Web Exclusive Reviews: Week of 03/02/2009
-- Publishers Weekly, 3/2/2009
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Seth Shostak. National Geographic, $27 (320p) ISBN 9781426203923
NONFICTION
Catastrophe: The Story of Bernard L. Madoff, the Man Who Swindled the World
Deborah and Gerald Strober. Phoenix, $14.95 paper (256p) ISBN 9781597776400
With his arrest on Dec. 11, 2008, the world first learned that Wall Street trader and former NASDAQ chairman Bernard Madoff was allegedly running the largest Ponzi scheme in history, a $50 billion scam constructed over decades. Husband and wife writing team the Strobers (Billy Graham, The Nixon Presidency) set out to discover “what sort of person could have coldly stolen from those who had entrusted him... in many instances, with their life savings?” Born in 1938, Madoff was an unmemorable student who, in his mid-twenties, got into investing with $5000. His rags-to-riches story helped him become one of the most trusted men in the financial world, delivering fantastic returns to clients like Kevin Bacon, Stephen Spielberg, the Fairfield Fund, a wide range of Jewish philanthropies, and countless other individual investors. Put together in less than three months, this early account depends largely on media and internet stories, supplemented by 25 interviews with those who knew Madoff. Though the Strobers raise many questions that can't yet be answered (how Madoff evaded regulators, whether he had confederates, etc.), their study of a charming alleged con man is compelling, can't-make-this-stuff-up reading. (Mar.)
Curiosities of Literature: A Feast for Book Lovers
John Sutherland. Skyhorse, $22.95 (288p) ISBN 9781602393714
Author and literature professor Sutherland collects a sundry list of literary fact and trivia into a chaotic assortment of narratives. Organized under a stream-of-consciousness list of themes (“Literary Baked Meats,” “Better Than Sex, Some Say,” “Mammon and the Book Trade”), Sutherland has set few boundaries for himself regarding subject matter: irritable bowel syndrome, the wedding night, and Rose of Sharon's absurdly generous gift in the conclusion of The Grapes of Wrath all come into play. Though he might be self-indulgent, Sutherland delves into the minutiae with grace and good British wit, bringing humor and appeal to even the most (seemingly) dull subjects. Average readers don't need to worry about comparative illiteracy; Sutherland is so thorough that prior knowledge isn't necessary. A lively read for anyone who wants to learn more about their favorite classics, and a lively cheat sheet for those who want to impress their friends in the lit crowd. (Apr.)
Flammable: Environmental Suffering in an Argentine Shantytown
Javier Auyero and Débora Alejandra Swistun. Oxford Univ., $19.95 paper (256p) ISBN 9780195372939
Sociology professor Auyero (Poor People’s Politics) and Argentinean anthropologist Swistun combine their divergent backgrounds and research skills to present this case study of Swistun’s home, a crowded Buenos Aires shantytown called Flammable with a poor, highly polluted environment. Complicated by the false optimism they receive from the government, media and lawyers (“having shit in your drinking water” is good, lawyers say, “because you can get a lot of money out of it”) residents understand contamination, but they “interpret the information in different and sometimes contradictory ways.” The authors see this “social domination” as the major instrument keeping residents from meaningful protest or organization; even residents aware that Shell Oil dumps toxic waste into their community are subtly re-informed by “many misinterventions” that obscure the source of the problem (are companies to blame, or the government? high-transmission electrical wires? poor personal health habits?). A powerful study of environmental abuse and “toxic suffering,” this will acquaint readers in a personal way with a troubling and too-common plight. (Apr.)
Got the Life: My Journey of Addiction, Faith, Recovery, and Korn
Fieldy with Laura Morton. Morrow, $26.99 (288p) ISBN 9780061662492
Repetitive and vague, this memoir from former Korn bassist Fieldy is a slog only fans could love. For 200 pages, addiction dominates the narrative of Fieldy’s rock and roll career, which revolves numbingly around the same two points: “I didn’t realize what a jerk I was” and “I didn’t want to talk… I just wanted to drink and get high.” That might explain why he can’t seem to remember much from the band’s early days, painted in broad strokes: “It was a rough tour but we still managed to do whatever was necessary to get through”; “Somehow, between all of the tours and being on the road, I had gotten [my first wife] pregnant.” Fieldy fares better when he reaches the recovery and faith stage, confessing that “I don’t want my children to go through the depths of hell to discover there’s a better way.” Fieldy’s redemption seems sincere (though readers may wonder if his apologetic letters to former friends weren’t written for the book), but his tale is strictly for those impressed by details like “I knew DJ Lethal from his days of being in House of Pain, though he would later join Limp Bizkit.” Photos. (Mar.)
Le Corbusier and the Occult
J. K. Birksted. MIT, $44.95 (416p) ISBN 9780262026482
Hidden sources and ambiguous inspirations abound in the work of famous, highly influential architect Le Corbusier, who reinvented himself in his thirties, mythologizing much of his history. This book takes a robust, unblinking look at the blanks in need of filling, covering “as much about the secret sources of Le Corbusier’s architecture—that is, of what he threw away and did not want us to know—as it is about modernist relations to history.” As a child, Le Courbusier (then Charles-Édouard Jeanneret) was immersed in Masonic thought (a big part of social life in his Swiss hometown), which elevates the right angle as a symbol of righteousness and life. Le Corbusier’s inspiration by, and celebration of, the right angle is a major theme; he referred to his own Poem of the Right Angle representing “not only the foundation of my being but also… of my architecture and of my art.” UK scholar Birksted unpacks a wide range of philosophical and aesthetic meanings resonating through Le Courbusier’s work. Though it deepens the scholarship considerably, the exhaustive study’s meandering narrative makes the material more than a little confusing. Still, the bold connections he makes should hold the interest of art and architecture fans. 177 illus. (Mar.)
Making Freedom: The Extraordinary Life of Venture Smith
Chandler B. Saint and George A. Krimsky. Wesleyan Univ. (Univ. Press of New England, dist.), $18.95 (200p) ISBN 9780819568540
Born to a noble African family, Venture Smith was captured and sold into slavery. Purchased by a wealthy family in New England, Smith immediately began to work to better his lot. He survived turbulent pre-Revolutionary New England and earned freedom for himself and his growing family. He went on to prosper in a tragically unjust time, and his detailed memoirs, recorded by a schoolteacher (he never learned to write) provide a surprisingly in-depth look at an often glossed-over part of American history, slavery in the North. In this book, historian Saint and journalist Krimsky go through the original 32-page memoir, commissioned by Smith in old age, providing a meticulously researched account of the man and his times. History buffs will be fascinated, particularly American history nuts far more familiar with stories of Southern slavery. Though it may leave readers wishing for more, Saint and Krimsky's brief, accessible history ends with a rich collection of research material, including a reproduction of Smith's original manuscript. (Feb.)
On Moving: A Writer’s Meditation on New Houses, Old Haunts, and Finding Home Again
Louise DeSalvo. Bloomsbury, $22 (240p) ISBN 9781596915819
From Percy Blythe Shelley’s ultimately fatal moving habits to Elizabeth Bishop’s endless search for a true home, author and professor DeSalvo chronicles the writer's quest for the perfect home in this memoir-slash-literary history. A noted Virginia Woolf biographer, DeSalvo devotes a hefty portion of the book to Woolf’s journey from home to home, and her insight into the poet's turmoil and hope is fascinating. The most compelling parts of the book, however, are DeSalvo's own, both in the particulars and the big picture: “Most of my ancestors’ moves, until my parents’ and my generation… seem to have been caused by climate change… [populations] reaching critical levels, or by cataclysmic natural or historical events.” Still, DeSalvo's story doesn't feel quite complete; she never adequately resolve her seeming inability to move with the fact of doing so. Early on, she remarks that, like many, she was “blindsided by moving's almost inevitable consequences,” and by the book's end she seems not much closer to illumination. Still, her narrative is thought-provoking, and should interest lit fans struggling with a recent or impending move. (Mar.)
Something’s Rising: Appalachians Fighting Mountaintop Removal
Silas House and Jason Howard. Univ. Press of Ken., $27.95 (312p) ISBN 9780813125466
Novelist House (Clay’s Quilt) and Kentucky journalist Howard, both “children of Appalachia,” decided to pick up where the national media have left off in their environmental obsession, illuminating the long-growing mining crisis in Central Appalachia. Twelve Appalachians—among them a college student, former union organizers, community activists and the octogenarian “mother of folk,” Jean Ritchey—provide first-hand accounts of a disappearing way of life, a vital ecology in rapid decline, an industry that refuses to take responsibility for the devastation it causes (blowing the tops off mountains is only the latest, most destructive technique), and a nation too hooked on cheap energy to help. If nothing else, these oral histories will give readers a sense of what’s at stake on a personal level. Student Nathan Hall calls mining the best job he ever had: “I met the most interesting characters of my life… the most hilarious, most good hearted.” Says Judy Bond, lifelong resident of the leading coal-producing county in W.V., “The more coal we mine, the poorer we get.” This important collection illuminates the ongoing betrayal of the American mining town. (Apr.)
LIFESTYLE
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Ardie Davis. Harvard Common, $12.95 (128p) ISBN 9781558323926
Ardie Davis. Harvard Common, $12.95 (128p) ISBN 9781558323933 Babycakes: Gluten-Free, Vegan, Mostly Sugar-Free Treats from New York’s Most Talked About BakeryErin McKenna. Clarkson Potter, $24 (144p) ISBN 9780307408839
Diagnosed with wheat and dairy allergies in 2004, McKenna faced a life free of cupcakes, pies and brownies. Refusing to accept such a bleak future, McKenna did her research and opened Babycakes, a vegan, gluten-free bakery that has since been warmly embraced by cupcake-crazy Manhattanites. Here she shows readers how to create vegan and gluten-free versions of favorites like apple pie, chocolate chip cookies, gingerbread and Babycakes’s infamous cupcakes (named best in the city by New York magazine in 2006). Her like-for-like recipes (including Healthy Hostess cupcakes and ingenious methods for dying frostings without artificial food coloring) are sure to satisfy discerning palates, and her emphasis on the traditional (blondies, biscuits, red velvet cupcakes, etc.) make her recipes easy to incorporate into the regular rotation. A number of specialty ingredients are required (agave nectar, xanthan gum, coconut oil, etc.), which can be pricey but are fairly easy to source (online vendors are listed).; Happily, however, McKenna keeps the ingredient list to a minimum. Those new to gluten- and sugar-free baking may be intimidated, but McKenna is friendly, patient, enthusiastic and encouraging. Those with dietary restrictions, and their families, will find this cookbook a sweet revelation. (Apr.)
Delectable Desserts: Over 250 Best-Loved Recipes for Every Season of the Year
Wendy Louise and MaryAnn Koopmann. Sourcebooks, $12.99 paper (320p) ISBN 9781402212260
In this copious collection of homemade favorites, Wisconsin moms Louise and Koopmann make good on their belief that "a good meal deserves a good dessert." Organized by month, the duo offer more than 250 ideas that take advantage of seasonal ingredients: lemon squares in August, stuffed baked apples in October, and five ideas for rhubarb (pie, cake, torte, cobbler and mousse) to get families through May. Those with little confidence or experience will get the most out of the book; many recipes call for canned fillings and boxed mixes (Cakes in a Jar” calls for just two ingredients, cake mix and canning jars). Still, those interested in making their own cannolli shells or pate choux for eclairs (here called Puff Pastry for Cream Puffs) will find faithful recipes. The focus is on family favorites that can be whipped up on a whim or a weekend; comfort food desserts like Swedish Cardamom Cookies, a simple no-bake cheesecake, and Neil's Popcorn Balls (incorporating M&Ms, peanuts, popcorn, melted marshmallows and butter) aren't likely to win any culinary prizes, but they will certainly make for warm family memories—a fine prize for any chef. (Apr.)
Go Green Get Lean: Trim Your Waistline with the Ultimate Low-Carbon Footprint Diet
Kate Geagan. Rodale, $19.95 paper (320p) ISBN 9781605299891
Comparing a consumption-heavy lifestyle to a gas-guzzling SUV, Geagan arms readers with a dense but readable treatise on making healthier choices for body and planet. Over the course of six weeks, readers are encouraged to adopt a "flexitarian" diet, heavy on plants with limited amounts of fish, meat and chicken. In a week-by-week fashion, Geagan illustrates the benefits of greener consumption habits with straightforward, relevant data—not only do readers learn the benefits of adding more water to their diet, they also learn the fastest way to shrink their carbon footprint is eliminating bottled water—though she may alienate some with her presumption that we're all on the same sociopolitical page. Geagan keeps an impressive amount of research manageable with anecdotes, charts and digressions covering milk myths (it does not in fact help you lose weight); the fresh-frozen-or-canned debate; and requisite dining out tips. The already-converted and those sincerely interested in change should find this a valuable resource, but McMansion-dwelling, SUV-driving convenience-food junkies should prepare for a harsh talking-down to. (Mar.)
Takashi’s Noodles
Takashi Yagihashi with Harris Salat. Ten Speed, $24.95 paper (192p) ISBN 9781580089654
Expertly synthesizing his experience in French, American and Japanese kitchens, James Beard Award-winning chef Yagihashi gives noodle-philiacs 75 inventive, appetizing reasons to drop the take-out and roll up their sleeves. Divided by noodle type (ramen, soba, udon, somen, other Asian noodles and pasta), offerings like sake-steamed chicken with ramen, beef short ribs served with chewy saifun bean threads, and classics like Pad Thai and pho, all showcase the versatility of the simple noodle. International riffs like Soba Gnocchi with Celery Root Foam, Cassoulet of Crab, Kimchi and Harusame and the down-home comfort of Corned Beef with Rice Noodles exemplify Yagihashi’s global approach. Instructions for making one’s own soba noodles, egg pasta and somen (as well as six dipping sauces) complete the roundup, and sticklers for detail will be pleased that Yagihashi is not one to cut corners. Though it contains recipes for practically every skill level and taste, cooks without access to a well-stocked Asian grocery are likely to wind up frustrated. Noodle fans with a stocked pantry will have plenty to slurp about. 40 color photos. (Apr.)
FICTION
Cabal of the Westford Knight: Templars at the Newport Tower
David S. Brody. Martin and Lawrence (Blu Sky Media, dist.), $14.95 paper (420p) ISBN 9780977389872
Lawyer Cameron Thorne is trying to help an elderly couple keep their home when he finds himself dangerously immersed in an ancient conspiracy. Forced on the run with researcher Amanda, with deadly stalkers from two extremist factions hot on their trail, they begin to piece together information that ties together clues scattered across the Northeast. These clues reveal centuries old efforts by the Catholic Church to surpress information about Prince Henry Sinclair and the Templars that could tear the church apart if they survive long enough to reveal them. Brody delves right into the historical fiction field made so trendy by works like The Da Vinci Code and picks up where they leave off. The novel is extremely well-researched and self-aware, and Brody does a terrific job of wrapping his research in a fast-paced thrill ride that will feel far more like an action film than an academic paper, though both elements are distinctly present. That being said, by the end, the reader is uncertain how much of the theory Brody sincerely believes and how much just makes for a good story. Fans of conspiracy novels will enjoy this but it will be difficult for the average reader to separate this from the Da Vinci Code phenomenon and appreciate this on its own merits. (Feb.)
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