Web Exclusive Reviews: Week of 12/24

-- Publishers Weekly, 12/24/2007

NONFICTION

Come to Think of It: Notes on the Turn of the Millennium
Daniel Schorr. Viking, $24.95 (382p) ISBN 9780670018734
Originally broadcast on NPR from 1991 onward, this collection of news commentary from renowned veteran reporter Schorr succeed in two ways: as vivid snapshots of recent history, and the reaction to it, in America and abroad; and as canny evidence of how little really changes in a decade and a half. The author (Staying Tuned: A Life in Journalism) and NPR senior news analyst tackles déjà vu-inducing topics like dissatisfaction over the Iraq policy of President Bush in the early ’90s (a chief executive “who attends orchestrated events and expresses what sounds like orchestrated empathy”), and a Clinton presidential campaign facing character issues and a “gotcha” press mentality. In the years since, the repeat Emmy and Peabody award winner takes aim at issues large and small (Waco, the Unabomber, terrorism, abortion, the “State of Peace on Earth”), and especially the changing nature of the news business, including eulogies to industry greats (Washington Post publisher Katharine Graham, New York Times editor Abe Rosenthal), coverage analysis (the O.J. trial, Monica Lewinsky) and the erosion of the first amendment. The short pieces that populate this volume offer shrewd, sure assessment that makes great bite-sized reading for any fan of politics, Schorr or NPR news. (Dec.)

Election 2008: A Voter’s Guide
Edited by Franklin Foer and the editors of The New Republic. Yale Univ., $12 paper (304p) ISBN 9780300126525
This collection offers up a handy set of sketches for each 2008 presidential candidate (or, in the case of Newt Gingrich, likely candidate) from the two major parties. Michael Crowley’s unflattering chapter on Clinton focuses on her militaristic and interventionist instincts, while John B. Judis’s take on McCain centers on his recent alignment with neoconservatives on foreign policy and war. Ryan Lizza’s essay on Barack Obama has an authoritative grasp of the candidate’s political idealism and background in hardheaded community organizing. These brief, usually perceptive profiles prove handiest with lesser-known candidates, offering solid introductions with insights into larger political trends. In a fascinating long-view essay, John B. Judis dissects these trends detailing major shifts in party politics and constituencies (tenuously favoring Democrats) that he calls a “creeping realignment” nearly two decades in the making. Lizza’s amusing and instructive tale about Mark Warner’s aborted presidential bid—and “the agony of running for president”—serves as a kind of epilogue, while an appendix charts “where they stand” on the bigger issues, from war to health care. (Jan.)

The Go-Giver: A Little Story About a Powerful Business Idea
Bob Burg and John David Mann. Portfolio, $19.95 (144p) ISBN 9781591842002
This modern-day business parable, a quick read in the spirit of The Greatest Salesman in the World and The One Minute Manager, should do well with eager corporate-ladder climbers, who may at first be confused by its focus: on putting the other guy first—be it a colleague, competitor, customer, friend or family member. Told through the fictitious story of an ambitious young salesman named Joe, Burg and Mann communicate their points through the advice of an enigmatic (and highly likeable) mentor character known as Pindar. Rather than help Joe snag a fast sale, the consultant introduces him to series of “go-givers” who personify the “Five Laws of Stratospheric Success.” Over the course of five days, a restaurateur, a CEO, a financial advisor, a real-estate broker and the mysterious “Connector” teach Joe about the laws of value, compensation, influence, authenticity and receptivity—concepts that make more immediate sense in this fictional context than they would in a formal business book. Burg (Endless Referrals: Network Your Everyday Contacts Into Sales) and Mann (You Call the Shots) write with a simple, informal style that offers a working-person’s interpretation of the old adage “give, and you shall receive.” (Jan.)

How to Spell Chanukah and Other Holiday Dilemmas: 18 Writers Celebrate 8 Nights of Lights
Edited by Emily Franklin. Algonquin, $19.95 (272p) ISBN 9781565125384
Despite a cheery title, the writers in this odd little holiday book tackle their subject—and its attendant traditions of family, guilt and, well, tradition—with ambivalence, a real sense of soul-searching and a bit of self-pity. Trying to make peace with their Chanukah memories, most of these writers are quick to point out its relative unimportance in the Jewish roster of holidays, inflated by its proximity to Christmas; still, their stories are clearly vivifying. There’s a great deal of kvetching over the influence and excess of Christmas, and not just its consumerism; Jill Kargman, for example, writes about some casual mid-sermon anti-Semitism at a midnight mass. There’s also solidarity to be found, as in Peter Orner’s story of growing up in a family of “Christmas-tree Jews”: “Let me be clear: we had no relationship with Christ beyond loving the mall like everyone else in America.” Standouts include graphic artist Eric Orner’s “Traditions Break,” a compact and involving story about a young woman’s first Chanukah alone; Joanna Smith Rakoff’s “Dolls of the World,” an accomplished troubled-family tale; and Josh Braff’s “The Blue Team,” which happily extols, “What a holiday…. No synagogue, no guilt, no mortar, and no real lesson to be absorbed and passed down to my Jewish offspring. Thank God.” (Nov.)

Imagining Nabokov: Russia Between Art and Politics
Nina L. Khrushcheva. Yale, $28 (256p) ISBN 9780300108866
In the first chapter of this learned meditation on one of the great writers of the twentieth century, Khruscheva fictionalizes a conversation with Nabokov, stringing together quotes from his oeuvre. “Hypothetical and literary concepts have a far greater hold on Russia’s people than practical ones,” says Kruscheva, but the same suspension of disbelief might be too much to ask of American readers. Later, the author tries to conjure Nabokov again “to see whether I had got him right.” The result—one intelligent reader’s semi-indulgent attempt to communicate the intentions, origins, and inspirations of a favorite author—is more about Khruscheva than Nabokov. Luckily, Khruscheva—a scholar of international affairs, a reader of Russian literature, a Russian émigré and the great-granddaughter of Nikita Khrushschev—is a remarkable one with a unique perspective on Russia’s “impracticality and nonmaterialism” that resonates in its languages and literature. Nabokov, who wrote in both English and Russian, belongs in these Russian traditions, which Khruscheva considers “an example” to other literatures’ “spiritual leadership. Spirit, soul is our greatest national achievement as well as our great national handicap.” At times a sentimental book, this take on Nabokov’s oeuvre gathers its themes—Nabokov, language, Russia—together in a loose weave at turns shapeless and captivating. (Jan.)

Jacked Up: The Inside Story of How Jack Welch Talked GE into Becoming the World’s Greatest Company
Bill Lane. McGraw-Hill, $26.95 (300p) ISBN 9780071544108
Does the world really need another book on Jack Welch? While the former GE CEO is an acknowledged superstar of the business world, he has written and been written about in so many books in this genre that regular visitors to bookstore business sections may find themselves growing weary. One thing’s for sure—if you’re going to write another book centered on Jack Welch, it better be good. Luckily, this volume doesn’t disappoint. Written by Bill Lane, Welch’s speechwriter of 20 years, this book documents GE’s Welch years and offers general advice. While completely deferential to Welch—sometimes to a fault—Lane is a great observer and writer, bringing the spirit of Welch’s GE tenure alive through anecdotes, conversation and explicit details that reveal what strategies worked to advance careers or end them. Italicized advice tips that summarize communications tips and strategies round out various chapters like a stream of consciousness whisper. While this book’s primary appeal will still be to Jack Welch junkies, the author’s insider tone and great style make an interesting read for a wider audience. (Jan.)

Leaning with Intent to Fall: A Memoir
Ethan Clark. Garrett County (NBN, dist.), $14.95 paper (186p) ISBN 9781891053047
Despite the title’s suggestion of a life lived on the edge, this tepid series of disjointed, sometimes-amusing stories probably fare better in person, over a beer or three, than they do relegated to this slim volume. A noted New Orleans ‘zine author and editor, Clark spins tales of irate fireworks customers, public drunkenness and cross-country hitchhiking fairly well, but falters when taking potshots at “The Establishment” (SUVs, Wal-Mart) that never progress beyond familiar disaffected punk-rocker posturing. There are genuine laughs to be found, however, and Clark offers a rare look into the unique subculture of bike punks. Unfortunately, few stories achieve a climax; it’s telling that the title—a fabled, trumped-up charge that NOPD once used to harass local punks—is explained thusly: “If someone started telling a ‘leaning with intent to fall’ story, it was a signal for me to stop listening to anything they said.” Less patient readers might want to heed that advice; those immersed in the punk lifestyle, however, may find comfort and recognition in humdrum highlights like collecting copper wire for cash and surviving a 13-day-long summer storm. (Dec.)

LIFESTYLE

Apple Betty and Sloppy Joe: Stirring Up the Past with Family Recipes and Stories
Susan Sanvidge, Diane Sanvidge Seckar, Jean Sanvidge Wouters and Julie Sanvidge Florence. Wisconsin Historical Society (Chicago Distribution Center, dist.), $18.95 paper (384p) ISBN 9780870203862
This curious collection is one part retro cookbook, three parts family scrapbook. Crammed with childhood photographs and fond family memories, this volume from the four Sanvidge sisters, who grew up in Wisconsin in the 1960s, feels uncomfortably similar to crashing someone else’s reunion. Text accompanying a recipe for Ground Beef and Mashed Potato Casserole, for instance, reads, “Dad didn’t like this one at first… so mom would make it only when he went hunting.” Other commentary covers Julie’s lousy singing voice, the family bus (“Red Rover”) and vacations at the lake—sweet, but almost entirely irrelevant to any reader looking for background on a particular dish. Not that most recipes invite close examination; the authors excavate largely musty, unadorned dishes like Spamwiches, Tuna Noodle Casserole, Meat Loaf and Twice-Baked Potatoes (the casserole requires a can of mushroom soup, the meatloaf is brushed with ketchup, etc.). Even more bizarre are non-recipes like Cereal in a Bowl (“Make sure there’s milk in the refrigerator”). Anyone with a soft spot for mid-Century Midwestern cuisine, or a voyeuristic interest in other people’s families, might enjoy this offbeat collection. (Dec.)

From Belly Fat to Belly Flat: How Your Hormones are Adding Inches to Your Waistline and Subtracting Years from Your Life
C.W. Randolph and Genie James. Health Communications, $14.95 paper (284p) ISBN 9780757306785
Even if dieters have cut out the cheese pizza and ice cream, losing that extra fat around the middle can prove frustrating, especially for those over 30. Author and doctor Randolph (From Hormone Hell to Hormone Well), along with women’s health expert James, asserts that much of the blame can be placed on estrogen. A three-pronged approach to reverse the trend, resulting in additional weight loss, involves eating foods to balance one’s hormone levels (primarily cruciferous vegetables, citrus and fiber); using a natural, topical progesterone treatment (naturally, he suggests Dr. Randolph’s Natural Balance Cream); and taking seven key dietary supplements, including a range of vitamins, a “calcium-magnesium combo” and DHEA. The importance of exercise and physician visits are acknowledged but not discussed (“When You Will Need a Doctor” is essentially two paragraphs about getting one’s hormone levels checked). The month’s worth of meal plans provided are generally tasty, healthy dishes such as Cauliflower Crab Cakes, Pickled Beets and Grilled Salmon with Dill and Lemon; that said, Randolph’s bold assertions and self-promotion give the book an infomercial feel that compromises an otherwise medically sound diet. (Jan.)

ILLUSTRATED

Knockout: The Art of Boxing
Ken Regan. Insight Editions, $75 (312p) ISBN 9781933784311
In an introduction, Liam Neeson surmises that sports photographer Regan was “the only photographer who anticipated what would happen” in the famous Zaire match between Muhammad Ali and the “unstoppable” George Foreman; the proof’s in his iconic photo of Ali coming off the ropes to surprise everyone, just one example of Regan getting the shot that nobody else does. This stunning coffee table book chronicles Regan’s 40-plus year career, from his early days following fighters like Floyd Patterson and Sonny Liston up to the present day. There wasn’t a big fight that Regan didn’t cover, from the first Clay vs. Liston fight to the infamous Tyson vs. Holyfield II, in which Tyson bit off a piece of Holyfield’s ear. Each chapter focuses on a different fighter, with a short essay to abut Regan’s dramatic full-bleed photos and plates. The most compelling material covers Regan’s more personal relationships, foremost among them his friendship with Mike Tyson; the controversial heavyweight comes across less as a pugilist mad dog than a perpetual adolescent. Exquisitely reproduced in both glossy and matte format, Regan’s photos don’t shy away from the violence of the sport, but neither do they shirk its beauty, grace, humor and camaraderie. (Nov.)

My Last Supper: 50 Great Chefs and Their Final Meals
Melanie Dunea, intro. by Anthony Bourdain. Bloomsbury, $39.95 (224p) ISBN 9781596912878
Dunea, an award-winning photographer, wrote to 50 famous chefs and asked them to describe their ideal last meal. Their answers, compiled in this weirdly absorbing and gorgeously designed volume, range from the comforting (Lidia Bastianich bids adieu over a plate of linguini and clams) to the cheekily self-aggrandizing (Laurent Tourondel wants nothing more than a BLT sandwich from his own restaurant). The meals are curiosities, and the few recipes included are pleasant enough; it’s the photographs of each chef that make this book so irresistible. One needn’t have heard of them, much less dined in their restaurants, to appreciate their portraits: from a graceful Gabrielle Hamilton nursing her son to a dashing Guillaume Brahimi reclining in front of the Sydney Opera House, each image is iconic, surprising, and quite often, oddly appetizing. Marcus Samuelsson poses, impishly, in a Japanese-style headband made of salmon; Wylie Dufresne leans like a centerfold on a table stacked with American cheese; and Anthony Bourdain poses totally nude, strategically wielding a butchered leg bone. But perhaps no picture is more memorable than Dan Barber’s, a soft-featured New York chef, posing alongside a massive boar named Boris. His last meal is rack of boar, of course: “If I’m going, so is Boris.” (Nov.)

POETRY

How to Build a Ghost in Your Attic
Peter Jay Shippy. Rose Metal Press (www.rosemetalpress.com), $16 (88p) ISBN 9780978984823
Iowa Prize winner (Thieves’ Latin) Shippy’s third collection is a novella-in-verse written in stepped tercets reminiscent of William Carlos Williams’. Told by a resident of a very modern-sounding Thebes, the poem presents itself as a Bizarro-world remake of the Oedipus cycle. Yazoo, a cow, crashes through the chatty speaker’s ceiling, spurring him to pontificate about his media-obsessed life and personal struggle with a sick father. Dreamy, playful and at times campy, Shippy’s poem interweaves the voices of talking monkeys, birdbots and a flirty Sphinx. The text bends and blends genre, myth and allegory, highlighted by the speaker’s catchy patter: “After // her chutz- / pah / I can’t manage to oompah // the money shot.” This is ambitious work that manages to be frequently dynamic, describing a world much like our own: “These are dark days for our town. / A virulent stain of self-schaden- / freud- // e / is replicating / spreading the boos.” (Jan.)

FICTION

Beaufort
Ron Leshem, trans. from the Hebrew by Evan Fallenberg. Delacorte, $24 (368p) ISBN 9780553806823
In this gritty war novel, Leshem chronicles the tumultuous year leading up to Israel’s 2000 withdrawal from Southern Lebanon. The story is told through the eyes of 21-year-old squadron leader, Liraz Liberti (aka Erez), who is tasked with shepherding a motley group of 13 “kids” through their military tours at the historic Israeli outpost, Beaufort. As the violence at Beaufort increases and the day of the withdrawal approaches, those stationed at the outpost try to ward off “eatenness” (fear) and a nagging sense of the futility of manning an outpost about to be closed down. Rather than dwell on the politics behind Israel’s conflict with Hezbollah, Leshem focuses on the soldiers’ slang-heavy language (those who are scared are “strawberry pissers”; a dumb soldier is a “hummus”) and the thickening camaraderie to give readers remarkably visceral access to the isolated outpost. The anxiety and fear are palpable throughout Leshem’s vivid novel—you can practically feel the shells explode. (Jan.)

A Little Ray of Sunshine
Lani Diane Rich. NAL, $14 paper (304p) ISBN 9780451222961
Rich takes a turn toward the serious in a romance primarily focused on a mother-daughter relationship. For six years, Emmy James has lived out of her Airstream, working odd jobs until she gets the urge to move on. Then she meets Jess, a young woman who declares herself Emmy’s angel, sent to help her with her problems. At the same time, Digs, who would be her brother-in-law if Emmy hadn’t left his brother Luke, shows up, bearing disturbing news: his father, Danny, and Emmy’s mother, Lilly, are getting married. Lilly is vain, cruel, narcissistic and destructive—all the things Danny is not. Emmy is determined to stay away, but her angel knows best, and soon the Airsteam is headed home. While the story of Emmy’s lost love is engaging, the heart of the story has to do with the transformation Emmy sees—but doesn’t trust—in her mother. The process is painful and sometimes funny, and though the characters skate right to the edge of believability, the romance is very real. A thoughtful, well told story with an unusual twist. (Feb.)

AUDIO

The Busy World is Hushed
Keith Bunin, read by Jill Clayburgh, Hamish Linklater, Luke MacFarlan. L.A. Theatre Works, unabridged, two CDs, 107 mins., $25.95 ISBN 9781580813709
Bunin’s play is ideal for recording, as it features only three actors and one set. Clayburgh very adeptly portrays Hannah, a widowed minister, who hires a young gay assistant, Brandt (Linklater), to help her write a book about a newly discovered gospel, possibly preceding those in the New Testament. Her itinerant gay son, Thomas (MacFarlan), has returned to help. The two young men sound disconcertingly alike: intelligent but a bit smug. When Hannah mentions that gospels were common following the death of Jesus, the importance of a new one is diminished, and it becomes apparent that Hannah’s personal problems are at the heart of the play. Her decision to encourage the somewhat withdrawn Brandt to love her son will haunt her by the play’s climax. The soft-spoken Clayburgh gets to play raucous and uncontrolled before she regains her poise. The last disc has an interview with Bunin saying that his play is emotionally autobiographical: his father was half Jewish and his mother Catholic, so “naturally” he was raised Episcopalian and attended a Quaker school. His play is heavy on religious declamations and overwrought emotionally but has a sense of purpose. (Nov.)

Protect and Defend
Vince Flynn, read by George Guidall. Simon & Schuster Audio, unabridged, nine CDs, 11 hrs., $49.95 ISBN 9780743568234
Despite Guidall’s best efforts, Flynn’s words are so flat and his characters and plot so contrived and mechanical that it’s hard to imagine who might actually enjoy this listening chore. The subject is certainly timely: what should the U.S. government do to defuse the Iranian nuclear program? Flynn’s solution is to have top secret counterterrorism expert Mitch Rapp try to destabilize the Iranian government—a plan which goes wrong when his boss, CIA chief Irene Kennedy, is kidnapped. Guidall does manage to catch some of the sadness in Rapp’s heart as he thinks about the loss of his family in a previous novel. But Guidall can’t rewrite Flynn’s words—very few of which give Rapp any semblance of human feeling. Simultaneous release with the Atria hardcover (Reviews, Sept. 24). (Nov.)

Under Enemy Colors
S. Thomas Russell, read by Simon Vance. Penguin Audio, unabridged, 13 CDs, 15.5 hrs., $39.95 ISBN 9780143142485
Audio fans of Patrick O’Brian and C.S. Forester will rejoice as Vance admirably re-creates Russell’s debut novel set in 1793, during those authors’ period. There’s arguably more Forester than O’Brian here, but few listeners will be disappointed. A promising young Royal Navy officer, Lt. Charles Hayden, is passed over for a command of his own because his father is English and his mother is French. Instead, Hayden boards a smart new frigate called Themis, captained by Josiah Hart, who is reviled as “Faint Hart” by his crew for his cowardice. To make up for his dislike of battle, Hart treats his men like the enemy. Vance gets all the voices right: the proud and ambitious young Hayden and the sniveling Hart, who abuses his power. The other snobs and older officers, who don’t have as much to do or say, are also vividly brought to life. Vance transports listeners to a world both exciting and memorable. Simultaneous release with the Putnam hardcover (Reviews, May 14). (Oct.)

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