Web Exclusive Reviews: Week of 10/15

-- Publishers Weekly, 10/15/2007

NONFICTION

The Airmen and the Headhunters: A True Story of Lost Soldiers, Heroic Tribesmen and the Unlikeliest Rescue of World War II
Judith M. Heimann. Harcourt, $26 (288p) ISBN 9780151014347
Using detailed research and new interviews with all the surviving players, including the tribal Dayaks of Southeast Asia, diplomat and author Heimann (The Most Offending Soul Alive) presents the story of two B-24 crews, one U.S. Army Air Corps and one U.S. Navy, shot down over Borneo in November 1944 and January 1945, respectively. With the help of a local District Official and Lun Dayeh tribesmen, the airmen survived several months in uncharted interior jungles, avoiding capture by occupying Japanese forces. The book gives great insight into the Lun Dayeh, a thriving culture that uses few tools and almost no knowledge of modern machinery, best known for their practice of headhunting. Surprisingly enough, they prove kind, welcoming and very generous with what provisions they have; meanwhile, the Japanese plunder native resources and subject opposition to torture and worse, proving the terms “savage” and “civilized” to be quite subjective. A good read for WWII history buffs, Heimann’s volume also contains enough material on the culture of Southeast Asian tribes to please any armchair anthropologist. (Oct.)

At the Corner of Fact & Fancy
Jonathan Kolatch. Jonathan David, $26.95 (390p) ISBN 978824604646
In this volume of eclectic essays, author and freelance journalist Kolatch (Is the Moon in China Just as Round?) addresses a range of topics with a light touch and a critical eye. A Ph.D. in Chinese Studies, Kolatch writes seriously and studiously on politics, religion and conflict without divisiveness, and his reflections on domestic pursuits—social graces and part-time country living among them—are a treat. Take, for example, “Christmas Card Relationships,” about the unique satisfaction of the holiday letter-exchange Kolatch has with a Swiss couple (of “standing invitations” never acted upon: “Perhaps this is for the best”); or “Approved House Gifts,” which offers a tongue-in-cheek diagram outlining the proper present to offer a host, depending on the time of day, duration of visit and the guest’s yearly income (including a “surcharge for departure after 11:00 p.m.”). He doesn’t fail to include dispatches, often with incisive historical background, from his travels in China, Japan, the Balkans and the world of high finance; his opening section on the Gaza Strip is especially enlightening. Kolatch’s flawless skills of observation and guileless reporting, combined with a gentle wit, make for highly entertaining journalism, no matter which corner of the globe he happens to land. (Oct.)

Disguised as Clark Kent: Jews, Comics, and the Creation of the Superhero
Danny Fingeroth, foreword by Stan Lee. Continuum, $24.95 (192p) ISBN 9780826417671
Not only do comic book superheroes Batman and Superman disguise themselves to save the world, but, according to former Marvel group editor Fingeroth, they also disguise their Jewish heritage and values. In Fingeroth’s debut, he uncovers Jewish themes in comics history, starting with the introduction of Superman in 1938 and ending with a look at what the current crop of Jewish mainstream comics creators are doing with the freedom to explore overtly their religion. Chronicling the creation of each new “Jewish” superhero, Fingeroth notes the concurrent changes in the comic industry, including the audience shift from children to adults and the effect of comic critic Fredric Wertham. Looking back at the gold and silver eras of comics, he uses close reading and artist testimony (Stan Lee, Joe Simon and Will Eisner among them) to explore parallels between Superman and Moses, Spider-Man’s morality tales and the Torah, Fantastic Four arch-nemesis Hate Monger and Hitler, and others. Fingeroth’s theories can seem far fetched—Bruce Wayne must be Jewish, Fingeroth claims, because Jewish creator Bob Kane does everything he can not to mention it—there’s nothing here that wouldn’t be at home (or much appreciated) in a spirited debate among hard core fans. (Sept.)

The Dog Says How
Kevin Kling. Minnesota Historical Society/Borealis, $22.95 (184p) ISBN 0873515994
A playwright and regular contributor to the popular newsmagazine-style NPR show “All Things Considered,” Kling hems close to his wry on-air delivery in these 29 short essays, ruminating on a variety of topics including a life-altering motorcycle accident, his congenital arm disability and a favorite dog. Among these, Kling’s childhood memories stand out; “View from the Card Table” remembers an eventful Christmas at the Klings, touched by a child’s rumination on the puzzle of the Savior (“And Jesus came down, and we all went crazy like cats”) and the threats of impatient grandparents: “In my day, you kids … hickory sticks … woodshed … G. Gordon Liddy” [sic]. Other childhood highlights include taxidermy class (“Mr. Damyanovitch taught through a method called: love.”) and the time he and his dad were struck by lightning. Having grown up in Minnesota, Kling can evoke frigid temperatures in a sentence or two; he’s similarly skilled at emotional gear-shifting, drawing laughter just a few paragraphs before eliciting tears in essays like “Prayer” and “Rio.” Kling’s collection will please any fan of his radio home, or of sister Public Radio programs “This American Life” and “A Prairie Home Companion.” (Oct.)

Mosaics in the Eternal City
Michael. G. Sundell. Arizona Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies Occasional (Cornell Univ., dist.), $39 (211p) ISBN 9780866983761
An interesting and comprehensive history of art and life in Rome between 400 and 1300 A.D., this studious volume may not reach the “informed general reader” half of its intended audience—vocabulary and background information are not sufficiently explained, even for the “informed”—but should provide “the specialist” with plenty of insight. Assuming a detailed knowledge of historical architectural terminology, the book switches off between narrative history, cultural analysis and very close reading of Roman art and architecture, complemented by color photos and reproductions. Representative works, found in sites such as the Church of Santa Prassede, the Church of San Clemente, the Church of Santa Maria in Trastevere and the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore, are explored in detail but take a back seat to historical and cultural concerns; those studying religious history, religious architecture and design or even historic costuming will find this work well worth their time, but the average art buff may be quickly lost. (Sept.)

Season Finale: The Unexpected Rise and Fall of the WB and UPN
Susanne Daniels and Cynthia Littleton. Harper, $25.95 (400p) ISBN 9780061340994
This predictable look at the “unpredictable business” of television tells the tale of upstart networks the WB and UPN, whose eventual failures were both “symptom” and “byproduct” of “an industry in transition” amid “a broader business environment gone bananas.” A former executive at the WB, Daniels recounts the 11-year history of the “netlet” and its main competitor, UPN, in exacting detail. Daniels and her co-writer Littleton (of Variety magazine) bring what gossip they have—noting, for instance, that Katie Holmes nearly passed on Dawson’s Creek for the lead in her high school musical—but the majority of the writing is strictly business. Unfortunately, neither Daniels nor Littleton have the knack for developing characters; the majority of the large cast (listed helpfully up front) are introduced with lazy cliches (screenwriter Kevin Williamson “was all youthful exuberance that day, sporting a sweet grin, tousled sandy blonde hair and deep-blue eyes”), drawing life from behind-the-scenes discussion of deals, partnerships, creative development and ratings wars. This chronicle should appeal to future network executives, but fans will probably be happier watching Buffy reruns—or even Star Trek: Voyager. (Oct.)

Tight Lines: Ten Years of the Yale Anglers Journal
Edited by Joseph Furia, Steven Haywurst, Alexis Surovov, David Haltom, Wyatt Golding and Joseph Kingsberry; illus. by James Prosek. Yale Univ. $28. (246p) ISBN 9780300126303
Drawing on the Yale Anglers’ Journal’s first decade of publication, this solid collection of 50 short stories, travelogues, memoirs, scientific explorations, speeches and poems covers popular and obscure aspects of the sport: fly fishing, spin fishing and cane poling, along with catfish, striped bass and even the lowly sunfish. The Yale Anglers’ Journal was founded in 1996 by James Prosek, an upperclassman from New England, and Joseph Furia, a freshman from the West Coast, who bonded over their love of fishing and the written word. These two pursuits are the glue that holds together this anthology of well-crafted pieces from contributors including household names such as W.B. Yeats, President Carter and Christopher Buckley as well as less well-known writers like Furia. Prosek’s magnificent watercolor illustrations lend the volume a coffee table book-feel despite its slender size, making it a visually appealing gift for any fisherman, even ones that attended Harvard. Illus. (Oct.)

Wax Poetics Anthology :Volume One
Editors of Wax Poetics. Wax Poetics, $39.95 (242p) ISBN 9780979811005
Dedicated to highlighting lesser-known musicians and artists, primarily in the hip hop, jazz and blues fields, Wax Poetics magazine has gained a strong following among music obsessives for its in-depth interviews, informed writing and concern over musical minutiae. This compilation of “favorite” articles from the hard-to-find magazine’s first five issues is a must-have for anyone with a deep interest in American music and the culture surrounding it. Interviews include two of James Brown’s most famous drummers—Jab’O Starks and Clyde Stubblefield, the latter of whom is behind “Funky Drummer,” one of the most-sampled pieces in hip-hop—as well as the the Beatminerz, who discuss their never-ending quest for new and groundbreaking samples, and more usual suspects like Prince Paul, Diamond D and RZA. Andrew Mason offers a detailed guide to the Ultimate Breaks and Beats series, a classic source for turntablists, and Karl Hagstrom Miller’s story of stumbling across a rare Charles Mingus album (“Make Checks Payable to Charles Mingus”) is alone worth the cover price. Though many of the figures and themes may be too obscure for casual listeners, vinyl collectors and OCD-style music fans will find an illuminating treasure trove in the first of what promises to be an essential series. (Oct.)

LIFESTYLE

Be the Pack Leader: Use Cesar’s Way to Transform Your Dog… and Your Life
Cesar Millan with Melissa Jo Peltier. Harmony, $25.95 (336p) ISBN 9780307381668
Millan, television’s “Dog Whisperer,” says that “Even the most unobservant person can see an owner’s own issues totally mirrored in his or her dogs’ problems,” and in this follow-up to last year’s bestselling Cesar’s Way, he makes that connection more explicit and exploitable. Every dog wants a “clearly defined social framework, with a fair, consistent pack leader”; chances are good, then, that behind every unruly dog is an inconsistent human. To become the master your dog needs, one must cultivate “calm-assertive energy,” a mind-set that puts both dogs and people at ease; besides thorough explanation, Millan offers a number of suggestions for developing this powerful form of non-verbal communication, including visualization techniques and inner dialogue (“focus your mind, and then tell yourself, ‘This is my sofa.’ ”). Answering readers’ requests for more straightforward advice, the book also offers a rundown of training tools—collars, leashes, etc.—and step-by-step instructions for properly handling common occurrences such as meeting a new dog, walking, feeding and visiting the vet. In numerous case studies, Millan’s love for his work is obvious and infectious; whether you need a book for your dog or yourself, Millan’s simple techniques, compassionate tone and intimate knowledge of dog psychology (and the human effect on it) makes this a worthy read. (Oct.)

Not Your Mother’s Slow Cooker: Recipes for Entertaining
Beth Hensperger and Julie Kaufmann. Harvard Common, $29.95 (480p) ISBN 9781558323117; paper $18.95, ISBN 9781558323124
Though this unintimidating volume (following Not Your Mother’s Slow Cooker Cookbook) includes many recipes that actually do sound like classic dishes from your mother’s or grandmother’s recipe file (Hot Buttered Rum, Scalloped Potatoes and Beef Burgundy), many—like Tequila and Pineapple Barbecue Sauce, Pumpkin-Sage Risotto, Chipotle and Orange Pork Ribs, and Lemon Cornmeal Cake in Fragrant Fig Leaves reflect a more modern aesthetic. All recipes are accessible and straightforward enough for a wide range of slow cooker users; many are adapted from other cookbooks and even the Williams-Sonoma catalog. The first two chapters, “Appetizer Dips, Savory Fondues, and Party Nuts” and “The Electric Punch Bowl,” include such party-friendly recipes as Caramel Brie, Buttery Rosemary Pecan Halves, and Mulled Cider with Cardamom and Saffron. Subsequent chapters feature recipes appropriate for everyday meals: Red Bean Stew and Rice, Paniolo Beef Stew, and Tapioca Pudding. While at-home chefs seeking special occasion dishes will find some suitable ideas, this book can serve as a reliable resource whether or not there’s a party going on. (Sept.)

Surviving America’s Depression Epidemic: How to Find Morale, Energy, and Community in a World Gone Crazy
Bruce Levine. Chelsea Green, $16.95, paper (224p) ISBN 9781933392714
Levine is a clinical psychologist whose message, which he first explored in 2003’s Commonsense Rebellion, is that American society is a pathological society, mired in “an extremist consumer culture” that breeds depression as a matter of course (he points to the American Psychological Association’s 1998 statement that the U.S. was suffering “ten to twenty times as much” depression as it was 50 years before). Levine attributes this to three consumerism-driven factors: the failure of the medical profession to account for “societal and cultural sources for despair”; the “psycho-pharmaceutical complex” that pushes health practitioners to prescribe drugs; and therapists’ determination not to stray from the standardized counseling rulebook. The solution Levine uses in his own practice recognizes that periods of depression can be a “natural part of the human condition” and “potential sources for motivation and discovery,” and combines humor and practical advice to instill the self-acceptance and self-release that will help people pull themselves clear and find “life beyond self.” Though the toppling of consumer society advocated in a final section on “Public Passion and Reclaiming Community” may not be entirely realistic (especially for the lone self-helper), Levine’s holistic approach, bolstered by plenty of scholarship and popular literary references, will give depression patients a useful big-picture perspective. (Oct)

What Mothers Do: Especially When it Looks Like Nothing
Naomi Stadlen. Tarcher/Penguin, $14.95 (336p) ISBN 9781585425914
Stadlen presents a heartfelt and incisive examination of mothers’ inner lives, revealing the vital worth of quiet (and not so quiet) time devoted to a baby. A psychotherapist specializing in parenting issues, founder of the London-based weekly discussion group Mothers Talking, and a La Leche League breastfeeding counselor, the author quotes a range of mothers throughout, exploring their feelings about their roles as nurturers and caregivers. She notes that though these women may often feel lonely, invisible and unimportant, “the whole of civilization depends on the work of mothers.” Still, she writes, many women (and men) are unprepared for their responsibilities as parents; although they put much effort into readying for birth, many are anxious and confused as well as shocked and exhausted when it comes to actually raising a child. Stadlen gives credit to the women who slow their days to match their baby’s pace, become continuously “interruptible” and offer constant and unconditional love. Though the narrative meanders at times, mothers will relate to the voices of the women, and take comfort in Stadlen’s kudos. (Sept.)

ILLUSTRATED

The Contemporary Tea House: Japan’s Top Architects Redefine a Tradition
Tadao Ando, Terunobu Fujimori and Arata Isozaki. Kodansha, $39.95 (136p) ISBN 9784770030467
This vibrant, relevant study from architects Ando, Fujimori and Isozaki looks at the present moment of a centuries-old Japanese tradition, the chashitsu, or “tea room.” In first-person narratives, leading Japanese architects discuss their contemporary take on the classic tea ceremony space. Full-color photographs, design sketches and polished plans are clearly laid out along with text, and each chapter focuses on a number of works by a single architect. Fujimori’s chapter, for example, includes an elaborate tree-top tea house, an “enormous woven bamboo birdcage” called The Forum and a room built especially to host France’s President Chirac. Ando gets to the heart of the matter in his statement of purpose: “not to dwell solely on the abstract; [but] to explore abstract concepts by expressing them through material phenomena.” Three more architects—Isozaki, Kengo Kuma and Hiroshi Hara—discuss their designs, and how they relate to the genre’s traditions, in similar terms, focusing on the “tension between abstraction and representation.” Especially fascinating are discussions of materials used: for Fujimori, the most important components are “raw, unworked materials” and “amateur artisans” to do all the building. Throughout, the houses’ elegance and simplicity are reflected in the text; lush images, meanwhile, provide tranquil warmth and a real sense of place. (Sept.)

POETRY

The Door
Margaret Atwood. Houghton Mifflin, $25 (128p) ISBN 9780618942725
The first book of poems in 12 years from the now world-famous Canadian author (The Handmaid’s Tale) combines an older writer’s reflections on aging with the dire warnings—political, environmental and moral—familiar from Atwood’s recent fiction. Short lines and deliberate, balanced phrases consider how “my mother dwindles and dwindles/ and lives and lives,” how senior citizens hike and trek across tundra, and how privileged citizens of rich nations might understand refugees from far-off wars. “Owl and Pussycat, Some Years Later”—the longest poem in the book, the wittiest and likely the best—retells the familiar rhyme as a parable of late-career poets, rueful and “no longer semi-immortal,” yet still conversing, still writing, as they go on rowing “out past the last protecting/ sandbar.” Other verse shows Atwood—who began as a poet, despite her fame as a novelist—looking at the climate for new poetry amid the sometimes funny parochialism of its audiences (in Canada or anywhere). Yet the predominant notes are fiercely grim: ice melts and cracks, mammals head towards extinction, “the hurt child will bite you… And its blood will seep into the water/ and you will drink it every day.” One page compares all poets everywhere to violinists on the Titanic. Another declares, truthfully, “That’s what I do:/ I tell dark stories/ before and after they come true.” (Nov.)

In The Yaddith Time: A Sonnet Sequence
Ann K. Schwader. Mythos (www.mythosbooks.com), $10 paper (76p) ISBN 9780978991159
Taking inspiration from H.P. Lovecraft’s 1930s verse epic Fungi from Yuggoth, Schwader (Strange Stars & Alien Shadows) serves up a 36-sonnet cycle that gives its eldritch horror theme a space-age slant. When members of a manned expedition to Mars stumble upon a cave of mysterious living crystals, they fall under the malignant influence of alien beings who transport them through a “Gate Between the Stars” to a world of horrifying extraterrestrial monsters and life forms that defy human comprehension. Schwader describes this nightmare realm in vivid images that are captured eerily in moody black-and-white illustrations provided by Steve Lines. She also conveys a sense of cosmic awe and terror that speaks to her Lovecraftian influences and shows with poetic precision the dark side of science fiction. (Oct.)

Sleeping With Houdini
Nin Andrews. BOA, $16 paper (90p) ISBN 9781929918997
Andrews’ sixth book consists entirely of frank, charming, short, and very readable prose poems. The first and best describe girlhood and growing up; most of the rest describe erotic attachment, romantic longing, lust and sex. Andrews has made these topics her special field (her best-known prior work is The Book of Orgasms), and readers who go in search of them will find plenty: “a lady with 27 orgasms,” she argues, “would have to be a ravaging sort,” especially since “the penis, I’ve determined, should never be overrated.” A lighthearted concluding sequence takes up American ideas of France, spinning variations on its big words (such as jouissance), its sophistication, and its lovers’ allure. A feminist comedian of the sexual body, Andrews is also a sincere poet of regret: “all those lies trapped inside us like a silent movie we’d keep on living in just as long as we could.” More sophisticated readers who find her poems of adulthood less than surprising may nonetheless be moved by the recollections and inventions in which Andrews presents tableaux of youth: “I wanted to be Elizabeth…. What if I was?” she remembers asking. “What if I was given the wrong name? And now Elizabeth was living my life, dreaming my dreams, wearing my things.” (Oct.)

FICTION

The Agnostics
Wendy Rawlings. Univ. of Mich., $24 (240p) ISBN 9780472116256
Rawlings (Come Back Irish) follows the Wirth family from 1960s Long Island through a generation of transformations and shattered expectations. Bev “Binky” Cohen, a Jewish beauty à la Natalie Wood, marries high-school classmate Stephen Wirth, a mechanical engineer whose parents have a silent disdain for Jews. Bev cares for daughters Louise and Deborah, and gradually develops a career counseling women. As her body changes along with the times, Bev begins questioning gender and sex roles—with a predictable effect on the marriage—while Louise and Deborah have very different reactions to adolescence and beyond. Stephen’s attempts to bring religion to what has been a Switzerland-like familial agnosticism marks the novel’s turning point. Rawlings writes with vivid sensuousness and a palpable sense of purpose in throwing curveballs at her familiar characters. The result is a probing investigation into the unbearable lovelessness of modern life, and an attendant search for certainty. (Sept.)

The Alice Stories
Jesse Lee Kercheval. Univ. of Neb., $24.95 (240p) ISBN 9780803211353
Kercheval focuses on the touchstone events of protagonist Alice’s life in this uneven collection of linked stories, but maintains throughout an emotional distance that is vaguely unsatisfying. The tales are marked heavily by death: Alice’s alcoholic mother dies in the introductory “Alice in Dairyland”; in “Honors,” Alice and her brother Mark (whose partner has recently died of AIDS complications) bury the father who deserted them years ago; and Alice goes on to have a miscarriage and watch as two loved ones get cancer diagnoses. The book’s high body count starts to feel like a crutch to lend meaning to the stories, while actual character development often relies on cliché; the central relationship, Alice’s marriage to Anders, remains something of an enigma, and other characters are too perfect. The depictions of these events fail to take on the “universal” quality necessary to make them resonate. (Oct.)

The Border Lord’s Bride
Bertrice Small. New American Library, $14 paper (416p) ISBN 9780451222145
Small’s second Border Chronicles novel (after A Dangerous Love) opens on the disruption of the Scottish highland home—and happiness—of pretty, 16 year-old Ellen MacArthur: cousins want her grandfather, Ewan, to change his marriage and inheritance plans, and marry her to rough young Balgair. “Grandsire” Ewan sends Ellen to King James’s court to wait out the crisis. Ellen gains the friendship of the king and his aunt, and when word comes that she’s to return, she’s given border lord Duncan Armstrong, the laird of Duffdour, as an escort home. The two return to find Balgair has murdered her grandfather and fiancé, and plans to make her life miserable in marriage. As a vicious border war and an assassination attempt by the Tudor Henry VII on James’s life ensue, the pace is slower than most readers will want, and the sex may be more graphic than some will expect. But Small’s vivid characters are worthy of her first-rate plot. (Oct.)

The Entire Predicament: Stories
Lucy Corin. Tin House (tinhouse.com), $13.95 paper (220p) ISBN 9780977698981
A wide range of bizarre disquistions and turns of events marks Corin’s debut collection. The narrator of “Wizened” declares that she “became crotchety” at age 24, wears housecoats and thick stockings, and spies on her neighbors for even the most minor signs of wrongdoing; with distinct Malthusian overtones, she declares that there are too many people, and that she only approves of the couple next door—whom she refers to as “the homosexuals.” A similar preoccupation with an ominous future figures prominently in “Airplane,” in which a woman explains a flight in every last detail, including the snap of the mesh bag attached to the seat, and “My Favorite Dentist,” which juxtaposes the calm routine of a dental appointment with a rash of sniper attacks in Washington, D.C. At times, Corin digresses into an overly affected stream of consciousness (“Mice,” “A Woman with a Gardener”), and some moments feel forced, as when a narrator refers to her knowledge that “if [she] continues to speak, some recognition of difficulty will materialize, as if difficulty is produced from the interaction of [her] voice with the air it encounters.” At her best, however, Corin infuses ordinary situations with powerful and unexpected images, from which she deftly draws a dry, detached humor. (Oct.)

My Thousand and One Nights: A Novel of Mecca
Raja Alem and Tom McDonough. Syracuse Univ., $24.95 (272p) ISBN 9780815608660
The most richly detailed character in this collaborative novel is the city of Mecca, with its bewitching winds and floods, animals and spirits casting shadows over the family whose trials provide the elusive narrative. The narrator is Zohr, an upper-class girl whose letters (79 in total) to a character in The Thousand and One Nights form a jumbled narrative that touches frequently on female sexuality and the spirit world. The sections follow no chronological order, nor do they build upon each other to develop the conflict promised early on, the “take-no-prisoners battles” between Zohr and her aunts, especially the wild Jummo, who as a child was possessed by an animal spirit. Instead, the book is a compilation of passionately written yet confusing vignettes that display the powers of geniis, spirits, and dervishes. The authors (who collaborated before on the novel Fatma) present a dizzying picture of Mecca’s mysticism, but the scattershot structure and lack of direction are frustrating. (Oct.)

A Push And A Shove
Christopher Kelly. Alyson, $14.95 paper (312p) ISBN 9781593500481
Texas journalist Kelly delivers a pitch-perfect combination of revenge and coming-of-age story in his searing debut. Ben Reilly teaches high school English in Staten Island, N.Y., and remains scarred from the emotional and physical bullying he suffered in high school at the hands of Terrence O’Connell, a popular jock. At home, Ben’s family is still reeling from the unexpected death of Ben’s older sister, Mary, from a brain tumor several years earlier. Tormented by Terrence for being gay, the semi-closeted Ben is now resigned to his unfulfilling life until an unexpected act of violence at his school triggers a desire to put his demons to rest. After he tracks down Terrence, who’s now a successful but unsatisfied writer in Manhattan, the two men form an unlikely and dangerous friendship as they both search for their identities. Kelly moves effortlessly through time, giving the reader firsthand glimpses into Ben’s high school years as the victim of constant homophobic abuse at school, as well as his current desire to settle the score with Terrence. Equally about discovering who you are and who you’re not, Kelly’s novel is not to be missed. (Sept.)