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Bookviews hears from authors all the time. I thought you might enjoy seeing a list of famous authors and the number of times their work was rejected before they found a publisher. REJECTIONS BOOK/AUTHOR --- Potter eventually published it herself! So to be a published author, never give up, never give up, and never give up! It is, of course, increasingly affordable and easy to publish your own book these days, but a word of caution, please. A total of nearly 200,000 books are being published annually and this means that the likelihood of being reviewed anywhere diminishes because of the vast tide of books reviewers like myself receive. Those selected for inclusion in Bookviews, are among the fortunate.
Another book celebrating women is Funny Ladies: The New Yorker’s Greatest Women Cartoonists and Their Cartoons ($32.00, Prometheus Books) by Liza Donnelly. The author has been contributing cartoons to the magazine for more than twenty years and this is a wonderful, in-depth celebration of the other women cartoonists who have likewise graced the pages since the Roaring Twenties to the present day. This is an excellent anthology that is far more than just the cartoons themselves, but also includes biographical sketches. It is a revealing look at the twentieth century and our new one. Anyone who has subscribed to the magazine will especially enjoy this book, but it can be read and enjoyed by anyone who has not, but who loves the world of magazine publishing and those who inhabit it. If you’re going to read Louis J. Freeh’s new book, My FBI, for revelations about the Clinton administration, you might as well just stick to the newspaper accounts of what he has to say about Bill and Hillary Clinton. Those quotes have been cited at length, but the bulk of the book ($25.95, St. Martin’s Press) is devoted to Freeh’s career in law enforcement with the FBI, initially as a special agent and ultimately chosen by Bill Clinton to be its Director. Prior to that, he had also served as a United States attorney, taking part in many cases including the famed "Pizza Connection" case involving narcotics. Later he was appointed by Bush41 as a federal judge. There are revelations, though, not the least of which was that the FBI, until recently, was operating with an outdated computer system thanks to an indifferent Congress. Before 9-11, the FBI was designated the lead government agency in fighting terrorism, but was allotted only 3.5 percent of the total counter-terrorism budget. Freeh’s chief complaint about Clinton was the way, almost from the beginning of his first term, he was under investigation for all manner of things, culminating with the famed Lewinsky affair. Clinton’s seeming indifference to the bombing of the Khobar Towers that killed American military personnel reflects Freeh’s view throughout the book that Clinton was part of the problem that culminated with 9-11. The book provides a useful insight to this fabled agency. It is an interesting phenomenon that so many books that reflect a conservative point of view are so successful these days despite an electorate that is divided fairly evenly. They rapidly clime the bestseller lists as if the reading public is hungry for their examination of and disputation with opposing liberal beliefs. One book enjoying success these days is ACLU vs. America: Exposing the Agenda to Redefine Moral Values ($14.99, Broadman & Holman Publishers, softcover). Written by Alan Sears and Craig Osten, the book documents the history of the American Civil Liberties Union back to the 1920s, noting its socialist and communist roots, and then moves forward to current legal battles and campaigns. Sears, a former federal prosecutor during the Reagan administration and now president of the Alliance Defense Fund, says, "As a result of the world of the American Civil Liberties Union and their war on America, we now live in a country where the church has been progressively silenced, parental authority has been undermined, children are less safe, and human life continues to be cheapened—both at birth and death." This reflects the general, polemical style of the book that takes no prisoners because its authors sincerely believe a cultural war is occurring. If you agree, you will find this book of great interest. Among those who are politically conservative, there has been a lot of "buzz" about Help! Mom! There Are Liberals Under My Bed! ($15.95, World Ahead Publishing, Los Angeles, CA) Written by Katharine DeBrecht and illustrated by Jim Hummel, it has the look of a children’s book, but it is a satiric take on folks like Sen. Kennedy and Sen. Clinton, among others, each clearly identifiable as the villains in a tale about two boys who want to sell lemonade to buy a swing set while being besieged by those who tax them and make other demands. This would make a cute gift for the "neocon" in your life. Continuing on the theme of governance and public policy, a new book examines the maze of failed environmental policies and proposes some alternatives to the giant bureaucracy that has grown up around them. Many Americans will be surprised to discover that the Environmental Protection Agency, more than any other, has been responsible for some one third of the current laws and regulations in the Federal Register. In Re-Thinking Green, editors Robert Higgs and Carl P. Close have called on twenty-two economists, political scientists, and philosophers to demonstrate how environmental quality can be enhanced by relying less on politicized government agencies and more on environmental entrepreneurship and strict enforcement of private-property rights. In the process, the book ($22.95, The Independent Institute, Oakland, CA) examines some of today’s most hotly debated environmental issues such as drilling for oil in Alaska, population growth, global warming, and endangered species. People on both sides of these issues would benefit greatly from this challenging book. A book worth reading is The Al Qaeda Connection by Paul L. Williams ($25.00, Prometheus Books) which spells out in detail just how this worldwide Islamic revolution is funded by criminal activity, primarily the traffic in illegal drugs, and why all signs point to its intention of setting off nuclear devices throughout the United States to achieve its goal of an "American Hiroshima." This book, well documented throughout, is a warning to every American who thinks this nation should not be expending every effort possible to find and eliminate the leadership of al Qaeda and dismantle this organization that has allied itself with crime groups in the Balkans and South America, among others. Williams has authored several books and has served as a consultant on organized crime and international terrorism for the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The fact remains that the US is highly vulnerable to attack and a virtual army of "sleeper" agents is likely living among us. One of the best memoirs I have read in a very long time is Overworld: The Life and Times of a Reluctant Spy by Larry J. Kolb ($16.00, Riverhead Books, member of Penguin Putnam, softcover). It has to be real because not even the best writer of fiction could have come up with such a remarkable story. The son of a true-life US spy, Kolb moved from nation to nation as his father’s profession took the family to places filled with excitement and danger. He was taught spy craft by a father who kept his own life secret from his son to the extent that he could. What Kolb learned was that spying was often a matter of reports, paperwork, and nothing that resembled the James Bond version, interspersed with moments of real danger. He also learned that anyone is capable of betrayal. The sons of the "old boy network" were frequently recruited into the spy profession, but Kolb resisted early invitations. Instead, after college he led an extraordinary existence initially creating a tour business, then setting up golf and tennis events, and then becoming an agent for Muhammad Ali who had become a close friend. Together they traveled the world. In the process, Kolb had access to and was friends with world leaders, the rich and famous. When again recruited by the CIA, Kolb agreed. What emerges is a story of two worlds. There is the one in which most of us live and the shadow world of conspiracies, hidden by a wall of lies. His story is told in such a fashion that one is pulled into both of these worlds and reluctant to put the book down for any reason. A memoir of a very different type is so entertaining that it deserves special mention. 10 Secrets My Dog Taught Me: Life’s Lessons from a Man’s Best Friend by Carlo DeVito ($12.95, Rodale) will please anyone who has enjoyed a loving relationship with their dog and will encourage anyone thinking of having a dog to do so. When the author rescued a German shorthair pointer he named Exley, he did not know how much he would learn from him. Through good times and bad, Exley was there. This is not a book on how to train your dog. It’s how a dog influences, educates, and loves his owner. From bachelorhood to adulthood, "It had been Exley’s job to raise me," writes DeVito. This is a charming, entertaining story of friendship, kindness, and unconditional love. "If there are no dogs in heaven," the humorist Will Rogers once said, "I want to go where they went."
Film buffs and especially those who love the Star Wars’ films will enjoy Droidmaker: George Lucas and the Digital Revolution by Michael Rubin ($34.95, Triad Publishing Co., POB 13355, Gainesville, FL 32605). It is the inside story of George Lucas, his intensely private company, and their work to revolutionize filmmaking. It is the story Lucasfilm’s Computer Division, home to Pixar that made breakthroughs in computer graphics, LucusArts Entertainment did the same for videogames, and The Droid World pioneered sound and film editing. Added to the mix was THX/TAP for theater sound and Industrial Light & Magic, famous for its special effects. The author, a former employee, brings an insider’s understanding to a story that cuts through the mythology of Lucas, offering a candid portrait of the man and his company. He was given unprecedented access to company records in order to do this. The result is a hefty book that will be in every library devoted to cinema and deservedly so. And would you believe that all the major Hollywood studios turned down his initial efforts to make Star Wars? And, today, you live in a world of entertainment that was initially the creation of the talented team assembled by Lucus. For some lighter reading, there’s The X List, edited by Jami Bernard ($17.50, Da Capo Press, softcover). It is the National Society of Film Critics’ "guide to the movies that turn us on." It’s not as sexy as you might think because these are critics writing seriously about films like "Wurthering Heights" and "Bye Bye Birdie." This is strictly for the film buff. These are the films that "changed, challenged, enhanced, or perverted" America’s take on what is erotic. Robert Zuckerman is rated one of Hollywood’s top photographers whose work can be seen in magazines, on billboards and even on album covers. He is accustomed to photographing the glitterati, the famed, but Kindsight ($29.95, Channel Photographics, New York) is not about these folk. Instead, it is filled with the photos of the people all of us come in contact with every day. Indeed, he has written brief texts that tell of his encounters with people who we seem to recognize on every page. We see them by themselves, with family or friends, and their humanity encourages us to realize that they are all of one great family. For those who regard photography as a great art form, this book will prove irresistible. One of the problems Americans face today is a general lack of knowledge about history. The failure to understand history leaves one unable to understand the present because, as it is often said, that failure often leads to repeating the mistakes of the past. While television is often a potent tool for teaching history, books remain the best way to gain the insight needed to cope with the present. I was thinking about this as I read the meticulously written Engineering Communism: How Two Americans Spied for Stalin and Founded the Soviet Silicon Valley by Steven T. Usdin ($40.00, Yale University Press). The author is senior editor of BioCentury Publications, in Washington, DC, where he reports and writes about issues at the intersection of policy, politics, law, science and ethics. He is an expert on security issues, technology, and the arts. This book began in 1990 when he was in Moscow researching an article on Soviet-American technology transfer, i.e., the way the Soviets waged a campaign designed to steal the various technologies America was developing, including the famed Rosenberg spy trial that revealed how they had stolen Atom bomb secrets. Usdin was introduced to a Russian scientist named Joseph Berg, but Berg was actual Joel Barr, a former American and a Soviet spy linked to Julius Rosenberg. His friend, Alfred Sarant, who he had recruited into espionage, also aided him. Spotted by the FBI, they both escaped to Russia, only to discover that the Soviet system crushed innovation, dooming all of its industrial efforts to mediocrity. Usdin shows how, in the place, New York City, and the Depression era in which Barr and Sarant grew up, Communism "was in the air" around them. Some ultimately betrayed America, imagining a utopia in Russia. Despite learning otherwise, the two men devoted their lives to seeking technological parity for the Soviet Union with the US. Five days in 1940 are the backdrop of a turning point in history, the Republican National Convention that nominated Wendell Wilkie to run against Franklin D. Roosevelt. Five Days in Philadelphia by Charles Peters ($26.00, Public Affairs, a member of the Perseus Books Group) will have you on the edge of your chair as you read how that convention pitted establishment Republicans like Thomas Dewey, Robert Taft, and Arthur Vandenberg against the dark horse candidate, Wilkie. All three Wilkie opponents ran as isolationists, opposing US involvement in the European war, but most of the voters were also opposed to getting into war and many did not grasp the threat of Nazism and Communism. Moreover, the US was still a year away from Pearl Harbor. Wilkie, however, was as anti-Hitler as FDR, the Democrat incumbent seeking an unprecedented third term. He supported FDR’s military aid program for England. The selection of Wilkie, a name few would recognize today, and the re-election of FDR is now distant history, but this book revives it and gives it the importance it deserves. With news of avian flu and the danger that it could mutate into a pandemic (right now it only affects birds), John M. Barry’s book, The Great Influenza, the story of the deadliest plague in history ($16.00, Penguin softcover) makes for some very interesting reading as he tells about the winter of 1918, at the height of World War I, an outbreak of influenza occurred in an army camp in Kansas and then moved east with American troops. Ultimately it would kill an estimated 100 million people worldwide. Indeed, it killed more people in 24 weeks than AIDS has killed in 24 years. More people died in a single year than the Black Death killed in a century. These days health authorities throughout the world are alert to signs of such outbreaks and coordinate to act against them, but they still pose a severe threat.
A.N. Wilson is a fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and author of several critically acclaimed books, including "The Victorians." He has now penned After the Victorians: The Decline of Britain in the World ($32.50, Farrar, Straus, Giroux), a brilliant portrait of a great empire in decline, sapped of its vigor by two world wars, and the adoption of socialism until rescued by Margaret Thatcher. The book primarily looks at the early half of the last century and the loss of colonies that followed WWII. This is really a look at a culture, a shared vision in a class-conscious society, and in the end, a people with a remarkable history. The author brings much wit and insight to the task, filling a somewhat daunting, but eminently readable 600-page book with the many great personalities and events that were involved in the slow cascade that had led to the United Kingdom of today. This book may explain why, alone among most of the nations of the world, the UK has remained our most staunch and reliable ally in this brave new world of Islamofascism. A chapter of World War II is told by Norman Davies in Rising ’44: The Battle for Warsaw ($18.00, Penguin softcover). It was August 1944 and the beleaguered people of Warsaw believed that liberation was at hand. Determined to drive out the Germans, thousands of Polish Resistance fighters went into the street and, for 63 days the battle of that city raged in the cellars and the sewers. Stalin, who had plans to subjugate Poland at war’s end, condemned the uprising and refused to come to the aid of the Poles. The Western allies, already engaged in battle, decided there was little they could do. This is a story of heroism and sacrifice. The tragedy was compounded by the fact that it would take decades for the Poles to free themselves of Soviet domination and their triumph is that they are now a free and independent nation once again. The story of America was and still is the story of immigrants. David R. Roediger has written Working Toward Whiteness: How America’s Immigrants Became White ($26.95, Basic Books, a member of the Perseus Group). Whiteness serves as a metaphor for the process by which immigrants shed the ways of the countries from which they came and merged into the culture of America, despite facing many obstacles. The author has brought together many elements of social and labor history, popular culture and the role of the state, all of which contributed to the many movements that shaped an American way of life while drawing on the best of the heritages the immigrants of the 1800s and early 1900s brought with them. By any measure, this book is a major achievement and, for many readers, will reveal something quite different from the Norman Rockwell paintings that depict a gentler vision. This book is useful, too, as a new group of immigrants, Latinos, transform America as they become part of our society. For an offbeat slice of history, you might enjoy Rum: The Epic Story of the Drink That Conquered the World by Charles A. Coulumbe ($14.95, Kensington Publishing Corp., softcover). Distilled from sugar and molasses, rum first surfaced in 17th century Barbados where it was first called "rumbillion" after a British slang word for an uproar. It would become "the lubricant of slavery" in a triangle of trade between Europe, Africa, and the West Indies. It energized the US colonies whose southern plantations provided for much of the early economy. This is a lively story, albeit a sad one where souls were sold into slavery, for the fortunes that were made. Rum is credited with keeping the British Navy afloat for 300 years and was likewise favored by pirates as well. Today it is as popular as ever. An interesting, though offbeat, companion is Alcoholica Esterica billed as "a collection of useful and useless information as it relates to the history and consumption of all manner of booze." The handiwork of Ian Lender ($14.00, Penguin Books), the author has put together a mélange of chapters about all forms of alcoholic beverages, its role in history such as giving rise to Prohibition, and the rise of Alcoholics Anonymous. As with anything pleasurable, a moderate approach is the best approach, but you can dive right into this very entertaining book. For lovers of ancient history, Robert Bittlestone, with James Diggle and John Underhill have solved the mystery of Homer’s "Odyssey", a classic tale that has fascinated scholars for over 2,000 years. Just where was the Ithaca described in the story? Now, I grant you that this is stuff that a relative handful will grapple with, but the authors of Odysseus Unbound: The Search for Homer’s Ithaca ($40.00, Cambridge University Press) have been investigating this since 1998. Using modern technology to visualize and analyze a mass of data, combining it with advanced satellite imagery and other techniques, the result is a massive book of nearly 600 pages that pinpoints the location of Homeric Ithaca among islands of western Greece. The book is handsomely illustrated with full color photos and art. It is not light reading, nor is it going to be on any bestseller lists, but it must be said that it is an interesting detective story that shines a light on the past and its scholarly achievement must be acknowledged.
I am not sure when the first how-to book was published, but even in the Middle Ages there were various tracts on farming and other topics. Today, the how-to book market is huge and one can find a book on just about any topic imaginable. Those like myself who make their living as professional writers will find Author Law A-Z: A Desktop Guide to Writer’s Rights and Responsibilities of interest. Written by Sallie Randolph ($21.95, Capital Books, Dulles, VA) it will prove of value to authors, editors, literary agents and journalists. The author is an attorney as well as a fellow member of the American Society of Journalists of Authors, an organization to which I have belonged since the 1970s. Chock-full of expert advice, it provides legal definitions and the kind of information one needs to know when dealing with various publishing situations. This is about the real business of writing and, if you fit that description, you need this book. Two books from the editors of Socrates.com deal in quite different topics. One is The Complete Landlording Handbook ($19.95, Socrates Media, Chicago, IL) and it is directed to people who are managing real estate for income or retirement on a part-time basis. It takes the reader through all the basics of purchasing property, finding tenants, collecting rent, and knowing about all the other issues involved. It’s a good investment to make before you get into property management. The other guide is Divorce: Preparing for Legal, Financial, and Personal Decisions ($19.95) from the same folks and, here again, it prepares the reader for all the issues and problems that are involved. Since nearly half of all marriages get dissolved these days, this is one of those books you should read if your own marriage appears headed for the rocks. Both books come with CDs that provide information in that format. There’s even a book on how to start and run your own fashion business. The Fashion Designer Survival Guide by Mary Gehlhar ($22.95, Dearborn Trade Publishing) is filled with practical tips, strategies and advice from both newcomers and industry veterans. If you or someone you know yearns to become the next Donna Karen or Tommy Hilfiger, this is definitely the book to get.
Kiplinger’s is out with the third edition of two how-to books. There’s the Practical Guide to Your Money ($18.95, Dearborn Trade Publishing) that is a mighty opus on how to keep more of it, make it grow, enjoy it, protect it and pass it on. The average American household, we’re told, carries $8,000 of credit card bills and 65% of fulltime workers of all ages are either behind in their retirement savings goals or haven’t started yet. In these times, a book like this can prove a big help. Then there’s Making Money in Real Estate by Carolyn Janik, another Kiplinger title ($18.95, Dearborn Trade Publishing) that will take you through out the things you need to know to be a successful investor. This is a thorough guide to the topic and the author has written more than a dozen other books on the subject of real estate. You could spend a lot of money attending seminars or you could buy this book. The Mother-of-the-Bride Book: Giving Your Daughter a Wonderful Wedding is one of those self-explanatory titles. Written by Sharon Naylor ($15.95, Citadel Press, an imprint of Kensington Publishing Corp), the author’s credentials alone are sufficient to recommend the book because she is one of the nation’s leading experts on the subject, having authored over twenty other books on weddings and honeymoons. She’s also the author of an entertaining novel reviewed here earlier, "It’s My Wedding Too". Suffice it to say this book has everything the mother of the bride needs to know from putting a guest list together to designing a seating chart, throwing an engagement party, et cetera, et cetera! There are also Kensington books available for grooms and mothers of the groom in the event they want to learn what to do. This book’s worksheets and checklist are invaluable. Did you know that Americans will spend nearly $70 billion this year on weddings and related purchases? Now you know why you need this book! Two shorter, softcover guides by Naylor are also available. The Busy Bride’s Essential Wedding Checklists ($7.95) and The Essential Guide to Wedding Etiquette ($10.95); both published by Sourcebooks Casablanca. Both are full of excellent advice to insure a perfect wedding. And what follows the wedding? Why, children of course. And these days that often also means that both parents must work. Thus, finding a childcare provider becomes an important choice. Not Just a Babysitter: Making Child Care Work for You ($10.95, Redleaf Press, St. Paul, MN.) is part of a new series from this publisher called Redleaf Guides for Parents. This guide takes parents step-by-step through finding and establishing a good relationship to insure the child’s learning and behavior issues are addressed. Another book in this series is Behavior Matters: Making Child Care Work for You ($10.95) and it addresses all the things parents worry about in raising a child who might be a finicky eater or letting them watch different kinds of television programs or what to do when they get caught telling a lie. The list is endless and, here again, this book explores the questions a parent must have answered before entrusting their child to a care provider. Kid Stuff: Books for Younger Readers We’ll start with some new titles on audio. From Harper Audio, there’s Mary Engelbreit’s Mother Goose CD with a hundred best loved verses ($13.95) read by the actress Lynn Redgrave, good for 70 minutes of entertainment for the very young. If you have a youngster in the eighth grade and up, he or she will find lots of laughs in Allen Kurzweil’s Leon and the Champion Chip ($25.95, 5 CDs) as Leon, P.W., and Lily-Matisse study "The Potato in All its Forms" in their fifth grade science class applying their skills to reviving the lost powers of a magical doll. For those kids who like being scared, there’s The Last Apprentice: Revenge of the Witch by Joseph Delancy ($25.95, 5 CDs) about a boy apprenticed to the local spook. And just as scary, there’s Son of a Witch by Gregory Maguire ($39.95, 12 CDs) for 14 hours worth of a return to the Land of Oz after Dorothy has killed the wicked witch. There we are introduced to a young boy who was left for dead, but returned to health by the silent novice, Candle, in the Cloister of Saint Glinda. Oz is under new and dangerous management after the Wizard departed with Dorothy, so this is a decidedly darker tale. For the very young comes a picture book based on a poem by Robert Frost, The Cow in Apple Time, brilliantly illustrated by Dean Yeagle ($15.95, Beekman & Hathaway), perfect for the child aged 4 to 7. This poem about a cow besotted by eating apples instead of grass is just wonderful. In a similar fashion, the artwork by Lee Edward Fodi that illustrates I’ll Follow the Moon ($16.95, Brown Books Publishing Group, Dallas, TX), a story by Stephanie Lisa Tara, enhances the story of a baby sea turtle breaking free from its egg, scrambling down the beach and into the sea to meet up with its mother. This is a comforting story that assures a child they will always be able to follow the light of a mother’s love.
Every so often, a book comes along that tries too hard. Maybe it’s because I am just an old codger, but Piggies by Brian Rock with illustrations by Kate Hudnall ($14.99, First Light Publishing, Chesterfield, VA) just didn’t work for me. Though written for those 4 to 8 years old, it is beyond just being silly. The baby piggy and all the others in this story aren’t really all that likeable and the pig theme becomes rapidly redundant. I felt the same way about Dinosaurs by Benedicte Guethier ($11.95, Kane/Miller) that comes with a big half-moon carved out of it so that, when you open it, there’s a big hole in each page. Written and designed for the pre-schooler, it uses the real names of dinosaurs which would be unpronounceable to any child and ends with a tyrannosaurus threatening to each the others. Not exactly a bedtime tale. I am assured, however, that very little kids will love it. In Style with Grandma Antoinette is about a day spent at a beauty salon by little Rosie ($15.95, Tanglewood Press). Judith Caseley has written and illustrated 38 books for children, so this one for those 4 to 8 years of age is going to probably delight any little girl as it introduces her to things like lipstick, hair styles, nail polish, et cetera. Parents who want to help their child learn about their body’s bones, muscles, heart, and more will find My Bodyworks that comes with a 12-song CD a clever way to introduce a youngster, four to eight, about these things. Written by Jane Schoenberg with music by Steven Schoenberg, and illustrated by Cynthia Fisher ($16.95, Crocodile Books USA, Northampton, MA), this multimedia project provides an excellent introduction to the various parts of the body that let us all function in life. At the same time, it offers some good health tips to keep that body strong and well. For the younger reader aged 8 to 12 or so, there’s a delightful new story by Lee Edward Fodi, Kendra Kandlestar and the Box of Whispers ($16.95/$8.95, Brown Books, Dallas, TX, hard and softcover). For over a thousand years, the Box of Whispers has guarded the most precious treasure in the Land of Een, but when the box is suddenly stolen, young Kendra Kandlestar embarks on an adventure where doors speak in riddles, plants cast spells, and strange creatures lurk in every shadow. With only a handful of enchanted carrot seeds to help her, the question is will Kendra be able to face these dangers and find the fabled chest? In the process, Kendra will learn about loyalty, friendship, prejudice, and the power of facing your fears. In some ways this novel reminded me of the Wizard of Oz, but it also has elements of the Harry Potter series as well. In the end, it is a well-told tale that deserves a wide audience. For girls, aged 10 to 14, there’s The Desperate Message from Freeman’s Island, book four of "The Eel Grass Girls Mystery Series ($12.95, Emma Howard Books, New York, NY) by Rachel Nickerson Luna. A message in a bottle sends the Eel Grass Girls on an adventure as Mollie Parker organizes a rescue, townsfolk and even her little brother disappear. This nautical mystery is part of a series that follows four young girls who meet at sailing school on Cape Cod. The message from a desperate castaway is the start of a story that will thorough enthrall a younger reader.
Alison Lurie has a track record of many novels including Foreign Affairs, winner of the Pulitzer Press, The War Between the Tates, and The Last Resort, so it is good news she is back with Truth and Consequences ($23.95, Viking Books). Hailed by critics as one of America’s leading comic novelists, a reputation established in 1974 with her fourth novel, she’s the kind of writer reviewers eagerly look forward to read again. Her latest work is about two couples whose physical and mental health creates a bit of mayhem on the small upstate New York campus. The novel focuses on female need and male ego as hypochondria, as well as real aches and pains, become the background for upper middle class social discourse. This is sharp, insightful writing that explores the impact on a couple when one of them has chronic pain. It is about the strains on love that illness produces. First published in London, Allison & Busby have crossed the Big Pond and shared two mysteries by well-regarded British authors. They are Heirs and Graces by Gerald Hammond and Rogues’ Gallery by John Malcolm (distributed by International Publishers Marketing Dulles, VA). How to ruin a honeymoon could be the subtitle of the first novel as a couple’s getaway on a cruise liner ends with a call to return home to care for a cantankerous uncle who dies shortly after they arrive. Then it is discovered that large withdrawals from his bank account have been made since his death. It is a classic "who done it" story. The latter novel has a rather complex plot involving a banker’s local bookseller, some thugs sent to rough him up, the murder of a researcher and theft of several paintings. The banker turns detective to unravel that whole thing and you will want to go along for the ride.
Lastly, there’s A Foreign Policy by Richard Graham-Yooll ($6.99, Medallion Press, Palm Beach, FL, a paperback). Visitors to Bookviews.com know I generally do not include paperbacks simply because there are so many of them, but this debut thriller is a classic page-turner. It is the story of Guy Sinclair, a Boston insurance executive who faces beheading in Saudi Arabia when caught between international fraud and a local insurgency. In the cold calculus of statecraft some in the US government think that the execution might score points by justifying the Saudi system of justice. However, an attractive Arab-American academic becomes convinced of Sinclair’s innocence and plots his escape. Together they race for the border as Saudi Arabia erupts into revolution. The author’s background includes having worked in the Middle East, making him exceptionally well prepared to spin this very timely story. For more information, visit www.medallionpress.com. That’s it for November. Come back in December for a look at some great new fiction and non-fiction. And tell your friends who also love to read to visit Bookviews.com. Don’t forget to visit our Featured Books section for word about some very unique books. |
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Contact: Alan Caruba |
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Check out the section on books about history below, but one book in this genre needs to be given special mention. It is Winning the Vote: The Triumph of the American Woman Suffrage Movement ($85.00, American Graphic Press, Santa Cruz, CA. Can be ordered directly from the National Women’s History Project via the website at 
They are so much a part of our lives we no longer give them any thought. They are the television commercials for prescription drugs that we are told will cure a variety of ailments and prolong our lives. Americans give little thought to the full implications of these and other drugs. We are accustomed to asking to have them prescribed, having them recommended, and to taking them. Are there hidden dangers? Have we been conditioned to think of drugs as the answer to every problem, mental and physical? These are some of the questions asked and answered in Generation Rx: How Prescription Drugs Are Altering American Lives, Minds and Bodies. The author, Greg Critser, ($24.95, Houghton Mifflin) illuminates the process behind the way the nation’s major pharmaceutical companies have by-passed physicians and gone to the public to create demand. Anyone who has ever taken a moment to examine the side affects of some of these drugs would have pause to consider taking them and Critser confirms the truth of this, particularly for their affect on young or old bodies, not to mention the even riskier aspects of taking several different pills at the same time.
The same era is the topic of Winston Churchill’s book, The World Crisis: 1911-1918, as he provides the history of the years leading up to and including World War I ($19.00, Free Press, division of Simon & Schuster, softcover). Churchill served as First Lord of the Admiralty and Minister for War and Air during this period, giving him not only participation, but also a front row seat on events. A marvelous writer, he recounts the major campaigns that shaped events and the modern warfare which was introduced, using airplanes, chemicals, and, of course, the outdated reliance, not on swift movement of troops, but the older concept of trench warfare. Happily, too, we also have Martin Gilbert’s Churchill and America ($30.00, Free Press, division of Simon & Schuster, hardcover) in which the noted historian examines the relationship of Churchill, one-half American on his mother’s side, and the nation with which he had a long and warm relationship over a span of 66 years. This is not to say his relationships with Roosevelt, Truman and Eisenhower always ran smoothly, but together they saved democracy and defeated its enemies. Anyone who is a fan or just curious about this indisputably great man of the last century will enjoy this account.
From the audiobook stack, there are two that provide hours of pleasure for those who enjoy history. Both are from Harper Audio. A Crack in the Edge of the World ($39.95, 10 CDs) tells the story of the 1906 Earthquake that devastated San Francisco. The other is The Professor and the Madman ($14.95, 6 CDs). It is a tale of murder, insanity, and the making of the Oxford English Dictionary that brought together two men in an extraordinary project that began in 1857. The chairman of the committee overseeing the project discovered that one man had submitted more than 10,000 definitions and, to his astonishment, the man was also an inmate at an asylum for the criminally insane! And here’s an added twist; both books are written by Simon Winchester and read by the author. They both afford hours of entertaining listening.
If you own a home and want to protect it and everything in it, then The Savvy Guide to Home Security by John Paul Mueller ($22.95, Indy-Tech Publishing, Indianapolis) pretty much provides all the things you need to know. This book goes beyond the prepackaged system a national provider wants to sell you. The author explains the different types of components and systems to help you understand what you need and how it works. He even explains how you can install your own system or work with a security company to design a custom monitored system. There are three new books on remodeling and renovating one’s home, any one of which offers good advice and ideas. Home Therapy by Lauri Ward ($34.95, G.P. Putnam’s Sons) is a handsome hardcover with plenty of photos and floor plans for just about any room in the house and any situation one might encounter. One’s furniture and where it is positioned is more important than you might imagine. Room for Improvement by Barbara Kavovit ($24.95, Rodale) is a softcover that will appeal to the do-it-yourself decorator who wants to learn how to select the right tools and make the right decisions before you set about painting a room, fixing a lamp or the sink. Extensively illustrated, Barbara K, as she is known, offers a bounty of tools, tips and inspiration. The last of these books is What No One Ever Tells You About Renovating Your Home by Alan J. Heavens ($18.95, Dearborn Trade Publishing). The author has been writing about real estate and home improvement for more than 15 years in the Philadelphia Inquirer, so he knows the subject inside and out. This is a cautionary book that should be read by anyone unfamiliar with a paintbrush or a screwdriver. Before you spend the money and the time, if you are unsure of what to do first, but are determined to try your hand and home renovation, this is definitely a book I would recommend you read.
Many children’s books set out deliberately to teach a moral or political truth of some sort. These stories mean well, but they sometimes deliver the message with a heavy hand. The Little Cupcakes by AnthonyKing, illustrated by Sue Hellard, ($15.95, Cupcake Publishing, Ridgewood, NJ) is aimed at kids age 4 to 10. In this beautifully illustrated, large format book, Caitlin comes home from school where she had brought cupcakes for her classmates, but her teacher had removed the top of each cake saying that she was afraid someone would get chocolate instead of vanilla and be unhappy. In truth, this kind of thinking is not uncommon in schools where games are often played without keeping score so that "no one loses." In the real world winning or losing is part of life. This book makes the point that nothing in the world is the same whether it’s trees, people, or ideas. This is a lesson that any child should learn and this book does a good job of conveying it. A similar effort to teach the value of even a penny occurs in No Small Change, written by John Luksetich and illustrated by Patti Kern ($14.95, Imagine Nation Press, Long Beach, CA). The author is a 14-year veteran teacher for elementary education and this book, for children age 4 to 8, is intended to teach the value of even a single penny and how, together with others, they can add up to even greater value. The world of money comes alive with illustrations as pennies bowl over nickels, dimes, quarters and even dollars.
The rise of publishing operations that permit novelists to whom the doors of the larger houses might be closed because they lack an agent, fame, or simply are competing with so many others, has provided them the opportunity to reach an appreciative audience. This is surely the case of The Oculi Incident by Regis Schilken ($16.95, Turnkey Press, Austin, TX). It is an extremely well written novel of suspense and, happily, one that moves along in a chronological fashion that provides a timeline for its extraordinary events. History is filled with stories of miraculous, religious apparitions. Even in modern times, they continue to attract attention. In this novel, when an ancient crucifix begins to display "tears", the pastor of the church does not see it as a miracle and is, in fact, skeptical of the phenomenon. Surely there is a scientific explanation. However, the congregation has few doubts and when the media picks up the story, events begin to move swiftly as the devout and the merely curious descend on the church. Then, strange, hideous deaths begin to occur and Pastor Paul Logue begins to seek an answer, ultimately finding himself in the presence of evil. Schilken, a retired Pittsburgh educator, displays a talent for fiction that any reviewer is delighted to discover among the many novels that arrive. For more information about this book, visit our 
Some clever softcover novels are available. Gary Benchley, Rock Star by Paul Ford ($14.00, Plume) tells the story of the exciting, hysterical, and sometimes frightening chronicles of a wannabe band leader who leaves his dead-end life in Albany and seeks his fortune in, of all places, Williamsburg, Brooklyn. He actually manages to put together a band that includes a gay synthesizer player, a hot chick drummer, and a black bassist. For a look at the bizarre music scene that exists today, this novel has it all. By contrast, there’s Dearest Dorothy, Who Would Have Ever Thought? This is the fourth in a series of novels starring an 87-year-old irresistible heroine, Dorothy Jean Wetstra who lives in a charming Illinois town called Partonville ($10.95, Penguin Books). The author, Charlene Ann Baumbich recreates life in Middle America with perfect pitch. In this story, the residents are preparing for an elaborate Thanksgiving dinner at the local church. Sound hooky? Not a bit. It’s great fun. From Kensington Publishing Corporation come two entertaining novels that the ladies will love. Sex and the Single Witch by a trio of authors ($12.95) reveals that even witches can have trouble finding Mr. Right. In other words, never underestimate the power of a little black dress and a little white magic. Really Bad Boys by MaryJanice Davidson ($14.00) is a contemporary romance about a trio of brothers who sweep three women off their feet. If you’re looking for a lot of fun and an easy read, either one of these two novels will fill the bill.