Editors’ Picks: August 2024 Edition

10 reviews handpicked from the latest issue of Choice.

Posted on August 8, 2024 in Editors' Picks

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Any library supporting undergraduate or graduate degrees in literature or communications will want to acquire this well-documented and excellently written book. —R. L. Saunders, Southern Utah University

Berglund, Karl. Reading audio readers: book consumption in the streaming age. Bloomsbury, 2024. 206p bibl index ISBN 9781350358362, $115.00; ISBN 9781350358379 ebook, contact publisher for price.

This fascinating book collects Berglund’s research on streamed audiobook “readership” patterns and influence. Audiobooks have been around for years in various forms, always at the margins of the industry, but in digital streaming platforms “what is new is its commercial impact” (p. 3). Berglund (literature, Uppsala Univ., Sweden) documents trends and patterns grounded in an actual nationwide dataset (over 75 million records) from his native Sweden, a developed nation that compares well to North America in terms of economic and social demographics. This level of direct-evidence research into publishing and consumption habits is something that few other scholars have attempted. Audiobooks fall in the blurry middle of various longstanding expectations about differences between idealized, focused reading and nonreading habits. The volume looks at audiobooks as an activity and as economic and personal objects. Even more interesting, Berglund draws substantive conclusions about the role audiobooks play in economic terms. His conclusion is complex but straightforward: “the boom in streamed audiobooks is altering reading practices” (p. 171). Any library supporting undergraduate or graduate degrees in literature or communications will want to acquire this well-documented and excellently written book. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Advanced undergraduates through faculty; professionals. —R. L. Saunders, Southern Utah University

The real payoff of the volume is the incorporation of behavioral science insights into the analysis of the operation of these programs. —R. S. Rycroft, University of Mary Washington

Cash transfers for inclusive societies: a behavioral lens, ed. by Jiaying Zhao, Saugato Datta, and Dilip Soman. Toronto, 2023. 264p bibl ISBN 9781487545178, $34.95; ISBN 9781487549473 ebook, $34.95.

A must read for policymakers designing and implementing cash transfer programs, Cash Transfers for Inclusive Societies reviews a wide variety of these programs, from the Global North to the Global South. The book consists of ten papers along with an introduction and a conclusion. The authors are an interdisciplinary and multinational roster of behavioral science academics and practitioners. The real payoff of the volume is the incorporation of behavioral science insights into the analysis of the operation of these programs. Though often overlooked in program evaluations, the success of these programs largely depends on the behavior of program participants. The stresses and strains caused by poverty can make it difficult for participants to employ long-term thinking, set priorities, make choices, and carry through with their choices. The volume provides guidelines for recipient targeting, cash delivery, and government and NGO provision. Some examples include targeting specific individuals within a household rather than the household itself to achieve certain objectives (e.g., mothers when the objective is girls’ education); delivering payments digitally and directly to participants where possible to preserve anonymity and eliminate gatekeepers who might demand bribes; and embedding cash transfers into existing services to reduce redundancy. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Undergraduates through faculty; professionals. —R. S. Rycroft, University of Mary Washington

This book will appeal to readers interested in swimming with the author through thoughtful musings rather than skating along the surface of an argument plainly laid out. —L. McMillan, Kutztown University

Chaouli, Michel. Something speaks to me: where criticism begins. Chicago, 2024. 177p bibl index ISBN 9780226830315, $99.00; ISBN 9780226830421 pbk, $24.50; ISBN 9780226830438 ebook, contact publisher for price.

Chaouli (German, Univ. of Bloomington) presents an extended philosophical essay that investigates and champions poetic criticism. He explores “poetic criticism,” a term coined by Friedrich Schlegel, as a series of three moments, which comprise the book’s organization: intimacy, indicated by the titular phrase “something speaks to me”; urgency, associated with the sense that “I must tell you about it”; and opacity, framed in the phrase “but I don’t know how.” Chaouli explores each of these moments with breadth and depth, regularly circling back and questioning his own premises and conclusions to move the conversation forward in ways that avoid linearity or closure. Chaouli situates texts as connections between and among individuals and sociohistorical moments. He spends time with writers such as Kafka, Barthes, Sontag, and Baldwin throughout the volume, speaking with them and of them while using a combination of lyrical, sophisticated prose and conversational turns of phrase. This book will appeal to readers interested in swimming with the author through thoughtful musings rather than skating along the surface of an argument plainly laid out. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Advanced undergraduates through faculty. —L. McMillan, Kutztown University

Cohen’s research underscores that invalid voting emerges as a strategic response to perceived democratic erosion, particularly in contexts marked by the exclusion of opposition candidates and pervasive electoral fraud. —J. J. Aguayo, York College of Pennsylvania

Cohen, Mollie J. None of the above: protest voting in Latin American democracies. Michigan, 2024. 268p bibl index ISBN 9780472076628, $85.00; ISBN 9780472056620 pbk, $34.95; ISBN 9780472904280 ebook, contact publisher for price.

None of the Above contributes significantly to the literature on troubled democracies. The book delves into invalid voting in Latin America, where voters frequently express dissatisfaction with the available options. Contrary to conventional perspectives that view invalid voting as accidental, undemocratic, or counterproductive, Cohen (Purdue Univ.) argues persuasively that it constitutes a valid form of protest capable of enhancing democratic quality under specific circumstances. A focal point of Cohen’s study is the efficacy of campaigns advocating for invalid voting. She explores their timing, leadership dynamics, and impact on democratic integrity with meticulous attention, drawing from extensive and detailed datasets spanning 40 years of invalid vote campaigns during Latin American presidential elections, along with illuminating case studies from Peru’s regional elections. Cohen’s research underscores that invalid voting emerges as a strategic response to perceived democratic erosion, particularly in contexts marked by the exclusion of opposition candidates and pervasive electoral fraud. In such scenarios, voters mobilize to register their dissent, aiming to stem the tide of authoritarianism. Campaigns spearheaded by grassroots organizations, which articulate grievances such as corruption and anticipated electoral malpractice, stand out as particularly effective at advancing this strategy. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Advanced undergraduates through faculty. —J. J. Aguayo, York College of Pennsylvania

This book is well written and has an in-depth discussion of the philosophical and moral implications of AI robots. —J. M. King, emeritus, The University of Georgia

Gunkel, David J. Person, thing, robot: a moral and legal ontology for the 21st century and beyond. MIT, 2023. 246p bibl index ISBN 9780262546157, $45.00; ISBN 9780262375238 ebook, contact publisher for price.

“Are robots just things? Can they be persons?” (p. 178). Gunkel (communication, Northern Illinois Univ.) provides an in-depth analysis of the wide-ranging discussions of whether artificial intelligence–driven robots will ever attain the moral and legal status and rights of humans. He leaves the reader hanging, advocating for neither the legal nor the moral status of robots but stating that “getting this right will require nothing less than a thorough rethinking of everything [one] thought was right, natural, and beyond question” (p. x). AI and robots will become increasingly sophisticated and will control more of everyday life. However, the future implications are indeterminate and, as Gunkel states, will be both “terrifying and exhilarating” (p. x). This book is well written and has an in-depth discussion of the philosophical and moral implications of AI robots. It would be excellent for students of computer science, robotic engineering, and even courses in philosophy. Extended notes, references, and index sections add to the book’s usefulness. The references section, in particular, will benefit students looking for more information on current discussions on AI and robots, and faculty will find a good addition to other classroom resources. Summing Up: Essential. All readers. —J. M. King, emeritus, The University of Georgia

Using extensive interviews and critical analysis, the book gives readers a behind-the-scenes look at the labor of influencers, the agencies and analytics businesses that work with them, and the regulatory environment that is often a step behind. —S. Pepper, Northeastern Illinois University

Hund, Emily. The influencer industry: the quest for authenticity on social media. Princeton, 2023. 232p bibl index ISBN 9780691231020, $29.95; ISBN 9780691234076 ebook, $29.95.

Over the past 15 years, an entire industry has been built around influencers and content creators. This book by Hund (Annenberg School for Communication, Univ. of Pennsylvania) provides a much-needed history and analysis of this cultural and economic shift. Covering fashion bloggers to lifestyle influencers on Instagram, the book traces how the 2008 recession pushed many young people to social media outlets to establish a platform, amass followers, demonstrate their authenticity, and build their own brands. This moment was the nexus of technological, industrial, economic, and cultural change with advertisers and retail brands pursuing new strategies in an environment that worked quite differently than traditional legacy media. Using extensive interviews and critical analysis, the book gives readers a behind-the-scenes look at the labor of influencers, the agencies and analytics businesses that work with them, and the regulatory environment that is often a step behind. While the book primarily limits its focus to fashion and lifestyle influencers on Instagram and blogs, the lessons learned here can translate into further research quite well. General readers interested in the topic will find this engaging read, and scholars will surely consider this a cornerstone work to draw upon in the future. Summing Up: Highly recommended. General readers through faculty; professionals. —S. Pepper, Northeastern Illinois University

Many books focus on Route 66 myths; Milowski’s study demonstrates the conditions that produced them, reveals their inaccuracies, and documents the extent to which racism underlay life in these communities. —J. Borchert, emeritus, Cleveland State University

Milowski, Daniel. Route 66 and the formation of a national cultural icon: mother road to mythic American byway. Lexington Books, 2024. 282p bibl index ISBN 9781666922196, $110.00; ISBN 9781666922202 ebook, $45.00.

Completed in 1938, Route 66 ran from Chicago to Los Angeles. It was decommissioned in 1985, replaced by I-40. It quickly reemerged as the mythic representation of a “better but lost authentic America,” symbolic of the supposedly idyllic 1950s (p. 218). Through a detailed case study of five communities in northwest Arizona, Milowski (Arizona State Univ.) traces the development and de-development history leading to this myth’s emergence. The Atlantic and Pacific Railroad (later the Santa Fe) laid out five communities—Williams, Ash Fork, Seligman, Peach Springs, and Kingman—in 1882 to provide infrastructure for steam and later diesel railroads. The Federal Aid Highway Act (1921) created Route 66, which followed the rail line; automobiles, roads, and auto-supported businesses supplemented the towns’ economic bases. Following WW II the railroad line and the new I-40 bypassed the towns, producing a crisis that led residents to develop the myth as a means of economic survival through tourism. Many books focus on Route 66 myths; Milowski’s study demonstrates the conditions that produced them, reveals their inaccuracies, and documents the extent to which racism underlay life in these communities. Well researched and written, this excellent study has considerable import for American history and related fields. Summing Up: Highly recommended. General readers through faculty. —J. Borchert, emeritus, Cleveland State University

The resolution of these competing legal, historical, and humanitarian interests will limit and decide the meaning of justice for all in the nation. —L. D. Woods, Tennessee State University

Roe v. Dobbs: the past, present, and future of a constitutional right to abortion, ed. by Lee C. Bollinger and Geoffrey R. Stone. Oxford, 2024. 504p bibl index ISBN 9780197760352, $99.00; ISBN 9780197760369 pbk, $27.95; ISBN 9780197760390 ebook, contact publisher for price.

This thorough and footnote-laden book soundly refutes the recent political canard that “all legal scholars, both sides” wanted Roe v. Wade ended. The leading constitutional law scholars in the nation wrote the 20 articles collected in this volume, and their well-supported conclusion (from diverse points of view) is that Roe v. Wade accurately reflected the right to privacy and the right to equal protection inherent in the Constitution and in American values. Only one author dissents and defends Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which overruled Roe in 2022. The authors detail the legal analysis of the history of the right to and practice of abortion (both legal and illegal). They place it in the context of the Supreme Court’s ongoing battle between justices who espouse states’ rights, textualism, or originalism (generally viewed as the conservatives) and justices who support national interests or evolving standards (generally viewed as the liberals). The resolution of these competing legal, historical, and humanitarian interests will limit and decide the meaning of justice for all in the nation. Summing Up: Highly recommended. General readers through faculty; professionals. —L. D. Woods, Tennessee State University

Lavishly illustrated, the book is enhanced by notes, a list of plates, and a selected bibliography. An excellent resource for a variety of disciplines, including history, political science, and American studies as well as art. —C. McCutcheon, University of South Carolina Upstate

Rudnick, Allison. Art for the millions: American culture and politics in the 1930s, by Allison Rudnick with contributions by Kirsten Pai Buick, Max Fraser, and Rachel Mustalish. Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2023. 208p bibl index ISBN 9781588397690, $50.00.

The catalogue for a2023 exhibition of the same name at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, this book explores the artistic responses to the Great Depression and the tumultuous 1930s. Established in 1935, the Works Progress Administration (WPA) was a New Deal program that put millions of unemployed Americans, including musicians, writers, and artists, to work. The WPA, notes Rudnick, “aimed to make and distribute ‘art for the millions’ in order to engineer a more cultured, educated, and refined citizenry” (p. 13). The catalogue includes four insightful interpretive essays, written by Rudnick and her fellow contributors, and features some 100 works from the Metropolitan collection and several lenders. Rudnick states that whereas “American visual culture has always been suffused with ideology, cultural production in the 1930s is notable for representing an exceptional range of political messaging” (p. 13). Included are works in various media—drawings, paintings, photographs, postcards, posters, prints, sculptures, and textiles. The catalogue showcases the era’s less-known women artists (Doris Lee, Alice Neel) and artists of color (Robert Blackburn, Dox Thrash). Lavishly illustrated, the book is enhanced by notes, a list of plates, and a selected bibliography. An excellent resource for a variety of disciplines, including history, political science, and American studies as well as art. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Lower-division undergraduates through faculty; professionals; general readers. —C. McCutcheon, University of South Carolina Upstate

By exploring the public heritage sites of enslaved people from Virginia to Texas, she challenges historical narratives that have erased the process of homemaking among enslaved people. —F. H. Smith, North Carolina A & T State University

Stewart, Whitney Nell. This is our home: slavery and struggle on southern plantations. North Carolina, 2023. 296p bibl index ISBN 9781469675671, $99.00; ISBN 9781469675688 pbk, $29.95.

Home is an abstract yet powerful concept. This book creatively wrestles with what home meant for enslaved people in the American South. It is a critique of public history and the public interpretation of slavery which seeks to center enslaved people’s living spaces beyond the daily routine of labor exploitation. Drawing on documentary sources and archaeological evidence from public heritage sites, Stewart (Univ. of Texas, Dallas) examines how enslaved people made domestic spaces that materially and ideologically fostered hope, stability, community, and security under the coercive structure of slavery. By exploring the public heritage sites of enslaved people from Virginia to Texas, she challenges historical narratives that have erased the process of homemaking among enslaved people. These case studies allow Stewart to bridge temporal and geographic distances and identify common homemaking strategies. For example, in Virginia Stewart uses evidence from James Madison’s Montpelier Plantation to show how enslaved people took control of the landscape to create spaces for living distinct from spaces for labor. At Chatham Plantation in Alabama, Stewart examines ancestral rootedness through enslaved burial grounds. This is a must-read volume for public historians of the African diaspora. Summing Up: Essential. General readers through faculty; professionals. —F. H. Smith, North Carolina A & T State University

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