Tulsa Book Review - November 2011 by City Book Review - Publishers of San Francisco & Kids' Book Reviews

Tulsa

November 2011 VOLUME 1, ISSUE 1

F R E E

Book Review

NEW AND OF INTEREST

The Pirates of Somalia: Inside Their Hidden World An in-depth look at the lives of the Pirates of Puntland Page 5

The Kitchen Daughter

Cooking up a storm and a good read! Page 10

Anita Hill Presents “Reimagining Equality” Page 12

Furst Novel in Greece

By Alan Furst Random House Trade Paperbacks, $15.00, 288 pages

Most genre World War II spy novels tend to happen in the same locales, usually France, Germany or England. Whether it’s because those are popular settings for the readers or because that makes them easier for authors to do location and setting “research” (probably by reading other spy thrillers set in the same places and times) will probably remain a mystery. So finding a new setting is almost as exciting as discovering the mole in MI-6. Spies of the Balkans is Alan Furst’s latest novel, a spy novel set in Europe in 1940, but

instead of the core France/Germany/England backdrop, this one is set in Greece. Italy had invaded Greece, and found it a harder task than originally planned. Even though Greece was holding its own, common knowledge was it was only a matter of time before Germany stepped up to finish the job that Italy had so poorly bungled. At the same time, Germany was pushing its way into the nearby Balkan states, making Greece a hot spot of espionage. Furst introduces Constantine Zannis, a senior police official asSee SPIES, cont’d on page 6

Star Wars: Choices of One Zahn is back with a vengeance! Page 15

America’s Preeminent Spy Novelist, Alan Furst, Coming to Tulsa Page 16

55 Reviews INSIDE!

Book Reviews Category

Category

Mystery, Thrillers & Suspense

Armchair Travel

SNAP IT for additional book summaries. Bad Intentions By Karin Fossum Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, $24.00, 213 pages Bad intentions hover over this deliciously intriguing detective novel like foul air, and especially over its main characters, three young men, friends since their school days. With her usual skill and sensitivity to contemporary cultural issues and conflicts, Fossum once again draws us into a corner of Norway where danger lurks. Axel Frimann, strikingly handsome, vain, cunning, and persuasive, as a good adman should be, drives a luxury automobile, while his friend Philip Reilly, with his unkempt hair, drug problems, and defeated air, barely manages to hold down a menial job and follows Axel wherever Axel wants to go. The third member of this trio is Jon Moreno, who, before the novel opens, spiraled into a depression he could not shake and ended up in a psychiatric unit of a hospital. When Bad Intentions opens, Axel and Philip are taking Jon on an outing, away from the hospital, a camping excursion to a lake called Dead Water. The only trouble is Jon Moreno ends up dead. Before the story ends, Jon’s diary turns up, and Inspector Sejer, the suave detective and widower whose strong integrity and character make him ever so attractive, uncovers other bodies in other lakes as events unfold, baring bad intentions, bad judgment, and deadly ends. Reviewed by Zara Raab The Highly Effective Detective Crosses the Line By Richard Yancey Minotaur Books, $24.99, 240 pages The Highly Effective Detective Crosses the Line is the fourth in the series and begins with a private investigator who isn’t exactly a PI -- he lost his license. Teddy Ruzak skates on the edge of the rules with his ex-secretary Felicia, now the boss. He takes on what begins as a simple bodyguard job, watching an old friend’s daughter when her violent ex-boyfriend gets out of jail. But it soon becomes evident, even to Ruzak, that

SNAP IT for additional book summaries.

there’s more to this than just a violent ex-boyfriend. Can he protect the girlfriend from the excon? Can he protect his old friend from himself? Can he protect himself from the scary people also looking for the ex-con? Since this book is told in first person, readers get an insider’s view of what Ruzak is thinking (mostly worrying) as he attempts to unravel this problem without getting himself or anyone else killed. Ruzak seems like a college professor suddenly thrust into the role of PI. This book will grab your attention from beginning until end simply because Ruzak isn’t your cookie-cutter hero. You keep reading to find out what Ruzak will do next. Reviewed by Jodi M. Webb Blind Fury By Lynda La Plante Touchstone, $15.00, 512 pages Blind Fury is the sixth novel featuring Anna Travis and it continues the main storyline of how our heroine fits into the team of detectives, a situation complicated by the failed sexual relationship with her boss DCS Langton. This time, we start with a body in a field and watch the development of the murder investigation. As in all good British police procedurals, there’s a wealth of detail. For American readers, there’s also some implied social commentary of the status of Polish immigrants in Britain to provide depth. Blind Fury is densely written but rewarding as a well-structured plot hones in on a suspect. The challenge for the detectives is then how to prove his guilt. If there’s a weakness, it’s in the decision to incorporate a Silence of the Lambs element. The plot element is very much a sideshow. The

Paris, Paris: Journey into the City of Light By David Downie Broadway, $15.00, 320 pages There are a myriad of books devoted to Paris, but few capture this enchanting city’s true essence as well as David Downie’s book of essays ,Paris, Paris. Although he’s called Paris home for more than twenty years, Downie’s stories illustrate the city with the verve of an enamored visitor seeing Paris for the first time. He then completes the picture by utilizing his expansive knowledge to guide you through both familiar and unknown locales, while juxtaposing the marvels of modern day Paris with its rich, fascinating history. Downie’s writing draws you in with ease and captivating facts and details seamlessly weave throughout each personalized essay. Divided into three sections--Places, People and Phenomena--the book covers settings from the lush, Luxembourg Gardens to the sewers, cellars and catacombs of Paris’s underground world. It tells of the history of the Seine River, the booksellers who make their living along its banks, and the nomadic riverboat owners who travel and reside upon it. Other essays offer tastes of Paris in springtime, introduce its fanatical dog culture and take you along on evening jaunts throughout its magically lit streets. Suitable for serious Francophiles and curious spectators alike, this book paints Paris from a delightful, fresh perspective. Reviewed by Andrea Rappaport

See BLIND, page 4 Tulsa Book Review • November 2011 • 2

Graphic USA By Bryan Keplesky, Tal Rosner, Michelle Weinberg, Ziggy Hanaor, Editor Cicada Books, $30.00, 272 pages How would you represent your hometown using graphic images? Ziggy Hanaor, Editor of Graphic USA, has collected the opinions of twenty-five talented illustrators and designers about what makes their hometown cities unique and wonderful places. They’ve selected places to stay, eat, drink, shop and visit based on their own personal criteria. Each entry has a completely different style. It is clear that the designers have personalized their approach to representing their city. Laurie Forehand focuses on photos of skyscrapers and architecture in Atlanta’s chapter. Tom Varisco’s homage to New Orleans is illustrated with speech bubbles on bar and restaurant napkins. In addition to entries on big cities (New York, San Francisco and Boston), you’ll find details about smaller cities (Anchorage and Charleston). You won’t find the typical tourist guide list of sites to see and things to do. Most likely you’ll need to supplement your research with other sources if you’re planning a trip. But this book is more of an alternate approach to visiting a place – the authors’ suggestions will take you off the map to hidden gems. You certainly don’t need to have travel plans to enjoy the art and illustrations and genuine recommendations. Reviewed by Kathryn Franklin

Tulsa

Book Review

IN THIS ISSUE

SPONSORED BY Tulsa City-County Library 400 Civic Center Tulsa, Oklahoma 74103 Ph. (918) 549-7323

Mystery, Thrillers & Suspense.................... 2 Armchair Travel......................................... 2 Biography & Memoir.................................. 4

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Ross Rojek ross@1776productions.com

History & Current Events........................... 5 Kid’s Books................................................. 6

GRAPHIC DESIGN/LAYOUT Heidi Komlofske heidi.komlofske@1776productions.com

Teen Reads.................................................. 7 Mind, Body & Fitness.................................. 7

COPY EDITORS Megan Just Lori Miller Megan Roberts Sky Sanchez-Fischer Megan Roberts Julia McMichael Mark Petruska Diane Jinson

EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS Elizabeth Tropp Lisa Rodgers

WEBSITE TulsaBookReview.com

Romance..................................................... 8 Popular Culture.......................................... 9 Tween Scene............................................... 9 Fiction...................................................... 10 Spirituality & Religion............................. 11 Parenting & Families............................... 11 Nature & Science....................................... 12 Cooking, Food & Wine.............................. 13 Business & Personal Finance.....................14

The Tulsa 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 Tulsa Book Review or 1776 Productions advertisers. All images are copyrighted by their respective copyright holders. All words ©2011, LLC.

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Science Fiction.......................................... 15 Fantasy..................................................... 15 Meet Alan Furst........................................ 16

FROM THE EDITOR Welcome to first issue of the Tulsa Book Review. It’s been a pleasure working with Gary Shaffer and the Tulsa City-County Library staff getting this first issue completed. We have lots of great stuff planned for future issues. I first worked with Gary when he was at the Sacramento Public Library system. 1776 Productions had launched the Sacramento Book Review in 2008, and Gary was an early supporter, helping us distribute the papers through the library, and we, in turn, promoted Sacramento library events in the publication. The synergy of interests helped us both. Now we’re taking our mutual experiences and using them to create the Tulsa Book Review. You can expect to see plenty of reviews each month, in a wide variety of genres and reviewer voices. We’ll highlight reviews of books by local authors or with a regional appeal. In this issue, you’ll find 55 reviews from 18 category genres. Come meet Alan Furst, winner of the Tulsa Library Trust’s 2011 Peggy V. Helmerich Distinguished Author Award on December 3 at the Central Library. The Tulsa City-County Library staff would love to see you there. Thanks for picking up this first issue. We hope you’ll find new books to enjoy, and pick us up again next month. Happy reading! Ross Rojek Editor-in-Chief

Coming Up! Tulsa City-County Library invites you and your family to celebrate the holidays with us. We have several seasonal events planned in December at area libraries, plus numerous books, DVDs, CDs, e-books and other resources to enhance your family’s celebrations. Perhaps you would like to give the gift of reading to celebrate the season. By giving a gift to the Tulsa Library Trust, you can help put more books, magazines, tapes and DVDs on your library’s shelves and add new programs for adults and children. To find out more about the Trust, visit www. tulsalibrarytrust.org. Or maybe this is the year for a Kindle under the tree! If so, Tulsa City-County Library now has lots of e-books available for free checkout and download to your Kindle, iPad and other e-readers. Also, if you plan to shop Amazon.com to purchase books and other media for holiday presents, you can help the Tulsa City-County Library by making those purchases through this link www.tulsalibrary.org/amazon as Amazon will donate a portion of your purchases to the library.

Book Reviews Category

Biography & Memoir SNAP IT for additional book summaries. Robert Redford: The Biography By Michael Feeney Callan Knopf, $28.95, 468 pages Any reader who has watched Robert Redford as Sonny Steele in Electric Horseman as he rides down the streets of Las Vegas and literally unplugs from the greed of corporate America, will recognize the iconic nature of the star. So much more than a screen image, Redford has been a force in politics, environmental protection, independent film production, and sustainable development. Along the way, he became a powerful director winning an Oscar for Ordinary People. Author, Michael Feeney Callan has not written a tabloid biography of the star, but instead focuses on his humanity, uncertainty, and family failings. Who could imagine that this glamour boy was once a juvenile delinquent and clearly headed in a wrong direction? Along the way, we are treated to behind-the-scenes looks at all of Redford’s film roles, including his friendship and collaboration with Sydney Pollack. On page 138, the editor should have caught the misspelling of director, Polanski’s name, but that is a detail. This is great reading and an engaging life story of a man of enormous charisma, conviction, and talent. Highly recommended to Redford fans. Reviewed by Julia McMichael The Alice Behind Wonderland By Simon Winchester Oxford University Press, $16.95, 110 pages Alice lazes coquettishly against the crumbling wall, dressed in ragamuffin’s clothes, her left shoulder bare, in bare feet, one of her hands cupped before her as if reaching out for alms, but it is her look of calm directness at the camera, with an expression of impish secret knowledge that unsettles the viewer. It is a haunting, disturbing image that fascinates us in today’s more exposed world, wondering at Dodgson’s sexual pre-

dilections and whether he was bad, mad, or sad. Renowned and popular historian Winchester takes a photograph of Alice Liddell taken by Charles Dodgson (better known by his pseudonym Lewis Carroll) in 1858 in Oxford when Alice was only six years old. This young girl, who would serve as the muse for Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland has captured the imagination of readers for over a century. Winchester tells the story in brief of a young girl, a shy and half-deaf mathematician, and a world of grins without cats, nonsense poems, and a harried white rabbit. Dodgson’s penchant for the infant art form of photography cemented his gift for observation. Using published writings, private diaries, and photography, Winchester tells how Dodgson’s hobbies and interests developed into one of our most enduring tales. Reviewed by Phil Semler The Reading Promise: My Father and the Books We Shared By Alice Ozma Grand Central Publishing, $24.99, 261 pages Those who aspire to pass on a love of reading to children will find this book irresistible. Bibliophile Alice Ozma, 23, has penned an engaging memoir loosely structured around a promise. When she was just nine years old, her father, an eccentric librarian and soon-to-be single dad, promised to read to her every night for 100 straight nights. One hundred nights turned into 1000 nights and soon nine years passed. They called it “The Streak.” Readers drawn to this book by the charming cover art and “promising” title may be initially disappointed to discover the dynamics of a father-daughter relationship emphasized rather than a discussion of the books they shared. However, Ozma sells her story with appealing vignettes, including their efforts to maintain “The Streak” despite arguments, late-

night theatre rehearsals, and her father’s temporary loss of voice. Conversely, “The Streak” maintains them through divorce, puberty and prom dresses. The ironic twist in the end has the potential to turn this story into a larger platform for reading advocacy. Reviewed by Diana Irvine Paul McCartney’s Solo Music Career 1970-2010, Life, Love, and a Sense of Child-like Wonder,An In-Depth Examination of the Best (and worst) Songs from the World’s Most Successful Singer/Songwriter By John Cherry, Bruce Stevenson, Illustrator The Peppertree Press, $15.95, 197 pages John Cherry, a true McCartney-ite, offers an objective appraisal of McCartney’s musical library AB (After Beatles). The book expertly leads one down memory lane and creates a desire to hear favorite cuts and a curiosity to hear the obscure ones. McCartney’s lengthy solo career made for interesting studio sessions with major players contributing to his creations. Cherry thoughtfully name drops artists like Pete Townsend and Elvis Costello giving the reader a peek behind the curtain. His detailed descriptions of the songs “jerky rocker…infectious

Tulsa Book Review • November 2011 • 4

chorus… subtle string section” coupled with intimate details of the song’s birth could elevate us all to expert status. Cherry isn’t afraid to include the lessthan-stellar opinions; for example, reviewing London Town. The album did produce a few hits like With A Little Luck, but overall Cherry considers many of the songs “mediocre” describing Morse Moose and Grey Goose as “barely tolerable”. Cherry is an uber-fan (who can boast twenty-four McCartney live shows under his belt) but he clearly respects the ex-Beatle enough to give an honest accounting of his work. This book will appeal to McCartney fans and acts as a friendly guidebook to a new generation just discovering him. Reviewed by Lynda Schrack BLIND, cont’d from page 2 same results could have been achieved in a less clichéd way. That said, once we get past some strands to the investigation that prove the book hits its stride as a real page-turner as we watch how Travis and Langton get the right result. Reviewed by David Marshall

Book Reviews Category

History & Current Events SNAP IT for additional book summaries. The Age of Deception: Nuclear Diplomacy in Treacherous Times By Mohamed El Baradei Metropolitan Books, $27.00, 340 pages With chilling clarity, Mohamed El Baradei, Nobel Prize laureate and director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency during the war-torn years from 1997 to 2009, lends us a front row seat to view the present dangers in the “twilight of the Third Nuclear Age.” An end, he warns, that risks “...a veritable cascade of proliferation, or worse still, a series of nuclear exchanges.” As an international public servant, El Baradei urges that the only viable alternative to the ongoing struggle between the “nuclear haves and haves-nots” is “genuine progress toward global nuclear disarmament.” He details the underlying motives of a non-nuclear weapon state to acquire the technology and material through the ever-growing black market network, and the difficulties official inspectors face in trying to track these clandestine nuclear programs. Moreover, El Baradei recalls the overheated gridlock of negotiation breakdowns between countries like Iran and the United States. El Baradei maintains the loss of credibility is exacerbated from “... aggression where there was no imminent threat (in Iraq); inaction and vacillation while a real threat emerged (in North Korea); and a protracted stalemate fueled by insult and public posturing instead of meaningful dialogue (in the case of Iran).” Here El Baradei outlines the measures that must be taken to prevent WMD from falling into the hands of radical extremists. Reviewed by Casey Corthron The Pirates of Somalia: Inside Their Hidden World By Jay Bahadur Pantheon, $26.95,320 pages After a forty-five hour voyage into Somalia, Jay Bahadur describes seeing “a country out of a twisted fairy tale, an ethereal land given substance only by the stories we are told of it.” What follows is a brave investi-

gative effort to discover the private lives of pirates: their tactics when attacking ships, how they deal with hostages, the women they marry, their drug of choice and what drew them to piracy. He speaks to government officials, scholars, soldiers as well as conducts private interviews with Boyah, an original pirate who claimed to have hijacked more than twenty five ships.|In “The Freakonomics of Piracy” he provides a balance sheet for piracy expenses. Chewing a kilogram of khat per day, the narcotic leaves many pirates who enjoy chewing, drained of most of their expenses, far beyond transportation, fuel, weapons and food costs. Bahadur devotes a chapter to pirate lore debunking myths about the fear of entering Somali waters, suggesting that a sailor has, “less than a 1 in 550 chance” of being taken hostage. Witnessing the development of Bahadur’s relationships and observing how he gains pirates’ trust results in a fascinating account of the shrouded world of pirates in war ravaged Somalia. Reviewed by Wendy Iraheta

treatise on conscientious objection, Dallaire confronts the issues surrounding children combatants and offers grassroots solutions to the complex problem. What he lacks in eloquence, Dallaire makes up for in tenacity. In a mixture of flanking maneuvers to give us a clear picture of how these children are abducted and employed in the most horrific ways, Dallaire utilizes three fictional stories within the frontal assault of raw data to support these hypotheticals. He implores us all to take action through the Internet to put an end to the rogue practice, which has now spread to drug cartels and street gangs using children as warriors and shields. He writes as one screaming into the face of apathy. And why not? Since it was the U.N. that sat idly by as eight hundred thousand Rwandan citizens were slaughtered while Dallaire begged for action. Reviewed by Casey Corthron The Left Coast: California on the Edge Text by Philip L. Fradkin Photos by Alex L. Fradkin University of California Press, $29.95, 115 pages Forty years ago, Philip Fradkin’s young son, Alex, accompanied his father on his research for his book The Golden Coast. Now, in a reversal of roles, father accompanies photographer son on another state tour to cre-

They Fight Like Soldiers, They Die Like Children By Romeo Dallaire Walker & Company, $26.00, 308 pages With a forward by Ishmael Beach, author of A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier, Dallaire writes from the haunting perspective of a U.N. General who has never been able to forget face-toface combat with the machine-gun-, machete-wielding army of Rwandan children. Founder of Child Soldiers Initiative, Dallaire’s mission to eradicate the growing use of children in warfare employs a vast amount of research on the subject. In what may someday be viewed as fundamental to global peace as Leo Tolstoy’s Tulsa Book Review • November 2011 • 5

ate The Left Coast. The portrait that emerges is really eight portraits of coastal regions divided by human and commercial use, each region richly complex and diverse, from the remote wilderness of the Lost Coast to the world-class shipping commerce of the Port of Los Angeles. Whether he’s discussing agriculture land use in western Marin County, the popular tourist destination of Monterey, or the military installations in San Diego, Fradkin provides historical perspective, interviews, and, where relevant, analyses of legal battles over land use and environmental damage from land misuse. This handsome book includes dozens of color plates of California’s famous beaches by Alex Fradkin. Whether he’s photographing oil rigs under the stars, a dead bird picked clean on Rodeo Beach, or the forest of Big Sur, Fradkin’s photographs are technically superb, lyrical, and often haunting. He also has a warm eye for the human and the humorous, as in his photographs of high fashion models, or a family and their little red truck, posing at the beach. Reviewed by Zara Raab

Book Reviews Category

Kid’s Books

Announcing the book industry’s

FIRST. . .

SNAP IT for additional book summaries. The Legend of Messy M’Cheany By Kathie Lee Gifford Running Press Kids, $17.95, 32 pages Messy McCheany loves making messes and finds new messes to make every day. And this was great, until his little sister Missy came along. She likes to dress up and be “purty.” Messy tries to convince her it’s more fun to be dirty, but Missy does not agree. Finally, the two meet in the middle of town for a showdown. Messy kicks the dirt, growls and refuses to be nice, while Missy shows mercy and curtsies — twice. Missy keeps it up until at last Messy succumbs and admits, “I know I’ve lived the life of a bum, but Missy, you’ve taught me what I could become.” Messy grows up to be a neat person and then readers find out Missy is the author! Without the personality of Kathy Lee Gifford, the story falls flat. There’s no build up of tension, there’s no conflict with any consequences, and it was not believable to this reviewer that a little sister could change her brother’s behavior just by smiling and saying, “Please.” The illustrations were good and often showed more emotion than the text of the story. However, the “Indian” illustrations may offend some parents, along with the story’s obvious sex-role stereotyping. Reviewed by Susan Roberts The Very Fairy Princess Takes the Stage By Julie Andrews, Emma Walton Hamilton Little Brown for Young Readers, $16.99, 32 pages If your young daughter is fascinated by fairies, princesses, and ballet, The Very Fairy Princess by Julie Andrews and Emma Walton Hamilton is sure to delight her. The glitter-covered cover begs to be picked up and the story is quickly enthralling. Geraldine believes she’s a fairy princess because she feels it inside, “a sparkly feeling of just knowing in [her] heart.” She’s thrilled when her ballet company is about to perform The Crystal Princess and knows she’ll be great for the role. Unfortunately a girl named Tiffany is chosen to play the princess while Geraldine gets to be the jester. She’s

hugely disappointed. Her performance goes poorly and she feels “less sparkly than ever.” When the show’s important wedding scene commences and the star’s crown is broken, , Geraldine saves the day. The illustrations were cute and the character was charming, but it’s very age specific. Its target audience is a preschool girl who loves fairies and all things girly. The story didn’t really hold my children’s attention. It was too verbose for my 3- year-old and too babyish for my 6-year-old with the “A fairy princess does this… a fairy princess does that…” lines. The underlying moral of the story was touching and one I’d like my children to learn. While this won’t be more than a one-time read at our house, it might make a better addition to a tiara-loving-little girl’s bookshelf. Reviewed by Jennifer Melville Tales For Very Picky Eaters By Josh Schneider Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, $14.99, 48 pages With tales such as “The Disgusting Broccoli,” “The Tale of the Lumpy Oatmeal” and “The Tale of the Slimy Eggs,” author Josh Schneider helps put things into perspective for picky kids. When asked what else there is to eat, the dad in Tales for Very Picky Eaters suggests several undesirable alternatives and horrible consequences. Take, for example, eating dirt, having an unemployed cooking troll and neverending oatmeal; these are consequences that will make any child shriek. As a result, James, the picky son, prefers to eat the previously undesired food on his plate, and it seems that a solution has been found. Schneider approaches the frustrating topic of picky eaters with a sense humor, practical sense and logic, but unfortunately the logic does not work all that well in real life. The illustrations are fun and whimsical, which causes even picky youngsters to listen attentively without complaints. Schneider has successfully created a fun, easyreader book about a not-so-fun topic, and it is a great tool for parents when attempting to combat picky eating habits. Reviewed by J Rodney

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Encyclopedia Mythologica: Dragons and Monsters Pop-Up By Matthew Reinhart, Robert Sabuda Candlewick Press, $29.99, 12 pages Some soar, some roar. Some loom larger than life, and others skulk in the shadows. But never before have these creatures of myth and legend been more stunningly realized than in the pages of Encyclopedia Mythologica: Dragons and Monsters. These incredibly intricate fold-outs are works of art, unfurling and leaping from the page to rival anything your imagination has conjured. This is by far the most amazing pop-up book I’ve ever seen. I marveled at the yeti as it reared toward me, powerful arms reaching for the sky, utterly dominating the two-page spread. This is no mere kids’ book; this is something to spark the wonder inside us all. The write-ups accompanying each display are concise and informative, never burying the magic with facts, but never ignoring the dubious evidence behind the existence of some of these creatures. The authors’ affection for the subject is obvious. And the smaller foldouts beneath the main pop-ups are a real treat, making the reader an active participant in the experience. I cannot say enough good things about this book. It’s a masterpiece. Reviewed by Glenn Dallas

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SPIES, cont’d from page 1 signed the “special cases” -- those involving diplomats or high-ranking officials needing special handling. Zannis works in Northern Greece, close to the Yugoslavian border, letting Furst add in the oncoming presence of the German army as part of the background. Zannis is an honorable policeman, trying to do his best in difficult times, and has many well-placed friends and contacts throughout the region. This desire to do the right thing leads him to assisting the Jewish underground railroad from Germany through the Balkans and on to Egypt and Turkey (and a British scientist needing rescue from France). The action is palpable. Furst specializes in using the setting almost as another character in the book, and as an added bonus, primary characters from other Furst novels show up as secondary characters in Spies (a technique he uses often). While not the best of Furst’s books, Spies is still an excellent spy novel that should introduce many a spy-thriller fan to a new theater of WWII espionage. And for new Furst readers, get ready for hours of catching up with his oeuvre. Reviewed by Ross Rojek

Book Reviews Category

Category

Teen Reads

Mind, Body & Fitness

SNAP IT for additional book summaries. Forgotten By Cat Patrick Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, $17.99, 288 pages Every night when London goes to sleep, her mind resets and she doesn’t remember anything that has happened the day before. All she has to go on are the notes she leaves herself each night before going to bed. To make matters worse, she begins to have disturbing nightmares of the death of someone important to her. She also falls in love with a boy that she forgets every night. This book is absolutely amazing and will blow the reader away. The idea of a girl who loses her memory each night and yet falls in love with someone has a lot of potential to go wrong, but Cat Patrick pulls everything together beautifully. London’s combination of strength, confusion and moments of teenage angst are portrayed perfectly to make her character come to life and feel like someone the reader can really relate to. The author pulls the reader in and makes them fully invested in figuring out what the visions London sees really mean. Will she be able to maintain a romantic relationship despite her condition? The romance is touching with some heart breaking moments. All elements pull together into one amazing story. Reviewed by Debbie Suzuki Middle School, The Worst Years of My Life By James Patterson, Chris Tebbetts Little Brown for Young Readers, $15.99, 284 pages Middle School, the Worst Years of My Life is poignant here and there, but most of the time it’s laugh-out-loud, hold-your-sides funny. It’s supposed to be a book for children of middle-school age, but I think adults with any memory of how it was back then will find it hilariously true to life. The artwork is meant to be representational of what a child of that age would usually scrawl in his notebook, but is better than that. The art enhances the book

SNAP IT for additional book summaries.

tremendously; it’s almost like two books in one. Mr. Tebbetts put it like this, “Middle School is definitely intended for young readers, but it’s been gratifying to hear that so many adults are reading it (and relating to it) as well. I had a blast working on this project, and loved seeing the way that Laura Park’s illustrations brought another whole layer to the story, and to the experience of reading the book.” If you want to laugh and have fun with a book, get this one. I haven’t enjoyed a book this much in a very long time, if ever. Reviewed by Dave Broughton Thirteen Reasons Why By Jay Asher Razorbill, $9.99, 288 pages Thirteen lives. Thirteen directions. And a fateful package containing thirteen tapes— these people will never be the same. To be honest, we’re not either. When Jay Asher published Thirteen Reasons Why four years ago, this novel, at first dubbed contemporary young adult, became everyone’s book. It had good reason for doing so. What an exhilarating, enthralling, wondrous novel this is. It opens with a quiet, dark, plain curtain; Clay Jensen finds a box containing thirteen unlabeled tapes from an unknown recipient. What was first approached as a mysterious surprise morphs into an ugly…yet intriguing nightmare. Clay, horrified, hears the voice of the girl he loved who committed suicide several months ago, the infamous Hannah Baker, recorded for posterity throughout thirteen tapes. These tapes are narrated by a brilliant, spunky character who is immediately adored by readers. However, these stories come with a warning: listen to the tapes or their contents will be released. And, in a kaleidoscope-like fashion, Asher unveils story after story, souls intrinsically connected which collectively tumble into an inevitable demise. Hannah’s reputation is first erected, then corrupted, and readers watch as she begins to spiral down, and though we know the end, Asher successfully stuns, humbles, and gives us hope in one fell swoop. It’s no wonder we love this book so much. Reviewed by Alex Masri

The 4-Hour Body: An Uncommon Guide to Rapid Fat-Loss, Incredible Sex, and Becoming Superhuman By Timothy Ferriss Crown, $27.00, 552 pages In The 4-Hour Body, author Timothy Ferriss, who is a certified trainer and fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine, meticulously guides you through his methods toward rapid fat loss, increased muscles, faster healing, strength gain, better sleep, improved sex, and more! Having documented his every workout for more than 15 years, Ferriss writes on what works and what doesn’t. This book isn’t one that requires cover-to-cover reading, but should be read based on your needs and wants. The basics on fat loss are easily followed but unlike some other books on weight loss, Ferris explains the reasons why his methods work in easy-to-understand words for the majority, and more scientific explanations off-set in shaded areas for those who need more technicality. It’s all interesting and really does work! The chapter on improving sex will give you the knowledge you need to please or be pleased! This is a book to be highlighted and dogeared in your favorite spots to refer back to and to definitely share with others. It has no age limit, as everyone should be able to benefit from part of its contents. Reviewed by Linda Welz

Tulsa Book Review • November 2011 • 7

What’s Eating Your Child? The Hidden Connection Between Food and Your Child’s Well-Being By Kelly Dorfman Workman Publishing Company, $13.95, 334 pages What’s Eating Your Child? The Hidden Connections between Food and Childhood Ailments by Kelly Dorfman is a must for parents who think food may connect to their child’s behavior. Dorfman’s specialty is uncovering the nutritional solutions solving ailments. What’s Eating Your Child? is broken into four parts. The first part of the book details how to begin the important work of looking at nutrition and thinking like a “nutrition detective” to figure out what could be bothering the child. First Dorfman considers how to handle a picky eater, she then explains the E.A.T. Program — eliminating, adding, and trying foods — to zero in on foods that may be irritants and at the root of difficulties. Because Dorfman is careful to provide context and answers, this is a good book for parents looking for a starting point to behaviorfood connections. Parts two through four introduce cases and their solutions through the nutritional cues, such as the connection between gluten and a child diagnosed as bipolar. Throughout the book, Dorfman has included many sidebars and explanations to the main text — setting forth definitions or principles to explain concepts even further. The book ends with a FAQ section and an appendix of resources. Reviewed by Elizabeth Humphrey

Book Reviews

new family and household. It’s exciting and heart-warming all at the same time. Reviewed by Kelly Ferjutz

Category

Romance SNAP IT for additional book summaries. The Devilish Montague: The Rebellious Sons By Patricia Rice Signet, $7.99, 384 pages Patricia Rice set a high standard with the first book of this series – The Wicked Wyckerly. She may have tied or even exceeded that criterion with this one. The Devilish Montague, Blake by name, is an excellent cryptographer, but the War Office isn’t too sure they really need him, even though Wellington is on his side. He’s been invalided out of the army, and has no funds to purchase another set of colors. He needs a wealthy wife! Poor guy.

While Jocelyn Carrington inherited a small fortune, she’s not sure she needs a husband. What she does need is a stable home for herself and her younger brother Richard who probably has autism – an unknown condition in those days. Richard studies birds and puzzles with an intensely single-minded concentration; unfortunately, his favorite avians – parrots Percy and his mate, Africa – have been corrupted by someone who exposed them to excessive profanity. Blake’s father has won Jocelyn’s former home in a card-game and offers it to his son as an inducement to find a bride. Neither of the men realize it was Jocelyn’s child-hood home—the one where Richard was the most secure. Together, Blake, Jocelyn and Richard break the code, secure the spies and restore order while establishing their

Slow Dancing on Price’s Pier: A Novel By Lisa Dale Berkley, $15, 361 pages Back when they were children, Thea and brothers Jonathan and Garrett were inseparable playmates. But as they grew older and entered high school, Thea and Garrett--the younger, more charismatic and unpredictable brother--fell in love. A misunderstanding made Garrett turn a cold shoulder to Thea and she was devastated. It was Jonathan who became her rock and when they eventually married, Garrett turned a cold shoulder to his entire family. Fifteen years later, Thea and Jonathan have filed for divorce and are sharing custody of their 10-year-old daughter. But even though the divorce is still fresh, neither Thea nor the icy Garrett can deny that their feelings for one another are just as strong as ever. Lisa Dale tells the story of Thea, Garrett, and Jonathan by alternating between the present and the past. The premise of the novel is interesting, but Thea’s decision to marry Jonathan when she was really in

love with Garrett was not sufficiently convincing, and it undermined the reliability of her character. Although the coffee shop Thea owns on Price’s Pier makes an interesting backdrop for the story, the pretend “Coffee Diaries” newspaper columns at the beginning of each chapter didn’t add much to the book. Reviewed by Megan Just The Deal, the Dance, and the Devil: A Novel By Victoria Christopher Murray Touchstone, $15, 416 pages What would you be willing to sacrifice for five million dollars? Your home? Your family? Your marriage? It’s a storyline ripped right out of today’s headlines. Adam and Evia Langston are your typical upper middle class couple. Two incomes, two cars, big house with a high mortgage, kids in private school, and all the toys a modern family could want or need. Then Adam loses his $200,000 a year job and can’t seem to find a new one. One by one, the family starts to lose everything of value. Their savings, their dreams, and finally their values, when the couple is offered the ultimate get-out-of- jail-free See DEAL, page 13

Friday, Nov. 4 7 p.m.

Friday, Nov. 4 • 7 p.m.

Connor’s Cove • Hardesty Regional Library • 8316 E. 93rd St. • 918.549.7550 Connor’s Cove • Hardesty Regional Library A book signing will follow. 8316 E. 93rd St. • 918.549.7550

Sponsored by the Anne and Henry Zarrow Foundation, with special thanks to the Tulsa World.

children’s author and illustrator Grace2007. Lin. Free and Open to the Public •Meet TulsaLibrary.org • LISSY’S FRIENDS by Grace Lin. Copyright If you are hearing-impaired and need a qualified interpreter, please call the library 48 hours in advance of the program.

A book signing will follow. Sponsored by the Anne and Henry Zarrow Foundation, with special thanks to the Tulsa World.

Free and Open to the Public • TulsaLibrary.org • LISSY’S FRIENDS by Grace Lin. Copyright 2007. If you are hearing-impaired and need a qualified interpreter, please call the library 48 hours in advance of the program.

Book Reviews Category

Category

Popular Culture

Tween Scene

SNAP IT for additional book summaries. How Shakespeare Changed Everything By Stephen Marche Harper, $21.99, 203 pages Stephen Marche, who completed a doctorate degree on William Shakespeare and taught classes about the bard, said he chose his subject because he knew it never would be boring. However, he fails to point out that Shakespeare could be a hard read nonetheless. Four centuries have passed since the sometimes antiquated bard (1564-1616) wrote his poems and plays, and he takes some close study to appreciate his gifts and contributions. A close study is usually rewarded for, as Marche describes, this messy, secular, gifted, and influential writer. In contrast, Marche’s How Shakespeare Changed Everything is very accessible, but both are fun to read. The enthusiasm is affecting and the trivia he provides is both fascinating and wonderful. Though not a page turner, one is in for a treat from this short book about “the foremost poet in the world.” How Shakespeare Changed Everything is involving, well told and profound. This book is about his huge impact rather than a close reading of his oeuvre. One may be surprised to find out about his profound effects on romance, race relations, politics, and the environment. Critics are also discussed, such as Leo Tolstoy, who did not like Shakespeare because he thought life should be fair. Mysteries still surround the bard, but here is a chance to really know of him. Reviewed by Ryder Miller Tracking the Man-beasts: Sasquatch, Vampires, Zombies, and More By Joe Nickell Prometheus Books, $19.99, 239 pages Bigfoot. Mothman. El Chupacabra. Werewolves, giants, and dwarfs. Beings of all sorts that straddle the line between human and inhuman have been part of our folklore for centuries. Tales of strange encounters with bipedal beasts and humanoid monsters alike certainly stir the imagination, but is there any truth behind the fanciful trappings? Joe Nickell tackles each of these curious

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cases with gusto in Tracking the Man-beasts, bringing his keen eye and keener mind to bear on mysteries both modern and ancient. And while he obviously goes into each investigation skeptical, he’s not out to debunk these stories... he’s out to find a verifiable explanation. Most importantly, he never condescends, he never belittles, and he certainly never patronizes. Each case is examined on its own merits, and his reports on each event are rewarding reads, rich in detail and analysis. The sense of wonder that pervades these mysteries isn’t lost on Nickell, either. He rejoices in exploring the facts and seeking the truth. This genuine spirit makes his work utterly readable and thoroughly enjoyable. The believer, the skeptic, and the investigator in all of us will each find much to enjoy in Tracking the Man-beasts. Reviewed by Glenn Dallas Steven Tyler Does the Noise In My Head Bother You? By Steven Tyler with David Daltonl Ecco, $15.29, 390 pages Not just for die-hard Aerosmith or American Idol fans, this memoir is filled with candid recollections of the life of a rock star. The caveat is that this book is definitely xrated since Tyler does not censor himself or his very dirty thoughts. Prudes, beware! The language is explicit. His relationship with bandmate, Joe Perry, is fascinating and a story in itself. As amazing as his talent is Tyler’s longevity, given the type and amount of drugs both ingested and injected. Millions of dollars were used in the pursuit of a variety of drugs used to keep going in a very grueling lifestyle. Equally amazing is Tyler’s love and use of language quite evident in the hundreds of songs he has penned over the years. Son of a musician and devoted mother, raised equally in the Bronx and New Hampshire, Tyler is a mix of urban and rural views that have served him well in relating to a variety of audiences and musical genres. He does come across quite humble, in spite of his megastar status. His love of his children reads very clearly as does his regret about not being present in their lives. This book is for would-be rock stars, demi-gods, and musicians fascinated by an over-the-top lifestyle and talent. Reviewed by Julia McMichael

The Mostly True Story of Jack By Kelly Barnhill Little Brown for Young Readers, $16.99, 336 pages Jack was almost invisible. He never appeared in family photos. He had no friends at school. When his parents decided to divorce, they sent him for the summer with weird Uncle Clive and Aunt Mabel in Hazelwood, Iowa, a far cry from his home in San Francisco. It’s complicated. Jack meets Anders, Wende, and Frankie, a boy with a terribly scarred face. At last, Jack has friends. Soon he discovers Hazelwood is no ordinary town. There are tales of disappearing children, stolen souls, and his aunt and uncle’s house seems to be alive. It’s complicated. When Wende disappears, it’s up to Jack, Anders, and Frankie to save her and to save the town. It turns out only Jack can really do it. It has to do with Good and Evil and reuniting them into the mother he once knew. It’s complicated. This complex book is scary and mysterious and downright complicated, but it will engage readers well beyond the middle-graders it targets. Kelly Barnhill has written a pageturner of a fantasy/mystery filled with engaging characters and a setting that is as much a character as the usual kind. It’s complicated. Reviewed by Rosi Hollenbeck My Weirder School #2: Mr. Harrison Is Embarrassin’! By Dan Gutman, Jim Paillot HarperCollins, $3.99, 112 pages Mr. Harrison is Embarrassin’! is the second book in the My Weirder School series about life through the eyes of AJ, a third grader. This time a joint birthday party for namesake Ella Mentry and the school is interrupted by a power failure, the disappearance of the ninety year old birthday girl, and a rescue mission complicated by a wild squirrel. Sometimes book two in a series is a pale shadow by comparison. Not so here! Mr.

Tulsa Book Review • November 2011 • 9

Harrison is Embarrassin’! lives up to the first book in the series Miss Child Has gone Wild!. This book retains all the student characters from book one and adds a few new adult characters, but can easily be enjoyed without reading the first book. Once again, author Dan Gutman targets a few classic kid quirks: food fights, misunderstanding words, and being a reluctant hero. I think Gutman must go undercover in a classroom to get dialogue so authentic. And he adds a great twist for adults who might be reading along: as a nod to one of the characters (possibly a Beatle incognito) the book contains the titles to forty-five Beatles songs. This book will have young readers asking “Where’s Book 3?” Reviewed by Jodi M. Webb Septimus Heap, Book Six: Darke By Angie Sage Katherine Tegen Books, $17.99, 641 pages Young readers looking for a magical, enchanting series to dive into will immediately fall in love with the world author Angie Sage has created for Septimus Heap, a young wizard apprentice in the midst of battling evil and the Darke Domaine. Fans already familiar with the series will enjoy the continued Magykal adventure in Darke, the sixth Septimus book. Familiar characters are back – Alther Mella, the Heap family, Beetle, Marcia Overstrand, Spit Fyre (who will meet another dragon!), Merrin Meredith, Stanley the Message Rat, and many others. To fight the Darke, Septimus must enter the Darke with the help of famous Alchemist Marcellus Pye. Meanwhile, Princess Jenna is being targeted by the Port Witch Coven. Illustrator Mark Zug adds unique whimsical touches and dimension with drawings at the beginning of every chapter and a detailed map at the start of the book. Parents will appreciate themes of friendship, family, loyalty, cooperation, and self-discovery that are reinforced throughout the novel. Sage’s humor will have children and adults laughing from page to page. Fans will be eagerly waiting for the next installment. It is a charming series, best read from the beginning for full enjoyment. Reviewed by Kathryn Franklin

Book Reviews Category

Fiction SNAP IT for additional book summaries. Brideshead Abbreviated: The Digested Read of the Twentieth Century By John Crace Random House UK, $23.95, 355 pages This is truly a book for people who love books. John Crace has been writing the Digested Reads column for The Guardian in the UK for the past eleven years. In roughly 1,000 words, Crace both digests and parodies popular books. This is not easy work, for the satirist needs to reasonably mimic the voice and tone of the original author, hit the salient points of the source fiction or nonfiction work, and then make it all funny. Drafting new constitutions for emerging nations sounds easier in comparison. Brideshead Abbreviated has a wonderful concept. Crace has taken ten books to present from each decade of the 20th Century. No author is repeated and, given a choice, he chooses the more popular work of a given writer. Thus James Joyce is included for Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man but not for Ulysses. The result gives the reader an interesting overview of literary developments over the hundred-year span. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas both involved a certain amount of monsters and fantasy, but the latter certainly could never have been published at the time of the former. And, let’s face it, we all like to play smartypants at cocktail parties. With Brideshead Abbreviated, you will be armed for banter, if not for battle. Reviewed by Hubert O’Hearn Once Upon A River By Bonnie Jo Campbell Norton, $25.95, 348 pages At first, when reading Once Upon a River, a person might think they are reading a book set in the 1800s. The residents of the town of Murrayville live on the banks of the Stark River in a remote part of Michigan and their lives revolve around hunting, jobs at the local mill, and family feuds. It comes as an intriguing surprise to learn that the book is actually set in

the 1970s. Of all her cousins, it is sixteenyear-old Margo who is especially drawn to nature, preferring to spend her days swimming in the river and becoming an expert markswoman. After Margo’s uncle rapes her, a series of events are set in motion that eventually lead to the death of Margo’s father. Having no other kin, she escapes upriver in her beloved teak rowboat. From there, her life alternates between survival on the river and taking refuge with a series of men as she awaits word from her long-lost mother. This is a moving book that portrays an uneducated but “street-smart” young woman who is not afraid of her sexuality or living a hard life reminiscent of a bygone era. The wild Michigan setting is tangible throughout the book, as is Margo’s love for it. Reviewed by Megan Just The Kitchen Daughter By Jael McHenry Gallery, $23.00, 272 pages Warning: This book will make you hungry. Very hungry. And it will make you appreciate cooking in a whole new way. When Ginny Selvaggio’s parents die unexpectedly, the sheltered young woman with Asperger’s syndrome, a kind of autism, retreats to the comfort of the kitchen to escape the overwhelming crowd of wellmeaning relatives, including her sister, Amanda, who pushes Ginny to sell the only home she’s ever known. But lost amidst the exacting preparation of recipes, Ginny realizes she can raise ghosts with ribolitta, with her mother’s biscuits and gravy, and with a handwritten recipe for midnight cry brownies. However, the ghosts only appear once and only for as long as the scent lingers. In doing so, and in going through her parents’ things, Ginny begins to uncover secrets, secrets only ghosts can answer, but can she keep them long enough to solve the mystery? This is fiction at its best. The Kitchen Daughter is fantastic; the food, the prose, the characters, it’s all as spot on as one of Ginny’s ghost-bringing recipes. This is the type of book that reminds a person of reading under the covers with a flashlight as a kid. It recaptures the sheer joy of reading and storytelling that made us all readers in the first place. Reviewed by Axie Barclay

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It’s no fun to miss the punch line! One out of five adults has below basic literacy skills. Tulsa City-County Library’s Ruth G. Hardman Adult Literacy Service offers free one-on-one tutoring for adults who struggle with reading. Instruction is tailored to each adult student’s needs. Tutor-student pairs meet weekly at a place and time that’s mutually convenient. To get help with reading or to volunteer as a tutor, contact your local Tulsa City-County Library branch, visit TulsaLibrary.org/literacy or call 918-549-7400. Share the gift of reading today and help change someone’s life.

Ruth G. Hardman Adult Literacy Service TulsaLibrary.org/literacy 918-549-7400

LIBRARIES CHANGE LIVES

Book Reviews Category

Category

Spirituality & Religion

Parenting & Families

SNAP IT for additional book summaries. 5 Conversations You Must Have with Your Son By Vicki Courtney B&H Books, $14.99, 247 pages If you have a son under the age of eighteen (or thirty!), this book is a must-read. It’s not too late to help your boy grow into a strong, responsible, and all-around good man. Do you know how to accomplish this monumental task? Stand up and give your son a future he can be proud of. Vicki Courtney’s new book 5 Conversations You Must Have With Your Son discusses important developmental points in a young man’s journey to adulthood. Conversation 1 (chapters 1-4) is one of my favorites: “Don’t define manhood by culture’s wimpy standards. It’s OK to be a man!” You’ll learn how boys are suffering in today’s schools and what you can do to help your son thrive. Discover the “greatest threats to a boy’s budding manhood and quest for adventure” and learn whether your “helpful” parenting tactics may be doing more harm than good. Our boys are entering manhood without many moral role models or much direction. It’s up to us as parents to direct their trajectory. Whether you are a Christian or not (this book is faith-based), Courtney offers fantastic and modern advice. It’s a great reference. Reviewed by Jennifer Melville Meditation: An In-Depth Guide By Ian Gawler, Paul Bedson Tarcher, $16.95, 398 pages Life is all hustle and bustle. It’s downright exhausting. It seems we never have time to be kind to ourselves. Maybe to some, meditation is a bunch of chanting and humming, and looks like a silly waste of time. Meditation - An In-Depth Guide is a well-written “manual” to debunk those attitudes. Meditation can be healing and transformative. Wouldn’t we all appreciate feeling bet-

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ter? Aren’t there things we feel helpless to change about ourselves and about our lives? Meditation could be the stepping stone. Gawler and Bedson’s guide explains various meditation practices and how these can help people with health issues, stress, chronic illnesses and pain. The guide explains the ways in which meditation can connect us to ourselves, to our “spirits”, and to enable us to live more authentically. Authenticity seems to be one of those “New Age” catchphrases these days, but we are all seeking the ability to be our real and truest selves and not the self society presses upon us to be.|Take some time to get in touch with your true self. Listen. Learn. It might make all the difference in the world. Reviewed by Laura Friedkin The Hidden Gifts of Helping: How the Power of Giving, Compassion, and Hope Can Get Us Through Hard Times By Stephen G. Post Jossey-Bass, $19.95, 191 pages Stephen Post begins with his move after twenty years from Cleveland, Ohio. Now in his fifties, he is relocating with his family to Stony Brook, N.Y., after losing his job. Despite the upset and worry, rather than fall into self-pity, he knows the family must make a choice, “As my family and I made our transition to a new life in a new community, we realized that our choice was clear: giver’s glow or doubter’s darkness.” He speaks honestly from his own experience, taking along readers who can find similar feelings in their own life. Post goes beyond a personal sharing to substantiate his beliefs from his extensive professional research that blends seamlessly into the book, giving it increased credibility. By helping others, he tells readers, we find many gifts: the giver’s glow; connection with the neediest; deep happiness; compassion and unlimited love; and ultimately, the gift of hope found not through seeking, but ultimately found nonetheless. This book encourages that gift of hope, See HIDDEN, page 12

The Essential Guide to Baby’s First Year By Erika Landau and Abigail Brenner Alpha Books, $16.95, 374 pages Beginning the moment the baby is born and concluding with a brief overview of a baby’s second year, this book includes everything a new parent needs to know about their baby’s first twelve months. With a focus on infant safety, doctors Erika Landau and Abigail Brenner cover all the small details parents worry about (such as birthmarks and skin conditions) and biggerpicture concerns (such as vaccines and the rumored link to autism). The doctors also place importance on infant and parent well-being as they encourage parents to form child-care co-ops and playgroups, give their baby massages, and go swimming, jogging, biking, and hiking with the baby in tow. The book includes a month-by-month list of development milestones for the baby’s first year, grouped by category into gross motor, fine motor, language, cognitive, and social skills. Most importantly, since babies develop at individual rates, the book specifies thresholds of when to intervene with a pediatrician. The best part of this book is its extensive collection of healthy and simple recipes for various stages of an infant’s transition to solid food — from making and preserving infant purees to baby-friendly meals like sloppy joes. The book only has about five illustrations and could be improved greatly by including more illustrations, as well as photos of real babies in various stages of development. Reviewed by Megan Just The Mommy Docs’ Ultimate Guide to Pregnancy and Birth By Yvonne Bohn, Allison Hill, Alane Park, and Melissa Jo Peltier Da Capo Lifelong Books, $15.95, 544 pages OB/GYN doctors Yvonne Bohn, Allison Hill, and Alane Park met during residencies at the Los Angeles County Hospital and they got along so well, they eventually opened a private OB/GYN practice. Together, the three doctors have delivered more than 10,000 babies and are the “stars” of the real-

Tulsa Book Review • November 2011 • 11

ity show Deliver Me. Here, they have teamed up with writer Melissa Jo Peltier to share their collective expertise, not only as doctors, but as mothers reflecting on their own pregnancies. What makes this book stand out from the dozens of books available on the subject of pregnancy is the book’s light, conversational style. Hardly a page goes by without a real-life story from one of the doctors or one of their patients that was undoubtedly chosen to represent patients’ most frequent concerns. In this way, the book acts like one of the many pregnancy question-and-answer forums on the Internet where women swap experiences; except here, the example is medically sound. Additionally, the doctors have a focus on dispelling the pregnancy myths and paranoia that cause women unnecessary anxiety during this time in their lives. Reviewed by Megan Just When Your Child Is Being Bullied: Real Solutions for Parents, Educators & Other Professionals By J.E. DiMarco and M.K. Newman Vivisphere Publishing, $17.99, 125 pages Bullying is a problem that affects us all. When Your Child is Being Bullied offers real solutions, as per the cover, for dealing with bullying. There is a lot of information on how to deal with the parents of bullies, as well as how to make reticent school officials more active in helping root out established bullies. There is great advice on how to deal with legal issues. Overall, this is definitely a book for parents and other adults to crib from. It goes through the various issues that normally handicap parents and shows how to plow through them. The sole strike against the book is that there is little for kids dealing with bullying, See BULLIED, page 12

Book Reviews Category

Nature & Science SNAP IT for additional book summaries. Evolution: A View from the 21st Century By James Alan Shapiro FT Press, $34.99, 253 pages Although we see myriad new books on evolution, finally, one has a twist worth exploring. In his attempt to modernize the concept, the author has introduced new fields to explore within the standard evolutionary context. These include symbiogenesis and epigenetics, new attempts at explaining natural selection. James Alan Shapiro is eager to explain evolution not only in terms of the classical geneticists, but also in terms of gene splicing, evolution of the cell and the complexity of misfits. He does this in a richly toned literary style that reaches out to fundamental concepts that support some of the greatest ideas in biochemistry. The book is intensely scientific and should be read with a lot of time. But the author is true to his task by deriving his ideas from substantial scientific knowledge. For those not so scientifically inclined, the author has included a comprehensive, 25-page glossary, 64 pages of references that cover 1,162 citations, as well as a generous 13-page index for cross-referencing. The reader may want to reread many of the passages, particularly those pertaining to highly technical biological structures quite necessary to a fuller understanding of the author’s main premise. In all, the book is 253 pages of powerful information and remains a must-read for serious readers of science nonfiction. Reviewed by D. Wayne Dworsky The Secret Lives of Backyard Bugs: Discover Amazing Butterflies, Moths, Spiders, Dragonflies, and Other Insects! By Judy Burris, Wayne Richards Storey Publishing, $14.95, 144 pages Here is a book for intrepid youngsters exploring the garden who are fascinated by all the creepy, crawly, flying, digging, stinging creatures that share the yard with them. Judy Burris and Wayne Richards are brother and sister author/photographers

who have put together this visual handbook to aid the neophyte to identify and to become familiar with the natural denizens that dwell in our yards. Beginning with an overall introduction to cycles of seasons, plant, soil, insects and spiders; the book then dives into details about beetles, dragonflies, wasps, ants, stink bugs, various butterflies and different moths with many more described insect types. Characteristics, descriptions, behavior and survival strategies of these arthropods are clearly described and the reading will whet the curiosity of bug fanciers. Outstandingly vivid photographs of the backyard bugs artfully embellish the text. These recordings will encourage readers to use the digital camera as the instrument to acquire insect collections. Did you know that the adored ladybug is also known as the lady beetle, or ladybird, or ladyclock, or ladyfly, or even (a new one for me) ladycow? For all aspiring entomologists, or even just plain nature lovers, this book should be part of your library. Reviewed by Aron Row Earth: The Operator’s Manual By Richard B. Alley Norton & Company, $27.95, 479 pages Although there are currently 20 books in print that bear the title, Earth, Richard B. Alley tries to make a fresh point in his new book Earth. To the many publications out there on the subject, Alley contributes nothing especially new. However, his widespread knowledge and close connection to the documentaries on PBS make his book a must-read. The book’s comprehensive scope provides broad appeal for anyone -- pro or con -- on climate change. The book doesn’t scold mankind for having languished in the midst of the petroleum era, but offers ways in which we can see the error of our ways and provide hope in stabilizing destructive elements. The reader is compensated for his quest to devour the conceptual language within the volume. While the text drifts in and out of anecdotal episodes to discuss and break down the complex information that Alley

puts forward, he does so in a realistic way, bringing the entire environment into the picture so that the reader can readily observe cause and effect and judge the state of affairs for him or herself. I particularly loved, Put It Where the Sun Doesn’t Shine. It’s good fall reading and keeps you up to date on cable TV’s most popular arena. Reviewed by D. Wayne Dworsky Zoo Story: Life in the Garden of Captives By Thomas French Hyperion, $14.99, 304 pages Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Thomas French does not let the reader down. He takes you on a mental safari, detailing the twists and turns of his quest from the African Savannah and forests of Panama to Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo. Along the way, you get to know the animals and those who care for them. You also get to know about the arguments for, and opposed to, animal captivity. For some it’s a sanctuary—for others, a prison. No matter how you regard those who take sides, no doubt Thomas French has clarified the air and got to the heart of the dilemma with insight and compassion. He

talks about the animal world with the curiosity of a child, the regard of a scientist and the narration of a writer. The book is packed with anecdotes that lead you one-way and then another. He builds a sustainable argument in favor of zoos, yet he respects the freedom wild animals need. It is a thoughtful look at how we regard the natural world. HIDDEN, page 11 This book encourages that gift of hope, offering readers a new perspective on difficult times, and a way to discover the power they possess to get through these times, as well as to find more meaning every day of their lives. Reviewed by Angie Mangino

BULLIED, page 11 but that is beyond the scope of the book. It is refreshing to see a book that does allow them some self-defense, in that it does point out that kids should be allowed to fight back, if necessary, but otherwise the sole solution is to notify an adult. Nonetheless, although it is a little dry, this is a great book for parents, teachers, and others looking for some way to fight back against bullying. Reviewed by Jamais Jochem

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“Reimagining Equality: Stories of Gender, Race and Finding Home” WEDNESDAY, NOV. 30 6:30-9 P.M. RUDISILL REGIONAL LIBRARY 1520 N. HARTFORD • 918.549.7645

Category

Science Fiction

Fantasy

SNAP IT for additional book summaries. Alien Invasion: How to Defend Earth By Travis S. Taylor and Bob Boan Baen, $16.00, 225 pages It’s among the most popular concepts in science fiction: the alien invasion. Hundreds of movies, TV shows, novels, and stories have explored potential invasions and, often, the aftermath. But what would humanity need to do to prepare for a genuine alien invasion? That’s the question tackled by Dr. Taylor and Dr. Boan in Alien Invasion, taking a deadly serious and deeply thoughtful look at humanity’s dismal chances against an alien force. Because we have zero real-world knowledge of actual alien societies, biologies, or technologies, Taylor and Boan focus on the preparation aspect, comparing the calamity of an extraterrestrial invasion with other real-world catastrophes and analyzing our effectiveness (or lack thereof) in handling civilian evacuations, disaster response, and the like. They supplement this with detailed segues into the possibility of alien visitation and the formation of a government organization dedicated to monitoring and preparing for alien encounters, including weapon advancements and satellite networking. With pop-culture references galore for comparison purposes, Alien Invasion paints a somewhat startling picture of a planet ripe for conquest, no matter how unlikely the scenario. But beyond that, it’s a fascinating look at our society from an unexpected angle. Reviewed by Glenn Dallas Star Wars: Choices of One By Timothy Zahn LucasBooks, $27.00, 416 pages On the run from the Empire and in dire need of a stable base of operations, the Rebellion investigates a curious offer from an Imperial governor near the edge of the Unknown Regions. The Emperor’s chosen assassin is assigned to eliminate the governor for treason, and recruits a rogue squad of stormtroopers called The Hand of Judgment for backup. And as dis-

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parate threads weave tighter together, a threat to the Empire and the Rebellion alike emerges, ready to destroy everyone and everything in its path. An impressive sequel to the somewhat underwhelming Allegiance, Choices of One gathers Luke, Han, Leia, and many of the classic Star Wars characters and tosses them into the maelstrom with some of Zahn’s favorite creations, both new and old. And unlike his previous effort, the story flows beautifully. None of the myriad plotlines feels coincidental or forced, and the constantly escalating buildup between them is effectively cinematic. Zahn has not been this good since the original Thrawn trilogy; Choices of One is that rarest of Star Wars novels, one that deepens the mythology of both the characters and the universe without feeling overengineered or gimmicky. It’s a great Star Wars book, pure and simple. Reviewed by Glenn Dallas

The Measure of the Magic: Legends of Shannara By Terry Brooks Del Rey, $27.00, 400 pages The Measure of the Magic, Terry Brooks’ conclusion to the Legends of Shannara series, is atypical of the final chapters as we’ve come to expect them from this master in the fantasy genre. Unlike so many before it, this finale seems a bit stale and empty, and frankly, isn’t one of Brooks’ finer tales. We pick up at various cliffhangers from the first book in this series, The Bearers of the Black Staff. The valley where refugees from the apocalypse have taken shelter is no longer protected by magic and is now

Surface Detail By Iain M. Banks Orbit, $25.99, 640 pages “War in Heaven,” a simulated battle in a virtual reality, is being battled to decide whether or not planets can run their own simulated hells, virtual afterlifes, where the mind-states of the dead can be brutally tortured. The Pavuleans have constructed their own netherworld. Prin and Chay, both Pavuleans themselves, manage to enter the hell while still being alive to show the public what exactly is going on. Lededje Y’Breq is killed by her owner Veppers as she tries to escape, and is reborn on one of the Culture’s most powerful warships. And the war raging in the virtual Heaven threatens to erupt out into reality. Bank’s story is truly epic in scale, measured in eons and light years. The book shows how civilizations in the future can make sense of their place in the universe for themselves, and the beliefs and work that guide them. Banks is a phenomenal writer, and this addition to the Culture Books is no exception. Surface Detail is written elegantly and passionately, and will surprise science-fiction fans and those who are unfamiliar with the genre alike. Reviewed by Ross Rojek Tulsa Book Review • November 2011 • 15

vulnerable to attack from the world left behind. The few who accept the reality of this danger try to fight it. This book offers a great villain — one of Brooks’ best in some time — and contains some scenes that are extraordinary and will have fans standing and applauding. But in the end, it was a bit empty. The conclusion was purely fortuitous. The journey of the characters had nothing to do with the outcome. And aside from the cool characters and great scenes, I was left wondering what the point of this series was. The action moved forward very little for a twoyear, two-book commitment. It’s worth the read, but far from Terry Brooks’ finest. Reviewed by Albert Riehle

Meet Alan Furst WINNER OF THE TULSA LIBRARY TRUST’S 2011 Peggy V. Helmerich Distinguished Author Award

Free Public Presentation and Book Signing SATURDAY, DEC. 3 10:30 A.M. CENTRAL LIBRARY SECOND FLOOR FOURTH STREET AND DENVER AVENUE 918.549.READ

Alan Furst is America’s preeminent historical espionage novelist. He has written 15 novels; is a contributor to periodicals, such as Esquire, Elle and GQ; and is a former columnist for the International Herald Tribune. Furst’s novels primarily are set in Eastern Europe between 1933 and 1942 when the Nazi power was on the rise. Titles include “Night Soldiers,” “Dark Star,” “The Polish Officer,” “The World at Night,” “Red Gold,” “Kingdom of Shadows,” “Blood of Victory,” “Dark Voyage,” “The Foreign Correspondent,” “The Spies of Warsaw” and his latest thriller, “Spies of the Balkans,” a stunning novel about a man who risks everything to right – in many small ways – the world’s evil. Copies of his books will be available for purchasing.

Free and Open to the Public • TulsaLibrary.org • 2011 If you are hearing-impaired and need a qualified interpreter, please call the library 48 hours in advance of the program. Photo by Raine Hosch.

C E L E B R A T E

A L A N

World War II: A Day of Living History

Novel Talk presents The Secret World of Alan Furst

SATURDAY, NOV. 5 10 A.M.-4:30 P.M. HELMERICH LIBRARY 5131 E. 91ST ST.

TUESDAY, NOV. 15 • 7 P.M. CENTRAL LIBRARY, AARONSON AUDITORIUM

Learn more about World War II history to help you better understand Alan Furst’s works. Explore the life of a World War II soldier as created by re-enactors of the 45th Infantry Division and associated re-enactment units.

Experts in history, political science and sociology will shine a light on the murky shadows of World War II era Europe, filling in the blanks about the spies, politics and people of the time – all to help you more fully understand the complex literary world of Alan Furst. Speakers are Tom Horne, professor of political science, University of Tulsa; Gary Novak, retired sociology professor, San Diego Mesa Community College; and Christine Ruane, history professor, TU. Door prizes provided by Joe Momma’s Pizza, Back Alley Blues & BBQ, and Dust Bowl Lanes.

F U R S T Books Sandwiched In presents An Alan Furst Sampler MONDAY, NOV. 28 12:10-12:50 P.M. CENTRAL LIBRARY AARONSON AUDITORIUM Join Ken Lackey, chairman of the Distinguished Author selection Committee, for an introduction to Alan Furst’s works. Sponsored by the Friends of the Tulsa CityCounty Libraries.