Nonfiction Reviews: Week of 11/5/2007

Parker (Monte Cassino: The Hardest Fought Battle of World War II) begins this engrossing narrative of the construction of what Theodore Roosevelt called “one of the great works of the world” well before the 20th century: everyone from Benjamin Franklin to Goethe was interested in a trans-isthmus canal, and one of the most arresting sections of the book chronicles the failed French efforts, in the late 1800s, to build one. Roosevelt then called for the building of a canal in his first address to Congress. The project faced countless challenges, but Parker is especially deft when addressing the racism that magnified already appalling working conditions. Those in charge didn't want to hire white American workers, who were too expensive and too unionized (though later, whites were hired), and the discussions about workers became racialized. The “native Isthmian” was too “indolent,” but black workers from the British West Indies were viewed as “cheap and expendable.” U.S. authorities discriminated racially, paying workers unequally and trying, in general, to prevent the “intermingling of the races.” This is not a narrow history of mechanical engineering but a well-researched and satisfying account of imperial vision and social inequity. Illus., maps. (Mar. 1)

Global warming is hardly new; in fact, the very long-term trend began about 12,000 years ago with the end of the Ice Age. Anthropologist Fagan (The Little Ice Age) focuses on the medieval warming period (ca. 800-1300), which helped Europe produce larger harvests; the surpluses helped fund the great cathedrals. But in many other parts of the world, says Fagan, changing water and air currents led to drought and malnutrition, for instance among the Native Americans of Northern California, whose key acorn harvests largely failed. Long-term drought contributed to the collapse of the Mayan civilization, and fluctuations in temperature contributed to, and inhibited, Mongol incursions into Europe. Fagan reveals how new research methods like ice borings, satellite observations and computer modeling have sharpened our understanding of meteorological trends in prehistorical times and preliterate cultures. Finally, he notes how times of intense, sustained global warming can have particularly dire consequences; for example, “by 2025, an estimated 2.8 billion of us will live in areas with increasingly scarce water resources.” Looking backward, Fagan presents a well-documented warning to those who choose to look forward. Illus., maps. (Mar.)

A novelist, professor emeritus of linguistics at the University of Hawaii and self-proclaimed “street linguist,” Bickerton chronicles his studies of creoles—the “bastard tongues” of the title—isolated languages with “dubious and disputed parentage” spoken by the lower classes. Bickerton seeks to explain creoles' linguistic anomaly: all creoles, though isolated from one another, have similar grammatical traits. This chatty, humorous memoir, laced with lucid analyses, shows how a creole initially seems to be a mishmash of nonsensical words (e.g., “She mosi de bad mek she tek he”), but is later revealed to be linguistically lush (translation: “She could only have married him because she was completely broke”). Most creoles, the author says, were created out of necessity due to the language divide that existed between imperialist states and their colonies, and Bickerton theorizes that creoles are evidence of humans' “innate language bioprogram that enables them to construct a new language out of [linguistic] bits and pieces.” Creating a multifaceted, immersive approach to the study of linguistics, Bickerton explores the miraculous human capacity for language and how the emergence of creole languages “represents a triumph of... the human spirit.” (Mar.)

Wall Street Journal bureau chief Blackmon gives a groundbreaking and disturbing account of a sordid chapter in American history—the lease (essentially the sale) of convicts to “commercial interests” between the end of the 19th century and well into the 20th. Usually, the criminal offense was loosely defined vagrancy or even “changing employers without permission.” The initial sentence was brutal enough; the actual penalty, “reserved almost exclusively for black men,” was a form of slavery in one of “hundreds of forced labor camps” operated “by state and county governments, large corporations, small time entrepreneurs and provincial farmers.” Into this history, Blackmon weaves the story of Green Cottenham, who was “charged with riding a freight train without a ticket,” in 1908 and was sentenced to “three months of hard labor for Tennessee Coal, Iron & Railroad,” a subsidiary of U.S. Steel. Cottenham's sentence was extended an additional three months and six days because he was unable to pay fines then leveraged on criminals. Blackmon's book reveals in devastating detail the legal and commercial forces that created this neoslavery along with deeply moving and totally appalling personal testimonies of survivors. “Every incident in this book is true,” he writes; one wishes it were not so. (Mar.)

A college freshman this fall, Taylor was five when he was diagnosed with ADHD, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. He's been medicated all these years, but even when he remembered to take his pills, that's only been a small part of his learning to cope with ADHD. Taylor's still more impulsive, more hyperactive and more open to distractions than others. He can also be more energetic and more passionate than anyone else. He has learned to see his neurological differences as a mixed blessing—yes, he's obsessive, but channeled toward a good cause, that can translate to hyperfocused. He veers off the subject, but that can spur creativity, thinking outside the box. Taylor relates the stories of his ADHD mishaps in no special order—how he set fire to the dining room in ninth grade, how he was bullied in sixth grade, how he was victimized by his first-grade teacher—as if to emphasize that a variety of problems can always happen. After describing each incident, he follows up with a “cause and effect” discussion of what he learned from what went wrong, followed by a “solutions” section, a few brief tips for other kids to try. Taylor speaks to fellow teens and their families with an authority few experts can muster. (Feb.)

The strength of this examination of the deadly Beslan school siege by Chechen terrorists in southern Russia is Phillips's reporting. A scholar of the region who has worked as a translator for the BBC, Phillips extensively interviewed victims of the September 2004 siege and other townspeople to give a human face to the tragic incident, in which 1,200 people were held hostage for three days and more than 330 eventually killed. Phillips details the basic events of how the terrorists took over the school, the deterioration of the hostages' conditions during those three days, and the authorities' lack of coordination and competence in responding. The author also takes the current pulse of the town: readers will be surprised to find how little remembrance is paid to the tragedy in Beslan and in Russia at large. Phillips also gives a deep context to the events; he is not helped in this regard by the complexities of the region's history and the weak government investigations into the Beslan situation. He acknowledges these limitations and also that questions remain, including the nature of Russian President Vladimir Putin's actions during the crisis. Given those limitations, Phillips's debut is an admirable record of a tragedy rapidly being forgotten. B&w photos, 2 maps. (Feb.)

The philosopher Martin Heidegger once remarked that we can live intensely only if we stare death in the face every moment of our lives. Bestselling psychiatrist Yalom (Love's Executioner) attempts to put this principle into practice in a sometimes thoughtful, often repetitious book. Drawing on literature and film, as well as conversations with his patients, Yalom demonstrates how the fear of retirement, concerns about changing jobs or moving to another city, or changes in family status (such as the empty nest) are rooted in our deepest, most inescapable fear: of death. Yet, he says, this anxiety can prompt an awakening to life and help us realize our connections to others and our influence on those around us. Through such experiences we can transcend our sense of “finiteness and transiency” and live in the here and now. In a final chapter, Yalom offers instructions for therapists seeking to help their patients overcome death anxiety. Although in the 1980s Yalom, now 76, provided new insights into the human psyche with his innovative method of “existential psychotherapy,” this book recycles well-known philosophical insights, but Yalom's humane, calm voice may bring them to a new audience. (Feb.)

Whether near the beginning or end of a career, Klaus (BRAG! The Art of Tooting Your Own Horn Without Blowing It) sees future professional growth dependent upon identifying and correcting self-sabotaging interpersonal behavior. Klaus illustrates each behavior's professional importance with stories from her work as a career coach. These “soft skills” run the gamut from handling critics (including one's own internal critic) to bragging. Her practical advice is delivered in the conversational style of a one-on-one session with a personal coach. The learn-by-example counsel may be helpful for those entering such situations as annual performance reviews—whether giving or receiving them—and public speaking. The volume is recommended for those who are in need of a more personable approach to rising up professionally. (Feb.)

Irrational behavior is a part of human nature, but as MIT professor Ariely has discovered in 20 years of researching behavioral economics, people tend to behave irrationally in a predictable fashion. Drawing on psychology and economics, behavioral economics can show us why cautious people make poor decisions about sex when aroused, why patients get greater relief from a more expensive drug over its cheaper counterpart and why honest people may steal office supplies or communal food, but not money. According to Ariely, our understanding of economics, now based on the assumption of a rational subject, should, in fact, be based on our systematic, unsurprising irrationality. Ariely argues that greater understanding of previously ignored or misunderstood forces (emotions, relativity and social norms) that influence our economic behavior brings a variety of opportunities for reexamining individual motivation and consumer choice, as well as economic and educational policy. Ariely's intelligent, exuberant style and thought-provoking arguments make for a fascinating, eye-opening read. (Feb.)

New York Times perfume critic Burr (The Emperor of Scent) follows the creation of two new scents—Un Jardin sur le Nil by French luxury house Hermès, and Lovely, a celebrity fragrance by Sarah Jessica Parker—in a kind of travelogue through the international perfume industry, “one of the most insular, glamorous, strange, paranoid, idiosyncratic, irrational, and lucrative of worlds.” The former perfume was conceived by Hermès, informed by a trip to Egypt, then crafted by Jean-Claude Ellena, who represents a breed of “ghosts” known in the biz as perfumers. For the latter, Parker worked as artistic director of a corporate scent-making team. Burr illuminates perfumery's clash of cultures and values—French artistic purity versus American commercialism. Worldwide, this highly secretive industry's PR machine propagates several anachronistic myths. For example, it insists that perfume ingredients are naturally derived (the overwhelming majority are not, because of concerns about quality control, ecological impact and allergies, among others) and that the big names on the bottles are personally involved in creating scents (perfumers alone typically do this; Parker was a rare exception). Burr makes a strong case that this mythmaking works to the industry's detriment, and that inviting the public behind the scenes might help to reverse the industry's declining sales. Burr's is a thorough and often hilarious account of perfumery's colorful characters, the science and art of fragrance creation and the human experience of scent itself. (Jan.)

Freelance writer Gdula begins his story of the kitchen when women were wives and mothers, sanitation a primary concern and most modern industries in their infancy. Decade by decade America's domestic kitchen history unfolds, rapidly modernizing from a candlelit, well water–supplied pantry to a streamlined, lifestyle-supporting laboratory where sliced whole-grain bread toasts in seconds and hot-and-cold running water is forsaken for imported bottles from foreign springs. Even large social and economic forces like the Depression and WWII contributed to making our kitchens more efficient. Innovations now taken for granted, like frozen vegetables and the microwave, came from unexpected places: a field naturalist on assignment in the subzero Arctic; a defense-industry engineer's melted candy bar coming too close to a magnetron. While the book is well researched and entertaining, the narrative advances at such a rapid pace that entire decades (such as the chapter on the 1910s) are compressed into a handful of pages. Gdula successfully personifies the American kitchen, but he has to fight the evidence piling up on the other side of his argument, which continually and just as plausibly suggests that the real heart of the American home may be the television and the automobile. (Jan.)

Poet Ziegler, the award-winning professor of writing at Columbia University, whose previous Writing Workshop books are well regarded by teachers and students, has put together what he calls a “note book” for workshopping. The first part focuses on personal writing strategies—how to get the creativity going, how to flex different writing skills. The second part discusses how to use the workshop experience productively. To Ziegler, the workshop is that rare place where writing is actually an “obligation,” writing is what you're supposed to do. He gives detailed advice on critiquing other people's work; essentially, comments shouldn't be negative or positive, but “helpful.” Ziegler's own experience running workshops leads him to offer much advice on encouraging other people's creativity, but it's his love of the literary anecdote that makes his advice so palatable. To illustrate that feedback needs to be useful, for example, he quotes Anne Sexton's husband's (useless) response to one of her works, “I don't think that's too hotsy-totsy.” As Ziegler talks about his own mentors or difficult situations he's handled with his students, he models, for readers, the constructive, compassionate writing teacher. While intended for the apprentice writer, Ziegler's manual, with its useful ideas for creative writing assignments and its marvelously brief copyediting appendix, should be read by students and teachers of creative writing. (Jan.)

On their 18th wedding anniversary, in 2003, Richard Carlson (author of the bestselling Don't Sweat the Small Stuff) presented his wife, Kristine, with a short manuscript called “An Hour to Live.” He imagines he has an hour to live and poses questions originally asked by spiritual guide and author Stephen Levine: whom would you call? what would you say? and why are you waiting? Uncannily, the text foreshadowed Carlson's death three years later, at age 45, of a pulmonary embolism. Though he had no chance to make that last phone call, his wife (and the reader) already knows his feelings for her and their children. We also know what was important to him, which boils down to the old chestnut: no one, on their deathbed, ever wishes they'd spent more time at the office. Included in the book is Kristine's tribute to Richard, called “An Hour to Love.” Both pieces (only 50 pages and padded with “Richard's favorite poem” and blank pages for the reader's own answer to the key question) are heartfelt—and oddly unengaging. They tell the reader how wonderful the Carlsons' marriage was, but don't show why. We are left with a lovely ideal—too ideal for readers to relate to. (Jan. 15)

Psychotherapist Iam (Sex and the Perfect Lover) claims to know not only how to ignite the flame of love, but how to keep it burning forever; marriage, she says, should not get in the way of passion. She views love and sex as spiritually bound, and each is the focus of one of the book's two parts, which elaborate on three main points: know what you want in a partner and in a relationship, and then be open to the right person. Iam seems to be writing for the truly relationship-impaired (she explains the difference in meaning of a kiss on the check and one on the lips); her lists of tips can be intimidatingly long (18 bullet points on how to become aware of your relationship blocks); and her advice is sometimes surprisingly unromantic (declare your love in an Internet chat room?). In part two, she supplies a gamut of information, from a recipe for sex truffles to the eight perfect positions for anal sex. In between, Iam offers tips on playing erotic card games, igniting a desire for oral sex, how to give a partner two erections and ejaculations in 20 minutes and discover a woman's G spot. Iam avoids the mistake of oversimplifying her subject, but she might be overcomplicating her advice. (Jan.)

With the Chopra imprimatur, this is likely to find an eager audience. Holistic medicine star Chopra and Simon (cofounder of the Chopra Center for Wellbeing, in California) are nonjudgmental and compassionate toward those struggling with cravings. They begin with the premise that the core needs of people with addictions are no different from those of other people and that addicts are on a spiritual quest, even if they are not aware of it. In the authors' holistic view, “The challenge addiction presents is finding nourishing substitutions to fulfill your deep underlying needs for love, self-esteem, safety, and meaning in your life.” Yet their method, which involves a purifying Ayurvedic diet, yoga asanas, twice-daily meditation and clearing of past emotional hurts, might be too challenging for people suffering from the chaos of addiction to manage on their own. This isn't helped by character profiles that are vague about what happened to these people in the recovery process. It would have been useful for readers to know exactly how effective the Chopra Center's methods are, compared with traditional rehab or 12-step programs. Nonetheless, the Ayurvedic flavor is an interesting twist on Western methods, which rely so heavily on group therapy. (Jan.)

Fish paleontologist Shubin illuminates the subject of evolution with humor and clarity in this compelling look at how the human body evolved into its present state. Parsing the millennia-old genetic history of human form is a natural project for Shubin, who chairs the department of organismal biology and anatomy at the University of Chicago, and was co-discoverer of Tiktaalik, a 375-million-year-old fossil fish whose flat skull, limbs and finger, toe, ankle and wrist bones, provide a link between fish and the earliest land-dwelling creatures. Shubin moves smoothly through the anatomical spectrum, finding ancient precursors to human teeth in a 200-million-year-old fossil of the mouse-size “part animal, part reptile” tritheledont; he also notes cellular similarities between humans and sponges. Other fossils reveal the origins of our senses, from the eye , to that “wonderful Rube Goldberg contraption,” the ear. Shubin excels at explaining the science, making each discovery an adventure, whether to a Pennsylvania roadcut or a stony outcrop beset by polar bears and howling Arctic winds. “I can imagine few things more beautiful or intellectually profound than finding the basis for our humanity... nestled inside some of the most humble creatures that ever lived...,” he writes, and curious readers are likely to agree. Illus. (Jan. 15)

Pitluk, a contributor to Time magazine (Standing Eight: The Inspiring Story of Jesus “El Matador” Chavez), vividly brings to life the Great Midwestern Floods of 1993, when the town of West Quincy, Ill., was devastated, and the possible miscarriage of justice that ensued. After a levee failed, suspicions focused on local troublemaker James Scott, then 24, who a dozen years earlier had helped set fire to a school. Scott was eventually convicted in the levee break and sentenced to life under an obscure state statute of “intentionally causing a catastrophe.” Pitluk does a superb job of bringing all his characters to life, including Scott, his beleaguered parents and police detective Neal Baker, who had Scott in his sights after seeing what he thought was a suspicious interview with Scott on TV. The case against Scott appears weak, in Pitluk's account, relying mostly on his alleged admissions to unreliable witnesses, and there was compelling expert testimony that the levees could have broken without human help. Pitluk also indicates that the town's antipathy toward Scott was a large factor in his conviction. Most readers will come away believing that Scott was railroaded, the victim of his own big mouth and his community's desire to find a scapegoat. (Jan. 1)

Booth, a London publisher who has taught philosophy and theology at Oxford, is not shy about what he expects from readers—he asks that they enter into an “imaginative exercise” and embrace a world in which “the basic facts of history can be interpreted in a way which is almost completely the opposite of the way we normally understand them.” That radical re-interpretation is based on the tenets offered in the “secret teachings” of Rosicrucians, esoteric Freemasonry, Sufism and Kabbalism, among others, with additional references to Eastern religions and Greek and Roman mythology. According to Booth, these teachings inspire the “cosmic mind” that brought into being the material universe. Booth's history incorporates so many disparate philosophies, many of them far, far away from the mainstream, that it lacks all coherence. And his universe is full of bizarre theories, entertaining primarily for their weirdness. For example, he posits that the angels in the ancient Hebrew Book of Enoch “who became sexually attracted to human women are none other than the Gods of Olympus.” It is hard to imagine that readers without Booth's predilections for the metaphysical will find this to be anything more than an earnest curiosity. B&w illus. (Jan.)

Shermer (The Science of Good and Evil), columnist for Scientific American and publisher of Skeptic magazine, provides an in-depth examination of evolutionary economics. Using fascinating examples—from monkeys that balk at unfair distribution of rewards after completing a task to humans who feel cheated when offered $10 of free money if a partner is given $90—Shermer explores the evolutionary roots of our sense of fairness and justice, and shows how this rationale extends to the market. Drawing upon his expertise as a scientist and the works of noted economists, Shermer argues convincingly that human beings are not exclusively self-centered, the market itself is moral, and modern economies are founded on our virtuous nature. He explores how we mind our money, the value of virtue, why money can't buy happiness and whether we are really free to make choices. Though dense in places, this book offers much insight into human behavior and rationales regarding money and fairness and will be of interest to serious readers of science or business. (Jan.)

Johnston, a New York Times investigative reporter, has spent his 40-year career exposing collusion between government officials and private sector entities as they enrich the rich and ignore consequences for middle-class laborers and the poor. In Perfectly Legal, he focused on hidden inequities in the tax system. This volume is a broader examination of collusion and unfairness, ranging from subsidies for professional sports stadiums to secret payouts to multinational corporate chief executives. At the base of Johnston's journalistic indictment are the highly paid lobbyists working Congress, state legislatures, county commissions, city councils and government regulatory agencies. Johnston also cites the culpability of George W. Bush in his roles as professional baseball team owner, Texas governor and U.S. president, and targets well-known tycoons such as Donald Trump, Warren Buffett and George Steinbrenner as well as lesser-recognized beneficiaries who own golf courses and insurance companies and energy consortiums. Heroes appear occasionally, such as Remy Welling, an Internal Revenue Service investigator who blew the whistle on improper tax breaks for the wealthy and lost her job. Johnston writes compellingly to show how government-private sector collusion affects the middle class and the poor. (Jan.)

Reallionaire author Gray debunks myths that keep the would-be wealthy from achieving their dreams in this uneven but well-intentioned volume that is part rags-to-riches story, part think-yourself-rich guide. Born in Chicago's projects, Gray put his considerable energy and confidence into escaping the poverty that surrounded him to become the youngest person with an office on Wall Street. Now at age 22, he is a multimillionaire, entrepreneur and money coach who attributes his success to rejecting “the seven lies” that keep people from wealth. The attitudes Gray considers “lies” and concentrates on are some of the most widely believed: people must be born “lucky” to get rich, have money to make money or be financial gurus. The keys to his message are action and self-reliance: you can't win, Gray points out, if you don't play. Choppy writing and an awkward blend of personal story and instruction make for a meandering read, but Gray's experience as an inspirational speaker serves him well. The result is an energizing call to use drive and persistence to reach financial success. (Jan.)

Written by popular speaker and conversation guru Fine (The Fine Art of Small Talk), this volume takes the reader through the steps of “big talk,” the “entrée” of conversation after the “appetizer” of small talk that is required for times when conversational skills are critical. The book aims to help readers master the subtleties of conversation to their advantage, from skills such as knowing their audience, using silence as a tool and improving timing to upping the ante and dealing with stage fright. The advice itself is basic, yet readers may yearn for more nuanced guidance. In “Recognize the Danger Signs,” the author emphasizes elements such as eye contact and a firm handshake. Other tips are more advanced. A chapter called “Up the Ante” walks the reader through how to get a raise, while another chapter, “Tech Talk,” addresses how to properly use e-mail and other electronic forms, which extend the book's focus beyond talk. More buffet than entrée, this volume offers some useful tips and others one could do without. (Jan.)

This portrait of NASA climate scientist James Hansen and his decades-long struggle to alert the public about global warming's perils and potential solutions ranges from deeply disturbing and frightening to inspiring. Disturbing, as Bowen (Thin Ice) gives convincing evidence that the Bush administration did its best to control NASA scientists' communication with the public in order to undermine belief in global warming and belittle its consequences. According to Bowen, the administration set up ideological political loyalists in positions formerly held by career professionals, gutted NASA's earth science budget, then denied these actions. Frightening, as Hansen concludes that “climate is significantly more sensitive” than two years ago and that “our choice” may be “not between no change and a significant change, but between a significant change and disaster.” Inspiring, in Bowen's portrayal of Hansen, who obeys the “Feynman admonition” in both science and policy—“describe the evidence very carefully without regard to the way you feel it should be.” Bowen's in-depth treatments of politics and science, although hard going at times, give his arguments substance. Hansen's conviction that tools exist right now to mitigate the worst effect—if only we will use them—is surprisingly hopeful. (Jan.)

Veron (Corals of the World) once thought Australia's Great Barrier Reef would endure forever, but after witnessing the devastation inflicted on corals by elevated sea temperatures, he now knows this is false. In his impassioned book, the former chief scientist with the Australian Institute of Marine Science highlights reefs as indicators of climate change's effects on marine and other ecosystems. Time from a reef's perspective, rather than a human perspective, is one of the book's central themes. Past mass extinctions have occurred within the lengthy frames of geological time that allowed reefs to renew themselves. Today, as reefs succumb to mass bleaching (caused by high light and elevated temperatures) and ocean acidification, they are undergoing an extinction event in the significantly shorter frame of human planetary influence. Coral health affects all marine life. According to Veron's detailed analysis, corals will be incapable of relying on genetic adaptation to recover because the time frame for such evolutionary changes is too short. Complex scientific material serves Veron's straightforward message: climate change will soon reach the point of no return—possibly within a decade—and cause disaster for not only corals but many, if not all, marine food webs. Color illus. (Jan.)

Fifty years after winning a bloody independence struggle, Algeria remains disturbingly unstable and impoverished. British historian Evans and journalist Phillips draw a complex, engrossing portrait of a nation afflicted with many contemporary problems: terrorism, economic inequality, a stalled transition to democracy and the rise of Islamic fundamentalism. After gaining independence from France in 1962, leaders spoke of democracy but ruled with a one-party state. The first generation of free Algerians grew up under an increasingly corrupt military dictatorship. As decades passed, a swelling population and massive unemployment among young people increasingly attracted to the Islamic movement exploded into widespread violence during 1988's “Black October.” Although the army brutally suppressed the uprising, thereby radicalizing many victims and observers, the government determined that democratization was essential. After reforms, the radical Islamic party won a landslide victory in the 1991 preliminary electoral ballot despite laws aimed at the party's suppression. Military leaders canceled further elections and imprisoned thousands of Islamists. Other Islamists took to the hills. A vicious guerrilla terror campaign ensued for a decade. Evans and Phillips's clear-eyed tome reveals a fractured society seething under an insecure and oppressive government. (Jan.)

Honest and entertaining, Columbia University professor Venkatesh vividly recounts his seven years following and befriending a Chicago crack-dealing gang in a fascinating look into the complex world of the Windy City's urban poor. As introduced in Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner's bestseller, Freakonomics, Venkatesh became involved with the Black Kings—and their charismatic leader J.T.—as a first-year doctoral student at the University of Chicago. Sent to the projects with a multiple-choice test on poverty as his calling card, Venkatesh was, to his surprise, invited in to see how the drug dealers functioned in real life, from their corporate structure to the corporal punishment meted out to traitors and snitches. Venkatesh's narrative breaks down common misperceptions (such as all gang members are uneducated and cash rich, when the opposite is often true), the native of India also addresses his shame and subsequent emotional conflicts over collecting research on illegal activities and serving as the Black Kings' primary decision-maker for a day—hardly the actions of a detached sociological observer. But overinvolved or not, this graduate student turned gang-running rogue sociologist has an intimate and compelling tale to tell. (Jan.)

In her first cookbook, Hoffmann (star of the eponymous Food Network show) shares her take on classic Latin American dishes as well as “spiced-up twists on non-Latin classics.” Each recipe, she explains, takes a “practical, real approach to food.” Hoffmann's many chapters include a breakfast section; “appeteasers,” as she calls them; salads; main courses; and vegetables. Many familiar Latin recipes are included—tortillas and arroz con pollo, to name a couple. Hoffmann gives a Latin twist to basics like Eggs Benedict and Beef Noodles by adding such ingredients as chipotle chilis. Some of the recipes in this collection are appealing because of their simplicity, like the Lime Chicken with Quick Avocado Salsa, and Cumin Broiled Pork Chops. However, Hoffmann's dishes don't feel particularly inspired or original: for example, “Chica tips,” scattered throughout, intend to share shortcuts, yet seem silly, and Hoffmann suggests eating lots of beets before beach trips in order to get a better tan. However, the Delicioso Pantry section (a list of ingredients Hoffmann considers indispensable) is informative and includes detailed definitions of various cheeses, fruits, vegetables and seasonings. Hoffmann's recipes in the beginning of the book for classic Latin sauces such as adobo seasoning, sofrito and jalapeno salsa are also good and provide solid building blocks for tasty dishes. (Feb.)

Dunlap, author of New Tapas, focuses here on the cities of Marrakech, Fez, Tunis, Carthage, La Goulette and Tripoli, going deeper than the average traveler to explore the kitchens of seven women and one man. The collection thus represents the home cooking of the region with refreshingly uncomplicated techniques, short lists of ingredients and the comforting, elemental flavors of various spices and seasonings. A Fez-style salad of carrots, cinnamon, orange juice and orange blossom water is a sweet, fragrant puree, served cool, while Mechmachia, a Tunisian simmer of lamb, pumpkin, dried fruit and caramelized onion makes a golden, mouth-melting delight quick enough to prepare on a weeknight. There are, of course, plenty of tagines, the iconic slow-cooked stews of Morocco, made with a range of different spice mixtures and regional variations. Yet the recipes also reveal plenty of other global influences: there are the pickled vegetables and salads of Kemia, the Tunisian-Jewish version of mezze, and French-influenced crepes with Seville orange marmalade. Balancing out the meaty gravies and densely packed pots of couscous are delicate pastries like Samsas with almond and sesame. A section in the back is devoted to North African basics: how to make chili paste and what spices are used to create the Tunisian mix called tabel. A list of recommended restaurants in each city is also included. Dunlap's recipes are easy to follow, and full-color photographs evoke the spicy, sumptuous flavors of the region. (Feb.)

Atlas (Vegetarian Soups for All Seasons) defies the stereotype of convenience vegan food as being heavy on rubbery, unappetizing substitutes for “normal” ingredients. Though many of the dishes require only around half an hour to make, they skew more toward fresh vegetables and herbs rather than to faux meat. Spicy, flavorful recipes such as Curried Chickpeas with Chutney Bulgur and Salsa Orzo and Black Bean Salad send a clear message that one can cook vegan meals that satisfy even nonvegans. Atlas does use the basic protein alternatives (seitan, tofu and tempeh) as well as vegan cheeses and creamers at times, but these are incorporated so skillfully that people who usually turn up their noses at them will have no grounds to object. The book has strong international flair, with tofu replacing eggs in a Middleeastern Shakshouka and standing in for paneer in the Indian Tofu Aloo Gobi, as well as traditional meatless favorites like Pasta Puttanesca and Pad Thai. A few snacks and desserts are included, but most of the recipes are for dishes that, with a simple side, comprise a meal, facilitating speed, and Atlas sprinkles helpful tips on menu planning and variations throughout. The lack of photos to emphasize the food's appetizing potential is disappointing, but vegan, vegetarian and health-conscious omnivores just might be convinced after trying it out. (Feb.)

Fans of “Curious Cook” Harold McGee will relish the latest from This (Molecular Gastronomy), a French chemist and foodie hero who has helped to usher in the current restaurant world vogue for turning the kitchen into a laboratory. This uses simple questions and observations about food (“Does hot pepper burn a hole in the stomach?”; “Why must infants not be fed sausages?”) as springboards for delightful explorations into culinary scientific principles. In brief, confident chapters, he moves through assorted ingredients (milk, vegetables, cheese), cooking methods (steaming, roasting, deep-frying) and whole categories of food and drink (bread, cake, sauces, salad) in his quest to explain kitchen phenomena. The book is more practical than theoretical, as This often breezes over much of the science, focusing not on the experiments and equations that answered his questions but rather on what they mean for the cook: how to ripen tomatoes properly, why to cook a roux for a long time, and so on. He distances himself even further from typical scientific writing with his charmingly enthusiastic tone, which keeps his prose from sounding dry even when he goes into more details about enzyme properties or protein varieties, so that even those who might be turned off by the thought of food chemistry will quickly be drawn in by his obvious love of food and eagerness to apply his research to helping people cook better. (Dec.)

First published in 1990, Dr. Dean Ornish's Program for Reversing Heart Disease presented scientific evidence that lifestyle changes alone can reverse even severe heart disease without surgery and medication. Subsequent research convinced Ornish that his program could be applied to other conditions with similar success. Ornish's philosophy has gained the respect of colleagues and patients, but critics say it is too difficult for many to sustain. Perhaps to counteract this notion, Ornish offers choices along a continuum of physical, mental and spiritual health. Marred somewhat by a defensive tone and repetition, the book shows readers how to tailor his recommendations to their needs, goals and preferences. Ornish's spectrum consists of nutrition (extremely low in fat, vegetarian), exercise (aerobic, resistance training and flexibility), stress management (yoga, meditation) and nurturing relationships, and he describes how they influence specific conditions. Recipes contributed by Oprah Winfrey's personal chef, Art Smith, ground Ornish's principles with dishes based on fresh, seasonal ingredients and ways to adapt them to a person's place along the spectrum. No doubt, putting Ornish's philosophy into practice is the best way to banish visions of the “diet police.” Given the research and heartfelt testimonials from patients reproduced here, the evidence is on Ornish's side. (Jan.)

Rubin (The Maker's Diet) and host of the Christian-based television show Extraordinary Health offers this fairly complicated 16-week diet plan that is heavy on his Garden of Life company's products and general enough for non-Christian readers. Many of the ideas are familiar to health aficionados: the benefits of filtered water and organic, locally grown, in-season fruits and vegetables; the value of high-fiber and high protein foods; warnings against refined carbohydrates, trans fats, artificial sweeteners, diet drinks and—more oddly—microwave ovens. Rubin, founder of the Biblical Health Institute, also offers a “Healing Codes” exercise involving breathing and meditation to reduce stress and a suggested workout program, which focuses on short, intense bouts of exercise. Eight pages of testimonials, 33 pages of recipes (most include his products) and a 66-page detailed meal-by-meal eating plan round out the text. A Web site, www.PerfectWeightAmerica.com, promises to help readers access more diet tools. For a diet book, this is surprisingly wordy and densely written, but Rubin fans who want a fully detailed eating plan—and don't mind extensive product pitches—probably won't mind its verbosity. (Jan. 2)

Kazdin, director of the Yale Parenting Center and Conduct Clinic as well as president of the American Psychological Association, claims his method works with no pills, no therapy and no contest of wills. Instead, Kazdin uses a practical, science-based method of dealing with behavioral problems in children that relies on positive reinforcement and a reward system. Kazdin doesn't dwell on the scientific research (it seems the reader must trust him on this), though he claims his method works about 80% of the time with serious problems and therefore should have even greater success with everyday behavior glitches. He outlines a plan to help parents focus on the “positive opposite” (in other words, what they want the child to do) and then takes them step-by-step through a process of praise and reward. Though Kazdin's approach seems complicated at first, his easygoing and often humorous tone gently guides readers through an array of problem scenarios, including bedtime, tantrums, grocery shopping with a younger child, getting ready for the school day and homework. The author promises long-lasting results for a temporary investment in his practical, positive method; parents may be well rewarded if they give it a try. (Jan.)

The newest from bestseller Stoller (Stitch 'n Bitch) gives men their first chance to snuggle up with her fuzzy, fashion-forward knitting projects. While the book is aimed largely at the women who knit for them, men will be happy to know that Stoller's first concern is for their particular tastes: many interesting elements—fancy stitches, unusual yarn, unique designs—are anathema to most males, who prefer simple pieces in a darker palate. Part two includes a wide array of (not too) colorful, occasionally edgy projects. Though there are designs which any man would be proud to wear (scarves, caps, tube socks and sweaters), many projects are geared toward younger men; among funky fashions, two standouts are the well-proportioned biker jacket (with long, slim arms and body for full coverage) and a felted DJ Bag with a retro cassette tape pattern (though some designs—such as the beer bottle–shaped throw pillows—are just plain juvenile). As expected, Stoller's directions are clear, terms are well explained, illustrations are easy-to-follow and accompanying photos are stylish and sexy, though projects are not rated for difficulty. Those unafraid to venture beyond their comfort zone will find something suitable for most any man on their holiday gift list. (Dec.)

In this eloquent book, Rosen—a novelist and editorial director of Nextbook, which promotes Jewish culture and literature—meditates on the fact that technology enables us to preserve wildlife and at the same time contributes to its demise. He laments that no sooner had he discovered bird-watching than he realized that nature has become “a diminished thing,” as Robert Frost put it in his poem “The Oven Bird.” Everywhere he looks—from a Louisiana swamp to the Israeli desert—he finds a paradox: we are attempting to preserve nature at the same time that we are destroying it. Cars, trains and planes, Rosen writes, have enabled us “to find the birds of America for ourselves, even as these inventions have contributed to the fragmentation that endangers” them.

“Birds sing back to us an aspect of ourselves,” Rosen says, harking back to Audubon, and he confesses that this is why he came to bird-watching, making it even more poignant that so many birds are close to disappearing forever.

Rosen's wide-ranging intellect (he is also the author of The Talmud and the Internet) flits gracefully from nature to history to poetry, and gentle meditations can be spiked with barbs (“ 'Collecting' is the ornithological euphemism for killing”). This beautifully written book is an elegy to the human condition at a time when wilderness is becoming a thing of the past. Illus. (Feb.)