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| Volume 47, Number 1, Spring 1999 |
By Ruth Winter
Enrico Fermi and the Revolutions of Modern Physics by Dan Cooper (NASW), published by Oxford University Press.
This book tells the dramatic story of the man behind the first chain-reacting nuclear pile. It describes how "the Italian Navigator" contributed uniquely to the physics of our time. Cooper, a New Jersey freelance, points out that Fermi's brilliance was apparent from an early age. Fermi was a skilled contributor to experiment as well as to theory, the sort of fellow who could use his belt to fix his beloved yellow Bebe Peugeot when courting Laura Capon, later to become his wife. His Nobel Prize work on nuclear reactions created by neutron bombardment lay the groundwork for the wartime and postwar creation of the atomic age. Cooper describes how, disgusted by Mussolini's fascist aping of Nazi Germany's racial laws, Fermi used the occasion of receiving his Nobel Prize in 1938 to flee to the United States. Days after arriving in America and learning of fission, he directed efforts to split the uranium nucleus and eventually to create the first pile in Chicago. Cooper can be reached at 973-763-6147; fax 973-763-5094; e-mail dan.cooper@att.net. His publicist at Oxford is Jennifer Slomak: phone 212-726-6043; fax 212-726-6448; e-mail jbs@oup-usa.org.
The Cartographer's Vacation by Andrea Cohen (NASW), published by Owl Creek Press.
This debut collection of poetry received the 11th Annual Owl Creek Poetry Prize. The Atlantic, writes "Andrea Cohen's vibrant poetry inhabits that middle realm between the fabulous and the matter-of-fact, between the enchanted briar roses of folktales and the weeds poking through the asphalt at the local Gulf station. Slyly narrative, lyrical, street-smart, and always fecund with detail, her poems--whether singing, dreaming, or mourning--reliably delight and instruct. In line after shapely line--not to mention a pair of prose poems that give a good name back to that much-abused form--Cohen evinces an imagination "strangely prepared for everything." That's how one of her speakers describes herself; that's the way to describe this lovely first book." Gail Mazur writes, "Whether mapping the cartographer's obsessive-compulsive disorder, or an anthropomorphized noodle, or love's disconnections, Andrea Cohen's witty, elegant poems and their subjects go way out on a limb. Hers is a deceptively breezy voice that doesn't let the reader escape the dark knowledge of human contingencies. The Cartographer's Vacation has much to tell us about our language's animated flow, its tow and undertow. These poems leave me breathless with admiration." A recipient of a PEN Discovery Award for poetry, Cohen lives in Cambridge, Mass. and is the Communications Director for MIT Sea Grant. She can be reached at 617-253-3461 or alcohen@mit.edu. PR for the book is Rich Ives, Owl Creek Press, phone 360-387-6101.
The Wild Colorado: The True Adventures of Fred Dellenbaugh, Age 17, on the Second Powell Expedition into the Grand Canyon by Richard Maurer (NASW), published by Crown Publishers.
The book is aimed at fifth grade and up and is the true story of a young man out west with famous explorer John Wesley Powell. Dellenbaugh was the expedition artist and his drawings are the first ever of the canyons of the Green and Colorado rivers. They are published in Mauer's book for the first time--an unusual distinction for a children's book. A photo researcher, curator, and exhibit designer as well as a writer, Mauer says, "The most fun was writing the chapter where my hero is stuck in a cabin with notorious mass murderer John D. Lee." Maurer can be reached by phone at 508-829-5505 and by e-mail at rsmaurer@aol.com. The phone for the PR department at Crown is 212-572-8797.
Athletic Forever: The Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic Plan for Lifetime Fitness by Ted G. Rand (NASW), published by Contemporary Books.
As former health editor for Men's Fitness magazine and a recreational athlete, Rand has written a book to address the concerns of men over 30 years who want to maintain a high level of physical activity while avoiding the pitfalls of injury. Co-author Frank Jobe, MD, is a sports physician whose patients have included Tommy John, Orel Herschiser, and Wayne Gretzky. Booklist magazine's review says, "An excellent guide aimed at older weekend athletes who want to design and maintain a 'safe and effective' fitness program. This straightforward fitness manual begins with an overview of how aging and exercise can affect health and performance and turns to fitness essentials. Strength conditioning and stretching information precede injury prevention and treatment guidelines helpfully arranged by body part. Instructions for strengthening and flexibility exercises round out the coverage. To their credit, the collaborators assume that readers possess some knowledge of physiology so information is presented in an intelligent matter that never speaks down to its intended audience. Highly recommended for fitness collections serving seasoned athletes." The book foreword is by Magic Johnson. Rand can be reached at 310-399-6462.The PR is Tina Chapman at 847-679-5500 ext. 233.
Smart Food: Diet and Nutrition for Maximum Brain Power by Arthur Winter MD and Ruth Winter (NASW), published by St. Martin's Press; A Consumer's Dictionary of Food Additives (5th Edition) and A Consumer's Dictionary of Cosmetic Ingredients (5th edition) both by Ruth Winter, both published by Crown.
As you can see, I have not only been busy describing your books, I have been writing and updating my own. Smart Food describes information on how foods, vitamins, and minerals can affect your brain and body and all aspects of your daily life--from sleep patterns to mood swings to productivity on the job. Fueling all the scientific interest in food and the brain is the discovery of neurotransmitters and the finding that neurotransmitters can be derived from the food we eat. The PR for the book is Joe Rinaldi 212-674-5151 ext.710. The two dictionaries between them have a 1000 new entries plus updates concerning regulations, controversies, and new uses for food additives and other chemical ingredients. The phone for the PR department for Crown is 212-572-8797. My phone is 973-376-8385; fax 973-376-0199; e-mail ruthwrite@aol.com.
The Family Encyclopedia of Disease: A Complete and Concise Guide to Illnesses and Symptoms by Bryan Bunch published by W.H Freeman, is written in plain accessible English, fully illustrated, alphabetically organized and contains up-to-date information. Its descriptions go from Abscess to Zoonoses. The PR for Freeman is purdy@whfreeman.com.
The Harvard Medical School Family Health Guide is being published in hard copy by Simon and Schuster and it will also be published in cyberspace.
The 1,192 page book, to be published in October, will cost $40. A special Web site will continuously update information (free) keyed to the pages of the book. Carolyn Reidy, president of Simon & Schuster, says, "As medical information changes constantly, it was critical we find a way to update the book continuously. The combination of book and Web site will bring the latest knowledge of 70,000 of the world's best doctors and researchers from every field of medicine into the American home. It is the perfect project to combine traditional publishing and the latest technology to create a powerful tool for health consumers." For more information check http://www.simonsays.com. and contact the PR, Beth Warhead 212-698-2152; e-mail beth_wareham@simonandschuster.com.
Memory: From Mind to Molecules by Larry Squire and Eric Kandel published by Scientific American Library (distributed by W.H. Freeman).
Squire, a professor of psychiatry, neurosciences, and psychology at the UC San Diego School of Medicine, and Kandel, founder of the Center for Neurobiology and Behavior at Columbia University, have combined insights from both neuroscience and molecular biology. Among the many new discoveries described in the book are the existence of multiple memory systems that divide up the workload of remembering (one handles facts and past experiences, another handles motor and perceptual strategies) and the steps by which memories are created through changes in the specific connections between nerve cells of the brain. Also included are issues such as:
For further information, contact the PR, Sloane Lederer, 212-576-9423.
Keep Your Cat Healthy The Natural Way by Pat Lazarus published by Fawcett.
This book includes not only the most nourishing (and least expensive) foods "for a long healthy life"; it describes homeopathy, herbals, and other nontoxic, noninvasive treatment for your cat. It also deals with how to heal problems of the eye, skin and fur and new hope for diabetes, cancer and infectious diseases including AIDS. I didn't know cats could have AIDS, did you? You can visit www.randomhouse.com/BB and also check with the PR Gareth Rees at 212-572-2382. For a review copy, Rees requests you fax him at 212-572-2676.
Note: Send material about your new books to 44 Holly Drive, Short Hills, NJ 07078 or e-mail ruthwrite@aol.com. Include the name of the publisher's PR and appropriate contact information as well as your preferred way to have members get in touch with you.