BOOKS BY AND FOR MEMBERS

by Ruth Winter

The rest of publishing may be like an arid desert but science books are blooming. Could it be that well-written texts about new insights into science can blossom even in the sparsest environment? Here are good examples.

Mapping Human History: Discovering the Past Through Our Genes by Steve Olson (NASW), published by Houghton Mifflin Co.

Steve Olson, a Bethesda, Md., freelance writer describes how migrations of the human race can be traced through genetics. Olson notes that until a few years ago, the only way to learn about our ancient ancestors was through the scattered bones and stone tools they left behind, but bones and stones are not the only records of our past. Each of us, he notes, carries around another record in almost every cell of our bodies. Human DNA, the long, complex molecule that transmits genetic information from one generation to the next, bears the indelible imprint of our history. It chronicles the diversification of modern humans into the races and ethnic groups that we recognize today. Olson says geneticists are just beginning to read the stories written in our DNA, but already they have discovered a saga of immense grandeur. They can now trace the movement of modern humans out of Africa to the rest of the world. They are beginning to piece together when and how groups of people acquired their distinctive physical
appearance and what those appearances mean. Olson, who has written for the Atlantic Monthly, Science, and other publications and for many D.C.-based organizations, can be reached at 301-320-8554 or solson@his.com. The publicist for the book is Dan O'Connell, 617-351-3818 or Dan_O'Connell@hmco.com.

Time's Fool by Terra Ziporyn (NASW), published by XLIBRIS.

Terra Ziporyn, another Maryland freelance writer, has taken her scientific knowledge about genetics and turned it into intriguing fiction. Her main character, Galton Morrow, is a progressive doctor, venereal disease expert and social climber. He is the product of a scientific-breeding experiment conducted by utopian visionaries at the Oneida Colony in Upstate New York. Galton's parents
were selected by community leaders for the outstanding quality of their bodies, minds, and spirits. Galton then discovers that his father of record was not his sire and his self-image is shaken. The battle between his sense of self and his desire for a young researcher is part of the story's conflict. Ziporyn can be reached at 410-975-9759 and ziporyn@megsinet.net.

Nevada, Essays by Jon Christensen (NASW), photographs by Deon Reynolds, published by Graphic Arts Center Publishing Co.

Jon Christensen, a Carson City, Nev., freelance writer, has crisscrossed Nevada's outback as an independent environmental reporter and science writer for newspapers and magazines from the Nevada Appeal to the New York Times. This, his first book, is a series of essays about people and the land, natural history, and the role of prospects and chance in the Silver State. It is a large-format book with photographs ranging from the austere outback to the neon lights of Nevada. Christensen says he wrote the book because, "In the past, state books like this have focused on the romantic pioneer spirit as the heart of Nevada: I felt it was time for a fresh look at the environment in the state." Christensen says he has traveled thousands of miles on some of the loneliest roads in America and had a number of far-out experiences. But the most exciting discovery he made in the course of writing this book was the central role that the basin and range ecosystem of Nevada played in developing the modern theory of island biogeography. "This desert landscape has already been defined by climate change," he says. "Over the past 10,000 years here,
moist mountaintops and springs have become isolated in a sea of sagebrush. In these shrinking island habitats, extinction rather than equilibrium has been the rule. I think this changeling land offers lessons for an increasingly fragmented
world." He can be reached at JonChristensen@nasw.org. The publicist is Lake Boggan, lake@gacpc.com or 1-800-452-3032.

Informed Decisions Book Updated by Harmon J. Eyre, M.D., Dianne Partie Lange (NASW) and Lois B. Morris (NASW), published by The American Cancer Society.

This award-winning, 768-page paperback book has been updated to reflect recent developments in cancer diagnosis, care, and prevention. Harmon Eyre is the ACS chief medical officer and executive vice president for research and
cancer control. Dianne Lange is a contributing editor of Allure Magazine and is a freelance writer living in Shelter Island Heights, N.Y. The book is divided into six sections: 1) Is it Cancer?, 2) When the Diagnosis is Cancer, 3) Treatment Strategies, 4) Living with Cancer, 5) Advancing Illness, 6) Overview of Specific Cancers. It concludes with an extensive 35-page list of resources covering everything from money and insurance to children's wigs and patient transportation services. The new edition contains three new chapters: Fatigue, Cancer Emergencies, and Costs. Lange can be reached at DianneLange@cs.com, Morris at LoisBMorris@cs.com. The publicist for the book is Joann Shellebach, Director of Media Relations, American Cancer
Society, 212-383-2169 or Joann.Schellenbach@cancer.org.

The Hospital For Special Surgery Rheumatoid Arthritis Handbook by Stephen A. Paget, M.D., Michael D. Lockshin, M.D., and Suzanne Loebl (NASW), published by Wiley.

Since self-care is so important in controlling rheumatoid arthritis, the authors have written this book in plain English to demystify this crippling disease-its causes,
progression, and effects on the human body. Among the topics they cover are:
o Old, new and emerging drug therapies, including gold, corticosteroids, and immunosuppressants

Analgesics and anti-inflammatories

Alternative treatment strategies

Nutrition, diet and exercise for RA

Vitamins and supplements, including glucosamine and Evening Primrose oil

Managing crucial lifestyle issues such as sports, travel, and sex

Pregnancy and RA

Alleviating depression and pain

Surgical options, including joint replacement

Stephen Paget is physician-in-chief of the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City. Michael Lockshin is professor of medicine at the Hospital for Special Surgery and Suzanne Loebl is a biochemist and coauthor of a number of books including The Columbia Presbyterian Osteoarthritis Handbook.

Web Security, Privacy & Commerce (2nd Edition) by Simson Garfinkel (NASW) with Gene Spafford, published by O'Reilly.

According to the authors, having a presence on the Web now seems to be a fundamental requirement for businesses, governments, and other organizations. Understanding how to minimize and neutralize the destructive power of security threats has become a high priority for users, administrators, and organizations. This book is about how to enhance security, privacy, and commerce on the World Wide Web. Simson Garfinkel, a freelance writer and columnist for the Boston Globe, says: "For users, the demise of the dot-com economy means that even more companies are looking for ways to make a buck off Internet users-
and frequently, that means trying to find ways to capture and resell personal information. Now more than ever, people need to be concerned about online privacy. For service providers, there has been increased attention to information security as a result of recent current events. And for content providers, it's clear that issues of content control, copyright, and possibly criminal content are here
to stay. This book explains all the key issues." Chapter 8, "The Web's War on Your Privacy," is available free online at www.oreilly.com/catalog/websec2/chapter/ch08.html. Garfinkel can be contacted at 617-876-6111 or sig@walden.cambridge.ma.us.

Storms from the Sun-The Emerging Science of Space Weather by Michael J. Carlowicz (NASW) and Ramon E. Lopez, published by the Joseph Henry Press.

A science writer and education manager at NASA's Goddard Space Center, Michael Carlowicz writes: "If you read most textbooks or look with the unaided human eye, you would be convinced that the space between Sun and Earth is a vast, dark void, and the Sun is a static, unblemished fireball. But in reality, our nearest star is roiling with activity, changing on every time scale from seconds to
geologic eras." Defined simply, he says, space weather is a range of disturbances that are born on the sun, rush across interplanetary space into earth's neighborhood and disturb the environment around our planet, as well as the various technologies we have come to depend upon. Carlowicz and his co-author, who is a space physicist, explain that in the past 40 years, we have come to rely on space-based infrastructure for the humdrum things of daily life-when
we watch a sitcom or sporting event on TV; when we wait by the phone for the pediatrician to answer her page; when we navigate a ship through a narrow channel or land an airplane in low visibility; when we flash our speed-payment
passes at the gasoline pump-more likely than not we are relying on space-based technology. Yet space is a place where, in the blink of an eye, a maelstrom can erupt, with potentially severe consequences for those technologies. Web site for the book: www.stormsfromthesun.net. The publicist is Robin Pinnel, rpinnel@nasw.org or 202-334-1902.

The Semen Book by Vivien Marx (NASW), published by Free Association Books, London.

Yes, this book is about male physiology-in particular, as it pertains to male reproductive and sexual health. Vivien Marx, a Boston-based freelance science journalist who has written for The Economist, Science Magazine, Red Herring and others, became intrigued by this topic when a debate started about a supposed global drop in sperm quality. So she began to research the subject and discovered an array of scientific puzzles rather than clear-cut answers. She says the global sperm-quality debate remains a contentious issue among scientists. Andrology, the male version of gynecology, is a young field, Marx points out,
and the experts she interviewed around the world all say that their field is not well-established in medicine, science, or in the public consciousness. Doctors in many countries including the U.S. state that their male patients-whether they come in for a general checkup or for a more particular reason-are appallingly unfamiliar with their bodies, despite all the Viagra hype. Marx compiled a book that is based on interviews with scientists as well as general interviews with men and summarizes some of the newest research in this field. You can reach Marx at mmx221@yahoo.com.

The Einstein File: J. Edgar Hoover's Secret War Against the World's Most Famous Scientist by Fred Jerome (NASW), published by St. Martin's Press.

Fred Jerome, who writes a column on science and media for Technology Review, enlisted the aid of The Litigation Group to help him obtain the 1500-page FBI file for this book. From Einstein's arrival in the U.S. in 1933 until his
death in 1955, Jerome writes, the FBI, with the help of several other federal agencies, collected "derogatory information," in an effort to undermine Einstein's influence and destroy his prestige. Jerome describes Einstein as a passionate
pacifist, socialist, and internationalist, an outspoken critic of racism, and a personal friend of Paul Robeson and W.E.B. Du Bois. The FBI, the author discovered in files, also linked Einstein to such "subversives" as Charlie Chaplin,
Bette Davis, and Katherine Hepburn, as well as Nobelprize winners Linus Pauling and Harold Urey. The new information Jerome uncovered discloses how the FBI went about collecting information on Einstein, including tapping phones, opening mail, sorting through garbage and even covertly searching a private residence. The fight Jerome and The Litigation Group waged to obtain the files will be of interest to investigative reporters. The newly available material is woven with historical details of the period, creating a spy story-like narrative that provides an in-depth portrait of Einstein's political beliefs and his ability to carry
on despite his knowledge that the FBI was watching him. Jerome can be reached at 212-580-1312 or fljerome@cs.com. The publicist at St. Martin's is Carlos Antonio Brown at 212-674-5151 ext. 540, or Carlos.brosn@stmartins.com.

Timebomb: The Global Epidemic of Multi-Drug Resistant Tuberculosis by Lee B. Reichman with Janice Hopkins Tanne (NASW), published by McGraw-Hill.

Breathe in. Breathe out. In that brief moment, you can contract tuberculosis. Many science writers who fly are well aware of that possibility and the other germs that can be inhaled from fellow passengers during the trip. Reichman and Tanne point out that tuberculosis is an airborne disease that will infect 8.4 million people this year, and kill 2 million. TB, they say, has never gone away and now it is bigger threat than ever before in history. The book points out tuberculosis' frightening connection to the AIDS virus. The authors claim that the two diseases are deadly twins. TB promotes progression of AIDS and AIDS promotes
the progression of TB, which is the leading cause of death of AIDS patients. TB is far more contagious than AIDS. But treating TB prolongs the lives of AIDS patients, even if they do not receive treatment for AIDS. The book focuses on the epidemic's global spread from ground zero-inside the Russian gulag. Malnourished prisoners, desperately ill with the disease, lack proper medication
and funding to halt the spread of the virus in these facilities. Prisoners are released often in large amnesties with no follow-up care in the community. The authors point out that there are no new vaccines or drugs against TB, nor any
solutions waiting in the wings. Due to high costs, little research, and lack of profitability, even if drug companies discovered a miracle cure, pharmaceutical firms would be reluctant to get involved. The authors hope that new legislation,
government funding, international organizations, foundations, nongovernmental advocacy organizations, and the U.S. Congress working together will increase
funding for international programs. Reichman is professor of medicine and preventive medicine and community health at the New Jersey Medical School, and executive director of the New Jersey Medical School National
Tuberculosis Center, a founding component of the International Center for Public Health. Tanner is past president of the American Society of Journalists and
Authors and has won many awards for medical writing. For more information on TV check www.tbtimebomb.com. Contact Tanne at tanne@compuserve.com.

Other books that may be of interest to members:

Creations of Fire: Chemistry's Lively History from Alchemy to the Atomic Age by Cathy Cobb and Harold Goldwhite, published by Persesus Publishing.

Cathy Cobb, assistant professor of chemistry at Augusta State University in Georgia, and Harold Goldwhite, a professor of chemistry at California State University, Los Angeles, have written a book that contains stories of comical
or death-defying antics of famous chemists. They reveal, for example, what happened when Alfred Nobel read his own obituary in the newspaper and what prompted Michael Faraday to wash Humphrey Davy's socks. They tattle on the famous chemist who used opium as a cure-all and Werner Heisenberg's street brawling as a youth. The authors start with the ancients-potters, weavers, and healers-who used chemistry to understand and manipulate their surroundings, including the Chinese who began using tin-silver amalgams for dental work. The
book also documents the story of Paracelsus, who risked his life defying Spanish inquisitors by experimenting with new cures for syphilis. The authors maintain chemistry as we know it today is not the result of highly educated gentlemen in crisp white lab coats conducting careful experiments, but rather the culmination of the accidents and eccentricities of men and women throughout time. Publicist for the book is Tracy Holleran at 617-252-5213 or tracy.holleran@perseusbooks.com.

The Scientific Temper: An Anthology of Stories on Matters of Science by Anthony R. Michaelis, published by Universitatsverlag C. Winter

This book is a collection of stories science writer Anthony Michaelis has published over a span of 40 years with his anecdota. He also drew the illustrations. Michaelis provides background to his assignments. He writes, for
example: "My last great adventure in South Africa was to visit a lonely desert research station and to reach it, first I had to fly west from Durban to Windhoek…I stayed at the Grand Hotel, where I saw the largest meteorite on Earth, as it was claimed. (From memory it was about one cubic meter). There was also much Windhoek to remind me of the once flourishing German colony which lasted from 1890 to 1919." Somehow, reading this book, I could imagine
Michaelis presenting a paper to a staid scientific society in Berlin before World War II. He says in a letter: "I very much hope that the book will motivate young scientists to take up careers as science writers, a challenge which brought me many friends, much work, and wide travel, satisfaction, and sometimes bitter frustration." You can reach Michaelis by phone 0(49)6221/388742+721 or fax
0(49) 6221/388777. Snail mail is Augustinum Apt. 0-775m 69126 Heidelberg, Germany.

Dark Remedy: The Impact of Thalidomide and Its Revival as a Vital Medicine by Trent Stephens and Rock Brynner, published by Perseus Publishing.

Rock Brynner, a historian and former road manager for The Band and for Bob Dylan, and Trent Stephens, professor of anatomy and embryology at Idaho State University, teamed up to present the past and the present of the powerful
drug thalidomide. They ask and answer the question, "Could a substance that killed and deformed thousands be the next miracle drug?" Three years ago, the FDA approved thalidomide for use in medicine, and this book documents the various diseases-including AIDS, certain cancers, arthritis, lupus, Crohn's disease, and multiple sclerosis-that can be managed or perhaps even cured with the drug or an analog. Brynner, who is the son of actor Yul, suffered for five years from a rare immune disorder, pyoderma gangrenosum. He took thalidomide and went into remission. Geraldine Ferraro, the woman who ran for vice president, announced last year that she had been taking thalidomide to treat her multiple myeloma.The authors conclude that within the next few years a new
drug should be available, developed by Celgene Corporation, that has a greater beneficial effect without the threat of causing birth defects; but until that day, thalidomide remains, for many desperate patients, an "indispensable poison." For further information, contact Lissa Warren, director of publicity at 617-252-5212 or lissa.warren@perseusbooks.com.

How To Be Twice As Smart: Boost Your Brain Power and Unleash The Miracles of Your Mind by Scott Witt, published by Reward Books.

Scott Witt is a business journalist and market researcher who has filled this book with hints to aid memorization. For example, he advises quiz cards that help you when you need to learn a lot of information fast and "want all of it on the tip of your tongue ready to be used at an instant's notice." You help yourself by:

o Transferring reference material to the cards
o Training with the shuffled cards.

The reference material can be any book, director, published article, or other source containing the information you need to know. The learning process begins as you locate the source material and write or type it on the cards. That gives you the start of a working familiarity with the data. Later, as you work with the cards, your knowledge of the data is built up to "reflex level," so that you can mentally retrieve any item at will. The publicist for the book is Roxanne Daigneault at 201-909-6279 or Roxanne.daigneault@pearsoned.com.

The Consumer's Guide to Experts: Top Pros in 50 Fields Show You How to Hire the Best…From Accountants to Veterinarians by Susan Shay, published by Kiplinger.

Atypical American uses and pays for at least 10 services a month, according to Susan Shay, which are at various times intimately involved with physical, mental, financial, and social well-being. She gives information on how to assess what kinds of education, certification, licensing, and experience are required or desirable in each trade or profession. There is a useful list of consumer resources with Web site addresses. Red flags are included in each chapter. For example, concerning optometrists, she writes: "A number are now employed by vision-center chains in malls. Although the vision examination in these chain outlets
are performed by optometrists, the quality of the examination can vary widely because of the large number of patients seen. The cost of these examinations may be only 20 percent less than more thorough examinations performed by optometrists who work in other settings, such as private optometric practices or for HMOs." For more information, check with publicist Jennifer Heggers at 310-544-9780 or jheggers@newmancom.com.

Send material about new books to Ruth Winter, 44 Holly Drive, Short Hills, NJ 07078, or e-mail ruthwrite@aol.com. Include the name of the publicist and appropriate contact information, as well as how you prefer members to get in touch with you.

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