About Netsurfer Books

Netsurfer Books is a bi-monthly e-zine offering short reviews of books and related items. We include listings based on recommendations from our staff and reviews from other individuals. Are we bribed to include any of these items? No. Do we receive a commission if you purchase an item through one of the links included here? Yes. Are we waiting to hear from you about what you'd like to see reviewed? Definitely.

ADMINISTRIVIA

Netsurfer Books Holiday Issue Part II

HISTORY AND LIVES

The Life and Writings of Abraham Lincoln

The Life and Writings of Abraham Lincoln
Philip Van Doren Stern (Editor)
Modern Library; ISBN: 0679603298

Aspiring speech writers could do worse than to study the words and cadences, and the elegant phrasing and plain imagery of Abraham Lincoln's addresses. What a shame that sound recording was never able to capture them as he heard them in own head. Stern includes a biographical note, and adds annotations to clarify references, but for the most part he lets Lincoln's writings - political and personal - stand on their own, illuminating the man with his own words. Read these works to remind yourself how very extraordinary the office and the man who occupies it can be. For the political and historical scholars on your list.

Lincoln: An Illustrated Biography

Lincoln: An Illustrated Biography
Philip B. Kunhardt, Peter W. Kunhardt
Gramercy; ISBN: 051720715X

Within its 432 pages, the Kunhardts' book holds more than 400 Lincoln photos, believed to be the entire Lincoln photographic record. We can imagine taking a seat with the Stern book (above), matching pictures to writings, trying to imagine the words forming behind Lincoln's eyes. For people who don't like their history spoon-fed, we can't think of a finer pairing.

Sons and Brothers: The Days of Jack and Bobby Kennedy

Sons and Brothers: The Days of Jack and Bobby Kennedy
Richard D. Mahoney
Arcade Pub; ISBN: 1559704802

Love them or hate them, the Kennedys can still provoke high emotion, as proved this summer, more than 35 years after JFK Sr.'s death. They are an extraordinary family, almost as much for their fascinating internal dynamics engendered by patriarch Joe's ambitions as for the extraordinary record of public service and sacrifice that they can claim. Joe Sr.'s manipulative determination to put a son in the White House seemed to have energized the boys to both fulfil and frustrate the old man with risky and ruthless behaviors. The close relationship and shared fate of John and Robert seems to belie the deep differences in their personalities, and makes them, their agendas, and their actions that much more intriguing, even now. In his book, RIchard Mahoney, son of a Kennedy insider, traces in graceful style the relationship between Jack and Bobby. There are no imagined conversations, but the tensions and intimacies of the brothers' relationship find plausible origins in his account. Mahoney reveals details of JFK's life-threatening illness, presented to the public as recurring bouts of malaria and chronic back pain, and talks about the personal risks and ruthlessness that marked both lives. He doesn't condone or condemn them, though, but rather sees these elements as parts of the picture that explain both the family and history.

Rembrandt's Eyes

Rembrandt's Eyes
Simon Schama
Knopf; ISBN: 067940256X

Schama's new biography of Dutch master Rembrandt van Rijn is earning glowing reviews everywhere, although Salon.com cautions readers that with Schama's characteristic thoroughness and the 359 illustrations - including full-color reproductions of scores of Baroque masterpieces - "visual overload is always just a licked fingertip away". Schama tells Rembrand't tale by contrast, exploiting his consuming rivalry with the established Flemish master Peter Paul Rubens. For all his mastery within the workshop, Rembrandt lived a messy life outside its confines, as opposed to Rubens aristocratic and tempered character. Their status as masters was unquestioned, but the expressions of their mastery were at odds, Rubens' lush, and Rembrandt's dark. Rembrandt painted some 40 self-portraits during his career, and Schama looks into the master's own eyes for his perspective.

The American President

The American President
Peter W. Kunhardt, Philip B., III Kunhardt
Riverhead Books; ISBN: 157322149X

You can be ahead of the curve with this book, the companion title for a 10-hour PBS series scheduled to air next spring. The goal is an ambitious one, examining the presidencies of all 41 men who've held the office. What sets the Kundhardt's book apart - and we assume the same of the series - is its thematic rather than chronological approach. These historians look to the defining characteristics of the men and their administrations. The result, then, is that Richard Nixon and Teddy Roosevelt are paired because of the expansionism that marked their terms in office. Given its role as a companion to a televised series, it's hardly surprising that the pages hold almost 800 photos and illustrations, many of them rare. Keeping in mind the book's length - 432 pages - you can expect, then, that the text is a little less than comprehensive biographically. Still, this fresh analysis should be fodder for all sorts of debate.

DIVERSIONS

The Matrix: The Shooting Script and Complete Storyboards

The Matrix: The Shooting Script and Complete Storyboards
Larry and Andy Wachowski, Spencer Lamm, Phil Oosterhouse, Steve
Newmarket Press; ISBN: 1557044058

One of 1999's biggest box office hits, The Matrix dazzled audiences with its combination of rigging-enhanced physical stunts and computer-generated visual effects. This is just the sort of film over which fans pore, deconstructing it line by line and scene by scene. Here's help from the very best source. Fans can also own a copy of the shooting script and fawn over the storyboards in which the Wachowski boys limned their fantastic vision. There could hardly be a film more suited to the advantages of a DVD version, with its hidden tracks and stop-action clarity; those of us mired in the VCR dark ages will just have to marvel at the sights, sans bells and whistles - but we couldn't possibly suggest anything but the letter-boxed version.

Sister Wendy's Story of Painting

Sister Wendy's Story of Painting
Sister Wendy Beckett
DK Publishing; ISBN: 1564586154

Sister Wendy is taping a new series on American art, and we can't tell you how much we're looking forward to it. Who'da thunk it, that behind the thick glasses and improbable name, there lurked the soul of one of the most engaging television personalities ever to hit the screen? Even more improbable is the directness and open-mindedness of her interpretations and judgements. Self-taught - but with dead seriousness - in art appreciation and art history, she doesn't rely on opaque ramblings and arch deconstructions to tell us about painting. Instead, she speaks to the heart of the painter, the painting, and the reader. You can also get the full flavor of her most heartfelt responses to art in the ten-p art PBS series.

Frida Kahlo: The Paintings

Frida Kahlo: The Paintings
Hayden Herrera
Harperperennial Library; ISBN: 0060923199

One of modern art's most intriguing painters and personalities, Frida Kahlo, died in 1954, barely 47 years old; it's only in the past decade or so that the public has come to appreciate her work, often overshadowed until now by the murals of her larger-than-life husband, Diego Rivera. Still, her influence is unmistakable in contemporary Mexican art. Kahlo suffered for her art, and the evidence is everywhere in her work. She survived polio at age five and a nightmarish bus accident as a teenager. The laundry list of injuries from that accident, including impalement through the pelvis and a leg broken in 11 places, led to 32 surgical procedures over the years. Then, Rivera visited his own depredations on her. Kahlo is currently North America's most sought-after artist, with individual works selling for more than $3 million.

Faberge Eggs: Imperial Russian Fantasies

Faberge Eggs: Imperial Russian Fantasies
Christopher Forbes, Larry Stein (Photographer)
Harry N Abrams (Pap); ISBN: 0810926024

We have no recordings of Nero's fiddling while Rome burned. Instead, we have the latter-day Faberge eggs of the imperial Russian court, spun and crafted while the family drifted toward its doom in blissfully privileged isolation. Here Forbes, vice-chair of Forbes Inc., which owns something on the order of a dozen eggs, details the significance, production, and history of the miniatures. Forbes also oversees the Forbes Faberge Museum in New York City. For a stunningly original presentation, take a look at Margaret Kelly's Imperial Surprises: A Pop-Up Book of Faberge Masterpieces.

100 Best TV Commercials: And Why They Worked

100 Best TV Commercials: And Why They Worked
Bernice Kanner
Times Books; ISBN: 0812929950

Pop culture is very often commercial culture, literally. Humor, artistry, sex, energy, empathy, love, vulnerability. Who'd think you could play on so much of our psyche in a few short seconds? Remember Wendy's hilarious "beachvear, dayvear, eveningvear" commercial? Find out why you're not likely to recognize the plus-size model on the street. Learn the difference between European and American opinions about Coke's "I'd like to teach the world to sing" ad. And, get all the dirt on the long-running classic Iron Eyes Cody anti-littering spot. Kanner writes for a column about Madison Avenue for New York magazine, and gives us a taste of our medicine with this playfully serious book. We don't dismiss this book as a lightweight diversion. What appeals to us and others reveals a lot about ourselves and culture. Then, of course, there's the fact that it's just plain fun.

The Ansel Adams Guide: Basic Techniques of Photography

The Ansel Adams Guide: Basic Techniques of Photography
John Paul Schaefer
Little Brown & Company; ISBN: 0821220950

The master of light may be gone, but his technique, amply documented throughout his life, is not lost. Here, Shaefer uses Adams' master series on photography as the base for a philosophy of technique for serious novices. Adams himself was never fond of working in color. Despite the brilliant glories of his subjects, it was always the natural composition and the play of light and dark that most fascinated him. Presented with his work, who can argue with him? It may be that the people on your gift list only want to get a clear picture of you in the foreground standing taller than the Statue of Liberty in the background. If so, skip this book. But, if your budding photographer is in patient pursuit of composition and light, there's no better teacher than Ansel Adams.

BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL

How Sharp Is Your Pencil?

How Sharp Is Your Pencil?
Allen D. Bragdon (Editor), David Gamon
Brainwaves Books; ISBN: 0916410641

You think you have what it takes to be an airline pilot? A dance instructor? A securities trader? A New York City cabbie? Bragdon and Gamon have collected the qualifying or entrance exams for 46 trades and professions to offer the ultimate challenge to Know-It-Alls everywhere - and you can peek at the answers beforehand yourself. If there's a Cliff Claven in your life, we have the perfect gift suggestion right here.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Maximum Security: A Hacker's Guide to Protecting Your Internet Site and Network

Maximum Security: A Hacker's Guide to Protecting Your Internet Site and Network
Anonymous
Sams; ISBN: 0672313413

Our perennial bestseller, and the perfect gift for any computer geek in your life. Come to think of it, if you're contemplating setting up a small computer network at home connected to the Net via DSL or cable modem, make this a gift to yourself. The obviously well versed Anonymous cracker tells you all you need to know about how your system will be attacked, and how you can protect yourself. It may involve some work on your part but you'll come out a wiser and more paranoid netsurfer - and that's a good thing. The enclosed CD-ROM has tons of useful crack/anti-crack sofware and is alone worth the price of the book. The prolific Anonymous has also penned the equally best selling Maximum Linux Security: A Hacker's Guide to Protecting Your Linux Server and Workstation specifically for the Linux hacker in your life.

Impure Science: AIDS, Activism, and the Politics of Knowledge

Impure Science: AIDS, Activism, and the Politics of Knowledge
Steven Epstein
University of California Press; ISBN: 0520214455

AIDS has changed more than just the way the world looks at sex and sexuality. It's also changed the way many of us look at science and medicine. Here's a disease like no other, one that polarizes people and opinion, revealed the weaknesses of medicine, and exposed the selfishness that permeates science even when lives hang in the balance. Epstein looks at those factors and how the activisim that kicked down the closet door also helped spring open the medicine cabinet. As new theories about AIDS' origins swirl, one of the earliest books to examine the world's first responses is still one of the best. Randy Shilts' "And the Band Played On" is a resounding indictment of a blinkered and short-sighted American government that couldn't bring itself to acknowledge a segment of its own population and the plague ravaging it, and the research establishment that couldn't bring itself to look beyond the laboratory bench. The excellent "1993 film of Shilts' book" runs smoothly but is clearly powered by cold fury.

The Animation Book: A Complete Guide to Animated Filmmaking-From Flip-Books to Sound Cartoons to 3-D Animation

The Animation Book: A Complete Guide to Animated Filmmaking-From Flip-Books to Sound Cartoons to 3-D Animation
Kit Laybourne
Three Rivers Pr; ISBN: 0517886022

Laybourne's opus is an update of a respected but much out-of-date predecessor. The book is true to its title, covering everything from flip-books through clay figures to 3-D animation. Assuming that readers want to produce their own animations in fact as well as theory, Laybourne offers suggestions for affordable and accessible equipment and techniques. Keep in mind, though, that you won't be learning how to bring "Toy Story 3" to life; computer animation isn't really the subject in this challenging book.

Animation: Master 98

Animation: Master 98
Hash Inc.
Charles River Media; ISBN: 1886801576

The praise lavished on this year's "Iron Giant", "Princess Mononoke", and "Toy Story 2" tells us that animated films have entered a whole new dimension - so to speak. Anime might have been pushing the envelope for its cult devotees five years ago, but it was tough even then to imagine how far animation could come in just a short time. Still, top of the line animation software is usually out of reach of most fans of the genre who'd like to play with the art. Here's a program praised by users and costing a small fraction of the high-end products' price tags.

HEALTH, HOME AND FAMILY

25 Ways to Cook a Mouse for the Gourmet Cat

25 Ways to Cook a Mouse for the Gourmet Cat
Orson Bean (Illustrator), Susannah Bean (Illustrator)
Birch Lane Pr; ISBN: 1559721995

Purrfection. Orson Bean - yes, that Orson Bean - serves up an international menu of gourmet goodies for your favorite rodentivore including hearty corned mouse and cabbage, spicy burritos con raton, romantic mouse bourguignon, and nouvelle specialty souris printemps. If the beneficiaries of your gift giving have trouble finding the ingredients, we're sure that Puss will take a moment out from working up an appetite at the local scratching post to point a paw in the right direction. Readers, however, should be aware that cats never offer their compliments to the chef and seldom, if ever, tip big. (Hint: Katie, official chief mouser at a Netsurfer satellite office, likes anything with gravy that she can suck back; she disdains the meat, leaving it for the doofus Doberman that she disdains even more.)

A Genealogist's Guide to Discovering Your Italian Ancestors: How to Find and Record Your Unique Heritage

A Genealogist's Guide to Discovering Your Italian Ancestors: How to Find and Record Your Unique Heritage
Lynn Nelson
Betterway Pubns; ISBN: 1558704264

Lynn Nelson has written more than a blueprint for genealogical research. She's also compiled present-day and historic maps, along with the origins of many Italian names, offering invaluable shortcuts to people trying to trace their roots. She points you to immigration and naturalization records, ships' manifests, Italian and American civil records, and censuses, and helps you decipher all of them. Anyone contemplating a thorough examination of their ancestry could do a lot worse than to use this wonderful resource as a template for research.

Sex: Portraits of Passion

Sex: Portraits of Passion
John Williams
Watson-Guptill Pubns; ISBN: 0823047849

A sensuous volume of tastily, tastefully explicit artwork including photos and sculptures spanning ancient times to the most postmodern celebrations of sex. The book is cleverly laid out with chapters thematically following the course of a love affair from seduction to afterglow. It's the perfect artsy pillow book for the lovers in your life.

SOCIETY AND RELIGION

The Irish in America

The Irish in America
Michael Coffey (Editor), Terry Golway (Editor)
Hyperion; ISBN: 0786863447

Certainly among America's most colorful ingredients in the melting pot, Irish immigration really began in earnest a little over 150 years ago, when the old country was devastated by famine. Braced by prejudice and poverty, and blessed with opportunity in their new home, though, the Irish community produced a rich array of industrialists and capitalists, bad guys and public servants, entertainers and educators. They might even have produced someone on your gift list. You can pair the companion book with tapes of the original PBS series.

Chanukah in Chelm

Chanukah in Chelm
David A. Adler (Illustrator), Kevin O'Malley (Illustrator)
Lothrop Lee & Shepard; ISBN: 068809953X

In Jewish tradition, the town of Chelm is home to fools. Not venal fools or unpleasant ones - just people lacking a requisite measure of common sense. Adler's tale - made for telling in the Hanukkah tradition - introduces us to Mendel, instructed by the rabbi to put the menorah on a table under the window - where there is no table. Thus begins Mendel's day-long adventure in search of a table. Of course, in his quest he mobilizes most of his foolish village to mobilize just one table, where ever it might be. "How many Chelmites does it take to move a table?" asks Mendel's wiseacre cat. "One to hold the table and ten to move the earth." This is an excellent family story for the Hanukkah season.

TRAVEL AND HOBBIES

Wonders of the African World

Wonders of the African World
Henry Louis Gates Jr., Lynn Davis (Photographer)
Knopf; ISBN: 0375402357

Disengaged from the Africa that gave rise to African Americans by his father's and children's own disconnection, fed by images shaped in American textbooks of the 1950s and '60s, Henry Louis Gates journeyed to the Dark Continent to learn the truth about it, and about what forces claim half his politically correct identity. Conscious of the condescension, romanticism, anger, disdain, and ambivalence that mark American Blacks' feelings about their connections to African culture and cousins, and conscious of the extent to which African history and society has been marginalized in America, Gates goes looking for some way to relate to an entire continent. This book is the companion text to a PBS series scheduled to run this coming spring. We can hardly wait for Gates' measured contemplation of forgotten histories, personal and cultural.

A Gentle Madness: Bibliophiles, Bibliomanes, and the Eternal Passion for Books

A Gentle Madness: Bibliophiles, Bibliomanes, and the Eternal Passion for Books
Nicholas A. Basbanes
Henry Holt & Company, Inc.; ISBN: 0805036539

Go ahead, NSB readers. Tell us you don't breathe a little deeper to savor the odour of slightly musty books, that you really can't appreciate the warmth of a well-thumbed volume, that the first place you head to at a yard sale isn't the book table. We know who you are, you bibliophiles you. Most of us lack the resources to be true eccentrics or notable collectors, but Basbanes exhaustive research speaks to his own love of books and to the extent some people will go in pursuit of their passion. One reviewer at Amazon speaks of knowing of his collection "where each book was purchased, the date, and sometimes even my mood". We can relate. You might want to put this book on both your gift-giving list and your wish list.

Kitchen Glassware of the Depression Years

Kitchen Glassware of the Depression Years
Gene Florence
Collector Books; ISBN: 0891456163

So, maybe antique furniture is out of reach for most of us - and we're worried about the counterfeit market anyway. It still amazes us how the most mundane objects in our lives may someday be prized collectibles. Take, for instance, kitchen glassware from the 1930s. Although it commands respect now, it's not out of the reach of most collectors. Gene Florence' writings on collectible glassware are the last word on the subject, but other collectors on your gift list might be interested in the newly published Teddy Bear Treasury: Identification and Values or Fountain Pens: A Collector's Guide.