Nonfiction Reviews

Patron of the arts is not the first association one makes with George Washington, but Howard elegantly makes the case that the founder of the nation also helped establish America’s art. Though architecture, not painting, was Washington’s preferred art, America’s first prominent artists painted him: Charles Willson Peale, John Trumbull, Benjamin West and Gilbert Stuart, the most distinguished American painter of the period. Washington, who Howard argues was “easier to see and admire than to understand,” is subtly revealed in a narrative that is precisely paced and elegantly composed. Howard (Dr. Kimball and Mr. Jefferson) illuminates Washington as an eminent patron of emerging American artists, who “fostered nothing less than the birth of American painting.” He also insightfully documents how Washington’s evolving public image and often inscrutable character were diversely revealed by some of the most eminent visual artists of the 18th century, many of whose images propelled Washington’s iconic status. This perspective will interest scholars of Washington and of early American art, as well as general readers seeking a refreshing angle on Washington and art in America. 8 pages of color photos. (Feb.)

Those who think of terrorism as an inexplicable evil produced by an alien culture will have their eyes opened by this fascinating study of 19th-century anarchist terrorists. Yale historian Merriman (History of Modern Europe) tells the story of Émile Henry, a well-educated young man from a politically radical family who tossed a bomb into a crowded Paris cafe in 1894. In Merriman’s portrait, Henry emerges as an understandable, if not sympathetic, figure—a sensitive dreamer whose outrage at the misery of the poor curdled into a fanatical hatred of bourgeois society. He found a home in Europe’s percolating anarchist movement, whose adherents celebrated a cult of revolutionary violence and sang hymns to “Lady Dynamite”; their bombings and assassinations set off a wave of panic and police repression. Merriman’s account frames an illuminating study of working-class radicalism in belle époque France and its bitter conflict with the establishment in an age when class warfare was no metaphor. It’s also an absorbing true crime story, with Dostoyevskian overtones, about high ideals that motivate desperate acts. Photos. (Feb. 12)

Synthesizing a variety of sources, British historian Rappaport (Joseph Stalin) details the Romanovs’ last two weeks, imprisoned in a cramped private house in Ekaterinburg, a violently anti-czarist industrial city in the Ural Mountains where Nicholas II; his wife, Alexandra; and their five children were executed on July 17, 1918. The czar’s rescue was a low priority for the Allies, and several escape plots by Russian monarchists came to naught. A lax guard was replaced by a rigorous new regime on July 4, headed by Yakov Yurovsky, whose family’s impoverished Siberian exile had fueled his burning hatred for the imperial family, and his ruthless assistant and surrogate son, Grigory Nikulin. How the last czar and his family died was one of Russia’s best-kept secrets for decades, and Rappaport spares none of the gory details of the panicked bloodbath (it took an entire clip of bullets to finish off the czarevitch because an undergarment sewn with jewels protected the boy’s torso) and botched burial of the corpses. Although parts of the Romanov saga are familiar and Rappaport’s sympathy for the czar often seems naïve, this is an absorbing, lucid and authoritative work. 16 pages of photos. (Feb. 3)

Whether intelligence is largely determined by genetics or environment has long been hotly contested. Nisbett, a University of Michigan psychology professor, weighs in forcefully and articulately, claiming that environmental conditions almost completely overwhelm the impact of genes. He comes to this conclusion through a careful statistical analysis of a large number of studies and also demonstrates how environment can influence not only IQ measures but actual achievement of both students and adults. (People often “overachieve” when appropriate incentives are in place, Nisbett argues.) Nisbett builds a very strong case that measured IQ differences across racial, cultural and socioeconomic boundaries can easily be explained without resorting to hereditary factors. The result is a very positive message: schools, parents and government programs can have a huge impact if they take the right, which are not necessarily the most expensive, steps. Without those steps, he says, the current role of socioeconomic factors is frightening, with economically disadvantaged children largely condemned to failure. Although Nisbett relies heavily on statistics to document his claims, he does so in a manner accessible to general readers and uses a thoroughly appealing style to engage them throughout. (Feb.)

Hinshaw, chair of UC-Berkeley’s psychology department and an authority on childhood ADHD, enters a cultural minefield: why do today’s teenage girls, despite enormous opportunities, seem crippled by increased rates of depression, anxiety, eating disorders, violence and suicide? Hinshaw’s sweeping diagnosis is “the triple bind,” or society’s expectation that young women possess traditionally feminine attributes such as empathy and selflessness, but also succeed in typically masculine arenas such as competitive sports and cutthroat career paths, and finally, generally “conform to a narrow, unrealistic set of standards that allows for no alternative.” Hinshaw identifies academic pressures, sexed-up pop culture, Internet voyeurism and girl-on-girl bullying as sources of overwhelming stress and conflicting ideals for girls. Yet his study suffers from an identity crisis of its own: while Hinshaw shines in conversations with troubled young girls, he plays the role of cultural critic rather than psychologist in offering elaborate analyses of TV shows such as Ugly Betty and Grey’s Anatomy while providing little hard evidence—or testimonies from girls themselves—on how these shows affect girls. Hinshaw neglects his strengths and, in turn, offers little in the way of solutions. (Feb. 10)

“I didn’t become an advice columnist on purpose,” writes Dickinson (author of the syndicated column “Ask Amy”) in her chapter titled “Failing Up.” In the summertime of 2002, after spending months living off of her credit cards between freelance writing jobs, Dickinson sent in an audition column to the Chicago Tribune and became the paper’s replacement for the late Ann Landers. Here, Dickinson traces her own personal history, as well as the history of her mother’s family whose members make up the “Mighty Queens” of Freeville, N.Y., the small town where Dickinson was raised, and where she raised her own daughter between stints in London; New York City; Washington, D.C.; and Chicago. Dickinson writes with an honesty that is at once folksy and intelligent, and brings to life all of the struggles of raising a child (Dickinson was a single mother) and the challenges and rewards of having a supportive extended family. “I’m surrounded by people who are not impressed with me,” Dickinson humorously laments. “They don’t care that my syndicated column has twenty-two million readers.” Dickinson’s irresistible memoir reads like a letter from an upbeat best friend. (Feb.)

As a young child, freelance writer Chater learned from her parents that the reforms of Vatican II brought “the Smoke of Satan” into the Roman Catholic Church. Then one day her father announced that the family would be leaving its Northern California home and moving to Portugal so they could be closer to the true faith. That trip turned out to be a disaster, and this powerful memoir becomes increasingly grimmer as the Chaters return home and become involved in increasingly conservative religious groups plotting “the Catholic counter-revolution,” until being forbidden to wear “modern clothes” like blue jeans is the least of the teenage girl’s problems. Chater finds plenty of dark humor in the way her father’s religious obsessions blinded him to reality and led the family into financial hardship, but she never turns him into a cartoon villain. Even when he turns out to be a Confederate sympathizer and a monarchist, or after he kicks her and her sister out of the house for engaging in premarital sex, she handles his story with sensitivity and grace. Chater’s memoir reminds us how easy it can be for ordinary families to get caught up in religious fervor, with emotionally devastating consequences that linger long after faith has been abandoned. (Feb.)

As the U.S. has grappled with the specter and reality of terrorism, American leaders have routinely consulted with Israel’s experts to fashion a similar offensive approach to extremists. But Israeli author Pedahzur (Violence: Defending Democracy) makes a compelling case for one inconvenient if underreported fact: Israel’s approach hasn’t worked. Dividing the potential responses to terrorism into four categories (defensive, reconciliatory, criminal -justice and war), the author tracks the development of an Israeli war model and demonstrates that rather than sending terrorists running, the approach “leads to an escalating cycle of terrorism,” citing many examples in which Israel’s elimination of threats has created the impetus for more violence. This book makes an excellent case that the war model “is flawed not only because it undermines civil liberties... but also because it is simply unsuitable for the challenge of terrorism and causes the security establishment to deviate from dealing with other, more imminent threats.” While Pedahzur’s style leans toward the dryly academic, his insights are so well reasoned and relevant that the pages almost turn themselves. (Feb.)

Eichstaedt (If You Poison Us) offers a heartfelt if sometimes lopsided look at the consequences of prolonged civil war. Northern Uganda has been under siege by the rebel group the Lord’s Resistance Army, or LRA, for 20 years, leading to death tolls rivaling those in Darfur, Sudan, which has garnered considerably more media attention. The LRA is known for employing brutal techniques, including mutilating community members who inform on them, kidnapping children to serve as male child soldiers or female “brides,” sex slaves for rebel soldiers. Interviewing victims of these crimes, as well as perpetrators, government officials and non-governmental actors, Eichstaedt weaves a story of a decimated culture caught between merciless violence and the chaos of refugee camps. The result is a close analysis of this underreported crisis, which has only recently shown signs of abating. However, some of Eichstaedt’s conclusions seem uninformed at best, including his one-sided look at religious views in Uganda, which prompt his remark, “There is no moral center of gravity here, no spiritual compass that one can hold against the horizon to escape the clamor and chaos.” (Feb.)

Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, Iran’s ruler from 1941 to 1979—and one of the 20th century’s more controversial political figures—gets a spirited if not always compelling defense in this sprawling biography. Afkhami (The Iranian Revolution), an Iranian studies scholar and an official of the shah’s regime, paints him as a moderate, progressive leader who championed women’s rights, secularism and balanced economic development. He was his own man, not an American puppet, Afkhami argues, strenuously challenging interpretations of the 1953 ousting of the nationalist prime minister, Mohammad Mossadeq, as a CIA-engineered coup. And the crimes of his notorious SAVAK secret police, the author contends, were milder than commonly thought—and anyway, the shah knew little about them. Afkhami corrects conventional views of the shah’s reign as merely a despotic prelude to the Islamic revolution, but his perspective seems blinkered by his subject’s self-regard. The shah emerges as almost a paragon—devoted to his people and Iran’s constitution, undone by his own misguided humanity and restraint in confronting Khomeini’s cabal of Islamists and their liberal dupes. When all Iran rises to overthrow him, the reader is as surprised as the shah. Photos. (Jan.)

Fallows (Blind into Baghdad) offers a candid outsider’s take on contemporary China in this entertaining and richly illustrated investigation of what distinguishes China from other Asian nations and what causes the dissonance between how China sees itself and how it is viewed by the rest of the world, particularly the U.S. The author’s range is admirably broad—he takes on Chinese reality television, school systems, incisive economic analysis—and uncovers a raft of surprising similarities between the East and West. Fallows compares Shenzhen—the manufacturing and migration capital of southern China—to New York, where once you’ve left the airport and stashed your suitcase, it’s difficult to tell if you’re a tourist or a native. In the gambling mecca of Macau (whose revenues recently exceeded those of Las Vegas), the author finds strains of Atlantic City. What Fallows lacks in expertise, he makes up for in a truly global vision and a magician’s chest of social, economic and political insight. (Jan.)

Bay Area community organizer Shaw (Reclaiming America) examines the enduring influence of the United Farm Workers’ model of grassroots organization, which he pointedly credits with the majority of labor’s successes since the 1960s and a wellspring of 21st-century movements for democratic rights. He retells the story of Cesar Chavez and the UFW’s unprecedented success in mobilizing a broad coalition as well as winning political clout and material gains for workers through such tactics as boycotts, appeals to spiritual values, fasting and community-centered organizing. Shaw describes a generation of young activists passing through the UFW’s crucible of idealism, sacrifice and individual initiative, and into a lifetime of service to social justice causes; indeed, it was the very success of the UFW’s campaigns that contributed, ironically, to a gradual power drain on the union in the 1980s. Leading organizers and political strategists like Susan Sachen and Marshall Ganz went on to work for other unions like SEIU or were hired away by mainstream electoral campaigns. Finally, Shaw evaluates the capacities of today’s labor movement to build on the UFW’s legacy of self-directed, on-the-ground training, political solidarity and far-reaching social idealism. (Jan.)

Under six broad rubrics (e.g., “Entertainment, Sports, the Arts,” “Sciences, Technology, Education,” “Activism, Political Thought”), Early and Dickerson have assembled previously published essays by nearly 30 writers. James McBride recalls how he “sidestepped” hip-hop “the way you step over cracks in the sidewalk,” and his realization that “I missed the most important cultural event in my lifetime.” Uzodinma Iweala urges a redirection of Western media concerns away from “campaigns, [that] however well intentioned, promote the stereotype of Africa as a black hole of disease and death.” Barack Obama is the subject of two essays and the author of one, which reflects on “the mutual suspicion that sometimes exists between religious and secular America.” Malcolm Gladwell is instructive in discussing the Flynn effect (“that average I.Q.s shift over time”) in the black-white I.Q. gap. The editors are inclusive: three essays are by “non-African Americans on African American subjects” and the well-known mingle with the unfamiliar. Flat moments are few, and Bill Maxwell’s heartbreaking account of teaching at a black college in Alabama and Emily Raboteau’s “Searching for Zion,” on the Beta Israel and African Hebrew Israelite communities in Israel, rise to particularly affecting heights. (Jan.)

Lewis (Liar’s Poker) takes readers on a spin through notable recent financial catastrophes including the stock market’s 1987 crash, the Russian default and related failure of hedge fund Long-Term Capital Management, the Asian currency crisis, the Internet bust and the recent subprime debacle. While the collection is comprehensive and contains varied and learned commentary, the presented crises beg for more thorough treatment. Lewis is content to rehash the past with (undeniably compelling) previously published analysis by the likes of economists Joseph Stieglitz and Paul Krugman and Wall Street Journal reporters Gregory Zuckerman and Roger Lowenstein. The author wisely includes excerpts from his books and articles, including an account of his time as a trader at Salomon Brothers in the midst of the junk bond crash of 1987 and his observations on the Internet boom and bust. The narrative is certainly elegant and the arguments are on-target; the author lambastes shoddy risk management at financial firms, the “foolish principles that have guided the behavior of sophisticated Wall Street traders” and the common man in this current crisis, and the problems caused “by the new complexities of the financial markets,” but readers seeking serious solutions to our current woes will be disappointed. (Jan.)

Lowe, cofounder and executive vice president of Get Motivated Inc., producer of the world’s largest business seminars, shares a system for motivating yourself and others based on an eight-year study conducted with more than 100,000 people. Identifying drive as the single greatest key to success in every area of life, the author investigates its origins, concluding that everyone is hardwired with a specific motivational pattern, or DNA, and that anyone can nurture and harness its potential in themselves, their children and co-workers. The author explores the motivational value of money and relationships, and distills lessons from such high achievers as Jerry Lewis, Colin Powell, George Foreman, Joe Montana and Mother Teresa. A substantial section on raising positive, focused children sheds light on the phases of childhood and correlating motivators at each stage. Full of practical tools and techniques (including a useful “Goal Achievement Blueprint”), this refreshing and inspirational book is sure to keep readers on a path to self-realized, self-motivated success. (Jan.)

Brookings Institute fellow Singer (Children at War) believes that “we resist trying to research and understand change” in the making of war. Robotics promises to be the most comprehensive instrument of change in war since the introduction of gunpowder. Beginning with a brief and useful survey of robotics, Singer discusses its military applications during WWII, the arming and autonomy of robots at the turn of the century, and the broad influence of robotics on near-future battlefields. How, for example, can rules of engagement for unmanned autonomous machines be created and enforced? Can an artificial intelligence commit a war crime? Arguably more significant is Singer’s provocative case that war itself will be redefined as technology creates increasing physical and emotional distance from combat. As robotics diminishes war’s risks the technology diminishes as well the higher purposes traditionally used to justify it. Might that reduce humanity’s propensity for war making? Or will robotics make war less humane by making it less human? Singer has more questions than answers—but it is difficult to challenge his concluding admonition to question and study the technologies of military robotics—while the chance remains. (Jan. 26)

Los Angeles Superior Court media adviser Hayslett explores the ramifications of the much publicized 1995 O.J. Simpson murder trial in this unique account focused on Judge Lance Ito’s role and the media circus inside and outside the courtroom. Ito had once been a rising star in the L.A. legal community and suffered more than other judges presiding over equally high profile trials, argues Hayslett. Though he continues to sit on the bench, Ito has never pursued appointment to a higher court. With excerpts and anecdotes from her personal journal, Hayslett details the difficulties of dealing with the media and the near-impossible task of sequestering a jury for nine months. Interestingly, only two of the original jurors remained at the end of the proceedings. Some may find it ironic that, by publishing yet another account of the highly publicized trial, Hayslett is doing exactly what she condemned in jury members and other trial participants. But insight that comes from her insider status is valuable and may leave readers wishing for her backstage access from the latest chapter in Simpson’s ongoing legal battles. (Jan.)

In the year of Darwin’s and Lincoln’s bicentennial, New Yorker contributor Gopnik (Through the Children’s Gate) can’t resist the temptation to find parallels of cultural impact between the men, born on the same day in 1809, seeing them as twin exemplars of modernity. Gopnik notes that “it is not what they have in common with each other that matters; it is what they have in common with us.” And that commonality lies in the modern way of speaking (plainly) and thinking (scientific and liberal in the broad sense). But the comparison of the two men feels like a stretch, and Gopnik’s notion that the very idea of democracy was precarious until Lincoln freed the slaves isn’t wholly convincing. In potted biographies of the two, Gopnik emphasizes the influence of Lincoln the lawyer on Lincoln the politician, and Darwin’s unusual abilities as a writer of science. Most successfully, Gopnik underscores the importance of eloquence in spreading new ideas, and his notion that Lincoln and Darwin exemplify the modern predicament—that humans must live in the “space between what we know and what we feel”—is resonant and worth thinking about. (Jan. 30)

Food writer Walsh (Tex-Mex Cookbook) catches the oyster-eating bug while on a reporting assignment in Galveston Bay, Tex. Writing at first about the Texas coastal environment, he seeks to understand the bacterial risks of eating fresh raw mollusks. En route, he becomes a lover and defensive champion of Crassostrea virginica, the “great American oyster,” which is harvested primarily on the eastern and Gulf coasts. He works his way from New Orleans to New York City, comparing differences in oyster quality and flavor from water to water and—importantly—season to season. Broader species sampling requires traveling the Pacific Northwest, then crossing the Atlantic to Ireland, England and France. Along the way Walsh covers molluscan history, trade and aquaculture. Ample oyster facts, figures and literary lore flesh out a book that at times discloses surprising and complex economic and social connections between mollusk supply and demand and at others is a slightly by-the-numbers food history. He lists the oyster bars visited in the course of the book—along with a several recipes—which will whet the appetites of aficionados. (Jan.)

This lavishly produced introduction to architectural history and theory leaps nimbly from the mud dwellings of Mohenjo-Daro, Pakistan, to Gaudí’s iconoclasm, from Bentham’s panopticon to Gehry’s titanium curves, revealing how architecture has been exquisitely sensitive and responsive to the evolution of commerce, climate, human needs for spirituality, comfort and security, and technological and military innovations. Organized to parallel the structures of building, the book begins “from the ground up” (foundations, cellars, catacombs) to “putting up walls,” “across the rooftops” and the “art of ornamentation” in a sweep of global and historical techniques. Readers will enjoy fresh analysis of familiar structures (from the pyramids to the Great Wall) and delight in the ragbag of fun trivia (the spire of the Empire State Building was intended as “a mooring mast for zeppelins”) and the enduring mysteries of ancient architecture (e.g., how builders excavated the largest block of stone in the world, now the unfinished obelisk of Aswan. Photographs showcase the world’s architectural treasures (e.g., Lincoln Cathedral, the Mezquita, Chartres) and profiles celebrate such master builders as Hassan Fathy, Kenzo Tange and Charles Rennie Mackintosh. But the paeans to earthly materials—tinder, slate and brick—are this book’s unexpectedly moving highlight. (Nov.)

Cookbook author Bittman (How to Cook Everything) offers this no-nonsense volume loaded with compelling information about how the food we eat is doing damage to the environment, what changes to make and why. Authors have covered this topic before (Michael Pollan, for example, in The Omnivore’s Dilemma and In Defense of Food), but Bittman takes a practical turn by concluding with 77 recipes that make earth-friendly eating doable and appealing. His collection of reliable recipes even includes such meat dishes as Thai beef salad, which isn’t meat-heavy, but rather has “just the right balance of meat to greens.” There are also such staples as super-simple mixed rice; “chicken not pie”; and modern bouillabaisse. Bittman decries consumption of “over-refined carbohydrates,” but doesn’t leave off without some sweets, including chocolate semolina pudding and nutty oatmeal cookies—suggesting, as the whole book does, that a diet in synch with the needs of the earth doesn’t result in a sense of utter deprivation. (Jan.)

A behind-the-scenes look at the famed New York restaurant Le Bernardin, this stunning and informative book takes readers into the inner sanctum, where they view firsthand the blend of science and artistry that makes this Michelin three-star eatery legendary. Chef Ripert and New York Times writer Muhlke recount the restaurant’s history, from its founding in 1986 by Gilbert and Maguy Le Coze, through Ripert’s joining the team in 1991, to the present day. This thorough guide to how the restaurant operates teaches about various kitchen stations, tools of the trade, key personnel and their duties, how new dishes are born and what it’s like to spend a night “on the line.” Great attention is also paid to the diner’s experience, evidenced by the restaurant’s “129 Cardinal Sins” (from chipped glassware to servers without a sense of humor). Recipes include ultrarare charred sea scallops with smoked sea salt; pan-roasted monkfish with truffled potato foam and red wine–brandy sauce; and wild Alaskan salmon, morels and spring vegetables in a wild mushroom pot-au-feu. A huge treat for industry insiders, fans of Le Bernardin and foodies everywhere, this book is a must-have for anyone with a passion for food. (Dec.)

The origins of sous vide cooking, or vacuum-packing foods and cooking them at precise, relatively low temperatures for long periods, may have been largely in frozen convenience foods, but it has become standard in top kitchens worldwide, notably Keller’s own. Now, Keller aims to demonstrate the technique to a wider swath of cooks—not the masses, but at least those who can afford this lavish volume and the sous vide equipment. One need not cook the exact recipes (which are unaltered from the restaurant’s) to be inspired by Keller’s careful yet whimsical creations, such as a cuttlefish “tagliatelle” with palm hearts and nectarine or squab with piquillo peppers, marcona almonds, fennel and date sauce. And Keller, with several of his chefs as well as “curious cook” Harold McGee, takes pains in the introduction to explain sous vide fundamentals, arguing persuasively that it is not a fad but an important technique that allows unparalleled control over how ingredients are heated and what flavors and textures result. Still, at least until the equipment is more affordable, most readers will admire this gorgeous book on their coffee tables, from the simple beauty of photos of ingredients in their natural states to plates with a course’s elements so artfully arranged they would not be out of place in a modern art museum. (Dec.)

In her inimitably straightforward, informative and intelligent manner, New York Times health columnist Brody (Jane Brody’s Good Food Book) gives pragmatic direction to a concerned yet reluctant readership in this essential travel guide for the journey toward the inevitable. In pointing out that there is a difference between sensibly learning to accept death and surrendering, she reminds us that our attitude about living colors our approach to death. Thoroughly outlining all attendant demands and details for facing one’s end, Brody provides facts and support for families and patients, and makes it appear entirely possible to “go with grace.” With bulleted lists itemizing what needs to be done and how to do it, short portraits and anecdotes throughout, Brody covers the importance of preparation; the necessity of an advance directive and why a living will is not enough; funeral plans; living with a bad prognosis and dealing with uncertainty; caregiving; hospice; communicating with doctors; assisted dying; organ donation and autopsy; and legacies. An instructive, inspiring and reassuring work full of compassion and humor (along with several cartoons from various New Yorker illustrators), this volume belongs on every family’s bookshelf. (Jan.)

Widely known in Canada from his Montreal Gazette column, and work with the Discovery Channel, Schwarcz (Let Them Eat Flax) is an entertaining guide through the tangle of conflicting research studies, advertising claims, special interest groups, age-old myths and popular opinion that make diet a cloudy subject. In short chapters he aims his microscope at such highly touted foods as tomatoes, acai berries, curry and soy; additives like nitrites, artificial sweeteners, vitamins and fluoride; contaminants including pesticides, hormones, trans fats and dioxins; and what, for him, are suspect fads. Schwarcz contends that while there are no “magical” foods, a diet of mostly vegetables, fruits, whole grains and low-fat dairy products and moderation are key to good health. To help readers make informed choices, he ably cuts through many controversies and will likely stir up a few (he challenges those who condemn milk consumption, espouse detoxification and promote kosher foods, for example). Schwarcz makes learning fun by peppering his text with fascinating facts (coffee contains naturally occurring carcinogens, and apples have formaldehyde). More importantly, he leaves readers with a rational framework for evaluating the complex nature of foods and how they affect health. (Jan.)

Collecting the authors’ Chicken Soup & Other Folk Remedies and More Chicken Soup & Other Folk Remedies, this volume, something of a Prairie Home Companion–style health manual, includes new and revised material addressing such topics as ADD and ADHD, children’s health, osteoporosis and diabetes. The sisters Wilen offer brief entries with homespun solutions, many herbal based, for an alphabetical listing of concerns from asthma, colds and fainting to headaches, smoking and weight control. In many cases, however, the Wilens give little explanation for a remedy’s effect (for example, taking oregano for depression “has a way of lifting one’s spirits” and eating sauerkraut may prevent sciatica). Beyond specific cures, there are some all-around wonder workers: the “good-bye dear” morning kiss, bee pollen, the ancient grain salba and singing among them. Although well-meaning, this compendium of folk medicine has a few unsettling moments (for instance, the Wilens’ comment on depression that “staying in a funk” is a choice, and the injunction to “order your body to heal itself”). Such comments will leave even those committed to natural healing grateful for the science that has brought medicine into the 21st century. (Dec.)

These books show readers how to shed all sorts of baggage.

Blanke (Between Trapezes), a motivational speaker and former columnist for Real Simple, shovels aside detritus to make space for cleaner rooms and clearer minds. She challenges readers to follow her example in discarding 50 things; tossed items range from old clothes to “the need to be right.” The author’s suggestions range from the humble (“Have a swap party for your outgrown clothes”) to the ambitious (“Clarify who you are”), and her scope and environmentally conscious mind-set make the book a rousing call to total transformation—one mismatched sock at a time. (Mar.)

Walsh (Does This Clutter Make My Butt Look Fat) skillfully diagnoses and proposes a cure for overburdened people with a six-part plan that systematically addresses relationships, career, family, money, health and spiritual well-being with practical prescriptions and an emotional focus. The relationship section urges readers to become “the person you want to come home to” and to conduct a personal inventory. Complete with useful clutter-assessment quizzes, this book provides a compelling and comprehensive remedy to the chaos. (Mar.)

A buoy for those drowning from too much to do, but not enough time in which to do it, Emmett (The Clutter-Busting Handbook) focuses on developing self-care and time management skills. Warning that people should don their own oxygen mask before assisting others, the author argues persuasively for taking responsibility for one’s own needs and happiness. A mantra of excellence over perfectionism drives many of the book’s lessons, and work sheets and the author’s fresh voice make this slender volume a quick and thoughtful read. (Jan.)

According to Babauta (Zen to Done), employing “the power of less” will propel readers from chaos to blissful and productive minimalism. Learning to set limitations, such as penning a three-item “Most Important Task” list every day and restricting e-mails to five lines, is a cornerstone for the author’s plan for increased simplicity and satisfaction. With new boundaries in place, readers can discover “flow,” become wholly absorbed in tasks and live the paradox of doing less and achieving more. (Jan.)

Two books take a look at the business of music.

A consultant to the U.K.’s Ace Records, Broven (Rhythm and Blues in New Orleans) has followed rock and R&B closely for more than half a century. Covering the convoluted history of the recording industry from the 1940s to the 1960s, he combines in-depth archival research with fascinating anecdotes about chart-toppers, shady characters and label owners (“the ultimate risk takers”). To survey the situations that turned Tin Pan Alley topsy-turvy and spawned the post-WWII rise of the low-budget indie labels, Broven begins with the symbiotic relationship of jukebox distributors, DJs and record retailers. He conducted 100 interviews, including with key industry figures: Marshall Chess (Chess Records), Sam Phillips (Sun), Jerry Wexler (Atlantic) and George Avakian (Columbia). Yet he does not ignore lesser-known players such as Mimi Trepel, the “unseen heroine of rock ’n’ roll,” who witnessed the “social upheavals in music” as she went from Brooklyn radio to head of foreign distribution for London Records. The impact of conniving entrepreneurs on the musicians and the layering of rich details and digressive detours as Broven traces the transition from R&B to rock make this equal to Roger D. Kinkle’s massive, four-volume Complete Encyclopedia of Popular Music and Jazz. (Feb.)

In this ambitious look at the music industry’s digital revolution, freelance music writer Knopper admirably attempts to make sense of more than three decades of fitful technological innovation and ego clashes. The story begins with the antidisco rallies of the late 1970s, spends a great deal of time on the excesses of the CD era (with an unnecessary detour into the nefarious business dealings of boy band manager Lou Pearlman), then chronicles the reign of Napster and its eventual usurpation by Apple’s legal iTunes service. Knopper is at his best giving life to the tales of technological innovation and diligent salesmanship that fueled these shifts in consumer trends, as in the story of the CD’s invention and the subsequent difficulty of persuading label executives to adopt the new format. The later tales of backroom deals featuring Steve Jobs and various label heads have the spark of real drama, but this is undermined by Knopper not having access to Jobs and by the historical proximity of the events. (Jan.)