ACRL College & Research Libraries News

Association of College & Research Libraries

New Publications

George M.Eberhart

Bibliography of Preservation Literature,1983 -1996, by Robert E. Schnare Jr., Susan G. Swartzburg, and George M. Cunha (826 pages, January 2001), provides briefly anno- tated citations to 5,358 books, articles, papers, and audiovisual materials related to preserva- tion and conservation published in the speci- fied time period. This work was originally to have been an extension of Northeast Docu- ment Conservation Center founder George Cunha’s Library/ and Archives Conservation: 1980s and Beyond (Scarecrow, 1983), but Cunha died in 1994 and contributed only to the essay on “Aspects of Preservation Man- agement” at the end of the book. Schwartzburg, preservation librarian at Rutgers, died in 1996 while working on the bibliography, leaving its completion to Schnare, currently director of the U.S. Naval War College library in New- port. $89.50. Scarecrow. ISBN 0-8108-3712-9.

Death to Dust What Happens to Dead Bod- ies?by Kenneth V. Iserson (821 pages, 2d ed., April 2001), answers 252 questions about corpses, autopsies, funerals, and cemeteries. Iserson, a professor of surgery at the University of Arizona, talks openly about what he consid- ers to be the last taboo, one that is reinforced by fears of confronting our own mortality and a fu- neral industry that hides the dead, orchestrates abbreviated funeral rites, and depersonalizes the process of part- ing from loved ones. Many of the subjects addressed here are difficult but not impossible to find elsewhere, but having them all together in FAQ form is convenient. Topics include: criteria for determining death, death certificates, organ donation, autopsy techniques, Ameri- can embalming practices, cremation, cryonic suspension, corpse transportation, cannibalism and other postmortem horrors, funerary rites,casket choices, quotations and epitaphs, exhumations, and costs for various methods of body disposition. $48.95. Galen Press, P.O. Box 64400, Tucson, AZ 85728-4400. ISBN 1-883620-22-8.

A Different Nature: The Paradoxical Nature of Zoos and Their Uncertain Future,by David Hancocks (280 pages, May 2001), critically examines the history of zoos and the rationale for their continued existence. Arguing that they are neither sanctuaries for the preservation of species nor ideal observation posts for animal behavior nor justifiable for the sole purpose of family recreation, Hancocks sees zoos as increasingly irrelevant unless they can reinvent themselves as urban-based educational institutions carrying “fervent messages about the unnecessary and massive loss of wildlife habitats around the world.” Along the way, he gives examples of the best zoos in the world, among them the Bronx Zoo, which has one of the most dedicated conservation programs; the naturalism of the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum in Tucson; the Noorder Dierenpark in Emmen, Holland, offering some of the most creative educational exhibits; the Wildscreen electronic zoo in Bristol, England; the Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle, where the concept of “landscape immersion” was pioneered; and the Kilimanjaro Safari ride at Disney’s Animal Kingdom in Orlando, which set the standard for replicated realism. $35.00. University of California. ISBN 0-520-21879-5.

Embarrassing Medical Problems: Everything You Always Wanted to Know But Were Afraid to Ask Your Doctor,by Margaret Steam (205 pages, June 2001), covers some areas that other health self-help books often gloss over. Few of the conditions described are life-threatening in any way; however, some people may be nervous about discussing them with a physician, especially an unfamiliar intern at the university clinic. Maladies covered include bad breath, baldness, condoms, farting, incontinence, impotence, memory problems, oddities of the penis and vagina, snoring, sweaty feet, twitching eyes, and much more. It makes for interesting reading, even if you don’t have any of the problems described. This one will probably wander off the reference shelf with some frequency, sequestered in some faraway carrell by easily embarrassed individuals. $14.95. Hatherleigh Press, 522 46th Ave., Suite 200, Long Island City, NY 11101. ISBN 1-57826-067-1.

George M. Eberhart is senior editor of American Libraries; e-mail: geberhart@ala.org

Encyclopedia of Capital Punishment in the United States,by Louis J. Palmer Jr. (606 pages, March 2001), brings together a wide range of statistics and information on the death penalty in America, from its colonial origins, to the 1972-1976 moratorium placed on capital cases by Furman v. Georgia, and the subsequent revision of state death-penalty statutes afterwards. The book contains entries for every capital-punishment opinion issued by the U.S. Supreme Court through 1999, the status and structure of death-penalty laws in every U.S. jurisdiction, the status of capital punishment in other countries, famous or otherwise significant capital prosecutions, the effect of capital punishment on minorities and other special populations, execution methods, and legal terminology related to capital trials. Sources for individual entries, other than legal citations, are not provided other than a two- page bibliography at the end. $95.00. McFarland. ISBN 0-7864-0944-4.

The Encyclopedia of Women's Travel and Exploration,by Patricia D. Netzley (259 pages, April 2001), presents more than 300 biographical and topical essays on women’s travel motivations and experiences throughout history. Famous travelers from Harriet Chalmers Adams to Ann Zwinger are profiled, while subjects include types of travel, world destinations, types of transportation, famous female firsts, traveling with children, traveling disguised, and travel guidebooks for women. Good bibliographical notes and an excellent index. $65.00. Oryx. ISBN 1-57356-238-6.

Evolution's Workshop: God and Science on the Galápagos Islands,by Edward J. Larson (320 pages, April 2001), tells the fascinating history of scientific exploration on this remote archipelago that convinced Charles Darwin in 1835 that evolution was a fact. The islands’ lush plant and animal life have caused many visitors, creationist and evolutionist alike, to wonder how it all came about. Even the disturbing insurrection of 1995, when local fishermen occupied the Charles Darwin Research Station to protest Ecuador’s crackdown on commercial sea-cucumber exploitation, can be seen as social Darwinism at work in this unique environment. The January 16, 2001, oil spill caused by the tanker Jessica foundering on a reef underscored how fragile this model site for research, conservation, and ecotourism really is; luckily very little damage was sustained, thanks primarily to ocean currents and winds. Larson’s stimulating overview of the islands is an entertaining and valuable contribution to the history of science. $27.50. Basic Books. ISBN 0-465-03810-7.

Identifying and Analyzing User Needs,by Lynn Westbrook (307 pages, March 2001), offers practical information on how to conduct a needs assessment in various types of libraries. Chapters cover designing data-gathering instruments, using in-house data, and analyzing and acting on the results. An accompanying diskette (Windows or Mac) contains a manual with worksheets and figures that mirror the book’s organizational scheme and provide customizable templates. Appendices contain needs-assessment summaries conducted at Texas Woman’s University, Fort Worth Public Library, and a school library. $75.00. Neal- Schuman. ISBN 1-55570-388-7.

Kurdish Culture and Society: An Annotated Bibliography,compiled by Lokman I. Meho and Kelly L. Maglaughlin (365 pages, February 2001), is a comprehensive listing of sources on Kurdish culture, not only in the traditional area of Kurdistan, but in Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Russia, Europe, and other countries. Fortunately, the entries are not limited to English- language sources, which constitute only 60% of the 930 books, articles, chapters, and papers included. Essays on Kurdish history and society precede the listings. Annotations are substantial and often qualitative. $79-95. Greenwood. ISBN 0-313-31543-4.

Mardi Gras Treasures: Invitations of the Golden Age,by Henri Schindler (l60 pages, September 2000), offers some 200 elegant examples of Mardi Gras ball invitations, admission cards, and dance cards from private balls and pageants that took place in New Orleans from the 1850s to World War I. Largely the work of anonymous artists and designers belonging to various krewes, these minor masterpieces are infused with the opulent and exotic spirit of Carnival. Schindler provides commentary on these private parties, which were (and still are) held in addition to the public parades. Most of the items illustrated are either in Schindler’s private collection or in Special Collections at Tulane University. $35.00. Pelican, 1000 Burmaster St., Gretna, LA 70053. ISBN 1-56554-722-5.

Masters of All They Surveyed,by D. Graham Burnett (298 pages, September 2000), examines the role of cartography and scientific exploration in Great Britain’s consolidation of Guyana, its only South American colony, in the 19th century. The primary focus is on the explorations of Robert Schomburgk, whose boundary surveys and maps from 1836 to 1844 ultimately enabled the country’s modern boundaries, though not without some heated disputes that derive ultimately from flaws inherent in the traverse- survey method. Of special interest to cartographic and history of science collections. $45.00. University of Chicago. ISBN 0-226- 08120-6.

Native American Weapons,by Colin F. Taylor (128 pages, April 2001), surveys the types of weapons made and used by Indians north of Mexico from prehistoric times until the adoption of weapons of Euro-American manufacture. Weapons are categorized by function, such as striking (war clubs), cutting (knives), piercing (lances and arrows), defensive (shields), and symbolic (paint and costumes). Specific attention is paid to the pipe-tomahawk, which scholars are divided over whether it was originally a native device. Well-documented and well-illustrated. $19-95. University of Oklahoma. ISBN 0-8061-3346-5.

Stanley Kubrick: Seven Films Analyzed,by Randy Rasmussen (362 pages, March 2001), provides extensive criticism and synopses for Kubrick’s Dr. Strangelove, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Clockwork. Orange, Barry Lyndon, The Shining, Full Metal Jacket, and Eyes Wide Shut. Although Rasmussen employs a structure of scene-by-scene narration, he offers a running commentary on the symbolism, characterization, music, and cinematography of each plot point. Kubrick’s films are complex, layered, and lyrical, presenting their characters many moral dilemmas that are not always clearly resolved; this book serves as a cinematic scorecard. $45.00. McFarland. ISBN 0-7864-0870-7.

Tudor England: An Encyclopedia,edited by Arthur F. Kinney and David W. Swain (837 pages, November 2000), encompasses British culture and history from Henry Tudor’s victory at Bosworth Field in 1485 to the death of Elizabeth I in 1604. Excellent articles by more than 250 contributing scholars make this volume beneficial for the specialist as well as the student. Of particular interest to librarians are 12 essays on primary and secondary materials for Tudor visual arts, education and science, literature, music, politics, religion, economics, and social history. $95.00. Garland. ISBN 0-8153-0793-4.

The Undergraduate’s Companion to American Writers and Their Web Sites,by james K. Bracken and Larry G. Hinman (309 pages, March 2001), lists both electronic resources and traditional tools to aid in researching nearly 300 authors whose works are most often featured in anthologies of American literature. Web sites are given first for each entry (presumably because undergrads will go there first), followed by biographies, criticism, handbooks, journals, indexes and concordances, and bibliographies. Authors are listed chronologically from John Smith (1580-1631) to William T. Vollman (1959- ), with minimal annotations. $30.00. Libraries Unlimited. ISBN 1-56308-859-2.

Winston Churchill, 1874-1965: A Comprehensive Historiography and Annotated Bibliography,by Eugene L. Rasor (704 pages, September 2000), includes a biographical essay and 20 chapters of historiographical narrative linked to an annotated listing of 3,099 sources dealing with the life, writings, and accomplishments of the most important British political leader in the 20th century. Prominent controversies over Churchill’s policies are singled out for review, among them the Gallipoli campaign, the Irish Question, the Middle East, the General Strike of 1926, the Norwegian campaign, and his attitude on the British welfare state. A useful guide to the massive amount of literature available. $115.00. Greenwood. ISBN 0-313-30546-3. ■