Web Exclusive Book Reviews: 3/1/2010
Publishers Weekly Staff
Mar 01, 2010

Nonfiction

Curtains: Adventures of an Undertaker-in-Training
Tom Jokinen. Da Capo, $15.95 paper (288p) ISBN 9780306818912
A CBC journalist in Winnepeg taking "a month's leave to dabble in deathcare" reveals the changing face of the funeral industry in this informative but rote tour of duty, an update of sorts on Jessica Mitford's 1963 The American Way of Death. On his first day as an intern at the Winnepeg crematorium run by Neil Bardal, the undertaker tells him that "the traditional funeral is gone and it's never coming back"; the bereft world has embraced cremation, with specific impact on a number of industry segments, from vehicles and florists to tombstones and caskets. Jokinen is nonchalantly graphic when getting into the day-to-day of cremation ("I dump the pan of bones onto the steel table and crunch through it with the heavy magnet"), touching on juvenile at times, but makes the point in many ways that, eventually, we'll all be paying for this industry's changes. The industry's big bet is that 75 million North American baby boomers, afraid of death, will want unprecedented control over their funerals, illustrated in examples like a successful Milwaukee funeral home owner who calls Ritz-Carlton and Disney his models. Readers who understand that Joniken took on the role of apprentice undertaker for one reason (they're reading it) will find an interesting glimpse into an almost-invisible industry, and the forces pushing it in strange new directions. (Mar.)

Louann Brizendine. Broadway, $24.99 (304p) ISBN 9780767927536
In this utterly fascinating follow-up to her bestselling The Female Brain, Harvard neuropsychiatrist Brizendine leads readers through the lifespan of a man's brain, using lively prose and personable anecdotes to turn complex scientific research into a highly accessible romp. Among other salient info, readers will learn why it is what young boys seem unable to stay still (they are learning through "embodied cognition"); why behaviors may change so suddenly during puberty (among other changes, testosterone increases 20-fold); the nature of irritability in teens ("boys' hormones prime them for aggressive and territorial behaviors"); and the ways in which chemicals, physical touch, and play bond fathers with their children. With clearly detailed scientific explanations for how characteristics like anger expression, analysis of facial expression, and spatial manipulation differ between the sexes, Brizendine's review of brain and behavioral research should net a broad audience, from parents of boys to psychology students to fans of her first volume. Brizendine also includes an appendix regarding the brain and sexual orientation, as well as lengthy endnotes and an exhaustive reference list. (Mar.)

Paul and Me: 53 Years of Adventures and Misadventures with My Pal, Paul Newman
A.E. Hotchner. Doubleday/Talese, $26.95 (256p) ISBN 9780385532334
Author and playwright Hotchner (Papa Hemingway) met Paul Newman in 1955, when the unknown actor took over for James Dean in Hotchner's first teleplay, beginning a friendship that lasted until the legendary actor's 2008 death. Chronicling that friendship, Hotchner presents a meandering collection of stories about their times and projects, including the successful business they started together. Vignettes feature the two fishing, traveling, and developing the Newman's Own brand, spreading the familiar news of Newman's nice-guy reputation, rigorous preparation for specific roles, penchant for practical jokes, philanthropic efforts, political involvement and disdain for rules. Though there's no question that the relationship between them ran deep-one passage finds Newman confiding his guilt over the drug-related death of his son, Scott-the author places himself in the middle of every story, resorts to frequent namedropping, and quotes extensively from private conversations that took place decades ago, giving the proceedings a queasy current of self-regard that could rub fans the wrong way. (Mar.)

Plato's Podcasts: The Ancients' Guide to Modern Living
Mark Vernon. OneWorld (NBN, dist.), $14.95 (218p) ISBN 9781851687060
In this solid, mercifully accessible account of 20 ancient thinkers, U.K. author and journalist Vernon (What Not to Say) makes philosophy enlightening, engaging, and relevant by taking a fresh look at its roots: "Very many ordinary people-not just men, but women and slaves-dedicated themselves to such matters. Philosophy was about what you ate, how you had sex, where you lived. Get those choices right and think less squiffily too, and it promised the good life." As such, Vernon connects each of the 20 philosophers to a modern-day concern. Zeno of Citium, for example, helps readers consider the psychology of shopping by way of stoicism, while Aristippus and his more-is-more philosophy of hedonism make him the go-to guy for an approach to pleasure-seeking. Among the standard list of dead white males (beginning with Plato and ending with Socrates), Vernon also highlights three notable woman philosophers, Sappho, Diotima and Hypatia, with worthwhile thoughts on love, warfare and paying attention. B&W photos. (Mar.)

Sex Appeal: Six Ethical Principles for the 21st Century
Paul Abramson. Oxford, $19.95 (160p) ISBN 9780195393897
UCLA psychology professor and sex authority Abramson (Romance in the Ivory Tower) offers six tenets for a healthy attitude towards sexuality in this well-written but unsurprising treatise. Though the book clocks in at a slim 160 pages, it feels much longer, as Abramson covers well-trod territory regarding sexual harassment, preventing childhood sexual abuse, the perils of sexually-transmitted diseases, and causes for marital happiness and discord. It also doesn't help that his six principles-do no harm, celebrate sex, be careful, know yourself, speak up and speak out, and throw no stones-can, admittedly, be boiled down to three: know thyself, respect others, and enjoy the ride. Abramson's arguments for honesty in relationships and the value of self-knowledge are unassailable, and backed up with occasionally absorbing anecdotes (for instance, a brief look at masculinity in the Sambia tribe of New Guinea), but anyone interested enough to purchase this classroom lecture in book form probably won't learn anything new. (Feb.)

The Stars Align

Three celebrity memoirs and one celebrity-edited issue-of-the-moment anthology: Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang Chelsea Handler. Grand Central, $25.99 (256p) ISBN 9780446552448 Comedienne, talk show host and daring author Handler (Are You There, Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea) indulges her fans with a new compilation of shockingly direct essays, from which she emerges as a scheming farceur with an expansive range of practical jokes and winning sarcasm, pulled off beautifully against (and with help from) her closest friends and family (including her boyfriend, the CEO of the E! television network that employs her). Handler spins a deliriously sticky web of running jokes while suckering the gullible, again and again, with made-up stories of her transgendered friend, a ludicrous movie deal, and her infamous personal pilot. Never shy, Handler finds room for even more irreverent honesty regarding sex-including her earliest encounters with male genitalia and with "the feeling"-and also lets readers in on her family life, including a family dinner that ends with her missing brother found intoxicated, naked, and celebrating on a dock in the early morning hours. Whether Handler is plotting to get her father committed or convincing her dog never to "shadoobie" in her presence, her essays are packed with enough laugh-out-loud moments to rival a first-rate stand-up act. B&W photos. (Mar.) Gristle: From Factory Farms to Food Safety (Thinking Twice About the Meat We Eat) Edited by Moby, with Miyun Park. New Press, $14.95 paper (144p) ISBN 9781595581914 Musician, vegan and social activist Moby presents a collection of compelling, well-researched essays that illuminate and enhance the dialogue on food consumption in America most recently carried forth by Michael Pollan's The Omnivore's Delimma and the documentary film Food, Inc. Brief but clear essays cover a range of angles: Canadian marathon champion Brendan Brazier, creator of a line of whole-food nutritional products, explores the impact of meat and dairy consumption on health; labor activists Christine Chavez and Julie Chavez Rodriquez account for workers' conditions; Moby's co-editor Park, executive director of animal rights group Global Animal Partnership, provides a rousing, personable call-to-action epilogue. Measuring the actual cost of "industrialized farmed animal production and meat, egg, and milk consumption," contributors pursue their agenda using studies and reports as well as insightful quotes from livestock producers, legislators, and others interested in shining light on the world of agribusiness, whose worst offenders-against public health and safety, ecological stability, and animal welfare-are right to fear the outrage of an increasingly-informed public. (Mar.) Here's the Deal: Don't Touch Me Howie Mandel with Josh Young. Bantam, $25 (240p) ISBN 9780553807868 In this reflective autobiography, written with verve and passion, actor, comedian and game show host Mandel alternates between funny anecdotes and stories of intense personal problems, opening with a description of his Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and the situations in his Toronto childhood that shaped his comedy career. Despite little experience, Mandel left Canada for Los Angeles to pursue stand-up comedy, where he eventually moved from the clubs to cable specials, an album, and numerous late-night talk show appearances, success he'd parlay into film roles and a 6-year stint on NBC hospital dramedy St. Elsewhere. Mandel soon developed what he calls "Obsessive Prankster Disorder," a need to stage elaborate practical jokes, some quite amusing. Not all is fun and games, however; Mandel also describes how mental disorders and medical crises have impacted his career, and balances his triumphs with lengthy surveys of failed performances. Mandel's fans will love this book for its intimate revelations, taking readers deep inside the head of the manic star. (Dec.) I Am Ozzy Ozzy Osbourne with Chris Ayres. Grand Central, $26.99 (416p) ISBN 97808446569897 In this obscene, entertaining memoir, U.K. heavy metal legend Osbourne provides a surprisingly honest account of his over-the-top career. A working-class kid from the Midlands industrial town of Aston, Osbourne was a class clown-turned-petty thief who spent time in prison and worked in a slaughterhouse. Osbourne escaped this dreary life as the lead singer of heavy metal group Black Sabbath. A successful solo career followed, along with even greater fame with the eponymous MTV show, The Osbournes. Wealth and celebrity encouraged Ozzy's natural tendency toward inebriated excess, exemplified in antics like biting the heads off bats and doves on-stage, and urinating on the Alamo while wearing his wife's dress. Osbourne has proved extremely resilient, having survived a number of addictions; the portrait that emerges is of a man little changed from his days as a class cut-up and small-time lawbreaker. Fortunately, the star is neither ashamed nor overly proud of his misadventures, and his irreverence and wit keep the crisply edited pages turning. (Feb.)

Lifestyle

The 10 Laws of Enduring Success
Maria Bartiromo with Catherine Whitney. Crown Business, $26 (304p) ISBN 9780307452528
Culled from her life story and her experience as a CNBC anchor and host/managing editor of Wall Street Journal Report, for which she's covered the rise and collapse of numerous business titans, financial journalist Bartiromo examines ten attributes that lead to well-rounded success. From self-knowledge to initiative to integrity, each quality is illuminated by Bartiromo's own candor, wisdom, and optimism, as well as insights from figures like Bill Gates, Sarah Palin, Charles Schwab, Deepak Chopra, Bono and Joe Torre. Using a conversational woman-of-the-people tone, Bartiromo surveys the hills and valleys of her subjects' lives, focusing on the persistent qualities that have kept them in the game. Some of her most powerful stories, however, are her own, illuminating her professional journey as well as her life with husband Jono Steinberg (a business heir with his own struggles), parents and extended family. Fans of Bartiromo's work and on-air personality will find this a lively guide to her personal philosophy of success, with inspiring, resonant lessons for weary business executives and college graduates wondering "What now?" (Mar.)

Atlanta Kitchens: Recipes from Atlanta's Best Restaurants
Krista Reese. Gibbs Smith, $30 (224p) ISBN 9781423605461
Atlanta-based food writer Reese takes readers on a culinary tour of her hometown in this handsome but hit-or-miss collection. Some dishes (Pimento Cheese, Cobb Salad, Croque Monsieur, Macaroni and Cheese, etc.) are so basic it's clear their inclusion is meant as a nod to the restaurant that offered the recipe. Of greater interest are riffs on regional classics, such as the Horseradish Grill's Fried Green Tomatoes, with its remoulade sauce and spicy roasted pecans, and Repast's flavor-packed Butter-Poached Shrimp and Grits. Reese offers multiple versions for local favorite fried chicken and greens (pot likker included), and the humble catfish gets star treatment in Wisteria's Catfish with Green Tomato Ragout. Ingenious surprises include Chef Linton Hopkins' Corn Milk-Poached Maine Lobster Tail with Gratin of Mustard and Blood Orange Reduction Sauce (which, surprisingly, only calls for six ingredients) and The Blue Bicycle's succulent Braised Country-Style Pork Ribs with Saffron Risotto. Recipes best considered for their novelty include Strawberry Serrano Mussels and Gravity Pub's terrifying Vandross Burger, which replaces the bun with a glazed Krispy Kreme donut. Atlantans and those familiar with the city's culinary specialties will get the most out of this volume, but even culinary carpetbaggers should find some happy surprises. Color photos. (Mar.)

Damage Control: How to Tiptoe Away from the Smoking Wreckage of Your Latest Screw-Up with a Minimum of Harm to Your Reputation
David Eddie with Pat Lynch. McClelland & Stewart, $24.95 (288p) ISBN 9780771030413
An advice columnist for Canada's The Globe and Mail, Eddie (Housebroken: Confessions of a Stay-at-Home Dad) brings a comical, offbeat approach to trying situations in all aspects of life, including courtship, marriage, family, children, friends, and the workplace. Using his own multitude of screw-ups-in his career, social circle, and married life-along with questions from his print and online readers, Eddie manages to combine direct, no-nonsense advice with an irreverent tone and winding, self-deprecating anecdotes from his life. While enumerating useful and widely applicable Damage Control Rules like "Sometimes, silence is golden, because it is almost impossible to interpret, and you haven't gone on the record one way or another," Eddie also takes time to denounce the man-bashing caricatures on Sex in the City as the reason so many flesh-and-blood women are single, consider the travails of the office hottie, and analyze protocol regarding a couple whose best friends have begun hanging out at a nudist colony. Though serious problems come under the scope, readers will laugh often while learning that there's nothing a person can do, no matter how awful or humiliating, that can't become an opportunity for learning and betterment. (Mar.)

Janice Shay. Pelican, $15.95 (96p) ISBN 9781589807440
Continuing her exploration of Southern cooking, Shay (Savannah Classic Desserts, Charleston Classic Desserts) turns her attention to seafood in this terrific collection of signature dishes from the restaurants of coastal Savannah. Organized by primary ingredient (crab, shrimp, oysters, fish, and scallops), Shay incorporates crave-inducing classics like She Crab Soup, Oyster Po Boys and a classic low country boil alongside new favorites like a rich seafood cheesecake drizzled with a balsamic reduction sauce, a Sweet-Potato Crusted Grouper with Peach Chutney, Pickled Shrimp, and an elegant Scallop Ceviche served atop an avocado mousse. Each contributing restaurant is profiled, including the culinary home of local celebrity Paula Deen (Lady & Sons, which offers their Crab-Stuffed Shrimp recipe). Directions are specific and easy to follow, ensuring home cooks will replicate dishes without worry. Though slim, this mouthwatering collection is stuffed with satisfying Southern dishes that will keep any seafood lover coming back. Color photos. (Feb.)

The Wild & Weedy Apothecary: An A to Z Book of Herbal Concoctions, Recipes & Remedies, Practical Know-How & Food for the Soul
Doreen Shababy. Llewellyn, $17.95 paper (384p) ISBN 9780738719078
Herbalist Shababy's well-considered alphabetic valentine to natural healing is an informative guide to the benefits and applications of everything from apples to "Zip," a hearty garlic tonic said to ward off colds and flu. Readers will be caught up by Shababy's enthusiasm while she divulges all sorts of trivia and history: juniper was once burned in hospital rooms to destroy airborne fungi; lavender can aid and stimulate circulation when added to a bath; PMS symptoms can be treated with catnip tea. Readers will also learn how to make their own bath salts and create their own herbal shampoo. Even if readers take a pass on saying a prayer of thanks to plants before harvesting, or fail to see immediate results when using anise in a pillowcase to ward off bad dreams, readers will likely find a use for recipes such as Manicotti Crepes, homemade blackberry brandy, spinach dip, and a simple fruit pie with a coconut cream cheese crust. Generous with her sources and references, Shababy's voluminous guide will help armchair naturalists and horticulturalists get the most out of nature's bounty without risking harm to themselves or the environment. (Feb.)

Wine Drinking for Inspired Thinking: Uncork Your Creative Juices
Michael J. Gelb. Running, $19.95 (272p) ISBN 9780762438686
Author and "self-employed creativity consultant" Gelb (How to Think Like Leonardo Da Vinci) offers a robust but cloying at-home seminar in expanding creativity through wine appreciation. Gelb walks readers through a brief but high-minded education in wine, from training on the sensations and vocabulary involved in tasting, to an "inspired thinking" wine party complete with poetry writing and sharing. Besides tasting, Gelb offers generally useful advice, including tips on toasting, the role of the sommelier, food pairings, and optimum serving temperatures, though digressions on classic paintings and opera run long, while other passages (pairing wine with clothes and unconventional foods like nachos) come across as glib and a bit ridiculous. Poets-in-training with a flair for melodrama will likely get the most out of this passionate guide. (Mar.)

Fiction

Tony DuShane. Counterpoint/Soft Skull, $14.95 paper (224p) ISBN 9781593762636
DuShane's debut novel unfolds within the insular world of Jehovah's Witnesses, following a teenager's coming of age within the strict rules of a widely known but little explored sect. Gabe is in many ways a typical California teenager: attending public high school, lusting after female classmates, and enjoying hacky sack with his best friend, Peter. At the same time, he is preoccupied with thoughts of Armageddon, and whether or not masturbating will keep him from being resurrected at the end of the world. Gabe wrestles genuinely with his faith-both embarrassed and deeply committed. As pre-pubescence gives way to young adulthood, Gabe, his troubled (non-Jehovah) cousin Karen, his high school crush Jasmine, and Peter find their moral dilemmas taking on serious dimensions, eventually leading to a tragedy that profoundly alters Gabe's understanding of faith. As a former practitioner, DuShane writes with an insider's perspective about this unique world, balancing criticism with understanding and a convincing portrait of the struggle to integrate religion into a modern world, producing an ultimately touching story that will speak to atheists and believers alike. (Feb.)

The Cross Gardener
Jason F. Wright. Berkley, $22.95 (241p) ISBN 9780425233283
Author and political commentator Wright (The Wednesday Letters, coauthor with Glenn Beck of The Christmas Sweater) returns with another modern fable that wears its conservative values on its sleeve. Born on the side of the road to a dying teenager, John Bevan grew into happiness and safety on an idyllic Shenandoah Valley orchard, falling in love as a teenager, eventually marrying his high school sweetheart and having a daughter with her. When, pregnant with their second child, his wife dies in a car accident, John finds his faith and ability to function shattered. Attending the site of her death, John encounters the Cross Gardener, a man who tends the roadside memorials of strangers, and with his help John finds himself returning to the path of responsibility and righteousness. This title offers the same kind of values-focused emotionalism that fans expect, with plenty of uplift and tradition-affirming sentiment; even by the standard of his other work, however, this effort is prudish and clunky, and John often comes across as more sullen than bereaved. (Mar.)

Brent Hayward. ChiZine (Diamond, dist.), $18.95 (240p) ISBN 9780980941012
Hayward's debut is a powerful, beautifully-written dystopian tale concerning four inhabitants of a gigantic but dying artificial habitat. Young Phister has lived his entire life on the radioactive lowest level, until he sets off in pursuit of a friend, and soon becomes lost among endless passageways. Ancient Mereziah, who's devoted his life to servicing the habitat's elevators, decides to hitch a ride on the outside of one of them, hoping to rise to the fabled top of the world before he dies. Tran so Phengh, a fisherman plying his trade on a polluted and retreating lake deep within the artificial world, leaves his dying wife and sets off on a quest to ask important questions of the Gods. Deidre, a pampered young girl who lives on the beautiful pastoral level at the top of the habitat, is wrenched away from her family by monstrous angels. Eventually, each learns some small part of the secret behind their claustrophobic artificial world and its impending collapse, though the tale ends abruptly, with no real resolution and little hope. With well-developed characters and four strong plotlines told through alternating chapters, Hayward delivers a fulfilling read. (Nov.)

In the Closet, Under the Bed
Lee Thomas. Dark Scribe, $16, (270p) ISBN 9780981863214
This collection of 15 short stories by Stoker and Lambda award-winning author Thomas (Stained) makes a worthwhile read for horror fans. The common theme among the stories (six reprints, nine originals) is the multitude of repressed adult secrets that become hidden monsters, as noted in David Thomas Lord's foreword. Standouts include "I Know You're There," in which a man's unsuccessful attempt to control his employee's creepy abilities to spy on corporate targets (and his employer) through astral projection lead to extreme tactics. The science-fictional "Tears to Rust" explores the recurring theme of reality and perception through the eyes of an abused husband trapped in an artificially maintained marriage, literally unable to be his own person. "Appetite of the Cyber Tribes" reads like a cross between Lovecraft and Clive Barker, as one man discovers the horrifying extremes by which people aren't what they seem. Thomas's extremely visceral descriptions and ability to tap into universal fears make this best read in small doses, with the lights on. (Jan.)

Our Reviewers

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