Nonfiction Reviews: Week of 9/24/2007

In her introduction, certified credit counselor Sandberg writes, “When I became pregnant with my daughter Lillian, I was caught off-guard by how little I—someone who has been in the personal finance field for over a decade—knew about the monetary aspects of pregnancy and new parenthood.” This book is Sandberg's response to that uncertainty, a compilation of the advice that she craved for herself. Sandberg opens with familiar chapters like “The Meaning of Money” and “The Dangers of Debt” that prepare readers for an uncluttered financial picture going into familyhood. The different needs of different families are addressed in chapters like “On the Double: Partner Issues” and “On Your Own: Single Solutions.” Most valuable of all, Sandberg costs out what new parents need to spend on the average (U.S.) baby's clothing, child care and other basic needs, even going so far as to compare the costs for different birthing options. Later she compares types of day care and analyzes different ways of meeting long-term needs. These concrete details are what make this book most valuable and helpful for new parents who need real numbers and facts to plan out their family's financial future. (Jan.)

Ex–Chicago Tribune correspondent Longworth (Global Squeeze) paints a bleak, evocative portrait of the Midwest's losing struggle with foreign competition and capitalist gigantism. It's a landscape of shuttered factories, desperate laid-off workers, family farms gobbled up by agribusiness, once great cities like Detroit and Cleveland now in ruins, small towns devolved into depopulated “rural slums” haunted by pensioners and meth-heads. But the harshest element of the book is Longworth's own pitiless ideology of globalism. In his telling, Midwesterners are sluggish, unskilled, risk-averse mediocrities, clinging to obsolete industrial-age dreams of job security, allergic to “change,” indifferent to education and “totally unfit for the global age.” They are doomed because global competition is unstoppable, says Longworth, who dismisses the idea of trade barriers as simplistic nonsense purveyed by conspiracy theorists. The silver linings Longworth floats—biotechnology, proposals for regional cooperation—are meager and iffy. The Midwest's real hope, he insists, lies in a massive influx of mostly low-wage immigrant workers and in enclaves of “the rich and brainy,” like Chicago and Ann Arbor, where the “creative class” sells nebulous “information solutions” to “dropouts and Ph.D.s.” It's not the Middle West that's under siege in Longworth's telling; it's the now apparently quaint notion of a middle class. (Jan.)

Godin's latest business handbook (after Small Is the New Big and The Dip) revisits some of his most popular marketing advice, while emphasizing that it can't just be applied willy-nilly. In past decades, he says, companies were able to get rich by making “average products for average people,” but those markets have long since been sewn up; “mass is no longer achievable [or] desirable.” Rather than simply rely on mass media to raise product visibility, “New Marketing” treats every aspect of interacting with customers—including customer service and the product itself—as an opportunity to “grow the organization.” In order to be successful with such marketing techniques, a company must change its practices across the board. Otherwise, you're just putting whipped cream on a meatball. Godin has a perspective on everything from blogs (don't bother unless you really have something to say) to the long tail (if it's as valuable to your company as the top sellers are, why aren't you paying more attention?). His arresting conversational style is sure to once again set the business world talking. (Jan.)

Brandeis history professor Kamensky (The Colonial Mosaic) recounts the story of Andrew Dexter, a chronically overleveraged real estate developer who engineered profound shifts in the economy and skyline of turbulent early America. Dexter built the seven-story Boston Exchange Coffee House, an extraordinarily ambitious project, and helped create a regional exchange system that made banknotes from distant rural locations acceptable in Boston. Unfortunately for his reputation, he is more often remembered as the man responsible for the first bank failure in the United States in 1809. Although he spent the last 30 years of his life on the run from numerous creditors and died in debt, he never stopped juggling visionary projects. Kamensky devotes almost as much attention to the Exchange Coffee House and its impact on contemporary thought as she does to Dexter's biography. She also weaves in an account of Nathan Appleton, born, like Dexter, in 1779, but destined for a longer and much more prosperous and respectable life fighting against Dexter and his ilk. This is a charming popular account of an often-overlooked aspect of American history. B&w photos and illus. (Jan.)

Smart and ambitious, cosmopolite journalist Snyder maps the global garment industry, beginning in a New York loft where designers plot a line of ultra-pricy, socially responsible jeans that would ensure a fair wage for workers and not cause excessive environmental degradation. From there she visits cotton growers in Azerbaijan, denim specialists in Italy and factories in Cambodia and China. An excellent reporter, Snyder talks comfortably to both sophisticated designers and factory workers, conveying their very different motives as she paints a picture of an industry far more tangled than most consumers imagine. She notes that economic and employment shifts are felt globally, describing Italy mourning the loss of manufacturing to cheaper factories in Asia, where low-paying jobs represent unprecedented opportunity to many workers. If the prose occasionally verges on cuteness, it's preferable to the jargon of quotas and NGOs ubiquitous in most discussions of global trade. Snyder's investigation is an essential read for those curious about fashion or the globe-spanning business that produces their clothes. (Dec.)

Hansell (Animal Architecture), emeritus professor of animal architecture at the University of Glasgow, looks at termite nests, amoeba cases, caddis larvae traps and birds' nests and wonders how creatures with brains so much smaller and simpler than those of humans can create such complex structures. This methodical book discusses some of the intriguing scientific investigations that have been made into animal engineering, from the organization of social insects that work together to construct their nests to the impact of animal architecture on the environment. Hansell describes the biochemistry and mechanical properties of spiders' webs; computer models that simulate the building of nests by wasps; the mathematical models constructed by theoretical biologists to demonstrate how animals transmit information from generation to generation; and laboratory experiments showing that honey bees can learn and retain information about spatial relationships. This emphasis on precision is balanced by one “carelessly undisciplined question” when Hansell looks at the elaborately decorated structures male bower birds build to attract their mates and wonders whether it might be possible that nonhuman animals have the capacity to appreciate beauty. His engaging discussion provides ample reason to pursue the inquiry. B&w illus. (Dec.)

In this exhaustive and provocative polemic, Good (Above Top Secret, Alien Liaison), UFO researcher extraordinaire, endeavors to demonstrate that incontrovertible proof of UFOs is being buried by a global conspiracy of governments, academia and the media. Good catalogues hundreds of sightings of unidentified flying objects from the 1920s through the present and marshals scores of declassified government reports, news stories and eyewitness affidavits to support his often-controversial contentions: not only are aliens here, but the U.S. military has established contact with them; President Eisenhower met with aliens in 1954 at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.; President Kennedy viewed alien bodies at an air force medical facility in Florida; President Nixon arranged for comedian Jackie Gleason to view alien bodies in 1973. Good emphasizes a lengthy record of credible witnesses, including military and airline pilots, who have reported unexplained phenomena, but he fails to provide incontrovertible evidence of UFOs, extraterrestrials or a global conspiracy of secrecy. Moreover, he ignores contradictory testimony, exaggerates rumors and circumstantial evidence, and reprises old charges. Nonetheless, UFO enthusiasts will appreciate this comprehensive and spirited UFO defense and the hundreds of supporting documents reproduced within. B&w illus. (Dec.)

Though best known for his political writings (Orientalism), Said was also, from 1986 until his death in 2003, the music critic for the Nation, and this collection draws together reviews from that publication and other magazines. Said had very firm opinions and lashed out against New York City's classical music scene in the 1980s and early '90s for producing “safe but grimly uninteresting performances and repertories.” Instead of simply blaming “the intellectual cowardice of most contemporary musicians,” however, he was able to provide detailed technical critiques of a conductor's handling of a Beethoven symphony or a singer's inadequacies in a Wagnerian role. Glenn Gould's intellectualized style of playing was a source of fascination to the critic, and new biographies or films about the pianist would inevitably draw his attention. Said also writes about his friendship with Daniel Barenboim (who contributes an introduction), which leads to one of the few discussions of Middle Eastern politics; a review of the controversial opera The Death of Klinghoffer sparks another. For the most part, however, his attention is strictly on the music, and he proves himself to have been astute and passionately engaged. (Nov.)

Writers labor to come up with lines half as good as those Noël Coward dropped into the mailbox every day—“I felt that some sort of scene was necessary to celebrate my first entrance into America, so I said, 'Little lamb, who made thee,' to a customs official.” The playwright, actor and songwriter is in fine form in these missives, telegrams and poems (he would rhyme almost anything, even communications to his business manager), presented along with return mail from friends and luminaries. Day (Coward on Film: The Cinema of Noel Coward) arranges the well-chosen selections in roughly chronological order with some unobtrusive narrative context; at times he spotlights a lifelong correspondence with a single person to flesh out Coward's relationships, such as with Gertrude Lawrence. Coward's voice is charming, whimsical, sharp-eyed and canny, often alternating, in the showbiz way, between effusive warmth (letter to Tallulah Bankhead: “Thank you very much, darling, for all your sweetness and your insane generosity”) and cutting putdown (letter about Tallulah Bankhead: “a conceited slut”). A true intellectual of the stage, his comments on the nitty-gritty of writing, pacing, character and acting technique are incisive. Fans of Coward's plays and students of 20th-century theater will be fascinated, but casual readers will also find an entertaining browse. Photos. (Nov. 16)

Barnett, a professor of African studies at Sarah Lawrence College, transcribes lively, occasionally formulaic interviews she's conducted with 20 black women songwriters as iconic as Nina Simone (before her death in 2003) and as hip as Tokunbo Akinro of the European band Tok Tok Tok. Barnett aims at revealing the sources of their songwriting inspiration, as Abbey Lincoln opines divinely: “I learned early on that this work is not about me. I am inspired by a holy muse and my ancestors.” Many of the women used singing and performing as a means of expressing conflicting identities, such as Chaka Khan, whose initial work with Rufus explored black pride, sexual liberation and second-wave feminism. Dianne Reeves is inspired to write songs by reading great books by black women; Dionne Warwick has lived in Brazil for years because in America “the elements of respect and caring and loving are so far removed from a lot of the music we are surrounded with today”; and gospel legend Shirley Caesar is also a pastor of a church in Raleigh, N.C. Joan Armatrading, Toshi Reagon, Miriam Makeba, Narissa Bond and Nona Hendryx, among international greats, speak beautifully about their complex musical makeup, beautifully encapsulated in this mightily useful volume. (Nov.)

In this comprehensive coverage of cinematic censorship, Doherty, a professor of American studies at Brandeis University, probes the power of Joseph I. Breen (1888–1965), head of Hollywood's puritanical Production Code Administration from 1934 to 1954, and along the way, he captures the clash of “Catholic priests, Jewish moguls, visionary auteurs, studio hacks, hardnosed journalists and bluenosed agitators” in pre-TV Tinseltown. Born in Philadelphia, the Irish-Catholic Breen was a journalist turned publicist. His successful marketing of a film documentary showing “Catholic multitudes” at the 1926 Eucharistic Congress catapulted his career. With powerful backers in his corner, the Catholics and the New Dealers, Breen tightened the screws: “I am hopeful of doing something, to lessen, at least, the flow of filth, but I have no illusions about the problem.” He ruled with an iron fist, altering scripts and deleting footage until Otto Preminger cracked the Code in 1953 with The Moon Is Blue. Amid an avalanche of anecdotes and fascinating movie lore are 60 illustrations (ads, posters, stills) and a copy of the 1956 Production Code. The 42 pages of bibliographic notes are evidence of the author's exhaustive research. Doherty writes with such wit and verve, bringing the past to life, that this scholarly study is also a very entertaining read. (Nov.)

The saga of the highly competitive and superambitious Kissel brothers—who both end up murdered—is the dramatic center of McGinniss's (Fatal Vision) newest account of the unsavory side of family life. Married in 1989, Robert and Nancy Kissel looked like the storybook couple: she was gorgeous, he was an upward bound investment banker. But Rob's family was a pressure cooker, and Nancy had a cruel, unforgiving streak (“No Amish church practiced shunning with more rigor”), and when Rob was transferred to Hong Kong, according to McGinniss, Nancy felt trapped and alone in the “gilded cage” of their luxury apartment complex. In 2002, she drugged Rob and bludgeoned him to death, then wrapped the corpse in a carpet and put it in storage. Despite her claims of self-defense against an abusive husband, a Hong Kong jury found Nancy guilty. The couple's three children, raised primarily by a nanny, were taken in by Rob's brother, Andrew, who was facing his own legal, marital and financial difficulties, and was soon found murdered in his Greenwich, Conn., house. The case remains unsolved. In McGinniss's compelling account, the Kissel family—full of potential but riven by endless battles among the brothers and their sister and father—represent the American tragedy in which ambition and the pursuit of wealth turn deadly. (Nov. 1)

As Winston Churchill's mother and close adviser, Brooklyn-born Jennie Jerome (1854–1921) may have rated a chapter in the history books. But steeped in scandal, the passionate, ambitious and beautiful Gilded Age heiress has been fodder for several biographies of her own, including Ralph Martin's two-volume bestseller (1969–1971). The daughter of a maverick stock speculator, Jennie was probably pregnant with Winston when she married the duke of Marlborough's second son, Randolph. She was a tireless supporter of her husband's rising political career, and endured his sexual dalliances, mental unraveling (probably from syphilis) and eventual death. She earned a reputation as a journalist, dazzling socialite, shameless booster of Winston's political aspirations, and as a financially imprudent woman who indulged in a string of sexually charged affairs. Indeed, Jennie's younger son, Jack, may have been fathered by a handsome colonel and viscount, and her purported lovers may have included the prince of Wales. After Randolph's death, she remarried twice to men 20 years her junior, and died at 67 after a bad fall caused by her high heels. Sebba's (Mother Teresa) admiring biography is absorbing, authoritative and makes good use of family letters. 16 pages of photos. (Nov.)

In this brisk biography, Donald, former editor-in-chief of Harvard University Press, ascribes Teddy Roosevelt's popularity to his combination of charisma and substance; he was an “electrical, magnetic” speaker, according to one contemporary newspaper account, and he hit themes that resonated with ordinary folks, such as honesty in government and opportunity for all. In the White House, Roosevelt established a model of “positive, active governance” and insisted that the president was more powerful than any business tycoon. Donald pays particular attention to Roosevelt's pioneering conservancy efforts, and she suggests that one of his most important acts was to appoint Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. to the Supreme Court. Donald also touches on the personal: his grief when his first wife died, and his passionate love for his second wife, with whom he set a new standard for presidential domestic life, entertaining with a gusto unmatched until the Kennedys. The book is refreshingly slim, but sometimes—as in the brief discussion of Roosevelt's appointments of African-Americans to government jobs—one wishes for more. Indeed, there's not much here that readers won't find in other studies of Roosevelt, but Donald's swift prose makes this a satisfying read. Photos. History Book Club main selection. (Nov.)

After two cataclysmic wars, argues Stanford historian Sheehan, Europe has been transformed from a place where the state was defined by its capacity to make war into a group of “civilian states” that have “lost all interest” in making war. Rather, they are marked by a focus on economic growth, prosperity and personal security. To explore this transformation, Sheehan examines the changes in modern warfare and in its infrastructure and the mobilization of national economies for war. Sheehan looks at the impact in the early 20th century of universal conscription, including its social consequences (such as bringing together different social classes), and its eventual decline; the peace movements marked by the 1899 and 1907 Hague conferences; the effects of the Cold War; the growth of the European Union; and the Euro-American split over the Iraq war. Sheehan's style is clear and fluid, and his work is just the right length. Perhaps his only failing is to scant Europe's “fitful and ineffective” interventions in the Balkans and more distant strife-torn countries, but this pales besides the information offered by this fine contribution to European studies. (Nov.)

Charles-Maurice de Tallyrand-Perigord (1754–1838) was a diplomat for all regimes. He had major French governmental posts, including brief stints as prime minister, for nearly four decades: during the post-terror phase of the French Revolution and then under Napoleon and the Bourbon King Louis XVIII. As portrayed by Lawday, a former correspondent for the Economist, Talleyrand was a womanizer (he and Gouverneur Morris, then the American ambassador to Paris, competed for the same mistress) and a money-grubber, with a certain aristocratic hauteur. Yet Tallyrand was gifted at diplomacy: he was patient, an exceptional listener and, most important, a conciliator. Having had an exceptionally close relationship with Napoleon, he came to staunchly oppose the emperor's “insatiable ambition” and even committed near-treason in his complicity with Austria and Russia against Napoleon. Lawday devotes appropriate space to Talleyrand's finest moment, the 1815 Congress of Vienna, where his skills steered the assembled diplomats to allowing France to remain an integral part of the “concert of Europe.” Though comprehensive and quite good, Lawday's biography is long on narrative, hewing closely to the details of Tallyrand's unfolding life, but short on analyses of Tallyrand's choices and of the broader French and European contexts in which he acted. 8 pages of b&w photos; maps. (Nov.)

John F. Kennedy opined that nations in conflict would do better to “meet at the summit than at the brink.” Reynolds had the intriguing idea of examining the conflicts of the 20th century through the lens of its pivotal summit meetings. Given his Cambridge professorship and eight books on WWII and the Cold War (Command of History), the author's thorough mastery of his subject is reflected in the fluency and assurance of the writing. As he explains, many summits have been vitiated by misplaced trust: at Munich in 1938, Chamberlain believed Hitler would keep his word on Czechoslovakia. In Reynolds's view, Kennedy and Khrushchev failed at Vienna in 1961 in nearly all respects, and their failure had consequences, including Khrushchev's belligerence—and ultimate humiliation—in the Cuban missile crisis. In 1985, Reagan and Gorbachev held what the author believes was the most successful summit of all, a result of careful preparation and the old-fashioned, behind-the-scenes diplomacy of George Shultz. The Camp David summit with Sadat, Carter and Begin, in this account, rivals Munich for sheer drama. The stories of these summits (plus the post-WWII Yalta conference and Nixon/Brezhnev in 1972) reveal the calculation, bluff, mutual incomprehension and good intentions that make meetings at the top risky and, occasionally, productive. (Nov.)

Recently convicted of mail fraud and obstruction of justice, former Hollinger International chairman and newspaper magnate Black (Franklin Delano Roosevelt: Champion of Freedom) is better positioned than most men to chronicle the power and disgrace experienced by Richard Nixon. Black is a versatile and thorough biographer who brings not only sympathy but eloquent clarity to his task. The result is a vibrant narrative of personal and political accomplishment that, though great and heroically achieved, was often marred by self-inflicted wounds springing from personal paranoia. Black is at his best portraying the many contradictions in Nixon's personal makeup and political history. The Nixon who most fascinates Black is the firebrand cold warrior who (in partnership with Henry Kissinger) went on to invent the notion of detente and eventually opened relations with China. As Black shows, Nixon's duality followed him into his postpresidential years. The tireless son of Quakers methodically sought after Watergate to rebuild his reputation as a statesman by issuing carefully crafted publications and granting strategically timed interviews. Black's superb volume, incorporating much new research, is an important and worthy addition to the literature. 16 pages of b&w photos. (Nov.)

White House press secretary James Brady once declared “[i]t took a crowbar” to separate President Reagan and Prime Minister Thatcher. Biographer Wapshott (Thatcher) assesses the nature of that sometimes testy but always close freindship. As Reagan put it, they were “soul mates when it came to reducing government and expanding economic freedom.” Not content with biography, Wapshott also provides a political history of the post-WWII period and the 1980s. Elected under similar circumstances, the two faced many of the same trials: assassination attempts, striking workers and tensions with the Soviet Union. Wapshott's attention to Reagan and Thatcher's compatibility sometimes comes at the expense of a deeper analysis of the ideas that united them. On their economic conservatism, Wapshott is insightful and exhaustive; on the ideas driving their foreign policy, he is less thorough, and more detailed comparison of Thatcher's cold Methodism and Reagan's sense of God's purpose after his attempted assassination would have been welcome. Throughout, Wapshott favors the nitty-gritty, painting a portrait of the friendship that shaped the 1980s and the alliance that won the Cold War. (Nov.)

Boston Globe correspondent Oliphant (Praying for Gil Hodges) ably rises to the task of supplying another in a long line of very similar books detailing the perfidy of George W. Bush and his administration. Oliphant includes the testimony of disgruntled former insiders such as John DiIulio, the first director of the Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives and the first senior Bush adviser to resign, as he recounts the Bush team's hyperpoliticized approach to policy formation and unwillingness to consider information conflicting with their worldview. Saying “American history contains few examples of such a pervasive, systemic, persistent record of blunders by a national administration, much less an equally persistent record of a myopic refusal to face the facts,” Oliphant sets out to demonstrate how the first president to hold an M.B.A. has managed to bungle nearly every issue he has touched, from Terry Schiavo to the war in Iraq. Though neither flashy nor particularly engrossing, this competent narrative will appeal to readers yearning for one more fix of righteous liberal indignation. (Nov.)

Brilliant political operative Richard Perle is known for his neoconservative views and hard-line support for expanding America's military might. Making extensive use of interviews with Perle and his supporters and detractors alike, Weisman (Lone Star: The Extraordinary Life and Times of Dan Rather) illuminates many of the darker corners of this mysterious character. Portraying Perle sympathetically on at least a personal level, Weisman highlights his dedication to improving, as he sees it, the national defense of his country and the skill apparent in his proudest achievements: the Jackson-Vanik amendment forcing the Soviet Union to allow Jews to emigrate and the completion of the INF treaty drawing down Soviet nuclear missiles. Weisman also debunks the idea that Perle is primarily concerned with Israel's security, though at times he seems a little too eager to forgo in-depth analysis in favor of snappy comebacks. Weisman concludes: “If Richard Perle is guilty of anything, it is of a sadly stupefying resolve,” a middle-of-the-road verdict that may be honest but is unlikely to either please Perle's most fervent fans or convert his opponents. (Nov.)

Chua (World on Fire), a Yale law professor and daughter of immigrants, examines a number of “world-dominant” powers—a none too rigorously defined group that lumps together the Persian, Roman, Mongol and British empires with the contemporary United States—and argues that tolerance and multiculturalism are indispensable features of global economic and military success. Such “hyperpowers” rise, Chua argues, because their tolerance of minority cultures and religions, their receptivity to foreign ideas and their willingness to absorb and empower talented provincials and immigrants lets them harness the world's “human capital.” Conversely, hyperpowers decline when their assimilative capacities falter and they lapse into intolerance and exclusion. The sexy concept of a world-dominant hyperpower, in addition to being somewhat erratic—the smallish Dutch Republic makes the cut, while the far-flung (but inconveniently intolerant) Spanish empire doesn't—is doubtful when examining an America that can hardly dominate Baghdad and not much more convincing when applied to earlier hegemons. Chua does offer an illuminating survey of the benefits of tolerance and pluralism, often as a tacit brief for maintaining America's generous immigration policies. (Nov.)

Most in the U.S. would agree that American dependence on foreign oil, especially from countries hostile to the U.S. government, is an undesirable situation. Duffield (Power Rules: The Evolution of NATO's Conventional Force Posture), a political science professor at Georgia State University, focuses on documenting the problems with this dependence and how to fix them. Making the obvious but often overlooked point that depending on imported oil carries more than economic consequences at the gas pump and the home furnace, Duffield notes the costs to American consumers, such as skyrocketing heating bills from government foreign policy and military efforts to protect unreliable overseas supplies. So far, those policy responses have increased rather than decreased costs. For example, policy makers have neglected opportunities to reduce oil use, instead favoring protection of existing international sources (especially in Saudi Arabia) and finding new ones. Although Duffield is dubious about American intervention overseas, he does endorse American hegemony as a route to changing oil-related attitudes and policies worldwide. (Nov.)

Sunstein, a University of Chicago law professor, often writes about government regulation. Here he focuses specifically on cost-benefit analysis (CBA) of actions that governments (as well as the private sector and individuals) can take to ward off potential crises. CBA has been used, most famously by George W. Bush's administration, to guide national policy; Bush critics believe the numbers are often fudged to get the results the White House wants. Oddly, Sunstein fails to investigate the science and politics of the Bush administration's chief cost-benefit guru, John D. Graham, but he does explore the uses and potential misuses of CBA, often in sufficient detail to challenge readers not well grounded in economics and statistics. Global warming serves as the narrative thread throughout the book, but Sunstein also looks at appropriate reactions to terrorist threats, genetic modification of food, hurricanes and avian flu, among other issues. Within the complex explanations, Sunstein does a reasonable job of achieving his three goals: to understand individual responses to worst-case scenarios (usually to “plan far too much [or] far too little”); to suggest more sensible public policy regarding low-probability risks of disaster; and to dispassionately evaluate CBA as a tool, especially as it pertains to policy making in the future (Nov.)

This visually arresting book is vintage Dupré (Churches; Skyscrapers). The stylish architectural historian examines 37 monuments (from the Liberty Bell and the Alamo to Oklahoma City) for what they reveal about those they commemorate, those who designed them and those who visit them. Dupré decodes monument symbolism (when a soldier is mounted on a horse, the number of hooves planted on the ground indicates whether the rider survived the conflict being commemorated), and she sheds light on commemoration controversies, such as the 1990s debate over erecting a statue of Arthur Ashe on Richmond's Monument Avenue, which had previously been dedicated to Confederate leaders. She addresses “sites of shame,” like Manzanar National Historical Site (where Japanese-Americans were interned during WWII), that recall events many people would rather forget. The 180-plus black-and-white photos are as absorbing as the text, and additional material, like an interview with a stone carver who worked on the National World War II Memorial in D.C., enriches the volume. The foreword is the only disappointment. This ode to 9/11 begins on a stale note, recalling innocent 9/10 and trotting out clichés like “Monuments are history made visible.” But that's a minor flaw in a lavish, thoughtful tome. (Nov. 6)

In this trenchant history spanning from the first days of the 1987 intifada to the sweeping democratic victory of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) in the Palestinian elections of January 2006, London-based scholar Tamimi argues that seeing Hamas as merely another face of Al Qaeda obscures more than it elucidates. A successor to the Muslim Brotherhood, Hamas comes out of a transnational Islamic reform movement that grew among Palestinians in the 1970s, largely in reaction to Arab nationalism's failure to champion the Palestinian cause. Increasingly, against a string of failed peace processes and the corruption and concessions of the PLO-led secular leadership, Hamas's popular support has rested heavily on its stance as a militant resistance movement wedded to the Palestinian dream of regaining pre-1948 Palestine, and as provider of essential social services. Tamimi draws extensively on the words of insiders in carefully charting and contextualizing the development of Hamas's highly resilient organization, shifting outlook and embrace of various tactics, including the offer of a truce with Israel and, most controversially, suicide bombing. Although mostly dispassionate and at times critical, this is a generally sympathetic analysis. It will be a key resource in English for any serious assessment of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. (Nov.)

Andersen, creator of “The Princess and the Pea” and “The Ugly Duckling,” receives treasury treatment in this latest entry in Norton's series of annotated classics, replete with margin notes attentive to historical contexts, critical interpretations and folkloric influences. Tatar, Harvard's dean for humanities (The Annotated Brothers Grimm), relates that when she taught Andersen's tales, undergraduates often reported “their magical childhood experiences with the fairy tales” and protested her analyses of Andersen's frequently brutal scenarios. Tatar avers that her research did help her re-evaluate the affective qualities of Andersen's work. While it remains important to acknowledge the sadism of renowned tales like “The Snow Queen” and “The Little Match Girl,” and to investigate Andersen's bitter efforts to join fashionable Danish society (noted in a biographical appendix), this collection of 12 “Tales for Children” and a dozen more “Tales for Adults” focuses on the stories' fairy tale references and aesthetic appeal. Gorgeous turn-of-the-century illustrations by Kay Nielsen, William Heath Robinson and others and a section with comments from Dickens, van Gogh and Ursula Le Guin, among others testify to Andersen's wide influence. Translating with Julie K. Allen, Tatar conveys the indisputable magnetism and uncanny, threatening beauty of Andersen's visions. 146 color and b&w illus. (Nov.)

Like all the sciences, biology is rooted in observation, but in order to tease out the principles of reproduction and genetic inheritance, biologists needed to find plants and animals with fast breeding cycles—hence the popularity of guinea pigs, zebra fish and fruit flies as experimental subjects. Endersby's history explains how such life forms have been put to use by scientists from Charles Darwin's age to the present. But the flora and fauna are just a hook for Endersby, a lecturer in history at the University of Sussex, to talk about the scientists, and he's often at his most winning delving into biographical details, like the friendship between science writer Paul de Kruif and Sinclair Lewis, whom de Kruif advised on science and medicine for the novel Arrowsmith. He's also good at spotlighting small events that had sweeping consequences, like the 1847 repeal of a British tax on glass, which led to more greenhouses, which led to an outburst of botanical observation. Later chapters broach hot-button topics like genetically modified food and the backlash against animal testing. Endersby offers a fresh take and surprising conclusions (“Mendel did not invent modern genetics”) on familiar material. 12 b&w illus. (Nov.)

Pasles, an associate professor of mathematics at Villanova, speculates gleefully on the oft-denied mathematical genius of Benjamin Franklin. The author focuses on magic squares, a type of matrix that Franklin dismissed (inaccurately) as “incapable of any useful application” but enjoyed playing with for almost 50 years. Not content with matrices where columns, rows and diagonals all have equal sums, Franklin created magic squares where bent diagonals and other groupings have special properties and then went on to develop even more complex magic circles, outclassing not only his contemporaries but also many modern mathematicians Drawing on Franklin's letters and journals as well as modern-day reconstructions of his library, Pasles touches on Franklin's fondness for magazines of mathematical diversions; publication of arithmetic problems in Poor Richard's Almanac; startlingly accurate projections of population growth and cost-benefit arguments against slavery. Going further afield, he suggests that only a man comfortable with numbers would refer to electrical poles as “positive” and “negative” and wonders what might have transpired had a young Franklin been introduced to Isaac Newton by a mutual acquaintance. Historians may quail at the textbook-style problems that illustrate various topics, but mathematicians will enjoy them and share Pasles's pleasure at restoring Franklin's tarnished numerological reputation. Color and b&w illus. (Nov.)

Warren, a Canadian science journalist, combines the rigorous self-experimentation of Steven Johnson's Mind Wide Open with the wacky self-experimentation of A.J. Jacobs's The Know-It-All in this entertaining field guide to the varying levels of mental awareness. Beginning with the mild hallucinogenic state that comes just before true sleep, he tries to hone his skills at lucid dreaming, subjects himself to hypnosis and joins a Buddhist meditation retreat, among other adventures. Along the way, he begins to realize that “dreaming and waking are equivalent states,” and that we can learn how to induce the subtle gradations of consciousness within ourselves. This could come off as New Age psychobabble, but Warren is well versed in the scientific literature, and he provides detailed accounts of his own research. (During one three-week period, for example, he goes to bed at sundown to recreate a period of wakefulness before returning to sleep that used to be common before electric light reconfigured our sleep schedules.) His self-mocking attitude toward his inability to achieve instant nirvana, along with a steady stream of cartoon illustrations, ensures that his ideas remain accessible. More important than the theories, though, may be the basic tools—and the visionary spirit—that Warren hands off to those interested in hacking their own minds. B&w illus. (Nov. 27)

Twenty-one years after revisiting 1950s style in Populuxe, Hine makes a case for the 1970s, rejecting the popular appraisal of the era as “a slum of a decade... when everything shattered” in favor of an appreciation for the overwhelming degree to which Americans experimented with new styles and new ways of life in order to rediscover themselves after Vietnam, Watergate and inflation made conformist culture less palatable. To Hine, a design critic and historian, the '70s aren't so much “the decade that taste forgot” as a time when the old tastemakers were deliberately set aside, creating fleeting but instantly recognizable styles. Nearly every page features illustrations, both in color and black-and-white, creating a richly layered visual record of everything from Earth shoes to pet rocks. This is not mere nostalgia—even as he celebrates the advances of feminism and gay liberation, Hine recognizes that such progress was born out of great turmoil (the “funk” in his title refers both to a musical style and a depressive state). Yet it is those small pockets of optimism amid the chaos that he holds up as most relevant to our contemporary situation—just maybe without such wide lapels. (Nov.)

Poet and playwright Sherman revisits her 20s in Berkeley and New York City when she emerged as a lesbian, antiwar activist and artist in her own right. She attended college at Berkeley in 1958, and lived on Telegraph Avenue with artists Diane Wakoski and La Monte Young, who would usher inviting new experiences for the author. She resolved to lose her virginity immediately, but her attraction to women caused emotional conflict within her. Two years later, she demonstrated against the House Un-American Activities Committee in May 1960 and experimented with psychotropic drugs. Moving to New York in 1961, she hung out with beat poets at the Deux Megots and the Metro Café, and began publishing her own poetry thanks to Denise Levertov and others. Sherman chronicles early iconoclastic work with the Hardware Poets Playhouse and La Mama ETC. Occasionally murky and erratic in structure, Sherman's memoir portrays the thrilling unreality of the times. (Nov.)

Blogger Silverman is a man obsessed with pointing out the mistakes of others, though he dreams of a world in which he didn't have to. If media outlets printed their own corrections more thoroughly, amending online content appropriately, embracing their mistakes wholeheartedly, he argues, he wouldn't have to collect and publicize them with such devotion. Having founded regrettheerror.com to tally inaccuracies and corrections in the press, Silverman has set out to chronicle and categorize these errors in his first book. The result is a winding journey through the most glaring, damaging and humorous typos, misprints, misidentifications, “fuzzy numbers” and “obiticides” in the history of journalism, from the accidental to the malicious. These chapters are chock-full of amusing historical anecdotes, including the story behind the incorrect headline “Dewey Defeats Truman,” the case of mistaken identity that galvanized Nobel to create his prestigious awards, and the oft-presumed dead but still living Abe Vigoda. Silverman injects plenty of humor, but mostly he is deeply concerned about the science of journalism, and at the heart of this romp is an argument for increased public participation in the news cycle. (Nov.)

A professor at the University of Michigan, Behar seeks a better understanding of her roots and of the Jewish experience in her native Cuba. Traversing the island, Behar becomes a confidante to myriad Jewish strangers. Through one-on-one interviews and black-and-white images taken by her photographer, Humberto Mayol, she uncovers the diasporic thread that connects Cuban Jews. Familial stories of wandering beginning in the 1920s tell of displaced Polish and German Jews—escapees from anti-Semitism and Auschwitz—opening mom-and-pop shops in La Habana Vieja, becoming peddlers, replacing Yiddish with Spanish and settling into Latino life only to be uprooted within decades. An estimated 16,500 Jews lived in Cuba in the late 1950s, when a mass exodus to Miami and New York took place—a reaction to Castro's budding communist revolution. This diligent recounting and pictorial collage of interviews with adolescents, the aging, the impoverished and the political by Behar preserves in memory the people and places that make up Cuba's Jewish story. (Nov.)

Psychotherapist Cori (The Tao of Contemplation: Re-Sourcing the Inner Life) translates the dark language of trauma in this primer of agony and recovery, with a deep understanding of the tortuous journey many suffer after sexual assault, war, violence and childhood abuse. Skillfully, she avoids the bevy of usual tales of misery found in self-help books on trauma, focusing instead on the resilience of the spirit, regaining control and resuming a renewed life. Very timely and informative, Cori's guidebook includes a long segment on PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder), recognizing the emotional and moral conflicts faced by troops returning from Iraq and Afghanistan and attempting to reintegrate into society. The author offers solid information on types of trauma disorders and stresses the importance of selecting caring, sensitive health practitioners and therapists as critical to speed the healing quest (she offers sensible specifics on choosing a therapist). Concluding with her own story as an incest survivor (based on recovered memories), the book is a compact, knowing work of atonement, grace, compassion and healing. (Nov.)

When actor and TV commentator Grodin (It Would Be So Nice if You Weren't Here) asked Shirley MacLaine about her biggest mistake, she suggested he go ask President Bush about his. Others of the 82 celebrity contributors to this collection who look back at lessons learned the hard way squirmed to evade Grodin's “truth or dare,” while many have risen to the challenge with painful memories of nervousness, humiliation, social embarrassments, shame, regret, denial and guilt. Recalling an incident when she was 13, Mary Steenburgen can still “feel my face burn with shame at my own snobbery.” After Leonard Nimoy ignored a publisher's warning, fans wrongly interpreted the title of his memoir, I Am Not Spock, to mean he was “rejecting the character and all things connected with Star Trek.” Walter Cronkite's “biggest mistake” was retiring too soon. The standout piece is by Pete Hamill, who compresses his entire life into five pages as he reflects on the aftermath of his decision to drop out of high school. (Grodin will donate his royalties to HELP USA, which serves the homeless.) (Nov. 1)

Only 3% of women-owned businesses in the U.S. gross a million dollars or more in revenue. It doesn't have to be that way, according to Solovic (The Girls' Guide to Power and Success), CEO of SBTV.com. Women face deeply ingrained challenges on their way to wealth, from a discomfort with talking about money to a fear of success, but are also more inclined to create flexible working environments that cater to the needs of their employees as well as to the bottom line. Solovic lays out the steps to success: chutzpah, determination, managing changing relationships, keeping employees and customers happy, getting and maintaining credit, overcoming gender bias and creating a successful business plan and a solid brand. Though her cheery, can-do outlook is infectious, the lessons bog down in a plethora of quotes and personal stories from women (and a surprising number of men) who have made their financial mark. Nonetheless, this is a useful and encouraging guide, providing solid advice and resources to help women achieve and sustain entrepreneurial success. (Nov.)

This third volume in Richardson's magisterial biography takes us through Picasso's middle years, as he establishes his mastery over craft, other artists and the women in his life. The story begins the year Picasso falls in love with Olga Kokhlova, a Russian dancer he met while working on the avant-garde ballet Parade for Diaghilev's Ballets Russes. By the end of the volume, Olga—his first wife—becomes “the victim of some of Picasso's most harrowing images.” The book elaborates on the details of Picasso's inspirations, with Richardson providing a balance of fact, salacious detail and art-historical critique. He is particularly skilled at evoking the humor and sexuality that imbues Picasso's portraits of Marie-Thérèse, who became his mistress when he was 45 and she 17: “As for the figure's amazing legs: the secret of their monumentality had escaped me” until Courbet's great view of Etretat gave him a clue: “Picasso has used the rock arches of Etretat... to magnify the scale of the bather's legs and breasts....” The artist's entire circle is also here, from Georges Braque to Henri Matisse, from André Breton to Ernest Hemingway. They are jealous collaborators, competitive geniuses, excessive bohemians, dear friends, frustrated homosexuals—while a handful of women come across as essential yet entirely replaceable. 48 pages of color illus., 275 illus. in text. 60,000 first printing. (Nov. 9)

The second offering in Skira's five-volume series Art of the Twentieth Century surveys a period that gave birth to a bewildering array of new forms of expression. The text, written by a group of young scholars and edited by University of Turin art historian Terraroli, encompasses styles from Dadaism to Abstract Expressionism, relating them to the cultural environments and artistic centers that produced them. Chapters are devoted to the tension between the avant-garde and tradition; to Italy, where artists were eager to reconcile the avant-garde with classical tradition; and to a lengthy discussion of surrealism in Spain, Belgium, Great Britain and the United States that gives a lucid account of the movement's literary and political components. Terraroli has also included six short essays by noted scholars who address related topics, including dance, photography, decorative arts and the art of propaganda; one piece offers an illuminating survey of the contemporaneous controversy about whether art should be relevant to or independent of social and political concerns. The color illustrations, often highlighting works of lesser-known artists, are superb, and the text is supplemented by boxes featuring specific subjects or personalities. This beautifully produced volume is an excellent introduction to a complex subject. 400 color illus. (Nov.)

This lavishly illustrated volume honors the art of a master glass maker. Dailey has created a huge body of work, including lamps, vases, mosaics, tables, wall reliefs, free-standing sculptures and monumental structures such as the two-ton cast-glass relief mural in the Rainbow Room in New York City. The photos attest to his technical mastery as well as to the inventiveness of his designs, which incorporate everything from human and animal characters to skyscrapers, mythological figures and musical instruments, in a recent series on jazz that is both abstract and representational. Some of the whimsical drawings on which Dailey bases his work are included, showing his superb draftsmanship and his preoccupation with the vagaries of human nature. Noted graphic designer Glaser pays tribute to the artist as the head of a dynamic glassmaking studio. Warmus, former curator of the Corning Museum of Glass, gives an overview of Dailey's career. Oldknow, the Corning Museum's curator of modern glass, talks with Dailey about his relationship to art of the past, his subject matter, and his training in glass factories in Italy and France. Photos of Dailey and his assistants as well as supplemental material about his career round out this visually stunning coffee-table book. (Oct.)

Those who live with and love animals dread the moment when their beloved companions will leave them. Smith, an animal communicator for more than 30 years, and author of two books on talking with the creatures, provides a unique and detailed account, from the animals' perspective, on the ways they transition from the physical to the spiritual realm. Smith discusses the timing of their departure, their feelings about living in the spirit realm, and reincarnation. Stories that recount individual experiences with animals on earth as well as the spirit realm are most of the book, including ones about animals who want their humans to know that they didn't suffer in dying, that they may have actually orchestrated their death for a particular reason, that they forgive any wrongs or that they are planning to come back in another form. Perhaps most helpful is the chapter in which animals counsel their human friends not to grieve for them but to seek joy instead. For those new to animal communication, Smith includes a short instructional chapter. Readers open to Smith's claims about animal communication or who grieve departed furry friends will find much in these pages to offer comfort and hope. (Jan.)

Before her life was cut short by cancer at age 42 in 2003, Modern Orthodox writer and editor Rosenswein had been a beloved columnist for seven years for the New York Jewish Week, reflecting once a month on child-rearing, careers, love, holiness and Jewish tradition. With equal parts humor and heartache—with heartache leaping from the page in the columns written after her cancer diagnosis—Rosenswein deals with aging parents, challenging modern schedules, timeless holy days and the joys of raising her three children. The columns address the quotidian concerns of a suburban Jewish family as well as more global issues: the fear and sadness after 9/11 and the sense of anxiety that some American Jews have about Israel. Sometimes, the order of the short essays is distracting—her daughter is four, then a newborn. Since the essays are so heavily autobiographical, a chronological order would have better suited the collection. Still, this is a treasure trove of wisdom from one of American Judaism's most beloved and lamented voices. Rosenswein's husband, Barry Lichtenberg, provides a touching afterword, and novelist Tova Mirvis (a former intern of hers) the foreword. (Dec. 11)

Christians in today's church strive to lead spiritual lives marked by true sacrifice, much as the earliest Christians and their communities did. Sittser, who teaches at Whitworth College in Spokane, Wash., offers a compelling history of spirituality. While many such histories focus on the early martyrs of the faith and medieval mystics, Sittser's singular study demonstrates that contemporary Christians drink from a deep well of spiritual practices as they become part of the cloud of witnesses to the faith. Sittser characterizes periods in the history of spirituality according to various themes—e.g., witness, belonging, struggle and conversion—that continue to characterize Christianity today. Unlike earlier histories of spirituality, Sittser's includes a chapter on the spirituality of evangelicals (“conversion”) and one on the spirituality of pioneer missionaries (“risk”). Thus, the trailblazing missionary work of Jeremiah Evarts (1781–1831) and Jim Elliot (1927–1956) to indigenous peoples is singled out as a form of spiritual practice. Sittser concludes each chapter with exercises designed to reflect on ways that certain spiritual practices can be incorporated into contemporary observance. Discussion questions that can guide groups or individuals and an annotated reading list make Sittser's book a valuable tool. (Dec.)

There are thousands of books on spirituality and thousands of books about running. But few books exist on the spirituality of running, says Kay, a runner, cross-country coach and professor of theology who teaches a college course on the topic. His book is aimed at people who are more likely familiar with running than religion. There's nothing here about the physiology of running, training techniques or diet. Instead, the book is theologically basic, explaining, for example, what prayer is and asking such questions as “is there a spiritual world?” theology allows the author to address readers across faith traditions. Citations from Islam are one fresh element of this broad religious scope. Practical features of the book include chapter-ending questions for journaling, which are not especially original but are useful, and a reading list. The book's chief virtue is that the author comes across as a helpful and encouraging coach, with a knowledgeable and personal tone. Readers looking for more depth should go elsewhere, but this book meets elementary needs. (Dec.)

Warren, wife of megachurch pastor and bestselling author Rick Warren (The Purpose-Driven Life), traces her transformation from housewife to international HIV/AIDS advocate. Moved by a news article about AIDS, Warren made a life-changing visit to Africa in 2003. In this book, she tells stories of the world's great tragedies (HIV/AIDS, the genocides in Rwanda and Cambodia, sex slavery, orphaned children and deep poverty) through the lens of her travels. Warren challenges readers to engage with devastating situations and surrender themselves to loving others—particularly those who may be considered outcasts—in the name of Christ. She describes being “gloriously ruined” by her close knowledge of these tragic situations, having previously been unaware or simply too busy raising a family to realize what was happening in the world. . The book lacks practical suggestions for readers, demonstrating an unexpected emphasis on Warren herself and the “miracle” God has made of her life. At times this comes across as self-serving, especially in the midst of so much tragedy. No doubt readers will be inspired by Warren's considerable passion for the hurting world, though it remains unclear exactly what to do about it. (Dec.)

The return of nonreligious Jews to Orthodox Judaism has sparked a number of books, but the quieter yet equally committed journeys back to all streams of liberal Judaism have taken place “largely out of the limelight,” says journalist Amann. To sample their distinctive and roundabout paths, Amann interviewed close to 70 people who have “come home” to their own heritage. The book's three sections mirror the stages of the subjects' spiritual journeys: “Homeward” chronicles stories of inspiration, alienation and finding community; “Doors to the House” explores portals into Judaism—family, the arts, social justice, illness and loss; and “Dwelling Places” offers tales of encounters with God and new personal rituals, as well as lessons for fellow seekers. Despite Amann's clear, engaging writing, each chapter is presented in a stand-alone, news story style, leaving the disjointed feeling of reading through a string of interviews. Driven by her own winding road home beginning with a secular childhood, through Eastern religions and Quakerism to a women's Passover seder that reawakened her Jewish spirit, Amann is an apt representative of the meandering spiritual seekers she calls “pilgrims,” and the book will be a beacon to others who may be on a Jewish quest. (Dec.)

Readers might not think that poverty, chastity and obedience would be attractive to the common Protestant, but Okholm, a theology professor at Azusa Pacific University, will make them think twice. Although he is a Presbyterian, Okholm is comfortable with Catholicism and realistic about the benefits and burdens of both denominations. He finds in Benedictine monasticism a helpful path to holiness, and he avoids idealizing or romanticizing the monastic life. This is why his work succeeds as a guide for the common Christian. Okholm is wise to point out that St. Benedict's Rule, the text upon which his vision of monastic life is built, is both challenging and down-to-earth. The author invites readers to integrate some monastic practices into their daily lives and stresses that this does not involve cloistering themselves—these practices are both ordinary and sacred. He also provides an excellent example for Catholics and Protestants alike to dig deeply into the Christian tradition and find how both can spiritually benefit from the other. Okholm provides a “Historical Afterword” to address why Protestants initially rejected the monastic life. This is a fascinating and, considering its brevity, surprisingly detailed overview that readers should not pass up. (Dec.)

A novice monk's interest in the tradition of prayer led to this book by the monks of St. Meinrad Archabbey in Indiana. Although Hagan, a priest and one of the authors and editors of the volume, had envisioned having various monks write such a book, it wasn't until his biweekly meetings with Raab, a novice he was guiding, that the project began to take shape. Beginning with prayer as found in the Hebrew scriptures, the monks traverse the history of Catholic prayer into modern times, spanning Christianity's early centuries, the monastic movement, medieval spirituality and the Counter-Reformation. They go on to cover such practices as liturgical and fixed-hour prayer, ending with chapters on what they call the “scenic landscapes” of prayer: lectio divina (holy reading), Mary and the saints, praying with images of Jesus and prayer's role in conversion. The guide reads like a textbook in places, but it is full of interesting details, particularly those drawn from sources dating to Christianity's earliest days. For example, Cyprian Davis, in “Prayer as a Battle,” cites Evagrius of Pontius, a fourth-century deacon who advocated cultivating inner calm and warned how it can be upset by logismoi, obsessive thoughts fostered by demons. Students and practitioners of prayer will find this to be most enlightening reading. (Dec.)

Of the making of New Testament studies there is no end, so readers may rightly wonder why yet another manual is needed. Does this volume offer insights not easily available elsewhere? Geisler, dean of Southern Evangelical Seminary and Bible College, and author of more than 70 books dealing with the Bible and Christianity, gathers decades of findings of New Testament scholars into a truly accessible and readable overview, aimed at readers at all levels. Beginning with a fine explanation of the various critical methodologies used in analyzing the scriptural record, he then treats each book in the New Testament, addressing questions about authorship, the date of writing and the book's intended audience, and a clear explanation of the content of each book. Several appendixes bring Geisler's study to a close, including a list of keywords in the New Testament and a harmonization of miracles in the various gospels. Numerous charts and full-color photos enhance the presentation, making the book an excellent choice for course adoption. Geisler thinks even beginning students can appreciate and understand the canon and demonstrates beautifully the simplicity and consistency of these writings. This is a book worth owning. (Dec.)

With a style reminiscent of Julia Cameron, Novick, a professional painter, former gallery owner and yoga master, presents painting not only as an art form but as a vehicle of spiritual exploration. She's clearly taught before. Chapters flow easily, dotted and crossed with inspired quotations from sages, artists and writers, as well as anecdotes and observations from her own experience. Materials lists are precise enough for beginners but contain plenty of options for more experienced artists. Most impressive of all are the simple descriptions of the yoga exercises, something not easy to accomplish in writing. Only an enclosed CD with yoga instructions could have made this part of the book more perfect. Full-color examples of each of the increasingly more complex painting projects provide students with even more encouragement. This is not a paint-by-numbers guide to God. The spirituality comes from within the artist, as techniques of painting and pose become more developed. Novick's encouraging tone coupled with a penchant for expansive definition—painting to her encompasses everything from oil and soft pastels to actual watercolor and oil paints; spirit includes belief in a higher being whether named as God or not—makes room for a wide audience. (Dec.)

Stott (rector emeritus of All Souls Church in London and prolific author) draws on over 60 years in pastoral ministry to outline the “essential marks of a living church.” Named one of Time's 100 most influential people in 2005, Stott is noted for his efforts in worldwide evangelism as well as his firm insistence on remaining an evangelical within the Church of England. Here he explores biblical approaches to worship, evangelism, ministry, fellowship, preaching and giving that lead to a healthy church, whether “traditional” or “emerging.” Stott applies New Testament accounts of the early church and the teachings of Paul to the contemporary context without compromising his evangelical vision. Urging Christians to have more impact on the surrounding culture, he concludes: “There is such a thing as goodness: pursue it. The postmodern mood is unfriendly to all universal absolutes. Yet the apostle says there is such a thing as truth: fight for it. And there is such a thing as life: lay hold of it.” This short, well-organized book—when Stott says there are five paradoxes to preaching or 10 principles of giving, he promptly follows through—is perhaps most useful for those clergy and laity who are directly involved in ministry. (Dec.)

Duckworth's winsome story of her life will draw readers eager to work through their own struggles. Her father was committed to a mental institution when she was a child, with the resulting poverty and discrimination a heavy burden for both Duckworth and her mother. Her mother had health problems as well, eventually dying at age 47. Through the years Duckworth found solace in God, gradually facing her pain and finding understanding. “I have always believed that Daddy abandoned me,” she says. “All these years, I've pounded my gavel and pronounced Daddy guilty.” That revelation of abandonment and blame is the basis for this book. While discussion questions at the end help Christian readers dig deeper into their own abandonment issues and find strength in a caring God, readers may wish for more obvious links sooner. Yet Duckworth's honesty about herself and her troubles is engaging as she describes her mistakes and missteps as well as her victories. Those who have read some of Duckworth's other 16 books will find much to enjoy, and new readers will relish getting to know this strong woman who knows first hand about life's hardships and God's faithfulness. (Nov. 20)

Bestselling author Thomas (Sacred Marriage) based the title for this book on the way Orthodox Christian fathers translated Paul's words in 2 Timothy 4:7: “I have fought the Beautiful Fight.” Thomas is concerned that Christians often focus on “mere morality” and wants to introduce readers to a more experiential, compelling Christianity that focuses on transformation, not simply conduct. This Christianity emphasizes the ascension of Christ, the presence of Christ with us, the need to listen to God daily and the fact that God is already on our side—we do not need to earn his favor, although our actions can please him. Walking through this spiritual primer, Thomas addresses a range of attitudes and actions that contribute to Christ-like living. He draws on the stories and teachings of Christians past and present, including St. Francis, Teresa of Ávila, John Calvin, C.S. Lewis and J.I. Packer. Well written, this is largely very familiar evangelical teaching with a subtle shift. Thomas may have done better to focus more on his distinctions with traditional evangelical thought, though readers will likely welcome his valuable perspective on living the Christian life. (Nov.)