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

Allison, William Thomas.  The Gulf War, 1990-91.  Palgrave Macmillan, 2012.  208p bibl index; ISBN 9780230202641, $95.00; ISBN 9780230202658 pbk, $30.00.
50-6992 DS79  2012-288888 MARC

Published in Macmillan’s “Twentieth-Century Wars” series, this work could serve as a useful primer for today’s undergraduate students. As Allison (military history, Georgia Southern Univ.) puts it, “an entire generation of Americans now has no living memory of the conflict.” Allison breaks little new ground and does not advance a bold reinterpretation of the Gulf War, but he does succeed in synthesizing existing accounts into a fairly readable military history. The writing style is accessible, with only occasional lapses into military jargon. He begins with two brief chapters on the background to the conflict and a chapter on the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. He then devotes four chapters to the political and military maneuverings, from Desert Shield through the brief ground war in late February and March of 1991. A short final chapter is devoted to aftermath and legacies of the war. A three-page chronology follows. Detailed maps tied to developments in the chapters should have been included; only one regional map appears at the beginning of the book. Nonetheless, this book is highly suitable for undergraduates seeking a tidy, impartial review of an overlooked war. Summing Up: Recommended. Undergraduate, graduate, research, and professional collections.
— S. Waalkes, Malone University

Avise, John C.  Evolutionary perspectives on pregnancy, by John C. Avise.  Columbia, 2013.  326p bibl index afp; ISBN 9780231160605, $75.00; ISBN 9780231531450, e-book, contact publisher for price.
50-6761 QP251  2012-29371 CIP

Humans think of pregnancy as a time of joy and family growth. For animals, pregnancy is more often a time of strife between mated pairs, between siblings, and even between mother and offspring. It turns out that the female reproductive tract is an evolutionary arena where mom and baby use the placenta to squabble over resources, and where internecine struggles between embryos can be a matter of life and death. In this exceptional book, Avise (Univ. of California, Irvine; Hermaphroditism, CH, Sep’11, 49-0248) takes the reader on a tour of vertebrate pregnancy and pregnancy-like phenomena, and reviews the trade-offs that drive so much of reproductive biology. He also contrasts viviparity and oviparity, examines pregnancy in invertebrates, explains how pregnancy drives much of sexual selection, and even includes a discussion of human pregnancy in science and mythology. The work is thorough, methodical without being plodding, and loaded with examples, citations, and delightful drawings of many of the animals discussed. This book would make an outstanding text for an upper-level undergraduate or graduate seminar in reproductive evolutionary biology, and is an excellent read for anyone interested in one of the most basic mechanisms of natural selection. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All academic, professional, and general readers. — J. L. Hunt, University of Arkansas—Monticello

Bainbridge, William Sims.  eGods: faith versus fantasy in computer gaming.  Oxford, 2013.  328p index afp; ISBN 9780199935819, $99.00; ISBN 9780199935833 pbk, $24.95.
50-6822 GV1469 2012-26597 CIP

This is a long-awaited and truly fascinating book on the relationship between religion and multiplayer online role-playing games by highly respected sociologist of religion, science, and popular culture Bainbridge, of the National Science Foundation. The book’s subject has been ignored by the academic world, perhaps because of its complexity, or possibly due to some in academia frowning on or ignoring games, even though understanding the gaming world is truly essential for understanding popular culture. Especially important are the pervasive, religiously themed imagery and constructs. The author investigates the fantasy religions of 41 games, including EverQuest II, Lord of the Rings Online, Rift, World of Warcraft, and Star Wars: The Old Republic. Bainbridge takes an in-depth look at the gaming world’s religious dimensions in chapters entitled “Disbelief,” “The Culture Game,” “Deities,” “Souls,” “Priests,” “Shrines,” “Magic,” “Morality,” “Cults,” “Death,” and “Quests.” He also presents analytical tables throughout, and ends with a very interesting and useful index of the game worlds. This is fine reading. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All levels/libraries. — M. Y. Rynn, emerita, University of Scranton

Bloom, Joshua.  Black against empire: the history and politics of the Black Panther Party, by Joshua Bloom and Waldo E. Martin Jr.  California, 2013.  539p index afp; ISBN 9780520271852, $34.95.
50-6929 E185  2012-21279 CIP

In their thoroughly researched, definitive history of the rise and fall of the Black Panther Party, Bloom (UCLA) and Martin (Berkeley) offer a fascinating, compelling analysis of the politics of armed self-defense against police brutality. This, together with service activities such as the breakfast programs, distinguished the Panthers from other radical black organizations. The politics of armed self-defense tapped into the rage that blacks in the inner cities felt because of racist police brutality and ghettoization. The ghetto rebellions in Watts, Newark, and Detroit symbolized this reservoir of anger. The anger proliferated after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. and contributed to the rapid expansion of the Panthers nationwide. Despite repression, the Panthers gained support from moderate blacks, the white Left, and the antiwar movement from 1968-1970. Opposition to the draft and the unpopular Vietnam War drew allies to the Panthers. The authors suggest, however, that the power structure isolated the Panthers by making concessions to key constituencies. The winding down of the war, the end of the draft, increased admission of blacks to colleges, and affirmative action siphoned off allies. They were no longer receptive to insurgency. Exceptional. A must read. Summing Up: Essential. All levels/libraries. — W. Glasker, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Camden

Conly, Sarah.  Against autonomy: justifying coercive paternalism.  Cambridge, 2013.  206p bibl index; ISBN 9781107024847, $95.00.
50-7011 JA71  2012-21094 CIP

Conly’s Against Autonomy: Justifying Coercive Paternalism is a timely and important addition to the literature on paternalism. Beginning with a survey of the evidence that shows that people make decisions irrationally, Conly (philosophy, Bowdoin College) argues that coercive paternalism is justified as it will help people to achieve their own goals. Recognizing that this is not a popular view, Conly responds to the objections that paternalism will undercut individuality, that it will lead to an increase in alienation and inauthenticity, and that allowing governments to regulate individual behavior will simply be too dangerous. She then outlines how her views should be applied in practice, arguing, for example, that cigarettes should be banned and that persons should be prohibited from becoming too indebted, while noting that there are certain areas of life (such as the choice of a career) that paternalistic intervention should not touch. Despite the book’s title, and although Conly does not engage with the literature on autonomy as fully as her topic warrants, this is a well-written, well-argued volume that will be of interest to undergraduates, graduate students, and researchers. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Undergraduate, graduate, and research collections.
— J. S. Taylor, The College of New Jersey

D’Emilio, John.  Intimate matters: a history of sexuality in America, by John D’Emilio and Estelle B. Freedman.  3rd ed.  Chicago, 2012.  476p bibl index afp ISBN 0226923800 pbk, $25.00; ISBN 9780226923802 pbk, $25.00.
50-6934 HQ18  2012-22897 CIP

The third edition of the study of the history of sexuality in the US, published 25 years after the first edition (1st ed., CH, Oct’88, 26-1209; 2nd ed., 1997), follows the chronological framework of the previous versions and moves the narrative into the 21st century. Using the lenses of American social and economic life, historians D’Emilio (Univ. of Illinois at Chicago) and Freedman (Stanford Univ.) examine the changing meaning and place of sexuality in American life from the colonial era’s family-based reproductive purpose, through the progressive movement’s moral reform efforts, to the contemporary possibilities for liberation, commercialization, and polarization. The authors’ interpretation of the history of sexuality in the US is based upon evidence from five centuries of primary and secondary sources such as personal accounts in letters and diaries, legal records, songs, social-scientific studies, medical texts, advice literature, and political platforms. This extensively documented book is justifiably regarded as a foundational text for historical inquiry in the field of US social history. See also Documenting Intimate Matters (CH, Aug’13, 50-6935). Summing Up: Highly recommended. All academic, professional, and general readers. — P. Lefler, Bluegrass Community & Technical College

Jasienska, Grazyna.  The fragile wisdom: an evolutionary view on women’s biology and health.  Harvard, 2013.  317p bibl index afp; ISBN 9780674047129, $35.00.
50-6792 RA778  2012-25259 CIP

Evolutionary factors interact with a wide range of human characteristics, some that continue to be beneficial and others that have outlived their usefulness. For example, the human fight-or-flight response is counterproductive in situations of chronic stress. In The Fragile Wisdom, Jasienska (Jagiellonian Univ., Poland) offers new insights into evolutionary trade-offs between reproductive viability and other aspects of a woman’s health. The book includes well-researched (48 pages of references) analyses of Paleolithic dietary patterns as well as hormonal fluctuations that support fertility of younger women and place these same women at risk for postmenopausal cancers of their reproductive organs. One of many strengths of the book is the author’s refusal to settle for easy answers or to offer advice. Rather, she raises questions and argues persuasively that human evolutionary heritage is far more complex, more interesting, and more challenging than most readers may have imagined. Although the emphasis is on women’s health, this thought-provoking, well-reasoned work is relevant for anyone seeking a better understanding of humanity’s collective history and its implications for today. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through professionals; general readers. — M. D. Lagerwey, Western Michigan University

Lapsley, Phil.  Exploding the phone: the untold story of the teenagers and outlaws who hacked Ma Bell.  Grove Press, 2013.  431p index; ISBN 9780802120618, $26.00.
50-6803 HD9697 MARC

Lapsley, an engineer, computer scientist, entrepreneur, and author of numerous technical articles, has written a nonfiction chronicle of a unique form of hacking that involved the largest computer of its kind in the world at the time: the phone system. Like the people described in Steven Levy’s Hackers: Heroes of the Computer Revolution (CH, Mar’85), Lapsley’s subjects are mainly adolescents who enjoyed bending a giant system designed by faceless bureaucrats to their quirky individual wills. What began in the 1950s as a lark ended in the late 1960s with criminal charges, arrests, and changes in the underlying technology that brought an end to amateur phone phreaking. Lapsley’s colloquial, informal style fits his mostly sympathetic portrayal of the characters who spent their days dialing 10,000 numbers in sequence just to see which ones did strange things. Apple cofounder Steve Wozniak, a former phreak, wrote the foreword to this book that is always entertaining and clear without being excessively technical, and that documents events that presaged today’s criminal hackers and cyberwars. Seventy pages of endnotes mark this as a well-documented work of historical value. Engineers, historians, and general readers will all find it a worthwhile read. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All levels/libraries. — K. D. Stephan, Texas State University–San Marcos

Longenbach, James.  The virtues of poetry.  Graywolf Press, 2013.  169p bibl index afp; ISBN 9781555976378 pbk, $14.00.
50-6600 PN1042 MARC

Finally, a book about poetry by a critic devoted to the genre, unafraid to show his ardor for its complexities, nuances, difficulties, and contradictions, yet never guilty of so intellectualizing his responses that he neglects to display a tender regard for its virtues. In short, Longenbach (Univ. of Rochester) writes criticism as pithy as poetry, reading closely, reading in context, linking poems and poets with each other, and doing it all with such clarity and fine articulation that this book should serve as a model for anyone who wants to write about or teach poetry. A collection of 12 short, linked essays, this book is filled with gems: a superb little chapter on the boldness of Emily Dickinson; an exploration of Elizabeth Bishop’s and Robert Lowell’s letters, poems, and relationship that reveals the tension between reticence and revelation; a provocative observation that dilation or lassitude in poetry is usually eschewed by, but is nevertheless omnipresent in, artists as renowned as Beethoven and Shakespeare. The Virtues of Poetry is a once-in-a-generation book that deserves the close attention of anyone interested in an answer to the question, Why read poetry? Summing Up: Essential. All readers.
 — J. P. Baumgaertner, Wheaton College (IL)

Macey, Jonathan R.  The death of corporate reputation: how integrity has been destroyed on Wall Street.  Pearson Education, 2013.  287p index; ISBN 9780133039702, $39.99.
50-6859 HF5387 2013-4477  MARC

In this timely volume, Macey (corporate law and finance, Yale) argues that the traditional “reputational capital” model in place for decades among accounting, law, investment, and credit rating firms has changed dramatically. These firms, for decades, depended on their unsullied reputations for integrity and ethical behavior as a vital component of success. Macey describes how this has changed in the post-Enron era, as developed countries and market participants have come to rely more heavily on government regulation than on reputation for their assurance of proper conduct. However, they have done so at their own risk as this regulation has not always been effective. Such regulation has actually become a disincentive for firms to invest in their own reputations. The author argues that firm reputation must be rebuilt due to the failure of regulation to engender trust in financial markets and firms. Extensive chapter-end citations; full index. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All levels of students; faculty; researchers; professionals; general readers. — F. A. Marino, Assumption College

Mawdsley, Emma.  From recipients to donors: emerging powers and the changing development landscape.  Zed Books, 2012.  270p bibl index; ISBN 9781848139473, $125.95; ISBN 9781848139466 pbk, $35.95.
50-7002 HC60  MARC

In this ambitious analysis, Mawdsley (geography, Cambridge Univ.) examines new providers of technical and development assistance to developing countries. New donors from Eastern Europe and the postcolonial south demonstrate extra respect for sovereignty and are hesitant to set conditional “ties,” given their histories. Although the kind of short- and long-term aid varies, whether humanitarian/emergency assistance and/or investments for self-sustaining development, the motivations behind this foreign policy behavior are similar to those of traditional/mainstream donors in Europe and North America, operating under the Development Assistance Committee (DAC): attention beyond borders to neighboring countries, trade enhancement, and alliance-making friendships. Mawdsley draws primarily on secondary literature (with a 33-page reference list), often buried in highly specialized academic journals and technical reports; however, in chapter 5 she offers a perceptive analysis of “gift theory,” unpacks the discursive claims in development cooperation, and provides comparisons of China, India, and Venezuelan aid. While extensive scholarship exists on Chinese aid, especially in Africa (see Deborah Brautigam, The Dragon’s Gift, CH, Sep’10, 48-0383), Mawdsley’s book offers breathtaking scope and is perhaps the first to examine what she calls this “changing developing landscape.” Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduate, graduate, research, and professional collections. — K. Staudt, University of Texas at El Paso

Niederst Robbins, Jennifer.  Learning web design: a beginner’s guide to HTML, CSS, Javascript, and web graphics.  4th ed.  O’Reilly, 2012.  602p index ISBN 1449319270 pbk, $49.99; ISBN 9781449319274 pbk, $49.99.
50-6805 TK5105 MARC

Niederst Robbins has been an educator and web designer for 15-plus years; she created the first commercial website in 1993, O’Reilly’s Global Network Navigator. She has accomplished the seemingly impossible task of bringing together all of the basic concepts of web design into a comprehensive, organized, and well-written volume. Now in its fourth edition (3rd ed., 2007; 2nd ed., 2004; 1st ed., 2001), Learning Web Design, with its all-in-one approach, should be considered the quintessential textbook and reference for the beginning to intermediate student and/or practitioner of web design. The first section engages the reader with the foundations of the web design environment, and introduces what will be presented in the following chapters. Subsequent sections cover not only HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and web graphics creation, but a framework for how to approach web design. Most pages include impressive, full-color graphics, which provide both visual and textual information. Each chapter contains exercises and a short quiz at the end to test learning. A companion website features exercise materials and links to resources and articles. Niederst Robbins also presents up-to-date information on changing technologies along with HTML5 and CSS3. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Students of all levels and professionals/practitioners in web design. — J. E. Brandon, Michigan State University Library

Oxford Bibliographies Online.  Oxford. Contact publisher for pricing.  Internet Resource. Reviewed in 2013aug CHOICE.
50-6491

http://www.oxfordbibliographiesonline.com/
 [Revisited May’13] Oxford Bibliographies Online (previous review, CH, Oct’10, 48-0598) represents a major departure from the exhaustive coverage of bibliographic databases that strive to include everything published within their scope. Instead, this peer-reviewed database comprises a series of subject modules with evaluative bibliographies and introductory essays offering highly selective lists of the most authoritative and significant research on a subject. Included is an explanation of the reference’s academic value and how it fits within the overall subject matter of the discipline. Each bibliography begins with an introductory essay presenting theoretical and historical background, along with the scholarly context for the citations included. The bibliographies are extensive, and may include sections on introductory works, textbooks, handbooks and guides, journals, reference works, web resources, primary documents, and journal articles; bibliographies often define significant theories or themes, depending on the discipline. Users may browse each module and the bibliographies within individually, or search the entire database using an advanced search screen with multiple limiting and focusing functions. Linking to the library’s full text is provided for all citations. The database now boasts 35 subject modules, each with 50-plus articles: African Studies, American Literature, Anthropology, Atlantic History, Biblical Studies, British and Irish Literature, Buddhism, Childhood Studies, Cinema and Media Studies, Classics, Communication, Criminology, Ecology, Education, Geography, Hinduism, International Law, International Relations, Islamic Studies, Jewish Studies, Latin American Studies, Latino Studies, Linguistics, Management, Medieval Studies, Military History, Music, Philosophy, Political Science, Psychology, Public Health, Renaissance and Reformation, Social Work, Sociology, and Victorian Literature.

This database continues to grow, with Chinese Studies, Art History, and Evolutionary Biology planned for release in 2013. Collectively, these subject modules constitute an impressive addition to the scholarly body of work, allowing users to focus time and efforts on what are considered to be the canonic texts within a discipline. Like most fee-based online resources, Oxford Bibliographies Online is not inexpensive, based in part on its extensive size. Offered as unlimited access only, it is available by subject via perpetual access ($3,200-$8,000) or subscription ($400-$1,000), based on institutional size and type, with discounts for the more subjects purchased. A positive feature is the flexibility of the pricing model, since libraries can choose to purchase or subscribe to each module separately, depending on the curricula they support. Small portions of a bibliography, e.g., Ernest Sosa’s Epistemology, may be available through Amazon.com or other providers in an e-book format that may provide alternative access for some students. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Lower-level undergraduates through faculty/researchers; general readers. — C. W. Bruns, California State University–Fullerton

Routledge Performance Archive.  Routledge. Pricing for academic libraries is based on concurrent user or FTE, starting at $2,400.00.  Internet Resource.
50-6510

http://www.routledgeperformancearchive.com/
[Visited May’13] Produced in conjunction with Digital Theatre, this online video collection of master classes, interviews, and performances by leading practitioners draws on The Routledge Companion to Theatre and Performance (2006), edited by Paul Allain and Jen Harvie. When reviewed, the collection featured 40-plus hours of video from 32 practitioners, with quarterly updates and critical commentary planned. The database is arranged with topic overviews in eight broad subject categories: Actors and Actor Training, Comedy, Dance, Form and Genre, Performance Art, Political Theatre and Performance, Popular Theatre and Performance, and Theatre-Making and Processes. The focus is on actor training with forays into theater culture and history; these are not performances of specific works, but workshops and lectures for use by performers and teachers. Practitioners include individuals and companies, ranging from figures like Peter Hall, Jerzy Grotowski, and the Polish Gardzienice collective to contemporary innovators Kwame Kwei-Armah, and Adriano Shaplin and the Riot Group.

A viewer selecting the Physical Comedy category (under Comedy) is presented with a photo, a brief (under 200 words) encyclopedia entry, and three videos: a master class by Jos Houben, “The Art of Laughter”; one segment of a seven-part workshop, “The Discourse of Clowning,” by Avner Eisenberg; and a workshop segment by Antonio Fava with John Rudlin, “Masks of the Commedia dell’Arte.” Workshop videos are viewable in shorter thematic chunks or in their entirety, which in some cases can be 10-15 hours; convenient transcripts allow viewers to identify relevant sections of video footage without watching every minute. Some content, like an interview with director Mike Alfreds, is available as audio only, presented in the same streaming video format with a still image and without transcription. Entry pages show thumbnail images of the first three relevant video clips; viewers must click on the right-arrow icon to see additional results.

Users may also browse a Keyword Index and click on terms(s) of interest. Additionally, a search box allows searching of keywords and encyclopedia entries, but not transcripts; search results are categorized by subject and practitioner, with an Assets view at the bottom linking relevant video thumbnails. This attractively designed site functions well on Macintosh and PC platforms; video is delivered seamlessly to web browsers in both regular and full-screen view via adaptive bit-rate streaming. Sound quality for interviews recorded in studios is excellent; sound is acceptable on some classroom lectures and recordings, but ambient noise is present. Video is not available for download, so users require an Internet connection to use the archive. Classroom exercises and workshops have not been well documented historically, so this Archive is a groundbreaking resource for sharing material developed in multiple theatrical contexts and traditions with academic/professional audiences. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-level undergraduates through professionals/practitioners. — P. Finley, University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Seeking Palestine: new Palestinian writing on exile and home, ed. by Penny Johnson and Raja Shehadeh.  Olive Branch, 2013.  202p ISBN 1566569060 pbk, $16.00; ISBN 9781566569064 pbk, $16.00.
50-6606 PJ8190  2012-39275 MARC

Palestinian writers explore exile and home in this edited volume. While beautiful and haunting, the pieces never reduce exile to a realm of pure romance but instead politicize and historicize the displacement of Palestinians since the 1948 Nakba (“catastrophe”). Johnson (independent researcher, Institute of Women’s Studies, Birzeit Univ.) and Shehadeh (a lawyer; author of Occupation Diaries, 2012) take their inspiration from the Palestine Festival of Literature, where the anthology was originally conceived. Contributors draw on the intimate and visceral, from Lila Abu-Lughod’s memories of her father, to Fady Joudah’s verse revelations on the insights of his children, to Karma Nabulsi’s tracing of Palestinian revolutionary life across generations. In Adania Shibli’s “Of Place, Time, and Language,” the author recounts how her watch curiously stops moving during an Israeli airport security search: “maybe it simply refuses to count the time that is seized from my life.” The book’s sections, “Exile/Home,” “Home/Exile,” and “At Home in What World?” structure an arc, moving from displacement across great distance, to internal exile, and finally the possible or impossible future: the exile’s object of longing. Selected images from artist Emily Jacir precede each section, juxtaposing photographs with Arabic and English text. An indispensable work for popular and scholarly collections. Summing Up: Essential. Lower-division undergraduates through faculty; general readers. — V. M. Natarajan, Barnard College

State of the world, 2013: is sustainability still possible?, by Erik Assadourian and Tom Prugh, project directors, with Rebecca Adamson et al.; ed. by Linda Starke.  Island Press, 2013.  441p index afp ISBN 161091449x pbk, $22.00; ISBN 9781610914499 pbk, $22.00.
50-6539 HC79  MARC

This important book is masterfully written by 52 collaborators with exhaustive expert knowledge of a wide sweep of disciplines. The contributions are knit together with fine editorial control. The Worldwatch Institute has produced a compelling collection of 34 stunning essays, each one uniquely absorbing and bolstered by copious references to appropriate sources. Prefaced by a detailed time line of events from December 2011 through November 2012, the essays are enhanced by 30 boxes of additional information plus 42 tables and figures. A well-constructed, useful index follows 50 pages of endnotes and references. Sustainability is possible, say the contributors, but much must be done, now, on every continent. The current situation demands dramatic shifts involving nearly every aspect of the human condition. Among the topics explored are ethics, politics, governance, food production, indigenous peoples, human behavior during catastrophes, radical resistance, energy consumption, ecological disaster, pollution, ocean acidification, biodiversity decline, population dynamics, climate change, extreme weather events, corporate responsibility within the context of capitalism, and, very convincingly, the application of the entropy principle to economics. This book should be required reading for every incoming class of college students and a selection for community reading groups everywhere. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Lower-level undergraduates and above; general readers. — A. S. Ricker, Oberlin College

Sterritt, David.  Spike Lee’s America.  Polity, 2013.  254p bibl filmography index; ISBN 9780745651811, $64.95; ISBN 9780745651828 pbk, $19.95.
50-6666 PN1998 MARC

Spike Lee is America’s premier African American filmmaker, and he has found a worthy advocate in David Sterritt (Columbia Univ. and Maryland Institute College of Art). Lee’s first standout film, Do the Right Thing (1989), was a game changer that brought racial issues front and center in mainstream American culture. Sterritt covers the entire film career of this eccentric and assertive figure, from the first “joints” (Lee’s term for his movies) to mainstream biopic Malcolm X (1992) to his most controversial feature, Bamboozled (2000), and beyond. Critics have not always been unanimous in their praise of Lee. Roger Ebert thought the minstrel parody Bamboozled was too far over the top to be effective satirically; cultural critic Michele Wallace was bothered by Lee’s plot resolution in School Daze (1988). On the other hand, his documentary When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts (2006) was critically acclaimed and nominated for an Emmy Award. Lee’s work is more often controversial than not, and Sterritt courageously wades into the critical minefield and manages to come out unscathed. The book is a vibrant and provocative engagement not only with the work of a great filmmaker, but also with American society and politics. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All readers. — J. M. Welsh, emeritus, Salisbury University

Thorndike, Joseph J.  Their fair share: taxing the rich in the age of FDR.  Urban Institute, 2013.  349p index afp ISBN 0877667713 pbk, $29.50; ISBN 9780877667711 pbk, $29.50.
50-6880 HJ2377 2012-45283 CIP

America’s federal tax structure is rooted in the economics and politics of the Great Depression and WW II. For anyone curious about the origins of American tax policy, this timely and readable study, drawn from the archives of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s four terms, offers an invaluable, fascinating account of FDR’s quest to reshape the nation’s finances. Historically the US was reliant on regressive excises, combined with an income tax burdening only the rich elite. Roosevelt increased America’s revenues to meet wartime demands by expanding the personal income tax into a mass levy and doubling the share of federal revenues from corporations, while cutting the share of excises by more than half and fending off repeated attempts to establish a regressive national sales tax. Thorndike, director of the Tax History Project (CH, Mar’12, 49-3964), explains how as the tax burden rose, increased emphasis was placed on fairness. Marginal income tax rates exceeding 80 percent raised little revenue but offered a moral counterpoint as the income tax was imposed on those of modest means. By the time the political tide turned in 1943, the fairness of progressive taxation was sufficiently ingrained to weather challenges, even into the 21st century. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All collections and readership levels. — R. S. Hewett, Drake University

Wright, Gavin.  Sharing the prize: the economics of the civil rights revolution in the American South.  Belknap, Harvard, 2013.  353p bibl index afp ISBN 0-674-04933-0, $35.00; ISBN 9780674049338, $35.00.
50-6882 E185  2012-33549 CIP

The civil rights movement of the 1960s has had a lasting impact on American society. Although it has hardly been neglected by historians, until now there has been no comprehensive economic interpretation of these events. In this volume, Wright (American economic history, Stanford Univ.) offers an important and illuminating reinterpretation of the civil rights movement and its consequences for both black and white economic progress in the subsequent half century. The core of the book (chapters 3-6) examines in turn the desegregation of public accommodations, the impacts of the 1964 Civil Rights Act on labor markets, school desegregation, and voting rights and political representation. Drawing on close, insightful readings of contemporary and historical commentary as well as an extensive array of quantitative evidence, Wright shows that the transformations in the economic sphere were more rapid and complete than were the changes in education and politics; he argues persuasively that black economic progress also benefitted southern whites. The civil rights revolution was not without its costs, but Wright argues that these should not be overstated. The final chapter offers nuanced historical lessons. Summing Up: Essential. All collections.
— J. L. Rosenbloom, University of Kansas

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