When the boy emerges in the contemporary world after a 50-year sleep, Ahmasi again seeks her prey. Weary, he forms friendships with a young Oglala Lakota and others and contemplates his future through the lens of the past.
Verdict A novel and riveting treatment of vampires. The volume's explicit illustration of the harlot's activities is best suited for mature readers.—John Gehner, Urbana Free Lib., IL
