Science & Technology Reviews, June 15, 2011
Jun 15, 2011
AGRICULTURE
Aiello, Amy Bryant & Kate Bryant (text) & Baldwin, Kate (photogs.). Terrarium Craft: Create 50 Magical, Miniature Worlds. Timber. 2011. 195p. photogs. index. ISBN 9781604692341. pap. $18.95. GARDENING
Few terrarium books have been published in recent years, but many glass gardening enthusiasts persisted past the 1970s, and they will enjoy the 50 projects in this book—updated terrariums evocative of forests, beaches, deserts, and fantasies. Projects break the mold of traditional, covered, humid terrariums and have a modern look even when incorporating antiques or mementos. As in any good craft book, each project includes at least one large, stunning photograph, a materials list, and enumerated directions. Crafty brown thumbs will appreciate the inclusion of maintenance advice for each completed project. The resource list is helpful for locating supplies not found locally, but suggested substitutions are readily given since the authors encourage creativity and spontaneity. Aiello is the owner of Artemisia (a Portland, OR, boutique specializing in indoor gardening) and Bryant is a columnist for Portland Monthly. Some projects incorporate succulents, a plant group excluded from Tovah Martin’s The New Terrarium, which offers fewer projects but more thoroughly discusses plants, containers, history, and resources. VERDICT Recommended for indoor gardeners and crafters alike.—Bonnie Poquette, Milwaukee
Courtier, Jane. Fast, Fresh Garden Edibles: Quick Crops for Small Spaces. Creative Homeowner. 2011. 176p. photogs. index. ISBN 9781580115124. pap. $14.95. GARDENING
The latest book from Courtier (Container Gardening) targets gardeners with limited space and patience. The first half covers a variety of topics briefly, including choosing a site or container, sowing seeds, watering, and plant care, while the second half profiles specific vegetables and herbs, providing helpful tips on care and harvest plus a list of recommended varieties. Unfortunately, the information in the first section is too brief and general for beginners and too basic for old hands. The text is enhanced by many color illustrations, showing that edibles can be just as beautiful as ornamentals, but some photos show vegetables planted too densely or in containers that are too small. VERDICT Readers looking for instant gardening gratification are sure to be intrigued by the emphasis on quick crops, but the lack of detail and misleading pictures detract from the book’s usefulness. Andrea Bellamy’s Sugar Snaps and Strawberries is a better choice for gardeners—especially beginners—looking for a recent book on growing edibles in small spaces.—Janet A. Crum, City of Hope, Duarte, CA
Dunnett, Nigel & others. Small Green Roofs: Low-Tech Options for Greener Living. Timber. 2011. 256p. illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 9781604690590. pap. $24.95. GARDENING
This collaboration by four enthusiastic experts demystifies the process of planning, designing, installing, and maintaining green roofs. Dunnett (landscape dept., Univ. of Sheffield), with Dusty Gedge (founder, livingroofs.org), John Little (Grass Roof Company), and Edmund C. Snodgrass (Emory Knoll Farms & Green Roof Plants, Street, MD), discusses roof design, plant selection, growing media, weight loads, and other practical considerations and extols the benefits of living roofs. Bountifully illustrated and brimming with stimulating information and ideas, this guide, which claims to be the first book to focus on small-scale domestic green-roof projects, fills a niche on the gardening shelf and nicely achieves its objective to be “both inspiring and practical.” More than half of the book is devoted to engaging profiles of creative and unique green-roof projects, including sheds, garages, houses, small structures, and community projects, undertaken around the world, including Dunnett’s own garden sheds. Sidebars add context and perspective. VERDICT Highly recommended for gardeners and environmentalists and anyone interested in greening up.—Donna L. Davey, New York Univ. Lib.
McCarthy, Tommy. Growing Marijuana: How To Plant, Cultivate, and Harvest Your Own Weed. Skyhorse, dist. by Norton. Jun. 2011. 256p. illus. ISBN 9781616080938. pap. $14.95. GARDENING
There is an inherent challenge in reviewing a book about growing a mildly hallucinogenic herb that is illegal to consume or sell! However, as the pseudonymous author notes, it is not illegal to sell marijuana seeds, and penalties imposed upon noncommercial growers can be light. The text is aimed at the “small grower” who plans to cultivate the herb either inside or outside. The book is visually attractive, with heavy-gloss pages and a wealth of color photographs. It is organized into four sections and 14 chapters, concluding with recipes. Each chapter begins with focus points in bulleted sidebars. Written in a conversational tone, the book goes into great detail about all aspects of growing and caring for marijuana plants, deftly embedding the more scientific points. The guide would be more useful if it had an index; however, the detailed photographs assist the reader in flipping through to particular topics. VERDICT Useful for interested adult readers.—Sara R. Tompson, Univ. of Southern California, Los Angeles
Rix, Megan. The Puppy That Came for Christmas: How a Dog Brought One Family the Gift of Joy. Plume: Penguin Group (USA). Oct. 2011. c.256p. photogs. ISBN 9780452297487. pap. $14. PETS
Rix, pseudonym of children’s book author Ruth Symes, was undergoing fertility treatments when she and her husband decided to raise Emma, a service dog for an organization that provides trained dogs for people with disabilities. Emma filled their days, raised their spirits, and introduced them to new friends, but after six months, she was selected to complete training. Immediately, Freddy, another potential service dog, entered their lives. They again poured their energy into his upbringing and again their hearts were wrenched when he graduated. The fertility treatments did not have the desired effect, and, finally coming to terms with their medical situation and rejecting other options, they decided to give up hope for a child and adopt a dog of their own. VERDICT Dog memoir readers who enjoyed John Grogan’s Marley and Me or Julie Klam’s You Had Me at Woof will appreciate this story about dogs who impact people’s lives. An instant bestseller in the UK.—Florence Scarinci, Nassau Comm. Coll. Lib., Garden City, NY
HEALTH & MEDICINE
Jones, Susan Smith. Walking on Air: Your 30-Day Inside and Out Rejuvenation Makeover. Red Wheel/Weiser. Jul. 2011. c.160p. ISBN 9781573244978. pap. $15.95. HEALTH
Health educator Jones (The Joy Factor: 10 Sacred Practices for Radiant Health) adds another title to her bibliography with this update of her 1992 best seller, Choose To Live Peacefully, offering readers a 30-day plan for rejuvenating body, mind, and spirit. After an introduction recounting her recovery from grief after the loss of her father, she offers readers a chapter for each day. These chapters begin with inspirational quotations from a variety of sources followed by a few pages of encouragement from the author. Each ends with an affirmation and action step meant to help the reader lose weight, exercise, make necessary lifestyle changes, or organize his or her life. The author suggests eating natural foods, practicing positive thinking, and creating personal rituals, and she encourages readers to consult a health-care professional before undertaking diet and exercise programs. VERDICT This book offers nothing new. Buy it if you need another standard health/self-help book or if the original was popular in your community.—Barbara M. Bibel, Oakland P.L.
Sankaran, Rajan. Homeopathy for Today’s World: Discovering Your Animal, Mineral, or Plant Nature. Healing Arts: Inner Traditions. Jul. 2011. c.288p. illus. index. ISBN 9781594774034. pap. $18.95. HEALTH
Homeopathy, developed by Samuel Hahnemann in the 18th century, is the alternative approach to medicine in which patients are treated with diluted preparations of herbs and minerals, called remedies. The central principle of homeopathy is the “law of similars,” which holds that “like cures like.” Sankaran, a classically trained homeopathic doctor and prolific writer (most recently, The Other Song: Discovering Your Parallel Self) based in Mumbai, has developed his own complex schema for diagnosis and a unique rubric for the application of the homeopathic repertoire that compares symptoms, diseases, and remedies to aspects of the mineral, plant, and animal kingdoms. Sankaran uses interviews, dreams, and doodles to address the core issues behind what he understands as the delusion of disease, and the book is replete with case studies that illuminate his perspective. VERDICT The detailed discussion and obscure references will make this a difficult title for the casual self-help or health book reader. The author himself warns that his process of deep self-examination requires the assistance of a professional. Alternative practitioners may find his concepts intriguing even though they do not neatly dovetail with traditional teaching and practice of homeopathy.—Janet Tapper, Univ. of Western States Lib., Portland, OR
Turske, Claudia. Hormone Balance Through Yoga: A Pocket Guide for Women Over 40. Hunter House. Sept. 2011. c.72p. illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780897935722. pap. $11.95. HEALTH
Turske, a certified hormone yoga therapist and Anusara yoga studio operator and trainer in Berlin, focuses on specific hormone yoga exercises for counteracting menopause’s effects on the body. The exercises presented here are intended to reduce discomfort, counteract hormonal imbalances and their side-effects, and increase flexibility. The author begins with an overview of the endocrine system and symptoms of menopause then discusses breathing techniques and preliminary stretching exercises. Various yoga positions are presented as a sequence of daily exercises to promote hormonal balance. VERDICT Beginners of yoga may have difficulty performing some of the positions, but those with prior experience will be able to use the descriptions and illustrations to follow along. Those who practice yoga and are looking for specific poses to address the complications of menopause may find the book a useful resource.—Dana Ladd, Community Health Education Ctr. Lib. for the Health Sciences, Richmond
HOME ECONOMICS
Bompas, Sam & Harry Parr (text) & Chris Terry (photogs.). Jellymongers: Glow-in-the-Dark Jelly, Titanic Jelly, Flaming Jelly. Sterling Epicure. Jun. 2011. 160p. photogs. bibliog. index. ISBN 9781402784804. $19.95. COOKING
Since 2007, Bompas and Parr have been “working hard to restore jelly to its culinary throne.” They are well known for their food art and installations, recently commemorating the 40th anniversary of the film Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory by building a five-ton chocolate waterfall in London. Their edible creations tend toward the avant-garde as well. This book—released in 2010 in the UK as Jelly with Bompas & Parr—brings the authors’ work into readers’ homes, on a smaller though no less grand scale. Recipes vary in ease of production, from basic fruit jellies to, e.g., flaming and glow-in-the-dark jellies. For many recipes, readers will be left somewhat to their own devices as they try to use the images to reproduce what they see in the book, and many techniques are for more advanced jelly makers. VERDICT Recent U.S. media coverage (e.g., The Today Show, The Martha Stewart Show) may garner some interest in this title, which is visually stunning and an enjoyable read; however, its primary appeal will be to true jelly aficionados.—Meagan Storey, Virginia Beach
Hummel, George. The Complete Homebrew Beer Book: 200 Easy Recipes from Ales & Lagers to Extreme Beers & International Favorites. Robert Rose, dist. by Firefly. Jun. 2011. 456p. index. ISBN 9780778802686. pap. $24.95. BEVERAGES
For the beginning home brewer, this book is a good place to start. Like Stephen Snyder’s The Brewmaster’s Bible, this guide arranges the recipes by beer style, though Snyder plunges deeper into the history of beer styles than home brewer, Mid-Atlantic Brewing News columnist, and Philadelphia brewing supplies shop owner Hummel, who only briefly notes the origins of each beer along with its recipe. In the first chapter, Hummel introduces the ingredients, equipment, and basic setup for home brewing. He also discusses common home brew problems to watch out for, but the main focus of his book is the recipes. Two hundred recipes give readers a wide range of brews to make (not only beer but also cider, mead, and soda). VERDICT The step-by-step, easy-to-follow recipes are perfect for those starting out in the craft of home brewing. Highly recommended.—Ginny Wolter Toledo-Lucas Cty. P.L.
McFadden, Christine. Pepper: The Spice that Changed the World; Over 100 Recipes, Over 3,000 Years of History. Absolute, dist. by Trafalgar Square. Aug. 2011. 256p. photogs. bibliog. index. ISBN 9781904573609. $35. COOKING
An entire book about pepper? Yes! This well-focused volume is packed full of pepper facts and a feast of inspiring and surprising recipes. McFadden (Tools for Cooks) admits a fascination that began in her childhood with the pungent spice. In this ambitious work she reintroduces readers to something most tend to think of as a simple and unexceptional ingredient. She includes sections “Pepper in History” and “The Pepper Primer,” which provides information on basic botany and the greater pepper family. Recipes for a broad spectrum of dishes, from Balsamic and Pepper-Glazed Roast Pumpkin to Strawberry and Black Pepper Ice-Cream, nicely demonstrate the versatility of this ancient spice. VERDICT Like Mark Kurlansky’s Salt: A World History, this book effectively presents a wealth of information and history and provides readers with an appreciation of the subtle complexities that a simple yet essential ingredient evokes in food.—Graciela Monday, San Antonio
SCIENCES
Berman, Bob. The Sun’s Heartbeat: And Other Stories from the Life of the Star That Powers Our Planet. Little, Brown. Jul. 2011. c.304p. illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780316091015. $25.99. SCI
We all tend to take the sun for granted, and it is one of Berman’s (columnist for Discover and Astronomy magazines) missions to make us step back and appreciate its awesome power and influence on Earth. In chapters covering various facets of solar studies, from sunspots and solar magnetism to global warming to the dangers solar activity poses for various earthbound technologies, Berman guides readers through the basics, liberally peppering his narrative with random interjections that are either whimsical or distracting, depending on one’s perspective. Although the modern pop-culture spin he puts on historical situations provides moments of humor, his approach can also be a bit jarring. VERDICT Fans of Berman’s columns will enjoy this book, though serious students of astronomy may find it frustratingly lax, since Berman’s big claims are not backed up with references to any peer-reviewed literature or reproductions of the charts and graphs he mentions in passing. Recommended for popular science collections only.—Marcia R. Franklin, MLIS, St. Paul
Denny, Mark. Their Arrows Will Darken the Sun: The Evolution and Science of Ballistics. Johns Hopkins Univ. 2011. 234p. illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780801898570. pap. $30. SCI
Denny, who holds a Ph.D. in physics, is the author of several previous books (Ingenium: Five Machines That Changed the World), intended for nonspecialists, about various fields of science and technology. Here, he begins with a section on internal ballistics—the means by which a missile is brought to a desired velocity. The discussion is set within its historical context, beginning in classical Greece and Rome and extending to the post–World War II era. Illustrations and graphs augment the scientific narrative of advances in ballistics, but mathematical details are set aside in a “Technical Notes” section. The second section discusses the forces that act on a missile during its flight to the target. A short third section concerns efforts to magnify or lessen missile damage to targets (which include human bodies). VERDICT This is a well-written treatise for nonexpert readers who have interest in and some knowledge of ballistics. The likely audience includes hunters, target shooters, and those who read military history.—Jack W. Weigel, Ann Arbor, MI
Fagan, Brian. Elixir: A History of Water and Humankind. Bloomsbury, dist. by Macmillan. Jun. 2011. c.416p. illus. maps. bibliog. index. ISBN 9781608190034. $28. SCI
Fagan (emeritus, anthropology, Univ. of California, Santa Barbara; The Great Warming) traces humankind’s relationship to water through history. He delves beyond water’s life-sustaining properties to explore humans’ ritualistic connection to water and the necessity of controlling water in both drought and flood-prone areas. The focus is on technology, ranging from simple furrows to more elaborate aqueducts, and on the correlation between the success of these water-controlling techniques and the civilizations associated with them. Fagan proposes three stages in the evolution of our relationship to water. In the remote past, access to water was unreliable; water was often scarce and therefore sacred. From about 2000 years ago through the Industrial Revolution, water was viewed as a commodity to be exploited. The current era views water as a finite resource that needs to be managed accordingly. VERDICT Recommended reading for anyone with an interest in the history of humans’ relationship to water and for science buffs.—Diana Hartle, Univ. of Georgia Science Lib., Athens
Hanson, Thor. Feathers: The Evolution of a Natural Miracle. Basic Bks: Perseus. Jun. 2011. 352p. illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780465020133. $25.99. SCI
Conservation biologist Hanson (The Impenetrable Forest: My Gorilla Years in Uganda) may be the first to consider feathers in many contexts: paleontology, evolution, physiology, anatomy, aerodynamics, fashion, culture, literature, and history. In this enjoyable, wide-ranging, and well-researched book, Hanson explains the mechanisms whereby feathers keep birds cool or warm; the complex—at times extravagant—role feathers play in wild bird courtship; the controversies among scientists as to how and why feathers evolved; feather forensics, useful in crime and aircraft crash investigations; the millinery trade (feathers as fashion); and the modern use of feathers and the dynamics of the bedding and clothing industries they support. Useful appendixes include heavily annotated diagrams of different feather types and a brief list of major conservation associations. VERDICT Highly recommended for birders and science buffs.—Henry T. Armistead, formerly with Free Lib. of Philadelphia
Jacobsen, Rowan. Shadows on the Gulf: A Journey Through Our Last Great Wetland. Bloomsbury, dist. by Macmillan. 2011. 232p. photogs. bibliog. index. ISBN 9781608195817. $25. NAT HIST
James Beard Award winner Jacobsen, whose American Terroir was a 2010 LJ Best Book, examines the Gulf region in his brilliant new work. While the Deepwater Horizon disaster was the initial impetus behind this book, it becomes quite apparent, as Jacobsen dives into the region’s history, that the BP spill was just the latest in a long list of environmental injustices committed against the Gulf and its inhabitants. Jacobsen intertwines the customs, stories, and ways of life of the local people through his natural history of the region and descriptions of its bayous, plants, and animals, painting a full picture of how the area has been affected by the various devastations and detrimental “improvements” over the past few decades. The wonderfully vivid descriptions of the landscape will place readers right by Jacobsen’s side as he describes the changes to the biodiversity, environment, and culture of the Gulf region. VERDICT This engrossing work will be of great interest to researchers, students, and general readers; an excellent resource for all library collections.—Kyrille Goldbeck, Virginia Polytechnic Inst. & State Univ. Lib., Blacksburg
McNerney, Jerry & Martin Cheek. Clean Energy Nation: Freeing America from the Tyranny of Fossil Fuels. AMACOM: American Management Assn. Aug. 2011. c.320p. index. ISBN 9780814413722. $27.95. SCI
Congressman McNerney and journalist Cheek tell America’s energy story, past, present, and future. After a grim assessment of the world’s dwindling fossil fuel supply and our status as “addicts,” they provide a survey of new technologies that could provide viable alternatives. The authors demonstrate how energy issues permeate society by viewing them from the perspectives of government, environment, economy, transportation, agriculture, public health, and education. They make some good points, perhaps the strongest of which is the importance of framing energy policy as a national security problem, rather than a solely environmental one. All too often, though, kernels are buried beneath layers of blather; McNerney is overly fond of the journey metaphor—of standing at the crossroads, of keeping liberty’s flame lit. Their patriotic impulse strains the limits of patience when readers are asked to remember America’s great technological achievements (e.g., transcontinental railroad, interstate highway system, Apollo space mission), as if those memories can cure an addiction, generate effective policy, or solve a problem as utterly different and complex as energy. VERDICT Readers expecting McNerney, uniquely qualified as both energy expert and congressman, to deliver fresh insight will be disappointed.—Robert Eagan, Windsor P.L., Ont.
Marshall, Jason. The Math Dude’s Quick and Dirty Guide to Algebra. Griffin: St. Martin’s. Jul. 2011. c.240p. illus. index. ISBN 9780312569563. pap. $17.99. MATH
Marshall, astrophysicist, staff research scientist at Caltech, and host of The Math Dude’s Quick and Dirty Tips To Make Math Easier website and podcast (mathdude.quickanddirtytips.com), ventures into the print world with his unique style and approach to algebra. In a world increasingly visual, he shows how algebra, which replaces numbers with letters, establishes relationships (called equations) between stuff. Chock-full of diagrams, illustrations, and examples, this book strips away some of the mystery, thereby eliminating common stumbling blocks. VERDICT Information is presented in a style and voice usually associated with blogging rather than math textbooks, so this book may not be everyone’s choice. Nonetheless, it is a great supplement to textbooks. Suitable for beginners as well as students who need a review of algebra.—Margaret F. Dominy, Drexel Univ. Lib., Philadelphia
Prud’homme, Alex. The Ripple Effect: The Fate of Freshwater in the Twenty-First Century. Scribner. Jun. 2011. c.448p. index. ISBN 9781416535454. $27. SCI
What does water mean to individuals, to daily life, to a society? We frequently take its availability for granted. This complacency is what provoked Prud’homme (The Cell Game) to write this book. With his acute journalist’s instincts, he investigates numerous issues surrounding water, including its quality, availability, ownership, and infrastructure in both the United States and the rest of the world. In this high-stakes story, bolstered by extensive research and in-depth interviews with experts, Prud’homme guides readers on an “intellectual adventure” to better understand why water is “the most valuable resource on earth,” and, more important, he demonstrates why water is “the resource that will define this century.” VERDICT Highly recommended for readers of nature and political science books.—Norah Xiao, Univ. of Southern California, Los Angeles
TECHNOLOGY
Mahoney, Michael Sean. Histories of Computing. Harvard Univ. Jun. 2011. c.240p. ed. by Thomas Haigh. illus. index. ISBN 9780674055681. $49.95. TECH
Over the past few decades, advances in computing have revolutionized everything in society, from the way we communicate with friends to how we pay for food at the grocery store. The history of computers and computing has become a major field of study, but the late professor Mahoney (history & history of science, Princeton) believed that most computer historians had their approach all wrong: they accurately recorded dates, events, and inventors, but they weren’t asking the important questions. He here challenges historians to approach the history of computing with the same vigor and thoroughness they applied to other aspects of history. He recognized that the history of software development was an often forgotten yet important piece of computing history. This volume compiles Mahoney’s key articles, selected and edited by Haigh (information studies, Univ. of Wisconsin, Milwaukee). VERDICT Mahoney understood computer history’s significance, and his writings on the subject are important. This is a good choice for academic libraries supporting history of science programs and for lay readers interested in the subject.—William Baer, Georgia Tech, Atlanta
GARDEN DESIGN IDEAS
Mallet, Robert (text) & Yves Poinsot (photogs. & illus.). Envisioning the Garden: Line, Scale, Distance, Form, Color, and Meaning. Norton. 2011. 144p. tr. from French by Bryan Woy. illus. ISBN 9780393733426. pap. $39.95. GARDENING
In this translation of his book published in France in 2004, Mallet, who for over 20 years was in charge of Le Bois des Moutiers, one of the most beautiful gardens in France, writes about the art of garden design as the alignment of various factors to fulfill the designer’s complex and individual vision. He discusses the workings of human perception and the way elements of line, scale, distance, form, and color can come together to evoke emotion, and he explains how varied shapes and nuanced textures can make spaces seem larger and how specific color combinations, such as the placement of light-colored plants in front of darker ones, can create the appearance of depth. The 160 outstanding photographs, taken by architect Poinsot and others, clearly illustrate these ideas and show how and why they work. Poinsot’s line drawings demonstrate ways of understanding dimensionality, perspective, and proportion (the Blondel formula, for example, which determines optimal staircase proportions). VERDICT This beautiful book is an excellent primer, laying out the principles of garden design and showing how they can be accomplished. A great inspiration for gardeners and students of horticultural design.— Phillip Oliver, Univ. of North Alabama, Florence
Wilson, Andrew. Contemporary Color in the Landscape: Top Designers, Inspiring Ideas, New Combinations. Timber. 2011. 280p. photogs. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780881929966. $34.95. GARDENING
British landscape designer Wilson (founding director, London Coll. of Garden Design; The Book of Garden Plans), who contributes regularly to Gardens Illustrated magazine, believes color is the key element of any well-designed garden; the problem is that not everyone knows how to use color effectively. Wilson sets out to correct this deficiency by providing a detailed discussion of the principles of color theory and how those principles can be translated into stunning landscapes. He presents the full spectrum of color possibilities, rather than limiting himself to those ordinarily considered in conventional gardens. VERDICT While the majority of examples in the book come from European gardens, American gardeners will still find plenty of inspiration. Landscape design professionals will probably glean more from Wilson’s philosophical tone and rigorously methodical approach than will weekend gardeners, who may find a more practical guide such as P. Allen Smith’s Colors for the Garden a better match. Nonetheless, this gorgeously illustrated guide offers a thorough introduction to the topic for both gardening pros and serious home gardeners.—John Charles, Scottsdale P.L., AZ
