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

Allen, Anita L. Unpopular privacy: what must we hide?.  Oxford, 2011.  259p bibl index afp; ISBN 9780195141375, $35.00.
49-5342  JC596   2010-46920 CIP
 
Providing an introduction and overview of privacy from US law and feminist perspectives, Allen (Henry R. Silverman Professor of Law, Univ. of Pennsylvania) offers a plethora of examples of the philosophical, theoretical, and legal underpinnings of several types of privacy laws from modesty to confidentiality to electronic data. She writes in easy to follow language; the book has limited references to legal terms of art, all of which are fully explained for the non-legal reader. The discussions regarding the noncomprehensiveness of US laws, in comparison to those of the EU and Canada, allow the reader to delve further into the philosophical issues. This book is written for nonspecialists; the breadth of coverage provides readers with further avenues of research. It is a great starting point for students just learning about privacy as well as for those who have extensively read about privacy. Summing Up: Highly recommended. General readers and undergraduate students of all levels. — J.M. Keller, Florida Coastal School of Law  
 
Early Journal Content on JSTOR, part of ITHAKA.  Internet Resource.
49-4785
http://www.jstor.org/action/showAdvancedSearch?ModifySearch=Modify+Sarch&wc=off&acc=on 

[Visited Feb’12] Early Journal Content from the database JSTOR (CH, Jan’11, 48-2403), part of the nonprofit ITHAKA, is accessible and free to everyone. Before this progressive distributive action, this journal content was available only to scholars of about 7,000 institutions in 153 countries. Now anyone with Internet access can freely enter the website http://www.jstor.org/, select Advanced Search, and check the box labeled “Include only content I can access.” Users may choose from Page Scan, Summary, and Page Thumbnails, view PDFs, and view, e-mail, and export citations. The pre-1923 journals in the US (pre-1870 elsewhere) set the standard for publication of scholarly content in a noticeably classy style. Among the disciplines included in this research and literary assortment are the arts and humanities, economics and politics, and (a smidgen of) math and science.

This collection features nearly 500,000 articles from 200-plus journals. The pre-1923 scope may not excite all users. However, most people worldwide are not affiliated with universities, think tanks, or research organizations, and many individuals will be delighted to discover a way into the contents of historic journals previously barred to them. Word should spread with the help of librarians who can promote this free content as part of their information literacy spiel. News travels fast when a resource like this is released from the academic courtyard and conference arena. Users are encouraged to try this lovely assemblage on an evening or weekend afternoon and share it with others. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Lower-level undergraduates and above; general readers. — L. Lord, University of Kansas

Fassin, Didier.  Humanitarian reason: a moral history of the present, tr. by Rachel Gomme.  California, 2012.  336p bibl index afp; ISBN 9780520271166, $65.00; ISBN 9780520271173 pbk, $26.95.
49-5131  HV553  2011-11327 CIP
 
In this brilliant compilation and revision of a number of his previous studies, ranging in subject matter from poverty and refugee/asylum status in France to AIDS in South Africa, emergency disaster relief and state power in Venezuela, and trauma during the Second Intifada, Fassin (Princeton), who holds both a PhD and MD, demonstrates why he is widely considered one of the world’s foremost researchers and theoreticians in medical anthropology and human rights. The author uses ethnographic, interview, documentary, and statistical information to support the integrating theme of his book: the politicization of humanitarianism, especially a transformation in policy emphasis from rights and justice to suffering and compassion. Reproduction of inequality and discretionary biases based upon the moral judgments and political considerations of the powerful are the seemingly contradictory outcomes of greater administrative openness to subjective, personalized, and emotional responses to displacement, disease, and deprivation. “Humanitarian reason” becomes a further means of rationalizing and perpetuating domination and control, even while apparently responding to greater public and media knowledge and concern about victimization in the human condition and greater opportunity for the enablement of agency on the part of victims. This is one of the most thought-provoking books this reviewer has read in many years. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Most levels/libraries. — B. Tavakolian, emeritus, Denison University 

Going Global.  Going Global.  Contact publisher for price.  Internet Resource.
49-4787
http://online.goinglobal.com/ 

[Visited Feb’12] Going Global is a powerful online resource that provides useful information for US citizens looking to job hunt globally and for international students looking to find local jobs in North America. The database is best known for its comprehensive Country Career Guides, written by experts and packed full of information for international job seekers. These country guides include many pages related to job search resources and online job listings, career events, internships, job fairs, industry/employment trends, top companies, professional and social networking resources, embassy listings, economic/cultural advice, work permits, visas, and job interviews. Additionally, Going Global features USA/Canada City Career Guides that give users a list of resources similar to the country guides but also include city overviews, cost of living, and a list of H-1B visa companies.

More information may be found in the Key Employer Directory, where users may search more than 400,000 international company profiles. One of the most useful offerings for international students or employees is the H-1B visa section, which allows users to browse by city, state, or country for companies providing working visas for highly qualified international employees. Going Global also features a powerful international job-search database, enhanced by resources such as the aggregator Indeed and the nonprofit job sites Idealist and Devex. Undergraduates and graduate students will be pleased to find a comprehensive internship feature in this international job-search engine. Apart from the numerous country and city guides, Going Global also links to a blog providing more information and insights for international job hunters. Other social media links include active Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn pages, where users may obtain additional information, communicate directly with staff at Going Global, and view freely accessible links to web content. Also available are a user guide, demos, a training video, and a FAQ section. Overall, Going Global is a valuable job and career resource, especially for anyone who has ever considered working abroad. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-level undergraduates, graduate students, professionals/practitioners, and general audiences. — C. J. Kohen, Daytona State College     
 
Haddad, Yvonne Yazbeck.  Becoming American?: the forging of Arab and Muslim identity in pluralist America.  Baylor, 2011.  124p bibl afp; ISBN 9781602584068, $19.95.
49-5370  E184   2011-22342 CIP
 
Haddad (history of Islam, Georgetown) has taken her years of study and investigation of Arab Muslims in the US and provided a thorough overview of history, analyses of trends of thought, and some forecasts. This is a very welcome text, especially as the author reviews all previous studies of this very diverse community. Readers will take note of the fact that in the largest community of Arabs, Dearborn, Michigan, the overwhelming majority are Shi’a Muslims, and that regarding immigration, most Arabs are Christian. Many researchers have neglected the thought of leading US scholars of Islam of Arab descent such as Isma’il al-Faruqi, Maher Hathout, or Fathi Osman, who have sought to carve out responses to the difficulties of diaspora living and to answer Muslim world concerns. Haddad provides brief biographies and meaty analysis of each scholar’s view alongside those of other diasporan scholars such as Abdulaziz Sachedina, Fazlur Rahman, and Sulayman Nyang. Her categorizations of the similarities and differences of how each defined issues such as pluralism are timely and important for students. Also significant is her detailing of the effects of 9/11 on the psyches of Arab Americans and their possible futures in the US. Summing Up: Essential. All levels/libraries. — A. B. McCloud, DePaul University  
 
Hellmich, Christina.  Al-Qaeda: from global network to local franchise.  Zed Books, 2011.  212p bibl index; ISBN 9781848139091, $105.95; ISBN 9781848139084  pbk, $19.95.
49-5321  HV6432  2011-286356 MARC
 
It would seem that the proliferating literature since 9/11 left little to uncover about Osama bin Ladin and the workings of al Qaeda. This assumption is disproven by Hellmich’s book, which is a critical analysis of a plethora of publications on al Qaeda by analysts, scholars, journalists, and a slew of self-appointed experts. Hellmich (Univ. of Reading, UK) correctly points to the failure to employ appropriate theoretical and methodological approaches, lack of reliable data, and lack of dispassionate analysis to uncover the terrorists’ rationale for the use of violence. These critical observations guide the author’s investigation of the nature and appeal of al Qaeda by reexamining its history, structure, evolution, and ideology based on bin Ladin’s statements. The last chapter dispels traditional misperceptions about al Qaeda’s threat potential by asserting that its core leadership is killed or scattered, but its ideology continues to inspire thousands of men who are self-radicalized and ready for violent jihad without central direction. While al Qaeda has been weakened by internal doctrinal disputes, the rise of “franchises” in different countries, sectarian violence, bin Ladin’s death, and the revolutionary dynamics of the Arab Spring, the root causes of its emergence remain. An excellent reassessment of al-Qaeda’s evolution. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All readership levels. — R. H. Dekmejian, University of Southern California  
 
Hershorn, Tad.  Norman Granz: the man who used jazz for justice.  California, 2011.  470p bibl index afp ISBN 0-520-26782-6, $34.95; ISBN 9780520267824, $34.95.
49-4959  ML429  2011-11292 CIP
 
Jazz impresario Norman Granz (1918-2001) is perhaps best known for producing a series of tours (and records) known as “Jazz at the Philharmonic,” which featured the top names in jazz. Granz had a long-standing professional relationship with greats like Oscar Peterson and Ella Fitzgerald, and he founded five record labels, among them Verve and Pablo. Less known, but equally important, is Granz’s work for social justice, particularly his fight to end racial inequality through his constant advocating for higher wages, better conditions, and greater respect for the African American musicians with whom he worked. Along with fellow producers and promoters John Hammond and George Wein, Granz helped to elevate jazz to the status of an art form and bring the music to mass audiences. This is the first biographical treatment of Granz. Thanks to his meticulous research of primary and secondary sources and a series of personal interviews with Granz late in his life, Hershorn (archivist, Institute for Jazz Studies, Rutgers) weaves a compelling narrative of one of jazz’s most influential figures. A must for any jazz or American studies collection. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All readers. — T. E. Buehrer, Kenyon College  
 
McCartin, Joseph A.  Collision course: Ronald Reagan, the air traffic controllers, and the strike that changed America.  Oxford, 2011.  472p index afp; ISBN 9780199836789, $29.95.
49-5162  HD5325  2011-16420 CIP
 
McCartin (history, Georgetown Univ.) has written a comprehensive account of the rise and fall of the Professional Air Traffic Controllers Organization (PATCO), providing an incredibly detailed examination of the issues leading up to the 1981 firing of the striking members of PATCO and of the aftermath of that strike. If he places more weight on the destruction of PATCO as an explanatory factor in the ongoing decline of union influence in the US and too little emphasis on larger economic factors (especially as these have affected private sector unions), as this reviewer think he does, his book nevertheless allows readers to gain a clear picture of the state of labor relations in the US in early 1980s. McCartin makes the concerns of PATCO’s members come alive and illuminates the decisions made within the union that preceded (but were not themselves causes of) the strike. Clearly organized and written, Collision Course is a strong and compelling book. In his conclusion, McCartin aptly relates the PATCO strike to the recent efforts to effectively destroy public sector unionism in Wisconsin and elsewhere. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Public and academic library collections, lower-division undergraduate and up. — D. A. Coffin, Indiana University Northwest  
 
Money, Nicholas P.  Mushroom.  Oxford, 2011.  201p bibl index afp; ISBN 9780199732562, $24.95.
49-5056  QK617  2011-9269 CIP
 
As was the case with his earlier books (e.g., The Triumph of the Fungi, CH, Feb’07, 44-3284; Mr. Bloomfield’s Orchard, CH, Feb’03, 40-3396), Money’s recent book on mushrooms, designed to bring knowledge of fungi to nonmycologists, is excellent. The eight chapters are independent essays; each delves into the diverse facets of mushrooms from their general biology and ecology to the way humans use mushrooms. These chapters cover mushroom hunting, cultivation, and consumption, and include discussions of nutrition, toxins, mind-altering effects, and herbal applications. The articulate, witty text flows smoothly and informally, making for enjoyable reading. The information is detailed and current. The way that Money (Miami Univ., Ohio) is willing to take a position on controversial topics and share points of view in a clear but nondogmatic fashion is refreshing. The composition of the essays, with a minimum of scientific terminology, is such that an educated nonscientist will be able to understand the concepts thoroughly. The content and writing style make this book appropriate for anyone from the general reader interested in mushrooms to the professional mycologist seeking a summary of current information. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All levels/libraries. — K. M. Foos, emeritus, Indiana University East  
 
Pask, Colin.  Math for the frightened: facing scary symbols and everything else that freaks you out about mathematics.  Prometheus Books, 2011.  380p bibl index afp; ISBN 9781616144210pbk , $19.00.
49-5117  QA41   2010-48457 CIP
 
This work is deceptive. Despite its title, it is not a “math for dummies,” nor is it directed at people intimidated by arithmetic or any mention of the word “mathematics.” Rather, the text is a welcoming, gentle excursion into interesting mathematical ideas. Pask (emer., Univ. of New South Wales, Australia) leads readers through big ideas such as proof, symbolic generalization, modeling, applications, and axiomatics, gradually nudging readers to go further than expected and actually experience mathematics as a beautiful process. Starting unexpectedly with relationships of squares found in Proposition 2 of Fibonacci’s Liber Quadratorum, the excursion weaves through Pythagorean triples, geometrical algebra, process of proof, and the value of mathematical patterns. Then, an ancient Chinese problem involving grains motivates the idea of systems of linear equations, matrices, and higher-degree equations. The excursion’s final stages touch on mathematical applications involving pendulums, particle theory, CAT scans, Malthus’s population models, symmetry, and cognitive science. Historical notes and relevant quotations complement the excursion throughout. The book includes problem sections and a bibliography, but they are not the focus. Pask seems to offer them as additional nudges to readers to experience more of the world of mathematics on their own. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Lower- and upper-division undergraduates and general readers. — J. Johnson, Western Washington University  
 
Pinker, Steven.  The better angels of our nature: why violence has declined.  Viking, 2011.  802p bibl index; ISBN 9780670022953, $40.00.
49-5144  HM1116  2011-15201 CIP
 
Pinker (psychology, Harvard) delivers a big argument in a big book, starting with the opening words: “This book is about what may be the most important thing that has ever happened in human history. Believe it or not … violence has declined over long stretches of time, and today we may be living in the most peaceable era in our species’ existence.” He documents huge declines in nearly every form of violence, especially in the last couple of generations. Pinker argues that the “Kantian triad”–effective states, open commerce, and international entanglements–has been an effective institutional base for promoting Enlightenment values of self-control, cosmopolitanism, and reason. Pinker further roots both humanity’s proneness to violence and its capacity for increasing control of violence in the evolution of human reasoning capacity. This combination of material and ideal factors has made the current era the least violent in world history. Pinker notes that many people, especially “critical thinking” intellectuals, resist believing that this is so. This is the most important book so far in the growing literature documenting that the world is getting better. Summing Up: Essential. Most levels/libraries. — B. Weston, Centre College  

Population aging and the generational economy: a global perspective, ed. by Ronald Lee and Andrew Mason.  E. Elgar, 2011.  598p index; ISBN 9781848448988, $199.95; e-book ISBN 9781552505144 e-book, contact publisher for price.
49-5183  HQ1061   MARC
 
While there already exists a crowded body of publications addressing the effect of an aging population on the economy, this monograph is most outstanding in presenting a global, in-depth analysis of the implications thereby generated for 23 developed and developing countries. It is divided into three parts: “Fundamental Principles and Concepts,” “Comparative Analyses of Age and the Macroeconomy,” and “Country Studies of Age and the Macroeconomy.” The work examines in each country the relationship of lengthening of life to economic growth, consumption, and intergenerational transfers to the elderly. Support ratios–the relation of the effective number of producers to consumers–is presented for 1950-2050 in Africa, Europe, Latin America, and the US. The compilation is the culmination of work by more than 50 economists and demographers on a seven-year research project. A plethora of charts and tables accompany the text as backup to the issues presented. Some knowledge of mathematics would be useful but not necessary in understanding the exposition of issues. Scholars, researchers, and practitioners everywhere will benefit immensely from this comprehensive work. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduate through professional collections. — H. I. Liebling, emeritus, Lafayette College 

Project MUSE.  Johns Hopkins. Contact publisher for pricing.  Internet Resource.
49-4789
http://muse.jhu.edu/ 

[Revisited Feb’12] Project MUSE (earlier review, CH, Jul’06, 43-6224) launched with much fanfare in 1995. It appeared a bold gambit to unleash 40 electronic journal titles–even riskier was the focus on high-end humanities and social sciences journals–in the dawning era of the graphical browser. In retrospect, Project MUSE played a key role in the global transition from print to electronic serials. Moreover, it carved a path for the vast array of aggregators and packages that rule today’s serials market. Bumps occurred along the way, e.g., the provider’s miscalculation as to how many libraries would suspend print subscriptions. Along the same lines, several publishers, e.g., Duke, jumped ship to found their own competing enterprises. Overall, however, it has been a remarkable ride as MUSE currently comprises more than 500 journal titles. A completely new, rich platform went live in 2012. Project MUSE now boasts a broad and deep collection of scholarly monographs. It has partnered with the recently founded University Press Consortium Collection (UPCC) to offer more than 14,000 book titles. The 66 UPCC publishers range from large (Johns Hopkins University Press) to small (Tufts University Press), yet each was selected to build upon the existing strength of Project MUSE‘s journal content.

The home page allows users a number of methods of browsing and searching the collection. At the most basic level, patrons can select between books or journals, or both. Also featured is a handy grid of 17 research areas ranging from Area and Ethic Studies to Women’s Studies, Gender, and Sexuality. For instance, clicking on the Philosophy link retrieves some 570 books and 21 journals. Clicking on an individual title invokes a new feature dubbed Related Content. Project MUSE has also adopted a host of Web 2.0 features that offer an assortment of interlinking and networking relationships. The platform is very generous in setting no limits to simultaneous users concerning books or articles. On the other hand, books are segmented and downloadable at the chapter level, so that acquiring an entire book requires multiple downloads.

Selected MUSE journals are now available as single-title subscriptions, but books are not available title by title. Books are divvied into ten distinct subject collections and are available for either one-time purchase or lease to own. Books are priced according to tier (for libraries in Tier 1 community colleges to Tier 6 doctoral institutions). MUSE also offers one collection of backlist-only books for subscription. For acquisition purposes, there are many ways to slice and dice the new Project MUSE book collection. The most intriguing question, however, is whether the book side of MUSE will have an impact comparable to that summoned by the original 40 digital journals. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Lower-level undergraduates through researchers/faculty. — J. Millhorn, Northern Illinois University

Retman, Sonnet.  Real folks: race and genre in the Great Depression.  Duke, 2011.  322p bibl index afp; ISBN 9780822349259, $89.95; ISBN 9780822349440 pbk, $24.95.
49-4927  PS228   2011-6516 CIP
 
Taking direct aim at conventional literary and cultural histories of the 1930s that exalt nonfiction and documentary modes of cultural production, this original, provocative study argues instead that readers and scholars need to pay much closer attention to more unruly genres and texts produced during this turbulent era. The 1930s were indeed notable for the search for authenticity by writers and artists in a wide range of forms, Retman (Univ. of Washington) points out, and the “folk,” more often than not, came to be regarded as the repository of America’s deepest and richest values. But the “folk” was a contested category, generating different rhetorics and what the author calls a “hybrid genre,” merging satire and documentary modes to critique notions of folk authenticity. Retman makes a compelling case for her argument by creating an unconventional archive of writers and texts not usually linked to one another–George Schuyler, Nathanael West, the Federal Writers’ Project guide to Florida, Zora Neale Hurston, and Preston Sturges–and by offering rich, detailed readings of the works she selects. This engaging, engrossing study considerably expands and enriches knowledge of the American 1930s. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates and above. — J. A. Miller, George Washington University

The Roads to Congress, 2010, ed. by Sean D. Foreman and Robert Dewhirst.  Lexington Books, 2011.  269p index afp; ISBN 9780739169445, $70.00;
e-book ISBN 9780739169452 e-book, contact publisher for price.
49-5353  JK1968  2011-30732 CIP
 
With 435 House districts and 50 states, there are many “roads to Congress.” This is the latest installment in a series that stretches back at least a decade. Essays in this volume focus on campaigns for House and Senate seats during the 2010 election cycle. Case studies focus on the districts or states, candidates, campaigns, and events that led to the electoral outcome in each case. Seven essays focus on House races and seven on Senate races, geographically dispersed across the US. The underlying assumption of the entire series is that local context matters and congressional campaigns matter, shaping how members of Congress arrive on Capitol Hill. Ironically, the 2010 electoral cycle was largely shaped by the national context: the Obama presidency, the state of the economy, and the Tea Party revolt. This volume is particularly valuable for teaching undergraduate courses that focus on campaigns and elections. The skillfully written case studies will engage students in the hurly-burly world of politics and the factors that shape elections. Practitioners may gain some insight from comparisons among different races, and political junkies will find the book to be a fascinating read. Summing Up: Highly recommended. General readers; undergraduate students and above. — S. Q. Kelly, California State University Channel Islands    

Teas, cocoa, and coffee: plant secondary metabolites and health, ed. by Alan Crozier, Hiroshi Ashihara, and Francisco Tomás-Barbéran.  Wiley, 2012.  252p bibl index afp; ISBN 9781444334418, $199.95.
49-5098  QK881  2011-15215 CIP
 
Of all human vices, caffeine is undoubtedly the most popular. Yet, like many plant secondary metabolites, it is touted as good for the mind and one’s overall health, and concomitantly labeled as detrimental. An increasingly health-minded public asks: “Is tea really good for me? Can chocolate actually stimulate the mind? We don’t have to give up coffee to be healthy, do we?” Here, experts provide the answers. The authors present an entertaining history of coffee, cocoa, and teas; how they were domesticated; and how they rose to international status as prized drinks for the average consumer. However, this book is not just about people and caffeinated drinks. It is about many secondary metabolites found in drinks brewed from plants, including their healthful benefits and harmful compounds. The book contains plenty of statistics and research citations and information on biochemical plant products. And yes, there are many books that provide this type of information; however, this work addresses the bioavailability of these compounds and what they do to the human body, both short and long term. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Lower-division undergraduates through professionals and general readers interested in human medicine, natural health, or plant biology. — L. Swatzell, Southeast Missouri State University  

Toohey, Peter.  Boredom: a lively history.  Yale, 2011.  211p bibl index afp; ISBN 9780300141108, $26.00.
49-5366  BF575   2010-41323 CIP
 
Toohey (classics, Univ. of Calgary, Canada) draws on a wide range of sources as he considers how boredom is understood and experienced and how it arises in various cultures and historical periods. He is at his best when he analyzes boredom as portrayed in art and in ancient and modern literature and slightly less sure-footed when discussing psychological research. He takes the reader on a purposeful meandering as he examines his topic from multiple angles. Boredom, he concludes, has much to do with being caught in a situation that is repetitive and tedious; like its cousin, disgust, it leads one to turn away and possibly find new meanings. It is a state found in other animals and in children as well as adult humans, a state in evidence since early times. Toohey doubts that there have been fundamental recent changes in the human condition that would have given rise to a new kind of experience that merits the label “existential boredom.” Boredom, he argues, is a topic of interest in its own right and has no need of being dressed up in fancy garb by philosophers. A lively, eminently readable book. Summing Up: Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates through faculty; general readers. — S. Halling, Seattle University  
 
Troy, Austin.  The very hungry city: urban energy efficiency and the economic fate of cities.  Yale, 2012.  366p bibl index afp ISBN 0-300-16231-6, $28.00; ISBN 9780300162318, $28.00.
49-5188  HD9502  2011-27161 CIP
 
Two ideas meet in this book: the rising costs and decreasing availability of efficient energy sources and the belief that cities are the key to energy conservation. From them emerges an overview of the intensity of energy use in the US. Writing for a general audience, Troy (environment and natural resources, Univ. of Vermont) focuses on the current “energy metabolism” of cities, with chapters on heating and air conditioning, water use, mobility (automobiles, transit, biking), buildings, and neighborhood and regional planning. In each, he describes the types of energy involved, their efficiency, available supplies, and future prospects. He points out where savings are both possible and unlikely, and notes innovations in alternative energy sources (e.g., solar, wind) and energy recapture. Providing a loose framework is the claim that energy-efficient cities are economically competitive cities. The key to this energy efficiency lies in the arrangement of land uses, coordination with various modes of transportation, and energy-conserving building design. To this end, Troy favors a proactive federal government and stronger regional planning. Well organized and documented and reasonable in its assessments, the book is an informative introduction to energy issues in the US. Summing Up: Highly recommended. General readers; all levels of undergraduate students; professionals. — R. A. Beauregard, Columbia University      

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