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

Ashley, Mike.  Out of this world: science fiction, but not as you know it.  British Library, 2011. (Dist. by Chicago), 144p bibl index; ISBN 9780712358354 pbk, $29.95.
49-2491  PN3433   MARC
 
In this exhibition catalog for the British Library’s science-fiction exhibition of the same title, Ashley (a science-fiction researcher) provides a condensed yet fascinating and entertaining history of science fiction. He begins by looking at “alien worlds” in classic travelers’ tales as envisioned in the Odyssey and ends with a section titled “The Perfect World?” as imagined in utopian tropes like Orwell’s 1984. Beautifully illustrated–numerous text boxes provide detailed information on various notable historical figures connected with science fiction (Jules Verne, Arthur C. Clarke, Isaac Asimov, and Philip K. Dick)–the book provides a clear, concise overview of the evolution of the genre. Ashley writes in a fast-paced, jargon-free style that keeps one turning the pages. Although obviously written for a general audience with a penchant for science fiction, the book contains information of value to anyone interested in the genre’s sociological, psychological, and scientific origins. Whether a novice, avid fan, or scholar, the reader will find something of interest in this brilliantly written book. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Lower-division undergraduates through faculty; general readers.
— A. F. Winstead, Our Lady of the Lake University

Atlas of the 2008 elections, ed. by Stanley D. Brunn et al.  Rowman & Littlefield, 2011.  320p index afp; ISBN 9780742567955, $85.00; e-book ISBN 9780742567962 e-book, $85.00.
49-2423  G1201  2011-13488 CIP
 
This atlas presents 200-plus visually engaging and deeply analytical maps and narratives about the 2008 elections. Contents include an introduction and nine chapters with national/state maps, and essays that explore major issues or describe the maps. Chapter 2 focuses on the nomination process with maps that depict primary selection processes and voting patterns. Chapter 3 contains maps that show key features of the campaign itself, e.g., campaign stops made by McCain and Obama leading up to the election (a fascinating way to visualize candidates’ frantic travel patterns). Chapter 4, the most substantive, features a large number of maps and essays about the results of the presidential election. Maps are included for other party candidates as well. Chapter 5 breaks down regional voting patterns by comparing 2004 and 2008 election results. Most insightful are the essay and maps on Appalachia and the American South, and the essay on the election of the first African American president.

Chapter 6 analyzes key demographic, occupational, and socioeconomic indicators, emphasizing highest- and lowest-ranking data that reflect broader social, economic, and cultural trends nationwide. Chapter 7 looks at various statewide elections for governor and for state legislatures; it assists the process of comparing and contrasting national election results with state election results. Chapter 8 shows the results of key referenda on issues such as stem cell research and same-sex marriage. Chapter 9 focuses on voting patterns for key issues in the 111th House of Representatives in 2009 and the rating of House members by special interest groups. Chapter 10 outlines ten scenarios for the 2012 elections. The quality of the contents and analysis in this affordable, well-referenced work should inspire new research. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Lower-level undergraduates and above; general readers. — R. V. Labaree, University of Southern California

The Cambridge companion to miracles, ed. by Graham H. Twelftree.  Cambridge, 2011.  338p bibl index; ISBN 9780521899864, $85.00; ISBN 9780521728515 pbk, $28.99.
49-2605  BL487  2010-45138 CIP
 
This volume of essays makes a welcome contribution to persistent interpretive problems in the field of religious studies by giving serious consideration to the function and value of miracle stories across cultures. Problematic issues, such as definitions and meanings of miracles (or “intentional divine activity”) are discussed honestly and straightforwardly before the text moves on to historical and philosophical discussions. Contributors explore the concept of miracle and miracle workers in the ancient Hebrew, Greek, and early Christian and medieval worlds. In the Hindu and Buddhist traditions, miracles are connected to meditation and an adept’s mastery of levels of consciousness. In Islam, both the Qur’an and Muhammad are accorded miraculous powers, whereas in the Jewish tradition miracles are linked to divine saving power. This volume also raises philosophical issues, focusing on the results of Enlightenment naturalism for religious belief. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-level undergraduates and above; general readers. — L. J. Alderink, emeritus, Concordia College

Davies, Christie.  Jokes and targets.  Indiana, 2011.  314p bibl index afp; ISBN 9780253356192, $70.00; ISBN 9780253223029 pbk, $24.95.
49-2995  PN6149  2010-39258 CIP
 
Davies (emer., Univ. of Reading, UK) is perhaps the most eminent of the sadly limited number of sociologists who have considered humor worthy of serious study. Here he focuses on cataloging and analyzing various types of jokes, ranging from “stupid and canny” through blond and lawyer to Jewish and Soviet-era jokes. The sheer coverage of this work is most impressive; after a close reading, it becomes clear that Davies’s various interpretations deserve serious consideration. For example, he maintains that people who generally regard themselves at the center of things tell “stupid” jokes about those they consider to be at the geographical and linguistic margins–hence “Irish” jokes in the UK or “Newfie” jokes in Canada. Other jokes are told about “static” groups (aristocrats, peasants, dumb blonds) in a rapidly changing world. Davies makes two contestable claims. He warns correctly against absolutist interpretations of jokes: context is everything. More arguably, he claims that jokes have no social consequences. Narrowly, this might be so, but one could argue that his disregard of “ideological framing,” whereby soft joke “othering” facilitates harder versions, is unjustified. Throughout, Davies maintains a lively, provocative style–refreshing in a genre that is all too commonly soulless. Summing Up: Highly recommended. General readers and all levels of sociology scholarship. — C. Powell, University of Southern Maine

Diermeier, Daniel.  Reputation rules: strategies for building your company’s most valuable asset.  McGraw-Hill, 2011.  295p index afp; ISBN 9780071763745, $30.00.
49-2765  HG4026  2010-52537 CIP
 
The global economy and 24-hour media cycle mandate strategic plans and procedures for reputation management, but many companies delegate this critical function to public relations and legal advisers. Diermeier (Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern Univ.) counters that every reputational crisis involves a core business issue. BP’s Gulf of Mexico spill threatened its survival because it “poisoned the company’s relationship with U.S. consumers and government officials, in a market that accounts for 40 percent” of its total revenues. This is why “reputation management needs to be integrated into a company’s strategy, organization, and culture” through the use of such tools as a “Trust Radar” to deal with urgent crises and a “Reputational Terrain” map for navigating today’s media landscape. The author covers guidelines for understanding and responding to public outrage (e.g., over executive compensation levels) and fear (e.g., of bioengineered foods) that often trigger reputational crises. Examples of both successful strategic responses (Johnson & Johnson during and after the 1982 Tylenol poisonings, and Wal-Mart’s response to Hurricane Katrina, which led to a dramatic improvement in its standing as a socially responsible company) and failures (AIG’s executive bonus scandal and Arthur Andersen’s role in the Enron debacle) provide strong support. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduate students through professionals. — M. S. Myers, Carnegie Mellon University

Expeditions in mathematics, ed. by Tatiana Shubin, David Hayes, and Gerald Alexanderson.  Mathematical Association of America, 2011.  312p index ISBN 0-88385-571-2, $60.95; ISBN 9780883855713, $60.95.
49-2724  QA7   2011-923181 MARC
 
Every generation requires persuasion (or at least reminding) of the coolness of mathematics. Many books, and even most pages of certain journals, dedicate themselves to this goal. Now certain topics seem immortally cool, e.g., transfinite cardinals, the Fibonacci sequence, knots, non-Euclidean geometry, soap bubbles, zero-knowledge proofs (revisited here by B. Poonen, J. H. Conway and T. Hsu, J. Hass and A. Thompson, F. Farris, F. Morgan, and S. Krantz, respectively). There is special interest when breaking research developments and open problems make contact with the world of stuff everyone can understand–as here in articles about twin primes, the Riemann hypothesis, and celestial mechanics (by D. Goldston, J. Conrey, and D. Saari, respectively). Coolness can also have a grounding in grim practicality, as in H. Moore’s article about mathematical attacks on HIV and leukemia. But the gem of this collection? Perhaps T. Davis’s article, “The Mathematics of Sudoku,” which reveals the unexpected depth underlying a mathematician’s viewpoint concerning a widely popular pastime that one might otherwise dismiss as a trivial distraction; Davis will get many a student hooked on the joy of critically rethinking the otherwise familiar. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Lower- and upper-division undergraduates. — D. V. Feldman, University of New Hampshire

Field notes on science and nature, ed. by Michael R. Canfield.  Harvard, 2011.  297p bibl index afp; ISBN 9780674057579, $27.95.
49-2643  QH318  2011-5780 MARC
 
Field notes are the recorded observations of a scientist or naturalist and typically include both textual notes and sketches. This volume includes discussions of traditional paper-and-ink methods of maintaining field notes as well as more modern digital developments, along with the strengths and weaknesses of each. Canfield (organismic and evolutionary biology, Harvard Univ.) starts off with an overview and brief history of field notes. Twelve field scientists then provide perspective on their experiences and approaches to note-taking. A number of them trace this activity back to their childhoods. The volume is copiously illustrated with reproductions from actual notebooks. The value of field notes extends beyond a simple record of observations, however. The process of recording notes or drawing necessitates thorough observation and examination of the subject and may have profound influence on the subsequent development of ideas. Although this is not an instruction manual per se, it includes advice and provides examples for those currently working as field researchers or amateurs. Some sections do take on a more practical, instructional tone. Summing Up: Essential. Biology collections serving lower-division undergraduates through researchers/faculty; general readers. — C. E. Buckley, Illinois State University

Finley, Carmel.  All the fish in the sea: maximum sustainable yield and the failure of fisheries management.  Chicago, 2011.  210p index afp; ISBN 9780226249667, $35.00.
49-2666  SH221  2010-48816 CIP
 
This little book, if read by key decision makers, should help to galvanize a reaction against the continuation of the fishery policy currently followed by most seafaring nations. As Finley (Oregon State), who is a historian rather than a fishery biologist, clearly indicates, her work on the development of fishery science in the US has important consequences for international diplomacy, economics, and conservation. The book’s emphasis is on the concept of maximum sustainable yield. Following WW II, US policy on the high seas was led by W. L. Chapman, an undersecretary in the State Department. Chapman and other biologists believed that heavy fishing in order to obtain maximum sustainable yield allowed fish populations to respond by enhancing reproduction. The author explains that modern fishery mismanagement causes populations to be overfished beyond the point of no return due to support by national government subsidies. The World Bank estimated the lost economic benefits of fishery mismanagement to be about $50 billion annually worldwide. This scholarly account of an important topic will be of value to students as well as professional biologists, politicians, and economists. Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates and above. — J. C. Briggs, emeritus, Oregon State University  
        
Fraser, Karen M.  Photography and Japan.  Reaktion Books, 2011.  170p bibl index ISBN 1861897979 pbk, $29.95; ISBN 9781861897978 pbk, $29.95.
49-2480  TR105   MARC
 
This informative overview of the history of photography in Japan by Fraser (Santa Clara Univ.) avoids the pitfall of attempting to discover and define a national Japanese photographic style. Instead it examines the topic along thematic lines as defined by significant cultural, political, and social concerns: photography’s role in identity construction (both national, especially during the Meiji restoration and after WW II, and individual), images of war (primarily WW II and its aftermath, though with some discussion of earlier conflicts, such as the Sino-Japanese War), and the city (with a focus on reconstruction after the 1923 earthquake, post-WW II reconstruction, and modern life in the city). Overall, Fraser’s account is a very good introduction and more comprehensive than other popular books on the topic, such as Terry Bennett’s Photography in Japan, 1853-1912 (2006). In addition to Japanese photographers who live or lived in Japan (some of whom are relatively unknown outside Japan), the book features significant expatriate Japanese photographers and Western photographers who work or worked in Japan, e.g., Italian British photographer Felice Beato. This volume is nicely illustrated throughout, with endnotes and a selected bibliography that provide many other sources–both Japanese and English–for further reading. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Lower- and upper-level undergraduates and general readers.
— D. E. Gliem, Eckerd College

Kassing, Jeffrey.  Dissent in organizations.  Polity, 2011.  226p bibl index; ISBN 9780745651392, $64.95; ISBN 9780745651408 pbk, $22.95.
49-2768  HD30    MARC
 
In this clear, comprehensive look at dissent in organizations, Kassing (communication, Arizona State Univ.) takes care to dispel the myths about dissent and to include current examples from various workplaces, including manufacturing, health care, and the service sector. Instead of focusing on each context separately, the author explores dissent thematically for its potential benefit to organizations; the various ways dissent surfaces; its common triggers; the impact on the dissenter; and strategies to manage organizational dissent. Especially helpful are the models and diagrams, which show the relationship of dissent to other forms of employee behavior, such as resistance, whistle-blowing, and “voice.” An aspect of organizational leadership that needs to be taught to every manager, dissent, seen in the proper light, can propel innovation and bring about changes on a societal level as well. This scholarly acknowledgment of the vital role of dissent is refreshing and long overdue. Summing Up: Highly recommended: Undergraduate and graduate students, researchers/faculty, and practitioners. — G. E. Leaf, independent scholar

Keevak, Michael.  Becoming yellow: a short history of racial thinking.  Princeton, 2011.  219p bibl index afp; ISBN 9780691140315, $29.95.
49-2998  HT1523  2010-46654 CIP
 
Just how East Asians came to be regarded as “yellow” in the Western imagination is the focus of this monograph. In his broad-ranging study, Keevak (foreign languages, National Taiwan Univ.) examines Western writings in a number of different European languages, finding that many early accounts described the Chinese as being white. But subsequent attempts by naturalists to develop taxonomies for different peoples marked the beginning of change. In the late-18th century, when Johann Friedrich Blumenbach developed a racial category of Mongolian, this opened a path by which Asians came to be increasingly viewed as a yellow race linked to the Mongols. As Chinese and Japanese immigration occurred in the Americas in the 19th century, the fear of a “yellow peril” became more prevalent. Anthropologists shared in this type of thinking, and Western medicine participated in the racialization of East Asians by employing terms such as the Mongolian eye fold, the Mongolian spot, and Mongolism. Interestingly enough, in the 20th century, the Chinese saw identification with the yellow race as an emblem of pride without negative connotations. Illuminating study suitable for a general audience. Summing Up: Recommended. All levels/libraries. — F. Ng, California State University, Fresno

Manheim, Jarol B.  Strategy in information and influence campaigns: how policy advocates, social movements, insurgent groups, corporations, governments, and others get what they want.  Routledge, 2011.  323p bibl indexes; ISBN 9780415887281, $135.00; ISBN 9780415887298 pbk, $39.95; e-book ISBN 9780203833285 e-book, $39.95.
49-2932  JA85   2010-29799 CIP
 
Manheim (George Washington Univ.) aims to bridge the gap between pure academic research and applied research. Specifically, he attempts to convey how theoretical work on information and influence campaigns (IIC) can be put into practice by those seeking to influence others. An IIC consists of an effort by one party, through some combination of communication and action, to change the behavior of another party to its advantage. His research applies to those who campaign from the local level through to the global level and to campaigns aimed at both public and private interests. Given the wide net Manheim casts, it is anticipated that this study will serve as a useful resource to not only scholars, but also those wishing to bring about change in a variety of contexts. In short, the author succeeds in producing a comprehensive guidebook for those who want to use information to influence others. Lastly, Manheim’s bibliographic reviews on campaign strategy should be of particular interest to scholars of public policy, political communication, and political behavior. Summing Up: Recommended. All readership levels.
— R. M. Alexander, Ohio Northern University

My Viet: Vietnamese American literature in English, 1962-present, ed. by Michele Janette.  Hawai’i, 2011.  250p afp; ISBN 9780824835507, $55.00; ISBN 9780824834463 pbk, $25.00.
49-2532  PS508   2011-16141 CIP
 
For many Americans, “Vietnam” means a war rather than a country. With this collection of Vietnamese American literature in English, Janette (Kansas State Univ.) provides a much-needed corrective to this assumption. Written entirely from the Vietnamese perspective, these pieces offer readers the opportunity to forego the American point of view well documented in earlier collections such as The Vietnam War in American Stories, Songs, and Poems, ed. by H. Bruce Franklin (1996). Janette extends the work begun by Wayne Karlin, Le Minh Khue, and Truong Vu in their edited collection The Other Side of Heaven: Postwar Fiction by Vietnamese and American Writers (1995). In her well-written introduction, the editor offers a brief history of Vietnam and of Vietnamese American literature. The book itself is divided into two sections: “Tales of Witness” and “Tales of Imagination.” The former includes first-person narrative accounts (most excerpted from longer works) of the Vietnamese diaspora. The latter section includes stories and excerpts from novels. Each selection has a comprehensive, helpful headnote on the author’s experience. On whole, the book moves from memories of war to the remarkable achievement of Vietnamese American literature. An excellent choice for introducing students to this body of work. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Lower- and upper-division undergraduates; general readers. — D. A. Henningfeld, emerita, Adrian College

Owings, Alison.  Indian voices: listening to Native Americans.  Rutgers, 2011.  363p index afp; ISBN 9780813549651, $26.95.
49-2885  E98   2010-28683 CIP
 
Initially, Owings counted herself among the large number of Americans who know absolutely nothing about Native Americans; prior to beginning this oral history project, she had scant knowledge (except that gained for a report she wrote in eighth grade). Many years of interviews and research have resulted in this book, an impressive sampling of contemporary lives of Native Americans. Focusing on 23 individuals from an almost equal number of tribal backgrounds, Owings is an engaging and skillful interpreter of each life story. She arranges her book by geography, moving from east to west in a re-creation of Manifest Destiny, a structure she notes in the preface, apparently without irony. The chapters are also topically based, covering important issues such as tribal economic development, enforced invisibility, governance, substance abuse, violence, appropriation, and the resilience of Native people. It is to Owings’s credit that these themes do not overshadow the individual voices. Their stories are powerful and enlightening; their intimate nature probably has as much to do with the generosity of the people who participated in the project as with Owings’s formidable skills as a researcher, interviewer, and writer. Summing Up: Highly recommended. General collections/public libraries. — K. L. Ackley, The Evergreen State College

Perlin, Ross.  Intern nation: how to earn nothing and learn little in the brave new economy.  Verso, 2011.  258p bibl index; ISBN 9781844676866, $22.95.
49-2771  HF1106  2011-2816 MARC
 
Data from numerous interviews and scholarly, online, and popular press sources coalesce in this unique, critical examination of internships, mainly in the US. Internships grew approximately 35 percent from 1992 to 2008. Perlin, a journalist and former intern, claims that most unpaid/below-minimum-wage internships are unethical and illegal, and that desirable internships remain inaccessible without financial support. He contends internships lack clear language and definition in US labor law and consequently escape scrutiny, regulatory guidelines, and enforcement, negatively affecting work conditions in society at large. Perlin calls for resistance and reform, citing examples from the US, Canada, and abroad, and he recommends that US legislators adopt “The Intern Bill of Rights” (which appears in Appendix A) for protection and legitimization of interns/internships. Appendix B documents US laws/guidelines governing internships, and relevant UK and Canadian laws. Written in a nontechnical, expository, narrative style, this provocative book is reminiscent of Daniel Pink’s Free Agent Nation (2002). It extends the literature and debate about contingent/contract/freelance workers as well as higher education, apprenticeships, vocational education, and school-to-work transition. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All readership levels. — D. Truty, Northeastern Illinois University

Schaffner, Joan.  An introduction to animals and the law.  Palgrave Macmillan, 2011.  252p index; ISBN 9780230235632, $90.00; ISBN 9780230235649 pbk, $32.00.
49-2937  K3620   2010-53072 MARC
 
Schaffner (George Washington Univ. Law School) offers a lucid primer on the topic of animals in the law. She begins by providing an explanation of basic legal terminology, legal concepts, and legal philosophy, which permits all readers–even those with no background knowledge in the law–access to her survey. The scope of Schaffner’s work is impressive. She covers every aspect of animal law, including cruelty laws, welfare laws, control and management laws, and constitutional issues, and compares US law to laws around the world. Schaffner also discusses the obstacles to enforcement, such as lack of funding and competing priorities. In the final section of the book, Schaffner considers the future of animal law. She identifies the problems for animals under current law and argues that the present system is inadequate for the protection of animals. Here, she proposes a legal regime that considers animals as subjects and grants them equal consideration, and suggests concrete steps for implementation. Her argument that animals need greater protection is clearly laid out and is compelling. Overall, this book is well written and provides an invaluable survey of animal law in its current form as well as the possibilities for its development. Summing Up: Recommended. All readership levels.
— S. E. Spengeman, University of Notre Dame  
            
Smith, Amanda.  Newspaper titan: the infamous life and monumental times of Cissy Patterson.  Knopf, 2011.  696p bibl index afp ISBN 0-375-41100-3, $37.50; ISBN 9780375411007, $37.50.
49-2489  PN4874  2011-9019 CIP
 
Smith has produced a work of biography and history that has all the markings of a novel. It is the kind of 19th-century narrative that Thackeray produced in Vanity Fair. Edith Wharton, who reportedly based one of her characters on Cissy Patterson (1881-1948), also comes to mind. As does Henry James. Smith excels at the social notation and comedy of manners that also attracted these authors to great families. Patterson belonged to a newspaper dynasty, emerging from her years as debutante and socialite to become the 20th century’s first female editor in chief of a major city newspaper, the Washington Times-Herald. Smith places her subject right up with Eleanor Roosevelt and Clare Boothe Luce, which is perhaps stretching the story a little. But no doubt Patterson deserves this epic treatment, which is on par with other recent biographies of newspaper titans, since she bought and then merged two struggling Washington, DC, Hearst papers at the age of 49 with no prior hands-on publishing experience and made the Times-Herald profitable and controversial, a signal achievement in the days when newspapers were in fierce competition for readers and influence. The book is meticulously researched and fun to read. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All readers. — C. Rollyson, Bernard M. Baruch College, CUNY

Sobieraj, Sarah.  Soundbitten: the perils of media-centered political activism.  New York University, 2011.  222p bibl index afp; ISBN 9780814741368, $70.00; ISBN 9780814741375 pbk, $23.00; ISBN 9780814783863 e-book e-book, contact publisher for price.
49-2978  JA85   2011-6177 CIP
 
Flamboyant protest in the US can be traced at least as far back as the Boston Tea Party. The 20th-century emergence of mass media allowed for both the widespread dissemination of attention-grabbing political speech and the concomitant assumption of symbiosis among mass media and street-theater political activism. However, this new study reveals a significant disconnect between media-oriented protest groups and the paucity of media attention they receive. Using her own fieldwork observations as a baseline, Sobieraj (sociology, Tufts Univ.) shows how activist groups’ expectations of media coverage often fail to pan out. In this respect, the author provides a contemporary update to the conclusions of earlier scholars such as Todd Gitlin, who chronicled the complicated and unpredictable relationship between protest groups and mainstream media outlets. Sobieraj shows that activist groups’ habit of communicating predominantly to journalists has dulled their ability to communicate effectively with laypeople. Ultimately, protest groups’ focus on a news media that is usually not even listening to them has hindered their effectiveness in pressing their cause and mobilizing new potential supporters. Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduate, graduate, and research collections. — S. B. Lichtman, Shippensburg University  
  
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