To highlight the wide range of publications reviewed in Choice, each month Choice editors feature some noteworthy reviews from the current issue.

Aoki, Keith.  Bound by law?: tales from the public domain, by Keith Aoki, James Boyle, and Jennifer Jenkins.  Duke, 2008.  72p afp; ISBN 9780822344186 pbk, $8.95. Reviewed in 2009jun CHOICE.
46-5878  KF3050   MARC
 
Bound by Law? is a publication of Duke Law School’s Center for the Study of the Public Domain. In comic book form, Aoki (law, UC Davis School of Law), Boyle (law, Duke Univ. Law School), and Jenkins (director, Duke University’s Center for the Study of the Public Domain) explore the attempt of a filmmaker to shoot a documentary about a day in the life of New York City. Its focus is on the difficulty filmmakers have in producing documentaries by virtue of an increasingly complicated application of copyright law to their work. While accepting the value and importance of copyright, they decry the “permissions culture” premised on the belief that copyrights “give the owner right to demand payment for every type of usage no matter its length, or its purpose, or context in which it is set.” By using the comic book form, they hope to bring the problem to the attention of citizens and policy makers and enrich public debate on the subject. Sometimes funny, sometimes clever, the comic makes a very complex issue simple. Summing Up: Highly recommended. General readers, all undergraduate students, and professionals. — P. J. Galie, Canisius College

  
Arab women writers: a critical reference guide, 1873-1999, ed. by Radwa Ashour, Ferial J. Ghazoul, and Hasna Reda-Mekdashi; tr. by Mandy McClure.  American University in Cairo, 2008.  526p bibl; ISBN 9789774161469, $59.50. Reviewed in 2009jun CHOICE.
46-5360  PJ525    MARC
 
Covering the Maghreb to the Gulf, and the late-19th to the late-20th centuries, this work provides a near-comprehensive and critical resource for readers interested in an increasingly significant corpus of literary work. Edited by three women of letters who are prominent both in the Arab world and internationally, this “critical reference guide” combines nine probing essays (by equally distinguished critics) on women’s writing from specific national and subregional contexts in the Arab world: Lebanon, Syria, Egypt, Sudan, Iraq, Palestine and Jordan, Arab North Africa, the Arabian Peninsula and the Gulf, and Yemen. Each essay provides historical context and literary narrative, discussion of generic innovations and cross-cultural imitations, and readings of the Arab panorama more generally. The volume is dedicated to Latifa al-Zayyat, the late Egyptian pioneering novelist and critical voice who initially recommended the project. Her influence is evident in the commitment of and to “Arab women writers” that is so effectively displayed in the volume. In addition to the essays, the substantial bibliographies–of works in English, French, and Arabic, both primary and secondary–are an immense, indispensable resource. Another volume of “selected texts that represent women’s literature from the Arab world” is promised. In the meantime, this volume will be a very important resource for college and university libraries, and for general research and resource collections. Summing Up: Essential. Lower-level undergraduates through faculty/researchers. — B. Harlow, University of Texas at Austin

Baker, Dean.  Plunder and blunder: the rise and fall of the bubble economy.  PoliPoint Press, 2009.  170p index; ISBN 9780981576992  pbk, $15.95. Reviewed in 2009jun CHOICE.
46-5713  HC106    MARC
  
This short volume is a succinct, scathing indictment of the complicity of executives of financial institutions, the regulators of these institutions, and professional economists in creating the current financial crisis. Baker (codirector, Center for Economic and Policy Research) convincingly argues that the financial chaos wrought by the housing bubble could have been predicted and easily prevented. The inability, or unwillingness, of leading economists and industry regulators to recognize the extent of the bubble and their refusal to act to prevent its subsequent bursting is nothing short of criminal, in his view. Deregulation of the financial industry starting in the early 1980s led to the excesses that ultimately resulted in the tech stock and housing bubbles and busts. Baker’s suggestions to prevent future crises include Fed officials laying out evidence in public testimony on potential financial bubbles; greater restrictions on bank lending for risky mortgage loans; requiring that independent auditors, appraisers, and credit rating agencies be chosen by independent bodies and not be beholden to those who pay them; and maintaining a lower dollar value. See related, Robert Shiller’s The Subprime Solution (CH, Dec’08, 46-2206), Mark Zandi’s Financial Shock (CH, Dec’08, 46-2210), and Paul Muolo’s Chain of Blame (CH, Jan’09, 46-2794). Summing Up: Recommended. All levels of undergraduate students; general readers. — D. C. Messerschmidt, Lynchburg College
 
 
Bosselmann, Peter.  Urban transformation: understanding city design and form.  Island Press, 2008.  310p bibl index afp; ISBN 9781597264808, $90.00; ISBN 9781597264815  pbk, $45.00. Reviewed in 2009jun CHOICE.
46-5446  HT110  2008-13301   CIP
 
At a time when urban planners are too often driven by statistics and obsequious to whatever real estate developers request, and when those developers are more likely to be driven by quick, lucrative returns than by creating sound, long-term investments, it is refreshing to see a resurgence of ideas that focus on the physical form of cities and how that form can be crafted to benefit people. Bosselmann (Univ. of California, Berkeley) brings firsthand knowledge of cities worldwide to the fore in this rich comparative study. At the same time, his focus is not on grand designs, but on commonplace elements that humans find appealing. His examination of the physical world is closely tied to the human one. The approach to urban design he advocates is especially relevant as many cities court greater density for economic survival and for sustainability. The lessons are no less important to cities where the pressures for growth are high and the need for sensible practices urgent. Urban Transformation deserves to become a basic guidebook for architects, landscape architects, and planners, but no less so for decision makers and for citizen activists whose vigilance is often crucial to the desirability of place. Summing Up: Essential. Upper-level undergraduates through professionals/practitioners; general readers. — R. Longstreth, George Washington University
 

Collins, Robert O.  A history of modern Sudan.  Cambridge, 2008.  331p bibl index; ISBN 9780521858205, $80.00; ISBN 9780521674959  pbk, $27.99. Reviewed in 2009jun CHOICE.
46-5766  DT157  2008-3211   CIP
 
With the continuing interest of the general media and a spate of popular books, including one coauthored by Collins (with J. Millard Burr, Darfur: The Long Road to Disaster, CH, Nov’07, 45-1686), it is important to have an erudite history of this war-torn nation by the recognized dean of Sudanese studies. After a brief consideration of the relevant ecological factors in Sudan (Africa’s largest nation), Collins’s historical overview begins in the first half of the 19th century with the demise of the Ottoman Empire, the emergence of the Mahdist state, and the arrival of the European powers, particularly the British. The discussion becomes more detailed with independence in 1956 and subsequent turbulent political events, leading up to the drawn-out conflict between the north and south. As this relatively little-reported conflict drew to a close in 2003, Darfur exploded onto the world stage with enormous attention. Collins (emer., Univ. of California, Santa Barbara) demonstrates the internal as well as the external complexities attending to these conflicts, which for Darfur involved the unsettling role played by neighboring Libya. This informative text is indispensable for African studies collections. Summing Up: Essential. Upper-division undergraduates and above. — W. Arens, Stony Brook University

Cooper, Allan D.  The geography of genocide. University Press of America, 2009.  255p bibl index afp; ISBN 9780761840978  pbk, $36.00. Reviewed in 2009jun CHOICE.
46-5755  HV6322   MARC
  
Among studies on genocide, this book stands out for its originality and provocativeness. Cooper (Otterbein College) lays out his thesis clearly: genocide is a result of patriarchal systems. Perpetrators of genocide are from groups that embrace masculine ideologies and have experienced events perceived as emasculating. Such ideologies have special appeal in a country’s interior and border areas (not cosmopolitan cities). Leaders typically have suffered childhood traumas such as abandonment or abuse by their fathers. A historical moment of group emasculation can be readily identified prior to the outbreak of genocides. Cooper backs his thesis with brief descriptions of over 60 genocidal events, beginning with those described in the book of Genesis. He concludes with proposals for global reforms that can inhibit if not eliminate the occurrence of genocide. Many will appreciate Cooper’s feminist orientation and interdisciplinary approach yet question some prescriptions encouraging the demise of patriarchal systems, arguing that patriarchy will persist long into the future. Nonetheless, the breadth of coverage in this imaginative work makes it a valuable resource for scholars and teachers of genocide courses. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All levels/libraries. — P. G. Conway, SUNY College at Oneonta
 

Johnson, Bruce.  Dark side of the tune: popular music and violence, by Bruce Johnson and Martin Cloonan.  Ashgate, 2008.  238p bibl index afp; ISBN 9780754658726, $99.95. Reviewed in 2009jun CHOICE.
46-5526  ML3916    2008-17011   CIP
 
Johnson and Cloonan offer a book that is the antithesis of most recent publications on popular idioms. It sheds light on the negativity and “badness” of popular music, particularly in relationship to violence (in all forms). The authors include extensive discourse on cognitive relationships between sound and emotion, working through the hypothetical relationships postulated by other writers on the “why” of the relationship between music and violence. In addition, they provide a thorough examination of the history of this troubled relationship, from Mesopotamia through Johannes Brahms and later. The bulk of the study focuses on technological developments that have contributed to music and violence, particularly recorded-sound manipulation and online technologies. Finally, the authors extend their discussion to current world events, for example, looking at music used in torture in Darfur, Iraq, and Guantánamo Bay. They conclude by considering the direction and implications of future work on the subject. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All readers. — K. S. Todd, Oklahoma Baptist University
 
 
Klingberg, Torkel.  The overflowing brain: information overload and the limits of working memory, tr. by Neil Betteridge.  Oxford, 2009.  202p bibl index afp; ISBN 9780195372885, $21.95. Reviewed in 2009jun CHOICE.
46-5905  BF444  2008-14273  CIP
  
Individuals often feel overloaded with telephone numbers, computer passwords, Tweets (Twitter messages), and ringing cell phones, to name only a few of the day-to-day things the human brain must process. Accordingly, this book on the overload and limits of working memory is not only fascinating but also timely. In a dozen chapters, Klingberg (cognitive neuroscience, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm) presents an accessible overview of both classical and contemporary studies on memory and attention; limitations on doing two things at once; brain plasticity; the controversy regarding the existence of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder; and the effects of memory training. The book will be particularly engaging to readers outside the academy, including professionals, but students of psychology, cognitive science, and applied areas such as education, business, and rehabilitation will also be well served by this fine volume. Summing Up: Recommended. Lower- and upper-division undergraduates; general readers; professionals. — G. B. Rollman, University of Western Ontario
 
    
Madrick, Jeff.  The case for big government.  Princeton, 2009.  205p bibl index afp; ISBN 9780691123318, $22.95. Reviewed in 2009jun CHOICE.
46-5723  JK421  2008-29706  CIP
 
Economist Madrick (editor, Challenge magazine) has written a powerful case for the US government to play a stronger role in society. The first part of the book challenges those who contend that both the economy and society would be stronger by shifting the balance of power in favor of business. Madrick is especially strong in critiquing economic studies that support the antigovernment case. He then succinctly reviews the historical role of government in promoting a strong economy up to around 1970. The second part of the book details how both society and the economy have regressed in the recent era with the shrinking of the positive role of government–not just in terms of inequality and slower economic growth but also in more subtle social phenomena. Madrick’s book precedes the current economic crisis, which makes his case even stronger. The author concludes with an agenda for change, which seems more sensible than surprising. For example, Madrick calls for measures to decrease inequality and improve regulation, and he favors public financing of elections. Crystal clear and easily accessible to undergraduate students, this work is exceedingly timely but will be useful even after the current economic crisis has passed. Summing Up: Highly recommended. General readers; upper-division undergraduate through professional audiences. — M. Perelman, California State University, Chico

  
Mariani, Paul.  Gerard Manley Hopkins: a life.  Viking, 2008.  496p bibl index ISBN 0-670-02031-1, $34.95; ISBN 9780670020317, $34.95. Reviewed in 2009jun CHOICE.
46-5480  PR4803  2008-36334  CIP
  
One of the three best biographies of Hopkins, this book attends most to Hopkins’s poems, offering paraphrases of scores of them. Like Robert Bernard Martin’s Gerard Manley Hopkins (CH, Jan’92, 29-2572), Mariani’s book presses a thesis: rather than the supposedly psychosexual inner life of the poet, this pious biography emphasizes that Hopkins (a Jesuit) loved Jesus Christ. In contrast, Norman White’s Hopkins (CH, Mar’93, 30-3698) presents available evidence and ultimately questions whether the life and the work illustrate any particular thesis at all. Apparently untroubled by recent decades of literary theory, Mariani treats the poems as expressions of the poet’s personal beliefs. Some editorial features suggest a commercial genre of writing: Mariani begins with a supposedly exciting episode from the middle of the life and then turns to a chronological narrative; and each quoted poem is preceded by a paraphrase by Mariani, so that the poem seems to confirm the interpretation. Cloaked in vivid language, these devices often employ Hopkins’s words, so the mechanisms look a little more like poetry. But research among Hopkins’s writings, his acquaintance’s writings, and commentaries (many by Jesuits) helps make Mariani’s biography informative and useful, even if it is thesis driven in contrast to White’s still-necessary work. Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through faculty. — T. Hoagwood, Texas A&M University

Papers of the War Department, 1784-1800.  Internet Resource. http://wardepartmentpapers.org/  Reviewed in 2009jun CHOICE.
46-5817
  
 [Visited Mar’09] At its best, good history resembles a good mystery. Those who engage in historical research seek new windows on the past, new evidence to breathe life into bare facts and chronology. Students of the early years of the US will hail the release of the online database Papers of the War Department, 1784-1800. This is no mere digitization project of a single archival collection; rather, it is a heroic effort to reassemble a body of documents believed lost in 1800. Due to a fire that year, the War Department lost the records of its early existence, when the federal government struggled to define its role in the new nation and the War Department was responsible for 70 percent of the federal budget. Assembled and maintained by the reputable Center for History and New Media at George Mason University, this free online database offers digital images of documents pertaining to the War Department that are physically scattered in repositories across the nation. The Web site also provides information about documents that are cited in existing records but appear not to have survived.

Browsable by year, author, and recipient and searchable by author, recipient, location, year, and topic, the site offers new perspectives on life in the early republic as it pertained to Indian affairs, veteran affairs, assistance to widows and children, military issues, and the establishment of the federal government. While the images are sometimes difficult to read–due no doubt to the natural faintness of 225-year-old ink–this resource will prove an invaluable tool for researchers and will continue to improve in value for undergraduates as the site’s creators add pedagogical tools for accessing the collection (planned, but not yet available). Summing Up: Essential. Upper-division undergraduates and above. — S. Ferentinos, Organization of American Historians

Pedersen, Jason A.  The Wall Street primer: the players, deals, and mechanics of the U.S. securities market.  Praeger, 2009.  246p index afp ISBN 0-313-36515-6, $44.95; ISBN 9780313365157, $44.95. Reviewed in 2009jun CHOICE.
46-5705  HG4910  2008-33900  CIP
  
Pedersen, an investment professional, provides unique insight into Wall Street’s mystique. With clarity and a wry sense of humor, he details the often-arcane inner workings of Wall Street and capital markets. Topics covered in the book’s 21 brief chapters include investment banking, private placements, startups and seed capital, mid- and later-stage financing, initial public offerings (selecting an underwriter, valuation, marketing, transaction processing, and structural considerations), acquisitions and sales of businesses, and creating shareholder value. Case studies, excellent illustrative materials, and Pedersen’s personal observations enhance the chapters. The book concludes with an extensive glossary and a set of schematic diagrams of the “Landscape of Capital Players” and “Typical Progression of a Successful Venture-Backed Company.” Although this work is oriented toward neophyte investment professionals, other readers will find it of interest both as an introduction to Wall Street’s complicated interactions among its myriad players and activities and as a useful reference item. Some familiarity with contemporary accounting, capital markets, and business finance would be helpful to a thorough understanding. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduate through professional collections. — S. R. Kahn, University of Cincinnati

Prairies and plains: the reference literature of a region, ed. by Robert Balay with Mel Bohn et al.  KWS Publishers, 2009.  422p indexes; ISBN 9780981773629, $125.00. Reviewed in 2009jun CHOICE.
46-5359  Z1251    MARC
 
The prairies and plains, in this bibliography, run through ten states, from western Texas to the Rocky Mountains and up into Canada. Eight respected librarian-specialists have selected and described 1,270 basic titles in the field, cited under 29 major headings and several hundred subheadings. Thanks to the annotations, this is an impressively well-thought-out introduction to the literature of the area. Ranging from 50 to 200 words, the annotations indicate where the authors come from and describe the work, pointing out useful features and exploring contexts. In addition, 18 “Site Lists” add online addresses for major agencies. Selection and interlibrary loan staff are seen as the users within the library, but this book should be no less valuable to reference librarians who work with the subject and who may be encouraged to know the sources. Students will find this volume useful in organizing their search for source materials, and Western history faculty members also will find it invaluable in organizing their perspectives. This is an indispensable reference source, distributed by the University of Chicago Press, for all libraries in this geographical area and others that serve American history readers. Summing Up: Essential. Lower-level undergraduates and above; general readers. — D. W. Krummel, emeritus, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

  
Schindler, D. C.  Plato’s critique of impure reason: on goodness and truth in the Republic.  Catholic University of America, 2008.  358p bibl index afp; ISBN 9780813215341, $79.95. Reviewed in 2009jun CHOICE.
46-5876  JC71  2008-5003  CIP
  
In this wonderful new study of Plato’s Republic, Schindler (Villanova Univ.) argues that the key to interpreting the dialogue lies in the twofold nature of goodness: that it is both absolutely good (good for itself) and relatively good (good for us). The absoluteness of the good makes possible the distinction between being and appearance, while the relativity of the good makes possible the connection between the erotic soul and the truth it seeks. The vexing question of whether the good is knowable is answered qualifiedly: not as an abstraction, but as an idea embodied in the person of Socrates. Hence the drama of the dialogues, wherein the character of Socrates is revealed, is important to their meaning. Schindler examines Socrates’ exchange with Thrasymachus and concludes that violence is the inevitable consequence of sophistic skepticism. The role of image in the middle books and the epilogue is closely and instructively studied. A lengthy introduction diagnoses the intellectual crisis of the postmodern academy and offers as the cure an epistemology that blends the absolute and the relative, such as Plato accomplishes in the Republic. Schindler’s wide familiarity with Platonic scholarship is particularly impressive. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Graduate, research, and professional collections. — P. Coby, Smith College
 
 
Small, Gary.  iBrain: surviving the technological alteration of the modern mind, by Gary Small and Gigi Vorgan.  Collins Living, 2008.  240p index; ISBN 9780061340338, $24.95. Reviewed in 2009jun CHOICE.
46-5598  QP376  2007-49587  CIP
  
This modestly sized volume explores the influence of electronic information on people upon whom the “techno age” has seemingly sneaked up (including this reviewer), and those born with a silver iPod in their mouth. iBrain contains nine chapters with fascinating titles including “Your Brain Is Evolving Right Now,” “Addicted to Technology,” “Reconnecting Face to Face,” “The Technology Toolkit,” and “Bridging the Brain Gap.” The husband-and-wife team of neuroscientist Small (UCLA) and television and film writer/producer Vorgan strives to provide readers who look upon technology as only a tool with the viewpoint of those who consider it a constant necessity, and vice versa. For example, the toolkit chapter contains information about e-mail, text messaging, blogging, and digital entertainment, tempered with a discussion of online safety/privacy. Chapters do not contain references, but primary reference material is cited in chapter notes. Appendixes include “High-Tech Glossary” and “Text Message Shortcuts and Emoticons” (the latter indispensable in the current age of communication!). While this book will be of great interest to people making their first foray into the technoworld, even the most hardcore technogeek will find the segments about brain evolution of interest. Includes a 10-page index. Summing Up: Recommended. All public, undergraduate, and two-year technical program libraries. — L. A. Meserve, Bowling Green State University

Wedeen, Lisa.  Peripheral visions: publics, power, and performance in Yemen.  Chicago, 2008.  300p bibl index afp; ISBN 9780226877907, $65.00; ISBN 9780226877914  pbk, $16.20. Reviewed in 2009jun CHOICE.
46-5877  JQ1842  2008-5222  CIP
 
 Commencing with the question, “what makes a Yemeni a Yemeni?” Wedeen (Univ. of Chicago) demonstrates that the answer cannot be found merely in reference to engagements and attachments to state institutions, which remain weak in this recently unified republic. Rather, one must proceed to the “periphery” by considering the ongoing practices and performances of daily life. Based on 18 months of field research between 1998 and 2004, Wedeen’s study offers a series of complex and sometimes surprising conclusions: national solidarities can be used to oppose as well as to authenticate existing regimes; national solidarities often occur episodically and outside of formal political processes; and rather than forming competing alternatives, national and pious claims and identifications can and do coexist and coalesce. Chapters two and three offer highly original examinations, respectively, of three moments (the 1999 presidential election, the decennial celebration of unity, and the arrest of a serial killer) that reveal national solidarity and identification precisely when the state reveals its shortcomings in providing communal protections, and of quotidian q?t chews–relatively vibrant spheres of civic and democratic deliberation. This challenging book should provide fodder for rethinking aspects of democratic theory and identity politics and for future studies of modern Yemen. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates and above. — M. Browers, Wake Forest University

  
Welland, Michael.  Sand: the never-ending story.  California, 2009.  343p bibl index afp; ISBN 9780520254374, $24.95. Reviewed in 2009jun CHOICE.
46-5630  QE47  2008-9084 CIP 
  
This delightful book is in the genre of single-name titles on what at first seem prosaic topics (e.g., David Montgomery’s Dirt, CH, Sep’07, 45-0266). Complex, interconnected webs of observations and ideas then emerge from these small and basic roots (as William Blake wrote, “To see a world in a grain of sand …”). Sand is about that enormously common grain in a certain size range. Geologist Welland discusses sand’s deep set of histories; the processes that make it, move it, and deposit it; and its cultural uses and associations. He touches on science, history, philosophy, art, and technology. The book begins with the birth of sand grains, typically starting as quartz crystals in igneous rocks. The discussion proceeds from the properties of individual particles to how these grains act in vast numbers (“tribes”). The author follows some of the many paths sand grains take as they move by water and air through (almost) countless iterations of deposition and reanimation. He covers fluvial environments in considerable detail, along with beaches and deserts. The literary and metaphorical uses of sand are discussed throughout the book, and the ending chapter about sand on Mars and Titan is extraordinary. Well referenced and well written. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All levels of readership. — M. A. Wilson, College of Wooster
 
 
Wilson, Robin.  Lewis Carroll in numberland: his fantastical mathematical logical life: an agony of eight fits.  W.W. Norton, 2008.  237p bibl index; ISBN 9780393060270, $24.95. Reviewed in 2009jun CHOICE.
46-5670  QA29  2008-37342  CIP
  
Fascinating, a delight to read, and informative: these are this reviewer’s words in response to his first reading of Lewis Carroll in Numberland. In this labor of love, mathematician Wilson (Open Univ., UK) focuses on Charles Dodgson, mathematician extraordinaire, who is best known for writing the “Alice in Wonderland” books under the pen name of Lewis Carroll. This work overflows with information, providing the full details of Dodgson’s life as a highly regarded photographer, children’s author, and mathematics professor at Christ Church (part of Oxford Univ.). Every page reveals and weaves together interesting tidbits of the mathematician’s life and work. The text is enhanced by Dodgson’s comments from a personal diary, his construction of recreational puzzles and riddles, his creation of a mathematical play about Euclid’s fifth postulate, and his publication of specialized treatises in the areas of logic, geometry, and algebra. Besides including many of Dodgson’s photographs, the volume is complemented by detailed chapter notes, references, and a thorough index. Get the book, as it is as much fun to read as it is to explore Dodgson’s recreational puzzles. In summary, Dodgson himself would be pleased with this book! Summing Up: Highly recommended. All levels/libraries. — J. Johnson, Western Washington University
   
 

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