Borman, Tracy. Queen of the Conqueror: The Life of Matilda, Wife of William I. Bantam. Apr. 2012. c.336p. illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780553808148. $30. BIOG
Borman (chief executive, Heritage Education Trust; Elizabeth’s Women: Friends, Rivals, and Foes Who Shaped the Virgin Queen) traces the life of the important but often forgotten Matilda of Flanders (1031‚ 83). While women at this time played solely a background role in social and political spheres, Borman argues that Matilda showed great agency both before her marriage to William the Conqueror and during her time as Duchess of Normandy and Queen of England. Drawing from contemporaneous chronicles and legal documents, Borman creates a vivid portrait of a strong woman who was not at all uncomfortable delving into the antagonistic and decidedly masculine realm of court politics. Further, she contends that Matilda’s refined presence as queen helped calm the newly conquered English and assisted in providing a smooth transition for the Norman dynasty in England, as her haughty lineage‚ she was, after all, granddaughter of the King of France‚ made up for her husband’s well-known illegitimacy. VERDICT A highly useful work that sheds light on the life of a surprisingly obscure but important figure in English history. As Borman suggests, Matilda did perhaps serve as an exemplar for later authoritative queens such as Elizabeth I and Victoria.‚ Brian Renvall, Mesalands Community Coll., Tucumcari, NM
Rappaport, Helen. A Magnificent Obsession: Victoria, Albert, and the Death That Changed the British Monarchy. St. Martin’s. 2012. c.352p. illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780312621056. $26.99. BIOG
Rappaport’s (The Last Days of the Romanovs: Tragedy at Ekaterinburg) book is a revelation, presenting the story behind Queen Victoria’s relationship with her beloved Consort, Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. Whereas historically Victoria was known as a steadfast, confident queen from the beginning of her reign in 1837, this well-researched study shows otherwise: it was Albert who actually ran the empire, directing a pliant Victoria and usurping her role as monarch. Though a sickly man prone to stomach ailments, he never allowed his illnesses to keep him from performing the duties of a head of state. Only upon Albert’s death in late 1861 was Victoria allowed to emerge, assuming the strength and spirit of her late and much-mourned husband for the following four decades of her reign. Rappaport has revealed the true commanding presence of Albert: strong father, dictatorial husband, and king without the title‚ going so far as to describe the period as Albertian rather than Victorian, a powerful and startling statement. VERDICT This riveting biography, which draws on documents previously overlooked, is a work of scholarship that would enhance any collection. Recommended for all readers of historical royal biography or 19th-century British history.‚ Lisa Guidarini, Algonquin P.L., IL
Parry, Richard Lloyd. People Who Eat Darkness: The True Story of a Young Woman Who Vanished from the Stree
ts of Tokyo‚ and the Evil That Swallowed Her Up. Farrar. Jun. 2012. c.464p. photogs. ISBN 9780374230593. pap. $16. CRIME
This true crime tale reads like a novel, but few of its fictional counterparts have this much insight into murder cases and the psychology of the people involved. Foreign correspondent and author Parry (Tokyo bureau chief, The Times; In the Time of Madness: Indonesia on the Edge of Chaos) tells the story of Lucie Blackman, a young Englishwoman who mysteriously disappeared in Japan in 2000. He vividly captures the atmosphere and culture of Tokyo, where Blackman lived before she disappeared, and tells of her family’s excruciating attempts to find answers and the bizarre trial of the man accused of her brutal murder. Parry remains objective but writes sympathetically of all involved. He delves into the lives of members of the victim’s family as well as of the accused man, adding layer upon layer of complexity to an already complicated case. VERDICT Parry’s prose is reminiscent of true crime greats Truman Capote and Vincent Bugliosi. This well-written story, likely to elicit tears and even nightmares from readers, is recommended for all who enjoy true crime, thrillers, and cross-cultural narratives.‚ Ryan Claringbole, Chesapeake P.L., VA
James Madison
Broadwater, Jeff. James Madison: A Son of Virginia and a Founder of the Nation. Univ. of North Carolina. 2012. c.320p. illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780807835302. $30. BIOG
Broadwater (history, Barton Coll.; George Mason, Forgotten Founder) recognizes James Madison’s role in safeguarding religious freedom in Virginia, as does Gutzman (below). Broadwater also shows Madison to have been not only an intellect but a successful, practical politician, an adapter with an aristocratic bent who was caught up in the contradictions, which Broadwater underlines, that race-based slavery presented to white Southerners in a revolutionary age. In an engagingly formulated work of synthesis, Broadwater offers a compelling view of the essential Madison by mindfully drawing upon the works of previous historians (e.g., Jack N. Rakove, Lance Banning, and Drew R. McCoy) without being derivative. The author assists the reader by gleaning choice phrases from Madison’s contributions to the Federalist Papers and leavens the story of Madison’s career with much information about Dolley Madison, a notable political and personal asset to her husband. Both Madisons preserved James Madison’s meticulously composed papers, she by rescuing them from the burning White House in 1814 and he later by selling them to interested parties to provide for her financially. VERDICT Broadwater’s clear writing style and contextual explanations make this work especially appealing to incipient scholars and general readers.‚ Frederick J. Augustyn Jr., Library of Congress
Gutzman, Kevin R.C. James Madison and the Making of America. St. Martin’s. 2012. c.432p. illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780312625009. $27.99. BIOG
This assessment by Gutzman (history, Western Connecticut State Univ.; The Politically Incorrect Guide to the Constitution) focuses on Madison’s public career, especially his public policy concerns, his roles as speechwriter and adviser to George Washington, as secretary of state under Thomas Jefferson, and his activities as a wartime president. Like Broadwater (above), Gutzman sees Madison as a practical politician who attempted to balance rather than eradicate humankind’s faults. He contends that Madison influenced the contemporary legal principle that precedent leads to constitutionality and believed, even more than the other Founders, that the federal government should refrain from promoting religion. Madison opposed prayer proclamations and carried on the legacy he set in Virginia where, with Jefferson, he helped disestablish the state church and affirmed the right to religious freedom. Gutzman points out that Madison was educated at a New Jersey college (which became Princeton) with Scottish Presbyterian philosophical roots, in contrast to his colleagues’ Virginian and Anglican schooling. Effectively, these are reminders of what other historians have already stated. VERDICT Gutzman’s meticulous disquisition on the proceedings of the Philadelphia Constitutional Convention, probably overlong for general readers, will most profit scholars. His perspective on an important Founder, and his minute examination of the Federalist Papers, will most appeal to serious readers.‚ Frederick J. Augustyn Jr., Library of Congress
The Tea Party
Foley, Elizabeth Price. The Tea Party: Three Principles. Cambridge Univ. 2012. c.256p. bibliog. index. ISBN 9781107011359. $25. POL SCI 
Constitutional scholar Foley (Florida International Univ. Coll. of Law; L iberty for All: Reclaiming Individual Privacy in a New Era of Public Morality) here offers her view on the philosophical underpinnings of the Tea Party movement. Conveniently, these adhere closely to the strict method of constitutional interpretation where her expertise lies. The book is thus less centered on the movement itself than on the three principles that are her focus: limited government, unabashed American sovereignty, and constitutional originalism (the belief that the application of the Constitution to judicial matters should follow the intentions of the Founding Fathers as closely as possible). The book reads mostly as an introduction to these intellectual positions, discussing decisions from the courts that over time have led us astray, according to Foley, from our founding documents‚ all well and good, but the connections of these principles to a movement as broad and scattered as the Tea Party is left underdeveloped. VERDICT This book will appeal to conservative and/or libertarian readers seeking firm grounding for the sentiments awakened by the Tea Party. Look to Ronald P. Formisano’s The Tea Party: A Brief History, below, for a more historical overview of the movement.‚ Brett Rohlwing, Washington Park Branch, Milwaukee P.L., WI
Formisano, Ronald P. The Tea Party: A Brief History. John Hopkins Univ. Apr. 2012. c.152p. index. ISBN 9781421405964. $19.95. POL SCI
One of the biggest questions regarding the Tea Party is its authenticity‚ is it a real, honest-to-goodness grassroots movement or an Astroturf one, with conservative elites pulling the strings? This question takes center stage here. In contrast to Foley’s philosophical approach (see above), Formisano (William T. Bryan Chair of American History, Univ. of Kentucky; For the People: American Populist Movements from the Revolution to the 1850s) focuses on the Tea Party movement as a historical and sociological phenomenon, discussing its intellectual underpinnings only when they are pertinent to his larger discussion. He compares the Tea Party to related events in recent American history, e.g., Ross Perot’s candidacies for president in 1992 and 1996, finding parallels and contradictions that may help predict the Tea Party’s ultimate impact. VERDICT Written in a brisk, journalistic fashion, this informative book is an excellent snapshot of the Tea Party as it seeks to make further inroads in the political arena. Despite its decidedly left-wing point of view, it raises questions that informed voters from all parts of the political spectrum ought to consider as the election season ramps up.‚ Brett Rohlwing, Washington Park Branch, Milwaukee P.L., WI
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The following titles are reviewed in the April 1 print issue. Visit our Reviews Center (Beta) for the full reviews.
Biography
Aldrich, Robert. Gay Lives. Thames & Hudson, dist. by Norton. Apr. 2012. 304p. illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780500251904. $29.95. BIOG
Cohen, Rich. The Fish That Ate the Whale: The Life and Times of America’s Banana King. Farrar. Jun. 2012. c.320p. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780374299279. $27. BIOG
Kaplan, Alice. Dreaming in French: The Paris Years of Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy, Susan Sontag, and Angela Davis. Univ. of Chicago. Apr. 2012. c.272p. photogs. index. ISBN 9780226424385. $26. BIOG
Kierner, Cynthia A. Martha Jefferson Randolph, Daughter of Monticello: Her Life and Times. Univ. of North Carolina. May 2012. c.376p. illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780807835524. $35. BIOG
Updegrove, Mark K. Indomitable Will: LBJ in the Presidency. Crown. 2012. c.400p. photogs. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780307887719. $27. BIOG
Wilson, A.N. Hitler. Basic Bks: Perseus. Apr. 2012. c.240p. bibliog. ISBN 9780465031283. $24.99. BIOG
Zimmerman, Jean. Love, Fiercely: A Gilded Age Romance. Houghton Harcourt. 2012. c.320p. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780151014477. $26. BIOG
Communications
Groth, Janet. The Receptionist: An Education at the New Yorker. Algonquin. Jun. 2012. c.320p. ISBN 9781616201319. $19.95. COMM
Economics
Doctoroff, Tom. What Chinese Want: Culture, Communism and China’s Modern Consumer. Palgrave Macmillan. May 2012. c.272p. photogs. index. ISBN 9780230340305. $27. COMMERCE
Hoffman, Bryce G. American Icon: Alan Mulally and the Fight To Save Ford Motor Company. Crown. 2012. c.432p. photogs. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780307886057. $26. BUS
Roberts, Alasdair. America’s First Great Depression: Economic Crisis and Political Disorder After the Panic of 1837. Cornell Univ. Apr. 2012. c.264p. illus. index. ISBN 9780801450334. $26. ECON
Education
Delbanco, Andrew. College: What It Was, Is, and Should Be. Princeton Univ. Apr. 2012. c.240p. index.ISBN 9780691130736. $24.95. ED
History
Goodwin, George. Fatal Colours: Towton 1461; England’s Most Brutal Battle. Norton. Apr. 2012. c.288p. illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780393080841. $27.95. HIST
Jackson, Joe. Atlantic Fever: Lindbergh, His Competitors, and the Race To Cross the Atlantic. Farrar. May 2012. c.544p.
illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780374106751. $30. HIST
Kriwaczek, Paul. Babylon: Mesopotamia and the Birth of Civilization. Thomas Dunne: St. Martin’s. Apr. 2012. c.320p. illus. maps. index. ISBN 9781250000071. $27.99. HIST
Pagnamenta, Peter. Prairie Fever: British Aristocrats in the American West 1830 ‚ 1890. Norton. Jun. 2012. c.320p. illus. index. ISBN 9780393072396. $27.95. HIST
Powell, Lawrence N. The Accidental City: Improvising New Orleans. Harvard Univ. 2012. c.430p. illus. index. ISBN 9780674059870. $29.95. HIST
Raphael, Ray. Mr. President: How and Why the Founders Created a Chief Executive. Knopf. 2012. c.336p. photogs. index. ISBN 9780307595270. $27.95. HIST
Smith, P.D. City: A Guidebook for the Urban Age. Bloomsbury, dist. by Macmillan. Jun. 2012. c.352p. illus. index. ISBN 9781608196760. $40. HIST
Ward, Geoffrey C. A Disposition To Be Rich: How a Small-Town Pastor’s Son Ruined an American President, Brought on a Wall Street Crash, and Made Himself the Best-Hated Man in the United States. Knopf. May 2012. c.432p. photogs. bibliog. index.
ISBN 9780679445302. $28.95. HIST
Law & Crime
Armstrong, Michael. They Wished They Were Honest: The Knapp Commission and New York City Police Corruption. Columbia Univ. Jun. 2012. c.272p. index. ISBN 9780231153546. $29.50. CRIME
Parapsychology
Carpenter, James C. First Sight: ESP and Parapsychology in Everyday Life. Rowman & Littlefield. 2012. c.480p. index. ISBN 9781442213906. $39.95. PARAPSYCH
Political Science
Bengio, Ofra. The Kurds of Iraq: Building a State Within a State. Lynne Rienner. Apr. 2012. c.350p. bibliog. index. ISBN 9781588268365. $68.50. INT AFFAIRS
Clift, Eleanor & Matthew Spieler. Selecting a President. Thomas Dunne: St. Martin’s. (Fundamentals of American Government). May 2012. c.208p. index. ISBN 9781250004499. $19.99. POL SCI
Owen, Roger. The Rise and Fall of Arab Presidents for Life. Harvard Univ. May 2012. c.272p. illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780674065833. $24.95. POL SCI
Peritz, Aki & Eric Rosenbach. Find, Fix, Finish: Inside the Counterterrorism Campaigns That Killed Bin Laden and Devastated al-Qaeda. PublicAffairs: Perseus. 2012. c.320p. index. ISBN 9781610391283. $27.99. INT AFFAIRS
Popkin, Samuel L. The Candidate: What It Takes To Win‚ and Hold‚ the White House. Oxford Univ. May 2012. c.360p. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780199922079. $27.95. POL SCI
Sollenberger, Mitchel A. & Mark J. Rozell. The President’s Czars: Undermining Congress and the Constitution. Univ. of Kansas. (Studies in Government and Public Policy). Apr. 2012. c.356p. index. ISBN 9780700618354. $39.95; pap. ISBN 9780700618361. $24.95. POL SCI
Psychology
Bateson, John. The Final Leap: Suicide on the Golden Gate Bridge. Univ. of California. Apr. 2012. c.328p. photogs. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780520272408. $29.95. PSYCH
Baumgartner, Jennifer. You Are What You Wear: What Your Clothes Reveal About You. Da Capo. 2012. c.272p. index. ISBN 9780738215204. pap. $16. PSYCH
Finland, Glen. Next Stop: A Memoir. Amy Einhorn: Putnam. Apr. 2012. c.304p. ISBN 9780399158605. $25.95. PSYCH
Likens, Aaron. Finding Kansas: Living and Decoding Asperger’s Syndrome. Perigee: Berkley. Apr. 2012. c.240p. ISBN 9780399537332. pap. $16. PSYCH
Segal, Nancy L. Born Together‚ Reared Apart: The Landmark Minnesota Twin Study. Harvard Univ. Jun. 2012. c.416p. photogs. index. ISBN 9780674055469. $49.95. PSYCH
Social Sciences
Gottschall, Jonathan. The Storytelling Animal: How Stories Make Us Human. Houghton Harcourt. Apr. 2012. c.272p. illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780547391403. $24. SOC SCI
Here Come the Brides! Reflections on Lesbian Love and Marriage. Seal: Perseus. 2012. c.448p. ed. by Audrey Bilger & Michele Kort. illus. ISBN 9781580053921. pap. $17. SOC SCI
Hochschild, Arlie Russell. The Outsourced Self: Intimate Life in Market Times. Metropolitan: Holt. May 2012. c.320p. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780805088892. $27. SOC SCI
Willerslev, Rane. On the Run in Siberia. Univ. of Minnesota. May 2012. c.240p. tr. from Danish by Coilín √ìhAiseadha. illus.
ISBN 9780816676262. $60; pap. ISBN 9780816676279. $19.95. SOC SCI
Travel & Geography
Everton, Macduff. The Modern Maya: Incidents of Travel and Friendship in Yucatán. Univ. of Texas. 2012. c.368p. photogs. ISBN 9780292726932. $50. TRAV
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