Web Exclusive Reviews: 7/13/2009
-- Publishers Weekly, 7/13/2009
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Author and anthropology professor Stromberg (Language and Self-Transformation) examines popular entertainment of all kinds for their societal effects, past and present, in this rigorous and readable study. Books, movies, and shopping come under the microscope, but so do forms like advertising; intelligently twining propagandistic effects with the idea of romantic realism to find the motivation for consumer spending and product appeal. Stromberg also delivers an array of information about early theater and the origins of the European and American obsession with fashion. Drawing from a collection of established researchers and authors, Stromberg's all-encompassing text is, itself, a meta-narrative on his idea of being “caught up,” that entertainment maintains its grip on society because it replaces mundane, every day existence with a more colorful, peaceful, meaningful world. Reading this smart commentary on the grand spectrum of entertainment is an addictive experience, a sharp example of the very phenomenon it illuminates. (June)NONFICTION
Buddhism, the First Millennium
Daisaku Ikeda. Middleway, $14.95 (208p) ISBN 9780977924530
Drawing on Japanese scholarship as well as close reading of Buddhist scriptures, Ikeda analyzes how a movement in turmoil after the death of the Buddha began to codify its teachings and split into two streams, the Theravada (“Teaching of the Elders”) and the Mahayana (“Great Vehicle”). He acknowledges the speculative nature of this task due to the “fragmentary bits of information” that have survived, but draws conclusions about the complex development of Buddhist thought by examining historical evidence and classic texts like the Vimalakirti Sutra. Ikeda shows how Mahayana philosophy emerged as a reform movement that followers believed was closer than Theravada to the true wisdom of the Buddha. Founder and president of Soka Gakkai International (SGI), a world-wide lay organization based on teachings of Nichiren Buddhism, Ikeda draws attention to Mahayana’s emergence as a lay movement and to the importance of the Lotus Sutra. This thoughtful if sectarian introduction to Buddhism’s origins describes how a movement interprets its founder’s teachings, determines them to be authentic, and attempts to remain true to those ideals. An earlier version of this translation by scholar Burton Watson was published in 1977. (Aug.)
Near Death in the Desert: True Stories of Disaster and Survival
Edited by Cecil Kuhue. Vintage, $15.95 (432p) ISBN 9780307279361
Manna for the armchair traveler, this volume collects 12 stories of worn yet resilient travelers on a path through no-man’s-land. Revealing the startling beauty and unending danger of the desert, contributors identify local guides as both lifelines and enemies, and camels as courageous, strong, obstinate travel partners. Except for a 3,000-mile trek around Baja, Calif., and a Colorado River canyon expedition, entries detail the big deserts of Africa and Asia, complete with nomads, charlatans, ghastly provisions and ugly illnesses. Robyn Davidson, the lone woman contributor, writes beautifully of her love/hate relationship with India; travel writer Geoffrey Moorhouse portrays hunger on a march through the Sahara as “tentacles of discomfort that slowly crawled up the belly” and “the windy emptiness within”; British explorer Wilfred Thesiger describes the Arabian Peninsula’s Empty Quarter as a desert within a desert, “a wilderness of sand dunes surrounded by featureless gravel plains even more lifeless,” extending for some 1400 miles. Chronicling high adventure in barren lands, these brief, intense travel essays howl and snap with immediacy. (July)
Mass Destruction: The Men and Giant Mines that Wired America and Scarred the Planet
Timothy J. LeCain. Rutgers Univ., $26.95 (280p) ISBN 9780813545295
In this wide-ranging history, Montana State University historian LeCain explores open-pit copper mining as one example of the “most destructive and dangerous ideas of the past century.” From the Berkeley Pit "lake" outside of Butte, Montana, part of the country's largest Superfund site, to Utah's Bingham Pit copper mine, Lecain documents the legacy of 150 years' copper-fueled electrification: arsenic, cadmium, and other toxins released into the ecosystem along with copper ore. While mining is centuries old, modern open-pit methods have made it lucrative to mine material of even very low concentration, ballooning the number of mines. LeCain draws analogies to weapons of mass destruction as well as other extractive industries (timber, fishing, coal, etc.) and briefly suggests visions for the future: "the New West would do well to reconsider... the technologies and culture of mass destruction." In examining the history of one mining industry, LeCain has funnels a great deal of American history and culture into his narrative, resulting in a work that should catch a broad audience, from Old West history buffs to environmentalists. (July)
Rosalie Edge, Hawk of Mercy: The Activist who Saved Nature from the Conservationists
Dyana Z. Furmansky. Univ. of Georgia, $28.95 (376p) ISBN
Environmental reporter Furmansky uses newly available sources to pen this biographical tribute to a groundbreaking conservation activist, described by one contemporary as “the only honest, unselfish, indomitable hellcat in the history of conservation.” Rosalie Edge began her adventurous life in 1878, born to a privileged New York City family, but was neglected for much of her youth; in 1909 she would escape the states (with her first child) to join civil engineer Charlie Edge, her husband-to-be, for a few years in China. From 1915 to 1920, Rosalie was an active suffragette, but after separating from her husband in 1921 found a new cause in bird-watching, whose practitioners (at the time) killed and stuffed birds for study. Alerted by an American Museum of Natural History pamphlet, A Crisis in Conservation, Rosalie began focusing on the plight of eagles, hawks and other raptors, organizing a life-long campaign against the Audubon Society, which sanctioned the killing of domestic birds for feathers (and whose president hated birds of prey). This is an absorbing, pertinent story of an unsung environmental hero and her times. (July)
Runaway Devil: How Forbidden Love Drove a 12 Year Old to Murder Her Family
Robert Remington and Sherri Zickefoose. McClelland & Stewart, $23.95 (272p) ISBN 9780771073601
In 2006, 12-year-old “J.R.” and her 23-year-old boyfriend Jeremy Steinke murdered her mother, father and younger brother. Collecting information on the couple's troubling relationship, immersion in the local goth scene and obsession with violent music and films, Calgary journalists Remington and Zickefoose piece together the puzzle of a young girl's turn to familicide, a “culture did it” approach balanced by the considerable possibilities that Steinke corrupted the smart young girl, or vice-versa—that a charismatic young J.R. lured Steinke into murder. Ultimately, the authors manage at best to humanize the senseless tragedy of two deeply disturbed people, but don't look too hard for answers; the result is less like a genuine attempt to understand the tragedy than an exploitative narrative sounding the alarm against exploitation. As is unfortunately characteristic of true crime involving youth culture, this case has a schizophrenic approach to the goth subculture, which they describe as both misunderstood (demonized) and having played a prominent part in the couple's crimes. Still, those who want a solid, sensationalist crime account that gets into the heads of its subjects should find this a page-turning thrill. (Aug.)
LIFESTYLE
Canning and Preserving Your Own Harvest
Carla Emery and Lorene Edwards Forkner. Sasquatch (PGW, dist.), $16.95 paper (208p) ISBN 9781570615719
In this collection, excerpted from Emery’s seminal Encyclopedia of Country Living, home cooks get a wealth of practical ideas and techniques for making the most of fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs and meats come harvest season. Emery’s plainspoken approach to pickling, canning, drying and freezing removes much of the worry; tips on labeling, prepping vegetables for the freezer and a thorough introduction to canning (complete with processing times) will give first-timers confidence and make a welcome refresher for veterans. The recipes lean heavily on timeworn favorites like jams (including a No-Cook Strawberry Jam), sauerkraut, pickles, basic beef jerky and corned beef, though duck confit and the prospect of creating one’s own buried storage system should appeal to foodies ready for a new challenge. Sprinkled with tips on infusing liquors and recipes for the impatient like Quick Pickles (which reach their flavor potential in hours, rather than weeks) round out this fine introduction; it should have, like its subject matter, quite an extended shelf life. (Aug.)
Jewish Cooking Boot Camp: The Modern Girl’s Guide to Cooking Like Your Jewish Grandmother
Roz Marks and Andrea Marks Carneiro. Globe Pequot, $19.95 paper (224p) ISBN 9780762750887
Whatever tribe readers may belong to, they’re sure to find a few new favorites (and an auxiliary Jewish grandma) in this terrific collection, which has the feel of a conversation with a caring relative. Authors Marks and Carneiro state up front that they aren’t “keeping kosher or following rules” in their compilation of menus, organized by holiday (complete with wine pairings), though they do include a wealth of thoughtful tips for those who prefer to stick by tradition. Yes, brisket, latkes, kugel and flourless Passover Brownies make the mix, but so does a kosher caipirinha (utilizing kosher cachaca). The emphasis is on flavorful home cooking: chicken noodle soup, Swiss steak, mashed potatoes, and a simple ice cream pie will appeal to cooks of any faith. Anecdotes, quirky suggestions (like a list of Chanukah-appropriate hip-hop), and tips for buying and presentation jostle with recipes like a busy, satisfying family dinner, providing new cooks and those intimidated by Jewish cuisine a comforting, familial vibe. (Aug.)
Jon Bonnell’s Fine Texas Cuisine
Jon Bonnell. Gibbs Smith, $30 (224p) ISBN9781423605232
Though he never quite defines “fine Texas cuisine,” Bonnell’s curious mix of Cajun, Tex-Mex and local game certainly ups the ante for cowboy cooking. Bonnell’s modified classics highlight the unique characteristics of game meats like venison (as a tartare, carpaccio, and cheesesteak), quail (fried legs, ravioli), elk (tacos and chops) and buffalo (rib empanadas, smoked tenderloin with whiskey cream sauce). Preparations are often involved: one must home-smoke a beef tenderloin for his Tenderloin Nacho Tower appetizer, and Grilled Polenta takes a full day of preparation. Unapologetically pretentious, Bonnell prizes the process and calls for difficult-to-source ingredients (prized chukar partridges?), but illustrates his recipes with some of the most poorly-lit and composed photos in recent cookbook memory. To be fair, Bonnell can deliver when he tones down the showmanship; smoked turkey and chicken are simple, surefire hits, and his rotisserie prime rib will fire up those with grills of requisite size (massive). Cooks with a passion for arcane ingredients and homemade everything—and with some vacation time coming up—will get the most out of this volume. (Aug.)
Who’s Got Your Back: The Breakthrough Program to Build the Deep, Trusting Relationships That Create Success—and Won't Let You Fail
Keith Ferrazzi. Broadway, $26 (336p) ISBN 9780385521338
Six years ago, author and management consultant Ferazzi wrote Never Eat Alone, about networking and developing empathy with clients; since then, he’s founded his own company (Ferazzi Greenlight), and the challenge has taught him the value of “a group that cared about and encouraged” him, “totally infused with excitement, optimism, energy, creativity and hope.” Trying to recreate the dynamic interactions that defined work at his former employer, Deloitte & Touche, Ferrazzi discovered that, in every sphere of life, fostering a “peer-to-peer collaborative process,” based in interlinked support groups, creates a safe space where criticism, accountability and self-correction flourish (think Weight Watchers or Alcoholics Anonymous). This bit of understanding, Ferrazzi concludes, is something “great leaders and peak performers throughout history have always known,” and his lively, anecdotal style welcomes average readers to the practice of building “lifeline relationships.” Though Ferrazzi’s upbeat spirit is encouraging and his lessons valuable, an over-emphasis on the ideal (“There’s nothing inherently nonsupportive about today’s corporate culture”) fails to address many hard realities facing today’s American worker. (June)
ILLUSTRATED
Agitate! Educate! Organize! American Labor Posters
Lincoln Cushing and Timothy W. Drescher. Cornell Univ., $24.95 paper (205p) ISBN 9780801474279
This valuable document collects a century of posters designed by labor organizers, for purposes ranging from workplace safety to equal pay for women. As editors Cushing and Drescher note in their introduction, the dearth of scholarship on U.S. labor posters lead them to make little commentary, content “to indicate the potential for further investigations.” As such, the power of these designs retains a real sense of impact. Some are confrontational, like a Farm Labor Organizing poster featuring a drawing of a Campbell’s soup can with a label reading “Condemned: Cream of Exploitation.” A 1976 poster designed by Barbara Morgan bears the headline “Your Job is Killing You,” followed by statistics comparing the number of Americans killed on the job with the number of Americans killed in the Vietnam War. Posters about women workers feature original Rosie the Riveter designs, as well as one stating “This Dept. Has Gone _____ Days With No Sexual Harassment.” More than 250 images attest to the editors' demand for further study. Even more so, it's simply fascinating viewing that produces a sharp sense of nostalgia for a time when powerful visual art could lead to real change for the victimized. (June)
The Art of Harvey Kurtzman
Denis Kitchen and Paul Buhle. Abrams Comicarts, $40 (256p) ISBN 9780810972964
Though his tenure lasted less than two years at the publication, Harvey Kurtzman is the genius responsible for Mad magazine’s design, cast of characters, and unique brand of irreverence. In this beautifully illustrated volume, Kitchen and Buhle follow Kurtzman from his youth in the Depression-era Bronx, through his early freelance work, to his big break with William Gaines of E.C. Comics and beyond. At E.C., Kurtzman aired his anti-racist, anti-imperialist views in war comics Two-Fisted Tales and Frontline Combat. Kurtzman spent “long hours in the New York Public Library researching” to create authentic entertainment that also “compel[s] contemplation.” Once he had a family to feed, Kurtzman embarked on a less time-consuming humor project, which in 1952 launched as a comic book called Mad. For 23 issues, Kurtzman did it all—“every word from front to back, and laid out every cover, each story, and filler”—and, ultimately, saved E.C. from bankruptcy. When E.C. denied the artist’s request for partial ownership of the company, Kurtzman left. Eventually, he would establish three different humor magazines, none of which as successful as Mad, and spent the rest of his career doing a comic for Playboy. He remains a major influence on today’s comic writers, and this vibrant collection makes it easy to see why. (June)
FICTION
The Apostle
Brad Thor. Atria, $26.95 (368p) ISBN 9781416586579
At the start of bestseller Thor’s less than convincing sixth Scot Harvath thriller (after The Last Patriot), Robert Alden, the new and naïve U.S. president, has just taken office with a landslide victory, due mainly to the assistance of strategist Stephanie Gallo, who “delivered the mainstream media for him on a silver platter.” When Gallo’s daughter, a doctor working in Afghanistan, is kidnapped, Gallo turns to Alden for help, and he, in turn, calls on Harvath, a former Navy SEAL and intelligence operative. Since the kidnappers are demanding the release of one of Osama bin Laden’s lieutenants, Alden can’t be seen to be negotiating with them. Thus Harvath must carry out his tricky assignment without official sanction. Meanwhile, Secret Service agent Elise Campbell, troubled by a conversation fragment she overheard indicating that Gallo has serious dirt on the president, launches an off-the-books inquiry into the pre-election death in a car accident of an attractive aide to Alden. The overseas rescue operation is more plausible than the stateside plot, but that’s not saying much. (June)
He Is Legend: An Anthology Celebrating Richard Matheson
Edited by Christopher Conlon. Gauntlet, $60 (525p) ISBN 9781887368100
Poet and author Conlon (Midnight on Mourn Street) includes 16 original stories, each inspired by a different Richard Matheson work, in this heartfelt tribute to the “legendary” author. The quality is variable, ranging from the modest competence of Mick Garris’s “I Am Legend Too” to Gary A. Braunbeck’s pleasingly vindictive “Everything of Beauty Taken from You in This Life Remains Forever.” Some stories, like Nancy Collins’s “Return to Hell House”, are mere retellings, while others, like the superlative “Throttle” (the first collaboration between Stephen King and his son, Joe Hill), are distinctive works in their own right. Conlon also includes the complete script for Matheson and Charles Beaumont’s screen adaptation of Fritz Leiber’s novel “Conjure Wife,” which unfortunately replaces the protagonist’s cunning final ploy with a Hollywood-style resolution. This anthology is aimed at Matheson aficionados, but the strength and quality of the stories will attract a wider audience. (June)
Salt and SilverAnna Katherine. Tor, $6.99 (368p) ISBN 9780765363046
This lively tale of demons and gods, the debut effort of Katherine Macdonald and former Tor editor Anna Genoese, opens six years after witty, sarcastic Allie, a trust fund baby turned Brooklyn diner manager, inadvertently generates a door to hell in the diner’s basement with the help of her childhood friend Stan. Leather-clad demon fighter Ryan shows up in response and soon becomes Allie’s love interest. Now new doors are beginning to appear, leaving the human world vulnerable to invaders from the underworld. As Allie, Stan and Ryan join forces with a witch and rival clans of demon hunters in hopes of restoring balance between supernatural beings and human “mundanes,” Genoese and Macdonald mix multiple mythologies into a charming, biting cautionary narrative about taking responsibility for one’s actions. (June)
Shimmer
Eric Barnes. Unbridled, $25.95 (282p) ISBN 9781932961676
This topical fiction debut from Memphis news publisher Barnes is a cautionary thriller about ambition and corruption in corporate America. Robbie Case, the 35-year-old CEO (and largest shareholder) of Core Communications has managed to grow the business from 30 employees to more than 5,000 in three short years. But his $20 billion company, linking mainframe computers worldwide to the Internet backbone, is built on faulty technology, false promises and questionable finances. Weary of the day when everything inevitably unravels, Case’s slow (but accelerating) downward spiral drives the narrative through a number of timely plots, including Ponzi schemes and toxic assets: “The people who worked here, the companies we acquired, the stock we sold—all of it was an unseen disease.” Readers may find it difficult, if not impossible, to empathize with Case, but the corporate intrigue should hook anyone fascinated by the collapse of Wall Street and the crimes of Bernie Madoff. (June)
Swimsuit
James Patterson and Maxine Paetro. Little, Brown, $27.99 (416p) ISBN 9780316018777
A serial killer with an urge to break into print propels this thriller from bestseller Patterson and collaborator Paetro (4th of July). Ben Hawkins, a former L.A. cop turned reporter and author, travels to Hawaii to look into the disappearance of model Kim McDaniels, who has fallen victim to a sadistic fiend who calls himself Henri Benoit. Ben meets with Kim’s distraught parents, but the investigation soon runs into dead ends, even as the body count rises. Back in Los Angeles, Henri gets in touch with Ben, and offers the story of his life and the reasons he continues with his murderous spree. As part of the deal, Henri asks the reporter to write his tell-all book. Ben can’t refuse given the killer’s threat to his life as well as his girlfriend’s. In just one of many clever twists, Henri proves to be the consummate storyteller. Patterson fans will devour this one in a single sitting. (June)
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