Social Sciences

-- Library Journal, 04/15/2009

Rudd, Mark. Underground: My Life with SDS and the Weathermen. Morrow. Apr. 2009. c.336p. maps. ISBN 978-0-06-147275-6. $25.99. AUTOBIOG

Rudd, a leader of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) during the Columbia University student strike of 1968 and subsequently of its offshoot, the Weathermen, adds to the spate of recent memoirs by former radicals of the era (e.g., David Barber's A Hard Rain Fell). Rudd's book captures the anger and despair his generation felt regarding the war, paternalistic universities, and a system that exempted white students from the draft while feeding the poor and minorities into the meat grinder of war. Rudd describes the tensions between white radicals and black students struggling for rights and respect, and he reflects on the movement's sexism, confessing that as a radical media star he slept with female groupies and was surprised when women rejected their role as foot soldiers, stenographers, and sex objects. SDS's descent from student rebellion to make-believe guerrilla war has been chronicled before. But Rudd's account stands with the best of these works, deftly describing the banality of life inside the movement. Now teaching in New Mexico, Rudd retains his idealism and rebellious spirit but sees positive action and community building as the true path forward. This one's a good read.—Duncan Stewart, Univ. of Iowa Libs., Iowa City

Falcone (vice president, Human Resources, Time Warner Cable; 2600 Phrases for Effective Performance Reviews), offers HR guidance here by giving us the beginnings of 101 tough conversations a manager may need to have with staff members. Grouped roughly by type of problem, the conversations each include a scenario, outline a solution with a sample piece of dialog, and alert the reader to potential legal or HR entanglements that might arise from the situation. Whether the book is of any use will depend on how comfortable the reader is in assuming Falcone's voice. The conversations generally follow a set pattern: force employees to admit their mistakes, make them feel guilt over it, extract their commitment to improve, and outline consequences if they don't. The sample dialogs themselves are apparently entirely fabricated, occasionally far-fetched, and begin to sound very similar over the course of the book. Those who have read Falcone's other books may want to pick this up for completeness, but most would be better served with something like Phillip L. Hunsaker and Tony Alessandra's more nuanced The Art of Managing People.—Brian Walton, Tampa-Hillsborough P.L., FL

Financial journalist Kansas starts with a blow-by-blow account through late 2008 of how the subprime housing crisis began, evolved into a liquidity panic, and then set off a global economic slowdown. He profiles the major players, such as Ben Bernanke and Timothy Geithner, and does an excellent job of describing the domino-like falling of longstanding firms like Bear Stearns, Lehman, and AIG, then explaining how individuals can cope with the crisis. He gives rudimentary personal finance advice such as reducing debt and diversifying investments. His text is illustrated with easy-to-understand graphs and tables, and includes explanations of important points like bank runs and how the Federal Reserve operates. The end of each chapter has a series of explanatory questions and answers. For deeper insights and possible ways to resolve the crisis, consider also Robert Shiller's The Subprime Solution: he predicted the bursting of the housing bubble. Overall, Kansas provides a very useful beginning for those who are perplexed and anxious about the financial crisis—pretty much everybody.—Lawrence Maxted, Gannon Univ., PA

The GI bill, officially the Serviceman's Readjustment Act of 1944, is best remembered today for the college educations that it provided to thousands of World War II veterans, transforming their lives and bringing lasting change to American society. Altschuler and Blumin (American Studies and history, respectively, Cornell Univ.) examine both the GI bill and its impact, pointing out how far-reaching the bill in fact was. Although thousands of ex-soldiers earned college degrees because of the bill, Blumin and Altschuler argue that the vocational training available to veterans did even more to raise American standards of living. Additionally, the bill's home loan program increased home ownership and contributed to the growth of suburbs, a major shift in American society. The authors also discuss the effects of the GI bill on black and female veterans and how their experiences laid the groundwork for the Civil Rights era. A lively and carefully researched account of the GI bill and the postwar era; all informed readers should consider.—Becky Kennedy, Atlanta-Fulton P.L., Atlanta

Prolific historian Bernstein (adjunct, New York Law Sch.) follows up the brief biography Thomas Jefferson with another accessible work of popular history on a weighty topic. In intertwined biographical sketches that synthesize the scholarship of others from a bevy of primary and secondary sources, he succinctly summarizes the accomplishments of iconic early American statesmen and politicians. More interestingly, he also examines the conflicting and wavering legacies of these Revolutionary leaders and crafters of the Constitution and Bill of Rights. Bernstein stresses that the founders were noble but imperfect men, not flawless demigods, and his repeated references to the distinction of his approach in this regard can get tiring. Still, it's to his credit that he does not shy away from commenting on what he perceives as a lack of foresight and courage by the founders when crafting laws for the fledgling republic, most notably on the issue of slavery. The endnotes and bibliography are generously annotated, increasing this book's value as a useful starting point for further, more scholarly research. Recommended for general readers seeking an introduction to the legacies, political careers, and disparate roles of these men in the creation and early leadership of a new nation.—Douglas King, Univ. of South Carolina Lib., Columbia

A minor princess from the German backwater of Anhalt-Zerbst, Catherine the Great parlayed a loveless marriage into rule after her unattractive husband, Peter III, was deposed in a bloodless coup. Six months later, Peter was dead, strangled by the brother of a court favorite. (There is no evidence that Catherine colluded in his murder.) Intelligent and energetic, Catherine was influenced by Montesquieu, Beccaria, and the English jurist Blackstone and soon set about reforming her backward empire. A patron of the arts and letters, she corresponded with Voltaire, d'Alembert, and Diderot. Her attempts to lighten the burden on the Russian serfs failed, but she improved domestic administration and established a permanent footprint in the West when the last parts of independent Poland were absorbed into Russia in 1795. Dixon effectively details the minutiae of court life, explicating the importance of display in signaling imperial power. He doesn't slight Catherine's numerous affairs but notes that she didn't confuse affairs of the heart with affairs of state. This admirable biography elucidates aspects of Catherine's life—both what she did and did not achieve in a long and colorful reign—and is warmly recommended for both specialists and readers new to the subject.—David Keymer, Modesto, CA

Kashmir is a mountainous region between India and Pakistan—and a long-simmering potential flash point of nuclear war. Until India's partition in the late 1940s, which left Kashmir with a Muslim majority but largely under Indian governance, it was a peaceful summer retreat for Mughal rulers and then British colonizers. British journalist, novelist, and aid worker Hardy (Bollywood Boy) has maintained a 20-year friendship with the Dar family, Muslim houseboat operators in Srinagar. Here she records the turmoil they have lived through, from the insurgency of 1989 through the earthquake of 2005, thus reporting from the bottom up rather than the other way around, as found in most political coverage. No family has escaped Kashmir's history of violence and the often bungled efforts at pacification, and the human side of this long-festering conflict is here competently and evenhandedly recorded. As American military involvement moves steadily eastward from Iraq, we are likely to hear more about this region. Hardy's account contributes to our understanding of the tragedy of cross-cultural conflicts, if not its solutions. Suitable for readers seeking an understanding of this region.—Harold M. Otness, formerly with Southern Oregon Univ. Lib, Ashland

Lears (history, Rutgers Univ., Something for Nothing: Luck in America) examines the underpinnings of U.S. regeneration after the Civil War from both individual and national standpoints. For example, he shows that individuals, enabled by the Young Men's Christian Association, took part in physical fitness to transform themselves, while on the national level Southern white supremacists renewed themselves by reversing Reconstruction with their Jim Crow laws. Throughout, Lears also notes how militarism itself can be an agent of change and how Protestant Christianity added the important moral spark for regeneration. The latter insight is not new, and Lears is at his best when talking about militarism. As the Civil War faded from memory, the country looked for new wars, such as the Indian Wars, the Spanish-American War, and World War I, to create its heroes. Lears argues that this militarism still functions today, especially after 9/11. This is not a narrative history but more of an intellectual analysis geared to students and scholars and recommended for such readers.—Bryan Craig, MLS, Nellsyford, VA

Coeditors Williams (chief justice, Supreme Court of Rhode Island; Judging Lincoln) and Pederson (director, International Lincoln Ctr., Louisiana St. Univ., Shreveport; Grassroots Constitutionalism) hit upon an intriguing idea by asking various prominent Lincoln scholars (e.g., Doris Kearns Goodwin, James M. McPherson) and other notables who have studied him closely (e.g., Sandra Day O'Connor, Mario M. Cuomo) to relate how they first "met" Lincoln and how they've approached him. The result is a book that combines, in varying degrees, autobiography and argument. If a thematic thread runs throughout, it is that Lincoln demanded explanation, for he stood at the center of so many essential questions about America—the purpose and prospects of freedom, the nature of democracy, the qualities of great leadership, the limits of government, and America's place in the world. Some of the arguments here are distillations of ideas presented in fuller form elsewhere, and none of them will surprise any close student of Lincoln. Still, together, they remind us why Lincoln has such a powerful grip on the American imagination. [William D. Pederson is a longtime book reviewer in history and law for LJ.—Ed.]—Randall M. Miller, Saint Joseph's Univ., Philadelphia

During the medieval period (500–1500 C.E.), much of Western Europe was a cultural backwater, characterized by ignorance, illiteracy, and violence. At the same time the Arabic world, including Antioch, Córdoba, and Baghdad (where the House of Wisdom, a library, book repository, and academy of scholars, was located) witnessed a flowering of scholars, libraries, scientific advances in medicine, mathematics, geography, astronomy, and agriculture, as well as the translation from Greek of Aristotle, Euclid, and Ptolemy, and other important works from Hindu and Persian scholars. Lyons (former editor, Reuters) shows us not only the Christian scholars, e.g., Adelard of Bath, in their quest for Arabic books and knowledge but also some of the great Muslim scholars like Albumazar and Averroes, as well as rulers and religious leaders—both Christian and Muslim. Lively and well researched, the book clarifies how Arabic books, ideas, and knowledge were found and brought back to Europe to help shape Western ideas. With a list of significant events and leading figures; highly recommended for general readers. (Bibliography, notes, and illustrations not seen.)—Melissa Aho, Univ. of Minnesota Libs., Minneapolis

The subtitle here is misleading: Meyerson devotes only a small portion of his narrative to the discovery and clearance of Tutankhamun's tomb, with no suggestion of a mystery. Instead, he focuses on Howard Carter's early career and his eventual partnership with Lord Carnarvon, which led to their excavating in the Valley of the Kings. The reader is introduced to late 19th- and early 20th-century Egypt, when scientific excavation was in its infancy. Ancient Egypt is Meyerson's avocation (his M.A. is in comparative literature), and he writes in a popular style for the nonspecialist. Unfortunately, there are a number of inaccuracies, e.g., Upper Egypt did not include Nubia, a foreign land that came under Egyptian control when Egypt was strong; "upriver" on the Nile is south toward its source, not north; and the approach to Hatshepsut's temple was not "sphinx-lined" when Carter worked there. An optional choice for general readers, who might prefer Thomas Hovings's 1978 tell-all Tutankhamun: The Untold Story. (Most illustrations, map, family trees, and index not seen.)—Edward K. Werner, St. Lucie Cty. Lib. Syst., Ft. Pierce, FL

Pincher, a veteran investigative writer on British security, is angry about his countrymen who betrayed the UK and angry at Whitehall's efforts to sweep it all under the rug. Most of the stories he recounts here are well known in outline, but Pincher provides additional details. His central theme is that Roger Hollis, who rose through the ranks of the MI5 Security Service to become its head, was a longtime Communist mole and worked to frustrate British counterintelligence operations—allegations Pincher made earlier in Their Trade Is Treachery (1981). Pincher has conducted extensive research in American, British, and Russian archives, but his most valuable information comes from talking with those in the know, the result of years of carefully cultivating personal relationships and taking advantage of upper-crust social get-togethers. Because this may be his last book (he is 94) and because many of his sources have died, Pincher names those who quietly helped him over the years. A disturbing history and a warning about continued Russian espionage and Western weaknesses; of interest to a wide range of readers, though a chronology and photographs would have been useful. (Index not seen.)—Daniel K. Blewett, Coll. of DuPage Lib., Glen Ellyn, IL

One of the largely forgotten heroes of the American Revolution was a Polish immigrant with a virtually unpronounceable last name—Thaddeus (Tadeusz) Kos´ciuszko (kosh-chew-sko). A brilliant military engineer, Kos´ciuszko arrived in Philadelphia in August 1776 and, on Benjamin Franklin's doorstep, volunteered his services to the Revolution. He proceeded to construct defenses for Philadelphia, helped devise a successful battle plan at Saratoga, and designed the defenses at West Point—the plans that Benedict Arnold was so interested in selling to the British. Much to the chagrin of his French counterparts, he was appointed chief engineer of the army and participated in the final campaign at Yorktown. Kos´ciuszko returned to Poland eager to emulate the American independence movement there, leading the Polish army against the Russian invasion. Unfortunately, that cause was lost, and he was captured but later pardoned by Tsar Paul I. For the rest of his life, he championed human rights. Using new archival sources in Switzerland and Poland, Storozynski has written a complete biography of a truly great republican. Strongly recommended for both lay readers and specialists.—David Lee Poremba, Cagan Crossings Community Lib., Clermont, FL

Every year, more than 50,000 Boy Scouts achieve the highest rank of Eagle Scout. Building on his earlier Legacy of Honor, which examined the contributions of Eagle Scouts, Townley set out to discover what his generation of twentysomething Eagle Scouts was doing to shape America's future. In his quest, he met Navy SEALs, professional football players, doctors, teachers, philanthropists, entrepreneurs, Olympic athletes, community activists, and others, all imbued with a sense of adventure, service, and lifelong learning. The result of his project is this book—part part travelog, part memoir, and part Boy Scouts celebration—which explores the impact new Eagle Scouts are having on the United States, the rest of the world, and their local communities. Recent negative press about Boy Scouts in regard to admission guidelines (an issue curiously absent in this book) and the 2010 centennial anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America may broaden interest, but this will likely appeal only to those affiliated with the organization or those who enjoyed Townley's previous book. (Photos and index not seen.)—Mike Miller, Austin P.L., TX

Is this a good time for another Dillinger book? The author thinks so, and readers will too by the end of the book. Gorn (history & American studies, Brown Univ.; The Manly Art) has produced an excellent account—a fast-paced romp that's hard to put down—of the short life and times of the outlaw John Dillinger. Covering not just Dillinger's final year, which was full of bank robberies, jailbreaks, and covert visits home, the author paints a picture of the 1930s America that Dillinger experienced. Mostly throughout the Midwest, Dillinger managed to elude authorities—even breaking out of jail by brandishing a wooden gun. The federal agency that became the FBI made his capture their top priority. With economic parallels to today, it is not hard to understand why the public hero-worshipped Dillinger. He was seen as a kind of Robin Hood—he robbed the banks that had lost the life savings of so many. With Johnny Depp playing Dillinger in a summer 2009 movie, this should prove a popular book. Recommended for general readers and crime aficionados; history buffs will appreciate the detailed notes.—Karen Sandlin Silverman, Ctr. for Applied Research, Philadelphia

A leading historian of the Supreme Court, Powe (law & government, Univ. of Texas, Austin) decries what he calls the Imperial Court, which he sees as overly concerned with solidifying its primacy through a series of pretentious opinions. He details a litany of cases in which the Rehnquist Court overturned positive, progressive, and proactive legislation designed to protect and improve society, instead turning to rigid interpretation in an overreaching attempt to stifle c ongressional authority, as granted by the Constitution. Powe links the Supreme Court's late 20th-century mindset change with the ascendancy of a Republican majority in Congress, which began with the 1994 elections and continued until the mid-term election of 2006. As the author convincingly argues, surfing waves of electoral sentiment is a bad move for a Court cognizant of its historical legacy, and it may some day regret its decisions to invalidate the Violence Against Women Act, strike down the Gun Free School Zones Act, and abrogate damage-remedy provisions under both the Age Discrimination and Americans with Disabilities Acts. Recommended for students and practitioners of U.S. constitutional law.—Philip Y. Blue, New York State Supreme Court Criminal Branch Law Lib., New York

Having served several U.S. administrations in high-level foreign policy positions for over two decades, Haass (The Opportunity), president of the Council on Foreign Relations, arguably the most influential foreign policy think tank in the United States, is uniquely qualified to provide readers with foreign policy insights and analysis. In this book, he compares, from both personal and historical perspectives, the U.S. decision-making process during two wars launched against Iraq. Haass was on the Security Council staff during George H.W. Bush's war, and he was director of policy planning in George W. Bush's State Department. As Haass persuasively argues, the first Iraq War was launched by a broad coalition of countries to evict Iraqi forces from Kuwait and is described by Haass as an example of a classic war of collective self-defense, or a war of necessity. The second Iraq conflict, which was launched by the United States in 2003, was a war of choice because it was a preemptive war that ignored viable alternatives to war. Haass also addresses broader issues and forces that continue to affect the making and conduct of U.S. foreign policy. Recommended for all readers interested in U.S. foreign policy.—Nader Entessar, Univ. of South Alabama, Mobile

In 2007, physician and med school professor Maskalyk (emergency medicine, Univ. of Toronto) worked for Doctors Without Borders in the Sudanese village of Abyei. This memoir is an extension of the blogs he posted during that stint, with some of his original blog entries interspersed here. While Maskalyk's sacrifices and hard work in Sudan are surely admirable, his idiosyncratic and sometimes irritating stream-of-consciousness writing style detracts from what is otherwise an eye-opening and thought-provoking account of his challenging daily struggle to assist a Sudanese population afflicted by the dire ravages of poverty, malnutrition, war, and epidemics of contagious disease. Maskalyk's casual, impressionistic writing feels somewhat fragmented and disjointed, and the reader is left frustrated by the elusive, half-formed narrative of his immediate personal experiences before, during, and after his time in Africa. Readers seeking to better understand the causes of the Sudanese conflict might prefer Daoud Hari's The Translator. An optional choice for general readers and also suitable for medical school or hospital libraries where there is interest in international public health or Doctors Without Borders.—Ingrid Levin, Salve Regina Univ. Lib., Newport, RI

Cherlin (public policy, Johns Hopkins Univ.) is a longtime observer of marriage, American-style: his 1983 book, Marriage, Divorce, Remarriage, has been revised several times and is still in print, though the scope of the latest edition ends with the early 1990s. Picking up where that book left off, this volume looks at recent developments regarding same-sex marriage, changes in family court decisions, and newer models of marriage and family life. These developments trouble Cherlin, who suggests that Americans' apparently unique propensity to marry, remarry, and participate in short-term cohabiting relationships destabilizes families and takes a considerable toll on the children who are subject to a revolving door of household participants. Cherlin's most acute observations concern the tensions that arise as a result of Americans' high regard for marriage but also for self-expression and personal growth, which allows people to cast marriage aside easily. Cherlin calls his last chapter "Slow Down," counseling Americans to reflect more carefully on how to balance their sense of individuality with their expectations of the "fragile accomplishment" that is marriage. A scholarly treatment of American family life for students of the subject.—Ellen Gilbert, Princeton, NJ

Using 75 oral interviews with ordinary American men and women ranging widely in age, class, and education levels, Freidenfelds (women's studies, Wellesley Coll.) examines the changes that took place in the ways women managed menstruation over the course of the 20th century. She cites the ideals of Progressivism, specifically the focus on a scientific approach to health, as the impetus to women's modern approach. As health experts and educators taught women earlier and more openly about menarche, women cooperated with product manufacturers and advertisers to adopt new disposable technologies that would better hide menstruation and provide comfort. Freidenfelds argues that innovations in menstrual management would not have been possible without the expansion of middle-class values and lifestyle expectations. The interview excerpts provide anecdotes to Freidenfelds's arguments and fill a gap in primary-source material on this topic. A good companion to Elizabeth Arveda Kissling's Capitalizing on the Curse: The Business of Menstruation and Sharra L. Vostral's Under Wraps: A History of Menstrual Hygiene Technology. Recommended especially for readers in gender studies.—Kate Farley, Armstrong Atlantic State Univ. Lib., Savannah, GA

A mixture of travel tale and current events reporting, this book delivers more significant insights into the Arab world than the lighthearted title might suggest. Growing up in an American compound in Libya and then returning to the Middle East as a reporter for the New York Times, MacFarquhar is more qualified than most Americans to write about the street-level Arab point of view. Anecdotes range from the silly to the chilling and are sometimes both, as when he describes a children's history book that includes a pop-up figure of an Israeli soldier bloodily stabbed to death. MacFarquhar does not offer the profusion of flavors and colors expected in a travel narrative or delve very deeply into the characters of the people he describes, yet he manages to paint a convincing picture of the variety of perspectives existing in the Middle East, from the rigidly Islamist to the passionately dissident. MacFarquhar also offers his own reasoned judgments on the success of U.S. policies in this part of the world. Recommended for informed readers and scholars.—Lisa Klopfer, Eastern Michigan Univ., Ypsilanti

A thoughtful exploration of the methamphetamine epidemic in the context of small-town America, this work centers on tiny Oelwein, IA, a microcosm of the devastating dynamic among rural life, economic instability, and meth. Reding (The Last Cowboys at the End of the World) studies macro-level forces, from the international drug trade to the influence of interest groups on U.S. regulatory activity. He traces the allure of meth production and consumption, faulting economic disadvantage and, in turn, the consolidation of the American food industry (crucial to Oelwein's troubles was the merger, and then closing, of a meatpacking plant). The book's power derives, however, from the immediacy and everyday reality of one small town, where Reding immerses himself, spending months with several heroic if hardly perfect residents—the doctor, prosecutor, and mayor—and two local meth addicts. With personal ties to the rural Midwest and to addiction, Reding is sympathetic and humane. He leaves Oelwein in the midst of a fragile but hopeful renaissance, with a new industrial park, library, and expanded downtown. The awareness remains that ruin can arrive anytime, by means of a drug that can be made in a kitchen sink. Recommended for general readers.—Janet Ingraham Dwyer, Worthington Libs., OH

Readers remembering the consummate countercultural masterpiece, Stewart Brand's The Whole Earth Catalog, will begin chuckling immediately upon reading the title of this idiosyncratic book by Schechter (American literature & culture, Queens Coll.; The Devil's Gentleman). Schechter offers readers a scholarly yet wildly hilarious romp through the cultural history of death and dying. It is not only rollicking entertainment but also provides a wealth of practical and historical information about death. Thus, amid chapters with titles like "Funeral Fun Facts" and "Cremation, Cryonics, and Other Postmortem Possibilities," readers will find useful advice on writing living wills and avoiding funeral industry scams. The perversely macabre illustrations and sidebars are alone worth the price of the book. A significant contribution to the literature on death, this work merits a prominent space on the shelves next to Jessica Mitford's The American Way of Death, Mary Roach's Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers and the oeuvre of Elisabeth Kübler-Ross. Highly recommended.—Lynne F. Maxwell, Villanova Univ. Sch. of Law Lib., PA

Is there anything of consequence not included in an Insight Guide? Two of the newest additions to the series will take you through the lovely lake region of northern Italy with ease and an abundance of information. A potential first-time visitor will want the larger book, rather than the Step by Step, as it is dense with text, color photographs, and maps. The contents cover history, art, architecture, wildlife, top sights, castles, wine and oil routes, rock art, the silk industry, places to stay, restaurants and bars, nightlife, annual events, shopping, celebrity residents, and more. Although there's much coverage of the region's more than a half-dozen lakes, Lake Como and Lake Garda being the most familiar, there's also extensive information about the lake country cities of Verona, Lugano, and Milan. Smaller in size, but equally crammed with all the features expected from an Insight Guide, Italian Lakes Step by Step has 18 itineraries suggested by local experts and a detailed pull-out map. Most of the itineraries are for day trips—on foot or by car or boat—making this guide most useful as a take-along (and thus less recommended for library circulation). Just browsing either guide will prompt a reader to consider a visit to the area, and public libraries with large European travel sections will be especially interested in adding Insight Guide's Italian Lakes to their collections.—Janet Ross, formerly with Washoe Cty. Lib. Syst., Sparks, NV

A food writer for the Guardian and a judge on the BBC Two (UK) show Great British Menu, Fort adds yet another travelog to the "visit Italy and bask in its gustatory delights" genre made popular by Frances Mayes's Under the Tuscan Sun. Fort explores the food, people, and culture of Sicily, often with comparisons to his experiences on the Italian mainland. As is typical with this genre, the author considers the history of the food he eats and the local way of life as well as the role of community and family in the meals and regional dishes. The narrative is accompanied by numerous recipes (using metric measurements), many of which contain ingredients that may be difficult to obtain outside of Italy. This book partners well with Fort's earlier Eating Up Italy, in which he covers the Italian mainland in a similar manner. There is a sufficient number of books in this genre, making Fort's latest useful only in its exclusive focus on Sicily.—Sheila Kasperek, Millersville Univ. Lib., PA

In this companion to a television series already aired on the BBC in the UK and likely to be aired stateside soon, actor and writer Fry (Revenge: A Novel) chronicles his adventures visiting all 50 states—a feat even most Americans will never accomplish. He travels mostly in a London taxicab, a motorized manifestation of his "quintessential Englishness," and offers an outsider's refreshing perspective on the vastness and variety of America. In Vermont, Fry creates his own ice cream as a "Guest Flavorist" at Ben and Jerry's. In South Carolina, he attends a Gullah community choir performance. He interviews Native Americans on a reservation in South Dakota and swims with sharks in Hawaii. As Frey predicts of his readers, this reviewer turned first to her home state of New Jersey, which he admits is an easy target for criticism. Fry's is witty enough to relieve any chagrin one might feel about the tackiness of Atlantic City as he describes his gig as a blackjack dealer. As this book is written primarily for a British audience, American readers might miss an allusion or two, but they will find much that is delightfully funny and informative.—Megan Hahn Fraser, UCLA Lib.

Wall Street Journal "Middle Seat" columnist McCartney (ENIAC: The Triumphs and Tragedies of the World's First Computer) has created a guide to navigating and getting the most out of airline travel. Heavy on airline industry information, the book features only two chapters devoted to hotels and cruises. Topics include airfares, upgrades, frequent flier plans, boarding, weather, security, and baggage woes. Not as generally comprehensive as Peter Greenberg's The Complete Travel Detective Bible, which also covers lifestyle, active, and other travel, this guide does provide extensive, detailed airline information that will surely be useful to frequent air travelers who want to improve their journey. This is not a quick read; instead, the dense narrative is loaded with great information, fantastic tips, and additional resource recommendations, making it a good choice in these economically tough times, when travelers want to get the best deals, avoid travel hassles, and work the system.—Louise Feldmann, Colorado State Univ. Lib., Fort Collins

Biography