"T.U.L.P. is a grassroots movement of plain ordinary people who think corporations ought to learn right from wrong just like the rest of us.... It's so unheard of, just the idea is shocking. But why? They're so much a part of our lives. Shouldn't they be good citizens too?” This is the driving question behind lawyer Mednick's (The Almost Life) new novel, which pits the little guys against the big guys in an all-out blitz against corporations. Mednick's writing is smooth, witty, and refreshing, his characters equally as enjoyable. Drawing upon his own experience as an assistant district attorney and associate council, Mednick crafts a believable yet slightly zany comedy in which three protagonists—a college graduate, a Russian immigrant, and an artist—come together to lead T.U.L.P. (Treat Us Like People), a group which brings the corporate world to its knees—almost—and ends in a captivating courtroom standoff.

Reviewed on 04/19/2013 | Details & Permalink

In this collection Nelson, a veteran motion picture still photographer, uses his iPhone camera to capture the vibrant colors and textures of flowers and plant life. The close perspective of most of the shots causes the viewer to focus on the beauty of smaller details: dewy pink petals reach toward the light, bright purples and reds dominate a photo of leaves that have fallen to the ground in fall, and a white tropical flower's pistil looks oddly extraterrestrial. The tiniest details often become the focus of the work, e.g., the grains of a dried-out log resemble storm clouds. Many of the photographs are reminiscent of the paintings of Georgia O'Keeffe, gracefully composed and brimming with a dynamic, almost sexual charge. Each image is paired with short, sometimes religious quotes extolling the virtues of nature by such notable (and diverse) figures as Michelangelo, Mark Twain, the Buddha, Henry David Thoreau, and Oscar Wilde. No information is given about the subjects for the botany enthusiast, but there is plenty to feast on visually.

Reviewed on 04/19/2013 | Details & Permalink

Identity issues, father-son relationships, and surfing are themes that resonate in this fascinating recollection of a young man's coming of age. Daniels, an outcast with his classmates, finds his life changed when his criminal father shows up briefly at his high school before jumping bail and disappearing. This short encounter lays the basis for Daniels's vision of a future reunion with his criminal father. His quest for meaning leads Daniels to wander around Latin America and take odd jobs, while the "cloudbreak” that gives the book its title occurs in a surfing scene, where Daniels reunites with his apparently reformed father. This working out of their relationship, coupled with his final settling into college teaching, suggests that the author's quest for identity has found resolution in helping students tell their own stories. Daniels asserts that, like Odysseus, his wanderings have ceased and he has found contentment. This is an entertaining and well-crafted memoir, and even if it wraps up a little too neatly at the end, Daniels's story will resonate with readers.

Reviewed on 04/19/2013 | Details & Permalink

Greenberg (The ABCs of Loving Yourself with Diabetes) cheerfully gives readers the tools needed to live well with diabetes. The author forgoes scientific details to focus on day-to-day living, e.g., easy to digest tips that include Food Do's, Medical Do's, Fitness Do's, and Attitude Do's. ""Quick-Starts”” at the end of each chapter offer specific suggestions for carrying out the author's advice, and worksheets provide templates for working with doctors to manage diabetes. Much of the advice is nothing new: make healthy food choices, take medicine when and as directed, ask questions during doctor's visits, exercise five days per week, and develop a support network. However, here it is all in one place, in friendly, accessible prose. Throughout, Greenberg encourages readers to be patient, stay positive, never sweat setbacks, and take small steps toward larger goals. With references for further information and an enthusiastic foreword by Dr. Michael Dansinger (an adviser on TV's The Biggest Loser), Greenberg's book provides diabetes patients with helpful advice and encouragement to better manage their health and their lives.

Reviewed on 04/19/2013 | Details & Permalink

Englander provides a cogent and sobering glimpse at the effects of rising sea levels that is underway and will persist for at least a thousand years. Sea levels have been relatively stable in civilized history, but with carbon dioxide levels at a 15 million–year high, history shows that sea levels will rise 50 feet from current levels, assuming no further warming. By avoiding rhetorical frenzy, Englander gives more credence to the dire scenarios he outlines; e.g., the widespread disappearance of glaciers, possibly within decades, may eliminate water supplies for more than a billion people. The elimination of heat-reflecting ice will speed up the warming process, with major changes in global weather patterns. With the destruction of whole nations possible, an OECD study envisioning damage of $35 trillion—twice the 2010 U.S. GDP—in 136 port cities worldwide by 2070 seems secondary. Englander's copious citations, graphics, and glimpses of scientific thinking illustrate the persuasive extent of evidence to support his thesis. The author sees no simple way or magical technology to slow sea level rise, but urges the absolute need to begin planning for unavoidable changes. Few who read this challenging primer will venture to disagree.

Reviewed on 04/19/2013 | Details & Permalink

In this candid memoir, Hawaii native Fernandez (Rainbows over Kapa'a) describes his hometown and the effects of the war on his childhood on the ethnically diverse island of Kaua'i. The narrative, which weaves childhood adventures with historical references, begins in peacetime with Fernandez growing up blissfully unaware of global troubles outside of his island. On an island laden with natural beauty, people trust ancient beliefs in kahunas, spiritual experts with "magical powers that can shrivel your body or snatch your soul.” Growing up surrounded by more than 20 ethnic groups, Fernandez explains "the Hawaiian way” of sharing "what you had with friends or strangers,” though, "Unfortunately, this tendency to give without expectation of reward had led to Hawaiians living in poverty.” Colorful recollections of learning how to swim, searching for a skyrocket-flying Santa Claus, learning about life while polishing shoes for American soldiers, and his parents' investment in a New York–style theater move the narrative forward. The latter half of the book depicts wartime changes in his hometown after the attack on Pearl Harbor: conflicts and tension between residents and their Japanese neighbors who feared internment; and the effect of soldiers in town. Though the chronology is sometimes confusing, this is an honest retelling of one native's experience during the war, and will be of particular interest to those interested in Hawaiian history.

Reviewed on 04/19/2013 | Details & Permalink

Ramnarayan provides a detailed, contemporary primer that illuminates the promise and peril of the brave new world of social media. Marketing must aim at communicating with, not at, its targets. Although social media enable unparalleled opportunities for feedback, some channels will be more rewarding than others. With everyone able to make an opinion public, marketers must devise a strategy to facilitate this impulse. Although the traditional basics of marketing remain the same, Ramnarayan argues that, in our era of near-universal skepticism, consumers remain prone to heed the comments of those they trust. While sentiment can be manipulated, companies would do well to invite direct feedback and help foster the growth of brand communities. Ramnarayan acknowledges that business apprehension about the new world of marketing remains widespread, but provides a roster of success stories as examples of what can be achieved. Whatever one's feelings about the new media landscape—and Ramnarayan herself acknowledges that social media is no panacea—her crisp presentation, with chapter summaries to highlight the main pointers, confirms that companies that choose not to listen to customers stand to lose ground to competitors who do. The neophyte in this field would do well to review this guide.

Reviewed on 04/19/2013 | Details & Permalink

In this touching memoir, Julie is 19 when she is sent to a psychiatric institute in 1963 because of an unplanned pregnancy. As a young debutante in Philadelphia, there are things expected of her, and pregnancy out of wedlock isn't one of them. She gives birth to her daughter—whom she names Aimee —but the girl is put up for adoption. After she leaves the institute, Julie marries Frank, the man who got her pregnant, and they both have successful careers in show business. Daughter Aimee is renamed Kathy by her adoptive family and is loved very much. But eventually, Kathy becomes curious about her birth parents and resolves to track them down. The book shifts between sections narrated by mother von Zerneck and daughter Hatfield, and both authors have gripping stories to tell. Readers will delight in their shared narrative, which is as heartwarming as it is engaging. Von Zerneck's life alone would be a fascinating read, but combined with Hatfield's search for her mother it becomes compulsive reading.

Reviewed on 04/19/2013 | Details & Permalink

Chastain's memoir tells the tale of a woman who grapples with an abusive husband as well as the inexorable spread of cancer. When she is diagnosed, her husband continues his selfish mind games. As her chemotherapy treatment progresses, he announces his intention to divorce her, and she works to avoid the process server he has sent after her. Readers will be confused by the protagonist's murky motivations. And while the wife lacks a character arc, the husband is simply a caricature of the manipulative, abusive spouse. Chastain's prose is often flat, and readers will find it difficult to become invested in the book's characters or its plot.

Reviewed on 04/19/2013 | Details & Permalink

Cash offers a detailed look at his life in this fiercely opinionated memoir. While he acknowledges that he was never a household name—unlike Josh Gibson or Satchel Paige—Cash makes the case that he, along with many other talented players, were the backbone of the Negro League. His bitterness at not making it to the majors (he was born the same year as Jackie Robinson) is palpable—and certainly justified—based on his talents. Even with Major League Baseball's glacially slow efforts to include black players, Cash's batting—and especially his powerful throwing arm—should have allowed him to join the world's best players. Ironically, Cash found himself treated with more respect when he played abroad. Even readers who are not fans of our national pastime will be moved by Cash's devotion to his wife of more than 60 years and his impressive work ethic, dating back to his pre-baseball days.

Reviewed on 04/19/2013 | Details & Permalink