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

African American Historical Serials Collection.  EBSCO. Contact publisher for pricing.  Internet Resource.
50-0631

http://www.ebscohost.com/
[Visited Jul’12] Developed in collaboration with the American Theological Library Association, African American Historical Serials Collection (AAHSC) documents the culture and religious life of late-19th and early-20th-century African Americans. Comprising more than 60,000 pages of primary source content, AAHSC provides a unique view, through the lens of the black church, into post-Reconstruction/early Jim Crow America. Reports, annuals, and periodicals from African American religious organizations represent the majority of this collection, but important social service organizations–many of which had ties to religious organizations–also are represented, e.g., Institute for Colored Youth, and Home for Aged and Infirm Colored Persons. AAHSC is the most recent addition to EBSCO’s Historic Digital Archive Collection, and thus accessible via EBSCOhost. As with other databases on this platform, searching is intuitive. In addition to the standard advanced search limiters (Boolean, date, publication), users may limit searches by Publication Type, Document Type, and Image Type (cartoon, illustration, musical notation, etc.). Search results may easily be refined by date, source type, or publication title. The EBSCO platform is robust yet effortless to use.

Individual documents are accessible via EBSCO’s innovative Digital Archives Viewer, technology that further augments the user experience. Users may explore documents by using a table of contents, turning pages, or viewing a Page Map feature that shows the relation of an article or image to the rest of the content on the page. Search terms are highlighted so that users easily may focus on the most relevant sections of a document. Various tools facilitate the manipulation of documents. EBSCO’s Page Note feature allows users to annotate documents; these annotations can be saved or shared with others. Doubtless, these features enrich the research process. AAHSC is a fantastic primary source tool for understanding a specific epoch from a unique perspective. Both neophyte undergraduate students and advanced researchers will appreciate its robustness and ease of use. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Lower-level undergraduates through researchers/faculty. — R. Walsh, Trinity College

Benhabib, Seyla.  Dignity in adversity: human rights in troubled times.  Polity, 2011.  298p index; ISBN 9780745654423, $69.95; ISBN  9780745654430 pbk, $24.95.
50-1130 JC571  MARC

In this collection of essays, Benhabib (Yale Univ.) develops what David J. Depew calls a critical cosmopolitanism that is “a negative ideal aimed at blocking false totalization.” Benhabib insists that cosmopolitanism at its best is not the milieu of a disconnected, globetrotting elite. Rather, its best deployment seeks to explore the tensions between universal belonging and individual identity that play out in the politics of human rights. The author charts a course that endorses and reinforces the move from mere international norms of justice to cosmopolitan ones that she argues was inaugurated by the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights. There she finds the critical articulation for this development that strives against a more limited, state-centric approach to global justice that until recently dominated the field. The argument for recognition of rights beyond the state is related to Hannah Arendt’s formulation of a “right to have rights.” However, this notion must be strengthened, Benhabib argues, so that its specific reference to a political community is broadened to each human being so that they are “protected as a legal personality by the world community.” Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduate, graduate, and research collections. — A. B. Commissiong, West Texas A&M University

Bongiovanni, Francesco M.  The decline and fall of Europe.  Palgrave Macmillan, 2012.  327p index; ISBN 9780230368927, $100.00; ISBN 9780230368910 pbk, $35.00.
50-0977 HC240  2012-9552 MARC

Bongiovanni writes at the outset that he is neither an academic researcher nor a journalist, but rather a man who has worked in business in Europe, the US, and Asia. From his vantage point, he provides an excellent statement of the pessimists’ view of the future of the EU, the euro, and most of the member countries. He begins with the end of WW II and the response to the preceding decades of European political and economic disasters. The crucial dates for him are 2005, when the EU treaty was voted down by electorates, and 2010, when the leaders failed to deal with the looming financial crisis. He discusses the difficulties that arise from having 27 sovereign states trying to come up with an intelligent policy response to almost anything, from fiscal actions to military procurement to immigration, among others. Those who disagree with his pessimistic scenario would argue that when things get bad enough, even contemporary political leaders sometimes rise to the event. Not all would agree that Europe faces a future of decline, but it is clear that Europe has never exhibited the US’s capacity to restructure itself. This timely book will appeal to those interested in contemporary European economics and politics. Summing Up: Recommended. All readership levels. — P. K. Kresl, emeritus, Bucknell University

Bram, Christopher.  Eminent outlaws: the gay writers who changed America.  Twelve, 2012.  372p bibl index; ISBN 9780446563130, $27.99.
50-0725 PS153  2011-29910 CIP

Bram presents an impeccably researched narrative of the changes in post-WW II America up to the present era, changes in part thanks to the efforts of gay writers. Implicit in Bram’s substantive work is the need to plot a history of these writers and of gay issues that began to appear in US literature in the middle of the 20th century. The author includes vignettes as well as extensive narratives about the rivalries, sparring matches (rational and irrational), and interactions that were taking place between gay authors during this period. Moving from early writers like Allan Ginsberg to still-living writers like Gore Vidal, Bram not only informs readers about these individuals’ lives but also forces them to reexamine (or in some cases examine for the first time) the works of the American gay “canon” that have been influential in helping to define and provide an identity for gay men in the US. A must read for those interested in culture, sexuality, literature, or history, but most important, for anyone who enjoys reading about true “characters” integral to the production of some of the greatest works of literature of the 20th century. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates and above; general readers. — T. J. Haskell, Northwestern Connecticut Community College

Dolan, Marc.  Bruce Springsteen and the promise of rock ‘n’ roll.  W. W. Norton, 2012.  512p bibl index; ISBN 9780393081350, $29.95.
50-0780 ML420 2012-3006 CIP

Dolan (English, American studies, film studies, John Jay College and CUNY) bravely launches this book with the purposefully antithetical and blunt declaration that Springsteen’s life is neither representative nor exemplary. He proceeds to prove quite the opposite by effectively delivering Springsteen’s life as an analogy for the history of rock and roll and the times. This is not a pure biography–the first chapter is “I’m Quick to Learn (1964-1968),” and Springsteen was born in 1949–but the author provides enough life information for the reader to get the basics of Springsteen’s upbringing. Rather, Dolan invests time connecting the dots between key moments in the growth of rock music and the development of Springsteen’s music. The reader is walked with aplomb through such topics as the difficult birth of the pop hit “Twist and Shout,” unsuccessful gate-crashing of Graceland, and the influence of folk music on rock musicians. Dolan patiently reveals the strain Springsteen experiences while navigating his often-conflicting roles as artist, business CEO, friend, and family man, but through it all the music of “the boss” is given the brightest light. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All readers. — G. A. Akkerman, University of South Carolina Upstate

Gorlewski, Julie A.  Power, resistance, and literacy: writing for social justice.  Information Age, 2011.  225p bibl; ISBN 9781617354069, $85.99; ISBN 9781617354052 pbk, $45.99.
50-1000 LB1631 2011-5764 MARC

Gorlewski (SUNY, New Paltz) has written an important book that focuses on literacy among working-class high-school students and the ways hegemonic practices and policies reproduce power relations in contemporary society. Employing a critical ethnographic approach, the author spent more than one academic year examining the academic writing of students, talking and working with their teachers, and interacting with school administrators and others in a high school serving urban working-class students. Her major findings focus on issues related to the construction of class identity, the insidious role of high-stakes testing in the production of written work, and the accompanying narrowing of the high-school writing curriculum. The final section of the book provides interesting and thought-provoking glimpses into how teachers attempt to resist hegemonic practices and the structures of the hidden curriculum to promote a critical literacy. Among these approaches are pedagogies designed to increase student agency, efforts to improve student understanding of the social constructions of texts, and techniques to promote student voices and choices. Many books have examined school practices through the lens of critical theory, but few have provided the guidance and hope this one does. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates and above. — S. H. Minner, Radford University

The Hemingway Papers.  Internet Resource.
50-0736

http://ehto.thestar.com/
[Visited Jul’12] This graphically attractive, informative website “showcases the columns Ernest Hemingway wrote while reporting for The Toronto Star in the early 1920s” (1920-24). Annotated by William McGeary (during the 1960s) and set in context by a team of experts at the newspaper, this online collection will grow. The Star allowed Hemingway freedom to ramble extensively across post-WW I Europe, “some 10,000 miles” one year, he wrote to his family in a quoted letter. He signed on at the paper at the age of 20, sending dispatches while shaping his literary style. The columns (divided into six topical areas, but also available as “all columns”) are enriched by primary sources, feature stories, authoritative commentary, pop-out word definitions, period music, and contextual video clips. Personal details such as telegrams, photos of the Star’s salary log book, and a picture of the writer’s Corona typewriter add historical interest. High-quality, readable scans load quickly.

This website is linked to and draws on The Hemingway Collection at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library, and it dovetails with The Hemingway Letters Project, which will lead to the publication of The Letters of Ernest Hemingway, projected to run to 16 volumes (v. 1, ed. by Sandra Spanier and Robert W. Trogdon, CH, Mar’12, 49-3719), a comprehensive scholarly edition of the author’s 6,000 letters. The present site offers more visual appeal and accessibility to artifacts than do other sites, including those of the University of Delaware and the Library of Congress. The Toronto Star has done an admirable job in making all Hemingway’s columns and stories about Hemingway available. The interface works smoothly, but the site would benefit from added navigational tools and a search option. Users can share the site (Twitter, Google+), but no download feature is offered. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All users. — E. L. Bagley, Agnes Scott College

Inhorn, Marcia C.  The new Arab man: emergent masculinities, technologies, and Islam in the Middle East.  Princeton, 2012.  404p bibl index afp; ISBN 9780691148885, $75.00; ISBN 9780691148892 pbk, $35.00.
50-1179 BF692  2011-33539 CIP

Yale anthropologist Inhorn’s readable ethnography tackles the subject of infertility among Arab men. The author draws primarily on her research in Lebanese clinics that offer in vitro fertilization (IVF) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) but also utilizes data from research in Egypt and the UAE. Inhorn’s primary goal is to understand “emerging masculinities” in today’s Middle East, which are a far cry from widespread negative stereotypes of Middle Eastern men. Her research shows that men do not necessarily understand masculinity as dependent on procreation but as something more complex and multifaceted. One interesting aspect of this is the ways men discuss and understand their marriages; many men explain that they pursue assisted reproduction because of love for and devotion to their wives. Although Inhorn worked with and interviewed men of varying religious backgrounds, part 2 of the book specifically examines “Islamic Masculinities” and differing Muslim views on forms of assisted reproduction. Inhorn’s engaging writing style, clear analysis of relevant literature and theory, and compelling interviews make this book an excellent choice for both undergraduate and graduate collections. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All levels/libraries. — E. E. Stiles, University of Nevada, Reno

Klein, Jessie.  The bully society: school shootings and the crisis of bullying in America’s schools.  New York University, 2012.  307p index afp; ISBN 9780814748886, $29.95; ISBN  9780814771495 e-book, contact publisher for price.
50-1181 BF637  2011-39377 CIP

Klein’s rich, authoritative portrait of how society engenders bullying by nurturing a caste-like system of perpetrators and victims begins with an overview of the social status wars that exist between desired and undesired groups of youths. The author asserts that these wars for status occur before the eyes of adults who are well aware of the predatory and violent behaviors committed by youth, against youth. Klein (sociology and criminal justice, Adelphia Univ.) ushers readers through an understanding of bullying from a gender role perspective, violence against girls and gays, and the growing institution of cyber-bullying. In a key chapter, “The Bully Economy,” Klein asserts that competition, aggression, and power forged by a capitalist society influences bullying behavior among youth. Her research suggests that the combative nature within school systems is merely a microcosm of the broader society and, consequently, children are merely responding to what they see and believe they experience in society at large. Written for a diverse audience, this is an important read for higher education as a teaching tool, for training educators in today’s schools, and for helping to appropriately respond to the phenomenon of bullying in today’s schools. Destined to emerge as an important text. Summing Up: Essential. General, undergraduate, and graduate collections. — D. E. Kelly, Adelphi University

Koenig, Harold G.  Handbook of religion and health, by Harold G. Koenig, Dana E. King, and Verna Benner Carson.  2nd ed.  Oxford, 2012.  1,169p bibl index afp; ISBN 9780195335958, $175.00.
50-0826 BL65  2010-50675 CIP

Because of the extraordinary expansion of research into the relevance of religion to health over the last decade, this remarkable volume can be appropriately described as a complement or sequel, rather than simply a revision of the first edition (CH, Oct’01, 39-0888). While the earlier work referenced well over 1,000 studies published between 1872 and 2000, the current volume reviews and evaluates about 2,100 more recent studies dating from 2000 to 2010. A useful summary chart that provides a key to the referenced studies, organized by health outcome, requires 350 pages. Thematic chapters in the volume’s five parts offer a selective chronology of events in the history of religion and health care; definitions of terms relevant to this broad field; discussion of recent scholarly arguments about the effects of religion on health; and reports on progress with recurring research questions, organized by types of mental and physical health issues. Particularly valuable is an interpretive chapter connecting psychological, social, and behavioral pathways that contribute to health. Koenig (Duke Univ.) and the new coeditors for this edition, King (Medical Univ. of South Carolina) and Carson (Towson Univ.), merit thanks for this critical reference tool. Summing Up: Essential. Upper-division undergraduate through professional collections in religion and health sciences. 
— G. R. Thursby, emeritus, University of Florida

Moran, Jeffrey P.  American genesis: the antievolution controversies from Scopes to creation science.  Oxford, 2012.  196p index afp; ISBN 9780195183498, $29.95.
50-0870 QH362  2011-37435 CIP

Much of the growing literature on creationism is repetitive, covering the usual arguments for and against or tracing the movement’s general history. Here, Moran (Univ. of Kansas) explores aspects of creationism that receive scant attention elsewhere: the relationship between the rise of creationism and women’s rights, the role of black communities in creationism, and the context of creationism in college classrooms. In the early days of their liberation, women adopted conservative moral issues (e.g., temperance) often ignored or slighted by men. Creationism was partly a response to higher criticism, a growing Protestant movement that encouraged more liberal interpretations of Scripture. While men primarily concentrated on preserving the integrity of strict fundamentalist doctrines, women were more focused on protecting the sanctity of home and family. Moran then examines the changing regional emphasis of the antievolution movement from the industrial north to the agrarian south and the consequent involvement of black communities, where regular church attendance and opposition to evolution have always been much more prevalent. Following a review of the tactics and strategies of creationism and intelligent design, the author analyzes the effects of these issues on college faculty and students. A well-written, thoroughly researched, valuable contribution. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All academic and general readers. — B. E. Fleury, Tulane University

Moretti, Enrico.  The new geography of jobs.  Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2012.  294p bibl index; ISBN 9780547750118, $28.00.
50-0986 HD5706 2012-7933 CIP

There is much focus currently on increased inequality and the hollowing out of the middle of the income distribution. Economist Moretti (Univ. of California, Berkeley) adds greatly to this discussion by focusing on inequality by geographic area, as it has increased over the past 30 years. The combination of rising returns to skill over this period with agglomeration economies, whereby firms achieve lower costs by clustering near others, has led to rapid growth in some urban areas. Moretti highlights the importance of innovative industries in job creation, as the innovative industry clusters, such as Silicon Valley and the movie industry in Los Angeles, also create many additional jobs and raise wages in the service sector for their urban areas. As a result of this dynamic, the US is rapidly becoming divided between some prosperous urban areas, with high earnings and low unemployment, and other declining areas, both urban and rural, with low earnings and high unemployment. Moretti discusses several government policies intended to enable efficient land use and encourage interregional migration. Moretti’s writing is clear and spritely, and he contextualizes the economic principles at play well, using numerous illustrative examples and statistical maps. Summing Up: Highly recommended. General readers and students, lower-division undergraduate and up. — J. P. Jacobsen, Wesleyan University

The Oxford classical dictionary, ed. by Simon Hornblower and Antony Spawforth with Esther Eidinow.  4th ed.  Oxford, 2012.  1,592p ISBN 0-19-954556-1, $175.00; ISBN 9780199545568, $175.00.
50-0603 DE5  2012-9579 MARC

More than a quarter century elapsed between the second (1970) and third (1996) editions of the Oxford Classical Dictionary, with the third edition boasting 800 entirely new entries (CH, May’97, 34-4836). This new fourth edition appears ten years after a revised third edition (CH, Oct’03, 41-0661) and offers a scant 90 new or replacement articles. Many of these new articles reflect the interests of newly appointed area advisors for the fields of anthropology (Charles Stewart, University College London) and reception studies (Lorna Hardwick, The Open University), and cover topics such as madness, masculinity, film, and popular culture. Though relatively few in number, the replacement articles grapple with important and seemingly boundless topics and are far more than routine updates. At an epic 5,000 words, the essay on Homer is more than twice the length of the previous version. Beyond these full replacements, the majority of the 6,000-plus entries have been reviewed for needed revisions, and their accompanying bibliographies have been updated to reflect recent scholarship. Scholarly and succinct, the Oxford Classical Dictionary is itself a classic. Perhaps the most appropriate encomium is that it remains the source of first resort for novices and experts alike. Summing Up: Essential. Lower-division undergraduates through researchers/faculty; general readers. — B. Juhl, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville

Patry, William.  How to fix copyright.  Oxford, 2011.  323p index afp ISBN  0-19-976009-8, $21.95; ISBN 9780199760091, $21.95.
50-1113 K1420  2011-16431 CIP

Using real-life examples of policy and policy making from the US and Europe, Patry (senior copyright counsel, Google Inc.) suggests evidence-based solutions to current copyright issues. Patry starts with the common misconceptions about the purpose and use of copyright law, including the basics of property law, how technology has changed how people create, and how a change to copyright laws is necessary. Other issues covered include orphan works, public domain, and fair use. While some prior awareness of copyright issues is helpful, there is nothing in the book that is too technical for readers new to the subject. This is a great introductory book for students looking to understand the policy issues surrounding copyright. It is also a jumping-off point for further research into the impact of copyright laws on creators and content users. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All readership levels. — J.M. Keller, Florida Coastal School of Law

Perlow, Leslie A.  Sleeping with your smartphone: how to break the 24/7 habit and change the way you work.  Harvard Business Review Press, 2012.  274p index afp ISBN 1-4221-4404-6, $27.00; ISBN 9781422144046, $27.00.
50-0968 HD5106 2011-46408 CIP

People are spending increasing amounts of time on mobile devices, with increasing ramifications for work and personal life. Perlow (Harvard Business School) explains how to reduce time with smartphones and other mobile devices and become more productive while doing so. She experimented with a work team at Boston Consulting Group (BCG), which had a history of 24/7 communication. Team members’ personal lives, even including weddings and honeymoons, were often interrupted by business communications. The team goal was to create predictable time off (PTO) from the devices. PTO could be anything from a day off each week to certain hours of a day off that everyone on the team agreed would work. Perlow’s research shows that to be successful, PTO must be valued, doable, encouraged through open dialogue, analyzed to see what schedules work, and strongly supported by top leadership. The success of the first team was spread to 900 BCG teams across 30 countries. The result was higher productivity and improved family life for many. The book outlines a structured approach for developing PTO for teams and organizations. Research results and a glossary are provided at the end of the book. Summing Up: Recommended. Business practitioners, researchers, and students, upper-division undergraduate and up. — G. E. Kaupins, Boise State University

Robot ethics: the ethical and social implications of robotics, ed. by Patrick Lin, Keith Abney, and George A. Bekey.  MIT, 2012.  386p index afp; ISBN 9780262016667, $45.00.
50-0844 TJ211  2011-16639 CIP

A number of books have recently been published discussing ethical concerns related to robotics. The majority have focused on military robots capable of killing (e.g., Killer Robots by Armin Krishman, CH, Jun’10, 47-5601), but not on the overall societal impact of robotic systems. Robot Ethics is much broader and more substantial than these past works. The editors have compiled writings from a variety of roboticists and philosophers addressing several philosophical issues. In addition to robotic warfare, some of the more interesting topics include the definition of personhood and how it relates to the ethical treatment of robots; the ethical issues of intimate relationships with robotic systems; legal issues related to robot action (who is blamed/punished when the robot does wrong); and the ethical aspects of technological advancements permitting the augmentation of the human brain with robotic elements. The book is an excellent primer on ethics and philosophy. It is definitely accessible to an undergraduate student–perhaps in the context of an undergraduate engineering ethics course. It is also a valuable reference for roboticists, providing an awareness of the social concerns related to their research. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Lower-division undergraduates through professionals. — R. S. Stansbury, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

Roenneberg, Till.  Internal time: chronotypes, social jet lag, and why you’re so tired.  Harvard, 2012.  272p index afp; ISBN 9780674065857, $26.95.
50-0871 QP84  2011-50230 CIP

This clearly written book provides cumulative research data regarding time, which American author Thomas Wolfe once termed something dark, delicate, and precious. Roenneberg (medical psychology, Ludwig-Maximilians Univ., Germany) focuses on the complex interactions between the three major time systems: social time, sun time, and especially internal time. The author researches biological clocks–chronobiology–and distinguishes diverse scientific studies from perpetuated myths and inaccurate statements. Each of the 24 chapters begins with an author-modified story to exemplify problem-based learning. The particular emphasis is on the diverse internal mechanisms controlling bodily structures, in both health and disease states. The interconnectedness of biological factors, particularly genetics and gene regulation, and molecular topics as they relate to internal clock mechanisms are considered. The author stresses individual variations as well as evolutionary forces. He explores sleep mechanisms, a most obvious body clock in humans and some other species. Today, people are experiencing increased interferences between their body clock (internal) and their social clock (external). Topics include jet lag, tiredness, optimal learning times, and entrainment. Supportive explanatory graphics in many chapters promote an understanding of internal bodily activities. Comprehensive chapter notes enhance this expert’s explanations, but readers would benefit by a background in biology. Summing Up: Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates through researchers/faculty. — J. N. Muzio, emeritus, CUNY Kingsborough Community College

Rostkowski, Joëlle.  Conversations with remarkable Native Americans.  SUNY Press, 2012.  143p bibl indexes afp ISBN 1-4384-4175-4, $35.00; ISBN 9781438441757, $35.00.
50-1066 E89  2011-19510 CIP

Ethnohistorian Rostkowski (School of Higher Studies in Social Sciences, Paris) has assembled a series of interviews with 15 prominent indigenous people. In this reviewer’s experience, books on “remarkable Native Americans” often emanate from a theorized or believed view of indigenous peoples existing in tropes of decline. Here, Rostkowski provides an interesting glimpse into the thoughts of prominent indigenous writers, activists, and artists, each speaking to the centralized theme of the work–survivance. Survivance is based upon Gerald Vizenor’s methodology in his work, research, and writings. Defined by Rostkowski, survivance “is the continual assertion of nonterritorial Native sovereignty, which . . . as the condition of their lives as artists, writers, journalists, lawyers, and activists” informs readers. These interviews shed light on how diverse Native American peoples, cultures, and beliefs are in the modern era. The interviews encompass many views, critiques, and thoughts on how people move forward in the future based on what has already been experienced, learned, and remembered. Those interviewed and many others have aided coming generations in raising up frameworks based on survivability and seeking to negotiate present sustainability, all while seeking revitalization of indigenous cultures and epistemologies. Summing Up: Highly recommended. General and undergraduate libraries. — K. J. White, SUNY Oswego
 
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