Web Exclusive Reviews: Week of 2/11/2008

-- Publishers Weekly, 2/11/2008

NONFICTION

Autonauts of the Cosmoroute: A Timeless Voyage from Paris to Marseilles
Julio Cortázar and Carol Dunlop, translated from the Spanish by Anne McLean. Archipelago, $20 paper (354p) ISBN 9780979333002
A couple’s leisurely drive through France finally makes it to the U.S. in this long-overdue translation of Cortázar (1914-84) and Dunlop’s (1946-82) wry, wondrous 1983 travelogue. Following two simple rules—“Complete the journey from Paris to Marseille without once leaving the autoroute,” and visit each of the 70 rest areas “at the rate of two per day”—the couple stretch a 10-hour highway trip into a month-long expedition, capturing in short, snappy chapters the joy of slowing down and enjoying the scenery. At times poetic, at others sarcastic, and always playful, the authors take turns with the narrative “the way a pianist plays a sonata, the hands united in a single quest.” The resulting tale is an infectious love letter to the road, their VW camper van and each other, made more poignant by Dunlop’s untimely death (she passed before the book was finished). Despite some sleepless nights and depressing, concrete-slab surroundings, the couple’s sunny mood and clever observation will keep readers engaged. Enjoyable, if a bit inconsequential, this jaunt makes a great introduction to the work of Latin American heavyweight Cortázar, known for short stories and experimental novels such as 1967’s National Book Award-winning Hopscotch. B&w photos. (Jan.)

Bedtime Stories: Dispatches from the Frontlines of Single-Fatherhood
Trey Ellis. Rodale, $24.95 (288p) ISBN 9781594865299
Screenwriter, author and Los Angeles resident Ellis (Right Here, Right Now) relates his story of heartbreak and child-rearing with candor, comedy and self-awareness, making this emotionally turbulent ride instantly and tirelessly engaging. The conversational chronicle tells how young African-American novelist Ellis met and lost his wife (to a New Age shaman), leaving him to deal, often on his own, with a three-year-old daughter and an eight-month-old son. Fast-paced and fun, Ellis’s story indulges readers with hilarious details from all aspects of the single-dad life, from nannies to schools to his crazy ex, from his writing career to his sex life, taking playful detours along the way for daydreams and song lyrics (“It’s so hard trying to remember what it was like those first nights… alone singing [my kids] the theme song to The Mary Tyler Moore Show”). Ellis also incorporates stories from his “often-depressed, cartoonishly nerdly” childhood years, revealing the ins and outs of his parents’ own “shitty marriage.” A first-rate story-teller with an effortless sense of humor and pathos (“I have always been a big fan of self-pity”), Ellis and his memoir deserve a place among pop culture’s most beloved Mr. Moms. (Feb.)

Devil Incarnate: A Depraved Mercenary’s Lifelong Swathe of Destruction
Wayne Thallon. Mainstream (Trafalgar Sq., dist.), $19.95 paper (336p) ISBN 9781845962067
When the author of this grisly book first met Athol “Ivan the Terrible” Vissor, the white African mercenary, arms dealer and drug trafficker’s body was racked with AIDS, and he was ready to reveal his inner demons and sins for this “as-told-to” autobiography. During his childhood in Rhodesia, his mother, stepfather and stepsister were brutally raped and abused, and young Vissor remained traumatized for the rest of his life with violent and cruel obsessions. Thallon perfectly captures his subject’s emotionless voice describing his stint in the British army in Kenya before becoming a bloodthirsty mercenary in the Congo in the 1960s, turning all his racist tendencies into frenzied scenes of grind-house mayhem. Possibly Vissor’s most disturbing actions were in the shadowy ranks of the Civil Cooperation Board, the white South African assassination unit, determined to salvage apartheid. He claims involvement in the killing of Swedish Prime Minister Olof Palme; however, in a disclaimer at the book’s end, the publisher notes that Vissor’s version is one of many in this still unsolved case. The entire book is based only on Vissor’s recollections; still, it’s an incredible chronicle of cruelty and violence. 8 pages of color photos. (Mar.)

The Encyclopedia of Superstitions
Richard Webster. Llewellyn, $18.95 paper (336p) ISBN 9780738712772
Prolific author and “noted psychic” Webster (Amulets and Talismans for Beginners, Spirit Guides and Angel Guardians, Is Your Pet Psychic?) presents a remarkably complete collection of the world’s superstitions, covering the familiar—unlucky 13, open umbrellas indoors, black cat crossings—and the delightfully obscure, such as the Cornwall, England myth that ants are actually fairies, “enjoying their last incarnation.” The New Zealand writer says he’s “tried to include everything that is pertinent,” and as such covers certain religious material (such as St. Christopher and Wicca) that might draw ire from the faithful (and others): notes Webster, people often “consider their own superstitions to be facts of life.” Webster is generally respectful throughout, with occasional shots of gentle humor; the focus is on history and superstition etymology, and each brief entry is informative and to the point. Though, as Webster writes, “[s]uperstitions can be effective ways of handling the anxieties and stress of everyday life,” anyone who reads straight through will likely develop a nervous twitch; still, this reference makes for compulsive browsing. Illus. (Feb.)

Mountain Madness: Scott Fischer, Mount Everest and a Life Lived on High
Robert Birkby. Citadel, $24.95 (368p) ISBN 9780806528755
Mountaineer Scott Fischer and outdoors expert Birkby (author of trail maintenance standard Lightly on the Land) were friends and trekking companions from their 1982 meeting until Fischer’s tragic, controversial death on a 1996 expedition up Everest, leading a tour group from his Mountain Madness adventure travel business (from which his clients all descended safely). Combining his memories with those of Fischer’s family, friends, fellow mountaineers and other alumni of the National Outdoor Leadership School in Lander, Wyo., where Fischer worked, Birkby chronicles Fischer from his New Jersey childhood through his years teaching with NOLS, his drive to perfect his skills and reach the highest peaks, and the struggles to establish his travel company. The obsession indicated by the title is what Birkby most wrestles with, attempting to understand the passion that drove Fischer higher and higher; especially in his climbing scenes, Birkby succeeds in illuminating the power mountains can exert over the human soul. He’s also adept at capturing powerful ties of love and friendship, of which Fischer had plenty; his charisma, charm and open embrace of adventure suffuse the narrative. This warm remembrance should strike a powerful chord not just in climbers, but in anyone who has lost a dear friend to untimely death. 16 pages of color photos. (Feb.)

Opportunity 08: Independent Ideas for America’s Next President
Edited by Michael E. O’Hanlon. Brookings, $49.95 (360p) ISBN 9780815764649; $19.95 paper ISBN 9780815764656
In partnership with ABC News, one of the nation’s oldest policy think tanks, the Brookings Institute, hope to rouse productive, independent-minded debate with this collection of essays that examine policy history and recent presidential missteps to address the country’s most urgent issues on the eve of the 2008 presidential election. From emerging technology and international relations to oil dependency and the importance of 401(k) plans, experts confront a wide range of topics in areas of policy, industry and attitude. Michael Green, formerly of Bush II’s National Security Council, devises an organized, democratic strategy for China, suggesting that the next president will be judged more critically on that question than the Iraq war; former senators Warren Rudman (R-NH) and Robert Kerry (D-NE) fend off economic crisis by taking on skyrocketing health care costs and diminishing national savings; other concerns include retirement security, healthcare quality and access, and poverty at home. Each chapter contains well-organized, innovative and practical approaches not just for the sitting president, but for the campaigning hopefuls, and should inspire voters to look beyond all-too-typical horse race coverage—and perhaps demand more from their news media and their leaders. (Jan.)

The Power of Unreasonable People: How Social Entrepreneurs Create Markets that Change the World
John Elkington and Pamela Hartigan. Harvard Business, $27.50 (272p) ISBN 9781422104064
In this what’s-next business manifesto, “social entrepreneurs” Elkington and Hartigan run with a quote from playwright George Bernard Shaw: “The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore, all progress depends on the unreasonable man.” Using that thesis, the authors argue that the best place to find tomorrow’s revolutionary business models is on the unpredictable fringes of the mainstream market. There, they find cases like Jack Sim and his Singapore-based World Toilet Organization, who have ingeniously improved living conditions worldwide (and goosed profits) by, among other schemes, convincing governments and corporations to compete for cleanest public restroom honors. The heart of the book are the case studies, of both for-profit and nonprofit social organizations (many of them in Asian and Indian countries), which are mined for ideas and theories regarding their impact on global markets and local communities. Elkington (The Chrysalis Economy) and Hartigan also give nods to such well-known enterprises as Whole Foods, One Laptop Per Child, and Band Aid, Live Aid and Live 8. Written with a business-magazine style, Elkington and Hartigan’s eye-opening work and noble intent—bridging business acumen and social awareness—make a convincing case for unconventional entrepreneurship. (Feb.)

Prison Profiteers: Who Makes Money from Mass Incarceration
Edited by Tara J. Herivel and Paul Wright. New Press, $26.95 (352p) ISBN 9781595581679
In their follow-up to 2002’s Prison Nation: The Warehousing of America’s Poor, prisoner rights activists Herivel and Wright, with 16 other contributors, follow the money to an astonishing constellation of prison administrators and politicians working in collusion with private parties to maximize profits at the expense of taxpayers, community health and, of course, the 2.3 million inmates nationwide. The overarching narrative, laid out clearly in the opening article by Judy Greene, finds a system increasingly dominated by select, minimally accountable private companies for whom profitability depends on the promise of more and longer convictions. As such, investment in treatment programs, education and family assistance is diverted to organizations delivering substandard food and “health care” that allows hepatitis C to reach levels one doctor compares to “the Dark Ages with the plague”; corruption runs all the way down to prison phone contracts. Cruelty and administrative stupidity come in many forms, claim the authors; guards earning $5.77 per hour beat the young inmates of a Louisiana juvenile facility while abuse schemes and political back-scratching trump efforts to police them, as evidenced by the growth of industry tradeshows and companies (such as International Taser). This is lucid, eye-opening reading for anyone interested in American justice. (Jan.)

Smoke, Mirrors, and Murder: And Other True Crimes: Ann Rule’s Crime Files Vol. 12
Ann Rule. Pocket, $7.99 (TKp) ISBN 1416541608
Bestseller Rule looks at marriages gone bad in her latest volume of true-crime case files. Stories include “The Minister’s Wife,” about a woman convicted of shooting her husband in 2006, and “The Painter’s Wife,” an amazing tale of two strangers kidnapped by a hardened criminal. The bulk of the book is taken up by “The Deputy’s Wife,” the sad tale of a once-promising young police officer, Bill Jensen, who eventually took out a contract on his own family. It’s a good yarn, full of horrifying twists, but at 150 pages can get repetitive. For those not used to it, Rule’s fondness for potboiler prose—“Their marriage had spun like a colorful top...Now as it wound down slower and slower, Sue could see the pattern of lies”—can also annoy. Many of the seven cases here are gruesome but unmemorable, perhaps the inevitable result of Rule’s prodigious output. (Jan.)

What Bugged the Dinosaurs?: Insects, Disease, and Death in the Cretaceous
George Poinar, Jr. and Roberta Poinar. Princeton Univ., $29.95 (266p) ISBN 0691124310
Horseflies, mosquitos, blackflies—they certainly bug people, but is it possible they caused the death of the dinosaurs through factors like “the cumulative, cascading effects of many diseases”? The Poinars, both research scientists, follow up their study of organisms preserved in amber (1999’s The Amber Forest: A Reconstruction of a Vanished World) with a detailed study of insects’ role in the life and extinction of Cretaceous plants and animals. In scientific but straightforward language, the Poinars advance convincingly the thesis that insects acted as vectors for pathogens, spreading bacteria, fungi and viruses to plants as well as dinosaurs, who then passed it on to others. Amazingly, evidence of these pathogens can be found within amber-entombed insects, providing “a picture of life 145.5 to 65.5 million years ago when insects and dinosaurs competed… and suffered from parasites and newly evolving diseases.” Using current examples like Dutch elm disease, speculative scenarios of Cretaceous life and plenty of research data, the authors add an intriguing new dimension to the dinosaur apocalypse narrative: “periods of temperature change, marine regression, volcanic eruptions, and one or more meteor impacts…. a perfect setting for the spread of diseases.” Color and line illus. (Feb.)

Why We Whisper: Restoring Our Right to Say It’s Wrong
Jim DeMint and J. David Woodard. Rowan and Littlefield, $24.95 (256p) ISBN 9780742552524
The polarization of America continues unabated, according to South Carolina Senator Jim DeMint and Clemson University political science professor J. David Woodard, not (necessarily) between Democrats and Republicans, but between secularists and traditionalists. The authors’ categories are broad and their terms stigmatizing, but the distinction is immediately apparent, and their intent is specific: to expose left-leaning bias in the “value-free” rulings supported by morally relativistic secularists in legislation, court cases and the mainstream media. Referencing numerous hot-button issues—gay marriage, divorce, cohabitation, abortion, pornography and gambling among them—the authors review in fine detail a number of arguments (many familiar) about the societal and economical damage suffered by an America rapidly replacing foundational virtues with unstable secularist values. This call to action is full of information, and makes some strong points—particularly in explaining how government, and particularly the legal sector, is inherently engaged with morals—but the defensive tone can grow wearying. (Jan.)

LIFESTYLE

How To Duck A Suckah: A Guide to Living a Drama-Free Life
Big Boom. Fireside, $15 paper (208p) ISBN 9781416546535
Author and “Bodyguard for Women’s Hearts” Boom provides tough love that’s as frank as it is old-fashioned, a style best demonstrated by the title of his first book, If You Want Closure in Your Relationship, Start with Your Legs. A former bad boy (read: working pimp) himself, Boom warns that “men are always looking for something to catch or shoot down,” but locates the real problem in the woman “who refuses to let go… [or] change her bad habits.” To that end, Boom spends much time chiding women for ignoring unwritten rules of gender relations like, “Girls follow, men lead.” In a chapter called “Appearance” (Boom is nothing if not straightforward), the author starts with “Seven Important Beauty Basics Steps My Wife Uses” before moving on to tips like “Don’t Wear Your Clothes Too Tight,” keep your home clean and remember the small things: “I can’t tell you how many good women I have turned down,” Boom says, because of “something stupid” like “the way her toenails look.” The assumption throughout is that it’s far easier and more effective to play along with superficial attitudes (among men and women alike) than to change them; if you can embrace the game, and put up with some well-intentioned chauvinism, this is an able primer. (Jan.)

The Super Antioxidant Diet and Nutrition Guide: A Health Plan for the Body, Mind, and Spirit
Robin Jeep and Richard Couey with Sherie Pitman Ellington. Hampton Roads, $19.95 paper (256p) ISBN 97815717405576
Among the latest health-food buzz nutrients, antioxidants are molecules found in fruits and vegetables that fight cancer, arthritis, premature aging and “a general deterioration of health” caused by unavoidable free radicals, defined briefly as the “unstable electrons” resulting from “exposure to oxygen and sunlight, among other chemical stresses.” This diet book lays out a seven-part plan with antioxidant-rich recipes, daily menus and sound advice on exercise, mental health and proper hygiene. The low-fat, low-calorie, easy-to-prepare recipes are generally appetizing, including basics (soups and salads, stir-frys) and surprisingly sophisticated fare like Wild Salmon Packages with Fennel, Sweet Potatoes, Leeks, and Olives. The promise of filling cereals like Hot Cinnamon-Fruit Oatmeal and Cherry-Berry Muesli make mornings a little easier, and a handful of not-too-depressing desserts will also cheer dieters (though be warned: Chocolate Divine Mousse Ice Cream does require two handfuls of baby spinach). Authors Jeep, a former Whole Foods marketing director, and Couey, a health sciences professor at Baylor University, also offer a brief guide to nutritional supplements (including specific recommendations for products made by a company Couey advises), as well as a section of to-the-point advice on making the “Journey to Wholeness” through thoughts, emotions, relaxation and other techniques. (Feb.)

ILLUSTRATED

Hamburger Eyes: Inside Burgerworld
Ray Potes. PowerHouse/Miss Rosen Editions, $35 (192p) ISBN 9781576874073
This fierce, moving collection of black and white images from underground photography magazine Hamburger Eyes (founded 2002) is proof positive that Diane Arbus’s artistic descendents are alive, well and snapping photographs in a dark alley near you. Featuring the edgiest work of a gritty, gutsy group (including magazine founder Potes, Ted Pushinsky, Matt Weber and fellow PowerHouse author Boogie), this important volume demonstrates the new generation’s sharp eye for everyday tragedy, irony and flat-out comedy. Each photographer has his own areas of interest—amputees, brawlers, distressed nightclub-goers, graffiti—but the faces of the poor, drug-ravaged and down-trodden are ultimately the most affecting. The magazine bills itself as “the continuing story of life on earth,” and these thought-provoking photographs deliver—though “life on earth” in this case means, for the most part, city-life on earth. A decidedly macho streak is at work throughout—notably, no female photographers are included—and there’s barely any text to speak of (in a parting letter, Potes refers not to readers but “viewers”). Still, those riding the pop culture zeitgeist just left of the mainstream—think fans of HE or Vice magazines—will delight in these full-bleed shots; don’t be surprised if you can’t look away. (Feb.)

RELIGION

Surprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection, and the Mission of the Church
N.T. Wright. HarperOne, $24.95 (352p) ISBN 9780061551826
Wright, one of the greatest, and certainly most prolific, Bible scholars in the world, will touch a nerve with this book. What happens when we die? How should we think about heaven, hell, purgatory and eternal life? Wright critiques the views of heaven that have become regnant in Western culture, especially the assumption of the continuance of the soul after death in a sort of blissful non-bodily existence. This is simply not Christian teaching, Wright insists. The New Testament’s clear witness is to the resurrection of the body, not the migration of the soul. And not right away, but only when Jesus returns in judgment and glory. The “paradise,” the experience of being “with Christ” spoken of occasionally in the scriptures, is a period of waiting for this return. But Christian teaching of life after death should really be an emphasis on “life after life after death”—the resurrection of the body, which is also the ground for all faithful political action, as the last part of this book argues. Wright’s prose is as accessible as it is learned—an increasingly rare combination. No one can doubt his erudition or the greatness of the churchmanship of the Anglican Bishop of Durham. One wonders, however, at the regular citation of his own previous work. And no other scholar can get away so cleanly with continuing to propagate the “hellenization thesis,” by which the early church is eventually polluted by contaminating Greek philosophical influence. (Feb.)

FICTION

Capitol Reflections
Jonathan Javitt. Sterling & Ross (PGW, dist.), $24.95 (420p) ISBN 9780977954537
Fans of The X-Files may enjoy this science-fiction thriller, the debut novel by Dr. Javitt, whose impressive government credentials aren’t quite matched by the sophistication of his plot. Chair of President Bush’s Health Subcommittee of the President’s Information Technology Advisory Committee and an epidemiologist, Javitt imagines a recent past—2005—in which the threat of genetically modified food has become a reality. When Marci Newman, a workaholic New York City attorney, dies after a mysterious seizure, Newman’s best friend, Gwen Maulder, who’s a division chief with the Food and Drug Administration, investigates. Aided by her ex-Secret Service husband, Jack, and her former flame and current Washington Post columnist Mark Stern, Maulder finds that Newman’s seizure may be part of an epidemic that may be connected with coffee-seller Pequod’s, the new mega-company that has overtaken Starbuck’s. The bad guys are led by Hawaiian senator Henry Broome, whose past includes several murders and the theft of some genetics research from his Princeton roommate. The writing and pacing are adequate, and Javitt throws in a nice twist at the end, but the action sequences tend to overwhelm the science. (Feb.)

Firefly Rain
Richard Dansky. Wizards of the Coast/Discoveries, $21.95 (384p) ISBN 9780786948567
Videogame creator Dansky displays some remarkable writing talent in his debut, a supernatural thriller that effectively breathes life into one of the genre’s staples—the haunted house. Jacob Logan returns to the small North Carolina town of Mayfield five years after his mother’s death. Logan, whose business venture in Boston has just failed, is looking for a change of pace, and hopes to find some meaning by taking up temporary residence in the house he grew up in. A series of bizarre occurrences soon threaten that hope: his furniture and most of his possessions are incinerated in a highway explosion; his car is stolen, only to reappear and almost run him down; and he gets creepy vibes from the house’s caretaker, who had carried a torch for Logan’s mother. The most disturbing manifestation of a supernatural presence comes from the fireflies, who refuse to cross into Logan’s property and who die when he brings them over the invisible boundary. Dansky convincingly portrays Logan’s isolation and terror, and subtly gives glimpses of the forces arrayed against him. The author’s insights into human nature and ease with expressive language bode well for future fiction from his pen. (Jan.)

Par for the Course
Ray Blackston. Hachette/FaithWords, $13.99 paper (272p) ISBN 9780446178150
Light romance and an amusing golf theme keep Blackston’s latest inspirational lad lit novel percolating. Protagonist Chris Hackett is the likable owner of Hackett’s Golf Learning Center in Charleston, S.C., but his prowess on the golf course hasn’t translated to his social life, “a series of relational double bogeys.” When 30-something golf student Molly Cusack suggests combining golf and politics in a way that will ensure more business, he’s hooked. Customers line up to practice their golf swings and “whack a liberal” or “whack a conservative,” while business skyrockets. Soon, Chris wonders about the integrity of hiring out his range for “faux political vindication.” Disaster isn’t far behind. What’s amusing about Blackston’s first-person novel is Chris’s urgent desire for matrimony and kids—a refreshing swap from the usual chick-lit and lad-lit fare. A plotline about a feminist never goes anywhere, and faith notes are barely evident (Chris asks Molly to pray about their relationship without much context). Although the humor can become cheesy, there are plenty of laugh-aloud moments, including those provided by a farcical reading group guide. Better than his previous, A Pagan’s Nightmare, this is an enjoyable read. (Feb.)

AUDIO

Gomorrah: A Personal Journey into the Violent International Empire of Naples’ Organized Crime System
Roberto Saviano, read by Michael Kramer. Tantor Audio, unabridged, nine CDs, 11.5 hrs., $34.99 ISBN 9781400105571
Saviano’s landmark exposé of the demoralizing effects of organized crime in his homebase of Naples, Italy, is an incredible tale that loses its power in this long-winded reading by veteran Kramer. Droning on in a matter-of-fact tone, Kramer loses the author’s personal approach and fails to bring life to the touching memoir. Uninspired and indifferent, Kramer often sounds tired, struggling to keep himself interested, much less the listener. With slurred, often muffled narration, Kramer makes no attempt to engage his audience, a shame considering the rather fervent account that Saviano manages to recreate given his relationship with a deadly organized crime outfit and extensive research into the topic. Listening to Kramer over nine discs becomes a monotonous task rather than the entrancing experience that it should be. An utterly disappointing reading that fails to capture the gusto of Saviano’s work. Simultaneous release with the FSG hardcover (Reviews, Aug. 13). (Nov.)