Best American Science Writing 2010

By Jerome Groopman

"Edited by New York Times bestselling author Jerome Groopman, The Best American Science Writing 2010 collects in one volume the most crucial, thought-provoking, and engaging science writing of the year. Distinguished by new and impressive voices as well as some of the foremost names in science writing---David Dobbs, Elizabeth Kolbert, and Larissa MacFarquhar among them---this eleventh edition features outstanding journalism from a wide variety of publications, providing a comprehensive overview of the year's most compelling, relevant, and exciting developments in the world of science. Provocative and engaging, The Best American Science Writing 2010 reveals just how far science has brought us---and where it is headed next."  (Publisher Description)  Check Our Catalog

Best American NonRequired Reading 2010

Edited By Dave Eggers
"Eggers here obliges the dictates of the "Best American" series—beloved of many public library habitués—with an eclectic mix of entries. The first section includes mostly ironic works, here under goofy headings, e.g., "Best American Patents" and "Best American Lawsuits." But the contents of "Best American Poems Written in the Last Decade by Soldiers and Citizens Fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan" are moving and well crafted, and their inclusion after such light, mocking fare jars and calls into some doubt Eggers's probity. The remaining 90 percent of the book contains longer short stories and journalism, and some of the more famous choices, e.g., Sherman Alexie's funny, wincing account of his father's hospitalization and Andrew Sean Greer's retelling of being gay at a NASCAR encampment, are ragingly humorous. George Saunders's faux-ethnography of life in another kind of encampment, among homeless crackheads in Sacramento, may be the piece that will have the longest shelf life. David Rohde's story of his abduction by and escape from the Taliban and Evan Ratliff's Wired assignment to try to disappear in a ubiquitously networked world are celebrated for what they chronicle, not how well they are written. Verdict Essential for public libraries, but colleges should pass. Readers may not consume this cover to cover, but some lesser-known writers and journals get much-deserved attention."  (Library Journal)   Check Our Catalog

Growing A Garden City: How Farmers, First Graders, Counselors...Are Transforming..Their Neighborhoods

By Jeremy N. Smith
"America is experiencing a food disconnect. On one hand, nearly one in four Americans say they regularly lack enough money to buy food. On the other, approximately one-third are considered to be clinically obese. It is a conundrum, to be sure, and yet the solution may come through something as basic as the community farm. In his profile of Missoula, Montana, Smith energetically demonstrates how one city embraced the local food movement through the establishment of city gardens, food kitchens, co-op subscriptions, college internships, and farm work-therapy programs to transform a population that was as much at risk as any in America into one that now stands as a model for community-supported agriculture. Through dynamic profiles of key players such as Josh Slotnick, director of the Program in Ecological Agriculture and Society; Tim Hall, head of Missoula's Community Gardens; and Tim Ballard, overseer of the Youth Harvest program for at-risk teens, the entire scope of this citywide confluence of actual needs and agricultural solutions is distilled to the personal level. Bright, vibrant, and buoyantly accessible, this effervescent celebration of the local food movement thrums with regional, national, and international implications."  (Booklist Reviews)   Check Our Catalog

The Dirty Life; On Farming, Food and Love

By Kristin Kimball
"Kimball chucked life as a Manhattan journalist to start a cooperative farm in upstate New York with a self-taught New Paltz farmer she had interviewed for a story and later married. The Harvard-educated author, in her 30s, and Mark, also college educated and resolved to "live outside of the river of consumption," eventually found an arable 500-acre farm on Lake Champlain, first to lease then to buy. In this poignant, candid chronicle by season, Kimball writes how she and Mark infused new life into Essex Farm, and lost their hearts to it. By dint of hard work and smart planning--using draft horses rather than tractors to plow the five acres of vegetables, and raising dairy cows, and cattle, pigs, and hens for slaughter--they eventually produced a cooperative on the CSA model, in which members were able to buy a fully rounded diet. To create a self-sustaining farm was enormously ambitious, and neighbors, while well-meaning, expected them to fail. However, the couple, relying on Mark's belief in a "magic circle" of good luck, exhausted their savings and set to work. Once June hit, there was the 100-day growing season and an overabundance of vegetables to eat, and no end to the dirty, hard, fiercely satisfying tasks, winningly depicted by Kimball."   (PW Reviews)  Check Our Catalog

How To Disappear; Erase Your Digital Footprint, Leave False Trails and Vanish Without A Trace

By Frank A. Ahearn

"How to Disappear is the authoritative and comprehensive guide for people who seek to protect their privacy as well as for anyone who’s ever entertained the fantasy of disappearing—whether actually dropping out of sight or by eliminating the traceable evidence of their existence.

Written by the world’s leading experts on finding people and helping people avoid being found, How to Disappear covers everything from tools for disappearing to discovering and eliminating the nearly invisible tracks and clues we tend to leave wherever we go. Learn the three keys to disappearing, all about your electronic footprints, the dangers and opportunities of social networking sites, and how to disappear from a stalker.

Frank Ahearn and Eileen Horan provide field-tested methods for maintaining privacy, as well as tactics and strategies for protecting personal information and preventing identity theft. They explain and illustrate key tactics such as misinformation (destroying all the data known about you); disinformation (creating fake trails); and, finally, reformation—the act of getting you from point A to point B without leaving clues."  (Publisher Description)  Check Our Catalog

The Pledge; A History Of The Pledge Of Allegiance

By Jeffrey Owen Jones
"On a summer evening in Boston in the year 1892, a thirtyseven- year-old former clergyman named Francis Bellamy sat down at his desk and began to write: “I Pledge allegiance to my flag…” Neither Bellamy nor anyone else could have imagined at the time that the single twenty-three-word sentence that emerged would evolve into one of our most familiar patriotic texts. Who could have suspected, though, that the simple flag salute would become a lightning rod for bitter controversy? Congress’ 1954 decision to add “under God” to the Pledge has made it the focus of three U.S. Supreme Court cases and at least one other landmark appellate decision. The debate continues today, but along with it exists a widely held admiration and support for this simple affirmation of our shared patriotism." (Publisher Description)  Check Our Catalog

Eels; An Exploration, From New Zealand To tthe Sargasso, Of The World's Most Mysterious Fish

By James Prosek
"Ask your average North American: eels, those slimy snakelike creatures, are generally held in poor regard. For nature writer Prosek (Trout; Fly-Fishing the 41st), however, they are a compelling mystery, and in his riveting synthesis of cultural, geographical, and botanical sleuthing, he investigates their reputation at home and abroad. The author--for whom the eel was once merely bait for bass--delves into the closely held traditions of the Maori of New Zealand, where eels are revered; into the beliefs of the Micronesian island of Pohnpei, where eels are considered members of a tribal clan; into the heart of the largest seafood market in the world, in Japan, a nation that consumes more than 130,000 tons of eels each year; into the reclusive world of Eel Weir Hollow in the Catskills, where fisherman Ray traps and smokes as much as one ton of eels a season; and to the fabled Sargasso Sea, where eels are thought to start their trek to the world's lakes, rivers, and streams--though, even now, no one knows precisely where the world's population of eels spawns, an enduring scientific mystery awaiting a solution. "  (PW Reviews)  Check Our Catalog

Play Their Hearts Out; A Coach, His Star Recruit and the Youth Basketball Machine

By George Dohrmann
"Basketball fans frequently hear references to AAU (Amateur Athletic Union) summer leagues, in which young players have a chance to hone their games. The AAU leagues are often criticized for exploiting young kids, but most of these charges have been based on rumor or hearsay. Until now. Dohrmann, the last sportswriter to win a Pulitzer Prize, spent approximately nine years researching this book; the story begins in 2000, when he convinced AAU coach Joe Keller to give him unfettered access to his team, the Inland Stars. The only condition was that the book wouldn't be published until the players—then 9 and 10 years old—were in college. Keller is a fascinating subject, a mix of positive characteristics—he is a genuinely caring father figure for many of his players—and profoundly negative. In Dohrmann's portrayal, Keller emerges as a shameless promoter of himself and his players, a poor coach, and a man for whom ethics are always relative. Money, of course, is key; surprisingly, there are lots of ways for coaches to profit in the underground basketball world, mainly from shoe companies (the real villains in this story) in the form of cash as well as products, prestige, and influence. In fact, as Dohrmann shows, everyone makes money in this "amateur" enterprise except the kids. An eye-opening look at the underbelly of modern American sports." (Booklist Reviews)    Check Our Catalog

Robert A. Heinlein: In Dialogue With His Century 1907-1948 Learning Curve

By William H. Patterson
"It may surprise readers schooled in Heinlein's stern, even quasi-fascistic visions of the future to learn that their author was a sometime liberal Democrat involved in postwar party politics in his adopted California. It will not surprise them to know that Heinlein, on the road to a lifetime's service in the Navy until being drummed out for medical reasons, was infamous among subordinates as a by-the-book disciplinarian of a Captain Bligh—or perhaps Queeg—bent. By Heinlein aficionado Patterson's account, he discovered science fiction early on, but initially took to it as a means of having to work a real job. World War II robbed him of that escape, but he worked intently to write stories for pulp magazines that criss-crossed the genres of science fiction and fantasy until building up the skills and stamina to begin the huge novels for which he would become famous. "Just before Pearl Harbor," writes Patterson, "he had intended to raise his sights...to the slick magazines and book publication, which pretty much implied then that he would leave science fiction behind." Yet science fiction would flourish after the war, with its futuristic visions as wrought by contemporaries such as E.E. "Doc" Smith, Isaac Asimov and L. Sprague de Camp. Patterson pays fitting homage to those writers as mentors and competitors, also giving due to longtime editor John Campbell, who advised Heinlein of what would work (plenty of plot complications) and what wouldn't (leave religion out of it)."   (Kirkus Reviews)
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Hitch-22; A Memoir

By Christopher Hitchens
"*Starred Review* Hitchens, who, in his earlier books, has expressed contempt for both God and Mother Teresa (although not in that order), is often described as a contrarian. In fact, in his book Letters to a Young Contrarian (2001), he himself noted that he "can appear insufferable and annoying," albeit without intending to. This memoir, bracing, droll, and very revealing, gives him yet another description: storyteller. He writes with a voice you can hear clearly, warmed by smoke and whiskey, and draws readers into his story, which proves as personal as it is political. As with many memoirs, it is not the public moments that are so fascinating, though there are plenty of those. Hitchens takes readers with him to Havana and Prague, Afghanistan and Iraq; tests himself by being waterboarded (he was disappointed in his early capitulation); and hobnobs with politicians and poets. He almost gets himself beaten up by defacing a poster in Iraq with a Hitler mustache. But the most intriguing stories are the personal ones, both from his early days, at home and at boarding school, and from his later life, when he learns that his mother was Jewish, which, if only technically, makes him Jewish as well. This revelation leads Hitchens on a quest to learn the story of his family, many of whom died in the Holocaust. How this new identity squares with his oft-proclaimed atheism sheds a different light on the meaning of religious identity. (He struggles mightily with his political identity as well.) Few authors can rile as easily as Hitchens does, but even his detractors might find it difficult to put down a book so witty, so piercing, so spoiling for a fight. He makes you want to be as good a reader as he is a writer."   (Booklist Reviews)
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American Vegan Kitchen; Delicious Comfort Food From Blue Plate Specials To

By Tamasin Noyes

Do you ever crave the delicious comfort foods served at your local diner, deli, or neighborhood cafe? This cookbook shows you how to make vegan versions of your favorite dishes in your own home kitchen.These 175+ recipes will satisfy vegans and non-vegans alike with deli sandwiches, burgers and fries, mac and cheese, pasta, pizza, omelets, pancakes, tasty soups and salads, casseroles, and desserts. Put together your own Blue Plate Specials from the roadside eateries of Route 66. Sample favorites from the cafes of San Francisco to the bistros of New York. Enjoy truly great American flavors from tempting ethnic dishes to the homestyle comfort foods of the heartland.Recipes include: Around-the-Clock Coffee Cake, Beer-Battered Onion Rings, Darngood Donut Bites, Cajun Pot Pie, Fork-and-Knife Reubens, Midtown Greek Salad, Spicy Balsamic Maple Wingz, Yankee Cornbread, Southern Fried Seitan, Mom's Apple Pie, and many more.From coast-to-coast and cover-to-cover, American Vegan Kitchen helps you serve up great homestyle vegan recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and desserts. The book contains 30 full-color photos and helpful icons to bring American comfort food home to your table."  (Vegan Heritage Press)  Check Our Catalog "

Thrillers: 100 Must Reads

Edited By David Morrell

"The top names in the thriller genre today reflect on and examine suspense classics in 100 riveting essays. Created by the International Thriller Writers organization and edited by First Bloodauthor Morrell and critic Wagner, this anthology starts far into the past with Lee Child's examination of the Greek myth of Theseus and the Minotaur and proceeds up to the modern publishing game changer, Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code. The other titles mentioned include a variety of obvious choices, like Michael Crichton's The Andromeda Strain and John le Carré's The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, but some are head scratchers, like Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe and Jules Verne's Mysterious Island. Each essay persuades the reader to understand why a particular title deserves to be featured, including the not so obvious choices. The debate to define a thriller and separate it from the mystery genre will intensify even further thanks to the various selections here. VERDICT This is an essential reference book for readers' advisory; suspense fans will also enjoy browsing to find new titles and authors to savor"   (LJ Reviews)     Check Our Catalog

Dangerously Funny; The Uncensored Story Of the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour

by David Bianculli

"Beginning with his decidedly wry and ironic title, veteran television critic and current NPR Fresh Air commentator Bianculli (Teleliteracy: Taking Television Seriously) immediately sets the tone for this deliciously informative and entertaining story of the venerable Smothers Brothers' 50--year run and their tempestuous struggles with the CBS censors during the three-season reign of The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour. Combining extensive interviews with siblings Tom, Dick, and Sherry Smothers; Smothers stalwarts Pat Paulsen, comedian David Steinberg, and musician Mason Williams; and television industry suit Fred Silverman, this is a revelatory and surprisingly balanced treatment of the conflict between the artists and the corporatists. Bianculli excels at juxtaposing the story of the longest continuing, artistically subversive comedy team with the contemporary political landscape. Highlights include the superbly related back story of the mock "Pat Paulson for President" campaign. Verdict This title will appeal to pop culture and 1960s counterculture fans, students of communication and the history of mass media, and to all entertainment and comedy readers."  (LJ Express Reviews)
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