Editors’ Picks for October 2025

10 reviews handpicked from the latest issue of Choice—American capitalism, the "AI Augmented Leader," Dylan Thomas, Star Trek, urban preppers, and more.

Posted on October 9, 2025 in Editors' Picks

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Particularly fascinating are explanations of how scholars were sometimes able to document and reconstruct what was lost through earlier transcriptions, registers, drawings, and photographs.

—R. T. Ingoglia, St. Thomas Aquinas College

Bartlett, Robert. History in flames: the destruction and survival of medieval manuscripts. Cambridge, 2024. 242p bibl index ISBN 9781009457156, $24.95; ISBN 9781009457163 ebook, $24.95.

Although the history of the destruction of the medieval Western textual record is bleak, this book by Bartlett (emer., Univ. of St Andrews, UK) will enlighten readers from generalists to specialists. The first half of the book provides an overview of the surfaces used for writing (papyrus, parchment, or paper) as well as their form (scroll or codex). This segues nicely into a discussion of scribes, places of production, storage locations, and approximations of how many manuscripts were produced and lost over the centuries. Clearly, the survival of texts was always subject to accidents, insects, natural disasters, and intentional destruction—York in 1190, for example, witnessed the burning of debt records during peasant rioting. The second half of the book provides five case studies of the modern spoliation of medieval texts and maps. This destruction was often unintentional, such as the bombardment of Strasbourg during the Franco-Prussian War in August 1870, or the RAF carpet bombing of Hanover in October 1943. However, the Nazi burning of the State Archives of Naples in September 1943 was purposeful. Particularly fascinating are explanations of how scholars were sometimes able to document and reconstruct what was lost through earlier transcriptions, registers, drawings, and photographs. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Advanced undergraduates through faculty. —R. T. Ingoglia, St. Thomas Aquinas College

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The book shines when describing the widening gulf between the government and citizens in the US, painfully evident since COVID-19.

—R. P. Lorenzo, Prairie View A&M University

Bounds, Anna Maria. Urban preppers and the pandemic in New York City: class, resilience and sheltering in place. Routledge, 2024 (c2025). 162p bibl index ISBN 9781032509426, $190.00; ISBN 9781032509440 pbk, $52.99; ISBN 9781003400356 ebook, contact publisher for price.

The word pandemic, which derives from pan, meaning “all,” and demos, meaning “people,” denotes a condition that affects all of society. However, as Bounds (Queens College, CUNY) demonstrates, the COVID-19 pandemic affected New Yorkers differently depending on class and geography. Wealthy families retreated to secondary homes in the Hamptons or elsewhere. Even within the city, the privilege of working remotely was distributed differently by gender, race, and ethnicity. Bounds takes readers through her experience of the pandemic by focusing on a group marginalized in society: preppers. Stereotyped by others as paranoid isolationists, preppers, as Bounds describes them, are individuals and families who are “preparing for tomorrow” and honing normal skills found in scouting, camping, or overlanding: cooking with fire, building shelters, navigating terrain. Bounds details the social networks of skilled individuals who shared knowledge and supplies with their neighbors, a far cry from the stereotype of them. The book shines when describing the widening gulf between the government and citizens in the US, painfully evident since COVID-19. Five years after COVID’s onset, Bounds leaves readers with an unsettling picture of society with a disengaged government and an angry, bewildered citizenry. Summing Up: Highly recommended. General readers through faculty; professionals. —R. P. Lorenzo, Prairie View A&M University

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…their study helps fill a gap and satisfy a need for a biography that pays critically informed attention to Thomas’s ambiguous, complex writing and its contexts within the narrative of his life.

—J. S. Baggett, Lander University

Goodby, John. Dylan Thomas, by John Goodby and Chris Wigginton. Reaktion Books, 2024. 270p bibl index ISBN 9781789149326, $20.89; ISBN 9781789149692 ebook, contact publisher for price.

Many view Dylan Thomas’s writing through the lens of the legend of a dissolute poet with a spectacular, premature demise. Unfortunately, this caricatured image has shaped which of his works are read, namely, a small number of texts written during his last decade. Two leading authorities on Thomas, Goodby and Wigginton (both, Sheffield Hallam Univ., England), provide a concise critical biography that incorporates the most recent research and challenges this legend, revealing a diligent, professional writer. In a collection of essays 20 years ago, Goodby and Wigginton helped initiate this process of challenging the popular view of Thomas. In this biography, they present a fresh account of Thomas’s life in light of a new understanding and fresh discoveries of Thomas’s lyric poetry, short stories, film scripts, and letters, ranging from experimental to more mainstream styles. In setting his work in its historical, cultural, and social contexts, their study helps fill a gap and satisfy a need for a biography that pays critically informed attention to Thomas’s ambiguous, complex writing and its contexts within the narrative of his life. Summing Up: Highly recommended. General readers through faculty. —J. S. Baggett, Lander University

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Gramm and Boudreaux successfully debunk seven widely held myths of American capitalism.

—R. M. Whaples, Wake Forest University

Gramm, Phil. The triumph of economic freedom: debunking the seven great myths of American capitalism, by Phil Gramm and Donald J. Boudreaux. Rowman & Littlefield, 2025. 280p bibl index ISBN 9798881808365, $29.95; ISBN 9798881808372 ebook, contact publisher for price.

Gramm (American Enterprise Institute) and Boudreaux (George Mason Univ.) successfully debunk seven widely held myths of American capitalism. Their debunking draws on a wide range of academic studies, strongly supported by the most accurate data. The seven myths are that (1) the British and American industrial revolutions impoverished the working class (no serious academic familiar with rudimentary statistics from the period could hold this view); (2) monopolies relentlessly gouged consumers during the “Gilded Age” (instead, the relative prices they charged fell); (3) the Great Depression was caused by greed and inherent flaws in capitalism (the consensus among economic historians primarily blames rules against banking competition and errors by the Fed); (4) trade has “hollowed out” American manufacturing (most of the decline in manufacturing employment is due to increased productivity in this vibrant sector); (5) deregulation caused the 2008 financial crisis (there was no real deregulation, and flawed mandates to push mortgage loans to people with poor credit records deserves the blame); (6) and (7) American income inequality is at an all-time high, and poverty rates have barely budged for half a century (these conclusions largely rest on omitting the impact of taxes and vast transfers to poorer households). Summing Up: Highly recommended. All readership levels. —R. M. Whaples, Wake Forest University

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…contributes significantly to ongoing conversations about fandom, nostalgia, and the future of serialized storytelling.

—A. Sheppard, Arkansas State University

Kotsko, Adam. Late Star Trek: the final frontier in the franchise era. Minnesota, 2025. 256p bibl index ISBN 9781517919108, $92.00; ISBN 9781517919108 pbk, $22.49; ISBN 9781452972879 ebook, contact publisher for price.

In Late Star Trek, Kotsko (North Central College) offers a compelling analysis of Star Trek’s transformation in the age of reboots, branding, and corporate franchising. Framing “late Star Trek” as a cultural product shaped by post-network economics and established legacies, Kotsko argues that the franchise now functions less as speculative storytelling and more as nostalgic branding and intellectual property management. Through a detailed, chronological review—starting with Enterprise and ending with Prodigy—Kotsko explores how contemporary Star Trek simultaneously critiques and participates in its own commodification. The book’s interdisciplinary approach sheds light on how late-stage franchise television negotiates memory, ideology, and identity. Kotsko’s analysis is both critical and measured, acknowledging the Kelvin Timeline films, the novels, moments of innovation, and the heightened focus on terrorism in post-9/11 stories. With extensive notes and two helpful appendixes, this study will appeal to scholars, Star Trek fans interested in cultural critique, and readers exploring the tension between artistic integrity and media economics. Late Star Trek contributes significantly to ongoing conversations about fandom, nostalgia, and the future of serialized storytelling. Highly recommended for filling gaps left by other scholarly works. Summing Up: Highly recommended. General readers through faculty; professionals. —A. Sheppard, Arkansas State University

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Overall, this is an excellent study for students and scholars working within the field of contemporary Continental philosophy.

—D. W. Rothermel, emeritus, California State University, Chico

Lee, Alex Taek-Gwang. Communism after Deleuze. Bloomsbury, 2025. 232p bibl index ISBN 9781350474031, $115.00; ISBN 9781350474048 ebook, contact publisher for price.

The aim of this excellent study of Deleuzean political thought is to explicate a “minor Red Deleuze” uniquely situated within the legacy of the French left movement and philosophy (p. 1). Lee (cultural studies, Kyung Hee Univ., South Korea) draws from the entirety of the Deleuzean corpus, including texts coauthored with Felix Guattari, such as Anti-Oedipus (1972) and A Thousand Plateaus (1980). What makes Deleuze unique is his focus on transcendental minor political and cultural events, which entails a different “use of theory as a toolbox,” engendering a radical analysis of neoliberalism and an experimental conceptualization of communism. The text responds to those who see politics as having no place in Deleuzean thought. Chapters cover such topics as structuralism, psychoanalysis, theory of the state, and Marxism. Overall, this is an excellent study for students and scholars working within the field of contemporary Continental philosophy. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Lower-division undergraduates through faculty. —D. W. Rothermel, emeritus, California State University, Chico

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An important addition for all libraries with collections on religion and contemporary ethical issues.

—J. H. Sniegocki, Xavier University

The Moral vision of Pope Francis: expanding the US reception of the first Jesuit pope, ed. by Conor M. Kelly and Kristin E. Heyer. Georgetown University, 2024. 270p bibl index ISBN 9781647124557, $104.95; ISBN 9781647124564 pbk, $34.95; ISBN 9781647124571 ebook, contact publisher for price.

This collection of essays from editors Kelly (Marquette Univ.) and Heyer (Boston College) explores the moral teachings of Pope Francis, with particular attention to these teachings’ implications for the US. Contributors emphasize Pope Francis’s concern for the poor and the marginalized, his stress on mercy, and his deep pastoral sensitivity. The book begins with several essays that examine the foundations of Francis’s moral vision, such as its rootedness in a Gospel-based “preferential option for the poor” and in Jesuit commitments to spiritual practice, discernment, and social justice, followed by essays that explore the application of this moral vision to topics such as immigration, racial justice, LGBTQ+ issues, feminism and gender, bioethics, war/nonviolence, and ecology (p. 24). Chapters highlight reasons for resistance to Francis’s moral vision in the US, such as dominant worldviews shaped by individualism, consumerism, capitalism, and the acceptance of violence. This excellent collection will be of great value to anyone wishing to engage deeply with Pope Francis’s understandings of the Gospel and the world. An important addition for all libraries with collections on religion and contemporary ethical issues. Summing Up: Highly recommended. General readers through faculty; professionals. —J. H. Sniegocki, Xavier University

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Other books on this topic don’t have a primary focus on human-centered leadership. Focusing on human qualities rather than technology makes AI relatable to individual leadership experiences.

—S. W. Pritting, Empire State University

More human: how the power of AI can transform the way you lead, by Rasmus Hougaard et al. Harvard Business Review Press, 2025. 176p bibl index ISBN 9798892790628, $32.00; ISBN 9798892790635 ebook, contact publisher for price.

This concise yet impactful book by Hougaard and Carter, both from the leadership development firm Potential Project, offers an accessible guide for humanistic leadership using AI. The core concept is the “AI Augmented Leader,” who utilizes technology not merely to increase productivity but to enhance human connection. The AI Augmented Leader is explored through an analysis of three essential human qualities: awareness, wisdom, and compassion. Each quality has a dedicated chapter, while the rest cover AI Augmented Leadership more generally. Although each chapter is intended to stand alone, the occasional repetition of concepts does not disrupt the flow of the book. Chapters present elements of the AI Augmented Leader or a “Human Quality,” followed by research summaries, vignettes, or excerpts from executive interviews, concluding with examples and advice about how AI can make leadership “more human.” The book deliberately avoids deep dives into specific AI tools, acknowledging that rapid technological advancement could quickly outdate examples. Other books on this topic don’t have a primary focus on human-centered leadership. Focusing on human qualities rather than technology makes AI relatable to individual leadership experiences. The humanistic focus of the book makes it suitable for leadership courses or professional development programs. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All readership levels. —S. W. Pritting, Empire State University

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Logically presented and well sourced with numerous citations from leading policy journals, the book is valuable for both undergraduates being introduced to strategic studies and graduate students sharpening their analytical skills…

—C. W. Sherrill, Troy University

Popescu, Ionut. No peer rivals: American grand strategy in the era of great power competition. Michigan, 2025. 244p bibl index ISBN 9780472077397, $70.00; ISBN 9780472057399 pbk, $29.95; ISBN 9780472904990 ebook, contact publisher for price.

In this timely book, Popescu (Texas State Univ.) provides a prescription for US grand strategy based on the scholastic theory of offensive realism. Although not expressly tied to the Trump administration, Popescu’s framework offers a coherent strategic rationale for several of the administration’s key foreign policies, including prioritizing the threat from China, downgrading the defense of Ukraine, abandoning the promotion of liberal ideology abroad, and adopting a nationalist economic approach. Popescu begins by outlining four alternative perspectives on international affairs, two founded on ideological ideas (liberal and conservative internationalism) and two centered on balance of power principles (offensive and defensive realism). He describes the core logic and assumptions of each perspective before arguing in favor of an offensive realist strategy that establishes the prevention of the rise of a regional hegemon anywhere else in the world as the primary US foreign policy goal. Logically presented and well sourced with numerous citations from leading policy journals, the book is valuable for both undergraduates being introduced to strategic studies and graduate students sharpening their analytical skills, irrespective of the reader’s agreement with the policies this book offers. Summing Up: Highly recommended. General readers through faculty; professionals. —C. W. Sherrill, Troy University

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Rivera-Rideau’s work is novel, entertaining, and well-researched scholarship shedding light on some of the more hidden mechanisms of racial and ethnic exclusion in the US.

—M. Gasparotto, University of Chicago Libraries

Rivera-Rideau, Petra R. Fitness fiesta!: selling Latinx culture through Zumba. Duke, 2024. 240p bibl index ISBN 9781478026570, $102.95; ISBN 9781478030812 pbk, $26.95; ISBN 9781478059806 ebook, contact publisher for price.

In Fitness Fiesta!, Rivera-Rideau (Wellesley College) chronicles the rise and reach of a wildly popular fitness empire full of contradictions. Through a careful examination of marketing materials, exercise videos, video games, participation in classes, and interviews with instructors and students, she argues that although it may initially be seen as advancing a positive perception of Latinx culture, Zumba ultimately reproduces stereotypes of Latinx people and cultures as fun, sexy, and musical while packaging this identity into a sellable product. That product traffics in ideologies of authenticity, ability, citizenship, and racialized otherness against a backdrop of immigrant scares in the US. Rivera-Rideau argues that Zumba’s contradictions lie in its promotion of unity and inclusion while underscoring a certain acceptable and nonthreatening vision of Latinness, thus creating the illusion of equality while reinforcing Latinx exclusion. The tropes advanced by these classes have important consequences because Zumba may be many participants’ first exposure to Latinx culture. On the surface, participants may view themselves as participating in inclusive cultural activities while doing nothing to dismantle systemic racism. Rivera-Rideau’s work is novel, entertaining, and well-researched scholarship shedding light on some of the more hidden mechanisms of racial and ethnic exclusion in the US. Summing Up: Highly recommended. General readers through faculty; professionals. —M. Gasparotto, University of Chicago Libraries

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