NONFICTION
Albee in an Hour
E. Teresa Choate. Smith & Kraus, $9.99 paper (88p) ISBN9781936232017
Part of a nifty new series of bite-sized primers covering playwrights fromSophocles and the ancient Greeks, through Shakespeare, the moderns (e.g.,Chekhov), to today's contemporaries (e.g., Mamet and Wasserstein), this titleon Edward Albee possesses a useful balance in situating Albee's background andlegacy. Director and academic Choate (Kean Univ., N.J.) has drawn especiallyfrom Mel Gussow's 1999 biography as well as numerous interviews with theplaywright over his long life (born 1928) to offer a lively, nonjudgmental lookat his career: early adoption by a wealthy conventional Westchester couple,flunking out of college and taking up with the Bohemian crowd in GreenwichVillage, and immersing himself in dizzying realms of experimental theater,alcoholism, and homosexuality. The ZooStory, which "spawned an entire generation of park-bench plays," launchedboth him as an exciting new playwright and Off-Broadway as a viable alternativevenue. The American Dream and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf followedin quick succession, establishing this iconoclast of middle-class illusions as the"playwright of his generation." After a tidy résumé, each of these accessiblepocket titles provides "dramatic moments" from the author's major plays so thatactors and teachers can find a quick brush up. (Apr.)
Although of Course You End Up BecomingYourself: A Road Trip with David Foster Wallace
David Lipsky. Broadway, $16.99 paper (352p) ISBN 9780307592439
In early 1996, journalist and author Lipsky(Absolutely American) joined then-34-year-old David Foster Wallace onthe last leg of his tour for InfiniteJest (Wallace's breakout novel) for a RollingStone interview that would never be published. Here, he presents the transcript of thatinterview, a rollicking dialogue that Lipsky sets up with a few briefbut revealing essays, one of which touches upon Wallace's 2008 suicide and thereaction of those close to him (including his sister and his good friendJonathan Franzen). Over the course of their five day road trip, Wallacediscusses everything from teaching to his stay in a mental hospital totelevision to modern poetry to love and, of course, writing. Ironically, given Wallace'srepeated concern that Lipsky would end up with an incomplete or misleadingportrait, the format produces the kind of tangible, immediate, honest sense ofits subject that a formal biography might labor for. Even as they capture avery earthbound encounter, full of common road-trip detours, Wallace's voiceand insight have an eerie impact not entirely related to his tragic death; asLipsky notes, Wallace "was such a natural writer he could talk in prose." Amongthe repetitions, ellipses, and fumbling that make Wallace's patter socompellingly real are observations as elegant and insightful as his essays.Prescient, funny, earnest, and honest, this lost conversation is far from anopportunistic piece of literary ephemera, but a candid and fascinating glimpseinto a uniquely brilliant and very troubled writer. (Apr.)
The Book of Awesome: Snow Days, BakeryAir, Finding Money in Your Pocket, and Other Simple, Brilliant Things
Neil Pasricha. Putnam, $22.95 (400p) ISBN 9780399156519
In this adaptation of his blog www.1000awesomethings.com, Pasricha celebratesthe simple pleasures of everyday living. Focusing on both tangible pleasures andsimple experiences, Pasricha provides a contemporary take on everydayinspiration that skips the typical ChickenSoup for the Soul fare: "When you push the button for the elevator and it'salready there," ("Ding!"); "When the boss goes out of town" ("Who's up for athree-hour lunch?"); "Peeling that thin plastic film off new electronics" ("Welcometo the world, remote control"). Other items get more substantial discussions,including the other side of the pillow, old playground equipment, hotel lobbybathrooms, the last day of school, and the five-second rule. Thoughtongue-in-cheek, Pasricha emerges a committed but inviting optimist, combatinglife's unending stream of bad news by identifying opportunities to "share auniversal high five with humanity." Readers looking for simple, unsentimentalpick-me-ups should find this happy browsing. (Apr.)
Change the World, Change Your Life:Discover Your Life Purpose Through Service
Angela Perkey. Conari, $15.95 paper(224p) ISBN 9781573244633
Debunking the belief that one has to be wealthy or influential to helpothers or start an organization, this enlightening guidebook from activistPerkey, who started a national student service organization from her dorm room,outlines a strategy, mindset, and step-by-step plan for using personal goals,skills and strengths to tackle a specific social problem. Perkey's encouraging,empathetic book is packed with helpful nuts-and-bolts information (fromchoosing a cause to finding funding) as well as the kind of infectiousenthusiasm that makes taking action, breaking down apathy, and overcomingobstacles a rousing prospect. Using her own story alongside case studies ofothers-like Congressman Tom Perriello, who first served his community as a BoyScout, or Lisa Spodak, who raised $110,000 for breast cancer research-Perkeyshowcases the power of one passionate individual armed with determination, a planand a calling. (Mar.)
Dust: The Inside Story of Its Role inthe 9/11 Aftermath
Paul J. Lioy. Rowman& Littlefield, $34.95 (272p) ISBN 9781442201484
A celebrated specialist in environmental medicine, Keane (the deputy directorof Rutgers Occupational Health Science Institute) had a leading role inanalyzing the public health issues in lower Manhattan following 9/11. In thechaotic aftermath of the World Trade Center (WTC) terrorist attack, he reports,"the rush to rescue without adequate personal protection... [or] knowledge of thepotential effects of WTC dust" actually tripled the number of victims; some6,000 first responders and rescue workers (especially those working in thefirst 72 hours) inhaled a blizzard of white dust released by the explosion andongoing fires, leading to serious injury and illness (though it could easilyhave been worse, had winds not moved the smoke plume over Brooklyn and out tosea). In this comprehensive report, Lio chronicles the government'senvironmental and health assessment efforts, including many setbacks andpitfalls, and lessons that need learning; the most important lesson he derivesis the need for greater preparedness in order to "minimize the acute exposure...among workers and the community" in the vicinity of a disaster withoutdiminishing the immediate effort to rescue those in harm's way. Four appendicesinclude an extensive bibliography, 10 tables on dust composition, and the peerreview of the EPA's final report. (Mar.)
Endless War
Ralph Peters. Stackpole, $27.95 (288p) ISBN 9780811705509
In his latest, author and columnist Peters (Fightingfor the Future) puts the contemporary conflict between Islam and the Westinto the context of 14 centuries of warfare, making a clear and compelling casefor rethinking the U.S. approach. When Muslim armies exploded out of Arabia inthe 7th century, the armies of Dark Age Europe didn't know how to stop them.While the Muslims fought as a unified, cohesive army, the Europeans were loyalonly to their feudal lords, fighting in small units, or simply man-to-man;fast-forward to the present of Iraq and Afghanistan, where the U.S.-ledcoalition is the unified force, while Islamist fanatics work as disorganizedbands, attacking each other as often as coalition targets. Contrary to whatWestern leaders may think, Peters insists, the war on terrorism is a war ofreligion-at least for militant Islamists. From this vantage, Peters takesWestern leaders to task for a 60 year policy of rational negotiation; in Peters'sthorough analysis, the War on Terror is an emotionally-driven endeavor, and aneffective strategy for victory will only arise once political and militaryleaders recognize the motives, internal and historical, that drive our foes. (Mar.)
In the Neighborhood: The Search forCommunity on an American Street, One Sleepover at a Time
Peter Lovenheim. Perigee, $23.95 (256p) ISBN 9780399535710
Social history reporting can get dull in the abstract; happily, journalist andfamily man Lovenheim (Portrait of aBurger as a Young Calf) makes a personal project of his investigation intothe disappearance of community in suburban American, learning about theresidents of his suburban Rochester, N.Y. street by sleeping over at theirhouses (his impetus was a murder-suicide on the street that helped reveal theextent to which his neighbors remained strangers). Throughout, Lovenheim'swriting is genteel and elegantly detailed, revealing much about hissubjects-issues of class, relationships, likes and gripes, obsessions andeveryday struggles-that would be easy to miss in broad cultural assessments. Hisproject also exposes the surprising variety of people in a neighborhood thatseems, at first glance, a homogenous group of upper-middle-class professionals.Using the sleepover as an innovative sociological lens, Lovenheim provides asmart, from-the-front-lines update on Robert Putnam's suburban-alienationexpose Bowling Alone, taking apersonal look at what Americans tend to lose by "[going] about their liveslargely detached from those living around them." (Apr.)
Leave the Light On: A Memoir of Recoveryand Self-Discovery
Jennifer Storm. Central Recovery (HCI, dist.), $14.95 paper (238p) ISBN9780981848228
In the follow-up to Blackout Girl,her memoir of alcohol addiction, author Storm continues her compelling journeyto fulfillment as a functional, substance-free human being. Fresh from a 28-dayrehabilitation program, Storm finds she must shed many friends and routinesfrom her past in order to work her 12-Step AA program and move forward in herlife. Along the way, Storm chronicles her day-to-day in its frustrations andmundane details, but also faces a life-threatening medical emergency, comes outas a lesbian, has a first gay sexual encounter, plans the first-ever Penn StateQueer Prom, and finds her passion as an activist. Throughout, she relates herstory with candor, humor, and insight, making this an engaging and occasionallythought-provoking memoir of growing up, getting over past mistakes, andextending oneself to others and the world at large. (Apr.)
King Kong Theory: A Manifesto for WomenWho Can't or Won't Obey the Rules
Virginie Despentes. Feminist, $15.95 paper (138p) ISBN 9781558616578
In the newest from Despentes, author of the controversial 1991 novel Baise-Moi (and co-director of thecontroversial movie adaptation), the feminist provocateur examines keyquestions of sexuality, male and female roles, and her own awakening to action.Having been raped at 17, and served as unwilling confidante to many women sinceBaise-Moi's publication, Despentesstruggles mightily with a society that taught her, as a woman, not to fightback against a man attempting to rape her "when that same society has taught methat this is a crime from which I will never recover." She also, thankfully,finds some measure of relief; three years after being attacked, she discoveredfeminist writer Camille Paglia, whose words first inflamed and then emancipatedher. Elsewhere in this short book, Despentes discusses sex, pornography, andprostitution. That she spent several years as a prostitute isn't notable,Despentes says; what's notable is that she's willing to speak about it. WhileDespentes wades boldly into some murky waters ("who is the victim in porn?"),she ultimately settles on a single, low note: "femininity is the same asboot-licking-the act of servility." Coming nearly 20 years after Baise-Moi, Despentes's manifesto feelsflat and a bit in thrall to her earlier work. (Apr.)
Making Ideas Happen: Overcoming theObstacles Between Vision and Reality
Scott Belsky. Portfolio, $25.95 (236p) ISBN 9781591843122
Though creation always begins with an idea, ideas don't always lead tocreation; examining why that's so, online entrepreneur Belsky finds that, nomatter how unique or radically different ideas may be, the individuals andteams who carry those ideas to fruition share a number of common traits, suchas engaging peers and leveraging communal forces. In this guide to realizingideas, Belsky examines those traits in detail. Chapters like "The Chemistry ofthe Creative Team" set forth an action-based plan that forgoes time-wastingmeetings and other corporate culture standbys, citing studies, progressivethinkers and case studies of companies like Best Buy, IBM and Sun Microsystems.Modern-day successes, Belsky contends, have traded "the traditionalbutts-in-chairs mindset" for a "Results Only Work Environment," where employeesare compensated based on achievement of specified goals, rather than work hours.Ultimately, Belsky insists, creative success is a matter of rethinking methodsand increasing focus, while emphasizing and rewarding old-fashioned passion andperspiration. (Apr.)
The Power of Pull: How Small Moves,Smartly Made, Can Set Big Things in Motion
John Hagel III, John Seely Brown and Lang Davison. Basic, $27.50 (288p)ISBN 9780465019359
Exploring the paradigm shift in business brought about by innovations incommunication technology, this collaboration from three consultant-authorsprovides a succinct metaphor for the shift in the information economy-from "push"to "pull"-but little else. Though they provide an effective survey of theeffect of more interactive, ubiquitous and on-demand communication, it alreadyfeels dated; the essential messages that Hagel, Brown, and Davisonderive-networking is key, you should pursue your passions, many traditionalways of doing business are over-are old news in the business self-help section.The examples they provide focus primarily on individually-driven collaborativeefforts (wikis, online gaming) and make poor analogies for someone looking torevitalize a corporation or present a compelling case for change to colleaguesor an intransigent CEO. Professionals who already know that the Internet isn'tjust a phase will need more information than this book provides. (Apr.)
LIFESTYLE
Awesome Recipes and Kitchen Shortcuts
Sam Zien. Wiley, $19.95 paper (256p) ISBN 9780470467947
The television host known as "Sam the Cooking Guy" returns with anothercompilation of simple recipes useful for getting a meal on the table in notime. Employing just a handful of key ingredients, Zien (Just a Bunch of Recipes) shows readers how to whip up Piña ColadaPancakes, Blue Cheese Gnocchi with Bacon, Thai Curry Noodle Soup, or Shepherd'sPie without spending all day in the kitchen. Gourmands and sticklers willlikely be incensed at many of his methods for standards like tomato soup (throwchopped onion and fresh basil in a blender, add a can of roasted tomatoes withgarlic, then puree), as well as his reliance on canned and prepared products,but anyone unsure in the kitchen (or who views cooking as a chore) will find awealth of ideas. Multiple suggestions for repurposing leftovers like meat loaf,mashed potatoes and store-bought rotisserie chicken will help readers avoidpalate fatigue while saving money. Even those who already know how to boil eggs(yes, Zien includes a recipe for "the more-often-than-not screwed up"Hard-Boiled Egg) will likely find a few guilty pleasures here, along with somenew time and money-saving tricks. (Apr.)
Big Yoga: A Simple Guide for BiggerBodies
Meera Patricia Kerr. Square One (www.squareonepublishers.com), $17.95 paper(176p) ISBN 9780757002151
Though the power of yoga to help reverse heart disease, type 2 diabetes, highblood pressure and high cholesterol levels-problems endemic to theoverweight-is well-established, the popular image of the rail-thin yoga guru candiscourage those who might benefit most. Kerr, a yoga instructor for 30 years,understands the challenges of the heavy-set; describing herself as "beefy,athletic, and loud," she provides a complete, much-needed guide for making yogawork regardless of limitations like weight, stiffness, injury or disability.Without skipping over yoga's history and evolution or its spiritual dimensions,as well as personal accounts of her training and the development of Big Yoga,Kerr adapts traditional Hatha yoga poses that work for everyone, and discusseseach alongside a generous series of photos. With broad, thorough coverage ofyoga's many aspects, including breathing technique and meditation as well asposes and their adaptations, Kerr's manual is a welcoming, comprehensiveexercise program for the rest of us. (Apr.)
Cupcakes from the Primrose Bakery
Martha Swift and Lisa Thomas. Kyle Cathie (NBN, dist.), $18.95 paper (144p)ISBN 9781906868086
Swift and Thomas of London's popular Primrose Bakery usher readers behind thecounter to share their recipes for cupcake success, with dependable results.After offering a handful of basic recipes for vanilla, chocolate, lemon andcarrot cupcakes, the bakers offer six buttercream frostings (standard vanillaand chocolate as well as coffee, lime and coconut, orange cream cheese andlemon) that the form building blocks for the rest of the collection. Littlemore than variations on a theme, many of the duo's recipes employ either atwist on a frosting (chocolate liqueur) or the cake itself (Earl Grey tea,malted milk, etc.), with a selection of "special occasion" cupcakes (for eventslike christenings, anniversaries, and birthday parties) that merely suggestsdecorating ideas like jimmies and plastic cake toppers. While their photographyand style is eye-catching and their recipes perfectly acceptable, Swift andThomas offer few surprises; novices interested in testing the frosted waterswill find this a practical collection, but experienced cupcakers (bakers andconsumers both) will likely be disappointed. (Apr.)
Dishing Up Maryland
Lucie Snodgrass. Storey, $19.95 paper (288p) ISBN 9781603425278
Though best known for the crab, this regional collection from farmer Snodgrassproves that Maryland has a wide variety to offer diners. Profiles of farmers,vendors and producers, many of whom offer their personal recipes, areinterspersed among 150 recipes for mains, soups, salads, and desserts thatshowcase seasonal ingredients and Maryland favorites. As expected, there isplenty of seafood, including elegant Clams Mornay in Puff Pastry as well asroll-up-your-sleeves steamed crabs and the state's signature crab cakes (bothbaked and fried). There are surprises as well, however, among them asweet-and-savory Maple-Bison Meat Loaf from Savage River Lodge and a plum tartwith baked custard and hazelnuts. Though dominated by simple, flavor-packeddishes like Spring Greens Nests with Fontina Cheese, cooks in search of achallenge will find it in Café des Artistes' Crab Imperial (a baked dish offresh oysters topped with a rich cheese and crab mixture) and the dauntingIberico-Red Wattle Pork with Mixed Bean Ragout (a 40-ingredient, multi-stepmasterpiece from Frederick, Maryland's Volt restaurant). Though few readerswill be able to share in the New England bounty of fresh spring rockfish (akastriped bass), seafood fans and Yankees-at-heart should appreciate this fresh,seasonal collection. (Apr.)
The Kentucky Bourbon Cookbook
Albert W.A. Schmid. Univ. of Kentucky, $24.95 (160p) ISBN 9780813125794
In his latest, chef and instructor Schmid (TheHospitality Manager's Guide to Wines, Beers and Spirits) presents acollection of seasonal bourbon-based recipes with impressive breadth and depth.Whiskey lovers can start their day with Kentucky Bourbon Pancakes (which, whencombined with Blueberry Kentucky Bourbon Syrup, call for a formidable 2 cups ofbourbon); lunch on a Wilted Spinach Salad with a sweet and sour orange dressing(generously spiked with a half cup of bourbon); tuck into Chicken with MustardHoney Kentucky Bourbon Sauce and Kentucky Bourbon Acorn Squash for dinner; andend the day with a slice of fruitcake-like Kentucky Bourbon Cake. Using acombination of sourced, modified and original recipes, Schmid showcases bourbon'sversatility; the liquor's inherent sweetness makes it a natural for breadpudding, pecan pie and barbecue sauce, and it's these flavors and applicationsthat dominate, along with standard libations like the Manhattan and Mint Julep.Those with a taste for this uniquely American spirit will find a wealth ofpossibilities. (Apr.)
Things Might Go Terribly, HorriblyWrong: A Guide to Life Liberated from Anxiety
Kelly G. Wilson andTroy Dufrene. New Harbinger, $16.95 paper (160p) ISBN 9781572247116
Rejecting the use of diagnostic labels (agoraphobia, panic disorder,obsessive-compulsive disorder, etc.) as part of a medical legacy best leftbehind, psychologist Wilson (Mindfulnessfor Two) and writer Dufrene (Copingwith OCD) approach anxiety as a mild dysfunction treatable with "acceptanceand commitment therapy" (ACT), a way of becoming "more psychologically limber"in order to "negotiate crowds, participate in social functions, take risks, andso forth." The collaborators contend that behind much anxiety is an inabilityto deal with ambiguity; as such, they suggest a series of exercises to stop thecycle of brooding that arises from problems that do not have clear, immediatesolutions (and which may be unsolvable). Many of the techniques they propose(visualization, "mindful breathing practice") are familiar exercises inmindfulness, but the most important message of ACT is not to avoid situationsthat produce anxiety. Instead, this empathetic guide helps readers recognizethat brooding over painful or disorienting things is a natural part of everyone'slife, necessitating the flexibility to "work around obstacles... inside our ownheads." (Apr.)
RELIGION
Science and Spirituality: Making Room forFaith in the Age of Science
Michael Ruse. CambridgeUniv., $30 (264p) ISBN 9780521755948
From the title, this appears to be an invitation to integrate knowledge withfaith. Ruse, a professor at Florida State Univ.is a skeptic who believes that the "central core claims [of Christianity] bytheir very nature go beyond the reach of science." He takes the reader througha thorough labyrinth of philosophers from Plato, John Henry Newman, and ReinholdNiebuhr in an attempt to show humans as a product of the environment.The world is a machine and Ruse, an expert on Darwinianevolution, sees humans as machines who learn to adapt through evolutionand experiences. Where science and spiritualityshare common bonds is in human morality. Ruse's view of Christianity makes iteasy to dismiss miracles, life after death, mysteries of faith and even the theory of the soul byusing science. He makes room for spirituality but is dismissive of faith. Withits long block quotations and diagrams, this book is more suited for thecollege classroom than a general reader. (Mar.)
FICTION
City of Night
Michelle West. DAW, $25.95 (324p) ISBN 9780756405984
Book two in Michelle West's House War series starts with Angel's quest tocomplete the mission of his exiled father, and then takes a sharp turn when hemeets up with Jewel and her "den"-a self-chosen tribe of street urchins,precocious by necessity. Angel all but fades into the background for the restof the book while we follow Jewel's efforts to feed her adopted charges andkeep them safe even as the undercity where they scavenge for saleable goodsbecomes a source of supernatural danger. Then Old Rath, Jewel'ssometime-mentor, takes center stage with his mission to kill demons and toexpose their infiltration of the ranks of the powerful-something he can do onlyby dying and allowing an impersonator to try to fool his estranged sister, nowthe head of a powerful clan. He pulls off a posthumous coup to protect Jeweland her visions. West's point-of-view shifts are vertiginous. No doubt over thecourse of the series all these threads will intertwine, but new readers arelikely to be feel frustrated by all the loose ends left hanging in themeantime. (Feb.)
Fire on the Mountain
Terry Bisson. PM (IPG, dist.), $15.95 paper (208p) ISBN9781604860870
Hugo Award-winning Bisson's novel looks at an alternative North America inwhich John Brown's raid on Harper's Ferry is a success and the South becomes aseparate nation with an African majority. Told through the journals of theformer slave Dr. Abraham, who witnessed Brown's raid, letters of theabolitionist Thomas Hunter, and the life of Abraham's great grand-daughterYasmin Odinga, whose story is set in the 1950s, Bisson offers a complex view ofa world which inexplicably leads to technological achievement far beyond thatwhich occurred in our own history. All of Bisson's characters come to life andpresent their understanding of the world around them-although not alwaysaccurately. In addition to the focus on the aftermath of Brown's raid, Odinga'sstory revolves around her personal issues, including her fractured relationshipwith her daughter, and the very public loss of her husband. The 19th and 20thcentury storylines don't completely mesh, with little to indicate how thechanges introduced by Brown's success would result in Odinga's world of the 1950s.Civil War buffs and alternate history fans will both enjoy the proposals Bissonadvances, even if he doesn't provide the necessary extrapolation. (Feb.)
Remember Me: Book One of the RosewoodTrilogy
Laura Moore. Ballantine, $7.99 (416p) ISBN 9780345482761
Moore's first book of a projected trilogy tells the story of 18-year-old MargotRadcliffe, who runs away from her family's estate after a disastrous attempt toseduce stable-hand Travis. With astonishing ease, she finds success with aninternational modeling career, but it all turns to ashes when her father andstepmother are killed in a plane crash eight years later, leaving Margot todeal with a debt-riddled horse farm and a 16-year-old stepsister, Jade. Rejuvenatingthe farm hinges on Margot convincing Travis to work for her, but modeling paysthe bills, and Travis' jealousy of Margot's career threatens their partnership-bothprofessionally and emotionally. Taking place primarily in the horse country ofVirginia, with excursions to New York and Milan, Moore's novel makes details ofhorse farming as interesting as the fashion world, but her vivid settings elbowout character development; when the lovers do get together, there's plenty ofsizzle, but they get much more face-time with the horses than each other. (Feb.)
The Semantics of Murder
Aifric Campbell. Serpent's Tail, $14.95 paper (256p) ISBN9781846687334
The unsolved 1971 murder of UCLA philosophy professor Richard Montague is theinspiration for Campbell's uneven debut, set in 2001. American psychoanalystJay Hamilton has worked in England for two decades, pretty uneventfully,despite a professional secret; Hamilton uses his patients as inspiration forthe bestselling fiction he authors under a pseudonym. His comfortable existenceis put at risk by an inquiry from Dana Flynn, a woman researching his latebrother, Robert, a controversial UCLA professor; Dana is naturally curiousabout the circumstances of Robert's murder 30 years earlier. Robert, a closethomosexual, was strangled in his home. Based on Jay's account of seeing two mendrive away in his brother's car, the official theory was that they wereresponsible for the crime. Campbell writes well, and does a good job ofportraying the complex relationship of the Hamilton brothers, but the surpriseshe springs on the reader about the murder will astonish few. (Jan.)
Taming the Highland Bride
Lynsay Sands. Avon, $7.99 (384p) ISBN 97801344787
Sands's second book in her Medieval trilogy is a mixture of sexy romance andhumor combined with an unfortunately stale story. When Merewen Stewart arrivesat her betrothed's stronghold, Alexander d'Aumesbery is well into awhiskey-induced "recovery" for a sore tooth, convincing Merry that he's a drunklike her father and brothers. As their first weeks together don't proveotherwise, Marry's take-charge attitude-viewed by some as shrewish-comes onstrong. As for Alex, he finds that his new wife's arrival coincides suspiciouslywith attempts on his life, which continue to dog him as they travel to visithis sister and her new husband. Though the road trip allows the couple to get familiar,overcome their differences, and come to love each other, the sparks that distinguishstandard formula fare fail to materialize. (Feb.)
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