Social Sciences Reviews, March 1, 2011
Mar 1, 2011
BIOGRAPHY
Brennan, Mary C. Pat Nixon: Embattled First Lady. Univ. of Kentucky. (Modern First Ladies). Mar. 2011. c.256p. photogs. bibliog. index. ISBN9780700617715. $34.95. BIOG
Throughout her years as First Lady, Pat (born Thelma Ryan) Nixon was something of an enigma. Many viewed her as cold and impersonal, smiling passively at her husband’s side, “Plastic Pat.” Others saw the perfect American housewife and mother. Brennan (history, Texas State Univ., San Marcos; Turning Right in the Sixties: The Conservative Capture of the GOP) attempts to expose the complicated woman within, examining how Thelma Ryan’s upbringing by an immigrant mother and hardworking, entrepreneurial father shaped her work ethic and values. The author goes on to highlight Pat’s contributions to her husband’s political career and the personal sacrifices she made to support him. Brennan’s efforts to reveal Pat’s true nature are only partly successful, however. Her subject was an intensely private woman, leaving Brennan to rely heavily on Julie Nixon Eisenhower’s affectionate biography of her mother as well as Pat’s lifelong correspondence with a close friend. Brennan had to speculate and make educated guesses about Pat’s thoughts, feelings, and opinions. VERDICT While somewhat lacking in depth, this book still manages to provide insights into the Nixon family’s life in the public eye during turbulent times. Recommended for those interested in our First Ladies, U.S. history, and politics.—Michele Martin, Sonoma Acad. Lib., Santa Rosa, CA
Bright, Susie. Big Sex Little Death: A Memoir. Seal Pr: Perseus. Apr. 2011. c.328p. photogs. ISBN 9781580052641. $24.95. AUTOBIOG
Writing in explicit sexual detail that makes the Diaries of her feminist icon predecessor Anaïs Nin seem tame, Bright (Mommy’s Little Girl: On Sex, Motherhood, Porn, and Cherry Pie) relates her life from childhood to the present. Sexually active from her early teens, Bright went on to champion the cause of female sexuality, breaking through social taboos, especially those concerning lesbianism. A founding member of the lesbian periodical On Our Backs, Bright produced writing and photography that reached a demographic largely ignored by the mainstream media. During her teenage years, she was active in socialist causes, traveling the United States and joining regional International Socialist groups bent on achieving extreme-liberal agendas. A supporter of the rights of those marginalized by society, the author makes clear that her purpose in life is to loosen society’s restrictions in order to allow freedom of expression for all. VERDICT Not for the prudish or faint of heart, Bright’s memoir would interest readers intent on learning about contemporary female sexual history from one of its most influential figures.—Lisa Guidarini, Algonquin Area P.L. Dist., IL
Patrick, Deval. A Reason To Believe: Lessons From an Improbable Life. Broadway. Apr. 2011. c.240p. photogs. ISBN 9780767931120. $21.99. AUTOBIOG
The second-term governor of Massachusetts offers a memoir distinctive for a politician’s because Patrick keeps the focus on the personal, with the subtitle’s lessons specified as the eight chapter titles (e.g., “Know Who You Are”). They are presented as lessons that Patrick himself learned: the chapters read as straight memoir, rather than didactic pronouncements. Patrick shows himself here to be a gifted writer. Especially engrossing are the early pages on his childhood—he summons forth all the senses as he describes 1950s–60s South Side Chicago. His father, later a notable sax player, left when Patrick was three. After eighth grade, through a teacher’s guidance, Patrick was accepted on full scholarship at an elite New England boarding school, “a different planet.” Even as he achieved success in the worlds of Harvard, legal practice, work as a corporate general counsel seeking to end company racial discrimination, and as the nation’s first two-term black governor, Patrick presents his triumphs here as victories over his own weaknesses. His writings about his wife, Diane, are particularly touching. VERDICT Recommended to readers of memoir and to all keeping an eye on our country’s past and future.—Margaret Heilbrun, Library Journal
White, Richard D., Jr. Will Rogers: A Political Life. Texas Tech. 2011. c.408p. illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780896726765. $29.95. BIOG
This is the first biography of Rogers (1879–1935), entertainer, columnist, and pundit, to focus largely on his political influence. White (public administration, Louisiana State Univ.; Kingfish: The Reign of Huey P. Long) examines Rogers, one of the most famous men of his day, as an intellectual with a humble touch, a man of prescience on national and global affairs and with substantial influence upon American politicians and plain folk alike. He argues that Rogers played a strong role shaping American opinion on topics from Prohibition and intervention in global affairs—both of which he ardently opposed—to New Deal policies and commercial air flight—which he backed. White reviews Rogers’s trips as unofficial envoy to China and the Soviet Union, as well as his fallibility in embracing some of history’s villains, in particular Mussolini, because he had “never met a man he didn’t like.” VERDICT Through his newspaper columns, radio show, and movie roles, Rogers was very famous in his own time—the world mourned his death in a plane crash—but he is largely unknown to today’s younger generations. White’s presentation may change that. Comparing favorably with previous biographies of Rogers, this is recommended primarily for readers of 20th-century American studies.—Laura Ruttum, Denver, CO
ECONOMICS
Nussbaum, Martha C. Creating Capabilities: The Human Development Approach. Belknap: Harvard Univ. Mar. 2011. c.228p. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780674050549. $22.95. BUS
Nussbaum (law & ethics, Univ. of Chicago) looks at what it really means for a country to experience prosperity. Traditionally, a country’s economic well-being was measured by its gross domestic product. Nussbaum takes a more personal approach by focusing on how economic prosperity plays out in ordinary citizens’ lives. She analyzes the life of a woman in India by taking a close look at her situation to see what capabilities and opportunities she—and women like her—might have. The key is not to look simply at the hand they’ve been dealt, but whether their particular society affords them opportunities to win with it. Nussbaum calls this the “capabilities approach,” and it offers a novel way to measure prosperity on a national level by seeing how well a country can provide life-changing prospects for all its citizens. VERDICT By demonstrating the philosophical underpinnings of this approach and how the theory plays out in the real world, Nussbaum makes a compelling case. Not only is this a more realistic measure of wealth, but it is also a far more compassionate one. For readers who enjoy economics laced with humanity.—Carol J. Elsen, Univ. of Wisconsin Libs., Whitewater
HISTORY
Blum, Howard. The Floor of Heaven: A True Saga of the Old West and the Yukon Gold Rush. Crown. Apr. 2011. c.448p. illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780307461728. $26. HIST
Blum (contributing editor, Vanity Fair; American Lightning: Terror, Mystery, the Birth of Hollywood, and the Crime of the Century) combines his skills as an investigative journalist and popular author to bring forth an original history of the last of the Western gold rushes in the northwestern frontier of Alaska and Canada. Closely basing his narrative on primary historical documents and academic histories, Blum brings new life to prospector George Carmack’s Yukon adventures. In the tradition of great history as great literature, he sorts out historical contradictions and variations to provide a single lively narrative wherein Charlie Siringo, a cowboy–turned–Pinkerton detective and author (e.g., A Texas Cowboy, or Fifteen Years on the Hurricane Deck of a Spanish Pony) solves the mystery of the Treadwell Mine gold thefts before dealing with Denver con artist Soapy Smith’s attempt to relieve Carmack of his newly won fortune. VERDICT Highly recommended for public and academic libraries; general readers will be richly rewarded by Blum’s masterful use of a colorful cast of genuine historical characters set in the majestic northwestern wilderness. [See Prepub Alert, 11/1/10.]—Nathan E. Bender, Laramie, WY
Cassady, Richard F. The Emperor and the Saint. Northern Illinois Univ. May 2011. c.474p. illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780875804392. $35. HIST
This book is less a biography of Frederick II (1194–1250), the greatest Hohenstaufen emperor, than a rambling Cook’s Tour of medieval Europe, with an emphasis on the sites and architecture of all the places Frederick passed through on his peripatetic wanderings across Italy and Germany. The reader grows weary of trying to coax a narrative of the tangled politics of the age out of this flood of detail. Art historian Cassady (The Norman Achievement) counterposes the life of Frederick with Frederick’s contemporary Francis of Assisi, but Francis died in 1226 when Frederick still had 24 years left in his brilliant but ultimately self-defeating reign. Francis is mentioned only as a sidebar after that. The book is further vitiated by Cassady’s willingness to accept and report the most outrageous fables as true, e.g., that after Frederick’s death, when his enemy Charles of Anjou had Frederick’s son Conradino beheaded, an eagle (the Hohenstaufen symbol) swooped down and dipped its wing in Conradino’s blood. VERDICT There is room for a reputable history of Frederick II, who has generally been poorly served by biographers, but this book is not it. Cassady provides insufficiently pointed narrative and judgment that is neither acute nor original.—David Keymer, Modesto, CA
Frost, Jennifer. Hedda Hopper’s Hollywood: Celebrity Gossip and American Conservatism . New York Univ. (American History & Culture). 2011. c.304p. photogs. index. ISBN 9780814728239. $35. HIST
Frost (history, Univ. of Auckland, New Zealand) hasn’t written a biography of actress–turned–gossip columnist Hopper or a chronicle of Hollywood movie scandals. Instead, readers get a study of Hopper’s politics and those of her readers, both explored through Hopper’s vastly popular newspaper column, from which this book takes its title. Scandal, made tedious by morality, was Hopper’s stock-in-trade in her syndicated column (1938–66). She parlayed her showbiz connections into her position not simply as a dispenser of Tinseltown tittle-tattle but as an enforcer of middle-American mores. She and her archrival, columnist Louella Parsons, had a level of influence among the public and in the industry that successors such as Perez Hilton and TMZ lack. Frost details Hopper’s ardent anticommunism and eager participation in 1950s blacklisting. Hopper thought she was a progressive on racial issues—she helped James “Uncle Remus” Baskett get an Oscar—but was considered retrograde by black leaders. VERDICT Frost has done extensive archival research and presents much interesting material, but her writing can be dry and evinces no passion for the history of Hollywood in its golden age, lest the title mislead. This will appeal less to film buffs or journalism junkies than to those studying post–World War II American life.—Michael O. Eshleman, Kings Mills, OH
Holland, James. The Battle of Britain: Five Months That Changed History; May-October 1940. St. Martin’s. Mar. 2011. c.704p. photogs. maps. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780312675004. $40. MILITARY HISTORY
The subtitle indicates one of the British author Holland’s points: that the battle to save Britain actually started when Hitler invaded Western Europe in the spring of 1940, although the Battle of Britain is usually defined as from mid-July to mid-September. Holland’s (Italy’s Sorrow) main theme is the epic confrontation between the Royal Air Force and the German Luftwaffe, especially after the British, pushed to the English Channel from their toehold at Dunkerque, evacuated the Continent. The desperate Fighter Command effectively utilized its outnumbered forces to deny the Germans the aerial superiority that was necessary to invade Britain. Holland examines the changing tactics and administrative wrangling on both sides, particularly the unseemly way that the successful British commanders Dowding and Park were treated. What makes this book ultimately captivating is Holland’s focus on the civilians and lower ranks, both British and German, during this difficult time. He conducted many new interviews that give his book a very human feel. He also taps a variety of archival sources and existing accounts. VERDICT A readable complement to Stephen Bungay’s acclaimed The Most Dangerous Enemy: The Definitive History of the Battle of Britain, this is recommended for all history buffs and World War II students. With good maps and endnotes.—Daniel K. Blewett, Coll. of DuPage Lib., Glen Ellyn, IL
Kempe, Frederick. Berlin 1961: Kennedy, Khrushchev, and the Most Dangerous Place on Earth. Putnam. May 2011. c.608p. photogs. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780399157295. $29.95. HIST
The Berlin Crisis of 1961, on the heels of the Bay of Pigs fiasco, not only froze European Cold War borders but also became another nonprofile in courage for JFK, inciting Soviet premier Nikita Khrushchev to provoke the Cuban Missile Crisis a year later. So claims Kempe (president & CEO, Atlantic Council; Father/Land: A Pivotal Search for the New Germany) as he skillfully weaves oral histories and newly declassified documents into a sweeping, exhaustive narrative. Although no love was lost between Khrushchev and East Germany’s Walter Ulbricht, they both were committed to staunching the flow of well-educated, professional East Germans to the West; hence, the construction of the Berlin Wall in August 1961. Kempe is especially strong at recounting Khrushchev’s bullying of Kennedy at the June 1961 Vienna Summit and on the Wall’s political, social, and personal impacts. VERDICT Likely the best, most richly detailed account of the subject, this will engross serious readers of Cold War history who enjoyed W.R. Smyser’s Kennedy and the Berlin Wall but appreciate the further detail. Both authors view JFK circa 1961 as a work in progress with weaknesses that did not remain the pattern. [See Prepub Alert, 12/1/10.]—Karl Helicher, Upper Merion Twp. Lib., King of Prussia, PA
Krebs, Christopher B. A Most Dangerous Book: Tacitus’s Germania from the Roman Empire to the Third Reich. Norton. 2010. c.288p. illus. index. ISBN 9780393062656. $25.95. HIST
In 98 C.E., Roman senator Cornelius Tacitus (56–117 C.E.) wrote the short Germania purporting to describe the fierce tribes beyond the Rhine who resisted Roman conquest. Nobody knows where Tacitus got his information or if he ever visited German territory. In the turmoil following the collapse of the Roman Empire, the book disappeared until 15th-century humanists turned up a single surviving manuscript in a monastery in what is now central Germany. From the moment of the book’s discovery, it became the founding document of a hoped-for German nation. Krebs (classics, Harvard; contributor, The Cambridge Companion to Tacitus) shows an impressive mastery of five centuries of theories about Germanness that used and misused Tacitus’s account of a brave and unlettered fighting people. This book’s title suggests the world might have been better off if Germania had never turned up, but the text reveals that Krebs himself doesn’t feel Tacitus’s book is “dangerous” or the urtext of Nazi ideology or even an ethnography, but a stereotypical Roman view of the outsider. VERDICT Whoever pimped out this worthy academic monograph about the creation of a German past as if it were The Raiders of the Lost Ark did Krebs no favors. Recommended for serious readers on the merits of its scholarly contents.—Stewart Desmond, New York
Leibovitz, Liel & Matthew Miller. Fortunate Sons: The 120 Chinese Boys Who Came to America, Went to School, and Revolutionized an Ancient Civilization. Norton. 2011. c.288p. illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780393070040. $27.95. HIST
Not only do Leibovitz and Miller (coauthors, Lili Marlene: The Soldiers’ Song of World War II) narrate a fascinating cultural exchange unknown to many of today’s readers, but they also share the personal stories and finer points about a very interesting time. In 1872, the first group of what would total 120 Chinese boys, with an average age of nine, came to America to learn about our progressive and modern country. Their disembarkation in San Francisco, rail trip across the country, lives with host families, and attendance of the best schools in New England are meticulously described. Also noted are the cultural differences; acceptance and ignorance exhibited by both sides; and the diversity of the Chinese the boys met, from California prospectors to the New England gentlemen who were their teachers. After nine years, the boys, grown to young men, were recalled when differing opinions of the exchange prevailed in China. The authors source firsthand accounts, diaries, letters, and biographies for their very engaging chronicle. A dedicated website (www.fortunatesonsbook.com) adds to the value of this worthwhile read. VERDICT Not to be missed; those interested in the social history of Chinese American relations and history buffs generally will find it very informative.—Susan Baird, formerly with Oak Lawn P.L., IL
Levy, Joel. The Secret Societies Bible: The Definitive Guide to Mysterious Organizations. Firefly. 2010. c.400p. illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 9781554077342. $19.95. HIST
In this compact, colorful volume, Levy (Ninja: The Shadow Warrior) presents an essentially chronological overview of many secret societies, ranging from Greek mystery religions to more recent groups who believe that a new world order is coming. Along the way, he does not neglect the Knights Templar, Freemasons, Rosicrucians, and the Bavarian Illuminati—or the interconnections between some of these groups. Levy debunks claims by or about some societies, paying particular attention to societies of conspiracy theorists. Like many Firefly books, this is lavishly illustrated, but the subtitle is inaccurate. The book is not definitive: it is almost completely Eurocentric, devoting only six pages to the Triads and a few more to the Assassins. Readers will find no mention of African, Caribbean, or Native American religious secret societies or discussion of terrorist groups or criminal organizations apart from the Mafia and Triads. There are no notes to support the text, and some chapters end so abruptly it seems a page is missing. VERDICT Books on secret societies abound; this is an adequate addition to collections, but it should not be considered the only or final word on the subject.—Eric Norton, McMillan Memorial Lib., Wisconsin Rapids
Peace in the Making: The Menachem Begin- Anwar Sadat Personal Correspondence. Gefen. 2011. c.384p. ed. by Harry Hurwitz & Yisrael Medad. photogs. bibliog. index. ISBN 9789652294562. $24.95. HIST
The Menachem Begin Heritage Center in Jerusalem is the main source of the largely public documents collected here relating to these two notable figures’ quest for peace between Israel and Egypt. These unclassified documents tell the story of Sadat’s dramatic trip to Israel in 1977 and follow through to the Camp David Accords with President Jimmy Carter in 1978, then on to the further controversies (e.g., over Lebanon) and to Sadat’s assassination in 1981. The perspective is Israeli. There are letters and speeches (including the Nobel Peace Prize speeches of both men in 1978), all chronologically arranged, and not always included in their entirety. VERDICT Readers will gain a greater overall perspective from the newly revised and updated The Israel-Arab Reader: A Documentary History of the Middle East Conflict, edited by Walter Laqueur and Barry Rubin. This book will most appeal to readers seeking insight into Menachem Begin, who remains a pivotal figure—however one views his legacy—in Israeli history.—Paul Kaplan, Lake Villa Dist. Lib., IL
Sawyer, Ralph D. Ancient Chinese Warfare: Antiquity Through the Spring and Autumn Period. Basic Bks: Perseus. Mar. 2011. c.576p. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780465021451. $39.95. MILITARY HISTORY
This in-depth book by an independent scholar of Chinese history is assembled from archaeological and historical materials covering the early years in China’s history up to the Spring and Autumn periods (i.e., fifth century B.C.E.). Sawyer presents his subject chronologically at first, then thematically (e.g., “The Horse in China”). While the book is densely descriptive, readers will notice the lack of maps, time lines, sufficient images, fully detailed endnotes, and a full bibliography. In his introduction, Sawyer refers explicitly to these circumstances, attributing them partly to cost savings and partly to his opinion that the Internet would provide sufficient maps, etc. VERDICT The absence of sufficient editorial and graphic apparatus is all the more frustrating in this complex, fascinating book. Still, readers with a serious interest in early Chinese history and/or warfare will appreciate Sawyer’s work. Recommended for scholars of Chinese and Chinese history.—Melissa Aho, Univ. of Minnesota Lib., Minneapolis
Sexton, Jay. The Monroe Doctrine: Empire and Nation in Nineteenth-Century America. Farrar. Mar. 2011. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780809071913. $26. HIST
Sexton (American history, Oxford Univ.; Debtor Diplomacy: Finance and American Foreign Relations in the Civil War Era: 1837–1873) reminds readers of the Monroe Doctrine’s influence on 19th-century America’s ambitions. What originated as a message to Congress by President Monroe in 1823 became a living doctrine open to a wide variety of subsequent uses, from President Polk’s seeking to annex California in 1847 to America’s entrance into the Spanish-American War and the building of the Panama Canal. Sexton, most interestingly, goes beyond the typical examples of the Monroe Doctrine in action to show how it has been used to support a variety of aims and philosophies, from the territorial to the imperialist to the noninterventionist, right up to the start of the 20th century. Although the doctrine may have originally dictated supposed American preeminence in Latin America, it came to mean a lot more. VERDICT This is a detailed analysis, well sourced and well written, for students of American history or anyone who wants to understand the history of American foreign policy. Although geared to college students and academics, history buffs will enjoy it, too.—Bryan Craig, Univ. of Virginia, Charlottesville
Willrich, Michael. Pox: An American History. Penguin Pr: Penguin Group (USA). (Penguin History of American Life). Apr. 2011. c.418p. photogs. bibliog. index. ISBN 9781594202865. $27.95. HIST
Willrich (City of Courts: Socializing Justice in Progressive Era Chicago) chronicles the U.S. smallpox epidemic at the turn of the 20th century when American expansionism, migrant work patterns, and cramped tenement living created a massive public health disaster with far-reaching implications. He traces the creation of smallpox vaccine technology, still known as “the most dangerous vaccine,” from Edward Jenner’s late 18th-century development of the cow pox vaccine to recent freeze-dried versions. He describes the disfiguring suffering of smallpox victims in cringe-worthy, heartbreaking detail. Willrich shines when illuminating the profound civil rights and medical ethics issues that arose at a time when national, state, and local public health authorities were just being formed. Heavy-handed government health-care workers would handcuff resistors to vaccinate them. Poor black and immigrant families routinely revolted against the compulsory vaccinations, either hiding their sick or burning “pest houses” built in their neighborhoods. The anti-vaccinationists of the time parallel a modern movement against vaccines for purported dangers, whether scientifically proven or not. VERDICT There is fertile ground for debate here among public health professionals, medical ethicists, those involved in current health-care issues, and historians.—Megan Curran, Univ. of Southern California Lib., Los Angeles
LAW & CRIME
Foley, Elizabeth Price. The Law of Life and Death. Harvard Univ. Apr. 2011. c.290p. index. ISBN 9780674051041. $29.95. LAW
Foley (Florida Intl. Univ. Coll. of Law) presents a profoundly intelligent, distinctive, and disturbing book. In seven short chapters, she dissects the legality behind what makes a person alive or dead. The first chapter addresses such subjects as feticide, wrongful conception, the freezing of humans and body parts, and frozen embryos. The discussion of legal contortions that courts make to decide these cases segues nicely into the court’s definition of death. The book devotes succeeding chapters to the Uniform Definition of Death Act, which defines the difference between being brain-dead while the body functions and being fully dead from cardiac arrest. As the author coolly points out, medical advances and the need for organ donations have expanded the legal definition of death to outweigh what constitutes being alive. VERDICT With extensive endnotes and a scholarly tone, this work will be appreciated by legislators, serious readers, and legal and medical professionals.—Harry Charles, Attorney at Law, St. Louis
Olson, Walter. Schools for Misrule: Legal Academica and an Overlawyered America. Encounter. 2011. c.300p. ISBN 9781594032332. $25.95. LAW
Olson, senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute and creator of the blog Overlawyered.com, has written a critique of American legal education, which he blames for the growth of ideas that are bankrupting the legal system, e.g., lawsuits for slave reparations, court orders against schools to force racial integration, and the growth of international law. In 13 chapters, he explores the history of modern legal education, legal education theory and methods, and the history and development of various ideas such as slave reparations. The book has a distinctly conservative slant, as Olson frequently criticizes the “liberal” practice area of public interest law for its role in the growth of what he calls frivolous lawsuits. In Chapter One, while discussing the high frequency of U.S. presidents who are lawyers or law school graduates, he mentions Presidents Obama and Clinton as leaders who have introduced ideas prevalent in legal education into politics. Throughout, Olson criticizes the lack of conservatives both teaching in law schools and practicing law. VERDICT Readers interested in conservative legal theory will enjoy this book, others not so much.—Becky Kennedy, Atlanta-Fulton P.L.
PARAPSYCHOLOGY
Radford, Benjamin. Tracking the Chupacabra: The Vampire Beast in Fact, Fiction, and Folklore. Univ. of New Mexico. May 2011. c.288p. illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780826350152. pap. $24.95. PARAPSYCH
First reported in Puerto Rico in 1995, the chupacabra is a mysterious creature thought responsible for the blood-draining deaths of thousands of barnyard animals from South America to Texas. The chupacabra’s flourishing reputation as a vampyric killer and possible escaped mutant from secret governmental genetic experimentation creates a colorful beastie equal in popularity to Big Foot or the Loch Ness Monster for a predominantly Latin community. Enter Radford (Lake Monster Mysteries: Investigating the World’s Most Elusive Creatures), managing editor of the Skeptical Inquirer and author of several myth-busting books, who spent five years hunting down and examining evidence of the chupacabra’s existence. Radford is thorough in his investigation; interviewing eyewitnesses, providing creepy photographs of otherworldly creatures, serving up DNA analysis, and contemplating theories of mass psychosis. VERDICT While not for the sparkling vampire set, this objective probe will appeal to readers interested in exploring and exploding modern mysteries. However, the author’s own dedication, “to those to whom the truth matters,” may just be a first-page spoiler.—Janet Tapper, Univ. of Western States Lib., Portland, OR
POLITICAL SCIENCE
Godwin, Peter. The Fear: Robert Mugabe and the Martyrdom of Zimbabwe. Little, Brown. Mar. 2011. c.384p. maps. ISBN 9780316051736. $26.99. INT AFFAIRS
In 2008, native white Zimbabwean Godwin (former foreign correspondent, Sunday Times, London; When a Crocodile Eats the Sun) returned to his home country, where the world’s oldest dictator was struggling to retain his political power. Godwin intended to “dance on Robert Mugabe’s political grave” after voters overwhelmingly rejected him. Instead, Godwin found his country engulfed in political violence orchestrated by Mugabe in an effort to punish opposition leaders and the ordinary Zimbabweans who had voted for them. The stories Godwin hears—from opposition leaders, displaced white farmers, and black Zimbabweans who are watching democracy fail them—are each more horrific than the next. The most harrowing chapters relate the torture and murder of individuals. Readers learn that in Mugabe’s Zimbabwe, voting is a crime that can cost you your home, your family, and your life. The bravery of torture victims telling their stories is remarkable. VERDICT The risks that Zimbabweans take for democracy, for their friends and families, and for their country are extraordinary. While much of the book is bleak and frankly grim, there are instances of personal courage and bravery that speak to the strength of the human spirit. A difficult but essential read; recommended. —Julie Biando Edwards, Univ. of Montana Lib., Missoula
Gould, Elizabeth & Paul Fitzgerald. Crossing Zero: The AfPak War at the Turning Point of American Empire. City Lights, dist. by Consortium. (City Lights Open Media). Apr. 2011. c.272p. index. ISBN 9780872865136. pap. $17.95. INT AFFAIRS
Gould and Fitzgerald have covered Afghanistan and the surrounding region for 30 years, as both documentary filmmakers (Afghanistan Between Three Worlds) and authors (Invisible History: Afghanistan’s Untold Story). This long involvement with the issues has made them sharply critical of America for its lack of understanding of the ethnic diversity and social relations of the people, its application of Cold War thinking and strategy to a new and different kind of conflict, its military’s current counterinsurgency strategy, and its failure to define Pakistan as the real challenge. The authors portray policies of previous years (e.g., U.S. support of insurgents fighting the Soviet invasion) as now coming back to hurt us, part of a repetition of errors previously made by European powers in the region over the past 400 years. They have marshaled an impressive array of sources, both journalistic and academic, to demonstrate that their ideas have long been available, if only policymakers had chosen to heed them. VERDICT Bob Woodward’s recent Obama’s War focuses on the administration’s AfPak deliberations, but this book provides a wider perspective. Readers with a serious interest in U.S. foreign policy or military strategy will find it helpful in thinking about a long-lived issue.—Marcia L. Sprules, Council on Foreign Relations Lib., NY
Rudd, Gordon. Reconstructing Iraq: Regime Change, Jay Garner, and the ORHA Story. Univ. of Kansas. (Modern War Studies). Mar. 2011. c.488p. photogs. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780700617791. $39.95. INT AFFAIRS
In May 2003, President George W. Bush stood on the deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln and proclaimed triumphantly “Mission Accomplished” regarding his invasion of Iraq to topple Saddam Hussein mere weeks before. However, as Rudd (strategic studies, U.S. Marine Corps Sch. of Advanced Warfighting), an insider, demonstrates, the United States had misjudged the nature of Iraqi society and the enormity of the task of rebuilding the country and transforming it into a stable region. Rudd provides a detailed account of the Office of Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance (ORHA), set up in April 2003 for the transition, and its leader Jay Garner, a retired army lieutenant general charged with managing the immediate post-Saddam regime. Rudd, who joined ORHA as field historian at Garner’s invitation, demonstrates the enormity of the task of reckoning with postconflict Iraq. Garner’s tenure was brief: Rudd documents Garner’s falling out with the Bush administration and what Rudd considers the disastrous steps taken by the successor Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA), led by Ambassador L. Paul Bremer. VERDICT Although Rudd is a Garner insider, his book does not offer many revelations. The author praises Garner but comes across as evenhanded. Readable and accessible, this is a good choice for general readers interested in our recent involvement in Iraq and for academic libraries collecting comprehensively.—Nader Entessar, Univ. of South Alabama, Mobile
Tang, Baiqiao with Damon DiMarco. My Two Chinas: The Memoir of a Chinese Counter-Revolutionary. Prometheus. Mar. 2011. c.350p. photogs. bibliog. index. ISBN 9781616144456. $26. INT AFFAIRS
In a rare glimpse into the chaotic nature of the June 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre, activist Tang (Anthems of Defeat: Crackdown in Hunan Province 1989–1992), charged and imprisoned afterward as a “counter-revolutionary,” recounts the painful experiences of his rise to become one of China’s most outspoken dissidents. Many who challenged the Communist regime tragically paid the highest price, while others sacrificed their freedom for lifelong imprisonment. Tang here describes being caught and detained as a dissident after the government crackdown, revealing the intense 12 months of captivity he suffered at the hands of his prison guards. He goes on to write about his release, acceptance into the United States via Hong Kong, and life up to the present day as he challenges the Chinese Communist Party from afar for more democracy. China’s government has gone to extraordinary lengths to erase Tiananmen Square from the memory of its people. VERDICT An insightful look into the conditions in China’s hidden prison systems, yet of greatest value as a personal, rather than political memoir. Recommended for readers interested in post-Tiananmen Square China.—Allan Cho, Univ. of British Columbia Lib., Vancouver
PSYCHOLOGY
Clark, Taylor. Nerve: Poise Under Pressure, Serenity Under Stress, and the Brave New Science of Fear and Cool. Little, Brown. Mar. 2011. c.320p. index. ISBN 9780316042895. $25.99. PSYCH
Journalist Clark (Starbucked) proclaims in the first chapter that he is “not at all qualified to tell anyone how to expertly manage their fears.” Nevertheless, with an engaging, highly readable style, he displays his excellent journalism skills by interviewing and telling the stories of numerous individuals, exploring how they react to fear, stress, and extreme pressure. He compares the way those who seem immune to stress and fear approach difficult situations with that of the larger general population, who tend to respond instinctively in ways that actually increase negative emotions. Those most successful at handling stress experience the same feelings as everyone else yet are able to notice the feelings, accept them as normal without becoming paralyzed, and focus on what has to be done. He concludes by summarizing helpful principles readers can apply to the stress and fear in their lives. VERDICT This will be of interest to libraries with popular psychology collections and for readers looking to tame their emotions.—Crystal Renfro, Georgia Inst. of Technology Lib., Atlanta
Finley, Erin P. Fields of Combat: Understanding PTSD Among Veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan. ILR: Cornell Univ. May 2011. c.240p. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780801449802. $24.95. PSYCH
In this anthropological survey, Finley (Univ. of Texas Health Ctr.) studies the process by which veterans of current conflicts define and seek treatment for combat-induced post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Because she also seeks to illuminate military culture, she looks at how families cope with returning relatives who now seem like strangers; delves into the history of the Veterans Administration medical system, whose employees are struggling to treat a flood of new patients with limited resources; and chronicles how mental health professionals have defined the problems of veterans, from “soldier’s heart” through combat fatigue to today’s struggles to define PTSD (and, hence, to decide who gets treatment). VERDICT This book isn’t intended as a guide for sufferers. Readers concerned with themselves or loved ones would be better served by Glen Schiraldi’s The Post-Traumatic Stress Workbook or similar titles. There’s not much new here, but scholars and general readers will get a comprehensive look at the subject from many viewpoints.—Mary Ann Hughes, Shelton, WA
Gaus, Valerie L. Living Well on the Spectrum: How To Use Your Strengths To Meet the Challenges of Asperger Syndrome/High-Functioning Autism. Guilford. 2011. c.344p. illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 9781606236345. pap. $19.95. PSYCH
Gaus, a clinical psychologist with 15 years’ experience working with adults with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), has developed a how-to book for adults with Asperger’s syndrome (AS) and high-functioning autism (HFA). Her goal is to help them use their autistic characteristics by turning them into positive traits through enhanced self-knowledge and awareness. By using this workbook, ASD patients are said to gain control over daily situations and tasks that normally cause great stress. The first section concentrates on strengths and weaknesses and accepting these differences to begin building self-confidence and developing coping strategies. The second section is a detailed explanation of the eight-step problem-solving process, with additional chapters on the most common areas in which ASD people struggle—home life, work, school, community, friendship, intimate relationships, and health. VERDICT While her text is very dense and involved, Gaus directly targets what adults and young adults with AS/HFA struggle with daily. Worksheets written in plain language will assist readers in discovering problem areas, strengths, goals, and more; recommended for ASD patients and their families.—Lisa M. Jordan, Johnson Cty. Lib., KS
SELF-HELP
Mulligan, Eileen. Life Coaching: Change Your Life in 7 Days. ISBN 9780749941901.
Mulligan, Eileen. Life Coaching for Work: The Simple Formula for Total Job Satisfaction. ISBN 9780749941802.
ea. vol: Trafalgar Square. Mar. 2011. c.224p. index. pap. $13.95. SELF-HELP
Were that it was so easy to transform one’s life in a mere week’s time! Though these books may not deliver on their titular time lines, reading them is a good first step toward making changes. In both books, personal coach Mulligan suggests that readers coach themselves and offers tools in the form of worksheets and questions to assist in the process. In Change Your Life, the author spends a chapter apiece on health, spiritual/religious life, work/career, finances, personal relationships, family, and friends, presenting seven steps for improving each. She also emphasizes being positive when stating goals, e.g., instead of desiring to lose weight, the restated goal is to exercise and get in shape. The formula for achieving total job satisfaction is somewhat similar to that of life change, but Mulligan explores in-depth the reasons for dissatisfaction and success in the workplace. Again, readers assess their values, determine the “right” job for them, and discover attitudes that might hold them back. The most practical chapters deal with power struggles, communication issues, and tips for successful negotiation. VERDICT Neither book is groundbreaking, but each provides a solid starting point for change.—Deborah Bigelow, Leonia P.L., NJ
SOCIAL SCIENCES
Peril, Lynn. Swimming in the Steno Pool: A Retro Guide to Making it in the Office. Norton. Apr. 2011. c.256p. illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780393338546. pap. $16.95. SOC SCI
A freelance writer who has herself worked as a secretary, Peril (College Girls: Bluestockings, Sex Kittens, and Co-Eds Then and Now) continues her accessible study of gender-related topics. In this offering her focus turns to women in the workplace, specifically, gender relations and pursuant expectations in the business office environment. Drawing on her examinations of the primary literature, Peril covers the American workforce from the late 19th century to the modern era, with a focus on the early to mid-20th century. While not a “guide” per se, as the subtitle seems to suggest, Peril’s book shows research that clarifies the limited roles women were expected to play and the stringent dictates that governed women’s behavior in the office. Though not from a strictly feminist perspective (there’s little analysis or commentary) and despite the occasionally intrusive sidebars, this engaging volume adds to existing scholarship at the fascinating intersection of gender, labor, and cultural studies. VERDICT Recommended for general readers, including YA, as well as undergraduates interested in gender studies, business, or American popular culture.—Jewell Anderson, Armstrong Atlantic State Univ. Lib., Savannah, GA
Pitzulo, Carrie. Bachelors and Bunnies: The Sexual Politics of Playboy. Univ. of Chicago. May 2011. c.216p. photogs. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780226670065. $25. SOC SCI
Despite demeaning women and its stance against marriage early on, Playboy, founded in 1953 and famous for its Playmate centerfolds and focus on consumer-oriented bachelorhood, evolved into a progressive forum for both men and women. Pitzulo (history, Univ. of West Georgia) makes a convincing case that both Hugh Hefner’s political views as expressed in his editorial column, “The Playboy Philosophy,” and the philanthropic contributions he made through the Playboy Foundation were evidence that the magazine was not the mere purveyor of porn it was thought to be. She argues that it took seriously such issues as gender equality and civil rights, helping its readers to learn about the important issues of the day. VERDICT Fans of Playboy as well as students of feminist studies and gender politics will find this an interesting and well-researched book. For a more general overview of the life and times of Hefner and his magazine, try Elizabeth Fraterrigo’s recent Playboy and the Making of the Good Life in Modern America.—Donna Marie Smith, Palm Beach Cty. Lib. Syst., FL
Wheeler, Jacob. Between Light and Shadow: A Guatemalan Girl’s Journey through Adoption. Univ. of Nebraska. Apr. 2011. c.280p. photogs. bibliog. ISBN 9780803233621. $24.95. SOC SCI
Journalist Wheeler examines the emotional and ethical complexities of foreign adoption of Guatemalan children, especially by U.S. residents, through the intimately observed experience of one teenager’s reunion with her first mother and her biological brothers. At 14, Ellie (birth name Berenice) had spent half her life with her adoptive family in Michigan. Wheeler reconstructs the circumstances of Berenice’s impoverished mother, abandoned by her husband to raise several children with no support, and dramatizes the mother’s bewildered relinquishment of her seven-year-old daughter to a foster home. He then documents the gripping story of teenage Ellie’s trip to Guatemala to meet her family of origin, a journey driven, yet intermittently impeded, by her understandably conflicted adoptive mother. As observer and documentarian, Wheeler enables and facilitates this profoundly affecting reunion. But he also compromises it, both in his heavy-handed go-between role (though he deserves credit for acknowledging his effect on the unfolding drama) and his awkward presence as a rather intrusive narrator, routinely sharing his own anecdotes and his opinions. Ellie’s story might have been more powerfully shown had it not been so blatantly presented through Wheeler’s lens. VERDICT Not a scholarly treatment, this accessible narrative is of interest to, and will provoke discussion among, readers personally or professionally invested in adoption.—Janet Ingraham Dwyer, State Lib. of Ohio, Columbus
TRAVEL & GEOGRAPHY
Frie dman, Rachel. The Good Girl’s Guide to Getting Lost: A Memoir of Three Continents, Two Friends, and One Unexpected Adventure. Bantam.May 2011. c.320p. ISBN 9780385343374. pap. $15. TRAV
In this memoir, Friedman (literature, John Jay Coll. of Criminal Justice) abandons her musical career and college plans for a summer on her own in Ireland in the hopes of finding a new direction for her adult life. Her time abroad, it turns out, is depressing despite new friends (via hostels, bar and restaurant jobs, and an abundance of alcohol), one of whom provides the impetus for Friedman’s further travels. The sunny, relaxed atmosphere in Australia gives Friedman the courage to expand her horizons still further, this time to South America, where she bumbles through Argentina, Bolivia, Peru, and Chile. Times are good and bad, and connecting with her Australian friend proves difficult. True love appears near the end of the South American adventure. How could it not? VERDICT The book begins with a table of contents featuring cutesy chapter synopses (also used at the beginning of each chapter); aside from this grating misstep, Friedman proves herself an able first-time author. Contrary to the misleading title, this is an enjoyable memoir of a youthful journey of self-discovery. [Library marketing.]—Janet Ross, formerly with Sparks Branch Lib., NV
Theroux, Paul. The Tao of Travel: Enlightenments from Lives on the Road. Houghton Harcourt. May 2011. c.304p. illus. index. ISBN 9780547336916. $25. TRAV
Theroux (Ghost Train to the Eastern Star: On the Tracks of the Great Railway Bazaar) is considered the doyen of travel writers. Despite a promising concept, his latest book is not his best. Theroux takes excerpts of great travel writing (from the likes of Samuel Johnson, Evelyn Waugh, Henry David Thoreau, Mark Twain, Graham Greene, and Ernest Hemingway) and sprinkles them in 27 thematic chapters—e.g., “Fears, Neuroses, and Other Conditions,” “Travel as an Ordeal,” “Travelers’ Bliss,” and “Classics of a Sense of Place”—which, unsurprisingly, have little to do with Taoism. The first chapter, which is made up of snippets from Theroux’s many books, is tedious and forgettable. It is only when the chapters include longer texts from other writers that one gets a better feel for the travelers and their situations. VERDICT True Theroux fans will be happy to add this title to their collections. Others may enjoy excerpts and perhaps be inspired to read the original works, but this is not a book for the casual reader of travel writing. [See Prepub Alert, 11/15/10.]—Lee Arnold, Historical Soc. of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
