Web Exclusive Book Reviews: 2/22/2010

Feb 22, 2010

NONFICTION

Bargaining with the Devil: When to Negotiate, When to Fight
Robert Mnookin. Simon & Schuster, $27 (336p) ISBN 9781416583325
Mnookin, head of Harvard's Program on Negotiation, combines business, history, philosophy and psychology to present a complete set of tools for confronting "Devils," defined as any individual perceived as a harmful adversary. Examining eight conflicts, including Winston Churchill's decision to reject negotiations with Adolf Hitler, Nelson Mandela's decision to initiate discussions with South Africa's apartheid government, IBM's discovery that its largest competitor copied its software, poisoned labor-management issues in the San Francisco Symphony, and examples from his professional experience, Mnookin (Beyond Winning) provides a straightforward account of the deliberative options when facing a "Faustian tension between pragmatism and principle." Along with cogent analysis, Mnookin suggests four general guidelines for determining the best course of action: systematically compare the cost-benefit ratios of negotiating or fighting, collect advice from others, tip the scales in favor of negotiation before fully committing, and don't allow moral intuition to override pragmatic assessment. While Mnookin admits his suggestions are "hardly the last word," they will help decision-makers focus their thoughts in challenging situations. (Feb.)

Finding Martha's Place: My Journey Through Sin, Salvation, and Lots of Soul Food
Martha Hawkins with Marcus Brotherton. Touchstone, $24.99 (256p) ISBN 9781439137819
Owner of Martha's Place, a popular Montgomery, Alabama restaurant, Hawkins chronicles with simple grace the highs and lows of her life so far, revealing the inspiration and motivation behind her self-made success. The tenth of 12 children, Hawkins grew up in mid-century Alabama with little money but lots of love, and a mama who was always cooking: "Give her a pot of peas and a dash of salt and she could make a meal for the entire neighborhood." Heavy on honesty and charming (but clearly written) Southern syntax, Hawkins recalls her scandalous teenage pregnancy ("I was scared to drink water because I was scared I was going to drown the baby"), her marriage and subsequent divorce, the three other boys she bore, her diagnosis with and treatment for depression, and her financial struggles. The brightest passages, however, involve food; Hawkins celebrates her time in the kitchen vividly and with passion to spare: "When you put [my lima beans] against your lips they feel plump, like you was smooching the back of your baby grandson's knee." Luckily for readers who can't get to Montgomery, Hawkins completes her feel-good memoir with a few of her best-loved recipes. (Feb.)

Linda Darling-Hammond. Teachers College Press, $21.95 paper (408p) ISBN 9780807749623
Examining in detail issues like equality of spending, testing in K-12 education, and teacher preparation, Stanford education professor Darling-Hammond (The Right to Learn) makes a clear, organized argument that, "[l]ike manufacturing industries that have struggled and gone under in recent decades, modern schools were designed at the turn of the last century," and are in desperate need of transformation. Using a straightforward style to examine complex issues, Darling-Hammond reveals the successful educational strategies around the world that are toppling the old educational guard, including a high degree of personalization that allows stronger, closer relationships among students, faculty, staff, and parents. Darling-Hammond doesn't shy away from difficult questions at the heart of seemingly-intractable academic issues; for example, "How is it that scores have been driven upward on the state tests required by [No Child Left Behind], yet they have dropped on... international measures?" Scholarly and factual, well-researched and packed with astounding examples of the current climate of American education, this text should prove highly informative for educators, educational administrators, and involved parents throughout the U.S. (Jan.)

Edited by Darra Goldstein. University of Calif., $39.95 (376p) ISBN 9780520259393
This collection of articles from Gastronomica: The Journal of Food and Culture will feed the curious and the jaded with an eclectic collection of food-related stories, photos and poems that range from the avant-garde to the mildly outrageous to the titillating and the occasionally ridiculous. This multifaceted presentation, graced with provocative illustrations, includes a profile of a famous restaurateur who became Hitler's caterer, an examination of taboos related to cooking apes, the chronicle of a foodie's colonoscopy, a surprisingly engaging essay regarding "The Legacy of Iceland's Herring Oil and Meal Factories," and an investigation of food pornography (a stretch even for the open-minded); poems include odes to a sexy shallot and a talking potato. More conventional articles consider the traditional New York City egg cream ("Somehow the lack of those two ingredients never bothered customers"), drinking cappuccino along the Spice Trail, and television cooking shows ("the illegitimate love child, or even the prostitute, of the real world of gastronomy"). Putting the "soup to nuts" principal to good use, this volume should absorb anyone with an appetite for unconventional food writing. 64 color and b/w illustrations. (Feb.)

Getting Naked: A Business Fable About Shedding the Three Fears that Sabotage Client Loyalty
Patrick Lencioni. Jossey-Bass, $24.95 (240p) ISBN 9780787976392
Author, speaker and management consultant Lencioni (The Three Signs of a Miserable Job) preaches a business model that may seem antithetical to many, which he calls "getting naked": being unafraid to show vulnerability, admit ignorance, and ask the dumb questions when dealing with clients. Lencioni's central argument is that by focusing on sales, rather than communication, consultants miss the key part of their job-consulting-and therefore lose out on valuable long-term client relationships. Presented mostly as a parable about a management consultant trying to reconcile two firms in a merger, Lencioni's latest is entertaining as well as informative, with a message that sticks (heavy-handed though it may be). Straightforward and widely applicable, Lencioni's advice should prove useful not only for business consultants, but anyone trying to build long-term client relationships. (Feb.)

Growing Up Psychic: From Skeptic to Believer
Michael Bodine. Llewellyn, $16.95 paper (312p) ISBN 9780738719610
Fans of based-in-reality psychic family TV drama Medium, or anyone who wished Running With Scissors had more ghosts, will be gratified with this memoir from professional psychic Bodine, who grew up with a psychic mom and sister in a house full of spirits. Happily, the paranormal isn't Bodine's primary focus; among relatively few instances of psychic phenomenon, Bodine's account is an absorbing family drama featuring a mother suddenly enraptured with the beyond; a wealthy father who leaves his wife and four children; Bodine's own pre-teen descent into drugs and alcohol; and, ultimately, personal redemption and fulfillment. Most striking is Bodine's sense of loneliness and abandonment; he makes it seem almost natural when he embraces a friendship with Jerry, a dead boy who chooses to be Bodine's spirit guide, but who reads like an increasingly malevolent imaginary friend. Still, Bodine's narrative can meander, and occasionally skips over important-seeming events without explanation ("[My therapist] tried to have sex with me which completely freaked me out so I stopped seeing him"). Though it won't turn any skeptics into believers, Bodine's tale should capture the imagination of the open-minded. (Feb.)

Stephen Martin. Univ. of Chicago/Reaktion, $19.95 (198p) ISBN 9781861893765
More than any other bird, penguins appear to behave anthropomorphically, waddling about on two legs and continuously chattering, "like so many children in white aprons" (according to one 18th century naturalist). Martin, an Australian historian of the Antarctic, guides readers through the history of human-penguin history, describing their discovery by people, human-penguin interactions, and the flightless bird's widespread cultural cachet. Martin covers some three centuries, revealing how indigenous inhabitants of the southern hemisphere used penguins as a resource (the Maori may have used penguins for food), how European voyages of discovery began the systematic exploitation of penguins (Magellan and Vasco de Gama's crews used the birds for target practice), and how the documentary work of naturalists led to the first conservation efforts. Martin also assesses their infiltration of popular culture; by the end of the 19th century, penguins featured prominently in stories, especially morality lessons, a tradition that continues most notably in such films such as March of the Penguins, Surf's Up, and Happy Feet. Featuring essential natural history, a list of penguin species, ample notes, a useful index, and elegant, readable text, Martin's overview is not just informative, but manages to match its subject in charm. (Dec.)

Simple, Not Easy: Reflections on Community, Social Responsibility, and Tolerance
Terrence Roberts. Parkhurst Brothers (Univ. of Chicago, dist.), $24.95 (192p) ISBN 9781935166160
In his new collection of essays and speeches, psychologist and civil rights activist Roberts provides cultural perspective propelled by hope, strength, loss, and redemption. Roberts found fame at a young age, as one of the Little Rock Nine, a group of African American students who were the first to be integrated into a "whites only" school, an experience Roberts returns to often; the physical and mental harassment he endured, not only from peers, but from certain Little Rock adults, contains relevant lessons continually in need of unpacking. Including addresses at libraries, graduations, and Civil Rights conventions, Roberts' collection emphases personal responsibility-for one's highest values, as well as one's less noble biases-and connects with fatherly charm, a common-sense approach to justice and community, and a contagious belief in mankind's better nature. Vivid accounts from the days of segregation immerse readers in a divided world, but Roberts's charismatic voice and keen eye for topical developments keep his work fresh, focused, and inspirational. (Feb.)

Frederick P. Close. Scarecrow, $45 (522p) ISBN 9780810867772
One of WWII's most sensational stories was that of Tokyo Rose: a Japanese radio propagandist who demoralized American soldiers with stories of their wives' infidelity and impossibly accurate knowledge of U.S. troop movements. The Tokyo Rose story thrilled and horrified Americans, especially when an American citizen, Iva Toguri, was arrested for being the nefarious broadcaster-the problem, the U.S. government soon realized, was that Toguri was forced into the position of propagandist, had not actually broken any laws, and had even helped American POWs. Still, public opinion demanded that they prosecute, and she was ultimately convicted of treason. By treating Tokyo Rose, the Pacific legend, and Iva Toguri, the American citizen trapped by circumstance, as separate people, Close reaches into the heart of Cold War tension. Meticulously researched, Close's case explains not only why Toguri was not a traitor, but also why the American people, in a time of desperation, needed to believe she was. The result will prove compelling and readable for those interested in the Pacific theater, propaganda studies, or the history of the Cold War; though lengthy, Close makes his 500-plus pages worthwhile with a rich sense of context and detailed notes. (Jan.)

Tupac Shakur: The Life of an American Icon
Tayannah Lee McQuillar and Fred Johnson. Da Capo, $15.95 paper (256p) ISBN 9781568583877
Since his untimely death in 1996, rapper Tupac Shakur has been memorialized in a wide range of books and documentary films, but few are as exhaustively researched and contextualized as this latest, unauthorized biography from author McQuillar (When Rap Music Had a Conscience) and history professor Johnson. Seeking to understand the enigmatic performer, McQuillar and Johnson have enlisted a psychologist to profile Shakur, looked into a century of his family history, and paid particular attention to the political background of his mother, Afeni, a former Black Panther. The result is insightful, enjoyable and expansive, even if it doesn't answer the questions that still linger regarding Shakur's celebrity lifestyle and still-unsolved murder. For casual fans with no prior exposure to Shakur's life, this biography will prove thorough and accessible, with lengthy but informative tangents that cover seemingly all of Tupac's collaborators and associates. Readers looking for glitzy speculation will not find it here, and Tupac enthusiasts may not learn much new, but this undeniably solid biography will deepen anyone's appreciation of the hip-hop legend. (Feb.)

LIFESTYLE

The Diabetic Pastry Chef
Stacey Harris. Pelican. $24.95 (192p) ISBN 9781589807471
While training to become a pastry chef, Harris discovered she was diabetic. Rather than hang up her apron, she decided to adapt her favorite recipes for her dietary needs, and the resulting collection will prove a welcome, trustworthy resource for diabetics who had given up on chocolate chip cookies, apple pie and crème brulee. Harris provides sage advice on the properties of various flours, the care and feeding of a sourdough starter, and plentiful consideration of sugar and the unique characteristics of its substitutes (like Splenda). Harris does a terrific job keeping her recipes accessible by offering plentiful options: among 13 recipes for muffins, she includes Two-Ingredient Muffins, which call for nothing more than a can of pumpkin puree and a boxed chocolate cake mix. Not all recipes are so simple (or rely on pre-made ingredients): Harris's tangy Sourdough Pancakes require a starter, and her cheesecake asks cooks to mix and bake their own crusts, rather than simply crushing cookies. Harris' directions are to-the-point and employ easy-to-find ingredients, but she often fails to describe the finished dish, leaving readers to imagine what the final product should look and smell like. (Feb.)

House of Havoc: How to Make-and Keep-a Beautiful Home Despite Cheap Spouses, Messy Kids, and Other Difficult Roommates
Marni Jameson. Da Capo, $16.95 paper (288p) ISBN 9780738213118
While domestic gurus like Martha Stewart promote a fantasy of spotless homes and decorating genius, syndicated home columnist Jameson (The House Always Wins) brings a down-to-earth, humorous approach to maintaining a household that's based in the real world of clutter, kids, pets, crowded schedules, and limited budgets. From "Slip Covers as Divine Intervention" to "The Science of Housekeeping," Jameson makes home improvement advice fun as well as practical, stacking each chapter with tips gleaned from her own life and from experts, including interior designers and professional home organizers; Part Four, for example, details the six Secrets of Great Design (restraint is key in "Manag[ing] the Snowball Effect of Decorating"), while Part Six tackles "specialty spaces" like home offices and guest rooms. Whether considering a fresh coat of paint in the living room, purchasing new towels, or removing a stain, Jameson provides succinct trouble-shooting tips ("Buy it once, buy it right") as well as more general guidelines, found in personal mantras like "Every house needs bling," and "Every room needs some life: flowers, a goldfish, a pet." (Feb.)

Tranquilista: Creating Enlightened Work and Mindful Play
Kimberly Wilson. New World Library (PGW, dist.), $14.95 paper (256p) ISBN 9781577316725
In this pithy, would-be full-service self help, Wilson seeks to motivate women to be their best selves, without losing sight of what makes us human. Helpful and humorous, Wilson's friendly style is welcoming, if occasionally cringe-inducing (cutesy internet vernacular, like substituting "heart" for "like," is sure to wear on certain readers). Attempting to cover a broad range of women's lifestyle topics-eating better, exercising, going green, finding inner peace, entrepreneurship-Wilson's guide is occasionally scanty on details, and heavily lopsided toward the aspiring businesswoman: eating suggestions span little more than a page, while nearly half the text is devoted to small business growth. As an accomplished entrepreneur (founder of a women's advocacy group and her own "eco-fashion" line), Wilson's business advice is valuable and well-considered, but would served better in a more narrow, career-focused volume, rather than as part of a holistic guide to life. (Feb.)

Wild Sourdough: The Natural Way to Bake
Yoke Mardewi. Sterling/New Holland, $24.95 paper (224p) ISBN 9781741107449
Beginning with an examination of sourdough breads and instructions on making one's own starter, home baker Mardewi gives readers two paths to follow: the lengthy Dough Retardation method, and the quicker Straight or Starter Method. Once they've got their starter ready to go, Mardewi opens the oven, showing readers how to make basic Pain Au Levain, Ciabatta, Lavash, and even chocolate and gingerbread cake varieties. Having been originally published in Australia, metric measurements are converted for U.S. audiences, but the recipes aren't fully "translated": rather than cups and teaspoons, readers will need a scale to measure ingredients; even more frustrating, virtually every recipe calls for odd and unobtainable oven temperatures (Roasted Vegetable Sourdough bakes at 435 degrees Fahrenheit, Sweet Potato and Cheddar at 437, and Light Rye Spelt at 410). Crucial tips for achieving a crusty, crunchy result, such as using a granite tile, aren't given enough emphasis, and will likely be missed by readers stressing over their starter. Veteran bakers will appreciate the collection of ideas and applications, but those new to breadmaking will likely wind up flustered and frustrated. (Feb.)

Janine Driver with Mariska Van Aalst. Crown, $25 (240p) ISBN 9780307453976
A former body-language specialist with the Department of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, Driver has put her life on the line more times than she can count, depending on her understanding of body language-how to read it and how to use it-to survive. Now a professional body-language trainer, Driver puts her lessons to paper with straightforward prose and easy-to-use methodology, intended to help readers break bad habits, overcome misleading assumptions, avoid blind spots, and project the kind of confidence they need for successful communication and/or negotiation. Offering a number of tips across a range of settings (business, romance, courtroom, etc.), Driver's advice will give readers immediate, effective results, such as a step-by-step guide to "Active Listening Head Moves": "Now try the head tilt with the double nod. Did the person speed up the conversation?" Sound examples (many drawn from her professional adventures), revealing exercises and self-tests, and a game sense of humor keep Driver's considerable expertise from overwhelming readers, making this an enjoyable and highly practical self-help. (Feb.)

RELIGION

Change the World: Recovering the Message and Mission of Jesus
Mike Slaughter. Abingdon, $18 paper (176p) ISBN 9781426702976
In a time when the congregations of many mainline churches are ebbing in the U.S., the success of a booming multi-campus congregation in the Rust Belt is certainly worthy of analysis. In this provocative, passionate and often critical book, Slaughter, lead pastor at Ginghamsburg United Methodist Church, takes a hard look at the seeker-sensitive, attendance-focused strategies that have driven the church growth movement for the past 20 years-and finds them severely lacking. "Let's quit worrying about numbers in the pews," asserts Slaughter, "and begin to be the hands and feet of Jesus in our homes, our communities, and the outermost places of the world." In such chapters as "Disciples vs. Decisions," the author describes the mission-driven, locally-focused and challenging philosophy of congregational life that's made a significant impact in places like Darfur, Sudan. It has also, ironically enough, fueled growth in the Ginghamsburg congregations. Chapters conclude with questions for individuals and congregations. Because he writes chiefly from his own experience, and doesn't draw a lot on that of other congregations, readers are mostly going to have to figure out how to apply Slaughter's ideas to their own church communities. (Feb.)

Green Mama: The Guilt-Free Guide to Helping You and Your Kids Save the Planet
Tracey Bianchi. Zondervan, $12.99 paper (208p) ISBN 9780310320364
Writer and speaker Bianchi does what few evangelicals have the courage or social insight to accomplish, treading fearlessly into the minefields of discord between those Christians who go enthusiastically green in their habits and philosophical leanings, and those who do not. The author presents a compelling argument for prudently using (and not simply wasting) everything from water to electricity to foodstuffs. Bianchi shares her personal story of becoming a "green mama" with eloquence and gently calls others to do likewise, making small but significant choices as outward expression of faith, trust, and selflessness. The author also offers plenty of practical "Green Steps" and "Eco-Examen" questions in every chapter for daily application. Readers will not be guilt-tripped into accommodating Bianchi's ardent desire to save the planet, but will instead find themselves compelled to rethink their lifestyle with a more environmentally friendly eye. (Mar.)

Spiritual Atheism
Steve Antinoff. Counterpoint, $14.95 (172p) ISBN 9781582435640
A college instructor of philosophy and religion who spent 15 years studying Zen Buddhism in Japan, Antinoff's debut follows popular, provocative atheist tomes like Christopher Hitchen's God is Not Great, but is more a prod than a philosophical primer. As a jumping-off point, Antinoff uses a principal quotation from Dostoyevsky: "God is necessary, and so must exist... Yet I know that he doesn't exist, and can't exist." Antinoff seeks to answer, "What then?" Presupposing the lack of a divine entity, Antinoff is unafraid to alienate readers who believe in a God of any kind, and his fondness for quoting the great (Christian) philosopher Paul Tillich works to further antagonize believers, as well as atheists searching for meaning. Antinoff considers and dismisses only two concepts-intense romantic love and intense artistic output-as possible substitutes for religion and spiritual belief, a position sure to provoke atheists who find great purpose in, say, charitable work or science. Eventually, Antinoff turns to his own Zen Buddhist practice, using koans and received wisdom to create a non-answer to his central question, ultimately failing to please or enlighten. (Feb.)

Thin Places: A Memoir
Mary E. DeMuth. Zondervan, $14.99 paper (224p) ISBN 9780310284185
Fiction (Watching the Tree Limbs) and nonfiction (Authentic Parenting in a Postmodern Culture) author DeMuth revisits supremely challenging and emotionally transformative junctures in her life as she reveals the childhood sexual brutalities of which she was a victim, the confounding death of her biological father, and ongoing years of neglect and parental irresponsibility with which she had to cope. DeMuth, whose fiction consistently evokes deep responses from her loyal fan base, has succeeded in offering a comparably powerful memoir by telling her own story with honest courage. At every signpost, the author presents life as it is, even when the offering is ugly. Despite the bitterness and anger that could naturally characterize her, the author clings to her faith in God and his goodness, deriving victory over her circumstances. DeMuth writes, "God sees," and in this recalling of her early childhood pain, she sees, and is seen by, a faithful divine Father who provides refuge. (Feb.)

FICTION

Eternal on the Water
Joseph Monninger. Pocket, $15 (336p) ISBN 9781439168332
Henry David Thoreau meets Nicholas Sparks in this poignant love story rooted in the forests of Maine. On sabbatical, prep school teacher Jonathan Cobb's only goal is to retrace Thoreau's historic 92-mile journey along the Allagash Waterway by kayak, little realizing that, like Thoreau, he will soon "front only the essential facts of life" after meeting Mary Fury on his first night camping. An experienced, exuberant outdoorswoman, Mary invites Cobb to join her for a lecture at the Chungamunga camp for girls suffering with medical illnesses. There, Cobb is impressed by the camaraderie of the group, drawn in by their emphasis on creativity, mythology and survival skills. His growing feelings for Mary are put to the test when she reveals that she's suffering from Huntington's disease, and details the condition's debilitating path. Though the plot sometimes drags through Monninger's numerous digressions, his keen eye for nature, subtle incorporation of indigenous myths and use of symbolism make for a memorable story of love and courage. (Feb.)

Long Live L. Ron

This month, Galaxy releases three hard-to-find volumes from the late, lauded novelist and spiritual entrepreneur L. Ron Hubbard. Dead Men Kill L. Ron Hubbard. Galaxy, $9.95 paper (132p) ISBN 9781592122639 First published in 1934 in Thrilling Detective magazine, Hubbard's rollicking horror yarn just happens to tap into the current craze for zombies. Heroic Det. Sgt. Terrence "Terry" Lane looks into a deeply disturbing series of murders of powerful businessmen. Dawn Drayden, a pretty Club Haitian entertainer, confirms Lane's hunch that the killers are dead men "coming back from the grave and killing their employers." The zombie mastermind is the nefarious Dr. Leroux, originally of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, aka Loup-garou (or human hyena). In the end, Drayden and Lane must face heart-pounding dangers once Dr. Leroux's secrets are revealed. This fun, campy novella reflects a contemporary revenge vibe felt by those who wouldn't mind dispatching a few zombies to punish criminally inclined businessmen. (Feb.) Golden Hell L. Ron Hubbard. Galaxy, $9.95 paper (132p) ISBN 9781592122738 Some may wonder who the intended audience is for these two undistinguished pulp-era action novellas from Hubbard (1911-1986). The title story concerns the travails of a mining engineer who risks his life in pursuit of gold and finds himself trapped in a hellish cavern in the Gobi desert. Readers should be prepared for racial stereotypes: Mongols are "yellow-fanged demons"; a Chinese moneylender in the second novella, "Pearl Pirate," is described as "the greasy fat Chinaman." Occasionally nonsensical prose ("If ever Ichabod Crane fled from the Headless Horseman, he would have had to travel very fast to even keep up with me") doesn't help. Those looking for thrills and brushes with death have plenty of modern authors better able to keep the pages turning. Extras include an excerpt from another, similar adventure story, and a glossary aimed at helping readers with "uncommon words or expressions of the era" (such as Dante Alighieri, Sir Francis Drake, and G-men). (Feb.) Yukon Madness L. Ron Hubbard. Galaxy, $9.95 paper (108p) ISBN 9781592123179 Hubbard fans will welcome this collection of three Golden Age adventure tales: the over-the-top "Yukon Madness," the grim revenge drama "The Cossack," and the macho smackdown "The Small Boss of Nunaloha." Today's readers will best appreciate "The Cossack," in which Lt. Mertz Komroff contends with the imperious duchess of Novgrod. Shocking consequences follow when Komroff, who refuses to be unfaithful to his fiancée, rebuffs the duchess's advances. "Yukon Madness" features Itauk the Madman, who with his 12-wolf team delights in "spreading death with sharp steel and throwing the shattered bodies of men to his slavering team." Tommy McKenna of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, in his effort to stop Itauk, turns to Kaja, Itauk's battered, half-white girlfriend, for more than help. Less successful is "The Small Boss of Nunaloha," an action tale about Jim Lanridge, a trading company representative who's obsessed with being top dog on the island of Nunaloha, no matter what. (Feb.)

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