Visit Bookviews by Alan Caruba, April 2004

Bookviews will return in June

My Picks of the Month

April is National Poetry Month. If you don’t have a favorite poet, you need to find one. A life without poetry is missing one of the great comforts and insights one can acquire. To learn more, visit www.poets.org, the Internet site of The Academy of American Poets.

The Founders of this nation relied on the views of Adam Smith and Roy C. Smith has written Adam Smith and the Origins of American Enterprise: How the Founding Fathers Turned to a Great Economist’s Writings and Created the American Economy ($13.95, St. Martin’s Press). It is a fascinating look at the earliest beginnings of free enterprise and how the Founding Fathers managed to create a vibrant economy of goods and services in a rural land exhausted after the Revolutionary War ended in 1781. This is not only an invaluable history of those events, but also one that provides an insight to how and why the US has become the most powerful economic machine in the history of mankind. Hint: It wasn’t done by adopting a socialist model!

For history buffs like myself, Washington’s Crossing by David Hackett Fischer ($35.00, Oxford University Press) tells the story of one of the first victories of the Revolutionary War against the British. Undercover of darkness on a Christmas night, Washington attacked the Hessian garrison at Trenton, killing or capturing a thousand men. Ten days later, he scored another victory, defeating a British brigade at Princeton. That caused them to lose their hold on New Jersey. Fischer’s richly textured narrative reveals the crucial role these battles played and we see the campaign unfold. In many ways, the Revolution was a guerrilla war, fought with tactics to which the British were unable to respond. Fischer is a first-rate historian and has added yet another excellent book to his credit.

We defeated the British, the greatest military power of its day, to secure our independence, but Warrior Race: A History of the British at War by Lawrence James is now available as a softcover ($19.95, St. Martin’s Griffen) and for anyone who loves history, it is a 860 page look back of that nation-empire’s battles. Britain was shaped, both geographically and culturally, by the wars it fought and in our recent conflict in Iraq, our British allies contributed greatly to its success. Here you will find the full range of British military history and I guarantee you hours of reading pleasure.

A true-life story of modern warfare is told by the Pulitzer Prize-winning author, Rick Atkinson, as he relates what it was like to be with the 101^st Airborne Division on the road to Baghdad. In the Company of Soldiers ($25.00, Henry Holt & Company) is "a chronicle of combat" and tells of the two months he spent covering the division for the Washington Post. It is an extraordinary account of his odyssey and this famed division wrote a new page in the history of warfare, from their preparations in Kuwait through to the swift occupation of Baghdad. It was not without its casualties, including a murderous attack by one of their own soldiers, a Muslim who killed several officers. In the end, success depended on the raw courage of soldiers to engage the enemy directly, despite our military’s capacity to inflict great damage at a relatively safe distance. He tells the inspiring story of Major General David H. Petraeus, charged with leading his 17,000 men in combat, confronting countless challenges. Read this and cheer for these gallant men who helped liberate millions of Iraqis from the despotism of Saddam Hussein.

You want to know what’s wrong with the world? It’s forty-five men, all dictators, who have control over the lives of more than two billion people. They are murders and thieves on a grand scale. Former Ambassador Mark Palmer says it is time to get rid of all of them and he describes how to do this in Breaking the Real Axis of Evil: How to Oust the World’s Last Dictatorships by 2025 ($27.95, Rowman & Littlefield). This is just a terrific book in every respect because the man spells out just how to remove this cancer in the body of the world’s nations. Nor does he suggest we have to invade each nation to achieve this goal. He’s a diplomat and he has seen first hand how such despotisms have met their end, often from within. The war in Iraq was about "regime change" and, in that regard, it has succeeded. It has, more importantly, opened the door to democratic and human rights reforms. This is the case as well in Afghanistan. It will take time for these changes to take hold, but they are essential to our security and the security of the region. Transforming dictatorships will have huge benefits for everyone and this book deserves the widest possible audience.

People who plan to vote for anyone but George W. Bush this November will find some comfort in two recent books that examine his administration. David Dadge has written Casualty of War ($26.00, Prometheus Books) subtitled "The Bush Administration’s Assault on a Free Press." Considering the beating GWB has been taking in the mainstream press, one might think it was the other way around, but Dadge makes his case that the Bush people have attempted to limit the role of the press in uncovering and publishing "newsworthy information." In fairness, every White House has done this, but if you find yourself in agreement with the author, his book will interest you. America Unbound: The Bush Revolution in Foreign Policy ($22.95, Brookings Institution Press) is the work of Ivo Daalder and James Lindsay, two former members of the Clinton administration. Written from a liberal point of view, they review the way Bush has transformed US foreign policy, noting how he has chosen to act unilaterally (but with the support of a "willing" coalition of nations) and that his administration has been proactive when dealing with existing and potential threats to the nation’s security. The authors find Bush to be a strong and decisive leader with a coherent worldview, but they urge caution. In an era when innocent civilians are the targets of terrorists around the world, caution may not, however, be the answer.

Ever have the urge to dash off a letter to the president of France? Or email the president of Finland? How to Contact World Leaders is now out in its 2004 edition ($18.95, MinRef Press, 3814 Winona Way, North Highlands, CA 95660) and provides the many ways to contact presidents, prime ministers, kings, queens, sultans and premiers. From Afghanistan to Zimbabwe, you to can be in contact with world leaders To get your copy, call 800-421-4246.

Do you have too much stress in your life? William Atkinson has written Eliminate Stress From Your Life Forever: A Simple Program for Better Living ($12.95, Amacom softcover). Most people dealing with stress concentrate on trying to get rid of tension and anxiety after the fact, going on the assumption that stress is an unending cycle of discomfort, but the author present the innovative idea that stress doesn’t have to be a fact of life, no matter what difficulties one may encounter. He spells out a program by which stress can be prevented before the fact in a 100-day program combining physical, spiritual, and psychological approaches to build up one’s resistance in just minutes a day. Based on two decades of research, this book is a small investment that will yield a big payoff.

Pregnant for 100 Years: From Conception to Contractions---Moms Tell All! This book by Jeanne Benedict ($14.95, Perigee, part of the Berkley Publishing Group) is a collection of humorous anecdotes about pregnancy as told by dozens of moms. From the bedroom to the delivery room, it shares the ups and downs of pregnancy and will entertain, enlighten, and enrich those nine months, even if they do feel like a 100 years! This is a great book for anyone you know who is pregnant. The other end of the spectrum is covered in Healthy Transitions: A Woman’s Guide to Perimenopause, Menopause & Beyond by Dr. Neil Shulman and Dr. Edmund S. Kim, MD, OB/GYN (Prometheus Books softcover). As the title makes clear, it is an accurate, reader-friendly guide for any woman who is approaching menopause. Filled with tons of useful information, it will prove very helpful to deal with this phase of life, assuring a healthy mind and body.

Another book about women is so unique that it deserves notice. It is Kathryn Schleich’s Hollywood and Catholic Women: Virgins, Whores, Mothers and Other Images (iUniverse). The author examines how the Church has dealt with women throughout its long history and how Hollywood has adopted its point of view in films such as Song of Bernadette, The Bells of St. Mary’s, A Nun’s Story, Agnes of God, and even Sister Act, to name just a few of those examined for their content and their message. You don’t need to be Catholic to enjoy this intellectual journey and I think any woman will find it resonates with her life. This book is now recommended among our Featured Books.

Books that feature the work of a particular artist are wonderful collector’s items. A Visual Response to Trauma and Chaos ($35.00, Douglas & McIntrye, Berkeley, CA) will be in the bookstores in June. It is about the work of Alex Colville. In his youth, Colville was a war artist during WWII. He was one of three painters admitted to the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp after it was liberated. This experience has had an impact on his distinctly unique imagery, a testimony to the resilience of the human spirit. This book, written by Tom Smart, is haunting. The author examines the work of the 84-year-old artist with considerable insight. Together, the text and the paintings will draw you back as you contemplate their eerie, ominous way of looking at the world.

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Books for Younger Readers

Getting small children accustomed to routines is critical, especially to make getting up and going to bed easier and more enjoyable for both child and parent. Don Hoffman, along with illustrator Todd Dakins, make routines great fun with their new book, Good Morning Good Night Billy & Abigail ($5.99, Dalmatian Press, Franklin, Tennessee). Filled with rhyming verses, they make these routines fun. And there’s also fun in A Counting Book with Billy & Abigail ($5.99) as the young reader can practice counting all sorts of items. Of particular value is the construction of these two books, which is very sturdy and thus able to stand up to lots of use.

Kids Can Press always publishes interesting books for younger readers. A series of "Franklin Books", based on a character by Paulette Bourgeois and Brenda Clark features a young turtle. In the latest, Franklin and the Hero ($10.95) the storybook shows how anyone can be a hero just by lending a helping hand. It’s a very cute story. For the somewhat older reader, age ten or more, there’s Aha! The Most Interesting Book You’ll Ever Read about Intelligence written by Trudee Romanek and illustrated by Rose Cowles ($7.95). As the title indicates, it is about the way we use our brains to learn and do things. The Kids Book of the Night Sky ($12.95) is also for the older reader and is filled with information about the sun, moon, stars, comets, and much more. For the youngster who looks up at the night sky and asks questions, this book has the answers.

More books from Kids Can Press include Monsieur Suguette and his Baguette by Frank Ash ($14.95). A baguette is a long, hard French style of bread and, with it, Monsieur Suguette solves all sorts of problems as he makes his way home. He rescues a cat from a tree, subdues an alligator, and lends it to a bandleader, among other good deeds. Any early reader will be delighted with this one. For the older youngster, there’s The Kids Guide to Money Cents ($7.95) by Keltie Thomas and illustrated by Stephen MacEachern. For every parent who wants to set their child on the right path regarding the earning and saving of money, this book is a treasure. I also liked The Jumbo Book of Drama written by Deborah Dunleavy and illustrated by Jane Kurisu ($14.95) that is filled with ideas to motivate the budding thespian in any youngster, aged seven and up. It teaches how to be a clown, use gloves and socks as puppets, invent wacky radio commercials, do a stand-up comedy routine, and much more.

And still more Kids Can Press books! For the very young who love being read to, there’s City Colors by Zoran Milich, an award-winning photojournalist ($14.95) that teaches the names of various colors with a series of photos of city scenes. And who would not love to learn the ABC of America by Kim Bellefontaine and Per-Henrik Gurth ($14.95)? From A for apple pie to Z for the San Diego Zoo, this is wonderful introduction to the alphabet.

National Geographic continues to publish some of the best books for young readers. Among their latest is Amy Nathan’s Count on Us: American Women in the Military ($21.95) that tells some inspiring stories of women who signed up to fight for their nation in World War II and who have participated ever since. Indeed, the author tells how women served in all of our great conflicts, beginning with the Revolution and during the Civil War as well. This large format, handsomely illustrated book is just right for about age 9 and up. Two smaller, slim stories are part of the "I am American" series. They are Cowboys on the Western Trail by Eric Oatman and Escape to Freedom: The Underground Railroad Adventures of Callie and William by Barbara Brooks Simon ($6.99 each). This is history based on the lives of real people, richly illustrated, and sure to fascinate anyone aged 9 to 13 or more.

Prometheus Books has a Young Readers Popular Science series, "The Solar System", by Isaac Asimov. It has recently added The Earth, Venus, and Jupiter to the series, each volume of which represents 32 pages, fully illustrated throughout at $12.00. These well serve the young readers of age 8 and up. They will easily satisfy their curiosity about our universe. Also available "The Sun", "The Moon" and "Mars."

Frances Lincoln, a publisher from the United Kingdom, launches its first US list this spring with scads of entertaining and interesting books. Among those I saw were Seven Wonders of the Ancient World ($7.95) for the reader of age eight to ten or so. Beautifully illustrated, it takes the reader on a voyage of discovery while, for the reader who’s just starting out, there’s The Easter Party in which Rocky Rabbit and Chubby Chick go in search of their runaway kite only to discover the Easter Bunny. In time for Passover, there’s Rebecca’s Passover by Adele Geras and Sheila Moxley ($7.95) that tells the story of how this Jewish holy day is celebrated. Coming in May, there’s Edison’s Fantastic Phonograph by Diana Kimpton and M.P. Robertson ($7.95) that recounts the beginning of our era of sound and images. This publisher has been around a long time and has a great list of new and previously published books. Represented in the US by Publishers Group West of Berkeley, CA, you can learn more by visiting www.pgw.com.

In the Jungle of Utt, on the Island of Skree, far away in the Sassaway Sea, lives a whole cast of animals and a human who gets shipwrecked there and decides to stay. Written by Cameron Thomas and illustrated by Andrej Krystoforski, a new children’s series makes its debut in May with Shipwrecked on the Island of Skree and Mystery of the Lake ($16.95 each, MGT Publishing Inc, Toronto, Canada). Written in rhyme for children aged four to nine, these two are very entertaining stories that impart values of community and friendship. This is a magical place that you can learn more about by visiting www.jungleofutt.com. Alaska is a faraway place for most of us and it is home to Alaska Northwest Books that has published Berry Magic by Terri Sloat and Betty Huffman ($15.95). Sloat also illustrated the story of a young Eskimo woman who uses her magical powers and four colorful dolls to sweeten wild berries for all future generations. This is a great way to introduce a child to another culture.

One of the best publishers of books for girls from age 3 to 12 is the Pleasant Company of Middleton, Wisconsin. For the very youngest, there’s a new Angelina Ballerina Costume Coloring Book ($3.99) based on the wonderful series of the same name. Designed so that crayon wipes off, these pages can provide hours of fun each time a new color is selected. For ages 8 and up, there’s The American Girls Pencil Play ($5.95) filled with word games, picture puzzles, mazes and more; forty great games in all. There are more puzzles of another kind to unravel are found in Mini Mysteries ($7.95) with its 20 tricky tales to untangle. For hands-on fun, there’s Pages & Pockets ($12.95) in which girls 8 and older can record their thoughts about themselves, life, their friends, and their secrets. Another fun book for the same age group is the Best Friends Kit ($9.95) filled with games and goodies for friends to share. Also from American Girl, older girls, aged ten and up, with a taste for a good novel will enjoy Kathleen Ernst’s Betrayal at Cross Creek ($6.95) that is part of the "History Mysteries" series. This one begins in 1775 and is set in North Carolina as the American Revolution touches a newly arrived family from Scotland. A young girl is forced to grow up very fast.

If your boy or girl shows an interest in cooking, there’s Cool Kids Cook by Danna Hay ($15.95, William Morrow) that will inspire a future chef with its forty easy recipes and instructions, plus essential tips on kitchen tools and safety. Vibrantly illustrated, this is a great way to introduce any young person to the joys of cooking, a skill that will serve them well as they grow older. From Teriyaki Chicken to Guacamole, a Celebration Cake to Chocolate Moon Rocks, there’s hours of fun to be had. My late Mother, Rebecca, taught cooking in adult schools for thirty years, inspiring many adults to learn French, Italian and other cuisines from around the world. I was fortunate to be able to watch and learn in our own kitchen where every night, dinner was a celebration.

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Novels! Novels! Novels!

Help! I am drowning in novels. Every month more and more seem to pour into the office. Here is a brief look at the most recent.

The only hardcover in the lot, Dead Heat by Caroline Carver ($23.95, Mysterious Press, Warner Books) continues her reputation as the winner of the Crime Writers’ Association New Writers Award. Her previous book, Blood Junction, generated rave reviews and this one, too, will do the same as it tells a story set in one of the wildest places on earth, the Australian outback. Georgia Parrish, the main character, never regretted leaving Queensland to pursue her career, but, after surviving a plane crash, she finds herself back there, struggling to comprehend a sinister fact; the plane she was on was sabotaged. Who was the intended victim? Someone who did not arrive in time to take the flight or the other two strange passengers? This one just grabs you and doesn’t let go until it reveals the truth.

From New American Library come a number of softcover novels that include Jessica Barkesdale Inclan’s One Small Thing ($12.95) that tells the story of 28-year-old Avery Tacconi and her dream of having a child. She has the career of her dreams and a husband she adores, a beautiful suburban home, but she wants one small thing, a baby. Despite efforts to conceive, she is confronted with the discovery that her husband is the father of a 10-year-old son he never knew about. Now that the mother is deceased, he is the rightful guardian. How she deals with this is a heart-warming story of how she opens herself to all of life’s possibilities. Featured in the March issue of Cosmopolitan, Liz Maverick’s What a Girl Wants ($12.95) is a debut novel about a twenty-something, single woman, Hayley Jane Smith, who doesn’t want for much except a new job, having been fired for asking for a raise. She also has her eyes on a handsome detective who may or may not be investigating her for murder! In the style of Sex and the City she relies on her three best friends to get her through the hazards of a life she is trying to fashion. By contrast, Dante Black, has a very different set of problems as told in Thieves’ Paradise ($13.95) by Eric Jerome Dickey. Set in Los Angeles, he has cleaned up his act after a stretch of hard time in a juvenile jail. At age 25, he is down and out, but determined to stay out of trouble. Whether he does or not I leave to you to learn as you read this electrifying story of those who live in the seamier side of life.

The other major publisher of softcover novels is Penguin Books and they have their share of new novels. The Anxiety of Everyday Objects ($14.00) marks the debut of Aurelie Sheehan with a clever, refreshing and charming novel for the thinking woman with its funny and probing portrait of a young woman working a nine-to-five job while wishing to do anything but! She makes a living working as a secretary at a Manhattan law firm while dreaming of being a filmmaker. Befriended by a beautiful, blind attorney who encourages her to trust her talent and take on new risks. In the process she learns some surprising truths about herself and others. Lost in a Good Book by Jasper Fforde ($14.00) features the heroine Thursday Next, back for a second turn in a novel that is both surreal and amazing as she dodges someone trying to kill her. There’s time travel, the discovering of an unknown Shakespeare play, and enough to keep you guessing to the very end. From Plume, a member of the Penguin Group, there’s Yolanda Joe’s novel, The Hatweaver’s Lesson ($14.00) about Terri Mills who has it all, good looks, a high-powered job as an attorney, and a sexy, successful fiancé. However, sometimes having it all can get to be too much! Her grandmother Ollie begins to read the "signs" that set off a series of events that unfurl to become a poignant, richly drawn tale of love, betrayal, and old-school values of family and faith. Set in contemporary Chicago and rual Arkansas, ultimately Terri must make some difficult choices, but in caring for her grandmother, she finds she heals herself. From Riverhead Books, another member of the Penguin Putnam Group, comes Vicious Spring by Hollis Hampton-Jones ($13.00) about 18-year-old Christy, her pot-smoking dad, her Jesus freak mom and her 30-year-old, strip club bouncer boyfriend Del. This is a brutal, darkly comic and deeply affecting first novel that tells of the downward spiral of a Nashville youth. This one is not pretty as its strangely innocent Christy takes you on a tragic journey.

A long ago era, England’s Middle Ages, is the background for Posie Graeme-Evans’ novel, The Innocent ($14.oo, Atria Books, a division of Simon & Schuster). A civil war is taking a toll on citizens who doubt the integrity of the nation’s ruling family. Distant from the turmoil, in western England, a baby is born in the forest. Later, a 15-year-old girl, Anne, becomes famed for her understanding the healing aspects of herbs. She is called upon to save the queen. When she moves to the palace, she and King Edward begin an affair. Suffice it to say, this is a story with many twists and turns. Those who enjoy visiting a past age will enjoy it. Another novel, this one set in 1969, won the New Orleans Faulkner Society’s Novel Award for Phil Condon. Clay Center ($18.95, EWU Press) exposes the truth behind the era and its generation, while its story catapults images of youth and shattered idealism. Told through the eyes of Miller Silas, an American heartland college dropout, and his girlfriend, Maureena Ocear, their love story is a delicate mélange of romance, fiery passion, and innocence. It is a work of real literary skill and talent.

Tracie Paterson is the bestselling author of more than fifty historical and contemporary novels. Her latest is Land of the Heart ($18.99, Bethany House, Minneapolis, MN) that is set in Montana in the 1860’s and is filled with adventurers, outlaws, and desperate families looking for a new life. She tells of Dianne Chadwick on her wagon journey to her uncle’s home that captures the danger and excitement of this unforgettable era. The West is also evoked in Leah Martin’s Inside the Silver Light ($13.95, Storywright Books, Concordia, KS) that is set in the Badlands of South Dakota. It tells of three women’s lives who must cope with life in an unforgiving place. Beginning in January 1984, a hidden murder on the Pine Ridge Reservation brings them together in a tangle of revenge, broken love, death and redemption. It makes for compelling reading.

For a powerful insight to the way women are treated in Saudi Arabian society and in other nations where Muslim law determines their second-class status, read Sayidet Al Hijaz’s novel A Runaway Wife ($13.95, iUniverse). Based on a true-life story, this novel deserves a wide audience to make clear the vast cultural and societal differences that exist between the world of the Middle East and the West. The power of the family and tribal unit is vividly revealed in this excellent novel. It is the novel’s human story of struggle for freedom and fulfillment that will prove an enriching reading experience as the characters find new lives in America and England.

For those who enjoy short stories, I recommend The Blue Piano and Other Stories by Carol Montparker ($24.95, Amadeus Press, Pompton Plains, NJ). This is the third book by a distinguished author and musician. It is music that provides the background for many of the stories of practicing musicians, artists, and creative minds that people them. Readers will be moved to both tears and laughter as they work their way through these clever and intriguing stories that are torn from real life. It is a real treat.

That’s it for April! Bookviews is relocating to Florida and will be on hiatus through May.

Don’t forget to visit our "Featured Book" section to learn about some of the most interesting books that the mainstream press may have overlooked, but which provide excellent fiction and non-fiction reading pleasure.

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