BOOKSHELF
Lafayette
by Harlow Giles Unger ’46. This detailed biography
of the French hero who helped to secure victory in the American
Revolution gives a full account of Lafayette’s role as a politician,
soldier and fighter for liberty, making the case that his place
in history deserves greater notice (Wiley, $30).
Hemingway in His Own Country
by Robert E. Gajdusek ’50. This collection of essays
by the noted Hemingway scholar cuts through the myths surrounding
the life of the great American writer and examines his intellectual
development in the 1920s and the complexities found in his texts
(University of Notre Dame Press, $32).
The Rabbi as Symbolic Exemplar: By the Power Vested in Me
by Rabbi Jack H. Blook Ph.D. ’54. In detailing the
symbolic role of the rabbi, this book explores the creation of symbolic
exemplarhood, its pitfalls and how rabbinical authority can be used
effectively (The Haworth Press, Inc., $29.95).
 No
Star Too Beautiful: An Anthology of Yiddish Stories From 1382 to
the Present
edited and translated by Joachim Neugroschel ’58.
Featuring 80 Yiddish works, 65 of which have never been translated
into English, this anthology traverses the Jewish literary tradition
from medieval Biblical stories to the political literature of the
20th century (W.W. Norton & Co., Inc., $39.95).
The 13 Best Horror Stories of All Time
edited by Leslie Pockell ’64. A compilation of popular
horror stories that range across a century including Edgar Allen
Poe’s The Tell-Tale Heart and Bram Stoker’s
Dracula’s Guest (Warner Books, $13.95).
The 100 Best Love Poems of All Time
edited by Leslie Pockell ’64. A portable companion
with easy access to love poetry from greats such as William Shakespeare
and Lord Byron to surprising poems by Gertrude Stein and Donald
Hall (Warner Books, $11.95).
The 100 Best Poems of All Time
by Leslie Pockell ’64. Presenting 100 poets —
and no more than one work each — this portable volume, from
haikus to free verse, packs a wide variety of expressions in all
cultural and lyric forms (Warner Books, $11.95).
A New Deal for New York
by Mike Wallace ’64. The Pulitzer Prize winner in
1998 for Gotham: A History of New York City to 1898 (with Edwin
G. Burrows) examines New York after September 11, offering a plan
that would not only revitalize downtown but launch a series of social
programs that he calls a “new New Deal” for New York
(Bell & Weiland Publishers, $18.95).
Economics as an Evolutionary Science: From Utility to Fitness
by Arthur E. Gandolfi ’66, Anna Sachko Gandolfi and
David P. Barash. In integrating economics and evolution, this work
redirects the study of economics toward the nature of human subjects
and how biological concerns play a part in economic behavior (Transaction
Publishers, $49.95).
Urban Politics in Early Modern Europe
by Christopher R. Friedrichs ’68. This survey of the
urban political interaction in Europe from 1500–1789 explores
the social, economic and religious impact of the early modern city
on the national state (Routledge, $19.95).
The World Turned: Essays on Gay History, Politics and Culture
by John D’Emilio ’70. In covering the increased
visibility of the gay community in American life, these essays discuss
issues such as the gay gene controversy and the scapegoating of
gays and lesbians by the Christian right (Duke University Press,
$18.95).
The Reality Effect: Film Culture and the Graphic Imperative
by Joel Black ’72. Approaching cinema as a documentary
medium, this work of film theory and cultural criticism explores
the graphic impulse in depicting both reality and fiction (Routledge,
$22.95).
Celluloid Skyline: New York and the Movies
by James Sanders ’76. The co-writer of the Emmy-winning
documentary New York: A Documentary Film shows how the medium of
cinema has given New York a mythical image of its own and how this
“magical city” has affected our understanding of the
real New York (Knopf, $45).
The Story of America: Freedom and Crisis From Settlement to Superpower
by Allen Weinstein and David Rubel ’83. This
narration of American history focuses on 26 “significant episodes,”
such as the Boston Massacre and March on Washington, connecting
them to larger historical themes. Each chapter features photographs
and biographical inserts that supplement the episode (DK Publishing,
$35).
Minor Omissions: Children in Latin American History and Society
by Tobias Hecht ’86. This critical reexamination
focuses on the overlooked role of children in Latin American and
Caribbean society, from their valued role as Christian converts
in Spanish colonial times to their current plight as wage-earners
in the capitalist world (University of Wisconsin Press, $21.95).
 Letters
to Henrietta
by Isabella Bird, edited by Kay Chubbuck ’93.
The letters of the Victorian heroine who first traveled around the
world to regain her health and soon became a renowned travel writer
reveal a controversial historical figure with a bold personality
(John Murray Publishers, $50).
Going Alone: The Case for Relaxed Reciprocity in Freeing Trade
edited by Jagdish Bhagwati, Arthur Lehman Professor
of Economics and Professor of Political Science. This examination
of freeing trade by unilateral trade liberalization includes historical
analysis as well as recent industrial experiences that support the
relative benefits gained through the policy of unilateralism (MIT
Press, $60).
 Writing
New England: An Anthology From the Puritans to the Present
by Andrew Delbanco, Julian Clarence Levi Professor
in the Humanities. A diverse collection ranging from Puritan sermons
to autobiographical writings of civil rights leaders, this book
reflects the rich literary tradition of New England and features
the works of major figures such as Dickinson and Thoreau, Frost
and Updike (Harvard University Press, $29.95).
Le Corbusier: Architect of the Twentieth Century
text by Kenneth Frampton, Ware Professor of Architecture;
principal photography by Roberto Schezen. A renowned expert
on modern architecture and a celebrated architectural photographer
pay tribute to the Swiss-born Le Corbusier, providing an in-depth
look at his greatest buildings (Abrams, $65).
 From
Reliable Sources: An Introduction to Historical Methods
by Martha Howell, professor of history, and Walter Prevenier.
This comprehensive guide to the critical analysis in historical
scholarship offers useful techniques employed by Western historians
in their efforts to skillfully engage with the documents of the
past and extract valuable knowledge (Cornell University Press, $14.95).
Empire City
edited by Kenneth T. Jackson, professor of history and social
sciences, and David S. Dunbar. Compiled by two renowned New York
experts, this anthology gives a colorful, diverse record of New
York’s four centuries, which range from the accounts of explorers
to famous literature (Columbia University Press, $39.95).
Media Worlds
edited by Faye D. Ginsburg, Lila Abu-Lughod Professor
of Anthology and Women’s Studies, and Brian Larkin,
assistant professor of anthropology, Barnard College. An anthropological
look at media practice around the world, this collection of essays
presents new arguments about the ethnographic concerns found in
the study of media (University of California Press, $24.95).
 Deceit
and Denial
by Gerald Markowitz and David Rosner, professor of
history and public health. This investigation into the chemical
and lead industries uncovers the manipulation that has continually
exposed Americans to toxic products, evidence from secret documents
and interviews and what the authors call the environmental and health
problems posed by corporate greed and government indifference (University
of California Press, $34.95).
A History of New York in Images: Cityscapes
by Howard B. Rock and Deborah Dash Moore ’68 GSAS
’75 GSAS. This visual history of New York, from the lithographs
of the 17th-century Dutch settlement to the black-and-white photographs
of the modern metropolis, documents the important themes in the
city’s past (Columbia University Press, $74.95).
L.B., P.K.
Columbia College Today features
books by alumni and faculty as well as books about the College
and its people. For inclusion, please send review copies to:
Laura Butchy, Bookshelf Editor
Columbia College Today
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