Over 500 books have been written—just in English—recounting the life and career of Winston Churchill, undoubtedly one of the greatest men of the 20th century. Thus one might ask whether we need yet another thick tome dedicated to his exploits. In this case, yes, we do! D'Este, a military historian of tremendous skills, has already crafted impressive and massive biographies of George Patton and Dwight Eisenhower. Now, he turns his manifold talents to examining the military career of Churchill, who considered himself above all a soldier first and a statesman second. Churchill never forgot his experiences either in the Boer War as a young soldier or in the decidedly unhappy Gallipoli Campaign in World War I, where his decisions as First Lord of the Admiralty led to the remarkable and deadly debacle in the Dardanelles. These wartime events shaped his strategic approach to the second and greatest of world wars, a conflict where his strengths and weaknesses as a leader would be clearly shown. D'Este has produced an outstanding work that should take its rightful place alongside the dozens of other studies of this most remarkable statesman. Highly recommended for all collections.—Ed Goedeken, Iowa State Univ. Lib., Ames

Über-best selling author Grogan (Marley & Me) recounts growing up devoutly Catholic in a "Shangri-La by the shore" outside Detroit, beginning with an idyllic childhood in an unsanctimonious, loving household full of friends, swimming, and stealth cigarettes. During a comparatively tame (for the late Sixties) adolescence, replete with making out, beer, and shooting off fireworks, Grogan realizes, "There could be either one God who loved everybody the same, or no God at all." So begins a religious estrangement that is paired with major guilt over disappointing his parents (he often lies to them to spare them heartache). The book's latter part is a love-soaked paean to his terminally ill father. While Grogan's workmanlike writing, certain and readable, gives off a calculated sincerity, he is genuinely devoted to his parents. Grogan's memoir of his journey for identity is akin to Barack Obama's Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance. Required for even the smallest libraries owing to Grogan's name recognition, the upcoming movie release of Marley, its tie-in paperback, and the publisher's substantial PR push.—Douglas Lord, Connecticut State Lib., Hartford

These two vivid memoirs, in very distinct voices, recollect childhood in the context—well, in the clutches—of all-encompassing religion. Wilson's fierce determination and passion characterized her first memoir, An Unreasonable Woman, about her David vs. Goliath fight against a polluting Texas chemical company. Now she delves into her childhood in a hardscrabble Pentecostal shrimping family, surrounded by fire-and-brimstone preachers, radio evangelists, tongue-speakers, snake-handlers, and her own relatives—believing women and fallen-away men. Wilson's prose is breathtaking in its dexterity and blunt poetry, as when she recounts being conscripted as a scout to accompany her grandfather and Aunt Patty, under cover of night, to break into a game warden's riverside shack in pursuit of an incriminating gun. Wilson evokes in her rural Gulf Coast setting an exotic place at the intersection of transcendence and squalor, coated in oyster dust and the conviction that God saves (the Pentecostal believers, and no one else).

In contrast to Wilson's intensity, Turner offers a gentle, amused—and slightly bemused—recollection of his own Christian fundamentalist upbringing. His story begins on the day his four-year-old, formerly Methodist self gets affixed with a clip-on necktie and whooshed off to a new, independent Baptist church and ends, more or less, the day he receives an award at his high school graduation for being "Most Christ-like" (out of a class of four). In between, the author reflects on his pastor's overly loud sermons, his own struggle with the sin of dilly-dallying, and the foibles of growing up in a family that would, for instance, celebrate Christmas by throwing a poorly-thought-through birthday party for Jesus, featuring a cake with 33 lit candles. As reflected in his subtitle, Turner, who has written several books on Christian life, came through the experience with faith intact. Churched would have benefited from more exploration of how and why, but it is a solid, poignant, and funny memoir nonetheless. Both books are recommended for public libraries, and Wilson's is essential.—Janet Ingraham Dwyer, Worthington Libs., OH

These two vivid memoirs, in very distinct voices, recollect childhood in the context—well, in the clutches—of all-encompassing religion. Wilson's fierce determination and passion characterized her first memoir, An Unreasonable Woman, about her David vs. Goliath fight against a polluting Texas chemical company. Now she delves into her childhood in a hardscrabble Pentecostal shrimping family, surrounded by fire-and-brimstone preachers, radio evangelists, tongue-speakers, snake-handlers, and her own relatives—believing women and fallen-away men. Wilson's prose is breathtaking in its dexterity and blunt poetry, as when she recounts being conscripted as a scout to accompany her grandfather and Aunt Patty, under cover of night, to break into a game warden's riverside shack in pursuit of an incriminating gun. Wilson evokes in her rural Gulf Coast setting an exotic place at the intersection of transcendence and squalor, coated in oyster dust and the conviction that God saves (the Pentecostal believers, and no one else).

In contrast to Wilson's intensity, Turner offers a gentle, amused—and slightly bemused—recollection of his own Christian fundamentalist upbringing. His story begins on the day his four-year-old, formerly Methodist self gets affixed with a clip-on necktie and whooshed off to a new, independent Baptist church and ends, more or less, the day he receives an award at his high school graduation for being "Most Christ-like" (out of a class of four). In between, the author reflects on his pastor's overly loud sermons, his own struggle with the sin of dilly-dallying, and the foibles of growing up in a family that would, for instance, celebrate Christmas by throwing a poorly-thought-through birthday party for Jesus, featuring a cake with 33 lit candles. As reflected in his subtitle, Turner, who has written several books on Christian life, came through the experience with faith intact. Churched would have benefited from more exploration of how and why, but it is a solid, poignant, and funny memoir nonetheless. Both books are recommended for public libraries, and Wilson's is essential.—Janet Ingraham Dwyer, Worthington Libs., OH

Journalist Don Hollenbeck, Edward R. Murrow's colleague at CBS during the 1940s and 1950s, is the subject of this biography by Ghiglione (journalism, Northwestern Univ.). Although not as famous as Murrow, Hollenbeck was noted for his dedication to objectivity in reporting and was best known for hosting the radio program CBS Views the Press, on which he critiqued the accuracy and style of the national media. A driven professional, he also frequently clashed with network sponsors. In his personal life, he struggled with alcoholism and committed suicide at the age of 49. In addition to Hollenbeck's story, Ghiglione also provides a history of the climate of Communist hunting and loyalty oaths that held sway in both politics and the media. Interspersed with Hollenbeck's story are short chapters about his polar opposite, newspaper columnist Jack O'Brian, who relentlessly criticized Hollenbeck's liberalism and elitism. Ghiglione's attention to detail and use of numerous personal interviews make this both a compelling biography and a rich contextual history of the McCarthy era. Highly recommended for public and academic libraries.—Sarah Statz Cords, Reader's Advisor Online, Madison, WI

To celebrate its 40th anniversary, New York magazine editors Fishman, Adam Moss, and John Homans present the most thought-provoking and culturally influential articles from the past four decades of the magazine. Founded by Clay Felker in 1968, the magazine highlighted life, culture, and politics in New York City and later included American society at large. Felker strived to compete with the prestigious New Yorker as the purveyor of ideas and culture among the Manhattan literati. More edgy and hip than its competitor, New York featured the writings of such notables as Gloria Steinem, Gail Sheehy, and Tom Wolfe. Its influence on popular culture is evident in several selections in this anthology. Nicholas Pileggi's "Wiseguy" and Nik Cohn's "Tribal Rites of the New Saturday Night" became the groundbreaking films Goodfellas and Saturday Night Fever, respectively. This is not just a collection of great stories from the past 40 years; it is a study of the historical and sociological ideas and events that shaped the nation during that time. Highly recommended, especially for larger public libraries and academic libraries.—Donna Marie Smith, Palm Beach Cty. Lib. Syst., FL

In Abrams's The Company We Keep (2005), he wrote about his residential building and design company, South Mountain, and of his efforts to grow gradually and sustainably. In that book as well as this revised and expanded edition, Abrams presents a chapter on each of the eight "cornerstone principles" of sustainable businesses, including sharing ownership, cultivating workplace democracy, and celebrating the spirit of craft. In the new edition, he expands his vision beyond his own company (with its somewhat unusual Martha's Vineyard location) to companies across the United States. His conversational style and instructive anecdotes paint a rosy picture of employee ownership, but he also cautions that a company's transition away from reliance on a single leader can take many years. The overall message is positive, emphasizing local development and "challenging the gospel of growth." Appendixes provide South Mountain's employee-ownership contract, tips and resources to support a company's transition to employee ownership, and a guide to mediation and discussion; a reading list suggests books that Abrams says "changed the way [he] think[s]." For all libraries.—Heidi Senior, Univ. of Portland Lib., OR

Have you ever passed a neighborhood of palatial homes and wondered who lives inside, what their lives are like, and how they can afford such lavish lifestyles? D'Agostino (Esquire) has, and here he chronicles his journey into some of America's 100 wealthiest ZIP codes, where he went door to door looking for insight into how the rich become rich. While D'Agostino discovers that "not everyone who makes $1.6 million a year is Lao-tzu," he does manage to gain some insight into the personal traits and principles that have helped some of America's wealthier people achieve their successes. He weaves anecdotes of his visits with the wealthy into chapters on the ability to see what others don't see, make one's own luck, be obsessed with something, understand the nature of risk, and keep a kind of humility even in the midst of success. Most of what he finds isn't revolutionary, but readers will get a certain voyeuristic pleasure in peering into some of America's richest homes, and they may pick up some useful tips for personal financial success. Recommended for public libraries.—Elizabeth L. Winter, Georgia Inst. of Technology Lib. & Information Ctr., Atlanta

Economists Fisman and Miguel address the role of corruption and violence in impoverishing nations such as Kenya and Chad. They avoid academic jargon and write for a general audience in explaining how economists study the problem of pervasive endemic poverty. They relate specifically (indicative of their light approach) how, by studying the pattern of UN diplomatic parking violations in New York City, economists have estimated corruption in various countries. For example, diplomats from countries like Sweden and Canada had no violations while those from Chad and Sudan were egregious offenders. Fisman and Miguel look at violence as both a cause and an effect of poverty. They show that conflict risk in Africa increases from roughly 20 to 30 percent in drought years. To alleviate poverty best, they recommend experimentation with different policies such as crop insurance to find those methods that are effective in assisting the poor without enhancing conditions conducive to corruption and violence. Reminiscent of other lighter looks at economics, e.g., Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner's Freakonomics and Tim Harford's The Undercover Economist, this book makes developmental economics both entertaining and accessible to a broad audience and is recommended to both public and academic libraries.—Lawrence Maxted, Gannon Univ., Erie, PA

With climate change, skyrocketing energy costs, and a bad economy on everyone's minds, these two books offer different takes on these circumstances and consequently quite different solutions. While in The Green Collar Economy, Jones (founder & president, Green for All) addresses ongoing issues of social inequality as well as the environment and arrives at large-scale solutions aimed at both, Makower (executive editor, GreenBiz.com) in Strategies for the Green Economy focuses more on improving the "greenness" of individual corporations. By examining case studies of companies' green initiatives and their effects on marketing and consumers, he demonstrates how going green can be a win-win for both the bottom line and the environment.

In looking at the bigger picture, Jones provides ideas for rebuilding infrastructure and creating alternative energy sources, which would have the double bonus of boosting the economy through increased employment and higher wages while decreasing our dependence on fossil fuels. With a blurb by Al Gore and a foreword by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., this is a much more forward-thinking and far-reaching work that considers concrete ways to improve our current situation, rather than offering only rhetoric. Action items and a resource list at the end of the book provide ways for individuals to get involved immediately.

Makower's is a more typical "business" book, looking at specific companies and their approaches to environmentalism. It focuses on corporate success and how to use the environment as a marketing tool rather than on strategies to save the country and the planet. While both books are highly readable and very timely, the big picture presented in The Green Collar Economy seems more optimistic and useful than the marketing techniques outlined in Strategies. The Green Collar Economy is recommended for all libraries, while Strategies is recommended more specifically for business collections.—Susan Hurst, Miami Univ. of Ohio Libs., Oxford

Magnuson (economics, Portland State Univ. & Portland Community Coll.) presents an intriguing perspective on the U.S. economy by describing the American capitalist system and its key institutions and economic issues, covering the most important consequences of the system and, finally, offering alternatives. His overview of the history and background of the U.S. economic system is thorough, including the development of capitalism, the U.S. financial system and Federal Reserve banks, the stock market, the structure of corporations, and international economic relations. The problems with the system Magnuson discusses include poverty, financial market instability, environmental destruction, and economic downturns. In the final section, he presents a notable study of a mindful economy, writing, "In a mindful economy, we seek to avoid debilitating crises and set out to follow a thoughtful and careful path toward change." He examines ways of achieving a mindful economy of values-based principles: the mindful economy is intrinsically democratic, equitable, just, based on respect for all life and natural processes, and stable. This book should be read by faculty and students studying economics and can be appreciated by those just learning about how the economy works. Highly recommended to academic library collections.—Lucy Heckman, St. John's Univ. Lib., Jamaica, NY

According to award-winning financial columnist Samuelson (Newsweek; The Good Life and Its Discontents), the great inflation of the 1960s and 1970s is often either a distant memory or an obscure piece of American history. Yet this era should be better understood because its consequences made an impact on later events, such as 21st-century strides in productivity, housing, equity, and credit markets, as well as globalization. Samuelson's book is also timely because the great inflation crisis shares many similarities with our current situation, including stagflation (slower economic growth combined with inflation), diminished spending power despite overall levels of affluence, rapidly shifting labor markets, sharp food and energy price increases, and the perception of the decline of the United States as a superpower. Samuelson does not believe the future is necessarily bleak because conditions like the great inflation can be brought under control using monetary and other governmental interventions. Despite its profound insights, this advanced economics work, with its reliance on specialized economic theories and analyses, is primarily for academic libraries; an optional purchase for public libraries. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 7/08.]—Caroline Geck, MLS, MBA, Somerset, NJ

Cahn (philosophy, Graduate Ctr., CUNY; Classics of Western Philosophy) draws on his decades of experience as a professor and administrator at a number of universities to provide a clear, concise, and informal guide to becoming a professor. Starting with the first day of graduate school and moving through the dissertation defense, job search, job interview, publication, teaching, and tenure process, Cahn dishes up no-nonsense advice that anybody who desires a career in academia should heed. This quick read is occasionally humorous and always to the point. It should be read, ideally in the first semester, by anyone in a Ph.D. program. Recommended for all academic libraries.—Mark Bay, Univ. of the Cumberlands Lib., Williamsburg, KY

Schein helped start and for many years taught at Paideia School, a private school in Atlanta. He was previously the principal at three different schools and has been an educational consultant throughout his career. Schein here details his interactions with several of his students, highlighting his unique method of teaching—he's able to draw out students' true emotions, what they're most afraid to tell anyone, and he explains how doing that liberates them and improves their academic performance. Schein believes his methods will work in any school, but they will be harder to follow in public schools owing to less flexible curriculum, time constraints, risk of parental complaints (Schein's students openly discuss sexual issues), and other controls put on public school teachers. There is no doubt that Schein's methods have merit. Teachers should have access to this book to consider adapting Schein's style of teaching to improve their own students' performance. Recommended for most public and academic libraries.—Terry Christner, Hutchinson P.L., KS

Esteemed professor Barrett (East Asian history, Sch. of Oriental & African Studies, London), a tireless researcher and man of humor, challenges our Eurocentric views. He reveals that the Chinese were printing on a grand scale well before Gutenberg and that the key supporter was a woman, Empress Wu (625–705 C.E.)! Furthermore, at the root of her great interest in printing were her religious beliefs. From the beginning, Buddhism was an oral religion. Later believers were encouraged to copy and pass on texts. Just as with Gutenberg, there was a religious angle. The texts weren't just for reading but were also for indulgences. The Empress wanted the texts mass-produced to guarantee her extraordinary benefits in this world and the next. People's fears were also a factor in promoting printing because of the prevailing sense of instability relating to death, judgment, and hell as propounded by Buddhist and Taoist doctrine. The religious texts had to be accurate to impress the spirit world. Barrett himself admits that his conclusions are speculative: "It will certainly be hard going for any reader of history who expects a stream of effortless revelations." However, he bases his conclusion on impressively diverse data. An excellent addition to all library collections on China or the history of printing.—Susan G. Baird, Chicago

Fascinating bad guys; exotic locations; lost religious treasures too good to be true; and a cast of characters made up of scholars, religious believers, antique dealers, cops, and millionaires make this book a strange—and true—tale and a delight to read. In 2002, the James Ossuary, an ancient limestone box for bones with an inscription on it that said "James, son of Joseph, brother of Jesus" was publicized as the first real physical evidence of Jesus Christ's existence. The plot thickened when the ossuary went on tour, creating lots of publicity, a book by advocate Hershel Shanks, and a Discovery Channel documentary. Then the ossuary's owner, Oded Golan, and his antique-dealer associates were charged with forgery. The trial of Golan and a colleague has lasted years (and has also led to the uncovering of other important forgeries). Burleigh (staff writer, People magazine) does a fabulous job of tracking down and talking to the major players in what the Israeli authorities call the "fraud of the century." Whether or not readers believe the ossuary is authentic, they will thoroughly enjoy this book. Highly recommended for public libraries and academic libraries supporting classes on archaeology.—Melissa Aho, Univ. of Minnesota Lib., Minneapolis

Journalist Dinkelspiel has filled a notable gap in California's history by writing a much-needed biography of her remarkable great-great grandfather Isaias Wolf Hellman (1842–1920). As one of California's pioneer financiers and an advocate of modern banking methods, Hellman became founder, president, or director of 17 banks, including Wells Fargo Bank, Nevada Bank of San Francisco, and the Farmers and Merchants Bank. He is attributed with stabilizing the financial panic of 1893 in Los Angeles by stacking $500,000 worth of gold coins on the counter of the Farmers and Merchants Bank in plain public view, hence the title of this book. The author personalizes Hellman's life by recounting his emigration from Bavaria to California in 1859 and comparing the vastly different social acceptance of Jews in those places. Many details of his family history are provided, along with insights into his relations with a broad swath of other early legendary California business families. Recommended for public and academic libraries with interests in early California financial and Judaic history.—Nathan E. Bender, Univ. of Idaho Lib., Moscow

Making liberal use of letters and memoirs, independent historian Gelardi (Born To Rule) presents us with a comparative study of six of Europe's most renowned royal women, Queen Isabella of Castile and her daughter, Catherine of Aragon, who became Henry VIII's wife; Empress Maria Theresa of Austria and her daughter, Queen Marie Antoinette of France; and Queen Victoria of England and her daughter, Vicky, who became Empress Frederick of Germany. As the lives of these particular royals have been covered quite extensively by historians, Gelardi is hard pressed to present much in the way of unanticipated revelations, but the interweaving of the queens' tales does make for appealing narrative history. While these three royal mothers are forever associated with steely determination, great intelligence, and inspirationally successful reigns, their ill-fated daughters are just as ensconced in the roles of great tragic figures, frequently viewed as women battered by misfortune or, worse yet, brought down by their own personal failings. Gelardi seeks to humanize them as she tells these doubly sad stories. Recommended for public and college libraries. (Illustrations not seen.)—Tessa L.H. Minchew, Georgia Perimeter Coll., Clarkston

This masterwork stems from Pace University English professor emerita Yellin's more than 25 years of research and writing on Harriet Jacobs (1813–97), including her 2002 biography but beginning with her 1987 annotated edition of Jacobs's 1861 autobiographical Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl: Written by Herself. Pathbreaking in both U.S. history and American literature, Incidents shunned the pattern of black men's ex-slave narratives and white women's fanciful fiction. It posted an authentic black woman's tale of slavery, sexual assault, and resistance. Jacobs repeatedly thwarted her slaveholder's advances and, rather than succumb, ultimately hid for seven years in her grandmother's cramped North Carolina attic crawl space, separated from her two children whom she could see and hear but not touch or let know she was there. With her coeditors, Yellin now provides more than 900 documents from four generations, moving from Jacobs's grandmother Molly, to her mother, Delilah, to herself and her children, Joseph and Louisa Matilda, ranging from September 1810 to April 1917. The documents are chronologically clustered in two volumes, each with six parts. Brief essays introduce each part, providing historical context and an overview of the Jacobses' lives during the time covered. Headnotes also provide context on the creation, publication, or location of documents and sometimes summarize material not yet published. The opening chronology and brief biographies of persons referenced in the documents are themselves gems. This model of documentary collecting and editing is required for every library serious about its collections on U.S. history, literature, blacks, women, or slavery.—Thomas J. Davis, Arizona State Univ., Tempe

Billed as a sequel to the Kunhardts' Lincoln: An Illustrated Biography, this large-format volume, the companion to a 2009 PBS Lincoln bicentennial special of the same name, is a pictorial study of the evolution of the legend of Lincoln from his death to the death of Robert Todd Lincoln in 1926. It was during this time that Lincoln developed from a more partisan and regional figure of the Civil War into a metaphor for national unity after his 1909 centennial. Part of the continuing quest to understand the "real Lincoln," this book is lavishly illustrated with over 900 photos and drawings from archival collections and publications, while also providing textual narrative on how Lincoln was remembered differently by his friends, adversaries, neighbors, and family members and in popular culture forms such as statues, sermons, and celebrations. The Kunhardts (Peter and Peter Jr. get equal billing with Philip) recognize that both the historically accurate and the mythically symbolic Lincoln are significant. In assessing and bringing to light writings and artifacts pointing out the power of the memory of Lincoln, they remind us of Lincoln's not-always-laudatory iconic status, a touchstone for the varying ways Northerners and Southerners, blacks and whites defined their own places in American society. Not addressed here are the Lincoln legend in the performing arts and songsheets of the era covered (or in movies and TV that followed) or Lincoln's place internationally as an icon of America. This volume will find a welcome spot on the shelves of public and academic libraries. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 7/08.]—Frederick J. Augustyn Jr., Library of Congress

In 1672, Anna Schmieg sent her daughter to her neighbors with a basket of Shrove Tuesday cakes. When one of the recipients died unexpectedly, dark rumors of poisoning and witchcraft followed Anna until the authorities arrested her. Robisheaux (history, Duke Univ.; Rural Society and the Search for Order in Early Modern Germany) has created a nuanced, in-depth examination of a witch trial based on extensive archival research but written with a general audience in mind. Through the prosecution of Anna, the reader is introduced to the history, government, law, theology, medicine, and folk beliefs of 17th-century Germany. The presentation of the social dynamics underlying witch crazes is illuminating, as are the ways in which Anna's legend were later appropriated in subsequent centuries, e.g., her portrayal evolved from "poor sinner" to heroine or martyr. The reader might wish for a modern medical opinion on why Anna's supposed victim died, but this is only a minor omission from a superb work. Suitable for all public and academic libraries.—Daniel Harms, SUNY at Cortland Lib.

Starita (journalism, Univ. of Nebraska; The Dull Knifes of Pine Ridge: A Lakota Odyssey) sympathetically documents the many injustices done to the Ponca people by the U.S. government during the latter portion of the 19th century through the experiences of Chief Standing Bear. In 1877, Chief Standing Bear's people were uprooted from their homes in Nebraska and forced to migrate to Oklahoma because the federal government had mistakenly given away their tribal homelands to the Lakota Sioux in the 1868 Treaty of Fort Laramie. A year later, Standing Bear was arrested as he attempted to return to the tribe's traditional homelands to bury his son. The ensuing legal proceedings culminated in the landmark legal ruling in Standing Bear v. Crook that guaranteed Native Americans 14th Amendment protections under the U.S. Constitution. While Starita's monograph is recommended for public libraries, academic libraries should consider Valerie Sherer Mathes and Richard Lowitt's The Standing Bear Controversy: Prelude to Indian Reform, which not only documents the legal morass involving Standing Bear but also shows how reformers aiding his cause ultimately created far greater problems for Native peoples through the creation of the Dawes Act.—John Burch, Campbellsville Univ. Lib., KY

Many books have examined the life of Abraham Lincoln and analyzed his attitudes toward blacks and emancipation. In this comparative treatment, Stauffer (English, Harvard; Black Hearts of Men: Radical Abolitionists and the Transformation of Race) traces the extraordinary life journeys of Lincoln and Frederick Douglass from humble origins to national prominence, emphasizing their brief and unique friendship. Enlivening the story with rich detail and well-chosen quotations, Stauffer offers insight into Lincoln's personal and political attitudes toward blacks through an examination of his relationship with the great abolitionist orator whom he treated with courtesy and respect even when his steps toward emancipation and full equality for African Americans were, in Douglass's eyes, agonizingly slow and limited. This interesting book, which grew out of a well-well received article in Time magazine, is recommended for large academic libraries, even those that already own individual biographies of these men.—Theresa McDevitt, Indiana Univ. of Pennsylvania Lib.

The youngest son of Frank "Cheech" Caruso, a Mafia grunt who confessed to the 1927 murder of a Brooklyn physician, here relays the story behind his father's "crime." Dr. Pendola had been summoned to the bedside of Cheech's son Joey, who was suffering from an unknown illness. After Pendola administered medicine intravenously, Joey died, and a grieving, enraged Cheech murdered the doctor. In the hands of a competent writer and a judicious editor, this narrative could have been a compelling one of loss, revenge, and redemption; instead, it's a muddle of clichéd devices, redundant information, and ridiculous errors such as "gabish" for "capisce." The players in this melodrama are portrayed as either unqualified saints (Cheech's buddy O'Mally) or dastardly villains (anyone who believes Cheech is guilty, even though he confesses). Dialog is re-created clumsily and unrealistically; even the most basic research is left undone; and the tale of what happened on the day of Joey's death is repeated nine times without revealing new information. There is a plot twist of sorts near the end, but most will not read that far. Not recommended.—Daisy Porter, San José P.L., CA

This glossy coffee-table book marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of the government's primary investigative unit. The seven chronological chapters cover the gangster years, World War II, the Cold War, espionage, terrorism, and more. Over 40 important cases illustrate the complex difficulties the FBI faces, its place in American culture, and the evolution of its techniques. In addition to the many striking photos, there are short biographical sketches of the ten directors, listings of the agents who died in performance of their duties, and information about the agency's name, motto, seal, badge, and Special Agent title. Those interested in more depth and discussion can peruse Rhodri Jeffreys-Jones's The FBI: A History, Richard Gid Powers's Broken: The Troubled Past and Uncertain Future of the FBI, and Henry M. Holden's FBI 100 Years: An Unofficial History. This optional purchase is intended for general readers and school and public libraries. Many academic libraries will probably receive it as part of the federal documents depository program. The free electronic version available at www.fbi.gov/book.htm has both PDF and text-only formats.—Daniel K. Blewett, Coll. of DuPage Lib., Glen Ellyn, IL

Friedman's (law, Santa Clara Univ.) writing is extremely lucid and inventive, just the combination necessary to present the crucial challenges that the U.S. legal system will be faced with by technological revolutions of the future. He offers an overview of privacy architecture and possible futures for cybercommerce, progressing to biological technologies, including cryogenics and nanotechnologies, to bring readers to examine all that for which our legal system is unprepared. Though Friedman's thesis here is solely to present probable adjustments to legal systems to adapt to future revolutionary technology, the revolutions have not yet occurred, and contemporary artificial intelligence researchers will come to differing conclusions about the implications of their work; it will be captivating to examine just how many of the possible technological revolutions discussed here do force a re-examining of legal codes, much as crimes upon networked computer systems already have. Nontech specialists, those with an interest in science fiction, and lay readers can all walk away from this book wiser for the future. Suitable for public libraries as well as law libraries.—Jim Hahn, Univ. of Illinois Lib., Urbana

Brzezinski (Johns Hopkins Univ.; Second Chance: Three Presidents and the Crisis of American Superpower) and Scowcroft (president, the Scowcroft Group; coauthor, with George H.W. Bush, A World Transformed) were National Security Advisors to, respectively, Presidents Jimmy Carter and George H.W. Bush. In this book they are led in a series of conversations by David Ignatius (Washington Post), who is both a journalist and a novelist (Body of Lies), "to see if a prominent Democrat and a prominent Republican…could find common ground for a new start in foreign policy." By and large they do find it, in discussions of China, Russia, Israel and Palestine, Pakistan, Iraq, Iran, Korea, India, and other focal points, agreeing that Cold War institutions are outdated and that the United States will need renewed leadership, ingenuity, and engagement to meet the challenges of a world being changed by a "global political awakening." They offer an accessible survey of important questions that is recommended for public and academic libraries.—Bob Nardini, Coutts Information Svcs., Nashville

In this meticulously detailed analysis, Gardner (Research Professor of History, Rutgers Univ.; Iraq and the Lessons of Vietnam) finds the seeds of the second Gulf War in two festering national security wounds from the 1970s: Vietnam and the Iranian Revolution. The Shah's fall cost America a reliable ally (in Gardner's lexicon, a "landing zone") in the region and left a sworn enemy astride the world's second-richest oil reserves. Iraq, with its own vast reserves as well as its own baggage, became America's sometime ally and strategic counterweight to Iran. For neoconservatives (who began demanding regime change in Iraq immediately after the first Gulf War), Iraq would also be the antidote to Vietnam: "a test to see if Americans had the stomach to prevail over its enemy." The depiction of an America with something to prove and something to protect (access to oil) informs Gardner's nuanced exploration of the shifting justifications for the war; the turn away from al-Qaeda, toward Iraq; and the march, led by Vice President Cheney, toward a more imperial presidency. President Bush says only history can judge this war; in this deeply sourced and essential volume, history is none too pleased. Recommended for all libraries.—Elliott Sparkman Walker, freelance journalist, Radnor, PA

How did prince Bandar bin Sultan transform from pilot in the Saudi Royal Air Force into Washington's primary ambassadorial contact with the Saudi Kingdom for over 27 years? Ottoway (fellow, Woodrow Wilson Ctr.; Chained Together: Mandela, De Klerk and the Struggle To Remake South Africa), a former foreign correspondent for the Washington Post, argues that understanding bin Sultan's spectacularly lucrative and influential ambassadorial career is crucial to understanding the modern "special relationship" that the United States has with the Middle East. From the prince's first arms deal negotiation to his present post as secretary general of the Saudi Arabian national security council, Ottoway painstakingly researches the veracity of every anecdote and recorded fact about bin Sultan. Drawing on primary-source material and numerous interviews with the prince and others, this scrupulous and at times unflattering account is perhaps an indirect rebuttal to William Simpson's obsequious biography, The Prince: The Secret Story of the World's Most Intriguing Royal, Prince Bandar bin Sultan. Recommended for academic and large public libraries.—April Younglove, Linfield Coll. Lib., Portland, OR

In this scholarly book, Pious (American studies, Barnard Coll.; The War on Terrorism and the Rule of Law) addresses the problems of executive-branch shortcomings by using risk-management theory to illustrate the common denominator of all presidential failures. He analyzes egregious mistakes across party lines from Eisenhower to the current administration and postulates that it isn't the type of decision that leads to failure but inherent flaws in the way risk is ascertained by those in power. A lack of credible information, the prevalence of political posturing by staff, and weak adversarial understanding are some of the culprits. Unfortunately, Pious's prescribed solutions—e.g., shrinking the sphere of the President's personal influence to streamline decision making, eliminating bloated bureaucracy, and assuring that the executive branch uses political research instead of creating it—are not simple or easily applicable. This well-written work, which includes extensive footnotes and resources for further study, is recommended for academic libraries.—Elizabeth White, Univ. of Georgia, Athens

Soussan (Ctr. for Global Affairs, NYU) worked at UN headquarters in New York as a program coordinator on the UN Oil-for-Food humanitarian project in Iraq from 1997 to 2000. The program was established to sell Iraq's crude oil at market prices and to use the funds to purchase food, medicine, and civilian equipment to be delivered inside Iraq in order to relieve the privations caused by economic sanctions against the regime. Those who worked on the program soon knew that it was corrupt (with bribes paid by oil buyers and goods vendors) and that staff working in country were monitored by Iraqi intelligence and unable to monitor the program itself properly. Soussan's story of his job is a wry account of his errors and gaffes learning to negotiate the UN headquarters bureaucracy (where personal turf and feuds took precedence over the mission goal) and of growing frustration at the UN's refusal to investigate reports of corruption in the Oil-for-Food program. He ultimately resigned in frustration. Since the story broke, he has been active in calling for reforms. A worthwhile addition to current events collections.—Marcia L. Sprules, Council on Foreign Relations Lib., New York

Micale (history & history of medicine, Univ. of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign) writes here about what he calls the "hidden history" of male nervous illness, or hysteria, exploring its denial and theories in males from the early modern period through the early 20th century. The author of many other books and articles on hysteria (e.g., Approaching Hysteria), Micale ranges from incidents in England, France, and other parts of Europe to Frenchman Jean-Martin Charcot and Sigmund Freud, drawing on mostly primary sources, such as letters, diaries, essays, and novels, because the topic was excluded from mainstream historical resources. He concludes that "hysteria" was mostly thought to be a woman's disease and that the research period is one of missed opportunities, as male psychologists were incapable of seeing mental conditions in themselves. Micale acknowledges modern progress in "masculine self-understanding," though he admits that the process is still in development. An excellent book overall, though parts might be a bit dry for casual readers; recommended for academic libraries or libraries with strong history of psychology and medicine collections.—Leigh Mihlrad, Albany Medical Coll., NY

A practicing psychotherapist and former executive director of a mental health clinic, O'Connor (Active Treatment of Depression; Undoing Perpetual Stress) suggests that it's possible to increase happiness and decrease misery without pills, chemicals, or years of therapy. In a graceful blend of philosophy, research, and practical advice, he argues that happiness is a life skill that can be learned. O'Connor begins with a discussion of happiness that is followed by chapters on why being happy is not the normal human condition, strategies for increasing happiness and joy, and useful thoughts on coping with unhappiness and inevitable losses in life. O'Connor concludes with discussions of the essential but elusive search for meaning in life, a review of key points of the book, and a reading list. He succinctly summarizes current relevant research in psychology and brain science as well as key concepts like mindfulness for his intended audience of educated general readers and counselors; others could benefit from selective reading and practicing the simple but rewarding exercises he presents. Substantive yet accessible and engaging, this is highly recommended for public libraries and general psychology collections.—Antoinette Brinkman, MLS, Evansville, IN

Increases in oil prices have driven gasoline costs into the psyche of every American. Ladd (The Ghosts of Berlin) documents a century of expanding U.S. reliance on vehicles powered by oil, most of which has to be imported. He frames his analysis in familiar concepts: the automotive industry as employer, urban migration from cities by families relying on automobiles for transportation, traffic/congestion/roadways, and damage to the environment from burning fossil fuels. Several of these themes have been explored recently, e.g., in Tom Vanderbilt's Traffic, Paul Roberts's The End of Oil, Tim Falconer's Drive, and James Howard Kunstler's The Long Emergency. Ladd sets his work apart by showing how the car is completely woven into the fabric of our cultural and economic history. As such, he writes, we have accepted the dark side of the automobile—pollution, congestion, high energy costs, and accidental loss of life—in exchange for personal mobility. His pessimistic forecast sees increases in automobile use even as energy prices continue to climb. This is a good choice for public libraries and all transportation collections.—Eric C. Shoaf, Brown Univ. Lib., Providence, RI

Prolific author and novelist Nicholson (The Food Chain) has penned an engaging and entertaining treatise on walking. Chapters include amusing descriptions of walks through cities such as Los Angeles, New York, and London and musings about professional and nonprofessional walkers past and present, walking through nature, street photographers and their craft, and the long walk home or away from home. Nicholson's witty style and distinct way of describing an ordinary activity make this a thoroughly enjoyable read. While by no means exhaustive, Nicholson does himself tread a lot of ground; readers may find the ultimate effect is that they are inspired to put the book down for a nice long walk with a newfound way of observing the scenery. In the author's words, "it confirmed for me what I'd known all along, that walking isn't much good as a theoretical experience." The book includes a bibliography, but there aren't references for many of the intriguing tidbits he includes, which may disappoint academics and serious readers. Recommended for public libraries and sociology collections.—Mary Grace Flaherty, Ph.D. candidate, Syracuse Univ., NY

This is not a typical book about the globalization of the apparel industry; Timmerman is neither an activist nor an industry defender. Indeed, he has no expertise or special interest beyond the fact that he wonders how the clothing he wears is made. Presenting himself as the ultimate boy next door from a working-class family in Ohio, he uses a casual tone more reminiscent of blogging than muckraking. His curiosity about the origins of his T-shirts, sandals, and other clothing leads him to factories in Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, and Honduras. He takes on the project with few preconceptions and little knowledge and perseveres with a charming lack of guile. That sincerity, plus an honest skepticism, allows him to avoid preachiness. This book does not explore the reasons for global inequalities and cannot replace even journalistic accounts, let alone scholarly ones, but for readers seeking a first humane glimpse of the situation without complex arguments or finger-shaking moralism, this is an agreeable choice.—Lisa Klopfer, Eastern Michigan Univ. Lib., Ypsilanti

This fascinating social history of gender in American culture offers an insightful look at how femininity and women's sexuality came into patriotic service during the transformative era of World War II. Focusing on how and why the "good girls" of the USO (United Service Organization) were promoted as the alternative to the bad girls warned about in posters ("You Can't Beat the Axis If You Get VD"), Winchell (history, Nebraska Wesleyan Univ.) has written an engrossing, detailed account of the women who performed the (unpaid) "emotional work" of providing comfort to soldiers at home in a time of war. Winchell often cites internal USO documents related to how management viewed the objectives of these servicemen's clubs and how they sought to model hostesses on popular and traditional middle-class feminine ideals of mom (for the senior hostesses) and the girl next door (for the junior). She interviewed 70 former hostesses (all living in Phoenix, AZ) and her analysis includes sensitive and interesting commentary on how race was an influential factor, as well as gender, when it came to the mission and methods of the USO. How did Rosie the Riveter end up as the icon of women's roles in the war, asks Winchell, when the reality was that many more mothers, sisters, wives, and daughters did their part by dancing, baking pies, darning socks, and lending a sympathetic ear? This excellent work of documentary history may make feminists cringe at women doing their patriotic duty by serving officially as idealized sexual objects, while also feeling relief that such USO servicemen's clubs could never exist today. Recommended for all libraries.—Theresa Kintz, Wilkes Univ., Wilkes-Barre, PA

Fryklund, a first-time author, here addresses the niche market of travelers to Hawaii who want to golf. He reports on what are, in his opinion, the top 50 courses (out of about 75 total courses) in Hawaii. While most travel books list golf courses, their listings tend to be limited to the more familiar names. Golfers who follow the PGA tour will also be familiar with several courses, especially in Kapalua. Fryklund's contribution is that he presents the lesser known but eminently playable courses, gives directions to the courses, and evaluates the 19th hole. Moreover, he explains how to take advantage of discounts and less expensive courses. The numerous photographs add to the descriptions. Although golfers who live in Hawaii will have already adopted their own principal course and will undoubtedly have one or two other favorites, this book may be useful to them as well, since the islands are far enough apart that golfers may not have more than a passing familiarity with more than one or two of the islands. Recommended for travel collections.—Steven Silkunas, North Wales, PA

Heat-Moon (née William Trogdon) has been a chronicler of small-town America since his Blue Highways: A Journey into America (1982). He has a gift for seeing beauty and mystery in even the remotest areas of the country. In his new book, he and his wife, Jo Ann (who refers to herself as "Q"), set out to explore the Ouachita River, which begins in Mena, AK, and ends in Louisiana. The reason for this journey is as fascinating as the book itself: Thomas Jefferson is famous for initiating the Lewis and Clark Expedition, but few people know of the Dunbar-Hunter Expedition of 1804, referred to by Jefferson as second only to Lewis and Clark's in importance. After discovering Hunter's Journal of an Excursion From Natchez on the Mississippi Up the River Ouachita, he and Q set out to see this largely still remote area of the South. Along the way, they ruminate on Grapette, Jesus Trees, the Goat Woman of Smackover Creek, the Quapaw Ghost Light—as you can see, this is not your typical travel guide. Heat-Moon's journey is as meandering as the Ouachita itself, and readers will relish the experiences he and Q describe along their trip. He has not lost his skills in painting unforgettable portraits of places and people few of us will ever encounter. And, yes, "Quoz" is a word, and its definition sums up the reason for recommending this book to all libraries: "strange, incongruous, unknown, and mysterious."—Joseph L. Carlson, Vandenberg Air Force Base Lib., CA

From Mongol rule to Gorbachev, from Tolstoy to Maksim Gorky, Russia's history and culture are distinctive and engrossing. The Insight Guides editors focus on this in their newly updated guide to Russia, Belarus, and the Ukraine. Known for visual books, Insight Guides provides overviews of this area's history, culture, and places along with colorful photographs, images, and maps throughout. Other features include the best of Russia and sections on life, women, the Russian Mafia, religion, art, literature, music, and cinema. A section of travel tips provides accommodation and restaurant recommendations with phone numbers, some transportation information, a brief language primer, metro maps, activities, a further reading list, and English language web sites. This guide is much more visual and heavy on history and culture than Lonely Planet's Russia & Belarus and covers three countries; however, sections on Belarus and the Ukraine are not extensive. Most useful for those wishing to understand the countries' people, culture, and history prior to their travels, this is highly recommended for all libraries with travel collections.—Louise Feldmann, Colorado State Univ. Lib., Fort Collins