Nonfiction Reviews

Part plea, part manifesto, part handbook, this short and surprisingly compelling book sets out to answer two difficult questions: why people in affluent countries should donate money to fight global poverty and how much each should give. Singer (Animal Liberation) dismantles the justifications people make for not giving and highlights the successes of such efforts as microfinance in Bangladesh, GiveWell’s charitable giving and the 50% League, where members donate more than half their wealth. Singer alternately cajoles and scolds: he pillories Microsoft cofounder Paul Allen, who has given less than his former partner, Bill Gates, and lives far more extravagantly: “His toys include a large collection of vintage military aircraft and a 413-foot oceangoing yacht called Octopus that cost him over $200 million and has a permanent crew of sixty.” Singer contrasts Allen’s immoderation with the work of Paul Farmer (a cofounder of the international social justice organization Partners in Health) and the cost of basic health services in Haiti ($3,500 per life saved), or malaria nets ($623–$2,367 per life saved). Singer doesn’t ask readers to choose between asceticism and self-indulgence; his solution can be found in the middle, and it is reasonable and rewarding for all. (Mar.)

Dunne (Golden Wings) presents an intimate account of a two-month trek—accompanied by photographer wife Linda—following the coming of spring across America’s prairie grasslands. Theirs is an odyssey into “the time of beginning” that weaves together spiritual insight, plant biology, geology lessons and American history—and a plethora of bird sightings, from the mating trysts of the increasingly rare lesser prairie chicken to the plight of the threatened mountain plover. Their journey begins in New Jersey and continues to Nebraska, their arrival timed to witness the annual migration of half a million northbound sandhill cranes. Next come Colorado and a primer on how homesteading sodbusters transformed an ocean of vibrant prairie grasses into a devastating dustbowl; New Mexico and the Sixth Annual High Plains Lesser Prairie-Chicken Festival; back through Colorado and the Pawnee National Grasslands for a glimpse of the threatened prairie dog, once (along with bison) among the environmental engineers of the 19th century Western plains; and into South Dakota, home to between 800 and 1,400 free-ranging bison. Dunne’s melodic prose and rhapsodic connection with the natural world brilliantly entice “an estranged audience to explore a... now alien environment.” Photos. (Mar.)

McEnany (coauthor of Bode) offers a spirited account of life among the burly, hard-living men who log New England’s timberlands that’s part self-deprecating memoir (he’s a self-admitted klutz around chainsaws) and part serious study of both the ubiquity of wood in contemporary America and the future of domestic logging in the Atlantic Northeast. The good news is that the eastern forests continue to be a valuable renewable resource when logged with sustainability in mind, reports the author. The bad news: sprawling development, increasingly onerous governmental regulations, climate change and the consequent truncated logging season are all gnawing at the loggers’ precarious livelihood. Unlike the forests of the West, where mechanized logging is the norm and huge swaths of forests are clear-cut indiscriminately, New England woodlots are almost all privately owned land of 25 acres or less, and logging is done by the “Brush Cats”—independent, self-sufficient woodsmen, who are said to have the most dangerous job in America and are profiled with a mix of comic hyperbole, measured awe and deep affection in this loquacious study. (Mar.)

If you’ve ever been mildly frustrated, extremely irritated or driven just plain mad by automated customer service lines, rude telephone service representatives or agents who can’t speak intelligible English, this book is for you. Yellin (Our Mother’s War) dives into the often dysfunctional world of customer service, exploring the multimillion-dollar industry from various points of view, interviewing exasperated consumers, displeased CEOs and infuriated customer service reps themselves. She includes transcripts of agonizing telephone exchanges, such as one where an AOL rep tries to thwart a customer’s cancellation of his account, blog excerpts from reps who feel abused and as if they are “being treated as machines” and countless stories from irritated and confused managers. While Yellin’s study offers more industry anecdotes than concrete solutions, readers will likely look at the industry differently and with more empathy for those who participate in it. (Mar.)

“You alone have long known the secrets to my heart,” affirmed Sir Thomas More to his eldest daughter, Margaret (1505–1544), shortly before his execution for defying Henry VIII. Guy (NBCC award winner for Queen of Scots) describes the Catholic More as a witty and flawed man: a future martyr who condemned others to be burned at the stake, who educated his daughter (Erasmus himself paid tribute to her for correcting his Latin) yet warned that women should not seek recognition for their intellectual work because it resulted in “infamy.” Yet Meg’s deep intellectual and religious kinship with her father ultimately strengthened More while in prison despite his crushing fears of suffering. Using extensive sources, Guy provides unprecedented insight into this intense relationship. Ironically, since More segregated his private and professional lives, there is less information about his relationship with Margaret during his years of ambition in the Tudor court, but Guy reveals an invaluable perspective on Henry VIII’s political and religious machinations. Because of Margaret’s dedication to her father and her own intellectual endeavors, More’s body of work was saved, preserving his memory, reputation and martyrdom. Illus. (Mar. 17)

In the early morning hours of March 18, 1990, thieves posing as cops entered Boston’s Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum and left with a haul unrivaled in the art world, including three Rembrandts and a Vermeer, valued today at $600 million. Boser, a contributing editor at U.S. News and World Report, turned amateur sleuth after the death of a legendary independent fine arts claims adjuster, Harold Smith, who was haunted by the Gardner robbery. Boser carried on Smith’s work, pursuing leads as varied as James “Whitey” Bulger’s Boston mob and the IRA. Along the way, he visited felons—including the notorious art thief Myles Connor—and Bob Wittman, the FBI’s only art theft undercover agent. Boser’s rousing account of his years spent collecting clues large and small is entertaining enough to make readers almost forget that, after 18 years, the paintings have still not been found: the museum is offering a $5 million reward for information leading to their return. Photos. (Mar.)

In a new volume on the inner workings of the Sicilian mob, Longrigg (Mafia Women), a British authority on the Mafia, examines the rise and fall of Bernardo Provenzano, a lowly thug who assumed the post of boss of bosses of the Cosa Nostra. A former enforcer to the Liggio gang, he survived some of the most violent power plays among factions of the Sicilian Mafia, transforming himself from a killer into an effective manipulator of corrupt politicians before the state court banned him from any type of influence over the lawmakers in 1970. The bulk of the book concerns Don Provenzano’s unchecked control of major criminal activities for more than 43 years, even while in hiding from the authorities and after his arrest by the special antivice police, as he modernized gangland operations to meet high-tech demands. Arrested in 2006 at age 73, the Sicilian Godfather, Longrigg found, still ruled with an iron hand from behind bars, his shrewdness and resourcefulness intact. This biography of Provenzano rates as one of the most informed, revealing chronicles of a modern gangster ever. (Mar.)

This memoir of combat in Iraq, and the post-traumatic stress disorder that followed, contains more literary touches than most, and it’s an admirable effort. Marine sergeant Van Winkle (who earned an M.A. in creative writing after returning from Iraq) emphasizes that every marine’s desire was not to spread freedom but to come home alive, and while the book describes some firefights, there are even more incidents of Van Winkle and his comrades blazing away at vehicles or distant figures only to discover they had killed civilians. After discharge, fearful memories and violent rages drove him to seek help from a surprisingly unhelpful V.A., but the passage of time, a few sympathetic therapists and a loving wife set him right. The text jumps back and forth between Van Winkle’s war experiences and postwar life, when marines from his unit, some dead, reappear to badger him. Most readers will forgive this exercise in creative writing techniques because it presents a vivid picture of what many vets endure. (Mar.)

In the early 20th century, propaganda had yet to acquire the sinister name it would gain by the Cold War. One of the most important episodes in understanding the relationship between propaganda and American culture is WWI. Many American were not yet ready to support the total war effort needed to defeat Germany, and President Wilson was worried about bringing the public along. Enter George Creel, a journalist and Democratic Party activist, who brought modern marketing to American politics. Appointed to the Committee on Public Information to control public opinion, Creel imbedded reporters in various governmental agencies, totally controlled information, planted stories and threatened outright censorship. Within months, Creel had an army of public speakers, hundreds of reporters and a propaganda machine unimagined in American history. While this is an important story involving a remarkable character, Axelrod’s (Patton on Leadership) shoddy research undermines the book: the author has not consulted either archival material, the vast newspaper sources or government documents. Instead, he relies too heavily on Creel’s writings. Nor does Axelrod place his subject in the larger sphere of either media or marketing history. (Mar.)

Pitcairn Island was first settled more than 200 years ago by Fletcher Christian and other mutinous crew members of the HMS Bounty, along with several Polynesian women from neighboring islands; the community has always been small, but a mythology has built up around it as a remote, idyllic paradise. “Pitcairn is thoroughly civilized,” agrees Marks, a British journalist based in Australia, “except in one respect... children were almost routinely raped and assaulted.” In 2004, Marks was one of just six journalists allowed on Pitcairn to cover the trials of several islanders accused of repeated sexual abuse of teenage and preadolescent girls; her eyewitness accounts of the proceedings, and the hostility of Pitcairners, still subject to British laws, who believed their entire society was under persecution by the outside world, is gripping. She systematically demolishes the argument that Pitcairn was a different culture, where “underage sex was the norm,” and considers why outside observers—from the British government to local schoolteachers and priests—let the abuse continue unchecked for decades. The crimes are disturbing enough, but the Pitcairn community’s rallying around its most brutal sexual predators, and their relatively light punishment, is a truly unsettling story, even in Marks’s restrained retelling. (Feb.)

Reporter Baum (Citizen Coors) arrived in New Orleans two days after the levees broke after Hurricane Katrina. He admits his initial accounts of the disaster were flawed, but with this captivating collection of nine linked profiles, Baum has rectified what he claims was his narrow interpretation of events. “While covering Katrina and its aftermath for the New Yorker, I noticed that most of the coverage, my own included, was so focused on the disaster that it missed the essentially weird nature of the place where it happened.” Baum begins the narrative with the 1965 battering of the Ninth Ward by Hurricane Betsy and concludes in 2007. He captures the essence of the city “through the lives of nine characters over 40 years, bracketed by two epic hurricanes,” people such as Billy Grace, the king of Carnival and member of New Orleans’ elite; Tim Bruneau, the city cop haunted by images of Katrina’s destruction; and transsexual JoAnn Guidos, who finds a home and, following Katrina, a sense of purpose. Baum, an empathetic storyteller, has nearly perfectly distilled the events, providing readers with a sensuous portrait of a place that can be better understood as “the best organized city in the Caribbean rather than the “worst organized city in the United States.” Baum’s chronicle leaves readers with a bittersweet understanding of what Americans lost during Hurricane Katrina. (Feb.)

When Cardello, a former food and beverage executive, was initially diagnosed with leukemia (lab tests later disproved it), he began looking closely at the relationship between public health and corporate health. The obesity epidemic in particular, he argues, is connected to food businesses that control “almost everything the average American eats.” Drawing substantially on his professional knowledge, he examines such factors as marketing and product packaging, the recent controversies involving branded school snacks and beverages, the use of trans fat in restaurants, and the various food lobbies. Cardello believes that bottom-line thinking makes it difficult for Americans to eat well. While agreeing that the basic agenda of corporations and consumers alike is “more”—more profit, more product—he argues that the industries’ long-range interests are directly entwined with public health and that with their substantial economic power and overpackaged goods, supermarket and restaurant industries could redirect consumption and wellness in novel ways. Although the tone ranges from finger-wagging polemic to reformist optimism, the author does sketch out several solutions to get around obstacles like entrenched corporate and consumer thinking, and he himself cohosted a 2007 summit between industry leaders and obesity researchers. (Feb.)

Former Variety critic Levy has written nine books on film, including All About Oscar and John Wayne. In the first full-length comprehensive biography of film director Minnelli (1903–1986), Levy unveils a compelling portrait. A “lonely, awkward, painfully shy boy,” Minnelli was born into show business because his father and uncle operated a touring theater company. In New York, during the 1930s, Minnelli graduated from costume and set designs to directing. After a decade on Broadway, he was sent by producer Arthur Freed to MGM, where Minnelli’s stylish and exuberant élan captivated audiences for the next 25 years. Meet Me in St. Louis became a huge WWII home-front hit, establishing Minnelli as a major Tinseltown talent. Levy delivers an outstanding chapter on the making of that film and how it brought Minnelli and Judy Garland together: “Judy could never separate professional from emotional relationships, and that kind of blend—or confusion, if you will—was at the very foundation of her marriage to Minnelli.” Levy’s exhaustive research taps into three key sources: the Special Minnelli Collection at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences; letters and documents kept by Minnelli’s widow, Lee Anderson Minnelli; and various drafts of Minnelli’s 1974 memoir, I Remember It Well. Along with coverage of memorable musical and nonmusical films, the work tells Minnelli’s personal life with illuminating insight. Levy captures the color, verve and panache of the director’s life and legacy in high-gloss Hollywood. (Feb.)

While his professional baseball career lasted for just one summer, McCarthy still compiled enough incidents and anecdotes to make for an eye-opening read about the wildly unpredictable life of a minor-league ballplayer. Drafted in 2002 by the Anaheim Angels, the Yale-educated left-hander was eventually shipped off to the Angels’ rookie team in Provo, Utah, where he had to not only adjust to the grueling schedule of a professional athlete but also to the culture of a heavily Mormon town. McCarthy shatters the idea of a glamorous lifestyle in the minor leagues—from the agonizingly long bus rides to the never-ending meals in chain restaurants and minuscule paychecks. He also portrays the unflattering aspects of the game, be it the divide between the American and Hispanic players, or the constant inner struggle on whether to take performance-enhancing drugs. But there are plenty of humorous (and sometimes obscene) stories sprinkled in. All the while, McCarthy writes of his own personal struggles as a pitcher and the constant physical and mental strain he endured to keep alive the dream of one day making it to the major leagues. While the book sometimes reads like a journal (which he kept throughout the summer), McCarthy can be an effective storyteller. It’s a pull-no-punches work that will give many baseball fans a glimpse into a part of baseball not seen on ESPN’s SportsCenter. (Feb.)

Bay (The White Image in the Black Mind) delineates journalist and antilynching crusader Ida B. Wells’s life (1862–1931) and her passionate commitment “to a range of causes so extensive that they defy easy summary.” When her parents died in 1878, 16-year-old Wells became the head of her family, caring for her five siblings. After a brief stint teaching, she found her two callings—political activism and, more powerfully, journalism, becoming by the late 1880s “one of the most prolific and well-known black female journalists of her day.” In 1884, she sued the Chesapeake, Ohio and Southwestern Railroad over segregated cars; in 1889, she became part owner and editor of the Memphis Free Speech newspaper. In 1892, catalyzed by the lynching of three black businessmen, she devoted herself to “an anti-lynching campaign that would cost her the Memphis newspaper, threaten her life, and sever her ties to Memphis forever.” Bay relies heavily on Wells’s published writing, especially her posthumous autobiography, Crusade for Justice, supplemented by secondary sources, making this a useful book for students. The perilous edge that Wells traversed, however, is blunted; she led a life full of drama, but Bay’s quotidian account is an utterly unexciting summary. (Feb.)

Henderson (From India with Hope), whose Irish Protestant family sought reconciliation with their Catholic compatriots, may be just the sort of eloquent messenger the world needs to understand the utility and not just the symbolic value of forgiveness. Starting with the Dalai Lama’s foreword—a paean to the power of redemption—this book is a blissful read and a persuasive argument for forgiveness as a practical tool for global survival. As the author demonstrates in a discussion of (the few) American individuals and institutions that have made formal apologies for the African slave trade, history cannot be redeemed with an apology, but an apology can create a new starting point for history. Most instructive, however, are the stories of people, from Chechnya to Pennsylvania Amish country, who have suffered unspeakable acts at the hands of enemies and staunchly refuse to be consumed by victimhood. Henderson shows the real muscle behind forgiveness, avoiding preciousness and sentimentality. He writes, “Forgiveness has an image problem”—with this latest effort, perhaps no more. (Feb.)

Migration to suburbia has long been an American ambition, but its allure was never stronger than in the post-WWII years, when the fantasy of a dream house played to the imagination of millions of Americans, especially returning veterans. Already waiting for many of them was a model community on the North Shore of Long Island called Levittown, the brainchild of Abraham Levitt and his sons, William and Alfred, the nation’s first real estate tycoons. But Levittown came with its own set of requirements: perfectly manicured lawns, no fences and no black families. In 1957, as the Levitts—by now massively successful and nationally lauded—had already expanded to a second model city, two families challenged the segregationist policy: one, a white Jewish Communist family, secretly arranged for the other, a black family, to buy the house next door. In an entertaining round-robin format, Kushner relays each party’s story in the leadup to a combustible summer when the integration of America’s most famous suburb caused the downfall of a titan and transformed the nation. (Feb.)

The hijab, the head scarf worn by many Muslim women, has been the subject of considerable Western attention, curiosity—and even condemnation. Winter (co-editor of After Shock: September 11, 2001: Feminist Perspectives) focuses on the vociferous debates raging in France, where an official policy of secularism has made wearing conspicuous religious attire the cause for legal battle and the topic of public discussions drenched in covert racism, classism and paternalism toward women. In France’s nearly 20 years of argument over hijab, “women and girls were at the center of a debate waged largely by men,” while “the participation of women themselves in the debate was... more as symbols than as social actors.” Winter’s feminist analysis suggests convincingly that the concept “women believe what they wish and wear what they wish... is one thing. The ways in which these beliefs and appearances are coded and put to the service of other agendas is another”—and that all cultures and societies must address male domination and religious interference in their own “backyards” rather than treating such issues as the exclusive province of an exotic Other. (Feb.)

With a unique combination of cold-eyed realism and boldly confident fortune-telling, Friedman (America’s Secret War) offers a global tour of war and peace in the upcoming century. The author asserts that “the United States’ power is so extraordinarily overwhelming” that it will dominate the coming century, brushing aside Islamic terrorist threats now, overcoming a resurgent Russia in the 2010s and ’20s and eventually gaining influence over space-based missile systems that Friedman names “battle stars.” Friedman is the founder of Stratfor, an independent geopolitical forecasting company, and his authoritative-sounding predictions are based on such factors as natural resources and population cycles. While these concrete measures lend his short-term forecasts credence, the later years of Friedman’s 100-year cycle will provoke some serious eyebrow raising. The armed border clashes between Mexico and the United States in the 2080s seem relatively plausible, but the space war pitting Japan and Turkey against the United States and allies, prognosticated to begin precisely on Thanksgiving Day 2050, reads as fantastic (and terrifying) science fiction. Whether all of the visions in Friedman’s crystal ball actually materialize, they certainly make for engrossing entertainment. (Feb.)

Every business should strive for more than just profit; it should aim to become an organization of great purpose—pledged to make money, make a difference and make history, cheerleads Spence, chairman and CEO of ad agency GSD&M. The author supplements uplifting homilies with case studies (starring his clients) to argue that a high-concept purpose can bring vitality to any company. Southwest Airlines, for example, worked hard not just to lure customers away from older airlines but to offer affordable air travel, “democratizing the skies.” Likewise, Wal-Mart brings goods that were once distant luxuries to rural families. Highway littering was rising by 17% per year in Texas until an enterprising politician appealed to state pride with the “Don’t Mess with Texas” campaign. Spence argues that people work harder and more joyfully when they believe they are part of something larger than themselves; he speaks enthusiastically about employees turned into company evangelists and the power of purpose-based leadership. This is a positive reminder of the private sector’s potential in making a difference in the world. (Feb.)

For globe-trotting British journalist Lyttelton, “scent evokes memories.” Such memories from her childhood, when she traveled with her archeologist mother to distant countries, led her to embark on a quest to find scent origins around the world. Seeking her own “bespoke” perfume, she visits a London perfumer, introducing readers to the delicate art of composing a perfume, evoking, for instance, “a forest at dawn soaked in dew” or, more abstractly, a piece of music. With her own formula in hand, Lyttelton sets out to visit places where the ingredients are grown, hoping to meet the harvesters, encounter fragrant fumes and discover the secrets of perfume making. Lyttelton has a magical manner of blending words and sentences to summon up splendiferous odors amid her anecdotes, memories and historical research. Scented sentences permeate the pages as she takes the reader along on her “olfactory odyssey” across far-flung, labyrinthine landscapes, from the French Riviera and Morocco to Tuscany and Sri Lanka. Her enchanting escapades conclude with a glossary of terminology used by perfumers. (Feb. 3)

From 1971 to 1996, when Botting was an FBI SWAT team member and crisis negotiator, he worked on many of the high-profile crimes irrevocably etched in Americans’ collective memory—Wounded Knee in 1973; the Patty Hearst kidnapping; the Rodney King riots; the ill-fated capture of Randy Weaver at Ruby Ridge, Idaho; and the Branch Davidian tragedy in Waco, Tex. Botting’s insider view of FBI operations at these events is intrinsically interesting, and he brings added value through his own on-the-scene observations. Botting’s style occasionally comes close to tough-talking cliché (bad guys are “lying assholes”), but is oddly satisfying. There are sometimes predictable dynamics, for example, feuding among the LAPD, the DEA and the FBI, and the frequent cluelessness of FBI higher-ups; refreshingly, though, Botting is respectful of his fellow FBI agents and “the Bureau.” Readers into guns and real crime drama with a sprinkling of black humor (“It’s amazing what the public will do for entertainment,” he says of a crowd yelling at a suicidal woman to jump) will like Botting and the stories he has to tell. Photos. (Feb.)

This workmanlike book takes up where Robert D. Putnam’s classic Bowling Alone left off in examining the disintegration of community in 21st-century America. Americans, say the authors (both associate clinical professors of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School), have a conflicted views of community: on the one hand, they glorify rugged individualism and, on the other hand, they encourage community and look down on those who cast off community to go it alone. Drawing on interviews with their patients and on numerous studies, Olds and Schwartz point out that being a loner isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, and many who shun community are surprised at how lonely and socially isolated they feel. The authors conclude that Americans drift away from social connections because of the frenetic and overscheduled intensity of modern life as well as the American pantheon of self-reliant heroes. The authors restate what numerous studies have already shown: social isolation can lead to unhappiness and can have a detrimental impact on one’s physical well-being and that of the larger society. The repetitious and slightly haranguing style detracts from, rather than adds to, the authors’ message. (Feb.)

In this unconventional, friendly cookbook, Weinstein and Scarbrough, the authors of the Ultimate cookbook series, have selected 65 basic savory dishes that, taken together, make up a diverse, international repertoire of nightly dinners. A “How to Use” section orients readers to the particular style of the book and some important considerations for translating the general explication to the specific recipe. Each general dish, be it a bean soup or tagine, begins with a description of the basic technique, with photos illustrating each step. Included in the description are suggestions for the cook who wants to improvise with different spices or needs to use up that lone parsnip in the refrigerator. Following the recipe is a chart with multiple variations: eight different versions of enchiladas (including turkey and walnut) or eight different meals cooked in parchment packets, such as ratatouille-style fish and Japanese-style chicken. The recipes are structured without being fussy and the majority are relatively easy. This is a welcome rarity, imparting a useful, innovative framework as well as the confidence to depart from it. (Apr.)

When Colicchio, restaurateur and head judge of the TV show Top Chef, turned his attention to sandwiches, chances were slim that the result would look much like the pathetic specimens found in most brown bags. Instead, at ’wichcraft, the sandwich shop he created with Ortuzar, they built on a common realization of home cooks and chefs: the best sandwiches are made with food that was, or could be, part of a good meal—not just disparate elements that probably spent too long in plastic packaging. Hence, a breakfast sandwich of skirt steak with fried eggs and oyster mushrooms; a hearty meatloaf sandwich with cheddar, bacon and tomato relish; and recipes for condiments like balsamic onion marmalade. Classic sandwiches like roast beef or peanut butter and jelly are transformed by the use of freshly roasted meat and homemade jelly, but the book also features some of ’wichcraft’s more unusual creations, such as the ravioli-inspired roasted pumpkin with mozzarella and hazelnut brown butter sandwich, as well as unexpectedly luscious dessert sandwiches. Those looking for the easiest, cheapest fare will not find much of it here, but anyone willing to put in the time and effort to find the best ingredients and prepare them well will be rewarded. Color photos not seen by PW. (Mar.)

For the home cook unfamiliar with annatto seeds, crema and tamal, this slim yet worthy collection of Mexican dishes by Castro (founder of the Ars Magirica Cooking School in Miami) is the ideal starter. Accessible recipes ranging from soups and salads, chicken and meat dishes, to desserts are presented with straightforward and easy-to-follow instructions. Recipes, including such classics as tortilla soup, enchiladas and mole chicken, are broken down into sections and accompanied by concise cooking notes covering technique, ingredient information and advance preparation tips. Instructions for techniques like wrapping chicken in banana leaves, assembling tamales and making homemade chorizo are accompanied by captioned step-by-step photographs to guide readers. One won’t discover any outrageous or cutting-edge dishes, yet Castro fulfills her mission to educate and explain the basics of Mexican cooking in a simple, satisfying way. (Apr.)

Arrowsmith’s modern herbarium, first published in a German edition, draws on decades of personal experience. Working deeply rather than broadly, she focuses on 50 potent, multitasking herbs commonly found in Europe and North America, divided into sacred, solar and lunar categories. Some cultures, Arrowsmith (A Field Guide to the Little People) says, identified herbs as the “little people” of the plant world, and she encourages a similar respect for their medicinal, cosmetic, culinary, household and ritual virtues. She aims, she says, for a unified and balanced understanding against the modern tendency to isolate particular plant compounds for pharmaceutical purposes. She relates hundreds of ways to use herbs in daily life, with tips on planting, gathering, drying and storing; preparing tinctures, teas, salves, beauty treatments and special cures; treating humans and animals; cooking and baking; and creating nurturing environments. She includes recipes (sorrel fritters, marigold cordials, etc.); poems; quotes from the likes of Shakespeare, Chaucer and Milton; legends; and describes the magical powers attributed to various herbs. While color photos, rather than the basic line drawings that are here, might better serve aspiring herbalists, this trove of herbal wisdom is a splendid homage to herbariums of the past. (Feb.)

After being diagnosed with thyroid cancer at the age of 27, Rosenthal, a choreographer and now a patient advocate for young adults with cancer, crisscrossed the country, interviewing other young cancer victims. Rosenthal’s text is part guidebook, part true confessions (including her own), as she segues between intimate conversations and sound advice on topics ranging from dating and parenting to working the health-care system and coping with pain. The interviews are riveting and reveal a youthful perspective on cancer (one girl goes to chemo wearing goth makeup; others worry about when to confide in a lover). As she talks with 25 young adults of varying backgrounds, the author points out that many are not diagnosed until their symptoms are advanced, often because they’ve been dismissed by doctors who say they are “too young” to have cancer, or because they have lost their health insurance during the transition from college to jobs. Rosenthal notes that 70,000 young adults between the ages of 20 and 39 are diagnosed with cancer each year, and 25% do not survive. Though at times the volleying between Rosenthal’s own story and those of her subjects is disorienting, the work as a whole is poignant, raw and informative. The text will provide needed support and valuable resources for young adults, their parents, friends and caregivers. (Feb.)

This revised and updated edition by renowned pregnancy expert Stoppard (the original was published in 1986) takes into account the changing role of fathers, the inclusion of the “team” midwife, the changing—and often older—face of mothers-to-be, the heightened importance of balancing work and family throughout and beyond pregnancy and up-to-date information on prenatal testing. Photos, diagrams and charts accompany the text—including month-by-month photos of the evolving pregnant body and a chart detailing common physical complaints with advice on what to do about them. Stoppard covers emotional issues, labor and delivery concerns, breast and bottle-feeding, and preparing the home to accommodate a new baby. Stoppard offers plans for organizing and anticipating as many outcomes as possible, and her reassuring tone and attention to detail will be welcomed by anxious parents-to-be. There’s even a discussion (and photo) of sexual positions to use during pregnancy, pictures of breast-feeding holds for after a caesarean and photos and tips on comfortable ways to sleep and relax as pregnancy progresses. Well organized and straightforward, the book covers everything the expectant mom needs to know. (Jan.)

Some religious people are skeptical about rock music due to its association with what they view as morally unacceptable behavior. It is refreshing that Calhoun, an evangelical Christian minister and former professional musician, can see beyond these dated stereotypes and unapologetically highlight the good that rock has to offer. As an African-American growing up in the 1950s and ’60s, Calhoun knows firsthand about the effects of racism. His personal anecdotes about this period are eye-opening, heart-wrenching and exciting. The author enjoyed unique opportunities, hanging out and playing bass with such famous musicians as Dr. John, the Allman Brothers and Mick Jagger. His historical and sociological insights about racism and the civil rights movement are fascinating and make this project worthwhile. Unfortunately, Calhoun doesn’t succeed in building a bridge between rock and racial harmony. His argument is overly simplistic, never achieving the sophistication found in his personal stories and historical analysis. Still, those looking for an unusual perspective on one of the most turbulent times in recent U.S. history will be intrigued. (Feb.)

The kidnapping of four Christian Peacemaker Teams, or CPT, workers in Iraq in 2005 and the killing of one of them brought international attention to the work of nonviolent activists in war zones. This edited collection of reflections, interviews, stories and letters about the hostage event offers a sometimes uneven but always moving insiders’ account of those days. The authors address the controversies head on: the opinion of some that the CPTers had “martyr complexes”; the rescue of the CPTers by armed forces; and the need for secrecy regarding one of the captives who is gay and whose sexual identity could have placed him in greater danger. The volume also contains stories of CPT’s human rights work in Iraq and Palestine and other countries, its training of Muslim Peacemaker Teams and information about the many Islamic leaders who joined Christians around the world in calling for the hostages’ release. A deep current of nonviolent spirituality runs throughout the chapters, including the most memorable one: an eloquent, harrowing account by Jim Loney of his time in captivity that is worth the price of the book. (Feb.)

The CEO of Church Communications Network wraps his story of going to prison around the core principles of life he learned there. With coauthor Barna, a researcher and cultural critic, Dallas tells stories of people he meets in San Quentin prison; the group he learns the most from are the “Lifers,” those sentenced to life terms in prison. One of the long-term men Dallas meets who shapes his experiences is Vy Le, a Vietnamese immigrant who conquered revenge through a relationship with Jesus that began in an isolation cell. A central feature in the book is a section in each chapter with principles that center on humility, determination and trust in God. Otherwise good stories are told with a lack of suspense and drama in favor of highlighting principles. Readers will also find a challenging series of questions to help them discover how self-absorbed they are. Those looking for riches-to-rags-to-success stories will find a passionate case for avoiding the pitfalls of the financial crime Dallas committed and living a principled life. (Feb.)

It is difficult for any person not affiliated with a group like the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS) to imagine the motivation for living in such a system. Jessop grew up within the strictures of the FLDS cult, subjected to its forced marriages and rampant sexual abuse. Her story is a harrowing but inspiring account of one woman’s determination to break free. She relates in rather stark terms the horror of growing up in the polygamous community, the many pleasures she was denied as a child as her elders pursued a pseudo-holiness, forbidding the joys of childhood but engaging in horrible acts of pedophilia. Following her own liberation, she has worked tirelessly and fearlessly to liberate those who want out of the group. Readers will be repelled at some of what Jessop has to say, but in the end, they will be heartened by her efforts to free others in the grip of the FLDS leadership. (Feb.)

The size of this little book—an expanded essay—belies its power. Acclaimed novelist Farrington (The Monk Downstairs) drills deep into his soul to ponder his own lifelong coexistence with depression. It is a meditation: the author lays bare his stream of thoughts, experience, details, a few pretty good jokes and many insights drawn from the consummate spiritual writer on interior darkness, John of the Cross. Farrington is well-read and draws from other writers and artists as well as the Spanish mystic in showing his way through the dark wood. He writes about his slow crawl to regular, functional life with beauty, cleverness, bone-breaking honesty and a deep, hard-won appreciation for the holy. Medications help; faith helps even more, and that costs a lot more than pharmaceuticals ever will. This book may be too unbearable for some who are depressed. For others, it could be a small voice in the darkness and a lifeline for those unsung sufferers living with someone who is depressed. (Feb.)

In 2006, Telushkin, a scholar, writer, lecturer, teacher and rabbi, presented the first of his projected three-volume series on Jewish ethics. Subtitled You Shall Be Holy, the initial contribution focused on character development. This second volume uses the biblical commandment, “love your neighbor as yourself,” to explore ethical behavior in interpersonal relationships. Among the topics considered are hospitality, visiting the sick, obligations to the dead, comforting mourners, kindness, advice-giving, charity, relationships between Jews and non-Jews, treatment of animals, self-defense, justice and tolerance. Masterfully presented, Telushkin’s straightforward opinions are supported by enlightening anecdotes drawn from the Bible, Talmud and Midrash as well as contemporary Jewish and non-Jewish thinkers. While this superlative compendium focuses on Jewish ethics, people of all faiths will find the precepts so unambiguously presented here to have significant value. (Feb.)

Fatica, cofounder of the Hard as Nails youth outreach, chronicles his progression from recalcitrant high school student to “unordained Catholic minister” in this account of his life and work with young people. Fatica’s in-your-face ministry, the subject of a 2007 HBO documentary, is known for such controversial methods as the “Cross Walk,” in which blindfolded participants “experience” Christ’s torture and death through a reenactment that uses music, shouted words and sounds to mimic the scourging and nailing of Christ to the cross. Hard as Nails Ministries grew out of Fatica’s work at a Catholic high school in New Jersey, and since has spread to other areas, including Barbados, reaching marginalized young people with a simple, unaffected message and methods borrowed from evangelical Protestants. Fatica writes simply and conversationally, complementing his words with moving stories and heartrending letters from young people. He also includes practical “Call to Action” steps for youth with particular problems and questions. Parents, youth workers and all adults who interact with young people will find this interesting and illuminating reading. (Feb.)

This engaging book seeks to tackle the challenges of cross-cultural interaction in the context of Christian ministry. Livermore, an expert in intercultural studies, urges his readers to “become more multicultural people so that we might better express love cross-culturally.” While most works on cross-cultural ministry seek to teach their readers about other cultures they may encounter, Livermore’s book contends that preparation for cross-cultural ministry depends on an inward investigation and transformation. This is what he calls developing one’s Cultural Intelligence quotient, and the book explores the knowledge, interpretations and behavior one must develop to heighten one’s CQ. While grounded in both theory and theology, the strength of this book comes from the many vignettes from Livermore’s personal experience in such places as Singapore, India and Cambodia. Questions throughout and a self-assessment test in the appendix give the book an interactive feel, drawing the reader into self-examination and application of the book’s lessons. Though the book is written for Baker’s youth ministry series, all who are interested in the question of cross-cultural ministry will profit from its information and advice. (Feb.)

In this reflection on the many faces of the Fourth Commandment, Allender (The Healing Path) tries to reinvigorate the Judeo-Christian idea of the Sabbath as a time of joy, celebration and holiness rather than a time for sporting events and grocery shopping. The author, who is president of Mars Hill Graduate School, urges his readers to “go play in the fields of God.” The book, part of the Ancient Practices series, is founded on three central ideas. The Sabbath is a commandment, not an option. It is not a minivacation but a “day of delight.” It is also a time for feasting, a remembrance of Eden and an anticipation of eternal life. Allender liberally sprinkles his work with personal anecdotes as he proposes a Sabbath theology that includes time, “sensual glory,” feasting, ritual, abundance, play and justice. While this volume may be really helpful to those readers seeking to take a fresh look at Sabbath observance, the often convoluted and confusing prose makes it a bit of a slog. (Feb.)

This is not a book for the casual reader. Barker (Surrender All), founder of a missionary order working among the poor, asks the question: how should Christians respond to poverty? And the compelling answers he extracts from often-ignored passages in the Bible—both Old and New Testaments—will push most readers out of their comfort zones. It is certainly a punch in the gut to prosperity gospel, which purports that God’s design includes personal riches. As the author writes: “This book is aimed particularly at those who have a sneaking suspicion that the Christian faith is more than a cultural ornament, that it is a call to follow Jesus as he stands in solidarity with the poor.” Barker is not a great writer and some of his fictional parables fall flat, but his stories of life in the slums of Bangkok, where he and his family have chosen to live, have considerable moral authority, as do his wonderful exegeses of Moses being called to stand with his people and the rich young man confronting Christ. Designed as a study guide with thoughtful exercises and a foreword by activist Shane Claiborne, it is an excellent tool for small groups of Christians ready to take their religious practice to the next level. (Feb.)

Rwanda—bloodied, scarred and nearly destroyed by the 1994 brutality of the Hutu genocide of Tutsis—is now called “an uncharted case study in forgiveness” by author Larson, who was inspired by the award-winning film As We Forgive. Individual stories form prototypes: there is Rosaria, left for dead in a pile of bodies, who forgives her sister’s killer. And Chantal, whose family is brutally murdered yet who forgives her neighbor for the crimes. Devota, mutilated and left for dead, survives, forgives and eventually adopts several orphans. Each story is horrible and deeply personal as Larson mines the truths of forgiveness deep in each one’s tale. Helpful “interludes” offer readers hands-on ways to facilitate forgiveness and take the next step to reconciliation in their own lives. This isn’t an easy book to read or digest, yet its message is mandatory: “Forgiveness can push out the borders of what we believe is possible. Reconciliation can offer us a glimpse of the transfigured world to come.” (Feb.)

Revising his 1996 illustrated primer, Asma (The Gods Drink Whiskey) explores the key tenets of Buddhism in the style of a graphic novel. A sparse text punctuated by extensive illustrations—some cartoonlike and others more serious and detailed—describes Siddhartha Gautama’s enlightenment, what the Buddha taught and how Buddhism developed as the Buddha’s followers encountered various Asian cultures. Asma, a professor of philosophy at Chicago’s Columbia College, argues that Buddhist ideas are “deeply misunderstood in the West,” and he distinguishes these from Buddhist culture. Placing Buddhism in the context of Hindu philosophy, Asma explores the four noble truths, the eightfold path, the five aggregates, the concept of no-self and other ideas critical to this Asian religion. He liberally references specific Hindu and Buddhist scriptures and tackles such tricky subjects as how reincarnation can occur if an immortal self doesn’t exist. Asma also briefly touches on the role of women as Buddhism developed. His take on which current forms hold closest to the Buddha’s teachings may provoke disagreement from some practitioners. This brief, irreverent tour of Buddhism and the sometimes humorous, sometimes grotesque, illustrations won’t be to all tastes; the book includes adult images. (Jan.) 

McCoy, chief encouragement officer of Act Now Inc., a personal development organization, and founder of Woman Act Now, has dedicated herself to coaching women to achieve their highest potential in the workplace in particular and in life in general. McCoy’s can-do spiritedness has earned her recognition nationally in both evangelical and secular circles. Readers will appreciate the author’s enthusiastic approach to taking personal responsibility for making things happen in one’s life not through merely lightweight, cheerleading-type slogans, but through execution of practical plans for success. McCoy tells readers to dream and believe, and then create the “brand you brand.” By that, she means creating a personal statement about oneself—a “brand”—which covers every area of life including reputation, identity, talent, attitude, power, thinking, relationships and looks. Offering timely, business-savvy advice throughout, McCoy’s message of inspiration will reach beyond the borders of her religious fan base and find its place among secular professionals as well. (Jan.)

More people remain single longer, if not for life, than ever before. In the face of this, coupled with popular cultural messages promoting an active sex life, Taylor’s advocacy for chastity is timely and provocative. Drawing on personal interviews, social statistics and references to sources ranging from Freud to Bridget Jones, Taylor (Faith and Power: Christianity and Islam in 'Secular’ Britain) chastises what she deems to be a dangerous degree of sexual freedom. The book is at its best when describing the possibilities and benefits of chastity for the individual and society. However, it is dominated by a querulous tone, decrying the damages of sexual licentiousness. Weakening her argument, Taylor doesn’t clearly distinguish issues of personal choice from issues of criminal pathology. While readers will share the author’s anger and disgust with abusive sex, many will remain puzzled about exactly when and how Taylor thinks sex should be limited. This is a thought-provoking book that should have been further developed. (Jan.)

Robinson, an ordained interfaith minister and retired clinical psychologist, proposes a psychological explanation for happiness and suffering. Reworking the creation story, Robinson (Death of a Hero, Birth of a Soul) claims humans constructed reality out of divine consciousness, thereby losing sight of divinity. By enjoying life’s beauty and by changing thought patterns, we can again experience Heaven on Earth. Robinson suggests the truest way to shift consciousness is through mysticism or “focusing intentionally heightened and thoughtless consciousness back on itself.” He coaches the reader through Heaven’s Compass, his meditative method for finding Heaven on Earth. The reader can use the mystical experience to solve worldly dilemmas, and will find an appendix that answers questions about the process. Another appendix includes quotations about the existence of Heaven on Earth from a cross-section of poets, mystics and religious leaders. Similar quotes littered throughout the chapters should have been consigned to that appendix instead of frequently interrupting the main exposition. While the existence of a wise divinity in a world of suffering is encouraging, the author’s use of divine encounters as a means to an end diminishes the mystery of the encounter itself. (Jan.)

Drawing on the breadth of experiences that shape a woman’s life, the author has created a progressive series of reflections on the spiritual life intended to help women “become friends with God.” A workshop leader and writer of both fiction (Dwelling Places) and nonfiction (The Soul Tells a Story), Wright uses autobiographical anecdotes, Scripture readings, written exercises and meditations as catalysts to help women consciously encounter God. Inviting women to access the inner room where God awaits them, she calls them to move through such stages as resistance, attention, engagement and, finally, love. Designed in part for those who may find conventional religious practice overly constricting, the book draws heavily upon the meditative tradition of St. Ignatius of Loyola, but with a contemporary gloss that may make it appealing to women across a spectrum of belief and practice. The volume can be used by individuals, in collaboration with a spiritual director, or in a group setting. It is a challenging but hopeful volume, and a useful addition to the material already available in the area of women’s spirituality. (Jan.)