Social Sciences Reviews, October 1, 2011
Oct 1, 2011Biography
Chaney, Lisa. Coco Chanel: An Intimate Life. Viking. Nov. 2011. c.387p. photogs. index. ISBN 9780670023097. $27.95. BIOG
British author Chaney (Hide-and-Seek with Angels: A Life of J.M. Barrie) serves up an excellent complement to Hal Vaughan’s hyped Sleeping with the Enemy: Coco Chanel’s Secret War. Relying on newly released love letters, private diaries, and reminiscences Chanel shared with writer Paul Morand before her death, Chaney eschews politics to highlight the Chanel aesthetic—the philosophy of art, fashion, and creativity at the heart of her iconic brand. Chanel’s life unfolds in detail—her impoverished youth, relationships with artists, writers, and musicians in Paris, self-serving love affairs, business partnerships, and scandalous at the time behaviors (bisexuality and drug use among them). Using Chanel’s own words wherever possible, Chaney reveals the woman behind the icon—her vulnerability, loneliness, and disappointment at remaining childless. Most important here is Chaney’s insight into Chanel’s role in creating the modern, independent woman, who prized both beauty and functionality. Open about the difficulty of unraveling the various myths surrounding Chanel, Chaney concludes with a look at what became of the brand after her death. VERDICT While Vaughan’s work focuses on Chanel’s alleged pro-Nazi liaisons during and after World War II, Chaney details the totality of Chanel’s life. Recommended for general readers interested in biography, fashion, and modern womanhood.—Marie M. Mullaney, Caldwell Coll., NJ
Görtemaker, Heike B. Eva Braun: Life with Hitler. Knopf. Oct. 2011. c.320p. tr. from German by Damion Searls. illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780307595829. $27.95. BIOG
Eva Braun is notorious as Hitler’s longtime mistress who died with him on April 30, 1945, after a brief wedding ceremony in the führer’s Berlin bunker during the final Soviet assault of World War II. Braun was little known then, and her role as his lover and wife came to light only in the postwar period. Recently, two major biographical studies have appeared: Angela Lambert’s The Lost Life of Eva Braun and now this English translation of Görtemaker’s 2010 Eva Braun: Leben mit Hitler. Both works are serviceable, but Görtemaker, a German historian, has investigated more archives and probably has a better overall feel for the era’s cultural milieu. She also provides useful context with her discussion of the Nazi view of women and their role in the Reich. She believes that Braun probably played a larger role in Hitler’s daily life than has been previously assumed by historians; nevertheless, Braun never acted outside of the rigid social and personal boundaries established by Hitler. VERDICT While Lambert’s book is an easier read, this solidly researched, sophisticated, and well-written biography has greater insight into Nazi culture and is highly recommended for libraries that do not currently have either book.—Ed Goedeken, Iowa State Univ. Lib., Ames
Ling, Chai. A Heart for Freedom: The Remarkable Journey of a Young Dissident, Her Daring Escape, and Her Quest To Free China’s Daughters. Tyndale House. Oct. 2011. c.370p. ISBN 9781414362465. $22.99. AUTOBIOG
Though only 45, Chai Ling relates her life thus far. After an impoverished youth in a Chinese village, she earned a scholarship to university in Beijing and went on to graduate studies. She writes of struggling through several abortions, her mother’s nervous breakdown, and her rise in the pro-democracy movement to becoming commander of the Defend Tiananmen Square Headquarters, a monumental responsibility: “We had wanted a dialogue with the government and now the government was going to kill us along with all the unarmed people on the Square.” She became a fugitive and escaped from China in 1990, eventually attending Princeton’s program for post-Tiananmen students. She married an American and raised her daughters as Christians. After becoming a wealthy investment banker, she founded All Girls Allowed, which assists girls and women in China. Given the book’s publisher, readers may be surprised that religious discussion comes late in the book and is not extensive. Most moving is the author’s honesty about her abortions and her attempts to help others in similar circumstances. For the strength to reveal these details, she credits her husband and religion. VERDICT A beautiful and redemptive memoir for readers of Chinese history, personal memoir, or spiritual autobiography.—Susan G. Baird, formerly with Oak Lawn P.L., IL
Miller, Nancy K. What They Saved: Pieces of a Jewish Past. Univ. of Nebraska. 2011. 248p. illus. ISBN 9780803230019. $24.95. AUTOBIOG
Miller (distinguished professor of English & comparative literature, Graduate Ctr., CUNY; But Enough About Me: Why We Read Other People’s Lives) traces her family’s history in this introspective, intellectual memoir. A tantalizing cache of family artifacts found after her father’s death leads Miller to in-depth research and the rediscovery of long-lost paternal ancestors, including some who came to the United States to escape pogroms in eastern Europe. Her meditations on the various life stories and challenges she uncovers prompt her to reexamine her own identity, reconnect with her Jewish heritage, and develop a deeper understanding of how her life was shaped by hidden or forgotten aspects of her family’s past. VERDICT The resulting reflective memoir doesn’t have a strong story arc, as it would have if Miller had fashioned her family’s history into one narrative. Instead, in somewhat fragmented chapters, she focuses on her research process and her own ruminations about each new find, an approach that obscures some of the very stories uncovered by her research. Best suited to those interested in genealogy, Jewish history, or cerebral memoirs. Readers may also consider Emil Draitser’s Shush! Growing Up Jewish Under Stalin: A Memoir.—Ingrid Levin, Salve Regina Univ. Lib., Newport, RI
Snay, Mitchell. Horace Greeley and the Politics of Reform in Nineteenth-Century America. Rowman & Littlefield. 2011. c.192p. illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780742551008. $35. BIOG
Snay (history, Denison Univ.; Fenians, Freedmen, and Southern Whites) considers Greeley (1811–72) in his roles as New York Tribune founder and editor, perennial political aspirant, and reformer. A leading member of the Whig and Republican parties, Greeley fought slavery and championed temperance, land reform, and a modified version of women’s rights (without the suffrage) against Jacksonian Democrats and their successors. Frequently citing the work of other scholars, Snay emphasizes the contradictions in Greeley’s simultaneous promotion of unions and class harmony, capitalism and cooperation; his morality-based pacifism and his support for the Civil War; and his anti-slavery stance and simultaneous aversion to the active federal role in Reconstruction. Opposing antebellum expansion that extended the territory of slaveholders while believing that free land would alleviate many social and economic ills, this lifelong tariff proponent died shortly after running for President. VERDICT Snay’s survey of this important public life in an era when the country was transitioning from an agrarian to an industrial state is written in an instructor’s explanatory tone, suitable for students and general readers alike. Scholars should stick with Robert C. Williams’s more comprehensive Horace Greeley: Champion of American Freedom or Adam Tuchinsky’s analytical Horace Greeley’s New-York Tribune. —Frederick J. Augustyn Jr., Library of Congress
COMMUNICATIONS
Nessen, Ron. Making the News, Taking the News: From NBC to the Ford White House. Wesleyan Univ. 2011. 272p. photogs. ISBN 9780819571564. $27.95. COMM
The politics of the 1960s–70s come to life in Nessen’s recounting of the first 15 years of his journalism career from 1962 to 1977. As a reporter for NBC, he had a front row seat for many events, including the Civil Rights Movement and the Vietnam War. In the early 1970s, he was assigned to NBC’s Washington Bureau and became one of the “nattering nabobs of negativity” covering the Nixon White House. When Gerald Ford succeeded Nixon, he chose Nessen to serve as his press secretary. Nessen’s insider account of White House operations, covering the personalities and inside maneuvering of individuals whose names are still familiar, such as Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld, illustrates how the Ford presidency floundered. He intersperses reflections on his personal life and failures with the story of his career. VERDICT Political junkies will love the details about the White House personalities and operations under Ford, and journalists and journalism scholars will appreciate Nessen’s reflections on the role and power of reporting (his inclusion of personal confessions is less successful and seems strained at times).—Judy Solberg, Seattle Univ. Lib.
Economics
Dillian, Jared. Street Freak: Money and Madness at Lehman Brothers. Touchstone: S. & S. 2011. c.368p. ISBN 9781439181263. $26. BUS
Writing in a kind of gonzo journalism style, Dillian recounts his years as an exchange-traded funds (ETF) trader at Lehman Brothers, beginning just before 9/11 and ending with the firm’s implosion in September 2008. While his book adds nothing to the literature of excess that documents the testosterone-driven, juvenile, and frequently grotesque corporate culture of Wall Street, two angles serve to differentiate this from similar titles. One is the author’s detailed descriptions of his work; the multimillion-dollar fluctuations in his profit and loss statements offer readers vicarious thrills, and the intricacies of big-league trading will fascinate financial voyeurs. The other is Dillian’s personal story, interwoven through his chronicle of victories on the trading floor, of his downward spiral into alcoholism and mental illness. He is diagnosed with bipolar disorder and spends a short time in a psychiatric ward before returning to work. VERDICT Dillian’s book will appeal the most to hard-core trading junkies or those who seek a comprehensive view of the post-9/11, pre-crisis Wall Street.—Steve Wilson, Dayton Metro Lib., OH
Isdell, Neville with David Beasley. Inside Coca-Cola: A CEO’s Life Story of Building the World’s Most Popular Brand. St. Martin’s. Nov. 2011. c.272p. photogs. index. ISBN 9780312617950. $25.99. BUS
In an old-school autobiography documenting a lifelong career at a single company (an ever-rarer phenomenon), Isdell begins with his birth in Ireland and ends with his retirement in Barbados. He grew up in colonial Zambia (Northern Rhodesia), went to university, married and started a family, and was hired by a Johannesburg Coke bottler. From there he rose through the Coca-Cola ranks, moving from South Africa to the Philippines then on to Germany, Russia, and India. His book details the high and low points of a varied career that culminated when Isdell was pulled out of retirement to become CEO of the faltering Coca-Cola in 2004. By the time of his second retirement, in 2009, the company had rebounded to its current position of strength. In a business autobiography that is more personal and chatty than most, the author’s family and private life and opinions are mentioned as frequently as the ins and outs of his corporate dealings. VERDICT Reading this book is much like listening to your grandfather tell his life story—if he were a CEO. It will appeal to readers interested in Coke in particular or classic corporate autobiographies in general.—Susan Hurst, Miami Univ. Libs., Oxford, OH
Morrison, Terri & Wayne A. Conaway. Kiss, Bow, or Shake Hands: Sales and Marketing: The Essential Cultural Guide—from Presentations and Promotions to Communicating and Closing. McGraw-Hill. Nov. 2011. c.288p. ISBN 9780071714044. pap. $20. BUS
This latest in the “Kiss, Bow, or Shake Hands” series is designed for sales and marketing people who frequently travel and do business with companies around the world. It covers countries on all seven continents, and individual country profiles cover such topics as population, median age, legal drinking age, descriptions of popular advertisements, the structure of the work week, how promptly one should arrive at meetings, what behaviors are considered polite and impolite, how much physical space to give another person, appropriate greetings and body language, good conversational icebreakers, when to give out business cards, the best ways to make a sale, and key language phrases and words. Readers are advised to arrive early for business meetings in Japan, to have business cards with Portuguese on one side and English on the other in Brazil, and never to show annoyance when someone is smoking nearby in Argentina—which along with Chile has the highest smoking rate in South America. VERDICT This resource is full of clear explanations and practical advice and will be appreciated by businesspeople preparing for a trip overseas and by students of business who anticipate travel in their futures.—Lucy T. Heckman, St. John’s Univ. Lib., Jamaica, NY
Torrenzano, Richard & Mark Davis. Digital Assassination: Protecting Your Reputation, Brand, or Business Against Online Attacks. St. Martin’s. Nov. 2011. c.304p. index. ISBN 9780312617912. $25.99. BUS
Torrenzano (chief executive, Torrenzano Group) and Davis (former White House speechwriter) discuss how various Internet tools are being used by digital maligners to harm reputations and perform character assassinations. The authors explain how anyone can tap into social media or access other inexpensive tools to mount an electronic onslaught, severely altering the digital reputation of a person or a company. They argue that the dark side of human behavior, not technology, is the driving factor behind this phenomenon and outline seven forms the attacks can take. They also provide strategies, tactics, and keystrokes to help blunt and reverse malicious attacks. VERDICT Expanding on Andy Beal and Judy Strauss’s Radically Transparent and nicely supplementing Michael Fertik and David Thompson’s Wild West 2.0, the ample anecdotes in this book illustrate how the web’s anonymity and interconnectedness can be subverted for destructive purposes. Essential reading for business people and anyone interested in information technology. Highly recommended.—Dale Farris, Groves, TX
Education
Rosen, Andrew S. Change.edu: Rebooting for the New Talent Economy. Kaplan. Oct. 2011. c.260p. index. ISBN 9781607144410. $23. ED
Rosen, chairman and CEO of Kaplan, Inc., has written a smart, easy-to-read overview of the weaknesses of colleges and universities and the benefits of the fast-growing private-sector colleges, one of which, Kaplan University, he heads. He argues that too many public and private universities focus on campus amenities and institutional prestige rather than what their students learn and that community colleges provide access but have an unsustainable financial model. Private-sector universities prosper only because they give students new skills, so they pay close attention to what their students learn and how they can learn better. Rosen presents data and analyses that challenge the usual criticisms of private-sector universities—that they don’t educate and they charge too much, misuse government funds, and recruit too aggressively. While this book will not quiet all critics, it effectively identifies weaknesses in both the nonprofit and the public sectors and should stimulate college presidents to reconsider some of their priorities. VERDICT A well-written and thought-provoking critique of contemporary higher education of interest to all readers concerned about the future strength of American society.—Elizabeth R. Hayford, Northwestern Univ., Evanston, IL
History
Groom, Winston. Kearny’s March: The Epic Creation of the American West, 1846–1847. Knopf. Nov. 2011. c.320p. illus. maps. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780307270962. $27.95. HIST
The versatile author of Forrest Gump as well as several military histories such as Vicksburg, 1863, Groom brings to life the events of 1846–47 that transformed northern Mexico into the American Southwest during the Mexican War. He highlights General Stephen Kearny’s Army of the West and the taking of New Mexico and California, Captain John Charles Fremont’s expedition to California and his administrative battle with Kearny, the Mormon Battalion attached to Kearny’s army, Colonel Alexander Doniphan’s capture of Chihuahua, and the civilian emigration horror of the Reed-Donner overland wagon train disaster. Groom’s narrative of national political scheming and the constant threat of British involvement in the Mexican War creates an intriguing international drama. VERDICT Groom is at his best using personal details culled from original sources to spice his capable narrative of the smaller battles, such as the Taos Pueblo uprising in New Mexico and the Battle of San Pasqual near San Diego, where rebellious Californios who were lancers nearly defeated Kearny’s Army of the West. Highly recommended for both public and academic libraries.—Nathan E. Bender, Albany Cty. P.L., Laramie, WY
Israel, Jonathan I. Democratic Enlightenment: Philosophy, Revolution, and Human Rights, 1750–1790. Oxford Univ. Nov. 2011. c.1152p. illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780199548200. $45. HIST
With this third volume, Israel (history, Inst. for Advanced Study; Radical Enlightenment; Enlightenment Contested) completes his groundbreaking work on the Enlightenment. Though his prose is at times almost opaque and the book is so thick that it will probably be read in parts rather than as a whole, it’s a magisterial study of the immediate and middle-range intellectual underpinnings of the French and subsequent democratic revolutions. A renowned controversialist, Israel takes on conventional views of the origins of the French Revolution, arguing that only the radical Enlightenment of Diderot, d’Holbach, and Helvetius provided a language capable of fueling such change in a society mired in tradition. Despite its defects in style, this trilogy is by far the most comprehensive and best study of the late 18th-century attitudinal changes that shaped modern thought and action. No serious work equals it in span (it covers Europe, Asia, and the Americas) or depth (Germany’s Enlightenment, the Aufklärung, merits as much space as the philosophes or Hume). VERDICT It’s unfortunate that so good a scholar is not a better writer; nonetheless, this is an essential book for all who are studying the Enlightenment.—David Keymer, Modesto, CA
Jeal, Tim. Explorers of the Nile: The Triumph and Tragedy of a Great Victorian Adventure. Yale Univ. Nov. 2011. c.544p. illus. maps. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780300149357. $32.50. HIST
Having authored biographies of individual explorers, e.g., Stanley: The Impossible Life of Africa’s Greatest Explorer, Jeal now presents an overall account of the Victorian-era struggle to locate the true source of the Nile through the expeditions of Richard Burton, John Hanning Speke and James Augustus Grant, Samuel and Florence Baker, David Livingstone, and Henry Morton Stanley. These explorers faced disease, harsh terrain, and hostile tribes—and, in some cases, bitter rivalries and fierce public criticism. Jeal gives particular attention to the conflict between compatriots-turned-enemies Burton and Speke, and his subjectivity is evident as he attempts to exonerate Speke of several allegations that ruined his reputation. He also briefly examines the “Scramble for Africa” and the horrific effects of aggressive colonization on the continent and its peoples. VERDICT Jeal’s sympathies, particularly toward Speke and Stanley, can overwhelm the text, but for the most part this is a thorough and gripping account of the trials these explorers faced both in Africa and at home. Recommended for readers who enjoy books on African exploration, e.g. Alan Moorehead’s classics The White Nile and The Blue Nile, or those seeking a fresh viewpoint on some of the Victorian era’s most famous adventurers.—Kathleen McCallister, Univ. of South Carolina Lib., Columbia
Millard, Candice. Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine, and the Murder of a President. Doubleday. 2011. c.352p. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780385526265. $28.95. HIST
Millard (The River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt’s Darkest Journey) presents a dual biography of the 20th U.S. President and his assassin. James A. Garfield and Charles Guiteau were both born into hardscrabble Midwestern circumstances. While Garfield made himself into a teacher, Union army general, congressman, and President, Guiteau, who was most likely insane, remained at the margins of life, convinced he was intended for greatness. When he failed to receive a position in Garfield’s administration, he became convinced that God meant him to kill the President. At a railway station in the capital, Guiteau shot Garfield barely four months into his term. Garfield lingered through the summer of 1881, with the country hanging on the news of his condition. In September he died of infection, apparently due to inadequate medical care. Millard gives readers a sense of the political and social life of those times and provides more detail on Guiteau’s life than is given in Ira Rutkow’s James A. Garfield. The format is similar to that in The President and the Assassin, Scott Miller’s book on President McKinley and Leon Czolgosz. VERDICT Recommended for presidential history buffs and students of Gilded Age America. [See Prepub Alert, 3/7/11.]—Stephen L. Hupp, West Virginia Univ. Lib., Parkersburg
O’Reilly, Bill & Martin Dugard. Killing Lincoln: The Shocking Assassination That Changed America Forever. Holt. Oct. 2011. c.336p. illus. index. ISBN 9780805093070. $28. HIST
O’Reilly, the popular and controversial cable news commentator, teams here with Dugard (Into Africa: The Epic Adventures of Stanley and Livingstone) to cover Lincoln’s assassination in a simple and morally unambiguous style. They offer no new insights into the death of Lincoln, just a sensationalist retelling of a familiar story. In pages filled with conjecture about the mental states of the protagonists, the authors succinctly describe the closing battles of the Civil War, the assassination, and its aftermath. They frequently speculate on conspiracy theories that involved secretary of war Edwin M. Stanton in the assassination plot, but they never make accusations except to say his behavior was “suspicious.” It will be interesting to see whether fans of O’Reilly’s television show will flock to his first foray into history the way they have to his books on contemporary issues. VERDICT Written from an unapologetically northern perspective, this book is not for academics but may appeal to readers who enjoy fast-paced, conjectural popular history. It includes an appendix reprinting the Harper’s Weekly account of the assassination written soon after. [See Prepub Alert, 4/11/11.]—Michael Farrell, Reformed Theological Seminary Lib., Oviedo, FL
Woodard, Colin. American Nations: A History of the Eleven Rival Regional Cultures of North America. Viking. Oct. 2011. c.367p. maps. index. ISBN 9780670022960. $30. HIST
Journalist Woodard (The Republic of Pirates) takes a fresh approach to North America by reviewing the history and ethnography of its various regions. He includes Mexico and Canada in his study but focuses mainly on the United States. He splits the continent into Left Coast, Far West, El Norte, Greater Appalachia, Midlands, Deep South, Tidewater, New Netherland, Yankeedom, and New France, with the four most powerful northern “nations” forming a Northern Alliance and the four most powerful southern ones a Dixie Bloc. The cultural and political clashes between these two “superpowers,” he convincingly argues, has shaped American history, with the other three “nations” serving as swing regions tipping the scale on issues ranging from slavery to foreign policy. The regional histories predictably focus on colonization, the American Revolution, western migration, the Civil War, and Reconstruction, but the surprisingly thorough and wide-ranging story brings readers through the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill, offering an up-to-date study as viewed through this distinct ethnographic lens. VERDICT The argument that there is not one American identity but many is not new, but Woodard makes a worthwhile contribution by offering an accessible, well-researched analysis with appeal to both casual and scholarly readers.—Douglas King, Univ. of South Carolina Lib., Columbia
Law & Crime
Drucker, Ernest. A Plague of Prisons: The Epidemiology of Mass Incarceration in America. New Pr., dist. by Perseus. 2011. c.240p. illus. index. ISBN 9781595584977. $26.95. CRIME
Drucker (scholar in residence, John Jay Coll. of Criminal Justice; epidemiology, Columbia Univ.) traces the field of epidemiology from the 1854 London cholera outbreak through the AIDS crisis. The prison industrial complex resembles the outbreak of a horrific disease, Drucker argues, and should be dealt with in the same manner. He contends that instead of solving crime, mass incarceration has infected our communities and stricken them with devastating symptoms. Prison costs have skyrocketed, inmates’ families have been torn apart, and the system is overwhelmingly stratified by race and class. The final chapter offers several proposals for curing mass incarceration, including a reevaluation of the U.S. government’s “War on Drugs,” responsible for a vast majority of arrests leading to incarceration. VERDICT This material is not new, but the metaphor of prisons as plague is certainly novel. Drucker states his case in a clear, readable style, and the book should appeal to readers interested in criminal justice, especially those who enjoy revisiting an old subject in a new light. Not essential, but a good addition to the existing body of prison-reform titles.—Frances Sandiford, formerly with Green Haven Correctional Facility Lib., Stormville, NY
Hall, Kermit L. & Melvil I. Urofsky. New York Times v. Sullivan : Civil Rights, Libel Law, and the Free Press. Univ. of Kansas. 2011. c.232p. index. ISBN 9780700618026. $34.95; pap. ISBN 9780700618033. $17.95. LAW Many legal historians see the landmark 1964 case New York Times v. Sullivan—in which the Supreme Court ruled for the New York Times in its claim that criticism of the government and public officials is constitutionally protected—as the foundation of modern free press law. Before then, legal interpretations of the First Amendment had essentially left libel law up to state legislatures and courts. This book analyzes key events and people—the political ad at the center of the controversy, the various legal strategies, related legal actions and court decisions of the period, the history of libel law, and the legal landscape after Sullivan—all in the context of the Civil Rights Movement. Hall (former president, SUNY at Albany) and Urofsky (history, emeritus, Virginia Commonwealth Univ.) have written extensively on law and public policy. Other books on this case include Anthony Lewis’s well-known Make No Law: The Sullivan Case and the First Amendment. VERDICT This is enlightening reading. The book interweaves libel and First Amendment law with southern political culture and the Civil Rights Movement, showing how the Alabama legal and political establishment tried to use the courts to silence the media and hobble civil rights. Highly recommended.—Mary Jane Brustman, Univ. at Albany Libs., NY
Katz, Leo. Why the Law Is So Perverse. Univ. of Chicago. 2011. c.256p. illus. index. ISBN 9780226426037. $35. LAW
Is the law really perverse? Hard to tell from this philosophical book. While Katz (law, Univ. of Pennsylvania; Ill-Gotten Gains) discusses the implications of teleportation on Star Trek, Fred MacMurray’s character in The Caine Mutiny, and Sudanese witch-killing law, it’s hard to see what any of the scenarios in this book have to do with reality. This material is to law what algebra is to everyday mathematics—a lot of x+y=z abstractions and angels-dancing-on-the-heads-of-pins problems concocted by academics. This book is nice if you want to give yourself a headache, but it lacks any quotidian usefulness, unsurprising given Katz’s long academic résumé but little experience practicing law. He examines issues only in theory and, moreover, gives little empirical evidence that they are real problems at all—let alone exploring why they might exist. VERDICT The real perversity is that this book contains too much theory and not enough practice. For philosophers and game theorists only.—Michael O. Eshleman, Kings Mills, OH
Parapsychology
Birnes, William J. & Joel Martin. The Haunting of Twentieth-Century America. Forge: Tor. 2011. c.464p. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780765323545. $27.99; pap.
ISBN 9780765327857. $15.99. PARAPSYCH Birnes, star of the History Channel’s UFO Hunters, and Martin (We Don’t Die; Love Beyond Life), investigator of the paranormal, present this follow-up to their previous work, The Haunting of America: From the Salem Witch Trials to Harry Houdini. Exhaustively researched and peppered with footnotes and references, the book attempts to present a thoroughly documented account of paranormal influences on events in 20th-century America. The authors aspire neither to prove nor disprove any of the accounts they include; instead they offer as much documented evidence of each situation as possible. VERDICT While the writing is cumbersome and the plethora of references distracting, the overall content is interesting and sure to attract readers interested in the supernatural. Viewers of UFO Hunters and anyone interested in the paranormal will find this title of interest.—Sandy Knowles, Norfolk P.L., VA
Dale, Cyndi. The Intuition Guidebook: How To Safely and Wisely Use Your Sixth Sense. Deeper Well. Oct. 2011. c.344p. index. ISBN 9780982668795. pap. $16.95. PARAPSYCH Dale (The Subtle Body; Advanced Chakra Healing) calls herself a “natural intuitive”—what most of us would label a psychic. In her new book, she tries to help people like her deal with and control their abilities. According to Dale, psychically sensitive people often know things they aren’t supposed to through hearing voices, absorbing feelings from others, or gaining knowledge through dreams. She writes that her intuitive development techniques and exercises should help budding psychics control their gifts and avoid becoming overwhelmed by them. By harnessing their intuitive sensitivity, she argues, psychics can create a new reality, which Dale calls a seventh sense. It isn’t an easy read: better are more general books about developing psychic abilities, including titles by John Edward, Echo L. Bodine, and Sylvia Browne. VERDICT Not for the general reader, this book is for those who believe they have a psychic gift and that Dale’s methods can help them develop or control it.—Mary E. Jones, Los Angeles P.L.
Day, Christian. The Witches’ Book of the Dead. Weiser. Oct. 2011. c.288p. bibliog. index. ISBN 9781578635061. pap. $19.95. PARAPSYCH Day, a self-proclaimed warlock based in Salem, Massachusetts, here discusses the history of necromancy and its relationship to witchcraft. Topics of interest include opening the doorway between this world and the spirit world, constructing an altar of the dead, banishing and exorcism, methods of spirit contact, speaking with the dead, the history and nature of necromancy, oracular necromancy, necromantic magic, dreaming the dead, ghost hunting, and celebrating festivals for the dead. Three appendixes have recipes for necromancy incense, spirit powder, anointing oil, and food for the dead; deities of the dead; and various resources. Written with confidence and familiarity, the book’s prose is straightforward and easy to understand. VERDICT Of interest to individuals interested in occult practices and necromancy.—Bradford Lee Eden, Valparaiso Univ. Lib., IN
Political Science
Cortright, David. Ending Obama’s War: Responsible Military Withdrawal from Afghanistan. Paradigm. 2011. 156p. index. ISBN 9781594519840. $24.95. INT AFFAIRS Cortright (policy, Univ. of Notre Dame; Towards Nuclear Zero) is a well-known peace scholar. Using the principles underlying the just war doctrine, he discusses the reasons offered for initiating and continuing military action in Afghanistan but finds all reasons wanting. The 9/11 attacks were committed by a nonstate actor, the conflict is not winnable, and the military is not the appropriate agency to deliver development assistance, according to this analysis. On no point does he find the conflict justified. He favors U.S. troop withdrawals on the announced schedule, followed by a reconciliation process and continued development assistance under international auspices. The status of women in Afghanistan is covered in depth, and Cortright concludes that some improvements have occurred in their living conditions but that there is a great need for continuing improvement. Other books such as Bob Woodward’s Obama’s Wars cover the advice provided to the administration or the military dimension only. VERDICT Much of the material here will be unfamiliar to readers who only casually follow the topic. Some will be put off by the heavy criticism of U.S. policy, but thoughtful readers of the news will find this provocative. —Marcia L. Sprules, Council on Foreign Relations Lib., New York
Robin, Corey. The Reactionary Mind: Conservatism from Edmund Burke to Sarah Palin. Oxford Univ. Oct. 2011. c.304p. index. ISBN 9780199793747. $29.95. POL SCI This volume is a collection of Robin’s (political science, Brooklyn Coll.; Fear: The History of a Political Idea) essays, reviews, and other short works published between 2001 and 2011 in outlets such as the Nation and the London Review of Books. While his previous book was an original, extended argument about the place of fear in political theory and contemporary American culture, here Robin attempts to deliver his argument in his introduction and conclusion, which bookend pieces ranging in subject from Ayn Rand to Antonin Scalia to the Cold War in Guatemala to Abu Ghraib. The overall argument seems to be that conservatives are all basically alike; that they share an aggrieved sense of loss; that they above all else favor hierarchy in both public and private domains; that they share an affinity for violence; and that the Right often comes to resemble the Left. VERDICT The book’s brief, miscellaneous sections mean that readers may well find the arguments difficult to follow and may prefer to wait to read it in full, perhaps in Robin’s next monograph. They may well also conclude that the subtitle’s mention of Sarah Palin, about whom Robin says little, is a contribution from the publisher’s marketing department.—Bob Nardini, Nashville
Roy, Arundhati. Walking with the Comrades. Penguin. Nov. 2011. c.240p. illus.
ISBN 9780143120599. pap. $15. INT AFFAIRS This short book of three pieces by novelist and essayist Roy focuses on the current home-grown war in India between the Maoists and the government. The indigenous tribes (tribals) living in the states that make up central India are being dispossessed of their lands and culture; ways of life are being destroyed in the name of progress. The rich mineral resources of this region have attracted memoranda of understanding (MOUs) from greedy corporations. Roy sees collusion between the mining corporations and the reigning political party and claims that media analyses of the insurgency serve only to “smoke up the mirrors.” Her sympathies lie with the Maoists, who she feels are the only party that has made common cause with the tribals. While she thumbs her nose at the state, Roy admits that “the discipline of armed struggle can dissolve into lumpen acts of criminalized violence.” VERDICT Roy’s book is a one-sided but absorbing and eye-opening read. Phrases like “thousand star hotel,” for sleeping under the stars, will delight fans of her Booker-winning novel, The God of Small Things. Expect demand from Roy fans.—Ravi Shenoy, Naperville P.L., IL
Thant Myint-U. Where China Meets India: Burma and the New Crossroads of Asia. Farrar. 2011. c.320p. maps. index. ISBN 9780374299071. $27. INT AFFAIRS Interweaving the history and geography of Burma (Myanmar) with a travel memoir, Thant (The River of Lost Footsteps: A Personal History of Burma) narrates the compelling story of his journey through this rapidly evolving region rich in culture and heritage. Since the earliest days of China and India, parts of each nation and Burma have made up an expansive frontier that stretches across the Himalayas, made up of jungle, hostile tribes, and remote inland kingdoms. The book reveals that, since World War II, as Burma’s once impenetrable land of forests and roads has been replaced by shopping malls, cosmopolitan cities, and a modernized economy, this region of many cultures and religions has experienced a tectonic shift. Examining Burma from its days as a colony to its current status as a modern nation-state, Thant reveals just how important this small nation has become to China and India as they position themselves for supremacy in the 21st century. VERDICT A highly readable and entertaining foray into the complex history of this ancient land, this book will be of interest to lovers of history and travel writing.—Allan Cho, Univ. of British Columbia Lib., Vancouver
Psychology
Addis, Michael E. Invisible Men: Men’s Inner Lives and the Consequences of Silence. Times Bks: Holt. Dec. 2011. c.304p. index. ISBN 9780805092004. $26. PSYCH
Drawing from decades of research and clinical practice focused on men’s mental health, Addis (psychology, Clark University) offers ample evidence of the negative consequences of socializing men to ignore or repress their feelings. The damage to men’s physical and mental well-being, to their relationships, and to society as a whole, he argues, compels us to change how boys and men are raised and treated. Social learning and systems theories underlie the easy, nonthreatening strategies for addressing men’s silence, and are designed for men as well as those who care about them. Each chapter is augmented by reference notes and an excellent summarization of the main points. The book concludes by making the case for addressing men’s emotional invisibility as a public health issue with statistical links to school and societal violence, suicide and divorce rates, and addictions to drugs and alcohol. The volume could have been improved by a list of recommended readings. VERDICT Highly recommended for general readers and mental health professionals alike. Provides accessible rationales and strategies, based on extensive research and experience, for addressing this set of personal and societal issues.—Paula McMillen, Univ. of Nevada Lib., Las Vegas
Greenfield, Kent. The Myth of Choice: Personal Responsibility in a World of Limits. Yale Univ. Oct. 2011. c.256p. photogs. index. ISBN 9780300169508. $27. PSYCH
Greenfield (law, Boston Coll.; The Failure of Corporate Law: Fundamental Flaws and Progressive Possibilities) moves beyond legal writing as he takes on the notion of choice, a particularly relevant subject widely debated in contemporary scholarship. Greenfield’s stance is somewhat contrarian; he argues that what masquerades as choice is, in fact, determined by factors such as biology, culture, authority, and economics. While, he avers, “our political and legal rhetoric deifies choice, autonomy and personal responsibility,” on the contrary, “we face profound questions about when choice is real.” Ultimately, he demonstrates that choice is determined by a multitude of factors that, paradoxically, curtail its very possibility. VERDICT Though these ideas are far from revolutionary, Greenfield argues his case persuasively and in a manner both easily accessible to lay readers and appealing to academics—a challenge too infrequently met by law professors. An unexpectedly refreshing read, it will appeal to fans of Barry Schwartz’s The Paradox of Choice: Why More Is Less and to all readers of a philosophical bent.—Lynne F. Maxwell, Villanova Univ. Sch. of Law Lib., PA
Scheel, Judy. When Food Is Family: A Loving Approach To Heal Eating Disorders. Idyll Arbor. Oct. 2011. c.180p. bibliog. ISBN 9781882883882. pap. $18. psych
An expert in treating eating disorders for more than 25 years, Scheel believes that these disorders serve as a metaphoric voice for their sufferers. She argues that healing can be achieved if families understand the causes of eating disorders, change their patterns of communication, establish greater trust and empathy, and learn how to listen to the person with the disorder. In fact, she goes on to say that eating disorders develop when there is no room for painful or negative emotions to be expressed. Scheel uses case studies to discuss typical failures in attachment, which include trying to fix daughters’ problems rather than listening to their feelings, parents confusing their own needs with their children’s, and insisting that daughters always act “right.” She also helps parents express their own feelings and create healthy boundaries. VERDICT Written primarily for parents, therapists, and caregivers, the book offers questions that prompt thoughtful reflection and provides insight that can ultimately heal a client or daughter with an eating disorder. Scheel adds a valuable resource to literature on this disorder.—Deborah Bigelow, Leonia P.L., NJ
Social Sciences
Robbins, Catherine C. All Indians Do Not Live in Teepees (or Casinos). Univ. of Nebraska. Oct. 2011. c.408p. illus. index. ISBN 9780803239739. pap. $26.95. SOC SCI
Despite the unfortunately misleading title, this work is not intended to be a repudiation of stereotypes about contemporary Native Americans. Instead it chronicles the experiences of the author herself, a journalist, among numerous native groups, primarily in the U.S. Southwest. As a nonnative, Robbins does not pretend to be offering a native perspective. What she does offer is a celebration of how today’s Native Americans are revitalizing themselves and their communities in ways that honor their histories and cultures, while also staying grounded in the present. One example is the medical practice of Tieraona Low Dog, who combines the traditional medicine taught to her by her Lakota grandmother with medical training completed at the University of New Mexico to provide the best possible course of treatment for her patients. VERDICT Robbins’s enlightening monograph on her explorations of the Native American experience in the 21st century complements Alison Owings’s recent Indian Voices: Listening to Native Americans, and both are recommended for lay and academic readers.—John Burch, Campbellsville Univ. Lib., KY
Travel & Geography
Taylor, Craig. Londoners: The Days and Nights of London Now—as Told by Those Who Love It, Hate It, Live It, Left It, and Long For It. Ecco: HarperCollins. Feb. 2012. c.448p. illus. index. ISBN 9780062005854. $29.99. TRAV
Fans of Studs Terkel’s insightful oral histories will be delighted to discover a successor in British writer Taylor (One Million Tiny Plays About Britain). His collection of conversations with contemporary Londoners emerges from five years of work, an original total of 200 interviews, and more than 300 AAA batteries for his recorder. The end result is a perspective on London as diverse and fascinating as its denizens. This is the kind of book one can dip into at leisure. Divided into sections such as “Arriving,” “Earning One’s Keep,” and “Feeding the City,” the book features conversations with a dominatrix who declares, “London is one of the kinkier cities in the world”; a nurse who discusses the seasonal nature of treatments required in her clinic; a “skipper,” whom U.S. readers would call a dumpster diver; and a rickshaw driver who comments on the often sleazy side of Soho. VERDICT More than a collection of conversations, this book brings London to life as it is—ever changing, ever eternal, ever unforgettable. A delight! With the 2012 Olympics coming up in London, this should be a popular purchase. [See Prepub Alert, 8/22/11.]—Janet Ross, formerly with Sparks Branch Lib., NV
