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

Archives Unbound.  Gale, part of Cengage Learning. Contact publisher for pricing.  Internet Resource.
48-3615
http://gale.cengage.com/ 

[Visited Dec’10] Making reading assignments of primary source material can be an effective way to bring history alive for students. Archives Unbound is a large online collection of primary source material dating from as early as 1500 to as late as the 1990s (however, the bulk of material appears to be from the 1890s to 1960s). Some 40 collections are available, with more additions planned. Examples include The American Indian Movement and Native American Activism, Federal Surveillance of African Americans 1920-1984, JFK’s Foreign Affairs and International Crises 1961-1963, and Tiananmen Square and U.S.-China relations, 1989-1993. Collections comprise approximately 5,000 to 200,000 pages. Documents range from books and pamphlets to manuscripts to newspapers and periodicals. All of the collections are browsable, allowing users to poke around when starting out. Source material is similar to that available in microfilm collections such as the FBI File on Malcolm X (actually included in this collection), with police and surveillance reports, memoranda, and the like. Collections can be browsed or searched separately, and each includes a helpful introduction providing historical context.

The interface is clean and intuitive, with adequate help documentation. Users can search the text of an individual collection, or all collections at once. Searchable fields include keyword, full text, document title, author, place-name, and document number, with Boolean operators. Users may select a collection by subject, area of interest, language (20-plus choices), and collection name. “Fuzzy” searching is featured, which can be helpful with the sometimes-inconsistent word spellings in historical and archival documents. Users may view facsimile images of original documents and crop, highlight, and enlarge documents to full screen size, among other options. They may print documents as PDFs. The content of Archives Unbound makes it an excellent resource for students doing research in political science, history, or ethnic studies, as well as multidisciplinary research. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-level undergraduates through faculty/researchers. — J. A. Knapp, Penn State Altoona

Barney, Jay B.  What I didn’t learn in business school: how strategy works in the real world, by Jay B. Barney and Trish Gorman Clifford.  Harvard Business Review Press, 2010.  234p afp ISBN 1-4221-5763-6, $25.95; ISBN 9781422157633, $25.95.
48-3951  HD30  2010-16499 CIP
 
This interesting, important, unique, and realistic business novel is written by two highly qualified experts. Barney (Ohio State Univ.) and Clifford (business consultant) tell a story about a recent MBA graduate’s first consulting assignment with a large global client. He is able to help this company make an important, challenging strategic decision and bring about change by integrating sophisticated, state-of-the-art analytical tools learned in business school with the realistic, complex, political, dynamic organizational culture of the company. In addition to learning how to use theoretical tools taught in business school–such as financial analysis, present value analysis, opportunity analysis, and sensitivity analysis–in a practical, realistic manner, the consultant also comes to realize the importance of understanding management concepts such as planning, prioritizing, teamwork, and bringing about change. The consultant gains an understanding of the importance of teamwork within both the consulting team and the company. The various technical models used are clearly explained. This work effectively highlights the importance of politics, the power of different top managers, and the culture of the company in making decisions. End-of-chapter questions serve to provoke thinking on how to apply the concepts presented to any organization. Summing Up: Highly recommended. General readers; students, upper-division undergraduate and up; faculty and practitioners. — D. W. Huffmire, emeritus, University of Connecticut  
  
Burgess, D. R.  The world for ransom: piracy is terrorism, terrorism is piracy.  Prometheus Books, 2010.  312p bibl index afp; ISBN 9781616141738, $26.00.
48-4007  G535  2010-3617 CIP
 
The war on terror has raged for nine years with no end in sight. The struggle has forced US policy makers to compromise fundamental democratic values. Unfortunately, the US reaction not only inflamed the Islamic world, but also played into the terrorist narrative that claims the West seeks to destroy Islam. Even more important, many of those measures adopted amid the crisis atmosphere of 2001 were outside the bounds of international law. Burgess (Yeshiva Univ.) examines the response to terrorism and argues that those policies ultimately alienated many traditional US allies. The remedy, according to the author, is not to develop a new judicial system, one that is difficult to justify, but instead to look to the past. His solution is simple: treat terrorists as pirates. A legal framework is already in place that would allow the world community to deny terrorists a safe haven and bring them to justice. By reviewing the past, Burgess believes, the West can overcome the legal quandary confronting it when dealing with international outlaws. This book is not only timely, but also noteworthy when studying the phenomenon of modern terrorism. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All levels/libraries.
— C. C. Lovett, Emporia State University  
 
Burns, Eric.  Invasion of the mind snatchers: television’s conquest of America in the fifties.  Temple University, 2010.  342p bibl index afp ISBN 1-4399-0288-7, $35.00; ISBN 9781439902882, $35.00.
48-3689  PN1992  2009-52963 CIP
 
How can one invention change the life of a nation? Cultural historian Eric Burns, formerly of NBC News, shows how television did just that in its formative years (1949-53). Its influence would result in a change in lifestyle for the average person, who began to stay home to watch television, eat dinner on a TV tray in front of the set, buy television’s advertised products, fall in love with its stars, and eventually–when scandals such as those surrounding television quiz shows arose–not love it so much. Mentioning shows like Howdy Doody, Our Miss Brooks, Davy Crockett, The $64,000 Question, and Queen for a Day, Burns chronicles the era. The author begins with Phillip D. Farnsworth, the inventor of television, whose idea for television was stolen by a spy working for David Sarnoff. He also looks at how Betty Friedan’s anger, during the 1950s, at women’s portrayal as background images of little importance would result in her writing The Feminine Mystique, which started the women’s movement in the US. Including detailed notes, this is an entertaining, easy read for those who want to learn more about the story of television in the US. Summing Up: Recommended. All readers. — C. L. Clements, Richland College

The Cambridge companion to Malcolm X, ed. by Robert E. Terrill.  Cambridge, 2010.  194p bibl index; ISBN 9780521515900, $95.00; ISBN 9780521731577 pbk, $24.99.
48-4051  BP223  2010-281458 MARC
 
Malcolm X is one of the two most influential African Americans of the second half of the 20th century. These 14 compelling essays across a range of disciplines and perspectives analyze Malcolm X in relationship to literature, religion, politics, and gender, and from rhetoric and ideology to film and popular culture. The book is written in a clear, accessible style, yet reveals a treasure trove of information that will be new to many readers. The essays analyzing Malcolm’s speeches, his use of symbols (devils and dogs, house and field, ballots and bullets), and his relationship to the black radical tradition are especially strong. James Tyner’s essay on Malcolm’s relationship to the literature of utopian dreams and dystopian nightmares is quite provocative, as is editor Terrill’s essay on judgment and criticism in Malcolm’s rhetoric. The essays on Malcolm’s contribution to Afrocentrism (by Molefi Asante), the black arts movement, and his internationalist vision are also impressive. William Sales’s concluding essay on “psychological emancipation from the internalized self-concept of racial inferiority” is a fitting coda to this remarkable volume. Indispensable reading. Summing Up: Essential. All levels/libraries.
— W. Glasker, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Camden   
 
Conniff, Richard.  The species seekers: heroes, fools, and the mad pursuit of life on Earth.  W.W. Norton, 2011.  464p bibl index ISBN 0-393-06854-4, $26.95; ISBN 9780393068542, $26.95.
48-3849  QH26  2010-24532 CIP
 
This work, the direct result of the author’s 2007 Guggenheim Fellowship, is a treat to read. Conniff (Spineless Wonders, CH, Apr’97, 34-4465) writes in a straightforward, engaging, entertaining style. The text is both timely, as biologists race to find, describe, and study Earth’s biodiversity in the face of rapid extinction, and timeless, as his narrative provides an in-depth perspective of the heyday of specimen collecting, mostly done by young, often little-known amateurs who laid the foundation for modern taxonomy and systematics. Conniff’s vivid descriptions of personal lives, rivalries, and numerous perils of collecting in the 1800s is developed against the social milieu that fostered the public’s fascination with the beauty and novelty of exotic species–both insect and vertebrate–from far, scattered parts of the world. Readers will be amazed at the significant research and the depth of comprehension that arise from these pages. The “Necrology” section, which provides the cause of death of numerous collectors, highlights the dangers in the field. The work is nicely illustrated with sketches of key collectors, and includes an extensive chapter-by-chapter notes section, a substantial bibliography, and a useful index. This is a book that one will surely read more than once; field scientists should own this volume. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All levels/libraries. — J. E. Platz, Creighton University

Cycling: philosophy for everyone: a philosophical tour de force, ed. by Jesús Ilundáin-Agurruza and Michael W. Austin.  Wiley-Blackwell, 2010.  273p bibl ISBN 1444330276 pbk, $19.95; ISBN 9781444330274 pbk, $19.95.
48-3937  GV1043  2010-4888 CIP
 
This book is part of the new series “Philosophy for Everyone” (other recent and upcoming entries in the series deal with whiskey, fatherhood, college sex, hunting, Christmas, coffee, motherhood, serial killers, climbing, and porn). Here a collection of “cyclophilosophers” provide essays on subjects ranging from the physical, psychological, and environmental merits of cycling to the phenomenal careers of Eddie Merckx and Lance Armstrong, from issues concerning women cyclists to the scandal of the use of performance-enhancing drugs in races. Although no essayist breaks free from the peloton, the various first-person narratives seem to fit best with the spirit of philosophy. This book and the others in this reasonably priced series would be useful in interdisciplinary studies programs as examples for students on how scholars from various disciplines can broach the same topic. Summing Up: Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates through faculty/professionals; general readers. — J. A. Badics, Eastern Michigan University  
  
Davis, Howard.  The financial crisis: who is to blame?.  Polity, 2010.  229p bibl index; ISBN 9780745651637, $64.95; ISBN 9780745651644 pbk, $19.95.
48-3972  HB3717   MARC
 
“Get me a one-handed economist” was President Truman’s plea, having tired of being told, “On the one hand, on the other hand” (OTOH, OTOH). Davies (director, London School of Economics, with a distinguished career in both the UK government and private sectors) conforms to the OTOH, OTOH model, but in a most positive way. In myriad brief chapters, Davies discusses the many conflicting views of the causes of the recent financial crisis. Were the low interest rates during 2003-04 a result of world economic conditions or an engineered US monetary policy? Were hedge funds and their short-selling significant contributors to the crisis? Did the unwieldy US regulatory structure, with diffused responsibility among various federal agencies, make a difference? Would the presence of the Volcker Rule, now enshrined in US financial regulation, have prevented the meltdown? How about US government-sponsored entities, mark-to-market accounting rules, and oversized Wall Street bonuses? And so on for 38 chapters. Davies’s work will be of immense value to those who value inquisitiveness and an open mind, i.e., serious students, be they professionals or students. They will also benefit from the brief chapter-end bibliographies. This reviewer has already strongly recommended this book to his financial crises course undergraduate students. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through professionals. — J. Prager, New York University 

Encyclopedia of animal behavior, ed. by Michael D. Breed and Janice Moore.  Elsevier, 2010.  3v bibl index; ISBN 9780080453330, $720.00.
48-3607  QL750   MARC
 
This beautifully put together three-volume encyclopedia comprises 300-plus entries on a diverse range of topics in the contemporary study of animal behavior. Entries run the gamut from topic-focused (e.g., “Aggression and Territoriality,” “Visual Signals”) to those treating the behavior of a particular species or taxonomic group (e.g., “Bowerbirds,” “Zebrafish”). The set also covers applied research, methodological issues, and historical topics, along with emerging areas of research such as animal welfare and the role of behavior in conservation. Most entries are five to eight pages long, and each concludes with a helpful list of recommendations for further reading and, in some cases, relevant Web sites. Breed and Moore have assembled an outstanding array of contributors, including many recognized experts in the field. The writing is crisp, clear, and to the point. Numerous tables and color figures add to the value of the text, and a lengthy glossary is included at the end of each volume. Although the sheer range of entries and the overlap among them could be a bit confusing, a “Subject Classification Index” located at the front of each volume organizes relevant entries under major subject headings. The editors state that their primary audience is advanced undergraduates, graduate students, and professionals looking for an overview of topics in animal behavior, and they have succeeded wonderfully in producing an indispensable reference work for this audience. Those who study animal behavior or teach in this field will want these volumes on their shelf. Summing Up: Essential. Lower-level undergraduates through researchers/faculty. — S. C. Baker, James Madison University  

Gentile, Mary C.  Giving voice to values: how to speak your mind when you know what’s right.  Yale, 2010.  273p bibl index afp; ISBN 9780300161182, $26.00.
48-3955  HF5387  2010-11905 CIP
 
Gentile (Babson College) offers a fresh approach to ethics education in business school: a practical primer on building skills and confidence to act consistently with personal values. Based on research pioneered at the Aspen Institute and on the Global Voice to Values curriculum (in use at more than 100 schools, including Yale and MIT), this book offers insightful exercises and scripts to prepare business leaders to respond to ethical challenges in the workplace. Most business students expect to encounter conflicts with personal values during their careers. Instead of just teaching ethical issue awareness or analysis, business schools should also spend time helping students prepare to act with integrity. Requiring students to address fundamental issues (e.g., “What am I working for?”) encourages personal self-assessment as well as clarity regarding motives and options. This book would work well as a primary or secondary resource for business seniors or MBA students studying business ethics, personal responsibility, or leadership. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates and above.
— T. R. Gillespie, Northwest University 
 
Halpern, David.  The hidden wealth of nations.  Polity, 2010.  307p bibl index; ISBN 9780745648019, $69.95; ISBN 9780745648026  pbk, $24.95.
48-4115  HN25  2010-278654 MARC
 
Halpern (research director, Institute of Government, UK) was chief analyst in the UK Prime Minister’s Strategy Unit until 2007. This book describes the kind of thinking that went on behind the scenes. The premise is that there is a hidden wealth of nations that affects the well-being of citizens and economic development. Rich nations are happier than poor, but economic growth does not necessarily produce happiness, although it produces the capacity for it. Hidden wealth lies in the commitment to common values, such as fairness, caring, and freedom; in challenging work; and in the quality of relationships in families, neighborhoods, and workplaces. There are cracks in hidden wealth, including citizens’ insecurities and fears that may be exaggerated, which governments can address in public policies. They should pay attention to the subjective experience of consumers of public services and to accountability, transparency, and citizen participation. They should attack social exclusion and inequality, and invest in education and innovation to allow people to participate in a complex society, among many other things. Halpern is a social psychologist, and it shows in this innovative, data-driven approach to public policy. Summing Up: Highly recommended. General readers, upper-division undergraduate students, and above. — A. J. Ward, emeritus, College of William and Mary

Kilcullen, David J.  Counterinsurgency.  Oxford, 2010.  251p index afp ISBN 0-19-973748-7, $74.00; ISBN 0199737495 pbk, $39.95; ISBN 9780199737482, $74.00; ISBN 9780199737499 pbk, $15.95.
48-4136  U241  2010-1496 CIP
 
Kilcullen (Center for American Security) is a former Australian Army infantry officer who served as a member of General Petraeus’s personal staff responsible for the troop surge in Iraq in 2007. Kilcullen’s Counterinsurgency is a collection of mostly previously published essays about counterinsurgency. It includes work deriving from his dissertation on Indonesian insurgencies, as well as “28 Articles,” an appendix of the famous FM 3-24 counterinsurgency manual. Kilcullen’s goal is to set forth a series of principles of counterinsurgency, developed not only from study but from personal experience. For example, Kilcullen relates in fairly gripping detail the course of a firefight he participated in on the East Timor border. The value of the book consists not only in its actual subject matter, but also in showing the development of Kilcullen’s thinking as an author and analyst. It provides an important companion to, but not replacement of, Kilcullen’s Accidental Guerrilla (CH, Feb’10, 47-3441). Summing Up: Recommended. General readers, upper-division undergraduate students, and above.
— R. M. Farley, University of Kentucky    
  
The Oxford handbook of national security intelligence, ed. by Loch K. Johnson.  Oxford, 2010.  886p bibl index afp; ISBN 9780195375886, $150.00.
48-4141  JF1525  2009-52406 CIP
 
This book is an excellent, comprehensive collection of 49 articles by well-known authorities on the subject of national security intelligence. It contains a helpful glossary that will be useful to experts and neophytes. All of the contributions are both informative and valuable; however, this allotted space does not permit individual reviews of contributions. Peter Gill’s thoughtful and provocative work on the theories of intelligence sets the tone for the collection. Michael Warner and Rhodi Jeffreys-Jones’s article offers a good historical introduction to the book. Matthew Aid’s article on the NSA and the Obama administration is useful and contemporary, as is Uri Bar-Joseph and Rose McDermott’s piece on intelligence and leadership. David Robarges’s analysis of intelligence and leadership is also very good. Paul Redmon’s piece on counterintelligence is interesting, as is William Daughtery’s article on covert action. All of the articles under the rubric of accountability are provocative, especially Michael Andregg’s piece. Many will find Robert Pringle’s work on Russian intelligence services enlightening. Because of its price this would be better used as an adjunct rather than a text for courses on the subject. It is a very good acquisition for professional and university libraries. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduate, graduate, and research collections. — A. C. Tuttle, emeritus, University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Pigliucci, Massimo.  Nonsense on stilts: how to tell science from bunk.  Chicago, 2010.  332p bibl index afp; ISBN 9780226667850, $70.00; ISBN 9780226667867 pbk, $20.00.
48-3833  Q172  2009-49778 CIP
 
Nonsense on Stilts is a very interesting, useful compendium of thinking about and within science. Science has become more and more a part of daily life, and Pigliucci (philosophy, CUNY; Making Sense of Evolution, coauthor with C. Kaplan, 2006; Denying Evolution, CH, Jan’03, 40-2755) points out the need to differentiate between “good” science and pseudoscience and all shades in between (e.g., “almost” science). Topics discussed cover the nature and limits of science, the psychology of belief, philosophy of science, tools of critical thinking, differentiation between “hard” and “soft” science, historical science, randomness, and causation. Specific examples include AIDS denial, astrology, ESP/paranormal, (pseudo)journalism, climate change, evolution versus creationism, and expertise. The author also describes the evolution of scientific thinking. Although Fuller does not propose a litmus test for scientific boundaries, he advocates the use of a “baloney detector.” Naturalism, theory, and empiricism/testability are key criteria for scientific findings. Valuable as a reference for courses in science, philosophy, political science, and journalism, as well as a handbook for the public. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All libraries. — R. E. Buntrock, formerly, University of Maine 
 
Schrag, Peter.  Not fit for our society: nativism and immigration.  California, 2010.  199p index afp; ISBN 9780520259782, $26.95.
48-3942  JV6121  2009-42976 CIP
 
The want of a better quality of life is innate within all peoples. It has been at the heart of every great migration within human history, from the earliest nomads pursuing better hunting grounds to modern refugees seeking political asylum. With any influx of immigrants comes the inevitable changes in customs and values, most of which are not accepted by the “original” inhabitants. In turn, nativist hostility toward new immigrants inspires legal discrimination ranging from targeted restrictions to unconcealed apartheid. Such social inner tension has been a myopic characteristic of the US mind-set throughout its history, and it has continued to heighten, as evidenced by the current illegal immigration controversies along the US border with Mexico. In his latest work, Schrag (visiting scholar, Berkeley) investigates this US tradition with more than an allusion to contemporary controversies. With an easy, direct writing style, the author has created a noteworthy intellectual rumination on the nature of anti-immigrant sentiment in the US. Schrag unravels the past, subtly seeking a solution to present animosities by reiterating the irony of an anti-immigrant nation created out of immigrants. As such, this book is both frustrating and infuriating, yet it provides a consistently interesting read. Summing Up: Highly recommended. General, public, and undergraduate libraries.
— M. J. C. Taylor, Paine College  
      
Scitable, by Nature Publishing Group.  Internet Resource.
48-3857
http://www.nature.com/scitable 

[Visited Dec’10] As this reviewer, who teaches an online undergraduate science course, explored Scitable, a stunning new Web site created by Nature Education for Biology and Genetics, she realized that her online course had suddenly become obsolete. This site virtually provides all of the functions of a college science course for free. Scitable is truly a well-designed, quite comprehensive resource that offers students and teachers alike a wealth of information, learning tools, and interactive activities on genetics, cell biology, and ecology, with a side order of scientific communication and career counseling. Want a quick tutorial? Scitable offers short review articles, rich with links to deeper content elsewhere on the site. Want to know what other students are thinking? The exciting and absorbing Blogs and Forums section (somewhat hidden on the site in the Topics section) contains a blog, Student Voices, run by and for undergraduate students. Time to Decide, discussing issues in science education, is another useful forum. Want a full course? Try the Learning Paths section, offering a stepwise, progressive series of lessons on topics such as cancer, genetics, and biotechnology. Want to bring this material into the classroom? There are tools for designing classes and putting together custom texts for students.

This last function, as well as several others including joining and creating discussion groups and collaborating with other Scitable members, requires free registration, but it is well worth doing so. Scitable illustrates what might be one future of science education. Students, teachers, and interested readers all have much to learn from it. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Lower- and upper-division undergraduates, researchers/faculty, and professionals. — S. K. Sommers Smith, Boston University

Smith, Christian.  What is a person?: rethinking humanity, social life, and the moral good from the person up.  Chicago, 2010.  518p index afp; ISBN 9780226765914, $40.00.
48-3796  BD450  2009-41981 CIP
 
Smith (Univ. of Notre Dame; Moral, Believing Animals, CH, May’04, 41-5236) combines a meticulous command of sociological theory, philosophical analysis, and moral passion to argue against reductionist theories of human personhood and agency. Smith gives a charitable and careful reading to theorists who argue that social and economic factors fully determine human behavior, and he finds their proposals wanting. He acknowledges that social construction theory has truths to tell, but notes that the realities of embodiment and human interactions with the physical world limit the range of plausible constructions of meaning and identity. Smith argues for a “critical realist personalism”–a notion of identity formation that acknowledges social structures’ influence on human being and knowing, but also acknowledges that humans can make free moral commitments and choices not fully explained by mathematical or network models of social behavior. This book is crucial reading for political scientists and sociologists, as well as theologians and philosophers. Many will disagree with portions of Smith’s analysis, but this book will become required reading. Summing Up: Essential. Upper-division undergraduates through faculty/researchers. — A. W. Klink, Duke University

Southern frontier humor: an anthology, ed. by M. Thomas Inge and Ed Piacentino.  Missouri, 2010.  337p bibl afp ISBN 0826218865 pbk, $26.95; 5 ISBN 978082621886 pbk, $26.95.
48-3742  PS566  2010-13725 CIP
 
Covering the period from 1815 to 1875, this volume brings together new finds as well as old favorites in a canon long defined by Hennig Cohen and William Dillingham’s edited volume The Humor of the Old Southwest (1964; 3rd ed., 1994). Inge (Randolph-Macon College) and Piacentino (High Point Univ.) have organized the book by author, offering one to six stories for each. A selection from William Gilmore Simms (“Ephraim Bartlett, the Edisto Raftsman”) is a welcome inclusion as are the Davy Crockett pieces presenting female characters. Joseph Field’s “A Lyncher’s Own Story” reveals the ugly violence sometimes underlying the comic tradition; in other stories the raucous roughhouse tradition, though often violent or racist, offers lighter humor that looks forward to Mark Twain (who is represented here by three pieces). The introductory material, for both the volume and the individual authors, is noteworthy: the editors’ perspective is current, informative, but never pedantic, and they put such important present day concerns as women and race into historical perspective. This lively, refreshing volume will find a wide audience. Summing Up: Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates through faculty; general readers. — D. E. Sloane, University of New Haven  

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