Editors’ Picks for June 2025

9 reviews handpicked from the latest issue of Choice.

Posted on June 12, 2025 in Editors' Picks

Steven Belleto’s collection is an indispensable contribution to the ever-growing field of Beat studies and a useful addition to American studies in general.

—B. Almon, emeritus, University of Alberta

The Cambridge companion to Jack Kerouac, ed. by Steven Belletto. Cambridge, 2024. 322p bibl index ISBN 9781009423601, $90.00; ISBN 9781009423564 pbk, $24.99; ISBN 9781009423588 ebook, contact publisher for price.

This excellent critical collection, edited by Belletto (Lafayette College), focuses on the novels in Kerouac’s Duluoz Legend cycle, but it also incudes articles on topics like Blackness, literary techniques, Buddhism, the presentation of women, the American milieu, global culture, Kerouac’s archive, and the role of memory in the ouevre. The chapter on poetry is disappointingly superficial, but the discussions of prose technique by Nancy M. Grace, Tim Hunt, and George Mouratidis are excellent. The book begins with a full chronology of Kerouac’s life and work. Steven Watson’s “Sociogram,” a visual chart of Kerouac’s personal and literary relationships, is a good visual aid. The essays are well documented and the list of works for further reading is helpful, as is the very thorough index. Steven Belleto’s collection is an indispensable contribution to the ever-growing field of Beat studies and a useful addition to American studies in general. Summing Up: Highly recommended. General readers through faculty. –B. Almon, emeritus, University of Alberta

Chernykh has presented the discipline with an extraordinarily useful road map for future party-level research on election rejection.

—J. C. Hickman, Berry College

Chernykh, Svitlana. The dilemma of compliance: political parties and post-election disputes. Michigan, 2024. 200p bibl index ISBN 9780472076086, $75.00; ISBN 9780472056088 pbk, $29.95; ISBN 9780472903429 ebook, open access.

As Chernykh (Australian National Univ.) notes, democracy depends on the willingness of political parties to accept losing elections. This exceptional work reports the interesting results of an empirical investigation of election outcome rejection in postcommunist Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. Among the important findings are that parties have resorted to rejection with increasing frequency over time, that extralegal rejection is deployed more frequently than legal rejection, that socialist and nationalist parties are more likely to deploy rejection, and that, although rejection might mobilize electorates in future elections, the rejecting party is unlikely to benefit in future elections. The narrative is enlivened by examples illustrating major points. Beyond the value of its reported empirical results, the virtue of this book is its painstaking definitions of concepts and operationalizations of variables, crucial for comparable analyses of the phenomenon in other regions to determine whether the results in this study are generalizable. Chernykh has presented the discipline with an extraordinarily useful road map for future party-level research on election rejection. The Dilemma of Compliance merits assignment in graduate methodology courses. Summing Up: Essential. Advanced undergraduates through faculty; professionals. —J. C. Hickman, Berry College

The book is a valuable intervention in the rapidly expanding historical literature on the history of AI and also a useful and readable resource for students and scholars at all levels who want to know more about the historical roots of fraught contemporary discourses around intelligence, artificial or otherwise.

—J. D. Martin, Durham University

Donnelly, Kevin Padraic. The descent of artificial intelligence: scenes from the deep history of a field 400 years in the making. Pittsburgh, 2024. 384p bibl index ISBN 9780822947967, $45.00.

Artificial intelligence (AI)—the buzzword of the current historical moment and the epitome of cutting-edge technology—is, in fact, just the latest expression of very old ways of thinking about intelligence, technology, and science. So argues Donnelly (history, Alvernia Univ.) in this timely and readable book. He makes an invaluable contribution by placing current AI hype within a deep historical context, showing how it results from a chain of thinking dating back to the Enlightenment. Moreover, he argues provocatively that much of that thinking was, in fact, bad. Donnelly suggests that AI contains all the vices of previous attempts to simplify complex human thought and behavior to levels that can be studied with rigid methods borrowed from the natural sciences. This argument is sharply critical of both AI and the social sciences but is based on deep, careful, and stylishly reported research. The book is a valuable intervention in the rapidly expanding historical literature on the history of AI and also a useful and readable resource for students and scholars at all levels who want to know more about the historical roots of fraught contemporary discourses around intelligence, artificial or otherwise. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Undergraduates through faculty; professionals. —J. D. Martin, Durham University

With expressive writing and hard-earned field experience and data, this work investigates not only how this state of affairs has developed (looking in detail at Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria) but also at the more important ‘problem area’ innate to the endeavor.

—M. D. Crosston, Bowie State University

Gaston, Erica L. Illusions of control: dilemmas in managing U.S. proxy forces in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria. Columbia, 2024. 424p bibl index ISBN 9780231210126, $140.00; ISBN 9780231210133 pbk, $35.00; ISBN 9780231558280 ebook, contact publisher for price.

This wonderfully written book asks an incredibly important question that does not get enough academic, diplomatic, and military scrutiny: Is it possible to regulate irregular forces? This starting point, from an author who has spent time in the field embedded with the relevant actors involved in this delicate and extremely complex process, could very well be the entirety of future conflict in international relations. So many modern wars today—at least the ones fought by the great world powers and contenders to hegemony—are organized, constructed, and ultimately executed in de facto proxy formats. The West prefers to avoid scrutiny of its own activities in this format. With expressive writing and hard-earned field experience and data, this work investigates not only how this state of affairs has developed (looking in detail at Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria) but also at the more important “problem area” innate to the endeavor. Namely, are we really successful in keeping checks and balances and accountability on informal groups conducting formal war maneuvers in our name? As one might expect, the results are uneven. Investigating why and wondering how to improve it makes this work essential. Summing Up: Essential. General readers through faculty; professionals. —M. D. Crosston, Bowie State University

Additionally, the author excites the readers’ curiosity by diving into early transportation pathways before modernized highway systems, and the act of traveling long distances, that we may take for granted today.

—J. T. Pekarek, Indiana University Northwest

Henry, Jr, Lyell D. Trekking across America: an up-close look at a once-popular pastime. Iowa, 2024. 259p bibl index ISBN 9781609389796 pbk, $29.95; ISBN 9781609389802 ebook, contact publisher for price.

Trekking Across America is a rare gem that satisfies the readers curiosity to understand unique social experiences of the past. Trekking seemingly attracted participants from around the globe, but Henry focuses his attention on North American history more than one-hundred years ago when this phenomenon was increasing in popularity. Henry produces a simple but insightful investigation into the world of trekking and the participants behind this adventure. Henry’s research attempts to understand the essential question of, why trek? Henry follows the lives of several trekkers, whose diverse personal narratives share motivations, including fame, fortune, and other tall tales. Many trekkers travelled on foot, but also sought other intriguing modes of transportation including bicycles, skates, and early vehicles. Relying on visuals from postcard collections and newspaper articles, Henry shares an important part of our nation’s history; providing insight to shared social experiences. Additionally, the author excites the readers’ curiosity by diving into early transportation pathways before modernized highway systems, and the act of traveling long distances, that we may take for granted today. This book is highly recommended for all readers, but highly encouraged to those especially interested in leisure history, sports history, or social history. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All readers. —J. T. Pekarek, Indiana University Northwest

On top of this epic story, he layers the history of scientific understanding of species: the term’s definition, the relationship between modern and extinct species, and the types of evidence for identifying and studying species.

—M. Herr, University of Arkansas

Hipp, Andrew. Oak origins: from acorns to species and the tree of life. Chicago, 2024. 288p bibl index ISBN 9780226823577, $35.00; ISBN 9780226823584 ebook, contact publisher for price.

Today, there are approximately 425 living species of oaks. Hipp (Univ. of Chicago), the herbarium director at Morton Arboretum, explains how these species evolved as their distant ancestors gradually dispersed across the continents and adapted to diverse ecosystems. On top of this epic story, he layers the history of scientific understanding of species: the term’s definition, the relationship between modern and extinct species, and the types of evidence for identifying and studying species. An expert in plant systematics, Hipp devotes the first three chapters to the puzzle of how a species can remain distinct with so much variation within and across populations and given that variation is the very mechanism that gives rise to new species. He then steps back to review the evolution of oaks since the advent of flowering plants and emphasizes the ways in which climatic change and geographical dispersion shaped species. After a chapter covering recent research on oaks’ genetics, Hipp returns to the puzzle of variation to investigate why closely related species often coexist in the same forests. In the epilogue, he calls for action to protect oak trees and offers hope that many species will persist despite current environmental threats. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Advanced undergraduates through faculty. —M. Herr, University of Arkansas

The intuitive interface and advanced search features further enhance the user experience, making LitBase a valuable resource in the field of literature.

—C. Tooulias-Santolin, University of Toronto Libraries

LitBase. EBSCO, 2025. contact publisher for price.
https://www.ebsco.com/products/research-databases/litbase

LitBase, an EBSCO product, is a robust database of world literature encompassing primary and secondary sources in poetry, fiction, plays, authors, and creative nonfiction. Unlike other databases that primarily cover classic works, LitBase includes contemporary works by diverse authors. It integrates with the MLA International Biography, enhancing the research experience by providing extensive scholarly journal coverage with minimal overlap. According to the EBSCO website, LitBase features 600 full-text journals, 32,000 literary criticisms, more than 12,800 author interviews, and 11,300 biographies. Pricing for academic institutions is based on a variety of factors including but not limited to FTE, existing EBSCO databases, consortium agreements and/or buying groups. It is best to contact EBSCO for a customized quotation for your specific library. Pricing is subject to change based on royalty requirements, etc. LitBase offers a new, easy-to-use EBSCO interface. Upon logging in, users will find several limiters under the search bar. On the left, the “My Dashboard” section allows users to create projects, save records or searches, check recent activity, and set up alerts. The advanced search feature includes multiple rows for keyword input, supporting Boolean operators and field-specific searches. Users can add or remove rows as needed. Advanced search options include filters for full text and peer-reviewed content, proximity search, and specific publication search. Additionally, the embedded Literature Thesaurus helps users identify relevant keywords. Below the search bar, users can access popular genres and reference sources such as Oxford World’s Classics, teaching guides, Cambridge Companions, and The Paris Review. The database also offers an “Explore Subjects” section, guiding users to sources covering all cultures and societies. Search results are displayed by relevance by default, but users can opt to view the newest or oldest records first. After performing a search, users can create alerts for new materials or save the search to their dashboard. Records are displayed with the title, author, source, a brief description, and assigned subjects. Multiple access options for online copies are provided if available. In summary, LitBase is a comprehensive and user-friendly database that offers a wealth of resources for researchers and students of world literature. Its integration with MLA International Biography, extensive collection of journals, literary criticisms, author interviews, and biographies make it an invaluable tool for in-depth literary research. The intuitive interface and advanced search features further enhance the user experience, making LitBase a valuable resource in the field of literature. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All readers. —C. Tooulias-Santolin, University of Toronto Libraries

Pearse duly devotes a long entry to this satirical masterpiece.

—G. Divay, formerly, University of Manitoba

Pierse, Síofra. Voltaire: a reference guide to his life and works. Rowman & Littlefield, 2024. 258p bibl index ISBN 9781538141762, $135.00; ISBN 9781538141779 ebook, contact publisher for price.

With this attractive book, Pearse (Univ. College Dublin, Ireland) has delivered a major contribution to the publisher’s “Significant Figures in World History” series. She presents the prolific French Enlightenment philosopher Voltaire (1694–1778), drawing on a wealth of documentation for the modern reader. Relying on the University of Oxford’s Voltaire Foundation and its critical edition, Œuvres complètes de Voiltaire (which includes 205 volumes), her introduction provides an overview of Voltaire’s long life and career. Due to his outspoken criticism of social conditions, injustice, and intolerance, he was imprisoned several times and forced into exile. He spent 1726–28 in England and 1750–53 in Prussia at Frederick the Great’s court. A detailed chronology precedes the introduction, and an A-Z dictionary follows it. Voltaire’s most famous work, Candide, ou L’Optimisme (1759), an attack on Leibniz’ 1710 Théodicée, deals with God’s inclusion of evil in his creation. Pearse duly devotes a long entry to this satirical masterpiece. In the novel, Candide’s tutor argues along Leibniz’ lines that despite experiencing many natural and man-made disasters, our planet is still the “best of all possible worlds.” This monograph includes an intricate bibliography and a brief but adequate index. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All readers. —G. Divay, formerly, University of Manitoba

This enriching book features visually stunning, lush color images to highlight topics.

—A. Reichert, Otterbein University

Salon culture in Japan: making art, 1750–1900, ed. by Akiko Yano. Washington/The British Museum, 2024. 256p bibl index ISBN 9780295753492, $45.00.

It is fitting that this book is a collaborative publication that expands on the museum show, “City Life and Salon Culture in Kyoto and Osaka,” held at the British Museum from April 2024 to March 2025. This thoughtful, well-designed book printed on high quality paper includes a nice glossary, moderate endnotes, and a select bibliography in Japanese and English. It also includes a few short vignettes written by different authors, which are set off by different color paper to highlight specific elements of salon culture, such as the use of pen names. This is a scholarly work looking at a particular aspect of Japanese artistic culture, but it remains quite approachable, and the essays nicely define terms discussed. For example, the term “salon” is defined as a collaboration of professionals and amateurs to create individual and collective work. The essays clearly explain how these collaborations operated and their topical interests, such as painting everyday life, nature, or fan culture. Primarily, the artistic realms of salon culture were painting, calligraphy, and poetry. This enriching book features visually stunning, lush color images to highlight topics. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Undergraduates through faculty; professionals. —A. Reichert, Otterbein University

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