New Books - April 2008

DS79.76 .Z357 2007
City of Widows : An Iraqi Woman's Account of War and Resistance
Zangana, Haifa, 1950-

Publishers Weekly Review:

Starred Review. In her opening line, Iraqi novelist (and former prisoner of Saddam Hussein) Zangana lays out this Iraq primer's unapologetic intent: "that readers in the West will gain insight into a country they have impacted so fully and terribly." With 300,000 widows in Baghdad alone, another million across the country, and thousands of women imprisoned without acknowledgement-much less hope for legal recourse-Zangana's dispatches are different from those of U.S. and Iraqi officials who, she says, claim to support "women's empowerment" while sponsoring militant sectarian forces with "barbaric ideas" about women in society. The U.S. media, according to Zangana, is happy to fall in line: by repeating the story that Iraqis are killing Iraqis by the hundreds each day, the American reflex has become to blame the victims, rather than an occupation that has deliberately dismantled the country's only ways of coping. Putting the current moment in perspective with an engaging history of women's rights in Iraq, Zangana convincingly indentifies the current Iraqi moment "a terrible state of regression." This angry, unforgiving and powerful book is as vital as it is hard to swallow. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

New Books - April 2008

S494.5 .B563 C86 2008
Uncertain Peril : Genetic Engineering and the Future of Seeds
Cummings, Claire Hope, 1943-

Publishers Weekly Review:

Former environmental lawyer and one-time farmer Cummings offers a persuasive account of a lesser-known but potentially apocalyptic threat to the world's ecology and food supply the privatization of the Earth's seed stock. For almost a century, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has provided seeds at no cost to farmers who then saved seeds from one harvest to another, eventually developing strains best suited to local or regional climates. But Cummings also tells how seeds became lucrative, patentable private properties for some of the nation's most powerful agribusinesses. Cummings bemoans the plague of sameness intensified by the advent of such fitfully regulated companies as Monsanto, which now not only own genetically modified seed varieties, but also sue farmers when wind inevitably blows seeds onto their neighboring fields. According to Cummings, this tyranny of the technological[ly]elite threatens agricultural diversity and taints food sources. Among the author's many startling statistics is that 97% of 75 vegetables whose seeds were once available from the USDA are now extinct. Cummings heralds plans for a Doomsday Vault to shelter existing natural seed stock, and finds comfort in organic farming's growth, but her authoritative portrait of another way in which our planet is at peril provides stark food for thought. (Mar.) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

New Books - April 2008

KF224 .H468 C65 2006

"Colored Men" and "Hombres Aquí" : Hernández v. Texas and the Emergence of Mexican-American Lawyering

Olivas, Michael A.

From the Publisher:

This collection of ten essays commemorates the 50th anniversary of an important but almost forgotten U.S. Supreme court case, Hernández v. Texas, 347 US 475 (1954), the major case involving Mexican Americans and jury selection, published just before Brown v. Board of Education in the 1954 Supreme Court reporter.
This landmark case, the first to be tried by Mexican American lawyers before the U.S. Supreme Court, held that Mexican Americans were a discrete group for purposes of applying Equal Protection. Although the case was about discriminatory state jury selection and trial practices, it has been cited for many other civil rights precedents in the intervening 50 years. Even so, it has not been given the prominence it deserves, in part because it lives in the shadow of the more compelling Brown v. Board case.
There had been earlier efforts to diversify juries, reaching back at least to the trial of Gregorio Cortez in 1901 and continuing with efforts by the legendary Oscar Zeta Acosta in Los Angeles in the 1960s. Even as recently as 2005 there has been clear evidence that Latino participation in the Texas jury system is still substantially unrepresentative of the growing population. But in a brief and shining moment in 1954, Mexican-American lawyers prevailed in a system that accorded their community no legal status and no respect. Through sheer tenacity, brilliance, and some luck, they showed that it is possible to tilt against windmills and slay the dragon.
Edited and with an introduction by University of Houston law scholar Michael A. Olivas, Colored Men and Hombres Aquí is the first full-length book on this case. This volume contains the papers presented at the Hernández at 50 conference which took place in 2004 at the University of Houston Law Center and also contains source materials, trial briefs, and a chronology of the case.

New Books - April 2008

QE721.2 .E85 P76 2007
Evolution : What the Fossils Say and Why it Matters

Prothero, Donald R.

Publishers Weekly Review:

Prothero, a geologist at Occidental College (After the Dinosaurs), explains how rich the fossil record has become. His goal is two-fold. First, he wants to demonstrate the wide variety of transitional forms that have been found, many within the past 20 years. Second, he aims to discredit the creationist movement. I have tried to document how they routinely distort or deny the evidence, quote out of context, and do many other dishonest and unethical things all in the name of pushing their crusade. He accomplishes both of his goals (though he can be repetitious regarding the creationists), and his descriptions of recent research, much of it his own, are compelling. Prothero explains that the Cambrian explosion of life forms was anything but an explosion, and presents the impressive transitional fossils between reptiles and birds, along with striking evidence for mammalian evolution, including the relationship among hominid groups. With good science and some specific rebuttals to creationist arguments, this book demonstrates the importance of paleontology to the study of evolution. 208 illus. (Nov.) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

New Books - April 2008

BQ5395 .Y66 2007
The Joy of Living : Unlocking the Secret and Science of Happiness
Yongey Mingyur, Rinpoche, 1976-

Publishers Weekly Review:

Starred Review. This refreshing book is yet another sign that the next generation of Buddhism is creative, cross-cultural and cross-disciplinary. Born in 1975 in Nepal, the author is among the generation of Tibetan lamas trained outside of Tibet, and he's also a gifted meditator. His brain activity has been measured during meditation, earning him the enviable sobriquet of "happiest man on earth." He fuses scientific and spiritual considerations, explaining meditation as a physical as well as a spiritual process. Mingyur Rinpoche knows from experience that meditation can change the brain. He experienced panic attacks as a child that he was able to overcome through intensive meditation. If diligently practiced, meditation can affect the "neuronal gossip" his imaginative rendering of brain cell communication that keeps us stuck in unhappy behaviors. The meditation master offers a wide variety of techniques, counseling ease in practice to avoid boredom or aversion. Less is more; practice shorter periods more often, he says. His approach will be especially welcome for anyone frustrated by meditation or convinced they're "not doing it right." This book is a fresh breath from the meditation room, written with kindness, energy and wit. Three cheers for a cheerful contemplative. (Mar. 6) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

New Books - April 2008

HV875.56 .T36 R39 2007
The Baby Thief : The Untold Story of Georgia Tann, the Baby Seller Who Corrupted Adoption
Raymond, Barbara Bisantz.

Publishers Weekly Review:

Starred Review. An episode in American adoption history little remembered by the public at large, the crimes of nationally-lauded Memphis orphanage director Georgia Tann are skillfully and passionately recounted by freelance writer Raymond, herself an adoptive mom. The portrait of Tann that emerges is a domineering, indefatigable figure with an insane commitment to ends-justify-the-means logic, who oversaw three decades of baby-stealing, baby-selling and unprecedented neglect. Meanwhile, she did more to popularize, commercialize and influence adoption in America than anyone before her. Tann operated carte blanche under corrupt Mayor Edward Hull Crump from the 1920s to the '50s, employing a nefarious network of judges, attorneys, social workers and politicos, whom she sometimes bribed with "free" babies; her clients included the rich, the famous and the entirely unfit (who more than occasionally returned their disappointing children for a refund). "Spotters" located babies and young children ripe for abduction-from women too uneducated or exhausted to fight back-and Tann made standard practice of altering birth certificates and secreting away adoption records to attract buyers and cover her tracks-self-serving moves that have become standard practice in modern adoption. A riveting array of interviews with Tann's former charges reveals adults still struggling with their adoption ordeal, childhood memories stacked with sexual abuse, torture and confusion. Raymond's dogged investigation makes a strong case for "ridding adoptions of lies and secrets," warning that "until we do, Tann and her imitators will continue to corrupt adoption." A rigorous, fascinating, page-turning tale, this important book is not for the timorous. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

New Books - April 2008

HQ775 .T55 2008

It's a boy! : Understanding Your Son's Development from Birth to Age 18

Thompson, Michael, 1947-

Library Journal Review:

Psychologist Thompson and journalist Barker's previous three cowritten books including the high-profile Raising Cain: Protecting the Emotional Life of Boys are all about parenting, and parenting boys in particular. In this more comprehensive work, they provide parenting advice tied to eight different stages of child development; there is a chapter on each and an additional one addressing the psychology of transitioning to parenthood. The clever format makes this both an easy resource for short reads about your child's current developmental stage and a good way to get answers to specific questions. Small insets contain quotations from a boy or a parent whom the authors interviewed, while larger insets focus on such typical parenting issues as determining when your child is ready for kindergarten, sibling rivalry, and corporal punishment (banned, as the authors point out, in many EU countries). The chapters on boys aged 14 18 are particularly strong, with useful, intelligent information about academic underachievement and boys' computer, video-game, and television usage. The authors encourage parents not to pathologize and, above all, to enjoy their boys. Recommended for all public libraries. Fran Mentch, Cleveland State Univ. Lib. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

New Books - April 2008

HT867 .B356 2007

Ending slavery : how we free today's slaves
Bales, Kevin.

Publishers Weekly Review:

Starred Review. Bales (Understanding Global Slavery) provides a guide for eliminating the plague of slavery that continues to this day, involving some 27 million slaves worldwide producing $13 billion in goods and services. Bales provides a thorough overview of slavery, including its history, its methods, the lives of its victims around the world and the conditions under which it flourishes (modern slaves "are cheap, and they are disposable"); most importantly, Bales has put together guides to action at every level, from the individual to the community to the United Nations, in a six-point plan that includes protecting, arming and cloning "the liberators," enacting and enforcing effective antislavery legislation and, perhaps most important (and overlooked), helping freed slaves heal ("liberation is just the first step on a long road"). Alongside those goals, Bales also considers practical matters, including fundraising, increasing awareness among the general public and convincing governments to pay attention: though "all political leaders denounce slavery," its numbers are still up, "perpetrators go uncaught... and the minimal resources needed to rehabilitate freed slaves are not available." Shocking, saddening, angering and inspiring, this volume reveals in full a side of the global market many Americans simply do not know about, clueing readers in on "the extent of their own involvement in global slavery," and the unthinkable injustices that could be taking place even in their local communities. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

New Books - April 2008

E185.2 .B545 2008
Slavery by another name : the re-enslavement of Black people in America from the Civil War to World War II
Blackmon, Douglas A.

Publishers Weekly Review:

Starred Review. Wall Street Journal bureau chief Blackmon gives a groundbreaking and disturbing account of a sordid chapter in American history the lease (essentially the sale) of convicts to commercial interests between the end of the 19th century and well into the 20th. Usually, the criminal offense was loosely defined vagrancy or even changing employers without permission. The initial sentence was brutal enough; the actual penalty, reserved almost exclusively for black men, was a form of slavery in one of hundreds of forced labor camps operated by state and county governments, large corporations, small time entrepreneurs and provincial farmers. Into this history, Blackmon weaves the story of Green Cottenham, who was charged with riding a freight train without a ticket, in 1908 and was sentenced to three months of hard labor for Tennessee Coal, Iron & Railroad, a subsidiary of U.S. Steel. Cottenham's sentence was extended an additional three months and six days because he was unable to pay fines then leveraged on criminals. Blackmon's book reveals in devastating detail the legal and commercial forces that created this neoslavery along with deeply moving and totally appalling personal testimonies of survivors. Every incident in this book is true, he writes; one wishes it were not so. (Mar.) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc.

New Books - April 2008

E184 .M5 R587 2007
Mongrels, bastards, orphans, and vagabonds : Mexican immigration and the future of race in America

Rodriguez, Gregory.

Booklist Review:

As the largest contingent of the fastest growing minority population in the U.S., Mexican immigrants promise to put an indelible stamp on American culture and notions of race and ethnicity. Mexican scholar Rodriguez examines historical and social factors that have caused the current level of Mexican migration to the U.S. and the greatest contribution of Mexicans, the concept of mestizaje, or racial and cultural synthesis. Mexico's history of conquest and intermixing with the indigenous people has produced a greater tolerance for mixing than has the U.S. history of slavery and stricter definitions of race. Moreover, the evolution of attitudes of Mexican immigrants themselves-from desire to be counted as white to advocacy for a broader classification or none at all-adds to the more nuanced view of ethnic identity. Rodriguez traces changes in Mexican immigration, fueled by politics and economics in the U.S. and Mexico, and the growing Chicano movement. Rodriguez explores what effect this mestizaje, earned after a long history, though not so tortured as that of the U.S., will have on American culture, racial identity, and minority politics. Bush, Vanessa.

New Books - April 2008

HD4865 .U6 B68 2007

Nobodies : modern American slave labor and the dark side of the new global economy
Bowe, John.

Publishers Weekly Review:

Starred Review. In this eye-opening look at the contemporary American scourge of labor abuse and outright slavery, journalist and author Bowe (Gig: Americans Talk About their Jobs) visits locations in Florida, Oklahoma and the U.S.-owned Pacific island of Saipan, where slavery cases have been brought to light as recently as 2006. There, he talks to affected workers, providing many moving and appalling first-hand accounts. In Immokalee, Florida, migrant Latino tomato and orange pickers are barely paid, kept in decrepit conditions and intimidated, violently, to keep quiet about it. A welding factory in Tulsa, Oklahoma imported workers from India who were forced to pay exorbitant "recruiting fees" and live in squalid barracks with tightly controlled access to the outside world. Considering the tiny island capital of Saipan, Bowe explores how its culture, isolation and American ties made it so favorable an environment for exploitative garment manufacturers and corrupt politicos; alongside the factories sprouted karaoke bars, strip joints and hotels where politicians were entertained by now-imprisoned lobbyist Jack Abramoff. The detailed chapter gives readers a lasting image of the island, touted a "miracle of economic development," as a vulnerable, truly suffering community, where poverty rates have climbed as high as 35 percent. Bowe's deeply researched, well-written treatise on the very real problem of modern American slavery deserves the attention of anyone living, working and consuming in America. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

New Books - April 2008

HV6432.7 .T69 2007
Tower stories : an oral history of 9/11
DiMarco, Damon.

Publishers Weekly Review:

Starred Review. The only widely available oral history of 9/11 from the perspective of New Yorkers, this monumental work (originally released by Revolution in 2004) has been updated for the sixth anniversary of the national tragedy. In the weeks following the World Trade Center attack, DiMarco, in the tradition of Studs Terkel, wandered Manhattan collecting the stories of Gothamites who survived the collapse of the towers, came to help or simply bore witness-whether from elsewhere in the city, across the country or overseas. Two major themes emerge, the first concerning the heroism of common decency: Florence Engoran, five months pregnant on the day of the attack, was helped down 55 flights of stairs by near-strangers, "two men who promised that they were gonna stay with me the whole time down, which they did." In the same vein, Jan Demczur relates how he used his window washing tools to save himself and an elevator full of people, and Dr. Walter Gerasimowicz tells of the men who aided him when he was forced to evacuate without his crutches. The rigors of loss and mourning make a second theme: Patrick Charles Welsh, whose wife perished on Flight 93, says, "I was so devastated by this unheard cry of souls... This moan of humanity going straight up to heaven." Though a good idea, the scholarly essays that close the book, concerning the U.S.-Middle East relations, feel off-puttingly distant compared to the stories that precede them. DiMarco's contribution to the memory of that horrific day is enormous; the testimonies collected here form an amazing, one-of-a-kind account. Photos. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

New Books - April 2008

PE1128 .A2 R454 2002
Book bridges for ESL students : using young adult and children's literature to teach ESL
Reid, Suzanne Elizabeth.

CHOICE Review:

Reid (Emory and Henry College) presents book titles and activity suggestions for teaching English as a second language. She covers the basics, picture books, reading and literature, history, science, mathematics, multicultural (mainly non-English) classes, and special populations from children to adults. The author critiques each book title, giving information on how the book might be useful and commenting on language level and illustrations. This makes her volume practical for busy classroom teachers. The book includes a bibliography of picture books, resources for teaching history, math, and science, and on multicultural themes, when most students in the class do not speak English and for special populations, along with a separate annotated bibliography of resources for teachers. All of these make the book easy to use. This practical book is recommended for professionals/practitioners and students preparing to become ESL teachers. From: Syndetics Solutions, Inc. Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.

New Books - April 2008

PZ7 .H2313 WHE 2007
When Randolph Turned Rotten
Harper, Charise Mericle.

School Library Journal Review:

Starred Review. PreS-Gr 2 Best friends Randolph (a beaver) and Ivy (a Canada goose) do everything together until Ivy receives an invitation to an all-girls sleepover at her cousin's beach house. Her constant chatter about the party has her friend feeling a little left out and a bit jealous. "That's when Randolph's insides changed from very-best-friend insides to horrible, rotten, awful, and icky insides." Ivy is totally oblivious to his feelings. She doesn't even find it odd when Randolph insists that she take a huge heavy blanket, a pointy stick for protection from beach bears, or a marshmallow necklace to throw at the bears should they attack. She even carries the extra-heavy suitcase that Randolph has filled with logs. At first, he is pleased with his rotten self, but then he begins to miss his best friend and feels remorse. Ironically, it is Randolph's rotten tricks that save the party when the guests are accidentally locked out of the house and must spend the night on the beach. The acrylic cartoons are colorful, yet simple. Facial detail is minimal, but still expressive. Randolph changes from nice guy to reprobate with just the addition of two heavy brows above his eyes. The illustrations add humor, extend the narrative, and complete the story with dialogue balloons. Readers will recognize a bit of themselves in Randolph. Friends (or siblings) will appreciate the strength of relationships and the importance of forgiveness. A great title for one-on-one or individual reading. Carolyn Janssen, Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, OH Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

New Books - April, 2008

PZ7.S5543 KEE 2007
Keeping Corner
Sheth, Kashmira.

Booklist Review:

*Starred Review* Engaged at 2 and married at 9, 12-year-old Leela is awaiting her anu ceremony, after which she will move to her in-laws' home. But her husband is killed, and she suddenly becomes a widow. Her loving family follows the Brahman customs: Leela's head is shaved, her bright clothes are exchanged for plain ones, and most difficult of all, she must "keep corner," unable to leave her family's home for one year. She fears the saying that a widow's life "is like a living death," but India's fight for independence is escalating, and through discussions with her brother and her female tutor, both followers of Gandhi, Leela begins to question tradition: "Who started this? And why? Can anyone benefit from it?" Burying herself in news reports, literature, and her own writing, Leela determines to forgo the tradition of widows, who seem to "melt into darkness," and with the support of her brother and tutor, she begins to dream of a hopeful future as an educated, professional woman. Sheth (Blue Jasmine, 2004) sets up a thrilling premise in which politics become achingly personal as Leela's brave, tumultuous coming-of-age plays out in intimate detail against the backdrop of her nation's independence. Idealistic teens will be caught up in the human-rights issues, and the vivid cultural specifics, memorable characters, and the bold adolescent's challenge to tradition will attract a wide readership. Engberg, Gillian.

New Books - April, 2008

G1541 .S1 L3 2007
An Atlas and Survey of Latin American History
LaRosa, Michael (Michael J.)

Book Description:

"An Atlas and survey of Latin American History makes the human and physical geography and the social, cultural, political, and economic history of Latin America accessible in sixty-eight clearly drawn maps and accompanying text. The topical overviews of movements and developments - from the earliest human settlement to the present day and from Mexico and the Caribbean to Cape Horn - bring to light patterns of continuity and change throughout the region and over time."--BOOK JACKET. Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.

New Books - April, 2008

PZ7 .G3626 EL 2008
Eleven
Giff, Patricia Reilly.

Publishers Weekly Review:

Starred Review. The day before he turns 11, Sam searches the attic for hidden birthday presents and discovers more than he bargained for: a newspaper clipping showing a photograph of him as a missing child. In this exquisitely rendered story of self-discovery, Giff (Lily's Crossing) creates what she calls a jig-saw puzzle of a book, showing readers how Sam pieces together artifacts and his own flashbacks to find out whether Mack, the man he has lived with for as long as he can remember, really is his grandfather. Learning the truth requires research, and Sam, a special-needs student who has trouble reading, solicits help from Caroline, a new girl at school. As they embark on two projects building a medieval castle for social studies and solving the mystery of Sam's past they also construct a solid friendship, despite Caroline's parents' plans for another, imminent move. Although the premise echoes that of Caroline Cooney's The Face on the Milk Carton, the similarity ends there. Evoking an entirely different mood and set of circumstances, this intimate story realistically examines friendship, family secrets and the struggles of a learning-disabled child trying to make sense of the world. Given the author's expertise at developing sympathetic characters and creating a suspenseful plot, readers will find the complexity of Sam's vulnerabilities to be as intriguing as the unfolding enigma of his past. Ages 8-13. (Jan.) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

New Books - April, 2008

GC11.2 P73 2001

Practical Handbook of Marine Science

Kennish, Michael J.

Book Description:

Broad coverage of the physical, chemical, and biological aspects of the marine realm, useful as a supplemental reference for undergraduate or graduate marine science courses. Its chapters cover physiography, marine chemistry, physical oceanography, marine geology, marine biology, and pollution and other anthropogenic impacts. The editor is affiliated with the Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences at Rutgers U. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.