NONFICTION
Best Little Stories from the Civil War
C. Brian Kelly with Ingrid Smyer. Cumberland, $18.99 paper (352p)ISBN 9781402239106
In more than 100 brief vignettes, MilitaryHistory magazine editor Kelly covers a range of Civil War-era people,events and curiosities that readers likely never learned in history class,including the venomous temper of Mary Todd Lincoln, the Alabama county thatremained loyal to the U.S. and threatened to secede from the state, and thesiege of Petersburg, Vir., that saw rats, cats and even dogs make their wayinto residents' stewpots. Breaking their book into generally-chronologicalsections-Beginnings, Middles, and Endings-Kelly gives his hodge-podge a welcomesense of continuity within the context of the war, while individual entrieseffectively place readers in the times, providing tremendous insight to thedaily lives of Americans during the mid-1800s. Coloring the most overwhelmingconflict of American history in startling, intimate hues, these anecdotes makefor a more immediate, and less forgettable, history lesson than manytraditional Civil War narratives. (Mar.)
The Bridge: The Life and Rise of BarackObama
David Remnick. Knopf, $25.95 (672p) ISBN 9781400043606
Remnick (Lenin's Tomb), editor of theNew Yorker, offers a detailed butlusterless account of Barack Obama's historic ascent. As a piece of "biographicaljournalism," the book succeeds ably enough and offers familiar commentary onObama's cosmopolitan childhood with strains of isolation and abandonment straightout of David Copperfield-rootless,fatherless, with a loving but naïve and absent mother, he suffered racialtaunts and humiliations at the hands of his schoolmates. We read how Obama'sfamous composure was hard-won, how he constructed his personality in oppositionto his father's grandiose self-regard, his transformation from "Barry" to "Barack,"the drug use, the burgeoning racial and political consciousness-rehashingevents that the subject himself has covered in his frank memoirs. But for thescope (and size) of the book, Remnick's interest is ultimately limited to astudy of Obama's relationship with blackness, and Obama as the student andfulfillment of the civil rights movement-it's a rich vein but impersonal, andin the author's handling, slightly repetitive. Remnick is in deeply respectful courtscribe mode, but he does shine in his treatment of more peripheral characters suchas Jesse Jackson and Hillary Clinton, both of whom emerge as figures ofShakespearian psychological complexity. A well-researched biography that pullsmany trends of Obama-ology under its umbrella but stints on freshinterpretations. (Apr.)
Natural Computing: DNA. Quantum Bits, and the Future ofSmart Machines
Dennis Shasha andCathy Lazere. Norton, $16.95 paper (288p) ISBN 9780393336832
In this breezy overview of current trends in computer design and software,computer science professor Shasha and writer-editor Lazere profile 15 computer scientists working on theapplication of "evolutionary techniques" like natural selection to robotsexploring distant planets, next generation pharmaceutical designs, "analogprogramming," and more. While traditional computing relies on "skills learnedin the last few hundred years of human history," pioneer Rodney Brooks lookedto solutions developed over millennia of insect evolution, hypothesizing arobot that interacts directly with the world using touch and sonar, rather thana digital representation; today, Brooks designs bomb-disarming robots thatcrawl on "articulated pogo-stick sensing devices that work independently." Infinance, Jake Loveless perfected "micromarket trading," which allows computersto detect patterns and adapt to changes over the very short term (such asminute-by-minute price and volume changes). Other profiles look at "computers"built out of DNA, the use of viruses to design new drugs, and other waysscientists are planning our escape from "the digital electronic prison" thatdominates mainstream computing. Amateur tech enthusiasts should be absorbed bythis knowledgeable but welcoming look at the bleeding edge of computing. (Mar.)
No One Would Listen: A True FinancialThriller
Harry Markopolos. Wiley, $27.95 (354p) ISBN 9780470553732
Markopolos, the whistleblower who filed five unheeded complaints against Ponziking Bernie Madoff over nine years, has produced an astonishing true-lifewhodunit set amidst the personalities, plots, and international intrigue of WallStreet. Having collected damning information on money manager Madoff-therespected co-founder of NASDAQ who ran the largest financial scam inhistory-since 1999, Markopolos's work as a chartered financial analyst andcertified fraud examiner, aided by an industry journalist and two colleaguesfrom his days as a derivatives portfolio manager, lays bare the Security andExchange Commission (SEC) as a tragically inept regulating agency that "didn'tgive a rat's ass about protecting investors," and seemed to consider Madoff "justanother guy cutting some corners." Realizing he had not one but two powerfulopponents-"Madoff and this nonfunctioning agency"-Markopolos refused to giveup, despite fearing for his life and his family; accordingly, he transmits histeam's determination and fascination in contagious detail. The hows and whys ofMadoff's eventual arrest, Markopolos's subsequent appearances before Congress,and the carnival of press coverage makes a satisfying conclusion to thisstrange epic; Markopolos also includes complete documentation of his formalsubmissions to the SEC, plus his recommendations for much-needed reform at theagency. (Mar.)
The Quants: How a New Breed of MathWhizzes Conquered Wall Street and Nearly Destroyed It
Scott Patterson. Crown Business, $27 (352p) ISBN 9780307453372
In a fast-moving narrative, Wall Street Journal reporter Pattersonexplores the coterie of mathematicians behind the Wall Street crash of 2008.The story's stars are "an unusual breed of investors" called quants, who "usedbrain-twisting math and super-powered computers to pluck billions in fleetingdollars out of the market." Following the first quant, Beat the Market author Ed Thorp, from his graduate school days in1955, and introducing others like Peter Muller and Ken Griffin as theyestablished funds at major investment firms, Patterson spins a fascinatingstory of riches amassed for a few and, inevitably, lost for many: a collapsinghedge fund, "imploding under the weight of toxic subprime assets," took downthe system "like a massive avalanche started by a single loose boulder." Thoughhis narrative is interesting and easy to follow, Patterson's explanations ofinvestment terms are not for novices; a glossary would have helped. As he putsthe excesses and failures of Wall Street into perspective, however, Pattersonalso offers evidence that Wall Street hasn't learned its lesson: as of spring2009, "several banks reported stronger earnings numbers... in part due to clever accounting tricks...[and] other potentially dangerous quant gadgets being forged in the darksmithies of Wall Street." (Feb.)
The Quest for the Perfect Hive: AHistory of Innovation in Bee Culture
Gene Kritsky. Oxford Univ.,$24.95 (216p) ISBN 9780195385441
In this charming book, entomology professor Kritsky (who describes himself as "stungwith the love of bees") incorporates material gathered over decades, from allover the world, to present a lively history of beekeeping. No one knows exactlyhow long humans have been keeping bees, but depictions appear in 5,000-year-oldEgyptian paintings and sculpture, using a hive style that can still be found inEgypt today (horizontal mud cylinders stacked in walls). The first beekeepersof northern Europe tended wild hives, gradually domesticating bees with loghives. With the industrial and agricultural revolutions of the 19th century,bee hives were inevitably targeted for improvement, though the Victoriantendency to over-design didn't always result in practical structures; it wasthe late-19th century development of removable frame hives-the familiar "whitebox" style still in wide use-that led to major changes in beekeeping in theU.S. and Europe (though traditional methods still prevail in many countries).Kritsky's passion for his subject translates into gentle yet clear prose,abundant historical illustrations, and careful explanations of what bees needto thrive, and how humans figured it out; though of limited appeal, this is anideal introduction to the craft of beekeeping. 147 b&w illus. (Feb.)
Sherlock Holmes Handbook: 2nd Edition
Christopher Redmond. Dundurn (Midpoint, dist.), $32 paper (336p) ISBN9781554884469
Canadian author Redmond's unquestioned standing as a Sherlock Holmes expert,manifested in books such as In Bed withSherlock Holmes and Welcome toAmerica, Mr. Sherlock Holmes, is not displayed to best advantage in thisupdated edition of his guide to the Great Detective. He simply doesn't meet hisgoal of writing a comprehensive companion to the original stories and thecultural world that has grown up around them that will satisfy both neophytesand cognoscenti. Instead, both kinds of readers are likely to be disappointed.Only 25 pages are spent summarizing the Canon, in some cases spoiling theplots, but 40 are devoted to "Fans and Followers," a history of organized devoteesof Holmes and Watson. Despite the author's pride in avoiding errors in thefirst edition, this one is not free of them, including the assertion that a "Merivale"was one of the Scotland Yarders pitted against Holmes by Doyle to the claimthat actor Jeremy Brett authored the play he appeared in, The Secret of Sherlock Holmes. Those in search of a one-volumeguide might want to wait for SherlockHolmes for Dummies. (Jan.)
Struck by Living: From Depression toHope
Julie K. Hersh. Brown (Ingram, dist.), $19.95 paper (232p) ISBN9781934812631
Despite an idyllic family life, including two children and a loving husband,the depression that consumed former business exec Hersh drove her to threesuicide attempts in the space of six months. In this inspiring, brutal memoir,Hersh documents her struggle back to life, including stints in hospitalpsychiatric wards, a month at an anti-depression camp, various medications, andelectroconvulsive therapy (ECT). Hersh renders her journey in graceful prose ("Mydeathtrap brain failed to truncate my existence") that doesn't get in the wayof her attempts to dispel the stigma that surrounds mental illness and itstreatment; she faces ECT early on and finds it a particularly effectivetreatment far removed from its negative popular image. As a severe case, Hershgives a clear, resonant voice to many aspects of a complicated illness, whileoffering a moving and hopeful (though at times frightening) narrative for thosefighting to overcome depression's worst. (Apr.)
A User's Guide to the Universe:Surviving the Perils of Black Holes, Time Paradoxes, and Quantum Uncertainty
Dave Goldberg and Jeff Blomquist. Wiley, $24.95 (304p) ISBN 9780470496510
With a large measure of humor and a minimum of math (one equation), physicsprofessor Goldberg and engineer Blomquist delve into the fascinating physicstopics that rarely make it into introductory classes, including time travel,extraterrestrials, and "quantum weirdness" to prove that physics' "reputationfor being hard, impractical, and boring" is wrong by at least two-thirds: "Hard?Perhaps. Impractical? Definitely not... But boring? That's where we really takeissue." Breaking up each topic into common sense questions ("How many habitableplanets are there?" "What is Dark Matter?" "If the universe is expanding, what'sit expanding into?"), the duo provides explanations in everyday language withhelpful examples, analogies, and Blomquist's charmingly unpolished cartoons.Among other lessons, readers will learn about randomness through gambling; howa Star Trek-style transporter mightfunction in the real world; and what may have existed before the Big Bang.Despite the absence of math, this nearly-painless guide is still involved andscientific, aimed at science hobbyists rather than science-phobes; it shouldalso prove an ideal reference companion for more technical classroom texts. 100b&w photos. (Mar.)
When the Lights Went Out: A History ofBlackouts in America
David E. Nye. MIT, $27.95 (304p) ISBN 9780262013741
This captivating book zooms in with a telescopic intensity on America'sblackouts, from the 1930s to the massive 2003 Northeast power failure that hadmany suspecting terrorism; anyone who reads this history will be unsurprised tofind it was actually due to an over-burdened power grid. Beyond familiarindividual frustrations, a blackout can cause major social and economicdisturbance, signal political problems, and represent a massive failure ofinfrastructure; American history professor Nye contextualizes power failures inthe U.S. as the result of long-term energy buildup and overuse. Nye examineshow a "utopian" vision of electrical convenience at the 1962 Seattle World'sFair-television sets, movie equipment, a "clothes conditioning closet," thehome computer-became law ("in building codes and in the ‘war on poverty'electricity became a legal requirement akin to a natural right") and how, whenthat right is denied, utopia can give way to chaos. Nye captures the disastrous1977 New York City blackout in its broad causes, effects, and implications, aswell as its small, frightening details: "Guests of the Algonquin Hotel foundthat electronic locks had sealed their doors." Other chapters discuss rollingblackouts and activist-driven "greenouts." Fans of urban studies will find thistext rich with insight and information. 26 illus. (Mar.)
LIFESTYLE
God Never Blinks: 50 Lessons for Life'sLittle Detours
Regina Brett. Grand Central, $21.99 (256p) ISBN 9780446556521
On turning 50, Cleveland Plain Dealercolumnist Brett wrote her most popular piece ever, containing the cancersurvivor and single mom's most important life lessons. Here she expands andexpounds on that column, incorporating other essays penned over her 14 years asan opinion columnist, to make a rousing inspirational collection. Most of herpieces-dedicated to substantive but familiar ideas like "Overprepare, then gowith the flow," "Stay put in the day you are in," and "God loves you because ofwho God is"-are short, sweet, and frequently resonant (if at times overlysimple). Complimenting her own experience with anecdotes from friends andothers, as well as poems, prayers, psalms and excerpts from treasured books,Brett employs a veteran writer's knack for keen observation and thoroughself-knowledge, delivering hard-earned wisdom with deceptive ease. (Apr.)
Living at the End of Life: A HospiceNurse Addresses the Most Common Questions
Karen Whitley Bell. Sterling Ethos, $17.95 (240p) ISBN 9781402768385
As a hospice nurse for 16 years, Bell understands the concept of a "good death."A daily witness to fatal illness and end-of-life moments, Bell's powerfulmessage is aimed at making sure the final months or days of a patient arewell-lived, marked by peace, comfort, and a chance to say goodbye. Illustratingthe tenets and benefits of palliative care with firsthand accounts of herpatients, Bell manages, as stated by American Academy of Hospice and PalliativeMedicine co-founder Charles G. Sasser in his foreword, to place readers "atbedsides during one of the most intimate of life's dramas." As such, shedelivers a wealth of useful information on pain management, choosing a hospiceand general day-to-day care giving in a powerful, hard-to-forget way.Straightforward and empathetic, with an easy-to-navigate style, Bell detailswhat to expect in both physical and spiritual terms, including practicalconsiderations as well as ways to find closure and cope with loss. (Mar.)
The Mediterranean Diabetes Cookbook: AFlavorful, Low-Fat, Heart-Healthy Approach to Cooking
Amy Riolo. American Diabetes Association, $19.95 paper (300p) ISBN9781580403122
Food historian, cooking instructor and author Riolo (Arabian Delights) offers over 200 recipes for diabetics in thiseasy-to-use guide to Mediterranean cuisine. Organized by course (small plates,first courses, side, salads, etc,), Riolo's collection offers dozens ofpalate-expanding, flavor-packed dishes that will appeal to diabetics and theirfamilies, including a hearty chicken, tomato and pepper stew, Braised Fennelwith Orange Sauce, and a bright Orzo with Lemon, Artichokes and Asparagussalad. A Turkish riff on chicken salad incorporating ground walnuts, garlic andpaprika offers a tasty diversion, and chicken kabobs marinated in tahini, lemonjuice and garlic, and served with a raspberry mustard sauce, is perfect for grillingseason. Vegetarians will appreciate Riolo's 70-plus vegan dishes, like aVegetarian Cassoulet, Spicy Tunisian Chickpea Stew, and Lebanese Eggplant withYogurt, Tahini and Pine Nuts, a silky, protein-packed alternative to mashedpotatoes. Each recipe contains exchange and nutritional information, and cookswill be pleased with an index of main ingredients. Though diners and diabeticsalready familiar with Mediterranean cuisine will get the most out of the book,vegans and others interested in broadening their culinary horizons will be surprisedat this volume's breadth and ease of use. (Mar.)
RELIGION
Between a Church and a Hard Place: OneFaith-Free Dad's Struggle to Understand What It Means to Be Religious (or Not)
Andrew Park. Avery, $26 (224p) ISBN 9781583333716
One day, after Park picks his son up from his preschool classesat the local Methodist church, the three-year-old utters the word "God." A fewevenings later, Park overhears his son telling his littlesister how cool it is that when we die we go back to God. Because he haslived most of his life free of any faith tradition, Park finds himself anxiousabout how to address his son's questions about religion, and so begins toresearch what it means to be religious in the modern world. Part memoir andpart summary of recent studies about religiousbelief and practice, Park discovers his great-grandfather's staunch commitmentto the Pentecostal Holiness Church, and he talks with his own brother about hisbrother's Presbyterianism. The research aboutAmerican religion that Park culls from George Barna'spolls and Rodney Stark's books is so familiarthat it appears as if Park has been living in a cave for the past ten years.Park's own story of his search for faith is so unremarkable and superficialthat it has no features to distinguish it from hundreds of other similarmemoirs. This book would have been better as a magazine article. (Mar.)
The Jesuit Guide to (Almost)Everything: A Spiritualityfor Real Life
James Martin. HarperOne, $26.99 (432p) ISBN 9780061432682
Ignatius of Loyola's "way of proceeding" as lived by the Jesuits, the community of men he started in 1540, formsthe basis of this spiritual handbook. Author Martin, a Jesuit for 20 years,claims anyone can benefit from the methods Jesuits employ in conducting theirlives. This includes not only believers in God, but those who eschew religion,reject God, explore the spiritual terrain, or are just plain confused. Afterall, Martin writes, the Ignatian way is about "finding freedom," and the Jesuitfounder wanted it to be available to everyone, not only members of hiscommunity. Martin provides a brief history of Ignatius and the Jesuits,followed by a how-to that covers prayer in its various forms; the Jesuit vowsof chastity, poverty and obedience; friendship and love; discernment; andfinding a life path. Readers familiar with the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius-an ordered set of spiritual themes andpractices-and other facets of Jesuit life will find this rather elementary, butMartin has done a creditable job of making the Ignatian way relevant to acontemporary audience. (Mar.)
FICTION
Dearest CousinJane
Jill Pitkeathley. Harper, $13.99 paper (288p) ISBN 9780061875984
Jane Austen, along with her family, once again feature prominently in Pitkeathley'slatest romantic, meticulously researched periodmelodrama. This time around, Austen'sglamorous cousin Countess Eliza de Feuillide (once known as simplyBetsy) takes center stage. Suggesting that Eliza made a significant impressionon Jane's development as an author, Pitkeathley depicts a spirited woman whocertainly made an impact on the entire Austen clan, as well as stole her share of hearts, including her first husband JeanCapot, the Comte de Feuillide, who was guillotined in 1794. Pitkeathley (Cassandra and Jane) explores several impressions of Eliza, whoultimately married Jane's brother Henry,through the various perspectives Austen family members; while Jane's is naturally appealing, Eliza's viewpoint is far more fascinating, especially asshe worries about her impending death from breast cancer. (Apr.)
Every Last One
Anna Quindlen. Random, $26 (320p) ISBN 9781400065745
In her latest, Quindlen (Rise and Shine)once again plumbs the searing emotions of ordinary people caught in tragiccircumstances. Mary Beth Latham is a happily married woman entirely devoted toher three teenaged children. When her talented daughter Ruby casually announcesshe's breaking up with her boyfriend Kirenan, a former neighbor who's becomelike family, Mary Beth is slightly alarmed, but soon distracted by her son Max,who's feeling overshadowed by his extroverted, athletic twin brother Alex.Quindlen's novel moves briskly, propelled by the small dramas of summer camp,proms, soccer games and neighbors, until the rejected Kirenan blindsides theLathams, and the reader, with an incredible act of violence. Left with almostnothing, Mary Beth struggles to cope with loss and guilt, protect what she hasleft, and regain a sense of meaning. Quindlen is in classic form, with strongcharacters and precisely cadenced prose that builds in intensity. (Apr.)
Recollectionsof Rosings
Rebecca Ann Collins. Sourcebooks, $14.99 paper (336p) ISBN 9781402224508
The eighth of Rebecca Ann Collins' sequels to Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice revolves around thechildren and grandchildren of a secondary character from the original book. Thenarrative begins with a fire at Rosings, the estate of the late Lady Catherinede Bourgh. John Adams, the somewhat mysterious curator of the estate, must handlecalamity while trying to impress his love interest Lilian Harrison, the fragiledaughter of Catherine Harrison and Dr. Harrison, and granddaughter of Mr.Collins. Dr. Harrison takes ill and dies shortly after the arrival of Mr. FrankBurnett, the former librarian at Rosings, now returned to help restore theestate's treasures. As Catherine reads her old diaries, she recalls she and Mr.Burnett were once quite friendly, and eventually discovers the late LadyCatherine's interference in that friendship. Interwoven into these meanderingsis the story of Becky Tate, Lilian's aunt, who lives in London. ThoughCatherine and Lilian center the story, various and sundry Darcys, Collinses,Bingleys, and Bennetts are constantly referenced, often in a trivial mannerthat proves difficult to track. Stylized yet methodical-almost plodding-writingresults in a slow read, likely to appeal only to staunch fans. (Mar.)
TheStolen Crown
Susan Higginbotham. Sourcebooks, $14.99 paper (400p) ISBN9781402237669
Higginbotham's latest historical novel is set during England's turbulentWar of the Roses. The title refers to King Edward IV's secret marriage toElizabeth Woodville, which serves as catalystto the exploits of the main characters, Woodville's younger sister Katherine and her first husband,Henry Stafford, Duke of Buckingham. Great artistic license is taken infictionalizing their marriage as a mostly happy one. Those without astrong knowledge of the period will find the book daunting, due to ever-changingalliances and the sheer number of characters, but more knowledgeable readers mayfind the fruits of Higginbotham's imagination more difficult to swallow.Higginbotham's Henry seems to wander through his life making impoliticoutbursts to King Edward, hero-worshipping Richard, and, later, innocently ledby Richard's machinations. The majority of thebook is narrated by Katherine, whom historians know very little about; shemakes an appealing heroine, and those who can suspend disbelief will sympathizequite strongly with this character and the plight of a noble woman in Medievaltimes. (Mar.)
Ten Years of the Caine Prize forAfrican Writing
Edited by Chris Brazier. New Internationalist (Consortium, dist.),$18.50 (208p) ISBN 978196523244
As exhibited in this collection, the Caine Prize, founded in 1999 in honor ofthe late Sir Michael Caine's work to popularize African writing in English, hasspotlighted some exceptional writing; each prize-winning short story includedhere (the Caine is also known as the African Booker; as such, African winnersof the Booker prize also appear) examines and explodes stereotypes about Africaand its literature. Characters reveal dignity and doubt in extraordinarysituations, including a grandmother who abandons her frail husband in order tocarry her grandchildren to safety in Nadine Gordimer's powerful "The UltimateSafari." J. M. Coetzee's "Nietverloren" examines the changing face of Africathrough the demise of a small family farm. Binyavanga Wainaina's "DiscoveringHome," meanwhile, contrasts a young man's year at home in Kenya after severalyears of cosmopolitan Cape Town life. Despite a rich diversity of style andsubject matter, each story, as described in Ben Okri's introduction, "revealswhat hides in people," offering intimate glimpses into an array of Africanlives. Anyone who enjoys realistic literary fiction will treasure thiscollection. (Mar.)
The Walk
Richard Paul Evans. Simon & Schuster, $22 (224p) ISBN9781439187319
Taking a page from The Odyssey,bestseller Evans (The Christmas Box)launches a new series of inspirational novels with a serious misstep. In thenovel's outset, once-successful Seattle advertising executive AlanChristoffersen loses everything important to him: his beloved wife dies afterbeing thrown by a horse, his business partner steals all their clients forhimself, and lenders re-possess Alan's home and cars. Anchorless, Alan decidesto take a walk to "the furthest point reachable by foot," Key West, Fla., insearch of new meaning. In short chapters, Evans covers the first 12 days ofAlan's journey, taking him from Bellevue to Spokane, Washington; the journey islargely uneventful, filled in by details of Alan's meals at small-town dinersand fast food joints. Lacking a sense of dynamics or immediacy, the first legof Evans' epic is a contrived attempt at honest seeking. (Apr.)
The Wave
Tom Miller. Sherman Asher (SCB, dist.), $18.95 paper (304p) ISBN9781890932381
After a 6.8-point quake ravages Hawaii with a 20 foot tidal wave, biologyprofessor Scott Richardson discovers an expanding crevasse on the Pacific Oceanfloor capable of unleashing a 2,000-foot tsunami powerful enough to obliteratethe entire Pacific Rim. Calling on his buddy, former Navy SEAL Chuck Palmer,Richardson attempts to determine the cause of the crevasse before it's toolate. As the duo race against time and come up against violent agents of Hawaii'stourism industry, first-time author Miller proves adept at generating tensionand mixing geological science with tough-guy humor. Unfortunately, forceddialogue and odd shifts in perspective work against the narrative, and Miller'scliffhanger ending makes for an unsatisfying conclusion. (Apr.)
YoungBess
Margaret Irwin. Sourcebooks, $14.99 paper (400p) ISBN 9781402229961
Originally published in 1944, the first installment of Irwin's classicElizabeth I Trilogy returns to enthrall new readers fascinated by theElizabethian period. Brimming with vivid period details, Irwin portrays a youngElizabeth growing aware of her doomed love for the charismatic Tom Seymour, whomarried Elizabeth's widowed stepmother Catherine Parr (becoming uncle to Elizabeth'sbrother, King Edward IV). Tom, meanwhile, hasgrown dangerously tempted by Bess. Irwin depicts the iconic daughter of KingHenry VIII and the beheaded Anne Boleyn ("Nan Bullen") with impeccable grace.After the death of her tyrannical father, leaving behind a legacy of beheadedwives and fear, Irwin suggests Elizabeth was all too aware of her inability tocontrol her dark future, nor the fate of Lord High Admiral Tom. (Mar.)
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