Web Exclusive Book Reviews: 11/23/2009

-- Publishers Weekly, 11/23/2009

NONFICTION

The 2012 Story: The Myths, Fallacies, and Truth Behind the Most Intriguing Date in History
John Major Jenkins. Tarcher, $25.95 (496p) ISBN 9781585427666
Anthropologist Jenkins (Galactic Alignment) has been investigating Mayan culture since 1985, helping unveil the Mayan calendar system that predicts a once-in-26,000-years “astronomical alignment”—the solstice sun and the Milky Way with the galactic center—occurring on December 12, 2012, a date that’s gained an apocalyptic reputation in the popular consciousness. Jenkins believes that the Mayans, just like their Greek, Indian, Babylonian, and Egyptian contemporaries, have much to teach us, but nothing about a global cataclysm. Applying the concepts of Mayan cyclical cosmology—in particular, a transformation-and-renewal creation myth not unlike other religions’—he suggests that 2012 “basically represents a shift from one World Age to the next” occurring over decades, not hours: “The world is in a crisis. Systems need to be transformed [and spiritually centered] social activism is called for.” He believes that the Indian idea of an “indigenous mind” offers an alternative to modern materialism, “oriented more to… maintaining balance with a sustainable value system.” He also finds hopeful signs in farming, beer brewing, energy innovation, and health-food communities, as well as the popularity of meditation and other ways of freeing oneself from “the tangled knot of illusion.” This introduction to Mayan culture, from the scientist who uncovered much of it, replaces silly disaster scenarios with something both truthful and provocative. (Oct.)

Birth: When the Spiritual and the Material Come Together
Shari Arison. Phoenix, $21.95 (192p) ISBN 9781607477259
Just in time to replace the now-defunct (or at least diminished) greed-is-good ethos on Wall Street, Israel’s wealthiest daughter, Carnival Cruise Lines CEO and major philanthropist, Arison, presents a spiritual approach to successfully running a vast business and effectively giving back. Raised in Israel and Miami, Fla., the thrice-married mother of four and head of the Arison Group (with controlling interests in Israel’s largest bank, among other investments) has an experienced, authoritative voice that benefits from her candid bravura, unafraid to divulge the messages she claims to have received from “up above” through dreams and the wishes of others. In simple language, she also recalls many painful and difficult chapters in her life, as well as lessons from her study of the world’s religions. Her journey has left her with a rather secular devotion to self-knowledge and authenticity, what she believes are the keys to maintaining order and principle among chaos. Arison’s proposal is that business should be driven by core values—integrity, purity, vision, and vitality—rather than financial gain. Though her own enterprises are given an outsized role, Arison proves that new age ideas and generosity can exist harmoniously with pragmatic leadership strategies. (Nov.)

A Dream Within a Dream: The Life of Edgar Allan Poe
Nigel Barnes. Peter Owen (Dufour, dist.), $29.95 paper (272p) ISBN 9780720613223
160 years after his death, Edgar Allan Poe remains one of the most polarizing and mysterious figures in American literature. Hailed as a genius and condemned as a mentally unstable alcoholic, often in the same breath, the genre pioneer has received a considerable amount of less-than-kind attention from biographers. Barnes takes a far more sympathetic approach in this meticulously researched account. Drawing on public records, previous biographies, an exhaustive list of rare periodicals and an impressive catalog of correspondence between Poe and numerous relatives and associates, Barnes reconstructs Poe from his dire beginnings, born to two struggling actors, to his tragic end, dying alone at age 40. Barnes's scholarly style is ponderous and slow at times, but he offers one of the most complete and fair portraits of Poe yet written. He spends much time defending and excusing Poe's more outré behavior—binging, marrying his 15-year-old cousin, locking himself away for days at a time—but also reframing it, by jettisoning the hyperbolic Poe caricature popular in the public imagination: drunk, insane, perverted, and overrated. This gentle, affectionate portrait of a wildly influential American writer is a must-read for fans of Poe and the kind of genre fiction (mystery, horror, thriller, science fiction) he pioneered. 12 pages of b&w photos. (Nov.)

Fireflies, Honey, and Silk
Gilbert Waldbauer. University of Calif., $25.95 (248p) ISBN 9780520258839
Univ. of Illinois entomologist Waldbauer (A Walk around the Pond) explores the interactions between humans and insects, particularly human uses of insects, in accessible, easy prose ready-made for a broad, curious audience. From silk moth caterpillars, which have produced fine threads used in fabric for thousands of years, to the cochineal insects used to dye fabrics, to bees’ honey and wax, insects have been cultivated by humans for a wide range of purposes—including internal use, " both rationally and superstitiously as cures and palliatives for almost any human ailment that you can think of." The strong mandibles of leaf-cutter ants, for instance, make them a functional substitute for sutures, and “maggot therapy” is used for biodebridement—the clearing away of dead tissue. Adventurous readers will be especially intrigued by Waldbauer’s section on edible insects. With interesting anecdotes and plenty of trivia, this scientific overview should suit casual science fans. (Oct.)

Light Blue Reign: How a City Slicker, a Quiet Kansan and a Mountain Man Built College Basketball’s Longest-Lasting Dynasty
Art Chansky. Thomas Dunne, $26.99 (384p) ISBN 9780312384081
The University of North Carolina basketball team, 2009 national championship winners, owns more victories over the past 50 years than any other college team. In this history, UNC alum and veteran sportswriter Chansky (Blue Blood) explains how the Tar Heels got there through the well-researched stories of three disparate coaches. Until the arrival of coach Frank McGuire in 1953, the big men on UNC’s campus were football players. A well-coiffed Irish-Catholic charmer from the streets of New York City, McGuire set high standards for his players on and off the court, leading the Tar Heels to a 32-0 season en route to the 1957 national championship. Dean Smith (a liberal Baptist from Kansas) and Roy Williams (a broken-home survivor from the Appalachian Mountains who recently published his own memoir) continued the winning tradition, and the relationship among all three continued to grow until McGuire’s 1994 death. Drawing on published and personal interviews with coaches, players and fans, Chansky is well-read but far from impartial, and presumes his readers feel the same; accordingly, this should make an ideal gift for any Tar Heels alum. (Nov.)

Operation Last Chance: One Man’s Quest to Bring Nazi Criminals to Justice
Efraim Zuroff. Palgrave Macmillan, $25 (256p) ISBN 9870230617308
A tragic fact about WWII veterans is that, well into their 80’s and 90’s, we are rapidly losing them—including Nazi war criminals who have, for six decades, evaded prosecution. In 2002, Zuroff, a historian in Israel, established Operation Last Chance to find these war criminals and bring them to justice before it’s too late. In detailed episodes, Zuroff follows leads to communities in Latvia, Croatia and Austria, tracks down war criminals, contacts the local justice department and watches as his efforts are largely ignored—typically because of governmental embarrassment over their countrymen’s (perceived) support of fascism and genocide. Around the world, Zuroff faces the same blank face of institutional denial, an official and seemingly universal attempt to ignore the problem until it goes away—or, in this case, until it dies of old age. The repetitive nature of Zuroff’s quest can make for tough going, and readers will likely hang on waiting for a breakthrough case that never comes. Still, Zuroff’s log is an important record of free Nazis, and their atrocious crimes, which may yet spur their neighbors to action. (Nov.)

 People Like Us: Misrepresenting the Middle East
Joris Luyendijk. Counterpoint/Soft Skull, $14.95 paper (240p) ISBN 9781593762568
In his commanding debut, Dutch journalist Luyendijk describes the curious five years he spent as a correspondent in the Middle East, stationed out of Cairo. Sent traipsing around the Middle East, Luyendijk struggles to find newsworthy (and trustworthy) stories, usually involving bribery and less-than-honest people. Luyendijk also delivers example after example of oppression and brainwashing techniques used by dictatorships on their citizens, which comes through clearly in his conversations with ordinary people like cab drivers, as well as with high-profile public figures. Sent to the Middle East not for his journalism skills but for his ability to speak Arabic, Luyendijk had to learn on the job, an all-too-literal trial by fire. He takes advantage of his outsider position to break down the myths of war journalism and the very real limitations reporters face outside the Western bubble of free speech. The author also weighs in on 9/11 and Saddam Hussein’s regime, making this an eye-opening account with special relevance for American readers. (Oct.)

Surviving Your Doctors: Why the Medical System Is Dangerous to Your Health and How to Get Through It Alive
Richard S. Klein. Rowman & Littlefield, $32.95 (248p) ISBN 9781442201392
With at least 100,000 hospital patients dying each year, associate professor and practicing internist Klein (From Anecdote to Antidote) calls medical malpractice in the U.S. a “pandemic,” with mortality numbers comparable to “smoking, auto accidents, and pollution,” placing the U.S. behind most of Europe, “including Poland and the Czech Republic.” While Klein supports universal healthcare modeled on Medicare, he asserts that we’ll need more: “substandard or negligent care have been swept under the rug” by the medical profession for too long. As such, he insists that the medical profession needs “medical courts governed by specialists in medical ethics and respected physicians” to analyze mistakes and discipline offenders. Further, patients and their families must be empowered to become part of the “treating team,” researching their own symptoms whenever possible and demanding proper screening, blood work, and second opinions. Klein offers anecdotes and examples from his own career with internal and infectious medicine, as well as his experience as an expert witness in malpractice litigation, in this useful, though somewhat diffuse, resource. (Dec.)

Voices of Multiple Sclerosis: The Healing Companion: Stories for Courage, Comfort and Strength
Edited by Richard Day Gore and Juliann Garey. LaChance (IPG, dist.), $16.95 paper (275p) ISBN 9781934184080
After facing breast cancer, Debra LaChance founded The Healing Project and initiated her seven-part Voices Of series (Voices of Breast Cancer, Voices of Alzheimer’s, etc.) to fulfill the need—her own included—for “personal stories of those who had gone through this ordeal.” The latest begins with an overview of multiple sclerosis by medical doctor John Richert, followed by 34 diverse voices of patients, as well as their spouses and children. California academic Jodene Kersten writes about her mother, born in a Japanese-American relocation camp during WWII and diagnosed with MS when she was 18, but who raised two children and pursued a career as a nurse. Gerald Chalmers writes about the physical and emotional obstacles, admitting that he refused a wheelchair for years because “it screamed ‘disability,’” only to find it radically improved his life. Addressing all aspects of life with disease—diagnosis, diet, exercise, laughter, stigma, support, family and friends, acceptance, treatment, and the promise of new and better treatment—this is an honest collection that will provide great context and practical advice for patients and their loved ones. (Dec.)

LIFESTYLE

The Allergen-Free Bakers Handbook: How to Bake Without Gluten, Wheat, Dairy, Eggs, Soy, Peanuts, Tree Nuts, and Sesame
Cybele Pascal. Celestial Arts, $25 paper (200p) ISBN 9781587613487
Using her Gluten-Free Flour Mix—a combination of Authentic Foods superfine brown rice flour (worth its weight in gold), potato starch and tapioca flour—author Pascal (The Whole Foods Allergy Cookbook) offers baked treats for the 25 million Americans suffering from food allergies. With a well-stocked pantry, readers will be able once again to enjoy favorites like gingerbread, chocolate chip cookies, pizza, and brownies without fear of a reaction. Those without allergies can also benefit from Pascal’s collection—100 dishes, in fact, are suitable for vegans. Though recipes call for more ingredients than bakers are probably used to—dairy-free, soy-free vegetable shortening, agave nectar, and xanthan gum make frequent appearances—Pascal’s sage advice on substitutions (applesauce in lieu of eggs, canola oil for butter, rice milk for cow’s, etc.) should relieve some of the sticker shock. For sensitive diners and those who cook for them, Pascal’s winning collection deserves a look. (Jan.)

 Artisanal Gluten-Free Cooking
Kelli Bronski and Peter Bronski. Experiment (PGW, dist.), $18.95 paper (256p) ISBN 9781615190034
Diagnosed with celiac disease in 2007, author Peter Bronski (At the Mercy of the Mountains) adapted to a gluten-free diet with the help of his wife, Kelli, a professionally-trained chef. In this outstanding volume of 250 recipes, the duo shares tips, tricks and favorite dishes. Once readers have mixed up the six-ingredient Artisan Gluten-Free Flour Mix and purchased a handful of key ingredients (wheat-free soy sauce, gluten-free vanilla extract, etc.), they’ll be off and running with worry-free Garlic Naan, Crepes, pies, pasta, and ice cream. While recipes are uniformly excellent, Asian dishes like Coconut Red Curry Stir-Fry and Chicken Pad Thai are particularly toothsome, and should be a real treat for those avoiding soy sauce (in which wheat is a common ingredient). Gluten dodgers will also be pleased with the Bronskis’ handful of pizza recipes, including thin crust, New York and Chicago-Style Deep Dish versions. The duo seem to have thought of every craving and indulgence, serving up creme brulee and cocktails, too; it’s also worth noting that plenty of recipes don’t call for special ingredients at all (pork tamales, Porcini-Encrusted Scallops, Garlic-Lime Skirt Steak with Cuban Mojo, etc.). This volume’s impressive breadth and straightforward instructions make it an essential, horizon-broadening tool for those off gluten. (Nov.)

Dare...to Have Sex Everywhere But In Bed!
Marc Dannam. Hunter House (PGW, dist.), $10.95 paper (128p) ISBN 9780897935135
Like its companion volumes (Dare…to Have Anal Sex and Dare…to Try Bondage, releasing simultaneously), Dannam’s contribution to this newly-translated French series offers plenty of salient, sexy tips for the gun-shy as well as those looking for some variety. Dannam starts gently, offering suggestions for turning the bedroom into an exotic pleasure chamber using pillows, candles and mirrors, as well as scenarios like a let’s-play-porn-star evening. Those less interested in drama and dressing up will have plenty of ideas for new tryst locales: the classic Empty Apartment (a la Last Tango in Paris), balconies, the gym, and less exotic but challenging options like the oft-overlooked wingback chair (made for sex), the church pew and the office filing room. Stories from real couples and “lesson learned” sidebars debunk myths and offer a realistic take on the logistics: the subway and on horseback are both bad options; skip the after-sex smoke when outdoors; watch for police officers and bears; etc. Dannam rates each scenario according to difficulty, preparation, cost, risk and possible inconveniences (ranging from sunburn to losing your job). Danner’s measured prose, anything-goes approach and common-sense caution make this a fun, encouraging read that keeps its out-of-bounds sex ideas in perspective. (Nov.)

“Fresh From Central Market” Cookbook
Phyllis Pellman Good. Good Books, $17.99 paper 224p) ISBN 9781561486787
This collection of 225 seasonal favorites from America’s oldest continually-operating farmers market, Lancaster, Penn.’s Central Market, gives locavores plenty to chew on. In this new edition, veteran author Good (The Fix It And Forget It series) takes a back seat to the vendors, bakers and butchers of the market. Looking every bit like the community cookbook it is, this volume leans heavily on simple, hearty fare like Chicken Tortilla Soup, Swedish Meatballs, roast chicken and Peach Pie, though occasional surprises like Roasted Rosemary Sweet Potatoes and Whole Wheat Ricotta Gnocchi provide room for experimentation. Missteps, like the curious Sausage and Peach Bake—peaches and sausages baked in pancake batter, topped with peach syrup—are few. Good provides no recipe introductions, leaving cooks to determine, from steps and ingredients, what the final result should be; in addition, recipes can be difficult to distinguish and, therefore, difficult to decide on. Those located near Lancaster’s farmers market will most benefit, as many vendors offer suggestions for getting the most out of their particular goods. Regional cookbook collectors and fans of Americana may find this volume of interest, but those outside the region may find it pedestrian. (Oct.)

Griswold and Wagner Ware Cast Iron Cookbook
Joanna Pruess. Skyhorse (Norton, dist.), $24.95 (240p) ISBN 9781602398030
Named for the Griswold and Wagner company, which made top-of-the-line cast iron cookware from the 1860s to 2000 (now made by American Culinary Corporation), this recipe compilation from food writer and cookbook author Pruess (Seduced by Bacon) fittingly mirrors the company’s century-plus history, combining cast-iron classics like peach cobbler and fried chicken with modern, upscale fare like Duck with Apples, Oranges and Cider, Moroccan Lamb-Stuffed Peppers, and Panko-Macadamia-Crusted Salmon. Pruess also shows readers how to use their skillets to create comfort food favorites like macaroni and cheese, oven-roasted chicken with gravy, deep-dish pizza and croque monsieur sandwiches, as well as luscious desserts like rich and silky clafoutis. Hampered only by a rambling introduction (more than made up for by crucial tips on iron cookware care and maintenance), this collection of everyday recipes will give cooks a new appreciation for this sturdy, too-often overlooked piece of equipment. (Nov.)

Warm Bread and Honey Cake: Home Baking From Around the World
Gaitri Pagrach-Chandra. Interlink. $35 (320p) ISBN 9781566567923
Netherlands-based food writer Pagrach-Chandra (Windmills in My Kitchen) returns with a global collection of home-baked favorites. This elegant volume is dominated by expected regional classics like Mexican Tres Leches Cake, Chinese bean cakes, Baklava, strudel, Dutch apple tarts and Spekkoek, as well as riffs on American classics like sticky rolls (filled here with chocolate and hazelnuts instead of caramel and pecans). Welcome surprises for jaded bakers include Caribbean Black Cake, a rich and sugary cake studded with dried, rum-soaked fruit; the petit-four-like Lamington Slices; and her rich Deluxe Chocolate Cranberry Cake. Novices will appreciate that Pagrach-Chandra explains not just the hows of dishes like Paratha, a flaky Indian flatbread, but the whys (all the better to ensure home that cooks’ finished product resembles its photo counterpart). Those with a love of cardamom, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, walnuts and cloves will get the most out of the book; they’re all staples of Pagrach-Chandra’s Dutch heritage. Besides that, the book promises plenty of culinary trips to awaken tired palates and inspire bored bakers of any nation. (Nov.)

Your Time to Cook: A First Cookbook for Newlyweds, Couples and Lovers
Robert Blakeslee. Square One (www.squareonepublishers.com), $29.95 (416p) ISBN 9780757002168
Blakeslee’s beginner’s guide to all things culinary could prove as essential for new cooks as a good knife, far exceeding it’s stated goal: to give novice cooks a solid foundation in technique and tools, as well as an understanding of how they work with raw ingredients to create a finished dish. Essentially two books in one, a kitchen-basics primer and a recipe collection, Blakeslee takes his time covering fundamentals like kitchen layout, ovenware, stocking the pantry, and techniques such as dicing onions, folding batter, folding napkins, and even boiling water. Dishes are detailed with the care of a doting mother, instructing with clear text and more than 1,000 step-by-step photos while avoiding condescension. Blakeslee heavily favors familiar foods and basic techniques—scrambled eggs, garlic bread, mac and cheese, and meatloaf—though cooks ready to expand their repertoire will find dishes like Ahi Tuna Burritos and tempura vegetables. Blakeslee tosses in everything he can think of for cooking couples just starting out, including menus for casual and upscale get-togethers, tips on serving wine, and variations for many of his recipes. This volume should sustain newlyweds and other cooking partners well past their first year together. (Jan.)

ILLUSTRATED

 Great Plains: America’s Lingering Wild
Michael Forsberg with Dan O’Brien, David Wishart, and Ted Kooser. Univ. of Chicago, $45 (260p) ISBN 9780226257259
The increasingly bi-coastal citizenry of the U.S. and Canada know less and less of the great central plains of the North American steppe, but this engrossing book from photographer and naturalist Forsberg, with ecological and geographical essays by O’Brien and Wishart, fills that need in overflowing excess. Forsberg’s photography is spectacular, capturing the wide-open spaces of locales like the South Dakota Badlands and the fluid movement of its wildlife. As Wishart points out, the Great Plains are far from flat, comprised of rugged river valleys, outcrops of old volcanoes, glacial potholes and buffalo wallows, and formerly-vast marshlands. Univ. of Nebraska geography professor Wishart contributes historical and geographic overviews of three major ecological regions: the Tallgrass Prairie, the Northern Plains and the Southern Plains. The authors also look at the history of cross-continent exploration by the Spanish and the French, as well as 18th century fur traders who traversed the Rockies decades before Lewis and Clark. Author O’Brien (Buffalo for the Broken Heart) provides vivid, precise, and emotional essays that describe the ecological present and the hope for future developments in grasslands restoration. Wonderful maps of the entire Great Plains and individual regions add a great deal to this informative overview, making it a coffee table book worth studying. (Oct.)

Just One Restless Rider: Reflections on Trains and Travel
Carlos A. Schwantes. Univ. of Missouri, $34.95 (224p) ISBN 9780826218599
Reading the work of railroad-obsessed author and editor Schwantes (The West the Railroad Made) is sometimes like train travel itself: long and slow, but often scenic. In his latest, the University of Missouri-St. Louis professor reminisces over a half-century (and millions of miles) aboard trains in America and overseas. Among other topics, Schwantes discusses the make-believe journeys he imagined as a child in Indianapolis, studying routes and timetables religiously; the parents, grandparents, cousins and uncles who shared and encouraged his love for railroads; and some of his all-time favorite stops, including the Oriente Station in suburban Lisbon, Portugal, finished in 1998, for which architect Santiago Calatrava incorporated the design features of a medieval cathedral. When the narrative loses steam, a plethora of colorful photos, taken by Schwantes over the years, make up the difference, depicting a freight train in a basalt landscape in eastern Washington or a station platform in Sheffield, England, with remarkable care. Though image drop-shadows distract, those who appreciate rail travel will find much to pore over in this slim, oblong volume. (Nov.)

Tony Hillerman’s Landscape: On the Road with Chee and Leaphorn
Anne Hillerman, photos by Don Strel. Harper, $28.99 (176p) ISBN 9780061374296
Before his death in 2007, Tony Hillerman, one of America’s best loved mystery writers, produced 18 novels grounded in the Native American cultures of the desert Southwest. The honest, unvarnished landscape of the Four Corners region of New Mexico, Arizona, Utah and Colorado was essential to the plots and atmosphere of Hillerman’s books; he knew and loved it well, and helped plan this illustrated travelogue before his passing. (An introduction and quotes from his memoir, Seldom Disappointed, acknowledge and ameliorate Tony Hillerman’s absence.) Hillerman’s daughter, Anne, and her husband, photographer Strel, document their journey using Hillerman’s books (and memory) as a tour guide. Along with memories of family research trips in her childhood, Anne records her impressions of the vast Four Corners region, pairing a synopsis of each book with photos of landscapes, trading posts, archaeological sites, abandoned hogans (traditional Navajo houses), and people from the Navajo, Hopi and Zuni tribes. She also provides short discussions of historical events, ceremonies, mythology, and other topics germane to the novels. Though no photograph can fully capture the immensity of that Southwestern sky, many of Strel’s come close. For Hillerman fans, this volume is a must-have. (Nov.)

FICTION

The Glass Room
Simon Mawer. Other Press, $14.95 paper (416p) ISBN 9781590513965
The latest from novelist Mawer (The Fall) begins with great promise, as Jewish newlyweds Viktor and Liesel Landauer meet with architect Rainier von Abt, not just an architect but “a poet…[of] light and space and form,” who builds their dream home, a “modern house…adapted to the future rather than the past, to the openness of modern living.” World events, however, are about to overtake 1930s Czechoslovakia. Viktor, like most in the community, dismisses rumors of impending pogroms—“The only people who hold the German economy together are the Jews”—but once the signs of Nazi occupation become impossible to ignore, the Landauers must abandon their beloved home. In a bizarre twist of fate, however, Liesel insists on rescuing single mother Katra, unaware that Katra is Viktor’s new mistress. As the world spins into chaos, the highly symbolic Landauer house is the only constant; though it shifts identities more than once, the house remains “ageless,” a place “that defines the very existence of time.” Mawer’s writing and characters are rich, but his twisty plot depends too often on unbelievable coincidences, especially in the conclusion. (Oct.)

Too Much Money
Dominick Dunne. Crown, $26 (288p) ISBN 9780609603871
For every striver who claws his way to the top of the moneyed heap, another must fall from grace to make room; in the work of late novelist and journalist Dunne (1925-2009), those falls are usually preceded by a vigorous shove. In his final novel, the players include grande dame Lil Altemus, banking heiress (and suspected murderess) Perla Zacharias, and flight attendant-turned-jetsetter Ruby Renthal, alongside journalist Gus Bailey (Dunne’s minimally-fictionalized surrogate). A sequel to 1988’s People Like Us based on Dunne’s real-life experiences as a society crime writer, Dunne brings an expected level of intimacy to his unflattering look at New York's wealthiest citizens, incorporating his own spectacular Hollywood fall from grace and subsequent comeback, as well as his legal standoff with a congressman whom Dunne implicated in the disappearance of intern Chandra Levy. A fitting cap to Dunne's notable career, this novel is more parody than satire—populated by jeer-worthy caricatures hard to sympathize with—but proves to be a compulsively readable diversion, showcasing Dunne's razor wit and furious disdain for those who believe that laws apply to everyone but themselves. (Dec.)