Jones pursued two successful careers in Europe: professional basketball player and banker. If you met him, you might not guess he spent his teen years as a heroin dealer in New York. His memoir, written with Naison (history & African American studies, Fordham Univ.) focuses on his experiences growing up in a Bronx public housing project, playing serious basketball, ignoring school, dealing and doing drugs, and eventually lucking into a series of experiences that led to a professional basketball career in Europe. Jones credits his success to his supportive family, coaches, and neighborhood elders, but ultimately his is a tale of luck. The young Jones makes rash decisions, avoids his responsibilities, lies, and steals but also encounters many unlikely second chances. In another writer's hands, this blessed triumph-over-adversity story line might be trite and irritating, but Jones draws readers in with his direct, conversational style, and the tale is gripping even though readers know it will end well. VERDICT Recommended for memoir lovers and anyone interested in a first-person perspective on 1960s-era urban adolescence.—Emily-Jane Dawson, Multnomah Cty. Lib., Portland, OR

With this biography, Service (Russian history, Oxford Univ.; Stalin: A Biography) completes his trilogy on the founding figures of the Soviet Union: Lenin, Stalin, and Trotsky. He claims that this is the first full-length biography of Trotsky written by a non-Trotskyist outside of Russia. As such, Service can ask the kinds of awkward questions omitted in the influential biographies by Isaac Deutscher and Pierre Broué. Also distinguishing the work is its extensive use of archival sources and rare contemporary published materials, much of it used for the first time in this biography. Service casts a critical eye on Trotsky's own writings and the interpretations of his followers and finds Trotsky's diagnosis of his defeat by Stalin self-serving and misleading. The author cogently argues that Trotsky himself unintentionally contributed to the construction of the Stalinist edifice and that Trotsky was not the realist he imagined himself to be but an ideologue unable to grasp the dynamics of contemporary geopolitics. Service succeeds in recovering many of the aspects of Trotsky's life that the revolutionary and his followers tried to bury. VERDICT A readable and persuasive biography that should be required reading for students of the Soviet Union and the history of world communism.—Sean Pollock, Wright State Univ., Dayton, OH

The authors, career counselors who have devised the Deems JobGetting Skills System for a successful job search, promote a proactive approach to moving on to your next position. Differentiating their approach from that of other books on the topic, the Deemses address the various reactions people have to losing their job. From there, they give a chapter-by-chapter blueprint for getting your next job, covering résumés, interview tips, and networking in detail. Their JobGetting strategy consists of the following steps: research, evaluate your strengths and interests, have a plan, and stick to it. If you want to advance to your next position, they argue, you must make a commitment every day to move toward your ultimate goal of finding a position better than the one you have. VERDICT Covering all the basics, this work is recommended for job seekers, including those who have been laid off, and is especially appropriate for professionals and management-level workers.—Diana Lekus, Queens Lib., Long Island City, NY

In this worthy addition to the microhistory genre, Bloom (Postville: A Clash of Cultures in Heartland America) sets out to follow the journey of a pearl "from diver's hand to woman's bosom." Of course, the sheer volume of pearls and their circuitous paths from oyster to necklace make this impossible, but in his study of the gem Bloom travels the world and interviews major and minor players in the field, including pearl farmers, sorters, distributors, and auctioneers. He draws thought-provoking comparisons to the trade of other global commodities, especially cocaine, and considers how unfair it is that those at the beginning of the pearl's life cycle get paid the least. A couple of minor quibbles: a few illustrations would have been welcome, and the author's transcriptions of dialect can be tiresome (we get it; people have accents). VERDICT Sometimes learning too much about something can kill its magic, but Bloom's love of pearls—which are, after all, "essentially calcium-coated beads"—allows him to draw back the curtain on the business of dealing in them without ruining his or the reader's pleasure in their charms. Recommended for readers of history, as well as gem and jewelry aficionados.—Megan Hahn Fraser, UCLA

British journalist Burns's fascinating account of his father's diplomatic service in Madrid (1940–45) has multiple themes. The bulk of the book concerns Tom Burns's varied efforts, while officially stationed at the British embassy in Madrid, to counter Nazi influence in a geopolitically vital location. (He officially worked for the Ministry of Information, and his efforts included involvement with secret agents, information gathering, and propaganda.) Other topics include British intellectual and literary society, the Catholic publishing business, and discrimination against Catholics by the English establishment in Madrid. The senior Burns was even criticized for being an independent-minded Catholic maverick, marrying a member of the Spanish social elite, and supporting the fascist dictatorship more assiduously than was politically correct so soon after the bitter Spanish civil war, when the Allied goal was to keep Spain neutral and Gibraltar in British hands. In addition, Soviet spies in Whitehall also worked to remove Burns in order to damage Allied-Spanish relations. VERDICT Recommended reading for anyone interested in modern Spanish history, World War II diplomacy, espionage activities, and Communist penetration of the British intelligence bureaucracy. (Index and photos not seen.)—Daniel K. Blewett, Coll. of DuPage Lib., Glen Ellyn, IL

Ferguson (Enigma: The Life of Knut Hamsun; Henrik Ibsen: A New Biography) offers a comprehensive overview of the Viking age, covering mythology and tradition alongside the many bloody forays Viking warriors made into Europe and the North Atlantic between roughly 790 and 1100 C.E. Although Ferguson often notes how incomplete the source material is, he tells a full and lively story and is transparent about where records or interpretations diverge. The narrative occasionally threatens to get bogged down in a confusion of Olafs, Olavs, and Olofs, but Ferguson keeps the pace up with numerous fascinating tidbits. He describes Viking words still used in modern English, the Viking origins of major British cities, and the dark rituals the community hung onto as Christianity crept into Denmark, Scandinavia, and Iceland, eventually bringing the population into a more peaceful modernity. VERDICT Ferguson has produced a readable and accessible book that will serve as a solid introduction to Viking history, even for those with no previous knowledge of the subject.—Elizabeth Goldman, Kingston Frontenac P.L., Ont.

The deeds of Hendrick, long viewed as a Mohawk sachem from the 18th century who believed in accommodating Great Britain, are noted in scattered documents that span approximately half a century. The documents suggest that he was either a very old man when he died on the battlefield in 1755—or that the historical record needed to be reinterpreted. Hinderaker (history, Univ. of Utah; Elusive Empires: Constructing Colonialism in the Ohio Valley, 1673–1800) utilizes creative and in-depth research to construct a biography of two Mohawk leaders whose actions were dictated not by British interests but by those of the Mohawks and other members of the Iroquois Confederacy during an era when the Iroquois were the linchpin between New France and Great Britain. Since the author assumes that readers are already versed in Iroquois and Euro-American diplomacy, some may need to read Timothy J. Shannon's Iroquois Diplomacy on the Early American Frontier as a primer. Readers interested in frontier diplomacy should also read Fintan O'Toole's White Savage: William Johnson and the Invention of America, a biography of Great Britain's intermediary with the Mohawks. VERDICT Highly recommended as both a historical work and an outstanding example for historiographers in writing ethnohistory.—John Burch, Campbellsville Univ. Lib., KY

Hulsman (German Council on Foreign Relations, Berlin) argues that T.E. Lawrence's legacy as a thinker offers crucial lessons for would-be nation builders in the present. Having played a key role as a British liaison officer in the Arab revolt of 1916–18, Lawrence strongly believed in independent Arab statehood. Astute and observant, he felt that the less apparent one's interference, the greater one's influence. His extensive knowledge of the Arab world and his ideas about nation building served Britain well during World War I as it helped defeat the Ottoman Empire in that region. Unfortunately, his dreams were betrayed when Britain and its Western allies served their own interests, carving up the region and creating long-lasting instability. VERDICT Well written and engaging, this book provides a concise historical overview and much food for thought. The message is as urgent today as it was in Lawrence's era. Readers craving meatier reading on the Arab Revolt and insight into Lawrence himself should read Lawrence's own The Seven Pillars of Wisdom.—Patti C. McCall, Albany Molecular Research, Inc., NY

In 1969, Lt. Homer Steedly surprised a North Vietnamese soldier, Hoang Ngoc Dam, on a forest trail, and killed him. Steedly checked the body and took a handful of personal papers, which he later reclaimed from Intelligence. It was the first time he'd personally killed anyone, although he was a seasoned combat veteran by then, on his second tour. Forty years later, Steedly's friend, author Karlin (English, Coll. of Southern Maryland; Marble Mountain: A Novel), a fellow Vietnam vet, facilitated Steedly's visit to Vietnam to return the mementoes to Dam's survivors. With the help of a famous local medium, and with Karlin and Steedly in train, Dam's family located his grave and returned his bones to his village. The first half of the book tells of Steedly's and Dam's early lives and war experiences; the second of the trip back and the lessons that Karlin wishes us to learn. VERDICT It's not always clear what here is biography, autobiography, or poetical rendering of emotional life, but libraries having substantial military collections will be interested in the rather lyrical depiction of posttraumatic stress disorder, the aftereffects of war, and the mechanisms of forgiveness and redemption.—Edwin B. Burgess, U.S. Army Combined Arms Research Lib., Fort Leavenworth, KS

Over the years there have been a number of claims of survivors of Custer's battalion at the Little Bighorn in 1876, but none has held up under close scrutiny—until now. Journalist Koster (The Road to Wounded Knee) carefully reconstructs the life of Frank Finkel, second sergeant of C Company. He marshals all of the available documentary, historical, archaeological, and forensic evidence to show that the Frank Finckel born in Ohio in 1854 was the George August Finckle who enlisted in the Seventh Cavalry in 1872, the Frank Finkel who died in Dayton, WA, in 1930, and the "long sword" whom Rain-in-the-Face reported being told escaped the battle on a runaway horse and whom he saw in Chicago in 1893. Koster also tells how Finkel's desire to enhance his status and his second wife's efforts to erase all traces of his first wife, supposedly part Cherokee, misled researchers for decades but also kept Finkel's story alive. VERDICT This well-written and carefully reasoned argument is essential reading for scholars and students of the West and will be of great interest to anyone with even a passing interest in Custer and the Little Bighorn. Highly recommended.—Stephen H. Peters, Northern Michigan Univ. Lib., Marquette

Exposing the Puritans as not so pure, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Manegold lays bare the deep slavery connections that enriched early New England. Her conversational narrative interweaves past and present in a personalized story of the whites who owned, and blacks who slaved at, Ten Hills Farm, a 600-acre property between Boston and Medford, MA, that now features the Royall House estate with its more than 65,000 artifacts recovered in 1999–2001 archaeological digs. Manegold's story of five generations starts with the farm's first owner, Puritan governor John Winthrop, and retraces the money trail through successive owners, reaching throughout the Atlantic world from Africa and Antigua to London and Boston. Culling fresh elements from correspondence, diaries, estate inventories, and other primary sources, Manegold regenerates the moral landscape of grand Puritan luxury resting on the basest of human conditions. VERDICT This readable tale joins Alexandra A. Chan's Slavery in the Age of Reason: Archaeology at a New England Farm in bringing a particular setting to life. It also complements the broad survey produced in Anne Farrow and others' Complicity: How the North Promoted, Prolonged, and Profited from Slavery. Recommended for general readers and students interested in early New England or slavery's reach throughout early America.—Thomas J. Davis, Arizona State Univ., Tempe

Don't let the title deceive you: this short book is primarily a critique of Thomas Jefferson. Public intellectual, Irish politician, and diplomat O'Brien, who died in December 2008, makes the case that President Washington correctly sided with Alexander Hamilton (and others) over Jefferson, his secretary of state, when handling relations with Great Britain and France. These relations were of vital importance to the new nation as it struggled to find its footing in the world. Would America support the French Revolution, as Jefferson advocated, or take the more neutral and pragmatic approach advocated by Hamilton—thus not alienating Great Britain, a critical trading partner? O'Brien demonstrates that Jefferson's zeal for the French Revolution was not only impractical but dangerous to the interests of the new country. Relying heavily on new interpretations of Washington's correspondence, he argues that Washington showed a lack of confidence in his secretary of state and instead depended on Hamilton, his treasury secretary, for input and advice. O'Brien presents this as evidence of Washington's excellent judgment and political savvy, even as he seeks to expose Jefferson as a back-biting, duplicitous operator who worked continually to sabotage Washington's presidency. VERDICT A short, interesting, and biased look at the Washington-Jefferson controversy; definitely recommended to stir debate among avid history buffs of the period.—Robert Flatley, Kutztown Univ. Lib., PA

In early 1815, Louisa Adams left St Petersburg, Russia, with her young son to travel 2000 miles by horse and carriage to meet husband John Quincy Adams in Paris. As had been all too common in her marriage, she had been living alone for almost a year after her ambitious husband temporarily (it was thought) vacated his position as American minister to the tsar to participate in treaty negotiations ending the War of 1812. At about the same time, Napoleon escaped from Elba and also headed to Paris, which added drama to an adventure already daring for a lone woman (Bonaparte beat her to Paris by a day or two). Starting with Mrs. Adams's memoir of the journey, written later in life, historian O'Brien has indefatigably researched early 19th-century travel to re-create the 40-day journey through the bad inns and worse roads of Russia, Prussia, and France. Along the way, the reader gradually learns (almost as in a whodunit) the story of Mrs. Adams, the only First Lady born outside the United States. VERDICT This innovative and creatively told personal history of a forgotten figure bound by marriage to an ambitious American statesman bristles with insight into the era. Witty, informed, sophisticated, and moving; essential reading.—Stewart Desmond, New York

A Youngstown, OH, attorney during the Great Depression, Roth emerges as researcher and author in this diary, edited by his son Daniel Roth and James Ledbetter (editor, "The Big Money," Slate.com). Tracking both the social evolution in his town and the disruptions to the American economy during the 1930s and early 1940s, Roth wrote clearly, with an attorney's eye for detail about the drastic changes occurring; modern readers will see striking parallels between the economy then and now. Roth, an active Republican, clearly explained why he disagreed with New Deal policies and why he ultimately adjusted his reactions. Editors' notes add needed historical information to clarify Roth's explanations of market trends and events that might otherwise be fuzzy to today's average reader. Though the stock market quotes can become rather tedious, they are still helpful for comparing to trends historical and current. VERDICT This diary, while not rich in personal detail, is an excellent choice for those interested in the local and economic impact of the Great Depression.—Sara Miller, Atlanta-Fulton P.L. Syst., GA

Like a car wreck one can't stop looking at, this story will likely draw in readers, but it is not for the weak of stomach. Elisabeth Fritzl's 24-year imprisonment by her father, Josef, caused a worldwide sensation when it came to light in 2008. Josef Fritzl initially imprisoned his daughter when she was 18 years old and brutally raped her over the course of her confinement; she went on to have seven children. Marsh and Pancevski, both Times (London) reporters, keep the story moving, but the tone is outright creepy when they write from Fritzl's perspective. They merely touch on the role of Austrian authorities and the traditional patriarchal society that turned an indifferent eye to the disappearance of Elisabeth and the bizarre appearance of three of her children. Had they explored these issues in detail, the book would have been much better. Elisabeth is planning her own book, for those who prefer to wait. VERDICT The creepiest book this reviewer has ever read, this will still likely be popular with true crime aficionados—especially in light of the recent Phillip Garrido/ Jaycee Dugard case.—Karen Sandlin Silverman, CFAR, Philadelphia

These ten papers, originally presented in February 2008 at Harvard Law School's Charles Hamilton Houston Institute for Race and Justice, address capital punishment through a variety of lenses, from its endurance nationwide and the rationales advanced in its favor to political issues, methods of execution, the impact of science (especially DNA) on the exoneration of death row inmates, issues relating to the war on terror, and the history of the movement to abolish capital punishment. Excellent bibliographies accompany each paper. The authors are primarily American academics in various disciplines, including criminology, law, sociology, and cultural history, among them such well-known names as Charles Ogletree and Michael Radelet. Apparently, they concur that capital punishment will eventually be abolished. Among recent books on capital punishment that readers may also consider, Capital Punishment: Strategies for Abolition, edited by Peter Hodgkinson and William Schalbas, offers a more international scope. VERDICT The papers collectively result in a thoughtful discussion that is timely, well written, and deeply relevant to current public policy and law. Highly recommended for those involved in public policy advocacy, for criminal justice scholars, and for university and college students.—Mary Jane Brustman, Univ. at Albany Libs., NY

This eighth installment of an annual anthology is the first under the PublicAffairs imprint, but otherwise editor Flippin has not changed his formula of recent years. The book might more accurately be titled "Best American Political Writing from Well-Known Magazines, Mainly from the Left," which is not a criticism so much as a pitch for truth in advertising. Though blogs, columns, and books are part of our multimedia political discourse, they are unrepresented in this collection of 22 articles from The New Yorker (four), Vanity Fair(three), the New York Times magazine (two), Esquire (two), New York magazine (two), and American Prospect Online (two), plus one each from Atlantic Monthly, Rolling Stone, GQ, New York Review of Books, New Republic, Washington Monthly, and American Conservative. The book's scope, publications from June 2008 through May 2009, spans a presidential election, but pieces about the Obama victory and McCain loss are overshadowed at this point by the less purely "political" selections, such as Michael Hastings's report from the war in Afghanistan and Dexter Filkins's dispatch from the ground in the tribal areas of Pakistan. VERDICT Readers who enjoy politics, especially those who lean left, will enjoy grazing here.—Bob Nardini, Nashville, TN

In this collection, Atlas (founder, Atlas & Co.; Bellow: A Biography) has asked disparate thinkers from around the world to offer their impressions, in essay form, of America in 2009. While other books, such as Ole R. Holsti's To See Ourselves as Others See Us: How Publics Abroad View the United States After 9/11, have tackled this topic from a more academic or partisan perspective, none has sought to hear from such a range of writers who are not foreign policy experts. The short essays vary from Da Chen's moving description of immigration from China to Leilah Nadir's bitter screed against the Iraq War to Terry Eagleton poking fun at American myths and culture. What ties the pieces together is an apt observation from Imraan Coovadia that there are only two ways of looking at America from the outside: submission or resentment. VERDICT This is an easy and interesting read, but, despite the Obama victory of 2008, it will not leave most readers with a rosy view of how foreigners view America. Recommended for academic and large public libraries.—Kathryn Stewart, Proquest/Library of Congress, Washington, DC

Biro, a practicing physician, explores a concept that many patients have a difficult time communicating—pain. Biro is able to bridge the gap between patient and doctor because he has experience from both sides, having received a bone marrow transplant as a young doctor. He also presents a history of pain and how it has been expressed through everything from art to rating charts to novels, compiling the stories and artwork of ordinary patients in addition to considerations of pain from writers, philosophers, and artists. Though Biro's previous work, One Hundred Days: My Unexpected Journey from Doctor to Patient, is a stand-alone, it would be a useful companion reading to explore where his journey began. VERDICT This well-researched book will be helpful to medical professionals and psychologists as well as those who suffer from chronic or extreme pain, offering encouragement and inspiration for explaining their experiences to their doctors.—Helena Travka, Cleveland P.L.

Carr (sociology, Rutgers Univ.) and Kefalas (sociology, St. Joseph's Univ.) offer a compelling and well-documented discussion of the regrettable youth exodus from our nation's Heartland (their capitalization). Under the auspices of the MacArthur Foundation, the authors, husband and wife as well as research partners, had lived with their young children for a half-dozen years in "Ellis," the pseudonymous Iowa town that is their book's focus. Through case studies, they identify what draws achievers away from the Heartland's small towns, draining them of vision, and they suggest how those who flee might be convinced to stay. Yet while they argue that the area can be revitalized, they, too, were happy to reassure nine-year-old Camille that "Mommy and Daddy are, at last done" with their book, meaning that they can leave Iowa. Apparently, their distress at the Midwest "brain drain" was not enough to compel them to remain there themselves. VERDICT Deftly researched and written, this book is highly recommended for sociologists, educators, policymakers, and anyone concerned about the future of this country.—Ellen D. Gilbert, Princeton, NJ

In Neither Wolf nor Dog, Nerburn recounted a trip he undertook with a Lakota elder named Dan. The narrative was primarily a conversation between the two men, who exchanged their perspectives on the relationship between Native Americans and whites in the 20th century. Throughout, it was clear that there was a cultural barrier separating the men, and by extension their ethnic groups, that would always interfere with their ability to understand each other fully. This new work continues Dan's story, although he is not its primary focus. Instead, Nerburn relates his search for Dan's sister, Yellowbird, who was sent to a boarding school when she was a child and was never heard from again. Parts of the book are fictionalized to maintain the privacy of Dan and his family. VERDICT Nerburn's fans may want to read this work to continue Dan's story. In the end, however, the small amount of new information included would have worked just as well as one good additional chapter in a new edition of Neither Wolf nor Dog.—John Burch, Campbellsville Univ. Lib., KY

In this uplifting read, Spector (The Nordstrom Way) aims to show what life looks like "from the other side of the counter" in mom-and-pop stores—small, independent businesses—and to help us appreciate the service these types of shops offer our society. The son of a butcher, Spector spends the first section of the book telling the story of his own family's mom-and-pop store, including its immigrant beginnings. Then he follows with stories from interviews he held with proprietors of mom-and-pop stores across the country, also offering tips on customer service and life lessons learned by those who grew up around their family's small business. The third section of the book is devoted to the role of these stores in the community, showing how they enrich the lives of those in their geographical areas. VERDICT Readers who are feeling discouraged about the encroachment of big-box stores into their region will be delighted to hear stories of family businesses that are holding their local communities together by serving customers in the old-fashioned way: one person at a time.—Elizabeth L. Winter, Georgia Inst. of Technolgy, Atlanta

The tenth edition of this series does not disappoint, no doubt owing to guest editor Winchester. Indeed, Winchester sets the tone in his introduction, praising the array of fine travel pieces from which he had to choose (all appearing in American publications in 2008) even as he mourns the lack of geographical education in American schools. The first essay is Patrick Symmes's haunting description of Burma's downward spiral after the recent typhoon. Bronwen Dickey speaks affectionately of the real river featured in father James Dickey's novel, Deliverance, which has not much in common with the famous banjo music. Cold-water swimmer Lynne Cox writes chillingly about several arctic dips, Seth Stevenson takes on Walt Disney World (spoiler alert: don't go there), and Tony Perrottet describes the remaining contents of the "obscene objects" closet of the British Museum, visits the Marquis de Sade's castle, and does a pilgrimage to Casanova's Venetian jail cell, all in an essay intriguingly called "The Pervert's Grand Tour." VERDICT Not all of these essays hit a home run. There are forgettable and tedious ones in the bunch. Yet reading the collection will help set you out on your own adventures, away or at your desk.—Lee Arnold, Historical Soc. of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia

The allure of this travel book is the mysteriousness and magnificence of its subject. Geographer Jotow and freelance photographer Ganz—both based in Germany and founders of a group to support refugees from Burma (Myanmar)—have documented a destination where modern-day tourism is almost nonexistent. Many areas are inaccessible because of the ruling military junta, civil war, or lack of infrastructure. Jotow and Ganz describe the people as extremely warm and inviting, despite many years of economic hardship and political oppression. The book includes over 250 stunning photographs taken by the authors, eight color maps, a glossary, and useful web sites. After a general introduction, geographic sections beautifully describe and illustrate the country's natural wonders and historic travel destinations but include none of the usual recommendations for accommodation, food, and transport. The authors' strong opposition to the current military government permeates the book. VERDICT A grand and beautiful introduction to Burma for travelers, armchair travelers, or anyone interested in this little-known country.—Melinda Stivers Leach, Precision Editorial Svcs., Wondervu, CO

Readers interested in reviewing works on military history are invited to send a resume and two sample reviews to Margaret Heilbrun at margaret.heilbrun@reedbusiness.com.