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Learning can become a kind of addiction, but it has its rewards. Month after month new books issue forth, filled with knowledge, and if you indulge your passion for facts, there is eventually a kind of exhilaration in knowing enough to cope with an extremely complex world.
Just out this month, Where Does the Money Go? Your Guided Tour to the Federal Budget Crisis ($15.95, Collins, an imprint of HarperCollins) by Scott Bittle and Jean Johnson may not sound like a lot of excitement, but I guarantee you that, if you read this book, you will break out in a sweat over where the United States is heading with its crazed financial system of ever-increasing debt, massive entitlement programs, and all the problems whoever gets elected president this year is going to have to solve. Perhaps the best part of this book is the fact that it is written to insure that anyone can understand it. Self-described optimists, the authors lay out the facts so you can draw your own conclusions and, if you’re like me, you may find yourself pessimistic about a spendthrift federal government and the endless scenarios that could inflict great economic harm to Americans, old and young. Old enough to vote? Read this book! One of the great books of 2007 was Michael Oren’s Power, Faith, and Fantasy: America in the Middle East, 1776-Present and I am pleased to report that this W.W. Norton & Company is publishing a softcover edition ($17.95) this month. Readers will be amazed at America’s long record of involvement with the Middle East, beginning with the fact that one of the major reasons for the creation of the Constitution was the need to build a navy to protect American shipping in the Mediterranean. Barbary pirates, Muslims, were the problem then and Muslim terrorists are the problem now. From missionaries to military missions, Americans have had to deal with the Middle East for more than two centuries at this point. This is a superb book in every respect.
Attention pet owners! How much do pet owners in America spend each year? I think it’s around $40 billion when you add up the veterinary bills, food, and everything else. Book publishers have taken notice. Why Does My Dog Act That Way? Stanley Coren answers that question ($14.00, Free Press, Div. of Simon & Schuster, softcover) with "A Complete Guide to Your Dog’s Personality." The book provides lots of information and insight regarding various breeds and behaviors. Continuing with our canine theme, there’s A Prince Among Dogs and Other Stories of the Dogs We Love" edited by Callie Smith Grant ($12.99, Revell, softcover) offers a collection of 26 dog stories that make for some delightful reading for anyone who owns one or more of the 73 million dogs in the U.S. A comparable collection is A Dickens of a Cat and Other Stories of the Cats We love ($12.99, Revell, softcover) and it, too, will prove entertaining. Madison Avenue Maxi by Elke Gazzara ($22.00, Da Capo Press), the wife of actor, Ben Gazzara, tells an entertaining story of how they reluctantly agreed to take a miniature dachshund into their lives, concerned it would pose problems for their globetrotting life, but soon discovered that Maxi was indispensable. Fans of Gazzara, who often plays tough-guy roles, will enjoy this story of how Maxi stays close by whether it’s a trip to the dentist or a black-tie dinner with Prince Albert of Monaco! I am especially fond of books that provide really useful information and that description fits Lingua Medica: Everyone’s Guide to Understanding Medical Terminology ($9.95, Arts End Books, Dover, VT, softcover). If you have to deal with doctors for any reason, this little reader-friendly book will provide the key to their lingo. Students in the health professions will find it particularly useful. Hats off to its author, Stewart M. Brooks. Good information is always useful, but what do you do with The Best Book of Useless Information Ever by Noel Botham and The Useless Information Society ($12.95, Perigee, an imprint of the Penguin Group, softcover)? Well, you just enjoy it! For anyone who just likes knowing stuff (like me), there’s a world of entertainment in learning how many Americans are injured by musical instruments each year, what the first meal eaten on the moon was, or which nation drinks the most Coca-Cola. The book is addictive and hilarious.
Self-Defense Mental Health Advice Early on in life, if we have half a brain, we figure out that there are people in the world who are just toxic. They are nothing but trouble to themselves and all those around them. There are a number of books to help you cope. First, though, let’s treat ourselves to tons of laughter. Written as a satire of all the Dummies® and Complete Idiot’s® guides, A Psycho’s Guide to Dating Women by John Megara ($19.95, Play Dead Publishing, POB 08014, Fort Myers, FL 33908, softcover) provides advice to "lunatics." This is dark comedy that is absolutely irresistible. The book’s narrator is a self-described "psychopath", but he’s really just every desperate, frequently rejected guy who thinks he’s figured out the opposite sex. He’s really just every guy who knows that "super hotties" are not going to date him because he doesn’t have much money, doesn’t have movie star good looks, and just wants sex. This is HUMOR and not intended to be a serious guide. For a taste of this madness, visit www.psychosguide.com. There is plenty of profanity, but it is appropriate to the task of finding a way through women’s often bewildering demands and behavior when part of the dating scene. It is a book, says the author, devoted to the belief that crazy people need love too. Guys will love it and girls may spot themselves in its pages. For the girls, a more serious approach can be found in How to Date Men: Dating Secrets from America’s Top Matchmaker by Janis Spindel ($14.00, Plume, softcover). It is apparent from this book that men are frequently as mysterious to women as vice versa. Separated into four entertaining sections, the book explores the four phases of the dating process from meeting the right person to what to do—or not do—on the dates that follow. The author claims to have more than 760 marriages to her credit and for the girl who needs some guidance, this book will prove quite helpful. Bless His Heart: The Grits® Guide to Loving (Or Just Living With) Southern Men by Deborah Ford is for Girls Raised In The South ($14.00, Plume, softcover). If Moon Pies, RC Cola and Goo-Goo Clusters are part of your upbringing, then you are a southern girl for whom only a man who shares this cultural heritage will do. My friend, book publicist Dottie DeHart sent along Winning Against the Wackos in Your Life: How to Spot Them and Stop Them in Their Tracks, a survival guide by Christina Eckert ($14.95, Larstan Publishing, Mount Kisco, NY, softcover). She says, you know who your wacko is and you know your life would be far better without him in it. Wacko is the catch-all moniker Eckert uses to label the unbalanced, self-centered, and sometimes just plain mean people that walk among us. They use hatefulness, deceit, and rage to manipulate the people around them. In a funny, but sensible self-help book, the author tells you how to improve your life 100% by removing these folks before they cost you a fortune or destroy your life in other ways. Freeing Yourself from the Narcissist in Your Life by Linda Martinez-Lewi, PhD ($23.95, Tarcher/Penguin) may just be the best investment you will make this year as a guide to recognizing, coping with, and ultimately overcoming the destructive behavior of high-level narcissists, whether they be lovers, co-workers, friends or parents. It’s one thing to have a healthy self-esteem, but there are folks who we all know as self-absorbed, conceited, or egotistical. This people are trouble and this book is an excellent guide to deal with them. In Disagreements, Disputes, and All-Out War: 3 Simple Steps for Dealing with Any Kind of Conflict ($15.00, Amacom, softcover), Gini Graham Scott, PhD, a "workplace relationship" expert, shows how to deal with conflicts at home, on the job, or anywhere else. She advises that the best way to deal with conflicts is to face them, squarely and calmly, manage them skillfully and confidently, and hopefully transform them into a force for improved relationships and personal growth. Surprisingly, many people grow up without learning these skills and, if that’s you, then this is the book for you. Another skill worth mastering can be found in The Power of Body Language by Tonya Reiman ($25.00, Pocket Books, a division of Simon and Schuster). A frequent guest on The O’Reilly Factor, the author shares her knowledge and secrets to harnessing the power of nonverbal cues to get what you want from others as well as identifying what others are saying to you without words. Sometimes the advice seems too simple, but as often as not, it is precisely that simplicity that is the tip-off. Putting this advice to work in your life can have profound and positive results. Too Little and Too Much Religion In recent years there have been a spate of books advocating atheism or, to put it another way, the rejection of all forms of religion, i.e., the worship of a monotheistic God or a pantheon of gods. Some simply regard religion as a source of trouble. This latter view is hard to contest given the long history of religious persecutions, the current problems posed by fundamentalist Islam, and the role religion is playing in the U.S. political contests. Naturally, where there is any debate, there are books on all sides of the issue. Here, then, are a few of the more recent ones. Their mention here does not constitute an endorsement of the views expressed. The Little Book of Atheist Spirituality by Andre Comte-Sponville ($19.95, Viking) might constitute a contradiction in terms. The author asks whether one can do without religion and postulates that one can lead a fulfilling and spiritual life in the absence of faith in something greater than ourselves. Is religion dependent on belief in a higher power or does it exist to fulfill a human need to connect to one another and the universe? The Agnostic Reader edited by S.T. Joshi ($21.00, Prometheus Books, softcover) proffers the view that it is impossible to know whether God exists or not, but agnostics unlike atheists choose to belief that a supreme being exists. This book provides a look at the writings of those who advocate agnosticism. Bad Faith: The Danger of Religious Extremism by Neil J. Kressel ($26.00, Prometheus Books) addresses how one separates constructive religious impulses from destructive ones. It offers a journey to the heart of religious militancy, discussing genocide, terrorism, and anti-Semitism, along with insights of psychology and social science on this critical problem. In a world where Islamist terrorists dominate the headlines this is a very timely book indeed. Crazy for God by Frank Schaeffer ($26.00, Da Capo Press) is his story of having been on both sides of the current debates on abortion, gay rights, and school curriculums that define the divisions between conservative and liberal views on moral questions. Autobiographical, the book tells of a life that began in L’Abri, a community in Switzerland founded by his evangelical parents through the rise of the Religious Right as he took a personal journey coming of age as an evangelist and his eventual crisis of faith and change of heart. It is in many ways a cautionary tale and, throughout, a compelling one. Jesus Freaks: The True Story of Murder and Madness on the Evangelical Edge ($24.95, Harper One, a division of HarperCollins). Don Lattin tells the story of a January 2005 brutal crime that shed new light on the Children of God, also known as The Family International. Founded in the late 1960s by David Brandt Berg, a sexual predator and self-proclaimed "Endtime Prophet", his cult challenged every sexual taboo, attracting hippies, leftists, and "Jesus freaks" to his messianic fantasy. It is the story, too, of one of the 13,000 children raised in The Family. It is a look inside just one of the many such cults that continue to flourish. Dr. May Sinclair, PhD, takes an extensive look at the story of Eve from the Old Testament, bringing seven years of research to the questions raised by the biblical account in Infamous Eve: A History ($24.95, Wheatmark, Tucson, AZ). The author delves into the historical context of the Bible to discern how the authors of the day wove a story of a cunning, yet weak woman whose impetuous decision becomes the foundation of suppression and guilt to which modern women have been subjected. The monotheistic religions have all sought to marginalize the role and power of women in society and this book explains the how and why of it. Finally, for the believers—yes there are actually books written for believers—there’s How Big Is Your God? The Freedom to Experience the Divine by Paul Countinho, SJ ($18.95, Loyola Press, Chicago). This is a very entertaining book that asks the reader to consider his or her relationship with God and how they imagine or define God. This is, of course, a book written by a man within the Catholic faith, but it is not confined to the doctrines of Catholicism because the author, a native of India, introduces us to his Hindu friends who put him on the path to mysticism and his Buddhist teachers who broke open his limited views of the Devine, along with others, including the teachings of St. Ignatius of Loyola, all of whom contributed to a more meaningful spiritual life. Getting Down to Business (Books) When’s a good time to learn more about successful investing and good management? Any time! All the time! In the past month or more, a steady stream of books on these topics has flowed into the offices of Bookviews, so let’s take a quick look at the latest. The problems occasioned by the end of the housing boom and the devaluation of the dollar have many people been paying closer attention to their financial situation. For most Americans that means coping with debt. It is estimated that 70% of Americans are living paycheck to paycheck and too often spending more than they earn. The Elephant in the Room by Ed Baker, a nom de plume, ($14.95, First Command Financial Services) differs from the usual personal finance books by not offering get-rich-quick advice, but rather the long-term strategies needed to be able to retire by avoiding the many money traps that exist. Written as a series of conversations between characters representing financial wisdom and today’s struggling young couple, it would make a good gift for someone you know who needs such advice. Still inclined to gamble in the stock market? If so, pick up the 2008 edition of The Neatest Little Guide to Stock Market Investing by Jason Kelly ($15.00, Plume, softcover). The author has a good investing track record and shares his strategies whether you are a neophyte or seasoned investor. His advice is to identify and avoid dangerous stocks while identifying superior companies that will make money over time. Job-hunting can be a daunting affair. Put your order in for The Career Coward’s Guide to Resumes ($10.95, JIST Publishing, softcover) that will come off the presses in March. Katy Piotrowski, a career coach has written a book that will help the job seeker write a resume that is not too short or too big. In a world where human resources professionals see tons of resumes, there are secrets to creating one that will stand out and open doors. On the other side of that door is the need to find young talent. Recruit or Die ($24.95, Portfolio, a division of Penguin Group) is the product of three authors who provide an inside look at the competition in the college-level recruiting game. You don’t have to be the biggest or most well known company to find and hire the best and the brightest, but you do have to know the tactics they spell out in this book.
Managing a company calls for special skills and knowledge these days. Several books address this topic. Breakthrough It: Supercharging Organizational Value Through Technology by Patrick Gray ($49.50, Wiley) examines what it means to be living in an era of corporate information technology and the step-by-step methodology required to create a value-based IT organization. It is about the multi-disciplined approach companies must take to considering, selecting, and delivering large IT projects. Something Really New: Three Simple Steps to Creating Truly Innovative Products ($21.95, Amacom) is one of those titles that neatly sums up the theme of the book. Denis J. Hauptly says you don’t have to be a genius to come up with successful innovations and, stripping away the usual jargon and theory, he focuses on three fundamental questions that every innovator must ask. "All good innovation is pragmatic," says the author. Where can I get this book is a good question to ask for this book by the vice president of technology strategy for Thomas Global Resources. Shared Services: A Manager’s Journey by Daniel Melchior, Jr. ($45.00, Wiley) discusses how to centralize and streamline an organization’s functions to ensure that they deliver the services required of them as effectively and efficiently as possible. It is filled with practical examples and workable solutions that can take the reader from zero understanding to the application of shared services in any organization. The Girl’s Guide to Building a Million-Dollar Business by Susan Wilson Solovic ($21.95, Amacom) addresses the fact that women today are launching businesses at twice the rate of men. Women-owned firms are the fastest growing segment of the U.S. economy most of these "girls" want to expand their business as fast and as large as possible. This is an entertaining book and one that is filled with good advice based on the author’s experience and that of the women she interviewed who have built profitable enterprises. This is essential good, bare-bones advice that takes into account the way women are raised in our society and the pluses and minuses they bring to the table. Here’s an irresistible title. 365 Ways to Become a Millionaire (Without Being Born One. It’s by Brian Koslow ($10.00, Plume paperback) who became a millionaire in his early 30s and has been dispensing advice for the last 21 years. It would be easy to dismiss this collection of aphorisms on how to conduct oneself in a business context, but there’s more than enough wisdom to be found in this book to justify its price and, if they get you thinking in a sensible and productive way, it will steer you toward a real measure of success. There are always lots of books around to help parents raise their children according to the latest fads, but what they really need is the experience and wisdom that have been passed down through the ages. One such book is No. Why Kids—of All Ages—Need to Hear It and Ways Parents Can Say It ($14.00, Free Press, div. of Simon & Schuster, softcover). Few things are more disappointing to a parent than a kid who is immune to discipline, showing lack of respect, impatience, a sense of entitlement, and all those unpleasant traits that evolve into an unpleasant adult. While other books address things like "tough love" and such, this book concentrates on the basics of why parents have a hard time saying no, myths about a child’s self-esteem, why sometimes it’s a good thing to let them feel bad on occasion. The happiest adults I know are the ones whose parents used a good mix of discipline and love. Da Capo Press has two softcover books for parents that should prove helpful. Jeffery Bernstein, PhD, a family and child psychologist, has written 10 Days to a Less Distracted Child ($14.95, softcover) for parents whose child has problems that range from not doing what they are asked, no matter how many times, don’t get their homework done, and can’t focus long on anything except a video game. Punishment has no effect or may make the situation worse, but this book provides some guidelines to correcting this behavior. Dr. Sherryll Kraizer, PhD, has written 10 Days to a Bully-Proof Child ($14.95, softcover) that will help parents protect their child from this common schoolyard behavior. Learn how to teach one’s child to react with confidence to a bully, to speak up from himself, deal with negative comments and feelings of frustration, and much more. The author is the founder of the Coalition for Children and brings more than 25 years of experience to the topic. Great Kids by Dr. Stanley Greenspan, MD, is all about nurturing and encouraging children at various phases of their development so that they turn out to be the kind of people you and everyone else will like ($22.95, Da Capo Press). A Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Pediatrics at George Washington University Medical School, the author brings three decades of practice and research to this topic, so you can be reasonably sure he knows whereof he speaks. He has identified ten characteristics of exceptional children, ranging from curiosity to self-awareness, internal discipline to moral integrity. Children can be taught to master these and other valuable abilities, traits, and ways of accurately perceiving a complex, multi-level world. These are life skills, not just the how-to of mastering a particular subject.
Wizards of the Coast, publishers of some of the best fantasy fiction there is, created Mirrorstone as a division for younger readers. They have begun this year with the first of a ten-book series; Red Dragon Codex by R. D. Henham ($9.95, softcover) aimed at readers ages 8-12. As every dragon aficionado knows, each color of dragon has different characteristics. Some are evil and can be spotted as red, green, black, blue, and white, while the benevolent metallic dragons—bronze, silver, copper, gold and brass—often befriend human beings. In this story, a red dragon attacks Potter’s Mill and seizes Shemnara, the village seer. I dare not reveal more, but suggest that younger readers will embrace this story and the entire series. Also from Mirrorstone comes Horses in the Wind: A Tale of Seabiscuit by Candice Ranson ($4.99, softcover) that readers ages 6-10 will enjoy as it tells of the Chapman kids who get caught up in the Race of the Century between War Admiral and Seabiscuit when they overhear a nosy reporter threatening to destroy the little brown thoroughbred’s chances. These horses and the race really occurred, adding a bit of racing reality to the enjoyment of the story. Image Comics of Berkeley, California have published a new volume in the Trojan War graphic novel series, Age of Bronze: Betrayal Part One by Eric Shanower ($17.99). The author/artist is a skilled practitioner of comic book art and story telling which, in itself, is sufficient recommendation, but he’s also carefully researched the era and it is relevant even today because the world is not that different from the Little Bronze Age with a conflict between the East and the West still generating wars. Shanower has created a story that also reflects all the constant human emotions of love, jealousy, ambition and obsession. This 176-page graphic novel has a limited hardcover edition for $27.99 and is available in softcover for $17.99. Visit www.age-of-bronze.com to learn more. It will appeal to ages 8 and up, including grownups like me! For the very young, pre-school age, Robie H. Harris and Michael Emberley have combined their respective writing and illustrating talents in one of best new books of the year, Maybe a Bear Ate It, ($15.99, Orchard Books, an imprint of Scholastic Inc). This picture book features a youngster whose book accidentally slides off the bed, producing a major series of possibilities that possibly a bear, a dinosaur, a shark or an elephant had something to do with its loss. A frantic search ensues. It’s hilarious. I loved it! There are audiobooks for younger people and two recent releases are Bill O’Reilly’s Kids Are Americans Too ($24.95, HarperAudio, 2 CDs) that provides insights and information about our Bill of Rights, what they mean and why they are essential to "a nation of laws, not of men." This kind of thing may not be being taught in our schools these days and I think any young person would benefit from the instructive and inspiring message. King for Kids ($19.98, Hachette Audio, 2 CDs) is an audiobook that draws on the speeches and sermons by Martin Luther King, Jr., who preached fairness and justice for all. The great message and lessons of the Civil Rights movement comes alive and there’s bonus material that includes photos, a timeline, letters and more. As someone who met Dr. King and heard him speak, I can tell you this will stir the heart of anyone who hears him. The usual tide of novels has flowed in to Bookviews Bay and deposited more fiction on the beach. As long as I have been a reviewer—and it dates back to the late 1960s—it still amazes me how many people want to write a novel. And do. These days a lot of them are self-publishing. It provides a brief frisson of satisfaction, but few such novels go on to great sales or even mainstream publication. I feel fairly confident in saying that The Jewish Messiah by Arnon Grunberg ($26.95, The Penguin Press), published last month, is one of the most vile literary concoctions I have seen in a very long time. What is passed off as "absurdist humor and biting satire" is the story of a young man from a family with a Nazi past who decides to redeem the suffering of the Jews. At one point, after converting, he and his gay lover decide to translate Hitler’s Mein Kampf into Yiddish. This is what passes for "humor" and the rest of it is just as bizarre. Nothing about this book is worth reading. This twisted novel reeks of being veiled anti-Semitism of the worst kind.
The Mormon religion of Mitt Romney has evoked interest in that faith by people who have paid it little mind until now. Don’t You Marry the Mormon Boys by Janet Kay Jensen ($15.99, Bonneville Books, softcover) is an old-fashioned love story between Andy McBride, a Mormon, and Louisa Martin who is not. As medical students at the University of Utah, they fall in love and must address problems as he was raised in the mainstream church and she was raised in a polygamous family. To marry is not just their choice, but also one that will affect the lives of their families, friends, and even their communities. Fearing the consequences, they go their separate ways. Their separate experiences as physicians will bring them back together in a provocative and touching story. An old-fashioned triangle of lovers plays itself out in Heaven of Drums by Ana Gloria Moya as translated by W. Nick Hill ($15.00, Curbstone Press, softcover) set in 1810-1820, the decade that marked the Argentine struggle for independence. At its center is Manuel Belgrano, a national hero, but his story is told through the voices of the novel’s real heroes, Maria Kumba, a mulatto healer-priestess, fighter, and nurse to the common soldiers, and Gregorio Rivas, a Mestizo son of a well-to-do Spanish businessman. The prejudices of Belgrano lead to his death and Rivas, was Maria’s lover, was haunted by her adoration for a man who held him in contempt as a Mestizo. It is a sizzling, powerful story. The strong block vote of Christians in last month’s Iowa primary confirms what a lot of people try to deny. America is a Christian nation in terms of its history and its population. Christian values often find themselves at odds with those of Hollywood and other cultural factors, so, when it comes to novels, they can take comfort in knowing that one of the pioneer Christian publishing houses, Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group, is becoming a dynamo for some excellent new fiction. Among the latest softcover titles I have received are A Fire Within ($12.99) and As High as the Heavens ($13.99), both set in the Scottish highlands of the 1500s and both by Kathleen Morgan. A Passion Most Pure by Julie Lessman ($13.99) marks her debut with a novel featuring an Irish family set in 1916 Boston in which the key word is "passion". A contemporary story of suspense, Skizzer ($12.99) by A.J. Kiesling will have you turning the pages when a sister goes missing. From the Bethany House division of Baker, there’s The Parting by Beverly Lewis, a bestselling author who takes the reader to Pennsylvania Amish country in the 1960s as part of a series about the courtship of Nellie Fisher. These all represent excellent storytelling, the equal of frequently less savory stuff. For more information, visit www.Revellbooks.com .
From Hachette Audio, a fountain of excellent audiobooks, come three intriguing titles. In no particular order, there’s James Collins’ Beginner’s Greek ($29.98, 5 CDs) as read by popular actor, Jerry O’Donnell. The main characters, Peter Russell and Holly, fall madly in love on a five hour flight from New York to Los Angeles and, after that, it is a roller-coaster of missed opportunities, second chances, and lost love. The Last Time They Met by Anita Shreve ($17.95, 5 CDs) tells the story of former lovers who meet again years later when both are invited to give readings from their work. The man has been in seclusion following a devastating loss. The woman has pursued her writing career. This one will have you believing in true love again. From the same author, there’s Light on Snow ($14.98) comes a very different story in which 12-year-old Nicky Dillon and her father, out snowshoeing over crusted snow in the wood near their home, discover an abandoned baby. The story has some very cunning twists and turns as seen through the eyes of Nicky. That’s it for February! Take a moment to visit our Featured Books section to find an eclectic selection of unique fiction and non-fiction. Tell your friends about Bookviews.com and come back in March! |
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Contact: Alan Caruba |
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One of my favorite publishers is Firefly Books Ltd. Its editors seem to revel in publishing books that not only inform, but entertain as well. This latter quality comes from their rich design and wide use of art and photos. Two splendid examples of this are Earth from Space by Andrew K. Johnston ($29.95, softcover) and Hubble: The Mirror on the Universe by Robin Kerrod and Carole Stott ($35.00, hardcover). The text of the former, combined with some 300 extraordinary photos from satellites circling the planet, provide a tour of the earth’s land and water surfaces along with commentary that explains how these features affect all aspects of life. Published under the auspices of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, it is an exciting and spectacular perspective on planet Earth. The latter features photos of the universe along with exciting, complex theories about the vastness of our galaxy and those far, far away. This new edition by an accomplished astronomer and a skilled space science writer is will leave you breathless. On a far different topic, the epic story of civilizations, their rise and fall, and the way ideas and cultures travel the globe, The Atlas of Human Migration ($40.00) brings together a team of experts under the guidance of editor-in-chief, Russell King, to examine mass migrations that have occurred since the beginning of human civilization. Both broad in scope and specific in detail, it is akin to the best university course in history and anthropology you could hope to take. The birth and death of empires, the emergence of nation states, and the immigrant groups that changed and enriched America, it’s all here for hours of fascinating reading. Visit 
The Fattening of America: How the Economy Makes Us Fat, If it Matters, and What to Do About it by Eric A. Finkelstein and Laurie Zuckerman ($29.95, John Wiley & Sons) takes a serious, intelligent look at why two-thirds of Americans are overweight or identified by the government as "obese." This "epidemic" has occurred in the last three decades and involves the whole population no matter whether they are rich or poor, white, black or Hispanic, and, most dramatically, to America’s children. Finkelstein and his co-author conclude that our booming economy has a direct connection to our booming waistlines. As food costs declined and Americans became more sedentary, we simply burn fewer calories while eating more. This is not some boring scholarly study, but rather a very entertaining one that blows away a lot of the current popular notions about why Americans are becoming the fat of the land! For those who are trying to shed the pounds gained over the Christmas and New Year’s celebrations, take heart, dieting doesn’t work. The Straight Scoop About Dieting by Sharon Greene Patton ($17.95, Truth Publishing, 10440 N. Riverlake Dr., Mequon, WI 53092, softcover) was originally published in 1982, but the facts it presented then are as true or truer today. The author dismisses the myths, misinformation and quackery concerning weight loss citing the familiar "eat less and exercise more" belief as an example. She maintains that people’s weight is not influenced by what they eat or how much they exercise and why it’s more important to determine the weight you should be in order to be healthy and fit. You will never go on a diet again if you read this and you will discover the four easy-to-apply eating rules you need to know.
The 2008 Olympics will focus attention on China so, to be the smartest one in the room, pick up a copy of China A to Z by May-Lee Chai and Winberg Chai ($16.00, Plume softcover) that will prove useful for business or armchair travelers alike as it explains the customs, culture, and etiquette essential for anyone trying to understand this vast, ancient, and complex nation. Both May-Lee and her father have authoredmany books and share their comprehensive knowledge in a relatively brief, easy to grasp book. As the U.S. Hispanic population continues to grow, you might want to pick up a copy of Everything You Need to Know About Latino History by Himilce Novas ($16.00, Plume softcover, 2008 edition). A journalist by trade, Novas explores the current political, economic, and social trends affecting Latinos and, by extension, the rest of us as well. The 2008 edition is completely revised and, I guarantee you, it is full of surprises for the reader seeking to secure some understanding of this new segment of Americans. Lastly, a longtime favorite of mine is Drive I-95 by Stan Posner and Sandra Phillips-Posner ($23.95, 
A very wise man once told me that nothing happens in the world until someone sells something to someone else. Salesmanship has spawned many books and among the latest are three worth considering. Whatthe Customer Wants You To Know by Ram Charan ($21.95, Portfolio, a division of Penguin Group) says that what the customer wants you to know is how his or her business works, so you can help make it work better. So you need to start with researching the customer’s problems as the key to selling your product or service. Sounds simple? Most good ideas are. We: The Ideal Customer Relationship by Steve Yastrow ($21.95, Select Books Inc) explores comparable ideas to answer questions such as why a customer chooses your product or service instead of a competitor’s? With so many similar things to choose from, the relationship between you and your customer becomes paramount. How to build and maintain it is the subject of this book. In Masters of Sales by Ivan R. Misner, PhD, and Don Morgan, MA, ($19.95, Entrepreneur Press) have rounded up some of the top sales experts of the nation to cover all the topics necessary to securing sales. From finding prospects to keeping the referrals flowing, the all-important closing of the deal, it’s all here for anyone smart enough to purchase this excellent book. There’s an excellent audiobook by Harry Beckwith, Selling the Invisible: A Field Guide to Modern Marketing, ($16.98, Hachette, CDs) based on his twenty-five years of experience with thousands of business professionals. If you’re marketing a service or product, the three hours this audiobook offers is likely to provide some powerful insights you can put to use this year.
An excellent book for kids ages 10 and up is Sandra McLeod Humphrey’s Hot Issues. Cool Choices: Facing Bullies, Peer Pressure, Popularity, and Put-Downs. ($13.95, Prometheus Books, softcover). School, for too many kids, is a gauntlet that must be run every day as their lives are made miserable by the horrid behavior with which they must learn to cope and overcome. This book provides the insights and the practical advice they need. Television and the Internet often teach too much bad behavior and parents are often too busy or too oblivious to pass along the kind of advice a young person needs. Bullying, aggression and harassment are a large part of today’s school environment. I have reviewed a previous book by this author and can tell you that this retired clinical psychologist knows what she’s doing. 
The author of My Revolutions, Hari Kunsru ($25.95, Dutton) did not grow up in the 1960s because he wasn’t even born until the last two weeks of that turbulent decade. Those of us who lived through the 60s and 70s would probably prefer to forget them because it was just constant turmoil thanks to the Vietnam War, Watergate, and the Hippie counterculture of sex, drugs and rock’n roll. The music was great, the excesses were great, and the belief that the Age of Aquarius had dawned and a youth generation was going to create a better world moved some to engage in their own "revolutionary" violent acts. This is the focusof Kunsru’s excellent book. He researched the culture of 70s terrorism as practiced by the SLA, the Weather Underground, and the Black Panthers. It was a time when Europe was coping with the Red Army Faction in Germany and the Red Brigades in Italy. The author has created some interesting characters to transport the reader to those days and to explore why some (always) think that blowing up buildings and killing people is the path to an earthly nirvana. For a bit of metaphysical fun, there’s Michael Moorcock’s The Metatemporal Detective ($25.00, Pyr, an imprint of Prometheus Books) that will remind some of Sherlock Holmes as you are introduced to Seaton Begg and his constant companion, pathologist Dr. "Taffy" Sinclair, both of whom head the British Home Office section of the Metatemporal Investigation Department. They deal with crimes in dozens of alternative worlds. Among the eleven crimes they are investigating is the murder of an English Prime Minister, the kidnapping of a king of a country taken over by a totalitarian regime, and the death of Hitler’s mistress. The author possesses a fertile imagination and that adds up to some very entertaining reading. Twisted Justice by Patricia Gussin ($23.95, Oceanview Publishing) confirms again her mystery writing skills with a story in which the wife of a cheating husband becomes the chief suspect when his lover turns up dead. From a life that includes a successful career, five nice kids, and a handsome husband, a nightmare of lies and deception surrounds her and, combined with pulse-pounding suspense, it confirms once again that a smaller publishing house can often find top quality fiction that may not fit the template of larger ones.
For sheer escapism, pick up Four Wives by Wendy Walker ($23.95, St. Martin’s Press) who makes her debut with a story about four wives and mothers whose lives intertwine in a tale of suburban life set amidst outrageous wealth. This is a novel whose appeal is strictly to women who will enjoy watching as their seemingly enviable lives mask a deeper truth as each faces crises of infidelity, personal integrity, and self-doubt. As always, behind the outward appearances of things, there is a gritty reality that can tear lives apart. Walker is likely to enjoy a great deal of success with this novel that is just out this month. Realty makes for great fiction in An Absolute Gentleman by R.M. Kinder ($14.00, Counterpoint, softcover). Published in October of last year, it is a portrait of a serial killer and one based on the author’s real-life romance with him! She noticed odd things about him. His past was largely a secret, yet he appeared to be an amiable, educated, and intelligent man. Kinder’s ex-husband, a homicide detective, spotted him after watching an episode of Unsolved Mysteries and, ironically, was the arresting officer. Meet Kinder’s fictional Arthur Blume, an English professor newly arrived in a small Midwest university town. Some who did ended up dead! For a somewhat wacky story that will appeal to both teens and an adult audience, pick up Stephen V. Masse’s A Jolly Good Fellow ($14.95, Good Harbor Press, Medford, MA) that begins two weeks before Christmas when Duncan Wagner, a self-employed charity Santa Claus, abducts Gabriel Booker, the 11-year-old son of his most despised enemy, State Representative Win Booker. His quest for ransom and revenge plus his total lack of knowledge on how to kidnap anyone, takes a very odd turn when the two form an unpredictable alliance as they both plot their next move. Set in Boston, it is a very clever story that would make an amusing movie. My friend Alma Bond has a new novel, Who Killed Marcia Maynard? ($14.95, ASJA Books, an imprint of iUniverse) and, being a psychoanalyst herself, the character in the title is a famed, but very dead child psychologist who has been murdered in her bed in Manhattan. Working with Detective John Franklin, her lover, psychoanalyst Mary Wells helps solve the mystery using, of course, her professional skills. It’s quite a mystery because no one liked Dr. Maynard very much and for good reason. The suspects are a thick forest of people motivated to put an end to her. Reading your way through to the solution is a lot of fun.
I have a stack of audiobooks that represent some great listening depending on your preferences in fiction. From Harper Audio, there’s some great romance to be had from two bestselling authors, Janet Evanovichwhose Motor Mouth and Wife for Hire (both $14.95 on CDs) are a modern day hoot and Everlasting by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss, a period piece when marriages were arranged. Will true love succeed? Tune in to this novel by a master of the genre. I am no fan of the macabre, so I am no judge of 20th Century Ghosts by Joe Hill ($39.95, 11 CDs) a very, very scary book, but one that finds its match in Mister B. Gone by Clive Barker ($24.95, 6 CDs) who is a master of the macabre. Both these latter books will give you nightmares, but that is precisely what so many people find appealing about them.