Castro, Raul H. & Jack L. August Jr. Adversity Is My Angel: The Life and Career of Raul H. Castro. Texas Christian Univ. 2009. c.136p. illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 978-0-87565-378-5. pap. $21.95. AUTOBIOG

This is not the autobiography of Fidel's brother—Raul Castro Ruz—but of the former diplomat and governor of Arizona. It would be easy to dismiss this brief work—Castro's short term as Arizona governor was uneventful—but it would be a mistake. Castro was born in Mexico in 1916; his family moved to Arizona when he was ten, and he became a U.S. citizen in 1939. Graduating from Northern Arizona University at the height of the Depression, he survived as a boxer, hobo, and picker before beginning a career as a lawyer, diplomat, and teacher. He was elected governor of Arizona in 1974, having previously served as an ambassador to El Salvador and then Bolivia in the LBJ and Nixon administrations, and he later served as ambassador to Argentina. VERDICT Role model Castro's story is one of hardship and perseverance, his commentary on discrimination against Mexicans and Mexican Americans insightful, and his courage to achieve admirable. This book is important not only to Arizona but to U.S. history and will be especially appreciated by anyone interested in the recent history of the Southwest.—Boyd Childress, Auburn Univ. Lib., AL

Bradford, an associate editor at SmartMoney.com, presents a relevant and witty overview of the awesome task facing new parents—affording their kids. She covers all the major issues, including child tax credits, the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993, flexible spending accounts, and 529 plans; even wills, trusts, and disability insurance are considered. Bradford writes from a female perspective, and humor abounds: "Along with hemorrhoids and hormonal mood swings, meager maternity benefits are just one more harsh reality that no one warns pregnant women about." Considering the enormous and long-term expense of a new bundle of joy, her money-saving tips are sure to be popular. Bradford clearly grasps the mindset of new parents and keeps information complete but concise; the chapters on health care and college savings plans are so succinct that it would be nearly impossible not to understand them. Only the chapter "Where Should You Nest?" disappoints, as it is not broad enough to serve most readers. VERDICT Bradford's book offers a more comprehensive framework than Steve and Annette Economides's America's Cheapest Family Gets You Right on the Money. Here's one work that all new and prospective parents worried about finances should consider.—Tracy Mohaidheen, M.L.I.S., West Bloomfield, MI

The quintessential radical leftist terrorist group, founded in 1970 and eventually known as the Red Army Faction, Baader-Meinhof was responsible for 34 deaths in Germany over a 30-year period. Aust (former editor in chief, Der Spiegel) first published a book on this group in 1985, with an updated version appearing in 1997. This revised and expanded edition is the first to appear here in English translation. Exhaustively detailing the group's exploits from 1970 until the prison suicides of the leaders in 1977, Aust offers fascinating insights into both the spectacular and the mundane aspects of life in a terrorist cadre. He also offers includes new information obtained from Stasi files released after Germany's reunification. VERDICT The narrative stresses Baader-Meinhof's actions rather than analysis of its ideology, which can only be gleaned from quotes by members interspersed throughout and from Aust's commentary about the political climate in Germany at the time. Still, this fast-paced account allows readers to peer into the minds of actors engaged in committing horrific acts of violence with the goal of advancing a political agenda—a timely subject in the age of global terrorism.—Theresa Kintz, Wilkes Univ., Wilkes-Barre, PA

Poet and translator Brent (The Beautiful Lesson of the I) gives readers a beautifully meditative account of a Holocaust survivor and cellist, Lev Aronson, and the musical instruments that were like soul mates to him—especially his prized Amati cello, which was taken from him during the war. Aronson was confined to the Riga ghetto and later the Stutthof concentration camp in Poland, but this is not an account of his experiences. Instead, it is Brent's meditation on the fate of music, musicians, and their instruments during dark times. It is also, in a way, a mystery, as Brent investigates what may have happened to the confiscated cello. Aronson emigrated to the States after World War II, becoming a sought-after teacher and musician, and Brent had access to autobiographical materials found after his death. VERDICT A small, accessible, and moving tale; readers who admired Wladyslaw Szpilman's The Pianist, or the film based upon it, will be especially fascinated by another captivating musician and Holocaust survivor.—Paul Kaplan, Lake Villa Dist. Lib., IL

Several books on the Mexican War have appeared in recent years, none of them telling the entire story. Clary (former chief historian, U.S. Forest Svc.; Adopted Son) attempts to provide a comprehensive synthesis of that conflict and its origins, beginning with the formation of both countries, and he also sketches its effects to the present day. While previous accounts have focused on either the United States or Mexico, Clary tracks the war on both sides and relates the action on the battlefield to the political machinations in Washington and Mexico City, although he provides much more detail for Washington. VERDICT As occasionally happens with historical writing, Clary was completing his book about the time Will Fowler's balanced Santa Anna of Mexico appeared; its contents would have enabled Clary to present events on the Mexican side with greater understanding and coherence. Likewise, John Pinheiro's Manifest Ambition would have given him deeper insights into Polk's conduct of the war. Readers who seek a thorough understanding of the Mexican War will need to consult those two books in addition to Clary's well-written synthesis.—Stephen H. Peters, Northern Michigan Univ. Lib., Marquette

Though his title might suggest a broader topic, this massive book by Davidson (reader in ancient history, Univ. of Warwick, UK; Courtesans and Fishcakes) is intended as a total reappraisal specifically of the role of homosexuality in ancient Greek society. Living up to its subtitle, it is the single most important contribution to the subject since Kenneth Dover's landmark Greek Homosexuality (1977), which set the research agenda for an entire generation. The main contrast between the two books concerns homosexual relationships among peers. Dover famously argues that homosexual relationships in Greece were intergenerational, with clearly defined roles—a perspective Davidson challenges. He also takes on David Halperin (One Hundred Years of Homosexuality), who, he argues, needs to put more eros in homoerotic relations and not reduce them to power conflicts. Davidson's use of textual and material evidence is necessarily broad. VERDICT The nonspecialist may be overwhelmed by the level of detail here, but the author is an engaging, often humorous writer, which should give the book a broader appeal. Though mostly for academic readers, this will definitely find an audience with anyone interested in homosexual issues and/or ancient Greece.—David S. Azzolina, Univ. of Pennsylvania Libs., Philadelphia

Not a military history, this work explores how the experience of war affected one soldier and his family in post-World War II America. Made of tin, the box of the title was given to the author's father by a slave laborer in Ebensee, a camp in Braunau, Austria, after it was liberated by the father's regiment. The box, which sat on William Elvin's desk throughout his life, validating what he and his fellow soldiers had fought for, must have served to remind its unknown creator of human qualities that seemed lost during the war. It finally compelled author Elvin (founding editor, National Prison Project Journal, ACLU) to pursue an understanding of her father's anxieties, silences, and emotional inaccessibility, which she saw as rooted in the war. VERDICT Recognizing that her father probably suffered from undiagnosed post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), Elvin offers an honest and unsentimental account that should benefit soldiers past and present now experiencing PTSD, as well as their families and all readers interested in the consequences of PTSD. She also shows that asking respectful questions can facilitate the healing and understanding of traumatic war experiences. For another compelling account, see Louise Steinman's The Souvenir —Maria C. Bagshaw, Knowledge & Information Resources, Ecolab, Inc.

When Henry Hudson discovered the river he named after himself in 1609, no one could have foreseen his controversial death about two years later. In this well-researched study, historian Mancall (Hakluyt's Promise) focuses on Hudson's next and final voyage and tries to unravel the mystery surrounding the mutiny of Hudson's crew in June 1611, which left Hudson, his son, and seven others adrift in James Bay. Leaving England in 1610 in search of the Northwest Passage, Hudson's Discovery sailed into what we now call Hudson Bay and was trapped in the ice for the long polar winter. Mancall describes Hudson as "a man of few words," as evidenced by the lack of known records detailing the crew's conditions and morale prior to the mutiny. Instead, Mancall fills in the gaps by relying on known sources, including crewman Abacuk Pricket's narrative, testimony from the survivors' murder trial, and accounts by later explorers. VERDICT While this book does not solve the mystery of what happened to Hudson, it does offer general readers excellent insight into 17th-century maritime exploration. Recommended for both lay readers and students of early North American history.—Margaret Atwater Singer, Univ. of Evansville Libs., IN

Norwood (history & Judaic studies, Univ. of Oklahoma) provides chilling insight into the relationship between the Nazi state and American Ivy League colleges during the 1930s. Schools such as Harvard and Columbia not only resisted calls to boycott Nazi Germany but actively engaged in what can best be described as pro-Nazi activities. In addition to institutional cooperation through student exchange programs, they invited high-level Nazis to speak on campus. Many Ivy Leaguers smugly asserted that the Nazi regime was good for Germany and discounted reports about Nazi persecution of Jews and the suppression of free speech. The intensity of anti-Semitic activity was dismissed by academics such as President Butler of Columbia as either a fabrication by American Jews, who he claimed controlled the media, or as a necessary policy to reduce overt Jewish influence in Germany. In addition, some female students and faculty at women's colleges, especially the elite Seven Sisters, justified Nazi gender discrimination and the curtailment of women's right to education. VERDICT This disturbing study should be on the to-read list of anyone interested in pre-World War II America.—Frederic Krome, Univ. of Cincinnati Clermont Coll.

Prados (senior fellow, National Security Archive, George Washington Univ.), who has written prolifically on the Vietnam War, here provides a copiously detailed general history of that conflict. He focuses on the period from 1954 to 1975, devoting almost half of the book to the Nixon years (unlike most histories, which tend to center on the period from 1961 to 1969). As the title indicates, Prados argues that the United States had no reasonable chance of attaining its primary goal—the continued existence of a non-Communist South Vietnam. He is to be congratulated for making known his personal position, acknowledging his reputation as "an engaged leftist intellectual" who strongly opposed the war. VERDICT Prados has done prodigious research in a mass of primary and secondary sources and makes a plausible case for his position, although he probably overestimates the role of the antiwar movement in shortening the war. This important and provocative work should be read by anyone studying the war, whether in academia or from personal interest—A.O. Edmonds, Ball State Univ., Muncie, IN

The 1609 wreck of the Sea Venture, bound for Jamestown, is a well-known tale of disappointment and triumph, considered by many scholars to be the source of Shakespeare's The Tempest. Blown off course by a hurricane, the ship managed a fortuitous landing on the island of Bermuda. Using the account kept by William Strachey, a gentleman of letters with pretentions of being a poet, Woodward tells of challenges met by the accidental islanders, who mustered every scrap of resourcefulness to create a rudimentary civilization on a deserted island paradise and finally to press on to their original destination. Woodward devotes the second half of his book to a detailed explication of the parallels between Shakespeare's The Tempest and the trials of the Sea Venture. His imagined scenes of Strachey watching Shakespeare's play serve to make him a pitiable figure, craving success yet knowing that his efforts have only bolstered the career of another. VERDICT Although the Sea Venture's link to The Tempest has been previously explored, Woodward deepens our understanding while extracting a vivid and all-too-human drama from 17th-century texts. Anyone interested in either early America or Shakespeare will want.—Michael F. Russo, Louisiana State Univ. Libs., Baton Rouge

Because of The Godfather books and films, the name Corleone is well known worldwide. Follain (Jackal: The Complete Story of the Legendary Terrorist), the Rome correspondent for the Sunday Times, introduces readers to the real Corleone family of Sicily, chronicling their origins, their rise to power, and their eventual downfall, caused by their own vicious vendettas and the unending courage of the prosecutors who braved their wrath. Don Michele Navarra, who became boss of the family in the 1940s, began as part of the criminal Fratuzzi ("brothers"), and his viciousness and cunning allowed him to make his clan the undisputed masters of the area. From there, they spread throughout Italy, inspiring loyalty and terror by eliminating both rivals and the law enforcement officers sent to bring them down. Eventually, they went too far, and "supergrasses" (informants) began breaking the code of silence. When even the big bosses began flipping, it was over for the clan, though the Mafia continues to have a strong influence in Italy. VERDICT An intriguing look at the Italian Mafia in the last century. True crime fans and Mafia buffs will enjoy.—Deirdre Bray Root, Middletown P.L., OH

Respected conservative journalist Caldwell (senior editor, Weekly Standard) writes with deep skepticism about Europe's future relations with the Islamic world. He most clearly expresses his attitude when arguing that immigration has had unintended consequences, "importing not just factors of production but factors of social change." More specifically, Caldwell is concerned about what he sees as Islam's tendency to "trump" other social identities and ultimately form a single identity contrary to the values of democratic rule; at its peril, Europe neglects religion as the "anchor" of this identity. The values and culture of secular Europe are dependent on "ethical survivals of Christianity," says Caldwell, but the same is not true of Islam, despite the number of European converts. Caldwell also rejects American-style assimilation as a model for European immigrant "integration." VERDICT Regardless of one's attitude toward immigration, Caldwell interprets an important European policy debate and illuminates why anti-immigrant sentiment cannot be dismissed as simple bigotry. Recommended for informed readers.—Zachary T. Irwin, School of Humanities & Social Science, Penn State, Erie, Behrend Coll.

After the 9/11 terrorist attacks, one of the reasons for George W. Bush's invasion of Afghanistan was to uproot al Qaeda and "get" its leader, Osama bin Laden, "dead or alive." President Bush was widely criticized by his opponents, including presidential candidate Obama, for failing to achieve this objective. Why has the United States, with its massive intelligence apparatus and military might, not been able to apprehend bin Laden? In this provocative book, Griffin (codirector, Ctr. for Process Studies, Claremont Sch. of Theology: The 9/11 Commission Report: Omissions and Distortions), a leading conspiracy theorist on the subject of 9/11, seeks to solve this puzzle by asking, What if Osama bin Laden is no longer alive? He points out that the last time a message to or from bin Laden was intercepted was December 2001. Using a vast array of public statements and writings by public figures, military analysts, and former CIA officials and relying on publicly available data, Griffin deconstructs the report of the 9/11 Commission and highlights its omissions. He also examines purported messages from bin Laden since 2001 and finds little evidence that these in fact have come from bin Laden himself. VERDICT After presenting evidence worth pondering about bin Laden's possible demise, Griffin concludes more broadly by evaluating the policy implications of pursuing a debilitating war in Afghanistan. His highly recommended work is worth consideration by both general readers and students of 21st-century international affairs.—Nader Entessar, Univ. of South Alabama, Mobile

Inspired by her own experiences with bipolar disorder, clinical psychologist Last (Help for Worried Kids) takes on the disorder in all its manifestations, counseling readers about its impact on relationships. As she points out, the impact of the disorder depends not only on its severity, the quality of the treatment, and the patient's compliance but also on the partner's willingness to monitor the disorder and periodically accept it as a "third party" in the relationship. She also considers the constraints placed on social life and, conversely, how the patient's high energy and creativity can compensate for the instability and mood problems. Part reference and part self-help guide, the book includes checklists, charts, scales, and strategies, with an emphasis on the medical aspects of this condition and its treatment. The strongest chapter features detailed information about psychotropic medication, helping partners understand what the medications do and what the side effects are. A list of recommended books, organizations, and Internet sites is included. Verdict Fact filled and loaded with advice, this book can be somewhat dense and repetitive, making it most appropriate for more sophisticated readers.—Fran Mentch, Cleveland State Univ. Lib.

Shockley, a high-tech research technician diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome, presents an intriguing work designed to help readers with great anxiety in starting a romantic relationship (what he calls "love-shyness"). First defined in Brian G. Gilmartin's Shyness and Love: Causes, Consequences, and Treatment (1987), the label (not yet an official diagnosis in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-IV) describes people who, because of psychological problems, cannot have romantic relationships. For these individuals, any romantic or prospective romantic situation induces such a high level of anxiety that almost any dating and sexual relationship proves impossible. Shockley summarizes relatively recent research on love-shyness, explains its link with Asperger's, and discusses how love-shyness differs from normal shyness. In addition, for both male and female sufferers of the syndrome, he provides candid advice on how to survive the jungle of relationships and make dating an enjoyable experience. He includes helpful suggestions on how to approach children with extreme shyness, and he provides valuable suggested readings and web sites. VERDICT The author's pragmatic, sometimes brutally frank take on a little-discussed subject nicely updates Gilmartin's work. People who are on the high end of the autistic spectrum or who have other developmental disorders would benefit from reading this singular self-help guide.—Dale Farris, Groves, TX

In his latest book (after The Calm Technique and Instant Calm), Wilson presents an approach to meditation that combines the traditional teachings of Buddhism, Yoga, and Christianity. In Part 1, Wilson discusses his meditation approach—which he calls "CenterWidenListen+Observe"—explaining that by centering the body, widening peripheral vision, and listening to one's breathing one can calm the chatter and stress of daily life. This simple technique, the author holds, can be done almost anywhere and anytime in as few as 13 minutes. Wilson states that even those who choose to do no more than this will receive meditative benefits. For those who want to go further, Wilson explains in-depth the Quiet practices of Deep, Directed, and Aware, three different methods of focusing. In Part 2, readers learn how to use meditation as a way to find spiritual fulfillment. VERDICT Through his 30-plus years of meditation practice and teaching, Wilson has broken down meditation into easy and practical steps that both newcomers and veterans of the technique will relish. His interfaith approach will strike a chord, particularly among New Age readers.—Phyllis Goodman, West Chester Lib., OH

Inspired by her own height and a serious lack of popular material on tallness, 6'3" journalist Cohen (coeditor, Confessions of a High School Word Nerd) takes great pride in announcing that tall people have higher IQs, earn more money, and live longer than average-height folks. Cohen discusses the economic, physical, and psychological benefits and disadvantages of being a tall person in a personal and humorous tone. She arranges her book into a series of thematic essays that address the biological causes of tallness, its economic, sociological, and medical aspects, and the consequences of living daily life in an infrastructure created for shorter people. Readers come away understanding how one's height can affect everything from one's relationships, personal and professional, to national economies. VERDICT With more material available on the causes and ramifications of short stature, Cohen's book fills a gap in the popular literature, complementing Susan Cohen and Christine Cosgrove's more academic Normal at Any Cost: Tall Girls, Short Boys, and the Medical Industry's Quest To Manipulate Height. Her work includes references, graphs, and illustrations but is defined by its humor and the filter of personal experience. Recommended for good leisure reading.—Kate Farley, Armstrong Atlantic State Univ., Savannah, GA

Pierce (writer-at-large, Esquire) begins by relating his visit to the Creation Museum in Kentucky, during which he sees on display a dinosaur wearing a saddle. That outlandish sight leads him to consider other examples of irrationality taking the place of reason in America, as he examines talk radio, denials of global warming and evolution, the war in Iraq, Sarah Palin, the case of Terry Schiavo, etc. With droll prose and an appreciation for irony, Pierce skewers what he sees as America's lamentable embrace of idiocy, and he illustrates how it has thrown us perilously off balance. He contrasts the ubiquitous ignorance and gullibility of today's body politic with the thoughts of James Madison, who heralded common sense, knowledge, and experience as virtues. VERDICT Pierce contends that the founding fathers (men of the Enlightenment) properly guaranteed a place in society for cranks to be able to champion eccentric ideas, but now any crank who can draw attention to himself using mass media is viewed as an expert while genuine authorities are not trusted. Intelligence is discounted and gut reactions hold sway, or, as Pierce maintains: "Fact is that which enough people believe. Truth is measured by how fervently they believe it." Recommended.—Donna L. Davey, NYU Lib.

Why do we need another book about the Beatles? Because all the others are not this one. In his foreword to this book, originally published in a different edition in the U.K. over ten years ago, Beatles associate Derek Taylor (d. 1997) uses the term compulsive to describe the research herein, and surely there is no word more apt. Maybe you don't care where the band's accountants worked or where Ringo had his tonsils removed, but if you want to know, the answers are here. Arranged by city section, this is essentially a guidebook, with maps and plenty of then-and-now photo comparisons, but there is also trivia to amuse the armchair traveler. Details about the group's homes, favorite nightclubs, performance venues, and photo and movie shoot locations are all here. VERDICT The authors have created a vivid sense of place, showing how the band was influenced by London and vice versa. While the book's 7" × 7" square size is fun and great for taking along, Beatles contemporaries should remember to take their reading glasses: some of the font sizes are pretty small. Recommended for those who love British travel, the Beatles, and/or their era.—Megan Hahn Fraser, UCLA Lib.

Travel writer and television host Steves (you can catch him on PBS and also on radio) departs from the usual where-to-go and what-to-see of travel books and here concentrates on why people, especially Americans, should travel. Drawing on his years of experience as traveler and tour guide, Steves provides many examples of how travel can broaden one's mind, whether challenging or confirming preset ideas. For example, visiting Morocco and Turkey can show how a Muslim country can be vibrant and hospitable. Even in familiar Europe, American travelers can learn that issues such as sex and drugs are treated much more pragmatically than they are Stateside. In Central America, the traveler can see firsthand the results of the Monroe Doctrine and globalization. VERDICT As a nation, Americans don't much travel abroad, and Steves challenges them, arguing for the importance of seeing things for oneself. The corollary is that citizens of other countries (such as Iran) then get to meet face-to-face with Americans, a counterbalance to the rhetoric of our leaders. The author only mildly injects his own opinions into the larger argument, and then more as an example than a prescription. Excellent for those who read deeply in travel or are considering an international trip.—Dan Forrest, Western Kentucky Univ., Bowling Green