Agriculture
Bryant, Geoff & Tony Rodd. Annuals and Perennials: A Gardener’s Encyclopedia. Firefly. 2011. 304p. photogs. index. ISBN 9781554078370. pap. $19.95. GARDENING
Nurserymen Bryant and Rodd (coauthors, The Plant Finder: The Right Plants for Every Garden) present a compact, sturdy encyclopedia that is easy to use for plant lookup and identification. In the first section, tables, organized alphabetically by genus and species name, offer brief, at-a-glance information, which is expanded in the second section, featuring over 1300 species of annuals and perennials, with their cultivars and hybrids. Each entry here presents color photographs and a written description to provide full identification. There is coverage of recommended use in the landscape, growth requirements, geographic origin, and propagation. The coverage is comprehensive; the book includes plants from all over the world, with world hardiness zones to indicate where each species will grow. Indoor cultivation and container planting suggestions are included. The index to plant names lists both scientific and common names. VERDICT This well- designed and practical book deserves a green thumbs-up for public libraries and most gardeners.‚ Deborah Broocker, Georgia Perimeter Coll., Dunwoody
Harris, Jana. Horses Never Lie About Love: The Heartwarming Story of a Remarkable Horse Who Changed the World Around Her. Free Pr: S. & S. Nov. 2011. c.288p. photogs. ISBN 9781451605846. $24. PETS
When a job change caused a move to Washington State, poet Harris and her husband decided to buy a farm there and breed horses. The first broodmare they bought, True Colors, was a feral mare that had never been handled or ridden, though she was beautiful and had a lovely gait. Harris discovered that the mare had been in a fire. Permanent scars on her face made it hard to identify her by her markings, so she would be difficult if not impossible to sell. When Harris tried to ride True Colors for the first time, the mare threw her off so violently that many of her dental fillings were knocked out and she had to wear braces for several months. Harris never rode True Colors again. Luckily, though she was quite skittish with humans, the mare was a wonderful mother not only to her own foals but to all the foals around her. VERDICT Essential for anyone considering becoming a horse breeder, this title details all the joys and sorrows of breeding horses. Readers who liked Susan Richards’s Chosen by a Horse will appreciate it. Recommended. [See Prepub Alert, 5/23/11.]‚ Patsy E. Gray, Huntsville P.L., AL
Wingate, Marty. Landscaping for Privacy: Innovative Ways To Turn Your Outdoor Space into a Peaceful Retreat. Timber. Dec. 2011. c.156p. photogs. index. ISBN 9781604691238. pap. $19.95. GARDENING
Many people prefer a more private outdoor living space than the traditional front porch. Wingate (The Big Book of Northwest Perennials) concurs and offers effective landscaping ideas for contending with outdoor nuisances (noise, eyesores, trespassers, and wildlife) and minimizing environmental intrusions (pollution, sun, wind, and salt). Large photos illustrate her practical, sustainable options for barriers, buffers, storage, and screens that incorporate modern plants and building materials. Wingate refreshingly suggests theater techniques like scrims to trick the eye, though Jennifer Potter’s Secret Gardens provides, through historical and cultural perspectives on private gardens, a deeper look at creating mystery. Wingate’s comments on vertical elements, shade, and windbreaks complement the thorough overhead elements discussion in Chuck Crandall and Barbara Crandall’s Creating Privacy in the Garden. Those designing spiritual spaces should read Christopher Forrest McDowell and Tricia Clark-McDowell’s The Sanctuary Garden or Barbara Blossom Ashmun’s Garden Retreats. VERDICT Readers with varying space, budgets, and lifestyles will find this book creative and helpful.‚ Bonnie Poquette, Boerner Botanical Gardens Lib., Milwaukee
Health & Medicine
Fauser, Bart & Paul Devroey. Baby-Making: What the New Reproductive Treatments Mean for Families and Society. Oxford Univ. Dec. 2011. c.256p. illus. index. ISBN 9780199597314. $29.95. MED
According to this book, Around one in six couples will have difficulty conceiving at some point in their reproductive lives. Fauser (chair, dept. of reproduction & gynecology, Univ. Medical Ctr., Utrecht, Netherlands) and Devroey (clinical director, Ctr. for Reproductive Medicine, Free Univ. of Brussels) take on the issues that surround fertility treatments, including so-called designer babies, the safety of treatment for mother and baby, the infertility epidemic, and the role of infertility treatments in socialized medicine. The book opens up discussion on aspects of fertility that many people may not have thought about before. Where does in vitro fertilization (IVF) fit in with pro-family government policies? When should IVF treatments be withheld? Is it ethical to deny treatment because of body mass index, smoking, or excessive drinking? Above all, are doctors using the safest methods possible when administering fertility treatments? Fauser and Devroey make clear that they believe infertility is a condition that causes much mental and emotional distress and that it should be treated no differently (even in countries with state-supported health-care systems) from other medical conditions. VERDICT A fascinating and passionate look at fertility around the world from a doctor’s-eye view.‚ Mindy Rhiger, Mackin Library Media, Minneapolis
Kinkela, David. DDT and the American Century: Global Health, Environmental Politics, and the Pesticide That Changed the World. Univ. of North Carolina. Nov. 2011. c.280p. illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780807835098. $39.95. HEALTH
Kinkela (history, SUNY at Fredonia) traces the global use of DDT since 1941, particularly in relation to malaria, and examines the pesticide’s political and economic implications in this nuanced and accessible study of complicated issues of health and the environment. Rachel Carson is part of this story, including her early advocacy of what is now called integrated pest management. Problems with pesticide poisoning of agriculture workers and insect resistance to DDT preceded the 1972 ban on the use of DDT in the United States. Historic cartoons and photographs included here add insight to this highly politicized and contentious subject. VERDICT Readers interested in the environment, public health, and international relations will find this book particularly timely as the World Health Organization and the Gates Foundation renew efforts for malaria eradication more than 40 years after abandoning eradication as a goal in 1969. Kinkela’s recognition that current tools and systems are insufficient for the task and his advocacy of a more integrated effort than past attempts make this book a relevant and useful addition.‚ Mary Chitty, Cambridge Healthtech Lib., Needham, MA
Margolis, Jeff. The Healthcare Cure: How Sharing Information Can Make the System Work Better. Prometheus. Nov. 2011. c.175p. illus. ISBN 9781616144876. pap. $21. MED
Margolis makes an efficient, effective U.S. health-care system seem not only possible, but also a logical, reasonable, and attainable goal. Founder, chairman, and former CEO of the TriZetto Group, Inc. (a major supplier of information solutions to U.S. health-care providers), he has used his extensive professional background in systems science and information technology, along with his personal experience as a patient dealing with a chronic disease for many years, to inform his work. Margolis offers a solution to the inefficiencies and miscommunications in the system‚ the Integrated Health Management (IHM) system (which TriZetto sells). The book outlines the current health-care system and explains where pieces are working satisfactorily separately but failing together. He uses other industry examples to illustrate how the IHM system would streamline communication throughout the medical industry‚ e.g., among doctors, hospitals, pharmacies, consumers, and employers. VERDICT Although readers should be aware that this book can be seen as a promotional piece for the company’s IHM products and services, it remains a thorough and accessible exploration of the proposed system and offers useful information and ideas.‚ Elizabeth J. Eastwood, Los Alamos P.L., NM
Multiple Sclerosis: The Questions You Have, the Answers You Need. 5th ed.Demos. Dec. 2011. c.350p. ed. by Rosalind C. Kalb. illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 9781936303168. pap. $24.95. HEALTH
While there is neither a cure nor a known cause for multiple sclerosis (MS), much medical progress has been made in the years since the 2007 publication of this title’s previous edition. This comprehensive guide‚ edited by Kalb (director, Professional Resource Ctr., National Multiple Sclerosis Soc.), with contributions from other experts in the field‚ addresses the questions of anyone diagnosed with MS, regardless of the disease’s progression. It covers who gets MS and why, symptom management, options for managing relapses and the course of the disease, complementary and alternative medicine, occupational and physical therapy, how MS affects sexuality and intimacy, speech and voice problems, cognitive and emotional challenges, pregnancy and childbirth, employment and insurance issues, long-term care, and more. As their questions change and even multiply throughout the course the disease, readers will be able to refer to this book again and again. Recommended readings and resources increase its utility. VERDICT A most worthwhile resource for people with MS, their families and caregivers, and the medical and other support staff who work with them. Highly recommended.‚ Marcia Welsh, Dartmouth Coll., Hanover, NH
Nelson, Alondra. Body and Soul: The Black Panther Party and the Fight Against Medical Discrimination. Univ. of Minnesota. 2011. c.288p. ISBN 9780816676484. $24.95. MED
The Black Panther Party, while famous for its militant activism on behalf of black Americans, also contributed much to improving their health care. Nelson (sociology, Columbia Univ.) presents a sympathetic, scholarly account of this lesser-known aspect of Panther activism, describing how the organization demanded‚ and provided‚ accessible health care for black Americans while challenging abusive, coercive, and discriminatory care. The first two chapters offer context with brief histories of the Black Panther Party and medical discrimination against black Americans. The remaining chapters focus on three areas of Panther activity in health care: founding free medical clinics, raising awareness of and testing for sickle-cell anemia, and lobbying against a proposed research center on the biological origins of violence. Nelson draws on interviews with former Panthers as well as an extensive list of secondary sources, emphasizing the political, social, and theoretical underpinnings of the Panthers’ work. VERDICT By focusing on the health-related activities of the Black Panthers, Nelson makes a valuable contribution to the literature, but excessive redundancy may frustrate the reader. Recommended for academic readers in sociology, medical and social history, and African American studies.‚ Janet A. Crum, City of Hope Lib., Duarte, CA
Schnaubelt, Kurt. The Healing Intelligence of Essential Oils: The Science of Advanced Aromatherapy. Healing Arts: Inner Traditions. Nov. 2011. c.240p. illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 9781594774256. pap. $19.95. HEALTH
Plants have evolved a sophisticated and complex call-and-response to their locale using scent to encourage pollinators and repel would-be predators. Schnaubelt (founder & scientific director, Pacific Inst. of Aromatherapy; Medical Aromatherapy) presents scientific reasoning for how these mechanisms are harnessed to fight viruses, bacteria, and fungi through the efficacious use of essential oils. Because essential oils exhibit a broad spectrum of physiological activity, they block these simple but nasty pathogens from developing the immunities often associated with standard antibiotics. With this point, Schnaubelt exposes the limitations of conventional pharmacological testing, which lends itself to misguided assumptions about the use and safety (or danger) of essentials oils, which he promptly corrects. Schnaubelt covers issues of authenticity and adulteration; the adjunct use of essential oils in the treatment of major diseases such as cancer, hepatitis, and MRSA infections; and application to traditional Chinese medicine. VERDICT Authoritatively written, this title will easily find an audience among herbalists, massage therapists, home-health advocates, complementary and alternative clinicians, and their patients. Conventional medical practitioners and pharmacists might also find it a worthy, informative read.‚ Janet Tapper, Univ. of Western States Lib., Portland, OR
Stepan, Nancy Leys. Eradication: Ridding the World of Diseases Forever? Cornell Univ. Nov. 2011. c.272p. bibliog. ISBN 9780801450587. $35. HEALTH
The question mark at the end of this book’s subtitle sets the tone for the approach Stepan (history, emeritus, Columbia Univ.; The Hour of Eugenics) takes throughout. While disease eradication has often been a stated goal of public-health efforts, it has been achieved only once‚ in the case of smallpox. Stepan frames her story with the career of Fred Soper, an arch- eradicationist. The first eradication efforts mirrored Soper’s top-down focus on a single disease with tight control over the process by organizations such the Rockefeller Foundation. Complete eradication proved elusive, and questions gradually arose over whether focused eradication attempts or more broadly based primary health-care efforts produced better results. The question still lingers, and Stepan discusses today’s more foundation-driven public-health world, including the Gates Foundation’s declared goal to eradicate malaria. Her conclusion is that eradication efforts should be exceptional and rare. VERDICT For those working in or interested in public health, this book offers a well-documented look at both the history and the current challenges of eradication.‚ Dick Maxwell, Porter Adventist Hosp. Lib., Denver
Home Economics
Field, Simon Quellen. Culinary Reactions: The Everyday Chemistry of Cooking. Chicago Review, dist. by IPG. Nov. 2011. c.256p. illus. index. ISBN 9781569767061. pap. $16.95. COOKING
Field (Why There’s Antifreeze in Your Toothpaste: The Chemistry of Household Ingredients) believes the kitchen is really a chemistry lab in disguise because cooks preparing dishes employ the same procedures as chemists. He argues that understanding the scientific principles behind these processes is the key to becoming a better cook. From the reasoning behind weighing and measuring ingredients to creating foams and emulsions, Field delves into a number of topics to give readers a basic grounding in the chemistry of the kitchen. A few recipes are included, but this title reads more like a chemistry textbook than a cookbook. VERDICT Field is not the first to tackle this subject. Harold McGee’s On Food and Cooking is a classic, and Shirley O. Corriher’s CookWise and BakeWise are more recipe-focused. Still, although Field’s contribution is written for Mr. Wizard fans rather than Betty Crocker candidates, it is an engaging and entertaining guide to the science of cooking.‚ John Charles, Scottsdale P.L., AZ
Penman, Helen. Fondant Modeling for Cake Decorators: 100 Fondant Features To Top Off a Special Cake. Firefly. 2011. 256p. illus. index. ISBN 9781554079131. $29.95. COOKING
Given the current interest in elaborate baked goods and extreme cake decorating, this book comes at a perfect time. Penman, who designs cakes for Cakes and Sugarcraft magazine, begins with a basic scalable recipe for a sponge cake and buttercream frosting, but the real emphasis, as the title indicates, is on fondant. A helpful section features labeled pictures of tools along with tips on creating basic shapes and effects. The majority of the book focuses on creating 100 distinct cake toppers or decorative pieces made solely from fondant icing. These range from brides and grooms to cats, sharks, clowns, tractors, and musical notes. Each topper is outlined over one to three pages and is identified as easy, intermediate, or advanced. The spiral binding allows the book to lie open flat for ease of use, and the color pictures and step-by-step instructions make the projects unintimidating (at least for those with some artistic talent). VERDICT An attractively produced book on a specialized topic; purchase where there is interest.‚ Susan Hurst, Miami Univ. of Ohio Libs., Oxford
Sciences
Atkins, Peter. Reactions: The Private Life of Atoms. Oxford Univ. Nov. 2011. c.256p. illus. index. ISBN 9780199695126. $24.95. SCI
Author of almost 60 books, Atkins (fellow, Lincoln Coll., Univ. of Oxford; coauthor, Physical Chemistry) here offers chemistry at its most rudimentary. In fewer than 300 pages, he maps out the very basics of the structure of matter and how chemists operate, combine, and create new compounds. Atkins begins the dialog with water‚ a substance with which everyone is familiar in all of its states. Then, he progresses at a deliberate pace to more complex compounds but always keeps to recognizable experiences. With a straightforward approach, he avoids technical terminology and addresses readers directly, creating the illusion that he and his readers are having a private conversation. The text is heavily supported by illustrations. VERDICT Readers with little or no knowledge of chemistry will benefit the most from this work, but those with some science familiarity will appreciate its lessons.‚ Margaret F. Dominy, Drexel Univ. Lib., Philadelphia
The Best Writing on Mathematics 2011. Princeton Univ. Nov. 2011. c.350p. ed. by Mircea Pitici. illus. ISBN 9780691153155. pap. $19.95. MATH
Pitici (mathematics, Ithaca Coll.) has brought together 26 essays by new and established mathematicians, all published in 2010. The second book in the annual series, it covers an eclectic range of mathematical themes including philosophy, education, history, art, physics, and finance. This anthology is best described as a collection of recreational and popular mathematical works, postulations, and opinion pieces. Essays are written for a general audience and do not require a mathematic background. What constitutes the best writing is subjective, and the use of the term is questionable. Although most of these essays are entertaining and informative, it’s difficult to imagine this book’s true readership, especially because a significant number of the pieces are easily found on the Internet or in academic online collections. VERDICT While a noble effort by Pitici to collect and publish representative works in mathematics for a wider audience, this book is of limited use to academic or general readers.‚ Ian D. Gordon, Brock Univ. Lib., St. Catharines, Ont.
Diaconis, Persi & Ron Graham. Magical Mathematics: The Mathematical Ideas That Animate Great Magic Tricks. Princeton Univ. Nov. 2011. c.304p. illus. index. ISBN 9780691151649. $29.95. MATH
Well known and highly respected in the mathematical community, Diaconis (statistics & mathematics, Stanford Univ.) and Graham (computer science & engineering, Univ. of California, San Diego) have produced a work that completely lives up to expectations. It contains descriptions of magic tricks as viewed by an audience, the mathematics that make them possible, and clear explanations (including photographs) to help you‚ with a little practice‚ amaze your friends. The book also contains biographic and historic information about magic and magicians. A word of warning: this book is mostly free of the pages of abstruse algebraic formulas you may associate with mathematics, but some of the concepts discussed are far from simple to grasp. VERDICT As Martin Gardner’s 1956‚ 81 Mathematical Games column in Scientific American proved, many people enjoy mathematical entertainment. This book should find a reception among them, along with anyone who likes being mystified by a magic trick and immediately wants to know how it’s done.‚ Harold D. Shane, Baruch Coll. of CUNY
Dunlap, Thomas R. In the Field, Among the Feathered: A History of Birders and Their Guides. Oxford Univ. Dec. 2011. c.256p. illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780199734597. $34.95. NAT HIST
This thorough, well-documented book surveys the evolution of field guides and their influence in popularizing birding and nature in general, as well as their potent role in starting the environmental movement. As a significant publishing genre, field guides did not hold much sway until Roger Tory Peterson’s then seminal A Field Guide to the Birds, published in 1934; since then they’ve been a runaway success. Dunlap (history, Texas A&M Univ.; Faith in Nature) examines this phenomenon completely, including illustrations from progressive guides, which demonstrate their ever- increasing utility and sophistication. Peterson’s guide, if its later editions are included, ranks among the best-selling books of all time, competing even with the most popular novels and cookbooks. Dunlap takes us from the late 19th century to the contemporary scene, in which new guides are issued every year, some in electronic format. Along the way, he discusses the growth in popularity of birding and other outdoor pursuits as well as important related additional works. VERDICT While easy and engaging to read, this book is a work of scholarship, supported by a National Science Foundation grant. Highly recommended.‚ Henry Armistead, formerly with Free Lib. of Philadelphia
Linder, Chris. Science on Ice: Four Polar Expeditions. Univ. of Chicago. Dec. 2011. c.288p. photogs. ISBN 9780226482477. $40. SCI
This book is the culmination of the Live from the Poles online photo-essay whose mission, as part of International Polar Year 2007, was to educate the general public on polar science. Linder (photographer & researcher, Woods Hole Oceanographic Inst.) here assembles his favorite photos and stories from the project. Different journalists provide the text for each mission, but the photography is all Linder’s. There is much here to interest all kinds of readers: images of polar animals‚ of course‚ and ice (plenty of it) pictured in frequently astonishing ways. The book also features photographs of icebreakers, deep submergence vehicles, and other technological marvels. Best are the sublime images of frozen panoramas‚ the book’s oblong design encourages readers to spread it flat and browse the visuals. The focus, though, is on the scientists. Going behind the scenes, Linder captures them deploying instruments, interpreting data, and engaging in revealing nonscientific, casual moments as well. Readers are apt to come away with a new or deeper appreciation for those whose laboratory is the great, white outdoors. VERDICT For anyone who has ever had arctic dreams, this is a fine choice. It could perhaps steer young people with career aspirations of a scientific bent toward polar specialties.‚ Robert Eagan, Windsor P.L., Ont.
Van der Linden, F. Robert (text) & Dane A. Penland & others (photogs.). The Nation’s Hangar: Aircraft Treasures of the Smithsonian. Smithsonian Bks., dist. by Random. Nov. 2011. c.254p. photogs. bibliog. index. ISBN 9781588343161. pap. $29.95. SCI
Van der Linden (curator, Smithsonian Inst. National Air & Space Museum; Best of the National Air & Space Museum) takes the reader on a fascinating journey through 60-odd years of aeronautical history. He reviews the priceless aircraft and artifacts currently housed in the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, a mammoth four-hangar repository, and discusses the center’s accession criteria, principles of preservation, space, display, and funding challenges. Van der Linden’s informative narrative acquaints readers with such period exhibits as international military fighters and bombers, passenger liners, helicopters, seaplanes, recreational and racing craft, utility flyers such as crop dusters, and the world’s fastest jet-powered manned plane‚ the U.S. SR-71 Blackbird. Equally compelling is his treatment of the talented people who bankrolled, designed, maintained, flew, and finally restored these magnificent birds to their pristine glory. His volume is replete with more than 225 full-color illustrations and 75 black-and-white photographs‚ a visual feast. VERDICT This splendidly crafted pictorial tribute to a national treasure will appeal to the full spectrum of aviation scholars, collectors, and dedicated buffs. Highly recommended.‚ John Carver Edwards, Univ. of Georgia Libs., Cleveland
Science and Time Travel
Clegg, Brian. How To Build a Time Machine: The Real Science of Time Travel. St. Martin’s. Dec. 2011. c.320p. index. ISBN 9780312656881. $25.99. SCI
With an eye to making science interesting and understandable, Clegg ( Inflight Science: A Guide to the World from Your Airplane Window; Before the Big Bang: The Prehistory of the Universe) continues to craft accessible works out of difficult topics, in this case the nature of time. No, readers will not find step-by-step instructions for creating their own TARDIS, but via Clegg’s fantastic overview of the history of our study of the science and nature of time, they can better appreciate the obstacles to sending humans back and forth through a chronology. These problems notwithstanding, Clegg reminds us of how much humans have accomplished in the science so far and of the many things once thought unimaginable that are now part of everyday life. VERDICT An engaging read, highly recommended for the armchair physicist of the Michio Kaku school of popular science. Clegg excels at making science accessible.‚ Rachel M. Minkin, Michigan State Univ. Libs., Lansing
Everett, Allen & Thomas Roman. Time Travel and Warp Drives: A Scientific Guide to Shortcuts Through Time and Space. Univ. of Chicago. Dec. 2011. c.272p. illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780226224985. $30. SCI
This exploration of the way special relativity connects the concepts of superluminal travel and backwards time travel is fascinating but not for the casually curious. Everett (physics, emeritus, Tufts Univ.) and Roman (mathematical sciences, Central Connecticut State Univ.) have written for a lay audience in the broadest of terms. Though the book starts out simply enough, it’s not long before the reader will find a previous introduction to special relativity extremely useful. Despite the technicality, Everett and Roman’s style is replete with humor and references to popular-culture icons such as Star Trek and Star Wars. Furthermore, their explanations are aided by creative analogies and helpful diagrams. Although the later chapters become ever more technical, the goriest details are left to the appendixes for truly ambitious readers.VERDICT Educated readers with an interest in physics and a strong grasp of algebra will find this an excellent introduction to the intricacies of the real physics behind popular science fiction concepts. Recommended.‚ Marcia R. Franklin, St. Paul
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