Web Exclusive Reviews: 6/1/2009

NONFICTION

 Embedded: A Marine Corps Adviser Inside the Iraqi Army
Wesley Gray. Naval Institute, $28.95 (272p) ISBN 9781591143406
In this illuminating memoir, Marine Corps 2nd Lt. Gray recounts his eight-month tour as part of a Military Transition Team, working as an advisor to the Iraqi Army on location. Gray was fluent in Arabic prior to deployment, giving him enormous insight into the culture and worldview of Iraqis as citizens and soldiers and obvious advantages over colleagues (and competing memoirists) relying on translantors On many occasions, Gray encounters an Insh’ Allah philosophy, a mantra of “If God wills it” or “God willing” can strike Americans as lazy or unmotivated. Among other startling lessons, Gray discovered that loyalty to tribe supersedes duty to the state; the Iraqi Army soldiers he was training were spending their monthly leave in the ranks of local tribal militias. Gray details the cultural nuances and interpersonal relationships of occupied Iraq with such care and clarity, it's a must-read for anyone interested in the the reconstruction, especially those set to deploy. 20 b&w photos. (May)

Fire: The Spark that Ignited Human Evolution
Frances D. Burton. University of New Mexico Press, $34.95 (256p) ISBN 9780826346469
Anthropology professor and primate expert Burton combs the evidence for clues to how our ancestors went from observing wild grassland fires to producing and using their own, and how that ability furthered evolutionary development. At the heart of thetext lies a detailed study of light; Burton details the quantity of light produced by various natural sources, from a moonless night to bright sunlight, and discusses how light reception impacts humans. For instance, "[W]ould a campfire have produced the light necessary to have had a physiological effect on [our ancestors]?" Comparing results from a detailed campfire experiment with research on melatonin and circadian rhythms, Burton concludes that, in fact, "[t]he repercussions throughout hormonal systems and patterns of brain activity over time may be a critical factor in explaining the divergence of our species." Burton further explores bipedalism, diet and social groups, and discusses scientific evidence for the dating of fire's use. With great detail and concise arguments, this well-sourced work will fascinate armchair scientists with an interest in anthropology and evolution. (May)

 Nice Work if You Can Get It: Life and Labor in Precarious Times
Andrew Ross. NYU, $27.95 (245p) ISBN 9780814776292
With admirable timing, this volume examines a global workplace infrastructure that’s as shaky as the economy would indicate. Taking a hard line against exploitation of workers in a variety of roles worldwide, Ross looks closely at workers on the verge, and those putting them there. In the chapter “China’s Next Cultural Revolution?”, he warns that “Beijing's rulers have nothing to worry about” so long as “the creative sector behaves like other industries... They can be groomed and promoted... to absorb foreign investment and foreign ideas, to exploit low production costs....” He tackles the Western world with the same nonplussed tone, as when discussing corporate PR tactics to deny ties to labor abuses by promoting social good, naming names like Nike, Reebok and the Gap. He also hits higher education, where much of the workplace is shaped, noting that it's “all too easy to conclude that the global university, as it takes shape, will emulate some of the conduct of multinational corporations.” Rejecting the widely influential, free marketeer notion of a worldwide “playing field,” Ross leaves no room for easy answers (or an “alternative, and equally snappy, image” to answer Thomas Friedman's or Richard Florida's). Though far from uplifting, this is a bold, pointed look at reality as it is, a far more valuable commodity. (May)

No Family History: The Environmental Links to Breast Cancer
Sabrina McCormick. Rowman & Littlefield, $34.95 (192p) ISBN 9780742562578
While billions of dollars have gone toward researching treatments, and ultimately a cure, for breast cancer, very little has gone toward studying preventative action, except on the personal level (diet, exercise, etc.). This eye-opening book from health and sociology scholar McCormick explores numerous environmental causes of breast cancer, but more importantly casts a harsh light on the motivations of industries that donate to cancer research while manufacturing carcinogenic toxins. The narrative takes a tour of research data and advocacy groups while following the progress of one Long Island woman undergoing breast cancer treatment. McCormick’s text is full of disturbing details, in the form of statistics and individual obstacles; there are thousands of breast cancer diagnoses every year, many for women who take good care of themselves and don’t engage in risk behaviors. McCormick also addresses the inevitable question, “Why me?”, with a compelling and strident determinism, attempting to jog readers into realizing that giving money and buying products with pink ribbons isn't enough; rather, people must become aware of the chemicals around them and hold corporations accountable with their spending dollars. (June)

The Priest and the Medium: The Amazing True Story of Psychic Medium B. Anne Gehman and Her Husband, Former Jesuit Priest Wayne Knoll, Ph.D.
Suzanne R. Giesemann. Hay House, $15.95 (250p) ISBN 9781401923090
Every love story contains its own language and mythology, including a fateful first meeting and a unique set of challenges to overcome. Author Giesemann, a motivational speaker and former Navy Commander, finds a dramatic and insightful example in the true love story of spiritualist minister-psychic medium B. Anne Gehman and Jesuit priest-turned-Georgetown University professor Knoll. Giesemann pursues their parallel stories from disparate beginnings—Gehman was raised a Mennonite, Knoll a Roman Catholic—through their training, careers and their destined rendevous. Even more fascinating than the unlikely soulmates' love story, however, are tales of Gehman's predictions, including JFK's assassination, and her work with police and government agencies in Queens, N.Y. and Washington D.C. Giesemann also presents a conversation about faith with Gehman and Knoll at their lakeside home in Lily Dale, N.Y. Romantics with interest in faith and/or true crime should find this a stirring read. (June)

 Street Fighters: The Last 72 Hours of Bear Stearns, the Toughest Firm on Wall Street
Kate Kelly. Portfolio, $25.95 (256p) ISBN 9781591842736
Wall Street Journal reporter Kelly expands on her 2008 three-part series, written just two and a half months after the collapse of financial giant Bear Stearns, with an hour-by-hour account of the crisis that goes behind the stock prices and into the meeting rooms of top executives as the crisis comes into horrifying focus. A kind of “dysfunctional family, driven by greed and a complex code of internal politics,” Kelly expertly breaks down Bear’s vulnerability as a leader in mortgage-backed securities, with “one of the heaviest debt loads of any firm on the Street.” As word got out that the firm was in trouble, a wave of panic selling sent the stock plummeting to $60 on the second day of the crisis (after securing Federal Reserve funding) only to bottom out at two dollars a share in fire-house-sale offer from J.P. Morgan. Enlivened by graphic descriptions of executive disarray and cameo profiles of scrambling financiers as they come to appreciate the magnitude of the disaster they unleashed (COO Friedman, when asked by NY Fed Geithner how bad it was, answered “Very. End of the world bad.”), this riveting account puts the ensuing worldwide financial crises in stark perspective. (May)

A Trance After Breakfast: And Other Passages
Alan Cheuse. Sourcebooks, $14.99 (262p) ISBN 9781402215162
Novelist, essayist, editor and NPR mainstay Cheuse (To Catch the Lightning, Listening to the Page) compiles a highly literate travelogue from material previously published in Gourmet, the Antioch Review and elsewhere. In “Reading the Archipelago,” Cheuse's survey of Indonesia-centric literature is so compelling it will make readers want to pick up some Conrad and Melville. The clever “Thirty-five Passages Over Water” covers notable journeys, the parts that come before or after the destination, moving backward in time. “CODA: Two Oceans” evokes the Jersey native's Atlantic/Pacific memories. The title piece recounts Bali's atmosphere of spirituality, but isn't as strong as his reporting from the U.S.-Mexico border at San Ysidro: “the great crossing point, nexus of cultures, nexus of countries, nexus of vision, nexus of borderlands between first world and third”; he's just as piercing regarding the psychology of those who make the trip across. Though it starts slow, three Mexico narratives prove splendid enough to forgive; Cheuse's eclectic journeys shine a spotlight on one of the greatest rewards of travel, “to know... something quite valuable that had never occurred to us before.” (June)

Twenty Minutes in Manhattan
Michael Sorkin. Univ. of Chicago, $27 (272p) ISBN 9781861894281
Architecture critic and CUNY professor Sorkin (Against the Wall: Israel's Barrier to Peace) sets out with the simple task of narrating the daily commute from his Greenwich Village apartment to his studio in Tribeca. The result, a book of essays that's both memoir and sociohistorical study, is anything but pedestrian. Sorkin covers a range of material, from the history of NYC tenement laws to the sociological ramifications of Disneyland to his own battle with an avaricious landlord. Taking the torch from late urban activist Jane Jacobs, Sorkin discusses the ideological function of the urban neighborhood and its citizens, particularly as an antidote to the commercializing, gentrifying, homoginizing effects of capitalism. Historical and architectural details are considered at length; the Washington Square arch, for example, was “erected to commemorate the hundredth anniversary of George Washington’s inaugural,” but later used by Marcel Duchamp and John Sloan “to declare the independence of the 'Republic of Greenwich Village.'” Sorkin also profiles current residents like his elderly neighbor Jane, “an active presence at the community garden” who once “propelled herself from her chair to thwart a mugging across the street.” Delightful and informative, this romp will please anyone with affection for the big city. (May)

LIFESTYLE

The Genius Machine: The Eleven Steps That Turn Raw Ideas into Brilliance
Gerald Sindell. New World Library (PGW, dist.), $19.95 (152p) ISBN 9781577316503
Making reality out of “what the world/workplace/spouse needs now” daydreams into reality doesn't come easy. Intellectual property consultant Sindell, over the past 20 years, has observed and consulted many passionate, successful creative types—authors, business leaders and others—and has managed to chart an eleven-step process to help anyone develop, discover and further capitalize on their intellectual assets—their ideas. His system strives to be fast, complete and strategic. Fortunately, it's also clear and engaging, aiming for a wide audience of independent inventors, corporate marketers and managers of all kinds. Using goal-oriented language, Sindell makes each step a challenge, from Distinction to Testing to Connecting to Advocacy. Heavy on anecdotal evidence and historical genuflection (to visionaries including Charles Goodyear, Benjamin Franklin, Albert Einstein), the text also uses three recurring examples that prove intriguing: designing “an eco-friendly toaster,” “the best way to educate children,” and “a way to [retain] talented people." Sindell's systematic approach to idea development comes with a healthy side of self-discovery, making this a thorough strategy for creative types wishing to turn an inspired napkin doodle into a plan. (May)

  500 Things to Eat Before It’s Too Late: And the Very Best Places to Eat Them
Jane Stern and Michael Stern. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, $19.95 paper (448p) ISBN 9780547059075
Veteran road dogs and James Beard Award-winning food journalists Jane and Michael Stern (Roadfood, Two for the Road) have what may be their best offering yet in this easy to use, consolidated guide to America’s best off-the-beaten-path eateries. Along the way, the Sterns identify the best of everything crave-worthy: regional specialties like cheese steaks in Philly, southern sweets like banana pudding and key lime pie, as well as (admittedly subjective) national rankings for classics like ribs, burgers and French fries. They even scour elusive vendors like Connecticut hot dog wagons and San Francisco taco trucks. Other notable suggestions: a cool glass of the Latino rice milk beverage Horchata at Guelaguetza in L.A., the Northwest’s best cup of coffee at Ristretto Roasters in Portland; and the best cherry pie in Michigan at Beulah’s Cherry Hut. Homebodies can make do with a handful of recipes (including Cincinnati five way chili, and Massachusetts’s Dirt Bomb, a cinnamon and sugar-rolled muffin), but the Sterns’ lyrical and enthusiastic field reports, topped off with suggestions for after-meal exploring (Philadelphia’s medical anomalies museum, New Orleans’s Audobon Insectarium), should be enough to get any reader with a taste for mom-and-pop Americana hungry for the road. (June)

Organic and Chic: Cakes, Cookies and Other Sweets That Taste as Good as They Look
Sarah Magid. Morrow. $25.99 (272p) ISBN 9780061673580
Throughout this otherwise lively new collection of wholesome, sophisticated baked goods, Magid uses the word “organic” like a cudgel—seemingly every ingredient is prefaced with the word. Though the term gets tiresome, Magid presents a measured argument for organic eggs, flours and sugars in her creations (though, puzzlingly, she has no problem with food coloring) as well as sourcing suggestions. In 60 recipes, Magid offers up crowd-pleasers like oatmeal raisin cookies and flourless chocolate almond cake, as well as homemade variations on childhood all-stars like Girl Scout Thin Mint cookies and Hostess Sno-balls. Grown-ups will swoon over her Lovely Lemon Cake with marshmallow frosting, Minty Strawberry Shortcakes and her Chocolate Love Blossom—a multilayer chocolate cake filled with vanilla whipped cream and/or a red currant curd, and covered with a rich ganache. Though the titles may sound ambitious, most recipes are more than manageable; Magid even includes an easy recipe for no-bake honey peanut dough to keep the kids busy. (June)

Tequila: Myth, Magic and Spirited Recipes
Karl Petzke. Chronicle, $18.95 (128p) ISBN 9780811865043
Writer and James Beard Award-winning photographer Petzke (Espresso, Chocolate) swings his lens south to offer a thoughtful take on Mexico’s signature liquor. After debunking myths and offering a timeline of tequila’s evolution and rise in popularity, Petzke gets to the good stuff, offering a number of uses for the versatile spirit. Of course there are margaritas, but Petzke also offers variations on mojitos, greyhounds, Bloody Marys and even the Negroni, which should have tequila aficionados beefing up their selection of mixers (it should be noted, however, that this is no buying guide). For those who prefer to sup rather than sip, Petzke offers recipes like an easy Grapefruit-Tequila Granita to be spooned over raw oysters, roast chicken covered with a rich reposado tequila mole, and pork shoulder slow-cooked with blanco tequila, limes, garlic and other spices to yield succulent pulled pork. It would be easy for Petzke’s guide to go overboard or devolve into an impractical novelty act, but his restraint and common sense make sure the text stays sober while encouraging readers to drink up. (June)