Nonfiction Reviews: Week of 8/21/2006

By Staff -- Publishers Weekly, 8/21/2006

Crazy Horse: A Lakota Life
Kingsley M. Bray. Univ. of Oklahoma, $34.95 (528p) ISBN 978-0-8061-3189-4

Wielding the source material with muscular assurance and a judicious eye, historian Bray aims at nothing less than a definitive account of the great Oglala warrior and tribal chief. In painstaking detail, he paints a life and career of exceptional valor, skill and influence on behalf of the Lakota people. Though Crazy Horse was self-possessed and brilliant in battle, his tactical gifts were offset by the reluctant assumption of civil leadership, a role at odds with his taciturn and introspective nature. Bray carefully weighs the private and the political life to illustrate the interaction of Crazy Horse's personal experiences with larger historical events (including intertribal conflicts, fragile alliances, and clashes with American soldiers, among them the battle at Little Bighorn)—all shaped by the mounting encroachments of white society in the 1850s–1870s. The author presents his account as a more historically accurate complement to the breathless, iconic portraiture of Mari Sandoz's long-standard biography, Crazy Horse, the Strange Man of the Oglalas. But Bray's compensatory rigor sacrifices some narrative flow to the exigencies of a detailed scholarly accounting. If general readers' eyes may glaze over at many of the particulars, this nonfiction debut promises to be a standard reference for many years to come. (Nov.)

This moving account illuminates a little-known aspect of the Holocaust: Organization Schmelt, in which Jewish leaders supplied slave labor to the Germans for the war effort. In 1940, 16-year-old Sala Garncarz, a young Polish Jew (and the author's mother), went to work in a Schmelt labor camp in place of her frail older sister, Raizel, who had been ordered there for six weeks by the local Jewish Council. But six weeks stretched into five years. Sala worked at seven German, Polish and Czech camps until she was liberated by Russian soldiers. In 1999 Sala shared with the author the box of letters that she had written and received during this period . Sala survived by her wits and the protection of Ala Gertner, an older woman who was later hanged for participating in an uprising at Auschwitz. Sala's correspondence with Ala after the latter left the work camp, and the letters she exchanged with Raizel and other family members and friends are heartrending testimony to the extreme suffering of Polish Jews. After the war, Sala married an American soldier and immigrated to the U.S. Kirschner, president of a management consulting company, has skillfully crafted her mother's documents, interspersed with a powerful and informed narrative. 16 pages of photos. (Nov. 7)

With his customary narrative drive, Kershaw (The Bedford Boys: One American Town's Ultimate D-Day Sacrifice) spotlights the handful of American pilots who joined the Royal Air Force and its fighter squadrons during the Battle of Britain. They have been overshadowed by or confused with the better-known Eagle Squadrons, which formed in the autumn of 1940 with the tacit consent of the U.S. government. Kershaw's "few" were a vanguard, enlisting individually to operate the British Spitfire planes as early as May 1940, when England stood alone and her odds of survival seemed long. Crusaders and adventurers, the pilots ignored U.S. neutrality acts to fight from a mixture of principled opposition to Nazism, vaguely defined Anglophilia and sheer love of air combat at a time when it still seemed glamorous. Scattered by ones and twos among different squadrons, each had his own story, which Kershaw admirably contextualizes within the climate of the Battle of Britain. Using personal vignettes to convey the extraordinary routines of life in the cockpits, in the squadrons and in England, Kershaw evokes the heroism of these pilots, only one of whom survived the war whose tide they helped turn. (Nov.)

Now professor of feminist studies at UC–Santa Cruz, Aptheker was an activist participant in some of the major events of the '60s and '70s—the Free Speech Movement in Berkeley, the antiwar movement and the Angela Davis trial. As the daughter of U.S. Communist Party leader Herbert Aptheker, she was virtually a red-diaper princess, only to "fall from grace" with the party in her late 20s. Her highly politicized New York City upbringing was one of middle class comfort, although sorely affected by McCarthyist persecution—as well as sexual abuse by her father, deeply repressed memories of which she uncovered in adulthood. The author, who taught her first women's studies course in 1977, describes herself as a latecomer to the women's movement (the Communist Party considered it "petit bourgeois "). A personal transformation paralleled the political, as her repressed lesbianism also surfaced and gradually culminated in a fulfilling long-term relationship. Though pedestrian prose and prolix detail obscure what ought to be a compelling account of events with powerful social as well as personal meaning, Aptheker's memoir (after Tapestries of Life) is a significant document for students and historians of feminism, communism and the '60s. (Nov.)

The contradictions and ironies of the Terror, when the guillotine bloodily ruled France, are well described by Fife in his part-narrative, part-character study of that dreadful era (the second recent history, after David Andress's, published last January). During Robespierre's Terror—often believed to have been a bourgeois-led, peasant-backed uprising against an autocratic nobility—nearly 95% of its tens of thousands of victims were, in fact, poor or middle class. And those left alive were tyrannized by the very same revolutionary fanatics who once claimed to be liberating them from the ancien régime. Playwright and documentary writer Fife ruefully concludes they had fallen victim to "sublime nonsense": the belief that by "destroying so much real life it was possible to remake an imagined life," and "that in striving to forge a republic of love, harmony, liberty and happiness," they inadvertently birthed "a monstrous, repulsive travesty of it." Fife gives an excellent introduction to the period, which should find an eager audience familiar with Simon Schama's bestselling Citizens, though its lack of endnotes makes it difficult to confirm Fife's numerous examples of spoken speech—or at least his translations of it (did Henri Admirat really say, "Come on, you low-lifes, come and get it"?). 16 pages of b&w photos. (Nov.)

In a tenderly crafted study that is equal parts love letter, traditional history and oral history, Laird chronicles the development of Tibet from its mythic origins to its takeover by Communist China in 1950. Weaving historical research with interviews with the Dalai Lama, Tibet's exiled leader, veteran journalist Laird (Into Tibet: The CIA's First Atomic Spy and His Secret Expedition to Lhasa) offers insight into the triumphs and failures of the country. In one particularly fascinating section, the Dalai Lama expresses reservations about the truth of the Tibetan creation myths involving a demon and a monkey and accepts Darwin's theory of evolution as the most logical explanation of the origins of humankind. Laird traces Tibet's sometimes tortured relationships with China and India, recounting the country's conflicts with the Mongols and the Manchu Empire, as well as its struggles for independence in the face of Chinese occupation. The Dalai Lama also recounts his early life; vividly recalls his first meeting, at age 19, with Mao Zedong; and reflects on his years in exile and his hopes for Tibet to be freed from occupation. Throughout, Laird's colorful and lively writing brings to life thousands of years of Tibetan history, inviting the reader on his journey to a strange and wonderful land. 16 pages of color photos. (Nov.)

The value of this book may rest more with the questions it raises than its answers. Following their first collaboration (Women for Hire's Get-Ahead Guide to Career Success), Johnson and Spizman offer women a primer on how to ask for the things that make a career successful—from getting hired to thriving in and advancing in a job. Each clear-cut game plan includes behavioral and conversational tips, workplace insight, pointers on anticipating obstacles and a balance of encouragement with advice on being realistic. When asking for a raise, for example, "base your request... on accomplishments, not personal needs," and keep in mind that the average annual raise in the U.S. is around 4%. The suggested language can be a bit stilted, but provides a useful framework for an actual conversation. A range of "tenacious" female professionals provide "She Asked For It!" sidebar anecdotes of asking and receiving, window-dressing that lends welcome "you-go-girl" inspiration. Because the questions and concrete tactics cut across all stages of a career, this guide should be of interest to anyone who needs help framing requests for what they want or deserve. (Oct.)

Toll, a former financial analyst and political speechwriter, makes an auspicious debut with this rousing, exhaustively researched history of the founding of the U.S. Navy. The author chronicles the late 18th- and early 19th-century process of building a fleet that could project American power beyond her shores. The ragtag Continental Navy created during the Revolution was promptly dismantled after the war, and it wasn't until 1794—in the face of threats to U.S. shipping from England, France and the Barbary states of North Africa—that Congress authorized the construction of six frigates and laid the foundation for a permanent navy. A cabinet-level Department of the Navy followed in 1798. The fledgling navy quickly proved its worth in the Quasi War against France in the Caribbean, the Tripolitan War with Tripoli and the War of 1812 against the English. In holding its own against the British, the U.S. fleet broke the British navy's "sacred spell of invincibility," sparked a "new enthusiasm for naval power" in the U.S. and marked the maturation of the American navy. Toll provides perspective by seamlessly incorporating the era's political and diplomatic history into his superlative single-volume narrative—a must-read for fans of naval history and the early American Republic. (Oct.)

Brands appraises five key players in American financial history: Alexander Hamilton, who advocated federal assumption of state Revolutionary War debt through the establishment of a national bank; Nicholas Biddle, who presided over the Bank of the United States when it failed under pressure from Andrew Jackson; Jay Cooke, who financed the Union through retail bonds during the Civil War; Jay Gould, who precipitated the Black Friday collapse of gold prices in 1869; and J.P. Morgan, who stabilized the financial panic of 1907. Each man, Brands explains, represented capitalism intertwined but in conflict with democracy. Capitalism promoted free trade and strong financial institutions, while democracy called for protectionism and financial institutions that helped customers instead of making insiders rich. This inherent tension, the author writes, was resolved by the 1913 compromise that created the Federal Reserve System. The author's generalizations, however insightful, make rigid organizing principles, given that different political and economic forces shaped each era. Focusing on one capitalist per episode also distorts the stories, as does lurching from crisis to crisis while glossing over the important consensus developments that occurred in between. Brands (Andrew Jackson) delivers a competent but schematic general history. (Oct.)

Instead of "futile pandering to the nation's most conservative voters," in the South, Democrats should build a non-Southern majority to regain dominance, argues Schaller, a University of Maryland political scientist, in this focused, tactical account. The Republicans' Southern monopoly may have helped them achieve national majorities in the past, but it has never constituted a majority alone, Schaller explains. There are greener pastures for Democrats at all levels of elected government: the Midwest, Southwest and Mountain West. Schaller's demographic numbers buttress a solid argument, but he contradicts himself at times—as when he argues that many voters (deceived by Republican politicians) empowered "a radically conservative agenda" against their own interests but are "smart" enough to understand a nuanced Democratic platform on American liberties (e.g., connecting gun rights and gay rights). But the basic truth of the author's fight-fire-with-fire strategy is undeniable: a much-needed shot of realpolitik in the arm of the modern Democratic Party, whose greatest weakness lies not in the lack of good ideas but in compromising them. Charts, maps. (Oct.)

From bronze cannons to smart bombs, this engaging study examines the impact of new weaponry on war by spotlighting exemplary battles, including famous epics like the defeat of the Spanish Armada and the attack on Pearl Harbor along with obscure clashes like the 1898 Battle of Omdurman, in which a British colonial force mowed down Sudanese tribesmen with machine guns. Boot (The Savage Wars of Peace: Small Wars and the Rise of American Power) gives due weight to social context: advanced weapons don't spell victory unless accompanied by good training and leadership; innovative doctrine; an efficient, well-funded bureaucracy; and a "battle culture of forbearance" that eschews warrior ferocity in favor of a soldierly ethos of disciplined stoicism under fire. These factors flourish, he contends, under a rationalist, progressive Western mindset. The author, a journalist and senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, enlivens his war stories with profiles of generals from Gustavus Adolphus to Norman Schwarzkopf and splashes of blood and guts. Boot distills 500 years of military history into a well-paced, insightful narrative. (Oct.)

This fascinating and disturbing study considers the societal implications of the new database marketing, with which corporations delve deeply into customers' personal histories and interests using digital surveillance technology. Turow, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania's Annenberg School for Communication, looks back at the evolution of marketing through the 20th century, when the emergence of national brands, mass media and retail institutions like department stores led to the democratization of commerce. Today, he observes, an opposing trend is gathering steam: the drive toward "mass customization." With increasingly intrusive information technologies, retailers and manufacturers are segmenting customers, tailoring advertising and product offers to specific individuals and routinely using customers' personal data in ways few people understand. Furthermore, companies are seeking ways to actively discourage less profitable customers, and in some cases, are engaging in price discrimination, secretly offering a few favored customers better deals than others deemed less worthy. If these technology-driven trends continue, Turow (Breaking Up America) worries, the end result may be a world of individually customized entertainment and news where no common culture exists and there's an atmosphere of consumer anxiety and suspicion of being cheated in an impossibly complex electronic bazaar. (Oct.)

On August 28, 1854, working-class Londoner Sarah Lewis tossed a bucket of soiled water into the cesspool of her squalid apartment building and triggered the deadliest outbreak of cholera in the city's history. In this tightly written page-turner, Johnson (Everything Bad Is Good for You) uses his considerable skill to craft a story of suffering, perseverance and redemption that echoes to the present day. Describing a city and culture experiencing explosive growth, with its attendant promise and difficulty, Johnson builds the story around physician John Snow. In the face of a horrifying epidemic, Snow (pioneering developer of surgical anesthesia) posited the then radical theory that cholera was spread through contaminated water rather than through miasma, or smells in the air. Against considerable resistance from the medical and bureaucratic establishment, Snow persisted and, with hard work and groundbreaking research, helped to bring about a fundamental change in our understanding of disease and its spread. Johnson weaves in overlapping ideas about the growth of civilization, the organization of cities, and evolution to thrilling effect. From Snow's discovery of patient zero to Johnson's compelling argument for and celebration of cities, this makes for an illuminating and satisfying read. B&w illus. (Oct.)

The outbreak of WWII took many Europeans by surprise. In France, by the time the fighting began, the papers people needed to get out of the country were difficult to come by. It was on this circumstance that three enterprising Americans concentrated their efforts in the first two years of the war. Ivy League scholar Varian Fry, sent by the American Emergency Rescue Committee, heiress Mary Jayne Gold and graduate student Miriam Davenport turned a Marseille château into a safe haven for dozens of prominent artists and intellectuals waiting for a chance to emigrate in secrecy, including Hannah Arendt, Marcel Duchamp, Marc Chagall, André Breton, Franz Werfel and perennial exile Victor Serge. Canadian writer Sullivan (her Shadow Maker: The Life of Gwendolyn MacEwen won a Governor General's Award) goes beyond the confines of Air-Bel to tell a fuller story of France during the tense years from 1933 to 1941. She intelligently spreads the fractured narrative, with its huge cast of players constantly coming and going, over 60 brief chapters. What's palpable is the welter of shock, fear, world-weariness, cynicism and misplaced idealism evinced by the villa's transient residents as they apprehensively awaited their fate. The author never gets quite close enough to her subjects, but this is a moving tale of great sacrifice in tumultuous times. B&w photos. (Oct. 3)

Former Time correspondent Malkin tells a remarkable, little-known story from WWII: the Nazis' use of concentration camp prisoners to produce counterfeit British (and later American) currency and dump it to sabotage the Allied economies. Some readers might find Malkin's setup a bit slow, but the main events, deeply researched and tautly narrated, form a tale of opportunism made for a movie. The Nazis realized the labor could be drawn from concentration camps, and the prisoners realized that volunteering for the effort could save their lives. At the height of the operation, headed by SS officer Bernhard Krueger, the Jewish prisoners produced 650,000 notes a month. The counterfeiting helped finance some Nazi spy efforts, as well as other parts of the Reich's war machine, but it failed to bring down the Allies. As gripping as the tale of Operation Bernhard is, the story of how the Jewish counterfeit brigade—most of them prisoners at Sachsenhausen—survived the waning days of the war is even more so. 8 pages of b&w photos, 2 maps. (Oct. 12)

In this glittering gem, Winder (publishing director at Penguin UK) combines cultural history, memoir and a terrifyingly formidable knowledge of James Bond plot lines to produce a hilarious and thoughtful narrative of the fall and rise of Britain from WWII to the present day. For a nation that had owned a quarter of the world but post-1945 was losing its possessions, Ian Fleming's masterful creation, 007, was its savior. Bond—quipping, killing and bedding all the way—put villainous foreigners and their sinister assortment of exotic henchmen back in their rightful place and ensured Britain would retain its top place in the world hierarchy. In reality, of course, the Americans and the Soviets gently ignored the sad little island and went about their Cold War business. But that did not matter, since 007 exemplified the potent fantasy of British superiority in all things. As for the best Bond movie and novel, Winder tilts toward 1963's From Russia with Love, where Fleming's writing reached its peak and director Terence Young coaxed terrific performances out of his actors. Fittingly for Winder, the film's theme is so dated it requires the most explanation for those who don't remember the Cold War. (Oct.)

In this hagiographic account, political scientist Kengor (God and Ronald Reagan) makes the familiar case (made most recently by John Lewis Gaddis in The Cold War) that Reagan played a decisive role in ending the Cold War. Reagan was troubled by communism well before he arrived at the White House. As a young man in Hollywood, he railed against the red threat, and as early as 1967, he called for the destruction of the Berlin Wall. As president, Reagan engaged in "economic warfare," invaded Grenada and proved that the Soviets couldn't win an arms race against the U.S. Though "those enslaved by the Soviet Communist state" didn't find freedom until after the Reagan administration, Dutch gets the credit. And what of other major figures who contributed to the Cold War's end? Gorbachev, of course, figures prominently, and John Paul II makes significant appearances—Kengor credits the pope with helping turn Reagan's attention to Poland. Ted Kennedy, on the other hand, emerges as a sneak and a dupe, willing to undermine U.S. foreign policy and make nice with the Russians. The book's structure is somewhat stilted—each chapter is broken up into short chunks, so it feels as though one is reading not a sweeping narrative, but an annotated time line of Reagan's presidency. While the book is workmanlike, the chronology is useful and the footnotes reveal an impressive amount of research. (Oct. 17)

The original Mary Poppins was not as "saccharine" as the movie character, says Lawson, and her bittersweet biography of the supernanny's elusive creator, Travers (1899–1996), convincingly portrays a writer who created her character out of the childhood sorrows that haunted her. Drawing on archival sources and private papers, Lawson, a writer for the Sydney Morning Herald, sensitively traces Travers's emotionally deprived girlhood in Australia, where she was raised largely by an elderly aunt; her early career as an actress and columnist; and her 1924 emigration to London, where she worked as a journalist and theater reviewer. Emphasizing how Travers's desire for the father who had died when she was seven affected both her life and work, Lawson explores mythological and literary influences on the six Mary Poppins stories, written over 54 years (the first was published in 1934). Never married, Travers adopted an Irish baby boy; Lawson movingly reveals the emotional fallout of their failed relationship. After detailing Travers's fussy movie negotiations with Walt Disney and the downplaying of her authorship in the 1964 hit film, Lawson captures the melancholy of Travers's retreat into isolation and old age. 2 photo inserts. (Oct. 14)

FYI: Previews for the Mary Poppins musical Broadway revival begin on October 14.

The antireligion wars started by Daniel Dennett and Sam Harris will heat up even more with this salvo from celebrated Oxford biologist Dawkins. For a scientist who criticizes religion for its intolerance, Dawkins has written a surprisingly intolerant book, full of scorn for religion and those who believe. But Dawkins, who gave us the selfish gene, anticipates this criticism. He says it's the scientist and humanist in him that makes him hostile to religions—fundamentalist Christianity and Islam come in for the most opprobrium—that close people's minds to scientific truth, oppress women and abuse children psychologically with the notion of eternal damnation. While Dawkins can be witty, even confirmed atheists who agree with his advocacy of science and vigorous rationalism may have trouble stomaching some of the rhetoric: the biblical Yahweh is "psychotic," Aquinas's proofs of God's existence are "fatuous" and religion generally is "nonsense." The most effective chapters are those in which Dawkins calms down, for instance, drawing on evolution to disprove the ideas behind intelligent design. In other chapters, he attempts to construct a scientific scaffolding for atheism, such as using evolution again to rebut the notion that without God there can be no morality. He insists that religion is a divisive and oppressive force, but he is less convincing in arguing that the world would be better and more peaceful without it. (Oct. 18)

In 1950, Thomas (The Hidden Life of Dogs), at 19, joined her civil engineer father, her ballerina mother (who would become a celebrated anthropologist) and her brother on a life-changing expedition into southwest Africa's Kalahari Desert to live among the Ju/wasi Bushmen. Less a rigorous anthropological study than a loving, nostalgic ode to a self-sustaining culture of hunter-gatherers, this book recounts their now extinct way of life. The Ju/wasi used ostrich eggs to hold more than a day's water supply to expand their foraging range, and burned dry grass to encourage the growth of green grass, thus attracting large antelopes and other prey. The Ju/wasi allowed polygamy and divorce, welcomed baby girls as much as baby boys and treated children with unfailing kindness, but practiced infanticide on children born to nursing mothers because, with their low-fat diet, they could produce enough milk for only one child. In recent decades, the Bushmen have been removed from their land and their way of life has been obliterated by modernity, racism, poverty, alcoholism and AIDS. Thomas offers readers a glimpse of how our prehistoric ancestors undoubtedly lived, worked, loved and played. Photos from the Marshall family album freeze the Ju/wasi in the happy 1950s. (Oct.)

Anyone who has taken a prenatal education class in the last decade can detail much of what Boston Globe reporter Cassidy documents about birthing battles in her enjoyable new book. What she so cogently adds is a history of Western practices and attitudes surrounding birth, from the "God-sibs" (or "gossips") who sat by a woman's bed in Europe and early America to the scheduled cesarean of today. The book is well written and will be an important eye-opener to many. Cassidy works hard to remain neutral, but a preference for the discourse of "natural" birth creeps in. She looks nostalgically back at times when most women gave birth at home with female midwives in attendance. This leads to some problematic moments, as when she wants to argue that, historically, birth was not the danger to women's lives that many today assume. But then she has to admit that pioneer women wrote their wills before giving birth and that most women who die in childbirth today are in the non-Western world, where they lack access to hospitals. This is, by Cassidy's admission, the work of a woman disappointed by her own birthing experience. But that, too, is a product of our time—the idea that we "deserve" a certain experience as we give birth. (Oct.)

Edited by the wife of Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, this compilation features over 60 short laudatory articles by women—mostly American—about their fathers. Frist describes how her own father, who signed his letters "Love U, Daddy Boy," was of great assistance in 1978 when she was attacked by a man who got into her hotel room. Especially interesting is a piece by Barbara Hoffa Crancer, daughter of Teamster Leader Jimmy Hoffa, whose 1975 disappearance was never solved; Crancer recalls a man with enormous empathy for those in need. Mary Higgins Clark's father was an Irish immigrant who worked hard in his bar and grill, but despite his strong desire to visit his homeland, he was never able to spare the time before his death of a heart attack when his daughter was 11. Few of the writers—who also include Condoleezza Rice, Margaret Thatcher and Rosanne Cash—focus on any difficulties with their fathers in this generally syrupy collection. One exception is Hillary Rodham Clinton, who notes that, when she was growing up, she had political disagreements with her Republican father despite their close bond. B&w photos. (Oct.)

A 10-year veteran of the sex industry takes readers on a seedy tour of low-rent massage parlors and peep shows where she vamps in high heels and corsets, guides creepy men to ejaculate on her breasts and offers views of her privates to embarrassed gawkers. Lewis admires her co-workers and is bitingly negative about her clients. "It occurred to me that sex work was much like toilet training," she writes. "We were paid to manage, direct, and tolerate their waste, ignoring the stench and cooing over their various evacuations, like erotic bathroom attendants." She also claims to be baffled by porn's appeal, which seems disingenuous considering her often astute analysis of the mechanics of the trade. Although crudely frank about sexual positions and bodily fluids, Lewis, a 34-year-old bisexual, is slippery about her own background and motivations. Her protests that her self-esteem isn't low ring false, and its doubtful readers will believe that a National Merit scholar and self-described feminist is actually happy peeing herself for the camera. This sad exercise in denial misses the mark as either titillating erotica or bold affirmation of personal autonomy. (Oct.)

In his most substantial prose collection to date, Pulitzer Prize–winning poet Muldoon (Moy Sand and Gravel) offers 15 characteristically idiosyncratic lectures on individual poems by a host of influential world poets, delivered at Oxford University from 1999 to 2004. Rather than explication and clarification, Muldoon favors association and surprise, as he does in his poems. In discussions of often lesser-known poems by major figures, beginning with W.B. Yeats and moving through Emily Dickinson, Ted Hughes, Elizabeth Bishop, Robert Lowell, Fernando Pessoa and Irish-born Muldoon's own mentor, Seamus Heaney, Muldoon focuses on the recurrence and etymology of particular words as they relate to other poems and poets, quoting the OED almost as often as poetry. He also locates the poems' origins in other unlikely texts, such as a little-known 1851 Harper's article, which Muldoon claims influenced Dickinson. While some of Muldoon's conjectures may seem far-fetched, they are always highly compelling and clever, and this book provides an expansive view of the mind of a major poet, and a fresh, if unorthodox, method for reading literary texts. This volume is released concurrently with Horse Latitudes, a new collection of poems (Reviews, July 31). (Oct.)

The world hates the Jews. The world always has and will continue to do so." So says celebrated playwright and novelist Mamet in this new entry in the Jewish Encounters series, as he sets his sights on both anti-Semites and apostate Jews, whom he refers to as "the Wicked Sons." Mamet marshals his passion and mastery of language to argue that only religious observance is an authentic, non-self-hating expression of Judaism. Organizing that argument coherently, however, doesn't seem to be a priority, as he moves from discussions of the State of Israel to excoriations of assimilated Jews and contemporary culture and back with no apparent order. The tone is that of the condescending expert: alternately Talmudic scholar, academic, psychoanalyst and anthropologist. But nowhere is Mamet's expertise proven; he provides no source materials to back up his pronouncements on everything from Santa Claus to gun control to religious observance. The implication of this bombastic text seems to be that anyone who disagrees is a coward, an anti-Semite or a self-hating Jew. (Oct.)

Published in conjunction with an exhibition of the same title at the Gilbert Collection in London, this is an all-inclusive account of the house of Tiffany & Co. Essays by curators and jewelry historians look in detail at the house's rich history, especially its innovative role in jewelry design. Tiffany designs, say the contributors, reflect their times and have in turn influenced them, for instance, providing escapist images of glamour and wealth for struggling women during the Depression. The history of Tiffany's is as exciting as its jewels: in 1887, its agent in Paris dominated the auction of the French crown jewels, accounting for over a third of sales. Tiffany helped to define 20th-century glamour in the '20s, and then aided in redefining it after WWII. In the '70s, Elsa Peretti made Tiffany's fresh for and available to a wider public with sculptural shapes in gold and silver, and her famous "Diamonds by the Yard." The quality and breadth of the catalogue's images are only surpassed by the detailed captions, and it is all presented so flawlessly that one needn't be named Holly Golightly to appreciate it. (Sept.)

Price's whirlwind tour of French jewelry since the late 19th century coincides with an exhibit that opens in New York in September and moves to San Francisco in February 2007). But the book, peppered with vapid commentary from high-profile collectors, acts not so much as a useful guide to French jewelry but as a record of who has spent fortunes on gorgeous (and sometime tacky) gems. Still, Price, president of the nonprofit National Jewelry Institute, does exhibit a wealth of knowledge on the development of French jewelry. From the dawn of art nouveau (which she describes repeatedly as "sensual") to pieces that are clumped together as "Contemporary," the information is presented too quickly for the reader to absorb. The impact on art deco of the discovery of King Tutankhamen's tomb, for example, is entirely lost when a paragraph later Price has moved on to influences from Indian, Latin American and Chinese design. Sometimes insubstantial captions fail to explain much more than the materials used in a given piece, and the quality of the images varies; while most are crystal clear, some appear somewhat grainy. Overall, though, for its price, the book provides a primer on a sufficiently wide selection of French jewelry. (Sept. 22)

Garten's fifth cookbook (after Barefoot in Paris) follows her surefire formula: uncomplicated but elegant recipes for the home cook whose priority is spending time with friends and family, not in the kitchen. From breakfast to dessert, the Food Network star organizes this volume by meal, with an easy-to-navigate recipe list at the top of each section. Many entries provide a creative alternative to the basics: the Summer Borscht—which calls for fresh beets, cucumber and chicken stock—will make a cool, flavorful substitute for the predictable bowl of gazpacho, and the mayonnaise-based Jon Snow's Fish Salad—freshly roasted white fish filets (e.g., halibut) distinguished by the addition of diced fennel—will supersede tuna salad. But some of Garten's "feel-good" foods barely warrant inclusion—her recipe for Sunday Morning Oatmeal barely elevates the instructions on the Quaker canister. If not always inventive, these recipes (e.g., Cornish Hens with Cornbread Stuffing) should be reliable for seasoned but time-pressed or ambitious but inexperienced cooks. Striking a warm, personal tone, Garten also includes advice on designing a kitchen, making a grocery list, planning a menu and where to shop and dine in the Hamptons. (Nov.)

For the uninitiated, this collection of recipes makes an apt introduction to the cuisine of southwest Germany. Inflected with French, Swiss and Italian traditions, Black Forest cookery goes beyond the sauerkrauts, wursts and späetzles we associate with German food—though there's plenty of that here, too. In his introduction, the chef/owner of Philadelphia's historic City Tavern reveals that there are many similarities between the postwar eating habits of his native Black Forest and the 18th-century American dishes he now serves on a nightly basis (Germans began settling Pennsylvania around that time, Staib explains). Both emphasize fresh, local ingredients and hand-butchered meats. The book is divided not by courses but by styles of cooking associated with specific dining locations, be it a cafe, a gasthaus (a guesthouse that serves tavernlike food), a fashionable hotel or at your own table. Throughout, Staib shows equal affection for humble fare like Stuffed Tomatoes (filled with bologna and Swiss cheese) and his more sophisticated dishes, like Paupiettes of Brook Trout topped with salmon roe. Readers will come away with a taste of the indigenous foodstuffs of the region, from the asparagus in Smoked Trout Salad to the mirabelle plums in the Clafouti Tart. (Nov.)

In her newest Irish cookbook, Johnson (Irish Pub Cookbook; Irish Heritage Cookbook) dares to take the drink from the glass and pour it right into the pot. In doing so, she raises the bar, creating rich and complex flavor combinations while instilling a good dose of Eire drinking history along the way. Chapters are organized by spirit. There are a dozen sweet recipes in the Irish Creams chapter, for example, but rooting out the many other dessert options involves browsing through the index or, better yet, paging through the many wonderful photographs. Black and Tan Brownies in the "Affable Brews" section catch the eye: a cup of Guinness stout darkens half the treat while light brown sugar and pecans make up the tan underside. Savory selections made with beer include Medieval Stew with Stout, and Oysters with Bacon, Cabbage, and Guinness Sabayon; entrees with whiskey include Bushmills Duck au Poivre with a sauce thickened by heavy cream. The resources appendix is a necessity for those seeking the traditional tastes, since Kerrygold Irish butter is used throughout, as is Irish bacon. And for those who would rather sip than chew, there are informative pages on such topics as Irish whiskey history, brewing techniques and the origins of cider. (Oct.)

A Cajun cookbook in a post-Katrina world is a delicate undertaking, but Wuerthner (Food for Life: The Cancer Prevention Cookbook) finds the right approach. In a soothing roux of memoir, gentle humor and classic dishes, she comforts the reader even as she turns up the spice. Family comes first, literally, with an opening section that lays out the author's family tree and its roots in their 120-year-old Louisiana farmland. Next comes a handy glossary and an exploration of the Cajun style of cookery. Wuerthner's recipes are mostly hearty hand-me-downs: from her father's first cousin, Madge, there's Pork Jambalaya, and Great-uncle Adolphe adapts a recipe from Central Grocery in New Orleans—Cayenne Roasted Pork Muffaletta, which employs the traditional olive salad. Her late Aunt Lorna, however, is the chief inspiration as well as the source for the majority of the concoctions. Her most intriguing choices include Chicken Maque Choux (a kind of stir-fry with corn and bell pepper). Wuerthner begins each recipe with a brief paragraph on what the dish means to her family and ends each with a lagniappe: for instance, readers learn that supposedly hush puppies got their name from outdoor cooks who offered fried batter "to keep the dogs from barking." (Oct.)

The self-proclaimed Diva of Do-Ahead says she is "the coach to help you get the dinner prepared ahead of time so you can enjoy your family and friends." Her point: what fun is a party when the harried host is stuck in the kitchen? The thorough and engaging Diva comes through, offering creative ideas for invitations, tips for deciding how much food to make and recommendations for equipment and tools. Her 12 party plans span the year, from New Year's Eve through Passover to Christmas. Do-ahead countdowns have specifics for planning ahead (from six months down to five minutes before an event). Classic recipes include Grilled Lemon Chicken Breast; innovative ones include Roasted Tomato and Pesto Cheesecake with Polenta Crust, and Creamy Corn Bisque with French Chives and Heart-Shaped Crostini. Highlights come from the Thanksgiving and Christmas classes she's taught for 15 years, including an impressive strategy for the perfect roast turkey. The book's clear language and devotion to detail make it appropriate for novices and accomplished cooks alike. (Oct.)

Actually, it's two guys from Miami and a Minnesotan who just winters there (Lindgren). The semi-wild and mildly crazy trio are back with their second effort (after Three Guys from Miami Cook Cuban). It features 100 new party-friendly creations and page upon page of less than stimulating banter laid out as marginalia opposite each recipe ("Milk has always been thought to provide some comfort for an upset stomach"). Still, it's hard to dislike a cookbook that puts the desserts at the beginning. Cake de Cuba Libre is the most effervescent of the batch, with rum and Coca-Cola in both the batter and the accompanying sauce. Standouts among the various soups and main dishes include Sweet Plantain Soup, Cuban Wedding Shrimp in a sauce of rum and orange juice, and traditional pork chops with plenty of garlic. The authors are willing to Cubanize at will; there is Cuban Style Lobster (with Chorizo), Cuban Stuffed Turkey (with a rice and bean stuffing) and Cuban Baby Back Ribs (with Guava Sauce). The many full-page color photos make all the recipes look mouth-watering; less appetizing are the shots of the Three Guys in loud shirts or staggering down a beach. (Sept.)

Readers familiar with Our Bodies, Ourselves, first published in 1970, will find the same comprehensive, balanced and empowering approach in this volume. The authors consider menopause within the totality of women's health and as a natural process, not a medical problem. They detail typical menopausal symptoms, mainstream and alternative treatments, and risk factors for such conditions as osteoporosis, heart disease, cancer and diabetes as women age. They explain the biology of menopause; provide up-to-date perspectives on hormone replacement therapy (HRT); discuss sudden and early menopause due to surgery, medical treatments or genetic risk factors; and offer personal reflections by individual women. The sections on how to evaluate research findings; make wise health-care decisions; understand the social, cultural, economic and political frameworks in which women's health care is viewed and formulated; and nurture the self—mind, body and spirit—during years of change on all levels will prove most useful. As a general reference on menopause, this volume will be embraced by a wide female audience. (Oct.)

Age-related weight gain is whittled down to size in this guide to boosting metabolism. Berardi's (Scrawny to Brawny) formula is basic: diet, exercise and supplements to build muscle and burn calories. He relates a common scenario: with age come sedentary lifestyles, convenience foods and increased stress. While many people actually eat less as they age, Berardi says, at the end of their 20s they begin to lose five to 10 pounds of muscle each decade. The results: weight gain, free radical damage and greater risk for serious health conditions. He points out that eating fewer calories is self-defeating, while eating more of the right foods at the right time and targeted supplementation increase metabolism even for those genetically disposed to lower rates. Since muscle burns calories most efficiently, exercise is the core of the program. Berardi, who has trained professional athletes, is a congenial coach, but the five hours per week of strength training (weights) and cardio workouts may be an obstacle for those not already exercising regularly. Still, Berardi provides tools for keeping on point—meal plans, recipes, routines and options to customize—and his promise of never counting calories again just might motivate readers to invest in a gym membership. (Sept.)