Sacramento
Dec 10
Book Review
VOLUME 3, ISSUE 4
F R E E
NEW AND OF INTEREST
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Spider-Man Classic: Spider-Man’s Big City Showdown Spidey battles himself Page 8
World and Town Keeping out the world Page 9
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The Gordian Knot A spy in the dark Page 12
Holiday Gift Guide
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Looking for just the right book to give a special person in your family? Page 13
Exemplary exhibit of Earth’s enchanting experiences By Lonely Planet Publications Lonely Planet, $22.99, 344 pages
The BBC and Lonely Planet combined forces to release this compendium of special geographic sites. Chapters go by topographical features such as mountains, jungles, deserts, and oceans, thus reflecting the episodic broadcasts. These sections are subdivided into specific attractions and their locations around the globe. On-screen action is described then elaborated upon in terms of
actual experience. Historical and scientific observations are included along with annotated travel tips. The text is accompanied by numerous maps and photographs of each individual feature. “To gaze up to the summit of one of Earth’s great mountains is to feel the insignificance of man.” See EARTH, page 7
Perfect Table Settings
Make your next party a decorating success! Page 32
Lynd Ward: Six Novels in Woodcuts The power of graphic art Page 27
108 Reviews INSIDE!
Children’s Books Fraser Bear: A Cub’s Life By Maggie De Vries Greystone Books, $16.95, 48 pages From his birth in a den in the Canadian Rocky Mountains, to his hibernation as a two-year-old bear, we follow the life of Fraser in month-by-month format. Black bears in this region are dependent on salmon, and the author and illustrator emphasize this connection by simultaneously tracking the lifecycle of salmon, mont h-by-mont h, from their long journey from the Aleutian Islands to their inland spawning grounds at the headwaters of the Fraser River. During the first July, for example, Fraser snacks on huckleberries while the salmon swim up the cement fish ladder at a dam. In October, as Fraser’s mother fattens her cubs for hibernation, the salmon eggs hatch in the safety of the riverbed. This book is highly educational without seeming so. The text is concise and interesting, and the illustrations are subtle and captivating. The glossary, map, and notes on black bears and Chinook salmon in the back of the book are an additional bonus for older children. Reviewed by Megan Just
Freedom Ship By Doreen Rappaport with illustrations by Curtis James Jump at the Sun, $17.99, 32 pages The captivating and empowering book, Freedom Ship, tells the story of seventeen slaves who kidnapped a Confederate battleship and turned it over to the Union on May 13, 1862. Young Samuel is awakened from a deep sleep, and he and his Mama run through the dark toward the battleship, the Planter. They pull anchor and head out of the harbor. The slave captain toots the horn, asking permission to move from the first fort they pass. Samuel learns that if they get caught, they’ll blow up the ship! Two more times they toot for permission and pass more forts, but as they pass the third fort and head toward the Union fleet, the fort comes alive with alarms. The Planter’s flags are pulled down and Samuel’s white bed sheet of surrender is hoisted as they head toward the union ships with guns aimed at them. The slave captain yells, “The Planter, out of Charleston, come to join the Union fleet! And we’ve brought you Confederate cannons and lot of ammunition.” “Hold your fire!” a Union officer shouts, and the crew knows they are free. The Author’s Notes complete the story sharing the success of those who escaped. Reviewed by Susan Roberts
Scat, Cat! (My First I Can Read) By Alyssa Satin Capucilli HarperCollins, $16.99, 32 pages Alyssa Satin Capucilli creates an easy reader in Scat, Cat!, part of the My First Reading series published by Harper. A tiny, striped cat gets lost and tries to find its home. Along the way, the cat encounters a variety of city animals, including a dog, bird and other cats, all telling the kitten to “Scat.” Next, the cat crosses the countryside in search of home. In these open spaces, the cat stumbles upon an owl and a bat and avoids a run-in with a skunk. All of these creatures tell the cat to “Scat.” “Scat, cat!” said the barber. “Scat, cat!” said the baker. “Scat, cat!” said the bus driver. “Go home.” The cat kept walking. Finally, the tired kitty wanders onto the front porch of a farmhouse, curls up and drifts off to sleep. The next morning, a boy emerges from the house and spies the kitten. Has the tiny cat found its way home? Capucilli’s easy to follow story will keep young, emerging readers engaged. The story does seem to end a bit abruptly, but if the purpose of the book is to assist young readers in recognizing words through repetition the book does its job.
Paul Meisel adds simple, realistic drawings that will capture attention and keep the little ones connected to the story. Vivid, natural colors bring the story to life. Reviewed by LuAnn Schindler Knuffle Bunny Free: An Unexpected Diversion By Mo Willems Balzer + Bray, $17.99, 44 pages Everyone’s had one. It may have been a fuzzy handmade blanket, carried from house to everywhere, its softness eventually turned to tatters. Or it might possibly have been a beloved bear, the string of its mouth given way, its smile a memory, but loved nonetheless—perhaps all the more. They were our security, our best friends. Trixie is traveling to Holland, with her parents, to visit her Oma and Opa. She has packed her knapsack, ready for the long trek. In tow is her favorite friend, Knuffle Bunny, a wide-eyed stuffed rabbit. Mo Willems, best selling author and Caldecott Honor winner (Don’t Let The Pigeon Drive The Bus!), has presented a truly unique and endearing coming-of-age tale that is sure to resonate with young and youngish readers alike. The graphics appear as if we are invited into the pages of a scrapbook, a compilation of drawings on a backdrop of still photography. When Knuffle Bunny is accidentally left behind on the airplane, Trixie does some emotional traveling See KNUFFLE, page 8
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Book Review 1776 Productions. LLC 1215 K Street, 17th Floor Sacramento, CA 95814 Ph. 877.913.1776 info@1776productions.com EDITOR IN CHIEF Ross Rojek ross@1776productions.com
ASSOCIATE EDITOR Kaye Cloutman kaye.cloutman@1776productions.com
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The Sacramento Book Review is published monthly by 1776 Productions, LLC. The opinions expressed in these pages are those of the individual writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Sacramento Book Review or San Francisco Book Review advertisers. All images are copyrighted by their respective copyright holders. All words © 2010, 1776 Productions, LLC. December 2010 print run 10,000 copies.
IN THIS ISSUE Children’s Books............................................. 2 Science Fiction & Fantasy............................... 4 Horror............................................................ 5 Biographies & Memoirs.................................. 6 Tweens........................................................... 7 Modern Literature.......................................... 9 Books About Books......................................... 9 Crafts & Hobbies.......................................... 10 Reference...................................................... 10 Young Adult.................................................. 11 Mystery, Crime & Thrillers........................... 12 Holiday Gift Guide...................................13-20 Historical Fiction.......................................... 21 Art, Architecture & Photography................. 22 Business & Investing.................................... 22 Science & Nature.......................................... 23 Sports & Outdoors........................................ 23 Health, Fitness & Dieting............................. 23 History......................................................... 24 Philosophy.................................................... 24 Current Events & Politics............................. 25 Technology................................................... 25 Romance....................................................... 26 Spirituality................................................... 26 Popular Culture............................................ 27 Sequential Art.............................................. 27 Parenting & Families.................................... 28 Religion........................................................ 28 Cooking, Food & Wine.................................. 30 Humor-NonFiction....................................... 32 Home & Garden............................................ 32
FROM THE EDITOR The holiday season is upon us once again, and not only does it have us looking forward to friends, family, and the beginning of a new year, it also has us looking back. Producing a monthly paper (or two) is a major project, but even with all the electronic options now available, there is just something about paper. We like exploring that new technology, but it just doesn’t match the feeling of picking up the new issue and flipping through it. We hope you find it that way too. And if you don’t, then next year as we roll out new electronic versions of the newspaper, you should find one that meets your needs. This issue’s Gift Guide was entirely designed by Associate Editor Kaye Cloutman. With Heidi having to design seventeen ads for this issue, we needed a little design help. There are, as usual, some spectacular books released just for this season in a variety of formats and price points. You can find a book for almost everyone on your list and probably more than a few for yourself. Some of my favorites were the Chess Masterpieces (Abrams), Exploring Wine (Wiley) and The Jedi Path (becker&mayer!). The Jedi Path comes in a metal vault that must be seen to be believed and might just be one of the coolest Star Wars items ever made. Speaking of The Jedi Path, I interviewed author Daniel Wallace for our Audible Authors program (AudibleAuthors.net). If you haven’t checked out some of the podcast interviews there, take a couple of minutes to look. Recent interviews include William Blatty (The Exorcist), Jeff Kinney (Diary of a Wimpy Kid) and Tony Diterlizzi (Search for WondLa). We’re now getting about one or two new interviews up each week, and with a variety of authors. Thanks for picking up the paper. As always we hope to introduce you to new books and authors you otherwise would have missed. Happy reading, Ross Rojek —Editor-in-Chief ross@1776productions.com 1776 Productions
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Night of the Living Trekkies By Kevin David Anderson, Sam Stall Quirk Books, $14.95, 253 pages It should be a piece of cake. All Jim Pike has to do is help keep the fanboys and girls in line for the weekend, as nerds galore flock to his hotel for a Star Trek convention. But when people start vanishing and it appears that the dead are rising, Jim has to drudge up all of his former military skills, as well as the resolve and courage that fled him during his tours in Afghanistan. Can Jim and his fellow Trekkies live long and prosper against the undead horde? Night of the Living Trekkies is unabashed silliness, featuring dozens upon dozens of references for Star Trek fans, but it’s so competently and brilliantly crafted that nonfans will still find plenty to enjoy. The plot takes several effective hard right-turns, and the zombie angle is given an interesting scifi twist, but neither overshadows the basic premise of all zombie books: we need to like the characters. And we do. Jim is a very believable veteran--complete with issues about past failures and a penchant for despairing at the worst times--and a hero the reader easily invests in. In short, this book is nerdlit’s perfect storm. Reviewed by Glenn Dallas Sixty-One Nails: Courts of the Feyre, Book 1 By Mike Shevdon Angry Robot, $7.99, 524 pages It starts with a death. While commuting to work one morning on the London Underground, Niall Petersen witnesses the man next to him hurl himself under the approaching train. This starts a series of cascading events that change Niall forever. He meets up with a strange woman who saves his life, simultaneously placing him in the most imperiling situations imaginable, as creatures from myth and legend materialize around him, helping or hunting him. Sixty-One Nails is a subtle novel with the kind of child-like wonder that makes one want to read in the first place. There are no Disney fairy tales to be found here, though. It’s a novel with adult complexity, the Fey portrayed as they are
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meant to be, with real consequences for the characters. Mike Shevdon is a great, fresh voice in urban fantasy and has a fantastic new take on it, with a well-balanced blend of humor and gravity, making old folklore seem realistic and plausible in a techno-heavy world. It’s easy to fall back into childish passions for stories with this book, and enjoy it with some new adult friends. Reviewed by Axie Barclay Songs of the Dying Earth By George R.R. Martin and Gardner Dozois, editors Tor, $27.99, 672 pages Jack Vance is a prolific author; so far he was written more than sixty books and has been awarded the Hugo and Nebula awards on multiple occasions. He has been called “one of America’s most distinctive and undervalued voices.” If you read genre literature today, you are reading an author who has been influenced by Mr. Vance. If you play videogames today, you are playing a game which has been influenced by Mr. Vance. If you’ve ever played a roleplaying game you are playing a game whose designers have been influence by Mr. Vance. It might not be possible to overstate how influential the man is, in more than just the literary field. So it’s no surprise that many of today’s greatest authors jumped at the opportunity to pay tribute to the man and one of his most enduring works, “The Dying Earth” series, by writing pieces in that world and inspired by the man who created it. Songs of the Dying Earth is that collection, and with pieces by such genre icons as Glen Cook, George R.R. Martin, and Neil Gaiman, it is not only a wonderful tribute to Vancian literature but genre fiction in general. A musthave if ever there was one. Reviewed by Jonathon Howard The Stories of Ibis By Hiroshi Yamamotoq Haikasoru, $15.99, 466 pages I haven’t had many opportunities to read international, and especially non-English, science-fiction. Which explains my excitement when I found Hiroshi Yamamoto’s The Stories of Ibis in my mailbox. See STORIES, page 5
V i e w p o i n t s
Science Fiction & Fantasy
sacramentobookreview.com
T hou s a nd s of re v ie w s at S a c r a me nt oB o ok R e v ie w.com
STORIES, cont’d from page 4 The Stories of Ibis is much like One Thousand and One Arabian Nights, a collection of stories within a story. Instead of Scheherazade, the reader is introduced to Ibis, a robot who tells a semi-hostile human seven stories of human and robot interaction in the hopes of changing his views and in doing so changing the attitudes of the few misguided humans who remain on earth. Each story is unrelated to the one told before and only one deals directly with the world Yamamoto has created in his novel and in which Ibis exists. Despite their fictional nature, the stories slowly build the case that artificial intelligences, while inscrutable to humans, are not harmful to them and that life and virtual life could live in peace together. For someone used to the clichés and tropes common to Western science fiction, The Stories of Ibis presents familiar scenarios from a fresh and different perspective. Reviewed by Jonathon Howard
Sailing to Sarantium: Book One of the Sarantine Mosaic By Guy Gavriel Kay Roc, $16.00, 448 pages Sailing to Sarantium, the first in the twopart Sarantine Mosaic, is a picturesque and moving adventure of ancient Byzantium, with Guy Gavriel Kay writing at his best. This is the story of a talented mosaicist, Crispin, who has lost his wife and children to the plague and is looking for something new in his life. He is delivered this opportunity, a chance to create something, a project in the distant and renowned city of Sarantium. As this is the first part of a twobook series, Kay spends a healthy amount of time exploring his main character and exploring the world he has created, which is a lot like that of the ancient world, but also a
Horror The Living Dead 2 By Robert Kirkman, Max Brooks, David Wellington; Amelia Beamer; John Skipp, Jonathan Maberry, John Joseph Adams, Editor Night Shade Books, $15.95, 496 pages When The Living Dead was published a few years ago, it quickly became the gold standard for all zombie-centric short story collections to come. Editor John Joseph Adams assembled A-list material from past and present authors to craft a wholly engrossing, sometimes funny, but often mortifying look at worlds not too unlike our own... but where the dead walk the earth once more.
And he has surpassed himself with The Living Dead 2. Populated by some of the most important names in speculative fiction today -- Cherie Priest, David Wellington, Kelly Link, and Simon R. Green among them -- as well as elder statesmen of the zombie fiction world like Max Brooks and Robert Kirkman, The Living Dead 2 is overflowing with dark and evocative stories. So many that it’s virtually impossible for me to select one or two standouts to highlight. Ninjas, pirates, zombies at sea, lone survivors, armed compounds, the beginning of the outbreak, the middle, the tragic end... every angle is covered here, with style, skill, and genuine enthusiasm.This is the definitive collection of zombie short fiction. Or, at least, it is until John Joseph Adams unleashes volume three on an unsuspecting world. Reviewed by Glenn Dallas
wonderful fabrication of Kay’s imagination. Crispin experiences much on his journey to Sarantium: the meeting of an alchemist, a slave girl, and an epiphany where he perhaps comes face to face with an ancient god. The events serve to change Crispin’s outlook on life, but also to let the reader in on his experiences and ideology. In Sarantium, he tries to keep to himself and his work, but finds himself drawn into political factions, the emperor’s court, and becomes part of the many who seemingly worship the hippodrome and the great chariot races, whose riders are seen as heroes. Sailing to Sarantium is a great example of Kay’s creative writing, his strong and interesting characters, and his imagined but quite believable world. Reviewed by Alex Telander Killbox (Jax, Book 4) By Ann Aguirre Ace, $7.99, 368 pages Killbox explodes out of the gate with never-ending action. A rollercoaster ride of emotional ups and downs will leave readers breathless by the time they turn that last page. Sirantha Jax, a “jumper,” possesses the unique genetic makeup needed to navigate faster than light ships through grimspace. By linking with a pilot and mentally connecting with the ship, she is unique in that she can jump almost anywhere in space. This skill soon becomes the best weapon against a grim and terrifying enemy, the Morgut, a flesh-eating alien race that seems intent on claiming the universe for its own. It’s not always easy to tune into a storyline mid-series. Killboxis the fourth Sirantha Jax book, but author Ann Aguirre provides just enough detail as readers will have little issue keeping up. As we tune in, the corrupt bureaucratic government ruling the universe, the Farwan, has fallen leaving a void in the universal government. Between
the flesh-eating Morgut and smaller Syndicate pirate ships, grimspace needs a hero. Sirantha is that hero. A nice mix of true science fiction with just a dash of romance, the most frustrating part of reading this book will be waiting until September 2011 for the next installment. Reviewed by Lanine Bradley All Clear By Connie Willis Spectra, $26.00, 656 pages All Clear is the second part of the twopart WWII Time Travel duo Willis began with Blackout earlier this year. Because of this, readers starting with All Clear will be utterly confused and lost if they don’t read book one. Unfortunately for readers of Blackout, the flaws of that book have been magnified to an agonizing degree in All Clear, and will make you feel every one of those 656 pages. Polly, Mike, and Eileen (Merope), Oxford scholars from 2060 are stuck in the London Blitz and are on a quest to discover why they haven’t been rescued and what is to become of them. Willis’s research is heavily apparent, and the description of England during WWII is incredibly visceral, and her use of flashfowards, while distracting and a bit confusing, serve to ratchet up the tension. Where All Clear fails is with the characters: much of the book is repetitious, with Polly, Mike, and Eileen fearing and discussing the same topic ad nauseum and keeping unnecessary secrets from one another. These secrets tie into the flashes to future events, but are tedious when the obvious solution is to work together. The secondary characters and plots which were charming in book one slow the pacing to a halt, and the attempts of the rescuers from 2060 to discover what happened lacks tension. The book is readable for those who dislike dangling ends, but All Clear left me incredibly dissatisfied. Reviewed by Angela Tate
“A fun, frightening, and DARK crime novel!” --San Francisco Book Review Ellen and Carissa Holder went to an Indian resort and casino. Little did they know that a tribe had chosen them as the dreamer (conduit) and dream catcher (seer) many years before in an attempt to stop the most heinous identical twin criminals this world has ever known. What started out as an innocent vacation quickly turned into a race for sanity and life.
Available now at book retailers and dreamingofdeath.com
We e k l y V I E W P OI N T S colu m n s at S a c r a me nt oB o ok R e v ie w.com
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Biographies & Memoirs Head Shot By G. Paul Chambers Prometheus Books, $25.00, 260 pages The forensic science that is available today would have been of great value to the Warren Commission. Of all the cold cases worthy of reopening, the assassination of President John F. Kennedy still haunts our country. G. Paul Chambers comes armed with a dissection of the facts, and the scientific means to analyze them openly. But his work is written in simplistic terms, painstakingly at times, to ensure that rank amateurs will comprehend the full weight of the evidence presented to support with certainty that there were multiple shooters. If watching murder solving crime shows pique your interest in what really happened in downtown Dallas on November 22, 1963, you need to bring a pencil. Chamber invites us to do the math for ourselves. With step by step logic; Chambers walks us through the known facts, explains how they were twisted to fit theories prevalent at the time, and then carries us with applied science to undeniable conclusions. He does not attempt to speculate about who was behind the assassination or what motivated the plot. But, he does put to rest the question of Lee Harvey Oswald, proving that the bullet that killed JFK could not have been fired from the Mannlicher-Carcano rifle at the Texas School Book Depository, but from a high velocity .220 positioned on the grassy knoll. Certainly, this book will draw its share of critics for reopening the proverbial can of worms. Chambers welcomes the challenge and stands ready to defend his convictions with scientific methods. Reviewed by Casey Corthron Divided In Despair: When A Father “Comes Out” By Marie Eve Vivian Xlibris, $19.99, 213 pages Gay rights are a hot-button topic in the United States, and if one doesn’t support gay unions, they are often labeled as prejudiced. Marie Eve Vivian’s memoir Divided in Despair: When a Father ‘Comes Out’ rains on the gay-rights parade. She offers the side of the story the media doesn’t portray’the side that’s forgotten in the name of political correctness. Have you ever wondered what happens to the family of a father who comes
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out of the closet and abandons them to live a flamboyant new lifestyle’ Must one praise him for embracing his true self’or hate him for the lives he’s torn apart in the process’ Vivian was one of five children raised in a strict Catholic family. While they were dysfunctional, they had strong morals and attended church regularly. Vivian’s relationship with her father was always strained, yet she wanted nothing more than his undivided attention and love. She turned to one vice after another to try and find fulfillment. Her father’s declaration that he was gay put Vivian over the edge. Her childhood faith in God shattered; and as he turned against the values he’d taught his children, she questioned her beliefs in everything she knew. She found herself in a downward spiral of alcoholism, abuse, and insanity. Her family was shattered as her father became unrecognizable. His string of male lovers sickened her, and her family’s emotional and psychological problems tested her to the extreme. Vivian rediscovered God and found in Him what she’d been searching for all along: a Father who loved her unconditionally. God told her to stop suffering over her father and let Him be the judge. She wrote this memoir as part of her healing process. ‘Most people have no idea what pain is inflicted on children with gay parents,’ she writes. Divided in Despair: When a Father ‘Comes Out’ was unlike anything I’d ever read. No one hears the family’s side of the story, and it is one that needs to be told. While there were many times I felt Vivian was unfairly blaming her parents for her problems, her pain and grief were palpable and raw. This book is a good counterbalance to the gay rights movement. I was deeply moved by her experiences and overjoyed when her faith in God brought her out of the dark shadows of despair. www.dividedindispair.com Sponsored Review Running the Books: The Adventures of an Accidental Prison Librarian By Avi Steinberg Nan A. Talese, $26.00, 404 pages Don’t be fooled by its classification as a memoir, Running the Books has none of the boring self-reflection or trite ‘coming of age’ moments that are usually found in that genre. Instead, it is a humorous and witty account of a Jewish kid who, inspired by a need for dental insurance, takes a job as a prison librarian. The characters are colorful: a felon who wants to start a cooking show called ‘Thug Sizzle,’ a charismatic pimp/aspiring author, and a guard who starts a fight over a stick-it
note, not to mention the quirky and sarcastic Steinberg himself. The subject matter is both amusing and disheartening without feeling schizophrenic. Steinberg deals with important societal issues in a fresh way: censorship (should potentially suicidal felons be allowed to read Sylvia Plath’), the definition of art (contraband kites are often as poetic as any beat poet’s work), images in pop culture (the cool-guy image of P-I-M-Ps versus the reality), and the efficacy of the judicial system to name a few. Perhaps the reason his exploration of these hot-button topics is so successful is because Steinberg always lets the anecdotes, and the societal problems that go with them, speak for themselves. Reviewed by Kayli Crosby The Hilliker Curse: My Pursuit of Women By James Ellroy Knopf, $24.95, 203 pages James Ellroy is a terrible, horrible man. He was a drug addict, is a home wrecker, and is still a sex fiend. He is scum in penny loafers, wrapped up in a dress shirt, but I will give him credit, he can write. Mostly known for those crime novels and movies that ooze sex and betrayal, James Ellroy’s second shot at doing a memoir, The Hilliker Curse is a story about Hers, Shes, and Them. Growing up in Los Angeles, California in the mid twentieth century, James escapes his crappy childhood and a defiled puberty to run into the arms of drugs and women. James shows how the 1960s free love mantra and experimental drug phase had an everlasting effect on his writing style and dame chasing philosophy. A good majority of the book is him defiling one place and moving to the next. He also proves that ‘nice guys finish last’ as he steals women from boyfriends and husbands that seemed like honorable guys. James tells himself that ‘all’s fair in love and war’ as his search for the right gal turns into a crusade of self-annihilation. The crowning achievement of this book is the relationships and how his generation is trying to find a place in this society. These themes are extremely recognizable to any generation. James Ellroy succeeds in creating a memoir for himself and a doctrine for those reaching their golden years. It’s never too late to find the one that was made for you. Reviewed by Kevin Brown
703: How I Lost More Than a Quarter Ton and Gained a Life By Nancy Makin Dutton, $25.95, 290 pages Just over a decade ago, circumstances and misery trapped Nancy Malkin inside her apartment. Weighing 703 pounds, Malkin shut herself off from the world. Compulsive eating constructed a self-imposed barricade, forcing her disconnect from humanity. “I had been shut away for so long that now I sometimes had to pinch myself to realize that I was back in the world, not merely watching life go by on a television screen.” 703: How I Lost More Than a Quarter Ton and Gained a Life reflects on tragedies and triumphs of Malkin’s formative years. Originally from Seattle, Malkin’s mother uproots the family and plants them in a Canadian monastery, where they are separated. Malkin admits she rebelled against her strict upbringing. At age 15, Nancy discovers she’s pregnant. She and her husband, Bob, struggle to raise a family and make their marriage work. Isolated from outside contact for a number of years, Malkin’s life changes after her sister gives her a computer. Eventually, the technophobe becomes intrigued with the machine and navigates her way into a web of online discussions. Here, she discovers the strength of her inner voice and realizes life is worth fighting for. Readers looking for a quick weight-loss fix won’t find it here. Malkin’s explanation for her weight loss is the human connection she finds online. No diet. Limited exercise. I wish my weight loss attempt was this simple. Malkin provides a sad but humorous narrative about saving one’s own life. It challenges how you think about and treat others, and questions the outcomes of losing control. Reviewed by LuAnn Schindler
Read our extended review of the NY Times best selling book Life by Keith Richards at SacramentoBookReview.com
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Tweens National Geographic Kids World Atlas By National Geographic National Geographic Children’s, $12.95, 192 pages National Geographic Kids World Atlas for Young Explorers just might be one of those books mom and dad want to keep on their bookshelves. A thorough and colorful book, the first section takes some space to explain how to use the atlas and how to understand maps. The book begins peering at the planet Earth from space, then the atlas moves closer addressing the land, climate and world vegetation. The atlas tackles the various oceans and concentrates on the world political maps with each spread introducing, for example, the world’s languages, religions, food, water and energy. Using a combination of illustrations, graphics, maps and photographs, the rest of the book is divided into sections by continent. Each continent is segmented by regions and then by countries although each country does not receive its own spread. Africa, for example, is divided into four regions with a two-page spread for each area, even if that region contains 20 different countries. A useful feature are the icons that direct the reader to a Web site for audio, video and other information not contained in the book. The back part of the book displays the flags of the world, a glossary, and geography facts and figures. Reviewed by Elizabeth Humphrey
thing that you may not have known before and have fun learning it! I really liked the parentisms at the end of the book. I have actually heard 26 of them from my mom and repeated them to my kids! In addition to the fun facts, Kevin Sylvester’s illustrations are entertaining and invite you to bring them alive with colored pencils. Every school library should have this book! Reviewed by Linda Welz Super Burp! #1 (George Brown, Class Clown) By Nancy Krulik Grosset & Dunlap, $4.99, 129 pages When George Brown starts 4th grade at a new school, all George wants to do is start over. At his old school he was known as the class clown. Everybody loved when he put a fake spider on a teacher’s chair. Kids laughed when he slid down a banister and ended up with a black eye and bloody nose. The only problem was that he always got in big trouble. But in George Brown, Class Clown, Nancy Krulik’s newest book, all that is about
to change. As George prepares for his first day at Sugarman Elementary, he decides to start over. He lives in a new town, in a new home, and he even changes his last name. He smiles more and raises his hand in class-both things the old George would never do. But he isn’t having any fun. George makes a special wish but it only causes magical burps that makes him the ultimate class clown! Kids will enjoy reading this chapter book to find out about the power of the burp and whether or not George can resist. Reviewed by Kathryn Franklin Boom! By Mark Haddon David Fickling Books, $15.99, 195 pages Boom! (Or 70,000 light years) was previously written under the forgetful and unpronounceable title Gridzbi Spudvetch! in 1992 by author Mark Haddon. In the foreword, he declares only 23 people bought the book back then, but he decided to update it, give it a new name and we’re so glad he did! This truly delightful young person’s sci-fi adventure tale is sure to be a hit. Jim lives in a small flat with his Dad, Mum and sister Becky. Your typical teenage boy, Jim and his precarious best friend, Charlie, discover that some of their teachers speak a strange,
Don’t Touch That Toad and Other Strange Things Adults Tell You By Catherine Rondina Kids Can Press, $14.95, 96 pages This is a cute book kids will enjoy because they will recognize many of the sayings listed. Author Catherine Rondina’s design allows for discussion among kids and parents before looking at the answer to see who got it right.
EARTH, cont’d from page 1 Given the outstanding reputation of both companies, it comes as no surprise that they would produce such an exceptional book as this one. The 6- by 8-inch size makes this paperback compact enough to be portable yet large enough to be reader-friendly. Its lush pictorial format makes it enjoyable and educational, and the general graphic layout is superb. This guide may not provide very detailed information for actual visits, but its general tour and transport suggestions could come in handy for anyone serious enough to undertake one of these excursions. The Traveller’s Guide to Planet Earth is like a special edition of National Geographic that revels in the majesty of our world’s natural wonders, a volume to cherish for years to come. Reviewed by Richard Mandrachio
Arrrrgggghhhh! i should have checked the sacramento book review website before buying this book!
‘Warning’this may be bad for you! Adults probably give more advice about your health than anything else. ‘Do this. Don’t do that. Never try this.’ It’s enough to make you sick just hearing all the parental dos and don’ts.’ One page presents you with a saying like, ‘Cracking your knuckles can cause arthritis.’ Then you have to turn the page to learn if that is true, false or undecided. You may learn that an apple a day keeps the dentist away, that sugar doesn’t make kids hyper, or that knuckle cracking isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Whatever your reason for picking up this book, you or your child will learn some-
secret language when they’re alone together. This discovery leads them on a fantastical journey into space filled with chase scenes, fighting, and unbelievable travel and communication devices. Boom! delivers an uproariously entertaining story. Author Mark Haddon also wrote the critically acclaimed best seller The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-timeand many other award-winning books for young readers. Reviewed by M. Chris Johnson
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KNUFFLE, cont’d from page 2 herself, a voyage which leads to realization. It’s worth noting that this is a slightly larger format book, which makes it a little hard to balance if you are reading it as a bedtime story while rocking your little one. Reviewed by Sky Sanchez Three Little Kittens By Jerry Pinkney Dial Books for Young Readers, $16.99, 38 pages We all remember that beloved nursery rhyme Three Little Kittens. Author and illustrator Jerry Pinkney has brought new life to this classic tale, with colorfully detailed watercolor pictures. Pages are large and children will read this book again and again. Pinkney’s illustrations are detailed down to the whiskers on the exuberant kittens lost in play on a blustery fall day, adorned with their new mittens, which Momma cat has so lovingly knitted for them. The verses and the pictures truly capture the delight of energy-filled kittens, rambunctious and carefree, and the book really is a delight that parents will enjoy reading with their little ones. Of course at the heart of any good nursery rhyme is a moral, and Pinkney’s detailed sketches and the life-like, almost human, personalities of the kittens and momma cat will make it easy to catch the lesson deftly hidden in such a fun book. Good things come to those who mind their mommas, look after their belongings and are responsible. Who’d want to miss out on a chance at some of that yummy pie after all? Reviewed by Laura Friedkin How Do Dinosaurs Laugh Out Loud? By Jane Yolen Cartwheel Books, $7.99, 16 pages They’re back!! The colorful clatter of Jane Yolen’s beloved dinosaurs have stomped across the pages of her latest addition to her classic How Do Dinosaurs… series. This time the dinosaurs require a little “hands-on” help from their young audience by providing lift-the-flap punch lines. These favorite reptiles are bowled over in laughter with their own silliness and the reader participation can be quite as humorous. “What kind of dinosaur has a messy room?” A Tyrannosaurus wrecks!” This edition is formatted in a sturdy board book style, strong enough to keep the flaps and pages intact through many readings (it is sure to be a favorite).
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From Allosaurus to Tsintaosaurus, each dinosaur is given their very own page and personality, each illustration depicted through vibrant colors, detailed background and easy to follow narrative. Each of the previous How Do Dinosaurs… books could easily be enjoyed from a young toddler to elementary age, however, this addition is geared for the older reader (perhaps age five and up), as it may be a little advanced for the attention span of the younger ones. That being stated, a child of any age--that’s you too, Mom and Dad-- can appreciate the richness and familiarity of these scaly friends for days to come. Reviewed by Sky Sanchez On a Windy Night By Nancy Raines Day with illustrations by George Bates Abrams Books for Young Readers, $16.95, 40 pages On a windy night, a young trick-or-treater, his sack heavy with candy, ventures home through a dark wood. As he leaves other children and houses behind, the moon is obscured by clouds, and the boy begins hearing and seeing sinister things, including the haunting refrain, “Crackletyclack, bones in a sack…” The boy panics, but the whisper follows him as he runs through a field of skeletons, races past severed heads, and feels a dark form rush past his legs. Only when he stumbles does he realize his mistake: The dark form is his cat, the skeletons cornstalks, and the severed heads nothing more than pumpkins. Relieved that he’ll survive this Halloween, the boy returns home — only to realize that not all the frights have been resolved. Bates’s illustrations, created with pen and ink plus digital color, are suitably eerie for a Halloween tale, featuring fearsome images in tree branches and clouds that aptly reflect a young boy’s out-of-control imagination. The refrain is truly scary, perhaps too much so for the very youngest readers; but this tale will give older children an enjoyable Halloween shiver. Reviewed by Margo Orlando Littell Grandma’s Gloves By Cecil Castellucci Candlewick Press, $15.99, 24 pages Grandma nurtures her granddaughter with jasmine tea, cookies, and lots of hugs. She also nurtures her garden, and so she smells earthy and carries the perfume of all the plants she works with. This natural love for nature is shared with the grandchild as she works with grandma in the garden. It doesn’t matter that grandma slowly forgets more and more
Spider-Man Classic: Spider-Man’s Big City Showdown By John Sazaklis snf Joe F. Merkel HarperFestival, $3.99, 21 pages Peter Parker is up to his old tricks, trying to keep New York City safe from the bad guys with one twist. The latest villain looks awfully familiar. Carnage is a mirror image of Parker’s alter-ego Spider-Man. Can Spidey conquer a villain he’s so evenly matched with? Can he discover Carnage’s secret weakness? “Hey, Spider Sham -- Raise your hand if you’re the bad guy!” Spider-Man’s Big City Showdown, of the Spider Sense series, provides the leap-off-the-page illustrations and accompanying “Kaboom” sound effects of a comic book. Although adults may label the storyline predictable, I’m sure young readers will find SpiderMan’s Big City Showdown exciting and full of in-yourface action. The Spider Sense series is written in a way that will provide encouragement to new readers. Even though it may introduce some new words to a beginning reader’s vocabulary, the simple arrangement of the plot makes the book’s new vocabulary manageable for beginning readers. Children and adults can trade off reading duties: with an adult reading the narration while the child reads the dialogue aloud. Overall, Spider-Man’s Big City Showdown manages to retain the fun of comic book reading while providing a book without that “throw-away” feel. Reviewed by Jodi M. Webb
things, till finally she is confined to a hospital bed and unfortunately her memory for people is distorted and reality is lost. But one facet that remains fixed in her memory is her love for plants and the few pots which she tenderly tends in her now restricted environ. “Grandma always says, ‘You are my most special flower of all.’ “ Grandma dies, and the grandchild heeds the stories told by the adults, shares the sadness and gladness of memories, but for the little one the legacy left by grandma is a love for plants. And the inherited garden gloves transfer the magic memories of grandma, which direct the child to continue her work. Through this touching and uplifting tale, children can learn how to deal with the loss of a beloved companion and realize that they have been enriched and influenced by the association. Beautifully illustrated in simple pastel watercolors, the story will resonate with youngsters who have watched older relations slowly fade away. Reviewed by Aron Row Flora’s Very Windy Day By Jeanne Birdsall Clarion Books, $16.00, 34 pages Crispin is Flora’s little brother. And like most little brothers, he knows just how to push Flora’s buttons and aggravate his big sister. Flora’s Very Windy Day is a fun autumn romp with Flora and little brother
Crispin and what mischief they can find with the equally mischievous autumn wind. Author Jeanne Birdsall has written this amusing little tale with seeming personal experience, knowing how tempting it might be to give one’s little brother away if given the chance. Flora certainly gets many offers from various critters and force, and despite being aggravated with Crispin, Flora has an argument for every one. The autumn wind has whisked them both away and illustrator Matt Phelan’s whimsical watercolors capture this sweet little story with movement and glee. The pictures are full of energy and life. This dear little tale is sure to become a favorite for little ones, and a good reminder that it might be a good idea if we all have a pair of boots like Flora’s, with great power to help her bring Crispin back home. Flora’s Very Windy Day is great fun and children will soon be carried off and yearning for their very own adventures in the wind. Reviewed by Laura Friedkin
From the V IEWPOINT of a professional book rev iewer: THE CR ITIC A L EY E
Modern Literature World and Town By Gish Jen Knopf, $26.95, 386 pages “It’s all, like wack,” says Sophy, a teenager mature beyond her fifteen years. She is the daughter of traumatized Cambodian parents, survivors of the Killing Fields. Her family is taken in by a church group in the small New England town of Riverlake, with the outside world closed out but pressing. The world is the year 2001, before 9/11. The heroine is Hattie Kong, retired high school biology teacher, who grew up in China, daughter of an American Christian missionary and Chinese father descended from Confucius. Hattie’s husband and best friend have died, even her dog died at the same time. Not yet dowdy, she tries not to “spy” on others, but trained in “scientific observation,” she can’t help it. Refusing to give in to boredom and solitude, and without any interest in religious hope, she gets involved in fighting a cell-phone tower and box-store development in the beginning of the novel, only to later battle gangs, domestic violence, fanatical fundamentalists, supposed terrorists, and even, Carter, a neuroscientist she once loved, resurfacing in the town. Jen writes about all this with wit and humor. Multicultural but without the easy “message,” Jen artfully blurs life’s stages for the young and old in this sentimental novel, which I already cherish as a reader, just as I have her previous three books. Hattie, near 70, is a vivid invention as she fights against the dissolution of her many selves. She’s an “old lady,” repulsive to the young, but yet with good humor, flexibility, compassion, and even an understanding of what it means
to be young. “Miss Confucius,” as Carter calls Hattie, follows the dictum of friend, Lee, that “the unlived life isn’t worth living.” Reviewed by Phil Semler Overexposed By Susan Shapiro Thomas Dunne Books, $24.99, 320 pages Rachel “Ricky” Solomon has spent her whole life trying to escape her overbearing Midwestern Jewish family and has ultimately ended up living her dream as a freelance photographer in Manhattan. She’s finally starting to form a real connection with her crazy best friend and mentor, Elizabeth. And then Elizabeth marries Rachel’s younger brother and becomes the good daughter Rachel never wanted to be. It’s a life Rachel never wanted, but she resents being replaced nonetheless. Susan Shapiro’s comical novel Overexposed shows readers that the family a person feels stuck with is still the family they love. Rachel’s easygoing partying ways may have given her the freedom she loves, but at the expense of a secure future and a certain closeness with her parents and brothers. It’s only after seeing both her brothers and her best friend settle down that she begins to wonder if her life is incomplete. Rachel clearly has problems of her own, but those flaws are what make her a realistic and likeable character. This family drama will draw readers and keep them hooked all the way through. Reviewed by Holly Scudero
Books About Books Some Kind of Beautiful Signal (Two Lines World Writing in Translation, Vol. 17) By Natasha Wimmer with Jeffrey Yang, editor Center for the Art of Translation, $14.95, 328 pages Translated literature opens up a culture to a new audience. It brings the reader new experiences and new ways of thinking about subjects. It is the signal that brings different cultures together. Every year the Center for the Art of Translation puts out an anthology of translated literature; this is Volume 17. Each year
they bring us a wide variety. Some authors are new, some are from other years. Some of the translations represent the first time the author has been translated into English. In this collection, we get a new translation of Madame Bovary, and a focus on Uighur poetry, also spelled Uyghur, from a region in western China on the border with many Central Asian countries, a place that was in the middle of the Silk Road, a collection of many different cultures meeting at one point and leaving an impression. This is an impression collection of translated literature, if you are looking for new voices, this is the place to turn. Reviewed by Kevin Winter
Russell Wiley Is Out to Lunch By Richard Hine AmazonEncore, $14.95, 294 pages The publicity for this novel calls it a cross between Sophie Kinsella (a favorite of mine) and Glengarry Glen Ross. I’m not so sure about the comparison, but it is a tonguein-cheek look at corporate America. Russell Wiley, the character in the title, is disillusioned with his job at a publishing company, and his marriage is in trouble. Russell offers sarcastic commentary to readers about ridiculous company decisions, while outwardly he plays along with the upper management. “It makes me realize that the various pieces of the life I’ve constructed don’t fit together in the proper shape. I’ve sculpted something that bears no relation to my original vision.” His alter ego is writing a column under a pen name for a publication called Vicious Circle. There he is free to say exactly what he thinks about corporate life -- even recommending his articles to co-workers -- while retaining his anonymity. Just as he hides what he’s feeling about his job, he is also indirect with solving the obvious breakdown of his marriage. Instead of suggesting that he and his wife discuss the situation, he makes passive-aggressive remarks to his wife, while thinking of new ways get her into bed. Meanwhile, Russell has secret fantasies about his co-worker, Erika. The novel has a very Hollywood-ish ending in which everything falls into place; not exactly believable, but satisfying. In that way, perhaps, it does have some Sophie Kinsella-like elements. Reviewed by Leslie Wolfson I Still Dream About You: A Novel By Fannie Flagg Random House, $26.00, 336 pages Life hasn’t been easy for former Miss Alabama Maggie Fortenberry. Failed love affairs and a once-satisfying real estate career that has, since the death of her beloved and larger-than-life midget boss, become stressful and tiresome. Her adulthood that has fallen horribly short of the Hollywood-like fantasy that Maggie had conjured for herself as a girl. Because of this, Maggie has decided to end her life and has come up with a detailed plot involving the river, wrist
and ankle weights, a raft, and quick drying glue. She is merely waiting for the right time to use it. This is point in the life of its protagonist where Fanny Flagg begins her most recent novel, the occasionally ridiculous, sometimes far-fetched, and often uproarious I Still Dream About You. Throughout the novel, as Maggie repeatedly comes across obstacles to achieving her goal, from dealing with the nefarious Babs Biddington, a rival real estate agent wreaking havoc on Birmingham’s most beautiful historical districts, to helping her best friend, a quirky overeaters anonymous member with political ambitions, through a health scare. Throughout the course of the novel, Flagg introduces us to a cast of colorful characters with distinct personalities, as well as to a city that she very clearly loves. Once the final page is finished, this book is nothing short of a fun, timely, and lifeaffirming story of one woman’s return from the edge. Reviewed by Ashley McCall The Crying Tree By Naseem Rakha Broadway, $14.00, 368 pages The Crying Tree chronicles the struggle of a family -- mother, father, and younger sister -- crippled with grief after the senseless slaying of their loving son and brother. Fifteen-year-old Shep was alone during an apparent home robbery. Stricken by hatred for the killer who is soon caught and sentenced to death, the fractured family remains isolated and unable to share their pain. Each is driven to find some reason for the inexplicable, while waiting for the death sentence to be carried out. “Irene dug her fingernail deeper into the table top. ‘Do you know what it’s like to live with hate, Carol? Every single day, nothing but hate?’ “ Author Rakha expresses the family’s anguish and desire for vengeance, easily understandable when one suffers an unspeakable loss such as this. Irene, the victim’s mother and the main character, becomes withdrawn as the anguish begins to destroy her soul. Aware that she must do something to save herself, she reaches out to Daniel, the killer on death row, and enters into a correspondence with him in her desire to understand, ultimately to forgive, and indeed, come to care for the young man. This book is intended to take you on a spiritual journey toward the power of forgiveness, and will cause you to pause when considering the issue of the death penalty. Reviewed by Christina Forsythe
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Crafts & Hobbies Stitch ‘n Bitch Superstar Knitting: Go Beyond the Basics By Debbie Stoller Workman, $17.95, 356 pages A yarn-phobe from early days of awful holiday knitted gifts, I converted to a knitting devotee after my grandmother’s failed attempts at teaching finally took hold when she gave (threw) me the original Stitch ‘N Bitch. Something clicked and I was hooked. (For more hooking, see Stoller’s other book The Happy Hooker.) Stoller’s latest edition is packed with hip patterns and easy to follow directions, containing over 41 patterns and ways to freshen up your stitches with lace, beads, cables, colorwork, and instructions on making your own patterns, complete with familiar Stitch ‘N Bitch tongue-in-cheek humor. According to Stoller, knitting helps connect us. It’s easy to chat with friends and family while knitting, or just have a good time and keep one’s hands occupied. In a tech-crazy world, getting back to the basics can feel invaluable. But knit one, purl two gets old. This is for those knitters who’ve taken Knitting 101, and have graduated to Master’s work in the yarn arts. It’s a book de-
signed for those who aren’t advanced knitters, but who’d like to be. The next project for this wanna-be-advanced knitter? Something in the baby category for my best friend and baby. Reviewed by Axie Barclay A Homemade Christmas: Creative Ideas for an Earth-Friendly, Frugal, Festive Holiday By Tina Barseghian Harlequin, $14.95, 128 pages The subtitle of this book is Creative Ideas for an Earth-Friendly, Frugal, Festive Holiday and it marginally delivers on these claims. Divided into five sections (Greeting, Trimming, Cooking, Giving, and Celebrating), this illustrated handbook was apparently penned for the purpose of getting folks to “slow down” and enjoy their winter holiday in a more relaxed, “green,” and less-materialistic fashion by hand making cards, garlands, cookies, and gifts. After reading it, I am convinced that the author’s intent was heartfelt, but ninety percent of the tips contained in the pages were
Reference How to Shop for Free By Kathey Spencer & Samantha Rose Lifelong Books, $14.95, 226 pages Every woman I know would love to find the secret of shopping for free. To get anything you want and pay nothing is a dream come true! In How to Shop for Free author Kathy Spencer shares this “secret”. Too bad she spent 90% of the book plugging her personal website and giving tips no average person has time to follow. Spencer’s secret is coupons! She blathers on about coupon combinations and how important it is to get 20 of the same coupon so you can “stack” them. Once you have obtained 20 of said coupon you must file them away in a three-drawer filing cabinet, organized by date, time, when the coupon expires, etc. Spencer IS the crazy coupon lady you see at your local store. Her techniques make sense and I am all for using coupons to get a good deal, but this is ridiculous. If you have free time on your hands to cut coupons, and then go to 10 different stores to compare prices, and then
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buy 40 tubes of toothpaste at one time (she really does that) then this book is for you! For the rest of us, unless you have a coupon for this book, it’s not worth it. Reviewed by Nicole Will Write a Marketable Children’s Book in 7 Weeks By Shirley Raye Redmond and Jennifer McKerley Langdon Street Press, $14.95, 94 pages Given my cynical nature, I was intrigued by the claim implicit in Shirley Raye Redmond and Jennifer McKerley’s Write a Marketable Children’s Book in 7 Weeks. Having read their book, I believe that most individuals will not complete a book within seven weeks. However, I believe their method is plausible. Furthermore, even if the reader doesn’t finish in the allotted time, the writing advice in this book is sound and, if followed, could lead to a publishable manuscript.
ideas I’d heard before. Indeed it could all be gleaned with a rather quick series of Internet searches, such as making your own wreaths, infusing olive oil or decorating with branches. These searches would save you the book’s rather steep cost of $15. I was also surprised by the book’s lack of emphasis on the “green” and Earth-friendly ideas mentioned in the subtitle. Buying paper items is mentioned often, but the author does not recommend buying recycled paper, and there are far more purchased items than hand-crafted ones. That being said, the remaining ten percent of the book did harbor a few creative ideas and tips that I’d not thought of (or heard of) before, such as making your own drip-free candles for a fraction of the cost of buying them. This book may be useful to folks who have never celebrated Christmas before, nor ever embarked on a craft project in elementary school. Reviewed by Meredith Greene Crafting a Meaningful Home: 27 DIY Projects to Tell Stories, Hold Memories, and Celebrate Family Heritage By Meg Mateo Ilasco STC Craft/A Melanie Falick Book, $24.95, 160 pages The things we surround ourselves with in our homes are things that speak to our hearts, our memories, on a
Redmond and McKerley propose that those who want to use their method free up fifteen hours per week for the writing process. From there, they outline a seven-week process which covers researching, plotting, writing, marketing and revising. While these authors suggest that nonfiction has a greater chance of publication, they address all forms of children’s literature, with the exception of rhyming or ABC books. I do not believe that most people will set aside fifteen hours per week for writing. However, if they did, I believe that Redmond and McKerley’s method would work. For those less concerned about time, this book affords an excellent introduction into the genre of children’s literature and the process to publication. Reviewed by Annie Peters The Guide to Writing Fantasy and Science Fiction By Philip Athans Adams Media, $14.95, 244 pages Have you ever read a well-told epic fantasy or science fiction novel and thought to yourself, “I want to write something like that”? The Guide to Writing Fantasy and Science Fiction will make that possible. Author Philip Athans narrates his work for an audi-
deeply personal level. They’re there to make us feel good. They’re also a statement to anyone we welcome in our private spaces about who we are. Crafting a Meaningful Home is a rich book full of unique projects with well written, step-by-step instructions to create items to adorn your home. Each project is an inspiring springboard to motivate a crafter to create something that shares memories, histories, and cultures with our guests. Each project teaches a different craft technique and even the novice crafter can follow the well-presented directions with great success and accomplishment. The projects themselves are as varied as the artists who contributed, and each chapter begins with a little introduction to the artist and the inspiration behind the particular piece. Each project invites the reader to jump in, get your hands dirty, to draw upon the things that reflect who you are, where you’re from, your family, your fount of inspiration. Crafts include a hook rug, decoupaged plates, a collage, luminarias, even a family crest. Crafting a Meaningful Home invites the reader to create something as unique and special as they are – an individual work of art, forged in family tradition, heritage and kinship. Reviewed by Laura Friedkin
ence from that perspective: the initial desire to write a fantasy or science fiction novel and nothing else. He gently breaks down the different categories and subgenres of fantasy and science fiction, explaining the distinctions and mechanics of writing this type of novel in sagaciously simple vernacular that even the most tried low-attentionspanned individual can handle. This book is not about writing in general, such as sentence structure, proper grammar or punctuation. It is about the world of writing with imagination and asking the what-if questions of ourselves manipulating reality. Athans takes a story idea and shapes it into a novel as an example and exercise used to illustrate his points. Introduction and original story written by author R.A. Salvatore, Athans solicits the guidance from other well-known fantasy and science fiction writers as well. The Guide to Writing Fantasy and Science Fiction is definitely a must-have implement in this type of writer’s tool chest. Reviewed by M. Chris Johnson
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Young Adult I Was Jane Austen’s Best Friend By Cora Harrison Delacorte Books for Young Readers, $17.99, 342 pages Young Jane Austen fans are in for an once-in-a-lifetime treat that will sweep them back into the excitement of 1790s British society, fancy skirts, dashing gentlemen, and young love. Cora Harrison’s novel is a delicious combination of historical fact and fabulously crafted fiction based on the relationship between teenage Jane Austen and her cousin Jenny Cooper. I fell in love on page one and could not put this book down. Jenny risks her life and reputation to escape the boarding school where she and her cousin Jane live in order to get a letter to Jane’s mother. Jane was direly ill and the headmistress refused to contact the family. Jenny happens to meet and fall desperately in love with handsome Captain Thomas Williams along the way. He charms her with his kindness and aids her in getting the letter to her cousin’s family. The Austen family quickly rescues the girls from the school and brings them back to live at Jane’s family estate. When Thomas reappears later in the novel, Jenny fears he will inadvertently ruin her reputation by letting slip how he originally met her. Can true love conquer all or will persnickety relatives get in the way in the name of propriety? Prepare for a fun and fast-paced adventure as the girls learn about growing up, love, friendship, aspirations, and marriage. This novel is a rare gem in historical fiction and one I would gladly read again. Reviewed by Jennifer Melville Dangerous Angels: The Weetzie Bat Books By Francesca Lia Block HarperTeen, $9.99, 496 pages Dangerous Angels is an anthology of stories that make up the Weetzie Bat Books. The five tales each follow a different character as they develop and grow into maturity, learning about themselves and the world around them. AIDS, homosexuality and pre-marital sex are some of the topics that our characters experience and deal with as they grow into adulthood. I found these stories to be very whimsical, with a touch of magic in a very real world. The most endearing part of the story is the odd names -- as the characters aren’t
named, but given descriptions that become their names. I found the dialogue a little confusing, but it can easily be deciphered with a little patience. The characters aren’t particularly fleshed out well, though they are drawn deeply enough to get a sense of their personality in the stories. First published together over a decade ago, Dangerous Angels still holds relevance to matters of the day. This would be a highly recommended read for mature teens who may long for acceptance, or just a sense of belonging. Reviewed by Missy Wadkins Wildwing By Emily Whitman Greenwillow Books, $16.99, 320 pages Young adult fans of historical romance and time travel will love this new read by author Emily Whitman. Transported by an old elevator from her drab servant life in 1913, Matilda finds herself in a medieval time and an awkward predicament as she is mistaken for the king’s charge. Now she doesn’t have to answer to anyone, but things turn sour as she soon falls for the handsome falconer Will and wants to answer to the call in her heart. This is a heartwarming romance that doesn’t just stop the romance at the characters -- the entire setting of the novel screams romance from shipwrecks to dungeons to wedding gowns fit for a fairytale. Matilda and the lot of characters are all beautifully written and wrapped into a wonderful read. There are many surprises throughout the story that will have your head reeling and your heart on a roller coaster until the very end. Wildwing is a wonderfully written story that has just the right amount of detail and an abundance of emotion. It’s a great read for teens and adults alike. Reviewed by Missy Wadkins Torment By Lauren Kate Delacorte Books for Young Readers, $17.99, 464 pages This sequel to Fallen begins not long after the battle at Sword & Cross. Cam and Daniel make a pact that they will stash Luce at a school for Nephilim (part angel and part human) students while they hunt
down the threats to her. This truce will only last roughly three weeks, and then it’s game on again. This was a disappointing sequel with Luce being whiny for most of the book. She also makes the worst choices possible just to prove she does not have to do what other people tell her to do. Not much new is revealed, even though the book is well over 400 pages. Luce begins to ponder if she even belongs with Daniel and if life might not just be easier and better if she had a relationship with a regular guy. Cue the entrance of a new potential love interest in fellow student, Matt. The ending proves exciting and a cliff hanger, but the rest was painful to read. Let’s hope that book three can redeem the series. Reviewed by Debbie Suzuki Grace By Elizabeth Scott Dutton Juvenile, $16.99, 208 pages Have you ever wondered what goes on in the head of suicide bombers before they kill themselves and those around them? This is the story of Grace, who belongs to a group of “Angels,” young women who are raised to be suicide bombers and taught that it is a great honor. When it comes time for Grace to set off her bomb, she cannot accept that she must die and ends up running away. This marks her as a disgrace and she is turned out by her people, forcing her make a run to escape from this harsh land. It is heart-wrenching to follow Grace’s thoughts about her life and her destiny, to always be expected to die as a martyr. She teams up with Kerr, a man Grace was taught to despise who has his own horrifying past that he is trying to escape. Along the journey, she realizes she and Kerr are not that different. Both their stories can bring tears to your eyes and will keep you thinking about them long after you finish the book. Reviewed by Debbie Suzuki Only the Good Spy Young By Ally Carter Hyperion Children’s, $16.99, 265 pages After surviving attempted kidnappings, finding out about a secret organization, and falling for a hot spy named Zack, Cammie is under guard against the Circle. While on
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vacation with Bec, her co-op teacher finds her to give her a message. But to her surprise, he seems to now be the enemy. Once at home at Gallagher Academy, she confides in her friends what happened. Together they search for answers to what is happening and who they should trust, and take a peek into the past. I absolutely love this series. This book was a real page turner like the previous books. Cammie’s life as a spy and her trusty friends who go adventuring for answers no matter what are so captivating that they give a good spark to the book. Not to mention Zack is totally hot!! The series starts where it left off, with a few fillers. If you haven’t read the previous books I suggest you do so (not to mention you’d be missing out if you didn’t). The fans of Marcie might be slightly disappointed because she stays pretty low in this one. So readers don’t get a double heart attack like I did, there IS going to be another sequel. Hooray!! Reviewed by Amanda Muir Tell Me a Secret By Holly Cupala Harper Teen, $16.99, 304 pages Rand has always looked up to her delinquent, older sister, Xanda, and when Xanda dies Rand begins to go into a downward spiral. She ends up trying to replace her sister by becoming friends with Delaney, another troubled teen, and hooking up with Kamran. After spending a night with Kamran, Rand finds out she is pregnant and is set adrift as Kamran dumps her. Delaney abandons her to start dating Kamran and her mom condemns her for being pregnant. The story as a whole is filled with a cast of characters that the reader will dislike, and really the only one that appealed to me was Shelley, a woman who Rand works for, who eventually takes Rand under her wing. This is a heart-wrenching story as we see Rand deal with being the pregnant outcast, both at home and at school, and make the decision whether to keep the baby or give it up. I may not agree with all the choices Rand makes in the story, but you can see the turmoil she is going through while dealing with all of this. She also comes to terms with the truth behind her beloved sister’s death. Definitely a book you will have a hard time putting down. Reviewed by Debbie Suzuki
December 10 11
Mystery, Crime & Thrillers The Gordian Knot By Bernhard Schlink Vintage, $15.95, 284 pages In The Gordian Knot as in his earlier best seller, The Reader, Bernhard Schlink adeptly brings philosophical and moral questions to life in a godless, postmodern world. Georg Polger, a German national, seeks stability and happiness in the pastoral village of Cucuron in Southern France, where by a stroke of luck he lands a job as a translator for a large industrial helicopter manufacturer. A young woman, Francoise, works at the agency that hires him, and Georg falls in love with her. Like Schlink’s earlier heroine, Hanna Schmitz, Francoise is an interesting character. Is Georg simply one of the pleasures the world offers her? She is passive, but not weak, purposeful, but not stubborn, and unmoved by ultimate truths or by Georg’s moral anguish. Francoise and Georg are very happy together, until he makes a startling discovery that changes everything and creates a knot of Gordian proportions. Schlink never once resorts to simply cutting through the complications in his story line, but page by page, as in any good detective yarn, follows as they lead, twisting and turning, from Europe to America. Schlink’s European perspective and descriptions of certain American cities, San Francisco in particular, made me see them afresh. Reviewed by Zara Raab The Vaults By Toby Ball St. Martin’s Press, $24.99, 307 pages The Vaults is a very good debut novel, but it could have been a much better one. Ball’s book begins as the tale of one Arthur Puskis, keeper of the criminal records for The City. Puskis finds duplicate copies of some criminal files, and notices that the information does not match. Someone is replacing real records with fake ones. What is this about- - political corruption or criminal activity? This would have been an intriguing story as is; however, Ball felt the need to add two more male protagonists (one, an investigative reporter and the other, a private investiKeith Roberts is a cop and scuba instructor these days, but in a former life, he was an operative for the U.S. military, specializing in covert action. He is once again drawn into the fray by a mission to solve a decades-old murder, a mission that will take him across Europe and back to America, as he pursues a secret cabal of assassins, hell-bent on silencing him forever.
A v a ila b l e now!
12 December 10
gator) and as a result, the story becomes very weighted down. This reviewer put the book down for a few days before returning to it. Ball writes well and displays a comprehensive knowledge of the criminal justice system. Yet, let’s hope he learns that less is more when it comes to fiction. One great storyline is preferable to three sub-plots that are all going to meet at the end line. Perhaps Ball’s next novel will be simpler and tighter in structure, and will contain an ending that’s not foreseeable by the reader before he or she reaches it. Reviewed by Joseph Arellano Summer, Fireworks, and My Corpse By Otsuichi Haikasoru, $14.99, 350 pages Summer, Fireworks, and My Corpse is a book of three novellas by Japanese author Otsuichi. “Summer, Fireworks, and My Corpse” is the tale of the plan to hide a child’s murder told from the point of view of the murdered child. “Yuko” is the struggle of a servant, Kiyone, to understand her strange, lonely master Masayoshi and his life. “The Black Fairy Tale” is a combination of a traditional fairy tale and events happening in the present day that parallel the fairy tale. They both involve characters receiving eye transplants and seeing the donor’s memories through the new eyes. All of Otsuichi’s writings are labyrinths … it’s difficult to label any character as “good” or “bad,” determine their motivation, or foresee what they will do next. In one way, this is wonderful as the tension, the actual events, and what is left unsaid make the stories even more horrific. On the flip side, it’s frustrating as the confusing twists and turns are so extremely puzzling. At the last sentence you find yourself asking, “What?” These novellas are meant to be read — no, devoured -- several times. Reviewed by Jodi M. Webb The Library of Shadows By Mikkel Birkegaard, Tiina Nunnally, Translator Transworld Publishers, $14.95, 429 pages We’ve all been touched, directly or indirectly, by the power of books: the Bible, the Qur’an, Marx’s Communist Manifesto, Mao’s “Little Red Book” has changed the lives of millions. Books in Luca Campelli’s antiquarian bookshop, Libri di Luca, in the
Vesterbro district of Copenhagen also exert an extraordinary power, as Luca comes to know in a particularly horrifying way in his last moments. At Luca’s funeral, his son, Jon, is surprised to see so many mourners; members of a remarkable, secret Society devoted to promoting reading that meets in the bookshop’s basement. As heir to the bookshop, Jon befriends a young associate of the Society, the dyslexic Katerina, who demonstrates to him first hand the unusual literary powers the Society once employed to promote their goals. But a rift has occurred and the Society’s under serious threat. Jon’s involvement in Libri di Luca heats up when a Molotov cocktail is thrown through the bookshop’s windows. In the tradition of Argentine writer Jorge Luis Borges’ short stories “The Book of Sand” and “The Library of Babel,” Birkegaard’s story introduces us to a fascinating story, both an engrossing thriller and a paean to the mysterious and extraordinary power of reading. Reviewed by Zara Raab Beyond the Mast By Rich Jackson Xlibris, $19.99, 280 pages If Rich Jackson’s first published novel, Beyond the Mast were a barometer for his future works, then its smooth sailing ahead. In this novel, however, Tom and Nathan are the seafaring main characters that spend their summers living a life of leisure sailing the world on Nathan’s boat, Coriolis. Early in the novel, it is discovered that the seemingly charmed life that Tom leads has its roots planted in a oneman electronic crime ring. Tom, a computer genius from back in his college days, supports his carefree lifestyle by hacking into the bank accounts of large corporations and transferring funds into dummy accounts that he later accesses. With his perfectly crafted capers and the hubris of believing that he’ll never be caught, Tom lives his life as if he were entitled to help himself to other people’s money, and thus bringing his old pal Nathan along for the ride. Jackson’s character development in Beyond the Mast has the feel of a great Russian novel, where the pedigree and history of each character is identified and categorized, only to be used against them later as
In the third installment of his adventures, Lt. Keith Roberts of the St. Louis Police Force heads home to Tennessee to deal with an old, unsolved murder in Triple Oaks.
Available in hard copy and ebook format at: Amazon.com Barnes & Noble ISBN 9781453525821
their ultimate flaw. Beyond the Mast is not for those with weak stomachs or the faint of heart. Wonderfully vivid landscapes dot the horizon as our heroes sail the high seas with Jackson’s descriptions of events that are so intense that readers feel like they are a part of the action. Though, there is one word of caution for those planning to navigate Beyond the Mast. Be prepared for low-pressured sailing jargon that sometimes veers the action off course. All in all, Beyond the Mast possesses a perfect literary storm of character, plot, and imagination that keeps readers turning pages. Sponsored Review Stork Raving Mad: A Meg Langslow Mystery By Donna Andrews Minotaur Books, $24.99, 310 pages Does anyone write wacky, screwballcomedy mysteries better than Donna Andrews? If so, I certainly wish someone would tell me, as I think they’re my most favorite reading material. It was my good fortune to discover her Murder with Peacocks when it first appeared almost a dozen years ago, and I’ve loved her clever, light-hearted touch since then. Back then, Meg Langslow was just part of a large somewhat goofy family, with a penchant for stirring up troubles. Other than finding a dandy husband, not a lot has changed in the intervening years, except for the veryimpending birth of Meg’s twins. Hubby Michael is a professor of drama at Caerphilly College in Virginia, and assorted relatives still abound. Now, however, a new dilemma arises. With a houseful of students (because the heating system at the college is broken) and a visiting guest playwright from Spain, the Dean of the English Department decides against the proposed production of the guest’s play. Unhappily, the play is part of the doctoral thesis of one of the students, and subsequently, all you-knowwhat breaks loose! Fortunately, the twins hold off on their appearance until Meg has helped the police chief to find the murderer. The biggest mystery now is: Which variety of twins will she have? According to the last line of the book, Wait and see.” Grump. Reviewed by Kelly Ferjutz
A ut hor Ev e nt s at S a c r a me nt oB o ok R e v ie w.com
2010
ift
‘T
is the season for giving!!!! We’re here to help pick the best gifts
for the book lovers in your life.
oliday
uide
Suggested Gifts for
The Artsy Fartsy Collector Gericault
by Nina AthanassoglouKallmyer Phaidon Press Inc, $69.95, 240 pages, 9780714844008
This new monograph explores the life and works of Theodore Gericault (1791-1824), whose compelling career and legacy continue to captivate audiences, artists, and critics alike. In her comprehensive survey, Nina Athanassoglou-Kallmyer pays tribute to established Gericault scholarship while reassessing the career of an artist too easily miscast as the archetypal 'tortured soul' of arthistorical Romantic mythology.
Renoir
by Anne Distel Abbeville Press, $135 400 pages, 9780789210579
Pierre-Auguste Renoir (1841-1919) stands out among the great artists for his willingness to paint pictures that are straightforwardly pretty and charming: he chooses familiar and sympathetic human types as his subjects, and depicts them with an appealing immediacy, using an attractively bright and rosy palette.
Auguste Rodin
Van Gogh in Auvers
by Wouter Van der Veen and Axel Ruger, The Monacelli Press, $75, 304 pages, 9781580933018
In the last seventy days of his life, Vincent van Gogh experienced an unprecedented burst of creativity. He painted at least one canvas per day, often more, and wrote dozens of eloquent, personal letters to family, fellow artists, and friends. For the ďŹ rst time, this volume gathers all that he produced during these last few months and presents it in a day-by-day chronology that reveals his intense focus on the continuing development of his signature artistic method as well as his innermost thoughts and concerns.
by Jane Mayo Roos Phaidon Press, $69.95 208 pages, 9780714841489 This new monograph examines the life and works of Auguste Rodin (1840-1917), whose compelling career and legacy continue to captivate audiences, artists and critics alike. As one of the greatest and most prolific sculptors of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, Rodin transformed sculpture-making and reinvigorated what was considered to be a dying art form. Born into a working-class family, Rodin had little formal education in the fine arts and struggled against poverty throughout his career.
Chess Masterpieces by George Dean, Maxine Brady, and Garry Kasparov Abrams, $65 272 pages, 9780810949232
These remarkable chess sets span civilizations, chronicling the game and its design beginning with the earliest known pieces and coming up to the surprising present. Considering chess through the perspectives of art and history, the engaging text touches upon the influences of local cultures and available materials, as well as the battles, rulers, and political factions that often inspired thematic sets.
Constable
by Jonathan Clarkson
Phaidon Press Inc, $69.95 240 pages, 9780714842950
This lavishly illustrated monograph of the great British landscapist John Constable (1776-1837) presents a definitive survey of the painter's life and works. Jonathan Clarkson offers a comprehensive assessment of Constable's oeuvre, from his earliest line drawings to his last masterpieces, including pencil drawings, quick outdoor oil sketches, painstakingly worked studio canvases, and less well-known portraits.
Making the Scene
by Oscar G. Brockett, Margaret Mitchell and Linda Hardberger Tobin Theatre Arts Fund, $85, 377 pages Theatrical scene design is one of the most beautiful, varied, and lively art forms. Yet there are relatively few books on the subject, and almost none for a general audience that combine expansive scholarship with lavish design. Making the Scene offers an unprecedented survey of the evolving context, theory, and practice of scene design from ancient Greek times to the present, coauthored by the world's best-known authority on the subject and enhanced by three hundred full-color illustrations.
9780292722736
Arts and Theater
Art of McSweeney's by McSweeney’s Chronicle Books, $45 264 Pages,
Magic 1400s-1950s
by Mike Caveney, Jim Steinmeyer, Ricky Jay, and Noel Daniel TASCHEN, 670 pages, $200
It features hundreds of images, interviews with collaborators such as Chris Ware and Michael Chabon, and dozens of insights into McSweeney's quirky 9780811866231 creative process and the visual experience of reading.
Magic has enchanted humankind for millennia, evoking terror, laughter, shock, and amazement. Once persecuted as heretics and sorcerers, magicians have always been conduits to a parallel universe of limitless possibility whether invoking spirits, reading minds, or inverting the laws of nature by sleight of hand.
Graphic
by Steven Heller and Lita Talarico The Monacelli Press, $60 352 Pages Concise and informative texts by Steven Heller and Lita Talarico, leading authorities on graphic design, provide invaluable commentary on the artists’ 9780811866231 creative development, design philosophies, sketch booking techniques, and visual influences.
9783836509770
Archie Marries
by Michael Uslan, Stan Goldberg and Bob Smith Abrams ComicArts, 208 pages, $24.95
Art + Science Now by Stephen Wilson Thames and Hudson 208 pages, $50
In the twenty-first century, some of the most dynamic works of art are being 9780500238684 produced not in the studio but in the laboratory, where artists probe cultural, philosophical, and social questions connected with cutting-edge scientific and technological research. Their work ranges across disciplines—microbiology, the physical sciences, information technologies, human biology and living systems, kinetics and robotics—and takes in everything from eugenics to climate change to artificial intelligence.
"I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year." - Charles Dickens
9783836 509640
9 978081187451
9780810996205
The eternal love triangle that has been the cornerstone of Archie comics for almost seven decades is finally untangled in this seven-part story written by Michael Uslan and illustrated by veteran Archie artist Stan Goldberg. The journey begins when Archie finds himself strolling up Memory Lane, and marries the wealthy and cultured Veronica Lodge. Later we see what happens when he strolls down Memory Lane and marries the wholesome, peppy girl next door, Betty Cooper.
Bloom County: The Complete Collection Volume 1 by Berkeley Breathed IDW Publishing, 304 pages, $39.99
This is the strip that brought to the comics pages a unique amalgam of contemporary politics and fantasy, all told with a hilarious humor and wit. 9781600105838 Over the years, favorite characters came to life including Opus, Bill the Cat and Steve Dallas. This collection also contains a series of “Context Pages” sprinkled throughout the volumes, providing perspective for the readers and presenting a variety of real-life events and personalities that were contemporary and topical at the time of original publication.
Prince Valiant: 1939-1940, Vol. 2 by Harold Foster Fantagraphics Books, 112 pages, $29.99
In this second volume, Prince Valiant helps his father reclaim his throne in kingdom of Thule, fights alongside King Arthur, and is made a knight of the Round Table in recompense for his bravery and wit. Bored by the peace he helped to create, Val decides to independently pull together the forces to battle the Huns’ descent on Southern Europe. When Val’s army breaches the Huns’ stronghold, however, he discovers that corruption reigns still further 9781606993484 west in Rome.
97807893183
These Modern Art Books will make the best stocking stuffers! 36
Book & Wine Pairings Exploring Wine
The Culinary Institute of America's Guide to Wines of the World 9780471770633
$65
PAIR WITH 2003 Roederer Estate Brut Rose Mendocino
Secrets of the Sommeliers How to Think and Drink Like the World’s Top Wine Professionals 9781580082983
$32.50
PAIR WITH Ficklin Vineyards Old Vine Tinta Port Madera
The Finest Wines of Bordeaux A Regional Guide to the Best Châteaux and Their Wines 9780520266575 $34.95
PAIR WITH 2007 Ventana Le Mistral Monterey
Matt Kramer On Wine A Matchless Collection of Columns, Essays and Observations by America’s Most Original and Lucid Wine Writer 9781402771649 $19.95
PAIR WITH Old Vine 7 Deadly Zins Lodi
Washington Wines and Wineries The Essential Guide
978052261389
$34.95
PAIR WITH 2006 Martin Rays Cabernet Sauvignon Sta. Cruz
Wine Atlas of New Zealand Second Edition
9781869710910
PAIR WITH 2005 1886 Ehlers Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Napa
Reading Between the Wines
Oz Clarke: Grapes and Vines
How to Think and Drink Like the World’s Top Wine Professionals
A Comprehensive Guide to Varieties and Flavors 9781402777302 $24.95
9780520265332 $24.95
PAIR WITH Gloria Ferrer Blanc De Noir Sonoma
PAIR WITH 2005 Wente Riva Ranch Chardonnay Livermore
Grab a cup of coffee or a glass of your favorite wine and enjoy trips to countless wonderful places contained within the pages of these perfect travel volumes. Planning out your next vacation destination has never been this easy! 9781741792119
9781907317088 9780500515341
9780847833313
$50
Great gifts for the other dudes in your life...
Star Wars Art: Visions $40 9780810995895
The Jedi Path $99.99 9781603800969
The Art of Avatar $29.95 9780810982862
Seven Mozart Librettos
9780393066098
A landmark event in the world of music, Mozart's seven major librettos have finally been translated in verse with a sparkling poetic quality that matches the magnificence of the originals. WW Norton & Co. $50
Fall of Giants With passion and the hand of a master, Follett brings us into a world we thought we knew, but now will never seem the same again. Dutton Adult $36 9780525951650
Wonders of LIFE $29.95 9781603201416
Great Migrations $35 9781426206443
Battle At Sea Wild Wonders of Europe $50 9780810996144
Special features within the book include: graphic and dramatic battle catalogs relating the stories of the men, ships, and organizations behind history's greatest naval 9780756639730 conflicts. DK Adult $40
Drunk Stoned Brilliant Dead Contains the funniest material from the National Lampoon and sought out stories about the survivors of its first electrifying decade. 9780810988488 Abrams $40
50 Years of the Playboy Bunny Hubble $29.95 9780810989979
The Princeton Field Guide to Dinosaurs $35 9780691137209
Playboy presents the complete official account of the iconic Playboy Bunny coinciding with the Bunny's 50th anniversary. 9780811872263 Chronicle Books $35
PAUL MCDONOUGH
DECADE
PLAIN SPACE
Decade presents 500 engaging photographic images, both iconic and idiosyncratic, selected by acclaimed photo editor Aemonn McCabe and arranged in chronological order to tell the story of the first decade in our new millennium. Engaging with debates in photography, while providing a visual record of world events both regional and international, this book provides an extraordinary insight into our recent history - dramatic, nostalgic, intimate and educational by turns.
John Pawson is an architect and designer whose exceptional work combines an essential simplicity with a keen attention to the details of everyday life and human experience. Filled with exquisite photographs and detailed drawings, Plain Space will be the next musthave book for fans of John Pawson and a perfect introduction to his work for anyone interested in the absolute best of contemporary design.
9780714857688
$39.95 9780714857483
GALEN ROWELL’S SIERRA NEVADA
9781578051630
9780714857483
In this intimate portrait, Jerry Kobalenko shares a series of journeys he has taken around the High Arctic by foot, skis, kayak, and ship that provide a multifaceted view of this most beautiful and most vulnerable part of the Arctic, combining natural history, exploration, and personal experiences gathered during 20 years of Arctic travel.
9780714857483
$29.95
$40
$45
HOWARD HUANG’S URBAN GIRLS
$75 ARCTIC EDEN
The twentieth century’s most celebrated adventure photographer, Galen Rowell, spent much of his life roaming the world with his camera, chronicling exotic locales on all seven continents. Yet he always returned to the land where he started out, both as an adventurer and a photographer: California’s Sierra Nevada. Indeed, in the two years before his death in a 2002 plane crash, Rowell became increasingly focused on photographing the “Range of Light,” producing some of the strongest images of his career.
Arriving in New York in 1967, Paul McDonough's visual experience became high-octane, as spontaneous aesthetic and the metropolis collided in the improvisational theater of street photography. This first-ever monograph of his powerful work reveals the intimacy in actions and relationships found in the crowded streets of Urbania.
When photographer Howard Huang began shopping his fashion book around New York in 2002 he had no idea he was about to become the master of urban photography. Back then the Taiwanese immigrant thought "urban girls" were just women who lived in the city, explaining, "English is my second language; I was still learning." Nonetheless, when the editor of Black Men magazine asked if he knew how to shoot sexy women he said, "Sure!" and set about staging the magazine’s voluptuous singers, models and actresses in fantasies inspired by his love of comic books and anime. afgfeg
9783836521628
$39.99
UFO: Albert Watson
9780810996960
One of the world’s most successful photographers, Albert Watson is known for graphic, sculptural images that capture the essence of people, places, and things. His has been a career of unparalleled productivity, ranging from fashion to iconic portraits to reportage. His first book, Cyclops, published in 1994, established him as a leading photographic talent who combined a brilliant vision with extreme technical excellence. UFO—which stands for Unified Fashion Objectives—presents a 40-year retrospective of Watson’s best work, pulled from his vast archive. In its pages, a memorable era of style, beauty, fashion, personality, and power is captured for posterity. UFO is a landmark publishing event from one of the $135.00 world’s greatest photographers.
The Great Castles of New York Metropolitan $29.95 Gardens of China Home Design 100 $60 9781580933032
9781438433974
$45 9781933231990
Next Houses $50 9780810954014
Living with Books $45 9780500515433
KAMI GARCIA & MARGIE STOHL Authors of Beautiful Creatures Series “Our Christmas wish is for all the people we love and admire to be brave enough to follow their dreams.”
Alienology This dazzling book is a field guide to other worlds, from the solar system to the laws of time and space; from the many species and cultures in faraway galaxies to the primitive state of alienology studies here on Earth.
$19.99 9780763645656
Fantasy Filled with exquisite detail on every page, this is an absorbing and inspiring fantasy experience not to be missed.
$19.99 9780763640569
The PIXAR Treasures The Pixar Treasures is a scrapbook of instinct and inspiration, experiences readers can touch, and visions that exist only in the imagination.
$60.00 9781423116530
CHUCK FISCHER Creator of A Christmas Carol Pop-Up “Charles Dickens creates amazing pictures with his prose and what better way to visualize them than in the art of a three-dimensional pop-up book. I hope my book will, to paraphrase Mr. Dickens, “honour the spirit of Christmas and keep it all the year!” A Christmas Carol: A Pop-Up Book features artist Chuck Fischer's richly painted depictions of the tale of Ebenezer Scrooge and the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future, brought to life in intricate pop-up scenes by paper engineer Bruce Foster.
Oh The Places You’ll Go! In celebration of its 20th anniversary, this classic bestseller has been transformed into a popup book by master paper engineer David A. Carter.
$28.99 9780375852275
Of Thee I Sing
Built To Last
This new book—inspired by Parents will be happy to talk three classic, award-winning to their own children about books—reveals the how and how creative or kind or strong they are and reiterate, why behind some of the most fascinating and enduring as the president does, their structures humankind has place in the American family. ever created. $17.99
9780375835278
$24.99 9780547342405
Merry Christmas!
STONE OF TYMORA TRILOGY
BEAUTIFUL CREATURES
Young people eager to enter the world of R.A. Salvatore will enjoy this series swashbuckling swordplay, hair’s-breadth escapes and startling plot twists that have enthralled fans across the globe.
Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she's struggling to conceal her power, and a curse that has haunted her family for generations.
9780316039734
$30
2011 Calendar by Auey Santos Just die of cute! 13 adorable babies with witty quotes from the world's best authors, humorists and satirists. A great gift for any new parent, baby enthusiast or someone who prefers having babies on their wall instead of in their house! Photography and Design by Auey Santos of Oakland CA. Her work can be viewed at www.aueysantos.com Calendar is 13.5X19 and printed on #100 premium linen paper. Portions of the profits will be donated to benefit Autism advocacy charities.
Historical Fiction C By Tom McCarthy Knopf, $25.95, 310 pages Come with us as we bumble through the life of Serge Carrefax. Born at the turn of the twentieth century to a father who runs a school for the deaf and experiments with wireless communications in his spare time, Serge seems to float through scenes as opposed to being part of them. His strongest relationship is with his natural science-inclined sister, yet when the worst happens, McCarthy fails to give Serge any real emotions about it. While serving in World War I as a radio operator, Serge’s emotions are dulled further by cocaine. He sees lines and maps while other people have fear and shell shock. C is an interesting take on historical fiction. Growing up in the wireless communication age and being involved, first through his father and then through his own work, it is a unique view of history. However, it is missing any true emotion. One feels nothing for Serge; perhaps because Serge himself feels nothing for anyone else. McCarthy has a way with words. He can turn the most venal or every day sentence
into a beautiful, almost poetic event, but it still left me questioning if he was falling into the sophomore trap that many authors find themselves in. His first book, Remainder, was lauded by press and critics. I fear that he may have missed the mark with C, or maybe that was the grade he gave himself. Reviewed by Gwen Stackler The Jefferson Project By Thor Duffin Steinwald Books, $27.95, 514 pages Regardless of your political affiliation, there is something for everyone in this compelling book. Great plot? Check. Multidimensional characters? Timeliness? Double check. If every person of voting age in America were to read Chapter 47 (pages 227-233), it’s possible existing conditions and/or situations might improve or change. Using the character of the 20-something David Archer, a university engineering student, as his main protagonist, the author skillfully posits the pathway to change. If only it could actually happen this way! With four other students, a professor, and myriad intelligent people from a variety of careers and occupations, the young people devise
2 0 1 0 - 2 0 11 S E A S O N Crest Theatre | 7: 30 p.m. Lectures, Readings, Conversations
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K i M E d wA r d S
TErry McMill AN Getting to Happy, How Stella Got Her Groove Back, Waiting to Exhale
January 20, 2011
March 24, 2011
A My BlOOM Where the God of Love Hangs Out, Away, Normal
ArT SpiEgElM AN Artist /Illustrator MAUS, Breakdowns, In the Shadow of No Towers
February 23, 2011
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a new form of government, strongly based on our existing constitution, but upgraded slightly for today’s world. We’re no longer an agricultural economy, after all. It’s breathtaking in its audacity, and leaves the reader breathless in the process. Carefully balancing what was with what is, and looking for what might be, makes for a fascinating and engrossing novel. Too bad it’s fiction. No matter which side of the aisle you’d be assigned to should you be elected to political office, you’ll find immense food for thought in this engrossing book. If you’ve ever wondered about the curriculum for political science, this just might be the classic textbook. Is it politics as usual? Conspiracy theory? Or, maybe even: Just what IS the real reason behind the war in the Middle East? Have you ever wanted to be an instrument of change in our government and way of life? Or at least wished someone else would step up and into that position? Using these threads and others as the basis for the story line, author Thor Duffin skillfully weaves an engrossing story sure to capture attention, considering the timeliness of the contents. It’s so real; at times you’ll think you’re watching the latest news reports. It may take the reader a short while to get into the story, as multiple brief chapters introduce the main characters and various plot elements. Once in, you won’t get out until the author lets you out. You’re whisked along the super information highway, following several individual, interconnected plotlines. This book has everything. I cannot recommend it highly enough. I’d give it a hundred stars if I could. And if indeed I could do that, it would get at least five stars for the author’s elegant language. Here is proof that a rattling good tale can be told without submerging itself into a tub of fourletter words. Read it for yourself. I think you’ll agree. Reviewed by Kelly Ferjutz Roy & Lillie: A Love Story By Loren D. Estleman Forge, $24.99, 272 pages Yes, men can write romance novels. However, this isn’t one, exactly. What it is, really, is a richly detailed story about two people — each bigger than life — who could only have lived when they did, and who carried on a personal correspondence through the latter portion of the nineteenth century. Presumably, that is. Apparently, none of the letters still exist, although other souvenirs of the long distance romance survived both of them for some years. Truth to tell, if one really thinks about it, Judge Roy Bean and the Jersey Lilly (other-
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wise known as Lillie Langtry) were celebrities in their time, only because they were, well, celebrities. They didn’t really do much of anything, just be there. They never met, but only because the judge didn’t live his charmed life quite long enough. Lillie was on her way, but too late. The tale is spread before us with charm, affection and whimsy — drawing from both sides of the Atlantic. Mixed in are the judge’s wife and children, plus Lilly’s husband and daughter, not to mention her two most likely and famous lovers – The Prince of Wales and Oscar Wilde. Had she been so inclined, she could easily have assembled a waiting list for her favors. The last ten pages are the author’s motivations for writing the book, as well as various sources, including books and films, all fascinating, to be sure. I’m making a list. Reviewed by Kelly Ferjutz My Name Is Mary Sutter By Robin Oliveira Viking, $26.95, 357 pages Historical precision, an engaging heroine, and a time of change and turmoil in American history: add vivid dialogue, complex characters working their way through believable conflicts and you have one marvelous reading experience. Mary Sutter is a young woman with a dream of becoming a surgeon. As the story opens, she is a midwife in Albany, New York, at the outbreak of the Civil War. When her heart is broken in romance, she takes the opportunity to answer the call to help tend the legions of Civil War wounded. Mary Sutter is a courageous, determined, and vulnerable heroine. The story is about her personal and professional experiences, decisions, and destiny. The fabric of the story is woven with absorbing minute details of the Civil War period, meticulously researched and effortlessly presented. The development of medicine, much of it understood through the trial and errors in treatment of an unfathomable number of wounded men, is fascinating. Historical characters such as Dorthea Dix, who were integral to the changes for women and medicine, are woven into Oliveira’s evocative and well-paced plot. I am a huge fan of well-crafted historical fiction: and now a fan of Robin Oliveira, for whom this novel is a debut. Reviewed by Marcia Jo
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Art, Architecture & Photography Photography for the Web By Paul Duncanson SitePoint, $34.95, 163 pages Paul Duncanson pens a nicely-written and illustrated book with Photography for the Web. For those with the desire to go beyond “point and shoot,” this is a slim, yet ample resource for learning how to set up a shot, what to think about when take photographs, and how to enhance your pictures. There is nothing too complicated, but its simple and no-nonsense writing is still valuable to a professional looking for a short how-to to refresh their memory. The examples used and the accompanying text is very helpful, and I found that I was less careless with taking photographs than I was in the past. Also included are ways to share and store your images using popular web accounts like Flickr and Picasa, as well as blogging or using Twitter. The book doesn’t waste any time and the information is self-contained--meaning you
don’t need to purchase other books for clarification. Best of all, this is a perfect text for building confidence and knowledge in photography, and provides an excellent foundation for those who want to move on to more advanced techniques. A must-have for anyone who likes to take pictures, and anyone unsure of their skill. Reviewed by Angela Tate Telling Stories: Norman Rockwell By George Lucas and Steven Spielberg Abrams, $65.00, 252 pages Norman Rockwell’s pictures draw people into them. Each illustration, with its detail and its simplicity, touches places in the heart because each tells a story. This book accompanies a major exhibition at The Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, D.C. that began on July 2, 2010 and will continue until January 2, 2011 where author, Virginia M. Mecklenburg is a senior curator. Filled with beautiful illustrations of
Norman Rockwell’s work from the private collections of filmmakers George Lucas and Steven Spielberg, and abounding with new as well as well-known information about Rockwell, this art book is a treasure to behold. Story telling is a skill of many mediums, whether it is oral, written, photographs, art, or film. The best storytellers are those that understand people and they tend to get inspiration for their stories from other talented storytellers. There is support for this premise throughout this beautiful book, concluding with an essay entitled, “Norman Rockwell’s Camera Eye” by Todd McCarthy, film critic for “Variety.” He discusses the connection he sees between the pictures of Norman Rockwell and modern films, most specifically those of George Lucas and Steven Spielberg. Reviewed by Angie Mangino Coming Back: New Orleans Resurgent By Mario Tama, Photographer Umbrage Editions, $45.00, 128 pages Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans in September 2005, forcing the evacuation and resettlement of over 1 million people. But it was also the face of failure by
the government, the failure to evacuate the citizens in a timely manner, failure to provide adequate housing and food. What we saw were individual people taking it upon themselves to do the right thing. Five years later New Orleans is starting to rebuild itself, though it still has a long way to go. This book looks back on those dark days of Katrina, but it celebrates more of the rebirth and the people coming back, making the city full of life again with parades and festivals. This is focused on the individual, those affected most by Katrina, the poor; on how many still live in FEMA trailers since they can’t afford rent in New Orleans or live in low-income housing complexes. New Orleans is a city of contrasts, and a city rebuilding itself. This is a book to give hope that New Orleans will continue to rebuild itself and become a great city once again. Reviewed by Kevin Winter
Business & Investing Gimmickry: In the Search for More Money [Whatever Works in the $cheme of Things] By Jay Wenderoth Xlibris, $34.99, 667 pages Money knows no borders. The U.S. dollar has been the official currency in many countries and the default monetary system world wide. But it didn’t start there and it may not end there. In Gimmickry, Jay Wenderoth explores the history of money, debt, and the relationship between the two, through the creation of the United States to our current financial situation. Using the Congressional Record at the Library of Congress, Gimmickry is a well researched highly detailed book. [Almost 100 pages for the bibliography and index] explaining the situation we find ourselves in. In our financial history, American debt has ended up purchased by foreigners. The debt is not owed to the citizens, but whoever wants to purchase and fund it. Paper currency provided capitalization and was redeemable in gold, yet often that exchange was suspended by the banks. The banks didn’t make payment during emergencies, frequently causing inflation, increasing the value of gold and decreasing the value of the “money” it supposedly backed.
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Gold was in short supply. The return to specie payment by the banks “extinguished” the paper currency. Moving from the gold standard to our current dollar backed by trust in the American economy made transparent what had been going on for years. The supposed strong relationship between the amount of currency in circulation and the U.S. gold reserve was an illusion. The private banking system, legislated by the Congress, was profit oriented and debt based since Alexander Hamilton. It was the public creditor and Government. Gimmickry brings up little-known, or even unknown facts about the U.S. monetary system and should be required reading for those who want to know what’s going on. In the United States, America and Wall Street represent two economies, one squelching the other. It’s the wealth system. Gimmickry says the 2007 crash was a cyclical repeat of the past. Sponsored Review Groupthink: An Impediment to Success By Clifton Wilcox Xlibris, $19.99, 164 pages Groupthink, An Impediment to Success isn’t a book many will want to read, but is one nearly everyone should read. If you have to be part of any decision-making group or deal with such groups, you should read this book, and keep it on hand so that you’ll understand how group dynamics play out,
and how they might affect you or the decisions the group will make. In fact, this book should be the sourcebook for a college-level course in group dynamics. Dr. Clifton Wilcox reduces literally hundreds of reports, books, articles, and studies to their essence. Perhaps Wilcox explains Groupthink’s roots best: “Everyone makes decisions in their lives which result in consequences. For individuals the decision may be made implicitly and without consultation. For groups the decision is more complex. Some group members may want to pursue one course of action while others may not. Groupthink is one way in which individuals have the ability to avoid personal responsibility. If the group’s decision fails, the responsibility rests with all the members of the group and not a single individual. This diffusion of responsibility enhances emotional bonds between members as well as reduces the level of personal responsibility for decisions.” Groupthink explains with the well-known failure rate of groups, why they’re still used in nearly every level of modern society. Ever wonder why committees never seem to get anything done? And, if they do, why what they achieve seems illogical and nonsensical? Groupthink explains it, in terms
most can understand. Given a thorough understanding of how groups work, or rather fail to work, one might ponder how governments, universities, and businesses that are essentially many interlinked groups and committees manage to function at all. This and many more of life’s intricacies are explained in Groupthink, if you read, understand and ponder on it a bit. Sponsored Review Real-Time Marketing and PR: How to Engage Your Market, Connect with Customers, and Create Products that Grow Your Business Now By David Meerman Scott Wiley, $24.95, 256 pages The days of taking hours — or even days — to respond to queries from the media are gone. As are the days of snubbing nonmainstream media outlets. The power is in the hands of individuals now and content can go viral instantly. In order to remain relevant today, businesses must be willing to change their traditional practices. If they don’t, their sluggishness in responding could unwittingly earn them the reputation of being secretive and haughSee REAL-TIME, page 28
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Science & Nature Invisible Forces and Powerful Beliefs: Gravity, Gods, and Minds By The Chicago Social Brain Network FT Press, $34.99, 222 pages That the unseen can have great power is undeniable. The physical effect of loneliness, the impact of language, the suspension of self in crowd behavior and altruism, the power of suggestion... these are all potent forces, as significant as gravity and just as invisible. The essays in Invisible Forces and Powerful Beliefs explore a
litany of intangible influences and their effects, all unified by the underlying message that social interaction plays a important, perhaps key role in our general health. Yes, through observation, education and indoctrination, through mirror neurons and other biological processes, and through the purposeful encouragement toward development of senses of empathy, social duty, and obligation to the community, we are molded and shaped, but how much of it is for our own good, and how much for a debatable greater good? Unfortunately, Invisible Forces and Powerful Beliefs raises more questions than it answers. At heart, the book is an attempt to marry the rationales behind science, religion, and the humanities; whether
Sports & Outdoors NFL Unplugged: The Brutal, Brilliant World of Professional Football By Anthony L. Gargano Wiley, $25.95, 270 pages Anthony Gargano strives to live up to the title of NFL Unplugged, and largely succeeds in telling a bold and action-packed tale of the blood, sweat, and tears behind the games and the athletes we cheer on each football season. He draws his stories from the top to the bottom of the roster, from owners and coaches, to star players, to solid players, all the way down the unknown athletes who may spend their entire NFL career sitting on a bench.
Though they all live, breathe, eat, and sleep football, Gargano gives almost everyone character beyond the game, and humanizes these mighty titans of the turf. Best yet, there is plenty of humor behind the pain and sacrifice, which balances the glamour of stardom. The prose is lively and down-toearth, and Gargano’s own love for the game is apparent. While this may leads to a few spots of bias, by and large, he gives readers a realistic and thought-provoking view of the people behind the helmets. Sports fans will love the book, but casual fans or even non-fans will find much to chew on, and all will find inspiration from the stories, and perhaps, a large dose of appreciation for the men (and women) who push their bodies beyond pain and beyond failure, for the love of football. Reviewed by Angela Tate
it succeeds in this endeavor is perhaps best left to the individual reader. I, for one, found the effort a bit scattershot. The science may be solid and the ideas worthwhile, but the execution is lackluster. Reviewed by Glenn Dallas In the Darker Shadow of Science: The Subjugation of Cancer By Robert Jones iUniverse, $34.95, 560 pages This year, in the U.S. alone, about 570,000 people are expected to die of cancer. That’s more than 1,500 people a day. Billions of dollars are spent each year in cancer research, but we have yet to find a cure. Dr. Robert Jones came upon a radical idea in 1974. He realized that disrupting energy metabolism within cancer cells might perhaps be the key to stopping the growth of malignant tumors and, therefore, stopping cancer in its tracks. The drug Promethazine not only stops tumor growth, but has little of the side effects of current treatments and is affordable. The problem is that the established oncologists, researchers, pharmaceutical companies, and charities refuse to listen to his findings. As the project continued, funding and professional contacts disappeared, even though Jones has been able to show proven evidence of its use and benefit in many patients. In the Darker Shadow of Science is the story of Jones’s struggle to get his cancer cure out in front of the public. The lack of response he has received from the community that is supposed to be doing everything they can to fight this disease is frankly terrifying. For more than thirty years, he has
Health, Fitness & Dieting The Vegetarian Agenda: The Reasons Behind the Popularization and Promotion of the Meatless Diet By Sonny Desai Xlibris, $22.99, 308 pages Full disclosure: I am a vegetarian. But, as far as I know, I have no agenda, so I was interested to find out what I might not be admitting to myself when I got my hands on freelance writer and independent researcher Sonny Desai’s book The Vegetarian Agenda. Right out of the gate, the “facts” re-
ported here are misleading. Desai cites an Indian newspaper article that claims India is the “diabetes capital of the world.” There is an implied link between the vegetarianism prevalent in India and these increased rates of diabetes. But when did the rates start going up? Do Indians eat more convenience foods that include processed sugars and fats? As globalization has spread, have rates of diabetes gone up in all or most countries that have embraced non-traditional diets developed by, and for, western European or American palates? These questions are not asked by Desai, but they were certainly on my mind. He also states definitively that vegetarian diets cause anemia and lack calcium. Is
Desai unaware that any diet lacking in iron may result in anemia and that there’s plenty of calcium to be had in leafy greens, quinoa, soy beans, almonds, etc.? It doesn’t matter, because both of these claims are made without any reference to sources. From a technical standpoint, The Vegetarian Agenda is desperately uneven. Most chapters are less than five pages long and veer wildly from a history of Indian cultural and religious sects to American immigration to the sinister titular vegetarian agenda. I often wondered why Desai didn’t take the time to combine his 40 short, often abrupt, chapters into, say, 10 or 12 comprehensive chapters. The narrative, such as it is, doesn’t flow, and I felt as if Desai had simply
been trying to get someone, anyone, to listen, and the doors are proverbially shut in his face again and again. Jones thinks he knows why. In the most simplistic terms, the cancer community is invested in not finding a humane and affordable cure. Think about it, what would oncologists do if there was suddenly a cure? They would have no practice. What would drug companies tell their stockholders when they have spent billions on cancer research, when a drug like Promethazine can cure cancer for pennies on the dollar? You can’t help but feel that the reason that Jones felt compelled to write this is to warn us and, ultimately, to save lives. It makes you wonder about just what your tax dollars and donations are actually funding. This is a message that we need to hear, that the cancer community needs to hear, as well. Sponsored Review
sacramentobookreview.com ranted on a given topic until he ran out of steam and then moved onto a new chapter. The most telling example is the chapter entitled “The History of Vegetarianism.” It is half a page long. When it comes to proving the existence of a vegetarian agenda, the conclusions drawn by Desai are tenuous at best and paranoid at worst. Desai believes oft-referenced and never-named “elite” forces are using vegetarianism to subdue an aggressive, meat-eating population. I pass no fewer than three steakhouses on the ten-mile drive to and from work. Either he’s wrong, or I’ve already drunk the Kool-Aid. Sponsored Review
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History The Fourth Part of the World: An Astonishing Epic of Global Discovery, Imperial Ambition, and the Birth of America By Toby Lester Free Press, $16.99, 462 pages In the mid-Atlantic, a piece of heavy paper was carried back and forth along a thin rope between two ships, so that their captains could discuss their directional headings. The year is 1492, the ships are the Pinta and the Santa Maria, the paper is a map of the Indies where Christopher Columbus imagined he was heading. Maps, as Toby Lester shows in his engaging, anecdotal style (while not neglecting to provide a full bibliography and index), were crucial to the imperial aspirations of European kings and popes in the Age of Discovery. A good map settled disputes over territory, like the ones that arose between Spain and Portugal after Columbus’s voyages, and named our world, like the 1507 Waldseemuller map, which gave America its name. Using maps as his organizing principle, Lester traces their development over five centuries, beginning with Matthew Paris’s medieval cosmos of 1255 and the verbal mappamundi of monks and friars who traveled east in the 13th Century; through detailed charts made by mariners, and ending with the 1507 Waldseemuller map, now the centerpiece of the Library of Congress’s ‘Exploring the Early Americas’ exhibit, after 400 years lost in a tower garret. The fourth part of the world, of course, is America. Reviewed by Zara Raab
What Makes Civilization’: The Ancient Near East and the Future of the West By David Wengrow Oxford University Press, $24.95, 224 pages Archaeologist David Wengrow’s book, What Makes Civilization, is an intimate look at the civilizations of Mesopotamia and Egypt, and our own civilizations relationship with these long dead cultures. Wengrow’s focus is the paradox in the Western mind of seeing these two cultures as the cradle of civilization, specifically our own, and at the same time a symbol of the exotic and remote. Wengrow is at pains in the book to point out just how similar these civilizations were to our own and how the problems, issues, and sacrifices these people made to maintain their way of life are not so different from our own . Wengrow also goes out of his way to argue against the fallacy that these cultures developed in a vacuum, which is how they are usually presented in history courses; instead he advocates the view that the unique aspects of cultures come not from their isolation but are rather the products of interaction and exchange. These are important distinctions because the former view has often been used as proof of the existence of a clash of civilizations today. Wengrow’s book rebuts such claims and in so doing illuminates our culture through comparing it to ones long past. Reviewed by Jonathon Howard
Philosophy Building Cultures of Trust By Martin E. Marty Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, $22.99, 192 pages The United States has a deficit of trust. We no longer trust our politicians, businessmen, athletes, or each other. Instead of listening and having conversations with each other, we are shouting and talking right through one another. More concerned with getting our voice heard, instead of listening to what other people have to say. In this book Professor Marty examines the ways that we can go about re-
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building trust, by building cultures of trust. Cultures, as he defines them, are groups that you are a part of, whether in the local bridge club or the local fantasy sports club. Each culture, group, has its own ways of trusting each other and by building it from the ground up we can restore trust into this country. An enlightening book, you do not know how bad our issues are until you read this book; he mainly focuses on the scientific/religion divide, that both sides are not listening to each other or even acknowledging that each side has a valid point. Hopefully this book will help heal the divide and restore trust in America. Reviewed by Kevin Winter
The Killer of Little Shepherds: A True Crime Story and the Birth of Forensic Science By Douglas Starr Knopf, $26.95, 300 pages The Killer of Little Shepherds by Douglas Starr is a riveting, yet cerebral, account of a French serial killer. What makes this nonfiction book so fascinating is Starr takes the reader through the development of many forensic and law enforcement tools. While a blood test is standard fare today, toward the end of the 19th century, criminology was only starting to make great strides. Starr balances the book well: One chapter details the vagabond traipsing through the French countryside and slaughtering innocents. Then the next chapter recounts the study of criminal behavior, primitive autopsies, and reading crime scenes, which were used (or not!) to catch criminals. Besides focusing on Joseph Vacher, also known as The Killer of Little Shepherds, Starr explains and expands on the fascinating achievements of those studying the criminal world, such as Dr. Alexandre Lacassagne, a prominent criminologist, or mile Fourquet, a prosecutor. Detailing early forensics, the first section of the book focuses on the crimes of Vacher and police procedures in that time. Starr then moves into the psychology of a criminal’s confession, retelling the capture and prosecution of Vacher, as well as the aftermath. Reviewed by Elizabeth Humphrey Battleground Prussia: The Assault on Germany’s Eastern Front 1944-45 By Prit Buttar Osprey Publishing, $29.95, 512 pages The German Eastern Front during World War II was a place of bitter battles between the Soviet Union and Germany, and more so during the final months of the war when Germans were trying to defend Prussia from the Soviet army. The fighting was hard and difficult, with the army trying to buy time for the German civilians to leave Prussia and head back into Germany. A part of World War II readers do not normally hear about, but it is an important part of World War II nonetheless. The Soviets pushed forward and the Germans tried to resist, with confusing orders from Hitler to fight to the last man and bullet, many units fell back in strategic retreats to buy more
time. The end was coming and many soldiers knew it, now it was time to save the civilians. The main problem with this book is that it focuses on the Germans, whether they are civilians or soldiers; we rarely get the point of view from the Soviet army personnel, and when we do it is brief. Reviewed by Kevin Winter The Girls Of Murder City By Douglas Perry Viking, $25.95, 320 pages The Girls of Murder City: Fame, Lust, and the Beautiful Killers who Inspired Chicago by Douglas Perry is a fascinating book about a spate of homicidal and beautiful women. Belva Gaertner, Beulah Annan and other married Chicago women became renowned for killing their boyfriends. Maurine Watkins, an aspiring playwright, became a newspaper reporter at the early days of the run. Mostly women covered the news of women, so Watkins found herself interviewing the notorious beauties on the cell block. She then wrote the play Chicago, which has since seen its own fame as a musical and feature movie. Perry does an admirable job of weaving the complex narratives of the city and prohibition, the female crime wave, and the characters that helped give Chicago a claim to notoriety in the 1920s. This book is well-researched, seemingly not straying from the facts, even as the accused murderers did. Perry exposes the hypocrisy of the criminal justice system of the time, which allowed many pretty women to go free. While there are some repetitive passages within, Perry seems to use them for the effect of teasing out various nuances about the women and their colorful stories. Reviewed by Elizabeth Humphrey
Read our review of San Francisco Postcard History at SacramentoBookReview.com
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Current Events & Politics The Post Catastrophe Economy: Rebuilding America and Avoiding the Next Bubble By Eric Janszen Portfolio, $25.95, 217 pages Eric Janszen, a financial analyst with more than two decades of experience in the technology industry, shows how political failures have impeded our country’s economic progress and offers solutions for a more sustainable and stable economic future. The Great Recession is over and it is one’s belief that investors must know what’s next in our economy and how to invest successfully for the future. A brilliant analysis is made of the job-creating industries of the next ten years and the essentials to make them thrive by an author with a strong background in financial history and a keen perception of being correct. “Our problems, according to Janszen, an economics and finance analyst, are rooted in the flaws of the debt-driven economy (finance, insurance and real estate) which dwarfs and is coming close to extinguishing America’s productivity economy.”
One is struck by the author’s perceptive analysis of the example of the sound energy policy which addresses not only what needs to be done, but the role of government and private interests in charting a new course for the economy. Several policy questions appear necessary to address important questions. Is it possible that our economy can be strengthened in the face of debt deflation? Can financial lobbying and political interests be dismantled for the economy to revive? Also, one must look for entrepreneurs to create companies and new jobs. From the recession of 2009, one can ask why have gold prices risen, and why is the U.S. dollar safer then believed, and why houses make terrible investments. A terrific read in light of congressional concerns with our financial woes. Reviewed by Claude Ury City of Dust: Illness, Arrogance, and 9/11 By Anthony DePalma FT Press, $25.99, 324 pages Nearly a decade after the attack that brought down the twin towers, emotions still run high and the effects are still felt. Without over striking, Depalma disturbs the latent dust that
Technology Networks, Crowds, and Markets: Reasoning About a Highly Connected World By David Easley and Jon Kleinberg Cambridge University Press, $50.00, 727 pages Understanding how networks, crowds, and markets work is becoming increasingly important, not only for computer scientists and game theorists but also for economists, and people who want to understand how we are connected to each other in large groups. This book is a text for undergraduate students, mainly in the fields of computer science and economics. It explores our highly connected world and provides different ways to look at it, from maps of interconnectivity to playing games. The authors do an excellent job explain-
ing key concepts throughout the book. The math gets no harder than pre-calculus until you get into the more advanced material. The book builds upon itself; it starts off simple and easy, and then starts layering different concepts on top of each other. This is what a good textbook is supposed to do, build upon itself. An excellent resource for students in this growing field of study. Reviewed by Kevin Winter Powering the Future: New Energy Technologies By Eva Thaddeus University of New Mexico Press, $24.95, 125 pages How are we going to power are homes, run our vehicles, and live the life that we want? These are important questions to ask, as we move away from a coal- and gas-
has settled in the aftermath, carrying us through the debris with those who breathed in the foul air declared “safe” by the governments’ highest authority on the subject, the Environmental Protection Agency. In his seasoned style, Depalma paints the politically charged atmosphere of September 11, 2001, not merely describing the events and reactions, but explaining the motives for the decisions made in the high octane seconds that would resonate for years. Our nation’s desire to appear undaunted by the blow in the face of our enemies, blinded us. As with the government’s denials about Agent Orange from another era, Depalma tracks the bureaucratic trail from apathy to resistance, along with the straggling grifters who mingle their claims with the real heroes in the hope of mooching a pinch of the allotment. In a narrative to rival any legal thriller, Depalma presents both sides of the hottest law suit in the country, 10,000 plaintiffs versus the city of New York, while following the money haggling legislation at its flanks. You will hang on with every page to its surprise conclusion. Reviewed by Casey Corthron Save Tax Dollars: Reduce Costs:Merge and Organize Governments By Thomas Darby iUniverse, $12.95, 90 pages Desperate times call for desperate measures. This age-old adage, while perhaps somewhat cliché, is also a bearer of great truth, and, in part, the principle upon which Thomas Darby has based his book Save Tax
based energy system. We know that coal and gas pollute the environment and that there is less and less gas and coal left in the world. In this short book, written for middle school students, Eva Thaddeus looks at new energy technologies that do not pollute the atmosphere and that are renewable, from solar and wind, to geothermal and biomass. The future of energy is changing and will change during the lifetimes of these young students. There will be careers and jobs in these fields. Easy to understand and insightful, Thaddeus does not use too many large words, and when she does, she provides definitions. The focus of the book is on the state of New Mexico, but the technologies she talks about can work anywhere. Reviewed by Kevin Winter
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Dollars. Sensing general malaise in society, due largely to the current financial crisis, and seeing excess government as a large part of the problem, in his brief book, Darby outlines his suggestions for revamping—some might say reconstructing—the government of our country, as well as the country itself. A large part of Darby’s premise is that there is simply too much government, and that the budget deficits and financial woes of society could be reduced and even eradicated by merging various aspects of government, putting power back in the hands of state governments, and greatly reducing the size of government as a whole. Additionally, Darby suggests the merging of currently existing states, in order to turn 50 states of disparate size into 20 states of approximately 20,000,000 people each. These ideas are nothing short of revolutionary, and while they may not seem practical to those of us who believe in pragmatism, there is no doubt that Darby’s self-description as a “twenty-first century radical” is entirely accurate. Whether you agree with his ideas or not, Thomas Darby makes, in this brief volume, a case for why he believes running the government as a corporation would be more efficient, more economically sound, and would create a system that would be more receptive to the needs and desires of the people of the United States. Whether or not a comprehensive reform of this manner will ever be successfully undertaken by the people of the U.S. remains to be seen, but either way, it’s nice that there are people out there who believe in real change, regardless of whether or not their beliefs gel with your own. Sponsored Review
Read our review of My New iPad: A User’s Guide at SacramentoBookReview.com
December 10 25
Romance The First Love Cookie Club By Lori Wilde Avon, $7.99, 384 pages Generally, I cringe when told to get out the tissues before beginning a book. But trust me, you’ll be happy to have them handy once you get well into this one. Start with a cutesy Texas town, all dolled up to replicate Victorian London. Add in a once-upon-atime ugly duckling, now charming-swan, best-selling children’s book author (Sarah Collier), her first love (tall, dark and handsome Travis Walker), and his young daughter, who is a very sick girl, indeed. Jazzy has a rare and extremely insidious asthmatic condition which fights the medication and every conceivable notion conjured up by the many and wellrespected doctors who attend her. The only course left to them is experimental. The little girl is well aware of her condition and hopes that Santa will bring someone to love her Daddy (Mama left some years earlier) so he won’t be alone when she dies. There are a lot of threads to this story, which is one of a series, so there are a few loose ends left over at the end. Don’t let that put you off, as they won’t interfere with your enjoyment of this sometimes sweet, sometimes super sexy Christmas tale of loves lost and found again. Reviewed by Kelly Ferjutz
Cowboys Never Cry By Tina Welling NAL, $15.00, 357 pages Cassie was widowed at a young age after her elite mountaineer husband died in a Himalayan climbing accident. Three years later, she is still living a transient lifestyle in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, with a camper for a home, working seasonal jobs in the tourist industry, and spending as much time outside as possible. Her latest job lands her as the cook at a local dude ranch where the overt advances of the owner’s crass, rancher-turnedmovie star son, Robbin, make her feel more isolated than she already is. While Robbin struggles with the Hollywood stresses that put him in his self-prescribed summer of rehabilitation at the ranch, Cassie begins to see more behind Robbin’s off-putting demeanor, and is forced to consider opening her heart for the first time since her husband’s death. The setting of the book is rich, as it overlays the grandeur of the Grand Teton mountain range with the deeply embedded and sometimes conflicting cultures of outdoor adventurers and ranchers. These conflicts entwine with the plot as the longtime staff of the ranch feel threatened by Cassie’s insistence on recycling and ordering reusable water bottles for the guests. The secondary characters of the book are endearing and the rocky romance between Cassie and Robbin is refreshingly realistic. Reviewed by Megan Just
The Fire Lord’s Lover By Kathryne Kennedy Sourcebooks, $7.99, 378 pages Dominic Raikes was the son of dark Elvin Lord Mor’ded as well as a war hero, but he was miserably unhappy trying to mask all emotion from his father. If Lord Mor’ded discovered his bastard son’s growing magical strength, he would surely kill him. Dominic’s cold-as-steel stance is threatened when he begins to fall in love with his arranged bride, the seemingly innocent Lady Cassandra. Little does he know, Cassandra is a trained assassin for the Resistance, a secretive movement aimed to taking England back from the evil Elvin Lords, and plans on killing Lord Mor’ded. Cassandra discovers that nothing it what it seems, but as Dominic’s icy heart thaws it puts both of their lives in imminent danger. Can they overcome all odds and find happiness, or will the powerful and demented Lord Mor’ded destroy their dreams? I have to admit I was a bit skeptical when I started this book. I adore historical romances, but once you add mystical creatures into the mix it often falls flat, at least to me. I’m happy to say that not only did this book exceed my expectations, it blew me away. Kennedy’s novel is so well written and her characters are so rich and captivating that I simply could not put it down. Reviewed by Jennifer Melville
Veil of Shadows By Shiloh Walker Berkley, $7.99, 291 pages “The first time she saw the man, Laisyn Carr knew he was going to be trouble.” So begins Shiloh Walker’s sequel to Through the Veil. Captain Laisyn “Syn” Caar leads a rebel army to win back her land from the demons running savagely through the mountains and forests and she doesn’t want any distractions to get in her way. Not only is the future of her land in her hands, her magic has also been stripped away. A mysterious soldier named Xan changes everything. Syn quickly falls for him, and their passion is blazing hot. Despite their steamy relationship, Xan’s past—and his agenda—remain shadowy. Can she let her guard down and find love in a dangerous world, or is she opening her herself up to heartbreak by an enemy determined to destroy her people? Veil of Shadows instantly enthralls you in its mystical, war-torn world of magic, war, and trapped warlords, and you’ll relate to its all-too-human battles with vulnerability and trust. While it’s a stronger read if you’ve read the first book in the series, it’s also interesting as a stand-alone. If you enjoy paranormal, magical, or military-type romances, this is a must-read. Reviewed by Jennifer Melville
of essays that would encourage my own creativity. Instead, Cameron provides a journal covering a year in her life and work, her daily encounters with other creative individuals, and their struggles in their endeavors. While the reading is not unpleasant as Cameron carefully details wonderful meals, the weather, beautiful surroundings, and her conversations, the book leaves the person seeking a more immediate form of direction, wanting something more. Still, Cameron’s journal establishes that creativity is not a magic process, but an almost mundane daily struggle for even experienced artists. For those who need that confirmation, this book will prove interesting. Reviewed by Annie Peters
The Mockingbird Parables: Transforming Lives through the Power of Story By Matt Litton Tyndale House Publishers, $14.99, 233 pages Fifty years ago when Harper Lee wrote To Kill a Mockingbird, she welcomed readers to a small-town community struggling with racial discrimination and filled with memorable characters. The theme of moral courage resounded, making the novel a classic and a required reading staple in schools across the country. In The Mockingbird Parables: Transforming Lives through the Power of Story, former English instructor Matt Litton guides readers through the powerful themes of Harper Lee’s book. Each chapter relates an allegory based on a
character or event from the original novel that is coupled with personal examples from Litton’s life as well as biblical quotations and stories. Combined, these illustrations showcase the influence of a single story on a community and the world. The author reminds readers that parables are simple stories reflecting the voice of humanity. Litton discusses mysterious neighbors, community responsibility, women in faith, courage, financial responsibility, compassion, and parenting. The relevance of these subjects makes Litton’s book a timeless reminder of some things never change in the ever-changing world in which we live. While I appreciate Litton’s personal stories and the spiritual ties, the structure of each chapter gives an unbalanced and disjointed feel to the flow of the narrative. Litton doesn’t offer new ideas, but his words still make valid points about humanity and our existence. Reviewed by LuAnn Schindler
Spirituality The Creative Life: True Tales of Inspiration By Julia Cameron Tarcher, $23.95, 233 pages Julia Cameron is probably best known as the best-selling author of the creativity guide, The Artist’s Way. She is also a novelist, playwright, songwriter, poet, and screenwriter and has published over thirty fiction and nonfiction books. Clearly, this is a woman who has experienced the creative process. For that reason, I was excited to read her new work, The Creative Life: True Tales of Inspiration. Unfortunately, Cameron disappoints rather than inspires. From the title, I expected to find a series
26 December 10
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Popular Culture Truly, Madly, Deadly By Becca Wilcott ECW Press, $17.95, 300 pages Truly, Madly, Deadly is a guide to the HBO hit series, True Blood. Based on the Sookie Stackhouse novels by Charlaine Harris, True Blood follows Bon Temps telepathic waitress Sookie Stackhouse, as she dives head-first into the paranormal world of vampires, werewolves, and other things that go bump in the night. This companion contains what most would expect from such a book. There’s a episode-by-episode guide for the first two seasons of the show that takes you deeper into the story. Character biographies, cast members, interviews, and a section on Charlaine Harris are also included, giving you more tidbits into the True Blood world. The most amazing part for me, however, has nothing to do with the show but more so the whole vampire phenomenon that has taken over the world--including folklore, discussions of vampires being sexual predators, and a look into the alternative lifestyle of actually living like a real vampire.
For any fan of True Blood or just vampire fans who are curious, this is a wonderful guide to add to your collection. Reviewed by Missy Wadkins Extra Lives: Why Video Games Matter By Bissell, Tom Pantheon, $22.95, 240 pages I once spent an anniversary with a (nowex) boyfriend sitting in the office reading while he got through “just one more level” of Kingdom Hearts. I’ve also lost too many friends to the terrible and addictive drug known on the street at “WoW.” And yet I’m no different from these people. I’ve logged more hours playing Lego Harry Potter than studying for any exam I’ve ever taken. Even the really important ones. I’ll grant you my gaming experience just barely includes the controversial, often ultra-violent stuff like the Halo and Grand Theft Auto franchises, but my point is that I can relate, however tenuously, to the experiences Tom Bissell reports on in Extra Lives. Bissell’s addiction is serious, though.
Sequential Art The Sweeter Side of R. Crumb By R. Crumb Norton, $17.95, 110 pages The once underground comic artist Robert Crumb is by now practically mainstream, publishing stories in The New Yorker (co-illustrated by wife Aline Kominsky-Crumb), as well as a well-received 2009 edition of The Book of Genesis. Even his daughter, Sophie Crumb, has picked up the family trade and was recently profiled in The New York Times as an emerging comic artist. So it may be hard for some readers to remember the shocking, nasty, perverse sexual energy of Crumb’s early work. Such readers would be advised to watch the 1994 documentary Crumb, or to pick up some old issues of Weirdo (the comics anthology Crumb edited in the 1980s) to recall his underground glory days. For the rest of us, this latest Crumb sketchbook details his domestic side, in “sweet” portraits of girls, cats, blues musicians, and bucolic sketches of the French countryside. What these sketches lack in perversity, they make up for in art-
While you and I were watching Barack Obama win his historic Presidential election in November 2008, Bissell was playing Fallout 3. And yet in Extra Lives he manages to make a convincing argument for the relevance of video games, even when that argument basically boils down to “they’re relevant because we say they are.” Whether we like it or not, first-person shooters, RPGs, sims, and platforms are here to stay, so it wouldn’t hurt to educate yourself on this digital new world. Reviewed by Amanda Mitchell Reality Matters By Anna David It Books, $14.99, 182 pages One writer measures himself against the Jersey Shore rubric of acceptability, while another explains how American Idol led to his new tattoo. A third ponders where the sweet girl from Married by America ended up, while others reminisce about their brief experiences on reality TV, the time they tried out for The Real World, or how they wish What Not to Wear would revolutionize their ward-
istry, testimony to Crumb’s position as a major American artist. Reviewed by Catherine Hollis
troubles. These two volumes show what can be done with just pictures, instead of words. Reviewed by Kevin Winter
Lynd Ward: Six Novels in Woodcuts By Lynd Ward, Art Spiegelman, Editor Library of America, $70.00, 1584 pages Lynd Ward took the style of wood block prints and created six books that transcend art and literature. In a style that will remind people of Fritz Lang, Lynd Ward examines society at its most basic level, the human. We are treated to six novels in two volumes, from the late 1920s through the Great Depression and the start of World War II. Each one tells a story without words, only images, powerful images. It starts off with God’s Man the story of an artist who makes a deal with a stranger for a brush that will make him a famous artist, but then regrets the price he must pay, then follows two stories that are not as good as God’s Man but at times are visually stunning. In volume two we have his magnum opus, Vertigo telling the lives of three people in a sinking and shrinking economy. It is relevant even today with the current economic
Breathless Homicidal Slime Mutants By Steven Bower Universe, $24.95, 304 pages As the public became increasingly literate, during the first half of the twentieth century inexpensive printings became more accessible. Known as “pulp fiction,” these miniaturized versions of the hard cover editions could be cheaply assembled and sold as dime-store novels. In this fascinating account of the transformation of the printed word, the author reviews the origin of print, from the Gutenberg presses of the fourteenth century to the current massmarket publication of the handy paperback. Actually, this book is a collection of brilliantly colored reproductions of the inviting pocket-book jackets that served to sell the books. The art is breathtaking and the scenes depicted seduce the onlooker to look into the book to discover the secrets hidden
L o ok i n g for a b o ok? C ome t o S a c r a me nt oB o ok R e v ie w.com .
robe. All are unified by one simple thing: the impact reality shows have had on their lives. A collection of essays orbiting the curious planet known as reality television, Anna David’s Reality Matters runs the gamut from open hostility to devoted worship as a handful of writers each fixate on one particular show. Whether it’s the dubious reality of The Hills, or the propriety of celebrating extravagance with The Real Housewives of New York City, the influence of reality television on us is undeniable. But Reality Matters is well aware of the ridiculousness of its idolatry, and seems to take a certain perverse pleasure in walking the tightrope between praise and denigration. After all, could you find a better person to write an introduction about the gray area between reality and fiction than James Frey without tongue being firmly planted in cheek? That spirit also pervades the highlight of the book, Neil Strauss’ hilarious closer featuring an imaginary pitch meeting with reality show mogul Mark Burnett, wherein he pitches show ideas such as Megan Fox Gets Married and Project Runaway. Reality Matters is as varied and eclectic as the genre it examines, but love those shows or hate them, you’ll find something here to entertain you. Reviewed by Glenn Dallas
behind the jacket covers. The history of paperback art design is divided in genre sections for romances, mysteries, westerns, science fiction and many more. Leaf through the pages and be reminded of all those books whose jacket art triggered your purchase of the handy-dandy little paperback. Only one problem: the thick mat paper and tight binding make it a challenge to open the pages without breaking the spine, a reflection of the vulnerability of pulp publications. Reviewed by Aron Row
Read our review of The Amulet of Samarkand at SacramentoBookReview.com
December 10 27
Twenty-first Century Motherhood By Andrea O’Reilly Columbia University Press, $32.50, 398 pages The collection of essays, Twenty-first Century Motherhood: Experience, Identity, Policy, Agency impresses on the reader the expansiveness of the scholarly research into motherhood. Tapping into the legitimacy of the discipline which Editor Andrea O’Reilly has helped put onto the academic map, O’Reilly organizes the collection to examine four distinct themes of motherhood. First approaching the theme of experience of mothering, O’Reilly includes essays about
mothering as a Chicana, a Muslim, and other shifts in the maternal experience in this century. The section about identity follows with essays formulating the representations of motherhood in literature and film. One essay in this section looks at the role of the male caregiver and another at the role of reproduction. The third theme, policy, looks at the effects of governmental, health, work or medical procedures on modern mothers. Some of the topics touched upon in this section include cross-racial surrogacy, breastfeeding and work policies, and college access. Essays in the agency section examine the motherhood movement and the power of mothers. With a view to the impact of the Internet and internationalism on the role of mothers, O’Reilly highlights how mothers have become or are becoming empowered. Reviewed by Elizabeth Humphrey
Religion Unveiling God’s Presence In The Bible By Tommy C. Seay Xlibris, $23.99, 435 pages Have you ever been confused by the Bible? Have you ever wondered how reading the Bible could bring you closer to God? Tommy Seay has written a book to help Christians find God in their Holy Scripture. A graduate of World Harvest Bible College, Seay’s intent is to help his reader understand that “Not only does the Bible begin and end with God, but God is all in between as well; the problem is that many Christians face the difficult task of recognizing God in the scripture. With the help of the Holy Ghost…we will explore the Word of God together and…identify the very presence of the Lord in the Bible.” Seay wants to show the reader that Christ’s ministry did not start with the Gospels and that men were not provided the benefit of the Holy Ghost at Pentecost. Instead, he argues that the Old Testament is full of direct references to Jesus and the Holy Ghost. Seay scrutinizes, in detail,
verses from Exodus, Genesis, the Psalms, many of the prophets, as well as the New Testament and uncovers poetic references, angelic visitations, and other scriptural interpretations that can be understood as the direct presence of God. What is to be achieved by this unveiling? Seay hopes that if readers understand the many manifestations of the Holy Trinity throughout the Bible that the reader will be better equipped to reject false doctrine and idolatry. Seay’s book is thorough and Biblical versus are notated consistently so the reader can follow the study with their own Bible. He includes an index to assist the reader navigate through the nearly 400 pages of text. Seay could use a sharp editor to assist with some sentence structure and perhaps some pruning of the chapters. The book is full of passion and information, but is closely packed with so much detail that readers may be daunted by the sheer volume of information and examples. His approach is one of frank and passionate evangelization. And for certain Christians who are ready for intense Bible study in this tradition, this book may offer new insights into familiar stories. Sponsored Review
Delivering Happiness: A Path to Profits, Passion, and Purpose By Tony Hsieh Grand Central Publishing, $23.99, 253 pages Delivering Happiness: A Path to Profits, Passion, and Purpose is written by Tony Hsieh (pronounced Shay), CEO of Zappos. com Inc. His story begins by endearing the reader to who Tony Hsieh is, decisions he made along his life’s path, and how he got to where he is now as a self-made, successful businessman. It ends with sound, commonsense advice with business seminarstyle training and education. Hsieh takes you on a step-by-step tour through his successes and failures to convey the ebb-andflow challenges of starting and running a successful start-up company. His humorous, witty, satirical antidotes allow the reader to take a peek into the dynamics of his company’s culture with actual emails, blogs and employee comments on working at Zappos. Corporate lingo is minimally used; when it does appear, Hsieh rightly defines the meanings as if you were sitting down with him enjoying a cup of coffee and just picking his brain about his experiences. He gives business strategies for thinking outside the box, trying new, yet at times risky, tactics to get the results he envisions. Delivering Happiness is one of the best business strategy books written in a long while. Hsieh inspires drive without pretense or unattainable grandeur. Reviewed by M. Chris Johnson
Con fused
about which e-reader to buy?
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28 December 10
A r c h i v e i s s u e s a t S a c r a m e n t o B o o k R e v i e w . c o m /a r c h i v e s
w w w. s a c r a m e n t o b o o k r ev i e w. c o m / a r c h i ve / e r e a d e r s /
Parenting & Families
REAL-TIME, con’t from page 22 ty. On the contrary, proactive businesses that are prowling the real-time Web for information that could affect their customers are positioned to take action immediately, which could result in unexpected, windfalllike opportunities. Here, Scott teaches the reader to influence news as it is breaking, use new media during crisis communication, use the input of the masses to achieve buy-in with a new product, and build a organizational culture around speed. A wealth of case studies brings life to Scott’s concepts and shows their range of applications. Particularly interesting are Scott’s innovative uses of social media in customer service departments. This book is a must-read for small business owners and those in the fields of public relations and marketing. The book makes an excellent pair with Scott’s The New Rules of PR and Marketing. Reviewed by Megan Just
A don’t-miss read!
G i f t s Searching for the right life partner can be challenging and traumatic. Finding Your Soul Mate reveals the journey we are all on, experiencing life with a loving God leading us to fullness so that we can love and be loved. Tatyana Noel’s heartwarming biographical story transforms the reader bringing life and light to our human frailties.
Available on Amazon, Xlibris, findingyoursoulmatebook.com facebook.com/TatyanaNT
n ed . . . I n te ll i g e n t . . . ree fili ev a b l e . b y re m a r k a b l
Bruce Wayne guides his readers on a voyage through a legendary poetic expedition.
Senior Inspector Gerard de Rochenoir of the elite French National Police is attempting to solve two daring jewelry robberies in the heart of Paris when one of the victims turns up murdered. Gerard's investigation takes him to the glamorous Caribbean island of St. Barth, where he crosses paths with Sofia Mostov, a striking jeweler with a mysterious past and a possible link to the crimes. The mystery begins to unravel and leads Gerard around the world and straight to another murder.
“This collection of verse is an endeavor indeed!”
San Francisco Book Review
An operatic rhapsody consisting of fifty ‘Marbles of Pearl’ that were extracted over the course of twenty years from Royal Treasuries throughout the Pantheon of Mythology for readers’ pleasure. ISBN 9781453527665 | sagittariot.com
Take a jour�ey to self awareness where the answers to living without wor�ies, fears and obligations reside. Humans always look for happiness through spiritual channels in hope of finding the answer to living in peace and contentment, often not understanding why they do what they do.
ebook $9.99 soft cover $19.99 hard cover $29.99
Available at: samijarroush.com, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Xlibris
A lesson in life worthy for all to learn.
A true story about a boy placed
in a Roman Catholic Boarding School in England during World War II.
Born when Fascism was very well established, author Dr. Nicholas La Bianca superbly pens down a recollection of the early years of his rich and colorful life in his unforgettable, stirring memoir.
Available at Xlibris, Barnes & Noble and Amazon To learn more about this book and the author, visit drnicklabs.com
Discover how the story ends!
www.thepenancewalk.com Most of the people go through life trying to cope with the immediate physical needs that the everyday life presents and very rarely try to explain to themselves in a rational way the reason for being on this earth. Religion, for the most of them, answers all the questions that may come to their mind, and each one comes up with a personal explanation for them. Because different religions usually have different answers, many try to find out in a rational way what are the correct answers and how people should live in order to better fulfill their destiny as human beings. This book tries to raise some of these questions and tries to bring forth feasible solutions to allow all people to strive for the common good.
www.buffalosoldierchronicles.com
History of a Dark Matter World Immerse yourself in a believable, full-bodied civilization and a complex story of fate, political schemes, death, and science in Edward J. Fisher's Lands of In-KO-8 Trilogy.
“A refreshingly thought-provoking look at our nation and humanity from a bird’s-eye point of view without judgment or classification.”
watch the video trailer http://bit.ly/fKZ7JX
A v a i l a b l e n o w! I S B N 9 7 8 145 3 5 19 6 0 8
--San Francisco/Sacramento Book Reviews
On Sale Now! ISBN 9781436372299
A world of poetic fantasy and enchantment for children of every age in this series of
whimsical fairy tales and poems. This colorful new anthology of inspiring musings by Skies is based on the cartoon series Polyphony - Be You And Accept Me Too!, winner of the 2010 Gold Pixie Award for animation.
Award Winning
Reader’s Favorite-2010 Moonbeam Award-2009
Available at: skyethetroll.com | Amazon.com
For more information on this and other books by Dr. La Bianca, go to:
NEW!
The Book About Tony Chestnut
John Lehman, BookReview.com March 2009 Young Adult Fiction Book of the Month
Deeeelightful. What a good book. The characters are well drawn and interesting, the plot is compelling and the story moves. Such good work. Well thought out and clever. Bravo!!!! "Reminiscent of Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events... heavy on tweeny charm."
Kirkus Discoveries
it ing ead om c rt r sta spete. at e
Available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble ISBN: 978-0981587905
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Healthy Music For a Child’s Heart, Body and Mind!
"Must Read!..The story idea, ingenious, and the writing is laugh-out-loud hilarious..."
Steve Guttenberg
$16.99 ISBN 978-1452817194
Heavy discipline meted out by the Teaching Order of Priests and the bullying was almost unbearable. John was gradually befriended by one of the priests owing to the priest’s physical attraction towards him. He was initially pleased to have the attention of a sensitive father figure, as his own father had died before the war. When invited to stay during a summer school holiday at the Order’s Novitiate College, the relationship came to a climax when the sexual advances by the priest increased and became intolerable. The boy felt a strong urge to go to Confession, but whom could he trust? With a developing stoicism, he was determined to stop the sexual part of their relationship and eventually taught the priest a lesson he would never forget.
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48-page picture book with read-along, sing-along CD
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Cooking, Food & Wine Avec Eric: A Culinary Journey with Eric Ripert By Eric Ripert Wiley, $34.95, 304 pages Eric Ripert’s culinary inspired travel adventures have taken him from wild boar hunting in Tuscany to wine making in Sonoma to diving for conch in the Caribbean, and countless stops in between.Avec Ericis the companion book to the television series and documents Ripert’s escapades by way of vivid photographs, charming stories and a slew of enticing recipes. Each chapter features a different region and focuses on local producers such as chefs, wine makers, bee keepers and fisherman. All of these producers share in Ripert’s culinary philosophy which is based on using local ingredients and preparing them in a way which highlights them best. Some of the recipes in the book, such as pumpkin soup with nasturtium or pasta carbonara, come straight from the television series itself. The rest were created after the fact, but reflect particular styles and flavors in line with the regions in which they’re associated as can be seen by the blackberry tomato crumble or grilled fruit in papillote. Whether you’re a fan of the television series, or just someone who appreciates a great read and simple, flavorful recipes, this book is likely to draw you in and keep you captivated. Reviewed by Andrea Rappaport The Best of America’s Test Kitchen 2011: The Year’s Best Recipes, Equipment Reviews, and Tastings By America’s Test Kitchen Boston Common Press, $35.00, 330 pages As a fan of previous America’s Test Kitchen cookbooks, I was eager to review the 2011 edition. I had loaned the book to my daughter-in-law for a couple of days and got it back with Post It flags galore. We were both thrilled with the new recipes contained in the cookbook and could not wait to talk about it and discuss what we were eager to try out. The Year’s Best Recipes, Equipment Reviews and Tastings The 2011 edition highlights 175 of the best recipes and secrets to masterful cooking out of almost 1000 recipes featured throughout the year in America’s Test Kitchen magazines. It sounds like a dream job to work in the test kitchens, but choosing only
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175 must have been a difficult task to do. Included in this year’s edition are unique recipes, Apple Upside Down Cake and Chicken Bouillabaisse; easy to cook midweek: Pasta with Tomato Almond Pesto and improved must-know recipes such as the Basic Beef Stew. This is a must-have and essential cookbook for any kind of cook. The back of the book includes resources and tips that you will not find in any other cooking reference manual - an element that sets this apart. This cookbook will make a wonderful holiday gift or will add to a fine collection of kitchen reference material for anyone who loves their kitchen and wants to spice up their culinary talents. Reviewed by Lulu Del Rosario Cooking Light Way to Cook Vegetarian By Cooking Light Magazine Oxmoor House, $29.95, 424 pages From the editors of Cooking Light magazine comes Way to Cook Vegetarian, a stepby-step, pictorial guide to healthy vegetarian and vegan cooking. Novice and experienced chefs will appreciate this well-rounded book filled with exciting recipes, how-to guides for techniques, handy tool ideas, and general knowledge on vegetarian ingredients both exotic and mundane. Never roasted garlic before? Don’t know what to look for when buying radishes? Need to julienne some carrots? Have no idea how to make a cheese sauce from scratch? This handy book has the answers to these quandaries and more. Recipes such as Pan-Seared Oatmeal, Koshari, and Sweet and Sour Cippolini Onions are all delicious, healthy, and surprisingly simple to make with the instructions provided. Nutrition information is provided for all recipes, which run the gamut from egg and cheese dishes to austerely vegan meals (which are labeled accordingly). The pictures are mouthwatering, and the recipes themselves prove that vegetarian cooking can be just as hearty and delicious as other dishes -- and healthy too. This book deserves a place of honor on any vegetarian cook’s bookshelf, and would make an excellent present for college students or anyone just learning the basics of cooking. Reviewed by Holly Scudero Beer Is Proof God Loves Us: Reaching for the Soul of Beer and Brewing By Charles W. Bamforth FT Press, $25.99, 304 pages Charles Bamforth is the Anheuser-Busch Endowed Professor of Brewing Science at the University of California, Davis. Mr. Bamforth has published many papers and
books lauding beer and the role it has played and continues to play in human cultures, as well contributing to the body scientific. His latest book, Beer is Proof God Loves Us, is a delightful, slim tome that gives the reader an introduction to beer, its history, and the story of the author and how he came to his elixir of choice. Mr. Bamforth is an ardent proselyte for beer lauding that it, in many ways from brewing to taste, is superior to wine. One of the most fascinating parts of the books is the detailed description that Mr. Bamforth gives of modern big brewers like Coors and Anheuser-Busch and the technical complications in brewing beer in various places across the country and insuring that they all taste the same and maintain the high standards of the brewers. The beer snob will find no friend in Mr. Bamforth. A delightful read that highlights in a personal way how beer has shaped humanity and continues to shape it. Reviewed by Jonathon Howard The Zwilling J. A. Henckels Complete Book of Knife Skills: The Essential Guide to Use, Techniques and Care By Jeffrey Elliot and James P DeWan Robert Rose, $34.95, 400 pages Here is an excellent book that would be useful on any cook’s bookshelf. “… to be able to cook effectively, you must be able to handle a knife safely, and with precision and speed.” Good knife skills are the single most important skill in the kitchen. They are the difference between enjoyable food preparation and kitchen drudgery. This very well-prepared book helps to give you everything you need to know about knives, and how to use them safely and efficiently. It has far more information than an average home cook needs, including how knives are made, and descriptions of scores of different knives, most of which never appears in a home kitchen. Detailed knife care, sharpening and honing are essential reading. Knife skill is a practical skill that is best learned in cooking classes or watching videos. This book, with numerous first-rate photographs, is the next best thing. Some techniques are simple, but the more complex ones (cream-
ing garlic, for example) take your full concentration to follow through photos and descriptions. The two professional authors guide you through all kitchen jobs using a knife. The numerous sidebars and graphics provide great, useful information. The senior author works for a major knife manufacturer and a slight bias is evident. A DVD would have been a useful inclusion. Reviewed by George Erdosh The Wild Table: Seasonal Foraged Food and Recipes By Connie Green, Sarah Scott Viking Studio, $40.00, 343 pages With the disappearance of unadulterated foods from our lives, longtime hunter-gatherer Connie Green has found a strong market among top chefs for her wild crops of chickweed and dandelion greens, wild berries, blewits to matsutake mushrooms foraged deep in the back woods of Appalachia and California. Working with chefs like Napa Valley’s French Laundry chef Thomas Keller, Sarah Scott and Green have created recipes for Wild Salmon with Morels and Fava Beans; Leg of Lamb with Black Trumpet Mushroom Tapenade; Junipera nd-Maple - Gl a z ed Duck; Grilled Quail with Chanterelles, Pancetta, and Soft Polenta; Spice-Roasted Venison with Elderberry Port Sauce; and Hedgehog Mushroom and Turkey Pot Pie, to name a few. Less familiar, perhaps, are the recipes for tuna salad with glasswort sea beans, squash blossom quesadillas garnished with corn smut, or pistachio baklava flavored with rose hips. Other tantalizing recipes call for fiddlehead ferns, wild onions called ramps, spruce and Douglas fir tips, stinging nettles, and prickly pear cactus pads. My personal favorites are the Huckleberry Lemon Pudding Cake, the Bourbon Black Walnut Sundae, and the cocktail flavored with spruce tips. Its large format and gorgeous color photographs make this a great holiday gift for the cook in your life. Reviewed by Zara Raab Fat Witch Brownies By Patricia Helding Rodale, $22.50, 166 pages I’ve never had a brownie from Fat Witch Bakery in New York City, but I was eager to try the brownie and bar recipes in the bakery’s cookbook. It’s hard to resist the images of dark, denselooking brownies See FAT, page 31
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FAT, cont’d from page 30
who produce the ingredients going into the recipes. These asides to the recipes really bring home the relationship between those producing the best raw ingredients -- be they animal, vegetable or cheese -- and those producing what ends up on your plate. Some of these farmers work directly with the chefs, planning out what to grow each season; others focus consistently on one or two specialties around which the chefs create their dishes. It is mostly a cookbook, one of the many glossy photograph ones people are tempted to put on the coffee table, not the work area in the kitchen. The recipes are not for the beginner, but more for an experienced cook who is looking to expand their horizons. Participating chefs include Thomas Keller (Per Se), Charlie Palmer (Aureole), Charlie Trotter (Charlie Trotter’s) and Elisabeth Prueitt (Tartine Bakery and Cafe). All the restaurants and their suppliers are listed in the index, providing a shopping and eating guide that should keep even the most dedicated foodie busy for a year or more. Reviewed by Ross Rojek
which appear on the front cover. Unfortunately, the signature brownies don’t bake up at all like the ones that appear on the front cover; they are too cake-like and not nearly as dense-looking. They also don’t seem to have quite enough chocolate to really satisfy. The recipe is a disappointment. Either this is a different recipe than the one baker Patricia Helding uses in her bakery, or it doesn’t translate well to small batches. Either way, Helding needs to go back to the drawing board. The other recipes in the lovely book, which is full of plenty of delectable-looking color photographs, may or may not help to compensate for the signature brownie’s failings. For example, the Intense Chocolate Brownies are denser and definitely more chocolatey. The blondies are pretty good, but nothing special. The hazelnut cream cheese brownies are tasty and nutty but, again, not quite chocolatey enough. Overall, although there are recipes for some original bar flavors, the brownies just don’t quite measure up to justify buying the book. Reviewed by Cathy Carmode Lim Harvest to Heat By Darryl Estrine and Kelly Kochendorfer Taunton Press, $40.00, 304 pages Harvest to Heat is more than just another cookbook. Sure it has recipes from wellknown chefs around the country, but it also has sidebars about the farmers and artisans
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“...a good working cookbook for chefs interested in expanding the use of alcohol in their dishes.”
now! e l b Availa .95 $14 The Illustrated Cook’s Book of Ingredients By DK Publishing DK Publishing, $35.00, 544 pages Almost everything you ever wanted to know about food is visually illustrated and described in the easily readable typical Dorling Kindersley layout. This is a hefty book, almost like the old-fashioned encyclopedia, which you’ll have to lay open on the counter in order to turn the pages to find the 200 classic recipes. It has all you need to know about shelled and unshelled seafood, otherwise known as fish. For the carnivore, all the bloody essentials of cutting and preparing meat are skillfully displayed. Vegans will be delighted with the colorful plant section, even down to how to prepare lotus root or try some mugwort. Nuts and spices are followed by the dairy section, where some of the pages are filled with mouth-watering cheeses. One is almost ready to lick the images. On to fruits and berries, and it also includes the wonderful cloudberries that we were recently introduced to during our visit to the Arctic region. But regretfully, I could not find a reference to kiwi-berries, which I only just found on a store shelf last week. “The best known aged fresh cheeses are made in the Loire in France,” There are sections on pastas, sauces, salts, and lots more fascinating stuff that might catch your fancy, if only you knew more about it. This is a great resource for learning about the various edibles available and how to include them in the diet. Reviewed by Aron Row
Listen to our interview with Chef Taro Arai on AudibleAuthors.net
--San Francisco Book Review Sacramento Book Review
Abundance: Finding the American Dream In A Japanese Kitchen By Taro Arai, L.G. Mansfield Blue Fig Publishing, $27.50, 115 pages Sacramento-based restaurants Mikuni have made a place for themselves by being well-designed, innovative sushi-focused outlets. Taro Arai, the founder, had a rough start, coming to America at age eleven and using his newspaper route money to help pay to bring his parents and family to America after he arrived. Early on, the family had a small Japanese restaurant, well before sushi or Asian restaurants were as ubiquitous as they are now. Arai moved from those humble beginnings to being rated Most Popular Restaurant in Sacramento, Sacramento ZAGAT Guide: 2009, 2010 amount many other recognitions. Many chef-written biographies focus on the successes, and while Arai does mention those in Abundance, he also is honest about those early years and the cultural differences and mistakes he made along the way. And in Arai’s own fashion, he tells those stores through his recipes, with things like “American Dream Roll” in the first chapter about his dream as a young child to come to American from Japan, the “Murphy’s Roll” for the saying “Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong” and “Mr. No Problem” roll for the nickname he earned as his standard answer when asked for something unusual. Abundance is also filled with old family photos, stories, quotes, and enthusiasm. It goes above the traditional restaurant cookbook and provides an intimate look at one family’s love, faith and talent that just happened to take place in a Japanese kitchen. There are lessons in sushi preparation, unique recipes, and tips for doing it yourself, a Japanese/English vocabulary for ordering and etiquette lessons for eating sushi the traditional ways. Fans of the Mikuni restaurants and sushi lovers will find much to appreciate in it, but so will those looking for an inspirational story of a successful search for the American dream. Reviewed by Ross Rojek
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Humor-NonFiction I Remember Nothing: And Other Reflections By Nora Ephron Knopf, $22.95, 160 pages Renowned humorist, journalist, and screenwriter Nora Ephron writes about time’s further erosion on her body as she bewails her failing memory at the fairly young age of 69. She really doesn’t like to grow up, and hasn’t educated herself to the consequences of aging. The tip-of-thetongue phenomenon is activated, names and face recognition fade as she bewails her brain’s damaged memory-retrieval network. Gifted with an A-type personality of a person who has hobnobbed with celebrities and historic personalities since the 1960s, the revelation that her cerebral filing cabinet no longer functions efficiently is reviewed with black humor. “I am sixty-nine years old. I’m not really old, of course. Really old is eighty.” This remorse and anger over the consequences of maturing cover the first two essays. The remainder of the book is filled with articles dealing with memories of her family, especially her parents and siblings, and other impressions. Mostly the contents reflect a memoir of incidents that stand out in her memory. Especially fascinating is her entry into the journalistic world at a time
when women were rarely deemed worthy to be recognized professionally. Her writing style is light, casual, informal, and sparkles with her inimitable wit and down-to-earth realism. Resembling a series of daily newspaper columns, the book provides a typical Nora Ephron fast read. Reviewed by Aron Row Unexpectedly Eighty: And Other Adaptations By Judith Viorst Free Press, $17.00, 80 pages Time does not creep up on you, unfortunately it lands with a bang and either you accept the gift of years with retrospect respect or else lose your sense of humor. Judy Viorst has never lost her sense of fun, author of I’m Too Young to Be Seventy and Suddenly Sixty finds herself Unexpectedly Eighty and reflects on this phenomenon in 80 fun packed pages of sage remarks. Whimsically witty and in rhythmic rhymes the pages dance with truths familiar to survivors. While looking at a family photo including three generations, but who she asks her husband is that old lady? He in turn asks who is that old man? When she awakes one morning to a brighter world, the radiance is not caused by a new dawn, but comes as the result of a cataract operation. As for grandchildren, now one has the liberty to lovingly indulge them as she has chosen to be a three- desserts grand-mom who claps, and
Home & Garden Woodland Style: Ideas and Projects for Bringing Foraged and Found Elements into Your Home By Marlene Hurley Marshall Storey Publishing, $24.95, 160 pages This is a truly creative book on natural foraging and decorating infused with a whole host of quality photographs. From beginning your trek, to choosing what types of plant to use (and which to avoid), how to harvest without “hurting,” and how to utilize these materials in unique and artistic ways, Woodland Style has appeal for anyone with a free weekend and a sturdy pair of sandals. Author Marlene Hurley Marshal knows not to ramble on in her in-
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structions, providing succinct and informative paragraphs outlining how to forage and have a great time in the process. The “When to Collect What” page was especially useful for the planning stage of such a trip. After talking about the various uses of flora, Marshall shows her readers successful samples from her own foraging trips. The included photographs picture a wide variety of wreaths, statues, vine-and-branch “huts,” and my personal favorite, the birch porch -an outdoor living area cleverly decked out in birch-bark and boughs, its cathedral ceiling spread with an appealing web of tiny lights. While some of the designs and ideas may be a bit over the top for the average reader, they are nonetheless fun to sift through, and the majority of Marshal’s advice is applicable and purely “green.” Reviewed by Meredith Greene
cheers, and praises them; in other words spoils them rotten with the warning not to tell their mom. When watching youth, she reminds herself that she has been there, done that,….but poignantly the heart responds that she wants to be there again, and do the same some more. Opposite pages are delightfully illustrated with simple black pen sketches highlighted with accents of ruby glow. Perfect book for seniors whose eyes will weep from the humor, and great to read with the growing family so they can expect the inevitable and know that age can generate sagacious wit. “Whenever you try to recount all the hurts, disappointments, betrayals, and grievances that assail you, may your memory fail you.” Reviewed by Aron Row Dog Walks Man: A Six-Legged Odyssey By John Zeaman Lyons Press, $22.95, 306 pages Dog Walks Man: A Six-Legged Odyssey is a thoroughly enjoyable read. Author John Zeaman takes you on a journey into his real-life experiences of dog-walking. Unlike most of us who perform this chore, John actually derives some wisdom from these daily outings and shares his musings with all of us.
As a work-at-home father of two children with busy schedules, the walking of the family pet fell on John’s shoulders and over the years he turned an ordinary chore into something special, even inspirational. Who would have thought a book about the simple task of walking the family dog could be so engaging and inspiring? Zeaman’s style of writing is what truly makes this book so enjoyable. He captures your attention with bits of everyday humor, a touch of wisdom and even some interesting facts about the nature he encounters; all of which will inspire you to take a closer look at life. Along the way, he meets some wonderful walking companions, goes through a bit of a mid-life crisis, and watches his dog grow old. Dog Walks Man will get you to better understand that dog-walking is a lot like fishing, only without the fish. Reviewed by Doreen Erhardt
Read our review of In Fifty Years We’ll All Be Chicks: . . . And Other Complaints from an Angry MiddleAged White Guy at SacramentoBookReview.com
“For me, dog walking is a lot like fishing, minus the fish, which sounds like a joke but isn’t-unless you’re convinced that fishing is primarily about catching fish.”
Perfect Table Settings: Hundreds of Easy and Elegant Ideas for Napkin Folds and Table Arrangements By Denise Denise Vivaldo Robert Rose, $29.95, 352 pages Home economics not offered at your school? Here’s your chance to catch up on napkin folding techniques, creating party favors, and setting a beautiful buffet table. Add flare to your holiday meals and parties. Denise Vivaldo’s Perfect Table Settings has over 250 color photographs demonstrating the beautiful art of table decorating, flower arranging, and napkin folding. Divided into four parts,
you’ll learn how to festively spruce up your home for any occasion. Easy-to-follow instructions will fit any beginning decorator’s needs, while advanced projects will keep advance designers busy. Family and friends will admire your decorating skills when you choose one of 25 theme party table settings for your next event (including Grecian GetTogether, German Feast, Italian Pasta Party, Hawaiian Luau, and Oscar Night). Need an idea for the perfect hostess gift or tips on 21st century etiquette? Follow Vivaldo’s simple tips and entertaining will never be more fun! Reviewed by Kathryn Franklin
T hou s a nd s of b o ok re v ie w s a nd more at S a c r a me nt oB o ok R e v ie w.com